Results tagged ‘ MLB Prospects ’
Prospect Notes 4/13
It is early and top prospects are adjusting, like Bryce Harper and his current .222/.276/.333 slash in Triple-A, while guys you’ve possibly never heard of are posting some eye-popping numbers. Here is a look at some of those guys performing well early on.
Brad Miller, SS, Mariners, High-A
.371/.463/.914, 13 for 35, 12 R, 3 2B, 2 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 1 SB, 9/6 K/BB
Miller is a lefty swinging college bat out of Clemson. He is playing the whole season at the age of 22, and he should be advanced and hitting well, but the California League may result in Miller becoming a legend. Miller is now hitting .398 in 88 professional at bats, so he is someone to monitor this year, even if he has Nick Franklin ahead of him in the Mariners system at short.
Alen Hanson, 2B, Pirates, Low-A
.412/.474/.824, 14 for 34, 11 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 SB, 6/4 K/BB
Henson is a long way off, but he has a solid eye and solid speed, while seemingly spraying the ball all over the field. He is a switch hitter and he looks like he could be a potential leadoff hitter for the Bucs down the road. Neil Walker is under team control until 2017, but if he becomes too expensive through arbitration, Pittsburgh could toss the job Henson’s way in 2015.
Jose Fernandez, RHP, Marlins, Low-A
1-0, 1.64 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 11 IP, 5 H, 18/4 K/BB
Fernandez is a known name as the Marlins first round pick from 2011. The youngster from Cuba is a high upside arm that turns 20 in July. He could be a fast mover in the Marlins system, especially if he keeps pitching like he has in his first two starts.
Cody Buckel, RHP, Rangers, High-A
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 10 IP, 4 H, 16/3 K/BB
Buckel has only thrown 111 2/3 innings but he now has a 145/31 K/BB. He is another chip in an absolutely loaded Rangers system. He’ll be 20 in June, but he seems to be picking up where he left off from last season when he posted a 2.61 ERA and 120/27 K/BB 23 games (17 starts).
Andrew Chafin, RHP, Diamondbacks, High-A
2-0, 0.82 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 11 IP, 5 H, 18/2 K/BB
The California League eats pitchers for breakfast, so when a guy dominates there, like Tyler Skaggs did last year, you need to take notice. Chafin is a college arm, so he’ll be 22 this year, and he had Tommy John surgery in 2010 and missed the entire season. The Kent State product was the 43rd pick in the 2011 draft and he does seem to have the stuff to be a mid-rotation starter, with a plus fastball and slider. If he develops his change, he could become much more.
A.J. Griffin, RHP, Athletics, Double-A
0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.36 WHIP, 11 IP, 2 H, 16/2 K/BB
Griffin is 24, a 2010 13th round pick out of San Diego by the A’s. In 2011, Griffin pitched at four levels, finishing with an 11-7 record, 3.47 ERA, 160 2/3 innings pitched, and a 156/32 K/BB. Not overly impressive until you look at his splits. He was impressive early on, posting a 9-3 record, 2.71 ERA, 122 2/3 innings pitched, and 128/19 K/BB between 20 Low-A and High-A starts. He didn’t fare as well at the higher levels (2-4, 5.92 ERA), which is why he’s back in Double-A this year. He has solid breaking stuff and very good control, so he could be a back-end starter, possibly a Joe Blanton-like innings eater.
2012 MLB Prospects to Watch
These are guys who you should keep an eye on as they advance to higher levels in the Minors in 2012. You may know some of the names, you may not…that’s why you’re reading this anyway. There are reasons why I name these guys: achievement based on age at current level, advanced plate discipline, doubles power (which may or may not become homerun power as a player matures), and position value.
Hak-Ju Lee, SS, Tampa: Lee is a speedy middle infielder. He may not ever hit for power, though he has 37 XB hits this year, he will play well with what the Rays do with speed and their lineup. Hell, they found value in Sam Fuld! Lee made it to Double-A this season at the age of 20, and the South Korean can play. He could get a taste by the end of next season if he plays well in Montgomery.
Joseph Terdoslavich, 1B, Atlanta: The Braves should probably move him off of first with Freddie Freeman firmly entrenched there in Atlanta, but you have to take note of what Terdoslavich has done this season. He is a little old for his level (High-A, turns 23 on 9/9) but he was a college bat. Terdoslavich is a switch hitter who smashed 52 doubles, 2 triples, and 20 homers in the Carolina League, which has been a pitcher-friendly league for years. His plate discipline isn’t spectacular, especially for a more advanced hitter, but it’ll work if he hits like that. As he continues adjusting to wood bats, he could become an offensive force. He just has to hurry it up a bit based on his age.
