06 October, 2005
A few more updates before my little respite ...
AFL ... Angel Guzman CHN, just the fact he went four innings might be
encouragement enough, 4 6 2 2 0 5 ... Eric Patterson 2B CHN 1-5, 2
Ks ... Brandon Sing 1B CHN 3-4, 3 doubles, walk ... Wes
Bankston 1B TB 2-4, homer ... Stephen Drew SS ARZ 1-4, 2nd
homer ... Jason Pridie TB, in CF and leadoff, 3-5, homer, 3 RBI
... Ian Stewart 3B COL 2-3, homer, 3 RBI, 2 walks ... Adam
Loewen BAL, very nice, 3 1 0 0 1 4 ... Matt Moses 3B MIN
2-3, walk ... Lastings Milledge, at DH, NYN 2-5, 2 doubles ... Jered Weaver LAA
2 1 0 0 0 6 ... Brandon Wood LAA 1-4, homer, 3 RBI ... Billy Butler KC
4-5, double, homer, 4 RBI ... Howie Kendrick LAA 3-5, SB ...
Guillermo Quiroz C TOR 2-4, double ... Brendan Harris WAS 2-4, homer,
3 RBI
Troop movements ... COL - Eddy Garabito outright to AAA, claimed Jaimie Cerda
off waivers from KC ... KC- Nate Field outright to AAA ...
Baseball America moves on to the top young guns in the Pacific Coast League ...
Felix Hernandez, of course, at No. 1, with a pair of Brewers up next -
Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder - then Conor
Jackson ARZ and SF's Matt Cain.
Earlier, BA ranked the Texas League, topped by a
pair of Angels prospects - Howie Kendrick and Erick Aybar.
Daric Barton OAK ranked 3rd, ahead of two Rangers' pitching
prospects - Thomas Diamond and Edison Volquez.
Will Lingo, in
the BA chat room, with tidbits on the Texas' picks :
Billy Butler KC " ... Butler would have
been a likely top five prospect for this league, which was not loaded this year,
if he had enough at-bats to qualify."
Jered Weaver, Alberto
Callaspo? " ... Weaver also would have been a top five guy, as would
have Ervin Santana, who was just a few innings short of qualifying. Callaspo
probably just suffered from the plethora of talented players in Arkansas. We
already had five players from that team on the list, and you could have argued
for more with Callaspo and Mike Napoli."
Yuniesky
Betancourt SEA " ... I think if he hits .250, most people think
he'll still be valuable enough to start in the big leagues. His defense is that
good. And most scouts and managers think he'll hit better than that because he
already handles the bat pretty well. The best comparisons I heard were Rey
Ordonez and Omar Vizquel ... He is a great, once in a decade type defensive
player. Managers and scouts ran out of superlatives for him on defense."
John
Danks TEX " ... I think he's a
middle-of-the-rotation starter, a lefty with two potentially above-average
pitches in his fastball and curveball. It's still early to make a call on that,
though, because he's just 20. It's impressive that he pitched 98 Double-A
innings at that age, and scouts were still impressed with his maturity even
though he got hit pretty hard."
Howie
Kendrick LAA " ... You're talking about a potential batting champion who
could be a perfect No. 2 hitter and could even hit No. 3 in an order if he
develops more power. He had no trouble making the jump to Double-A, and drew
comparisons to names like Gwynn and Grace for his swing, balance and hand-eye
coordination. I think he also showed he could play second this year, after some
thought he might have to move to third."
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, with some notes on young Cubbies in the CHN
organizational report :
" ... Felix Pie ... took another step
forward in his rung-by-rung climb to Chicago, though an ankle injury ended his
season in June ... Still, Pie's tools started to sharpen a bit more as he
finished with a .304 average, 11 homers (a career high that led to his best
slugging percentage of .554) and 13 steals. He could be the Cubs' center fielder
in 2006."
" ... Scott Moore ... former
first-rounder (eighth overall in 2002 by the Tigers) came to the Cubs last
offseason in the Kyle Farnsworth trade and he made the most of repeating in the
FSL. Originally a shortstop and now playing third, Moore went to the Futures
Game while setting a career high in homers (20), RBIs (82), slugging (.485) and
OBP (.358)."
" ... Mark Pawelek ... Not only
did the high schooler out of Utah surprise many by signing immediately (he's
represented by Scott Boras), but he dominated the Arizona League despite not
always having command of his pitches. Batters hit just .170 against Pawelek, who
postd a 2.72 ERA and struck out 56 in 43 IP."
05 October, 2005
September visitors ... Dave Lyon is back in the US from Fiji, so the Pacific
island is no longer represented, but we've still managed to attract a pretty
fair number of baseball fans from around the globe. September hits from :
Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cocos
(Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
International (int), Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand (Aotearoa),
Nicaragua, Non-Profit Organization, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand,
Turkey, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States, US Commercial, US Educational, US
Government, US Military, Venezuela, Viet Nam
Opening day in the Arizona Fall League ...
Brandon Wood LAA, minors home run leader, kicked off the AFL with
another, 1-4, homer, walk ... Howie Kendrick LAA, who shared the
Angels' Minors' Player of the Year Award with Wood, 3-5, 2 doubles ... Kendry
Morales LAA, 2-4, double, walk ... Michael Bourn PHI 2-4,
triple, walk, 4 RBI ... Chris Young CHA 2-3, double ... Glen Perkins MIN
3 4 2 1 1 2 ... Taylor Tankersley FLO 2 5 5 3 1 2 ...
Jeff Clement SEA 2-4, double ... Nick Markakis BAL 2-4,
walk ... Garrett Jones 1B MIN (.244, 24 HR in AAA) 2-3, 2 homers,
2 walks ... Lastings Milledge NYN 1-4, walk ... nice start for
Daric Barton OAK 2-4, double, homer, walk, 3 RBI ... Jarrod
Saltalamacchia ATL 2-3, double, walk ... Matt Kemp LA 3-4,
double, triple, walk, 3 RBI ... Andy LaRoche LA 2-5, double ...
Stephen Drew ARZ 3-4, homer ... Ryan Garko CLE 1-3,
homer
Troop movements ... MIN - Luis Rivas, Brent Abernathy, Michael Ryan outright to
AAA ...
Taking a little time off ... combination of things (getting things prepared for
the new season, having to make some out of town trips, some minor surgery, finally changing over
from ANA to LAA ) ...
Alan Matthews,
in the BA chat room, on Baseball America's Eastern League Top 20 (the
updated League page here):
Lastings Milledge CF NYN " ... Milledge
could be an occasional all-star as a solid everyday major league center
fielder."
Hanley Ramirez SS BOS " ...
Tools! He's got plus tools across the board and it's a matter of developing
those tools into a foundation of workable baseball skills that remains Ramirez'
task. He played the entire season as a 21-year-old, so he's got time on his side
and it's understandable that he didn't tear up the EL, which was heavy in
pitching prospects at almost every stop. He was a career .313 hitter entering
the season, so he has performed just fine, to go along with that projection and
his tools, by the way."
Ryan Zimmerman 3B WAS " ... Zimmerman
stepped up to Harrisburg after less than a week in low Class A, right out of
college, and more than held his own. His best tool is his glove but he figures
to post at least average numbers in batting average and home runs as he matures
and learns the nuances of hitting. He could improve his plate discipline a
touch, as he's very aggressive early in counts, especially with the fastball. He
compares favorably to a Scott Brosius type of player, who might hit anywhere
from No. 2 to No. 7 in a lineup. "
BOS SPs " ... the threesome of
Papelbon, Sanchez and Lester could have been ranked in any
order. I really like the upside of Lester so he got the nod as the
highest-ranked pitcher of the group. He needs to sharpen his slider, which I was
banking on, as it's an inconsistent pitch but plus at times. Health is the key
to Sanchez. He tired down the stretch of the regular season, but did return to
pitch in the playoffs. Papelbon is the safest bet of them all, if not for his
composure and maturity, for the way he carried himself in the pressure-packed
environment in the big leagues as the Sox secured the wild card. Lester could be
in the big leagues by next September while Sanchez will need to show the
durability it takes to pitch in the majors. If he does, he could be on Lester's
heels. Papelbon should compete for a job on the staff in spring training next
season."
On BA's
Southern League picks, it was Aaron Fitt taking the questions :
Chris Young OF CHA " ... Scouts and managers
just loved everything about Chris Young this year. He does have a chance to be a
legitimate five-tool guy, as his arm is at least average, and he is learning how
to hit very quickly. He made a ton of adjustments from the beginning of the
year, showing improved knowledge of the strike zone and an increased ability to
hit breaking balls. And he plays the game the right way. Just a terrific
prospect who has really improved his stock dramatically since last year."
Chuck James SP ATL " ...
got to give Chuck James credit for putting up amazing numbers at every level,
and he's undeniably a fierce competitor who gets the most out of his stuff. But
he throws an 89-92 fastball and lacks a big-time out-pitch. He's probably a No.
4 or 5 starter in the majors."
Felix Pie OF CHN " ... I don't fully
buy into the Pie mystique, either. But he has so much natural talent and such a
high upside that you cannot ignore him on a list of top prospects. And he is a
very exciting, high-energy player. He could figure it out - don't forget that
even though he's been on the prospect landscape a few years, he's still just 20
years old."
Francoeur or Hermida? " ... There is
no unified BA opinion on that matter - it's like the great taste, less filling
debate. They are two different kinds of players, with Hermida's forte being his
advanced hitting approach and incredible patience at the plate, while Francoeur
is a much more aggressive hitter. But managers and scouts are split on who will
be the better big leaguer when all's said and done. I went with Hermida because
I think his approach is more likely to yield solid results over the longterm,
but I believe both players will be all-star-caliber right fielders for years to
come."
Kevin T. Czerwinski, MLB.com, with notes on some BAL and BOS prospects in
his team by team reviews/previews :
BAL " ... Brandon Snyder ... gritty
backstop ... impressed as many people with his attitude and approach as he did
with his bat. The son of a former Major Leaguer, he has poise and polish to go
along with a solid bat. He hit .271 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in the
Appalachian League before hitting .393 with six RBIs in eight New York-Penn
League games at Aberdeen."
