jays4life19

We take Genesis Cabrera. Can someone PM next

Anyone want have a side bet on who advances furthest in the playoffs? We are flexible with any non tercet level wagers.

Are we witnessing human trafficking on the BJMB?

If we could finish the draft by 5pm today that would be just peachy.

We flying

I trust someone sent Beans a PM/E-mail/Snap

Next pick is pretty obvious. Name rhymes with Jarrett Pooper. See if Beans can scoop him up

Can someone PM/e-mail next

We are taking THE Corbin Burnes

So according to multiple sources Bayern is on the verge of restructuring Davies contract. I think this makes a lot of sense for both player and club (though i still don't really understand player movement in soccer). Currently Phonzie is making peanuts from the original contract he signed as a 17 year old from MLS. He's under contract for 3 more years make 1 million euros per year. The contract would rip of that contract and increase his pay 5x to 5 million per year over 5 years. So esentially it would replace a 3year 3 million euro contract with a 5 year 25 million euro contract. Bayern gets 2 extra years and Alphonso gets a big increase and is still a free agent (is that a thing) at the ripe as at 24 instead of 22. https://en.onefootball.com/bayern-close-to-extending-contract-of-breakout-star-alphonso-davies/ https://bulinews.com/news/4690/report-bayern-willing-offer-alphonso-davies-a-five-fold-salary-raise

What's up guys.

Thanks Spanky. You the man.

My hero

I know I can count on super soccer fan Spanky at least

Bayern is playing in a knock out game in the DFB cup today @2.45 pm and it's being shown for free in Canada on YouTube if anyone is interested. My work servers are in the USA so I can't watch but if anyone does I would appreciate updates

Ok I don't actually know if Beans is a lady

Yes

Pendleton4life19 has made it's cuts and are now in compliance with the cut-down rules

Thanks. I get that a lot.

yup.

Good to have you back Bluerocky.

David came out and said his preference is to play in the Bundesliga. https://www.insidefutbol.com/2020/02/27/arsenal-and-chelsea-linked-jonathan-david-expresses-league-preference/453177/ he forward was quoted as saying by Belgian daily Het Nieuwsblad: “The Bundesliga would be a good next step for me. “The German playing style is something similar to that in Belgium, playing at high intensity and the higher level is a nice stepping stone.” ____ Belgian site Voetbalkrant report that no fewer than 27 clubs had scouts present at Thursday night’s Europa League clash between Gent and AS Roma, which saw the latter side advance to the next stage of Europe’s 2nd tier conversation. It is believed that the majority of the below sides were present to watch Canadian sensation and attacker Jonathan David. The list included: Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Leicester City, Aston Villa, Wolves, Southampton, West Ham United, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hoffenheim, Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, PSV, Lille, Rennes, Nice, RC Lens, Stade de Reims and Sevilla. Lyon, who were not present, made a proposal for David last month, who scored last night. https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2020/27-clubs-scouted-jonathan-david-on-thursday-night-nice-lille-included/

