2019 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread

[dagger]

For those who can read this (paywall):

https://theathletic.com/61332/2017/05/19/blue-jays-farmhand-jason-leblebijian-is-blossoming-at-buffalo/

Basically, a nice writeup on this potential placeholder for V Guerrero if Josh Donaldson is traded in the next several months.

These days, he is doing it as the leading hitter for the Blue Jays’ top farm club in Buffalo. His performance has been a pleasant surprise. Nobody has Leblebijian on their top prospects’ list, and during his first few years in the minors, he looked like classic roster-filler material. His ability to play every infield position with aplomb helped his case, but he certainly struck no one as a maestro with the bat.

Then, two years ago, while playing at low Class-A Lansing for a third season, a tip from a minor-league instructor tweaked his swing, boosted his confidence and propelled his career in a new direction.

Entering Thursday’s action, Leblebijian (pronounced Leb-leh-BEE-jian) was slashing .310/.405/.540. His .944 OPS ranked sixth in the International League.

[rarefind]

Alford promoted to majors, it appears.

Read on Twitter

[Raps_Swingman]

For those who can read this (paywall):

https://theathletic.com/61332/2017/05/19/blue-jays-farmhand-jason-leblebijian-is-blossoming-at-buffalo/

Basically, a nice writeup on this potential placeholder for V Guerrero if Josh Donaldson is traded in the next several months.

These days, he is doing it as the leading hitter for the Blue Jays’ top farm club in Buffalo. His performance has been a pleasant surprise. Nobody has Leblebijian on their top prospects’ list, and during his first few years in the minors, he looked like classic roster-filler material. His ability to play every infield position with aplomb helped his case, but he certainly struck no one as a maestro with the bat.

Then, two years ago, while playing at low Class-A Lansing for a third season, a tip from a minor-league instructor tweaked his swing, boosted his confidence and propelled his career in a new direction.

Entering Thursday’s action, Leblebijian (pronounced Leb-leh-BEE-jian) was slashing .310/.405/.540. His .944 OPS ranked sixth in the International League.

I've been wondering why he doesn't get a shot in place of Coglhan at this point. See what you've got. He could turn into a solid Utility guy at the MLB level, but if not, I'm not sure he provides any less this Coglhan

[dagger]

Alford promoted to majors, it appears.

Read on Twitter

This is a one night thing, until Pillar is back. Apparently, it has no impact on his future options. Ut's basically a chance to give Alford a taste of a regular season MLB game, no more (for now). He's on the 40-man roster, too.

[rarefind]

Alford promoted to majors, it appears.

Read on Twitter

This is a one night thing, until Pillar is back. Apparently, it has no impact on his future options. Ut's basically a chance to give Alford a taste of a regular season MLB game, no more (for now). He's on the 40-man roster, too.

Definitely, unless Pillar Ceciliani's his shoulder out the socket writing more apology notes.

[vaff87]

Is he expected to play? Or just watch?

[Wally West]

Silly move if Alford is just given a taste of the big leagues.

[vaff87]

Silly move if Alford is just given a taste of the big leagues.

Dagger says it will have no impact on his options.

[Wally West]

Silly move if Alford is just given a taste of the big leagues.

Dagger says it will have no impact on his options.

That's not what I'm worried about. The yo-yoing of prospects bringing them up and then down and the best up again to give a guy a taste of the big leagues can kill a guy's confidence. That's exactly what happened with Anthony Gose bringing him up to give him a "taste" of the big leagues. It also didn't help that he clearly wasn't ready for the show when he first got called up.

[Wally West]

Read on Twitter

[vaff87]

Silly move if Alford is just given a taste of the big leagues.

Dagger says it will have no impact on his options.

That's not what I'm worried about. The yo-yoing of prospects bringing them up and then down and the best up again to give a guy a taste of the big leagues can kill a guy's confidence. That's exactly what happened with Anthony Gose bringing him up to give him a "taste" of the big leagues. It also didn't help that he clearly wasn't ready for the show when he first got called up.

