Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[Boxcar]

Any guesses to where MiLB.com ranked the Jays as an org...based on pitching prospects only?

 

Has to be 25 or lower

 

E: actually, I don't think it's that bad. I'd probably peg the Jays somewhere in the middle of the pack.

[Boxcar]

There's absolutely no chance I take the Braves pitching over SDs and it isn't close at all.

[Spanky__99]

Any guesses to where MiLB.com ranked the Jays as an org...based on pitching prospects only?

 

I'll say 11th???

 

11. Toronto Blue Jays

 

With all the talk surrounding the Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, the fact that Toronto also has quality arms in its system can be overlooked. Lefty Thomas Pannone made it through three levels in 2018 and finished the season with Triple-A Buffalo, where he whiffed 40 and walked seven over 36 2/3 innings. Trent Thornton logged 124 1/3 frames in the Pacific Coast League and finished with 122 punchouts before being dealt from the Astros in November for Aledmys Diaz. Toronto saw continued improvement from T.J. Zeuch and Sean Reid-Foley in the upper levels, with the latter finishing the year in the Majors. The Blue Jays acquired Hector Perez and David Paulino from Houston at the trade deadline for Roberto Osuna. Eric Pardinho made his professional debut with 11 starts in the Appalachian League and struck out 64 while walking 16 over 50 frames. Nate Pearson had a back injury delay the start of his season and then he lasted just 1 2/3 innings with Class A Advanced Dunedin before getting hit by a line drive and suffering a fractured right forearm. As MLB.com's No. 76 prospect, he has the highest ceiling of the group, thanks to his triple-digit fastball, but could move to the bullpen. Last year's third-rounder Adam Kloffenstein will look to build on a brief debut in the Gulf Coast League. Pearson and Pardinho are the biggest pitchers to watch here, but the Major League readiness of Thornton, Zeuch, Reid-Foley and Paulino gives this group an extra kick.

[Boxcar]

Not even a mention of Julian Merryweather lol

 

Yeah for all the poo-pooing on this farm for lack of arms, we have a pretty decent group. Merryweather, Paulino, Thornton, Zoinks, SRF, Pearson and Pannone are all pretty close to ML ready and then there are lots of younger interesting dudes like Pardinho, Kloffenstein, Winckowski.

[P2F]

Not even a mention of Julian Merryweather lol

 

This hive-mind approach to prospecting is the worst. I feel like virtually every prospect outlet is going to look very silly for completely ignoring him. There's no reason that even one outlet couldn't at least acknowledge his existence. It's pathetic, honestly.

 

Maybe he sucks, who knows. He looks pretty good to me (us), though. And regardless of what happens, he's better than a lot of the types that are consistently praised in these exercises. Just because he's 27 and coming off TJS shouldn't disregard the fact that he made significant changes to his mechanics pre-surgery that saw his stuff and results tick up considerably.

 

Guy throws 97 with a sharp breaking ball. Those aspects alone should render him a 45-50 FV type at minimum, imo.

[TheHurl]

10 thru 1 for those that are interested. I don't mind the Atlanta at 1 ranking just because with pitching I would rather see 15 potential arms...than 1 great looking arm (Oakland)

 

10. St. Louis Cardinals

No. 33 overall prospect Alex Reyes will lose his prospect status once he records one out in the Major Leagues. That's assuming he stays healthy, which has been a challenge for the 24-year-old right-hander. He threw only 23 innings in the Minors last season before a lat injury ended his campaign. But 2016 first-round Draft pick Dakota Hudson enjoyed a solid season for Triple-A Memphis, going 13-3 with a 2.50 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 19 starts. That earned him his first crack in the Major Leagues, where he excelled out of the bullpen; the right-hander allowed eight earned runs over 27 1/3 frames in 26 relief appearances for St. Louis. Ryan Helsley will look to rebound from an injury-plagued season in which he made 13 starts between Double-A Springfield and Memphis. Right-hander Junior Fernandez possesses a 70-grade fastball, while Jake Woodford, Giovanny Gallegos and Daniel Poncedeleon offer depth that can be tapped by St. Louis this season.