The Next Ten: 11.) Adam Kloffenstein (short-season Vancouver) Kloffenstein wasn’t all that different a draft prospect from his now org-mate Woods Richardson. He went a round later last summer, but commanded a bigger bonus to buy him out of his college commitment. He’s your more traditional “everything’s bigger in Texas” prep arm, a towering, physically mature 6’5” even while playing almost the entire year at age 18. But while Woods Richardson’s stuff popped in A-ball, Kloffenstein sat more low 90s—as opposed to the mid 90s he flashed his draft year—and the profile looked more strike-thrower than big stuff guy. As mentioned, he just turned 19, and it’s an ideal starter’s frame, but he might not be as safe a prep arm as we posited last year, which is still risky, but now riskier. —Jeffrey Paternostro 12.) Alejandro Kirk, C (High-A Dunedin) Kirk will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Willians Astudillo for a handful of reasons. They are both international catchers with rather large, not jean-modeling frames, they rarely swing and miss, they get on base, and while the former had been overlooked for some time, that is not the case with Kirk anymore. It isn’t pretty sometimes. The bat speed doesn’t wow you, the power isn’t over the fence variety, he can’t run, and you wouldn’t be remiss if you didn’t like the overall athleticism. He just gets on base and hits and hits. The swing works. It is short and direct to the ball, he recognizes pitches well, and he doesn’t often force himself to swing at pitches out of the zone. The defense is better than you would imagine, as he blocks well, has tick-above-average arm strength, and has worked hard to improve his receiving. The overall outcome is a hit over power, on-base driven catcher. The risk here is that if he stops getting on-base there isn’t anything else to carry the load, but hey was this even a profile you would have banked on even just a few years ago? -Steve Givarz 13.) T.J. Zeuch, RHP (Toronto Blue Jays) Zeuch is probably going to pitch in the majors for a long time. It’s a bushel of average or slightly-above pitches. He leads off with a sinker that typically sits 91-94, topping out at 95, and rides in with plus movement especially against righties. He’ll also show you a slider, a curve, and a change that all come in around average and flash higher. That stuff from a 6’7” pitcher with a classic delivery explains the “former first-round pick” part pretty easily. Yet the sum as a professional pitcher has, to date, been less than the sum of his parts. He just hasn’t fooled enough batters to strike anyone out despite being an advanced college pitcher with, what is on paper, pretty good stuff. He came up for September and was fine, used as both a back-end starter and the bulk guy behind an opener. He currently profiles as, well, pretty much that moving forward, with an asterisk denoting that tall pitchers with good stuff are more likely to suddenly put it together quite late in the development cycle. 14.) Kendall Williams, RHP (GCL Blue Jays) In yesteryear’s baseball, a player like Williams probably gets drafted much higher, and ends up much higher on prospect lists. Who doesn’t like a 6-foot-6 right-hander who showed an above-average fastball and potential plus curveball? He was simply too much for young hitters in the complex given his size, angle, strike throwing, and stuff. The stuff is still inconsistent and the fastball dropped later in the year as he wore down, which was partially why he was still on the board at 52. Williams’ stuff should be ready for a full-season roster next year, but they will most likely keep him in extended to add strength to his wiry frame. —Steve Givarz 15.) Dasan Brown, OF (GCL Blue Jays) A local kid whom the Jays drafted out of an Ontario high school, Brown displays a collection of loud tools. At the plate, he shows plus raw power. While his understanding of the zone is advanced for the age, his pitch recognition is undeveloped and, consequently, there are a lot of whiffs, especially against off-speed stuff. The swing itself comes with length. The arm and speed (which is plus to plus-plus) are sufficient for him to stick in center, though he may have to slide to a corner at physical maturity. There’s a major-league regular ceiling here, but his road to The Show will be longer than a Dream Theater song. —Kazuto Yamazaki 16.) Miguel Hiraldo, IF (rookie-level Bluefield) Hiraldo, a 750k bonus baby out of the Dominican in 2017, has some thunder in his stick. The bat is going to have to carry the profile here, as he’s already playing a lot of second base, and his arm is likely to limit him there in the medium-to-long term, and the glove isn’t much more than average even at the keystone. There might be enough juice in the offensive profile to make it work though, as a potential average hit/solid-average power combo isn’t hard to see. And Hiraldo will spend all of next season as a 19-year-old. He’s definitely a potential breakout Blue Jays name for 2020. —Jeffrey Paternostro 17.) Otto Lopez, SS (Low-A Lansing) The Jays seem to be grooming Lopez for a super utility role. This year most of his reps came at short, but he has played everywhere but first and catcher during his professional career. He is more than capable at short, but that position may be occupied in Toronto for a while. Lopez is a clean, smooth defender with good footwork, hands, and body control. At the plate he’s balanced and takes confident swings. He doesn’t strike out much thanks to quick hands, a simple, smooth swing, and a flat bat path that’s relatively short to the ball. He really doesn’t do anything poorly, but he’s not flashy and aside from the hit tool, he lacks any other loud aspect to his game. He’s never going to be a top prospect, but expect him to continue putting up strong batting averages until he cracks the majors. If things go well developmentally he may wind up an everyday player. There isn’t a lot of variance in his profile, so the floor is high here. —Keith Rader 18.) Riley Adams, C (Double-A New Hampshire) A third-round pick in the 2017 draft, Adams conquered the Florida State League on his second go-around and was perfectly fine over a half-season-plus in New Hampshire. The profile behind the plate is a bit nondescript if I’m honest. He’s much taller and a bit narrower than your average catcher, but he’s reasonably quiet and athletic behind the dish, although he can snatch for the low strike. There’s a solid approach at the plate, but some stiffness to the swing that leads to swing-and-miss in the zone, although it gives him potential above-average pop as well. This was the kind of catcher that was a backup for a decade in the late-90s or early-00s. A passable glove that could run into a bomb for you. With the modern emphasis on receiving, Adams might have a tougher time getting major league per diems, but the profile is still solid backup catcher on balance. —Jeffrey Paternostro 19.) Patrick Murphy, RHP (Double-A New Hampshire) The early part of Murphy’s pro career was routinely interrupted by injuries, but he was healthy and showing progress throughout 2018 and early 2019. That all came to a screeching halt last summer when his delivery was deemed illegal by the Major League Baseball Umpires Association, and he was sent back to the drawing board to craft a new set of mechanics that removed his key timing mechanism—a toe tap just before he began his drive toward the plate. Prior to that revelation, Murphy was consistently showing a plus fastball and plus curveball with potential for impact in the middle-to-late innings out of the bullpen. Now, after only throwing 20 innings in the season’s final three months following news of his illegal delivery, Murphy’s future is decidedly up in the air. Any challenges finding consistency with his new mechanics could hasten an already-likely move to the bullpen, and the timeline for his big league debut could be pushed back beyond 2020. —Mark Anderson 20.) Kevin Smith, SS (Double-A New Hampshire) We ranked Smith in the top five of last year’s list based on his quick hands and above-average bat speed. We had hope for a good offensive outcome despite some continuing pitch recognition and approach issues, and he performed well at the A-ball levels. He proceeded to hit .209 with a 32 percent strikeout rate in Double-A in 2019, and then followed it up by performing about as well as your random American League pitcher in interleague at the plate in the Arizona Fall League. Worse, he looked just as lost as those numbers indicate. There’s enough of an excuse with a failed swing change that tried to tap into his raw—and help him deal better with the high fastballs that he’s always struggled against—to hope that some of this comes back around. And there’s always the utility fallback for a versatile player who can handle the 6, of course. But we really didn’t see or hear a single good thing on his bat out of the Eastern League or the Arizona Fall League all year.

