10/22 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on October 23, 2009 under Market Watch | Be the First to Comment

Stephen Strasburg’s second outing went much differently than his first as three Peoria Javelinas took him deep and he was touched up for eight runs in his 2.2 innings of work.  Talented as Strasburg is, he is not immune from the steep learning curve that major league baseball imposes on virtually every young hurler.  In other action, Oakland A’s OF prospect Grant Desme continues his power onslaught, hitting his 6th dinger and fellow outfield mate Corey Brown chimed in with his 3rd.  Mike Stanton racked up three more hits, as did Cole Gillespie, Pedro Ciriaco, and Chris Marrero.

Today’s top prospect is Detroit Tigers OF prospect Casper Wells.  Yesterday’s grand slame off of Strasburg proved to be the punctuation point on the #1 overall pick’s outing yesterday.  The former 14th rounder out of Towson University had a fair, but not spectacular year at AA Erie, hitting .260 with 15 HR and 41 RBI.  He’s bunched up with a glut of low to mid upside outfielders within the system and is in dire need of a standout AFL showing to elevate his status within the organization.  So far so good.  Wells currently hitting at a .476 clip with 2 HR 11 RBI.  If he can continue his torrid pace, the organization may be more apt to give more credence to his ‘08 numbers (.269 27 HR 79 RBI 25 SB) as to their expectations of Wells going forward.

AFL Player of the Day—CASPER WELLS

Other Notable AFL Peformances:

  Peoria Javelinas 9

• Casper Wells—2-5 HR(2) 5 RBI BB
• Russ Mitchell—1-4 HR(4) 2 RBI
• C.J. Retherford—2-4 HR(1) RBI 2R
• Jordan Danks—2-4 2R
• Taylor Green—1-2 R 2 BB

  Phoenix Desert Dogs 6

• Chris Marrero—3-5 2B HR(2) 2 RBI 2R
• Grant Desme—1-4 HR(6) 2 RBI
• Corey Brown—3-5 HR(3) RBI 3B

  Surprise Rafters 3

• Mitch Moreland—2-4 HR(2) RBI 2R
• Ike Davis—1-3 2B BB
• Blake Wood—3 IP 4H BB 2K
• Tanner Scheppers—2 IP 2K

  Peoria Saguaros 2

• Matt McBride—1-3 HR(1) 2 RBI BB
• Lance Zawadzki—2-3 2 BB
• Josh Judy—1.2 IP BB 4K

  Scottsdale Scorpions 11

• Cole Gillespie—3-5 2B 2R BB SB(2)
• Brandon Allen—2-5 HR(1) 3 RBI 2B
• Thomas Neal—2-5 2B 2R
• Darin Holcomb—2-4 3R BB
• Pedro Ciriaco—3-6 2B
• Domonic Brown—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI
• Hector Gomez—2-5 2 RBI
• Brian Friday—2-5 2B R RBI

  Mesa Solar Sox 1

• Rene Tosoni—2-4 R 3B
• Mike Stanton—3-4
• Andrew Cashner—3.2 IP 3H Er K L (0-2)

10/20 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on October 21, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

Yesterday’s AFL results are littered with four hit performances from the likes of Bryan Petersen, Starlin Castro, Jon Lucroy, and Carlos Rivero, not to mention HR’s by Grant Desme (#3), Brad Emaus, Chris Parmelee, Matt Dominguez,  and Russ Mitchell (#3).  Today’s top performer is L.A. Dodgers OF prospect Andrew Lambo.  The 21 year old blasted his second HR of the fall as part of a three hit day, driving in four runs and scoring three times.  The former 2007 4th round pick has had a scalding start to his AFL campaign, hitting .478 with 2 HR 9 RBI and 6 runs scored in his six outings.  The Dodgers are by no means extending Ramirez’s contract beyond the 2010 season and will be in hoc for a significant portion of his deferred contract for several seasons beyond ‘10.  Lambo is not quite ready for a starting OF role with the Dodgers yet, but his start to the AFL season looks like it could catapult him into a significant role in the latter months of next season.  Lambo, at his peak, has the same offensive capabilities of current Dodgers RF and first time All-Star Andre Ethier.  The market for Lambo’s 2008 Bowman Chrome autos is pretty undervalued right now as many of them can be fetched for $6-8 each and refractors (#/500) for about $10 a pop.  Given his upside as future 25-30 HR guy, this seems to be an excellent opportunity to snag a few at single digit prices.

