Results tagged ‘ Jurickson Profar ’
Sizzlin’ Future Stars: Minor League Report, 5/18
With the season underway and some fans already looking forward to next year, even this early, it is a good time to look down on the farms for some names that you should get to know. Everyone knows who Wil Myers, Dylan Bundy, and Oscar Taveras are at this point, so these are players performing at elite levels who may not be household names…yet.
Aaron Altherr, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | TB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 18 | Phillies | Rk | 28 | 92 | 84 | 10 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 15 | .214 | .283 | .286 | .568 | 24 |
| 2010 | 19 | 2 Teams | Rk-A- | 55 | 225 | 209 | 23 | 62 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 12 | 11 | 35 | .297 | .339 | .411 | .751 | 86 |
| 2010 | 19 | Phillies | Rk | 27 | 121 | 115 | 12 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 3 | 22 | .304 | .331 | .400 | .731 | 46 |
| 2010 | 19 | Williamsport | A- | 28 | 104 | 94 | 11 | 27 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 13 | .287 | .350 | .426 | .775 | 40 |
| 2011 | 20 | 2 Teams | A–A | 112 | 458 | 416 | 61 | 101 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 46 | 37 | 24 | 99 | .243 | .291 | .339 | .630 | 141 |
| 2011 | 20 | Williamsport | A- | 71 | 295 | 269 | 41 | 70 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 31 | 25 | 13 | 52 | .260 | .302 | .375 | .678 | 101 |
| 2011 | 20 | Lakewood | A | 41 | 163 | 147 | 20 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 47 | .211 | .272 | .272 | .544 | 40 |
| 2012 | 21 | Lakewood | A | 110 | 471 | 420 | 65 | 106 | 27 | 6 | 8 | 50 | 25 | 38 | 102 | .252 | .319 | .402 | .722 | 169 |
| 2013 | 22 | Clearwater | A+ | 35 | 152 | 134 | 22 | 45 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 8 | 13 | 39 | .336 | .391 | .567 | .958 | 76 |
| 5 Seasons | 340 | 1398 | 1263 | 181 | 332 | 76 | 14 | 20 | 159 | 88 | 94 | 290 | .263 | .319 | .393 | .711 | 496 | |||
Altherr is a big, raw prospect who seems to be putting everything together this year in the Florida State League. He was nowhere to be found on MLB.com’s top 20 list for the Phillies prior to this season, while John Sickels, of minorleagueball.com, had Altherr in the “others” section as a player to watch. Considering what he was before this season, it is pretty shocking that the 6’5″, 190 pound outfielder has jumped to the numbers that he is putting up in 2013, but he was clearly a toolsy guy prior to this year. His lanky frame still had impressive speed and gap power, so as he continues to mature physically, Altherr could become an even more intriguing prospect. Given the nature of how the Phillies handled Domonic Brown, however, you have to wonder if they’ll handle a player similar is size with varying talent in the same manner.
Rafael De Paula, RHP, New York Yankees
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | W | L | GS | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 21 | Yankees 1 | FRk | 8 | 2 | 1.46 | 14 | 61.2 | 35 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 18 | 85 | 0.859 | 5.1 | 12.4 | 4.72 |
| 2013 | 22 | Charleston | A | 4 | 2 | 2.75 | 8 | 39.1 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 17 | 69 | 1.042 | 5.5 | 15.8 | 4.06 |
| 2 Seasons | 12 | 4 | 1.96 | 22 | 101.0 | 59 | 30 | 22 | 4 | 35 | 154 | 0.931 | 5.3 | 13.7 | 4.40 | |||
The strikeout totals are stupid, and so is the fact that the Yankees have De Paula in Low-A ball at the age of 22. Domination doesn’t even begin to tell the story of what De Paula has done this season, and another guy that MLB.com left unranked, but came in as the Yankees No.13 prospect at minorleagueball.com, has flown up the prospect rankings in the early going of the 2013 season. De Paula was signed in November of 2010 out of the Dominican Republic and he has been handled with baby gloves ever since. In a recent Baseball Prospectus chat, Jason Parks had this to say about the Yankee right-hander:
“ Powerful build; arm speed is near elite; fastball can work 91-95l touch even higher; huge life; misses barrels; shows plus potential with both hard, power curve and changeup; command profile could push him to the ‘pen down the line, as could secondary development. He’s a big time arm.”
