2/27 Spring Training Report

Posted by Jeremy on February 27, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Victor Martinez hit two dingers today and Evan Almighty also went deep.  Japanese pitcher Koji Uehara pitched well in his debut with the Orioles, 19 year old Cuban import Dayan Viciedo belted his first HR for the White Sox, and the Brothers Hoffpauir both had solid performances for thier respective teams’ but it was Mike Carp that snatched the Youngster of the Day honors.  The new Seattle Mariners 1B prospect belted a long HR (I listened to the game) and drove in 5 RBI as the M’s decimated the L.A. Dodgers 18-1.

Youngster of the Day—MIKE CARP

Other Notable Performances:

• Pedro Alvarez—1-3 BB
• Shelby Ford—1-2 R
• Kris Medlen—IP 2 BB 2K
• Matt Wieters—1-2 R BB
• John Raynor—1-3 R SB(1)
• Dallas McPherson—1-3 R RBI
• Ryan Tucker—2 IP H 2 BB 2K
• Koji Uehara—2 IP H BB 3K
• Jake Arrieta—IP K
• Tim Beckham—1-1
• Jeff Niemann—2 IP H 2K (W)
• Mike Hessman—1-3 R BB 2B
• Brad MIlls—2 IP H
• Austin Jackson—1-2 R
• Brett Gardner—2-2 R 2 SB(2) BB 2B
• Juan Miranda 1-2 2B
• Ian Kennedy—2 IP H BB 3K
• Jarret Hoffpauir—2-3 2 RBI 2B R
• Micah Hoffpauir—2-3 HR(2) 3 RBI
• Allen Craig—2-2 2 RBI
• John Jay—2-4 3R RBi BB 2B
• Ivan Nova—IP 2K
• Angel Salome—1-2 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Logan Schafer—1-2 RBI SB(1)
• Alcides Escobar—1-4 RBI R SB(1)
• Cutter Dykstra—1-2 RBI R 2B
• Aaron Cunningham—1-1 R RBI 2B
• Adrian Cardenas—2-2 R
• Mike Carp—2-3 HR(1)
• Mike Wilson—1-3 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Matt Tuiasosopo—2-4 HR(1) RBI 2R 2B
• Freddy Sandoval—1-2 R RBI
• Sean Rodriguez—1-3 RBI 2B
• Mark Trumbo—2-4 2B R
• Jarrod Saltalamacchia—2-2 2 2B
• Greg Golson—1-3 R
• Evan Frey—2-3
• Gordon Beckham—1-2 2B
• Chris Getz—1-4 RBI BB
• Dayan Viciedo—2-3 HR(1) RBI

PPR Mailbag: Musings on the Matts for the M’s

Posted by Jeremy on under Readers Mailbag | Be the First to Comment

M's wish this "Gini" would grant them more hits

I opened the mailbox this morning to find a question about the prognosticative futures of Seattle Mariner 3B prospects Matt Mangini and Matt Tuiasosopo. As a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, my devout (albiet long suffering) affinity for the Seattle Mariners hopefully lends a little more credibility to my answer.  Let’s start with Matt Mangini. The 2008 season offered a mixed bag of results. On the positive side, he was able to cut back some of the injury woes that limited his progress late in 2007 but, when he did play, he really wasn’t that good. His numbers at High Desert looked decent on the surface (.265 6 HR 25 RBI 12 doubles in 181 AB), but the fact that he was playing in the hitter-friendly California League mitigates those accomplishments somewhat. Still, the M’s promoted Mangini to AA West Tennessee where he was truly awful (.202 2 HR 25 RBI 5 doubles in 238 AB). The problem?  A raw and undisciplined approach at the plate that saw him garner an anemic 12 BB/64 K ratio. Scouts touted Mangini’s bat highly prior to the ‘07 draft, calling him the 2nd most polished collegiate hitter in the draft behind Matt Wieters. His professional career has been anything but Wieters-esque. The added specter of declining defensive skills at the hot corner (23 errors in 115 games) means that a shift to 1B could happen in the future.  The depth of talent on the other side of the diamond is more shallow, but Mangini’s skill set is far behind new M’s farm hand Mike Carp and his age is more advanced. Neither of these bodes well for the former OSU Cowboy.