1. Nate Pearson, RHP DOB: 8/20/1996 Height/Weight: 6’6” / 245 lbs. Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 28th overall in the 2017 draft from the College of Central Florida JC; signed for $2.4529 million Previous Ranking(s): #3 (Org), #54 (Top 101) 2019 Stats: 0.86 ERA, 1.59 DRA, 21 IP, 10 H, 3 BB, 35 K in 6 games for High-A Dunedin; 2.59 ERA, 3.16 DRA, 62 ⅔ IP, 41 H, 21 BB, 69 K in 16 games for Double-A New Hampshire; 3.00 ERA, 3.61 DRA, 18 IP, 12 H, 3 BB, 15 K in 3 games for Triple-A Buffalo The Report: There hasn’t been a pitching prospect since Noah Syndergaard that features this combination of overpowering stuff and physical imposition on the mound. After missing nearly the entire 2018 season, Pearson eclipsed the 100-inning mark for the first time in his career across three separate levels. It all starts with a top-of-the scale fastball that routinely touched triple-digits. Once the batter starts to cheat to catch up with 100+, he does a good job of reading swings and switching to the “slow” stuff. With the fastball having all the makings of a 70+ grade, his secondaries don’t have to be perfect to be effective. His slider has very good late bite in the mid-to-upper 80s, while the changeup is very firm and still a work-in-progress. His power curveball comes from a tough release point, but is inconsistent, The 2019 season couldn’t have gone better for Pearson, whose innings were heavily monitored until the last month of the season. He proved he could ramp up his workload and stay healthy—even though previous injuries were more of the freak kind—and the stuff he displayed multiple times through the order put to bed the idea that a move to the bullpen was imminent. The next step is to continue working on his secondary pitches in 2020. There is effort to the delivery that could be cut down, but the overall physicality and strength of Pearson gives the appearance of a future workhorse in the top half of a rotation. OFP: 70 / Front-of-the-rotation starter or elite closer Variance: Medium. The stuff could play in the majors now, but there is always inherent risk with guys who throw as hard as Pearson. —Keanan Lamb Major league ETA: 2020. However, a non-competitive season for the Blue Jays may lead to service time games. Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: Normally this would be the part of the program where I warn you against investing in fantasy pitching prospects, but Pearson is one of my dudes, and I’m in love. Yes, the risk is high, but Pearson offsets it by providing sky-high potential as well. It’s all but a lock that Pearson will miss more than a bat per inning in whatever role he occupies, and despite his injury history, Pearson has the frame and athleticism required to log innings. If it all breaks right, we’re looking at a bona fide SP1 who notches 200-plus Ks in 180-plus innings. But even a more moderate outcome should see Pearson rack up a ton of strikeouts. Sometimes you gotta jump in headfirst: I have Pearson as a top-25 dynasty prospect. 2. Jordan Groshans, SS DOB: 11/10/1999 Height/Weight: 6’3” / 205 lbs. Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 12th overall in the 2018 draft from Magnolia HS (Magnolia, TX); signed for $3.4 million Previous Ranking(s): #9 (Org) 2019 Stats: .337/.427/.482, 2 HR, 1 SB in 23 games for Low-A Lansing The Report: A foot injury limited Groshans to 23 games in the Midwest League this season. Prior to going down, he was on his way to a breakout season slashing .337/.427/.482 in 83 at-bats. Big and strong, Groshans projects as a plus bat with above-average contact ability and power. He has a quick trigger at the plate that allows him to catch up to velocity and the power plays in-game to all fields. The Jays will continue to give him reps at shortstop, where he’s average as a defender, but his defensive future is likely at third. He has the arm strength and instincts to be solid at the hot corner. There wasn’t much time to catch Groshans in action this year but when he was on the field it was easy to forget he was a teenager in his first full professional season. Rather, he looked more like a polished, college bat. And he’s already showing the kind of hit/power combo you’d look for in a middle-of-the-order hitter. OFP: 60 / First-division infielder somewhere on the left side Variance: High. Groshans has fewer than 100 games under his belt and is likely to begin 2020 back in Low-A. He’ll need to prove that he can