 

 

9. Philadelphia Phillies

A system that once boasted Sixto Sanchez, Philadelphia's pitching depth enables it to crack the top 10, despite sending MLB.com's No. 27 overall prospect to Miami to headline the J.T. Realmuto trade. But Adonis Medina is another powerful right-hander with a 60-grade fastball and is baseball's 77th-ranked prospect after fanning 123 batters over 111 1/3 frames and posting a 4.12 ERA with Class A Advanced Clearwater. The 22-year-old also sports a plus slider and changeup. David Parkinson led the Minors with a 1.45 ERA in the left-hander's first full season between Class A Lakewood and the Threshers. Adding to that depth are lefties who made their big league debuts in 2018. Enyel De Los Santos produced a 10-5, 2.63 ERA showing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, while Ranger Suarez went 6-3 with a 2.75 ERA between Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley. JoJo Romero and Cole Irvin shouldn't be too far behind in seeing Major League action either. Spencer Howard impressed in his first full season, striking out 147 over 112 innings with a 3.78 ERA, and the expectation is that the 2017 second-round pick will continue a quick rise through the ranks after showing a big velocity jump toward the end of 2018. With Howard rising up the system and a big arm up top -- and Suarez and De Los Santos already having contributed in the Majors -- the Phillies are in a good spot when it comes to pitchers.

 

8. Seattle Mariners

Heading into the offseason, Seattle likely would not have made this section of list. But general manager Jerry Dipoto did what Jerry Dipoto does and revamped the top of his farm system by dealing veteran James Paxton to the Yankees for the system's new top prospect in Justus Sheffield (No. 43 overall). He shipped Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to the Mets for right-hander and No. 91 overall prospect Justin Dunn. Both moves obviously benefited the M's pitching depth. Sheffield made his Major League debut last season as a reliever after pitching to a 2.48 ERA with 123 strikeouts over 116 innings in the Minors. He's still expected to be a Major League starter in his new organization. Dunn reached Double-A after bouncing back from a down year in the Florida State League and will look to start the season with Double-A Arkansas or Triple-A Tacoma, with the Majors in the not-too-distant future. Adding Logan Gilbert and his four-pitch mix with the 14th overall pick back in June was another big boost here. Right-hander Wyatt Mills impressed in the California League, where he had a 1.91 ERA out of the bullpen and converted 11 of 14 save chances, although he struggled following an August promotion to Arkansas. But the acquisitions of Sheffield and Dunn -- two potentially key rotation pieces down the road -- have the Mariners set up well.

 

 

7. Oakland Athletics

A pair of talented southpaws solidify Oakland's spot on the list. Jesus Luzardo last year established himself as the top lefty prospect in the game. The No. 12 overall prospect began his second season in the Minors with Class A Advanced Stockton for three starts before heading to Double-A Midland, where he dominated. In 16 starts, the 21-year-old posted just a 2.29 ERA. He struggled in four starts at Triple-A but was expected to battle for a spot in the big league rotation in Spring Training. Aside from Luzardo, health is a concern in the A's system. A.J. Puk underwent Tommy John surgery less than a year ago, but he's already thrown off a mound and the organization still has high hopes for the game's fifth-ranked lefty. Puk split 2017 -- his first full season in the Minors -- between Stockton, where the 6-foot-7 prospect held hitters in the offensive-minded Cal League to a .196 average and whiffed 98 in 61 frames, and Midland. Right-hander James Kaprielian, who came to Oakland in the Sonny Gray trade with the Yankees in 2017, also is recovering from Tommy John surgery but is expected to pitch this season. Daulton Jefferies has made seven appearances since being drafted 37th overall in 2016 and also is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Grant Holmes is another prospect who can make an impact after injury limited him to two starts last season. Wyatt Marks and Parker Dunshee are 2017 Draft picks who provide depth. Marks spent most of last season with Class A Beloit and made it to Stockton, finishing the year with a 3.30 ERA. Dunshee advanced from Stockton to Midland and was an Organizational All-Star after posting a 2.33 ERA and .205 opponents' batting average at Double-A. If the staff can get -- and stay -- healthy, the A's could find themselves in better shape than this ranking.

 

6. Detroit Tigers

Entering 2018, perhaps no organization had a more impressive stable of right-handed pitching prospects than the Tigers. Adding Casey Mize with the No. 1 overall pick in the Draft only strengthened that case, even though he made only four appearances for Class A Advanced Lakeland. However, only Matt Manning really took a step forward in his development. The 2016 first-rounder had a 3.29 ERA across three levels and reached Double-A Erie. With Lakeland, he fanned 65 over 51 1/3 innings in nine starts and batters hit .176 against him there. A lat strain kept Franklin Perez from making his season debut until July and he was back on the disabled list three weeks later. The 21-year-old allowed 10 earned runs over 11 1/3 frames in four starts. Beau Burrows persevered through an inconsistent year for Erie, going 10-9 with a 4.10 ERA. Alex Faedo experienced a drop in velocity and scuffled when he was promoted from Lakeland to Erie, with his strikeout numbers low at both levels. Even though the quintet will have plenty to prove in 2019, there's potential among the Tigers' lesser-known prospects. Righty Kyle Funkhouser reached Triple-A Toledo after posting a 3.74 ERA with Erie. Left-hander Matt Hall excelled out of the bullpen for Erie (1.58 ERA in four starts and 23 relief appearances), pitched well in 10 starts for Toledo and eventually made five appearances in the Majors. Last season may have produced question marks for some of the system's pitchers, but a fresh start can have the Tigers' arms back among the top five.

