6/30 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 2, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Sorry for getting this one out late. My son is out of school for the summer which limits my online time significantly.  I have lit the candle, though and it is currently burning at both ends.  This should keep me up later each night to try and get more work done after the family goes to bed.

We’ll see.

As for the High-A action, Thomas Neal and Angel Villalona each had three hits and drove in three runs for the San Jose Giants.  Neal has hit the tar out of the ball this season, hitting .349 with 13 HR 49 RBI 22 doubles and 53 runs scored this season.  June was a banner month for Neal as he hit .414 with 6 of his HR during that time.  The 22 year old rightfielder has the most power in the Giants organization of any prospect not named Angel Villalona.  His plate discipline is sound and he makes good contact at the plate, but I would really like to see what this guy can do at the AA ranks.  The California League, as I have long maintained, is a very hitter friendly environment while the Eastern League (home of San Fran’s AA affiliate Connecticut) tends to favor pitching.  Somehow I think the .349 average is flukish and that his numbers should more closely resemble last season’s .279 mark.  Regardless that average, mixed with 25-30 HR power, should make him a highly intriguing prospect once his first year cards surface on the eBay market.

Angel Villalona has been hovering below the radar this season as many other San Jose Giants like Madison Bumgarner, Tim Alderson, Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, and the aforementioned Thomas Neal have all garnered more attention.  Still, the 18 year old 1st Baseman has put up a solid showing at High-A ball, hitting .271 with 9 HR 39 RBI and 41 runs scored.  Plate discipline and pitch recognition continues to be a sore spot for Angel as his 9 BB/66 K ratio vehemently testifies.  He will never be a low strikeout guy, and chances are he won’t walk a ton either, but his ability to more closely match those numbers will speak volumes to just how high his ceiling will be.  A full season at San Jose would best behoove Villalona developmentally as would some work in a winter league.

High-A Player of the Day Tyler Henson blasted two homers yesterday, driving in three runs.  The Baltimore Orioles’ 3B prospect first popped up on my radar this past winter when he paced the Hawaiian Winter League in runs scored, doubles and bases on balls.  Unfortunately, he also finished second in strikeouts and committed nine errors at the hot corner.  Henson has tons of athleticism that he uses well on the basepaths and his 6-1 190 lb. frame indicates that he should be a 12-15 HR hitter at the major league level.  This season with Frederick, Henson has struggled to make consistent contact at the plate, striking out 83 times while walking 23 times.  This has contributed to his lackluster .246 batting average and anemic .310 OBP.  He’s still driving the ball well to the gaps, hitting 19 doubles, and his 12 SB this season indicates that he is on track for his third consecutive 20 SB season.  The O’s don’t have a whole lot of depth within their organization at 3B as Billy Rowell has moved to the other side of the diamond, Mike Costanzo is a perennial disappointment, and Tyler Kolodny is having a so-so season at Low-A Delmarva.  There is ample opportunity for the 21 year old former SS prospect to make some moves up the organization’s depth chart if he can turn some of his exciting tools into more consistent skills.

High-A Player of the Day—TYLER HENSON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Julian Perez—2-5 2R RBI SB(5)
• P.J. Phillips—3-4 HR(6) RBI 2R
• Trayvon Robinson—1-3 HR(10) 2 RBI
• James Darnell—1-4 HR(9) 3 RBI
• Sawyer Carroll—2-4 3B 2R RBI
• Tyson Gillies—4-6 2R 3 SB(21)
• Carlos Peguero—3-4 2 HR(18) 5 RBI 3R
• Alex Liddi—3-5 2 2B 3R RBI SB(7)
• James McOwen—2-5 Hr(4) 2 RBI 2B 2R
• Brandon Barnes—2-4 Hr(8) 3 RBI 2R
• Jermaine Mitchell—3-4 2 2B 3B 3R RBI BB
• Thomas Neal—3-5 2 2B 3B 3 RBI 2R
• Angel Villalona—3-5 3 RBI R
• Brian Bocock—2-4 2B 3R 3 RBI BB
• Darren Ford—3-4 3R 3B
• Jason Kaase—3-5 2B R
• Ollie Linton—3-6 2 RBI
• Jesus Sucre—2-4 HR(2) 2 RBI 2B
• Michael Burgess—2-5 2B 3B RBI
• Seth Rooney—3-4 3 2B 2 RBI BB
• Brent Morel—4-5 HR(10 3 RBI 2R SB(17)
• Tyler Kuhn—4-4 2R 3B RBI
• Tyler Henson—2-4 2 HR(6) 3 RBI 2R
• Mike Moustakas—3-3 2B RBI BB
• Derrick Robinson—2-5 2B 2R
• Pedro Florimon Jr.—2-3 2 2B 2R RBI
• Tim Federowicz—2-5 HR(11) RBI 2R
• Yamiaco Navarro—3-5 HR(1) 3 RBI 2B
• Che Hsuan Lin—2-4 3B 3R 3 RBI BB
• Jason Place—2-5 2 2B R RBI
• Jordy Mercer—1-4 3B R 2 RBI
• Greg Burns—2-3 2 2B R RBI BB 2 SB(20)
• Matt Dominguez—1-4 HR(5) 3 RBI