The bumpy road to Seattle may yet smooth out

The future for Matt Tuiasosopo looks a little more bullish, yet his path is not obstacle free either.  Tui posted his best season as a pro, hitting .281 with 13 HR 73 RBI 32 doubles and 87 runs scored in 111 games at AAA Tacoma.  Tuiasosopo has excellent athleticism and a strong 6-2 210 lb. frame that still has some projection left to it.  It seems like he has been in the M’s system forever since turning down the opportunity to play quarterback at the University of Washington to sign with the Mariners as a 3rd round pick in 2004.  I think that Tuiasosopo’s early stages of development was grossly mismanaged by the Mariners organization during the dark years of the Bill Bavasi era  He was expedited through the system at an early age being pushed to AA as a 20 year old despite the inability to demonstrate sound plate discipline or power production.  In fact, the power really didn’t start to manifest itself until the second half of the ‘08 season with Tacoma.  That burst allowed for him to earn a September call up where he struggled to grasp the strike zone.  Matt has shown ebbs and flows in his strike zone judgement.  He grinded out 72 walks during his second stint at AA in 2007, but managed just 47 at AAA this season.  

There are lots of tools to like in Tui’s game and his ability to resiliantly handle the breakneck speed that the M’s pushed him through their farm system shows that Matt has a good makeup and work ethic.  Couple that with the good bloodlines he possesses (brother Marques was a QB with the Oakland Raiders, his father, Manu, an 8-year NFL vet with the Seahawks and 49′ers), and there is reason to believe that the best is yet to come for the 22 year old.  

Watch the power numbers and BB/K ratio that he puts up at AAA this spring.  Adrian Beltre’s shelf life as a Mariner expires at the end of the 2009 season (perhaps sooner) which gives Matt a narrow window of time to prove to the organization that he is prepared to take the mantle until the mega-talented Jharmidy DeJesus is ready to snatch it from him.

2/26 Spring Training Report

Posted by Jeremy on under Uncategorized | 3 Comments to Read

Jose Reyes was easily today’s best MLB performer with two HR and 6 RBI’s as the Mets shut out the Marlins 9-0, but today’s top prospect performance came from my man Nolan Reimold who went 2-2 with a HR 4 RBI and a walk.

Youngster of the Day—NOLAN REIMOLD

Other Notable Performances:

• Chris Marrero—1-21 RBI
• Rick Porcello—IP 2H ER 2K (L)
• Collin Balester—2 IP BB K
• Freddie Freeman—1-2 HR(1) RBI
• Brandon Jones—2-4 2B R RBI
• Chris Johnson—2-2 2B 2 RBI
• Tommy Hanson—2 IP 2H 2 ER BB 2K
• Brock Peterson—1-2 GS HR (1) 4 RBI 2R
• Juan Francisco—1-2 RBI R
• Pedro Alvarez—1-1 R RBI
• Neil Walker—1-1 BB R
• Jeff Bailey—1-2 2 RBI
• Rosh Ohlendorf—2 IP 3K
• Brandon Snyder—2-2 2R
• Luis Montanez—1-2 2R BB
• Colby Rasmus—0-2 BB R SB(1)
• Scott Campbell—1-1 HR(1) 3 RBI
• Travis Snider—1-3 HR(1) RBI
• John Mayberry Jr.—1-3 2B R
• Daniel Murphy—1-2 BB R SB(1)
• Cameron Maybin—1-2 BB
• Michael Stanton—1-3
• Chris Volstad—2 IP 4H ER BB K
• Phil Hughes—2 IP B 2K
• Phil Coke—2 IP H K (W)
• Brent Lillibridge—2-4 SB(1)
• Brandon Allen—1-4 R SB(1)
• Jack Egbert—2 IP 2H K
• Kala Ka’aihue—1-2 RBI
• Derek Holland—IP 2H 2 ER 2 BB 2K (2 HR allowed)
• Michael Wilson—1-3 R
• Cedric Hunter—1-2 R
• Mitch Canham—1-1 SB(1)
• Brandon Wood—2-3
• Peter Bourjos—0-0 R BB SB(1)
• Kendry Morales—2-3
• Jordan Walden—2 IP 2H 3K
• Chris Carter (A’s) 1-3 RBI
• Ryan Sweeney—2-3
• Jake Fox—2-3 HR(1)  3 RBI BB
• Richie Robnett—1-2 RBI BB 2B
• Micah Hoffpauir—1-4 R BB
• Alcides Escobar—1-2 2B
• Xavier Paul—3-5 2B 3 RBI R
• Jamie Hoffmann—2-2 2R 2 2B 2 RBI
• Blake DeWitt—1-3 2B R
• Chin-lung Hu—1-3 HR(1) 3 RBI
• Ryan Roberts—2-2 2 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Josh Whitesell—1-3 HR(1) RBI
• Evan Frey—1-2 R RBI
• Matt Laporta—2-3 HR(1) RBI 2B
• Beau Mills—1-3 RBI

2/25 Spring Training Report

Posted by Jeremy on February 26, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Day one kicked off yesterday with several youngsters having solid days, but the honors for today’s top prospect performance goes to Boston Red Sox SS Yamaico Navarro who went 2-2 with a HR, double two runs and 2 RBI.