He’s good.
Archie Bradley, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | W | L | GS | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 18 | Missoula | Rk | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.500 | 4.5 | 18.0 | |
| 2012 | 19 | South Bend | A | 12 | 6 | 3.84 | 27 | 136.0 | 87 | 64 | 58 | 6 | 84 | 152 | 1.257 | 5.8 | 10.1 | 1.81 |
| 2013 | 20 | 2 Teams | A+-AA | 4 | 0 | 1.05 | 8 | 42.2 | 29 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 63 | 1.055 | 6.1 | 13.3 | 3.94 |
| 2013 | 20 | Visalia | A+ | 2 | 0 | 1.26 | 5 | 28.2 | 22 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 43 | 1.116 | 6.9 | 13.5 | 4.30 |
| 2013 | 20 | Mobile | AA | 2 | 0 | 0.64 | 3 | 14.0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 20 | 0.929 | 4.5 | 12.9 | 3.33 |
| 3 Seasons | 16 | 6 | 3.14 | 36 | 180.2 | 117 | 70 | 63 | 7 | 100 | 219 | 1.201 | 5.8 | 10.9 | 2.19 | |||
I had a hard time buying into Archie Bradley, even with high rankings from MLB.com (No.24) and Baseball America (No.25) prior to the season. It had a lot to do with the 84 walks that he posted last season, as I like to see that a pitcher can harness his stuff before I consider him elite. However, this time I was way off, as the hits per nine (5.8), K per nine (10.1), and home runs allowed (just six in 136 innings) goes to show the type of stuff and dominance that Bradley possesses. A 95 mph fastball with sink and a strikeout pitch in his curveball have allowed Bradley to post a 63:16 K:BB in 42.2 innings in 2013, and he has already been bumped up to Double-A at the tender age of 20. He was highly touted for a reason and he seems to have found the command necessary to become one of the top pitchers in the minor leagues.
Rougned Odor, 2B, Texas Rangers
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | TB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 17 | Spokane | A- | 58 | 258 | 233 | 33 | 61 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 29 | 10 | 13 | 37 | .262 | .323 | .352 | .675 | 82 |
| 2012 | 18 | Hickory | A | 109 | 471 | 432 | 60 | 112 | 23 | 4 | 10 | 47 | 19 | 25 | 65 | .259 | .313 | .400 | .714 | 173 |
| 2013 | 19 | Myrtle Beach | A+ | 38 | 163 | 143 | 30 | 44 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 25 | 11 | 9 | 28 | .308 | .377 | .503 | .880 | 72 |
| 3 Seasons | 205 | 892 | 808 | 123 | 217 | 46 | 8 | 16 | 101 | 40 | 47 | 130 | .269 | .328 | .405 | .732 | 327 | |||
It’s tough being a middle infielder in the Rangers system these days. With Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler signed to long-term deals and Jurickson Profar waiting in Triple-A, the Rangers have created a logjam of talent in their system that will either waste away or get traded away. It also isn’t very fair for the guys who aren’t Profar to have to try to put up numbers comparable to his to be taken seriously. Which leads us to a very impressive young player. Odor was just 18 last season when he put up a .714 OPS with 37 extra-base hits and 19 stolen bases in full season ball, and he has improved his stats in the early going this season. Not only that, his running game is much more solid, having stolen 11 bases in 12 attempts after being gunned down 10 times in 29 attempts last season. His ceiling isn’t nearly that of Profar’s, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a solid major leaguer.
