Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[Brownie19]

I think you underestimate my devotion to the Blue Jays.

[TheHurl]

How do you put a 17 year old in rookie league at #31? Seems a bit much

 

BP had Sano at 35 3 months before his 17th birthday. BA had him at 94 upon signing and 60 when at the same point Vlad is now. I'd guess that Vlad ends up somewhere around 45-60 on the BA list this year. Callis is so bullish on this farm (I think he said he might have 7 in his personal top 100) so he has to put Vlad high.

[Angrioter]

BP had Sano at 35 3 months before his 17th birthday. BA had him at 94 upon signing and 60 when at the same point Vlad is now. I'd guess that Vlad ends up somewhere around 45-60 on the BA list this year. Callis is so bullish on this farm (I think he said he might have 7 in his personal top 100) so he has to put Vlad high.

 

Devers

[TheHurl]

Devers

 

Devers - 99 on BA, 90 BP. Miggy was 91 after his 17 year old debut. Wily Mo Pena 88, BA didn't rank Ynoa but BP debuted him at 20. Angel Villalona (who is 25 and still hasn't hit AAA) debuted at 33.

[GeorgiaPeach]

Devers - 99 on BA, 90 BP. Miggy was 91 after his 17 year old debut. Wily Mo Pena 88, BA didn't rank Ynoa but BP debuted him at 20. Angel Villalona (who is 25 and still hasn't hit AAA) debuted at 33.

 

Villalona had extenuating circumstances.

[TheHurl]

Villalona had extenuating circumstances.

 

A little murder charge in there and lost a couple years.

[P2F]

MLB.com (Mayo and Callis) are releasing their Top 100 Prospects list on Jan. 28th:

 

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=lhp

[Ray]

2017 Top 10 catching prospects: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=c

 

1. Carson Kelly (STL)

2. Francisco Mejia (CLE)

3. Jorge Alfaro (PHI)

4. Zack Collins (CWS)

5. Chance Sisco (BAL)

6. Reese McGuire (TOR)

7. Tom Murphy (COL)

8. Austin Barnes (LAD)

9. Jose Trevino (TEX)

10. Jacob Nottingham (MIL)

 

McGuire dropped 2 spots. He was ranked #4 in the 2016 list.

 

Also, his scouting report and grades:

 

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 35 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45

The Pirates used both of their first-round picks on up-the-middle preps in 2013, selecting Austin Meadows with the ninth-overall pick and then nabbing McGuire at No. 14. Although he hasn't raced through the Minors quite like Meadows, McGuire, thanks largely to his defensive prowess, has still moved relatively quickly, spending a full season at each Class A level before advancing to Double-A in 2016. However, it now will be up to Toronto to further McGuire's development after they acquired him in the Trade Deadline deal that also sent Harold Ramirez and Francisco Liriano to the Blue Jays.

 

McGuire's defense has long been his calling card, and there's little doubt that it will get him to the big leagues. An excellent blocker and receiver who receives high praise both for his ability to handle a staff, McGuire also is adept at controlling the running game with his plus arm and efficient pop technique. At the plate, McGuire continues to show natural hitting ability with an advanced feel for the zone, though his power has been virtually non-existent as a professional.

 

McGuire's offensive profile may leave much to be desired, but the glove is good enough for him to carve out a role as defensive-minded backup in the big leagues.

[Ray]

So between McGuire and Pentacost, we have a catcher who can't hit, and a hitter who can't catch. Excellent.

[Maahfaace]

So between McGuire and Pentacost, we have a catcher who can't hit, and a hitter who can't catch. Excellent.

 

Someone call up Jeff Goldblum and get him to dust off that machine from "The Fly"

[Angrioter]

So between McGuire and Pentacost, we have a catcher who can't hit, and a hitter who can't catch. Excellent.

 

Jeff Mathis clone

[Ray]

2017 Top 10 First Base prospects: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017/?list=1b

 

1. Cody Bellinger (LAD)

2. Josh Bell (PIT)

3. Dominic Smith (NYM)

4. Bobby Bradley (CLE)

5. Casey Gillaspie (TBR)

6. Rowdy Tellez (TOR)

7. Ronald Guzman (TEX)

8. Matt Thaiss (LAA)

9. Rhys Hoskins (PHI)

10. Sam Travis (BOS)

 

Tellez ranked #10 in the 2016 list, so a decent jump

 

Also, his scouting report and grades:

 

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 20 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

That the Blue Jays were unable to sign 2013 first-rounder Phil Bickford is more and more looking like a blessing in disguise, as it gave the club the financial freedom to give Tellez an $850,000 bonus as a 30th-round pick. He has established himself as one of the best all-around hitters in the system in 2015 and made a smooth transition to Double-A last year, hitting a career-high 23 home runs and finishing second and third in the Eastern League in on-base percentage (.387) and slugging (.530), respectively.