Daniel Carroll, OF, Seattle: You certainly need to take the California League as a grain of salt when you rank players coming out of there. It’s like a wiffle-ball league in your backyard as a kid, the ball just goes out, you just want to see how many homers you can actually hit. Carroll isn’t a homerun hitter, though he did hit 18. He is interesting even though he struck out 157 times. He interests me because he is just 22, he had 20 doubles, but he took 88 walks and stole 62 bases. His gap power and speed combo could play amazingly well in Seattle. They won’t get Ichiro-in-his-prime type of numbers from Carroll, but he could be an asset if he gets moving through Seattle’s system.
Rymer Liriano, OF, San Diego: When you look for potential power guys, this is one that could make you drool. At the age of 20, Liriano had 30 doubles, 8 triples, and 12 homers while stealing 65 bases and posting a .383 OBP. He could become useless in Petco but you have to wonder if that speed and gap power could make him an asset there, much like Carroll for Seattle. Liriano did his damage in Low-A this year, though he did get a taste of the California League. He could put up ridiculous numbers in a full season there next year and improve his prospect status. He is definitely someone to keep an eye on.
Matt Adams, 1B, St. Louis: Adams skipped High-A and went on to dominate Double-A in 2011, posting a .300/.357/.566 slash with 23 doubles, 32 homers and 101 RBI in the Texas League. A left-handed hitter, Adams is probably a bit too large (6’3″, 230 lbs) to move to the outfield, so he is one to monitor if the Cardinals do lose both Berkman and Pujols to Free Agency. He just turned 23 and he was a college bat, so he is what he is right now. He’s an intriguing prospect for a team that may need a long-term solution at first.
Grant Green, SS, Oakland: If you’ve been living in a cave in Afghanistan, you may not know who Green is. He isn’t the “Moneyball”-type of player that Oakland used to stash, but he is productive, ripping 33 doubles and 9 homers in the Texas League. He’ll be 24 for all of next season and he’ll be in Triple-A to start the year. It will be interesting to see how Oakland handles him with Cliff Pennington doing a solid but not spectacular job at short this season, and Jemile Weeks looks like a solid addition at second.
Scott Van Slyke, 1B, L.A. Dodgers: Why should you watch a 25-year-old, Double-A first baseman? Because James Loney made $4.8 million this year to be a waste of space and Frank McCourt may actually do something smart and not give him a raise in arbitration. If the Dodgers do that, Van Slyke could get a shot. He posted a .345/.427/.595 slash at Double-A where he was repeating after spending just 65 games there last year. His 45 doubles, 20 homers, and a 100/65 K/BB in 130 games was very impressive. I know my dad would love to root for another Van Slyke, so we’ll see if or when he gets a shot.
Daniel Corcino, RHP, Cincinnati: A 5’11″ right-handed Dominican pitcher…not named Johnny Cueto…Sure. He turned 21 in August and posted a 156/34 K/BB in 139 1/3 innings this season for Low-A Dayton. He could go to Bakersfield in the California League next season, which could destroy his confidence and abilities, but if he does well, we’ll know that he is a legit prospect. They could just send him to Double-A, too, though.
Trevor May, RHP, Philadelphia: May is 6’5″, 215, built to be an innings-eating machine for a team that doesn’t really need more studly pitchers. He pitched the whole season at the age of 21 in High-A, posting a 208/67 K/BB in 151 1/3 innings pitched. His overall 10-8 record and 3.63 ERA shows that he can improve, but he has stuff that could make him useful to someone if the Phillies don’t need him.
Chad Bettis, RHP, Colorado: Bettis pitched great this season in the California League and his career 2.70 ERA over 236 2/3 innings and 240/58 K/BB shows that it wasn’t a fluke. He was a 2nd round pick out of Texas Tech in 2010 and he should continue moving up the Rockies system to become a solid #3 starter. He could become more if he does what he did this year in the upper levels.
Prospects to Watch in the 2nd Half
These guys are or will be in the Majors by the end of the 2011 season or will be carving out a dramatic increase in their future value in their current systems, in other words, breakout prospect stars.