Maikel Franco, 3B, Philadelphia Phillies
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | TB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 17 | Phillies | Rk | 51 | 217 | 194 | 23 | 43 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 16 | 46 | .222 | .292 | .330 | .622 | 64 |
| 2011 | 18 | 2 Teams | A–A | 71 | 296 | 267 | 25 | 66 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 44 | 0 | 26 | 45 | .247 | .318 | .360 | .677 | 96 |
| 2011 | 18 | Williamsport | A- | 54 | 229 | 202 | 19 | 58 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 25 | 30 | .287 | .367 | .411 | .778 | 83 |
| 2011 | 18 | Lakewood | A | 17 | 67 | 65 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | .123 | .149 | .200 | .349 | 13 |
| 2012 | 19 | Lakewood | A | 132 | 554 | 503 | 70 | 141 | 32 | 3 | 14 | 84 | 3 | 38 | 80 | .280 | .336 | .439 | .775 | 221 |
| 2013 | 20 | Clearwater | A+ | 39 | 179 | 163 | 25 | 47 | 16 | 1 | 8 | 32 | 0 | 12 | 26 | .288 | .341 | .546 | .887 | 89 |
| 4 Seasons | 293 | 1246 | 1127 | 143 | 297 | 78 | 7 | 27 | 189 | 3 | 92 | 197 | .264 | .324 | .417 | .742 | 470 | |||
Franco has a lot of potential that is not obvious to his game yet, which is shocking when you consider he currently sports an .887 OPS as a 20-year-old in High-A. A third baseman with an excellent arm and solid glove, if Franco continues hitting the way that he has while showing improved plate discipline, the Phillies could have a superstar in the making. Franco doesn’t strikeout in bunches and he appears ready to turn some of those 32 doubles from last season into home runs this year. As he continues to mature, he will be a player to keep an eye on.
Carlos Contreras, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | W | L | G | GS | GF | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 17 | Reds | FRk | 0 | 1 | 8.64 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 16.2 | 14 | 21 | 16 | 0 | 30 | 17 | 2.640 | 7.6 | 9.2 | 0.57 |
| 2009 | 18 | Reds | FRk | 4 | 4 | 5.60 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 72.1 | 65 | 49 | 45 | 6 | 30 | 58 | 1.313 | 8.1 | 7.2 | 1.93 |
| 2010 | 19 | Reds | Rk | 2 | 4 | 6.45 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 37.2 | 44 | 29 | 27 | 8 | 16 | 30 | 1.593 | 10.5 | 7.2 | 1.88 |
| 2011 | 20 | Billings | Rk | 2 | 1 | 5.00 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36.0 | 35 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 23 | 38 | 1.611 | 8.8 | 9.5 | 1.65 |
| 2012 | 21 | 2 Teams | A-A+ | 1 | 1 | 3.12 | 49 | 0 | 33 | 20 | 60.2 | 38 | 27 | 21 | 7 | 24 | 63 | 1.022 | 5.6 | 9.3 | 2.63 |
| 2012 | 21 | Dayton | A | 0 | 1 | 3.20 | 40 | 0 | 26 | 16 | 50.2 | 29 | 22 | 18 | 6 | 19 | 51 | 0.947 | 5.2 | 9.1 | 2.68 |
| 2012 | 21 | Bakersfield | A+ | 1 | 0 | 2.70 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 10.0 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 1.400 | 8.1 | 10.8 | 2.40 |
| 2013 | 22 | Bakersfield | A+ | 1 | 4 | 3.40 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 42.1 | 27 | 18 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 52 | 0.945 | 5.7 | 11.1 | 4.00 |
| 6 Seasons | 10 | 15 | 4.91 | 116 | 26 | 45 | 22 | 265.2 | 223 | 164 | 145 | 31 | 136 | 258 | 1.351 | 7.6 | 8.7 | 1.90 | |||
The Reds have been all over the place in their handling of Contreras since signing him prior to the 2008 season out of the Dominican Republic. While they finally seemed to have figured out that he should start, Contreras finally seems to know how to pitch now, as well. He is putting it all together for a very bad Bakersfield team in the California League, and while the league is a hitter’s paradise, Contreras has been pretty dominant. He has a .179 batting average allowed to go with his 52:13 K:BB in 42.1 innings. He has a fastball that sits 92-96 and seems familiar with pressure after being a closer last season. We’ll see if he can maintain this production, but he looks like a live arm in the Reds system, which they need with Daniel Corcino pitching so poorly at Triple-A this season.
