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2019 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread

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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2681 » by dagger » Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:05 pm

Kevin Vicuna, a 2014 international signing (he was 16) has been placed on Dunedin's roster at 19. He's a solid defensive shortstop who is also off to a decent start at the plate.

http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=milb&player_id=660631#/career/R/hitting/2017/ALL
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2682 » by Lateral Quicks » Sun Apr 30, 2017 2:46 am

Jansen's torrid start continues - 4-5 tonight with a 2B. Now batting .416 after 77 ABs.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2683 » by ldnk » Sun Apr 30, 2017 11:43 am

Vlad Jr is on an 11-game hit streak. .348/.459/.565/1.024 in A ball. He might be verging on a promotion.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2684 » by dagger » Sun Apr 30, 2017 2:38 pm

ldnk wrote:Vlad Jr is on an 11-game hit streak. .348/.459/.565/1.024 in A ball. He might be verging on a promotion.


Right now, he isn't playing. He came out of Friday's game after 1 AB, and didn't play yesterday. I don't see him being promoted for a couple of months. Same with Bichette. They're young, and rushing them makes no sense.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2685 » by vaff87 » Tue May 2, 2017 11:34 pm

What's the deal with Lane Thomas? Is that guy finally starting to put it together?
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2686 » by Schad » Wed May 3, 2017 2:12 am

vaff87 wrote:What's the deal with Lane Thomas? Is that guy finally starting to put it together?


Might be. He had intriguing peripherals last year... decent-enough XBH totals with the potential for more, walked at a good clip. He just struck out so fking much, which made it impossible to see him succeeding in the future. He's still striking out more than is advisable, but a 23% K rate is a massive step in the right direction after the 32% of a year ago.

Still needs to get it down a bit lower and keep it there, but there's promise.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2687 » by dagger » Wed May 3, 2017 3:17 am

Of note from Dunedin. The Jays won on a weak single walkoff by Max Pentecost, but the highlight came early

As exciting as the game's finish was, the early innings were arguably just as thrilling for fans as Blue Jays starting pitcher Ryan Borucki put together one of the most dominant performances by a Dunedin pitcher in recent memory. Coming off the disabled list, Borucki knew he'd be on a limited pitch count during tonight's game. He didn't waste any of his pitches, striking out the side in the first, in the second, and striking out the first batter of the third to record a total of seven consecutive strikeouts to begin the ball game.

"Never in my life," Borucki responded when asked if he'd ever had a start to a game quite like tonight's. "It was just one of those days where everything from pitch one was working. I got in a zone where it was attack, attack, attack. It was a fun one today."

Borucki hit his pitch count in the fourth inning and left the game with eight strikeouts and a perfect game going.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2688 » by dagger » Wed May 3, 2017 2:32 pm

Three Jays - Bichette, Guerrero and Alford - make the Baseball America April all-prospect team

http://baseballamerica.com



APRIL ALL-PROSPECT TEAM
May 03, 2017 By Matt Eddy

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had nearly as many extra-base hits as strikeouts (photo by Danny Arnold)
An all-star team comprised of prospects, based on their performance in the minors during the month of April. Monthly all-prospect team archives available here.

Park-adjusted OPS+ and ERA+ are calculated by Baseball America in the style of the familiar Baseball-Reference.com index statistics. Park factors for the 2016 season are used in all cases.

C Will Smith • Dodgers
High Class A Rancho Cucamonga (California)

The third Atlantic Coast Conference catcher drafted in the first round last June—behind Zack Collins and Matt Thaiss—Smith has hit the ground running in the California League. Thaiss already has shifted to first base in the Angels system, while Collins, now a White Sox prospect, doesn’t have the defensive tools to match Smith, who should provide at least average offensive production for a catcher.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
69 14 22 4 2 4 13 12 17 5 1 .319 .435 .609 178

1B Rhys Hoskins • Phillies
Triple-A Lehigh Valley (International)

Righthanded-hitting first basemen get no respect, but Hoskins is making a case to be an exception to that rule. After blasting 38 home runs and driving in 116 runs at Double-A Reading last year, Hoskins has continued to crush the ball and make steady contact as he advances to Triple-A.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
77 15 26 5 0 6 12 11 15 0 0 .338 .427 .636 195

2B Kevin Kramer • Pirates
Double-A Altoona (Eastern)

The Pirates selected collegians Kevin Newman (first round) and Kramer (second) in the 2015 draft, and the two have reunited as double-play partners at Altoona this season. The lefthanded-hitting Kramer could boost his prospect stock significantly if he keeps hitting the ball with as much authority as he did in April.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
75 11 28 7 1 3 9 9 16 2 1 .373 .478 .613 194

