Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[Omar]

[Carlos Danger]

 

A guy who can hit and play D. Marry that man!

[43211234]

Going into today Vlad had only 1 strikeout in his ~60 plate appearances in the AFL. He recorded his second one today.

[Krylian]

Going into today Vlad had only 1 strikeout in his ~60 plate appearances in the AFL. He recorded his second one today.

 

Doubled his strikeouts in one game. f*** he sucks s***.

[Orgfiller]

 

That arm is no joke.

[P2F]

That arm is no joke.

 

Yeah, it's legit. But is it a 6 or a 7?

[Grant77]

Yeah, it's legit. But is it a 6 or a 7?

 

It may be a 7 for raw arm strength, but it certainly isn't close to that for accuracy. I thought he used his arm as a crutch and didn't have proper footwork in a lot of games this year.

[P2F]

BA dropped their Blue Jays top prospects list this morning.

[Dr. Dinger]

Can someone pirate this content? Thx

[King]

I can post it.

[jays4life19]

1. Vladimir Guerrero | 3B

Vladimir Guerrero

Born: Mar 16, 1999

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'1" Wt.: 200

Signed By: Ismael Cruz/Sandy Rosario/Luciano Del Rosario.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. was one of the most dynamic players in baseball history, with a dazzling combination of power, speed, arm strength and ability to hit any pitch type. Vlad Jr., who signed with the Blue Jays for $3.9 million at age 16 in 2015, doesn’t have his dad’s athleticism, but he has the hand-eye coordination, bat speed, power and strike-zone discipline to rival any teenage hitter who has come along in years. Guerrero began his 2018 season by hitting a walkoff home run against the Cardinals in an exhibition game at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, where his father began his major league career. He then proceeded to lead the minors with a 1.073 OPS as a 19-year-old facing Double-A and Triple-A pitchers to become the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: Guerrero looked like he belonged in the middle of a major league lineup even as a teenager. He is a potential superstar in the mold of Manny Ramirez, and it’s not out of the question that Guerrero could develop into an 80 hitter with 80 power. He has a preternatural ability to make hard contact and barrel any type of pitch in any area of the strike zone. He has a simple, powerful swing, unleashing fierce bat speed with a compact, efficient path to the ball. He rarely swings and misses and hammers the ball to all parts of the park. He also has phenomenal strike-zone discipline and rarely chases borderline pitches. As an amateur in the Dominican Republic, Guerrero was a heavyset outfielder with below-average speed and arm strength. After signing, he moved to third base, where his arm strength has improved to plus, giving him a chance to stick there—at least early in his career. Guerrero worked diligently to improve his defense in 2018—especially his footwork and his angles to the ball, but he remains a large, stocky player with a lack of first-step quickness that inhibits his range. At some point, he might have to move to first base or possibly DH. Wherever he plays, his offensive production will make him an elite player.

 

THE FUTURE: Guerrero will be not only the favorite to win American League Rookie of the Year in 2019—he might immediately rank among the top overall hitters in baseball. Vladimir Sr. won the AL MVP award in 2004, and Junior has the talent to be in plenty of MVP conversations himself over the next decade.

 

2. Bo Bichette | SS

Bo Bichette

Born: Mar 5, 1998

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'0" Wt.: 200

Signed By: Matt Bishoff.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: While Dante Bichette hit 274 home runs in a 14-year major league career, his son Bo has a chance to be even better. Bichette quickly catapulted from a 2016 second-round pick to one of the best prospects in baseball. As one of the youngest players in the Double-A Eastern League in 2018, he drew praise for both his offense and defense.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: Bichette has explosive bat speed and a rhythmic swing that generates a lot of torque. He swings hard—sometimes losing his balance—but he’s usually in sync, on time and on plane. He shortens his aggressive leg kick to a toe tap with two strikes. He drives the ball well to the middle of the field with average raw power now, with the bat speed and strength projection to hit for above-average power. Bichette has worked diligently on his conditioning and fielding and now projects as an average shortstop. He has good body control, quick footwork and ranges well up the middle. He has a tick above-average arm, though he gets tested on balls to his right. He’s an average runner whose aggressiveness and reads helped him steal 32 bases.

 

THE FUTURE: Bichette is scheduled to open 2019 at Triple-A Buffalo but could be up by the all-star break.