AFL Player of the Day—ANDREW LAMBO

Other AFL Performances

Peoria Javelinas 14

• Lorenzo Cain—2-6 2B R 2 RBI
• Jordan Danks—1-4 2B 2R RBI 2 BB
• Scott Sizemore—1-3 2R 3 BB
• Andrew Lambo—3-6 HR(2) 4 RBI 3R
• Russ Mitchell–1-2 HR(3) 2 RBI BB
• Jon Lucroy—4-4 HR(1) RBI 3R BB
• Zach Braddock—2 IP H 3K

Mesa Solar Sox 10

• Bryan Petersen—4-5 2B 3R
• Starlin Castro—4-5 2R RBI
• Ryan Kalish—3-4 2B 3R 2 RBI BB SB(1)
• Chris Parmelee—1-4 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Matt Dominguez—2-5 2B HR(1) RBI

Peoria Saguaros 11

• Chris Heisey—3-4 2b 2R 3 RBI BB
• Brandon Hicks—2-2 2B 2R 2 BB SB(1)
• Cedric Hunter—2-5 2B R RBI
• Carlos Rivero—4-5 2 2B 2 RBI R
• Jose Vallejo—2-45 2R SB(1)

Phoenix Desert Dogs 8

• Matt Angle—3-5 2B R RBI
• David Espinosa—2-5 R RBI
• Chris Marrero—2-5 2B RBI R
• Grant Desme—2-5 HR(3) 3 RBI
• Brad Emaus—1-5 HR(1) 2 RBI

Scottdale Scorpions 7

• Jose Tabata—3-5 2 3B 2 RBI 2R
• Brandon Crawford—1-3 2B R 2 BB
• William Susdorf—2-3 2R RBI SB(1)
• Hector Gomez—2-4 2B R 2 RBI

Surprise Rafters 3

• Ike Davis—2-4 2 2B R
• Jeff Bianchi—1-4 2B 2 RBI

10/13 Arizona Fall League Report

Posted by Jeremy on October 14, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | Be the First to Comment

The 2009 Arizona Fall League season kicked off in grand fashion yesterday with several fine offensive performances.  Homeruns by Phillies top prospect Domomic Brown, Baltimore’s Brandon Snyder, Washington’s Chris Marrero, and Minnesota’s Rene Tosoni helped to fuel fine offensive outputs for their clubs but today’s top performance came from NY Mets 1B prospect and former 1st round selection Ike Davis.  The 6-5 son of former Minnesota Twins pitcher Ron Davis went 4-6 yesterday with his first Hr, six RBI and two doubles to pace the Surprise Rafters 17 run output against the Peoria Javelinas.

Davis had a big time bounce back over two levels in his first full professional season, hitting .298 with 20 HR 71 RBI and 31 doubles.  With Carlos Delgado’s time with the organization at a likely close, the focus for the next Mets 1B may turn to within the organization.  A short term salve may be Nick Evans but Davis’ long term potential is considerably better than Evans and current Rafter teammate Lucas Duda.  If Davis continues to tear the cover off of the ball this fall, thinks could get real interesting at that spot this coming spring.

