Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[Spanky__99]

Have the Yankees officially signed all of their kids that were still 15 on July 2nd and therefore had to wait until they turned 16? I knew that Ronny Rojas was one of them and he signed in ~September, but I thought there was another one or two of them?

 

That isn't allowed?

[jays4life19]

Braves Farm system report by BP:

 

 

________

 

1. Ronald Acuña, OF

DOB: 12/18/1997

Height/Weight: 6’0”, 180 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted/Acquired: Signed July 2014 by the Braves out of Venezuela for $100,000.

Previous Ranking(s): #2 (Org), #31 (Top 101)

2017 Stats: .344/.393/.548, 9 HR, 11 SB in 54 games at Triple-A Gwinnett, .326/.374/.520, 9 HR, 19 SB in 57 games at Double-A Mississippi, .287/.336/.478, 3 HR, 14 SB in 28 games at High-A Florida

 

The Good: My predecessors were fond of saying that the scale only works if you use all of it. I won’t make you read further to tease it out. We are throwing an 8 on Ronald Acuña. How do you get there? Well, you have above-average or better tools across the board, including a 55 glove in center. Gary Sheffield came up in a discussion of the offensive profile to try to describe Acuña’s combination of bat speed and barrel control. He has potential 70 game power and an advanced, all-fields approach that doesn’t require him to sell out to tap into his mammoth pop. He has enough arm for right if you happen to have a 7 center fielder lying around your roster. This is how you smoke the upper minors as a 19-year-old. This is how you get an OFP 80.

 

The Bad: Well, nitpicking is part of the job too. Gary Sheffield isn’t really allowed as a comp for good reason, and controlled violence is still violence. Acuña may show enough swing-and-miss to make the hit tool only play to average, and we are betting here on a 19-year-old not being forced to a corner as he fills out. And to put it politely, that isn’t the butt of a center fielder.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 80–Elite center fielder

Likely 70–All-star center fielder

 

The Risks: Low. Look at the role grades again. I guessssssssss the hit tool might play down enough that he’s just a good outfield regular.

 

Major league ETA: 2018

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take:

 

 

2. Kolby Allard, LHP

DOB: 8/13/1997

Height/Weight: 6’1”, 190 lbs.

Bats/Throws: L/L

Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 14th overall in the 2015 MLB Draft, San Clemente HS (San Clemente, CA); signed for $3.0424 million.

Previous Ranking(s): #6 (Org), #67 (Top 101)

2017 Stats: 3.18 ERA, 3.67 DRA, 150 IP, 146 H, 45 BB, 129 K at Double-A Mississippi

 

The Good: With Allard, it’s easy to look at the individual pieces and have some question as to why he is so highly regarded, but the total package is quite impressive. The Braves decided to test him by skipping him over High-A to start 2017 and the Southern League was no problem for Allard, who continued to show a fastball that sits 91-94 and a plus curve that he uses often as his out-pitch. His changeup currently lags behind the other two pitches, but it shows at least average potential. What really bumps up his ceiling is plus command as his fastball especially plays up due to his ability to locate it anywhere in the zone. While the overall numbers are not eye-popping, 2017 was a year of experimentation for Allard as he tried to improve the change and use some different grips on his fastball in an effort to improve and vary the movement on the pitch. Once he found a comfort level, he finished the year with a string of seven starts in which he threw 44 ⅓ innings, allowing just nine earned runs while striking out 43.

 

The Bad: There are concerns that some of Allard’s success is due to the deception he is able to create in his delivery. Without explosive movement on the fastball or a consistent change, deeper lineups at higher levels may not have as much trouble with his delivery. The experimentation with the fastball this season was an effort to address those concerns.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 60—High-end no. 3 starter

Likely 55—No. 3/4 starting pitcher

 

The Risks: In addition to a back injury that required a minor procedure and cost Allard time in 2016, he had similar back issues in high school. Back injuries can be pesky and a new flare-up could come anytime. Then, there is always the chance that the changeup never gets there. —Scott Delp

 

Major league ETA: Late 2018

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: As good of a major leaguer as Allard might be, it’s a tough sell from a fantasy perspective to get someone too excited about a future SP3/4 with a history of back issues. That said, he’s close, he can miss bats, and the Braves don’t exactly have much in the way of rotation fixtures keeping him out of the fire. I’m not sure why I think about Ted Lilly when Allard comes up, but that type of fantasy impact is certainly possible here.

 

3. Mike Soroka, RHP

DOB: 8/4/1997

Height/Weight: 6’5”, 225 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 28th overall in the 2015 MLB Draft, Bishop Carroll HS (Calgary, AB); signed for $1.9747 million.

Previous Ranking(s): #5 (Org), #64 (Top 101)

2017 Stats: 2.75 ERA, 2.82 DRA, 153 ⅔ IP, 133 H, 34 BB, 125 K at Double-A Mississippi

 

The Good: Atlanta aggressively jumped Soroka to Double-A as a 19-year-old, and the righthander responded with a strong campaign in the Southern League. There is not much brute force to Soroka’s game despite his large frame. He works off a steady diet of well-located low-90s fastballs. He’ll show good plane and run on the two-seam, occasional cut on the four-seam, and usually hit the glove. He started relying on his slider more in 2017, and it’s a potential plus offering with late downward bite. He rounds out the arsenal with a curve and a change. The change doesn’t show a ton of fade, but there should be enough deception and velocity separation to keep lefties honest. Soroka has a simple upright delivery and is built to log innings, and log them he did. We usually talk about the uncertainty around whether a teenage arm can hold up under a starter’s workload down below. Soroka is already closer to showing he can handle it than most pitching prospects.