 

5. Chicago White Sox

Michael Kopech will not pitch in 2019 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Right behind him, however, is No. 21 overall prospect Dylan Cease. The right-hander broke out last year after coming to the South Side from the crosstown rival Cubs with slugger Eloy Jimenez in the Jose Quintana trade. Cease went 9-2 with a 2.89 ERA for Class A Advanced Winston-Salem before making his final 10 starts of the season for Double-A Birmingham, where he did not lose a game and allowed 10 earned runs while striking out 78 over 52 1/3 innings. Opponents batted .189 against him, including a .168 mark in the Southern League. Behind Cease is Dane Dunning, MLB.com's No. 80 overall prospect who also climbed from Winston-Salem to Birmingham last year. The right-hander made 15 starts and owned a 2.71 ERA between the two levels, with 100 strikeouts over 86 1/3 frames. Alec Hansen fell out of the top 100 after a down year and is a bounceback candidate. Lefty Kodi Medeiros, a Brewers first-round Draft pick in 2014, came to the organization last July as part of the Joakim Soria swap. Jimmy Lambert followed the Cease-Dunning path of success in jumping from Winston-Salem to Birmingham, with better numbers at Double-A. Spencer Adams offers more immediate rotation help for Chicago, having posted a 3.19 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Charlotte. With two studs leading the way and solid depth, the White Sox are worthy of a top five ranking.

 

 

4. Houston Astros

The third AL West team to appear on the top-10 list, the Astros continued their rise up the rankings after checking in at 10th prior to last season. Forrest Whitley will look to rebound from a 50-game suspension and a trio of stints on the disabled list that limited him to 26 1/3 innings for Double-A Corpus Christi. But as the organization's top prospect and the top pitching prospect in the game (No. 7 overall), the belief is that he can make an impact at Minute Maid Park this year. Josh James did just that in 2018 after beginning the season with the Hooks. From there, the righty made 17 starts for Triple-A Fresno and fanned 133 batters over 92 2/3 innings. The No. 62 overall prospect eventually reached Houston, where he made three starts and three relief appearances and posted a 0.96 WHIP and 2.35 ERA. Southpaw Cionel Perez followed the same path and came out of the bullpen eight times for the Astros after 20 Minor League appearances (73 2/3 innings) last year. No. 81 overall prospect Corbin Martin didn't allow an earned run in four outings for Class A Advanced Buies Creek. With Corpus Christi, the righty posted a 2.97 ERA and 1.09 WHIP to wrap his first full season in the Minors. J.B. Bukauskas has crept back into the top 100 (97th overall) and made starts across five levels once he recovered from an automobile accident that left him with a slipped spinal disk. He ultimately reached Double-A and delivered six scoreless innings for the Hooks in his lone start. From a depth standpoint, Houston can rely on Framber Valdez and Rogelio Armenteros, while Brett Adcock posted a 2.89 ERA in a starter-reliever hybrid role with Buies Creek and Corpus Christi. That depth, along with a quartet of top 100 prospects -- two of whom might be Major League-ready -- gives the Astros the nod at No. 4 on this list.

 

3. Tampa Bay Rays

A torn ulnar collateral ligament cost Brent Honeywell the entire 2018 season, but the organization's third-ranked prospect will look to build off his 2017 campaign and keep knocking on the big league door. He should return at some point toTriple-A Durham, where he tossed 123 2/3 innings two years ago. One of the Minors' more intriguing prospects, Brendan McKay will no longer play the field as a two-way player, but he'll still pitch and DH. During his first full pro season in 2018, the lefty threw well for Class A Bowling Green and Class A Advanced Port Charlotte, even though his pitch counts were closely monitored. In six starts for the Hot Rods, MLB.com's No. 24 overall prospect allowed three earned runs. For Port Charlotte, McKay was 3-2 with a 3.21 ERA. There's a growing feeling in the game that his future will be fully on the mound because of his three above-average pitches and good control. The Rays added more pitching through the Draft, selecting Matthew Liberatore -- considered one of the best prep arms in the class - with the No. 16 overall pick last June. Shane Baz was one of the key pieces in the Chris Archer trade, although he's never pitched above Rookie Advanced ball after going in the first round of the 2017 Draft. Shane McClanahan was a 2018 selection (No. 31 overall) and is a lefty who made four appearances after his college season at South Florida. Lefty Anthony Banda reached the Majors last year, but Tommy John surgery will shelve him until late in the season, if he's able to pitch at all. Colin Poche is coming off a career campaign, in which he posted a 0.82 ERA, struck out 110 batters over 66 innings and won the MiLBY Award for Top Relief Pitcher of the Year. The southpaw, acquired from Arizona in May, already is making waves at Spring Training and uses a high spin rate to attack hitters. The wealth of young talent, plus the possibility Honeywell could be a big addition to the Tampa Bay rotation in 2019, means the Rays are well-positioned for now and years to come.

