Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[Daniel Labude]

Every highlight I'm seeing of Gabriel Moreno leaves me kind of disappointed. I'm not seeing a lot of power from him.

 

Not a ton of power or EV. He just sprays BABIP hits around the field.

 

That said, I don't mind this, when he's defensive is reportedly so good. From what's been reported, you'll get more potential in him than Kirk or Jansen, regardless of a perceived power limit.

 

Moreno the singles king.

 

Both him and Groshans have been extremely disappointing in terms of extra base power. Although Groshans has been injured a lot

 

The power will come for Moreno, or at least start showing. He hit 8 HRs and 18 extra base hits in 126 ABs at AA. The broken thumb and missed time has sapped that power at the moment, but he hits the ball hard. The power should start coming through for Moreno more as the season goes on and he gets back to where he was

[Dagagad]

Nowhere near enough at bats for Moreno after his injury at triple A to say anything about his power.

[Jimcanuck]

$13.50 a month to be a prospectslive patreon, gotta be kidding

[Spanky__99]

$13.50 a month to be a prospectslive patreon, gotta be kidding

 

lol... I was going to sign up thinking that was a year sub.

[Dagagad]

$13.50 a month to be a prospectslive patreon, gotta be kidding

 

Maybe worth it if you are in a super deep dynasty league. I wonder how much eno sarris makes at the athletic because he is by far the most useful fantasy guy out there. He could make a ton on patreon if he went out on his own.

[Dagagad]

Adrian Hernandez with yet another clean two strikeout inning in relief for buffalo.

[Laika]

Maybe worth it if you are in a super deep dynasty league. I wonder how much eno sarris makes at the athletic because he is by far the most useful fantasy guy out there. He could make a ton on patreon if he went out on his own.

 

I doubt it.

 

Eno is awesome (best in the biz) but he's comfy at the athletic and basically nobody can make good money as a solo sabr writer

[saskjayfan]

Why don't we DFA Zimmer and give Taylor a look. He has speed for days, Teo can play center for the one day a week Springer needs to DH and Taylor can play the corner outfield spots. He may well be able to play center.

 

[Laika]

I don't think Taylor really helps

 

They should just play Vinny Capra more at this point

[glory]

Why don't we DFA Zimmer and give Taylor a look. He has speed for days, Teo can play center for the one day a week Springer needs to DH and Taylor can play the corner outfield spots. He may well be able to play center.

 

 

Agreed about Taylor, but I think it’s Tapia that needs the DFA. Zimmer at least is a great defensive CF with speed. That is useful as a 5th OF. Tapia literally has no redeeming quality as a player, but as long as he’s on the roster he’s going to get 600 PA because Charlie, so that’s the move to make. If the front office is not high on Taylor then replace him with Warmoth. Or hell anyone at this point.

[Laika]

Agreed about Taylor, but I think it’s Tapia that needs the DFA. Zimmer at least is a great defensive CF with speed. That is useful as a 5th OF. Tapia literally has no redeeming quality as a player, but as long as he’s on the roster he’s going to get 600 PA because Charlie, so that’s the move to make. If the front office is not high on Taylor then replace him with Warmoth. Or hell anyone at this point.

 

Tapia can make contact with the baseball

 

Zimmer hits like a 14 year old who just got called up to the majors straight from his middle school travel team.

[THANOS]

Tapia can make contact with the baseball

 

Zimmer hits like a 14 year old who just got called up to the majors straight from his middle school travel team.

 

I'd rather try Logan Warmoth. He's looking fantastic in AAA so far, is older, and more likely to not be anything, so easier to cut if he comes up and sucks.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/logan-warmoth/sa3004813/stats?position=2B/SS

 

Splits:

.308/.443/.500

 

15.5% K Rate and more BBs than K's.

[z3r0s]

I honestly didn't even know he had switched to the OF

[Brownie19]

I'd rather try Logan Warmoth. He's looking fantastic in AAA so far, is older, and more likely to not be anything, so easier to cut if he comes up and sucks.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/logan-warmoth/sa3004813/stats?position=2B/SS

 

Splits:

.308/.443/.500

 

15.5% K Rate and more BBs than K's.

 

How on earth does he go from a 30% K rate over his past 650+ PA's in AA/AAA to only 15% in 100 PA's this year? Swing change? Did he go to the optometrist?

[Laika]

I'd rather try Logan Warmoth. He's looking fantastic in AAA so far, is older, and more likely to not be anything, so easier to cut if he comes up and sucks.