 

3. Danny Jansen | C

Danny Jansen

Born: Apr 15, 1995

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'2" Wt.: 225

Signed By: Wes Penick

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: After a breakthrough 2017 season, Jansen took another step forward in 2018, posting a .390 on-base percentage for Triple-A Buffalo before getting called up in August.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: Jansen has been a high on-base threat with a sharp eye for the strike zone. He’s a disciplined hitter who recognizes pitches early, stays balanced and doesn’t chase much off the plate. He does a good job of putting himself into favorable counts and swinging at pitches he can damage with a compact swing. Jansen set a career-high with 15 home runs between Buffalo and Toronto in 2018, but he’s more of a line-drive hitter with just enough pull-side power for average home run totals. Jansen earns high praise for his leadership and ability to manage a pitching staff. He blocks balls well, but his arm is fringe-average and he could improve his footwork and release to get rid of the ball faster after throwing out just 19 percent of basestealers in 2018.

 

THE FUTURE: If everything clicks for Jansen, he could have a similar profile to fellow Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin. He’s ready for a larger role in Toronto in 2019.

 

4. Eric Pardinho | RHP

Eric Pardinho

Born: Jan 5, 2001

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 5'10" Wt.: 155

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: Pardinho was the top international pitching prospect in the 2017 class when the Blue Jays signed him for $1.4 million out of Brazil. He was so advanced that the Blue Jays skipped him over two levels to debut in the Rookie-level Appalachian League at 17. He picked apart older hitters to rank third in the league in strikeouts.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: Pardinho has outstanding command, polish and feel to change speeds for his age. With a smooth, fluid arm action and a calm, easy delivery with good extension, he repeats his mechanics consistently to locate his fastball to both sides of the plate. He has an advanced feel to mix his stuff and set up hitters, starting with a fastball that sits at 89-93 mph and tops out at 96. His out pitch when he signed was a curveball that flashes plus, and he now mixes in a swing-and-miss slider. Pardinho’s changeup was a fairly new pitch for him in 2018, but he has the arm action and enough ability to manipulate that pitch already to potentially develop it to average or better.

 

THE FUTURE: As difficult as it is to project a 17-yearold pitcher, Pardinho has the combination of stuff and potentially plus command to develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter. Low Class A Lansing is his next step.

 

5. Jordan Groshans | SS

Jordan Groshans

Born: Nov 10, 1999

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'3" Wt.: 178

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays drafted Groshans No. 12 overall and signed him for $3.4 million. He made his mark immediately in the Rookielevel Gulf Coast League, dominating that level before a mid-August bump to Rookie-level Bluefield.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: Groshans earned rave reviews from those who saw him in the GCL, where he barreled balls consistently and demonstrated an advanced hitting approach for his age. Long and lanky, he has quick bat speed and a knack for finding the sweet spot, punishing good fastballs with the adjustability in his swing to drive pitches on the outer half to right field. Groshans has plus raw power and can take the ball over the fence from right-center field over to his pull side, though he primarily sticks with a line-drive, all fields approach. In the GCL, he shared time with others at shortstops and saw time at third base. His above-average arm and defensive actions fits on the left side of the infield, but he’s more of an offensive-oriented player whose first-step quickness looks better suited for third base.

 

THE FUTURE: If Groshans does slide over to third base, he has the offensive upside to be an everyday regular. An assignment to low Class A Lansing is next.

 

6. Nate Pearson | RHP

Nate Pearson

Born: Aug 20, 1996

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'6" Wt.: 245

Signed By: Matt Bishoff.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays used the second of their two first-round picks in 2017 to select Pearson, who quickly looked like a steal after dominating the short-season Northwest League while touching triple digits. He looked poised for a breakthrough in 2018, but a back injury prevented him from pitching until May 7, when he threw 1.2 innings before a line drive fractured his right forearm and ended his season.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: As a college starter, Pearson sat 92-94 mph and touched 98 regularly. With the Blue Jays, he sits mid-to-upper-90s and reaches 101 in short stints, though he has yet to have an outing of more than four innings to show he can hold velocity. He throws an explosive fastball with late life to get empty swings up and down the strike zone, with steep downhill angle from his 6-foot-6 frame. Pearson has added more power and sharpness to what was once a slurvy slider, cranking it up to the mid-to-upper-80s with late tilt. His slider is still inconsistent but flashes above-average. He mixes in an average changeup with late fade.

 

THE FUTURE: Pearson, who hit 100 mph in the Arizona Fall League, has the stuff to work as a mid-rotation starter if he proves he can handle a starter’s workload.