 

The Bad: A recurring theme in this Braves list will be “how much fastball do you need to be an effective major-league starter.” Soroka has a nice arsenal, but it’s not going to overwhelm you, and it might not overwhelm major league hitters. The velocity can dip into the upper-80s at times. The slider gets slurvy and isn’t a consistent swing-and-miss offering yet. When we write that the change should keep lefties honest that is more hypothetical than actual, as Soroka had a fairly significant platoon split in 2017.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 60—No. 3 starter

Likely 55—No. 4 starter

 

The Risks: Soroka’s advanced stuff and pitchability make for a relatively safe profile as pitchers go, but pitchers can also just go. There are also thin margins for the “low-risk” mid-rotation types and sometimes you are Aaron Blair or Braden Shipley.

 

Major league ETA: September 2018

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: Before we get too far down the rabbit hole, this list has a lot of arms. I mean, a lot. If you don’t want to read about a pitcher at this point, you have to go all the way down to the no. 9 spot, which is ironic in its own right. Soroka has about the same expected upside as Allard. On the bright side, he doesn’t come with the back issues. On the not-so-bright side, it would seem Cobb County isn’t a great place to have rough splits against left-handed hitters.

 

4. Kyle Wright, RHP

DOB: 10/2/1995

Height/Weight: 6’4”, 200 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 5th overall in the 2017 MLB Draft, Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN); signed for $7 million.

Previous Ranking(s): N/A

2017 Stats: 3.18 ERA, 1.97 DRA, 11 ⅓ IP, 8 H, 4 BB, 10 K at High-A Florida

 

; 1.59 ERA, 2.08 DRA, 5 ⅔ IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K at short-season Danville

 

The Good: Wright used one of the deeper arsenals in college baseball to dominate on Friday nights at Vanderbilt this year. He’s a typically polished Commodore product. He added velocity throughout his college career and now regularly bumps 95 and occasionally higher than that. He’ll also throw a slider and curve that both project as above-average major-league offerings. If you were designing an ideal starting pitching prospect he’d probably look a lot like Wright.

 

The Bad: You might associate the phrase “highest pitcher picked in the draft” with a little more stuff than Wright projects to have. His velocity wavered a bit at times this spring and his changeup will need to improve with pro instruction. His arm action allows him to get really good extension on his fastball, but it also gives me sympathy pains in my elbow when I see it. The effort in the arm action may limit the overall command profile to average.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 60—No. 3 starter

Likely 50—No. 4 starter

 

The Risks: Average (for a pitcher). Wright was a high first-round pick in part because he is very polished and should move quickly. But man that arm action gives me the heeby-jeebies.

 

Major league ETA: Late 2019

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: There’s a lot of responsibility in dynasty leagues that comes with being the “top college arm in a draft class.” You’re expected to move quickly and have significant upside. Since Stephen Strasburg in 2009, that title has gone to Drew Pomeranz, Gerrit Cole, Mark Appel (twice), Carlos Rodon and Dillon Tate. Maybe that responsibility should be abdicated and replaced with the typical “let’s just hope he’s an SP3 and move on.”

 

5. Joey Wentz, LHP

DOB: 10/6/1997

Height/Weight: 6’5”, 210 lbs.

Bats/Throws: L/L

Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 40th overall in the 2016 MLB Draft, Shawnee Mission East HS (Prairie Village, KS); signed for $3.05 million

Previous Ranking(s): Others of Note

2017 Stats: 2.60 ERA, 3.15 DRA, 113 ⅔ IP, 99 H, 46 BB, 152 K at Low-A Rome

 

The Good: Amateur scouts are forever looking for the polished-but-projectable prep pitching prospect, and Wentz might be in your dictionary as the archetype of that. The lefty looks like he’s doing Cole Hamels cosplay on the mound, from the stirrups to the motion to the mannerisms around the mound, and there are worse comparisons to make in general. But there are differences too; the out secondary offering here is not the changeup, like it is for Hamels, it’s an advanced curve that already rates to be plus and might still have more. He’s tall and gets good extension, so his fastball comes in with good plane and moves. Repeatable mechanics lend themselves to good command. The body remains projectable and might fill out over time. He performed very well pitching the entire season at 19-years-old in full-season ball. He doesn’t have Hamels’ change, but it’s pretty good for a teenager and projects to at least average. A tall lefty with an overhand curve that doesn’t suck always has a LOOGY fallback, if it comes to that.

 

The Bad: I wrote an entire column over the summer that amounted to “how good a fastball does Joey Wentz project to have?” and “how much should we care?” In summary, Wentz regularly threw 95 as an amateur, but has more typically worked at 90-92 since being drafted. There’s no indication this is due to any underlying injury or anything more than adjustment to throwing on a pro schedule, and the command and movement should help it along. But there are not a lot of upper-tier starters, even lefties with a big hammer, only throwing 91 these days.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 60—We’ll spend a decade arguing about whether he’s a No. 2 or No. 3

Likely 50—A more generic mid-rotation dude

 

The Risks: Well, he’s a pitcher who just turned 20 and has suffered currently unexplained velocity loss, so we’d be remiss in not reminding you that sometimes arms come up lame. He missed a few weeks after taking a comebacker off his ankle, but still pitched an ample amount of innings given age and experience. —Jarrett Seidler

 

Major league ETA: 2020

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: Traditionally, Wentz looks more like a pitcher who could break into SP2 territory than either Allard or Soroka before him. He’s also clearly a riskier proposition because he’s both two levels behind and has previously aforementioned questions about his velocity. There’s enough upside here to warrant inclusion in the Dynasty 101, but he is a pitcher. (Are we still doing that?)

 

6. Luiz Gohara, LHP

DOB: 07/31/1996

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 210 lbs.

Bats/Throws: L/L

Drafted/Acquired: Signed August 2012 by the Mariners out of Brazil for $880,000; acquired by Atlanta via trade from Seattle.