BAL " ... Garrett Olson ... LHP
A thinking man's hurler, Olson has three pitches -- fastball, curve and change
-- that he uses effectively, a fact that was evident after the O's grabbed him
in the second round from Cal-Poly. He went 2-1 with a 1.58 ERA in 11 games (six
starts) with Aberdeen before moving up to Frederick. He had 19 strikeouts in 14
1/3 innings in the Carolina League to go a long with a 3.14 ERA."
BOS " ... Jacoby Ellsbury ...
OF ... hit .317 in 35 games for the Spinners, stealing 23 bases. He had more
walks that strikeouts [24-20] and a .418 on-base percentage. A likeable kid,
Ellsbury is the type that could zip through the Minor Leagues quickly. He's
scrappy and hustles, wrecking havoc at every turn."
BOS " ... Craig Hansen ... was
talk that Hansen could join a Major League club right after the draft, that's
how high some expectations were. Well, that was almost the case considering he
only pitched 12 2/3 innings in the Minor Leagues before Boston brought him up
for the stretch run. He's expected to be the closer at Fenway Park someday and
showed flashes of why during his stint in Portland, striking out 10 in 9 2/3
while allowing only one walk. He needed a few weeks off late in the year because
of a tired arm but rebounded nicely in the playoffs and should vie for a spot on
the Major League roster in 2006."
01 October, 2005
KC gets its man :
" ... First-round pick Alex Gordon agreed to
a $4 million contract with the Royals on Thursday that makes him the
highest-paid draft choice in franchise history ... allows the Royals to
watch Gordon play for the first time since the completion of his junior year at
Nebraska, when he hit .372 with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs. Gordon today will head
for Surprise, Ariz., to join the Royals’ Instructional League team for its final
two weeks. The Royals will try Gordon at third base, the position he played in
college, but could eventually switch him to a corner-outfield spot. After that,
he is expected to join the taxi squad of the Royals’ Arizona Fall League team.
He could also spend the winter months playing in Puerto Rico to make up for the
at-bats he lost by sitting out the season. The Royals anticipate Gordon moving
quickly through the system, as top-notch players are wont to do."
(Kansas City Star)
MinorLeagueBaseball has begun team-by-team reviews with lots of info on
prospects. The Braves & D'Backs are first up :
" ... Maximiliano Ramirez, C ... Ramirez, who
won't turn 21 until next month, showed he could handle the bat this season,
finishing second in the Appalachian League with a .347 average and third with 47
RBIs. He made only one error behind the plate, posting a .996 fielding
percentage. A converted third baseman, he threw out nearly 40 percent of runners
attempting to steal."
" ... Chuck James, LHP ... opened some
eyes in his first full season in 2004, but he had many rubbing them with his
follow-up in 2005. The 6-foot lefty began the year with Myrtle Beach in the
Carolina League and ended all the way in Atlanta with a September callup. With
stops in Mississippi and Richmond along the way, the 23-year-old James finished
his Minor League season with a combined 2.12 ERA, third-lowest in the Minors. He
was fourth with his 193 strikeouts (in 161 1/3 innings pitched) while walking
just 36 and he topped all Minor League hurlers with a .179 batting average
against."
" ... Garrett Mock, RHP Considering that 40
percent of his starts and innings pitched were in Lancaster's Clear Channel
Stadium, Mock's 14-7 mark and 4.18 ERA were phenomenal. He pitched about as well
as can possibly be expected at home, going 6-2 with a 4.76 ERA and was 8-5 with
a 3.80 mark on the road. Only five pitchers in Minor League Baseball racked up
more wins ... only 10 pitched more innings (174 1/3). The 6-foot-4 right-hander
led the Cal League and D-Backs organization in strikeouts with 160."
" ... Carlos Gonzales, OF Just 19 years old
at the conclusion of the season, Gonzales was named the Midwest League's MVP and
Prospect of the Year ...finished among the league leaders in nearly every
offensive category, hitting .307 with 28 doubles, six triples, 18 homers and 92
RBIs. On top of all that, he tied for fourth with 13 outfield assists."
Jim Callis, in
the BA chatroom on the Midwest League prospects :
Jeff Clement SEA " ... Had Clement
qualified, he would have been No. 2 on the list."
Carlos Gonzalez ARZ " ... Very exciting
tools but hasn't proven himself above low Class A, so he'd fit on the back half
of the Top 100 for me. If he does this again next year, I'll be happy to slap
the "elite" tag on him."
Javier Herrera OAK " ... Herrera can stay in
center but needs to polish his routes and jumps. The natural athletic ability is
definitely there. He should have the bat to hit in the middle of a lineup."
Ryan Harvey CHN ... Harvey
was a tough guy to rank. He has the tools to become the best player in the
league, but every scout I talked to brought up a different flaw in his swing or
approach ... I think he'll reach the majors and be a regular, but can't bank on
him being a star."
SSs Trevor Plouffe, Reid Brignac,
Matt Tuiasosopo " ... Plouffe's second half did help. While he
doesn't have the same raw power Brignac and Tuiasosopo have, he also has fewer
holes in his swing. And while Plouffe will stay at shortstop, it's unlikely the
other two guys will."
John Manuel
handled the South Atlantic League chat for Baseball America :
Gaby Hernandez NYN " ... he doesn't
have impact stuff, according to the scouts I talked to. He has good stuff, but
impact stuff to me means two plus pitches ... What I have heard, though, is
good--pitchability, solid fastball velocity, solid curveball that could be
better if thrown with more conviction, and good makeup. Gaby sounds like he has
a chance to really contribute for the Mets down the line, and I think he's a
good No. 3-4 starter down the line."
Chris Nelson COL " ... I wouldn't call
him a bust, but this year was not an easy one for him. He also may not be the
Rockies' SS anymore, now with Tulowitzski in the organization, but he can play
SS. Think about it this way--it's his first full season, and he never got into a
groove. I don't think he can really be judged fairly on what happened in '05.
Tough guy to rank."
Health questions " ... If Gio
Gonzalez and Philip Hughes were healthy, they probably both
would have ranked near the top. Hughes with no injury questions is pretty
impossible to argue against. Gonzalez has a slight frame to go with injury
questions, two negatives to Hughes' one, hence the lower ranking. That's the
logic behind those rankings. Stuff-wise, they were every bit as good as Elbert
and Patton, who ranked up there too. Hughes might have the best combo with his
size and feel and command. BUT, he hasn't stayed healthy yet. It's like he's the
high school draftee version of Anthony Reyes."
Neil Walker PIT " ... Walker probably
needs to control the strike zone a little better, but he has the best offensive
ceiling in the league. He just centers the ball consistently, has a swing that
doesn't get out of whack and could be a .300 hitter with 20-25 home runs. If he
stays behind the plate, which sounds like a 50-50 proposition, he's got a chance
to be an all-star."
With responses on the
Florida State
League prospect list, J.J. Cooper was in the BA chatroom :
Andy LaRoche or Justin Verlander?
" ... Picking between Verlander and LaRoche is like Monet and Manet, you're OK
either way. The reason LaRoche edged him was that Verlander, despite his
dominant stuff and amazing numbers this year, is actually a little further away
in some observers eyes. Verlander dominated the FSL with an unhittable fastball,
but he has to show he can keep it down before he'll succeed in Detroit, as
sometimes he's still missing his spots. It worked in the FSL, but manager after
manager predicted that he'll get hit at the major league level until he refines
his command. However, no one doubts that he can do that, and yes, I see
Verlander as a starter, he has the secondary pitches and the tenacity to be a
top of the rotation starter ... After a brutal July, LaRoche actually hit .300
with a .435 slugging in Jax in August, not great, but not bad either, especially
for a 21-year-old in his first taste of Double-A. His power and controlled,
smooth swing should be able to play for a long time in the majors."
Lastings Milledge NYN " ... projects as a big league CF, but
with Beltran in CF, he could handle a corner spot. He has enough arm to handle RF. Where he hits? Right now he seems to be more of a No. 5-6 hitter than a
leadoff hitter to me, but more than anyone else in the league, Milledge seemed
to be a guy who even the projections aren't really solid yet. He could be a
speed and batting average guy, as he has the bat speed and the legs to do that,
but some observers believed he could also bulk up to be a middle of the order
power hitter if he wanted to do that."
Matt Kemp LA " ... The reason he ranked
No. 5 was based as much if not more on his tools and projection as the 27 home
runs. Kemp showed plus power with the ability to handle center field while also
showing plus speed (which is surprising for a guy as big as him). I think his
strikeouts are more a concern than his home-road splits, but as a 21-year-old
heading to Double-A, his ceiling compares favorably with almost anyone in the
league."
Chuck Tiffany LA " ... Tiffany was a
puzzle. Guys who saw him good saw him as a No. 3 starter with great pitching
moxie and three above-average pitches. Those that saw him on bad nights saw a
fifth-starter or lefty reliever whose velocity waned and didn't seem to have an
above-average arm. The general consensus is that he has starter stuff, but I
wanted to make sure that people know that there are some competing opinions
about that."
Chris Kline,
Baseball America, responding to questions on the Carolina League chart :
Adam Miller CLE " ... His velocity is
close to being all the way back, and has further improved in instructional
league and--barring any setbacks--will continue to improve in the Fall League.
It's just the secondary stuff that needs work ... I'd say he has a chance
to be the best pitching prospect by the end of next season, though arms like
Chad Billingsley or Justin Verlander might have something to say about that."
Behind the dish in ATL, McCann or Salty?
" ... Saltalamacchia is still only 20, and though he made some major strides
this year behind the plate, he hasn't put up the defensive numbers McCann did at
the same level. They have similar arm strength, but McCann's release is quicker
and more accurate right now. But Saltalamacchia is so athletic and agile, that I
could see him as the future behind the plate in Atlanta ... Both have
superior bats, but Saltalamacchia is more versatile, hitting for both average
and power for either side of the plate."
