Jays agree to terms with C Mike Ohlman on minor-league deal

[Slade]

http://jaysjournal.com/2016/11/19/source-blue-jays-agree-terms-milb-deal-mike-ohlman/

 

 

Ohlman was selected in the 11th round in 2009 by the Baltimore Orioles, much later than his talent warranted, but was signed away from a commitment to the University of Miami with a w $995,000 bonus.

 

The towering catcher cracked the Orioles’ top-10 prospect list (Baseball America, No. 9) following the 2013 season. That year, Ohlman put up a slash line of .313 / .410 / .524 (.934 OPS) with 13 home runs for advanced-A Frederick as a 22-year-old.

 

Prior to the 2015 season, Ohlman was designated for assignment by the Orioles as they needed a roster spot for Travis Snider. He was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash considerations, then following this season, elected free agency after being outrighted.

 

In 2016, Ohlman split 78 games between double-A and triple-A where he hit .287 with a .344 on-base percentage and a .778 OPS.

 

Ohlman was given 11 starts at first base at the double-A level, which is where some scouts project him long-term. He does offer a quality arm strength tool behind the plate.

 

Between Ohlman’s youth, raw talent, and built-in physical gifts (his size), this is a very enticing pickup for an organization that remains relatively thin when it comes to upper-minors catching depth. A.J. Jimenez is currently projected as Russell Martin‘s backup barring additional moves, and there is also plenty of opportunity with triple-A Buffalo at first base. Tellez is expected to start there, but if Ohlman’s bat can be maximized, he could earn reserve reps there.

 

 

Despite Ohlman’s size, he does not necessarily “max out” his swing for an all-power approach. His stroke is much shorter than one would expect from a player with long arms, and his lower body remains fairly quiet in relation to his power.

 

The triple-A Bisons are expected to name Stubby Clapp their hitting coach for 2017, and if Ohlman lands at that level, he’ll be one of Clapp’s most enticing projects.

[jays4life19]

2nd thread started about Mike f***ing Ohlman. lol. Can this one stick?

 

http://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/5548-Official-MiLB-Prospects-Thread/page181

[TheHurl]

2nd thread started about Mike f***ing Ohlman. lol. Can this one stick?

 

http://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/5548-Official-MiLB-Prospects-Thread/page181

 

that would be implying he's a prospect. I'm going to let this go. Post your Mike f***ing Ohlman scouting reports.

[jays4life19]

On it....

[jays4life19]

#17 Mike Ohlman C/1B

 

Season Stats:

Lev G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS GDP HBP

AA 103 417 366 53 100 17 0 12 69 0 1 46 77 .273 .356 .418 .774 10 2

 

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

 

Scout Grade: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 20 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

 

Analysis: I may like Ohlman’s potential, but I do not see Ohlman sticking at catcher. While there really aren’t much in the way of metrics on defense for catchers (especially minor league players), Ohlman does not impress defensively behind the plate.

 

As I mentioned before, Ohlman had a bounce back season with the Cardinals this season, after hitting .236 with AA Bowie Bay Sox of the Orioles organization in 2014. Ohlman will need to continue to improve his contact in order to make much of a difference at the big league level.

 

His AFL numbers were a disappointment, despite not playing in only 11 games, he hit .205 with just two homers and two doubles. While it would have been nice to have seen him play in a few more games, but he didn’t prove himself to be worth it

 

Despite his .273 average in AA this season (hitter’s league and park), many believe that Ohlman will need to become more consistent to be a big league starter. Ohlman is slightly better than Jacob Wilson and Patrick Wisdom right now, being slightly more consistent with the bat than the other two and having the added versatility of being a catcher and being able to play first as well.

 

Brian Walton of Scout.com says this about Ohlman, “At this point, Ohlman’s skills and development in terms of his value to the Cardinals may very well be secondary to the dynamics of the team’s roster around him and his own contract status.” Meaning Ohlman surprisingly seems to be on this team at the wrong time.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I like Ohlman’s potential. He has good pop in his bat and a good eye for the ball and ability to get on base. I think that with a little seasoning in the majors, we could be looking at a nice versatile backup.

 

If things don’t work out with Brayan Pena or an injury to Pena or Molina presents itself this season, maybe he will get his chance to prove his worth this season.

[jays4life19]

Michael Ohlman, c

 

image: http://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/michael-ohlman-2013-mug-150x150.jpg

2012 Baltimore Orioles Photo Day

 

Born: Dec. 14, 1990. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-5.

 

Wt.: 215. Drafted: HS—Bradenton, Fla., 2009 (11th round). Signed by: John Martin.