Previous Ranking(s): #3 (Org – Seattle)

2017 Stats: 4.91 ERA, 5.92 DRA, 29 ⅓ IP, 32 H, 8 BB, 31 K at MLB Atlanta; 3.31 ERA, 2.54 DRA, 35 ⅓ IP, 31 H, 16 BB, 48 K at Triple-A Gwinnett; 2.60 ERA, 2.89 DRA, 52.0 IP, 42 H, 18 BB, 60 SO at Double-A Mississippi; 1.98 ERA, 1.60 DRA, 36 ⅓ IP, 33 H, 10 BB, 39 K at High-A Florida

 

The Good: The hefty lefty started the 2017 campaign in the FSL and finished it in the NL East. In between, Gohara flashed a plus fastball and slider combination that racked up strikeouts at each layover. The fastball is a mid-90s swing-and-miss weapon on its own. It’s easy velocity and the pitch shows sneaky late life and occasional cut. The slider arrives in the low-80s and while it isn’t the biggest or most violent breaker you will see, the two-plane action is late and effective. If he does end up moving to the pen, the fastball/slider combo gives him late-inning potential, even if it doesn’t tick up further in short bursts. Although it feels like he has been a prospect forever, Gohara only just turned 21 at this year’s trading deadline.

 

The Bad: The slider can get a little lazy at times. The changeup is a clear third pitch—although it will flash—firm at the best of times, and he struggles to start it in the zone. Despite fairly simple mechanics that draw comparisons to CC Sabathia, Gohara does not have close to that level of command. He struggles to finish his pitches or maintain his fastball command deep into outings. His physique may draw comparisons to Sabathia as well—Gohara is likely thirty pounds heavier than his listed weight—and the body and the arsenal may profile better in late-inning relief.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 60—No. 3 starter or closer

Likely 50—No. 4 starter or setup

 

The Risks: Gohara assuaged some of the doubts that plagued his profile coming into the season. He threw 150 innings, despite an arm issue in May, and he flashed mid-rotation stuff in his major league cameo. There is more role risk than projection risk here, as if the change and command don’t tighten up he may be bound for the bullpen.

 

Major league ETA: Debuted in 2017

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: A left-hander with bullpen risk and a still-developing change has probably the lowest fantasy floor of any type of mid-rotation starter profile. Gohara showed he can get strikeouts at the highest level in 2017, but the WHIP is likely always going to hold him back from anything more than SP4 heights, even if he can keep punching out more than one batter an inning.

 

7. Ian Anderson, RHP

DOB: 05/02/1998

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 170 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 3rd overall in the 2016 MLB Draft, Shenendehowa HS (Clifton Park, New York); signed for $4 million.

Previous Ranking(s): #7 (Org), #96 (Top 101)

2017 Stats: 3.14 ERA, 4.65 DRA, 83 IP, 69 H, 43 BB, 101 K at Low-A Rome

 

The Good: When Anderson has everything working, he looks like one of the better pitching prospects in baseball. The fastball will sit in the mid-90s and he can throw it down and hit the glove on both sides of the plate. The changeup is a second potential plus pitch. It’s tough to pick up out of his hand and shows good tumble and fade. His 12-6 curve will likely end up the third pitch in the arsenal, but will flash hard, late depth. Anderson has an ideal starter’s frame, having already filled out some from his listed height/weight and his delivery is very repeatable (which is different than ‘he repeats it well,’ mind you). There’s a potential 6/5/6 starter here with above-average command.

 

The Bad: The good Anderson doesn’t show up every start. It’s a bit of a cliche to talk about cold weather arms as “a little raw,” but everything about Anderson’s game is a little raw at present. The control/command wavers from start to start and even inning to inning. The curve can be a little humpy, a little loose. Sally league hitters predictably struggled with his hook, but it’s more of a two-strike bury pitch than a consistent weapon at present.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 60—No. 3 starter

Likely 50—No. 4 starter

 

The Risks: With modern prospect arm usage it can be tough to feel confident projecting any pitcher as a sure-shot starter. For someone like Anderson, who averaged just over four innings a start and pitched into the sixth inning only four times, your guess is as good as ours. He certainly has the arsenal and looks the part, but you will want to see how that arsenal looks after 90 pitches into a start and 150 innings into a season.

 

Major league ETA: 2020

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: The issue with pitchers with SP3 upside isn’t that they end up being bad, it’s that they end up not being worth the roster spot before they get good (if they get good). Here were the 21st through 30th ranked starting pitchers from 2017: Brad Peacock, Yu Darvish, Drew Pomeranz, Jimmy Nelson, Jake Arrieta, Aaron Nola, Marcus Stroman, Charlie Morton, Chris Archer and Zack Godley. How many of them were dropped in your league prior to their first strong MLB campaign?

 

8. Bryse Wilson, RHP

DOB: 12/20/1997

Height/Weight: 6’1”, 225 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 109th overall in the 2016 MLB Draft, Orange HS (North Carolina); signed for $1.2 million.

Previous Ranking(s): N/R

2017 Stats: 2.50 ERA, 2.13 DRA, 137 IP, 105 H, 37 BB, 139 K at Low-A Rome

 

The Good: Wilson is a bulldog on the mound, attacking hitters with a plus fastball/slider combination that overwhelmed South Atlantic League lineups. The fastball sits mid-90s at its best and will show explosive late movement up in the zone. The slider is a nasty two-plane breaker. There’s more change and command here than you’d expect from a 19-year-old, although neither are average yet. If this sounds like a good late-inning reliever, well you might not be wrong, but I kind of like Wilson’s potential as a high-K mid-rotation starter that frustrates at times. Then again, that might not be more valuable than a late-inning shove monster nowadays.

