Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[burlingtonbandit]

I don't know how the Dodgers keep finding quality players deep into the draft:

 

Verdugo (2nd round)

 

Calhoun (4th round)

 

Bellinger (4th round)

 

Ross Stripling (5th round)

 

Austin Barnes (9th round)

 

Joc Pederson (11th round)

 

Walker Bueler and Corey Seager were 1st round picks, but even they were out of the Top 10. To say they've drafted well in recent years would be a gigantic understatement.

 

They pour a ton of $ into their player development.

[Slade]

Borucki showing SRF and Greene how it's done. 7IP 0BB 7K.

[King]

I don't know how the Dodgers keep finding quality players deep into the draft:

 

Verdugo (2nd round)

 

Calhoun (4th round)

 

Bellinger (4th round)

 

Ross Stripling (5th round)

 

Austin Barnes (9th round)

 

Joc Pederson (11th round)

 

Walker Bueler and Corey Seager were 1st round picks, but even they were out of the Top 10. To say they've drafted well in recent years would be a gigantic understatement.

 

Barnes was drafted by the Marlins (but plucked by them from a trade).

 

They have so many guys that they can trade the lesser ones who still have upside (Grant Holmes, Jose De Leon, Jharel Cotton, Willie Calhoun etc.) and not miss a beat. They can keep the studs like Bellinger, Buehler, Verdugo, Urias. They have another wave coming up with guys in the lower levels of full season ball like Dustin May, Jeren Kendall, Mitch White, Keibert Ruiz, DJ Peters etc. Just looking at their pitchers in AA/AAA is laughable. Everyone has absurd strikeout ratios but they have so many of them most won't even get considered.

 

It's an organization that is the envy of baseball and going to good for a very long time.

[Ray]

I still like McGuire as a more than capable major league backup catcher. He's very solid defensively. Of what little I saw of him this Spring Training, he looked good.

 

His bat leaves a lot to be desired. He's not going to be an impact guy with the stick, but at least he knows how to work a walk. Doesn't strike out a ton either. Pentecost and Jansen are a lot hitters obviously, but I'm not too sure about them as catchers.

[King]

Jansen not a catcher based on what? I've been following him fairly closely since he was drafted and have never read a bad defensive report. Most applaud him for his strong receiving skills and throwing arm. Seems like a bunch of ******** too me.

[burlingtonbandit]

Jansen not a catcher based on what? I've been following him fairly closely since he was drafted and have never read a bad defensive report. Most applaud him for his strong receiving skills and throwing arm. Seems like a bunch of ******** too me.

 

He's had some serious knee injuries so maybe its the health that people think will hold him back from being a C. He's a pretty big guy at 6'3 225lbs so that puts a lot of stress on the legs.

[King]

There has literally never been any talk of him moving off the position. He'll stay at catcher unless he's so incompetent at the position they'll have to play him elsewhere, which he's not. Or if the injuries become too much which has already been an issue.

[King]

He's had some serious knee injuries so maybe its the health that people think will hold him back from being a C. He's a pretty big guy at 6'3 225lbs so that puts a lot of stress on the legs.

 

It would be the only argument I would buy unless there was reason to believe otherwise. He'll be a catcher unless the injuries keep racking up and he physically can't handle it anymore.

[KingKat]

Thanks for the summary, King. Great to have you back.

 

I seem to recall that Tellez is dealing with a cancer in his family (mother?). Maybe that's thrown off his focus. I was a fan before this season so I'm tempted to give him a mulligan.

[metafour]

Jansen not a catcher based on what? I've been following him fairly closely since he was drafted and have never read a bad defensive report. Most applaud him for his strong receiving skills and throwing arm. Seems like a bunch of ******** too me.

 

Then you aren't following closely enough, as several reports have noted that there is nothing special at all about his defense. He received poor grades in the AFL last fall. Why do you think he keeps getting ranked so low on these updated lists? If he had "strong receiving skills and throwing arm" on top of his offensive season this year you would expect a Top 5-10 ranking in our system, no? Instead Pentecost still gets ranked higher...because he profiles better on both sides of the plate, even with the million injuries.

[King]

I don't think he's a defensive gem I just don't think he's bad enough he'll have to move off the position. Also, links?

[vilifyingforce]

Then you aren't following closely enough, as several reports have noted that there is nothing special at all about his defense. He received poor grades in the AFL last fall. Why do you think he keeps getting ranked so low on these updated lists? If he had "strong receiving skills and throwing arm" on top of his offensive season this year you would expect a Top 5-10 ranking in our system, no? Instead Pentecost still gets ranked higher...because he profiles better on both sides of the plate, even with the million injuries.