 

7. Kevin Smith | SS

Kevin Smith

Born: Jul 4, 1996

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'1" Wt.: 188

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: A three-year starter at Maryland, Smith debuted with the Blue Jays in 2017 after signing that summer as a fourth-round pick. After the season, Smith called the Blue Jays to ask when was the earliest possible date he could report to their complex in Dunedin, Fla. He worked on his swing and broke through with a strong 2018 season.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: A student of the game, Smith spent the offseason working to shorten his swing path and increase the amount of time his barrel spends in the hitting zone. His body awareness helped him make that adjustment to be more direct to the ball, and he cut his strikeout rate from 25 percent at Rookie-level Bluefield in 2017 to 21 percent split between two Class A levels in 2018. Smith still projects as a power-over-hit offensive profile, with quick bat speed and plus raw power to drive balls out to all fields. Smith isn’t a flashy shortstop but he is a steady, reliable defender with average defense for the position. He has sure hands and an above-average, accurate arm with a quick release.

 

THE FUTURE: Smith raised his stock in 2018, albeit as a college player dominating Class A competition. Double-A New Hampshire will give Smith a chance to prove himself against upper-level pitchers.

 

8. Sean Reid-Foley | RHP

Sean Reid-Foley

Born: Aug 30, 1995

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'3" Wt.: 220

Signed By: Matt Bishoff

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: Reid-Foley struggled through a rough 2017 season, with inconsistent stuff from start to start and fastball command that would frequently escape him. He opened 2018 repeating Double-A New Hampshire and looked much improved. He reached Triple-A by May and then Toronto in August for his major league debut.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: The Blue Jays stressed to Reid-Foley the importance of fastball command—especially down and away—and he showed signs of improvement in that area. He has a plus fastball that sits 92-95 mph and reaches 97. The quality of his slider was more consistent in 2018. It’s a plus weapon he can bury as a chase pitch or get empty swings when he back-foots lefties. He throws an average curveball that sometimes blends with his slider. Reid-Foley switched the way he gripped his changeup in spring training, and at times it showed good action and deception with average potential. Despite unorthodox mechanics, he has been durable.

 

THE FUTURE: Reid-Foley has the plus stuff to potentially develop into a No. 3 or 4 starter, though he will have to continue to improve his fastball command.

 

9. Cavan Biggio | 2B

Cavan Biggio

Born: Apr 11, 1995

Bats: L Throws: R

Ht.: 6'1" Wt.: 203

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: Double-A New Hampshire opened 2018 with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, two top prospects with big league bloodlines. They also had Biggio, the son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, who went from a long shot to a legitimate prospect.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: After an underwhelming first full season in 2017, Biggio went to work on the load and timing in his swing, lowering his hands in an attempt to help his bat stay on plane longer through the hitting zone. The mechanical adjustment helped him tap into his power more frequently in games, and he more than doubled his home run output from 2017. His swing still has holes—he struck out 26 percent of the time in Double-A—but he’s also a patient hitter whose 100 walks ranked third in the minors. Biggio is a smart, instinctive player and an average runner. He turns the double play quickly at second base with an average arm, but he’s still working to soften his hands and improve his footwork and range. He has spent time at third base, first base and the outfield as well.

 

THE FUTURE: Biggio has a chance to develop into an average regular, whether it be at second base or as an offensive-minded utility man.

 

10. Miguel Hiraldo

Miguel Hiraldo

Born: Sep 5, 2000

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 5'11" Wt.: 170

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: As an amateur in the Dominican Republic, Hiraldo earned praise as one of the top hitters in a strong 2017 international class. The Blue Jays signed him for $750,000 that year and he justified their belief in his bat with a strong offensive showing in the Dominican Summer League before getting a late-season taste of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: Hiraldo has a knack for hitting and driving the ball with impact from a direct, compact swing. He doesn’t generate much separation with his hands to load his swing, but he has explosive hand speed that generates plus bat speed. He’s an aggressive hitter who mashes fastballs, with strong forearms and legs that he incorporates to generate average power. He’s a pull-heavy hitter who’s still improving his pitch recognition and selectivity. Blue Jays scouts were more optimistic than others when they signed Hiraldo about his ability to stick at shortstop, citing his hands and arm strength. He is built like a catcher and his range and defensive actions aren’t ideal for shortstop, though he has the defensive skill set for third base.

