Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[Jimcanuck]

Even when Vladimir Guerrero Jr, was a young teenager, he showed prodigious traits. And Ismael Cruz saw it up close.

 

Cruz, then the Blue Jays' Latin America scouting director, oversaw Guerrero's signing. Cruz said Vlad's hitting prowess was evident as early as 11 or 12 years old, when Vlad Sr. pushed his son to face 91-92 mph fastballs. It was a recurring theme -- Vlad Jr. never shying away from facing older, more mature pitching.

 

Cruz also told this story from when Guerrero Jr. took his first BP in Toronto after signing.

 

“When we signed him, we took him to Toronto to hit BP with the big league club," Cruz said.

 

"He started hitting first round, he didn’t hit any out. I’m looking at (then-GM Alex Anthopolous) like, ‘Oh man. We’re advertising power and he isn’t showing any.' But then the second round he hit two, three balls to the hotel windows. You know, far. The people were interviewing him and somebody asked him ‘When do you think you can be in the big leagues?’ He said two years. Everybody laughed. Obviously, the kid was 16 years old saying he was going to be in the big leagues in two years. And actually, he could have. He showed that he could have. That stuck with me.”

[L54]

Even when Vladimir Guerrero Jr, was a young teenager, he showed prodigious traits. And Ismael Cruz saw it up close.

 

Cruz, then the Blue Jays' Latin America scouting director, oversaw Guerrero's signing. Cruz said Vlad's hitting prowess was evident as early as 11 or 12 years old, when Vlad Sr. pushed his son to face 91-92 mph fastballs. It was a recurring theme -- Vlad Jr. never shying away from facing older, more mature pitching.

 

Cruz also told this story from when Guerrero Jr. took his first BP in Toronto after signing.

 

“When we signed him, we took him to Toronto to hit BP with the big league club," Cruz said.

 

"He started hitting first round, he didn’t hit any out. I’m looking at (then-GM Alex Anthopolous) like, ‘Oh man. We’re advertising power and he isn’t showing any.' But then the second round he hit two, three balls to the hotel windows. You know, far. The people were interviewing him and somebody asked him ‘When do you think you can be in the big leagues?’ He said two years. Everybody laughed. Obviously, the kid was 16 years old saying he was going to be in the big leagues in two years. And actually, he could have. He showed that he could have. That stuck with me.”

 

I watched him take BP that day (it was a series against the Rays in June) and remember vividly him hitting absolute tanks. I have video on my old phone that I can post this weekend. My first look at Vlad in Toronto was a memorable one.

[Krylian]

And they said be careful IRT to Pearson, while you idiots are stuck in OMFG 100mph WTFBBQ, while bashing me for saying that same thing that FG said, I guess they are morons like me too bc they disagree with you?

 

Literally no one posted 'OMFG 100mph WTFBBQ'.

 

A power arm with plus to plus/plus FB and plus to plus/plus slider is something to be excited about. Add the fact that he can actually throw strikes and that's the start of something good. A comebacker to the mound is not an injury that you can blame the pitcher for (like poor mechanics or being out of shape). Did he throw 10 balls in a row that we're not aware of?

[P2F]

Literally no one posted 'OMFG 100mph WTFBBQ'.

 

And nor has anyone but tercet since 2001.

[Rusty_Savage]

tercet just plays the average, claims every prospect sucks using some cool acronym and more prospects fail then not so he's right more then hes wrong.

 

Winner winner chicken dinner

[Todd]

For the record i what to see a about ten games in buffalo. Not pure numbers.

And talked to a couple of scouts about the guy and others.

[Todd]

Just like i said the jays should not have traded for RA dickey. The jays

are trading away a future all star in Noah.

[Spanky__99]

Hnnngghhh...

[SaskJaysFan_2]

I feel like they forgot the following guys exist: David Paulino (or has he exhausted rookie eligibility?), Josh Winckowski, Santiago Espinal, Andrew Sopko, Brock Lundquist, and Cullen Large. All are worth mentioning.

 

Cullen Large, eh? Never heard of him until I googled him after reading your post. 23-years old, drafted in 2017.

 

Where can I find FV values for players like Cullen Large?

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Even when Vladimir Guerrero Jr, was a young teenager, he showed prodigious traits. And Ismael Cruz saw it up close.

 

Cruz, then the Blue Jays' Latin America scouting director, oversaw Guerrero's signing. Cruz said Vlad's hitting prowess was evident as early as 11 or 12 years old, when Vlad Sr. pushed his son to face 91-92 mph fastballs. It was a recurring theme -- Vlad Jr. never shying away from facing older, more mature pitching.

 

Cruz also told this story from when Guerrero Jr. took his first BP in Toronto after signing.

 

“When we signed him, we took him to Toronto to hit BP with the big league club," Cruz said.

 

"He started hitting first round, he didn’t hit any out. I’m looking at (then-GM Alex Anthopolous) like, ‘Oh man. We’re advertising power and he isn’t showing any.' But then the second round he hit two, three balls to the hotel windows. You know, far. The people were interviewing him and somebody asked him ‘When do you think you can be in the big leagues?’ He said two years. Everybody laughed. Obviously, the kid was 16 years old saying he was going to be in the big leagues in two years. And actually, he could have. He showed that he could have. That stuck with me.”

 

Imagining an 11-year old facing 92 mph fastballs seems surreal. I've played baseball my whole life and still get a little ancy facing that sort of heat.

 

There's something to be said about drafting former MLB player prodigy. They have access to training and resources at a way younger age than anyone else on the planet.

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Just like i said the jays should not have traded for RA dickey. The jays

are trading away a future all star in Noah.

 

At the time it made sense, though. And Dickey signed a team friendly contract extension for ~ $10M AAV. A good deal for a Cy Young winner. Hindsight is a bitch.