 

The Bad: If the above sounds like a good late-inning reliever, well you might not be wrong, full stop. Wilson is also physically maxed and with his height and slot the fastball can be a bit true at times. The slider projects as plus but is inconsistent at present. The change could get to average as could the command. But those are “coulds.” We expect Wilson to refine some stuff as he moves forward but there may be a larger gap between the Sally and the bigs than there is developmental room here.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 55—No. 3/4 starter

Likely 50—Eighth-inning guy

 

The Risks: Wilson’s advanced stuff and performance at a young age makes him a bit like the poor man’s Mike Soroka. That’s a relatively safe profile as pitchers go, but pitchers can also just go. There’s also thin margins for the “low-risk” mid-rotation types and sometimes you are Aaron Blair or Braden Shipley.

 

Major league ETA: 2020

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: The shortcomings Wilson might have in his scouting report, compared to the names before him, are not the kind that would keep him from reaching the same type of fantasy upside. We’re all familiar with the high-strikeout SP4 who just never puts it all together no matter how much you want him to. But when your upside is Edwin Jackson-esque, you’re a fringe top-150 fantasy prospect.

 

9. Kevin Maitan, SS

DOB: 02/12/2000

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 190 lbs.

Bats/Throws: S/R

Drafted/Acquired: Signed July 2016 by the Braves out of Venezuela $4.25 million.

Previous Ranking(s): #8 (Org), #100 (Top 101)

2017 Stats: .220/.273/.323, 2 HR, 1 SB in 33 games at Rookie Danville; .314/.351/.400, 0 HR, 1 SB in 9 games at GCL Braves

 

The Good: Maitan was the biggest bonus baby out of Latin America in 2016 on the strength of his offensive tools, and he flashed plus hit/plus power potential in an aggressive stateside assignment as a 17-year-old. Given his level of baseball experience the bat control and zone awareness is precocious, and he shows plus bat speed coupled with the kind of launch angle that should cause plenty of those statcast dinger graphics to pop up in your twitter feed. He’s not a shortstop long term, but there’s a shot he sticks at third base where he already shows solid footwork and passable defensive tools overall.

 

The Bad: Maitan’s bat is advanced for a high school junior, but that doesn’t mean advanced, and he has had issues actualizing the potential in games. The swing is long with loft and he will be vulnerable to better velocity above his hands. The approach is overly pull-happy and there will be long-term swing-and-miss concerns. Even if the bat develops as expected, the body has filled out quickly and is bordering on high-maintainence already. Maitan’s a well-below-average runner, which may eliminate an outfield move if he can’t stick at third. The bat will have to play to full potential if he is a first baseman.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 55—Above-average hitter at…some corner

Likely 45—Not quite as good a hitter and not one of the preferable corners

 

The Risks: Extreme. Even without the bat and positional concerns. He’s a 17-year-old with only a summer of stateside experience.

 

Major league ETA: 2022

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: Look! We made it! Maitan has a ton of name recognition for a prospect who hasn’t made full-season ball yet, and even some disappointing offseason reports this year won’t be enough to quell interest. Of course, it should though, as a fringe top-10 third baseman who won’t help until the next cycle of mid-term elections is complete just might not be worth waiting for if you can cash him in as a “buy-low” now.

 

10. Cristian Pache, OF

DOB: 11/19/1998

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 185 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Drafted/Acquired: Signed July 2015 by the Braves out of Panama for $1.4 million.

Previous Ranking(s): N/R

2017 Stats: .281/.335/.343, 0 HR, 32 SB in 119 games at Low-A Rome

 

The Good: Pache certainly looks the part of a top center field prospect. He’s got a well-proportioned athletic frame with some projection left. He’s a 7 runner who has improved his reads and routes on the grass. He generates plus bat speed from a loose-but-hitchy swing, and his hard line drives as a teenager may turn into some over-the-fence power in his early twenties. His arm is solid enough to handle right field if there’s a fourth outfielder outcome here, it’s a nice bonus in center or left, if not a weapon.

 

The Bad: Pache has a very aggressive approach at the plate, and while he did more than just tread water in his first look at full-season arms, he will expand the zone against all manners of spin. The power projection is almost all theoretical at this point and there isn’t a ton of leverage in the swing. He’s still a work in progress on defense. The whole profile is still rough around the edges.

 

The Role:

 

OFP 55—Above-average regular in center field

Likely 45—Good fourth outfielder that doesn’t quite hit enough to be a regular

 

The Risks: The speed coupled with a potential above-average glove at an up-the-middle should give Pache a better shot at some sort of major league career than your average toolsy teenager in A-ball. That’s not to suggest he is low risk as, after all, he is a toolsy teenager in A-ball with a wide variety of hit tool outcomes possible.

 

Major league ETA: 2020

 

Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: A teenager holding their own in full-season ball is always interesting, but add 40-plus steal speed to the package and you bump up both your floor and your ceiling—making Pache a top-101 fantasy prospect right now. Even if he ends up stalling out at single-digit power, the speed and contact ability are enough to make him a potential OF2 down the road.

 

 

The Next Ten (in alphabetical order):

 

Tucker Davidson, LHP, Low-A Rome

It must have been pretty fun to have Rome coverage this year. Davidson is the fourth arm from the Sally League rotation to check in on this list. He started the year in the pen, but the stuff really started to tick up when he shifted to the rotation late in the season. There’s a mid-90s fastball here now from the left side and an advanced curveball with plus projection. He may end up back in the bullpen long term, but he’s a potential breakout top ten guy—even in this crowded system—for 2018.

