Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[G-Snarls]

Austin Martin was such a steal

 

Fck yes

[Deadpool]

Austin Martin was such a steal

 

Fck yes

 

Thanks, Orioles! Your ineptitude is the gift that keeps on giving!

[Jimcanuck]

Considering salary commitments, the Jays might be in the 2nd best position of any team in the league right now, after the f'ing Rays. Yes, ahead of the high salaried Padres, Dodgers, etc.

[BlueRocky]

Thanks, Orioles! Your ineptitude is the gift that keeps on giving!

 

Had they drafted Martin, we’d likely end up with either Zac Veen or Nick Gonzales. Both are still really good bats, but Austin Martin was the dream scenario for the Jays. Plus he fits like a glove at 3B.

[Laika]

Keith Law's top farm systems:

3. Toronto

The Blue Jays have boosted the talent in their system through all three avenues of player acquisition: They’ve drafted very well in the last two years, including landing the player I had at No. 1 on my board in 2020 in Austin Martin; they’ve found a slew of high-upside position players in international free agency; and they’ve done well acquiring prospects in trades, enough so that they’ve been able to flip the script and trade away some lower-tier guys in deals like the Taijuan Walker trade. The Jays placed six guys on my top 100, one on the just-missed list and have three or four more who would comfortably fit among the next 40 names.

 

Reminder of what Fangraphs said:

 

This system will probably end up near the very bottom of the farm rankings, but remember that it just recently lost two top five prospects, Cavan Biggio (who should have been a top 100 prospect), and a couple of good role players, including Thomas Hatch and Anthony Kay, who graduated due to the weird 2020 rookie eligibility rule changes rather than traditional innings totals. The system looks thin but at least there are young big leaguers entrenched at key positions.

[Laika]

Had they drafted Martin, we’d likely end up with either Zac Veen or Nick Gonzales. Both are still really good bats, but Austin Martin was the dream scenario for the Jays. Plus he fits like a glove at 3B.

 

Martin >>>> both!

[G-Snarls]

[G-Snarls]

Reminder of what Fangraphs said:

 

Baseball America: Jays system #3 overall

 

What gives with Fangraphs. (not that I really care)

[The Iceman]

Can anyone cut and paste BA Jays write up please?

[Laika]

Baseball America: Jays system #3 overall

 

What gives with Fangraphs. (not that I really care)

 

The Fangraphs writer is just wrong. He doesn't have to love the system but he clearly made a snap judgment before objectively comparing the team to the others in baseball. The lowest a reasonable person could have Toronto would probably still be in the top half of MLB.

[P2F]

Can anyone cut and paste BA Jays write up please?

 

Stand back, it's a big write-up!

 

3

[h=3]Toronto Blue Jays[/h]

 

Notes:2020: 6 | 2019: 3 | 2018: 8 | 2017: 20 | 2016: 24 | 2015: 9 | 2014: 15

Top 100 Prospects (6): RHP Nate Pearson (14), SS Austin Martin (19), SS Jordan Groshans (34), RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (69), C Alejandro Kirk (70), SS Orelvis Martinez (96)

The Skinny: The Blue Jays' system has a mix of impact talent and depth throughout the organization, from players who should be 2021 contributors down to emerging talent at the lower levels. Nate Pearson is a potential frontline starter in the No. 1 spot, but the greatest strength of the system is its hitters, particularly in the infield and behind the plate.

[Grant77]

I generally like Longenhagen. I just picture him running on like 2 hours of sleep when he made that stupid comment, and I forgive him.

 

For what it's worth, he was on the fan 590 recently and doubled down on the same comments, but didn't really explain why.

[P2F]

I generally like Longenhagen. I just picture him running on like 2 hours of sleep when he made that stupid comment, and I forgive him.

 

I generally get the feeling he's always running on two hours of sleep. Have you guys seen how many words that guy pumps out regularly? It's goddamn robotic. I don't know how he finds the time.

[L54]

It’s impossible to have two top 20 prospects and five top 100 and be one of the worst farms in baseball. It simply does not compute.

 

Not that it matters, but it’s a really weird stance to take.

[Spanky__99]

It’s impossible to have two top 20 prospects and five top 100 and be one of the worst farms in baseball. It simply does not compute.

 

Not that it matters, but it’s a really weird stance to take.

 

It really is strange, almost Kieth Law like...

[Spanky__99]

I generally get the feeling he's always running on two hours of sleep. Have you guys seen how many words that guy pumps out regularly? It's goddamn robotic. I don't know how he finds the time.

 

Bwahhahaaha... this is so true.