Youngster of the Day—YAMAICO NAVARRO

Other notable performances:

• Freddie Freeman—1-2 2 RBI
• Jordan Schafer—1-4 HR (1) 2R RBI SB( (1)
• Chris Carter (Red Sox)—1-2 3 RBI BB
• Junichi Tazawa— IP 0 H (W)
• Edison Volquez— 3 IP BB 3K
• Johnny Cueto— 3 IP BB 3K (W)
• Colby Rasmus—2-5 R BB 2B
• Brett Gardner—1-3 HR(1) RBI
• Nick Evans—3-4 3R
• Shelby Ford—1-3 HR(1) 3 RBI
• Chris Johnson—1-2 HR (1) RBI
• Drew Sutton—2-2 2 R
• Hank Conger—2-3 3 RBI R
• Freddy Sandoval—2-3 2 RBI R
• Nelson Cruz—2-3 HR(1) 3 RBI 2 R
• Chris Davis—2-3
• Justin Smoak—2-2 R 2B
• Micah Hoffpauir—1-4 GS HR (1) 4 RBI
• Travis Buck—1-3 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Josh Outman—2 IP H K
• Stephen Head—1-1 HR(1) RBI BB
• Rob Johnson—1-2 HR(1) RBI

Spring Training Has Officially Begun!

Posted by Jeremy on February 25, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

The day that we’ve all been waiting for has come at last!  The Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues kicked off today with a full docket of games.  Starting today, I will be issuing daily performance reports from MLB prospects in both leagues up until the first game of the regular MLB season.  Stay tuned for what should be an exciting and eventful Spring Training season!

Top 20 Outfield Prospects for 2009 (Part 1)

Posted by Jeremy on February 24, 2009 under 2009 Top 20 Prospects | Read the First Comment

Are you ready for a banger of a list?  I originally made a list of about 50 OF that could potentially find their way onto this list and had a dickens of a time narrowing it down to the top 20.  This link will contain the top 10 and a following link will have 11-20. 

If you are on your best behavior….I will add a gratuitous third list covering ranks 21-30.

I was oscillating between three strong candidates for the top honors on the list.  I chose to go with youthful upside over polish and experience.  Jason Heyward exceeded the lofty expectations heaped upon him by the baseball prospecting world by decimating pitching in his first dose of full season ball.  As good as his season was, he has yet to even chisel through the surface of his mountainous potential. 

1.) Jason Heyward—Atlanta Braves

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Where to begin with this youngster?  Heyward has off the charts power potential, plus speed, a cannon for an arm, and has shown an ability to hit for a high average with excellent plate discipline.  Heyward is an intelligent ballplayer who carries his lunchpail to work day in and day out.

Weaknesses: Just experience at this point.  Chances are that he will lose some of his speed as he ages and will become more of a slugger.  He did struggle in his brief time at High-A Myrtle Beach, but there is no reason to believe that this will be a prolonged problem for the 19 year old southpaw.

2009 Outlook: Heyward gets a  taste of the Braves’ big league camp this spring but his early regular season months will be spent back at Myrtle Beach.  There’s a big possibility that he will earn a promotion to AA Mississippi at some point.  Heyward is a fast track player and one of baseball’s most intriguing prospects.

2.) Travis Snider—Toronto Blue Jays

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Jaw dropping power potential.  Snider has a thick muscular build that generates incredible torque from a left handed swing that produces tape measure moon shots.  He is a gritty player who works hard in all aspects of his game.  He is more athletic than he looks and profiles as an pretty good RF with a rocket arm.

Weaknesses: The price for great power is a prolific number of strikeouts.  Snider’s high K rates lends him to be streaky at times at the plate.  He is just 20 years old, but has already maxed out physically.  He should lose some of his average speed as he ages and could be a risk for injuries.

2009 Outlook: Snider looks to have a starting OF spot locked up before spring starts.  He is a prime candidate for the ‘09 A.L. Rookie of the Year award, but he could be afflicted by a post debut slump just as well.  Long term, there is plenty to be excited about in this youngster.

