2017 Opening MiLB Rosters

[King]

http://i.imgur.com/rtBHHYO.png

 

http://i.imgur.com/rnnbai7.png

 

http://i.imgur.com/ep2ZG7w.png

http://i.imgur.com/fEj7oVu.png

 

http://i.imgur.com/WVnaM1D.png

[Laika]

Cliff notes:

 

- Vlad and Bo both skipping A- and going straight to Lansing (A). This is fairly aggressive. As a 1999 birthday Vlad could be the youngest hitter in the Midwest League. Bo should be one of the youngest, and he follows the age-level path of elite prospects Eloy Jimenez and Kyle Tucker, who both played in the league last year as 19 year olds.

- Biggio and Zeuch both kind of skipping Lansing and going to Dunedin (A+). They had very brief stints in Lansing in 2016.

- Conner Greene will pitch in AA for the third season in a row.

- Adonys Cardona actually still exists!!!

[Dr. Dinger]

Wow, VJ in full season ball as an 18 year old. Very impressive.

[John_Havok]

Wow, VJ in full season ball as an 18 year old. Very impressive.

 

It's really agressive but if the evaluators think he can hack it, that's awesome

[King]

Cliff notes:

 

- Vlad and Bo both skipping A- and going straight to Lansing (A). This is fairly aggressive. As a 1999 birthday Vlad could be the youngest hitter in the Midwest League. Bo should be one of the youngest, and he follows the age-level path of elite prospects Eloy Jimenez and Kyle Tucker, who both played in the league last year as 19 year olds.

- Biggio and Zeuch both kind of skipping Lansing and going to Dunedin (A+). They had very brief stints in Lansing in 2016.

- Conner Greene will pitch in AA for the third season in a row.

- Adonys Cardona actually still exists!!!

Bichette is going straight from the GCL to the MWL, skipping Bluefield and Vancouver. There is no Jays precedent for this. I don't think you ever see young players go straight from the complex league to full season ball.

[Jonn]

Bichette is going straight from the GCL to the MWL, skipping Bluefield and Vancouver. There is no Jays precedent for this. I don't think you ever see young players go straight from the complex league to full season ball.

 

Young GOAT

[King]

Lansings first two games of the season are MiLB.TV this Thursday and Friday.

[John_Havok]

Bichette is going straight from the GCL to the MWL, skipping Bluefield and Vancouver. There is no Jays precedent for this. I don't think you ever see young players go straight from the complex league to full season ball.

 

I think the last situation close to that Travis Snider, but he was in the App league at 18, not tye GCL and went to Lansing at 19.

[Pendleton]

Thanks for posting these King, now please excuse me while I go and google the distance to Lansing.

[King]

Also of note is that Lourdes is starting in Dunedin. If he performs well I doubt he'll be there long.

[Krylian]

Also of note is that Lourdes is starting in Dunedin. If he performs well I doubt he'll be there long.

 

How much of that assignment is weather based?

[King]

How much of that assignment is weather based?

That was likely one factor.

[Jonn]

I applaud this aggressiveness. If Bo struggles he can always be moved down. I like the idea of guys playing a full season as soon as possible.

[Ray]

I applaud this aggressiveness. If Bo struggles he can always be moved down. I like the idea of guys playing a full season as soon as possible.

 

Playing time was probably more of a factor in putting both of those guys in Lansing. Get them into playing full season ball as soon as possible, and if they're struggling move em' down when the lower level seasons start.

[John_Havok]

I applaud this aggressiveness. If Bo struggles he can always be moved down. I like the idea of guys playing a full season as soon as possible.

 

Well, he can be moved back to extended spring training. The short season leagues don't start until the middle if June.

 

And yes, I agree that getting guys to full season ball as soon as possible is best, as long as they're ready for it. It can also really break a kids confidence to put him up against competition he's not ready for.