[BlueRocky]

Stand back, it's a big write-up!

 

3

[h=3]Toronto Blue Jays[/h]

 

Notes:2020: 6 | 2019: 3 | 2018: 8 | 2017: 20 | 2016: 24 | 2015: 9 | 2014: 15

Top 100 Prospects (6): RHP Nate Pearson (14), SS Austin Martin (19), SS Jordan Groshans (34), RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (69), C Alejandro Kirk (70), SS Orelvis Martinez (96)

The Skinny: The Blue Jays' system has a mix of impact talent and depth throughout the organization, from players who should be 2021 contributors down to emerging talent at the lower levels. Nate Pearson is a potential frontline starter in the No. 1 spot, but the greatest strength of the system is its hitters, particularly in the infield and behind the plate.

 

It’s too top heavy.

Aside from their 6 top 100 prospects, the 2 borderline top 100 prospects and twenty catchers and shortstops with hit tools, there’s like no depth.

[jerb]

 

ericpardinho

@ericpardinho

 

Almost there! 2021 I’ll be back!! #SpringTraining #BlueJays @BlueJays

[max silver]

 

ericpardinho

@ericpardinho

 

Almost there! 2021 I’ll be back!! #SpringTraining #BlueJays @BlueJays

 

I'm looking forward to seeing how Pardinho bounces back. If his stuff returns to pre injury levels he could see his prospect status return very nicely.

[jerb]

 

Scott Mitchell

@ScottyMitchTSN

 

Broken down into three parts this year, here’s a look at prospects 31-50 in #BlueJays pipeline: https://bit.ly/3tIZglS

Highlights within:

-Palacios’ lefty bat close to bench role?

-Nick Allgeyer puts himself on the map.

-Don’t sleep on Winder Garcia, Victor Mesia, Phil Clarke.

https://t.co/loWuHrXfWO?amp=1

 

Scott Mitchell

@ScottyMitchTSN

 

Part Deux of my #BlueJays top 50 prospects for 2021 is live today, featuring names 11-30 in the system: https://tsn.ca/tsn-s-top-50-blue-jays-prospects-11-30-1.1590444

Highlights within:

-Yosver Zulueta Fire.

-Group of young SS as breakout candidates.

-Julian Merryweather, the 29-year-old prospect, is legit.

 

Scott Mitchell

@ScottyMitchTSN

 

Third and final part of my top 50 #BlueJays prospects for 2021 takes a look at the top 10 names in the system, headlined by a prized arm: https://bit.ly/3a8woM3

Highlights within:

-Groshans showing star traits.

-Moreno wows at depth site.

-SWR getting close.

https://t.co/t0LnVQ2rwN?amp=1

[King]

Can someone post Kiley McDaniels top 100 prospects?

[Ray]

Keith Law Top 20 Jays prospects:

 

1. RHP Nate Pearson

 

2. SS Austin Martin

 

3. RHP Alek Manoah

 

4. C Alejandro Kirk

 

5. SS Orelvis Martinez

 

6. 3B Jordan Groshans

 

7. C Gabriel Moreno

 

8. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson

 

9. 2B/SS Miguel Hiraldo

 

10. RHP CJ Van Eyk

 

11. RHP Adam Kloffenstein

 

12. SS Estiven Machado

 

13. OF Dasan Brown

 

14. RHP Eric Pardinho

 

15. RHP Yosver Zulueta

 

16. RHP Patrick Murphy

 

17. SS Rikelvin De Castro

 

18. SS Leo Jimenez

 

19. IF Otto Lopez

 

20. C Riley Adams

 

Others of note: Joey Murray, Sem Robberse, Jiorgeny Casimiri, Trent Palmer, Manuel Beltre

 

Sleeper: Dasan Brown and Gabriel Moreno

[G-Snarls]

Keith Law interview on Sportsnet, re Jays farm system:

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/590/good-show/well-stocked-farm-system-jays-set-years-success/

[BlueRocky]

Most interesting part of Scott Mitchell’s top 10 article:

GONE (8):

RHP Kendall Williams (11; traded to Los Angeles Dodgers in Ross Stripling deal);

OF Griffin Conine (13; traded to Miami Marlins in Jonathan Villar deal);

RHP Josh Winckowski (22; traded to New York Mets in Steven Matz deal);

OF Anthony Alford (27; claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh Pirates);

RHP Hector Perez (32; traded to Cincinnati Reds for cash/PTBNL);

RHP Yennsy Diaz (33; traded to New York Mets in Steven Matz deal);

OF Alberto Rodriguez (HM; traded to Seattle Mariners in Taijuan Walker deal);

LHP Travis Bergen (HM; traded to Arizona Diamondbacks in Robbie Ray deal).