 

 

2. San Diego Padres

The big name here is MacKenzie Gore, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 Draft, but there's a downright impressive collection of talent behind him. Plus, 2018 was an inconsistent season for the 19-year-old, who was plagued by blister issues. MLB.com's No. 15 overall prospect made 16 starts for Class A Fort Wayne. But the breakout star of the system -- and all of the Minors, really -- was Chris Paddack. The right-hander shot up prospect lists all season long, ending up as the 34th overall prospect. Coming back from Tommy John surgery, the 23-year-old excelled with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore and was promoted to Double-A San Antonio, where he posted a 1.91 ERA in seven starts. In all, Paddack fanned 120 batters over 90 innings and won the Top Starting Pitcher MiLBY Award. A pair of Cubans also rank in the top 100 for the Padres: Adrian Morejon (49th) and Michel Baez (73). Morejon, a lefty, made 13 starts for Lake Elsinore during his age-19 season, but a triceps issue cost him some time on the mound. Still, he produced a 3.30 ERA. Baez pitched to a 2.91 ERA in 17 starts for the Storm and earned a promotion to San Antonio, where he labored in three starts. Logan Allen (No. 74 overall) found success with the Missions (.205 opponents' batting average, 2.75 ERA), before allowing five earned runs in five starts for Triple-A El Paso. Colombian Luis Patino (No. 48 overall) shoved for Fort Wayne, recording a 2.16 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 17 starts. Ryan Weathers, a 2018 first-rounder who checks in at 93rd overall, will have high expectations in his first full season. Jacob Nix made nine starts for San Diego last season. Cal Quantrill, a 2016 first-rounder, made 28 starts and will look to rebound from a 5.15 ERA with San Antonio. His 3.48 ERA in six starts for El Paso was encouraging. Reggie Lawson, the No. 71 overall pick in 2016, is another bounceback candidate for the Padres. With that many arms (seven of which feature in MLB.com's Top 100), it's no wonder San Diego checks in at second on this list. It'd probably feature at first, if not for ...

 

 

1. Atlanta Braves

Arms on arms on arms. That's what you've heard about the Braves system the last few years. The bad news for NL East foes and everyone else? The talent has finally reached the big leagues. Even worse? Atlanta is replenishing its system with solid arms in the lower levels. Mike Soroka, Kyle Wright, Touki Toussaint and Bryse Wilson all debuted in the Majors last season. That alone is a healthy stable of pitching depth that will either be a part of the rotation this year or with Triple-A Gwinnett, ready for the callup at a moment's notice. Soroka (No. 24 overall), Wright (30th) and Toussaint (50th) are all former first-rounders who are living up to expectations. Wilson (82nd overall) was a 2016 fourth-rounder who advanced through four levels last year. Right-hander Ian Anderson is another former first-round selection (2016) and was invited to big league camp this year. In 2018, the 32nd overall prospect went 4-7 with a 2.49 ERA and .199 opponents' batting average between Class A Advanced Florida and Double-A Mississippi. Luiz Gohara first made the Majors in 2017, joined Atlanta for nine appearances last year and is part of a stable of lefties that provides the base for the system. The other southpaws are Kolby Allard, who also made his Major League debut last season after posting a 2.72 in 19 starts with the Stripers; Joey Wentz, who made only 16 starts but delievered a 2.28 ERA for Florida; and Kyle Muller, who made it from Class A Rome to Mississippi and went 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 25 games. Both Muller and Wentz earned non-roster invitations to Spring Training this year. Further down the system, Huascar Ynoa flashed for Rome and owned a 3.63 ERA before heading to the Florida State League at the end of the season. Tristan Beck and Trey Riley were both college arms drafted in 2018. Freddy Tarnok was taken a year earlier and went 5-5 with a 3.96 ERA for Rome last season. The Braves may have fewer top 100 pitching prospects (five) than the Padres, but it's the proximity to the Majors that makes them boast the Minors' top pitching system.

[Brownie19]

We don't talk enough about how bad that Jose Quintana trade is turning out for the Cubs.

[Laika]

We don't talk enough about how bad that Jose Quintana trade is turning out for the Cubs.