Jake Buchanan, RHP, Houston Astros
| Year | Age | Tm | Lev | W | L | G | GS | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 20 | Tri-City | A- | 4 | 5 | 4.28 | 14 | 14 | 61.0 | 69 | 32 | 29 | 3 | 11 | 42 | 1.311 | 10.2 | 6.2 | 3.82 |
| 2011 | 21 | 2 Teams | A+-AA | 5 | 10 | 3.80 | 26 | 26 | 165.2 | 163 | 93 | 70 | 10 | 36 | 104 | 1.201 | 8.9 | 5.6 | 2.89 |
| 2011 | 21 | Lancaster | A+ | 5 | 10 | 3.91 | 25 | 25 | 158.2 | 157 | 92 | 69 | 10 | 35 | 102 | 1.210 | 8.9 | 5.8 | 2.91 |
| 2011 | 21 | Corpus Christi | AA | 0 | 0 | 1.29 | 1 | 1 | 7.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1.000 | 7.7 | 2.6 | 2.00 |
| 2012 | 22 | 2 Teams | AA-AAA | 5 | 10 | 5.25 | 30 | 20 | 142.1 | 188 | 95 | 83 | 12 | 38 | 88 | 1.588 | 11.9 | 5.6 | 2.32 |
| 2012 | 22 | Corpus Christi | AA | 5 | 9 | 4.96 | 27 | 19 | 134.1 | 171 | 85 | 74 | 11 | 33 | 83 | 1.519 | 11.5 | 5.6 | 2.52 |
| 2012 | 22 | Oklahoma City | AAA | 0 | 1 | 10.12 | 3 | 1 | 8.0 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2.750 | 19.1 | 5.6 | 1.00 |
| 2013 | 23 | Corpus Christi | AA | 4 | 0 | 0.93 | 11 | 7 | 48.1 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 28 | 0.641 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 9.33 |
| 4 Seasons | 18 | 25 | 4.03 | 81 | 67 | 417.1 | 448 | 225 | 187 | 27 | 88 | 262 | 1.284 | 9.7 | 5.7 | 2.98 | |||
Houston has an interesting method of developing their pitchers, using tandem starting pitching at all minor league levels this season. Jake Buchanan is not one of the club’s brightest stars, nor is he expected to become one, but he really seems to enjoy how the Astros are doing things this year. A 0.93 ERA and 0.64 WHIP over 48.1 innings is pretty impressive, as is the .163 batting average allowed. With the major league roster looking like a mediocre Triple-A team, and a starting rotation with a 6.31 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, and .309 batting average allowed, it doesn’t hurt to know that Buchanan is having success in the minors for a team so desperate for pitching help. The 23-year-old could get a jump to Triple-A in the coming weeks to see if he can produce similar statistics there before getting a shot in Houston.
Faults in the Berkman Signing
When the Texas Rangers signed Lance Berkman to a one-year, $10 million deal (with a $12 million option for 2014, which vests at $14 million for 550 plate appearances in 2013), they really caused some chaos on their roster.
Berkman will be the primary designated hitter in 2013, at least for as long as his ailing knees will allow him to after he missed 117 games in 2012 due to injuries to both knees and his left calf. The Rangers are making a very questionable decision in this signing.
Texas has been linked to deals with the Arizona Diamondbacks all offseason, as Arizona GM Kevin Towers continues to shop Justin Upton. While Rangers GM Jon Daniels has refused to create a package around top prospect Jurickson Profar, the club may have just blocked their prized possession by signing Berkman.
Daniels announced on January 7 that with the signing of Berkman, the club was going into the 2013 season with Ian Kinsler at second base and Mitch Moreland at first base. Daniels confirmed on December 9 that Kinsler was an option at first base, which would have opened second base for Profar or allowed the club to keep Profar at short and move Elvis Andrus to second.
With Adrian Beltre entrenched at third base for the Rangers, Mike Olt, another top prospect for Texas becomes expendable, even after the club traded Michael Young to Philadelphia. Olt could play some first base, but with Moreland, Kinsler, and Berkman (possibly) capable of handling the position, he’ll probably head to Triple-A Round Rock for the start of the 2013 season…if he isn’t traded.
While the club mentioned Kinsler as an option at first, he could still make sense in left field. With Josh Hamilton signing with the Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers outfield is suddenly very weak, at least on paper. The top four outfielders are David Murphy, Nelson Cruz, Leonys Martin, and Craig Gentry. If Kinsler played left, where his bat could play well still, it would open the door for Profar at second, at least, and the club could still hope that a package featuring Mike Olt could still land the club Upton. Kinsler could handle center, possibly, as an up-the-middle player with solid speed (157 steals in seven seasons), which would allow the club to move Cruz to left.
While Berkman has been a fantastic player over his career, a club with so many options offensively should not have locked up a player for, potentially, two season if “Big Puma” were to actually hit his vesting option. Even a rotation of players would have been a solid use of resources, possibly DHing Nelson Cruz to keep his legs, which have kept him out of 83 games since the start of 2010, fresh.
