The Prospect/Minor Leagues Thread

[theblujay]

I posted before but I will post it again because this is exciting as hell

 

Lansing Lugnuts 2014-

 

DH- Dean/Dantzler

C- Reeves/Nessy

1B- Dean/Dantzler

2B- Lopes

SS- Lugo

3B- Nay

OF- DJ Davis

OF- Frank

OF- Kalfus

(I'm forgetting an outfielder I know it, it's been awhile)

 

SP- Robson

SP- Dawson

SP- Labourt

SP- DeJong

SP- Tirado

+others

 

Fappppppp

 

Does Barreto have a chance?

[ReturnOfTheYeti]

Do you know the difference between missing the zone and throwing at guys heads? Because that's what i see with smoral, he has no idea where it's going and his delivery is all over the place. I have seen no improvement whatsoever in the throwing strikes regard. Norris had bad control to but at least he was around the zone and had a clean repeatable delivery.

 

lol okay champ - I can see that there's no sense trying to talk logically to you lol. "I have seen no improvement whatsoever.." blah blah blah - and what's that sample size? You just don't seem to get it that most pitchers need many hundreds of innings to figure out how to pitch. Halladay - 653 IP in the minors, Clemens - 220, Nolan Ryan IP. Oh btw, Ryan's first year, averaged 1.5 WHIP w 6.5BB/9. Sure glad that you weren't the talent evaluator for him - or for any other pitcher for that matter because you just don't have a clue.

[Frenchsoup]

lol okay champ - I can see that there's no sense trying to talk logically to you lol. "I have seen no improvement whatsoever.." blah blah blah - and what's that sample size? You just don't seem to get it that most pitchers need many hundreds of innings to figure out how to pitch. Halladay - 653 IP in the minors, Clemens - 220, Nolan Ryan IP. Oh btw, Ryan's first year, averaged 1.5 WHIP w 6.5BB/9. Sure glad that you weren't the talent evaluator for him - or for any other pitcher for that matter because you just don't have a clue.

 

Just my opinion man i don't rag on any prospects but this guy was a a waste of 2 mill.

[ReturnOfTheYeti]

Just my opinion man i don't rag on any prospects but this guy was a a waste of 2 mill.

and you're totally entitled to it - all I'm saying is that you're jumping the gun. Besides, even if he doesn't pan out, probably only one in a hundred do - if that. He isn't the first and he wouldn't be the last that the signing money was "wasted". That's all.

[GD]

Fappppppp

 

holy f***ing fap batman

 

Just my opinion man i don't rag on any prospects but this guy was a a waste of 2 mill.

 

Way too early baud

[John_Havok]

April come faster

 

I used to date a girl named April, that was never a problem

[jays_fever]

I skipped to a random mid way point and saw Sanchez hit 2 batters within 30 seconds..

[GD]

I skipped to a random mid way point and saw Sanchez hit 2 batters within 30 seconds..

 

*cough*stillbetterthanJaysproscouts*cough*

[ace3113]

Jays related notes in last week's KLAW chat.

 

Steve (Toronto)

What would you respond to critics who think your souring on Aaron Sanchez after being so high on him for so long is related to the rest of the industry's opinion on Syndergaard?

 

Klaw (1:12 PM)

I don't think much of "critics" who question my integrity rather than responding to my specific comments on players. I compared what I saw from Sanchez in Fall League to video from when I saw him in 2012, and it confirmed my initial impression - he's shortened his stride and is finishing too upright. The Sanchez I'd seen in the past missed bats with his fastball; the one I saw in AZ threw 28 fastballs and didn't get a single swing and miss on it. Lengthen his stride, get him finishing over his front side, and let's see if that gets him back to where he was.

 

Brint (Wichita)

What do you think the chances are of Kyle Drabek returning and becoming a quality Major League starter?

 

Klaw (1:13 PM)

Very slim. Double TJ guys who've returned as starters ... I know Chris Capuano did, but have there been any others?

 

JC (Winnipeg)

Did you see anything from Rowdy Tellez in the AFL to upgrade your current position of "not even a guy" on him?

 

Klaw (1:27 PM)

I did not, because he wasn't in the AFL.