 

Funny how the White Sox lost Tatis Jr. in a horrendous trade yet acquired Eloy / Cease in a horrendous trade.

 

The Cubs have maybe lit their potential dynasty on fire with moves like Heyward, Darvish, Quintana...

[Orgfiller]

This hive-mind approach to prospecting is the worst. I feel like virtually every prospect outlet is going to look very silly for completely ignoring him. There's no reason that even one outlet couldn't at least acknowledge his existence. It's pathetic, honestly.

 

Maybe he sucks, who knows. He looks pretty good to me (us), though. And regardless of what happens, he's better than a lot of the types that are consistently praised in these exercises. Just because he's 27 and coming off TJS shouldn't disregard the fact that he made significant changes to his mechanics pre-surgery that saw his stuff and results tick up considerably.

 

Guy throws 97 with a sharp breaking ball. Those aspects alone should render him a 45-50 FV type at minimum, imo.

 

The Mariners write-up doesn't even bring up Erik Swanson lmao.

[TheHurl]

The Mariners write-up doesn't even bring up Erik Swanson lmao.

 

Is this even that big of an omission? Is he even the biggest omission from Seattle (Kikuchi)?

[Ray]

Just for fun, I went back and looked at the top 10 LHP/RHP pitching prospects at the end of 2015.

 

RHP:

 

1. Lucas Giolito (near bust)

2. Tyler Glasnow (opener/long man?)

3. Alex Reyes (electric stuff if healthy)

4. Jose Berrios (pretty good, has potential to be even better)

5. Jose De Leon (hasn't pitched since 2017 due to TJ)

6. Jon Gray (a trade away from being good)

7. Robert Stephenson (can't throw strikes)

8. Archie Bradley (saved by the bullpen)

9. Carson Fulmer (terrible control)

10. Mark Appel (out of baseball)

 

LHP:

 

1. Julio Urias (injured, but could very well still pan out)

2. Steven Matz (good, but durability concerns)

3. Sean Newcomb (pretty erratic control)

4. Brian Johnson (already 27 and has been a spot starter/long reliever)

5. Blake Snell (ace)

6. Tyler Jay (shifted to bullpen, left unprotected in the Rule 5 and still goes unclaimed)

7. Amir Garrett (chances are he's a bullpen arm)

8. Robert Kaminsky (who?)

9. Kolby Allard (jurys out)

10. Sean Manaea (solid mid rotation guy with #2 upside on a good year, but just got TJ)

 

So out of those 20, you can argue only 5 have panned out (Manaea, Snell, Matz, Gray, and Berrios). That's a 25% hit rate on even the best arms, and only one that became an ace. Ouch

 

You compare that with the Top 10 SS prospects here: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=ss

 

You could say at least 5 of those guys have panned out (depending on where you land on Dansby).

[Boxcar]

Just for fun, I went back and looked at the top 10 LHP/RHP pitching prospects at the end of 2015.

 

RHP:

 

1. Lucas Giolito (near bust)

2. Tyler Glasnow (opener/long man?)

3. Alex Reyes (electric stuff if healthy)

4. Jose Berrios (pretty good, has potential to be even better)

5. Jose De Leon (hasn't pitched since 2017 due to TJ)

6. Jon Gray (a trade away from being good)

7. Robert Stephenson (can't throw strikes)

8. Archie Bradley (saved by the bullpen)

9. Carson Fulmer (terrible control)

10. Mark Appel (out of baseball)

 

LHP:

 

1. Julio Urias (injured, but could very well still pan out)

2. Steven Matz (good, but durability concerns)

3. Sean Newcomb (pretty erratic control)

4. Brian Johnson (already 27 and has been a spot starter/long reliever)

5. Blake Snell (ace)

6. Tyler Jay (shifted to bullpen, left unprotected in the Rule 5 and still goes unclaimed)

7. Amir Garrett (chances are he's a bullpen arm)

8. Robert Kaminsky (who?)

9. Kolby Allard (jurys out)

10. Sean Manaea (solid mid rotation guy with #2 upside on a good year, but just got TJ)

 

So out of those 20, you can argue only 5 have panned out (Manaea, Snell, Matz, Gray, and Berrios). That's a 25% hit rate on even the best arms, and only one that became an ace. Ouch

 

You compare that with the Top 10 SS prospects here: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=ss

 

You could say at least 5 of those guys have panned out (depending on where you land on Dansby).

 

Snell even being an ace is still questionable.

[TheHurl]

Just for fun, I went back and looked at the top 10 LHP/RHP pitching prospects at the end of 2015.