 

THE FUTURE: Hiraldo is still several years away, but he has the offensive upside to profile at third base.

[Bobthe4th]

Seems wrong counting Danny Jansen as a prospect when he's our starting catcher! Still has rookie eligibility so I guess it's OK.

[P2F]

2019 Toronto Blue Jays Top 10 Chat

 

 

Ben Badler: Happy Halloween everyone! A lot of talent throughout the Blue Jays' farm system, even beyond the obvious 1-2 prospects. Let's get started.

 

 

 

Keith (Delaware): Shapiro is convinced his farm system is top 5 overall. Would you concur?

 

 

Ben Badler: Yes, I think that’s a fair assessment. They’re not No. 1 or 2, but they’re definitely within that 5-ish overall neighborhood.

 

 

 

J.P. (Springfield, IL): Thanks for chatting, Ben. At this point, is health the only thing standing in Alford's way? Will we see him in the early teens in the Handbook?

 

 

Ben Badler: Staying healthy is a big one for Alford, but when he was on the field this year, he also just didn’t perform very well. His timing just seemed to be off the whole year, and with that his strikeout rate went way, way up. When you’re 24 years old in Triple-A, you’ve just got to hit better than .238/.314/.339. I do you think you can look at the talent and the track record up through Double-A with Alford and see reasons why he could rebound, so he’s not far off the top 10, but as someone who’s been fairly high on Alford before, right now it’s hard to feel comfortable betting on him as an everyday regular.

 

 

 

Fenrir (Toronto): Did the lack of result in AFL hurt Pearson's prospect standing? He hasn't shown the ability to command his FB

 

 

Ben Badler: If I remember right, by the time I finished the list, Pearson had only one AFL outing, but I wouldn't change anything based on shaky command in the AFL from a pitcher who essentially missed the entire 2018 season. He's a tricky one to rank given his circumstances and I think you could make a reasonable case to bump him up even a couple spots higher than where he is on the list, but the good thing on Pearson out of the AFL is the stuff all seems to still be intact.

 

 

 

Warren (New London): Cal Stevenson had a .511 on base percentage and scored 73 runs in 59 games, but one would have liked to see him against better competition. Are observers buying into him yet? Will he make the 30?

 

 

Ben Badler: I am. Probably one of my favorite sleepers in the system. Love the plate discipline, hitting approach and he runs well too . . . need to see him replicate it beyond rookie leagues, but I think that could prove to be a great pick out of the 10th round.

 

 

 

Mike (Tampa, FL): Is it safe to assume the CBA was solely responsible for preventing Vlad Jr from getting a September call up, or are you buying the story about his defense being the deal breaker? If it's the latter, will his defense *magically* improve enough by, say, mid-April?

 

 

Ben Badler: They are planning to keep him in the minor leagues for the beginning of the season to manipulate his service time and gain an extra year of team control. Same thing the Braves did with Ronald Acuña and the Cubs did with Kris Bryant, among other examples.

 

 

 

Andrew (Alberta): Are there any pitchers in the lower levels that we should be keeping an eye on come 2019? Thank you.

 

 

Ben Badler: Adam Kloffenstein didn't pitch this year after the draft, but he's someone who got top 10 consideration and could quickly jump into that group in 2019.

 

 

 

Frank (Indianapolis, IN): How many of these guys are likely to make the top 100?

 

 

Ben Badler: I think 5-6, maybe 7, with the top eight all belonging in the Top 100 conversation.

 

 

 

Norm (Texas): Ben -- Bichette has all the ear-marks of a developing hitter. But, what does his defense look like? Can he play an effective shortstop in the big leagues?

 

 

Ben Badler: Yes. He put a lot of time into working at his defense over the last couple of years and you could see the results show on the field this season. Good hands, feet work well, body control, ranges well on plays up the middle, smooth on the double play turn. I don't see any need for him to change positions.

 

 

 

Oren (Oshawa, ON): What happened to Logan Warmoth? What are the chances he can rebound?

 

 

Ben Badler: A very vanilla look this season. If you liked him coming into the year, it was more about the sum of the parts than any loud tools—the tools were more a bag of 5s or a tick under—but this year he just didn't hit either. He'll still be in their top 30 but it's not pointing in the right direction.

 

 

 

Mike (Toronto): Settle a debate I’m having with my buddy: Gabriel Moreno or Riley Adams? Will we see either in the top 20?