Pitching:

• Ryan Morris—5 IP 3H ER 3 BB 7K

5/19 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 20, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Chris Marrero hit a grand slam HR yesterday for Potomac and Padres SS/2B prospect Lance Zawadzki continues to have a huge power season, belting his 10th HR and driving in two runs.  Buster Posey drilled a couple of doubles that scored two runs and Myrtle Beach’s OF slugger Cody Johnson hit HR #13, driving in two runs.

Today’s top youngster comes from the Seattle Mariners organization.  Italian import Alex Liddi has been very impressive this season and yesterday’s performance may go down as his best yet.  Going 3-4, the 20 year old Liddi hit his 11th HR, driving in four runs and scoring five times.  Liddi has a ton of raw, projectible athleticism that is now just starting to be tapped into.  At 6-4 and 180 lb., Liddi has room to build more muscle and power without compromising much of his above average athleticism.  Strike zone judgement continues to be a concern as he has a 10 BB/40 K ratio through his first 37 games.  The M’s have several decent prospects at the hot corner, but Liddi’s blend of tools may propel him to the top of the list, even above Jharmidy DeJesus and Mario Martinez.  He’s a long way off and has the majority of his at bats in very hitter-friendly conditions, but his bat continues to be one to watch and a late season promotion to AA may give us a much clearer indicator of what to expect from him coming forward.

High-A Player of the Day—ALEX LIDDI

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Mike Moustakas—3-5
• Luis Exposito—2-5 2B 2 RBI R
• Chih-Hsien Chiang—2-4 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Chris Marrero—3-4 GS HR(5) 4 RBI SB(2)
• Trayvon Robinson—1-5 HR(5) RBI
• Buster Posey—2-3 2 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Conor Gillaspie—2-4 2B R RBI
• Brian Bocock—3-4 RBI R
• Matthew Sweeney—3-4 2B 2 RBI R
• Clay Fuller—2-4 RBI 2 BB R
• Jeremy Moore—2-5 2B RBI R
• Alex Liddi—3-4 HR(11) 4 RBI 5R BB
• Carlos Peguero—2-4 HR(6) RBI 2B 4R BB
• Kuo Hui Lo—3-4 HR(5) 4 RBI 2B 3R BB SB(7)
• James McOwen—3-6 2B 3B 2R 2 RBI
• Lance Zawadzki—2-4 HR(10) 2 RBI 2B
• Lars Davis—3-5 2B 2 RBI 2 SB(2)
• Michael Stanton—2-4 2B 2 RBI
• Jovan Rosa—2-4 2 2B 2 RBI
• Starlin Castro—2-4 2R RBI
• Cody Johnson—2-4 HR(13) 2 RBI
• Ardon Chambers—2-3 3B R SB(8)
• Neftali Soto—2-3 2B 2R BB
• Derrick Robinson—2-6 2B R 2 SB(20) BB

Pitching:

• Anthony Carter—7 IP 4H ER 2 BB 9K W (3-3)
• Ron Uviedo—5 IP 3H ER BB 7K w (2-1)
• Tim Collins—2.1 IP H BB 6K
• David Bromberg—6.2 IP 4H Er 3 BB 3K W (3-0)
• Jose Rosario—6 IP H BB 8K W (3-1)
• Eric Berger—5.2 IP 3H 3 BB 5K
• Mike Kirkman—7 IP 3H 2 BB 11K W (4-1)
• Corey Luebke—7 IP 6H ER BB 6K W (4-2)