 

RHP:

 

1. Lucas Giolito (near bust)

2. Tyler Glasnow (opener/long man?)

3. Alex Reyes (electric stuff if healthy)

4. Jose Berrios (pretty good, has potential to be even better)

5. Jose De Leon (hasn't pitched since 2017 due to TJ)

6. Jon Gray (a trade away from being good)

7. Robert Stephenson (can't throw strikes)

8. Archie Bradley (saved by the bullpen)

9. Carson Fulmer (terrible control)

10. Mark Appel (out of baseball)

 

LHP:

 

1. Julio Urias (injured, but could very well still pan out)

2. Steven Matz (good, but durability concerns)

3. Sean Newcomb (pretty erratic control)

4. Brian Johnson (already 27 and has been a spot starter/long reliever)

5. Blake Snell (ace)

6. Tyler Jay (shifted to bullpen, left unprotected in the Rule 5 and still goes unclaimed)

7. Amir Garrett (chances are he's a bullpen arm)

8. Robert Kaminsky (who?)

9. Kolby Allard (jurys out)

10. Sean Manaea (solid mid rotation guy with #2 upside on a good year, but just got TJ)

 

So out of those 20, you can argue only 5 have panned out (Manaea, Snell, Matz, Gray, and Berrios). That's a 25% hit rate on even the best arms, and only one that became an ace. Ouch

 

You compare that with the Top 10 SS prospects here: http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=ss

 

You could say at least 5 of those guys have panned out (depending on where you land on Dansby).

 

better question is who are currently the top 10 pitchers who were prospects in 2015 and what skill set did they have that these did not?

[Laika]

better question is who are currently the top 10 pitchers who were prospects in 2015 and what skill set did they have that these did not?

 

Better question is - when we look at the entire sample of professional baseball players year over year, which traits correlate with MLB outcomes?

 

(people have already done this research - it's on the baseball dark webs)

[Angrioter]

Estrellas Orientales (@estrellasbc) • Instagram video

WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM

---

2,139 likes, 33 comments - estrellasbc on February 21, 2019: "Próximo en la fila, Elijah Tatis. #LaDinastiaVerde".

The next big deal

[Laika]

Estrellas Orientales (@estrellasbc) • Instagram video

WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM

---

2,139 likes, 33 comments - estrellasbc on February 21, 2019: "Próximo en la fila, Elijah Tatis. #LaDinastiaVerde".

The next big deal

 

Is he a 2020 J2 guy?

[P2F]

Estrellas Orientales (@estrellasbc) • Instagram video

WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM

---

2,139 likes, 33 comments - estrellasbc on February 21, 2019: "Próximo en la fila, Elijah Tatis. #LaDinastiaVerde".

The next big deal

 

FTJ's brother?

[jays4life19]

FTJ's brother?

 

Yep

[Angrioter]

Is he a 2020 J2 guy?

 

FTJ's brother?

 

Elijah Tatis. 2020 July 2

[devo]

Is it possible to trade 2019 international bonus pool money for 2020 money? I seem to remember hearing the Jays aren't connected to any of the major prospects this year.

[Boxcar]

Better question is - when we look at the entire sample of professional baseball players year over year, which traits correlate with MLB outcomes?

 

(people have already done this research - it's on the baseball dark webs)

 

Do you mean Chris Mitchell? I guess we'd need to hack into his team's system.

[metafour]

Is it possible to trade 2019 international bonus pool money for 2020 money? I seem to remember hearing the Jays aren't connected to any of the major prospects this year.

 

That doesn't mean that they don't plan to use all of their money, which they will. They seem to alternate between using most of their money on one "big" signing and spreading it out between several high six-figure/low-seven figure signings.

[Spanky__99]

Elijah Tatis. 2020 July 2

 

What position/s does he play Ang? Is he like his brother, in the fact he can play all fields including CF?

[Laika]

what position/s does he play ang?

 

1b/dh

[Spanky__99]

1b/dh

 

lol... get lost.

[Angrioter]

What position/s does he play Ang? Is he like his brother, in the fact he can play all fields including CF?

 

He plays SS and is said to be a better athlete than his brother Fernando Jr.

By the way, Fernando Jr suffered an accident 6 or 7 years ago that left him in a wheelchair for almost 2 years.

[Spanky__99]

He plays SS and is said to be a better athlete than his brother Fernando Jr.

By the way, Fernando Jr suffered an accident 6 or 7 years ago that left him in a wheelchair for almost 2 years.

 

Thanks, Amigo.

 

Wow... to come back from that is amazing.

[Spanky__99]

Picks to Click: Who We Expect to Make the 2020 Top 100

by Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel

February 14, 2019

 

Prospect Limbo: The Best of the Post-Prospects

When publishing our lists — in particular, the top 100 — we’re frequently asked who, among the players excluded from this year’s version, might have the best chance of appearing on next year’s version. Whose stock are we buying? This post represents our best attempt to answer all of those questions at once.