Adam Loewen BAL " ... Loewen has
electric stuff--the question is whether he'll harness it ...
command is a real problem . . . sometimes. I think it might be more mental than
anything else. At times, he seems like a completely different pitcher from
inning to inning, from at-bat to at-bat, from pitch to pitch ... Scouts and managers
all thought it was way too early to bag on a 6-foot-6 lefty with a plus
curveball."
Nick Markakis BAL " ... Markakis is an
outfielder with classic right field tools, though he played exclusively in
center once he was promoted and scouts said he did a solid job there. The O's
wanted to see some versatility from him in the outfield and were pleasantly
surprised on his ability to play both spots. But RF is his future. Comps are
Andy Van Slyke and Shawn Green."
Kevin Goldstein provided the answers to questions on BA's California League Top
20 :
Adam Jones SEA " ... The Mariners put
Jones in centerfield occasionally at Double-A, and he'll get a full audition
there in the Arizona Fall League. He's a spectacular athlete with great baseball
instincts, and he could flourish there, which could get him to the big leagues
faster and help the organization figure out what to do with all of these
shortstops ... He's a good defensive shortstop, but the Ms need centerfielders
more than they need shortstops right now. Jones has plenty of athleticism and
one of the best arms around, two qualities that should serve him well in the
outfield -- I'm a big, big Jones fan.
Chris Lubanski KC, why just #20? " ...
1. He played in High Desert and had pretty miserable numbers on the road (.245 w
9 HR). 2. 131 Ks, 38 walks. 3. Nobody think he can stay in centerfield and he
has a below average arm. 4. Struggles against lefties."
Billy Butler KC in the OF " ... As one
manager put it (and this was one of my favorite quotes from this project),
'Butler is STANDING in left field, but he's not exactly PLAYING left field.' I
didn't talk to anyone who thought he could stay there. He's destined for first
base and the best, or even DH."
Asdrubal Cabrera SEA " ... an excellent
defensive shortstop. One of the best around in the minors from what I'm told.
Offensively, he knows how to put bat on ball, but he doesn't have power, and he
doesn't have a lot of on-base skills. One of those will have to change for him
to be more than a bottom-of-the-order hitter, but he's only 19, so there's
plenty of room for growth."
Daric Barton OAK " ... A catcher who
can hit like Barton is far more valueable than a first baseman who can hit like
Barton. But both have plenty of value. That said, a little birdie told me that
while Barton will stay at first base in the Arizona Fall League, returning to
catching in 2006 is still a possibility."
Sam Geaney, Cal Leaguers,
wraps up the California League season with his picks (a Top 30) as the best of
the prospects :
1. Brandon Wood SS ANA
6. Daric Barton C/1B OAK
2. Billy Butler OF/1B KC 7. John Danks LHP TEX
3. Stephen Drew SS ARZ 8. Howie
Kendrick 2B ANA
4. Edison Volquez RHP TEX 9. Troy Tulowitzki SS COL
5. Ian Stewart 3B COL 10. Miguel
Montero C ARZ
Brandon Wood " ... 20 yr old hit
.320.383/.672 while becoming the first minor leaguer in yrs to record 100 extra
base hits thanks to 43 HR and 51 2B. Explosive bat speed from fast hands allow
him to sit back and drive the ball to all fields. Lofty K totals give pause but
total package is too good to ignore from such a young kid. All the requisite
defensive tools to become an avg to above avg glove man @ ML level. Made every
defensive play and then some for me. Swings bat well enough to move to 3B or 2B
if he outgrows SS. Championship caliber makeup."
Troy Tulowitzki SS COL " ... Torn quad
put a halt in his first summer of pro ball ... Prototypical modern SS in mold of
fellow Dirtbag alum Bobby Crosby. Tulowitzki has more offensive upside than
Crosby did out of college. Can airmail a ball to any corner of yard. When
healthy he displayed solid to plus tools across board. Natural born leader makes
everyone around him better. Plays a bit too amped up right now which suited
college game just fine. Chance to become plus big league SS."
Chris Ianetta C COL " ...
Improved more than any player in league from opening day until he left in late
July. Made tremendous strides from a receiving, blocking and throwing
perspective while at the same time turning up his offensive game. Solid approach
at plate (46BB:61K)puts him in good counts to drive ball. Needs to be pushed,
play improved a ton when a formidable back up C showed up to caddy for him.
Struggled upon promotion to AA. Expect him to make similar adjustments next year
and slowly but surely move up ladder with ceiling as everyday backstop."
Jim Callis,
at Ask BA, on Bobby Brownlie CHN :
" ... For a while, the Cubs appeared to have pulled
a coup by getting Brownlie with the 21st pick ... Brownlie was considered the
best pitcher in the 2002 draft crop entering the spring, but dropped because of
signability and mild injury concerns ... Brownlie has reached Triple-A but
his stuff isn't what it was at Rutgers. He has a fringe-average fastball and a
good curveball rather than his old plus heater and a plus-plus curve, and he now
looks more like a middle reliever than a frontline starter."
John Sickels, MinorLeagueBall, on
Chris Nelson COL :
" ... hit just .241/.304/.330 with 7 steals in
315 at-bats for Asheville in the Sally League, a far cry from what was expected.
He struck out 88 times. Are there mitigating circumstances here, and can he
rebound? Health was an issue: he missed time with a groin strain and a hamstring
pull, and wasn't 100% healthy even when he did take the field. His plate
discipline was disappointing. His defense was disappointing. He didn't run as
well as he did in high school ... Given Nelson's age (he turned 20 this month),
it is way, way too early to give up on him ... Nelson's status has
slipped, yes, and he won't advance as fast as we thought. But he's still
physically talented, very young, and has played well in the past. It is much too
early to say he's a failed pick."
John Sickels with a few of his
A-Ball picks :
" ... Gulf Coast League POSITION PLAYER: Dodgers
third baseman Eduardo Perez led the league with a .352 average. He also
led the league in SLG at .553, and was third in OBP at .405."
" ... Arizona Rookie League POSITION PLAYER: Royals
shortstop Jeff Bianchi hit .408/.484/.745, but was limited to just 28
games by a back injury, keeping him from the qualifying lists. I think we have
go to with Brewers outfielder Lorenzo Cain, who was second in the league
with a .356 average, seventh with a .418 OBP, and led the league with a .566 SLG.
He also stole 12 bases."
" ... Pioneer League POSITION PLAYER: Helena second
baseman Kenneth Holmberg led the league with a .450 OBP and a .623 SLG.
He came in third with 51 RBI, second with a .372 average, and tied for third
with 12 homers."
" ...Appalachian League POSITION PLAYER: Bluefield's
Rene Aqueron is too old for the league at age 23, but for purposes of
"Position Player of the Year" that's not totally relevant, since this is to
recognize pure performance more than prospect status. And Aqueron's performance
was unassailable: he led the league by hitting .405 in 56 games, led the league
with a .468 OBP, and was third in slugging at .583. STARTING PITCHER:
Elizabethton's Adam Hawes led the league with a 1.53 ERA, went 4-0 in
nine starts, and posted a strong 68/16 K/BB in 59 innings, allowing only 38
hits. Danville's Jairo Cuevas was second with a 1.95 ERA and second with
six wins. Hawes was a bit more dominating so I'll go with him."
Dayn Perry, FoxSports,
makes his picks as the best hitters and pitchers of Triple-A :
BJ Upton, #1 hitter " ... It's cheating a bit to include the
second overall pick of the '02 draft since Upton actually exhausted his rookie
status last season. However, he spent the entirety of this year at AAA-Durham,
so here he is. Upton, who didn't turn 21 until late August, overcame a slow
start to hit .303 AVG/.393 OBP/.490 SLG on the season and steal 44 bases in 57
attempts. There's still a chance he'll be moved to third base before next
season, but his bat will play anywhere."
Anthony Reyes, #2 SP " ... injury
concerns caused him to plummet to the 15th round. The Cards took a chance on
him, and thus far their faith has been richly rewarded. Reyes works the zone
with three plus offerings and utilizes an intelligent approach on the mound. He
has ace stuff, and if his health holds up he'll be an ace at the highest level."
Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld, wraps his Top 150 review with the top 50,
including :
" ... Dustin McGowan ... It would have
been for the best if the Blue Jays never needed to call him up, but McGowan’s
return from Tommy John surgery went about as well as the club could have hoped.
He didn’t leave any velocity in the operating room. His command has been less
than exceptional, but that was often the case before he got hurt. McGowan has
No. 2-starter upside. He should be more ready to help Toronto by the middle of
next season."
" ... Cole Hamels ... It’s hard to
progress while throwing 51 innings in two years. Elbow inflammation limited
Hamels to four starts in 2004. He broke his pitching hand in an altercation
prior to the start of spring training this year and didn’t pitch until June.
Just a month after returning, he went down with a back injury that was
eventually diagnosed as a stress fracture. Like Miller, Hamels has a world of
potential. The hope is that he’ll 100 percent at the beginning of 2006. If he
is, he could spend time in the Philadelphia rotation. If not for the back
injury, he could have debuted this year."
" ... Andy Marte ... hasn’t
put up big triple-crown numbers any of the last three years, but he keeps making
steady progress and he’s nearly ready for the majors now. The Braves may
reconsider the decision made this spring not to switch him to left field. Marte
is probably a better third baseman than Chipper Jones, but Jones isn’t moving
again and Marte’s bat could prove pretty useful before the end of next season."
Eric Patterson and Sean Gallagher saluted by the Cubs as
the organization's Player and Pitcher of the Year :
" ... Patterson, 22 ... finished his first
professional season as the Midwest League's top hitter with a .333 average. An
eighth-round selection in 2004 out of Georgia Tech, Patterson went 144-for-432,
with 13 homers, 26 doubles, 11 triples, 71 RBIs, 40 stolen bases and scored 90
runs. He walked 53 times and struck out 94 times. Patterson, who played for
Class A Peoria before he was promoted at the end of the season to Double-A West
Tenn, also led all Midwest League second basemen in fielding percentage.