 

Travis Demeritte, 2B, Double-A Mississippi

The former Rangers farmhand spent the entire season at Double-A Mississippi, playing about two-thirds of his games at second base and the rest at the hot corner. His calling card is his ability to flash the leather at both positions, though the arm likely isn’t there for a permanent residency at third base. The good news: Demeritte lowered his strikeout rate below 30 percent for the first time since his pro debut in the Arizona League. The bad news: he saw a dip in just about every other offensive metric as well. From walk rate to isolated power and even stolen base efficiency, Demeritte’s first taste of the upper levels proved to be a challenge. He still showed an above-average ability to draw walks and drive the ball, but his primary flaw is—and always has been—his inability to make consistent contact. There’s still plenty of bat speed and athleticism, which leaves room for a utility future with some upside, but without an improvement in his bat-to-ball, significant playing time at the highest level could prove tough to come by. —Matt Pullman

 

Max Fried, LHP, Atlanta Braves

Like Soroka and Allard, Fried skipped straight to the Southern League in 2017. He was more age-appropriate for Double-A of course, having missed most of 2014 and all of 2015 to Tommy John surgery. Since his return to the mound, the potential plus fastball/curve combo has returned, but so have his occasional issues throwing strikes. Despite his struggles for Mississippi, Fried got a late season cup of coffee with Atlanta and acquitted himself well, touching 97 in short bursts and missing bats with his 1-7 breaker. The control and command still come and go, and the change is fringy, so he might be better suited to the pen long term. But he’s a major-league-ready arm with enough upside left to make him a strong top ten candidate in even an average farm system.

 

Alex Jackson, C, Double-A Mississippi

A strong, thick-bodied target behind the dish, Jackson is likely an offensive-minded catcher. He is back behind the plate this season, after spending the previous two as an outfielder for the Mariners. When I saw him in May he needed work, but showed athleticism and a good foundation. There are some concerns that he will outgrow the position—Jackson is 6-foot-2, 225 pounds—necessitating a move to first base. His athleticism translates to solid mobility behind the plate, which gives hope that he can be refined into a solid-average catcher, defensively. While there are contact concerns, they are balanced with present in-game power. The stance in May was a base wider than shoulder width, straight up with a slight knee bend and hands high by his head. There was an abbreviated rock back, with a small knee lift. He was not too much into his legs. There was fair leverage and looseness to the swing. In regards to the contact concerns, Jackson’s swing can get long and timing was a bit off, with a contact point a bit out in front. Given the low bar for production at the position, Jackson shouldn’t have any issues producing, as long as he dons the tools of ignorance. —Javier Barragan

 

A.J. Minter, LHP, Atlanta Braves

Minter missed two months with a groin strain in 2017, but made up for lost time over the summer. He blitzed all four full-season levels before turning in a dominant six-week major league stint. Minter profiles as a power lefty in the late innings with a fastball that sits 95-97 and a 90 mph slider that is a weapon against both lefties and righties. There is closer upside here, but Minter already has a Tommy John surgery on his C.V., and he has yet to show he can hold up over a full season of relieving. Usually we apply these durability concerns to starters, but Atlanta has managed Minter very cautiously so far in his pro career, asking him to throw on back-to-back days exactly once in 2017. He will likely make the Braves 2018 Opening Day bullpen where he will hopefully remind Braves fans of peak Jonny Venters, as opposed to what came after.

 

Kyle Muller, LHP, short-season Danville

Picked after Anderson and Wentz in Atlanta’s 2016 draft class, Muller has yet to breakout to the level of his prep pitcher compatriots, but he’s still an intriguing prospect (and like many of the players in this tier, would get more attention in a system less stuffed to the gills). I am a sucker for a big lefty, and Atlanta seems to have bought in bulk over the last few years. Muller is a bit of a project and the stuff and polish doesn’t match Wentz, but he’s a potential back-end starter down the line due to the plane on his fastball and two potentially average-or-better secondaries.

 

Austin Riley, 3B, Double-A Mississippi

Riley is one of my favorites: the combination of the body, the size (6-foot-3, 230 pounds), the athleticism, the power, and defense. The hit tool needs more work, and from when I saw him prior to his promotion to Double-A Mississippi, he was drifting forward and not staying back, causing him to rush his hitting technique. Still, I like his potential given his athleticism and coordination. He easily lines balls to the gaps, despite the inefficient hitting technique. Furthermore, if his defense was as bad as people say, his ability to improve to at least average—with good jumps, and solid range—is an indicator of his strong work ethic. The kid is also 20 years old until April, and expected to start in Double-A this upcoming season after slashing .315/.389/.511 over 48 games to finish the year there. Is he a favorite of yours yet? —Javier Barragan

 

Touki Toussaint, RHP, Double-A Mississippi

It’s easy to see the positives when looking at Touki. He features a four-seamer that sits 91-94 and runs in on righties, a two-seamer that can explode down and out of the zone, a change that shows good depth and fade, and a curve that can leave hitters wondering where they are and why they’re facing the wrong way. When you consider that all of that comes from an arm that is just 21 years old and that finished 2017 making seven starts in Double-A, there is so much to like. But…then there is the maddening inconsistency. Toussaint finds it quite difficult to maintain anything on a pitch-to-pitch, inning-to-inning, or start-to-start basis. He’s trying to simplify his delivery and have fewer moving parts, but still he can open up and lose the ball up and in to righties or he can lose his arm angle and make his curveball a hittable spinner. The optimist says that his results are consistently useful as he moves up the ladder in spite of the command problems. The pessimist says that after three full pro seasons, he’s made little progress in addressing his issues. A bigger upper minors sample size to start 2018 should tell us whether the glass is half full or half empty. —Scott Delp

 

Drew Waters, OF, short-season Danville

If you were to going to create a baseball player from scratch, you could do worse than using Waters as a guide. While loaded with tools, Waters also has a fair amount of present ability. A switch-hitter, his stroke is better from the left side, where he can better tap into his power with his plus bat speed. While he might not showcase that much power as a righty, he is still able to hit for contact and can hang in vs left-handers. While his aggression got the better of him at times this season, he shows a good eye, and was willing to work counts. He is a plus runner now but he might slow down as he matures, making him an awkward fit in center—he should be able to handle either corner though. This is the kind of profile that can propel him up this list next year, or keep him in this section while we say, “Hey he was only 19, the kid is still young!” —Steve Givarz