 

 

Ben Badler: I'd take Moreno. Athletic catcher with terrific hand-eye coordination, rarely swings and misses. Now he has to make better decisions on when to swing, because right now he's a free-swinger who can get away with it because he can still make contact even on pitches he should lay off, but I'll take the starting ingredients of a catcher who has a preternatural knack for putting the barrel to the ball.

 

 

 

Kingsley (Toronto): Doesn't the lack of height from Pardinho scares you? I think he projects similarly like deivi Garcia

 

 

Ben Badler: It doesn't. If he were an amateur pitcher who was touching 92 and I had to project whether he would throw harder, maybe that would come into play, but he's already reaching the mid-90s. And he's backing it up with swing-and-miss breaking pitches, with excellent control for his age coming out of a free and easy delivery. It's a lot of signs that point to a potential midrotation or even frontline type of starter.

 

 

 

Ty (Edmonton): Of all the current Jays prospects who didn't make the top 10, who do you see as most likely to make the jump next year?

 

 

Ben Badler: Kloffenstein I mentioned earlier, but I think Gabriel Moreno, Orelvis Martinez, Griffin Conine and Cal Stevenson are others I could see making that leap.

 

 

 

Jack (Toronto): How far out is Orelevis Martinez from the top 10?

 

 

Ben Badler: Not too far. I thought there was a clear group of 8-9 guys at the top of the system, with a lot of different ways you could go at the back of the list. I went with Miguel Hiraldo over Orelvis Martinez because Hiraldo was one of the best hitters in a pretty stacked 2017 international class, then went out and backed that up with pro performance on the field, hitting and hitting with some impact too. Orelvis might end up being just as good or better than Hiraldo when we're talking again this time next year, but right now that extra certainty in Hiraldo gave him an edge for me.

 

 

 

Craig Borden (Rochester, NY): There were plenty of standouts this season but who shocked you with their performance this season. Who surprised you? Brock Lundquist caught me off gaurd and was really fun to watch as were most of the Lansing Lugnuts.

 

 

Ben Badler: Cavan Biggio. Coming into the season I thought he was longshot type prospect, but he made some legitimate swing adjustments that helped, he's an extremely patient hitter and the power will translate. Still some questions he's going to have to answer but I definitely did not expect him to have this loud of a season.

 

 

 

Clinton (BC, Canada): Looking at this top ten list where do you think the Jays farm system ranks overall? I've read in various places it's top heavy and it's been a stated goal of Atkins and Shapiro to build the depth, do you think they have?

 

 

Ben Badler: It's one of the better systems in the game. Obviously Vladdy Jr. alone carries an enormous amount of value and Bichette does as well, but it's a pretty balanced system from top to bottom. You've got those guys, Jansen, Reid-Foley, Biggio in the upper levels, players like Smith and Pearson in that next wave, then Pardinho and Groshans were two of the most exciting players in short-season/rookie leagues this year, plus more draft/international talent on the way up with players like Hiraldo, Kloffenstein, Conine, Orelvis, Moreno, Jimenez, among others.

 

 

 

Karl of Delaware (Georgetown, Delaware): Guerrero, Bichette, Kacy Clemens, Yuli Gurriel - all these guys have dads or brothers who made the big time. Does this indicate that the Blue Jay's scouting machine pays more attention to linage than the typical scouting department?

 

 

Ben Badler: Plus Biggio and Conine too. It definitely sticks out. Bloodlines are something they look at, but I don't know that it's something they weight any more heavily than most clubs. One thing most of those players have in common is that they're just good prospects, and they've done a good job identifying amateur players in both the draft and the international market, regardless of bloodlines.

 

 

 

Mike (Ottawa, ON): Assuming health issues can be avoided, where do you see Nate Pearson's potential? Thanks.

 

 

Ben Badler: Could be a midrotation starter, and depending what he shows next year I might even upgrade that. He's a tricky one to evaluate, because he looked so good after signing last year, to the point where we jumped him into our Top 100, but it's difficult to have a lot of confidence in both nailing down his present ability and basing a projection off that given how little he's been on the mound this season. But obviously what he's flashed going back to last year has been exciting.

 

 

 

Greg (Saskatchewan): How good can Jordan Groshans become in your opinion? Thanks.

 

 

Ben Badler: Heard great things on Groshans from evaluators who saw him in the Gulf Coast League this season. If I had to bet, I'd say he's probably a third baseman in the end rather than a shortstop, though I wouldn't rule out shortstop yet either, but the offensive game projects at either position. Advanced approach, potential plus bat/plus power combination if everything clicks. Arrow-up guy for sure.