 

Jansen never hit before this season. What reputable prospect list maker shoves a kid who just made mechanical changes to his swing into a Top 10 list?

 

Small report on his play in the AFL: https://jaysjournal.com/2017/01/19/toronto-blue-jays-2017-top-prospects-22-c-danny-jansen/

 

The biggest tool working in Jansen’s favour is that he’s a catcher who should stick at the position long term. He has the build necessary at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, and will be behind the plate every day as he develops.

 

Baseball Prospectus from March: http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/03/25/the-top-players-to-watch-at-each-blue-jays-farm-team/

 

Danny Jansen – made the AFL roster last fall and hit well after a couple of injury plagued seasons. Reportedly impressing in Florida right now, he’s an impressive defender who still needs to prove he can hit over a full season. It will be of interest how often the D-Jays let him work on his bat at DH while Pentecost tries to re-establish his defense.

[Spanky__99]

Thanks for the summary, King. Great to have you back.

 

I seem to recall that Tellez is dealing with a cancer in his family (mother?). Maybe that's thrown off his focus. I was a fan before this season so I'm tempted to give him a mulligan.

 

Since his mother has been cleared, he's starting to have better AB's since, IIRC. That had to be tough on a young guy his age, if not anyone, really.

[Pendleton]

Since his mother has been cleared, he's starting to have better AB's since, IIRC. That had to be tough on a young guy his age, if not anyone, really.

 

Yeah exactly, that's tough for anyone to deal with let alone someone with all the pressure of being a young pro athlete. Can't blame the kid for being off this season.

 

No doubt he's swinging the bat better now with so much weight off his shoulders.

[King]

Pre-Draft thoughts from the Jays midwest area scout

 

http://www.postcrescent.com/story/sports/2016/07/12/danny-jansen-hopes-put-injuries-behind/87014564/

 

Wes Penick remembers scouting Jansen in the summer of 2012.

 

Penick, the upper Midwest scout for the Blue Jays, scours Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas for Toronto through heat, rain, cold and snow in hopes of finding that diamond in the rough.

 

It was Jansen’s physical presence that first caught Penick’s eye.

 

“I was watching him play for the GRB Rays and I was like, ‘OK, here’s a kid that is big, strong, physical and looks like he can catch,’ ” Penick said.

 

As Jansen entered the spring playing for Appleton West, his talent defensively became undeniable when Penick made several six-hour treks from his home in Iowa to visit the Fox Valley to watch him play.

 

Inclement weather postponed his first opportunity to see Jansen. But David Gassner, the Appleton West coach at the time and a former major league pitcher, put Jansen through batting practice and catcher’s drills in an attempt to showcase his skills for the group of scouts on hand, including Penick.

 

Penick came away impressed and made another visit to watch Jansen play. It was a bit of deja vu for Penick, with the game again mired in inclement weather. Still, Jansen’s defensive prowess shined.

 

“I was more impressed with his ability to receive and block balls. Especially for a kid in the upper Midwest and a high school kid, you don’t see that often,” Penick said. “And then there’s the fact that he had some pop in his bat, too. So we look for catchers that are built around the 6-foot-1 to 6-foot-3 range and about 200-230 pounds. And he kind of fit that mold.”

 

Jansen’s leadership was also apparent, and it’s those kind of intangibles that boost a player’s value.

 

“You could see that. The leadership. He’s a competitor,” Penick said. “And I underestimated that a bit actually. I knew he was competitive, but now that he’s in pro ball, he’s more competitive than what I expected him to be.”

 

Also helping Jansen’s cause was catching teammate Nathan Disch, currently a senior pitcher at Jacksonville University (Fla.), a Division I program.

 

“Upper Midwest catchers, they’re not usually catching guys with quality stuff and he was catching a DI type pitcher (Disch),” Penick said. “When I saw him (his senior year) he blocked a lot of balls, threw some guys out and hit a home run to center field that day.

 

“He ended up getting injured and came back right before the draft in the playoffs against Kimberly.”

 

Fangraphs

 

2015 - http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/evaluating-the-prospects-toronto-blue-jays/

 

19. Dan Jansen, C Video: Jansen signed for $100,000 in the 16th round in 2o13 from a Wisconsin high school and the cold weather athlete emerged quicker than expected, putting up nice numbers in his first full season. Jansen has a powerful frame at 6’2/215 and has average raw power that he’s learning to integrate into his game, but he isn’t all tools: he has more walks than strikeouts for his career. The swing is good and he was limited by a knee issue in 2014, but has a 55 arm and enough ability to stick behind the plate. His full-season debut comes in 2015 and he’s a favorite of many in the organization to take a big step forward this season.

