Mikeleelop

Professionalism is also a thing....... How did the Royals manage to continue to win the wild card without a trade deadline acquisition??

Roy (Indiana): Why is Labourt ranked ahead of Castro? From what I've seen of both Castro seems more a finished pitcher but with more or less equally high ceilings. John Manuel: Lefty vs. a righty, but I had those guys flipped several times. Just having a lefthander who can dominate often older competition essentially with one pitch, plus the fact that Labourt's arm is pretty clean and works easy enough to believe he'll command the ball better down the line, gave him the edge. Both those guys are exciting for having easy gas as starting pitchers, which separated them from the pack. Looking at the league overall, pitching prospects were probably the weakest spot. I'm not sure how many future big league rotation members will come from the NWL. If someone were taking odds, I would take zero and let you have the field, and I'd like my chances. Castro and Labourt obviously were the exceptions, as the only pitchers in the top 10.

Steve (Vancouver): How come Alberto Tirado didn't make the list? John Manuel: He just did not throw enough strikes. Managers knocked both his command and lack of secondary stuff, but he was one of the livelier arms in the league and is just 19. More than likely 2014 will be a bump in the road for him because the arm can be electric. But he's clearly behind Labourt and Castro, who throw more strikes, have big arms and are bigger-bodied guys.

Pentecost Zach (San Diego): Why did Max Pentecost rank #8 in the paper thin Northwest League Top 20? And if you can tell us what's a reasonable ceiling and/or comp for this kid? John Manuel: Managers and scouts in the league saw Pentecost catch all of six games. We were asking them to weigh in essentially on a DH. So we dinged him a bit for that, ranking him behind two potential starting corner bats who are younger than him. Baez and Cordero are much riskier bets for sure, so we could have ranked him higher. I thought the top 12 guys were a fairly clear top 12; after that, there was not much differentiation.

Barreto = FAP Brian (Denver): Which #1 league prospect has a higher ceiling as a SS, Northwest league Franklin Barretto or Appalachian league Ozhaino Albies? John Manuel: Albies sounds super exciting and more likely to be a shortstop, but Barretto for me because of the bat. He may not be a shortstop long-term, but that dude can hit. Barretto's defense gets knocked by the managers we talked to, who obviously value reliability and making the routine play, but we have good reports on Barretto's infield actions. He has a shot to stay in the infield if not at shortstop, so I'd go with him. Albies is 5-foot-7 and we have mixed reports on just how much offensive upside he has in terms of how much he'll impact the baseball. No such questions exist for Barretto. Both exciting players though. Feng (New York): Hi, I was wondering if Barreto is a top 100 player? And if he is, would anyone else from this league make it on the top 100 list? John Manuel: I think he probably is, and he's likely the only person from this Top 20 to merit such consideration. The other possibility may be Miguel Castro, who has the big arm and athleticism but whose secondary stuff is probably too raw for top 100 right now. He could have been No. 2 or No. 3. I thought Barretto was a clear No. 1, but 2-3-4 were tough for me and Brian to rank. They could have gone in any order really.

more bluejay prospect questions from BA chat Jon (Florida): Do you have any info on Ryan mcbroom 1b with Vancouver? Is he a prospect for the bluejays? John Manuel: McBroom definitely had his supporters. He has present power, with a pretty aggressive approach that allowed him to succeed in his debut. He hit some long home runs that impressed managers as well as fans. He needs to shorten his swing some, and his bats-right, throws-left profile is worth mentioning because it's fairly rare. He might have had a chance to try third base is he threw righthanded. Some managers knocked him as a below-average defender at first. L.B. Dantzler put up similar numbers in the league last year and wasn't able to follow up this year. McBroom will see if he's up to the challenge.