 

 

 

Jeff (Calgary): Of the two, which one of Kevin Smith or Biggio has the best chance to be an above avg regular? Here is hoping the swing changes Smith made are legit.

 

 

Ben Badler: Kevin Smith. Biggio's done it at a higher level on the offensive side, but Smith's ability to play shortstop while Biggio still is working to either stay at second base or move around the field is an edge for Smith.

 

 

 

Jeff (Mississauga, ON): Hi Ben, Is Chavez Young or Ryan Noda anything to get excited about? How about Samad Taylor?

 

 

Ben Badler: There's something there with Ryan Noda. It's a three true outcomes profile, a lot of walks, home runs and strikeouts, with defensive limitations. He is extremely patient and it's legit plus power. By the time he gets to Double-A, I think we'll have a better sense of how much of this is going to translate, but you have to like the value to get a player like that in the 15th round.

 

 

 

Jeff (Calgary): People were shocked when the Jays took Groshans as high as they did. Is he the type of athletic kid that can hit for both average and power?

 

 

Ben Badler: I think he can. And I think it's always important to be updating our reports and projections as new information comes in, especially as players go from competing against other amateur players to having to do it with wood bats against professional competition, whether that's for draft picks or international signings. Bo Bichette is another example of that. The Blue Jays drafted him in the second round, but by the time he was done in the GCL, it was pretty clear to scouts who saw him there that he was a first-round caliber talent. The buzz isn't quite as electric on Groshans as it was at the time on Bichette, but the point is more that we always have to be incorporating new information as it comes in, and there's a good amount of evidence since the draft that Groshans' talent fits in at the top of that first round.

 

 

 

Fonz (Milwaukee): Is TJ Zeuch someone who would have been in the back end of the 10 if you had weighted factors differently? To you, is he most likely (1) a future MLB back end starter, (2) a future MLB long guy out of the bullpen, or (3) a AAAA-type pitcher who fills whatever holes the big league club requires?

 

 

Ben Badler: Probably somewhere between 2 or 3. It's heavy sink dropping down from a skyscraper frame, but the lack of an out pitch among his secondary stuff is a big concern.

 

 

 

Grant (Kingston, Ontario): What position should the front office look to draft in the upcoming draft? Thank you.

 

 

Ben Badler: Just take the best players available. The Astros had Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve, but they still took LSU shortstop Alex Bregman at No. 2 overall in 2015. Too many setups for mistakes when you narrow your focus to certain positions.

 

Ben Badler: Thanks for all the questions. You can drop some in my IG story tonight too and I'll try to get to some of them there during trick-or-treating. And if you see anyone walking around tonight with a Vlad Jr. costume, please stop me and say hello.

[P2F]

Seems wrong counting Danny Jansen as a prospect when he's our starting catcher! Still has rookie eligibility so I guess it's OK.

 

That's weird. To me, it feels incredibly right.

[Spanky__99]

Seems wrong counting Danny Jansen as a prospect when he's our starting catcher! Still has rookie eligibility so I guess it's OK.

 

[Todd]

The funny thing is you all are talking about this guy but not RHP Fernando Chacon. Who was signed almost 10

days before.

Second looks like finally people are starting to see Anthony Alford as over hyped like i saw from the begin.

Now put him lower in the system and let him start over and see what happens. Year number 6 at full time.

And put him at say 40 as the 40th top prospect.

[King]

The funny thing is you all are talking about this guy but not RHP Fernando Chacon. Who was signed almost 10

days before.

Second looks like finally people are starting to see Anthony Alford as over hyped like i saw from the begin.

Now put him lower in the system and let him start over and see what happens. Year number 6 at full time.

And put him at say 40 as the 40th top prospect.

 

Please give us a scouting report on Fernando Chacon.

[Boxcar]

Ryan Nodaaaaaa

[43211234]

If Zeuch doesn't soon show any improved ability to throw a second pitch they should stick him in the bullpen and hope he becomes a Jim Johnson type. Let him throw mid 90s sinkers 80% of the time.

[Laika]

If Zeuch doesn't soon show any improved ability to throw a second pitch they should stick him in the bullpen and hope he becomes a Jim Johnson type. Let him throw mid 90s sinkers 80% of the time.