 

Background: The Orioles signed Ohlman to an over-slot bonus of $995,000 as part of an expensive, $8.7 million draft class in 2009 that quickly went awry. He seemed to bottom out in 2012 when he injured his shoulder in a spring-training car accident, then was suspended 50 games for a second positive test for a recreational drug. But Ohlman started to hit in 2012 and had his best season in 2013, winning the high Class A Carolina League batting (.313) and slugging (.524) titles.

 

Scouting Report: Ohlman’s bat has blossomed. He has polished his approach, improving his pitch selection and getting to his above-average power more frequently. His swing can get long, and because he’s not afraid to go deep in counts, he’s prone to strikeouts. However, he repeats his hitting mechanics, staying with a middle-of-the-field approach and has excellent timing. At 6-foot-5, Ohlman is tall for a catcher, and while he has solid-average arm strength, he’s unlikely to be more than just an average receiver, and he often struggles with his blocking skills. The Orioles like his feel for calling a game.

 

The Future: Four homers in 31 Arizona Fall League at-bats helped Ohlman earn a spot on the 40-man roster. He’s headed to Double-A Bowie for 2014, where he could play some first base. If his glove improves, he could be a long-term replacement for Matt Wieters.

 

Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2014-baltimore-orioles-top-10-prospects-with-scouting-reports/#odEiL7qX3GjUIhGL.99

[jays4life19]

Michael Ohlman finished quite a bit higher in the community voting at #24. Bccran began voting early on for Ohlman, tabbing him at #17 in fact, over the likes of Daniel Poncedeleon and Allen Cordoba. Bccran justified his early vote by pointing out that Ohlman was the lone catcher on the Texas League Post-Season All-Star team, a worthy accomplishment for the former Orioles farmhand.

 

Desmetlax12 mentioned that he likes having a catcher that can hit, even if he ends up being a back-up. Desmetlax12 thought it would be nice to have some offense from the position on Yadier Molina’s off days in the future. Wileycard noted that Ohlman has the bat to progress to the majors, not to mention the physical frame to hit there. - Jeremy Byrd

 

Derek Shore (34): Ohlman joined the Cardinals as a waiver acquisition last spring from the Baltimore Orioles after a down offensive and defensive 2014 with their Double-A club. In 2015, the backstop rebounded nicely and landed as The Cardinal Nation's 30th prospect with a .273/.356/.418 line as the Springfield Cardinals regular catcher. He finished out his first season with his new organization by appearing the Arizona Fall League in a part-time role.

 

Among catchers, Ohlman not only led the Texas League but the Cardinals system as a whole with 12 dingers and 69 RBI - displaying the power potential and run-producing bat that got him a large bonus as an 11th round pick by the Orioles. At that, he hit for a solid average and made marked improvements as a thrower and receiver behind the dish. That was a blessing in disguise as scouts differed on his potential this fall.

 

Ohlman was placed in a perfect opportunity to learn and grow. His manager Dann Bilardello and hitting coach Erik Pappas are both former big-league catchers, and they both liked the improvements in his game since April.

 

"He (Ohlman) had a tremendous year at the plate, worked hard from spring training, and he has just carried it through," said Pappas. "Mike does well waiting for his pitch; he is very patient. That is the difference between him and last year when I talked about his struggles last year. Between Dann (Bilardello) and myself, he is very open to suggestions."

 

“He has gotten a lot better," said Bilardello in late August. "He is receiving the ball so much better now. He has put some work into it. Fortunately or unfortunately - you could ask him – he has two ex-catchers that played in the big leagues (as coaches – Bilardello and Erik Pappas). Sometimes that is a blessing or a curse. We have been hard on him at times, but it is a good hard. We want to work with Mike on his game-calling, being a leader on the field, and all those types of things need to come into play.

 

“I have thought his throwing so far has been one of his biggest improvements over the course of the year. When I saw him in spring training, he had a little bit of a long arm, now he has shortened it up and is throwing the ball pretty well. When you see that, plus he has been swinging the bat good, good for him, good for the organization, and we will see how far that takes him.”

 

From a scouting point of view, the biggest knock on him is his size. As one scout said: "Some see tall catchers with the same eyes as they see short pitchers." As a result of his 6-foot-5 height, getting down and blocking, his durability, nimbleness, and ability to make a consistent, compact throw to cut down runners are red flags. In the box, scouts don't see enough in him consistently to be regular, but more likely a good back-up with a good arm and pop. Although one scout said he can be a journeyman type at best unless he has a dynamite spring in 2016.