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/logan-warmoth/sa3004813/stats?position=2B/SS

 

Splits:

.308/.443/.500

 

15.5% K Rate and more BBs than K's.

 

good call, I agree

 

him or Otto Lopez

[Terminator]

It doesn't make sense to have an entire bench full of subpar lefties. If a starter goes down, you can't platoon anything. It's just dealer's choice on whatever s***** left handed batter you want to put in.

 

So that said, Tapia at least has some mildly entertaining batted ball data he's just getting BABIP'd a little bit. Zimmer looks completely overmatched (though it is only 20+ ABs).

 

So dumping Zimmer for the likes of Carpa and Warmoth isn't the worst idea. Lopez and Samad Taylor probably could use another month but I'd consider them as well.

 

When Biggio is back he's another lefty and we also have Collins. Might not be a bad idea to option one of them too.

[Dagagad]

What’s the track record of guys who figure it out after a few years at triple A with very middling results before that?

 

I think I’d give Warmoth a try but I’m not getting my hopes up. Unless something has changed with his scouting profile.

 

A few of the recent additions to the 40man have been of the ‘disposable’ variety so maybe he would be called up in a similar way.

[Laika]

What’s the track record of guys who figure it out after a few years at triple A with very middling results before that?

 

Horrible.

[keggy]

It doesn't make sense to have an entire bench full of subpar lefties. If a starter goes down, you can't platoon anything. It's just dealer's choice on whatever s***** left handed batter you want to put in.

 

So that said, Tapia at least has some mildly entertaining batted ball data he's just getting BABIP'd a little bit. Zimmer looks completely overmatched (though it is only 20+ ABs).

 

So dumping Zimmer for the likes of Carpa and Warmoth isn't the worst idea. Lopez and Samad Taylor probably could use another month but I'd consider them as well.

 

When Biggio is back he's another lefty and we also have Collins. Might not be a bad idea to option one of them too.

 

Tapia ceiling with better luck is replacement level. A playoff team can cut Tapia and Zimmer on the same day and not lose a wink of sleep over it.

 

The team's obsession with getting Tapia 600 PA is insane. I would rather dump him today and sign a replacement level outfielder like Gardner.

[Laika]

Tapia ceiling with better luck is replacement level. A playoff team can cut Tapia and Zimmer on the same day and not lose a wink of sleep over it.

 

The team's obsession with getting Tapia 600 PA is insane. I would rather dump him today and sign a replacement level outfielder like Gardner.

 

I think his ceiling is more like 2 WAR. That's how he played in 2020.

Expected talent though is somewhere in between replacement level and 1 WAR.

[Brownie19]

Tapia ceiling with better luck is replacement level. A playoff team can cut Tapia and Zimmer on the same day and not lose a wink of sleep over it.

 

The team's obsession with getting Tapia 600 PA is insane. I would rather dump him today and sign a replacement level outfielder like Gardner.

 

I don't understand this. Tapia is the 4th OFer and on average the 4th OFer gets like 550 PA's a year. The front office traded to get Tapia as our 4th OFer, so if that constitutes their obsession, then I guess. They obviously see something in him and I can't say I blame them for not cutting bait on him yet. Are you just suggesting they should pull the plug on him as our 4th OFer and find a better option? To be honest, I'd probably rather see Gardner out there too - but I'm not sure he can do much except play LF at this stage, which limits his value as a 4th/5th OFer.

[RobinThicc]

[Jimcanuck]

Pinto slots in at #13, not bad

 

Track Record: At 5-foot-6, Pinto is typically the smallest player on the field. That didn’t deter the Rockies, who signed him for $120,000 out of Venezuela, and he was outstanding in his pro debut in 2021. Pinto had more than twice as many walks (38) as strikeouts (18) in the Dominican Summer League, ranking second in the league in both batting average (.360) and on-base percentage (.486) and fourth in slugging percentage (.543). The Blue Jays acquired him before the 2022 season along with outfielder Raimel Tapia in exchange for Randal Grichuk.

 

Scouting Report:Pinto has a small but strong, compact build. He has outstanding hand-eye coordination and a short, quick stroke, rarely swinging and missing. His ability to recognize pitches and swing at good pitches are already advanced for his age, with a short strike zone that he doesn’t often expand. Pinto is more of an on-base threat than a power threat, but he has some sneaky pop for his size and isn’t just a slap hitter. Pinto’s tools jump out as well. He’s a plus-plus runner who led the DSL with 41 stolen bases. He has a plus arm too. He he spent most of his time last year at second base, his most likely defensive home.