 

Anthony (NY)

What kind of major leaguer do u see synderguard becoming?

 

Klaw (1:30 PM)

Above-average starter. 3-4 WAR guy.

 

Steve (Easton PA)

Thoughts on JP Crawford? The Phillies had to have been thrilled with the little they saw of him last summer.

 

Klaw (1:43 PM)

I'm all in. Big fan. Jays should have taken him at 10 over Bickford on pure talent.

 

Jimmy Wynn (Doug Radar's house)

Henderson Alvarez or Joe Kelly longterm, and why?

 

Klaw (1:45 PM)

Alvarez. I actually think Kelly's better off in the pen - he'd deliver more value in 80-odd innings there than in 160 or so as a fifth starter.

 

John (Ontario)

Wondering where might be a potential spot for DJ Davis on your prospects list for next year

 

Klaw (2:06 PM)

Not on the top 100, if that's the question.

 

Rusty (Austin)

Wacha long term? number 3 starter? lower, higher?

 

Klaw (1:34 PM)

Number three to number two. Stuff of a three, command elevates him. Will probably depend on where the breaking ball is over a 200-inning sample.

[G-Snarls]

[G-Snarls]

BA from his October 28 game:

 

"Pitcher of the Day: Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Blue Jays (Salt River Rafters): 4 1/3 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K. Sanchez has dynamic stuff, but outings like these have become all too common. He stayed out of trouble on Monday because he doesn’t give up hard contact and misses enough bats, but he was unable to finish the fifth inning. He will be able to get away with poor control more so than most pitchers because his fastball sits in the mid-90s and touches 97 and because he pairs it with a plus breaking ball, but his ceiling will be limited if he doesn’t get it everything under control."

[G-Snarls]

Missed this article, Mayo on mlb.com, on Stroman as the "underdog", and a video of all the prospects the Blue Jays sent to Arizona, with a focus on Stroman and Sanchez. Sorry if already posted.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20131023&content_id=63257906&c_id=tor

[ace3113]

This is relevant with regards to Marcus Stroman who has been compared to Sonny Gray in the past and shares a similar physical profile.

 

fats (toronto): tell me everything about marcus stroman

 

Nick J. Faleris: He gets (rightfully) dinged as a starter because his fastball lacks plane, but like fellow diminutive righty Sonny Gray the quality of his secondaries allows him to get away with it. When you lack plane, it generally limits your ability to work up with the fastball because the plane delta, top to bottom in the zone, isn't great enough to force hitters to change tracks. Gray gets around this with a hard plus-plus curve with plane deception that effectively changes the eye level of the hitter. Stroman does this with his breaking ball, as well, though he's on a tilt as opposed to Gray's 12/6.

 

When you have that bullet, it then comes down to execution. If Stroman can throw the breaking ball for strikes in order to keep hitters honest, he has the upside of a #2 starter. If he's too imprecise with the pitch, MLB hitters will force him to the pen. The raw materials are there for a starter, no question.

 

Peter (Oakland): So do we have enough information yet to get really excited about Sonny Gray in 2014, or have we seen the best?

 

Nick J. Faleris: I think you've seen the blueprint for Gray (and players with similar profiles, actually). His success will depend on his ability to execute his secondaries. If he does that, the elevated fastball will play and you have a front-end arm. It's all about execution, and 2013 should have finally shown the naysayers that the profile CAN play. Whether or not Gray continues to build on this success is up to him (I'm a believer).

 

Sonny Gray #54 - SP

Oakland

Age: 23

DOB: 1989/11/07

POB: Nashville, TN

Height: 5-11 Weight: 200lbs

Bats/Throws: R/R

MLB Seasons: 1

Drafted by Oakland in 2011 (1st round).

 

(2013) 5-3 2.67era 64ip 51h 20bb 67so

 

Both Gray and Stroman are small RHP with low to mid 90s fastballs and a plus breaking pitch. The key difference I can see is that Gray gets to pitch in a great pitcher's park and Stroman will play at Roger's launch pad. Gray's era on the road is almost 2 runs higher.

 

Hopefully Stro can have similar if not better success. It's good to know that the profile can play at the next level.