3.) Cameron Maybin—Florida Marlins

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Maybin has a wide assortment of tools emanating from a highly athletic and strong 6-4 205 lb. frame.  Cameron possesses track star speed and sinewy strength that should make him a perennial 20 HR/20 SB player and, possibly, a 30 HR/30 SB threat in future seasons.  He covers a ton of real estate in CF while running good routes on balls and employs excellent arm strength as well.

Weaknesses: His performance has yet to match his tools.  Maybin was rushed through the Tigers farm system and the results were lackluster.  The Marlins have taken a more prudent approach to his development, which seems to have rendered more positive results.  He strikes out too much and doesn’t walk enough.  This affects his ability to get on base at higher levels and utilize his game changing speed.  He has considerable power potential, but doesn’t seem to know quite how to tap into it.  He hits a high rate of groundballs and struggles at times to generate the necessary swing trajectory to drive pitches.

2009 Outlook: Maybin is ready to become a full time major league hitter.  His development is not quite consummated, but his skill set is too good to keep down on the farm any longer.  Maybin has the potential to be the National League’s best rookie in 2009, but his plate discipline and ability to drive the ball need to improve.  Eventually, his skills should win out and translate to a highly productive major league career.

4.) Colby Rasmus—St. Louis Cardinals

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Rasmus has an exciting blend of speed and power potential that could land him at the top of a lineup or in the middle.  He has shown an ability to draw walks and is an impact player on the basepaths.  Defensively, Rasmus is as good as they come.  His spectacular plays and vast range reminds some of a former Gold Glove CF that patrolled Busch Stadium for years, Jim Edmonds.

Weaknesses: Injuries hampered Rasmus last season and for the second season in a row, Colby struggled in the early parts of the season.  Additionally, Colby has yet to display the ability to hit for a high average since his 2006 numbers at short season Quad Cities.

2009 Outlook: The Cardinals seem ready to have Rasmus challenge to take over the everyday CF duties on Opening Day.  Rasmus has the ability to put up Grady Sizemore-like numbers in future seasons, but odds are that he will suffer some growing pains in his first couple of seasons.  Hopefully they will be limited to performance and not health.

5.) Matt LaPorta—Milwaukee Brewers

2008 Stats:

Strengths: LaPorta has 30-40 HR power potential and the ability to hit for a high average as well.  Matt is a polished hitter with good plate discipline and above average hand-eye coordination.  LaPorta has an engaging personality that makes him a positive presence in every clubhouse and a potential team leader.

Weaknesses: Matt struggled after being traded to Cleveland, but those shouldn’t affect his long term development.  He is a fringe average defensive player as both an outfielder and first baseman.  He may end up as a DH in future seasons.  He has below average speed that makes him a coagulant on the bases.

2009 Outlook:  Matt will make his MLB debut at some point this season, probably after May.  Expect him to rebound from last year’s struggles at Akron to hit very well at AAA Columbus.  Once he arrives, his power bat should anchor the middle of the Indians lineup for several seasons to come.

6.) Dexter Fowler—Colorado Rockies

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Fowler is an exciting athlete with top of the order speed and the ability to hit for average and decent power numbers.  He has exhibited a great deal of patience at the plate which results in a high number of walks.  Defensively, Dexter is exciting to watch.  He tracks down balls well in the gaps making highlight reel plays and his strong arm should play anywhere.  He is an intelligent player who once turned down a basketball scholarship to Harvard.

Weaknesses: Fowler needs to continue to get stronger.  His wiry frame doesn’t quite produce the pop that people anticipate he will eventually develop.  He had a problem with injuries in the past, though his ‘08 season was injury free. 

2009 Outlook: Fowler has a great shot to make the club out of spring training as Ryan Spilborghs is his only competition in CF.  A good showing this spring should relegate Spilborghs to the 4th oufielder spot.  If things don’t go well in spring training, the Rockies may elect to send him to Colorado Springs for some fine tuning.  Fowler is a prime top of the lineup candidate whose best years are ahead of him.

7.) Andrew McCutchen—Pittsburgh Pirates

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Top of the lineup skills that includes elite speed that can steal 25-30 bases per MLB season, and an advanced, patient approach at the plate that draws a high amount of walks.  McCutchen has a highly athletic and wiry frame that has intriguing power potential.  He has put on some muscle in the offseason which could well translate into more HR’s.  He plays with an elevated level of confidence and seems to put up better numbers after every promotion.  McCutchen’s also has the potential to be a Gold Glove outfielder with a propensity to make spectacular plays.