3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. • Blue Jays
Low Class A Lansing (Midwest)

The second-youngest player to open the season on an Opening Day roster, the 18-year-old Guerrero also is one of the most promising. He has had no trouble acclimating to full-season ball after ranking as the No. 1 prospect in the Rookie-level Appalachian League a year ago. Guerrero had nearly as many extra-base hits (nine) as strikeouts (11) in April.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
69 17 24 6 0 3 13 14 11 1 0 .348 .459 .565 194

SS Bo Bichette • Blue Jays
Low Class A Lansing (Midwest)

A 2016 second-rounder and Florida prep, Bichette torched the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in his debut, hitting .427 with power in 22 games, until a bout of appendicitis truncated his season. He has picked right up in full-season ball where he left off last year. Bichette teams with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to form perhaps the most formidable left side of the infield in the minors.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
70 20 26 8 0 2 13 11 14 3 1 .371 .463 .571 197

OF Anthony Alford • Blue Jays
Double-A New Hampshire (Eastern)

A knee injury and concussion short-circuited Alford’s 2016 season, but he appeared to be in fine form while making his Double-A debut this season. With good feel to hit (.356 average), plate patience (nine walks) and plus speed (seven stolen bases), Alford profiles as an impact table-setter.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
73 12 26 5 0 2 8 9 14 7 1 .356 .427 .507 153

OF Christin Stewart • Tigers
Double-A Erie (Eastern)

Stewart hit just .218 in a month at Double-A last season, but he still finished with 30 home runs and 86 walks on the year. Both totals ranked among the highest in the minors. The 2015 first-rounder continues to play to his strengths this year—minus the slow start—with plus power and patience.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
78 13 23 2 2 6 15 11 19 2 0 .295 .389 .603 180

OF Marcus Wilson • Diamondbacks
Low Class A Kane County (Midwest)

The D-backs made Wilson, a California prep, a supplemental second-round pick in 2014, projecting him to grow into more strength. That has begun to happen this season for the 20-year-old, who also has benefited from greater maturity. Wilson flashed a bit of everything—power, speed, contact ability, patience—in April.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
69 19 25 6 1 5 20 14 14 4 3 .362 .470 .696 252

RHP Dane Dunning • White Sox
Low Class A Kannapolis (South Atlantic)

A Nationals first-round pick last June, Dunning joined the White Sox organization, along with Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez, when Chicago traded Adam Eaton to Washington. A product of the University of Florida, Dunning and his above-average fastball and changeup were too advanced for the South Atlantic League, so the White Sox bumped him to high Class A Winston-Salem in May.

W L ERA GS IP H R ER HR SO BB SO/9 BR/9 AVG ERA+
2 0 0.35 4 26 13 2 1 0 33 2 11.4 5.5 .143 191

RHP Jack Flaherty • Cardinals
Double-A Springfield (Texas)

Sharper control and physical gains have helped Flaherty’s stuff dominate in his first taste of Double-A. The Los Angeles prep and 2014 first-rounder leads a Springfield rotation that also includes top prospects Sandy Alcantara, Dakota Hudson and Austin Gomber.

W L ERA GS IP H R ER HR SO BB SO/9 BR/9 AVG ERA+
4 0 0.56 5 32.1 22 2 2 0 28 4 7.8 7.2 .191 185

LHP Luiz Gohara • Braves
High Class A Florida (Florida State)

Gohara failed to make a full-season Opening Day roster in four years in the Mariners system, but after Seattle traded him to the Braves in January, he not only made the high Class A Florida roster—he dominated. Gohara has prototype size (6-foot-3) and power stuff (fastball, slider) to profile as a front-end starter, provided that he keeps throwing strikes.

W L ERA GS IP H R ER HR SO BB SO/9 BR/9 AVG ERA+
2 0 1.73 5 26 23 5 5 0 27 5 9.3 9.7 .240 152

RHP Merandy Gonzalez • Mets
Low Class A Columbia (South Atlantic)

Gonzalez shined in the short-season New York-Penn League last year and jumped out to a fast start in full-season ball in 2017. He has been so sharp that he was one of five qualified minor league pitchers to not allow an earned run in April. Gonzalez blends an excellent fastball-curveball combo that could play in a big league rotation if he develops sufficient command.

W L ERA GS IP H R ER HR SO BB SO/9 BR/9 AVG ERA+
4 0 0.00 4 28.1 15 0 0 0 23 3 7.3 6.0 .160 200

RHP Tyler Mahle • Reds
Double-A Pensacola (Southern)

Mahle threw the second perfect game in Southern League history in April and exhibits fine command of a fastball up to 97 mph. With further improvement to his slider—which is entirely possible given how far his fastball has come in pro ball—Mahle will pitch in a big league rotation.