 

Tellez's robust raw power has been on display since his days at Elk Grove (Calif.) High, but it wasn't until 2015 that he began tapping into it in games with consistency. A physically strong left-handed hitter, Tellez possesses the requisite bat speed to turn on premium velocity as well as the barrel control to drive the ball out of the park the other way. A more consistent and confident approach resulted in vastly improved strikeout and walk rates in his first Double-A exposure, and he also showed more utility against same-side hurlers. Though a fringy defender at first base, Tellez has worked hard to upgrade his defense to where it should at least be serviceable. Meanwhile, Blue Jays officials rave about Tellez's work ethic and makeup, citing his determination to improve his body and defense as examples.

 

The departure of Edwin Encarnacion via free agency bodes well for Tellez's chances of cracking the Blue Jays' lineup in 2017. The first-base-only profile is a notoriously difficult one to achieve, but he has the hitting ability and power to make it happen.

[Spanky99]

This just tells us... he doesn't crack their top 100

[G-Snarls]

[KingKat]

 

I guess it's to this board's credit that we don't lose our collective s*** over Tellez but sometimes I kind of wish we did. He's a first base prospect so he has a tough hurdle to clear. He has to really hit but to his credit, he's been doing just that and doing so at a young age. He's still younger than a college draftee. He's a good hitter and he has a clearer path than to the Majors than most prospects of his ilk. It's not crazy to wishcast a bit on this guy.

[burlingtonbandit]

No surprise he's praised for his makeup. Definitely sounds like a guy who is smart enough to make the needed adjustments to succeed in the big leagues.

[G-Snarls]

Keith Law chat today:

 

Frank: You have been consistently down on Rowdy Tellez. By all reports, he has worked very hard (and effectively) on his defence. I remember you having issues more with the bat (not sure what) than the fielding, but is he a viable short term solution to an injury problem this year, or is that something you would not even try?

 

Klaw: Nope, guy can’t play first at all, and he’s a mediocre hitter with brute strength power. Asked a lot of scouts about him this year; outside of the Jays themselves, I can’t find anyone who buys him as a regular.

[G-Snarls]

Doesn't that just about guarantee Tellez has a great year?

[King]

Doesn't that just about guarantee Tellez has a great year?

 

Not necessarily but Laws thoughts on Tellez have been highly discussed around here. I would like to see him go more in depth on why he thinks he is a mediocre hitter though he would probably say that he doesn't think he could handle advanced pitching/velocity.

[G-Snarls]

Not necessarily but Laws thoughts on Tellez have been highly discussed around here.

 

Obviously I meant this a bit tongue in cheek. He does have a record of underestimating several Jays proppects over the last few years. Hopefully he's wrong here too.

[THANOS]

Doesn't that just about guarantee Tellez has a great year?

 

Hopefully Tellez reads it and uses it as inspiration. See that Keith Law faced ball flying off his bat into the RF BP.

[King]

It's laughable that he wouldn't buy Tellez as a short term injury solution this year.

[Angrioter]

KLaw "Stroman bullpen arm and Sanchez suxx"

[G-Snarls]

KLaw "Stroman bullpen arm and Sanchez suxx"

 

LOL exactly

 

(Though to be fair many on here thought Sanchez was going to suck too)

[glory]

KLaw "Stroman bullpen arm and Sanchez suxx"

 

Travis a non prospect, Zach Stewart a future front of the rotation starter, etc, etc.

 

If Law says something about a prospect, expect the opposite to happen.

[burlingtonbandit]

Keith Law is the most annoying "prospect guy". Not only is his twitter account filled with SJW garbage but he acts like players can't improve. Most stubborn person once he has an opinion of a certain player.

[King]

Travis a non prospect, Zach Stewart a future front of the rotation starter, etc, etc.

 

If Law says something about a prospect, expect the opposite to happen.

My personal favorite was when Norris was having a step forward season in Lansing and he said this

 

Jesse (Lansing)

What have you heard about Daniel Norris's renaissance/turnaround this summer?

 

Klaw

(2:06 PM)

Haven't heard anyone refer to a turnaround or something of the like. Consensus still seems to be a reliever future due to lack of command and trouble repeating the delivery.

[KingKat]

Keith Law is the most annoying "prospect guy". Not only is his twitter account filled with SJW garbage but he acts like players can't improve. Most stubborn person once he has an opinion of a certain player.

 

... and these opinions are usually based on a small sample (i.e. whatever they did that one time he caught them).

[King]

Charlie Caskey ‏@CharlieCaskey 9m9 minutes ago

More

One nugget from my conversation with Charlie Wilson at #Cs luncheon. The #BlueJays have released Clinton Hollon #MiLB

[wamco]

If he's right, is everyone gonna eat crow?