5/6 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 7, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Offense was as plentiful in the California League as was rain in the Carolina League.  Top prospects from all leagues put up monster performances, making today’s report an exceptional pleasure to produce.  Angel Villalona is proving that he was ready for the challenges of High-A ball by smacking his fourth HR as part of a perfect 4-4 day with three RBI, two doubles and four runs scored.  Michael Burgess hit HR number six and drove in three and Mitch Moreland and Reese Havens also hit their sixth dingers.  Dodgers young prospect Edgardo Baez belted two HR’s as did Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

As good as these performances were, they paled in comparison to what both M’s OF prospect Joe Dunigan and Astros OF prospect Jonathan Gaston did.  Each slugger belted three HR’s and drove in seven runs.  Gaston’s came as part of a five hit, four run day and Dunigan’s HR’s tied him with Iowa’s Jake Fox for top spot in MiLB.

Gaston had a miserable start to his professional career after being selected in the seventh round of the ‘08 draft.  He batted just .193 with 2 HR and 25 RBI in 62 games at short season Tri Cities.  Plate discipline was a problem with him, but was not an issue during his tenure with the University of Arizona.  Gaston’s power outburst this season (.273 9 HR 20 RBI) is a little intriguing and worth watching.  His previous season high was 12 with the Wildcats in ‘08.  A factor to consider in this is the fact that he is a left handed hitter who plays his home games in Lancaster’s power-friendly confines.  This season, it appears that he has regained his strike zone judgement, which will only benefit him going forward.

Joe Dunigan also had his fair share of struggles in ‘08, playing at Low-A Wisconsin (.240 14 HR 58 RBI 28 SB and 31 doubles).  Dunigan’s plate discipline was also a detriment as he struck out 142 times in 119 games.  This season, he is tearing the cover off of the ball, hitting .390 with a league leading 12 HR 30 RBI and 6 SB.  Dunigan is powerfully built and has good speed.  He played in the OF and 1B last season and should be able to hit his way into a major league lineup.  As good as things are going, his 9 BB/27 K in 25 games is still a concern as he will not be able to maintain a .300 batting average employing a free-swinging approach at the plate.  However, the blend of power and speed numbers is an increasingly rare commodity these days, making Dunigan an under the radar guy to watch once his first year cards come out.

High-A Players of the Day—JOE DUNIGAN & JONATHAN GASTON

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Dave Thomas—1-3 HR(6) RBI
• Collin Cowgill—3-4 2R 3 RBI
• Ryne White—2-3 2B 2R 2 BB
• P.J. Phillips—1-4 HR(2) RBI 2R 2 BB
• Charlie Blackmon—3-5 2B 2R 3 RBI
• Brian Rike—3-4 2 RBI 2B R
• Hector Gomez—1-4 2B 2 RBI R BB
• Maikol Gonzalez—3-3 2B 2R 2 RBI BB SB(2)
• James Shuck—3-6 2B 2R RBI
• Marcos Cabral—3-4 4R 2B 2 BB
• James Castro—3-6 2B R 2 RBI
• Chris Minaker—3-6 3 2B 3R 2 RBI
• Craig Corrado—4-6 2B R RBI SB(5)
• Yefri Carvajal—3-4 2B 2 RBI
• Logan Forsythe—1-2 HR(3) RBI 2R 2 BB
• Trayvon Robinson—3-6 RBI SB(6)
• Steven Caseres—2-5 HR(4) 3 RBI 2R BB
• Edgardo Baez—3-6 2 HR(4) 3 RBI 2R SB(2)
• Tyson Gillies—3-6 HR(2) RBI BB 2B
• Joe Dunigan—4-7 3 HR(12) 7 RBI 3R
• Jonathan Gaston—5-5 3 HR(9) 7 RBI 4R
• Carlos Peguaro—1-6 HR(2) 3 RBI
• Alex Liddi—1-3 2R 2 BB
• Nick Noonan—4-6 3B R 2 RBI
• Brandon Crawford—2-6 2R
• Angel Villalona—4-4 HR(4) 3 RBI 2 2B 4R
• Roger Kieschnick—2-4 2R 3B BB
• Mitch Moreland—1-3 HR(6) RBI BB
• Timmy Smith—3-4 R
• Michael Burgess—3-3 HR(6) 3 RBI 2B
• Chris Marrero—2-3 2R
• David Espinosa—1-4 HR(4) RBI
• Mike Moustakas—3-4 2B
• Eric Farris—3-5 2B RBI SB(14)
• Caleb Gindl—1-3 2B R 2 BB
• Dominic Brown—2-4 2B 3B BB
• Eric Fryer—2-4 2B RBI R SB(6)
• John Tolisano—2-5 3B R SB(3)
• Raul Barron—2-3 HR(1) 3 RBI
• Andy Dirks—3-3 2B 2 RBI BB
• Kody Kaiser—2-4 2R HR(3) RBI BB
• Yonder Alonso—3-5 R RBI
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis—2-3 2 HR(5) 3 RBI
• Reese Havens—1-3 HR(6) RBI BB
• Hector Pellot—2-3 HR(2) 2 RBI BB 2R