 

2016 - http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/evaluating-the-2016-prospects-toronto-blue-jays/

 

C Danny Jansen has shown decent raw power and doesn’t strike out much, but his offensive upside is still relatively limited. He has improved his catching enough to project as a potential average defender, giving him some backup upside.

 

Longenhagen didnt even mention him for 2017.

 

MLB Pipeline

 

2015

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Jansen was a 16th-round pick in 2013 out of the Wisconsin high school ranks and turned some heads with his play in the Appalachian League during his first full professional season.

 

Jansen has solid power potential thanks to his bat speed and big, strong build. He does a good job of putting the bat on the ball and has a good feel for the strike zone, making him difficult to strike out. He has made his biggest strides behind the plate. He has good receiving skills and has worked to improve his throwing.

 

Developing high school catchers takes time, but Jansen is off to a good start. Having already shown the ability to make adjustments gives scouts optimism that he'll continue to improve as he advances in the Minor Leagues.

 

 

2016

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

The Blue Jays signed Jansen for $100,000 as a 16th-rounder out of a Wisconsin high school in 2013. He impressed with his play in the Appalachian League during his first full professional season, so much so that he opened his full-season debut as Class A Lansing's primary catcher. Unfortunately, Jansen's promising campaign was derailed in late May when a broken bone in his left hand -- which suffered on a hitter's follow-through -- forced him to the disabled list. Injuries continued to plague Jansen in 2016, when a broken hamate in his left hand in early May sidelined him for nearly two months.

 

A right-handed hitter, Jansen has solid power potential thanks to his bat speed and big, strong build. He makes a lot of contact and has a good feel for the strike zone, making him difficult to strike out. But his biggest strides have been made behind the plate, where he exhibits good receiving skills and has worked to improve his throwing.

 

Developing high school catchers takes time, and Jansen could ultimately require quite a bit of seasoning after missing crucial developmental time. However, his capacity to make adjustments gives scouts optimism that he'll continue to improve as he advances in the Minor Leagues. For now, though, Jansen simply needs to stay on the field.

 

2017

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

The Blue Jays signed Jansen for $100,000 as a 16th-rounder in 2013 out of the Wisconsin high school ranks. His development has been stalled by injuries since, however, as a broken bone in his left hand -- suffered on a hitter's follow-through -- derailed his first full season, and a broken hamate in his left hand sidelined him for nearly two months in 2016. Jansen made up for some of that lost time with a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League, and he's impressed club officials with his progress this season while reaching Double-A in his first fully healthy campaign.

 

A right-handed hitter, Jansen shows solid power potential thanks to a combination of bat speed and physical strength. He makes a lot of contact and has a good feel for the strike zone, making Jansen difficult to strike out, and he doesn't shy away from taking a walk. He's made impressive strides in his blocking and receiving since signing, all the while continuing to work on his framing and catch-and-throw skills.

 

Developing high school catchers tends to take time, and that's certainly been the case with the oft-injured Jansen. His solid tools on both sides of the ball, as well as his capacity to make adjustments, portends to a career as at least a big league backup.

 

 

I wasn't going to post 2016 and 2017 but I decided to since I found it funny that MLB Pipeline re-worded the same report for Jansen for the next 2 different years after 2015.

 

 

 

 

Clutchlings (poster here, has a blog) - https://clutchlings.blogspot.ca/search?q=jansen

 

2017-

And lest you think Jansen is a bat-first player, it's his skills behind the plate that have won him accolades at every stop in his career. The 6'3"/225 Jansen presents a big target for pitchers, but he covers the lower half of the strike zone extremely well, which is important for hurlers who rely on the two-seamer that he has caught like Sean Reid-Foley, Conner Greene, and TJ Zeuch. Jansen is a superior blocker of balls in the dirt, and he has long been an excellent framer of pitches. His ability to work with pitchers and his leadership skills have also been lauded for some time now. Jansen has a strong, accurate arm - his infielders have to be on their toes when a runner attempts to steal, because Jansen's throw will arrive in a hurry and on the spot.

 

2015-

It's hard to explain why a player you have only seen brief glimpses of is a Just Missed kind of player, but Jansen truly is. Already a top-notch receiver, with game-calling, pitcher-handling, and pitch-framing skills beyond his years, Jansen has done much of what the organization has asked him to do - except stay healthy.

 

2015- Despite that missed time, Jansen is emerging as a premium defender. He moves well for his size (6'2", 230) behind the plate. Jansen blocks balls in the dirt well, and is already an excellent framer of pitches. He's been lauded for his ability to handle pitchers, which is a skill which may not directly show up in box scores, but is one of the most important tools in a Catcher's kit.

