Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[P2F]

It's not a top 10 prospects list, you dumn-dumns.

[Jimcanuck]

It's not a top 10 prospects list, you dumn-dumns.

 

We know, arsewipe. Not considering Vlad and Soto for a high upside hitting prospects list makes the list garbage

[P2F]

We know, arsewipe. Not considering Vlad and Soto for a high upside hitting prospects list makes the list garbage

 

I don't understand why you're taking it personally. Like, who gives a f*** which prospects he wants to write about? Just enjoy the free content.

[P2F]

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[TD=class: chat_desc]Max: Just read your insider piece. Was expecting Vlad Jr to be on there somewhere, does he not make the list due to defense?

 

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[TD=class: chat_desc]Eric A Longenhagen: Correct, just examining best case scenarios which means the list is all up the middle guys.

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[Deadpool]

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[TD=class: chat_desc]Max: Just read your insider piece. Was expecting Vlad Jr to be on there somewhere, does he not make the list due to defense?

 

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[TD=class: chat_time, bgcolor: #CECECE]1:15[/TD]

[TD=class: chat_desc]Eric A Longenhagen: Correct, just examining best case scenarios which means the list is all up the middle guys.

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... Only "up the middle guys" have high upside. That's pretty weak justification right there.

[Olerud363]

... Only "up the middle guys" have high upside. That's pretty weak justification right there.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2017&month=0&season1=2017&ind=0

 

Totally insane. 5 of the top 10 in WAR are corners.

 

Upside means upside. It means everything goes right.

 

If everything goes right for Vlad he's a great, great hitter, and slightly above average on defense. I mean why is it assumed that hitting could "develop", while defense can't?? He's 18, he might get in better shape, he might work like hell at it, we don't know yet.

 

Hey, Pablo Sandoval was slightly above average at defense for a time http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5409&position=3B

[Sorrow]

...

 

Could argue for 7 of them being corners if we're meaning the top 10 right off and not just infielders.

[L54]

Pretty short sighted of Longenhagen IMO.

[Abomination]

Pretty short sighted of Longenhagen IMO.

 

I think it's called running out of ideas to write about.

[Krylian]

Put Vladdy in CF so he can make the list next year. Done.

[Daniel Labude]

...

[jays4life19]

Best Players: 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and SS Bo Bichette

 

There's no correct choice between Guerrero and Bichette for the best player in the Blue Jays system. Each enjoyed a spectacular year both developmentally and statistically.

 

The teenagers opened at low Class A Lansing together, appeared in the Futures Game together and then were promoted to high Class A Dunedin together, helping the team become co-champion of the Florida State League. But there was growth well beyond the cumulative slash lines Guerrero (.323/.425/.485) and Bichette (.362/.423/.565) delivered.

 

"We've been equally, maybe even more impressed with how much they're focusing on developing as defenders, as baserunners, as teammates, and that's really shown up in a lot of different ways," vice president of baseball operations Ben Cherington. "Both guys have become leaders on the two teams they've been on . . . so that's really a credit to them."

 

Best Pitcher: LHP Ryan Borucki

 

The Blue Jays' player development staff pounded the table demanding a spot on the 40-man roster for Borucki last fall, and the lefthander rewarded them with a season that brought him to the cusp of the big leagues.

 

The 23-year-old dominated at three levels, finishing up with six shutout innings at Triple-A Buffalo, and he would have been a September callup had there been a start for him in the majors.

 

"To me, he's ready now. It's just a matter of an opportunity," Double-A New Hampshire pitching coach says Vince Horsman said. "He’s pretty much well-rounded. He's very aware of what he's trying to do—the running game and all the other nuances of it—also. He's just waiting now."

 

Keep An Eye On: RHP Nate Pearson

 

Catcher Danny Jansen is an obvious candidate here after zipping through three levels and positioning himself at the big league doorstep for 2018, but Pearson really left the farm system abuzz by season's end.

 

The second of two first-rounders this year, Pearson, the 28th overall pick, simply carved up Northwest League hitters at short-season Vancouver, allowing two runs on six hits and five walks over nine innings with 24 strikeouts.

 

The 21-year-old added eight more innings of one-run ball during the NWL playoffs, striking out 10 in four innings versus Spokane as he helped the Canadians to a title.

 

"He's impressed us with his commitment to his routine," player development director Gil Kim said. "The most important gains he's had since joining the organization are acclimating to the rotation and the lifestyle of professional baseball."

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/vladimir-guerrero-jr-and-bo-bichette-deliver-on-hype/#tsKDSDpwzODhsg8I.99

[Dick_Pole]

 

Best Pitcher: LHP Ryan Borucki

 

The Blue Jays' player development staff pounded the table demanding a spot on the 40-man roster for Borucki last fall, and the lefthander rewarded them with a season that brought him to the cusp of the big leagues.

 

The 23-year-old dominated at three levels, finishing up with six shutout innings at Triple-A Buffalo, and he would have been a September callup had there been a start for him in the majors.

 

"To me, he's ready now. It's just a matter of an opportunity," Double-A New Hampshire pitching coach says Vince Horsman said. "He’s pretty much well-rounded. He's very aware of what he's trying to do—the running game and all the other nuances of it—also. He's just waiting now."

 

 

Because it's just so imperative yo give starts to Anderson and Biagini.

[Spanky__99]

I think it's called running out of ideas to write about.

 

This, Longenhagen's a pretty decent scout writer, it's just pressure from FG, to put out content, as P2F has said, it's free content.¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[P2F]

12:07

osick87: Could Nate Pearson break into the top 100

 

 

12:08

Eric A Longenhagen: At some point, sure. But for now there’s enough relief risk there that I really doubt he makes my offseason 100.

 

 

12:08

Dylan B: who in the minors has the best chance of debuting in the bigs before they’re 20?

 

 

12:08

Eric A Longenhagen: Probably Vlad Jr.

 

 

12:23

iron wolf: I know Teoscar Hernandez isn’t a prospect anymore, but have you gotten a chance to see him play?**Looks like he’s finishing the season strong.**Thx!

 

 

12:23

Eric A Longenhagen: I think he’ll be a solid everyday big leaguer.

 

 

1:31

Drew: Broadly speaking, how often do pitchers develop that elusive changeup to make them a viable starter (thinking abuot guys like Nate Pearson or Cease)

 

 

1:32

Eric A Longenhagen: Less than you think. I don’t think a change is necessary, just a third pitch. And the change is often improved with reps.

 

 

1:34

Babe Lincoln: Who improved his FV the most this year?

 

 

1:34

Eric A Longenhagen: Bo Bichette, I buried him last offseason.

[AdamGreenwood]

Best Players: 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and SS Bo Bichette

 

There's no correct choice between Guerrero and Bichette for the best player in the Blue Jays system. Each enjoyed a spectacular year both developmentally and statistically.

 

The teenagers opened at low Class A Lansing together, appeared in the Futures Game together and then were promoted to high Class A Dunedin together, helping the team become co-champion of the Florida State League. But there was growth well beyond the cumulative slash lines Guerrero (.323/.425/.485) and Bichette (.362/.423/.565) delivered.

 

"We've been equally, maybe even more impressed with how much they're focusing on developing as defenders, as baserunners, as teammates, and that's really shown up in a lot of different ways," vice president of baseball operations Ben Cherington. "Both guys have become leaders on the two teams they've been on . . . so that's really a credit to them."

 

Best Pitcher: LHP Ryan Borucki

 

The Blue Jays' player development staff pounded the table demanding a spot on the 40-man roster for Borucki last fall, and the lefthander rewarded them with a season that brought him to the cusp of the big leagues.

 

The 23-year-old dominated at three levels, finishing up with six shutout innings at Triple-A Buffalo, and he would have been a September callup had there been a start for him in the majors.

 

"To me, he's ready now. It's just a matter of an opportunity," Double-A New Hampshire pitching coach says Vince Horsman said. "He’s pretty much well-rounded. He's very aware of what he's trying to do—the running game and all the other nuances of it—also. He's just waiting now."

 

Keep An Eye On: RHP Nate Pearson

 

Catcher Danny Jansen is an obvious candidate here after zipping through three levels and positioning himself at the big league doorstep for 2018, but Pearson really left the farm system abuzz by season's end.

 

The second of two first-rounders this year, Pearson, the 28th overall pick, simply carved up Northwest League hitters at short-season Vancouver, allowing two runs on six hits and five walks over nine innings with 24 strikeouts.

 

The 21-year-old added eight more innings of one-run ball during the NWL playoffs, striking out 10 in four innings versus Spokane as he helped the Canadians to a title.

 

"He's impressed us with his commitment to his routine," player development director Gil Kim said. "The most important gains he's had since joining the organization are acclimating to the rotation and the lifestyle of professional baseball."

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/vladimir-guerrero-jr-and-bo-bichette-deliver-on-hype/#tsKDSDpwzODhsg8I.99

 

Was getting pretty excited when I saw those 24 strikeouts over nine innings. If only that were true.

[TheHurl]

...

 

When you get a chance can you post BA's top 20 prospects by league.

 

Thanks.

[jays4life19]

Sure! Let's start with the FSL for obvious reasons.

[jays4life19]

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Dunedin (Blue Jays) |

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Age: 18 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 200 Signed: Dominican Republic, 2015

 

Guerrero came up to Dunedin after the all-star break and had 16 multi-hit games while dominating the league offensively, finishing with such a flourish that he passed teammate Bo Bichette for the minor league on-base percentage crown at .425.

 

Guerrero does it with stunning bat speed thanks to the fastest hands in the FSL, and scouts don't shrink from grading him as a 70 hitter on the 20-80 scale. He belies his family name with plenty of patience at the plate, with more walks than strikeouts. His power rates lower than than his hitting ability at present, but he's just 18, and scouts see plenty of home runs in his future. The biggest question about Guerrero is defense, where he lacks his father's arm strength but has enough—earning above-average grades from some scouts—to stick at third base, at least in the short term.

 

"He's solid there now," one pro scout with an American League club said, "and I put him at third until he can't do it anymore. But he doesn't have a great body . . . I have reservations over how it will hold up at third. He has more than enough bat for first base though."

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

168 31 56 7 1 6 31 36 28 2 2 .333 .450 .494

 

 

 

2. Bo Bichette, SS, Dunedin (Blue Jays) |

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Age: 19 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 200 Drafted: HS—St. Petersburg, Fla., 2016 (2)

 

Some managers prefer Bichette to Guerrero, a testament to Bichette's talent and first full pro season. Like Guerrero, Bichette is the son of a big leaguer (Dante Bichette) who seems born to hit.

 

Bichette has natural timing and generates power to all fields with an aggressive swing. Then he has a two-strike approach that emphasizes contact, and he finished second in the minors with a .423 on-base percentage while striking out just 16 percent of the time.

 

Bichette's bat would play if he has to move off shortstop, but most managers and scouts give him a better-than-average shot at sticking there. While other shortstops likely have more range and better footwork than Bichette, he plays low, has the internal clock to make routine and tough plays, gains ground well and has all the fundamentals to go with an above-average arm.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

164 28 53 9 1 4 23 14 26 10 4 .323 .379 .463

 

 

3. Mitch Keller, RHP, Bradenton (Pirates)

 

image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_pirates81.jpg

Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 195 Drafted: HS—Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 2014 (2)

 

Keller keeps pitching simple. He challenges hitters with one of the best fastballs in the minors, and he dominated the FSL in a return stint after finishing 2016 with Bradenton for one regular-season start and two playoff starts. He overcame a one-month bout with a back strain to earn a Double-A promotion in August, where he finished the season reaching 98 mph regularly with his fastball.