AFL Player of the Day—IKE DAVIS

Other AFL Performances:

  Mesa Solar Sox 10

• Rene Tosoni—1-4 HR(1) RBI 2R 2 BB
• Starlin Castro—3-5 3 RBI R
• Mike Stanton—1-3 R 2 BB SB(1)
• Jose Iglesias—2-4 2B 2R 2 RBI BB
• Steve Singleton—2-5 2B 2R

 Phoenix Desert Dogs 6

• David Espinosa—1-4 3 RBI
• Brandon Snyder—2-5 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Chris Marrero—1-3 HR(1) RBI BB
• Jemile Weeks—1-4 2B R BB

  Surprise Rafters 17

• Ike Davis—4-6 HR(1) 6 RBI 2 2B 2R
• Bryan Anderson—3-5 3R RBI BB
• Lucas Duda—2-5 2B R 2 RBI BB
• Brandon Laird—4-6 3 RBI 2R
• Ruben Tejeda—2-5 2B 2R RBI SB(1)
• Colin Curtis—3-6 2B 2 RBI R
• Ian Kennedy—4 IP 2H eR 4K W (1-0)

  Peoria Javelinas 4

• Casper Wells—2-3 2B RBI
• Lucas May—1-4 HR(1) RBI
• Lorenzo Cain—1-3 2B R BB

 Scottsdale Scorpions 8

• Domonic Brown—1-5 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Darin Holcomb—2-3 R
• Brandon Crawford—2-4 2B 2 RBI BB
• Jose Tabata—1-2 2R RBI 2 BB SB(1)
• Hector Gomez—2-4 2B R RBI

  Peoria Saguaros 4

• Jason Heyward—2-5 2 2B R RBI SB(1)
• Chris Heisey—2-4 3B R RBI

Top 20 RHP’s for 2009 **Part 1**

Posted by Jeremy on March 17, 2009 under 2009 Top 20 Prospects | Be the First to Comment

Amidst all of my spring training reports, content writing for Hot-Prospects.net, and life outside the blogging world, I had put the Top 20 prospect reports on the back burner.  Well, we are back on track and this segment will feature the better half of the top 20 right handed pitching prospects for 2009.  These RHP’s are ones that are projected to be starters at this stage of their careers as we will handle the relievers in a separate post.  I hope you enjoy this immensely talented list!

1.) Tommy Hanson—Atlanta Braves

2009 Stats:

Strengths: Hanson’s fastball velocity jumped from 92-94 MPH to 96-98 MPH.  He locates it well and goes right after hitters.  His curveball is devastating with a hard 12 to 6 break that misses bats.  At 6-6, Hanson uses his height to throw downhill on hitters

Weaknesses: Very few.  Being a flyball pitcher, Hanson has the tendency to leave his heat up in the zone which, while permissable against minor league bats, could lead to trouble against the better hitters in the National League.

2009 Outlook: Hanson has pitched well enough this past fall and during the spring to earn a rotation spot in Atlanta.  He is a prime candidate for the 2009 N.L. Rookie of the Year award and he should anchor a young and talented Braves rotation for years to come.

2.) Neftali Feliz—Texas Rangers

2008 Stats:

Strengths: A fastball that can register 100 MPH on the radar gun.  Feliz is able to keep his heater down in the strike zone and has shown a marked improvement in controling his breaking ball.  Feliz rarely gets hit hard and is capable of inducing groundball outs when needed.

Weaknesses: Pitching in Texas is tough for any pitcher, especially young ones.  Feliz had a big breakout season in ‘08, but he is still extremely young and inexperienced.  While his changeup has made progress, Neftali still struggles to gain a good feel for it sometimes.

2009 Projection: The temptation of the Rangers to rush Feliz into MLB duty gets greater with every solid outing.  He has proven this spring to be the hands down best pitching prospect that Texas has and it is an inevitability that he will make his debut at some point in 2009, likely before the All-Star break.

3.) Rick Porcello—-Detroit Tigers

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Porcello has the stuff and polish of an All-Star veteran pitcher.  His fastball sits between 93-96 MPH and hitters have a difficult time squaring up and driving it because of the late sinking movement.  His slider is a mid 80’s hammer as is his big breaking curveball, but his changeup is far and away the gem of the offspeed pitches with excellent late fade and velocity that can dip down to 70 MPH.  All of these are potential plus to plus-plus offerings and Porcello commands them all with excellence.  His arm action is top notch and his mechanics are flawless.