What would the best-case scenario be for Berkman and the Rangers? With Murphy in left full-time and Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt in Triple-A, all because of Berkman’s inability to play the field at this point of his career, the Rangers are not better. They have de-valued one of the top prospects in baseball by tying Ron Washington‘s hands with a player in the decline of his career.
Jon Daniels has done nothing to help the Rangers this offseason. While we don’t know if it was his call to hope that Josh Hamilton called the Rangers to allow them to match an offer, only to lose out to their division-rival, the fact that the club continues to hold onto Elvis Andrus and Jurickson Profar instead of upgrading by getting Justin Upton continues to be the driving mistake of the offseason for the club. At least Upton is someone to build around, as he is 25 years old and signed through 2015.
Jon Daniels may have just blocked Jurickson Profar AND Mike Olt for the next two seasons. There is no excuse for that, even for a team that had the money to spend.
10 Players to Watch in 2013
Whether they are rookies, players who may have had a surprising second half in 2012, or a feeling, here are players you will want to look out for in the 2013 MLB season.
Jurickson Profar, 2B/SS, Texas Rangers
Jurickson Profar posted an amazing season at the age of 19 in Double-A in 2012, compiling a .281/.368/.452 line with 26 doubles, seven triples, 14 home runs, and 16 stolen bases for Frisco. He had 17 at-bats with the Rangers at the end of the season. Profar is about as ready as any prospect could be, even though he will be just 20 in February. The question will be: where does he play? With Ian Kinsler at second, Elvis Andrus at short, and Adrian Beltre at third, will the Rangers move Profar or make a deal? Perhaps moving Kinsler to left if or when Josh Hamilton leaves via free agency is an option. Regardless, Profar is a hitting machine who can get on base, a rarity for someone so young.
Darin Ruf, 1B/OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Ruf was “old” for Double-A in 2012, but you still have to appreciate his .317/.408/.620 line and his 38 home runs. Fans should be aware of the fact that he hit three home runs and posted a 1.079 OPS in 33 at-bats for the Phillies at the end of the season. More importantly, he is playing in the Venezuelan Winter League, learning to play the outfield, and he is still raking, having hit nine bombs with a .994 OPS in 76 at-bats. With Ryan Howard locked in at first base, the 6’3″, 220 pounder out of Creighton will need to play elsewhere. As the Phillies make changes with their roster after dealing Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino in 2012, it will be interesting to see how much of an opportunity Ruben Amaro, Jr. and Company will provide the slugging right-handed hitter.
Giancarlo Stanton, RF, Miami Marlins
Stanton is an absolute freak. Standing 6’5″, 245 pounds, the slugger just turned 23 at the beginning of November and he already has 93 career home runs. Stanton hit 37 home runs in 2012 in just 449 at-bats, including 18 in just 43 games and 164 at-bats in the second half of 2012. Stanton’s 1.057 OPS in the second half was only behind Miguel Cabrera and Buster Posey, both players worthy of their league MVP awards. I felt that 2012 was the year that Stanton could get to 50 home runs, and had he not missed 39 games, he very well could have reached that total. If he keeps his knees healthy, Stanton could be on his way to catching asterisks, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, or any other slugger in history.
Chase Headley, 3B, San Diego Padres
San Diego is where pitchers go to revive their careers and where hitters go to die, but don’t tell Headley that. The 28-year-old switch-hitter erupted in the second half of 2012, hitting .308/.386/.592 with 23 home runs and 73 RBI in 289 at-bats, while posting a career best .875 OPS, 31 home runs, and an NL-leading 115 RBI. Headley’s name was mentioned all over the place at the 2012 non-waiver trade deadline, but with the Padres moving the fences in at Petco and Headley under team control for two more years, it would take a significant haul to pry away the star third baseman. However, the Padres have dealt the likes of Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield, and Adrian Gonzalez in the past due to salaries, so Headley may only be more impressive if he ends up playing elsewhere in 2013.