Weaknesses: The power hasn’t developed as some have expected, perhaps partly due being rushed through the Pirates’ system.  Also, he needs to be more disciplined on the basepaths as well.  McCutchen was caught stealing 19 times in 53 chances last season.

2009 Outlook: The long awaited MLB debut for Andrew McCutchen will happen this season, but not in April.  The Pirates would like to have him play every day and are still trying to assess the potential productivity of Steven Pearce, Brandon Moss and Nyjer Morgan.  Once McCutchen makes his debut, he should rise to the challenge and be the rock solid impact player atop Pittsburgh’s lineup for the next several years.

8.) Fernando Martinez—New York Mets

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Martinez has a quick swing that generates good leverage that should be able to produce 25-30 HR per season within the next couple of years.  Those who watch him rave about his advanced hitting approach and feel that he can evolve into a .300 hitter. 

Weaknesses: He’s been bitten by the injury bug over the past couple of seasons which has hampered some of his development.  Aside from his outstanding bat, his other skills are average.  The Mets organization would like to see him demonstrate more patience at the plate as advanced pitchers will find ways to get him out.

2009 Outlook: F-Mart is on the cusp of a big time breakout.  His performance in the Dominican Winter League gave a brief glimpse of power to come.  The Mets will likely start him at AAA Buffalo before bringing him up for his MLB debut in the second half of the season.  The offensive ceiling for this 20 year old is incredibly high and someday his name may be mentioned in the same breath as David Wright and Jose Reyes.

9.) Michael Stanton—Florida Marlins

2008 Stats:

Strengths: The ball explodes off of this kid’s bat.  To project him as a 40 HR hitter may be underestimating his potential ceiling.  At 6-5 225 lb., Stanton is built like a statue but has the athleticism of an NFL wide receiver.  His plus speed and arm strength makes him a prototypical RF in the mold of Dave Winfield.  He is an intelligent young man with a great work ethic as well.

Weaknesses: 158 punchouts is to high, even for a hitter with Stanton’s immense power.  He is fooled quite easily by breaking pitches and still has a raw feel for the strike zone.  Despite his good speed, Michael Stanton doesn’t steal many bags-a trend that should continue as he matures. 

2009 Outlook: A 39 HR season as a 19 year old puts Stanton on the fast track.  He should start the season at High-A Jupiter and could earn a promotion to AA Jacksonville if all goes well.  The chances for a 2009 slump is a real possibility.  Stanton has propelled himself onto the radar screens of just about every minor league pitcher.  The Florida State League is a pitcher’s haven and the expectations heaped upon Stanton after his ‘08 campaign will be difficult to uphold.  Long term, his place alongside Cameron Maybin and opposite John Raynor will give the Marlins an outfield as talented as any in major league baseball within the next few seasons.

10.) Michael Taylor—Philadelphia Phillies

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Taylor is a complete hitter with a muscular 6-6 250 lb. frame and left handed swing that can launch balls into the stratosphere.  He is an excellent athlete that runs well, steals bases and plays a very good right field.  His plate discipline is quite advanced and he brings an intelligent approach to all aspects of his game.

Weaknesses: Given his size, it is conceivable that he could lose some of his basestealing abilities as he ages and could become more of a power hitter.  His BB/K ratio regressed after his promotion to High-A, though it didn’t have a noticable effect on his batting average.  He is currently 23 years old and needs to avoid having any setbacks at AA or AAA in order to maintain his status as an elite prospect. 

2009 Outlook: AA will be the next step for Taylor.  This should provide a firm indicator to the true scope of his offensive skills.  If he can continue his torrid hitting, Taylor could vault himself into the top five slots on this list.  Expect him to be in the major leagues at some time in 2010…perhaps in April.

Stay tuned for the second half of this list and feel free to comment of the Top 10.  There are plenty of sound investments in this group of future superstars and the market for their cards is starting to sizzle.  If you are looking to make a purchase, please feel free to do so through one of my eBay affiliate links!

$100 Well Spent Project Update—First Purchase!

Posted by Jeremy on February 22, 2009 under $100 Growth Project | 4 Comments to Read

15 Count NOLAN REIMOLD Lot = $46.05

Good news!  I am happy to report that I have spent the first portion of my $100 on a nice little 15 count 2005 Bowman Chrome Draft refractor lot of Baltimore Orioles OF prospect Nolan Reimold (link here).  Cost breakdown is as follows:

Final eBay Price: $41.05

S & H Fees:           $5.00

Net Price:            $46.05

Reimold was placed on the O’s 40 man roster this spring and has a legitimate shot at makiing the ballclub in possibly a platoon or 4th outfield spot this spring. 