Pitching:

• Brad Holt—6 IP 2H 2 BB 5K W (2-1)
• Jeff Mandel—6 IP 3H ER 2 BB 2K W (3-1)
• Clayton Tanner—5 IP 4H UER 2 BB 4K W (2-0)
• Kyle Drabek—6.1 IP 6H ER BB 9K
• Alex Cobb—6 IP 5H ER BB 3K W (1-2)
• Dellin Betances—6 IP 6H ER 2 BB 4K W (2-3)

5/4 High-A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on May 5, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Michael Stanton doubled twice, tripled and scored two runs while Ryan Kalish hit his third HR and drove in four runs.  Blue Jays ‘07 second rounder John Tolisano continues to swing a hot bat hitting his fourth HR in the last seven games and Rangers OF prospect Mitch Moreland hit his fifth.  Madison Bumgarner pitched well again, surrendering just one earned run over five innings, but he took his first lost of the season. and Arizona Diamondbacks RH prospect Patrick McAnaney surrendered just two hits over six scoreless innings while punching out eight in a no-decision.

Lonnie Chisenhall is a repeat offender for top prospect honors as he went 4-5 with his fifth HR, four RBI and three runs scored.  Chisenhall, 20, has been able to stick at shortstop thusfar despite the consensus from baesball insiders that he will need to eventually shift to 3B.  He has six errors through his first 23 games and was able to garner a respecitble .929 fielding % last season.  The Indians are flush with corner infield prospects which makes Chisenhall’s development as a shortstop more intriguing.  Shortstops, especially ones with the power of Chisenhall, tend to be more appealing to prospect hounds which, naturally, increases the values of their rookie cards on the online market.  The Indians’ former first rounder has solid plate disicpline, but his 8 BB/22 K is somewhat behind last year’s promising totals.  Some of this may be due to him skipping the Low-A level and adjusting to the quality of pitching in the Carolina League.

High-A Player of the Day—LONNIE CHISENHALL

Other Notable Performances

Hitting:

• Zelous Wheeler—1-3 HR(3) 2 RBI
• Tyler Colvin—4-5 2 2B 2R RBI
• Russ Canzler—2-4 HR(2) 2R RBI
• Eric Thames—2-4 HR(1) 2 RBI 2R
• John Tolisano—2-3 HR(4) RBI BB 2R
• Andy Dirks—3-4 2 RBI 2R BB 2 SB(10)
• Kody Kaiser—3-3 3B 3R 2 RBI BB SB(4)
• Yonder Alonso—2-4 2B R RBI
• Devin Mesoraco—2-4 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Shane Peterson—2-6 HR(1) RBI
• Kirk Nieuwenhuis—2-5 3B RBI
• Greg Sexton—1-3 HR(2) 3 RBI 2R
• Matt Fields—1-4 HR(5) 2 RBI
• Cody Cipriano—1-1 HR(3) RBI 2R BB
• Michael Stanton—3-5 2 2B 3B RBI 2R
• Greg Burns—2-3 HR(1) RBI 2B 3R BB
• Lonnie Chisenhall—4-5 HR(5) 4 RBI 2B 3R
• Cord Phelps—1-3 2R 2 BB
• Alex Castillo—2-3 2B R RBI BB SB(3)
• Ryan Kalish—2-4 HR(3) 4 RBI BB
• Kris Negron—1-3 2B BB SB(5)
• Luis Exposito—2-5 3B R RBI
• Mitch Moreland—3-5 HR(5) 2 RBI 2B
• Joe Dunigan—3-4 3 2B R
• Travis Scott—2-3 2B HR(6) 2 RBI 2B
• Carlos Peguero—1-3 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Andrew Romine—2-4 R 2 SB(7)
• Jeremy Moore—2-4 2B 2R RBI
• P.J. Phillips—1-4 HR(1) RBI
• Lance Zawadzki—3-5 HR(6) RBI