 

Huascar Ynoa, RHP, short-season Danville

Acquired from Minnesota for Jaime Garcia (who was shipped out to the Yankees a week later), Ynoa has the makings of stardom, like his brother Michael did at the time. The stuff is good, fastball up to 96, sitting 92-94, above-average hard breaker, usable change, sturdy frame. Like many others, Ynoa is still young, lacks projection, doesn’t throw a ton of strikes, and is a pitcher. This profile can go in many ways, the optimist sees a mid-rotation starter, the conservative sees a good bullpen arm, the pessimist sees his brother and says that can happen just as easily too. —Steve Givarz

 

Friends in Low Places

 

William Contreras, C, short-season Danville

In a bumper crop of catching prospects in the Appalachian League, Contreras stood out as the one most likely to be a two-way contributor earning a Role 5 grade from me. At the plate, “Willson’s brother” looked to drive the gaps early in the count, and he did. As the body matures, more power should come, but right now it’s more of a gap-to-gap look. But I expect him to hit as he advances, a future average-or-above stick. Behind the plate, Contreras is athletic and demonstrates strong footwork and blocking ability. The arm is strong, but his release could be more efficient—pop times were just north of 2.0 flat. Catchers that can hit and catch are a rare breed with a low expectation. I’m bullish on Contreras’ chances to be an average MLB one at maturity. —John Eshleman

 

***

 

A second opinion: We might be over-ranking Kevin Maitan

 

In this biz, there’s a popular sentiment that evaluators are best off going to a game with no preconceived notions or expectations. Theoretically, sure, but when a team pays $8.5 million (including penalties) for a 16-year-old (or however old he was when offered the contract) that’s been compared to Miguel Cabrera, it’s pretty difficult to walk in blind. I was excited to see this consensus Top 100 talent in his stateside debut.

 

But we can only evaluate what we see, and I did not see an elite prospect. That doesn’t mean he’s not elite or that my colleagues pumping him are wrong. Instead, I expect that I’m offering the glass half-empty viewpoint on an extreme-variance prospect.

 

Maitan has definitely added weight, so any notions of him staying at shortstop are gone. My concern is that his body could continue growing into a first-base look. His hands were on the stiffer side, and I didn’t see the plus arm I’ve heard about, instead showing only to average. Even in a best case scenario, I expect this to be a first-base-only body by his late-20s.

 

He did not demonstrate much power in my one-series look, and his timing in BP did not produce more than a pull-side homer or two in two sessions. His swing has a good bat path and launch angle to generate bombs, but at present the swing is too long to consistently drive balls—he was late often—largely because he started his hands just above his waist. Here too, the hit tool and on-base ability didn’t show well, as he was starting a bit early and expanding the zone, especially on soft stuff.

 

He’s only 17. This was his stateside debut, and the expectations were huge. I was encouraged by his final two at-bats where he took a more simple line-drive approach. Making adjustments will be the key to Maitan getting closer to that awesome ceiling, as will firming up his body. This is also a good example of why it’s better to see prospects at different times in the season. Maitan could put it all together, but Miggy 2.0? I just didn’t see it. —John Eshleman

 

***

 

Top Talents 25 and Under (born 4/1/92 or later):

 

Ronald Acuña, OF

Ozhaino Albies, 2B

Dansby Swanson, SS

Kolby Allard, LHP

Mike Soroka, RHP

Sean Newcomb, LHP

Kyle Wright, RHP

Joey Wentz, LHP

Luiz Gohara, LHP

Ian Anderson, RHP

Few teams have a collection of 25-and-under talent to rival the Braves, who stocked their system with: a potential No. 1 overall talent, more potential starting pitchers than you can shake a stick at, and a couple of middle infielders who could start for most teams. While everything isn’t exactly wine and roses in The A, this team could see serious production from their young stars in less time than it takes to get hit by an invisible car. There are only five non-prospects that really matter at 25 or younger, and three of them muscled past this solid prospect Top 10 in my rankings.

 

Does the placement of numbers two and three on this list shock you? Because it shocks me a little bit. No, Dansby Swanson did not waltz to his expected Rookie of the Year award, but the team did see the emergence of a potential star in the middle infield. After a mid-season callup, Ozzie Albies basically did everything that one could have hoped for the young, fleet infielder. He hit .286 despite just a .312 BABIP, and rattled off a surprising number of extra-base hits—20, including five triples—in just 57 games. Also, he’s not legally allowed to drink in the U.S., so the Braves faithful can expect both physical and metaphysical growth from this young man over the next several seasons. He’s exactly the kind of hit-and-run sparkplug that gathers up fans for the exciting way he plays ball, and given the current run environment, his lack of raw power may not be too much of a performance hindrance. While I’m loath to put too much stock into one half-season of sparkling performance from a rookie, I think that Albies’ underlying tools and skills give him a slight edge over his neighbor. And it’d be nice for Albies to turn into another Jose Ramirez, but that’s just far too much expectation to put on any smallish middle infielder who can hustle. I’d rather just accept that he’s likely to be a solid major leaguer, and perhaps a cornerstone of the next five years or so of Braves baseball.

 

So could Swanson, but his 2017 was the yang to Albies’ yin. For the first half of this season, Swanson—a presumptive lock for best rookie in his league—was one of the worst everyday regulars in baseball. He hit almost 50 percent below the league average, his defense looked poor at shortstop, and things got so dire that he was shockingly banished to Gwinnett for a few games. He improved after returning from that brief Triple-A sojourn, but in a year where everyone mashed dingers, Swanson could barely inch his slugging percentage past his OBP. His approach leads to a nice walk rate, but he’ll need to make more contact and hit for more game power going forward or… he becomes Gordon Beckham, I guess. This is what surprised me the most, however: both DRS and FRAA were decidedly not complimentary towards Dansby’s glove, as both rated him between -7 and -11 runs with the leather. That might have been okay if Swanson were going to produce double after double with his bat, but he’ll need to lift his defensive performance. Still, his minor rebound in the second indicates that the tools are still there and he can emerge as a valuable regular… but perhaps now we might have to face the notion that Dansby’s collection of above-average tools might end up less than the sum of his parts, rather than more.