Weaknesses: 72 K’s in 125 IP is very uncustomary for someone with Porcello’s pure stuff.  Sometimes his slider tends to get slurvy and lacks the bite that his curveball possesses.

2009 Outlook: Porcello should start in AA, but his ultimate destination this next season is in Detroit’s rotation.  At just 20 years old, Porcello has the potential to be baseball’s best rookie pitcher and an all-star caliber ace for years to come.

4.) Trevor Cahill—Oakland Athletics

2008 Stats:

Strengths: His low-90’s fastball has heavy sink that induces groundballs by the bunches.  He controls it well and uses it to set up hitters for his knee-buckling 70 MPH curveball.  Cahill has a good idea on how to set up hitters and locate pitches to all quadrants of the strike zone.

Weaknesses: His changeup is a little behind the other two pitches and his confidence in it wanes from time to time.  While his 6-3 frame is athletic and projectible, Cahill will likely not develop the same velocity on his fastball that pitchers like Hanson, Porcello, Feliz and others feature. 

2009 Projection: Cahill is on a fast track and the organizaiton has not ruled out the possibility that he could find his way into the A’s rotation on opening day.  More likely, Cahill will be shipped to AAA Sacramento and await the phone call that will surely come at some point summoning him to the big club.

5.) Jordan Zimmerman—Washington Nationals

2008 Stats:

Strengths: His 90-94 MPH fastball has good downward movement and saws off RH batters.  The curveball is a plus pitch with 12-6 break and swing and miss potential.  Zimmerman is a bulldog on the mound and is an agile athlete.

Weaknesses: The third pitch is a changeup and it is a little behind the fastball and curve.  He struggles sometimes with his command and has struggled in the past with heaping too many expectations on himself when he is on the mound.

2009 Outlook: Zimmerman is one of the Nationals’ workhorses in the rotation.  He should fit nicely in the #4 or 5 spot this season with the likelihood of moving into the #2 or 3 slot by 2010.

6.)  Chris Tillman—Baltimore Orioles

2008 Stats:

Strengths: His fastball gained a little bit of velocity, sitting comfortably at 92-95 MPH.  He uses his 6-5 frame to leverage it well and attack hitters.  His 11-5 tilt on his curveball is wicked and serves as his strikeout pitch. 

Weaknesses: His control improved last season, but he still walked nearly 4 hitter per 9 innings.  He is a flyball pitcher that sometimes has trouble with locating his fastball down in the zone on a consistent basis.

2009 Outlook: Tillman should make his MLB debut at some point in ‘09, but a trip to AAA Bowie is surely in the making.  The Orioles are amassing a weatlh of intriguing pitching talent in their farm system that could blossom quite soon.  When it does, the AL East will have another beast to contend with and Tillman may be leading the charge atop Baltimore’s young rotation.

7.) Tim Alderson—San Francisco Giants

2008 Stats:

Strengths: The things that stands out most is Alderson’s pinpoint control.  He is remarkably poised on the mound and has an uncannily high baseball IQ.  Oh, his stuff is pretty good too.  His fastball lives in the low 90’s, topping out at 95.  At 6-7, Alderson throws it downhill at hitters and should be able to generate groundball outs at a decent rate.  His curveball is even better.  It has a hard break and low 80’s velocity, but he has also shown an aptitude for manipulating the velocity and movement of it.

Weaknesses: Some scouts were concerned with the unnatural mechanics of his delivery, thinking that it would affect his durability in the future, but there has been no signs of wear yet.  He needs to gain some bulk on his lean frame and should continue to add depth to his changeup.

2009 Outlook: Alderson should rocket through the Giants system at a similar pace to superstar lefty Madison Bumgarner (more on him later).  Alderson should be ready to make his MLB debut in the second half of the 2010 season and, with Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain already in San Francisco’s rotation, Alderson along with Bumgarner should form the most formidable young rotation ever seen in the Bay Area.  Giants fans rejoice!