From BA chat this afternoon on NWL prospect list... @Jaypers413 (IL): Thanks for the chat, John. Is it a safe assumption that Schwarber would have topped this list had he qualified? In addition, what was the consensus opinion of his skillset during his limited time in Boise? John Manuel: He hit 4 HR in 5 games. One league manager Brian talked to said he was "Mickey Mantle against us," and another said, "You will live with the passed balls if he hits like I think he'll hit." Weighing that against Borreto would have been a fun exercise. I can see arguments for both of them.

80 does not get thrown around a lot, but he had an 84% steal success rate which is very encouraging considering what DJ Davis and Gose have shown. His write up said he played baseball and ran track in JC

Sorry for the information dump coming up! there is a lot of prospect information for Jays fans in the NWL. I will post write ups regarding Jays prospects 1. Franklin Barreto, ss, Vancouver (Blue Jays) Franklin Barreto (photo by Mike Janes) Franklin Barreto (photo by Mike Janes) Age: 18. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 5-9. Wt.: 174. Signed: Venezuela, 2012. Barreto was a top junior in Venezuela before signing with the Blue Jays for $1.45 million in July 2012. He did nothing in his first season in the NWL to suggest that wasn’t money well spent. Barreto was a dominant force, leading the league in hits (90), RBIs (61), runs (65), doubles (23) and total bases (139) while ranking third in stolen bases with 29. “Taking into account he’s playing against 22-, 23-, 24-year-olds, that’s really, really hard,” Tri-City manager Drew Saylor said. “This kid would be a freshman, maybe a sophomore in college. Imagine the hype if he were in the States. He’d be a first-rounder.” Observers struggled to agree on Barreto’s best tool. He uses all fields, hits for power and for average. His bat is ahead of his defense, as he committed 26 errors, but played nearly 600 innings at short, and he’s athletic. “He’s a whole package,” Vancouver hitting coach Dave Pano said. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG 289 65 90 23 4 6 61 27 64 29 5 .311 .384 .481 3. Jairo Labourt, lhp, Vancouver (Blue Jays) Age: 20. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 204. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2011. Labourt led the league in ERA (1.77), strikeouts per nine innings (10.45) and opponent average (.188), then after the season he dominated in the playoffs, beating Spokane in a first-round series clincher. The rare Dominican power lefthander, Labourt relied on his mid-90s fastball, which at his best he can locate inside (he also hit eight batters). He pitched aggressively with his fastball, using it to dominate righthanders to the tune of a .171/.286/.202 line. Some NWL observers want to see how Labourt responds to batters who can turn around his fastball, but he did not allow a home run in the NWL. He also has a solid changeup, which he uses to keep batters off-balance, and a clean arm action. His breaking ball remains a work in progress. Labourt had wild streaks and at times showed an unwillingness to back down. “He’s got big leaguer written all over him,” Boise manager Gary Van Tol said. W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG 5 3 1.77 15 15 0 71 47 17 14 0 37 82 .188 4. Miguel Castro, rhp, Vancouver (Blue Jays) Age: 19. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 190. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2012. The Blue Jays hit paydirt with pitcher signings out of the Dominican Republic in back-to-back years with lefty Jairo Labourt and Castro, who signed for $180,000 in January 2012. The pair formed a dominant duo at the top of the Vancouver rotation, with Castro making up for time he lost last year when a visa issue delayed his arrival in the U.S. Castro’s strong start and control earned him two in-season promotions, one to low Class A Lansing and anther to high Class A Dunedin, where he finished the year while still a teenager. Tall and projectable, Castro throws consistent strikes with a downward plane to his pitches, allowing him to work down in the zone. His easy delivery belies his consistent mid-90s fastball (which touched 98 mph), giving him natural deception. He relies more on a slurvy breaking ball than he did his changeup, which has flashed potential. W L ERA G GS SV IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG 6 2 2.15 10 10 0 50 36 13 12 2 20 53 .202 8. Max Pentecost, c, Vancouver (Blue Jays) Age: 21. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 191. Drafted: Kennesaw State, 2014 (1st round) Pentecost has a track record for hitting from his college days, both in the Cape Cod League and at Kennesaw State. He led Kennesaw to an NCAA super regional then signed for $2,888,300 as the second of the Blue Jays’ two first-round picks in June. Pentecost’s pro debut was interrupted by a nagging wrist injury that limited him to just six games at catcher and 19 overall before he was shut down in early August. NWL managers who saw Pentecost knew his reputation from their amateur scouting departments and were impressed by his athleticism. Some project him as a prototype catch-and-throw receiver, with his offensive development being a bonus. Pentecost showed some skill with the bat in limited time, though his power didn’t show up and he swung and missed more against advanced pitching. Managers agreed that a healthy Pentecost could move quickly. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG 83 15 26 2 3 0 9 2 18 2 1 .313 .322 .410 20. Roemon Fields, of, Vancouver (Blue Jays) Age: 23. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 180. Signed: Bethany (Kan.), 2013 (NDFA). While Fields wasn’t drafted, he was on teams’ radars as a baseball player when he played at Yakima Valley (Wash.) JC. He played baseball and ran track at NAIA Bethany (Kan.) but wasn’t drafted and was working for the post office in Seattle when he played in 2013 World Baseball Challenge, an international tournament that featured an American team comprised of junior-college players in the Pacific Northwest. The Blue Jays saw Fields’ speed in the event and signed him. While he’s older at 23, he profiles as a center fielder with top-of-the-scale speed in the Juan Pierre mold. He led the league in stolen bases (48), has outstanding range in center field and did not hit into a double play this season. Fields developed at the plate, learning to use the whole field, get in good hitter’s counts and stay through the ball. He must work on his short game, particularly bunting, and make much more consistent contact to take advantage of his wheels. He has enough pop to keep pitchers honest but isn’t expected to hit for home run power. AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG 294 64 79 13 4 1 26 27 61 48 9 .269 .338 .350