[King]

I must be missing why this is interesting

 

or Scott Mitchell's top 10 must be really bad

[Spanky__99]

Keith Law Top 20 Jays prospects:

 

1. RHP Nate Pearson

 

2. SS Austin Martin

 

3. RHP Alek Manoah

 

4. C Alejandro Kirk

 

5. SS Orelvis Martinez

 

6. 3B Jordan Groshans

 

7. C Gabriel Moreno

 

8. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson

 

9. 2B/SS Miguel Hiraldo

 

10. RHP CJ Van Eyk

 

11. RHP Adam Kloffenstein

 

12. SS Estiven Machado

 

13. OF Dasan Brown

 

14. RHP Eric Pardinho

 

15. RHP Yosver Zulueta

 

16. RHP Patrick Murphy

 

17. SS Rikelvin De Castro

 

18. SS Leo Jimenez

 

19. IF Otto Lopez

 

20. C Riley Adams

 

Others of note: Joey Murray, Sem Robberse, Jiorgeny Casimiri, Trent Palmer, Manuel Beltre

 

Sleeper: Dasan Brown and Gabriel Moreno

 

Blue Jays 2021 prospect rankings: Keith Law on Toronto’s top 20

 

 

By Keith Law Feb 11, 2021 27

A few years ago, the Jays’ front office proclaimed it had a top-five farm system in baseball, perhaps even top-three, based on some internal projections nobody ever saw. It wasn’t true then, but it sure as hell would be true now. This system has improved exponentially in the last two years, with a pair of strong drafts, some smart trades and one of the game’s most effective international scouting departments. The Jays have pitching depth and they have a ton of catchers and shortstops, the two positions where you most want to have prospect capital.

 

To be eligible for these rankings, a player must still be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award in 2021, which means he may not have more than 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched or 45 days on an active roster heading into this season.

 

1. Nate Pearson, RHP (Top 100 rank: No. 5)

 

From the Top 100: Pearson’s debut in the majors was tantalizing, but as with his first full pro season in 2018, it was interrupted by injury, leaving him still eligible for these rankings. Pearson averaged 96.3 mph on his four-seamer, showed a full four-pitch mix, all three of which at least missed bats, although he leaned most on his slider and the pitch wasn’t as consistent as it has been in the past. He’s 6 feet 6 inches and 250 pounds, with a good delivery that he has learned to repeat since the Jays signed him, so in theory he should be durable. Still, he had several fluky injuries in 2018 that limited him to one inning, and a flexor strain sent him to the injured list in late August, after which the Jays used him for just a single relief appearance. If he can stay healthy, there are very few starting pitching prospects who can match his stuff and size, which give him the ceiling of a No. 1 starter.

 

2. Austin Martin, SS (Top 100 rank: No. 14)

 

From the Top 100: The best prospect in the 2020 draft class slipped to the Blue Jays, who picked fifth and were probably delighted to have a player with his kind of potential get to their selection. Martin has exceptional hand-eye coordination and plus-plus bat speed, striking out only 36 times with 50 walks in 392 PA over his last year-plus at Vanderbilt. He’s probably best suited to third base, but the Jays intend to try him out at shortstop — which he has the athleticism and foot speed to handle — with third, second or even center field all possibilities. He did have some throwing trouble in the brief college season in 2020, but it’s not supposed to be a long-term issue and the Jays seem comfortable with his throwing post-draft. This bat at a skill position is pretty unusual and gives him some MVP upside, although we should be a little cautious since he has yet to take a pro at-bat.

 

3. Alek Manoah, RHP (Top 100 rank: No. 79)

 

From the Top 100: Manoah was the top college right-hander in the 2019 draft but the Blue Jays got him with the 11th pick on some concerns about his size and minor health issues before his draft year. It looks like a steal now as Manoah continues to stay healthy and throw hard, while improving his conditioning over the course of 2020 and the last two offseasons. Manoah sits 93-94 and can touch 98, with an above-average slider and above-average changeup as well as a curveball he can land for strikes. He is big, 6-6 and 260 in college, and only pitches from the stretch, but he throws strikes and attacks guys consistently with his fastball, an approach that should continue to serve him well as he moves up the ladder. He does have to keep his body in shape, but if he stays healthy he should be in the Blue Jays’ rotation within the next two seasons, with mid-rotation upside.