 

Keller's fastball earns plus-plus grades from some scouts for its combination of 93-97 mph velocity and above-average life. He has elite fastball command for his age. Often Keller can go through a lineup once or twice without having to resort to his above-average to plus curveball or fringe-average changeup more than a handful of times. He has excellent athleticism and a sound delivery that produce that command.

 

While he's often a two-pitch pitcher at this stage, his elite fastball command helps him earn comparisons with Curt Schilling for a fastball-heavy approach.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 3 3.14 15 15 0 77 57 29 27 5 20 64 .207

 

 

4. Nick Senzel, 3B, Daytona (Reds) |

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image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_reds82.jpg

Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 205 Drafted: Tennessee, 2016 (1)

 

The No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft, Senzel finished his first full season in Double-A after being one of the FSL's best hitters in the first half. His 26 doubles led the league at the time of his promotion, and he showed the bat pro scouts expected to see out of a player with his track record.

 

Senzel has a handsy swing and aggressive approach, combined with present strength and pitch recognition that allows him to make consistent hard contact. The FSL somewhat suppressed his home runs production, which jumped at Double-A, and he should have above-average home run power. Scouts peg Senzel as an average defender at third base with good hands and arm strength, though he could improve his agility and lateral range.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

246 41 75 26 2 4 31 23 54 9 2 .305 .371 .476

 

 

5. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Bradenton (Pirates) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 210 Drafted: HS—Tomball, Texas, 2015 (1)

 

The third son of a big leaguer to rank among the top five FSL prospects, Hayes requires the most projection, but scouts are more convicted in Hayes than most of the rest of the league.

 

In a league full of exciting third basemen, including four of the top seven prospects, the son of Charlie Hayes was the best defender in the FSL. He made just eight errors thanks to his ability, soft hands and plus arm, with one scout calling his defense a plus present major league tool.

 

Offensively, Hayes has advanced skills for a 20-year-old, staying inside the ball, stealing bases aggressively and efficiently with plus speed and even leading the FSL in sacrifice bunts. He has strong contact skills but has yet to learn to turn on the ball and hit for loft power. He must add strength to his 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

421 66 117 16 7 2 43 41 76 27 5 .278 .345 .363

 

 

6. Austin Riley, 3B, Florida (Braves) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 220 Drafted: HS—Southaven, Miss., 2015 (1s)

 

While Ronald Acuna and Luiz Gohara sped to Triple-A after starting the year with the Braves' new affiliate at Osceola County Stadium, Riley stuck around longer, playing 81 games for the Fire Frogs before being promoted to Double-A. He finished the season with 20 homers overall between the two levels.

 

Power—at the plate and in the field, in the form of a plus-plus throwing arm—are Riley's calling cards. He's an aggressive hitter with surprising feel and a plan at the plate, with the strength to punish mistakes. He has plus raw power, and his power tool grades higher than his hitting ability because he has some swing-and-miss to his game.

 

Defensively, Riley has requisite agility for third base and should be an average defense whose arm will be his greatest asset.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

306 43 77 10 1 12 47 23 74 0 2 .252 .310 .408

 

 

7. Dillon Tate, RHP, Tampa (Yankees) |

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Age: 23 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 195 Drafted: UC Santa Barbara, 2015 (1/Rangers)

 

The No. 4 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Tate finally hit his stride as a pro in his first full year with the Yankees, who acquired him from the Rangers in the 2016 Carlos Beltran trade. Hampered in spring training by a shoulder injury, Tate worked back slowly into form and was ready for action in June, ripping off nine strong starts in the FSL before finishing the season with Double-A Trenton.

 

Tate's athleticism plays with both his quick arm and his ability to repeat a high-energy delivery. His fastball reaches 98 mph consistently, and unlike past seasons, he held his velocity, often getting up to 97 as late as the eighth inning of his last two starts. His fastball command, changeup and slider all have improved from 2016. He locates his plus slider and changeup so well that at times he pitched backwards, finishing hitters off by painting the black at 95 mph.

 

"It looks like he has a routine now and has learned to be a starting pitcher," said Clearwater manager Shawn Williams, who managed against Tate the last two years in the South Atlantic League. "He's at least 95 (mph) from the first through the seventh. He couldn't do that the last two years. He's a completely different animal now."

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 0 2.62 9 9 0 58 48 19 17 4 15 46 .221

 

 

8. Brent Rooker, OF/1B, Fort Myers (Twins)

 

image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_twins80.jpg

Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 215 Drafted: Mississippi State, 2017 (1s)

 

A first-team All-American in the spring, Rooker won the Southeastern Conference's old-school and modern triple crowns at Mississippi State. After hitting 23 homers for the Bulldogs, he finished his pro debut with 18 homers, with 11 in just 40 FSL games. In just a third of the season, he fell seven homers shy of the league lead, and power is Rooker's calling card.

 

While scouts don't all love his right-right profile, he's hitting his way higher and higher into their reports. He showed power to all fields, and managers were impressed with his feel for hitting as well. "He's a hitter," one said in summary, "not just a power guy."

 

Rooker looks better in the batter's box than with a glove, but he was capable defensively at first base. He's below-average in left field, though he's athletic enough to make it work if he sets his mind to it.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

143 23 40 6 0 11 35 16 47 0 0 .280 .364 .552

 

 

9. Cole Tucker, SS, Bradenton (Pirates) |

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image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_pirates75.jpg

Age: 22 B-T: B-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 185 Drafted: HS—Phoenix, 2014 (1)

 

A 2014 first-rounder, Tucker repeated the league but wasn't the same player—in a good way.

 

A year further removed from shoulder surgery, Tucker showed average arm strength to go with a quicker, smoother transfer and enough accuracy to give scouts and managers confidence he could be an average defender at shortstop. At his size, he also has a chance to move to center field, where his long strides and speed could make him a defensive asset.

 

Tucker already is an asset offensively as a daring baserunner and basestaeler who plays with energy and athleticism. He rankedseventh in the minors with 47 stolen bases overall. Patient enough to draw walks, he can both bunt and move runners as well, while showing the improved power at the plate to do damage, both to the gaps and over the fence on occasion.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

277 46 79 15 6 4 32 34 70 36 12 .285 .364 .426

 

 

10. Ryan Helsley, RHP, Palm Beach (Cardinals)

 

image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_cardinals80.jpg

Age: 23 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 195 Drafted: Northeastern State (Okla.), 2015 (5)

 

The FSL's pitcher of the year, Helsley is a Cherokee Indian out of Oklahoma who has plowed through pro ball so far, breaking out in 2017. He started the season with five no-hit innings against St. Lucie and finished it in Triple-A.

 

Helsley is a power pitcher who regularly hit 98 mph with his fastball in starts, and he sits in the 93-97 range. He locates his fastball well and has an attacking mentality with it, which would suit him well in a bullpen role. However, he repeats his delivery well and has improved his secondary stuff.

 

Helsley's slurvy curveball flashes plus, gets some swings and misses and helped him shackle righthanded hitters (.537 OPS). His changeup is an average pitch as well, and he's added a cutter to help combat lefthanders.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

8 2 2.69 17 16 0 94 72 30 28 3 30 91 .213

 

 

11. Beau Burrows, RHP, Lakeland (Tigers) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 200 Drafted: HS—Weatherford, Texas, 2015 (1)

 

The 22nd overall pick in 2015, Burrows finished the year in Double-A after dominating FSL competition. He didn't fare as well at that level but still made healthy progress in his age-20 season, striking out 137 in 135 innings overall.

 

In the FSL, Burrows worked over hitters with a fastball that grades out as a plus-plus pitch at its best. He's able to pitch both up and down in the strike zone with it thanks to its late life, as well as inside, tying up hitters' hands. One scouts said Burrows got more swings and misses with his fastball than any pitcher he saw in the league, and he allowed no earned runs in five of his 11 FSL starts.

 

Burrows' secondary pitches were exposed a bit at Double-A, however. He throws both a slider and curveball as well as a changeup, but none is an average pitch at present. His curve has shown the most promise but needs more consistency. If one of his secondary pitches doesn't progress to at least average, he may wind up in the bullpen.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

4 3 1.23 11 11 0 58.2 44 9 8 3 11 62 .221

 

 

12. Cornelius Randolph, OF, Clearwater (Phillies) |

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Age: 20 B-T: L-R Ht.: 5-11 Wt.: 205 Drafted: HS—Griffin, Ga., 2015 (1)

 

The 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Randolph didn't really get going in the FSL until around his 20th birthday on June 2, coincidentally his first hitless game after four multi-hit games in a row.

 

Randolph's bat always has been his best tool, with a natural feel for the barrel and ability to keep his hands inside the ball that allows the lefthanded hitter to spray line drives from gap to gap. The Phillies have coached him to get the ball out front more often to produce pull power. At times Randolph got caught in between approaches, but as the year went on, he found his power stroke more often.

 

Randolph will have to do that as a left fielder, his best fit defensively. He's worked hard to improve on that front, improving his arm strength to average at times and cutting down on his mistakes. He's maintained his squat 5-foot-11, 205-pound frame and added strength, and his improved power helps him fit the left-field profile.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

440 47 110 18 5 13 55 55 125 7 3 .250 .338 .402

 

 

13. Seranthony Dominguez, RHP, Clearwater (Phillies)

 

image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_phillies83.jpg

Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 185 Signed: Dominican Republic, 2011

 

Even though he's 22, Dominguez strikes scouts as an upside play. He's had an injury-plagued career that included a bout with shoulder tightness in 2017 that kept him off FSL mounds for more than two months. At his best, however, he challenged even Phillies top prospect Sixto Sanchez (who didn't pitch enough in the FSL to qualify for this list) for upside in a loaded Clearwater rotation.

 

When he's at his best, Dominguez has a special arm, sitting 94-95 mph at times and 95-97 at others and reaching up to 99. His fastball has plus sink as well, and the combination of his aggressive use of the pitch and its late life helps him generate swings and misses with his fastball. That has scouts projecting him as a potential starter. His secondary stuff all flashes above-average if not better. He has a clean delivery, which helps him repeat his release point and command his tight, downer curveball, which is his best secondary pitch. He also has had some effectiveness with his changeup, flashing above-average.

 

While he's added strength, Dominguez needs to maintain his stuff deeper into games, but he'll be 23 next season and has yet to show the durability needed to fulfill his No. 2 or 3 starter ceiling. Left unprotected last year for the Rule 5 draft, Dominguez figures to be protected this offseason.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

4 4 3.61 15 13 0 62 51 28 25 6 30 75 .230

 

 

14. Nick Solak, 2B, Tampa (Yankees) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 5-11 Wt.: 175 Drafted: Tampa, 2016 (2)

 

Solak had a strong hitting track record at Louisville, and the Yankees had enough confidence in his hitting ability to jump him to the FSL for his first full season. He handled the jump easily offensively, ranking second in the league in batting (.301), leading in on-base percentage (.397) and ranking third in slugging (.460) before receiving a promotion to Double-A Trenton.

 

Solak kept hitting after the promotion, and his better speed, athletic ability and plate discipline had scouts giving him the edge over Brandon Lowe among the FSL's offense-first second basemen. One league manager compared Solak favorably to a power-speed second baseman from the league in 2016 in Scott Kingery, who finished 2017 in Triple-A with the Phillies after a 26-homer, 29-steal season.

 

Scouts aren't sure Solak has Kingery's power, but he has fast hands, a feel for hitting and above-average speed. He's put in the work to become an average defender, though that's still the area of his game where he needs the most work. "He's a baseball player who can really hit," one league manager said. "He's a pain in the butt to have to play against; that's a compliment."