thanks King. That makes sense

Barreto #1, Labourt #3, Castro #4, Pentecost #8, Fields #20 no McBroom - who had a very good year at 1b When did Vancouver join the NWL?? No Canadians on prospect list from 5 years ago - is that because franchise wasn't Jays affiliate or was it because Jays prospects were that bad 5 years ago?

Wow lots of new talent on the board lately Just wow

Then go on the Argo message board and discuss

Tablet "it used to be like in the old days when they'd have the instructional league for a teams elite prospects " Um - just like what is going on in Florida right now pat you incompetent f***

Did buck and pat say they thought Melkey wasn't resigning in Toronto? What was context?

Um, I'd like to repeat #pompey2015

gives an additional inventory of prospects, some a level or two higher than the Instructional roster posted yesterday comments do provide some insights and opinions. its nice when the author responds to questions or comments. It looks like the cupboard is full of prospects, I hope a few can stick and help out in the majors!!

FAP away http://www.minorleagueball.com/2014/9/24/6794669/toronto-blue-jays-top-20-2014-pre-season-prospects-in-review Toronto Blue Jays Top 20 Prospects for 2014 John Sickels This morning we continue with our prospect reviews with an examination of the Toronto Blue Jays system. Remember, this is the PRE-SEASON list. This is not a new list. These are pre-season rankings and grades. This is a general review of the 2014 season, not a detailed preview for 2015. This list was originally published January 18, 2014 1) Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Grade A-: Age 22, 3.95 ERA with 84/57 K/BB in 100 innings between Triple-A Buffalo and Double-A New Hampshire, 3.13 GO/AO. In the majors, posted 1.19 ERA in bullpen with 25/7 K/BB in 30 innings, just 14 hits, 2.30 GO/AO. Looks outstanding in relief but could still start down the line. 2) Marcus Stroman, RHP, Grade B+: Borderline A-. Very successful major league debut at age 23, 3.77 ERA with 107/28 K/BB in 127 innings, 124 hits. Couldn’t have hoped for more. 3) Mitch Nay, 3B, Grade B: Age 21, hit .285/.342/.389 with 34 doubles, three homers, 39 walks, 79 strikeouts in 473 at-bats for Low-A Lansing in the Midwest League. Good batting average and OBP, but I expected more home run power. That may still come. 4) Daniel Norris, LHP, Grade B: Age 21, large step forward, combined 2.53 ERA with 164/43 K/BB in 125 innings between High-A, Double-A, Triple-A. Always has a good arm but mechanical refinements and improved command have made him one of the top southpaw prospects in baseball this year. 5) Sean Nolin, LHP, Grade B: Age 24, 3.50 ERA with 74/35 K/BB in 87 innings for Buffalo, 74 hits. Doesn’t have Norris’ ceiling but could still be a workable fourth starter or relief option. 6) Franklin Barreto, SS, Grade B-: Age 18, hit .311/.384/.481 with six homers, 26 walks, 64 strikeouts, 29 steals in 289 at-bats for Vancouver in the Northwest League. Large step forward for this toolsy player, up into B+ range. 7) D.J. Davis, OF, Grade B-: Borderline C+. Age 20, hit .213/.268/.316 with eight homers, 19 steals, 36 walks, 167 strikeouts in 494 at-bats for Lansing. All tools, no skills at this point. Was caught stealing 20 times. 8) Alberto Tirado, RHP, Grade C+: Age 19, ineffective in Low-A due to command troubles (6.30 ERA, 40/39 K/BB in 40 innings), somewhat better but still not great when sent down to Vancouver (3.53 ERA, 36/28 K/BB in 36 innings). No question about the stuff but raw. 9) Roberto Osuna, RHP, Grade C+: Age 19, recovering from Tommy John, posted 6.55 ERA with 30/9 K/BB in 22 innings for High-A Dunedin. Finished strong. 