 

4. Alejandro Kirk, C (Top 100 rank: No. 92)

 

From the Top 100: Kirk got a surprise call-up to the majors and was very impressive for a kid who’d never played above High A, and had just 151 professional games total before he reached the big leagues. His bat-to-ball skill and swing decisions are both excellent, leading to very low strikeout rates, while he’s got explosive acceleration at the plate and showed in the majors he can hit for power the other way and turn on 97 in. He’s a solid catcher who can frame, block and throw well, but he’s on the big side already for a catcher at age 22 and has to maintain his conditioning. He was listed at 5-foot-8 and 265 pounds last year, and while he’s apparently lost weight heading into spring training, that’s going to be an ongoing issue for him so he can stay behind the plate, as there’s no other position for a player with his build. His bat will make him a longtime regular as a catcher, with a chance to be a star if he keeps his body in shape for it.

 

5. Orelvis Martinez, SS (Top 100 rank: No. 98)

 

From the Top 100: Martinez is still just 19 but finished the summer at the Blue Jays’ alternate site, impressing the team with his production against older pitching. The ball explodes off his bat thanks to his plus bat speed and present power, while he has already shown glimpses of advanced plate discipline. In the field, he’s got a plus arm and great hands, still playing shortstop but with a body that might eventually push him to third base. I noted last winter that he might be the Jays’ best prospect in a year, but with no minor league season to show progress and the addition of the best player in the 2020 draft in Austin Martin, Martinez has to wait a year for any such coronation. He has an enormous ceiling as a strong OBP guy with 25-30 homers and plus defense at third. We just need to see how the bat plays at higher levels.

 

6. Jordan Groshans, 3B (Just Missed)

 

From the Just Missed: Last year I wrote this about Groshans: “A full, healthy year in 2020 will help establish just how advanced his bat is and whether he has the power to be a star even in a corner.” Ah, well, it was a good thought, but because of the pandemic Groshans hasn’t taken an at-bat in an actual game since May 2019. Groshans did spend the summer at the Jays’ alternate site, facing a lot of pitchers who had appeared in the big leagues or were close to doing so, which is better than no experience but doesn’t give us much new information, such as whether he’s still rotating his hips early and cutting off some of his potential power. He does have a great swing path and has shown an ability to make some adjustments in the limited experience he has in pro ball. I’d just like to see him produce over a longer period against better pitching now.

 

7. Gabriel Moreno, C

 

Moreno spent the summer at the Jays’ alternate site and hit well even though he was just 20 years old and had no experience above low A going into the year, then went back to his native Venezuela and hit .373/.471/.508 in 18 games for Lara, with 11 walks and just six strikeouts. He has an above-average arm and is athletic, needing work on the other defensive aspects of catching, but got some of that experience in 2020 when most prospects got little to none. I’m in.

 

8. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP

 

Woods Richardson came with Anthony Kay in the Marcus Stroman trade and impressed the Blue Jays in spring training 2.0 and at the alternate site. His stuff has backed up slightly since high school, with a solid-average fastball and above-average changeup, along with very good control. His arm is extremely late relative to when his front leg lands and he hasn’t shown an average breaking ball yet, so he has several obstacles ahead of him to reach his mid-rotation ceiling.

 

9. Miguel Hiraldo, SS/2B

 

Hiraldo has good hand-eye coordination with high contact rates even though he can collapse his back side by overswinging, which you’d associate with power hitters who strike out all the time. The Jays have worked on getting his swing more consistent and worked on his physique so he might stay at short, although he projects as a more likely second baseman who hits for average and doubles power.

 

10. CJ Van Eyk, RHP

 

Van Eyk might have ended up in the first round had there been a full spring in 2020; he looked great in preseason and in his first outing, was up and down for three outings after that, then the world ended before he could prove the early version was real. He was 91-95 mph with a nearly 12/6 curveball that was plus when he was at his best and a hard changeup. I didn’t love the cutoff in his delivery, which limited his ability to go to his glove side, but the Jays can probably get him more online to the plate. He has a good chance to be a No. 4 starter, with a ceiling a tick above that.

 

11. Adam Kloffenstein, RHP

 

Kloffenstein regained some velocity last summer, so he can sit 93 mph deep into starts now with a power slider in the mid-80s, and even got to pitch in some real games last summer for two teams in the Constellation Energy League in Houston. His delivery works and he should get to at least average control, with the size to be a durable innings-eater in the middle of a rotation.