hit against more advanced pitching, and that foot issues won’t be a recurring problem in the pros. —Nathan Graham Major league ETA: 2022 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: The Blue Jays start off their list with two personal favorites of mine. I don’t believe in Groshans’ ability to stick at short, but I like pretty much everything else about the package, and the Jays have a strong track record when it comes to developing this type of talent. He got a ton of buzz last year so he’s unlikely to be available in deeper dynasty leagues, but if you play in a shallower format or your leaguemates were asleep, now is the time to buy. He’s already a very legitimate top-101 candidate. 3. Alek Manoah, RHP DOB: 1/9/1998 Height/Weight: 6’6” / 260 lbs. Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 11th overall in the 2019 draft from West Virginia University; signed for $4,547,500. Previous Ranking(s): N/R 2019 Stats: 2.65 ERA, 3.15 DRA, 17 IP, 12 H, 5 BB, 27 K in 6 games for Short-Season Vancouver The Report: You might be able to drop Manoah in a big league pen right now on the strength of his fastball/slider combo. The fastball sits mid 90s and routinely bumps higher in short bursts. He also gets extension from his height and stride, so the pitch gets on batters in a hurry and makes for an uncomfortable experience in the box. You can’t sit fastball here either, as Manoah’s slider was one of the better breaking balls in the NCAA, a mid-80s two-plane beast. It should easily end up plus and that might even be a grade light when the smoke clears. His change remains a work-in-progress, with the usual caveat that he hasn’t needed even an average one as an amateur. Manoah is a large human and can struggle with his command at times due to his size and arm action. The delivery will need to be cleaned up some to keep him as a starter long term, as will the command and changeup. Hmm, I think this might officially be our first true backend Top 101, mid-rotation starter or late inning reliever prospect of LIST SZN. Buckle up for a few dozen more over the coming months. OFP: 60 / Mid-rotation workhorse or late-inning flamethrower Variance: Medium. Manoah arguably had the best present stuff in the 2019 draft class, and the fastball/slider combo gives him a reasonably attainable major league relief fallback. However, the profile comes with a fair bit of relief risk as well. —Jeffrey Paternostro Major league ETA: Late 2021 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: Anyone else getting big-time Alex Meyer vibes? I am getting big-time Alex Meyer vibes. You’re better off taking a shot on a dude like Manoah than you are a safer back-end type with low upside, but in most cases you’re probably better off taking a position player than Manoah. He’ll be in the big mishmosh of pitchers we end up dropping off the top-101, listing in the honorable mentions, or referencing as “he’d be in the next 50” come formal rankings time. He should absolutely be owned if your league rosters 150-plus prospects, but I still think there’s considerable reliever risk here. 4. Eric Pardinho, RHP DOB: 1/5/2001 Height/Weight: 5’10” / 155 lbs. Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Signed on July 2nd, 2017 by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Brazil for $1.4 million. Previous Ranking(s): #6 (Org) 2019 Stats: 0.00 ERA, 3.90 DRA, 4 IP, H, 3 BB, 5 K in 1 game for Rookie Gulf Coast; 2.41 ERA, 4.68 DRA, 33 ⅔ IP, 29 H, 13 BB, 30 K in 7 games for Low-A Lansing The Report: It’s been over three years now since Pardinho was the toast of baseball as the 15-year-old Brazilian dominating the WBC qualifying round. He remains largely the same—preternaturally advanced for his age, but with a frame that limits his projectability. The Blue Jays handled him extraordinarily carefully after a spring elbow injury, holding off his debut until late June, limiting his pitch counts, giving him extra rest, and ultimately shutting him down a few weeks early. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t entirely sharp in the six weeks he was on the mound. There is plenty of time though, because Pardinho is an 18-year-old who already made it to full-season ball. When right, he is about as advanced a teenager as you’ll find. At his best, he’ll slings the fastball in the low 90s, touching the mid 90s, although he was generally below peak velocity in his 2019 stint. His primary off-speed is a plus curve, and he’s been working on improving his changeup and sharpening and distinguishing his slider. The command and pitchability profile is unusually strong for a teenager. This season raised some serious durability concerns in addition to the ones which were already present due to his slight size and frame. Pardinho might end up as something less than a full starting pitcher, but that’s less of a knock than it used to be. OFP: 55 / good MLB pitcher, role TBD Variance: High. He’s an 18-year-old who just missed half the season with an elbow injury, so the risk is pretty significant no matter how developed and advanced he is. Major league ETA: 2022. I’d make a joke about whether he can beat the legal drinking age to the majors here, but it’s only 19 in Ontario. Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: Pardinho is a fun story, but that doesn’t necessarily make him a great fantasy prospect. In fact, he represents a subset of pitcher that I find is often overvalued in our game; the dreaded “advanced teenage arm.” That’s great and all, but people often tend to bake in further improvement for these types even though the primary thing that makes them special is their advanced pitchability for their age. None of this is to say Pardinho is devoid of upside, but he doesn’t have enough of it for me to go all-in given the risks associated with the profile. Only proceed if your league rosters 200-plus prospects. 5. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP DOB: 9/27/2000 Height/Weight: 6’3” / 210 lbs. Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 48th overall by the New York Mets in the 2018 draft; signed for $1.85 million. Acquired from the Mets for Marcus Stroman. Previous Ranking(s): #10 (Org, NYM) 2019 Stats: 2.54 ERA, 3.05 DRA, 28 ⅓ IP, 18 H, 7 BB, 29 K in 6 games for High-A Dunedin. 4.25 ERA, 5.04 DRA, 78 ⅓ IP, 78 H, 17 BB, 97 K in 20 games for Low-A Columbia. The Report: Woods Richardson looks the part as a big power righty from the state of Texas and he has the stuff to match. He fires from a high slot with plus arm speed and goes right after hitters. The delivery has some effort, but he repeats it pretty well because of his premier athleticism. The fastball and curveball are potential plus pitches. The heater sits mid 90s in short bursts and can tick higher while settling low-to-mid 90s in longer outings. The pitch shows good life up and down the zone. Woods Richardson pairs the fastball with a sharp, 12-to-6 breaking ball that spins tight and features strong bite, playing well off the high-slot fastball. The changeup is well behind, currently a show-me pitch with firmness and lack of feel. Arm speed is on his side with the changeup, and it could take big steps forward with further reps, but it’ll be difficult to project too much by way of gains given his current release point. The safe call is late-inning reliever with two knockout pitches, but those who especially like Woods Richardson see a mid-rotation starter with a third pitch of some kind. Either way, it’s obvious that he has the frame and stuff for impactful major-league innings. OFP: 55 / Second-division closer or impact fireman Variance: High. The value can shoot upward with the development of a third pitch, but there’s the strong likelihood of a reliever outcome. —David Lee Major league ETA: 2022 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: Woods Richardson (seriously, how is there not a hyphen) is in the same general tier of prospect as Pardinho, but I actually prefer him for our purposes. The odds may be greater that he’s a reliever, but they’re also greater that he’ll make an impact if he does stick as a starter, or that he’ll close if shifted to the bullpen. Essentially, this isn’t a terribly unique profile, but as far as guys with it go, I like Woods Richardson a fair amount. 