Patterson will play next month in the Arizona Fall League. Gallagher, 19, went
14-5 with a 2.71 ERA in 26 starts for Peoria, giving up 53 runs -- 44 earned --
on 107 hits over 146 innings. He struck out 139 and walked 55." (MLB.com)
So far, here are the league by league Top 20s ... OD = On Deck, BA = Baseball
America, RA - Roto America. The RA lists were compiled during the latter
part of the season, the OD and BA lists are post-season.
International OD International BA International RA
1 Delmon Young OF TB Delmon Young OF TB
2 Francisco Liriano LHP MIN Francisco Liriano LHP MIN
3 Andy Marte 3B ATL Chuck James LHP ATL
4 Joel Zumaya RHP DET Brian Anderson OF CHA
5 Yusmeiro Petit RHP NYN Curtis Granderson OF DET
6 Jon Papelbon RHP BOS Andy Marte 3B ATL
7 Brian Anderson OF CHA Dustin Pedroia 2B BOS
8 Chuck James LHP ATL Anthony Lerew RHP ATL
9 Dustin Pedroia 2B BOS Bryan Bullington RHP PIT
10 Scott Baker RHP MIN Joel Zumaya RHP DET
11 Fausto Carmona RHP CLE Ryan Garko C CLE
12 Anthony Lerew RHP ATL Jon Papelbon RHP BOS
13 Paul Maholm LHP PIT Scott Baker RHP MIN
14 Franklin Gutierrez OF CLE Boof Bonser RHP MIN
15 Joey Devine RHP ATL Brandon McCarthy RHP CHA
16 Manny Delcarmen RHP BOS Gavin Floyd RHP PHI
17 Fernando Cabrera RHP CLE Abe Alvarez LHP BOS
18 Guillermo Quiroz C TOR Brian Bannister RHP NYN
19 Jason Hammel RHP TB Zach Jackson LHP TOR
20 Ian Snell RHP PIT Nate McLouth OF PIT
Pacific Coast OD Pacific Coast BA Pacific Coast RA
1 Matt Cain RHP SF Carlos Quentin OF ARZ
2 Prince Fielder 1B MIL Anthony Reyes RHP STL
3 Anthony Reyes RHP STL Prince Fielder 1B MIL
4 Conor Jackson 1B ARZ Adrian Gonzalez 1B TEX
5 Carlos Quentin OF ARZ Jeff Mathis C ANA
6 Jeff Mathis C ANA Ian Kinsler 2B TEX
7 Ian Kinsler 2B TEX Josh Barfield 2B SD
8 Rich Hill LHP CHN Adam Wainwright RHP STL
9 Fernando Nieve RHP HOU Tim Stauffer RHP SD
10 Matt Murton OF CHN Rich Hill LHP CHN
11 Adam Wainwright RHP STL Delwyn Young 2B/OF LA
12 Jose Capellan RHP MIL Dave Krynzel OF MIL
13 Corey Hart OF MIL Joe Saunders LHP ANA
14 Andre Ethier OF OAK Fernando Nieve RHP HOU
15 Justin Huber 1B KC Alberto Callaspo 2B ANA
16 Jason Stokes 1B FLO Willy Aybar 3B LA
17 Chris Snelling OF SEA Ronny Cedeno SS CHN
18 Josh Barfield 2B SD Jeff Baker 3B COL
19 Sergio Santos SS ARZ Dan Meyer LHP OAK
20 Jairo Garcia RHP OAK Jose Lopez SS SEA
Eastern OD Eastern BA Eastern RA
1 Cole Hamels LHP PHI Lastings Milledge OF NYN
2 Justin Verlander RHP DET Justin Verlander RHP DET
3 Dustin McGowan RHP TOR Nick Markakis OF BAL
4 Ryan Zimmerman 3B WAS Jon Lester LHP BOS
5 Lastings Milledge OF NYN Michael Aubrey 1B CLE
6 Jon Lester LHP BOS Hanley Ramirez SS BOS
7 Matt Moses 3B MIN Jeremy Sowers LHP CLE
8 Hanley Ramirez SS BOS Yusmeiro Petit RHP NYN
9 Anibal Sanchez RHP BOS Ryan Zimmerman 3B WAS
10 Nick Markakis OF BAL Cole Hamels LHP PHI
11 Hayden Penn RHP BAL Michael Bourn OF PHI
12 Eric Duncan 3B NYA Brad Snyder OF CLE
13 Jeremy Sowers LHP CLE Anibal Sanchez RHP BOS
14 Tom Gorzelanny LHP PIT Casey Janssen RHP TOR
15 Merkin Valdez RHP SF David Purcey LHP TOR
16 Craig Hansen RHP BOS Merkin Valdez RHP SF
17 Phil Humber RHP NYN Matt DeSalvo RHP NYA
18 Brad Snyder OF CLE Javier Guzman SS PIT
19 David Purcey LHP TOR Eric Duncan 3B NYA
20 Glen Perkins LHP MIN Hayden Penn RHP BAL
Southern OD Southern BA Southern RA
1 Chad Billingsley RHP LA Jeremy Hermida OF FLO
2 Jeremy Hermida OF FLO Joel Guzman SS LA
3 Joel Guzman SS LA Chad Billingsley RHP LA
4 Jeff Niemann RHP TB Andy LaRoche 3B LA
5 Scott Olsen LHP FLO Felix Pie OF CHN
6 Andy LaRoche 3B LA Russell Martin C LA
7 Chris Young OF CHA Chuck James LHP ATL
8 Felix Pie OF CHN Sean Marshall LHP CHN
9 Stephen Drew SS ARZ Elijah Dukes OF TB
10 Greg Miller LHP LA Chris Young OF CHA
11 Elijah Dukes OF TB Wes Bankston 1B TB
12 Ryan Sweeney OF CHA Jon Broxton RHP LA
13 Bobby Jenks RHP CHA Delwyn Young 2B LA
14 Jonathan Broxton RHP LA Ryan Sweeney OF CHA
15 Dustin Nippert RHP ARZ Justin Orenduff RHP LA
16 Dana Eveland LHP MIL Travis Chick RHP SD
17 Josh Johnson RHP FLO Josh Fields 3B CHA
18 Russell Martin C LA Hong Chi Kuo LHP LA
19 Justin Orenduff RHP LA Shawn Riggins C TB
20 Renyel Pinto LHP CHN Renyel Pinto LHP CHN
Texas OD Texas BA Texas RA
1 Billy Butler OF KC John Danks LHP TEX
2 Thomas Diamond RHP TEX Thomas Diamond RHP TEX
3 Jered Weaver RHP ANA Erick Aybar SS ANA
4 Daric Barton 1B OAK Andre Ethier OF OAK
5 John Danks LHP TEX Alberto Callaspo 2B ANA
6 Edison Volquez RHP TEX Edison Volquez RHP TEX
7 Howie Kendrick 2B ANA Mike Napoli C ANA
8 Kendry Morales 1B ANA Chris Lambert RHP STL
9 Joaquin Arias SS TEX Dallas Braden LHP OAK
10 Adam Jones SS SEA Jeff Salazar OF COL
11 Jason Hirsh RHP HOU Mitch Maier OF KC
12 Yorman Bazardo RHP SEA Omar Quintanilla SS OAK
13 Chris Lambert RHP STL Joaquin Arias SS TEX
14 Cody Haerther OF STL Hector Gimenez C HOU
15 Erick Aybar SS ANA Jason Windsor RHP OAK
16 Ubaldo Jimenez RHP COL Drew Meyer OF TEX
17 Dallas Braden LHP OAK Mark McLemore LHP HOU
18 Kevin Melillo 2B OAK Josh Anderson OF HOU
19 Donnie Murphy 2B KC Reggie Willits OF ANA
20 Jim Miller RHP COL Steven Shell RHP ANA
California OD California BA California RA
1 Ian Stewart 3B COL Brandon Wood SS ANA Billy Butler 3B KC
2 Brandon Wood SS ANA Stephen Drew SS ARZ Stephen Drew SS ARZ
3 Cesar Carrillo RHP SD Howie Kendrick 2B ANA Brandon Wood SS ANA
4 Troy Tulowitzki SS COL Ian Stewart 3B COL Ian Stewart 3B COL
5 Eddy Martinez-Esteve OF SF Billy Bulter 3B/OF KC Jered Weaver RHP ANA
6 Chris Lubanski OF KC Daric Barton 1B OAK Eddy Martinez-Esteve OF SF
7 Kurt Suzuki C OAK Edison Volquez RHP TEX Howie Kendrick 2B ANA
8 Asdrubal Cabrera SS SEA Thomas Diamond RHP TEX Jeff Neimann RHP TB
9 Micah Owings RHP ARZ Adam Jones SS SEA Daric Barton 1B OAK
10 Juan Morillo RHP COL Eddy Martinez-Esteve OF SF Thomas Diamond RHP TEX
11 Danny Putnam OF OAK John Danks LHP TEX Chris Lubanski OF KC
12 Nate Schierholtz OF SF Asdrubal Cabrera SS SEA Kurt Suzuki C OAK
13 Garrett Mock RHP ARZ Chris Iannetta C COL Wladamir Balentien OF SEA
14 Travis Ishikawa 1B SF Miguel Montero C ARZ Adam Jones SS SEA
15 Wladimir Balentien OF SEA Ubaldo Jimenez RHP COL George Kottaras C SD
16 Seth Smith OF COL Nate Schierholtz OF SF Vince Sinisi 1B TEX
17 Matt Chico LHP ARZ George Kottaras C SD Matt Macri SS/3B COL
18 Danny Richar 2B ARZ Jim Miller RHP COL Miguel Montero C ARZ
19 Billy Buckner RHP KC Juan Morillo RHP COL Michael Johnson 1B SD
20 Richie Robnett OF OAK Chris Lubanski OF KC Seth Smith OF COL
Carolina OD Carolina BA Carolina RA
1 Adam Miller RHP CLE Jarrod Saltalamacchia C ATL Anibal Sanchez RHP BOS
2 Troy Patton LHP HOU Nick Markakis OF BAL Jeremy Sowers LHP CLE
3 Gio Gonzalez LHP CHA Anibal Sanchez RHP BOS Javier Guzman SS PIT
4 Jimmy Barthmaier RHP HOU Adam Miller RHP CLE Jake Stevens LHP ATL
5 Jarrod Saltalamacchia C ATL Gio Gonzalez LHP CHA Mike Hinckley LHP WAS
6 Neil Walker C PIT Jeremy Sowers LHP CLE Adam Loewen LHP BAL