[jays4life19]

Hit 40 Swing is smooth; average bat speed; swing is more upper body than lower; keeps hands quiet most of the time; occasionally will drop them and the swing will become loopy; mostly happens at the end of the game when he is tired; soft load; sometimes non-existent; does not use his hips enough with swing; can become very top-reliant; good bat path through zone but swing takes longer to get going and has some hollow contact at times; ball does not jump off his bat when he barrels; uses the entire field and will pepper the gaps; average pitch recognition; will become tied up on the good secondary offerings; displays a patient approach; sometimes very passive and takes too many close pitches.

Power 40 Above-average raw strength; does not correlate to in-game power; bat speed is average; swing has mild lift but is too elongated at times; does not provide enough torque or drive with hips to exploit his power.

Baserunning/Speed 40 4.38 - 4.47 home to first times throughout the year; has some agility; top gear is not fast; more athletic than he looks.

Glove 40 Defense is lagging behind; footwork is sluggish and affects his defensive work; having difficulty dropping down in time to block pitches; able to jump vertically well; struggles horizontally on blocking pitches; strong hands and forearms but lacks the fast-twitch wrists and muscles to provide efficient pitch framing; mildly improved framing over the course of the season; look tired at times defensively.

Arm 40 2.00 - 2.11 pop times throughout the year; arm strength is above average; does not see this strength replicated in-game; longer windup at times on throws; does not set his feet enough; footwork is a large issue with making accurate throws; feet are more sluggish behind plate than in general; transfers also slow down pop times; arm could improve mildly with a few mechanical tweaks; likely not an asset at highest level.

Overall

 

Ohlman has struggled this season, but the swing still provides some hope for value at the highest level. I have a long history with him, and he has stalled at Double-A. The swing has not altered much, but he is being tied up by the higher velocity and more crisp stuff at this level. The defense has never been an asset, but it has not improved at all this season and has been a detriment to his game.

 

Ohlman needs some more time at Double-A, and reminds me of Caleb Joseph behind the plate. Extra rest might be good for Ohlman, as his bat and athleticism look heightened when he has sat the day before. Ohlman may not catch full-time, but he has enough talent to potentially serve as a solid bench option for a major league club.

[jays4life19]

Alright i'm done.

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

Ummmmm... Ok, thanks!!!

[TheHurl]

No one has gone that deep into Mike Ohlman since his Little League coach

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

OUCH !!! Lol

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

Came to him as a defensive catcher, who could handle a bat... Left as a great Reciever who knew about batting balls and things.

[Laika]

No one has gone that deep into Mike Ohlman since his Little League coach

 

omg

[Pendleton]

No one has gone that deep into Mike Ohlman since his Little League coach

 

Wow!

[jays4life19]

No one has gone that deep into Mike Ohlman since his Little League coach

 

Rofl

[Ehjays]

No one has gone that deep into Mike Ohlman since his Little League coach

 

And even his Little League Coach back then said " he was a great receiver and very good with THE BAT "

[Brownie19]

And....lock it up

[Atothe]

R.i.p

[43211234]

Shatkins adds Mike Ohlman, Leonel Campos and Dominic Leone. The Astros add Josh Reddick, Brian McCann and Charlie Morton.

 

This organization clearly isn't committed to winning.

 

Rogers is probably saving up for a solid gold Ted Rogers statue to stick in CF like Monument Park once was in Old Yankee Stadium !

[Krylian]

Shatkins adds Mike Ohlman, Leonel Campos and Dominic Leone. The Astros add Josh Reddick, Brian McCann and Charlie Morton.

 

This organization clearly isn't committed to winning.

 

Rogers is probably saving up for a solid gold Ted Rogers statue to stick in CF like Monument Park once was in Old Yankee Stadium !

 

I'll wait and see what team we field in the spring, but it's no secret I've never liked Rogers as the owner and have had serious issues with their commitment to do what it took to win.

[Brownie19]

Shatkins adds Mike Ohlman, Leonel Campos and Dominic Leone. The Astros add Josh Reddick, Brian McCann and Charlie Morton.

 

This organization clearly isn't committed to winning.

 

Rogers is probably saving up for a solid gold Ted Rogers statue to stick in CF like Monument Park once was in Old Yankee Stadium !

 

Man this kinda s*** is obnoxious

[Orgfiller]

Man this kinda s*** is obnoxious

 

Not sure if you're missing the three layers of sarcasm in his post or are just commenting on how bad it is when people (i.e. Sportsnet/Facebook) actually do that.

[Brownie19]

Not sure if you're missing the three layers of sarcasm in his post or are just commenting on how bad it is when people (i.e. Sportsnet/Facebook) actually do that.

 

Apparently my sarcasm meter only activates at the fourth layer. Glad we've got that calibrated.