[ace3113]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/tor/blue-jays-prospect-aaron-sanchez-has-skill-set-to-be-dominant-starter?ymd=20131115&content_id=63922096&vkey=news_tor

 

In a recent Arizona Fall League game, Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Aaron Sanchez started against Minnesota Twins pitching prospect Alex Meyer. I have seen them face each other twice.

 

It was a game that may have foreshadowed future elite pitching matchups in the American League. On that beautiful November afternoon in Arizona, both Sanchez and Meyer served notice regarding their top-of-the-rotation potential. The two are similar in stature and pitching mechanics. Both use high-velocity fastballs to set up their quality secondary pitches.

 

Sanchez, who hails from Barstow, Calif., is 6-foot-4 and weighs 190 pounds, but in reality, the Blue Jays' No. 1 prospect could stand to add a bit more meat to his lanky frame.

 

Like quality baseball players in the current generation, Sanchez made a huge name for himself pitching in high school and on the summer travel team circuit. Prior to being selected by the Blue Jays, he went 7-0 with a 0.73 ERA while striking out 104 in 57 2/3 innings at Barstow High School. Sanchez also hit .403 with five home runs. In a word, he was dominant.

 

Scouts flocked to watch Sanchez pitch. He was selected by the Blue Jays as a compensation pick in the No. 34 slot of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.

 

I have been watching Sanchez pitch for Salt River in this season's Arizona Fall League. The 21-year-old and fellow Blue Jays pitching teammate Marcus Stroman, who is the club's No. 3 prospect, have been extremely effective on the mound.

 

I admit I was less than impressed with the first start Sanchez made this fall. I was expecting better command and control than he delivered. Frankly, I think Sanchez was a bit rusty.

 

Fast-forward from that first start in early October to the first week in November, and Sanchez looked completely different. Sanchez had a good enough fall to be tabbed as the starting pitcher for the East team in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game in November. And it was a matchup of Sanchez and West starter Meyer.

 

Taking the mound with an aura of confidence, Sanchez is finding a rhythm and flow to his mechanics that have allowed him to throw strikes and induce swings and misses -- lots of swings and misses. Using a fastball that has hit 94 mph with regularity and an occasional 96 mph for good measure, Sanchez is now setting up hitters by using both corners and pitching up and down, changing eye levels with regularity.

 

Sanchez is showing enough control and command of his high-velocity fastball that he is confident in "climbing the ladder" on the hitter and throwing his four-seam fastball in the hitter's eyes. Too tempted to lay off a pitch they can see, the hitters are regularly swinging through the pitch. It's a very effective weapon.

 

As if the high heat isn't enough, Sanchez is not shy about pitching inside. In fact, in the fifth inning of a recent game I saw, he hit a batter and rattled his own confidence as a result. The only blemish in Sanchez's five-inning no-hit performance was an error and that hit batsman.

 

Fluid and able to finish his pitches from an upright position on the mound, Sanchez shows a bit more struggle pitching from the stretch. Still too upright in my view, and not getting the advantage of pitching downhill, Sanchez is more tentative from the stretch.

 

Hitters really can't sit on the fastball with Sanchez on the mound. Once he feels the hitter has a certain comfort level, Sanchez busts a beautiful 77-78 mph curveball or a knee-buckling 87-mph changeup to alter the balance of the batter. His offspeed and secondary pitches are efficient and effective.

 

Having completed parts of four seasons as a professional, Sanchez pitched at Class A Advanced Dunedin this past season. He started 20 of 22 games in which he pitched, going 86 1/3 innings and yielding only 63 hits. Sanchez threw to a 3.34 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. He walked an average of 4.2 batters and struck out an average of 7.8 batters per nine innings.

 

After throwing 256 Minor League innings, commanding his pitches will still be the single greatest challenge for Sanchez. If he is the pitcher I saw in the first start this fall, hitters will wait for their pitch and sit on the fastball. I don't see that happening.

 

I believe Sanchez can become a top-of-the-rotation starter if he can more frequently showcase the dominating take-charge demeanor and the smooth delivery I saw most recently.