It could just make him hungry to get back.

[Wally West]

Dagger says it will have no impact on his options.

That's not what I'm worried about. The yo-yoing of prospects bringing them up and then down and the best up again to give a guy a taste of the big leagues can kill a guy's confidence. That's exactly what happened with Anthony Gose bringing him up to give him a "taste" of the big leagues. It also didn't help that he clearly wasn't ready for the show when he first got called up.

It could just make him hungry to get back.

Yeah that's possible but is it worth the potential risk?

[vaff87]

That's not what I'm worried about. The yo-yoing of prospects bringing them up and then down and the best up again to give a guy a taste of the big leagues can kill a guy's confidence. That's exactly what happened with Anthony Gose bringing him up to give him a "taste" of the big leagues. It also didn't help that he clearly wasn't ready for the show when he first got called up.

It could just make him hungry to get back.

Yeah that's possible but is it worth the potential risk?

If it's only a one night thing, I don't see the harm. Are we even sure he's going to play? He might just be called up to give him a chance to experience being around the team, because we need an extra outfielder.

[s e n s i]

Silly move if Alford is just given a taste of the big leagues.

Dagger says it will have no impact on his options.

That's not what I'm worried about. The yo-yoing of prospects bringing them up and then down and the best up again to give a guy a taste of the big leagues can kill a guy's confidence. That's exactly what happened with Anthony Gose bringing him up to give him a "taste" of the big leagues. It also didn't help that he clearly wasn't ready for the show when he first got called up.

anthony gose didn't get converted to a pitcher because we shuttled him to the minors and back. not every player is a low-IQ one-dimensional toolcase with an attitude problem.

if one night in the big leagues is going to cripple his confidence (assuming he plays and plays terribly) to the point where it goes nowhere but downhill and he ends up converting to a pitcher four years later, then i'm sorry, he doesn't belong in the big leagues to begin with

[BramptonYute]

It could just make him hungry to get back.

Yeah that's possible but is it worth the potential risk?

If it's only a one night thing, I don't see the harm. Are we even sure he's going to play? He might just be called up to give him a chance to experience being around the team, because we need an extra outfielder.

He's starting in LF tonight

[vaff87]

I also don't really agree with Keith Law that Alford's start never held up. He struggled for a bit, but he has a .325/.411/.455 slash line, and his strike outs are waaaaay down.

[dagger]

I don't agree that anything that happens in the game or two he is up will undermine his confidence. First of all, he would have been told that this is just to bridge things until Tulo and Pillar are available - that this isn't his first real test. Second, from everything I have heard, he has a real strong character, with strong leadership ability. Maybe being a college quarterback was a plus in that regard. Also, the team had almost no choice, since he's the only other healthy bat on the 40-man roster. Pompey has just started playing again in extended spring, and is weeks away from being ready for even an emergency callup.

[dagger]

Yeah that's possible but is it worth the potential risk?

If it's only a one night thing, I don't see the harm. Are we even sure he's going to play? He might just be called up to give him a chance to experience being around the team, because we need an extra outfielder.

He's starting in LF tonight

Batting 8th

[Wally West]

I don't agree that anything that happens in the game or two he is up will undermine his confidence. First of all, he would have been told that this is just to bridge things until Tulo and Pillar are available - that this isn't his first real test. Second, from everything I have heard, he has a real strong character, with strong leadership ability. Maybe being a college quarterback was a plus in that regard. Also, the team had almost no choice, since he's the only other healthy bat on the 40-man roster. Pompey has just started playing again in extended spring, and is weeks away from being ready for even an emergency callup.

I didn't factor in that he's the only healthy bat on the 40 man hence a reason why we called him up. I guess we'll see though. I hope he's somehow able to stay up.

[vaff87]

Anybody know what in the blue hell happened to Lourdes Gurriel? He literally returned for two at bats, got injured again, and we haven't heard from him since.