 

This is the second year that we’re doing this, and we have some new rules. First, none of the players you see below will have ever been a 50 FV or better in any of our write-ups or rankings. So while we think Austin Hays might have a bounce back year and be a 50 FV again, we’re not allowed to include him here; you already know about him. We also forbid ourselves from using players who were on last year’s inaugural list. (We were right about 18 of the 63 players last year, a 29% hit rate, though we have no idea if that’s good or not, as it was our first time engaging in the exercise.) At the end of the piece, we have a list of potential high-leverage relievers who might debut this year. They’re unlikely to ever be a 50 FV or better because of their role, but they often have a sizable impact on competitive clubs, and readers seemed to like that we had that category last year.

 

We’ve separated this year’s players into groups or “types” to make it a little more digestible, and to give you some idea of the demographics we think pop-up guys come from, which could help you identify some of your own with THE BOARD. For players who we’ve already covered this offseason, we included a link to the team lists, where you can find a full scouting report. We touch briefly on the rest of the names in this post. Here are our picks to click:

 

Teenage Pitchers

 

Torres was young for his draft class, is a plus athlete, throws really hard, and had surprisingly sharp slider command all last summer. White looked excellent in the fall when the Rangers finally allowed their high school draftees to throw. He sat 92-94, and his changeup and breaking ball were both above-average. Pardinho and Woods Richardson are the two advanced guys in this group. Thomas is the most raw but, for a someone who hasn’t been pitching for very long, he’s already come a long way very quickly.

 

Eric Pardinho, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (full report)

Lenny Torres, Jr., RHP, Cleveland Indians

Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, New York Mets (full report)

Adam Kloffenstein, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (full report)

Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, Baltimore Orioles (full report)

Owen White, RHP, Texas Rangers

Mason Denaburg, RHP, Washington Nationals (full report)

Tahnaj Thomas, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (full report)

 

 

 

The “This is What They Look Like” Group

 

If you like big, well-made athletes, this list is for you. Rodriguez was physically mature compared to his DSL peers and also seems like a mature person. The Mariners have indicated they’re going to send him right to Low-A this year. He could be a middle-of-the-order, corner outfield power bat. Luciano was the Giants’ big 2018 July 2 signee. He already has huge raw power and looks better at short than he did as an amateur. Canario has elite bat speed. Adams was signed away from college football but is more instinctive than most two-sport athletes. Most of the stuff he needs to work on is related to getting to his power.

 

Julio Rodriguez, RF, Seattle Mariners

Marco Luciano, SS, San Francisco Giants

Alexander Canario, RF, San Francisco Giants

Jordyn Adams, CF, Los Angeles Angels

Jordan Groshans, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays (full report)

Jhon Torres, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (full report)

Shervyen Newton, SS, New York Mets (full report)

Kevin Alcantara, CF, New York Yankees (full report)

Freudis Nova, SS, Houston Astros

Brice Turang, SS, Milwaukee Brewers (full report)

Connor Scott, CF, Miami Marlins (full report)

 

 

 

Advanced Young Bats with Defensive Value

 

This is the group that produces the likes of Vidal Brujan and Luis Urias. Edwards is a high-effort gamer with 70 speed and feel for line drive contact. Marcano isn’t as stocky and strong as X, but he too has innate feel for contact, and could be a plus middle infield defender. Perez has great all-fields contact ability and might be on an Andres Gimenez-style fast track, where he reaches Double-A at age 19 or 20. Ruiz is the worst defender on this list, but he has all-fields raw power and feel for contact. He draws Alfonso Soriano comps. Palacios is the only college prospect listed here. He had three times as many walks as strikeouts at Towson last year. Rosario controls the zone well, is fast, and is a plus defender in center field.

 

Xavier Edwards, SS, San Diego Padres

Antoni Flores, SS, Boston Red Sox (full report)

Jose Devers, SS, Miami Marlins (full report)

Tucupita Marcano, SS, San Diego Padres

Wenceel Perez, SS, Detroit Tigers

Esteury Ruiz, 2B, San Diego Padres

Richard Palacios, SS, Cleveland Indians

Antonio Cabello, CF, New York Yankees (full report)

Cole Roederer, LF, Chicago Cubs (full report)

Jeisson Rosario, CF, San Diego Padres

Luis Garcia, SS, Philadelphia Phillies (full report)

Simon Muzziotti, CF, Philadelphia Phillies (full report)

 

 

 

Corner Power Bats

 

Nevin will probably end up as a contact-over-power first baseman, but he might also end up with a 70 bat. He looked great against Fall League pitching despite having played very little as a pro due to injury. Lavigne had a lot of pre-draft helium and kept hitting after he signed. He has all-fields power. Apostel saw reps at first during instructs but has a good shot to stay at third. He has excellent timing and explosive hands.