 

12. Estiven Machado, SS

 

Machado didn’t get the biggest bonus the Jays game to an international prospect in 2019 — that went to Rikelvin de Castro — but he’s become their best prospect from that class and yet another great job by the Jays’ international scouting staff. He’s quick and athletic, already fairly physical for age 18, with loose hands at the plate and the potential for average power or even a tick more. He’s an average runner but has the hands and arm for shortstop if he can keep his quickness and agility as he gets older.

 

13. Dasan Brown, OF

 

Brown was the Jays’ third-rounder in 2019, a local kid with 80 speed and plus defense in center who could be an elite leadoff hitter if and when his strength comes. He already has a good eye at the plate and will play all of this year at age 19.

 

14. Eric Pardinho, RHP

 

Pardinho missed all of 2020 after Tommy John surgery, and he probably won’t get back into any games until at least June of this year. The 5-foot-9 right-hander has exceptional command and feel for pitching for his age, and a possible out pitch in his curveball, but he’s had injury trouble since signing and won’t get to pitch a full season until at least 2022.

 

15. Yosver Zulueta, RHP

 

Signed for $1.5 million in May 2019, the Cuban right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery right away and was back on a mound by the end of last year, sitting 97 mph and pitching anywhere from 94 to 99 mph. He has a full arsenal of four pitches but was extremely wild as a pitcher in Cuba before he signed, so we’ll need to see if he’s improved his control at all now that his elbow is recovered.

 

16. Patrick Murphy, RHP

 

Murphy would be either a top-100 prospect or close to it if he could stay healthy for a full season, but he’s done so only once going back to when he missed his senior season in high school after Tommy John surgery in 2013. He debuted in the majors in 2020 and averaged 96-97 mph, with a hard low-80s curveball that he can throw for strikes, with both pitches playing up because of their spin axes, which add to the deception. Maybe he’s just a spot reliever who needs time between starts, but I stubbornly believe he will have big-league value.

 

17. Rikelvin De Castro, SS

 

De Castro got $1.2 million from the Jays in the 2019-20 period on the basis of some big, flashy tools, especially in the field, but his bat is still light and he has more work to do to fill out and make higher-quality contact.

 

18. Leo Jimenez, SS

 

Jimenez is still a plus defender at short, with a good swing for contact and some promise as he fills out, but he hasn’t quite gotten there yet physically and remains a work in progress at the plate. He could shoot up these rankings once he packs on some muscle.

 

19. Otto Lopez, 2B/SS/OF

 

Lopez is a solid all-around player with no above-average tool, but he has good bat-to-ball skills, some speed, and the ability to handle multiple positions, playing second, short, left, and right for Lansing in 2019, then mostly manning second in winter ball this offseason.

 

20. Riley Adams, C

 

Adams looks like a quality backup catcher with patience and some pop, more than adequate behind the plate and unlikely to hit for enough average to be a regular.

 

Others of note

Joey Murray gets swings and misses on his “invisiball” fastball even though it’s fringe-average, pairing it with an improved curveball. His velocity has gone up since he signed, but the track record of pitchers like this isn’t great once they reach the majors. … The Jays’ two Dutch pitching prospects, Sem Robberse and Jiorgeny Casimiri, are still on the long track to the majors; Robberse is getting stronger and still has an extremely polished delivery, giving him exceptional control and stuff that’s creeping up to average, while Casimiri pitched a little bit in the Dutch major league (Honkbal) before a minor elbow issue shut him down. … Their 2020 third-rounder Trent Palmer has three pitches, including a splitter, with improved control before the world ended last March, but his delivery probably pushes him to the bullpen. … Toronto gave their biggest bonus in this past month’s international signing period to Manuel Beltre, giving the strong-armed Dominican shortstop $2.6 million. He’s undersized but has a very balanced swing and looks like he’ll get some power out of his 5-foot-9 frame over time.

 

2021 impact

If healthy, Pearson should be the Jays’ No. 2 starter. Murphy should at least be in the bullpen, and Murray will probably get a cup of coffee somewhere.

 

Sleeper

Brown was my sleeper last year and his youth works in his favor here, but of non-top-100 guys who might jump into the top 100 next year, I’d bet on Moreno first.

[Virgil_Hiltz]

Glad to see they touched upon the one thought I had about Groshans and that was the possibility of an outfield position for him.

[Virgil_Hiltz]

Keith Law interview on Sportsnet, re Jays farm system:

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/590/good-show/well-stocked-farm-system-jays-set-years-success/

Glad to see they touched upon the one thought I had about Groshans and that was the possibility of an outfield position for him.

[Angrioter]

Fantasy.

 

Kirk for Alek Thomas?

[Spanky__99]

Fantasy.

 

Kirk for Alek Thomas?

 

Kirk.