8.) Jarrod Parker—Arizona Diamondbacks

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Big time heat that can touch 97 MPH with ease.  His curveball is tops in the Diamondbacks system with late diving action and his slider is another effective pitch.  Parker has a high IQ on the mound and is a tireless worker.  His mechanics are clean and he has a good idea on how to get hitters out

Weaknesses: Parker has a smallish frame that has been durable thusfar, but runs the risk of wearing down as he ages.  His changeup is a “show me” pitch at this point and his fastball tends to get up in the zone (especially late in games) lowering the number of groundball outs and increasing the risk of surrendering XBH.

2009 Outlook: Parker did well in his first professional assignment and he should continue to prove his greatness at High-A and perhaps AA this season.  Parker has the ability to dominate hiters and should continue to rack up big strikeout numbers in ‘09 with a shot of making the D’Backs rotation in mid-late 2010.

9.) Michael Bowden—Boston Red Sox

2008 Stats:

Strengths: Bowden has a bulldog mentality and breathes baseball.  He has excellent control of three pitches including a 90-92 MPH heater, a 12-6 breaking curveball and a changeup that he throws with deceptive arm speed. 

Weaknesses: Bowden is not overpowering like other pitchers on this list.  He doesn’t induce groundball outs well, which could kill him at Fenway.  His deceptive delivery needs to be cleaned up from the herky jerky movements that could lead to injuries down the road. 

2009 Outlook: In another organization, Bowden would be starting in the middle or end of the rotation.  In Boston, he is a AAA farmhand.  Expect him to start at Pawtucket until an injury or trade allows him an opportunity.  With Clay Buchholz and Justin Masterson ahead of him, the latter may be his best bet.  Ultimately his ceiling is as a durable and effective #3 starter.  Given his high amount of success and polish, there is a good chance he will fulfill that promise.

10.) Jhoulys Chacin—Colorado Rockies

2008 Stats:

Weaknesses: Chacin’s stuff is not overpowering and, if it is not on, he can be hit hard.  Colorado finesse pitchers have a history of struggling in the light air of Coors Field as their stuff seemingly does not experience the same movement.  A pitch with lateral break (i.e. a slider) would be a welcome addition as Jhoulys’ pitches all have downward movement.  He is not that big and his slender build may struggle to sustain a workload suitable for a top of the rotation starter.

2009 Outlook: ‘09 will be a show me season at AA Tulsa.  It will be interesting to see how his stuff carries over to this challenging level.  Brandon Hynick, a similar finesse pitcher, struggled mightily last season after having an immensely successful season at High-A.  Chacin’s stuff is better, but a repeat performance from 2008’s breakout campaign will be a monumental challenge.

There’s the top 10….your thoughts are welcome.  I will get to work on the 11-20th ranked RHP’s and should have them completed within the next couple of days.  Remember that Friday March 20th is the final day for the PPR Contest.  Thusfar we have 8 excellent submissions and I am always looking for more!

Have a great day!

3/8 Spring Training Report

Posted by Jeremy on March 9, 2009 under Uncategorized | Be the First to Comment

Pitching prospects are the big story of today as several young hurlers put in some positive innings today.  Justin Masterson, Daniel Bard and Junichi Tazawa combined to throw 6 innings of 3 hit, 1 run ball today, David Purcey looked good in his 3 scoreless innings as did Phil Hughes.  The youngster of today, however, is the rapidly rising star in the Atlanta Braves’ system Tommy Hanson.  Hanson surrendered just one run over  4 innings striking out 7 hitters.  If you haven’t picked up this guy’s rookie cards yet, the window of opportunity to get them at cost-effective levels are diminishing with each dominant outing he logs.

