2019 Minor Leagues/Prospect Discussion Thread

[vaff87]

Bo is 3-5 tonight with a HR, 2 doubles, and 5 rbi.

[Schad]

Mc Gregory on the 1s and 2s tonight, and even the 3s, but not the 4s, because he finished a home run short of the cycle. And yeah, I've been sitting on that one for a while.

[Schad]

Cal Stevenson hit his first HR in Bluefield before play was suspended for weather, which is a change from standing motionless. He entered today with a 21.1% walk rate and a 9.3% K rate in advanced rookie ball, which is somewhat unusual. He has a 14:36 K:BB on the year, not counting the walk he took tonight before the suspension of play.

[Schad]

On the subject of Contact Watch, while he isn't our prospect, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Nick Madrigal. Went 4th overall owing mostly to his hit tool, and I mean, yeah...you go the first 58 PAs of your pro career without striking out once (with the majority of those in full A ball), you have a pretty good capacity to put bat to ball. With twice as many HBPs as walks + strikeouts + HRs, Madrigal makes Gabriel Moreno look like Adam Dunn.

[Lateral Quicks]

Brock Lundquist is quietly having himself a good year. He put up an ISO of .212 in Lansing, and is blowing away Dunedin so far in 80 PAs with a ~1.00 OPS (.400 BABIP explains part of that). In the early Dunedin sample his walks are up and Ks down, which is nice to see.

[Schad]

Kevin Smith is on a 28 HR per 650 PA pace, which is pretty remarkable for a shortstop in his first full professional season. Prorated over 650, he'd also strike out 142 times and accrue only 49 walks, which is a tad suboptimal.

Trying to figure out a comp. 2017 Tim Beckham, maybe? So long as he doesn't then turn into 2018 Tim Beckham.

[vaff87]

Kevin Smith is on a 28 HR per 650 PA pace, which is pretty remarkable for a shortstop in his first full professional season. Prorated over 650, he'd also strike out 142 times and accrue only 49 walks, which is a tad suboptimal.

Trying to figure out a comp. 2017 Tim Beckham, maybe? So long as he doesn't then turn into 2018 Tim Beckham.

For his part, I think he realizes he strikes out too much. He worked on cutting down on that this past off-season. It worked in Lansing, but has become a problem again in Dunedin. I think he’s going to continue to focus on cutting down on them.

[Schad]

Feel like I should mention Fitz Stadler, not just because a 6'9" guy named Fitz Stadler should always be mentioned. Relievers taken in the 18th round aren't generally too exciting, and perhaps he won't be either, but a 4.7:1 K:BB ratio and 0.43 ERA through 21 IP is worth comment.

[SharoneWright]

Pretty sure Fitz was the baratone....

Watch on YouTube

(Stadler Brothers)

[Schad]

**** hell I thought I had the monopoly on deep-dive non sequiturs, but you break out the Unfortunate Facial Hair Quartet and put me to shame.

[SharoneWright]

**** hell I thought I had the monopoly on deep-dive non sequiturs, but you break out the Unfortunate Facial Hair Quartet and put me to shame.

bwahaha!! I can only try to compete!

[vaff87]

This is an article talking to local broadcasters who have covered the guys the Jays traded for, this year. I’m too tired to quote any snippets.

https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2018/7/28/17625636/blue-jays-prospects-chad-spanberger-forrest-wall-brandon-drury-and-billy-mckinney

[Fairview4Life]

Mc Gregory on the 1s and 2s tonight, and even the 3s, but not the 4s, because he finished a home run short of the cycle. And yeah, I've been sitting on that one for a while.

Not sure anyone needed you to stand up off it.

[Schad]

Mc Gregory on the 1s and 2s tonight, and even the 3s, but not the 4s, because he finished a home run short of the cycle. And yeah, I've been sitting on that one for a while.

Not sure anyone needed you to stand up off it.

I regret nothing.

[dagger]

Lansing must be fun to watch. Tonight, Samad Taylor stole two bases to run his season total to 35. Chavez Young stole #25 and Reggie Pruitt stole #23. If Taylor and Pruitt could get on base a little more, they'd swipe over 50 in a season each.

[Lateral Quicks]

Pretty sure Fitz was the baratone....

Watch on YouTube

(Stadler Brothers)

Whenever I hear that song - which isn't often, mind you - I immediately start thinking about Pulp Fiction. That was a great soundtrack/movie.

[polo007]

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Some highlights from the media availability:

On dealing with the media hype: "I don’t feel any pressure. I just try to get better every day. I try to do my job. To do the things I need to do every day to get better. And I don’t really feel any pressure."

On what he expects to be the difference between Double-A and Triple A: "I can’t tell you right now because I haven’t played but it’s the same baseball. It’s the same baseball. The only thing that I need to do is just go out there and play the game."

The status of his knee which kept him on the disabled list for about a month: "So thank God everything is fine. I’m 100 percent recovered. The organization did a great job and the staff did a great job and I feel good."

On if he was surprised by his success, including hitting .402 in Double-A: "That’s what I work every year for. When I go to the DR I just go to prepare myself for a long season and that’s what I work for. To prepare myself to hit and to do my job."

[vaff87]

Probably the most media ever at a Bisons game.

[Al_Oliver]

Probably the most media ever at a Bisons game.

Most media ever in Buffalo? haha

[dagger]

Groshans went 3-4 with a double, homer and six RBIs today. Also K'd once and walked once. Average to .380

More shocking, Gabriel Moreno had a walk and a strikeout.