10) Dawel Lugo, SS, Grade C+: Age 19, hit .259/.286/.329 with four homers, 18 walks, 72 strikeouts in 474 at-bats for Lansing. Improved feel for the strike zone though still impatient, reports on tools are good. 11) Andy Burns, INF, Grade C+: Age 24, hit .255/.315/.430 with 32 doubles, 15 homers, 18 steals, 41 walks, 99 strikeouts in 495 at-bats for New Hampshire. Still a nice sleeper prospect. 12) Tom Robson, RHP, Grade C+: Age 21, 6.25 ERA with 22/18 K/BB in 32 innings for Lansing, blew out elbow, down for Tommy John. 13) John Stilson, RHP, Grade C+: Age 24, 3.18 ERA with 32/18 K/BB in 34 innings for Buffalo, on verge of major league trial but hurt his labrum and ended up with surgery. 14) A.J. Jimenez, C, Grade C+: Age 24, hit .249/.289/.351 with three homers, 19 walks, 52 strikeouts in 313 at-bats between Buffalo and New Hampshire. Unclear if he’ll hit enough to move beyond a reserve role. 15) Jairo Labourt, LHP, Grade C+: Age 20, excellent season for Vancouver with 1.77 ERA, 82/37 K/BB in 71 innings, just 47 hits. Will need sharper control but promising. 16) Chase De Jong, RHP, Grade C+: Age 20, posted 4.82 ERA with 73/22 K/BB in 97 innings for Lansing, 113 hits, 12 homers. Disappointing season but still young. 17) Dwight Smith, OF, Grade C+: Age 21, hit .284/.363/.453 with 12 homers, 58 walks, 69 strikeouts in 472 at-bats for Dunedin, 15 steals. Overshadowed by emergence of Dalton Pompey (see below), but Smith had a fine season in his own right. 18) L.B. Dantzler, 1B, Grade C+: Age 23, hit .245/.328/.361 with six homers, 41 walks, 58 strikeouts in 335 at-bats between Lansing and Dunedin. Unable to duplicate ’13 success and at his age he can’t afford another mediocre year in this system. 19) Matt Boyd, LHP, Grade C+: Age 23, outstanding at Dunedin (1.39 ERA, 103/20 K/BB in 91 innings, 65 hits) but found the going much rougher in Double-A (6.96 ERA, 44/13 K/BB in 43 innings, 55 hits). My guess is that he will adjust. 20) Richard Urena, SS, Grade C+: Age 18, strong showing at Bluefield in the Appalachian League, .318/.363/.433 in 217 at-bats. Very toolsy. Although the major league club has hovered around .500, 2014 was a good year for the Blue Jays from a player development perspective. Rookie starter Marcus Stroman met or exceeded all expectations, while fellow top pitching prospect Aaron Sanchez dominated out of the bullpen. Daniel Norris took a huge step forward, and 2013 draftee Kendall Graveman jumped from an eighth-round slot out of Mississippi State to the major leagues in one year. Big lefty Matt Smoral made good progress in short-season ball. The 2014 draft brings in right-handers Jeff Hoffman (who needs to recover from Tommy John) and Sean Reid-Foley, both capable of being above-average or better major league starters. For all the good pitching news, there were many positives on the position side as well. Canadian outfielder Dalton Pompey broke out with a .317/.392/.469 campaign with 43 steals and 52 walks at three levels, pushing himself to the top of the position player charts. The 2014 draft brings in advanced college catcher Max Pentecost, and results from the large group of recent Latin American signees were positive, with Franklin Barreto, Dawel Lugo, and shortstop Richard Urena all thriving at the lower levels. The Blue Jays were ranked 15th pre-season. Their ranking entering 2015 will certainly rise, perhaps into the elite level given the positive development of the upside talents and a good infusion from the draft class.

