Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[John_Havok]

Yeah I think Jansen or Moreno are trade bait. Failing a trade, I think I could see them keeping all 3 up and having Kirk become the near full time DH while catching just once a week or something. If he's our new cleanup hitter it would seem like a good idea to keep his bat in the lineup as much as possible. Jansen and Moreno can split time with Jansen getting some pinch hit opportunities and Moreno getting some pinch running.

 

The third option is to option Moreno.

 

I was speaking more generally, not so much in the roster juggle sense. Moreno probably goes down as soon as Jansen is up so he gets more regular reps. It’s hard to imagine keeping his service clock running to catch 1 game a week and maybe DH another. The rest of the guys getting DH starts pretty much eliminates the long term 3 catcher idea when all 3 are worthy of playing time.

[TwistedLogic]

I don't think it's the type of thing I'd keep him in AAA to learn to be honest. These MLB teammates can teach him a lot more about accessing his pop.

 

I agree with you but he's not getting consistent playing time. He's either catching or warming the bench. Hasn't had a single DH game yet because geriatrics like Vlad, Gurriel and Springer need so many DH days.

[Eat My Shatkins]

I wouldn't trade any of our catchers unless somebody blows the doors off with an offer that can't be refused.

[The Cats Ass]

Gabriel Moreno for Corbin Carroll. There’s our LH OFer. D-backs have plenty of OFers.

[Blazeit420]

Tiedemann today:

 

5 IP, 3H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

[RustyTrombone]

Tiedemann today:

 

5 IP, 3H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

 

Nice to see his overcome that 1st inning adversity and then come back and dominate rest of the outing.

[InvincibleTiger]

Does Tied have McClanahan/Sale/Rodon potential?

[L54]

Does Tied have McClanahan/Sale/Rodon potential?

 

A bit premature

 

Nate Pearson was getting ridiculous comps and we all know how that’s gone so far

[InsideThePark]

Gabby Martinez rehab assignment in the FCL today. I didn't expect him back this quickly. Had 2 PA and then got pulled. Hopefully a planned half game.

 

Irv Carter got crushed again. Only 3 hits but they were all HR. 5 runs, 4 earned. 6 K's in 4 innings.

 

Meza played yesterday in the DSL as well. 3 PA before being pulled.

[RustyTrombone]

Does Tied have McClanahan/Sale/Rodon potential?

 

I think so. His sheer dominance, age vs level, 3 plus pitches all lead me to believe he has stud written all over him.

[Daniel Labude]

Does Tied have McClanahan/Sale/Rodon potential?

 

Absolutely he has that potential

[Laika]

Does Tied have McClanahan/Sale/Rodon potential?

 

Theoretically, sure, but we would be talking about a 1 to 5% chance to be that good and the 5% might be generous.

 

Much more realistic - SP3 if he reaches his potential.

[Ehjays]

Hard-throwing Zulueta continues to climb ladder

 

 

Dark horse 'pen candidate Zulueta moves to Double-A

It has been a year and a half since Cuban right-hander Yosver Zulueta became one of the stories of Spring Training in 2021. Flirting with 100 mph, “Zulu” represents something that the Blue Jays have struggled to develop -- a high-powered bullpen arm with the potential to rack up strikeouts.

 

A knee injury wiped out Zulueta's 2021 season, but now that the Blue Jays’ No. 19 prospect is fully healthy, he’s on his third level of the season after opening at Low-A Dunedin. On Thursday, Zulueta debuted with Double-A New Hampshire, and while he allowed a pair of runs over 1 2/3 innings (46 pitches), a run of success at this level could put him on Toronto's radar late in the season.

 

With Zulueta and No. 18 prospect Adrian Hernandez, who has pitched well at New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo this season, the Blue Jays are finally seeing some of their bullpen options materialize. Keep an eye on Zulueta’s next few outings. He has been starting games, but he could be an interesting multi-inning bullpen option -- if not by September, then certainly in 2023.

 

 

https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/toronto-blue-jays-top-mlb-prospects-updates-2022

[Eat My Shatkins]

Groshans OPS down to 0.686 and his wRC+ down to 90

 

Gross

 

The Jays position player prospect pool looks absolutely barren these days.

 

Moreno in the show

Groshans sucking

Orelvis is ok but huge red flags

 

The only guy in the upper minors that looks any good is Horwitz, and he is even really a thing?

[Krylian]

Groshans OPS down to 0.686 and his wRC+ down to 90

 

Gross

 

The Jays position player prospect pool looks absolutely barren these days.