7 Adam Loewen LHP BAL Armando Galarraga RHP WAS Brad Snyder OF CLE
8 Garrett Olson LHP BAL Jeff Fiorentino OF BAL Jarrod Saltalamacchia C ATL
9 Ray Liotta LHP CHA Lance Broadway RHP CHA Nick Markakis OF BAL
10 Hunter Pence OF HOU Adam Loewen LHP BAL Robert Valido SS CHA
11 Nolan Reimold OF BAL Robert Valido SS CHA Wes Whisler LHP CHA
12 Lance Broadway RHP CHA Tony Sipp LHP CLE Jeff Fiorentino OF BAL
13 Stephen Head 1B CLE Ray Liotta LHP CHA Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B CLE
14 Rob Valido SS CHA J.J. Johnson RHP BAL Ian Bladergroen 1B BOS
15 Ian Desmond SS WAS Kory Casto 3B WAS Charlie Haeger RHP CHA
16 Mike Hinckley LHP WAS Brad Snyder OF CLE James Johnson RHP BAL
17 Brandon Jones OF ATL Frank Diaz OF WAS Tom Collaro OF CHA
18 Tony Sipp LHP CLE Hunter Pence OF HOU Nathanial Spears SS BAL
19 Jeff Fiorentino OF BAL Stephen Head 1B CLE Matt Albers RHP HOU
20 Juan Gutierrez RHP HOU Josh Burrus OF ATL Mitch Talbot RHP HOU
Florida State OD Florida State BA Florida State RA
1 Phil Hughes RHP NYA Andy LaRoche 3B LA Andy LaRoche 3B LA
2 Anthony Swarzak RHP MIN Justin Verlander RHP DET Justin Verlander RHP DET
3 Gaby Hernandez RHP NYN Lastings Milledge OF NYN Matt Moses 3B MIN
4 Matt Kemp OF LA Jason Vargas LHP FLO Lastings Milledge OF NYN
5 Blake DeWitt 3B LA Matt Kemp OF LA Brian Dopirak 1B CHN
6 Ricky Romero LHP TOR Matt Moses 3B MIN Chuck Tiffany LHP LA
7 Tyler Clippard RHP NYA Denard Span OF MIN Phil Humber RHP NYN
8 Jay Rainville RHP MIN Justin Orenduff RHP LA David Purcey LHP TOR
9 Chuck Tiffany LHP LA David Purcey LHP TOR Sean Marshall LHP CHN
10 Brent Clevlen OF DET Jordan Tata RHP DET Jason Vargas LHP FLO
11 Sean Gallagher RHP CHN Tony Abreu 2B LA Cory Dunlap 1B LA
12 Adam Lind OF TOR Chin-Lung Hu SS LA Jake Blalock OF PHI
13 JBrent Cox RHP NYA Adam Lind OF TOR Chris Lambert RHP STL
14 Scott Moore 3B CHN Brent Clevlen OF DET Cody Haerther OF STL
15 Brian Dopirak 1B CHN Scott Moore 3B CHN Stuart Pomeranz RHP STL
16 Joey Votto 1B CIN Adam Harben RHP MIN Zach Jackson LHP TOR
17 Adam Harben RHP MIN Chuck Tiffany LHP LA Carlos Marmol RHP CHN
18 Tyler Greene SS STL Brian Dopirak 1B CHN Ty Taubenheim RHP MIL
19 Travis Denker 2B LA Tim Moss 2B PHI Lou Palmisano C MIL
20 Justin Jones LHP MIN Philip Humber RHP NYN Matt Kemp OF LA
Midwest OD Midwest BA Midwest RA
1 Homer Bailey RHP CIN Carlos Gonzales OF ARZ Matt Tuiasosopo SS SEA
2 Carlos Gonzales OF ARZ Homer Bailey RHP CIN Homer Bailey RHP CIN
3 Mark McCormick RHP STL Eric Hurley RHP TEX Sean Gallagher RHP CHN
4 Angel Guzman RHP CHN Javier Herrera OF OAK Ryan Harvey OF CHN
5 Jeff Clement C SEA Cliff Pennington SS OAK Eric Patterson 2B CHN
6 Ryan Harvey OF CHN Travis Buck OF OAK Eric Hurley RHP TEX
7 Javier Herrera OF OAK Ryan Harvey OF CHN Javier Herrera OF OAK
8 Travis Buck OF OAK Anthony Swarzak RHP MIN Kyle Waldrop RHP MIN
9 Matt Tuiasosopo SS SEA Rafael Rodriguez RHP ANA James Houser LHP TB
10 Kevin Slowey RHP MIN Matt Garza RHP MIN Jarrett Hoffpauir 2B STL
11 Matt Garza RHP MIN Jay Rainville RHP MIN Reid Brignac SS TB
12 Eric Hurley RHP TEX Trevor Plouffe SS MIN Anthony Swarzak RHP MIN
13 Cliff Pennington SS OAK Luis Cota RHP KC Chi Hung Cheng LHP TOR
14 Chris Mason RHP TB David Winfree 3B MIN Rafael Rodriguez RHP ANA
15 Luis Cota RHP KC Sean Gallagher RHP CHN AJ Shappi RHP ARZ
16 Eduardo Morlan RHP MIN Eric Patterson 2B CHN Ryan Webb RHP OAK
17 Chi-Hung Cheng LHP TOR Reid Brignac SS TB Sean Rodriguez SS ANA
18 James Houser LHP TB Matt Tuiasosopo SS SEA Wilkin Ramirez 3B/DH DET
19 Trevor Plouffe SS MIN Asdrubal Cabrera SS SEA Asdrubal Cabrera 2B SEA
20 Nick Webber RHP STL Wilkin Ramirez 3B DET Trevor Plouffe SS MIN
South Atlantic OD South Atlantic BA South Atlantic RA
1 Scott Elbert LHP LA Scott Elbert LHP LA Chris Nelson SS COL
2 Ryan Braun 3B MIL Neil Walker C PIT Gio Gonzalez LHP CHA
3 Mark Rogers RHP MIL Marcus Sanders SS SF Neil Walker C PIT
4 Marcus Sanders SS SF Troy Patton LHP HOU Philip Hughes RHP NYA
5 Chris Nelson SS COL Ryan Braun 3B MIL Blake DeWitt 3B LA
6 Franklin Morales LHP COL Philip Hughes RHP NYA Marcus Sanders SS SF
7 Yovani Gallardo RHP MIL Blake DeWitt 3B LA Mitch Einerston OF HOU
8 Collin Balester RHP WAS Matt Harrison LHP ATL Hernan Iribarren 2B MIL
9 Blake Johnson RHP LA Yunel Escobar SS ATL Ching Lung Lo RHP COL
10 Chuck Lofgren LHP CLE Brandon Jones OF ATL Gaby Hernandez RHP NYN
11 Jeff Allison RHP FLO Jimmy Barthmaier RHP HOU Greg Golson OF PHI
12 Christian Garcia RHP NYA Gio Gonzalez LHP CHA Travis Denker 2B LA
13 Radhames Liz RHP BAL Mark Rogers RHP MIL Hunter Pence OF HOU
14 Yunel Escobar SS ATL Greg Golson OF PHI Ambiorix Concepcion OF NYN
15 Angel Salome C MIL Hunter Pence OF HOU Matt Harrison LHP ATL
16 JR Towles C HOU Collin Balester RHP WAS Dave Haehnel LHP BAL
17 Marcos Vechionacci 3B NYA J.T. Restko OF FLO Jimmy Barthmaier RHP HOU
18 Jonathan Sanchez LHP SF Gaby Hernandez RHP NYN Mike Carp 1B NYN
19 Craig Whitaker RHP SF Ian Desmond SS WAS Scott Elbert LHP LA
20 Tim Battle OF NYA Chris Nelson SS COL Ray Liotta LHP CHA
New York-Penn OD New York-Penn BA
1 Chris Volstad RHP FLO Nolan Reimold OF BAL
2 Wade Davis RHP TB Chris Volstad RHP FLO
3 Jake McGee LHP TB Wade Davis RHP TB
4 Clint Everts RHP WAS Eduardo Nunez SS NYA
5 Jacoby Ellsbury OF BOS Radhames Liz RHP BAL
6 Luis Soto OF BOS Jacoby Ellsbury OF BOS
7 Eduardo Nunez SS NYA Jed Lowrie SS/2B BOS
8 Clay Buchholz RHP BOS Garrett Olson LHP BAL
9 Sean West LHP FLO Jacob McGee LHP TB
10 Todd Redmond RHP PIT Tyler Greene SS STL
11 Bobby Parnell RHP NYN Gaby Sanchez 3B/1B FLO
12 Ryan Patterson OF TOR Luis Soto OF BOS
13 Jeff Larish 1B DET Clay Buchholz RHP BOS
14 Wade Townsend RHP TB Michael Hollimon SS DET
15 Jed Lowrie SS BOS Welinson Baez SS PHI
16 Aaron Thompson LHP FLO Jensen Lewis RHP CLE
17 Robert Ray RHP TOR Ryan Patterson OF TOR
18 Ryan Phillips LHP BOS Kevin Whelan RHP DET
19 Brian Bogusevic LHP HOU Nick Webber RHP STL
20 Matt Joyce OF DET Bobby Parnell RHP NYN
Northwest OD Northwest BA
1 Taylor Teagarden C TEX Shane Lindsay RHP COL
2 Shane Lindsay RHP COL Donald Veal LHP CHN
3 Matt Torra RHP ARZ Taylor Teagarden C TEX
4 Daniel Griffin RHP SF Nick Hundley C SD
5 Donald Veal LHP CHN Pablo Sandoval 3B SF
6 John Mayberry OF TEX Luis Valbuena 2B SEA
7 Fabian Jimenez LHP SD Dan Griffin RHP SF
8 Ryan Schreppel LHP ARZ John Mayberry Jr OF TEX
9 Luis Valbuena 2B SEA Ben Copeland OF SF
10 Jimmy Shull RHP OAK Chase Headley 3B SD
11 Zach Simons RHP COL Jimmy Shull RHP OAK
12 Jason Ray RHP OAK Michael Mooney OF SF
13 Michael Saunders OF SEA Michael Saunders OF SEA
14 Steve Murphy OF TEX Steve Murphy OF TEX
15 Darin Downs LHP CHN Edgar Guaramato RHP SEA
16 Pablo Sandoval 3B SF Zach Simons RHP COL
17 Mark Reed C CHN Stephen Kahn RHP SEA
18 Michael Madsen RHP OAK Jason Ray RHP OAK
19 Justin Sellers SS OAK Justin Sellers SS OAK
20 Freddie Thon 1B TEX Mark Reed C CHN
Appalachian OD Appalachian BA
1 Brandon Snyder C BAL Brandon Snyder C/3B BAL