Wil Myers, OF, Kansas City Royals
Wil Myers has nothing left to prove at the minor league level. In 2012, Myers hit .314/.387/.600 between Double-A and Triple-A, mashing 37 home runs and driving in 109 runs. Myers doesn’t even turn 22 until December, so the future is bright. The Royals, brilliantly, have Jeff Francoeur signed through 2013 in right, Alex Gordon signed through 2016 (counting the team option) in left, and Lorenzo Cain in center. Myers played 87 games in center in 2012 but he profiles better in a corner. With Billy Butler entrenched at DH and Eric Hosmer needing a bounce-back in 2013, where will the Royals find room for this future All-Star? Another trade is possible, but, more likely, Frenchy could be headed to the pine.
Yoenis Cespedes, OF, Oakland Athletics
The A’s won the AL West in 2012 and shocked the world. After trading away Gio Gonzalez to the Washington Nationals for a load of prospects, Billy Beane and Oakland ownership won the 2012 offseason by landing the Cuban-defector, Cespedes. While he was a free-swinger (102 strikeouts), Cespedes could also take a walk (43 BB, .356 OBP), becoming an immediate impact player for the A’s. Cespedes exploded in the second half of 2012, posting a .909 OPS, 14 doubles, 14 home runs, and even stealing 10 bases. The overall line, .292/.356/.505, was enhanced down the stretch, .311/.376/.533, so this could be the beginning of a fantastic career. The pure power and speed that Cespedes offers makes him a potentially elite outfielder, MVP candidate, and a superstar, which the A’s needed so badly.
Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Kansas City Royals
When you go 14-0 with a 0.08 ERA in your senior year of high school, you must have some solid stuff. Odorizzi still has the stuff, a broad repertoire that had many linking his pitches and command to Greg Maddux when he was drafted in the first round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. A major part of the Zack Greinke deal, Odorizzi went 15-5 with a 3.08 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A in 2012 before making two starts for the Royals in September. Odorizzi has the stuff to become a solid No.2 starter for the Royals, and with Felipe Paulino and Danny Duffy working their way back from elbow surgery, and only Bruce Chen, Luis Mendoza, Ervin Santana, Will Smith, and Luke Hochevar in front of him, Odorizzi should begin making an impact early into the 2013 season. He may end up striking out about 170 batters over 200 innings in his prime, while keeping the ball in the park and runners off the bases due to his control.
Carlos Santana, C, Cleveland Indians
After an anemic .221/.339/.336 line in the first half, Santana broke out in the second half of 2012, hitting .281/.389/.498 with 14 doubles, 13 home runs, 46 RBI, and a 41:45 K:BB in 263 at-bats. Santana will turn the magical age of 27 in April, and the catcher, signed through 2017 for the Indians, could continue to establish himself as a dynamic offensive catcher, wearing the No.41 of his mentor, Victor Martinez, with pride. Defensively, Santana allowed 10 passed balls (most in the AL) and threw out only 26 percent of would-be base stealers, so he may not be a catcher much longer if he doesn’t improve behind the dish.
Zack Cox, 3B, Miami Marlins
Gregg Dobbs is all that is standing between Zack Cox and the Miami Marlins everyday third base job. While Cox posted a disappointing .254/.301/.409 line over 394 at-bats in 2012, he was rated by Baseball America as the best pure college hitter in the 2010 MLB Draft, prior to being taken 25th overall by the St. Louis Cardinals. While he has been a bit of a disappointment to this point, especially with his plate discipline, Cox will only turn 24 years old next May. Considering his pedigree, the fact that the Marlins acquired the third baseman for Edward Mujica was surprising. While there may be growing pains, Cox is probably better right now than what Dobbs could provide over the entire 2013 season.
Max Scherzer, RHP, Detroit Tigers
6-1 with a 2.08 ERA and a 80:15 K:BB over 65 innings from August through the end of the season. Then, 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA and an 18:3 K:BB in 11 innings against the Oakland A’s and New York Yankees…Scherzer was a beast down the stretch. He lost his only World Series start against the San Francisco Giants, but Scherzer became a reliable piece to complement Justin Verlander and Doug Fister, stabilizing an amazing group of pitchers collected by the Detroit Tigers. Scherzer was third in the majors (behind James Shields, Verlander, and tied with Clayton Kershaw) in strikeouts in the second half (110), while winning a career-best 16 games in 2012. Scherzer will turn 29 in July and he is arbitration-eligible for the second time. After earning $3.75 million in 2012, Tigers ownership may want to consider locking the mis-matched eyed starter into a long-term contract.