Pitching:

• Patrick McAnaney—6 IP 2H 8K
• Joey Williamson—5 IP 4H 3K W (4-0)
• Madison Bumgarner—5 IP 3H ER BB 4K L (3-1)
• Chi-Hung Cheng—5 IP 4H BB 3K W (3-0)
• Mathieu Leblanc Poirier—4 IP 3H UER BB 4K
• Kennil Gomez—6 IP 7H 2 ER BB 6K

7/13 High A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 15, 2008 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

There was lots of action from many solid prospects in Sunday’s High A games.  Here’s a rundown…

Carlos Peguero

• 1-4 HR(12) RBI—.361 2 HR 6 RBI last 10 (K rate is coming down a little)

Carlos Santana

• 2-4 2B R—.412 3 HR 10 RBI 7 BB 2 SB last 10 games

Austin Gallagher

• 2-4 2R 2 RBI—.395 9 RBI 17 H last 10 games

Josh Reddick

• 2-4 2B R—.351 15 HR 55 RBI 10 3B over 2 levels

Brian Joynt

• 2-3 2B 3B 2R 2 RBI BB—.325 5 HR 25 RBI

Hank Conger

• 1-4 HR(2) 3 RBI—.231 HR 7 RBI last 10 games

Daniel Mayora

• 2-3 HR(3) 3 RBI 2R—.419 18 H 3 HR 11 RBI last 10 games

Josh Donaldson

• 1-5 HR( 8 ) 4 RBI 2R—.368 2 HR 8 RBI since trade to A’s

Corey Brown

• 1-3 3R RBI 2BB—.273 HR 4 RBI 11 K’s last 10 games

Chris Carter

• 2-5 HR(25) 6 RBI 2B 2R—.357 5 HR 12 RBI last 10 games

Craig Italiano

• .1 IP 6 H 6R BB K 2 HR allowed—Ugh…Kane County was much kinder

Johnny Whittleman

• 2-6 2B R—.249 30 2B 6 HR 47 RBI 63BB/86K

Evan Frey

• 3-7 HR(1) 2 RBI 2 SB(23) 2R—.316 65 R 8 3B

Kasey Kiker

• 5 IP 5H 2 ER 4BB 3K—5-3 4.55 ERA 79K/93 IP

John Shelby Jr.

• 2-4 2B R RBI BB—.274 10 HR 51 RBI 18 SB

Koby Clemens

• 2-4 2B R RBI—.263 5 HR 36 RBI

Anibal Sanchez

• 5.2 IP 3H 2BB 6K—1-0 2.40 ERA 13K/15IP (pitching well on the road back)

Scott Cousins

• 2-4 2R HR(6) 3 RBI—.333 3 HR 7 RBI 4 SB last 10 games

Logan Morrison

• 4-4 2B 2 RBI—.500 19 H HR 7 RBI last 10 games

Darren Ford

• 1-2 2B 2 RBI 3BB—.230 2 HR 27 RBI 45 SB

Alexandre Periard

• 7 IP 4H BB 6K (W)—8-6 3.58 ERA 73K/106IP

Rick Porcello

• 4 IP 6H 5ER 2BB 4K—Has not dominated this year but held his own at High A

Joe Savery

• 8 IP 4H 2BB 8K (W)—4-8 3.97 ERA 90K/111 IP

BUY/SELL Analysis

Hank Conger was the 1st round pick of the Los Angeles Angels in 2006 and is tabbed to be the catcher of the future for the Halos.  With plus power from both sides of the plate, Conger adeptly uses the whole field with power.  Baseball America ranked Conger as the Halos’ 4th rated prospect in 2007 after he hit .290 with 11 HR 48 RBI and 9 SB at Low A Ceder Rapids.  2008 promised to be a major breakout year for Conger, however, recovery from wrist surgery and a minor tear in his right shoulder caused for him to miss the first two months of the season.  Since his return, Conger has hit .277 with 2 HR and 21 RBI missing games intermittantly.  Conger’s 1st year cards are found in the 2006 Bowman Draft and Chrome products as well as autos in the ‘06 Bowman Sterling set.  Currently, chromes sell for 50 cents to $1.00 each and his Sterling autos sell for $7.50 to 10.00 apiece.  Conger has a better chance at a longer MLB career at a different position.