 

2014-

Behind the plate, he projects to be at least an average defender. The advancement of his receiving skills are something of a surprise, given his relatively limited high school playing time. He's a good blocker of balls in the dirt, but his arm is graded as average. He has drawn raves for his maturity and ability to handle a pitching staff.

 

2015-

With only a relatively small sample size on his playing resume, he has already drawn rave reviews for his receiving skills, and has established himself as a decent hitter. Another overlooked high school player (from the non-baseball hotbed of Wisconsin - the most noted Dan Jansen from that state to this point is the former Olympic speed skater), Jansen missed the last month of the season with a knee injury, but all reports say that he is recovered and ready to go for spring training. He has excellent bat speed, and has been lauded for how he handles a pitching staff.

 

 

I don't have a subscription to BA, BP, or Keith Law on ESPN, but I could go deeper here, it would likely be more or less the same.

[King]

Jansen never hit before this season. What reputable prospect list maker shoves a kid who just made mechanical changes to his swing into a Top 10 list?

 

Small report on his play in the AFL: https://jaysjournal.com/2017/01/19/toronto-blue-jays-2017-top-prospects-22-c-danny-jansen/

 

 

 

Baseball Prospectus from March: http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/03/25/the-top-players-to-watch-at-each-blue-jays-farm-team/

Also this.

[King]

Here's Marc Hulet

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/prospect-stock-watch-jansen-kelly-stubbs/

 

Danny Jansen, C, Blue Jays: Drafted out of high school by the Jays in 2013, Jansen showed a lot of promise in rookie ball before injuries basically wiped out his 2015-16 seasons. Healthy again (and playing with glasses), Jansen has re-discovered his stroke and earned a promotion to double-A after just 31 games in high-A ball. He has solid defence and the offensive uptick has Jansen looking like a future first-stringer and eventual replacement for Russell Martin. The 34-year-old incumbent still has two years remaining on his deal after 2017 so Jansen likely won’t see regular at-bats until 2019 (if Martin starts playing more infield) or 2020. In his prime, the catching prospect should hit for a solid average with gap power and make lots of contact.

 

 

Baseball America 2016

 

For the second straight year, an injury to his left hand cost Jansen significant playing time. In 2015 his left hand was hit by a bat during a swing, breaking a bone and costing him three months. In 2016, he missed two months after breaking the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand while swinging the bat. This time, Jansen returned early enough to get some second-half reps and to play in the Arizona Fall League, where he played his way onto the 40-man roster. His injuries robbed him of some power, but he still has good strength and average power when healthy. He makes contact and isn’t afraid to work a count. Defensively, Jansen needs development time to work on his game-calling and pitch-framing, but is adept at blocking balls in the dirt and is a sound receiver. He has a quick transfer with fringe-average arm strength. With Reese McGuire now in the system, Jansen must stay healthy and put together a solid 2017 season at Double-A to remain part of the Blue Jays’ plans.

 

 

And canadian baseball network

https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/relaxed-batting-approach-paying-off-for-red-hot-jansen-in-dunedin

 

Often talked about as a defensive specialist, the Toronto Blue Jays catching prospect has found his bat in a big way this season, leading the Florida State League in hitting in his second stint with the Dunedin Blue Jays.

 

“Defence has always been a huge part for me,” Jansen said. “I’ve never been dissatisfied with the title of being a defensive catcher. That’s great. It’s really important to me. But I need to produce. I know I’m capable of swinging the bat well, it’s just been kind of a struggle the last two years, coming to the park, thinking about a new stance, and thinking about something that’s not me.

 

“I had him when he was a baby in the GCL and to see where he is now compared to there is tremendous,” Schneider said. “He’s an under-the-radar dude but if he can continue to have the same approach and have his presence behind the plate, that’s something that’s so valuable being a catcher, when you can combine those things. He has defensive awareness and then if he can keep hitting too, he’s doing really well.”

 

After spending time in rookie ball together with Schneider helping Jansen’s physical game, with duck walks and throwing a football around to adjust his arm path, in Dunedin the two have progressed and moved onto more aspects of the mental side of the game.

“We all viewed him as the prototypical catcher,” Schneider said. “The sturdy, durable, catcher, catch, block, throw, but he’s really made some adjustments swinging and he’s leading the league in hitting. He’s that under-the-radar dude who people just assume is going to be good, and then he’s really taken his game to the next level.

 

“Now we’re working on catcher things like reading hitters’ swings and trying to take some more advanced stuff into his game right now at the A ball level, and he’s just like a sponge.”