I have liked Reimold for quite a while and last season was the first season in a while that he was able to stay in good health.  He compiled some big numbers with AA Bowie hitting .284 with 25 HR 83 RBI and 87 runs scored.  He has great plate discipline and a tall athletic frame that fits nicely in a corner outfield spot.  I don’t think he will break camp with the big club but his debut is arriving soon.

I figure that $3 a pop for first year chrome refractors are a solid value buy.  Reimold has the power potential and polish to make an impact soon and a $2 per card profit is not an unreasonable expectation.  My hope is that Reimold will make the club this spring in a platoon situation or find himself on the roster after the arbitration deadline in May. 

One purchase down…and who knows how many more to go.  This transaction alters my funds available to $53.95 and my inventory to 15 Nolan Reimold ‘05 Bowman Chrome Draft Refractors.

Your thoughts on the first move?

Porcello Strings up Cabrera and Ordonez in Camp

Posted by Jeremy on February 21, 2009 under Market Watch | Be the First to Comment

We all know that Rick Porcello is pretty darned good.  This article confirms that and gives some reasons to believe that his MLB debut may come at some point in 2009.

Currently the market for Porcello’s cards is pretty hot right now with most of his Donruss based autos selling for $30-35 each and his Bowman Chrome Draft base cards tipping the scales at around $2.50-3.50 each. 

He won’t make the ball club out of spring training, but will likely head to AA Erie and wait to make his debut in the second half of the season.  Last season, he was excellent (8-6 2.66 ERA in 24 starts) but his 72 K’s in 125 IP was far less dominating than expected.  It seems from the early going, that this will not be an issue this season.

Top 20 Third Base Prospects (Part 2)

Posted by Jeremy on under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Here is the list for the second half of the top 20 third base prospects.  This is a difficult list to rank simply for the fact that many of these guys are still very young and quite raw.

11.) Dayan Viciedo—Chicago White Sox

2008 Stats: N/A

Strengths: The 19 year old Cuban is built like a tank and he produces jaw dropping power with his smooth lefty swing.  Dayan is a complete hitter who has shown the ability to hit for average as well as a member of Cuba’s national team. 

Weaknesses: His weight has been an issue.  Viciedo is reported to the White Sox at a robust 5-11 245 lb.  That is more than 20 lbs. less than when he signed with the Sox.  He has yet to have a professional AB which makes much of his projectible skills just conjecture at this point. 

2009 Outlook: There have been rumors that Viciedo will be given a shot to make the White Sox roster this spring.  It is not outside the realm of possibility as Ozzie Guillen handed last year’s Cuban wonderkind Alexei Ramirez the starting job out of spring training and he went on to finish second in the A.L. ROY voting.  Viciedo is 8 years Ramirez’s junior, though, so a stint in the minor leagues seems to be more realistic.  It won’t be too long, however, as Viciedo’s four-year MLB contract starts ticking come April.

12.) Juan Francisco—Cincinnati Reds

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Francisco has prolific power potential that could hit upwards of 30 HR per season at the major league level.  He has all of the makings of a superb defensive 3B with good quickness and an arm that may just be the strongest in the Reds system.

Weaknesses: Awful plate discipline.  His 19 BB/123 K ratio indicates that he struggles mightly with pitch recognition and falls victim to getting into pitchers’ counts.  He has a frame that could put on more bulk in the future that could work to diminish some of his above average athleticism.

2009 Outlook: AA tends to be a make or break level for raw power hitters.  Francisco has the ability to be a big time power hitter in the major leagues, but his ability to control the strike zone will be the ultimate determinant in his overall success.  He will never draw many walks, but if he can cut his K’s to around 100, he should continue to have success.

13.) Allen Craig—St. Louis Cardinals

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Craig has been a consistently productive hitter at each level he has played.  He is a polished hitter with good power that should translate to 18-22 HR per season at the major league level.  He has a sound feel for the strike zone and works hard to get the most out of his limited athleticism.

Weaknesses: He has average defensive abilities and his ceiling is not as high as some of the other prospects on this list.  While he should evolve into a solid major league player, he doesn’t have the “wow” factor that other more projectible players on this list have.

2009 Outlook: The offseason shoulder surgery of Troy Glaus may make Craig’s situation a little more interesting.  Glaus is expected to be ready by mid-April, but he has a history of spending large chunks of time of the DL.  St. Louis has an assortment of backups to Glaus (David Freese, Brian Barden, Joe Mather) but none have the offensive potential that Craig has.  AAA Memphis seems the best destination for Craig at this time, but a late season call up should be in the cards (rimshot).  Glaus will not be with the Cardinals next season which should open up an opportunity for Craig in 2010.