2 Colby Rasmus OF STL Colby Rasmus OF STL
3 Eric Campbell 3B ATL Eric Campbell 3B ATL
4 Bryan Anderson C STL Brandon Erbe RHP BAL
5 Brandon Erbe RHP BAL Max Ramirez C ATL
6 Matt Walker RHP TB Jesse Litsch RHP TOR
7 Juan Portes 2B MIN Juan Portes 2B/OF MIN
8 Joshua Wilson RHP STL Josh Flores OF HOU
9 Alexander Smit LHP MIN Aaron Cunningham OF CHA
10 Jose Martinez SS STL Bryan Anderson C STL
11 Andrew Lopez OF TB Matt Walker RHP TB
12 Koby Clemens 3B HOU John Drennen OF CLE
13 John Drennen OF CLE Jairo Cuevas RHP ATL
14 Ryan Mullins LHP MIN Eli Iorg OF HOU
15 Josh Flores OF HOU John Matulia OF TB
16 Jon Owings OF ATL Koby Clemens 3B HOU
17 Eli Iorg OF HOU Alexander Smit LHP MIN
18 Maximiliano Ramirez C ATL Ryan Mullins LHP MIN
19 Chris Carter 3B CHA Ryan Mitchell RHP HOU
20 Adam Hawes RHP MIN Tyler Herron RHP STL
Pioneer OD Pioneer BA
1 Jay Bruce OF CIN Jay Bruce OF CIN
2 Travis Wood LHP CIN Charlie Fermaint OF MIL
3 Chaz Roe RHP COL Hainley Statia SS ANA
4 Billy Inman RHP MIL Angel Salome C MIL
5 Jose Arredondo RHP ANA Francisco Hernandez C CHA
6 Francisco Hernandez C CHA Stephen Marek RHP ANA
7 Mark Trumbo 1B ANA Dexter Fowler OF COL
8 Dexter Fowler OF COL Chaz Roe RHP COL
9 John Meloan RHP LA Jose Arredondo RHP ANA
10 Chris McConnell SS KC Will Inman RHP MIL
11 Jeff Stevens RHP CIN Greg Smith LHP ARZ
12 Greg Smith LHP ARZ Bobby Mosebach RHP ANA
13 Jesus Soto 2B LA Juan Rivera SS LA
14 Mike Bell SS MIL Mark Trumbo 1B ANA
15 Rafael Gonzalez RHP CIN Chris McConnell SS KC
16 Brent Leach LHP LA Brandon Roberts OF CIN
17 Ivan DeJesus SS LA Matt Gamel 3B MIL
18 Brandon Allen 1B CHA Corey Wimberly INF COL
19 Juan Apodaca C LA Brandon Allen 1B CHA
20 Stephen Marek RHP ANA Ivan DeJesus Jr SS LA
Gulf Coast OD Gulf Coast BA
1 Elvis Andrus SS ATL Andrew McCutchen OF PIT
2 Andrew McCutchen OF PIT Jay Bruce OF CIN
3 Jose Tabata OF NYA Chris Volstad RHP FLO
4 CJ Henry SS NYA Elvis Andrus SS ATL
5 Beau Jones LHP ATL Travis Wood LHP CIN
6 Austin Jackson OF NYA Beau Jones LHP ATL
7 Michael Bowden RHP BOS Jose Tabata OF NYA
8 Kyle Edlich LHP MIN Sean West LHP FLO
9 Edgar Garcia RHP PHI Ryan Tucker RHP FLO
10 Paul Kelly SS MIN CJ Henry SS NYA
11 Jeff Lyman RHP ATL Austin Jackson OF NYA
12 Emmanuel Garcia 2B NYN Paul Kelly SS MIN
13 Tim Cox LHP BOS Aaron Thompson LHP FLO
14 Josh Bell 3B LA Ivan DeJesus SS LA
15 Audy Ciriaco SS DET Jon Egan C BOS
16 Jordan Schafer OF ATL Jordan Schafer OF ATL
17 Drew Thompson 2B MIN Drew Thompson 2B MIN
18 Danny Santiesteban OF MIN Jeff Lyman RHP ATL
19 Francisco Castillo RHP NYA Miguel Sanfler LHP LA
20 Domingo Cabrera LHP NYA Emmanuel Garcia SS NYN
Arizona OD Arizona BA
1 Mark Pawelek LHP CHN
2 Nick Adenhart RHP ANA
3 Craig Italiano RHP OAK
4 Jeff Bianchi SS KC
5 Johnny Whittleman 3B TEX
6 Jared Lansford RHP OAK
7 Waldis Joaquin RHP SF
8 Lorenzo Cain OF MIL
9 Joe Dickerson OF KC
10 Shairon Martis RHP SF
11 Sharlon Schoop SS SF
12 Manuel Pina C TEX
13 PJ Phillips SS ANA
14 Kyle Blanks 1B SD
15 Ramon Alvarado OF OAK
16 Tommy Mendoza RHP ANA
17 Sammy Baez SS CHN
18 Brent Fisher LHP KC
19 Ernesto Frieri RHP SD
20 Gustavo Espinoza LHP ANA
23 September 2005
A little catch-up ...
Instructional Leagues are underway, but if this fall is like others, information
made available on the teams will be very skimpy.
Troop movements ... MIL - Trent Durrington, Nelson Cruz, Gary Glover up ...
LA - Wilson Alvarez activated from DL, Jonathan Broxton up ... BOS
- Craig Hansen, Hanley Ramirez up ...
OAK - activated Bobby Crosby from the DL ... COL - Mike Esposito
up, Zach Day to DL ... DET - signed outfielder Cameron Maybin (1st
rounder, 10th overall) ...
" ... After four months of negotiations with the
Detroit Tigers, Maybin said Thursday night that he has orally agreed to a
contract with a signing bonus of $2.65 million and expects to join the Tigers
today in Lakeland, Fla., for instructional league. “My mom said she hasn’t seen
me smile like this in months,” Maybin said. “I’m just so excited to get started
and become a Detroit Tiger. For someone who loves baseball as much as I do, this
wasn’t an easy process, but it was something I had to go through.” ...
Instructional league for the Tigers’ prospects began Wednesday in Lakeland,
Fla., but Detroit won’t play its first game until Monday, and the league runs
through Oct. 21. In Lakeland, Maybin will be evaluated and taught by some of the
Tigers’ top coaches and scouts." (Asheville Citizen Times)
Add Francisco Liriano to the choices as Minor League Player of the Year.
The Sporting News, names the MIN lefty as the minors' best :
" ... The left-hander keeps hearing he is the next Johan Santana,
which is fast company to keep. Both are left-handers who throw hard and belong
to the Minnesota Twins. That's about it ... The 21-year-old Liriano has had a
worthy season. He advanced from Class AA to AAA, where he overpowered the
opposition and earned a trip to the majors ... He was the starter for the World Team in the All-Star Futures Game in July,
quickly moved out of Class AA and hit his stride at Class AAA Rochester (N.Y.).
He was 9-2 with a 1.78 ERA. His Class AA manager was Stan Cliburn, who told the St. Paul Pioneer Press:
"His stuff is as good as what we saw five years ago from Santana. He has a big,
big future ahead of him." (TSN)
Earlier, Baseball America selected Delmon Young
as the top dog while RotoAmerica and Bryan Smith, TheBaseball Analysts, cited
Brandon Wood.
Matthew Pouliot, RotoWorld.com, continues his review of his mid-season
prospect picks :
90. Nick Markakis, BAL " ... Markakis numbers
in his final five weeks for Bowie will probably push him into the top 25 in some
of next year’s prospects lists. I’m not quite that optimistic, but Markakis
should be a quality regular in right field. The Orioles will be looking for
outfielders this winter, but they need to make sure there’s going to be a spot
open for the 2003 first-round pick in 2007."
84. Tom Gorzelanny, PIT " ...
another very good left-handed pitching prospect developed by Pittsburgh. He
throws quite hard for a southpaw and he possesses a plus slider. The sore elbow
he developed during the spring didn’t limit him all after the season got going,
although the Pirates would be smart to play close attention to any further
problems that develop. I like Gorzelanny’s chances of developing into a No. 3
starter."
63. Josh Barfield, SD " ... A
late-season surge will help Barfield climb back into the top 50 next time. He
had dropped to No. 70 on the midseason list ... seems more likely now to stay at
second base. The Padres will turn to him next time Mark Loretta gets hurt and
they’ll probably give him regular playing time beginning in 2007."
59. Jeff Mathis, ANA " ...
bounced back from his first rough season as a pro to post an 839 OPS in his
Triple-A debut. Another year at Salt Lake to continue his development
offensively wouldn’t hurt, although he’s ready to be an adequate big-league
catcher now."
Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com, checking in on the top hitters in the minors,
including :
C Miguel Montero " ... put up some sick numbers in the hitting-friendly
California League (349 AVG/ .403 OBP/ .625 SLG, 24 HR, 82 RBIs in 85 games). He
didn't fare as well in 108 ABs in Double-A, but still finished the year with 26
homers and 95 RBIs while turning just 22."
1B Kendry Morales " ... If you take the numbers Morales did put up in 96 games (22 HR, 71 RBIs
at two levels) and project out to a complete 140-game Minor League season, you'd
get 32 HR and 104 RBIs. He also hit .315 and was virtually unhittable at two
stops once he made adjustments to a new locale. He could make Casey Kotchman
and/or Darin Erstad irrelevant soon."
3B Andy LaRoche " ... made the Florida State League -- a pitching haven
-- his own little playground, hitting 21 homers with a .333 average and .651 SLG
in 63 games. Double-A was a touch harder for the third baseman who just turned
22, but he still homered nine more times and drove in 43 runs in 64 games."
Baseball America is zooming through its picks as the Top 20 prospects in each
league. The lists to follow shortly (comparing the BA and OnDeck picks).
For now, bits of the chat sessions.
Baseball
America's Allan Simpson on a few of the Gulf Coast & Arizona prospects -
Chris Volstad FLO, Nick Adenhart ANA and Jeff
Bianchi KC :
" ... Volstad was a pretty polished product
when he started his pro career in the GCL. He lasted only a half year before
being promoted to the New York-Penn League, where he also excelled. He's got
command of three pitches but projects more as a No. 2 starter in the big
leagues. His fastball was only 91-92, though scouts had him at 93-95 during the
high school season."
" ... Adenhart started slowly in the Arizona League
after having Tommy John surgery just before the 2004 draft, but got better and
better with each start as the Angels increased his pitch count. He pitched
especially well in his final AZL start and in his only Pioneer League start. He
regained most of the velocity on his fastball, peaking at 94, but the command of
his pitches was inconsistent. He has a great feel for pitching and should fully
return to his old form by next year."
" ... Bianchi was a great catch for the Royals in
the second round. He tore up the league, hitting .400-plus with power, before
being sidelined over the second half of the season with a back injury. His bat
is his best tool. He's a little limited defensively and probably will face a
move to second base down the road, but don't sell him short. He's a blue collar
player who takes charge and should get the most out of his ability."
Matt Eddy in
the Baseball America chatroom on the Appalachian prospect chart :
Eric Campbell 3B ATL " ... Appy League
managers liked what they saw from Campbell in the field, noting he could make
plays to his left and to his right and that his arm was average, but he has a
build similar to Marte’s. At 6-foot, 195 lbs., Campbell may be addressing the
same questions about a position switch Marte is right now. Marte is listed at
6-foot-1, 180 lbs."
Brandon Snyder C BAL " ...
Snyder is not a polished defensive catcher because he made the transition from
shortstop just this spring. No one I spoke with regarded him as more than
average behind the plate, but he did show the aptitude to stick at catcher. That
is, he worked well with his pitchers, who were sometimes a few years older than
him, and really took charge of the game. His arm rates as average, but he moves
well for a big guy. What you heard about his offensive game is accurate. Snyder
hits for power to all fields and has an advanced knowledge of the strike zone."
Jesse Litsch SP TOR " ... He
impressed me with his fiery mound demeanor and for his rapid-fire attack on
hitters. He throws strikes and makes them adjust to his game. His stuff doesn’t
hurt, either: a fastball that reaches 92 mph and a high-80s slider that could
become a plus pitch."
Alan Matthews,
Baseball America, handled the questions on the Pioneer League prospects :
Jay Bruce OF CIN " ... Bruce's body is
long, strong and lean and his swing is smooth and powerful. He still lacks an
advanced feel for the game, though his instincts aren't bad and he has a
willingness to absorb instruction and seems to have a strong desire to improve.
There's not much pretension to this kid, which you have to like from a player
who was taken in the first half of the first round. With his tools and work
ethic, the Walker [Larry Walker] comp might come to fruition."
Ken Holmberg 2B MIL " ... What a
year for Holmberg. The 22-year-old second baseman shows a polished approach at
the plate that helped him post great numbers this summer. He's short on tools,
however, and will have to prove he can perform at every level of the minors to
be given a chance in the big leagues. He has some power from a good line-drive
swing and he's a pretty good fielder, though his arm is slightly below-average.
He profiles as a utility guy, as he did play short and third in college and
might even see some time behind the plate in instructional league."
Matt Meyers,
Baseball America, took the chatroom session on the New York - Penn League :
Wade Townsend SP TB " ... It is hard to say
exactly what happened with Townsend. The time off certainly did not help him.
From what I gather, he never fully regained the velocity on his fastball and
therefore never fully trusted it. As a result, he was throwing a lot of offspeed
stuff that hitters feasted on. This does not mean he is not a prospect, I just
couldn't justify putting him on this list based on what he did in the league.
That 5.49 ERA was not getting it done."
Radhames Liz, Garrett Olson
SPs BAL " ... Liz has an electric arm though he will need to develop a
third pitch to continue as a starter. You can't deny the arm strength and the
life on his fastball, every person in the league I spoke to raved about it.
Olson is in a similar boat, he needs to refine the changeup but the curve is
nasty. He is someone to keep an eye next year due to throwing 200 innings
between college and the pros ... His results did not fade and he was a force in
the Carolina League playoffs, so it is hard to argue with letting him pitch, but
I worry about how his workload this season will affect him in the future."
Nolan Reimold OF BAL " ...
I can't think of a great comp for him to be honest. How about a righthanded Jim
Edmonds? That is a generous comp for somone who has only played three months of
pro ball, but he has those kinds of tools. The O's got a great early return on
their draft, but it is a marathon, not a sprint. There is reason to be
optimistic though."
BA's Will
Kimmey was the answer-man for questions on the Northwest League chart :
Jeff Clement C SEA " ... I'd say
Clements' defense could rate how fast he moves, but then again that depends on
how important that skill ultimately is for the Mariners. There's no question
Clement is an extremely advanced hitter ...could likely hold his own at the
plate in the Mariners sometime next year ... Clement's defense, by all accounts,
has improved in the last year, and that's been a giant hole for the M's in
recent years. Most likely some time in early 2007 might make the most sense for
his M's career to begin."
John Mayberry or Taylor
Teagarden? " ... Mayberry I'd say has a better chance of being a great
player, despite his struggles thus far. His power could turn into 25-30 homers
at the major league level, and possibly more. His speed could also lend to 10
steals or more provided he doesn't totally bulk up and maintains his slender
fluidity. Teagarden, however, has a better chance of reaching the majors and
becoming a very, very solid player for a long time with a slimmer to chance to
become one of the game's best 20 players or so but a strong chance to be an
important piece on a good team."
KC announces awards for its farm system :
" ... First baseman Justin Huber
... named as Kansas City's Minor League Player of the Year ... won the Texas League batting crown, hitting
.343 for Wichita with 16 home runs and 74 RBI. The 23-year old converted catcher
from Australia also led the league in both on-base percentage (.432) and
slugging percentage (.570) .... . named the MVP of the XM Satellite
Futures Game on July 10 at Detroit's Comerica Park, as well as a mid-season and
post-season Texas League All-Star ... promoted to Omaha on July 28 ... made his presence felt quickly, driving in a season-high six runs
... wound up hitting .274 with seven
homers and 23 RBI in 32 games, before getting called up by Kansas City." (Omaha Royals)
Delmon Young ... misunderstood ?
" ... Young
said ... critical remarks he made about the organization for not
promoting him to the majors this month were not aimed at the last-place team's
players. "I never meant any disrespect to the Devil Ray players. I have nothing
but the highest respect for these guys, and I know how hard they have worked to
get there," said Young ...
"I am just so frustrated that the team would not give me the opportunity to play
with and against the best players in the game, so that I could continue to learn
and develop in the major league environment." ... Young said some of his remarks
had been "twisted." "I never said that I would step right in and take anyone's
job. I feel that I earned the right to be called up in September along with a
hundred or so other players around the league," he said." (Associated
Press)
Support for Young and BJ Upton from
BA's Jim
Callis :
" ... It looks like Upton will have to move off
shortstop, so why not promote him in September and give him some time at third
base? The Devil Rays can afford to shift Alex Gonzalez from the hot corner to
the bench. And Young doesn't have to play every day, but why not give him some
big league at-bats? Giving Huff some playing time at first base and Travis Lee
some pine time won't hurt the team. Tampa Bay just wants to keep Young and Upton
from arbitration and free agency as long as possible, but that's a cynical
approach that cheats its fans and those players. And there's at least a small
chance that Young or Upton may still bear a grudge down the road when they get
the opportunity to depart. If I were running a team that has accomplished
nothing in eight seasons, I'd be trying to celebrate and not alienate the two
brightest prospects in the minor leagues."
Dayn Perry, FoxSports,
with his picks as the best in Double-A. Delmon Young topped the hitters,
over Jeremy Hermida, Chris Young, Joel Guzman and Justin Huber :
" ... Hermida has always had exceptional
baseball skills and on-base abilities, but he'd heretofore been unable to
cultivate a power stroke. Well, that's no longer the case. This season at
AA-Carolina, Hermida put up a line of .293 AVG/.457 OBP/.518 SLG. Particularly
impressive are the 111 walks and 49 extra-base hits. In light of this breakout
power season, Hermida's now one of the five best prospects in all of baseball.
He'll open the 2006 season as a starter in the Marlin outfield."
" ... Guzman's numbers this season don't look
overwhelming at first blush (.287 AVG/.351 OBP/.475 SLG), but, in point of fact,
those are impressive numbers for a 20-year-old shortstop toiling in the
pitcher-friendly Florida State League. It's possible that Guzman's body type and
occasional fielding difficulties will force him to third base, but his bat will
play anywhere. He's shown strong power numbers over the last two seasons, and he
figures to be a force one day at the highest level."