Market Advice: When healthy, Conger is one of baseball’s top catching prospects, but this guy is a walking M.A.S.H. unit.  If you have some of his cards, I would HOLD in hopes that he can stay healthy for a sustained amount of time to produce.  If he goes on a streak and the market notices, SELL his cards and invest in someone less risky.

7/2 High A Minor League Report

Posted by Jeremy on July 4, 2008 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Happy 4th of July to all of you!  Here are some performances from Wednesday’s games at the High-A level.

Carlos Santana   3-7 HR(11) 3 RBI 4R 2B—.528 17 R 3 HR 17 RBI 9BB/4K last 10 games!

Ryan Mount   2-4 3R 2 RBI BB—Oft injured Angels infield prospect has fallen off of many radars

Drew Locke  4-5 HR(3) 4 RBI 5R 2 2B BB—.325 2 HR 12 RBI last 10 games

Peter Bourjos   2-5 2R 2B 3B—.422 HR 5 RBI 19 H 5 SB last 10 games

Kellen Kulbacki  1-4 HR(13) RBI—Hitting .278 with 32 RBI .923 OPS since promotion

Evan Frey   2-3 2R 2B 3B 2BB—.327 101 Hits 29 RBI 20 SB

Jason Place   3-6 2B—Average up to .254 (6 consecutive multi-hit games)

Carlos Peguero   2-5 2B 3B RBI 2R—.296 10 HR 68 RBI

Sean Doolittle   2-4 HR( 18 ) RBI—.227 2 HR 5 RBI last 10 games

Craig Italiano   3.1IP  3 H 4R 4BB 3K—Has struggled mightily since promotion to Stockton

Brock Bond   3-4 2R 2B 2 RBI—.448 13-29 since promotion

Jamie Romak   2-4 HR(15) 2 RBI BB—.385 4 HR 12 RBI last 10 games

Lorenzo Cain   2-5 HR(7) 3 RBI 2R—.281 41 RBI 19 SB at Brevard County

Darren Ford   2-5 2B 2 RBI R—Electric (40 SB)…when he gets on base

Scott Cousins   2-3 HR(3) RBI 2R 2B—.319 3 HR 14 RBI in 24 games

Logan Morrison   3-4 RBI R—.359 3 RBI last 10 games

Daryl Jones   2-4 3R 2 RBI BB—.324 6 HR 28 RBI 15 SB

Ryan Royster   1-3 HR(5) RBI—Struggled mightily after incredible ‘07

Marco Castillo   8IP 2H 4K (W)—Surrendered just 1 ER in last 20 innings

Tyler Robertson   5 IP 0 H 2BB 5K—5-2 2.75 ERA 72K/79IP

BUY/SELL Analysis

Scott Cousins had a breakout year in 2007 hitting .292 with 18 HR 74 RBI and 16 SB at Low-A Greensboro.  Cousins is one of the top athletes in the Marlins’ farm system with a fluid left-handed swing that boasts both power and average.  He is a 5-tool talent that has slipped off of most collectors’ want lists because of an injury that sidelined him for all of April and May.  Since his return, Cousins has performed very well.  Cousins has 1st year cards solely in the 2006 Bowman Draft and Chrome set with bulk lot prices selling for 30-70 cents per chrome card and $1.50-3.00 for refractors. 

Market Advice: Cousins is the perfect low-risk, high reward sleeper prospect that prospectors love.  His 5-tools will rocket him to the major leagues (if he can stay healthy) and he has 1st year cards in only one set!  If you are purchasing Bowman Chrome Draft cards of other players from a vendor, check to see if he/she has any Cousins cards in their inventory.  BUY, BUY, BUY his cards in bulk and wait for a couple of seasons, hoping that he stays healthy.