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

346 56 104 17 4 10 44 53 76 13 4 .301 .397 .460

 

 

15. JoJo Romero, LHP, Clearwater (Phillies) |

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Age: 20 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 190 Drafted: Yavapai (Ariz.) JC, 2016 (4)

 

Romero thrived in his first full year in the minors, finishing 11th overall with a 2.16 ERA in 129 innings. He joined Clearwater's rotation in July and didn't give up an earned run in four of his nine starts that lasted more than an inning. The lefty overmatched lower-level hitters with a mix of pitches that kept hitters from sitting on any one offering.

 

Romero can reach 96 mph with his four-seam fastball but generally pitched at 91-94 mph, and he also used both a cut fastball and two-seamer that sat in the upper 80s and helped him pitch to both sides of the plate. He further flummoxed hitters with a changeup that played off his heater, and showed the ability to keep his average curvball and slider distinct from each other. He's a potential polished back-of-the-rotation starter who could continue to move quickly.

 

"He's a very good athlete, with very good feet," Clearwater manager Shawn Williams said. "He tracks, hitters, has a plan and keeps up with his pitch patterns. He definitely pitches with conviction."

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

5 2 2.24 10 10 0 52 43 17 13 2 15 49 .223

 

 

16. Max Pentecost, C/1B, Dunedin (Blue Jays) |

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Age: 24 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 191 Drafted: Kennesaw State, 2014 (1)

 

Old for the league, Pentecost is making up for time lost to three shoulder surgeries since 2014 (on both shoulders) that have hampered his ability to stay behind the plate. He caught his first games as a pro in 2017, however, and even though he didn't play after Aug. 7 due to an undisclosed injury, he was named a postseason all-star.

 

When he did catch (never in back-to-back games), Pentecost impressed scouts with his athleticism and plus arm strength, which has bounced back nicely. He showed little rust as a receiver, handling velocity and blocking well. Offensively, Pentecost remains aggressive, has plate coverage to shoot line drives to the gaps, and the bat speed to catch up to good fastballs, giving him plus power potential.

 

His future rests with his health. He's yet to catch back-to-back games as a pro and may wind up more of a hybrid in the Evan Gattis mold, catching while also getting time in left field and first base to keep his bat in the lineup and protect his shoulder.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

286 34 79 14 2 9 54 23 62 0 1 .276 .332 .434

 

 

17. Franklyn Kilome, RHP, Clearwater (Phillies)

 

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-6 Wt.: 175 Signed: Dominican Republic, 2013

 

Kilome remains more of a projection play but has started to fill out physically and fulfill some of the projections scouts and the Phillies have had for him. He's bigger than his listed 6-foot-6, 175 pounds but still has room to fill out and add velocity to his 92-94 mph fastball, which can sit 95-96 for short stretches.

 

Kilome doesn't command his fastball as well as teammates such as Sixto Sanchez and Seranthony Dominguez. His 14 wild pitches were two off the league high, even though he was promoted to Double-A in August. Because of his iffy fastball command, Kilome still hands out too many walks and saw his strikeout rate diminish (8.0 per nine innings) in 2017.

 

Kilome has to improve his pitch sequencing and consistency of all his stuff, but he showed improvement. Better focus helped him have more success early in games, and he learned to throw his changeup more effectively. His plus curveball remains his go-to swing-and-miss offering, but he'll have to command his fastball better to set it up.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 4 2.59 19 19 0 97 96 33 28 5 37 83 .264

 

 

18. Ryan Boldt, OF, Charlotte (Rays)

 

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Age: 22 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 210 Drafted: Nebraska, 2016 (2)

 

For some scouts, Boldt was a disappointment because of his modest home run production (five homers) at his impressively physical frame. But in the big picture, he had an impressive season, jumping to the FSL in his first full season from short-season ball and the 2016 draft, then finishing third in the league in batting (.295) and fourth in hits.

 

Boldt's flatter swing plane is geared more for the gaps than home runs at present, but he has the frame to to add loft power and room for strength gains.

 

Boldt split his time between center field and the corners, and his improved, solid-average arm—his throws added carry and accuracy this season—boost his overall defensive profile. His above-average speed also played on the bases by helping him stay out of double plays and leading the Stone Crabs in steals. He's a well-rounded player with a chance to be average or above-average in all five tools, with a high floor.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

440 60 130 22 6 5 62 39 89 23 6 .295 .358 .407

 

 

19. Alex Jackson, C, Florida (Braves) |

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Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 215 Drafted: HS—San Diego, 2014 (1/Mariners)

 

The sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft, Jackson came to the Braves in an offseason trade from the Mariners. Atlanta moved him back to his primary high school position, catcher, after the Mariners had moved him exclusively to the corner outfield.

 

Jackson's catching remains raw and he was rusty behind the plate, but he has easy plus arm strength. At times, he was overwhelmed defensively, with a league-high 10 errors and aggressive opposing baserunners—he threw out 19 percent of the 53 who ran on him.

 

However, Jackson's bat should buy him time to develop defensively. His strength allows him to drive the ball even when he doesn't square it up, and when he does hit it flush, the ball stays hit. His plus power stems more from strength than bat speed; he struggles to handle velocity as a hitter but has some feel for hitting with an aggressive approach. Jackson needs time but has a ceiling as a regular catcher in the Derek Norris/Welington Castillo mold.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

257 44 70 17 0 14 45 13 74 0 1 .272 .333 .502

 

 

20. Brandon Lowe, 2B, Charlotte (Rays)

 

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Age: 23 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 185 Drafted: Maryland, 2015 (3)

 

The league's MVP, Lowe led the league in slugging (.524) and tied for the league doubles lead (34) despite being promoted to Double-A in August. Lowe has overcome injuries in his amateur career, including a torn ACL in his knee that cost him his freshman season and a broken lower left fibula the year in 2015, the year he was drafted. He's stayed healthy as a pro and broke out in the FSL.

 

Lowe fits the current prototype for an offensive second baseman. He got to his power more this season by getting his hands further away from his body in his setup, allowing him to get the barrel to the ball more frequently. He has solid-average power and knows the strike zone well, taking aggressive swings at pitches in the strike zone.

 

A fringy runner and defender, Lowe has modest range but enough arm strength to turn the double play at second. He's adapted to the Rays' defensive shifts well but still has to improve his footwork and ease of operation defensively to be an average defender at second.

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2017-florida-state-league-top-20-prospects/#sK6DjXZiMqoUQAZd.99

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Up next we have the Cal top 20

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1. Brendan Rodgers, SS, Lancaster (Rockies) |

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Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 180 Drafted: HS—Lake Mary, Fla., 2015 (1)

 

Rodgers turned heads when he hit .400 in the first half before being promoted to Double-A. He returned to Lancaster at the end of the year to get extra reps in the playoffs after missing nearly 40 games with a hand injury and a quad strain.

 

When healthy, Rodgers earned wide praise for his elite hand-eye coordination, approach, pitch recognition and ability to drive the ball to all fields. He stays balanced in the box and is quick and controlled with his hands, resulting in a smooth swing that looks easy but packs thump.

 

"The way he's able to have that knack of taking a nice easy swing, even on 100 mph fastballs, just how easy his swing was . . . that's something for me that really stood out," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said.

 

Evaluators want to see Rodgers walk more but still regard him as a future plus hitter with enough power to impact a game. He hit .461 at home but also .308 with a .523 slugging percentage away from hitter-friendly Lancaster.

 

Rodgers lacks the optimal speed for shortstop but positions himself well, possesses sure hands and has a plus, accurate arm. He covers more ground than expected because of advanced instincts and projects to stick at the position.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

222 44 86 21 3 12 47 6 35 2 1 .387 .407 .671

 

 

 

2. A.J. Puk, LHP, Stockton (Athletics) |

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Age: 22 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-7 Wt.: 220 Drafted: Florida, 2016 (1)

 

Long electric but wild, Puk worked extensively with Stockton pitching coach Steve Connelly this season at staying balanced and on line to the plate in his delivery. The result was vastly improved control, which turned him into a dynamo.

 

Puk blew hitters away with his 94-97 mph fastball that played up with extension out of his 6-foot-7 frame, and he complemented it with a side-to-side mid-80s slider with vicious bite and tilt. He also mixed in a curveball and changeup that flashed average with increased consistency. With that arsenal working, Puk led the minors with 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings and limited opponents to a .227 average across two levels.

 

"Good fastball, was commanding all his stuff, worked top to bottom, and his slider was real effective," Modesto manager Mitch Canham said. "Usually you see a guy like that and it's going to be a tough lefty at-bat, but he was tough for both sides."

 

Puk still struggles controlling his long limbs at times, and the result was a still-too-high walk rate of 3.5 per nine. But the improvements in his delivery and finish have him in better position to eventually get the most out of his elite stuff.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

4 5 3.69 14 11 0 61 44 28 25 1 23 98 .196

 

 

3. Cal Quantrill, RHP, Lake Elsinore (Padres) |

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Age: 22 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 165 Drafted: Stanford, 2016 (1)

 

Quantrill showed no ill effects from the Tommy John surgery that cost him most of 2015 and 2016. He streamlined his mechanics and sat 93-95 mph with downhill angle on his fastball, showed off his dastardly 82-84 changeup that had hitters lunging wildly and increasingly introduced a low-80s slider and mid-70s curveball into his arsenal. His slider in particular shows promise.

 

Quantrill's physicality, athleticism and aggressiveness earned further plaudits, and there is a belief his above-average command can get to plus as he moves further away from surgery.

"He's got a big league fastball. He's got the velocity and the command to make that fastball take him to the big leagues," Visalia manager Shelley Duncan said. "But he's also got that changeup and he can throw three pitches for strikes. His command overall is what makes him a big leaguer, and his pitchability is going to make him good."

 

Quantrill possesses a fiery, competitive demeanor on the mound that further endears him to evaluators, though he is still learning to harness those emotions and not allow mistakes to let him lose focus.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 5 3.67 14 14 0 74 78 35 30 5 24 76 .273

 

 

4. Kyle Lewis, OF, Modesto (Mariners) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.:175 Drafted: Mercer, 2016 (1)

 

The reigning BA College Player of the Year missed the first half of the season recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee, and his comeback was further delayed when he aggravated his knee after banging it into the center field wall in his first game back.

 

But Lewis returned to Modesto's lineup for good on July 20 and showed the same all-fields power, prolific tools and ability to adjust that made him a top draft selection a year ago, though the long layoff affected his consistency.

 

"He's got all the physical attributes," Stockton manager Rick Magnante said. "There's power, there's arm strength, there is foot speed. The setup, the swing, it all looks fundamentally sound. He looked like a frontline prospect and certainly one who was worthy of a first-round pick."

 

Lewis' knee still caused discomfort at times getting down the line and in the outfield, and the Mariners took it slow by limiting him to DH duty in 25 of his 38 games. He spent significant time working on his outfield play before games and will carry his recovery process into the Arizona Fall League.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

149 20 38 4 0 6 24 15 38 2 1 .255 .323 .403

 

 

5. Keibert Ruiz, C, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)

 

image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_dodgers83.jpg

Age: 19 B-T: B-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 200 Signed: Venezuela, 2014

 

Ruiz didn't join the Cal League until July 10, but in a short time he showed prodigious talent.

 

The switch-hitting Ruiz showcased excellent bat speed, timing and ability to adjust the barrel to all different parts of the zone, with growing power as well. He is presently more confident batting lefthanded, but makes respectable contact and is learning to take more aggressive swings righthanded. He rarely strikes out and knows when to take a walk.

 

"You watch him play and it's like, 'Man, that's a teenager?' " Inland Empire manager Chad Tracy said. "He looks good catching, he looks dangerous at the plate. When you see guys get to the league three or four years under the average league age and perform like that, you have to get excited."