 

I wonder sometimes if people are overreacting to Zeuch's low K rate. I mean his ERA and DIPS were great this year in AA, and great last year in A+. It's not like that is completely meaningless information, especially when a guy is like 7 feet tall and it's reasonable to think that the fastball could be extremely hard to square up even if it doesn't miss bats.

[King]

I wonder sometimes if people are overreacting to Zeuch's low K rate. I mean his ERA and DIPS were great this year in AA, and great last year in A+. It's not like that is completely meaningless information, especially when a guy is like 7 feet tall and it's reasonable to think that the fastball could be extremely hard to square up even if it doesn't miss bats.

 

It's just hard to project his 16.1 K% in AA translating to the MLB. If he can translate that while keeping his walk rate low he could be good. If his strikeout rate drops or walk rate jumps he'll probably be just a junker.

 

Starting pitchers who put up a K% of 16.5 or lower in the MLB this year were generally terrible. I guess we should hope he's Brad Keller, who just missed this list but put up 2.5 fWAR last year out of the rule 5 draft. Keller is also pretty tall.

 

I think the concerns are pretty valid. That said, if you put him in the new hybrid multi inning role he might be effective. Seems like he doesn't have a problem throwing strikes and has a heavy fastball, which could play in relief which is why 43211234 suggested it.

[King]

Tushar (Poolesville):

Can you compare Wander Franco to some of the recent rare teenage phenoms? How do his hit / power / speed / defense compare to guys like Tatis, Vlad, Eloy, Acuna, Soto, etc.

 

 

J.J. Cooper: What Wander Franco did this year is better than what any of them did as 17-year-olds. As a hitter, he could end up being as good as any of them (more risk because he's yet to turn 18). As a power hitter, the projections are that he's a tick below those guys, but then he's 17 so we're relying on projecting his strength development over the next 4-5 years which means he has more potential to exceed his current projections than someone like Eloy Jimenez who is already fully filled out. Franco could be better than any of them overall, which is a very, very lofty ceiling. Imagine a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. bat but with a chance to play an adequate shortstop or a plus second base.

 

http://i.imgur.com/g7IsB.gif

[Grant77]

It's definitely too early to give up on TJ Zeuch as a starter. Tall guys with big velocity usually take forever to find their command, but he seems to be doing well in that regard. In my viewings, I thought his breaking stuff was a bit too tight and in the zone too often, especially the curveball. If he can get some more break and get it out of the zone more often then we may see more swings and misses. Maybe even a little deception could help, as it is a pretty straightforward 3/4 delivery. The main point here being that a small adjustment could turn Zeuch into a valuable piece. We don't need to see massive improvements before he's a rotation piece in the big leagues.

[Spanky__99]

lulz

[Laika]

It's just hard to project his 16.1 K% in AA translating to the MLB. If he can translate that while keeping his walk rate low he could be good. If his strikeout rate drops or walk rate jumps he'll probably be just a junker.

 

Starting pitchers who put up a K% of 16.5 or lower in the MLB this year were generally terrible. I guess we should hope he's Brad Keller, who just missed this list but put up 2.5 fWAR last year out of the rule 5 draft. Keller is also pretty tall.

 

I think the concerns are pretty valid. That said, if you put him in the new hybrid multi inning role he might be effective. Seems like he doesn't have a problem throwing strikes and has a heavy fastball, which could play in relief which is why 43211234 suggested it.

 

All valid points, of course. Things aren't looking great for Zeuch but he has some unique characteristics that, I think, make it worth holding out hope that even without a big developmental leap he might be capable of MLB SP production similar to, say, Kendall Graveman for a few years while he's still cheap.

 

I'd rather have a durable back-end SP than a stupid groundball reliever guy. And of course if he flops in 2019/2020 you can always throw him into the pen at that point and see what happens.

[Pendleton]

All valid points, of course. Things aren't looking great for Zeuch but he has some unique characteristics that, I think, make it worth holding out hope that even without a big developmental leap he might be capable of MLB SP production similar to, say, Kendall Graveman for a few years while he's still cheap.

 

I'd rather have a durable back-end SP than a stupid groundball reliever guy. And of course if he flops in 2019/2020 you can always throw him into the pen at that point and see what happens.

 

It would be different if he had the stuff to suggest he'd be a good reliever, but in his case I agree that we're better off trying to squeeze out whatever value we get from him as a starter first

[TheHurl]

By Ben Badler on November 1, 2018

 

Best Pure Hitter: SS Jordan Groshans (1) made a loud impression in his pro debut in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, where he showed an advanced approach and a knack for putting the fat part of the bat on the ball. He has the ability to square up premium velocity and drove the ball well to right-center field in his debut.