 

Moreno in the show

Groshans sucking

Orelvis is ok but huge red flags

 

The only guy in the upper minors that looks any good is Horwitz, and he is even really a thing?

 

Will be curious to see where they focus in this draft

Edited July 3, 2022 by Krylian

[Daniel Labude]

[John_Havok]

 

Why on earth would the 1b umps opinion on a check swing from a lefty even be valid? I get the minors don’t have umps all around the diamond, so…home plate makes the call and goes with what he thinks.

 

That said, gesturing to ump with a bat like that is just moronic.

[Blazeit420]

They only have two umps in A ball?

[John_Havok]

They only have two umps in A ball?

 

Yup, and only use 3 in AAA and AA.

[Dagagad]

2 guys IÂ’ve been noticing in box scores recently are Otto Lopez in AAA and Cam Eden in AA. Both seem to be heating up.

[Brownie19]

Groshans OPS down to 0.686 and his wRC+ down to 90

 

Gross

 

The Jays position player prospect pool looks absolutely barren these days.

 

Moreno in the show

Groshans sucking

Orelvis is ok but huge red flags

 

The only guy in the upper minors that looks any good is Horwitz, and he is even really a thing?

 

I agree. I just looked all the stats for our positional players in the Top 25 (as per Fangraphs) and it's f***ing awful.

 

O. Martinez (105 wRC+)

Leo Jimenez (100 wRC+)

Groshans (94 wRC+)

De Castro (39 wRC+)

Lopez (102 wRC+)

Beltre (94 wRC+)

E. Machado (91 wRC+)

M. Hiraldo (67 wRC+)

Espino (59 wRC+)

Zac Cook (117 wRC+, but 39% K rate)

 

That's really pathetic that not one of them is really having a good year at the plate. You have to get to Gabby Martinez before you find someone who can hit. Even Tanner Morris is now abysmal in AAA.

 

What on earth are they doing down there?

[Dagagad]

I agree. I just looked all the stats for our positional players in the Top 25 (as per Fangraphs) and it's f***ing awful.

 

O. Martinez (105 wRC+)

Leo Jimenez (100 wRC+)

Groshans (94 wRC+)

De Castro (39 wRC+)

Lopez (102 wRC+)

Beltre (94 wRC+)

E. Machado (91 wRC+)

M. Hiraldo (67 wRC+)

Espino (59 wRC+)

Zac Cook (117 wRC+, but 39% K rate)

 

That's really pathetic that not one of them is really having a good year at the plate. You have to get to Gabby Martinez before you find someone who can hit. Even Tanner Morris is now abysmal in AAA.

 

What on earth are they doing down there?

 

Martinez is 20 in double A. That’s not a terrible number. Also, I’d bet money on Lopez being way above that by the end of the season.

 

I’m disappointed by Jiminez. He’s a guy who could have had insane helium if he could hit.

[RustyTrombone]

Spencer Horwitz might honestly be our second best hitting prospect these days behind Orelvis. Horwitz is lighting up AA at 24 yo which is not too bad as far as age vs level goes.

[Blazeit420]

It might actually be Palmegiani (22 yo, A+). He's having a great year.

[Laika]

I agree. I just looked all the stats for our positional players in the Top 25 (as per Fangraphs) and it's f***ing awful.

 

O. Martinez (105 wRC+)

Leo Jimenez (100 wRC+)

Groshans (94 wRC+)

De Castro (39 wRC+)

Lopez (102 wRC+)

Beltre (94 wRC+)

E. Machado (91 wRC+)

M. Hiraldo (67 wRC+)

Espino (59 wRC+)

Zac Cook (117 wRC+, but 39% K rate)

 

That's really pathetic that not one of them is really having a good year at the plate. You have to get to Gabby Martinez before you find someone who can hit. Even Tanner Morris is now abysmal in AAA.

 

What on earth are they doing down there?

 

De Castro, Jimenez, and Machado were all defense first "may never hit" types so not shocking they aren't producing a lot. For Jimenez and Machado their offensive lines are not that disappointing and some parts of their stat lines like contact rates could even be interpreted as promising. Same for Otto Lopez. Like, Espinal had several years down there where his overall numbers were close to average but you could tell a bit of good from the batting average and contact rates.

 

Hiraldo cratering like this is a bummer. I don't have anything good to say.

