- Rogelio Armenteros
- Felix Jorge
- Franklin Perez
- Jesse Winker
- Travis Demeritte
- J.P. Crawford
- Nick Zammarelli
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| Born: 06/30/1994 (Age: 21) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 1" | Weight: 215 |
| Mechanics |
| Thick, compact frame, sturdy base, full maturity, round mid-section, soft, high-maintenance body; relatively agile, quick feet, fluid movement, moves well for his body type, moderate athleticism; deep rock, generates early momentum, fluid leg kick with some elasticity, holds upright posture; inconsistent hand break, early arm path wanders, clean arm action, will get long, arm path can be inefficient, above-average arm speed, over-the-top slot takes some work to get to; hard downhill drive, hips open early, firm strike, stiff landing, aggressive over front side, some violence in the finish, significant recoil; 1.38 – 1.47, varies timing in the stretch, repeats well, maintains rhythm; quick worker, up-tempo pace, will slow it down, feel for game flow |
| Evaluator | Wilson Karaman |
| Report Date | 06/09/2016 |
| Affiliate | Lancaster JetHawks (High A, Astros) |
| Dates Seen | 4/28, 5/10, 6/7/16 |
| OFP/Risk | 55/High |
| Realistic | 45/durable back-end starter |
| MLB ETA | 2018 |
| Video | Yes |
| Pitch Type | Present Grade | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| FB | 50 | 55 | 87-94 | 95 | Solid plane, four- and two-seam variants, both relatively straight, mild sink, really yanks it down to the lower quadrants, four-seam plays as a chaser above the zone, can generate in-zone whiffs; velo has fluctuated, 87-91 in one start, 90-92 (t94) in another, 91-94 (t95) in most recent; inconsistent finish, fringe-average command projection, inconsistent north-south, below-average movement, half-grade additional projection if velo stabilizes at higher end |
| CB | 45 | 55 | 73-78 | 79 | 12-6 yakker, above-average vertical movement, excellent depth, snaps off with plane; below-average command, misses down, lacks horizontal movement; ground ball pitch, moderate swing-and-miss potential |
| CH | 50 | 55 | 80-82 | 83 | Consistent arm speed, heavy tumble, mild fade, demonstrated feel, keeps it out of danger; confidence in pitch, will double-up, work it right-on-right, throws it in any count; tunnels well, swing-and-miss potential |
| Overall |
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Cuban IFA signed by Houston in September of 2014. Armenteros is a physical righty with command of his body and good rhythm on the mound. He generates outsized plane from a high arm slot, with a hard drive creating extension and a difficult pick-up for hitters. He'll struggle to harness the ample momentum he generates through the drive and keep on time to slot, leading to some bouts with his command. There's some durability required to repeat the motion, which Armenteros has shown, though his velocity has fluctuated between starts. He'll deploy three potentially above-average pitches that play well off one another, and he shows advanced pitchability and confidence in all three. It's a starter's profile, and a potentially solid one if the command progresses. |
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| Born: 01/02/1994 (Age: 22) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 2" | Weight: 170 |
| Mechanics |
| Tall, lean frame, moderate physical projection remaining; full windup, low-effort delivery, gets good downhill plane on pitches, quick finish; easy arm action with some stiffness, above-average arm speed, three-quarter slot; 1.33-1.41 stretch |
| Evaluator | Steve Givarz |
| Report Date | 06/17/2016 |
| Affiliate | Fort Myers Miracle (High A, Twins) |
| Dates Seen | 6/15/2016 |
| OFP/Risk | 55/Medium |
| Realistic | 50/No. 4 Starter |
| MLB ETA | 2018 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Present Grade | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| Fastball | 50 | 60 | 90-94 | 95 | Two-seam action in the lower velocity band, plays more firm and straight at upper end, average command
Movement- 45/45 |
| Curveball | 40 | 50 | 76-77 | 80 | 11/5 shape, inconsistent action, runs into slider; solid depth, flashes average potential |
| Slider | 45 | 50 | 81-85 | 85 | Average action, moderate tilt, good depth, more advanced than curve, flashes average |
| Changeup | 50 | 55 | 81-84 | 84 | Maintains arm speed with fade, good action; turns it over well, average control |
| Overall |
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Jorge shows intriguing potential with fastball velocity and present utility of secondary pitches. Potential to take a step forward with the arsenal and become a solid mid-rotation starter, with back-end present projection. Control- 55/60 |
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| Born: 12/06/1997 (Age: 18) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 3" | Weight: 197 |
| Mechanics |
| Physical: Lean upper body with room for added strength; thick lower half, higher maintenance body type, durable frame
Semi-wind with mild effort; high three-quarter slot with slight pause at max leg lift; inconsistent hand separation, quick in the back with inconsistent arm circle; foot strike wanders, lands flexed and stiff at times; poor balance, falls off to first-base side, head follows |
| Evaluator | James Fisher |
| Report Date | 06/30/2016 |
| Affiliate | Quad Cities River Bandits (Low A, Astros) |
| Dates Seen | 5/24/16 |
| OFP/Risk | 55/High |
| Realistic | 50/No. 4 Starter |