Youngster of the Day—TOMMY HANSON

Other Notable Performances:

• Gaby Sanchez—2-4 R
• Jarret Hoffpauir—2-3 R RBI
• Garrett Jones—2-4 HR(1) 2B BB 3 RBI 2R
• Carlos Gomez—1-3 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Will Rhymes—1-2 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Jeff Larish—2-3 BB R
• Phil Hughes—3 IP 2 BB 4K
• Mark Melancon—IP BB K
• Sharion Martis—2 IP 2K
• Jason Donald—2-3 BB R RBI
• Tommy Hanson—4 IP H ER BB 7K
• Diory Hernandez—2-3 2 RBI R
• Brandon Jones—2-4 R
• Jason Heyward—1-2 R
• Zack Daeges—1-4 HR(2) 2 RBI
• Lars Anderson—1-4 RBI
• Justin Masterson—3 IP H 3K
• Daniel Bard—IP 3K
• Junichi Tazawa—2 IP 2H ER 4K
• J.P. Arencibia—1-3 HR(1) 2 RBI
• Travis Snider—1-3 R
• David Purcey—3 IP 2BB 3K
• Adam Rosales—2-3 RBI
• Devin Mesoraco—1-2 R
• Chris Valaika—1-2 RBI
• Nick Hundley—1-3 BB R
• Matt Antonelli—2-4 2B RBI
• Mat Latos—2 IP 0H
• Eric Young Jr.—1-3 2B R
• Greg Golson—1-1 GS HR(1) 4 RBI
• Elvis Andrus—1-3 R BB
• Derek Holland—2.1 IP 4H BB K
• Nick Adenhart—2 IP 2H K (W)
• Chris Petit—1-1 2R
• Andrew Romine—1-2 3B R 2 RBI
• Jesus Guzman—1-4 2B RBI
• Matt Downs—3-4 HR(1) 3 RBI 2R
• Pablo Sandoval—1-3 RBI
• Brad Nelson—2-4 HR(1) RBI R
• Michael Brantley—2-2
• Brett Anderson—2.2 IP 2H BB K
• Corey Wimberley—1-3 2R BB
• Matt Carson—1-2 HR(1) 3 RBI 2R
• Adrian Cardenas—2-2 RBI
• Justin Upton—2-3 2 RBI R BB
• Wladimir Balentien—1-4 HR(2) 3 RBI 2R SB(1)

2/26 Spring Training Report

Posted by Jeremy on February 27, 2009 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

Top 20 Third Base Prospects (Part 2)

Posted by Jeremy on February 21, 2009 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!

$100 Growth Project

Posted by Jeremy on February 13, 2009 under $100 Growth Project | 5 Comments to Read

I was chatting with a good friend of mine about the many nuances of prospecting and buying and selling on eBay.  Noticably perplexed, he asked “how much money can you really make doing this?”  Of course I said that it can really vary.  Timing the market, optimizing your buying and selling techniques, making accurate speculations, and keeping good records are just a few of the skills necessary in making it a fiscally worthwhile venture.

It did get me to thinking, though…

How good are you at this really?

Time to put the money where the mouth is.  I am going to take a crisp $100 bill and spend it on an assortment of prospects or other sports card/memorabilia speculations with the sole intent of increasing the net worth of the original investment over a 1-year period.

The rudimentary set of rules are as follows:

• All revenues and expenditures will be accounted for on each transaction
• Purchases will be limited solely to sports cards and memorabilia
• Inventory will be represented in its physical state and not in a dollar amount
• No donations will be accepted to contribute to the inventory
• A detailed record of all transactions will be documented under the $100 Well Spent Project link (likely in an Excel spreadsheet).
• Project will end on February 13, 2010 at 12 PM

My hope in this is to give all of you who read this blog a little more insight into the challenges and thrills  that the online prospecting market offers.  Surely there will be some profitable maneuvers and unprofitble ones along the way, but my ultimate goal is that we all will learn a bit more about how to make the most out of our hard earned dollars.

Your thoughts, tips, and questions are always welcome additions to this blog. 

Let the project begin….