 

Groshans hitting for absolutely no power is shocking and a huge bummer too but at least the contact and walk rates look good. There is hope here.

 

Martinez is fine but definitely dropping and looks more like an MLB role player (such as Aristides Aquino) than anything else. Still hope he can adjust and make more contact though...

 

Beltre - it's not even 100 PA so whatever.

 

 

I don't know anything about Espino and Cook. Anyone else?

[Brownie19]

Good calls on Palmegiani and Horwitz. I was just looking at the top 25 from the Fangraphs page and those guys aren't in it (yet). I am not overly concerned about Orelvis (although I'm more concerned than I once was) - but I do think Eat My Shatkins has a point that our positional depth is pretty pathetic. I don't care if all those international guys were all defense first "may never hit" types - you'd like to see at last one of them swing a decent bat and I would agree that Otto Lopez might turn into utility guy, but I think we should acknowledge the chances of him becoming the next Espinal is probably <10% (maybe <5%).

 

Unfortunately the Groshans/Kloffenstein move in the 2018 draft seems like a complete bust. Easy to say now, but just couldn't just take Logan Gilbert or Nolan Gorman eh? hahaha

[John_Havok]

Good calls on Palmegiani and Horwitz. I was just looking at the top 25 from the Fangraphs page and those guys aren't in it (yet). I am not overly concerned about Orelvis (although I'm more concerned than I once was) - but I do think Eat My Shatkins has a point that our positional depth is pretty pathetic. I don't care if all those international guys were all defense first "may never hit" types - you'd like to see at last one of them swing a decent bat and I would agree that Otto Lopez might turn into utility guy, but I think we should acknowledge the chances of him becoming the next Espinal is probably <10% (maybe <5%).

 

Unfortunately the Groshans/Kloffenstein move in the 2018 draft seems like a complete bust. Easy to say now, but just couldn't just take Logan Gilbert or Nolan Gorman eh? hahaha

 

Having another Espinal around would be fine as long as the defense is elite and they maintain even a 105 wRC+ like he is right now. That's still a 3-4 WAR player. Even slightly less D and 95-ish wRC+ is a solid bench piece. Positional depth with a ton of bench guys is still important to ensure the floor of the team doesnt suffer too much when injuries strike.

 

Even if Groshans, Lopez and Samad taylor (just throwing out names) never become regulars... if all 3 become average bench pieces that are even 0.5 - 1 WAR guys based on solid D and a non-limp noodle bat, that's not a bad thing. There's probably something to be said for having higher contact rate backups than more swing and miss/power guys, though you probably need at least 1 of those too. I'd rather see a plus D, slightly below average bench bat than Tapia any day of the week.

[Brownie19]

Having another Espinal around would be fine as long as the defense is elite and they maintain even a 105 wRC+ like he is right now. That's still a 3-4 WAR player. Even slightly less D and 95-ish wRC+ is a solid bench piece. Positional depth with a ton of bench guys is still important to ensure the floor of the team doesnt suffer too much when injuries strike.

 

Even if Groshans, Lopez and Samad taylor (just throwing out names) never become regulars... if all 3 become average bench pieces that are even 0.5 - 1 WAR guys based on solid D and a non-limp noodle bat, that's not a bad thing. There's probably something to be said for having higher contact rate backups than more swing and miss/power guys, though you probably need at least 1 of those too. I'd rather see a plus D, slightly below average bench bat than Tapia any day of the week.

 

I don't disagree, but for christ sakes it would be nice to have some legit future starters amongst the group no? I think you're putting a very optimistic view on a pretty s***** group.

[John_Havok]

I don't disagree, but for christ sakes it would be nice to have some legit future starters amongst the group no? I think you're putting a very optimistic view on a pretty s***** group.

 

Not optimistic at all really to put all three of those guys as future bench players at best. Just saying that IF none of them become anything more than bench guys, it’s still something the Jays need. Right now the bench consists of Tapia, Zimmer, Collins and Biggio/whichever other catcher isn’t in the lineup. It’s not exactly a high floor offensive group with plus D. Zimmer is plus D with a less than 0 bat, Tapia sux on both sides of the ball, back up catcher after Collins is gone is likely fine, and a Biggio is kind of a tweener. Good enough bat to be in there everyday and be moved around a bit from 2nd to 1st and RF/LF if needed, but his defensive skill isn’t plus.

[RustyTrombone]

Frasso absolutely s***ing on the A+ batters in his debut. 3IP, 0H, 0BB, 8K!!! So far.