W L ERA GS IP H R ER HR SO BB SO/9 BR/9 AVG ERA+
4 0 0.55 5 32.2 11 2 2 0 34 6 9.4 4.7 .104 185
#All-Prospect Team #Anthony Alford #Baseballist #Bo Bichette #Christin Stewart #Dane Dunning #Jack Flaherty #Kevin Kramer #Luiz Gohara #Marcus Wilson #Merandy Gonzalez #Rhys Hoskins #Tyler Mahle #Vladimir Guerrero Jr #Will Smith
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2689 » by vaff87 » Wed May 3, 2017 11:37 pm

Does anyone else have low key hope for Cavan Biggio?
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2690 » by Schad » Wed May 3, 2017 11:45 pm

Not here. I still have no idea what his role would even be...he can't play SS, so he's no utility infielder, and he isn't the slickest 2B, either. So he's a bat-first player with no power, whose only real talent of note is that he takes walks. I don't see how that plays as a long-term option.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2691 » by vaff87 » Thu May 4, 2017 12:18 am

Schad wrote:Not here. I still have no idea what his role would even be...he can't play SS, so he's no utility infielder, and he isn't the slickest 2B, either. So he's a bat-first player with no power, whose only real talent of note is that he takes walks. I don't see how that plays as a long-term option.


But we need him for our All Offspring team.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2692 » by Schad » Thu May 4, 2017 12:19 am

vaff87 wrote:
Schad wrote:Not here. I still have no idea what his role would even be...he can't play SS, so he's no utility infielder, and he isn't the slickest 2B, either. So he's a bat-first player with no power, whose only real talent of note is that he takes walks. I don't see how that plays as a long-term option.


But we need him for our All Offspring team.


Fair point well made, good sir.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2693 » by dagger » Thu May 4, 2017 2:31 am

Max Pentcost caught tonight - 2-4 at the plate with a double, average to .338. Seems to like catching.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2694 » by polo007 » Thu May 4, 2017 6:45 pm

Read on Twitter
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2695 » by fmradioguy » Thu May 4, 2017 8:33 pm

polo007 wrote:
Read on Twitter

It's amazing how similar a hitter he is to his father so far. Doesn't walk a lot, but doesn't strikeout a lot either. Vlad Sr often had more walks than k's. Sr was often criticized at the time for not being patient enough but he managed to turn a lot of balls into hits. He may not score as many runs (doesn't have dad's speed) but he's also going to knock in his fair share.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2696 » by Schad » Thu May 4, 2017 9:05 pm

fmradioguy wrote:
polo007 wrote:
Read on Twitter

It's amazing how similar a hitter he is to his father so far. Doesn't walk a lot, but doesn't strikeout a lot either. Vlad Sr often had more walks than k's. Sr was often criticized at the time for not being patient enough but he managed to turn a lot of balls into hits. He may not score as many runs (doesn't have dad's speed) but he's also going to knock in his fair share.


Vlad The Younger's walk total is actually very good...walking in 14.9% of his plate appearances entering today. For the sake of comparison, Bautista's career walk rate is 14.3% (though higher in his dominant seasons). Vlad Sr also didn't strike out a tonne for a power hitter, but his walk rate was quite a bit lower.

Vlad Jr has already gained a rep as a free swinger, but he must be laying off something, heh.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2697 » by dagger » Thu May 4, 2017 10:43 pm

We wax enthusiastic about some prospects but I have tp admit I am perplexed at the struggles at Double A of Sean Reid Foley. Didn't make it out of the first inning today.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2698 » by vaff87 » Fri May 5, 2017 12:31 am

How long should the Jays wait before promoting Vlad to Dunedin?

Also, it seems like Alford is in one of his strike out slumps.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2699 » by Schad » Fri May 5, 2017 1:45 am

dagger wrote:We wax enthusiastic about some prospects but I have tp admit I am perplexed at the struggles at Double A of Sean Reid Foley. Didn't make it out of the first inning today.


The control problems that plagued him in a big way in 2015 have returned. He threw 37 pitches today, and failed to get out of the first, and he's averaging nearly 24 pitches per inning. That won't play.
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Re: 2017 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread 

Post#2700 » by dagger » Fri May 5, 2017 2:20 am

Schad wrote:
dagger wrote:We wax enthusiastic about some prospects but I have tp admit I am perplexed at the struggles at Double A of Sean Reid Foley. Didn't make it out of the first inning today.


The control problems that plagued him in a big way in 2015 have returned. He threw 37 pitches today, and failed to get out of the first, and he's averaging nearly 24 pitches per inning. That won't play.


On a positive note, I like what TJ Zeuch has been doing at Dunedin. He's tough to hit through his first five innings.
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