 

Grant Lavigne, 1B, Colorado Rockies

Sherten Apostel, 3B, Texas Rangers

Triston Casas, 1B, Boston Red Sox (full report)

Dylan Carlson, RF, St. Louis Cardinals (full report)

Moises Gomez, RF, Tampa Bay Rays (full report)

Elehuris Montero, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals (full report)

Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays (full report)

Tyler Nevin, 1B, Colorado Rockies

 

College-aged Pitchers

 

It’s hard to imagine any of these guys rocketing into the top 50 overall. Rather, we would anticipate that they end up in the 60-100 range on next year’s list. Gilbert was a workhorse at Stetson and his velo may spike with reshaped usage. Singer should move quickly because of how advanced his command is. Lynch’s pre-draft velocity bump held throughout the summer, and he has command of several solid secondaries. Abreu spent several years in rookie ball and then had a breakout 2018, forcing Houston to 40-man him to protect him from the Rule 5. He’ll tie Dustin May for the second-highest breaking ball spin rate on THE BOARD when the Houston list goes up. We’re intrigued by what Dodgers player dev will do with an athlete like Gray. Phillips throws a ton of strikes and has a good four-pitch mix.

 

Logan Gilbert, RHP, Seattle Mariners

Zac Lowther, LHP, Baltimore Orioles (full report)

Brady Singer, RHP, Kansas City Royals

Bryan Abreu, RHP, Houston Astros

Daniel Lynch, LHP, Kansas City Royals

Wil Crowe, RHP, Washington Nationals (full report)

Josiah Gray, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Jordan Holloway, RHP, Miami Marlins (full report)

Tyler Phillips, RHP, Texas Rangers

 

 

 

Bounce Back Candidates

 

The Dodgers have a strong track record of taking severely injured college arms who return with better stuff after a long period of inactivity. That could be Grove, their 2018 second rounder, who missed most of his sophomore and junior seasons at West Virginia. McCarthy was also hurt during his junior season and it may have obscured his true abilities. Burger is coming back from multiple Achilles ruptures, but was a strong college performer with power before his tire blew.

 

Michael Grove, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Jake McCarthy, CF, Arizona Diamondbacks

Jake Burger, 3B, Chicago White Sox

Thomas Szapucki, LHP, New York Mets (full report)

 

Catchers

 

We’re very excited about the current crop of minor league catchers. Naylor is athletic enough that he’s likely to improve as a defender and he has rare power for the position.

 

Ivan Herrera, C, St. Louis Cardinals (full report)

Bo Naylor, C, Cleveland Indians

Payton Henry, C, Milwaukee Brewers (full report)

 

Potentially Dominant Relievers

 

These names lean “multi-inning” rather than “closer.” Gonsolin was a two-way player in college who has been the beneficiary of sound pitch design. He started last year but was up to 100 mph out of the bullpen the year before. He now throws a four seamer rather than a sinker and he developed a nasty splitter in 2017. He also has two good breaking balls. He has starter stuff but may break in as a reliever this year.

 

Trent Thornton, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (full report)

Darwinzon Hernandez, LHP, Boston Red Sox (full report)

Dakota Hudson, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals (full report)

Sean Reid-Foley, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (full report)

Colin Poche, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays (full report)

Trevor Stephan, RHP, New York Yankees (full report)

Vladimir Gutierrez, RHP, Cincinnati Reds (full report)

Dakota Mekkes, RHP, Chicago Cubs (full report)

Tony Gonsolin, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Mauricio Llovera, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies (full report)

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/picks-to-click-who-we-expect-to-make-the-2020-top-100/

[Bobthe4th]

Interesting that they class SRF as a reliever. With our lack of quality starters I’d expect him to get an extended chance in the rotation this year.

[Orgfiller]

Interesting that they class SRF as a reliever. With our lack of quality starters I’d expect him to get an extended chance in the rotation this year.

 

It's not that surprising. It's extremely common among scouts to classify pitching prospects who have good stuff but below average or worse command as future relievers. Multi-inning relievers are now the flavour of the month it seems so instead of just future closer we're going to see a lot more of those roles thrown out by the scouting community to guys who fit that trope and don't have durability concerns.

 

The Jays are absolutely not giving up on SRF as a starter any time soon, barring a catastrophic season I would be quite surprised if the thought of him transitioning to the bullpen becomes a real possibility this year.