6/15 High A Report

Posted by Jeremy on June 18, 2008 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Josh Reddick

• 2-6 2B 3B RBI—Having a great season at Lancaster, his first cards will be popular

Julio Borbon

• 4-4 HR(2) RBI 2 SB(33)—Projects to a 10-20 HR top of the order hitter, speed is ML ready

Tim Alderson

• 7 IP 4H BB 4K—Fine season for Sandy’s kid (6-3 2.84 ERA 63K/76IP)

Sean Doolittle

• 2-4 HR(16) RBI 2R BB—.332 53 RBI (81 K’s will need to be cut down at AA)

Brett Anderson

• 7 IP 3H ER 7K—4th straight good outing after disasterous 3 start stretch

Troy Tulowitzki

• 1-2 2B 2R 4BB—Tulo hitting .400 during his rehab stint, no need for Rockies to rush him

Carlos Peguero

• 1-4 3 RBi—60 RBI but plate discipline of a T-Baller (9BB/83K)

Cedric Hunter

• 3-5 2B 2R—.313 with 90 hits already 4 HR 39 RBI 31BB/25K

Brandon Allen

• 2-4 HR(12) RBI 2R BB—.289 37 RBI 9 SB .920 OPS

Jake Arietta

• 5.2 IP 8H 2ER BB 8K (ND)—5-2 2.72 ERA 82K/79.1 IP

Buy/Sell Analysis:

Brett Anderson was a 2007 2nd round selection of the Arizona Diamondbacksout of an Oklahoma HS, who was then traded to the Oakland A’s in the blockbuster Dan Haren deal.  Anderson has a big workhorse-like frame and advanced command of his fastball, change, and two breaking pitches.  This season has been a bit up and down for the big southpaw.  In his last 10 outings he has won 3, then lost 3 (including an abysmal May 16th outing where he surrendered 8 runs in 0.1 innings), and then won another 3 games.  Anderson’s cards are in the 2007 Bowman Chrome set.  He also has his first auto (#’ed to 549) in the popular Elite Extra set.  The Elite Extra autos sell for between $15-20 and his first year chrome cards can be had for about 75 cents to $1.25 in bulk.  Refractors of his are popular sellers right now selling as low as $7-9 for the regular ones and $16-20 for X-Fractors.  My personal feelings on Anderson is that he will be a mid-rotation lefty starter and there are other arms in the system that are flashier (Trevor Cahill, Craig Italiano, Fautino de los Santos) than his.  That being said, he is a solid bet to be a SP for the A’s who just seem to funnel quality pitching into their rotation year after year. 

Market Advice: I don’t see his autos growing much higher than their prices right now.  If you can get $20 for them, I would sell and shift those bucks to someone with higher upside.  As for the chromes, a batch of them at the above prices would be solid values.  I would stick to purchasing about $10-20 worth of his stuff as a “just in case” investment.

Brandon Allen is a prospect that I was very excited about when he came out in the 2004 Bowman Draft and Chrome set.  With a 6-2 235lb. frame and linebacker-like speed, Allen seemed to be a masher in the making.  Subsequently, he struggled mightily over his first 3 seasons with terrible plate discipline and so-so power numbers.  Last season at Kannapolis, he seemed to begin to turn things around, hitting .283 with 18 HR and 93 RBI.  This season, at High A Winston-Salem, Allen has improved his numbers across the board hitting .289 12 HR 37 RBI and 9 SB.  He still strikes out quite a bit (60K/65 games), but the walks are also increasing (36 at the midway point, compared to 39 all of last year).  That being said, Allen, despite his athleticism, is not a good fielder and will likely be relagated to 1B or DH in the major leagues.  Allen has first year autographed cards in the 2004 SP Prospects, and regular cards in the Bowman Chrome and Draft sets.  His autos are numbered to 500 and can be had for around $10 each.  His chrome cards are not sold in bulk very often, but can be had for 50 cents each.  I like the fact that Allen has improved steadily.  He is still a long way from Chicago, but I think he will make it.  Expect 25-30 HR from him this year, which should open the eyes of many collectors.

Market Advice: This is a guy to buy!  Grab as many autos of his from the SP Prospects set at $10-15.  Remember, SP Prospects cards have crazy value once players get recognized by the rest of the collecting masses.  While his chromes are hard to find in en masse quantities, you may have some success by talking to online dealers that you purchase from and asking them to check their inventories for any chrome Allens.  If you can get refractor versions, that is a bonus.  I would buy them freely at 25-50 percent of book.