14.) Jason Taylor—Kansas City Royals

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Taylor is a stupendous athlete with top flight speed and intriguing power potential.  Unlike most young power hitters, Jason grinds out at bats and earns a high amount of walks which, when blended with his baserunning skills, makes him an ideal leadoff hitter.

Weaknesses: His defense at 3B is below average.  The Royals have shifted him to 1B and DH as well, but those haven’t taken either.  Perhaps the best opportunity is to shift to the OF, his speed and arm strength would play well there.  Also, he has yet to hit for a high average in his career, an interesting struggle given his outstanding discpline.

2009 Outlook: Taylor will play at High-A Wilmington this season along with Mike Moustakas.  Keep an eye on where the Royals decide to play him defensively.  There is an abundance of infield talent in the Royals’ system, but the outfield is quite a bit thinner.  Don’t be surprised to see Taylor end up there.  If so, his road to K.C. could move at a quicker pace.  His peripheral numbers indicate that he should be able to hit for a higher average down the road.  That, blended with his power and speed potential, could turn him into a bigger blip on prospectors’ screens.

15.) Jharmidy DeJesus—Seattle Mariners

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Power and batting average wrapped up in a highly projectible and athletic 6-3 185 lb. frame.  DeJesus has a good grasp of the strike zone and profiles to be an excellent defensive 3B.

Weaknesses: At this point, experience.  DeJesus put up some good numbers but they were at lower levels.  How his early successes will translate at more advanced levels remains to be seen.  He should lose some of his average speed as he ages.

2009 Outlook: The M’s should give Jharmidy his first exposure to full season baseball at Low-A Clinton.  It will be interesting to see which version of DeJesus comes out in the early going.  My guess is that his numbers will fall somewhere in between what he did in the Arizona League and at Everett.

16.) Billy Rowell—Baltimore Orioles

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Rowell has the potential to be a league leading HR hitter.  His tall, strong frame promises to add more bulk as he matures.  His left handed swing is fluid and provides good leverage to all drive balls to all fields.  He is a hard worker and intense competitor who is driven to improve his game.

Weaknesses: He has made improvements, but Rowell is still a below average 3B.  Plus, his size (some report him to be as tall as 6-7) should force him to move to 1B in the not too distant future.  He is a below average runner who should become even more so with age.  Also, there have been some rumblings that his intense demeanor tends to have a polarizing effect in the clubhouse.

2009 Outlook: Rowell will likely be handed another opportunity to improve upon his numbers at High-A Frederick before possibly earning a promotion to AA Bowie later in the year.  This should be the season where things start to click offensively for Rowell.  Once they do, he has the capability to put up some mammoth numbers and rise up this list.

17.) Jefry Marte—New York Mets

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Tons of projectibility in this kid.  Marte has a lightning quick bat that provides good pop to the alleys and seems to hit everything hard.  He has an athletic frame that should also become stronger in the coming years.  He possesses above average speed that gives him good range in the field and his above average arm strengths suits him well at the hot corner.

Weaknesses: Marte is just 17 and is still extremely raw.  His defensive skills are rudimentary at this point and his fielding percentage of just .821 indicates his proclivity to struggle with routine plays.  He has good speed, but he doesn’t use it much on the basepaths. 

2009 Overview: Marte performed well enought to earn a trip to Savannah for his first look at full season baseball.  The Mets have the luxury of having two top flight, high-ceiling prospects at 3B, but with David Wright as the face of the franchise, it should mean that Marte (and perhaps Wilmer Flores as well) may need to find other places to play.  Both Marte and Flores are at least two to three seasons away from threatening to crack the Mets’ lineup, though, which gives them plenty of time to sharpen their offensive and defensive tools.

18.) Neil Walker—Pittsburgh Pirates

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Walker has lots of good tools to work with.  He is a rare switch hitter at the 3B position that has good power from both sides of the plate.   He has above average speed that he uses well on the basepaths and has exhibited leadership and a sound work ethic as well. 

Weaknesses: Walker has good defensive tools that are still being refined after making the shift from catcher to 3B just two seasons ago.  He still has terrible discipline at the plate which will always detract from his ability to hit for a high average.