 

Defensively, Ruiz possesses soft hands in receiving and good timing blocking balls in the dirt, but his throwing needs work. His arm strength is average and he flashed 1.95-second pop times on throws to second base, but an uncoordinated exchange and inconsistent footwork more often resulted in below-average times. As a result he threw out just 22 percent of basestealers.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

149 24 47 7 1 6 27 7 23 0 0 .315 .344 .497

 

 

6. Jon Duplantier, RHP, Visalia (Diamondbacks) |

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Age: 23 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-4 Wt.: 225 Drafted: Rice, 2016 (3)

 

Duplantier made quick work of the Midwest League, rose to the Cal League in late June, and didn't miss a beat. His 1.39 ERA overall was best in the minors this season and the lowest since Justin Verlander pitched to a 1.29 mark in 2005.

 

Duplantier kept hitters guessing with a well-rounded arsenal that included a 92-94 mph fastball with sink, a slider and curveball that each earned future above-average grades and a changeup he didn't use much but still flashed plus. He tied it all together with excellent control, advanced feel to pitch and poise on the mound.

 

"He's really good," Stockton manager Rick Magnante said. "He does it easily. He pitches at the knees, his fastball's got some late life and his slider at times is hellacious. He's a big, strong, physical guy, very poised, unflappable out there. He's your prototypical major league righthanded starter."

 

Importantly, Duplantier pitched 136 innings without issue after he was hampered by a shoulder injury in college and an elbow issue after signing in 2016. He held up strong to the end with a 0.90 ERA over his final six starts.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 2 1.56 12 12 0 63 46 13 11 2 27 87 .204

 

 

7. Yadier Alvarez, RHP, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) |

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Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 175 Signed: Cuba, 2015

 

Alvarez was not overly successful in the Cal League and struggled with his control after a promotion to Double-A but showed enough of a foundation that many still view him highly.

 

Alvarez is strong, athletic and throws a 95-99 mph fastball with remarkable ease, and he flashed a swing-and-miss 86-88 slider he buried against righthanded batters.

"The fastball velocity is there, the breaking pitches are there, it's just a matter of him continuing to develop those pitches," Lancaster manager Fred Ocasio said. "Once he figures those out, he's going to be pretty good."

 

Alvarez has poor command of his fastball, lacks feel for his 87-90 mph changeup and struggles landing his slider in the strike zone. Those issues resulted in a walk rate of 4.9 per nine innings and ran up his pitch counts to the point he failed to reach five innings in 13 of his 21 outings.

 

Most evaluators project Alvarez as a high-leverage reliever rather than a starter because of those limitations.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

2 4 5.31 14 11 1 59 61 40 35 3 25 61 .263

 

 

8. Yusniel Diaz, OF, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 195 Signed: Cuba, 2015

 

Diaz returned to the Cal League for the second straight season and went on a tear that resulted in a promotion to Double-A in July.

 

Diaz always possessed alluring tools but began turning them into production this year, particularly at the plate. After limiting his pre-pitch movement and toning down his leg kick in mid-May, he hit .304/.357/.486 in 52 games up to his promotion and .333 with an .881 OPS in Double-A.

 

"He was another consistent force in that Rancho Cucamonga lineup filled with guys who could hit home runs," Inland Empire manager Chad Tracy said. "He got on base a ton. He was consistent for them. It was a very dangerous lineup to go through and he was a part of that."

 

Diaz remains raw in his outfield routes and decision-making, resulting in occasional drops, communication breakdowns or throws to the wrong base. He is a hard worker with good makeup and is expected to fix those issues with experience. As long as he does, Diaz projects best in right field as a potentially average defender with a plus arm but has the above-average speed to handle center as needed.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

331 42 92 15 3 8 39 35 73 7 9 .278 .343 .414

 

 

9. Jahmai Jones, OF, Inland Empire (Angels) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-0 Wt.: 215 Drafted: HS—Norcross, Ga., 2015 (2)

 

Promoted to the Cal League on July 20, Jones made a big impression in a short time. Regarded as a tooled-up player who was raw at the plate, he hit .302 and put together a best-in-the-league 25-game hitting streak.

 

Jones features a quick bat and above-average raw power, and his legendary work ethic allowed him to turn those tools into production this year. He flashed plus-plus run times and advanced instincts on delayed steals, curveball reads and timing pitchers en route to 27 stolen bases on the year.

 

Add in plus defense in center field with elite athleticism and a solid-average arm, plus natural leadership qualities that have long earned rave reviews, and Jones cemented himself as a top prospect with his run through the league.

 

"He makes the game look easy defensively . . . and offensively he impacts the baseball," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said. "It's going to be doubles over anything, but he knows who he is and he tries to get on base and terrorize you with stolen bases. I like him a lot. He can be a special guy some day."

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

172 32 52 11 3 5 17 13 43 9 6 .302 .368 .488

 

 

10. D.J. Peters, OF, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) |

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Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-6 Wt.: 225 Drafted: Western Nevada JC, 2016 (4)

 

In an age where the three true outcomes are becoming more prevalent, Peters fits the mold. He finished third in the league in home runs (27), second in walks (64) and second in strikeouts (189) and earned the Cal League MVP award.

 

The best power prospect in the league, Peters doesn't often chase out of the zone and punishes mistakes out over the plate with plus power that plays in any park. He is vulnerable to above-average velocity on the inner half and in the upper quadrants of the strike zone, making him a probable low-average hitter.

 

"At any given moment he could hit the ball a long ways out of the park," Modesto manager Mitch Canham said. "He swings real hard and there is stuff he's missing, but every time he connects the ball comes off the bat extremely fast."

 

Peters is an excellent athlete for his size and an able defender in center field, though most project him to right because he is an average runner. He has a plus arm that yielded 11 assists on the season.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

504 91 139 29 5 27 82 64 189 3 3 .276 .372 .514

 

 

11. Nick Neidert, RHP, Modesto (Mariners) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 180 Drafted: HS—Suwanee, Ga., 2015 (2)

 

The Mariners approached Neidert in the offseason and told him they needed to see more strikeouts. He said "OK" and went out and did it. With supreme control and pitchability, Neidert upped his strikeout rate from 6.8 per nine innings to 9.4 and earned a promotion to Double-A. He won the Cal League pitcher of the year award despite not qualifying for the league ERA title.

 

Neidert sits 91-93 mph with his fastball, but it plays up with carry through the zone due to a late hop in his delivery. He commands it impeccably and backs it up with a changeup that flashed plus and an average-to-above slider, all with the best control in the league.

 

"He's very aggressive—he comes after the hitters," Lake Elsinore manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "When you have that in combination with a powerful arm, with a feel for the secondary pitches, you can pitch in any league."

 

Neidert doesn't have much physical projection left and his pure stuff is a tad short for some evaluators, but most are optimistic he'll carve out a long career as a solid rotation member.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

10 3 2.76 19 19 0 104 95 33 32 7 17 109 .244

 

 

12. Peter Lambert, RHP, Lancaster (Rockies) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 185 Drafted: HS—San Dimas, Calif., 2015 (2)

 

Few 20-year-olds handle pitching in Lancaster well, but Lambert was one of them.

 

The Southern California high school product sat 91-94 mph with his fastball, showed advanced feel for a potential plus changeup in the mid-80s and flashed a plus 78-82 curveball with a hard, late drop. With that arsenal and a fearless, competitive edge noted by evaluators, Lambert finished in the top five in the Cal League in WHIP (third), ERA (fourth), opponent average (fourth), innings (fourth) and strikeouts (fifth) despite his notoriously hitter-friendly home park.

 

"I was most impressed by how advanced he is for how young he is," Stockton manager Rick Magnante said. "He's very advanced for how old he is, and he has some physicality. He's not going to be who he is at 25 or 26, and with his physicality and fearlessness, he's got a lot of growth left that could make him even better."

 

Lambert's fastball command gets away from him at times, but he tends to keep battling. Shoring that up and increasing the consistency of his secondary offerings are his next steps.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

9 8 4.17 26 26 0 142 147 75 18 18 30 131 .267

 

 

13. Sean Murphy, C, Stockton (Athletics) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 215 Drafted: Wright State, 2016 (3)

 

Murphy was known primarily for his cannon arm and general defensive excellence coming into the season. He quickly established himself as an offensive threat, too.

 

The physical, muscular Murphy bashed 11 doubles and nine homers in 45 games before being promoted. Primarily a pull hitter at the start, he worked at staying up the middle of the field and began flashing all-fields power with limited swing-and-miss toward the end of his time in the Cal League. He demonstrated both solid hand-eye coordination and feel for the barrel.

 

"Being able to handle a pitching staff—especially some of the guys he had there—and then also swing the bat as a catcher, that's a great thing to have," Modesto manager Mitch Canham said. "I watched him hit one out to all parts of the field. He uses what the pitchers give him, puts the barrel to the ball."

 

Murphy also earned positive reviews for his game-calling and solid-average receiving and blocking. He used a plus-plus arm to throw out 33 percent of basestealers before opponents just stopped running on him, with just 46 attempts in Murphy's 91 games behind the plate.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

165 22 49 11 0 9 26 11 33 0 0 .297 .343 .527

 

 

14. Jaime Barria, RHP, Inland Empire (Angels)

 

image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_angels87.jpg

Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 210 Signed: Panama, 2013

 

Barria entered the season known as an advanced pitchability righthander whose upside was limited, but he added two ticks of velocity across the board and is now seen as a strong rotation candidate.

 

Barria now works 91-94 mph with his fastball and commands it masterfully. His mid-80s changeup is his out pitch with a chance to be plus at maturity, and his low 80s curveball is a developing weapon. Where Barria stands out most is for his feel to pitch, preparation and habit of turning up his game a notch in big situations.

 

Those attributes helped Barria not only master the Cal League with a 2.48 ERA but excel at Double-A (3.21 ERA in 12 starts) and reach Triple-A by the end of the year. He is in position to ascend to Angels rotation by the time he turns 22 next summer.

 

"He controlled the zone and was able to get his fastball and offspeed over for strikes, but the thing that really stood out was the aggressiveness and tempo on the mound," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said. "I was (glad) when he got promoted to Double-A, because that guy was tough."

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

4 3 2.48 11 11 0 142 121 52 44 14 31 117 .227

 

 

15. Logan Allen, LHP, Lake Elsinore (Padres) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-L Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 200 Drafted: HS—Bradenton, Fla., 2015 (8/Red Sox)

 

Allen entered the Lake Elsinore rotation in July after the promotions of Cal Quantrill, Eric Lauer and Joey Lucchesi to Double-A and delivered similarly strong performance. He pitched to a 2.78 ERA over his first 10 outings in the league before a poor final start inflated his numbers.

 

Allen is still learning to be consistent but flashes promising stuff for a young lefthander. At his best Allen will sit 93-94 mph with his fastball and flash a power breaking ball and a plus changeup. At others he will sit 89-92 mph with a slurvy breaking ball and an average changeup.

 

Allen maintains aggressiveness with his fastball, has solid control and a mature feel to pitch, allowing him to succeed even when he doesn't have his best stuff.

 

Allen's fastball command is still improving and some would like to see him pitch inside with it more. His release point on his breaking ball remains inconsistent, thus the wide gap in the quality of the pitch from game to game. Those improvements are expected to come with time.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

2 5 3.97 11 10 0 57 60 29 25 2 18 57 .271

 

 

16. Joey Lucchesi, LHP, Lake Elsinore (Padres) |

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Age: 24 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 204 Drafted: Southeast Missouri State, 2016 (4)

 

Some lefties rely on deception. Others rely on stuff. Lucchesi has the potent mix of both.

 

With a funky but athletic delivery that features multiple stops and starts, Lucchesi made it nearly impossible for hitters to time him. That deception, combined with a 90-94 mph fastball, an upper-70s curveball with hard downward bite and a low-80s changeup he can cut, made Lucchesi one of the Cal League's most effective starters before a promotion to Double-A.