| MLB ETA | 2019 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Present Grade | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| Fastball | 50 | 65 | 88-93 | 95 | Four-seam fastball 91-93, mild arm-side run, shows command potential, locates to both sides; three-way action, shows two-seam variant at 88-90, can cut it, advanced pitch |
| Curveball | 30 | 50 | 78 | 81 | 11/5 but inconsistent shape; shows ability to spin it with downer rotation; mainly in-zone at present, did bury several down low |
| Changeup | 40 | 60 | 83 | 83 | Consistent arm speed; quality deception; flashes above average fade |
| Overall |
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Signed out of Venezuela, Perez is almost four years younger than most of his counterparts in the Midwest League. He's been bouncing back an forth between starting and relieving, but he shows the ingredients of a future starting pitcher. He already touches 95 with a fastball that jumps out of his hand with some arm-side run, and he shows an advanced ability to manipulate it with two-seam and cut variants. The curve is inconsistent at present, but when he stays on top it features 11/5 shape with depth. His changeup is an advanced pitch that he throws with proper arm speed to generate deception with late fade down in the zone. The command is spotty at times but throws enough strikes when the mechanics are right to project a future filling up the zone. All told, Perez has the frame to be an innings eater with a quality fastball and two at-least-average secondaries. |
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| Born: 08/17/1993 (Age: 22) | |
| Bats: Left | Throws: Left |
| Height: 6' 3" | Weight: 215 |
| Primary Position: RF | |
| Secondary Position: LF | |
| Physical/Health |
| Lean, athletic build, solid base with some width to the hips; upper body not yet maxed out, narrow shoulders with slope, some projection remaining |
| Evaluator | Adam Hayes |
| Report Date | 06/26/2016 |
| Dates Seen | 5/27, 5/28 |
| Affiliate | Louisville Bats (AAA, Reds) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Realistic Role | Video |
| 2017 | Medium | 50 | 45/Second-Division Corner OF | Yes |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 60 | Leg lift, pinches hips, tight coil; slight hitch to start swing, drops back shoulder, some uppercut to swing; plus bat speed with contact skills, moderate swing-and-miss, will expand zone; all-fields approach, patient, will work walks |
| Power | 45 | Pull power with carry to opposite field; swing can generate some loft, more doubles power in-game, contact is solid; recent wrist injury could be negatively affecting ability to tap into power at present |
| Baserunning/Speed | 40 | Not much effort out of the box, moves well in field, lacks quickness, not a base-stealing threat |
| Glove | 50 | Steady glove, not flashy; lacks closing speed, solid routes help range, best suited for corner role |
| Arm | 50 | Average arm strength, accurate, capable arm in right |
| Overall |
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A former first-round supplemental pick, Winker is a corner outfielder with a plus hit tool and average defensive projection. There's some swing-and-miss, but he possesses quality bat speed and contact skills. Average raw power plays down a tick in-game; he generates loft, but lacks the finishing strength for the tool to be an asset. Steady glove in a corner that won't create problems, and his accurate arm shows average strength. Winker has struggled with wrist injuries, which has very possibly sapped his ability to tap into the raw power he has. Projection for a solid starting outfielder with bottom-half lineup contributions. |
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| Born: 09/30/1994 (Age: 21) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 0" | Weight: 180 |
| Primary Position: 2B | |
| Secondary Position: | |
| Physical/Health |
| Premium athleticism, quick-twitch, thin frame, filled out with lean muscle, sneaky upper-body strength, minimal projection remaining |
| Evaluator | Wilson Karaman |
| Report Date | 06/26/2016 |
| Dates Seen | 4/17, 4/30, 6/21, 6/26/16 |
| Affiliate | High Desert Mavericks (High A, Rangers) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Realistic Role | Video |
| 2018 | Extreme | 50 | 40/Utility Infielder | Yes |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 30 | Open setup with crouch, hands high and tight off back ear, moderate waggle, flattens at first move, aggressive flair to start load, hands drift, inconsistent trigger; length into zone, bat will drag, drops back shoulder, hips fly open; elite wrist strength, plus bat speed with moderate leverage, poor barrel delivery, frequent over-swings; in-between approach, can get passive in-zone, will expand in all directions, especially vulnerable to high velo, poor tracking and pick-up of spin, in-zone swing-and-miss, susceptible to weak fly ball contact |
| Power | 50 | Easy plus raw, leverage and strength to drive the baseball, lift in plane, max effort swing with plus bat speed, shows ability to let it get deep, can drive it to all fields, strength to muslce it out; in-game utility limited by poor hit tool |
| Baserunning/Speed | 50 | 4.33 on loan clock, quick-twitch athleticism plays in start-up, solid reads, times pitchers, picks his spots; quick breaks in the field, average speed can play to full utility |
| Glove | 55 | Above-average quickness and agility, speed plays to average range, fluidity and mobility to the ground; hands will jab to the ball, advanced footwork around the bag; physicality and arm strength suggest potential for left-side utility |