[ace3113]

Stroman video from a few weeks back. Haven't seen it posted yet.

 

[Abomination]

Man, that was a beautiful play by Stroman at 1st.

[IowaJay]

King - any thoughts on where Matt Dermody will start?

[John_Havok]

I'd say Lansing. As for whether or not he starts or relieves... It's hard to know with the Jays. They will typically piggyback the younger high school drafted arms together for the first half of the year while giving the college draftees their own starts in between. I just don't know if the Jays see Dermody as a starter or reliever. He sure pitched well in Vancouver last year mostly in relief but many of the Jays previous college arms have done the same thing in their first year, only to start the next. 12.5:1 k:bb ratios is awesome in any role

[IowaJay]

Hard to say on that - not sure he knows at this point. Part of me would like to see him get a opportunity to start. With the development of his change-up, and think he has three good pitches - especially with his command. However, when he went to relief (first time in his career) he was hitting 93-94 on the gun. A fastball like that with command and slider (and change-up) give him probably a better chance to move.

 

I will ask him.

[IowaJay]

Sounds like he will start the year as a starter. Does that mean more of a chance that he goes to Lansing?

[John_Havok]

That would be my guess. Dunedin is also possible depending on how he shows in spring training and other arms the Jays are planning on having at each level.

[IowaJay]

Have you asked him if he's headed to Lansing or Dunedin for next season?

 

Yeah - hasn't been informed. Funny how they do things. When they moved him from rookie ball to Vancouver, I heard before he did. I saw it on Twitter before he knew.

[John_Havok]

Yeah - hasn't been informed. Funny how they do things. When they moved him from rookie ball to Vancouver, I heard before he did. I saw it on Twitter before he knew.

 

The Jays will have an idea about where they want him but they`ll let his performance in Spring training dictate it for the most part. If they feel he`s advanced enough to go to Dunedin rather than Lansing, they`ll put him there.

[SpeedyGose]

Small tidbit on Miguel Castro from Parks:

 

Jason Parks

‏@ProfessorParks

To name one: Miguel Castro w/ #Jays RT @jterry0509 @ProfessorParks Who's your On the Rise prospect who could make big surge this year?

[Abomination]

Small tidbit on Miguel Castro from Parks:

 

Jason Parks

‏@ProfessorParks

To name one: Miguel Castro w/ #Jays RT @jterry0509 @ProfessorParks Who's your On the Rise prospect who could make big surge this year?

 

Ask Parks to give us a picture lol

[Abomination]

Jays signed Erick Hurtado. 19 year old lefty with decent size. Can't find too much on him, but reports from 2012 suggest he's very raw and can touch low 90's.

[Angrioter]

Jays signed Erick Hurtado. 19 year old lefty with decent size. Can't find too much on him, but reports from 2012 suggest he's very raw and can touch low 90's.

 

2012

"Erick Hurtado, a Dominican pitcher 17 years who was signed last month by the St. Louis Cardinals and later discharged, was suspended 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance."

 

"The suspension will begin when Hurtado sign a contract with a major league organization. After reaching an agreement last month, San Luis terminated his contract."

 

 

lol

[bluejaysfan]

L.B. Dantzler is starting in Dunedin. Not related, but just a tidbit.

 

They might have a spot for Matt in Lansing in the rotation if they are using him as a starter, considering they will likely be piggybacking the crew of Tirado/Labourt etc etc.

 

IowaJays, could you ask Matt if the jays are planning on having him as a starter or a reliever?

It looks like a few of the Canadians will be starting at Dunedin. Brenden Kalfus should be starting there to. This could be the beginnings of a "core four" that stays together thru the system and up to the bigs.

Edited January 29, 2014 by bluejaysfan

[Frenchsoup]

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/1-31-2014/DvY7Wd.gif

 

Sanchez

 

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/1-31-2014/eBk1VI.gif

 

Mitch Nay

 

 

Looks like that's lawrie behind sanchez tweeking out

[bluejaysfan]

Keep us posted!

"King" have you heard any news about when the minor leagues will be reporting to spring training? Those were great posts on Kalfus hitting on the other thread. The Blue Jays have some really solid prospects coming up.