6. Anthony Kay, LHP DOB: 3/21/1995 Height/Weight: 6’0”/ 218 lbs. Bats/Throws: L/L Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 31st overall in the 2016 draft by the New York Mets from the University of Connecticut; signed for $1.1 million. Acquired from the Mets for Marcus Stroman Previous Ranking(s): #9 (Org, NYM) 2019 Stats: 5.79 ERA, 4.76 DRA, 14 IP, 15 H, 5 BB, 13 K in 3 games for Toronto; 2.50 ERA, 6.22 DRA, 36 IP, 33 H, 22 BB, 39 K in 7 games for Triple-A Buffalo; 6.61 ERA, 5.87 DRA, 31 ⅓ IP, 40 H, 11 BB, 26 K in 7 games for Triple-A Syracuse; 1.49 ERA, 2.66 DRA, 66 ⅓ IP, 38 H, 23 BB, 70 K in 12 games for Double-A Binghamton The Report: Now almost three full years off his post-draft Tommy John, Kay started to put it all together in 2019 and pitched will enough in the upper minors to get a cup of coffee with his new Canadian team. The fastball sits in the low 90s, bumping 95+ early in his outings. It will show hard, late run at times, but the overall command profile is a bit too much “wild in the zone.” The changeup was his signature pitch in college, but it has been inconsistent post-surgery. Kay sells the offering well, but it’s inconsistent and can show more as a straight change rather than as a true bat misser. It will flash almost Wiffle ball arm-side movement at times, though, and should play as at least an average major league offering. Kay has developed a much better curveball in the pros, a tight 1-7 yakker that tunnels well off the fastball. He also manipulates the speed of the pitch effectively—running from the mid 70s all the way up to 80—and can spot it to either side of the plate. The breaker can get a bit lazy at times, or show as more of a chase offering. More advanced hitters were able to lay off the curve once Kay got out of the Eastern League, but it still projects as an above-average offering that could get to plus with a bit more refinement. Kay has three average-or-better pitches, more than enough to stick in the middle of a rotation, but he can struggle with both efficiency and strike-throwing. He may lack a true putaway pitch in the majors, and has had issues bleeding stuff after 50-60 pitches or so. But overall, he’s a major-league-ready, polished lefty starting pitcher. OFP: 55 / No. 3/4 starter Variance: Low. There’s some risk the breaker doesn’t play as well in the majors as it did in Double-A and Kay is more of a five-and-dive fifth starter, but he’s already seen big league time and has three average-or-better pitches in his arsenal —Jeffrey Paternostro Major league ETA: Debuted in 2019 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: Kay is a good name to file away if you’re looking for some under-the-radar 2020 contributions in your very deep mixed or AL-only league. There’s nothing in front of him in Toronto’s rotation at present, and he’s got enough skill to stick around as a No. 4/5 starter on a decent team. If you’re hunting for a high-upside prospect, however, you can move along. 7. Gabriel Moreno, C DOB: 2/14/2000 Height/Weight: 5’11” / 160 lbs Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Signed on August 3rd, 2016 by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Venezuela for $25,000. Previous Ranking(s): N/R 2019 Stats: .280/.337/.485, 12 HR, 7 SB in 82 games for Low-A Lansing The Report: Moreno is one of my favorite Midwest League bats of the year. He’s slight—and is likely shorter than his listed height, but he’s a big ball of energy on the field. His teammates seem to like him and feed off that energy, which is exactly what you want from a catcher. For me, he’s more impressive at the plate than behind it, and the hit tool leads the way. The bat-to-ball skills are all there and the barrel control is impressive. His stance and swing are atypical with almost no weight transfer, but Moreno manages to show respectable power, and the ball jumps off his bat. As he advances, it will be interesting to see if he adds some weight transfer to his swing and how that affects his power and bat-to-ball skills. If the latter doesn’t suffer with added lower-half movement, he may eventually tap into above-average game power. Moreno is raw behind the plate and his arm is merely average. He does have a quick transfer though, so it is unlikely that the arm will force him out from behind the plate. At present he isn’t a great receiver, but he’s athletic and moves well behind the plate. Glovework for a catcher seems to be a teachable skill, so we will check on Moreno’s progression in that dimension of his game down the road. There are decent foundational tools here already, though. OFP: 55 / Above-average major league catcher Variance: High. If he has to move from behind the plate, it’s uncertain if the bat will carry the profile. If there is more power without sacrificing the hit tool, he might top that OFP. —Keith Rader Major league ETA: 2022 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: Friends don’t let friends draft fantasy catching prospects. That’s especially true when said prospects aren’t guaranteed to stick at catcher. 8. Orelvis Martinez, SS DOB: 11/19/2001 Height/Weight: 6’1”, 188 lbs. Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Signed on July 2nd, 2018 by the Toronto Blue Jays out of the Domincan Republic for $3.5 million. Previous Ranking(s): N/R 2019 Stats: .275/.352/.549, 7 HR, 2 SB in 40 games for GCL Blue Jays The Report: The Blue Jays’ biggest bonus baby in their 2018 J2 Class, Martinez looked the seven-figure part. At the plate he shows quality bat speed and uses the whole field to his advantage, showing advanced feel for hitting for someone so young. He is lean now but already shows average raw power, which should grow into potential plus raw power as he further matures, and he already shows big exit velocity with loft for a 17-year-old. Defensively he may lose a step as he enters his twenties, pushing him off shortstop, but for now he combines good actions with plus arm strength and plus hands. He can be overly aggressive and flashy on the field, but these are things that iron out over time. The defensive tools would fit well at third base long term, and if the game power gets at least to plus, that bat will be more than enough to carry a corner. OFP: 55 / Average regular, location TBD Variance: High, while still young and having an impressive debut year, he could fill out the wrong way or see his aggression limit the hit tool. If/when he loses a step he could lose athleticism as well, moving him down the defensive spectrum. —Steve Givarz Major league ETA: 2023 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: Martinez is a total flier, but he’s a fairly fun one as fliers go. Plus, he reminded me of Runelvys Hernandez, so overall I see this as a total win. 9. Josh Winckowski, RHP DOB: 6/28/98 Height/Weight: 6’4” / 202 lbs Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Previous Ranking(s): N/R 2019 Stats: 2.32 ERA, 3.74 DRA, 73 ⅔ IP, 62 H, 26 BB, 71 K in 13 games for Low-A Lansing; .319 ERA, 3.98 DRA, 53 ⅔ IP, 48 H, 17 BB, 37 K in 11 games for High-A Dunedin The Report: Winckowski has been steadily moving up the organizational ladder since being drafted in 2016, but had a breakout season this year in A-ball. He gets good extension on his heavy fastball, which sits in the mid 90s with late life. The changeup works well off of the heater and is a potential swing-and-miss pitch. Winckowski replicates his arm action well and the pitch shows good arm-side fade. His slider is inconsistent and can lack depth, but has an average projection. Physically, he’s got the classic starter’s build and if the secondaries develop he would profile as an innings eater at the back of the rotation. OFP: 50 / No. 4 starter or setup Variance: High. Needs to get a bit more out of the breaking ball to reach his OFP and hasn’t pitched in the upper minors yet. —Nathan Graham Major league ETA: 2021 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: A low-ceiling pitcher with high risk who’s not ready right now: sign me up! Just kidding. Please do not sign me up. In fact, please remove me from your email list. 10. Griffin Conine, OF DOB: 7/11/1997 Height/Weight: 6’1” / 200 lbs. Bats/Throws: L/R Drafted/Acquired: Drafted 52nd overall in the 2018 draft out of Duke University; signed for $1.35 million Previous Ranking(s): #13 (Org) 2019 Stats: .283/.371/.576, 22 HR, 2 SB in 80 games for Low-A Lansing The Report: After missing the first 50 games of the season due to a positive test for a banned stimulant, Conine arrived in the Midwest League, showing off the plus raw power that made him a potential first-round pick in 2018. The power does come with a cost at the plate, though, as his strikeout rate in Low-A was over 35 percent. Defensively, he’s limited to a corner spot where he makes up for below-average range with good instincts. He’ll be able to hold down right field with an arm that’s accurate and strong. Conine has the makings of a classic power hitting right-fielder but he’ll need to tighten up the approach at the plate to reach that profile. OFP: 50 / Average Corner Outfielder Variance: High. There are questions about whether the hit tool will play and Conine has yet to face advanced pitching. —Nathan Graham Major league ETA: 2022 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: On the one hand, Conine doesn’t have a terribly exciting fantasy profile. On the other hand, he’s the son of a former big leaguer in Toronto’s system, so he’s probably at least a role-60 player in disguise. Add him to your watch list, but don’t pounce yet.