[P2F]

Cullen Large, eh? Never heard of him until I googled him after reading your post. 23-years old, drafted in 2017.

 

Where can I find FV values for players like Cullen Large?

 

Here you go: https://www.radioscouts.com/blog/organizational-review-top-50-blue-jays-prospects

[P2F]

Cullen Large, eh? Never heard of him until I googled him after reading your post. 23-years old, drafted in 2017.

 

Where can I find FV values for players like Cullen Large?

 

Here you go: https://www.radioscouts.com/blog/organizational-review-top-50-blue-jays-prospects

 

38. Cullen Large | 3B/2B | A | 23

95% - MLB regular 2B

50% - Makes his parents really proud

 

I wrote up Large a month ago. This is the gist of that write up: If you filter A-ball hitters by those with just 100+ PA, Cullen Large's 177 wRC+ from 2018 is near the top of the list. Unfortunately, he lost nearly 80% of his season due to some injury of which we had trouble uncovering the details.

 

Reports on Cullen were lukewarm at best coming out of the draft, describing an infielder who could hit but had no standout tools. On the flip side, the Jaysgave the guy over $300,000 so they clearly thought there was something to work with. What intrigues us most about his limited 2018 numbers is the .253 ISO from a guy who did not hit one HR the previous season in Vancouver. The walk rate of 11.6% was very good and the K rate of 16.1% was great for someone hitting for power.

 

We'll (hopefully) see how stable those numbers were come 2019, but there are hints of Cavan Biggio here, who the Blue Jays took in the same round one year before Large, and who also wasn’t exactly beloved at draft time. It's strange to see Toronto actually developing hitting prospects, isn't it? (Nick)

[Jimcanuck]

At the time it made sense, though. And Dickey signed a team friendly contract extension for ~ $10M AAV. A good deal for a Cy Young winner. Hindsight is a bitch.

 

Dickey for Thor and Arno never made sense. This board erupted in anger when that deal came out.

[z3r0s]

Dickey for Thor and Arno never made sense. This board erupted in anger when that deal came out.

 

We were all mildly puzzled when we didn't know the second player was synder lol

[Rusty_Savage]

At the time it made sense, though. And Dickey signed a team friendly contract extension for ~ $10M AAV. A good deal for a Cy Young winner. Hindsight is a bitch.

 

Trading two of your three top prospects for a 38 year old knuckleballer should never make sense at any time

[Grant77]

Trading two of your three top prospects for a 38 year old knuckleballer should never make sense at any time

 

Well if you had the 2019 red sox farm system then it would.

[Spanky__99]

Well if you had the 2019 red sox farm system then it would.

 

lol... two very different scenarios.

[P2F]

I wouldn't trade Casas and Chavis for a 38-year-old knuckleballer either.

[Angrioter]

At the time it made sense, though. And Dickey signed a team friendly contract extension for ~ $10M AAV. A good deal for a Cy Young winner. Hindsight is a bitch.

 

Porcello (Cy Young winnah) for Vladdy and Bichette please!!

[Deadpool]

McLogenhagen confused Waguespack with Winckowski

 

"Winckowski was added to the 40-man this offseason and we may see him in a relief role next year. He sits 90-94 and has an above-average slider."

 

The list is a bit different. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-34-prospects-toronto-blue-jays/

 

I believe that's the first time I've seen a Chris Farley comp attached to a ball player...

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Trading two of your three top prospects for a 38 year old knuckleballer should never make sense at any time

 

Jesus, none of would now. Looking back. But at the time, if you canvassed 100 hard core fans on the trade I'll bet you 80% would have liked it.

[SaskJaysFan_2]

Dickey for Thor and Arno never made sense. This board erupted in anger when that deal came out.

 

I call ******** and revisionist history. Many fans were okay with this deal.

[KevinGregg]

I call ******** and revisionist history. Many fans were okay with this deal.

 

Not on here they werent. Everyone here was pissed before we even found out Noah was the other player in the deal

[Jimcanuck]

I call ******** and revisionist history. Many fans were okay with this deal.

 

some dumb ones, no doubt. sames ones saying "Vlad is just a prospect, remember Snider?"

[P2F]

Not on here they werent. Everyone here was pissed before we even found out Noah was the other player in the deal

 

We are an astute bunch, there's no denying that.

[SaskJaysFan_2]

We are an astute bunch, there's no denying that.

 

Super smart, the lot of you.

[SaskJaysFan_2]

some dumb ones, no doubt. sames ones saying "Vlad is just a prospect, remember Snider?"

 

Well, he is a prospect. Unless he's playing in the major leagues.

 

Prospect:

In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to surpass a threshold where they achieve rookie status (as defined by their respective league), or is not established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams, or loaned to lower ranked teams.

 

Snider was also a prospect at some point. One that did not really pan out.

 

Are you saying Vlad is not a prospect? Man, there are some dumb f***ers out there.

[Jimcanuck]

Well, he is a prospect. Unless he's playing in the major leagues.

 

Prospect:

In sports, a prospect is any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to surpass a threshold where they achieve rookie status (as defined by their respective league), or is not established with the team yet. Prospects can sometimes be assigned to farm teams, or loaned to lower ranked teams.

 

Snider was also a prospect at some point. One that did not really pan out.

 

Are you saying Vlad is not a prospect? Man, there are some dumb f***ers out there.

 

LOL, not all prospects are equal, which is the stupidity of "Vlad is just a prospect, remember Snider?"

 

Too nuanced for you, maybe.

[Rusty_Savage]

Jesus, none of would now. Looking back. But at the time, if you canvassed 100 hard core fans on the trade I'll bet you 80% would have liked it.

 

I highly doubt it, I would trade top prospects for an ace. But doing it for the likes of Dickey is dumb 100% of the time.