Perry tabbed Joel Zumaya as the best of the Double-A
starters, ahead of Yusmeiro Petit, Chad Billingsley, Chuck James and Josh Banks.
" ...
Zumaya touches 98 with his heater and
backs it up with a hammer breaking ball. Like a lot of young, prep-trained
hurlers, his off-speed stuff needs work, but the abilities are there. This
season at AA-Erie, Zumaya struggled with his control, but he did fan almost 12
batters per nine innings. He remained dominant after a late-season promotion to
Triple-A. All of that as a 20-year-old."
" ... James was a bit under the prospect
radar coming into this season, but after his tremendous work in 2005 that's no
longer the case. In 86 innings at AA-Mississippi, James struck out 104, walked
only 18 and gave up only four homers. Oh, and his ERA was a league best 2.06
before his promotion to Triple-A. In 2005, James pitched across three minor
league levels and dominated at each stop. His stuff doesn't grade out as being
elite-level, but his performance this season most assuredly does. It also
doesn't hurt that he's in an organization that knows a thing or two about
pitching."
Zach Chalifour, RotoTimes, includes notes on Adam Miller and Chris
Nelson in his latest prospect report :
" ... Miller ... battled arm problems during
most of the spring and spent the summer trying to return to form instead of
preparing for a Cleveland debut. In time spent between Short-Season Mahoning
Valley (three starts) and High-A Kinston (12 starts), Miller posted a 4.86 ERA
in 70.1 innings with 51 strikeouts. With the rest of the fall and next season to
get back to 100 percent, Miller will likely start the 2006 campaign at Double-A
Akron and make his Jacobs Field debut by the end of the summer."
" ... Injuries plagued Nelson throughout the
course of the season and were the main cause for the struggles of the 2004
first-round draft pick. The 20-year-old was never able to get anything going at
Low-A Asheville this year, as a hamstring problem limited him to just 79 games
-- most of which were in short spurts of action before missing a series or two
of games. The absence of a chance for Nelson to get in any sort of a groove
reflected in his stats, as he hit just .241 in 315 at-bats with only three home
runs, 38 RBI and seven stolen bases. Nagging injuries have plagued Nelson much
throughout his short career, and he will need to stay healthy next season to
keep from having his development stunted to a more significant degree."
Sam Geaney, Cal Leaguers,
includes scouting reports on a pair of OAK prospects, Cliff Pennington
and Travis Buck.
Travis Buck " ... Polished player. Sculpted
player ... Very nice swing ... Generates easy avg batspd. Clean
path, hds short to ball with gd extension and lift after contact ... No obvious
holes in swing. Strong avg raw power is mostly to pull side but shows no
predisposition for pull heavy approach. Polished feel for strike zone should
allow power to play @ or very near to raw ... Chance to be avg big league LF,
power and avg won't be impact but solid."
Cliff Pennington " ... Savvy little player
with bigger tools. Undersized body. Wiry strong ... Balanced and smooth swing
from left side of plate ... Ball doesn't jump off bat ... Power should be of gap
variety to tune of 8-12HR/yr. Strong avg runner who is plus under way but gets
out of box a bit slow ... Wild defender with minimal smoothness to game. Strong
avg arm. Accuracy is mediocre right now. Has one speed to defensive game and it
will really hurt his consis. Has tools to let game come to him but tries to do
too much ... Based on limited look he's a fringy player for me, @ best a Mark
Ellis type career of but that may be a bit of a reach. Should spend next yr in
High A."
Brian Pelowski, CREATiVE SPORTS, with notes on some mound prospects :
" ... Daniel Haigwood ... began the season at
A+ Winston-Salem where he went 8-2 with a 3.77 ERA, 79 hits allowed and an 84/33
K/BB ratio in 76.1 innings before a promotion to Double-A Birmingham. Haigwood
continued to impress at Double-A, posting a 6-1 record with a 1.74 ERA, 39 hits
allowed and a 76/31 K/BB ratio in 67.1 innings pitched. Additionally, he did not
allow a home run in his 11 starts at Birmingham. Haigwood’s success stems from
an improved changeup, a pitch that could serve him well in the majors. The White
Sox may start him back at Double-A next season but a promotion to Triple-A
shouldn’t be far off. A stint in the majors next season isn’t out of the
question either."
" ... Thomas Diamond ... at A+ Bakersfield
where he went 8-0 with a 1.99 ERA, 53 hits allowed and a 101/31 K/BB ratio in
81.1 innings. The Rangers promoted him to Double-A Frisco in June where he went
5-4 with a 5.35 ERA, 66 hits allowed and a 68/38 K/BB ratio in 69 innings
pitched ... peripheral numbers look strong but he will need to reduce his walks
a bit if he wants to be successful in the majors. Expect to see him competing
for a rotation spot this spring but I’d guess he’ll start the year back in the
minors."
" ... Anibal Sanchez ... began this season at
A+ Wilmington where he went 6-1 with a 2.40 ERA, 53 hits allowed and a 95/24
K/BB ratio in 78.2 innings pitched. He was promoted to Double-A Portland in July
where he went 3-5 with a 3.45 ERA, 53 hits allowed and a 63/16 K/BB ratio in
57.1 innings pitched. Sanchez throws a mid-90s fastball and made improvements
with his offspeed pitches this season. He’s shown good control at both levels
which bodes well for future success in the big leagues whether he ends up as a
reliever or starter. The Red Sox may choose to start Sanchez at Double-A next
season but a promotion to Triple-A isn’t far off."
Bryan Smith, TheBaseballAnalysts,
likes Prince Fielder as the best of the first base prospects (over Daric
Barton, Wes Bankston, Justin Huber and Michael Aubrey) .
" ... Fielder is a very streaky player ...
After slugging home runs in bunches during Spring Training's beginning, few
players did less in the late stages to instill confidence from their managers
than Fielder. A year, minimum, spent at AAA would build consistency. Or so the
Brewers hoped. Consistency, it did not build ... On May 16, Prince was hitting
just .226 with a .316 slugging ... Plenty of people were concerned, and the
Fielder-is-overrated chants grew louder and louder. However, as he constantly
does, Fielder then threw us for a loop. In his 245 at-bats since May 16, Fielder
has collected 80 hits, for an astounding .327 average. Forty-three of those
eighty hits were of the extra-base variety, giving him an insane .706 slugging
during that time. Throw in a good number of walks, and we can say Fielder ended
his season in a .330/.420/.700 fashion. Trade Overbay...now."
John Sickels on Ty
Clippard NYA and Chuck Tiffany LA :
" ... Clippard made 25 starts for Tampa in the
Florida State League, going 10-9, 3.18, with a 169/34 K/BB in 147 innings. He
allowed just 118 hits, giving him an excellent ratio set: his K/IP, K/BB, and
H/IP marks are all quite strong ... features a decent fastball at 88-90 MPH, but
has a plus curveball and an improving changeup. He has good command and control
within the strike zone, and now has two solid A-ball seasons under his belt ...
He isn't a Felix Hernandez type, but looks to me like a good B+ style prospect."
" ... Tiffany ... just missed my Top 50 list last
year, coming in at #51 with a solid Grade B rating. He should move a few slots
higher than that in the '06 book. At age 20, he went 11-7, 3.93 in 21 starts for
Vero Beach, with a 134/43 K/BB in 110 innings, allowing just 91 hits. His K/IP
ratio was very strong at +43% better than league average. His K/BB and H/IP were
also better than league, though not as strong as the K/IP. Tiffany should make
the transition to Double-A in '06, and I think he is poised for a breakthrough
season."
John Sickels, at
FutureAngels.com, with a look at ANA catcher Michael Collins :
" ... Collins ... For the season, hit
.320/.412/.482 with 16 steals in 100 games, just 21 years old. An Australian,
Collins spent 2004 at Cedar Rapids and did not hit well, but made major
improvement this year ... a compact, quick swing ... plate discipline is
adequate, and he makes good contact ... He is athletic, and I think he
should qualify as a solid sleeper prospect."
David Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner, on the
M's prospect chart :
" ... It will be interesting to see how Baseball
America puts together the M’s top ten list after the season, considering that
nearly every interesting young player in the system no longer has rookie status.
Adam Jones and Jeff Clement will fight for the top spot,
though I’d give a slight edge to Clement at this point, but then what? Bobby
Livingston, who profiles as John Halama if everything goes well? Chris
Snelling, who we love but just can’t stay healthy? The M’s have two solid
prospects that both need some more development in Clement and Jones, and then a
lot of maybes. Adding Felix, Reed, Betancourt, Lopez, and Sherill to the major
league club made this a very successful season for the farm system. The M’s
shouldn’t look forward to anything near that kind of help coming from the farm
in 2006, however."
Dodgers to try Delwyn Young in the outfield :
" ... Young, the second baseman who Triple-A
Las Vegas manager Jerry Royster said is the best hitting prospect in the
organization, is in the instructional league trying to learn to play the
outfield. "He has the tools to be the best hitter we have because he has
something you can't teach -- bat speed," said Royster, who managed Young after
his June 30 promotion from Double-A Jacksonville. "We have some very good
hitters in the organization. (Joel) Guzman and (Andy) LaRoche have the power,
(Tony) Abreu is a slappy guy who will hit. But Young can be the best, without a
doubt, it's not even close." ... Abreu is a better defensive prospect at
second base than Young and is considered to have a Major League bat.
(MLB.com)
Our league correspondents : INTERNATIONAL
Herb Walters
/ PACIFIC COAST JDM / EASTERN Ralph Marston /
SOUTHERN
Jason Collette
/ TEXAS Aman Reaka / FLORIDA STATE
Wayne Stevens / CAROLINA Troy Salvior /
CALIFORNIA JDM / MIDWEST
Bob Reed / SOUTH ATLANTIC
Dave Scott
/ NEW YORK-PENN
Harry Almquist / NORTHWEST
JDM
/ APPALACHIAN Scott
Howes
/ PIONEER
Joe
McAnally
/ GULF COAST JDM
/ ARIZONA JDM
|