 

"We couldn't hit the damn guy," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said. "There's a tremendous amount of deception. It's just a very funky (arm) stroke and the way the pitch characteristics are, it's not something you see every day."

 

Lucchesi pitches with a chip on his shoulder and is aggressive in the zone, further endearing him to evaluators. He also shuts down running games with one of the best pickoff moves in the minors. More advanced hitters may not be as fooled by Lucchesi's delivery, but he has the stuff, control and mentality to be a quality back-end starter anyway.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 4 2.52 14 14 0 79 56 26 22 9 19 95 .194

 

 

17. Will Smith, C, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 192 Drafted: Louisville, 2016 (1)

 

A former middle infielder with excellent athleticism, Smith showed top-notch reflexes, flexibility and footwork behind the plate at Rancho Cucamonga. The result was plus framing and blocking, consistent sub-1.95 pop times on throws to second base and the ability to handle both explosive velocity and quality breaking stuff from a talented staff.

 

Managers named Smith the best defensive catcher in the league, and some observers consider him one of the best defensive catching prospects in the minors with his physical attributes and leadership qualities.

 

"He's a presence on the field," Lake Elsinore manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "He manages his pitching staff very well, he positions his infielders very well, and he calls a very good game. He's physically strong—a very good athlete. But that presence on field, that's very important the position he's at, and he has that."

 

At the plate Smith showed strong strike-zone awareness and sneaky pop, but overall grades as a fringe-average hitter due to his lack of natural hitting instincts and inconsistent feel for the barrel. Still, evaluators believe he will hit just enough to be an everyday catcher.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

250 38 58 15 3 11 43 37 71 6 2 .232 .355 .448

 

 

18. Josh Naylor, 1B, Lake Elsinore (Padres) |

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Age: 20 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 225 Drafted: HS—Mississauga, Ont., 2015 (1/Marlins)

 

Naylor got off to a fast start with five home runs in April before an Eric Lauer pickoff throw struck him in the face and broke his right cheekbone. While Naylor never quite rediscovered his power stroke after that, he hit well enough to earn a promotion to Double-A and showed respectably there against older competition.

 

The hefty Naylor is still learning to translate his big raw power into game power, but he showed the bat speed to get to any fastball, strong strike-zone discipline and a knack for contact most believe are a strong foundation for him to eventually get to his power.

 

Managers also singled him out as the Cal League's best defensive first baseman for his above-average arm, good hands picking balls out of the dirt and improving footwork.

 

"He's a good player," Lancaster manager Fred Ocasio said. "He's got some power and is a pretty good hitter. Eventually the more at-bats he gets the better he's going to get. He's very smooth at first base. You can tell he feels very comfortable playing the position."

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

283 41 84 16 2 8 45 27 48 7 1 .297 .361 .452

 

 

19. Bryan Reynolds, OF, San Jose (Giants) |

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Age: 22 B-T: B-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 205 Drafted: Vanderbilt, 2016 (2)

 

Tooled up with enviable athleticism, Reynolds also showed improved hitting ability en route to finishing fifth in the Cal League with a .312 batting average. The switch-hitter had hit streaks of 11 and 17 games, and produced from both the left (.295, .805 OPS) and right (.365, .896 OPS) sides of the plate.

 

Reynolds flashed above-average run times and plus raw power, but he has yet to turn those tools into production. He hit just 10 home runs and stole five bases. He is a solid-average defensive outfielder capable of playing center field but is better suited for a corner.

 

"He's got all the ability in the world, just has some fine-tuning to go," Visalia manager Shelley Duncan said. "All of Reynolds' stuff is kind of hidden in there. He shows glimpses of it, but the consistency isn't there yet."

 

Reynolds is an upside play with the possibility he never gets the most out of his raw power or speed, but evaluators generally see enough ability and athleticism to project an everyday outfielder.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

491 72 153 26 9 10 63 37 106 5 3 .312 .364 .462

 

 

20. Garrett Hampson, 2B/SS, Lancaster (Rockies) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht:. 5-11 Wt.: 185 Drafted: Long Beach State, 2016 (3)

 

Few players in the minors were as disruptive as Hampson. Undersized but twitchy, he created havoc on the basepaths with his plus-plus speed, had the bat control to alternately lay down a bunt for a hit or drive a 98 mph fastball into the gap, and he made highlight-reel plays in the middle infield throughout the year.

 

Hampson led the minors with 113 runs scored, finished fourth with 51 stolen bases, hit .300 even away from Lancaster and showed himself to be a plus defender with some of the best hands in the league at second base, with the ability to fill in at shortstop ably.

 

"He's a little bit of a nightmare on the opposing side," Inland Empire manager Chad Tracy said. "He stole quite a few hits from us. And he's just a pest, but not like the typical pest who will foul some stuff off and hit a single. You make a mistake and he'll drive it into the right-center field gap for a double."

 

Hampson's upside is limited by his below-average power potential, but his speed, up-the-middle defense and bat-to-ball skills will be enough to carry him to the majors for most evaluators.

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2017-california-league-top-20-prospects/#v7tuhB9YZKEt2yiY.99

[jays4life19]

I'll probably just do 2 a day so I don't make everyone's eyes bleed. lol

[Captain Adama]

1. Brendan Rodgers, SS, Lancaster (Rockies) |

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Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 180 Drafted: HS—Lake Mary, Fla., 2015 (1)

 

Rodgers turned heads when he hit .400 in the first half before being promoted to Double-A. He returned to Lancaster at the end of the year to get extra reps in the playoffs after missing nearly 40 games with a hand injury and a quad strain.

 

When healthy, Rodgers earned wide praise for his elite hand-eye coordination, approach, pitch recognition and ability to drive the ball to all fields. He stays balanced in the box and is quick and controlled with his hands, resulting in a smooth swing that looks easy but packs thump.

 

"The way he's able to have that knack of taking a nice easy swing, even on 100 mph fastballs, just how easy his swing was . . . that's something for me that really stood out," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said.

 

Evaluators want to see Rodgers walk more but still regard him as a future plus hitter with enough power to impact a game. He hit .461 at home but also .308 with a .523 slugging percentage away from hitter-friendly Lancaster.

 

Rodgers lacks the optimal speed for shortstop but positions himself well, possesses sure hands and has a plus, accurate arm. He covers more ground than expected because of advanced instincts and projects to stick at the position.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

222 44 86 21 3 12 47 6 35 2 1 .387 .407 .671

 

 

 

2. A.J. Puk, LHP, Stockton (Athletics) |

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Age: 22 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-7 Wt.: 220 Drafted: Florida, 2016 (1)

 

Long electric but wild, Puk worked extensively with Stockton pitching coach Steve Connelly this season at staying balanced and on line to the plate in his delivery. The result was vastly improved control, which turned him into a dynamo.

 

Puk blew hitters away with his 94-97 mph fastball that played up with extension out of his 6-foot-7 frame, and he complemented it with a side-to-side mid-80s slider with vicious bite and tilt. He also mixed in a curveball and changeup that flashed average with increased consistency. With that arsenal working, Puk led the minors with 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings and limited opponents to a .227 average across two levels.

 

"Good fastball, was commanding all his stuff, worked top to bottom, and his slider was real effective," Modesto manager Mitch Canham said. "Usually you see a guy like that and it's going to be a tough lefty at-bat, but he was tough for both sides."

 

Puk still struggles controlling his long limbs at times, and the result was a still-too-high walk rate of 3.5 per nine. But the improvements in his delivery and finish have him in better position to eventually get the most out of his elite stuff.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

4 5 3.69 14 11 0 61 44 28 25 1 23 98 .196

 

 

3. Cal Quantrill, RHP, Lake Elsinore (Padres) |

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Age: 22 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 165 Drafted: Stanford, 2016 (1)

 

Quantrill showed no ill effects from the Tommy John surgery that cost him most of 2015 and 2016. He streamlined his mechanics and sat 93-95 mph with downhill angle on his fastball, showed off his dastardly 82-84 changeup that had hitters lunging wildly and increasingly introduced a low-80s slider and mid-70s curveball into his arsenal. His slider in particular shows promise.

 

Quantrill's physicality, athleticism and aggressiveness earned further plaudits, and there is a belief his above-average command can get to plus as he moves further away from surgery.

"He's got a big league fastball. He's got the velocity and the command to make that fastball take him to the big leagues," Visalia manager Shelley Duncan said. "But he's also got that changeup and he can throw three pitches for strikes. His command overall is what makes him a big leaguer, and his pitchability is going to make him good."

 

Quantrill possesses a fiery, competitive demeanor on the mound that further endears him to evaluators, though he is still learning to harness those emotions and not allow mistakes to let him lose focus.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 5 3.67 14 14 0 74 78 35 30 5 24 76 .273

 

 

4. Kyle Lewis, OF, Modesto (Mariners) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.:175 Drafted: Mercer, 2016 (1)

 

The reigning BA College Player of the Year missed the first half of the season recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee, and his comeback was further delayed when he aggravated his knee after banging it into the center field wall in his first game back.

 

But Lewis returned to Modesto's lineup for good on July 20 and showed the same all-fields power, prolific tools and ability to adjust that made him a top draft selection a year ago, though the long layoff affected his consistency.

 

"He's got all the physical attributes," Stockton manager Rick Magnante said. "There's power, there's arm strength, there is foot speed. The setup, the swing, it all looks fundamentally sound. He looked like a frontline prospect and certainly one who was worthy of a first-round pick."

 

Lewis' knee still caused discomfort at times getting down the line and in the outfield, and the Mariners took it slow by limiting him to DH duty in 25 of his 38 games. He spent significant time working on his outfield play before games and will carry his recovery process into the Arizona Fall League.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

149 20 38 4 0 6 24 15 38 2 1 .255 .323 .403

 

 

5. Keibert Ruiz, C, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)

 

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Age: 19 B-T: B-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 200 Signed: Venezuela, 2014

 

Ruiz didn't join the Cal League until July 10, but in a short time he showed prodigious talent.

 

The switch-hitting Ruiz showcased excellent bat speed, timing and ability to adjust the barrel to all different parts of the zone, with growing power as well. He is presently more confident batting lefthanded, but makes respectable contact and is learning to take more aggressive swings righthanded. He rarely strikes out and knows when to take a walk.

 

"You watch him play and it's like, 'Man, that's a teenager?' " Inland Empire manager Chad Tracy said. "He looks good catching, he looks dangerous at the plate. When you see guys get to the league three or four years under the average league age and perform like that, you have to get excited."

 

Defensively, Ruiz possesses soft hands in receiving and good timing blocking balls in the dirt, but his throwing needs work. His arm strength is average and he flashed 1.95-second pop times on throws to second base, but an uncoordinated exchange and inconsistent footwork more often resulted in below-average times. As a result he threw out just 22 percent of basestealers.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

149 24 47 7 1 6 27 7 23 0 0 .315 .344 .497

 

 

6. Jon Duplantier, RHP, Visalia (Diamondbacks) |

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Age: 23 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-4 Wt.: 225 Drafted: Rice, 2016 (3)

 

Duplantier made quick work of the Midwest League, rose to the Cal League in late June, and didn't miss a beat. His 1.39 ERA overall was best in the minors this season and the lowest since Justin Verlander pitched to a 1.29 mark in 2005.

 

Duplantier kept hitters guessing with a well-rounded arsenal that included a 92-94 mph fastball with sink, a slider and curveball that each earned future above-average grades and a changeup he didn't use much but still flashed plus. He tied it all together with excellent control, advanced feel to pitch and poise on the mound.