 

Aside from staying healthy, being confident in his game-calling skills and handling the pitching staff are top priorities for Jansen, who is excited about what he’s been able to learn and implement so far.

 

“Working with Schneider every day, and all the random times, and talking to him during games, I’ve definitely been developing and evolving,” he said. “I’ve gotten bigger, I’ve gotten more flexible, I’ve gotten stronger, and I’ve been able to block more. It’s been great.

 

“Working on game-calling, the base of it is reading guys’ swings. It’s all about the next pitch. If I throw something here, and then I see what he does – if he dives, or he doesn’t look comfortable at all, maybe I do it again, or I change it up and do something else, mixing up different pitches. It’s a huge part, like a chess game. That’s what makes it really fun, when you can get all the blocking, throwing, catching, receiving to where it’s fine-tuning, then you can go into this chess game. It gets actually really fun. I’m still learning and trying to get better every day, but it’s a blast.”

[Terminator]

King- What do you think of the new guys we acquired at the trade deadline?

[Stoneyen]

Thanks King, I remember reading good reports about his defense when we drafted him. It definitely ups the hype in my mind with the peripherals he has in AA.

[Pendleton]

Is there any chance that Jansen could get added to the 40man in time for a September callup, and is he a realistic candidate for the backup catcher role next season?

[spats]

Thanks King- Did i miss something or did you leave out Ryan Noda who has been above .400 all season for Bluefield.

[King]

King- What do you think of the new guys we acquired at the trade deadline?

 

Taylor has a decent feel for hitting, Pannone has some pitchability and a chance to stick in the rotation, Teoscar could be an average regular. I liked the returns for Liriano and Smith.

 

Thanks King- Did i miss something or did you leave out Ryan Noda who has been above .400 all season for Bluefield.

I didn't dive into 2017 draftees!

[Jonn]

Danny Jansen promoted to AAA!

[THANOS]

Danny Jansen promoted to AAA!

 

Wow. That's great news!

 

It would be nice if he could get a Sept call-up to audition for a back-up role in 2018. Martin could help ease him in.

[Terminator]

Taylor has a decent feel for hitting, Pannone has some pitchability and a chance to stick in the rotation, Teoscar could be an average regular. I liked the returns for Liriano and Smith.

 

Thanks. I'm kind of excited about Teoscar Hernandez. He kind of has a similar profile to the 2015-2016 version of Melvin Upton which isn't half bad. Above average defense and base running and a good enough bat to warrant playing time. Will he hit more like the 2015 version (109 wRC+ or the 2016 version (84 wRC+) though? The difference between a 4th OF and an above average starter.

[Jonn]

Wow. That's great news!

 

It would be nice if he could get a Sept call-up to audition for a back-up role in 2018. Martin could help ease him in.

 

Makes sense. Obviously the move was escalated by a need in AAA for a catcher. However he earned it. I know he doesn't hit for much power but to be walking more than he strikes out is pretty impressive. Hes a glove first guy but hes shown he can hit a little as well.

 

They have been pretty aggressive with him. Montero is hurt now but its my hope we move him in August to free up a 40-man spot for a young catcher to work with Martin. Hopefully that happens. Raffy Lopez is our backup catcher for now.

[King]

[Terminator]

Steamer projects Jansen as slashing .246/.306/.366 at the big league level this year. If he we average defensively he'd probably be an ok backup C as is.

 

But C generally develop slowly. I don't know much about his swing or why he's not hitting for much power but Catchers take forever to develop with not only the glove but the bat too. He's a pretty big guy, there's a good chance we see more power from him in coming years.

[Pendleton]

 

Wow that's nasty.

[King]

Steamer projects Jansen as slashing .246/.306/.366 at the big league level this year. If he we average defensively he'd probably be an ok backup C as is.

 

But C generally develop slowly. I don't know much about his swing or why he's not hitting for much power but Catchers take forever to develop with not only the glove but the bat too. He's a pretty big guy, there's a good chance we see more power from him in coming years.

 

Just look at the batted ball data.

 

http://i.imgur.com/rlVSEyA.png

http://i.imgur.com/Xx4TSKt.png

 

He was applauded for his plate discipline + raw pop going back to his first seasons in 2013 and 2014, 2014 Bluefield season being the one where he put up a .200+ ISO. He remained a flyball oriented guy going into 2015 and 2016 but he had injuries derail those seasons, which could have also effected his in game power. Then this season his approach changed dramatically to a more line drive/spray hitter.

 

Maybe his change in approach has allowed his hit tool to play up, and he'll grow into his raw power as he gets older. Or maybe he's just getting lucky with his groundballs going for hits!