Your Daily Value #41

Posted by Jeremy on January 28, 2009 under Your Daily Value | Be the First to Comment

2008 Donruss Threads GERARDO PARRA Auto #/999

Current eBay Price—$4.00-6.00

While flame throwing youngster Jarrod Parker sits atop the Arizona Diamondbacks’ hierarchy of elite prospects, this young Venezuelan OF quietly fills the #2 spot in just about every analyst’s list.  Parra handled the challenges of both High-A and AA ball last season admirably, hitting .286 with 6 HR 52 RBI and 28 SB.  Parra has the ability to play any OF position with superb range and a very strong arm and his solid plate discipline would be a welcome change of pace from the currently whiff-prone D’Backs lineup.

The question mark with Parra is his power numbers.  His bat speed is exceptional, but his swing trajectory is more condusive to producing line drives with moderate gap power.  However, Parra’s statistics from the Venezuelan Winter League offers substantial hope.  Gerrardo hit .329 with 7 HR 44 RBI and a league leading 20 doubles in 246 AB’s.  Given those numbers, it is conceivable that he could develop into a 10-15 HR hitter this next season.

Arizona’s roster is presently set with Justin Upton and Chris Young manning RF and CF respectively.  Eric Byrnes will get another shot at the starting job in LF after injuries ravaged his productivity last season and the fact that his contract pays him a guaranteed $21 million through 2010, it seems highly unlikely that he will be going anywhere.  This should put Parra at AAA Tuscon to start the season, but a solid spring and/or another Byrnes injury should allow for him to make his MLB debut at some point in ‘09.

2008 offers several 1st year autos of Gerardo Parra.  The Donruss Threads (#/999) and Bowman’s Signs of the Future are the least expensive at just $3-5 each.  There is a little more demand for his Donruss Elite Extra Auto ($6-8 each) due to the fact that it is numbered to just 421 copies.  I don’t think that Parra has the same potential to be a superstar like his future OF counterparts Upton and Young, but his comprehensive skill set should fit very well in the leadoff or #2 spot of this Arizona lineup.

Your Daily Value #39

Posted by Jeremy on January 26, 2009 under Your Daily Value | Be the First to Comment

2006 Bowman Chrome Prospects DEXTER FOWLER

Current eBay Value—$1.25-2.00

The time has come for the consensus #1 rated prospect in the Colorado Rockies organization to roam the spacious CF confines of Coors Field.  Fowler’s 2008 season was spent, in large part, at AA Tulsa where he put up his finest numbers to date hitting .335 with 9 HR 64 RBI 20 SB and 92 runs despite missing a month playing for Team USA in the Beijing Olympics. 

Fowler’s skill set places him in the elite class of prospects as there is no aspect of his game that deters his potential to be an MLB superstar.  He hits the ball well and has superb plate discipline, his plus-plus speed is well used on the basepaths as well as in CF where his range, instincts, and arm could make him a perennial Gold Glover.  The biggest question mark in his game right now is in determining his future power output.  He has never hit for double-digit HR’s in any season, but his 6-5 190 lb. frame has sinewy, fast twitch muscle strength that could easily facilitate future power growth without negatively affecting his speed or athleticism.  Fowler will be just 23 years old on opening day and is still a bit raw in some aspects of his game (he was a highly recruited basketball player in HS). 

Fowler’s debut cards were autographs #/603 in the 2004 Donruss Elite Extra set.  Today, those cards are still affordable at $28-32 each—roughly the same price as Brewers new ace Yovani Gallardo’s autos from the same set.  The 2006 Bowman Chrome Prospects cards are much lower priced offerings and, though they are not 1st year cards, they are officially tabbed as his rookie cards.  Other fine 2006 cards of his can be found in Bowman Sterling ($2.50-4.00 each) and Bowman Originals ($0.75-1.25 each). 

The Rockies may opt to send Fowler to AAA for some more spring seasoning, but his ultimate ‘09 destination is surely Colorado.  Once he gets there, he should stay for a long and prosperous time.