 

"He's really good," Stockton manager Rick Magnante said. "He does it easily. He pitches at the knees, his fastball's got some late life and his slider at times is hellacious. He's a big, strong, physical guy, very poised, unflappable out there. He's your prototypical major league righthanded starter."

 

Importantly, Duplantier pitched 136 innings without issue after he was hampered by a shoulder injury in college and an elbow issue after signing in 2016. He held up strong to the end with a 0.90 ERA over his final six starts.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 2 1.56 12 12 0 63 46 13 11 2 27 87 .204

 

 

7. Yadier Alvarez, RHP, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) |

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Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 175 Signed: Cuba, 2015

 

Alvarez was not overly successful in the Cal League and struggled with his control after a promotion to Double-A but showed enough of a foundation that many still view him highly.

 

Alvarez is strong, athletic and throws a 95-99 mph fastball with remarkable ease, and he flashed a swing-and-miss 86-88 slider he buried against righthanded batters.

"The fastball velocity is there, the breaking pitches are there, it's just a matter of him continuing to develop those pitches," Lancaster manager Fred Ocasio said. "Once he figures those out, he's going to be pretty good."

 

Alvarez has poor command of his fastball, lacks feel for his 87-90 mph changeup and struggles landing his slider in the strike zone. Those issues resulted in a walk rate of 4.9 per nine innings and ran up his pitch counts to the point he failed to reach five innings in 13 of his 21 outings.

 

Most evaluators project Alvarez as a high-leverage reliever rather than a starter because of those limitations.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

2 4 5.31 14 11 1 59 61 40 35 3 25 61 .263

 

 

8. Yusniel Diaz, OF, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 195 Signed: Cuba, 2015

 

Diaz returned to the Cal League for the second straight season and went on a tear that resulted in a promotion to Double-A in July.

 

Diaz always possessed alluring tools but began turning them into production this year, particularly at the plate. After limiting his pre-pitch movement and toning down his leg kick in mid-May, he hit .304/.357/.486 in 52 games up to his promotion and .333 with an .881 OPS in Double-A.

 

"He was another consistent force in that Rancho Cucamonga lineup filled with guys who could hit home runs," Inland Empire manager Chad Tracy said. "He got on base a ton. He was consistent for them. It was a very dangerous lineup to go through and he was a part of that."

 

Diaz remains raw in his outfield routes and decision-making, resulting in occasional drops, communication breakdowns or throws to the wrong base. He is a hard worker with good makeup and is expected to fix those issues with experience. As long as he does, Diaz projects best in right field as a potentially average defender with a plus arm but has the above-average speed to handle center as needed.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

331 42 92 15 3 8 39 35 73 7 9 .278 .343 .414

 

 

9. Jahmai Jones, OF, Inland Empire (Angels) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht: 6-0 Wt.: 215 Drafted: HS—Norcross, Ga., 2015 (2)

 

Promoted to the Cal League on July 20, Jones made a big impression in a short time. Regarded as a tooled-up player who was raw at the plate, he hit .302 and put together a best-in-the-league 25-game hitting streak.

 

Jones features a quick bat and above-average raw power, and his legendary work ethic allowed him to turn those tools into production this year. He flashed plus-plus run times and advanced instincts on delayed steals, curveball reads and timing pitchers en route to 27 stolen bases on the year.

 

Add in plus defense in center field with elite athleticism and a solid-average arm, plus natural leadership qualities that have long earned rave reviews, and Jones cemented himself as a top prospect with his run through the league.

 

"He makes the game look easy defensively . . . and offensively he impacts the baseball," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said. "It's going to be doubles over anything, but he knows who he is and he tries to get on base and terrorize you with stolen bases. I like him a lot. He can be a special guy some day."

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

172 32 52 11 3 5 17 13 43 9 6 .302 .368 .488

 

 

10. D.J. Peters, OF, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) |

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Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-6 Wt.: 225 Drafted: Western Nevada JC, 2016 (4)

 

In an age where the three true outcomes are becoming more prevalent, Peters fits the mold. He finished third in the league in home runs (27), second in walks (64) and second in strikeouts (189) and earned the Cal League MVP award.

 

The best power prospect in the league, Peters doesn't often chase out of the zone and punishes mistakes out over the plate with plus power that plays in any park. He is vulnerable to above-average velocity on the inner half and in the upper quadrants of the strike zone, making him a probable low-average hitter.

 

"At any given moment he could hit the ball a long ways out of the park," Modesto manager Mitch Canham said. "He swings real hard and there is stuff he's missing, but every time he connects the ball comes off the bat extremely fast."

 

Peters is an excellent athlete for his size and an able defender in center field, though most project him to right because he is an average runner. He has a plus arm that yielded 11 assists on the season.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

504 91 139 29 5 27 82 64 189 3 3 .276 .372 .514

 

 

11. Nick Neidert, RHP, Modesto (Mariners) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 180 Drafted: HS—Suwanee, Ga., 2015 (2)

 

The Mariners approached Neidert in the offseason and told him they needed to see more strikeouts. He said "OK" and went out and did it. With supreme control and pitchability, Neidert upped his strikeout rate from 6.8 per nine innings to 9.4 and earned a promotion to Double-A. He won the Cal League pitcher of the year award despite not qualifying for the league ERA title.

 

Neidert sits 91-93 mph with his fastball, but it plays up with carry through the zone due to a late hop in his delivery. He commands it impeccably and backs it up with a changeup that flashed plus and an average-to-above slider, all with the best control in the league.

 

"He's very aggressive—he comes after the hitters," Lake Elsinore manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "When you have that in combination with a powerful arm, with a feel for the secondary pitches, you can pitch in any league."

 

Neidert doesn't have much physical projection left and his pure stuff is a tad short for some evaluators, but most are optimistic he'll carve out a long career as a solid rotation member.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

10 3 2.76 19 19 0 104 95 33 32 7 17 109 .244

 

 

12. Peter Lambert, RHP, Lancaster (Rockies) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 185 Drafted: HS—San Dimas, Calif., 2015 (2)

 

Few 20-year-olds handle pitching in Lancaster well, but Lambert was one of them.

 

The Southern California high school product sat 91-94 mph with his fastball, showed advanced feel for a potential plus changeup in the mid-80s and flashed a plus 78-82 curveball with a hard, late drop. With that arsenal and a fearless, competitive edge noted by evaluators, Lambert finished in the top five in the Cal League in WHIP (third), ERA (fourth), opponent average (fourth), innings (fourth) and strikeouts (fifth) despite his notoriously hitter-friendly home park.

 

"I was most impressed by how advanced he is for how young he is," Stockton manager Rick Magnante said. "He's very advanced for how old he is, and he has some physicality. He's not going to be who he is at 25 or 26, and with his physicality and fearlessness, he's got a lot of growth left that could make him even better."

 

Lambert's fastball command gets away from him at times, but he tends to keep battling. Shoring that up and increasing the consistency of his secondary offerings are his next steps.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

9 8 4.17 26 26 0 142 147 75 18 18 30 131 .267

 

 

13. Sean Murphy, C, Stockton (Athletics) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 215 Drafted: Wright State, 2016 (3)

 

Murphy was known primarily for his cannon arm and general defensive excellence coming into the season. He quickly established himself as an offensive threat, too.

 

The physical, muscular Murphy bashed 11 doubles and nine homers in 45 games before being promoted. Primarily a pull hitter at the start, he worked at staying up the middle of the field and began flashing all-fields power with limited swing-and-miss toward the end of his time in the Cal League. He demonstrated both solid hand-eye coordination and feel for the barrel.

 

"Being able to handle a pitching staff—especially some of the guys he had there—and then also swing the bat as a catcher, that's a great thing to have," Modesto manager Mitch Canham said. "I watched him hit one out to all parts of the field. He uses what the pitchers give him, puts the barrel to the ball."

 

Murphy also earned positive reviews for his game-calling and solid-average receiving and blocking. He used a plus-plus arm to throw out 33 percent of basestealers before opponents just stopped running on him, with just 46 attempts in Murphy's 91 games behind the plate.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

165 22 49 11 0 9 26 11 33 0 0 .297 .343 .527

 

 

14. Jaime Barria, RHP, Inland Empire (Angels)

 

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Age: 21 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 210 Signed: Panama, 2013

 

Barria entered the season known as an advanced pitchability righthander whose upside was limited, but he added two ticks of velocity across the board and is now seen as a strong rotation candidate.

 

Barria now works 91-94 mph with his fastball and commands it masterfully. His mid-80s changeup is his out pitch with a chance to be plus at maturity, and his low 80s curveball is a developing weapon. Where Barria stands out most is for his feel to pitch, preparation and habit of turning up his game a notch in big situations.

 

Those attributes helped Barria not only master the Cal League with a 2.48 ERA but excel at Double-A (3.21 ERA in 12 starts) and reach Triple-A by the end of the year. He is in position to ascend to Angels rotation by the time he turns 22 next summer.

 

"He controlled the zone and was able to get his fastball and offspeed over for strikes, but the thing that really stood out was the aggressiveness and tempo on the mound," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said. "I was (glad) when he got promoted to Double-A, because that guy was tough."

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

4 3 2.48 11 11 0 142 121 52 44 14 31 117 .227

 

 

15. Logan Allen, LHP, Lake Elsinore (Padres) |

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Age: 20 B-T: R-L Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 200 Drafted: HS—Bradenton, Fla., 2015 (8/Red Sox)

 

Allen entered the Lake Elsinore rotation in July after the promotions of Cal Quantrill, Eric Lauer and Joey Lucchesi to Double-A and delivered similarly strong performance. He pitched to a 2.78 ERA over his first 10 outings in the league before a poor final start inflated his numbers.

 

Allen is still learning to be consistent but flashes promising stuff for a young lefthander. At his best Allen will sit 93-94 mph with his fastball and flash a power breaking ball and a plus changeup. At others he will sit 89-92 mph with a slurvy breaking ball and an average changeup.

 

Allen maintains aggressiveness with his fastball, has solid control and a mature feel to pitch, allowing him to succeed even when he doesn't have his best stuff.

 

Allen's fastball command is still improving and some would like to see him pitch inside with it more. His release point on his breaking ball remains inconsistent, thus the wide gap in the quality of the pitch from game to game. Those improvements are expected to come with time.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

2 5 3.97 11 10 0 57 60 29 25 2 18 57 .271

 

 

16. Joey Lucchesi, LHP, Lake Elsinore (Padres) |

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Age: 24 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 204 Drafted: Southeast Missouri State, 2016 (4)

 

Some lefties rely on deception. Others rely on stuff. Lucchesi has the potent mix of both.

 

With a funky but athletic delivery that features multiple stops and starts, Lucchesi made it nearly impossible for hitters to time him. That deception, combined with a 90-94 mph fastball, an upper-70s curveball with hard downward bite and a low-80s changeup he can cut, made Lucchesi one of the Cal League's most effective starters before a promotion to Double-A.

 

"We couldn't hit the damn guy," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said. "There's a tremendous amount of deception. It's just a very funky (arm) stroke and the way the pitch characteristics are, it's not something you see every day."

 

Lucchesi pitches with a chip on his shoulder and is aggressive in the zone, further endearing him to evaluators. He also shuts down running games with one of the best pickoff moves in the minors. More advanced hitters may not be as fooled by Lucchesi's delivery, but he has the stuff, control and mentality to be a quality back-end starter anyway.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 4 2.52 14 14 0 79 56 26 22 9 19 95 .194

 

 

17. Will Smith, C, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 192 Drafted: Louisville, 2016 (1)

 

A former middle infielder with excellent athleticism, Smith showed top-notch reflexes, flexibility and footwork behind the plate at Rancho Cucamonga. The result was plus framing and blocking, consistent sub-1.95 pop times on throws to second base and the ability to handle both explosive velocity and quality breaking stuff from a talented staff.