2009 Outlook:  He will be given a shot to bump Andy LaRoche off the top spot on the depth chart in spring training.  Walker has loads of upside in his game, but the struggle to put it all together still plagues him.  With Pedro Alvarez the hands down 3B of the future, Walker will either have to learn yet another new position or, more likely, anticipate a trade to a new organization.  That scenerio may provide be the boost that Neil needs to move his career to the next level.

19.) Jon Gilmore—Chicago White Sox

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Quick hands that hit for average and power to the gaps.  Gilmore is an agile athlete with soft hands and strong arm that should allow him to be a solid defensive third baseman.  His work ethic is impressive and his competitive drive is evident in his all out style of play.

Weaknesses: Gilmore needs to keep working on his footwork at 3B and his discipline at the plate.  He is an aggressive hitter who can be exploited by advanced pitching.  He also has a tendency to push himself too hard at times, becoming frustrated when his performance doesn’t meet his expectations.  This leaves him to be slump prone and may have contributed to his early season struggles at Rome last season.

2009 Outlook: Gilmore moves to a new organization that has a good deal of talent at 3B.  Keep an eye out for how the White Sox decide to use Gilmore in the upcoming seasons.  He has enough speed to shift to a corner OF spot if need be and his arm could play well in RF.  He’ll start the season at Low-A Kannapolis and look to continue his torrid hitting that he displayed at Danville last season.

 20.) Eric Campbell—Atlanta Braves

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Campell is a compact power hitting ball of energy who also mixes in a discerning eye at the plate that works counts effectively and draws walks.  He is a fiery competitor that exudes confidence when he plays.  Defensively, he has a good glove and strong arm suitable for the position.

Weaknesses: Campbell displays a poor attitude at times and is prone to insubordination.  This has led to a couple of team-induced suspensions along the way.  Campbell has also struggled with injuries over the past couple of seasons, cutting into his production and slowing his development.

2009 Outlook: Campbell ended the season on a hot streak and should be ready to take on the challenges that AA Mississippi should offer.  I think that Eric Campbell is on a road to redemption.  He was a one time hot prospect that let his own immaturity hamper his promising future.  Let’s see if he can move beyond that and rise back to prospecting prominence once more.

Others to Consider: Mario Martinez, Josh Bell, Conor Gillespie, Brad Suttle,  Austin Gallagher, Travis Mattair, Johnny Whittleman, James Darnell, Tyler Henson, Tyler Kolodny, Darin Holcomb, Michael Almanzar, Taylor Green, Pedro Baez, Chris Johnson, Steve Souza

There’s the list.  As you can see, the list of players just off of the list are pretty darn talented as well.  The next Top 20 list will take us to the outfield for the best list yet.  Stay tuned and, as always, feel free to make your contributions in the comments secton!

David Price to start ‘09 season with AAA Durham?

Posted by Jeremy on February 20, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

The price for this Price may be more right in April

I was parusing the MLB news and notes for the day and happened upon this article about Tampa Bay Rays super southpaw David Price.  The article touched a bit upon the rapid rise to success that the former Vanderbilt ace enjoyed as well as his stellar performance in the post season.  This phrase, however, stood out to me most.

“Speculation suggests that the Rays will start Price at Durham, where he can refine his changeup and gain more command of his fastball while the Hammel and Niemann situation sorted itself out.”

Both Jason Hammel and former 1st round pick Jeff Niemann are out of options and risk being lost on waivers to another franchise if they do not make the Rays’ opening day roster.

Watching Price in the post season, I think some time at AAA is a very prudent move for the already pitching rich Rays.  Price was dominant at times, but also struggled with the command of his fastball (especially against RH hitters) and his changeup.  There has also been some discussions of shifting Price to the closer’s role as the duo of Troy Percival and Dan Wheeler is far from a lock down option.

Resist Tampa! Resist!  Price has the perfect frame and dominant stuff to be a frontline starter a la C.C. Sabathia.  He just needs a little more time to refine his stuff.  He was jettisoned through the minor leagues at a breakneck pace and, while he exceeded expectations, his development was not complete.

From a market standpoint, a demotion to AAA could indeed lead to a slight depression in the market for his bevy of ‘07 and ‘08 cards.  The anticipation for Price’s complete dominance of the A.L. this season is very high.  A demotion to Durham or early season struggles could mute the market enough to produce a brief period of good values on his base and autographed cards.

As of today, Price’s 2007 Bowman Sterling Autos and 2008 Bowman Chrome Autos sell for $55-60 each while his ‘07 Bowman Chrome Draft base cards can be had at $3.50-4.50 a piece.

Keep an eye out to see if and how the market changes come the first week of April.