 

Sean Newcomb was probably the best of the young starters that the Braves’ graduated in 2017, which is in some ways damning with faint praise. Tyler Flowers—one of the best framers in baseball—can only do so much to steal extra strikes when someone like Newcomb has only a cursory relationship with command. The big lefty walked five batters per nine, which hurt him despite his ability to strike out almost twice that many hitters. While his ERA and FIP paint him as a serviceable starter, his DRA of 5.66 paints a decidedly less rosy picture of his future unless he can iron out some of his control woes. The good news is that, even if he doesn’t, he’ll likely intimidate hitters during his inevitable move to the back of the bullpen. If even a few of the Braves’ young arms work out in the next couple of seasons, expect Newcomb to take a setup role… it’s more likely than him finally figuring out how to stop throwing balls out of the zone.

 

In addition to the top ten mentioned here, the team has a couple of interesting guys in Johan Camargo and Lucas Sims. Camargo was surprisingly productive until a late-season injury, eventually supplanting Swanson as the team’s regular shortstop by roping more than a score of doubles in his rookie season. Camargo has line-drive power and enough positional versatility to be a lovely utility player, but probably is a second-division starter at best during seasons where he doesn’t cruise to a .360 BABIP.

 

Meanwhile, Sims is another in a recent run of Braves pitching prospects who haven’t quite hit the lofty ceilings once projected for them. Somewhat like Matt Wisler and Aaron Blair before him, struggled in his first look at the bigs with peripherals that nowhere near touched the heights projected for him as a first-round draft pick. His fastball, once touted as an out pitch, looked too straight before he started tinkering with a two-seamer and cutter. If he can iron out one workable fastball and pair that with his curve, he probably has enough to settle in as a seventh-inning arm in the bullpen. Otherwise, he might go the way of Blair, doomed to wander the Gwinnett-to-Atlanta swingman shuttle. But even if he fails utterly, there are plenty of similarly-talented arms on the way. —Bryan Grosnick

[metafour]

That isn't allowed?

 

It is allowed. They have to turn 16 by a certain date (before the end of the year?) to still be eligible in this class. Every year there are a few 15 year olds who can't officially sign on July 2nd because they aren't 16 yet. The Yankees already signed Ronny Rojas for $1 million and he didn't turn 16 until September I believe.

[Spanky__99]

Bret Sayre’s a moron.

[Spanky__99]

It is allowed. They have to turn 16 by a certain date (before the end of the year?) to still be eligible in this class. Every year there are a few 15 year olds who can't officially sign on July 2nd because they aren't 16 yet. The Yankees already signed Ronny Rojas for $1 million and he didn't turn 16 until September I believe.

 

Wow... never knew that, likely Dec 31st calendar year? Derp, you just said that.

[P2F]

The Braves have also been stripped of Yunior Severino and Juan Contreras.

 

That's their top four IFA signings of 2016.

[Spanky__99]

The Braves have also been stripped of Yunior Severino and Juan Contreras.

 

That's their top four IFA signings of 2016.

 

Rekt!

[metafour]

RHP Jol Concepcion, LHP Naswell Paulino, and RHP Juan Jimenez popped for Boldenone and suspended 60, 72, and 60 games.

[Spanky__99]

RHP Jol Concepcion, LHP Naswell Paulino, and RHP Juan Jimenez popped for Boldenone and suspended 60, 72, and 60 games.

 

Seems like a lot of these kids are getting popped for Boldenone, I wonder if MLB boys start getting popped.

[jaysguy44]

Where would people say our farm system ranks among other teams in the league?

[Spanky__99]

Where would people say our farm system ranks among other teams in the league?

 

9 or 10, respectively.

[P2F]

The Braves’ Punishment Is In and It’s Harsh

 

by Eric Longenhagen - November 21, 2017

[Spanky__99]

The Braves’ Punishment Is In and It’s Harsh

 

by Eric Longenhagen - November 21, 2017

 

Hahaha... I used his write ups to gauge the penalty.

[P2F]

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]11:13[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]BK: How does TJ Zeuch’s project as a major leaguer?

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]11:13[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]Eric A Longenhagen: #4 starter

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

 

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]11:21[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]BK: Could Lourdes Gurriel break out next year now that he’s got a year of baseball back under his belt? Or would you expect more of Similar production to 2017?

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

 

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]11:21[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]Eric A Longenhagen: Expect more production with the bat, but he’s not a very good defensive infielder and might best project in an outfield corner, so there better be A LOT more bat.

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

 

 

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]11:25[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]Alford or Nothing: Is Anthony Alford a disappointment? Seems like he lost some steam and now opinions are more divisive than before. Can he have an impact in 2018 or beyond?

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]11:25[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]Eric A Longenhagen: Consider the context of his season. I think he’ll be fine.

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

 

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]12:11[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]John: Danny Jansen an everyday catcher in a year or two?

 

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]12:11[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]Eric A Longenhagen: Opinions are still mixed and I’m not sure where I fall just yet, but leaning yes.

 

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[Laika]

The Braves’ Punishment Is In and It’s Harsh

 

by Eric Longenhagen - November 21, 2017

 

I had no idea Kevin Maitan had busted so hard. Non-prospect? wow.

[Spanky__99]

I had no idea Kevin Maitan had busted so hard. Non-prospect? wow.