 

Best Power Hitter: OF Griffin Conine (2) has plus raw power that he generates from impressive bat speed. He hit nine home runs in 42 games in the Cape Cod League after his sophomore season, though he had a down year as a junior at Duke and will need to make adjustments to better control the strike zone. Groshans and 3B John Aiello (14) both have above-average power.

 

Fastest Runner: For OF Adrian Ramos (19), his strengths center around his speed and defense, with 70 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale.

 

Best Defensive Player: OF Hunter Steinmetz (11) is a 5-foot-9 center fielder with plus speed and good defensive instincts. The Blue Jays also drafted C Chris Bec (5), who has strong catch-and-throw skills out of Maine.

 

Best Athlete: There wasn’t one super quick-burst athlete in Toronto’s 2018 draft class, but Ramos sticks out for his combination of speed, quickness and athleticism at a premium position.

 

Best Fastball: The Blue Jays didn’t draft a flamethrower like they did in 2017 with Nate Pearson, but RHP Adam Kloffenstein (3) was up to 95-96 mph this spring at 17 years old. He has the best combination of present fastball and projected future fastball in their class. RHP Sean Wymer (4) has been up to 95 mph, while RHP Joey Murray (8) throws just 86-91 mph but still gets remarkable swings-and-misses on that pitch because of his deception, command and riding life that he takes advantage of by pitching up in the zone aggressively.

 

Best Secondary Pitch: It depends what day you see him to tell what his best secondary pitch is, but Kloffenstein flashes an assortment of three promising pitches. His curveball is probably his most advanced pitch right now, though he shows feel for a slider and an advanced changeup for a high school draft pick. Wymer can snap off an above-average curveball.

 

Best Pro Debut: Groshans dominated the GCL as an 18-year-old, batting .331/.390/.500 in 37 games before a late promotion to Rookie-level Bluefield. OF Cal Stevenson (11) had more than twice as many walks (53) as strikeouts (21), hit .359/.494/.518 and stole 20 base in 21 attempts for Bluefield. Murray held down a 1.75 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 25.2 innings for short-season Vancouver.

 

Most Intriguing Background: The Blue Jays added to their collection of sons of former ‘90s and 2000s big league standouts by drafting Conine, whose father Jeff played 17 seasons in the majors. Cobi Johnson (30)—previously drafted by the Padres in 2014 and the Angels in 2017—is the son of Blue Jays pitching coach Dane Johnson.

 

Closest To The Majors: Conine doesn’t have a typical fast-track profile after going through some struggles his junior year at Duke and then after joining short-season Vancouver, but he is the team’s most advanced college hitter. Wymer could move relatively fast as well if he’s in a relief role.

 

Best Late Round Pick: Stevenson has tremendous plate discipline, above-average speed and a skill set that should help him get on base at a high clip. He’s not a pure center fielder but he has above-average speed and good defensive instincts for a player who could rotate around all three outfield spots.

 

The One Who Got Away: C Kameron Guangorena (36) ranked as the No. 114 prospect on the BA 500. He had a strong commitment to Cal State Fullerton, where he’s going to bring a promising combination of athleticism, strong hands and a plus arm behind the plate.

[tercet]

What is the book on Cavan Biggio?

 

I’ve seen him maybe 20abs in person this year and he looks so bad all the time.

 

Yesterday in the AFL he is fouling off fastballs from a side arm righty who is throwing mid 80s. In the NH playoffs he is swinging through middle middle high 80s fastballs.

 

Maybe I’m the only one who thinks he isn’t that good? He isn’t even on most top 10 prospect lists.

[Dr. Dinger]

Maybe I’m the only one who thinks he isn’t that good? He isn’t even on most top 10 prospect lists.

 

I don't think anyone here has projected him as anything more than a three-outcome type hitter and utility player with mediocre defence. Please don't create a strawman about how everyone on this board projects Cavan Biggio as an all-star and then spend months or years dissecting it.

[Krylian]

I don't think anyone here has projected him as anything more than a three-outcome type hitter and utility player with mediocre defence. Please don't create a strawman about how everyone on this board projects Cavan Biggio as an all-star and then spend months or years dissecting it.

 

He took 10 strikes in a row once