 

The Future: Pinto has yet to make his U.S. debut, but he’s a breakout candidate and one of the organization’s most exciting players below the full-season level.

[max silver]

 

Do you happen to have a subscription?

[Spanky__99]

Pinto slots in at #13, not bad

 

Track Record: At 5-foot-6, Pinto is typically the smallest player on the field. That didn’t deter the Rockies, who signed him for $120,000 out of Venezuela, and he was outstanding in his pro debut in 2021. Pinto had more than twice as many walks (38) as strikeouts (18) in the Dominican Summer League, ranking second in the league in both batting average (.360) and on-base percentage (.486) and fourth in slugging percentage (.543). The Blue Jays acquired him before the 2022 season along with outfielder Raimel Tapia in exchange for Randal Grichuk.

 

Scouting Report:Pinto has a small but strong, compact build. He has outstanding hand-eye coordination and a short, quick stroke, rarely swinging and missing. His ability to recognize pitches and swing at good pitches are already advanced for his age, with a short strike zone that he doesn’t often expand. Pinto is more of an on-base threat than a power threat, but he has some sneaky pop for his size and isn’t just a slap hitter. Pinto’s tools jump out as well. He’s a plus-plus runner who led the DSL with 41 stolen bases. He has a plus arm too. He he spent most of his time last year at second base, his most likely defensive home.

 

The Future: Pinto has yet to make his U.S. debut, but he’s a breakout candidate and one of the organization’s most exciting players below the full-season level.

 

Post it, Jim. Yeesh...

[MON4NHLTOR4MLB]

Such a tease...lol

[Spanky__99]

Do you happen to have a subscription?

 

Jim does, I've come to the realization that it's good for me in the offseason.

[Jimcanuck]

Such a tease...lol

 

Prospect porn is exactly that, takes you to the edge, but not over.

[Jimcanuck]

Teaser #2

 

BA Grade: 65/High

 

Track Record: Moreno had good hand-eye coordination as an amateur, but he was a lower-profile signing out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old in 2016 for $25,000. He made his debut in 2017 in the Dominican Summer League, where he struck out just five times in 135 plate appearances but also had just five extra-base hits. Moreno’s stock rose the following year in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, and swing changes helped him start to tap into more power in 2019 with Low-A Lansing to become one of the game’s better catching prospects in the lower levels. In 2021, everything was clicking for Moreno. He drew glowing reviews from scouts for his well-rounded mix of hitting ability, power, athleticism and defense while crushing Double-A pitching until he missed all of July and August due to a broken right thumb that required surgery before returning in September and playing in the Arizona Fall League.

 

Scouting Report: Moreno has an elite combination of quickness, bat speed, hitting actions and excellent contact skills. Difficult to whiff throughout his career, Moreno had just a 15% strikeout rate in 2021. His quick, efficient swing and bat-to-ball ability helps him turn around premium velocity on the inner third and counter pitchers who attack at the top of the zone with a knack for barreling those pitches. Moreno’s swing evolved during his 2019 season in Low-A to incorporate more dynamic, athletic movements, which helped him start to tap into more power at the time. The last two years, Moreno has maintained that swing while getting significantly stronger, with his higher-end exit velocities jumping from the low 100s to the 108 mph area. The result has been a more complete hitter who makes frequent contact, uses the whole field and has at least average power that he gets to in games. Moreno has always been an aggressive hitter, chasing or swinging at borderline pitches too often early in his career—and still often making contact—but he has steadily become more selective and posted a 9% walk rate in 2021. Moreno’s defense has made significant progress over the years as well. His lively athleticism helps him move well behind the plate while his arm improved to a plus tool. That along with a quick release helps him record pop times below 1.9 seconds at times, and he threw out 41% of basestealers in 2021. He also has improved his blocking and receiving, with no passed balls allowed in 29 games behind the plate in 2021. Moreno has caught just 139 regular season games, with little of that time coming at the upper levels, so he’s still learning the finer points of game calling.

 

The Future: Some scouts believe Moreno has a chance to be a perennial all-star, a potential plus to plus-plus hitter who could hit 20-25 home runs while chipping in above-average defense at a premium position. He should be ready to contribute in Toronto at some point in 2022 and eventually become an impact player in their lineup.

 

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 70. Power: 50. Speed: 40. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60

[Daniel Labude]