 

Managers named Smith the best defensive catcher in the league, and some observers consider him one of the best defensive catching prospects in the minors with his physical attributes and leadership qualities.

 

"He's a presence on the field," Lake Elsinore manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "He manages his pitching staff very well, he positions his infielders very well, and he calls a very good game. He's physically strong—a very good athlete. But that presence on field, that's very important the position he's at, and he has that."

 

At the plate Smith showed strong strike-zone awareness and sneaky pop, but overall grades as a fringe-average hitter due to his lack of natural hitting instincts and inconsistent feel for the barrel. Still, evaluators believe he will hit just enough to be an everyday catcher.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

250 38 58 15 3 11 43 37 71 6 2 .232 .355 .448

 

 

18. Josh Naylor, 1B, Lake Elsinore (Padres) |

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Age: 20 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 225 Drafted: HS—Mississauga, Ont., 2015 (1/Marlins)

 

Naylor got off to a fast start with five home runs in April before an Eric Lauer pickoff throw struck him in the face and broke his right cheekbone. While Naylor never quite rediscovered his power stroke after that, he hit well enough to earn a promotion to Double-A and showed respectably there against older competition.

 

The hefty Naylor is still learning to translate his big raw power into game power, but he showed the bat speed to get to any fastball, strong strike-zone discipline and a knack for contact most believe are a strong foundation for him to eventually get to his power.

 

Managers also singled him out as the Cal League's best defensive first baseman for his above-average arm, good hands picking balls out of the dirt and improving footwork.

 

"He's a good player," Lancaster manager Fred Ocasio said. "He's got some power and is a pretty good hitter. Eventually the more at-bats he gets the better he's going to get. He's very smooth at first base. You can tell he feels very comfortable playing the position."

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

283 41 84 16 2 8 45 27 48 7 1 .297 .361 .452

 

 

19. Bryan Reynolds, OF, San Jose (Giants) |

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Age: 22 B-T: B-R Ht.: 6-3 Wt.: 205 Drafted: Vanderbilt, 2016 (2)

 

Tooled up with enviable athleticism, Reynolds also showed improved hitting ability en route to finishing fifth in the Cal League with a .312 batting average. The switch-hitter had hit streaks of 11 and 17 games, and produced from both the left (.295, .805 OPS) and right (.365, .896 OPS) sides of the plate.

 

Reynolds flashed above-average run times and plus raw power, but he has yet to turn those tools into production. He hit just 10 home runs and stole five bases. He is a solid-average defensive outfielder capable of playing center field but is better suited for a corner.

 

"He's got all the ability in the world, just has some fine-tuning to go," Visalia manager Shelley Duncan said. "All of Reynolds' stuff is kind of hidden in there. He shows glimpses of it, but the consistency isn't there yet."

 

Reynolds is an upside play with the possibility he never gets the most out of his raw power or speed, but evaluators generally see enough ability and athleticism to project an everyday outfielder.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

491 72 153 26 9 10 63 37 106 5 3 .312 .364 .462

 

 

20. Garrett Hampson, 2B/SS, Lancaster (Rockies) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht:. 5-11 Wt.: 185 Drafted: Long Beach State, 2016 (3)

 

Few players in the minors were as disruptive as Hampson. Undersized but twitchy, he created havoc on the basepaths with his plus-plus speed, had the bat control to alternately lay down a bunt for a hit or drive a 98 mph fastball into the gap, and he made highlight-reel plays in the middle infield throughout the year.

 

Hampson led the minors with 113 runs scored, finished fourth with 51 stolen bases, hit .300 even away from Lancaster and showed himself to be a plus defender with some of the best hands in the league at second base, with the ability to fill in at shortstop ably.

 

"He's a little bit of a nightmare on the opposing side," Inland Empire manager Chad Tracy said. "He stole quite a few hits from us. And he's just a pest, but not like the typical pest who will foul some stuff off and hit a single. You make a mistake and he'll drive it into the right-center field gap for a double."

 

Hampson's upside is limited by his below-average power potential, but his speed, up-the-middle defense and bat-to-ball skills will be enough to carry him to the majors for most evaluators.

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2017-california-league-top-20-prospects/#v7tuhB9YZKEt2yiY.99

 

Keibert Ruiz getting some love.

[jays4life19]

Anyone want me to post a particular league top 20 today?

[P2F]

Anyone want me to post a particular league top 20 today?

 

Do the IL.

[jays4life19]

Do the IL.

 

Sure. I'll have it posted exactly at 12.56

[Daniel Labude]

Edited September 29, 2017 by Deadpool

[jays4life19]

Do the IL.

 

 

1. Ronald Acuna, OF, Gwinnett (Braves) |

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BravesAge: 19 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 180 Signed: Venezuela, 2014

 

Acuna began the year in high Class A before pushing all the way to Gwinnett and getting better at every level. He has a mature hitting approach, tantalizing tools and all-star potential.

 

Acuna's bat speed is elite, which will produce above-average power or better. He has excellent feel to hit and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. More power could come as Acuna continues to develop physically, with 30 home runs a possibility.

 

On top of that, Acuna is currently a plus-plus runner, though he needs to become a more efficient basestealer and improve his decision-making on throws. He has plus arm strength from center field, and evaluators have pegged him as an above-average to plus defender.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

221 38 76 14 2 9 33 17 48 11 6 .344 .393 .548

 

 

 

2. Yoan Moncada, 2B, Charlotte (White Sox) |

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3ds_whitesox85Age: 22 B-T: B-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 205 Signed: Cuba, 2015 (Red Sox)

 

Moncada showed power, patience and speed at Charlotte in his first year in the White Sox system. While that sort of offense had not fully translated to the big league level following his July 19 callup, he has some of the best tools in baseball.

 

Moncada's primary issue moving forward will be one of makeup and mindset. Multiple evaluators questioned his mentality and effort level, noting lackadaisical play and preparation. While he has plus power and speed, his ability to hit for average is an open question. Moncada's strikeout rate surged this season, and some scouts don't like the switch-hitter's swing from the right side.

 

Scouts were impressed with Moncada's defensive progress at second base, noting his improving his actions and instincts.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

309 57 87 9 3 12 36 49 102 17 8 .282 .377 .447

 

 

3. Rhys Hoskins, 1B/OF, Lehigh Valley (Phillies) |

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Age: 24 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 225 Drafted: Sacramento State, 2014 (5)

 

A year after cracking 38 home runs in Double-A, Hoskins continued to rake as the IL's top power hitter. He was leading the league with 29 home runs when the Phillies called him up on Aug. 10 and finished as the IL leader for on-base percentage (.385), slugging (.581) and RBIs (91). In the majors, he became the fastest player ever to reach 10 homers—just 17 games.

 

Evaluators were impressed with Hoskins' approach at the plate, both in terms of feel for the strike zone—a career low 16 percent strikeouts—and ability to make adjustments. The advanced timing in his load alleviated previous concerns he would only be a mistake hitter. His power should play as plus-plus because he drives the ball to all fields.

 

Cited as being anywhere from adequate to a good defender at first base, Hoskins lacks the fluidity and athleticism to be an impact glove at his natural position or in left field.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

401 78 114 24 4 29 91 64 75 4 2 .284 .385 .581

 

 

4. Brent Honeywell, RHP, Durham (Rays) |

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3ds_rays5Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 180 Drafted: Walters State (Tenn.) JC, 2014 (2s)

 

Honeywell used a five-pitch mix to great success in his first stint at Triple-A. He ran up a 4.91 ERA through his first 12 starts but lowered that to 2.35 in his final 12 starts as he focused on getting a more consistent release point and better extension on his fastball.

 

Honeywell sits 92-93 mph and hits 96 with his fastball and backs it up with a wide array of secondary weapons. Known for his screwball, he throws the pitch just a few times per game and instead uses a plus changeup as his go-to secondary. He can throw it in any count, whether for called strikes on the black or for chases out of the zone.

 

Honeywell has two breaking balls: a slider with potential to be an out pitch and an early-count curveball. Honeywell profiles as a No. 3 starter or perhaps better if he can improve his pacing and hold his velocity deeper into games.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

12 8 3.64 24 24 0 124 130 55 50 11 31 152 .268

 

 

5. Willy Adames, SS, Durham (Rays) |

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3ds_rays5Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 200 Signed: Dominican Republic, 2012 (Tigers)

 

Adames advanced to Triple-A and produced a near carbon copy of his 2016 season in Double-A, with similar rates for strikeouts, walks and power production.

 

Adames got out of the gate cold by hitting .230 with a .653 OPS through May before shortening his stance to avoid lunging. From June 1 to the end, he hit .303/.389/.455 with eight of his 10 home runs. Adames doesn't stand out for his power or speed—both are fringe-average to average—but his hitting approach and defensive ability should allow him to be a dynamic player.

 

The best defensive shortstop with the best infield arm in the IL, Adames will be a plus defender in the majors, according to evaluators. His arm flashes plus and his infield actions and coachability are separators.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

506 74 140 30 5 10 62 65 132 11 5 .277 .360 .415

 

 

6. Ozzie Albies, 2B/SS, Gwinnett (Braves) |

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BravesAge: 20 B-T: B-R Ht.: 5-9 Wt.: 160 Signed: Curacao, 2014

 

Albies made positive defensive strides at second base while showing that his poor first look at Triple-A last season probably was a case of growing pains. He earned his first big league callup in August.

 

The switch-hitting Albies excelled as a righthanded batter (.970 OPS, 12 percent strikeouts) but faces serious questions about his lefthanded swing (.707, 20 percent) in a performance trend that has held steady in his career. Still, IL managers were bullish on his batting potential and think he's young enough to figure out the holes in his swing. Some believe he could grow into average power while being a menace on the basepaths.

 

A plus runner, Albies stole 21 bases at a 91 percent success rate in the IL for his most efficient season yet. At second base he shows the above-average arm, plus quickness and plus range to be a plus defender.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

411 67 117 21 8 9 41 28 90 21 2 .285 .330 .440

 

 

7. Bradley Zimmer, OF, Columbus (Indians) |

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Age: 24 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 220 Drafted: San Francisco, 2014 (1)

 

Zimmer slugged just .308 in the IL in 2016 during a 37-game trial, but he bounced back with Columbus this year to earn a callup to the Indians in mid-May.

 

Zimmer made more contact this season to enable him to tap into his power, but because of a hitch in his load, he probably will strike out frequently (30 percent this season) and be a below-average hitter. He does most of his damage versus righthanders and offers little power in same-side matchups.

 

Zimmer offers significant value as a plus-plus defender in center field and as a plus-plus runner—he went 27-for-31 on stolen bases attempts between Triple-A and the majors—giving him a high floor as at least a strong-side platoon player.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

126 22 37 11 2 5 14 14 43 9 3 .294 .371 .532

 

 

8. Scott Kingery, 2B, Lehigh Valley (Phillies) |

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Age: 23 B-T: R-R Ht.: 5-10 Wt.: 180 Drafted: Arizona, 2015 (2)

 

Kingery was the most impressive pure hitter in the IL for some managers, and while his short, compact stroke and high average was not surprising, his power production certainly was.

 

Kingery hit 26 home runs between Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley, blowing away his previous full-season high of five in 2016. Going to a homer-friendly park in Philadelphia will help him maintain his power gains and have at least average power. Managers rave about Kingery's baseball IQ. He's a smart and proficient baserunner, has great defensive instincts and a good approach at the plate, though he could stand to draw more walks.