[Muck Bartinez]

This also brings to mind the Castro/Osuna promotions from 2015. Any chance that this type of aggressive push encourages other draftees/int'l FA's to sign with Toronto? If Toronto becomes known as a team that promotes quickly based on talent, rather than drawing out the service time game, it has to help their image/appeal in some regard.

[Atothe]

This also brings to mind the Castro/Osuna promotions from 2015. Any chance that this type of aggressive push encourages other draftees/int'l FA's to sign with Toronto? If Toronto becomes known as a team that promotes quickly based on talent, rather than drawing out the service time game, it has to help their image/appeal in some regard.

 

No it doesn't matter, money is always king. With these new rules and restrictions, these young guys are gonna go with whoever can the most money. At least in most cases

[Brownie19]

King - I can't tell you how much I appreciate these types of updates. Awesome stuff.

[Boxcar]

No it doesn't matter, money is always king. With these new rules and restrictions, these young guys are gonna go with whoever can the most money. At least in most cases

 

Making it up the ladder faster = more money. Personally, if I were an IFA, I'd avoid a team like Minnesota like the plague.

[Laika]

This also brings to mind the Castro/Osuna promotions from 2015. Any chance that this type of aggressive push encourages other draftees/int'l FA's to sign with Toronto? If Toronto becomes known as a team that promotes quickly based on talent, rather than drawing out the service time game, it has to help their image/appeal in some regard.

 

Well the Castro/Osuna promotions were a desperation move by a GM who probably felt like he basically had to win or get fired. I would say, there is almost zero chance anything that aggressive would happen under a Shatkins team. I don't believe that Cleveland has historically been a very aggressive organization when it comes to development. SABER teams like CLE, TB, OAK, tend to take it slow. There aren't that many teams that have an aggressive approach with prospects and consistent development success, but perhaps TEX is one example.

[Brownie19]

Making it up the ladder faster = more money. Personally, if I were an IFA, I'd avoid a team like Minnesota like the plague.

 

Unless you're a control pitcher who pitches to contact and has no upside.....in which case, Minnesota is your ticket to the majors!

[KingKat]

Well the Castro/Osuna promotions were a desperation move by a GM who probably felt like he basically had to win or get fired. I would say, there is almost zero chance anything that aggressive would happen under a Shatkins team. I don't believe that Cleveland has historically been a very aggressive organization when it comes to development. SABER teams like CLE, TB, OAK, tend to take it slow. There aren't that many teams that have an aggressive approach with prospects and consistent development success, but perhaps TEX is one example.

 

Intersesting read on Texas at Minor League Ball: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2017/4/3/15165642/the-astros-the-rangers-and-post-hype-prospects

[glory]

The Osuna/Castro promotions were dumn and won't happen under this regime. I doubt any players will look at that as a norm.

 

But yes there should be a fine line between too slow and too fast when it comes to promotions.

[Angrioter]

The Osuna/Castro promotions were dumn and won't happen under this regime. I doubt any players will look at that as a norm.

 

But yes there should be a fine line between too slow and too fast when it comes to promotions.

 

That 10 innings Spring Training performance by Castro

[Laika]

Intersesting read on Texas at Minor League Ball: http://www.minorleagueball.com/2017/4/3/15165642/the-astros-the-rangers-and-post-hype-prospects

 

The Houston vs. Texas comparison isn't really fair. Texas has been really good for a while and has not had any chance to draft guys like Correa/Bregman/Springer/Appel/Aiken/Tucker. I guess they had Dillon Tate.

 

But yeah, Texas' minor league system - much beloved - has seen a lot of flops. I'm also thinking of guys like Mike Olt, Cody Buckel, Martin Perez (yuck), Michael Choice, Nick Williams, Travis Demeritte, Jake Thompson, Luis Sardinas... even Smoak.

 

Texas just isn't benefitting enough right now from the talent in their system, or that flows through their system. Ex., Leonys Martin (shouldn't have dealt him!)

They are maybe over-investing in veterans at the MLB level?

 

But I guess if Mazara and Profar click big right now, all will be right in their world.