9. Josh Winckowski, RHP DOB: 6/28/98 Height/Weight: 6’4” / 202 lbs Bats/Throws: R/R Drafted/Acquired: Previous Ranking(s): N/R 2019 Stats: 2.32 ERA, 3.74 DRA, 73 ⅔ IP, 62 H, 26 BB, 71 K in 13 games for Low-A Lansing; .319 ERA, 3.98 DRA, 53 ⅔ IP, 48 H, 17 BB, 37 K in 11 games for High-A Dunedin The Report: Winckowski has been steadily moving up the organizational ladder since being drafted in 2016, but had a breakout season this year in A-ball. He gets good extension on his heavy fastball, which sits in the mid 90s with late life. The changeup works well off of the heater and is a potential swing-and-miss pitch. Winckowski replicates his arm action well and the pitch shows good arm-side fade. His slider is inconsistent and can lack depth, but has an average projection. Physically, he’s got the classic starter’s build and if the secondaries develop he would profile as an innings eater at the back of the rotation. OFP: 50 / No. 4 starter or setup Variance: High. Needs to get a bit more out of the breaking ball to reach his OFP and hasn’t pitched in the upper minors yet. —Nathan Graham Major league ETA: 2021 Ben Carsley’s Fantasy Take: A low-ceiling pitcher with high risk who’s not ready right now: sign me up! Just kidding. Please do not sign me up. In fact, please remove me from your email list.