Mike Trout, Angels, CF: He is already up, having played in two games. Trout is just 19 and his power/speed blend is going to make him rival Eric Davis in his prime. He probably won’t produce on the levels that he has the last season and a half in the Minors (.335/.416/.506) right away, but this is as intriguing as a prospect can get. He will head back to the Minors when Peter Bourjos returns from injury, but he should be up for good by next April.
Mike McDade, Blue Jays, 1B: McDade led the Arizona Fall League in doubles (11), was 3rd in Batting Average (.375), and was 2nd in hits (33). Now, at 22-years-old, he is tearing apart the Double-A Eastern League, leading the league in hits (103), doubles (30), and total bases (175), while ranking 5th with 14 homers, and 2nd in RBI (60). He is a big guy like Prince Fielder (6’1″, 270 lbs), and his contact rate could use some improvement (22.1% K rate), but he looks like a hitter that could be very valuable to the Blue Jays in the next year or so.
Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks, 1B: First base has been a revolving door for the Diamondbacks, as Russell Branyan, Juan Miranda, and Xavier Nady have struggled to take control of the position this year. It shouldn’t be long until the D-backs reach to the Minors for their slugging prospect. Just 23-years-old, Goldschmidt has hit 87 doubles, 78 homers, and a .621 slugging percentage since his professional career started in 2009. He has played in 298 games and averages a homerun every 9.23 AB. He has greatly increased his plate discipline this year, and he could settle in nicely in the middle of the lineup for years to come.
Tim Wheeler, Rockies, CF: Dexter Fowler – FAIL, Charlie Blackmon – Injured, Cole Garner – Organizational Depth. What does this mean? The Rockies are going to move on from what they’ve used so far and find a real centerfielder. Carlos Gonzalez could more than handle the position if called upon, but they may want to look to Double-A Tulsa, where Wheeler has been a monster this season. Though he has struckout 90 times (26.5% of at bats), Wheeler has posted a .999 OPS to go along with 18 doubles, 22 homers, and 15 stolen bases. Now 23-years-old, Wheeler has put together the tools that made him a first round pick in 2009 out of Sacramento State. If he can keep the power/speed combo and improve his contact rate, he should be a lesser version of a healthy Grady Sizemore, a 6’4″, 205 pound slugging centerfielder.
Drew Pomeranz, Indians, LHP: The Indians fortunes only look like they will improve. Pomeranz was the top college lefty in the 2010 draft, taken 5th overall out of Mississippi. He should be up by the middle of 2012, but he could be a lefty specialist for the Tribe down the stretch this season. His numbers against lefties are very impressive, in 15 2/3 innings against lefties, he has a 32/2 K/BB and a .130 BAA. Overall, Pomeranz has a 1.87 ERA over 77 IP with a 95/32 K/BB and .202 BAA. He has lights out stuff and, though he is just in High-A right now, will finish off this season in Double-A, if not the Majors.
Jake Odorizzi, Royals, RHP: A little pitching to go with the hitting prospects who have reached the Majors, right? The Royals received Odorizzi from the Brewers in the Zack Greinke deal and he has many similarities to Greinke. He has great control and a variety of pitches that make him a top of the rotation candidate. Odorizzi has moved up to Double-A, so he could get a shot at the rotation next April if he finishes strong. Posting a 2.92 ERA over 16 starts, his most impressive stat is the 107/24 K/BB in 83 1/3 IP. He will add to the list of Lamb, Montgomery, Duffy, and Crow, as the Royals try to build a winner from within the organization.
Trevor May, Phillies, RHP: The Phillies need more pitching right now, right? This young man, just 21, has a 123/44 K/BB in 95 IP in High-A. He will probably move up to Double-A for the 2nd half. May has a very projectable frame, standing 6’5″, 205 pounds. He could become trade bait if the Phillies want to upgrade down the stretch, but he could become a solid #3 for them, settling in behind Halladay and Lee by the middle of next season.
Others you should know who could make an impact:
Julio Teheran, Braves, RHP
Yonder Alonso, Reds, LF
Brandon Belt, Giants, 1B/OF
Kyle Gibson, Twins, RHP
Leonys Martin, Rangers, CF
Jason Kipnis, Indians, 2B
Desmond Jennings, Rays, OF
Brett Lawrie, Blue Jays, 3B
Devin Mesoraco, Reds, C
Ryan Lavarnway, Red Sox, C