| Arm | 55 | Above-average arm strength, flashes plus velo at second; controls his body, moderate accuracy across his body, quality turns with a quick transfer |
| Overall |
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2013 1st rounder (#30 overall) out of high school, extreme risk profile due to raw bat and an 80-game PED suspension served in 2015. Demeritte shows premium athleticism and quick-twitch movement, and he projects to boast four average-or-better game tools. The raw power is true plus, as he has a swing built to drive the baseball. The loud contact he manages to make comes at the high price of extreme swing-and-miss tendencies heightened by an aggressive approach that frequently migrates out of the zone. Between empty swings and those that produce weak pop-up or rolled-over contact I'm not convinced he ever hits .240 in the big leagues, but there's enough patience and power that I think he can make it work enough to drive a second-division starting profile at the keystone, with the physicality for utility reps around the dirt if the hit tool holds him back. |
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| Born: 01/11/1995 (Age: 21) | |
| Bats: Left | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 2" | Weight: 180 |
| Primary Position: SS | |
| Secondary Position: | |
| Physical/Health |
| Lean, spindly frame, long limbs with muscle tone, fairly broad shoulders, tapered torso, loose athleticism |
| Evaluator | Adam Hayes |
| Report Date | 07/04/2016 |
| Dates Seen | 9x April-June 2016 |
| Affiliate | Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA, Phillies) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Realistic Role | Video |
| 2017 | Low | 60 | 55; Above-Average SS | Yes |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 60 | Hands start high, some length into the zone, direct swing, fluid load and transfer, plus bat speed; advanced approach, works counts, creates long at-bats, can get passive, approach leads to high walk totals, more strikeouts; pull-oriented |
| Power | 40 | Power is to pull side, limited loft, doubles power with occasional pulled homeruns; bat speed to generate hard line-drive contact |
| Baserunning/Speed | 50 | 4.20 home-to-first; speed kept mostly in reserve; doesn't jailbreak out of box; shorter, upright stride; can steal the occasional base |
| Glove | 60 | Advanced glove with easy actions; steady defender, not flashy; plus range into the hole |
| Arm | 60 | Easy arm strength, can throw on the run, arm strength and accuracy from the hole |
| Overall |
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Former first-round pick is a steady, true shortstop with four average-or-better tools. The hit tool projects plus with a patient approach as the standout attribute. He is rarely aggressive early in the count and will work pitchers for long at bats and walks. There is ample bat speed with a line-drive stroke that produces sound contact skills, though it's a pull-heavy approach. The frame suggests more speed utility than he shows, and it is more impactful in the field than on the bases. The glove and arm are carrying tools, with both rating as easy plus. Crawford should be a quality contributor offensively and defensively. Future well-rounded, starting SS with first-division potential. |
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| Born: 07/30/1994 (Age: 21) | |
| Bats: Left | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 1" | Weight: 195 |
| Primary Position: 3B | |
| Secondary Position: 1B | |
| Physical/Health |
| Average height, wiry build, room to add strength without compromising mobility |
| Evaluator | Brendan Gawlowski |
| Report Date | 07/07/2016 |
| Dates Seen | 6x June-July 2016 |
| Affiliate | Everett AquaSox (Short Season, Mariners) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Realistic Role | Video |
| 2020 | High | 40 | 30 | No |
| Makeup |
|
Keeps head in the game, stays focused throughout |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 30 | Moderate load; linear bat path with some late loft; average bat speed, maybe a tick below, swing can get elongated; good approach, knows the zone, capable of staying back on off-speed pitches; expands above the zone, may struggle against premium velocity |
| Power | 40 | 45 raw, swing not currently conducive to full utility, may develop average power if frame maxes out |
| Baserunning/Speed | 45 | 4.22-4.30 down the line, quick first step, build should allow speed to hold |
| Glove | 50 | Quality first step, athleticism plays, range not exceptional but more than a step and a dive |
| Arm | 50 | Arm plays at third, prone to overthrowing first basemen, will short-arm it |
| Overall |
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Seattle's 8th round pick in the 2016 draft, Zammarelli lacks a standout tool, but he can do a bit of everything and he could provide adequate defense at third and enough bat to stick in a reserve role at full maturation. While a lack of strength and tendency to swing and miss will probably prevent him from enjoying a significant big league career, he has the tools to succeed in the upper minors. In an era of three- or four-man benches, he will need to add defensive versatility to his game to enhance big-league viability. |
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Castellanos was scouted as a plus hit, slight build but projects to add good muscle. Promoted way to early as the Tigers seem to do often, he matured physically and that plus hit and loft he showed for 2+yr prior, is now that .275-25 CI.