 

Some evaluators give Kingery a chance to be a plus defensive second baseman, while others say solid-average, but his offensive potential could make him an impact player.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

265 41 78 11 3 8 21 13 58 10 2 .294 .337 .449

 

 

9. Chance Adams, RHP, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees) |

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Age: 23 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 210 Drafted: Dallas Baptist, 2015 (5)

 

Adams continued to show advanced feel for a four-pitch mix during his first stint at Triple-A, where his transition from college reliever to pro starter successfully continued. He threw a career high 150.1 innings this season, only adding to his case as a high-probability mid-rotation starter.

 

Adams uses a fastball that ranges from 91-95 mph and has good movement, a short, downward-breaking curveball and a firm slider that he frequently buries and can use as an out pitch. Additionally, he's shown feel for a changeup with some armside fade.

 

One evaluator said that between Adams' four offerings, he has a chance for three above-average pitches with above-average control. Another was impressed with how well he held his stuff and delivery during the season. He drew comparisons with Bud Norris and Jordan Zimmermann.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

11 5 2.89 21 21 0 115 81 39 37 9 43 103 .197

 

 

10. J.P. Crawford, SS, Lehigh Valley (Phillies) |

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Age: 22 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 180 Drafted: HS—Lakewood, Calif., 2013 (1)

 

Crawford started the season so poorly, hitting .194 with a .565 OPS through 56 games, that the Phillies game him a 10-day mental break. The plan worked. From June 20 onward he hit .280/.381/.522 in the IL with 13 of his 15 home runs. He made his big league debut on Sept. 5.

 

Managers and scouts alike noticed poor defense and body language from Crawford during the first half, which seemed to stem from his prolonged batting slump. An above-average defender at shortstop with an above-average arm, he committed 12 errors through his first 66 games but just five through his last 61, which included time at second and third base in August.

 

Crawford is an above-average hitter and runner, and though his power is just fringe-average, his plate discipline is a separator, as indicated by a league-leading 79 walks. He draws nearly as many walks as strikeouts and has a career .367 on-base percentage in the minors.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

474 75 115 20 6 15 63 79 97 5 4 .243 .351 .548

 

 

11. Sean Newcomb, LHP, Gwinnett (Braves) |

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BravesAge: 24 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-5 Wt.: 255 Drafted: Hartford, 2014 (1/Angels)

 

The Braves called up Newcomb on June 10 after he struck out 11.5 batters per nine innings through 11 IL starts. He continued to miss bats—and hand out walks—in Atlanta.

 

IL evaluators were impressed with Newcomb's 94-97 mph fastball and 78-82 curveball—cited by most as plus pitches—and one manager said the control he showed against his team was better than the numbers would suggest. One scout even evoked the name Jon Lester as a high-end comparison.

 

Newcomb's future hinges on improving his well below-average control as well as the development of his changeup, which showed flashes of promise in the IL and induced myriad swings and misses in the majors. A future as a high-leverage reliever is possible if he doesn't improve in these areas.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

3 3 2.97 11 11 0 58 45 23 19 3 33 74 .212

 

 

12. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Indianapolis (Pirates) |

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3ds_pirates81Age: 24 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-8 Wt.: 220 Drafted: HS—Santa Clarita, Calif., 2011 (5)

 

Few prospects polarize scouts like Glasnow, who has two power weapons to perplex IL competition—he ranked third with 140 strikeouts in just 15 starts—but enough rough edges to run up a 7.45 ERA in 12 big league starts this year before the Pirates demoted him on June 15.

 

Glasnow sits 96-100 mph with his fastball and pairs it with a devastating 80-83 curveball along with a well below-average 90-92 changeup. Despite big stuff, he has been hit hard at the big league level over parts of two seasons because he lacks command.

 

The 6-foot-8 Glasnow struggles to consistently repeat his mechanics, a career-long concern, and if he isn't able to streamline his delivery, he is likely destined for the bullpen.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

9 2 1.93 15 15 0 93 57 21 20 6 32 140 .176

 

 

13. Lucas Giolito, RHP, Charlotte (White Sox) |

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image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_whitesox85.jpg

3ds_whitesox85Age: 23 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-6 Wt.: 255 Drafted: HS—Los Angeles, 2014 (1/Nationals)

 

Giolito continues to frustrate evaluators because he routinely flashes up to three plus pitches and seems to have his control and delivery figured out—only to lapse and lose the strike zone during his next outing. The inconsistency is particularly jarring for a ballyhooed first-rounder like Giolito, but he did rank fourth in IL this season with 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

 

Giolito's pitched more in the low 90s this season than the mid- to upper-90s of the past. He mixed in a low- to mid-80s slider, mid- to upper-70s curveball and a changeup that flashed above-average.

 

Several evaluators said that the lower fastball velocity allowed Giolito to get a better feel for commanding the pitch, and a more simplified delivery could help as well. Still others question his athleticism and ability to consistently repeat his mechanics at 6-foot-6 and wonder if he'd be better suited to a bullpen role.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 10 4.48 24 24 0 129 122 66 64 17 59 134 .253

 

 

14. Jacob Faria, RHP, Durham (Rays) |

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image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/3ds_rays5.jpg

3ds_rays5Age: 24 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-4 Wt.: 235 Drafted: HS—Cerritos, Calif., 2011 (10)

 

Faria earned his first big league callup after 11 starts with Durham, where he pitched off of an impressive fastball-changeup combination to great success.

 

Faria's stuff isn't overpowering. He sits 92-94 mph with his fastball and throws a pair of fringe-average breaking balls and a plus changeup in the low 80s that is his separator. His changeup baffles even big league batters, who can't touch the pitcher whether in the zone or not. Faria also tinkered with an upper-80s cutter that showed promise during his time with Durham.

 

Most evaluators peg Faria as a future No. 4 starter, but he's shown a habit of out-pitching his expectations and peripherals based on his deception and feel for sequencing.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

6 1 3.07 11 11 0 59 44 23 20 7 22 84 .204

 

 

15. Miguel Andujar, 3B, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees) |

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Age: 22 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 215 Signed: Dominican Republic, 2011

 

Andujar began the season at Double-A Trenton before earning a promotion to the IL on June 19. At both stops he produced power while also making frequent contact.

 

Andujar drew rave reviews from managers and scouts for his uncanny ability to barrel baseballs with authority as well as his energetic nature on the field. He hit all nine of his Scranton home runs to his pull side, but he uses the off field enough to develop an above-average hit tool. His bat speed and natural strength suggest he will develop home run power to the opposite field in time.

 

Scouts are mixed on Andujar's ability to stay in the dirt, with some projecting him to a corner outfield spot. He has a plus arm, quick-twitch actions and a strong work ethic at third base, but below-average footwork and hard hands could be too much to overcome.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

227 36 72 13 1 9 30 17 33 3 0 .317 .364 .502

 

 

16. Clint Frazier, OF, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees) |

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Age: 23 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 190 Drafted: HS—Loganville, Ga., 2013 (1/Indians)

 

The Yankees acquired Frazier in July 2016 when they sent Andrew Miller to the Indians. He appeared in the IL for a month last season but made big strides this year by improving his walk and strikeout rates on his way to a callup to New York on July 1.

 

With plus bat speed, Frazier delivered power in Triple-A and the majors this season, but some evaluators think he always will pair home runs with strikeouts and low batting averages because of a limiting, rigid swing. With sufficient pitch recognition, though, he can be an impact power hitter.

 

An above-average runner with a plus arm, Frazier has the tools to turn into an above-average defender in either outfield corner, with the versatility to play center if needed.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

273 46 70 19 2 12 42 37 69 9 2 .256 .344 .473

 

 

17. Dustin Fowler, OF, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees)

 

image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/3090.png

Age: 22 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-0 Wt.: 195 Drafted: HS—Dexter, Ga., 2013 (18)

 

Fowler turned in his best season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to earn a callup to New York on June 29—but that's where the good news would end. Before he could step to the plate for the first time, he suffered a season-ending knee injury after running into a wall in foul territory in the first inning. The Yankees traded him a month later to the Athletics as part of the price for Sonny Gray.

 

One scout said Fowler has a chance to be "Kiermaier lite" defensively, referencing the Rays' two-time Gold Glove center fielder Kevin Kiermaier. His arm is below-average.

Fowler has good barrel control and above-average speed but doesn't walk much. He hit a career-high 13 home runs in the IL but is more of a gap hitter who racks up extra bases and stolen bases with his wheels.

 

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG

297 49 87 19 8 13 43 15 63 13 5 .293 .329 .542

 

 

18. Lucas Sims, RHP, Gwinnett (Braves) |

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BravesAge: 23 B-T: R-R Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 220 Drafted: HS—Snellville, Ga., 2012 (1)

 

After walking 6.6 batters per nine innings during his first Triple-A stop last year, Sims cut that rate to 2.8 this year while striking out 10.3 per nine and posting a 3.75 ERA to earn his first big league callup on Aug. 1. Hit hard as a starter in Atlanta, Sims moved to the bullpen after running up a 5.73 ERA and .293 opponent average.

 

Sims still has a chance to start but faces questions about how well his fastball—which sits in the low 90s—will play at the big league level without steps forward from his other offerings. He throws a firm upper-80s slider/cutter, an upper-70s curveball with little depth but late break and a mid-80s changeup that needs work.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

7 4 3.75 20 19 0 115 95 49 48 19 36 132 .224

 

 

19. Jake Bauers, OF/1B, Durham (Rays) |

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3ds_rays5Age: 21 B-T: L-L Ht.: 6-1 Wt.: 195 Drafted: HS—Huntington Beach, Calif., 2013 (7/Padres)

 

A gifted young hitter who advanced to Double-A as a 19-year-old in 2015, Bauers remained one of the youngest players in his league this year in the IL. Scouts rave about his swing and approach in the box, and he ranked second in the IL with 78 walks and fifth in on-base percentage (.368).

 

Bauers has yet to tap into his above-average raw power consistently—which he'll need to do as a corner player—but he continues to walk at a high rate and has no trouble driving the ball to all fields. He could mature into a plus hitter with above-average power.

 

A natural first baseman, Bauers has good footwork and soft hands around the bag. The Rays were grooming him as a corner outfielder because he's an average runner—he stole 20 out of 23 bases this year—and good athlete without huge raw power. Scouts assessed Bauers' outfield play as below-average to abysmal, but Durham manager Jared Sandberg said he made progress during the season. The Rays put him back at first after trading Casey Gillaspie at midseason.

 

W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG

12 8 3.64 24 24 0 124 130 55 50 11 31 152 .268

 

 

20. Chance Sisco, C, Norfolk (Orioles) |

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Baltimore OriolesAge: 22 B-T: L-R Ht.: 6-2 Wt.: 195 Drafted: HS—Corona, Calif., 2013 (2)

 

Sisco hit a career-high seven home runs but a career-low .267 in the IL while continuing to progress as a catcher, where he caught 94 games, good for another career high. The Orioles called up their top-rated prospect in September.

 

Some evaluators say Sisco's blocking and receiving have improved behind the plate, but his throwing is still below-average. He threw out just 23 percent of basestealers this season, the worst rate among qualified IL catchers, and will need to improve his footwork and release on throws. Orioles officials noted improved throwing in the second half prior to his big league promotion.

 

Sisco has a chance to be a solid offensive catcher—he's a career .311 hitter in the minors—in a league where most catchers don't hit. When he's locked in, he can hit good velocity where it's pitched, but he'll need to avoid slipping into a grip-it-and-rip-it pull approach that surfaced at times this season. Sisco shows good power to all fields and scouts are convinced home runs will come later.

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2017-international-league-top-20-prospects/#yg7tItFQ04RoYESX.99

[jays4life19]

I feel like Jaysfan4ever with these walls of text.

[Spanky__99]

 

Hey, that's you asking the question, lol.