 

Not after a RB year, he's 17

[Laika]

Not after a RB year, he's 17

 

If he's a rigid and unathletic fringe 3B at 17... that's not a good sign Spanky

[Spanky__99]

If he's a rigid and unathletic fringe 3B at 17... that's not a good sign Spanky

 

I know... He's going to crush it, this year.

[Pendleton]

I know... He's going to crush it, this year.

 

^ Owns Maitan in LoD

[Spanky__99]

^ Owns Maitan in LoD

 

More then there, JF killed me, what a stud he was going to be.

[TheHurl]

^ Found my DDL trading partner

[Spanky__99]

^ Found my DDL trading partner

 

lol

[z3r0s]

RE: Braves stripped pospects

 

Was this little nugget posted/known earlier? I missed it if it was. Weird (and good for the Jays and their $50K)

 

So, what’s the process for signing these players? We learned some elements of the process yesterday, and MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo provides a more complete look at the ad hoc rules that will apply here. Here’s a breakdown:

 

The players — who get to keep their original bonuses but cannot be represented by the agents that negotiated their original contracts — will be subject to international signing pool restrictions but are otherwise free to sign with any organization.

 

MLB teams will be allowed a fresh $200K of bonus pool space to work with to sign any of these prospects. They may elect to draw from either their current signing period pool allocation or that of the 2018-19 period (but not both).

 

All MLB teams but the Braves can sign the prospects between December 5th of this year and January 15th of the next. Any players that do not sign within that period will no longer be eligible to receive a signing bonus. The Braves are eligible to pursue any still-unsigned prospects (without a bonus offer) beginning on May 1, 2018.

[Grant77]

So if I'm understanding this correctly then we can go after the Braves prospects using next year's pool, thereby not impacting our available money for Otani.

[Slade]

So if I'm understanding this correctly then we can go after the Braves prospects using next year's pool, thereby not impacting our available money for Otani.

 

[Ray]

Can anyone with a BA subscription post the updated scouting report for Maitan?

[P2F]

Can anyone with a BA subscription post the updated scouting report for Maitan?

 

Here it is.

[jays4life19]

The penalties Major League Baseball levied on the Braves are unprecedented in scope, as for the first time ever, they declared the majority of an international signing class to be free agents.

 

Teams will be taking a look at updating their scouting reports on everyone of the newly minted free agents over the next few weeks, but many of them have already impressed scouts in pro ball. Here's a ranking of the top eight prospects among the players that the commissioner's office has made free agents.

 

1. Kevin Maitan, SS

Yes, scouts are much less enamored by his thickening body and his lefthanded swing than they were when he was an amateur, but he's also a 17-year-old shortstop who didn't look completely overwhelmed in the Appalachian League. He has to be more diligent about keeping his lower half in shape, but the talent is still there. , and any team would be happy to take chance on seeing what he develops into as he matures.

 

 

2. Yunior Severino, 2B

Severino signed for $1.9 million in 2016 as one of the top players in the Braves' loaded international class. He is an offense-first switch-hitting middle infielder with power potential and loads of bat speed. As you would expect for a teenager, he has plenty of work ahead of him, especially defensively, but 17-year-olds who slug .444 in the Gulf Coast League are exceedingly hard to find.

 

3. Livan Soto, SS

Soto carries plenty of projection as he's a wiry, quick twitch shortstop with a plus arm. Multiple scouts who saw him this year said they believe he's a true shortstop who could be a plus defender and his bat was more advanced than expected.

 

4. Yefri Del Rosario, RHP

A $1 million signing in 2016, Del Rosario's stuff has taken a step forward since he signed. He's now pitching with a plus 91-94 mph fastball that touches 97 and the added arm speed has also helped tighten up his sharp breaking ball. His delivery isn't particularly clean, but he throws strikes and his cross-fire delivery adds deception.

 

5. Ji-Hwan Bae, SS

Bae was one the better international prospects to play in the 18U World Cup this summer–he hit .286/.393/.412 at the tournament–and he signed with the Braves soon after. Scouts who saw Bae projected him as a well-rounded, athletic middle infielder with a chance to stay at shortstop. His plus speed is an asset, although there are more questions about his power potential.

 

 

 

ADVERTISING

 

 

6. Abrahan Gutierrez, C

Gutierrez like many young catchers has to work on his game calling, on handling all the different situations a catcher deals with during a game and the wear and tear of a long season behind the plate.

But he has excellent strength for his age that leads evaluators to believe he can handle 100+ games at catcher and he's advanced for his age in his receiving and blocking. At the plate, he has power potential thanks to his strong frame but there are questions about how much he'll hit.

 

7. Juan Contreras, RHP

Contreras is all about arm strength. He can light up radar guns from 92-97 mph already and he's got a little room to add more velocity. But right now he has no idea of where the ball is going when it leaves his hand (10 walks per nine in the GCL this year) and his secondary pitches are more ideas than refined offerings at this point.

 

8. Yenci Pena, SS

Pena was one of the higher-priced additions in the Braves' 2016 class, but he's proven to be a little less advanced than some of fellow teenagers. Sent to the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut, Pena hit .230/.328/.327. Pena has a good frame, a workable swing and a chance to stay at shortstop.

 

 

 

 

#Abrahan Gutierrez #Ji-Hwan Bae #Juan Contreras #Kevin Maitan #Livan Soto #Yefri Del Rosario #Yenci Pena #Yunior Severino

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



[Boxcar]

I had no idea Kevin Maitan had busted so hard. Non-prospect? wow.

 

What do you mean? He's a future HOF.

 

Or did Dinger trade him already?

[KingKat]

I had no idea Kevin Maitan had busted so hard. Non-prospect? wow.

 

An 18 year old Derek Jeter had just as bad a rookie season. As tempting as it is to dismiss Maitan, it's still way too early to tell though he definitely decreased his value and put more pressure on his bat.