cept the $$$$$

funny - but you'd have to trade for Rios wouldn't you??

Kiley McDaniel Chat today, I had to ask Comment From Mike What is the downside to Toronto playing Pompey in CF next season. He has a better approach at the plate already than both Gose/Pillar and he has high end defence abilities. What is potential negative effect on long term development?? 12:20 Kiley McDaniel: This is why you don't rush prospects. When they aren't ready, they learn bad habits (bad for their long-term goals) so they can stay up in the big leagues when they could learn things in the correct incremental way in the minors. What you have in the big leagues shouldn't impact that decision--there's crappy one-year fill-in veterans out there for situations like this.

top 10 payroll is not good enough. this year they needed to add $15million - if they were told to go for it in 2013, then you would realize that 2014 roster was lacking. They needed one or two more pieces and Rogers obviously had fixed payroll (the Santana fiasco this spring proved that) plus their inactivity at the trade deadline due to their constraint about not adding payroll (as confirmed by multiple sources around MLB including keith law). This show no commitment to winning - it shows the Blue Jays are run only about with the bottom line of the Rogers empire in mind

this was lifted from a newspaper article written by Steve Buffery from the Toronto Sun. It is a very good summary about Rogers ownership Lind actually said that with a straight face. The man’s sincere. But quite frankly, who really believes the Jays will be in the running for any of those guys? Rogers continues to play the game that Toronto is some sort of small or medium market and therefore can’t spend the money that the Yanks and Red Sox — two teams that are constantly in the post-season — always do. And the amazing thing about that big con job is, Rogers has actually succeeded in brainwashing a large portion of the Jays fan base, who believe it’s important for this multi-billion dollar corporation to watch their nickels and dimes. If this was New York or Boston, fans would be howling if those teams didn’t go for at least one of Lester, Scherzer or Shields ... and in a serious way, not just paying lip-service.

To me Pompey has already shown he's better than gose/pillar

i wrote this before the game yesterday, it seems more true then ever!!! Dalton Pompey should be the starting CF in 2015 out of spring training if the alternatives are Gose/Pillar. He already has more professional at bats and makes more solid hard contact. His defence is very close to Gose's level. Why delay the inevitable?? Gose and Pillar are AAAA players. Not first division regulars. Gose may be a bench player used for late inning defensive replacement etc. Comments???