April 19, 2013

Minor League Update

Games of Thursday, April 18

by Zach Mortimer

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Pitching Prospect of the Day: Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Diamondbacks (Triple-A Reno): 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K; Fastball will only be average at major-league level; changeup has deception but will play close to average; curveball is a hammer with serious strikeout potential; not far from being major-league ready.

Position Prospect(s) of the Day: JR Murphy, C, Yankees (Double-A Trenton): 4-5, 3 HR, 3 R, 5 RBI; easy swing; easy solid-average power potential; improving defense; could jump squarely back onto prospect lists; .364/.442/.682 in 44 Double-A at-bats.

Hey, it’s Friday, let’s have two!

Adalberto Mondesi, SS, Royals (Low-A Lexington): 3-5, 2 3B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI; plus defender; plus hit; power potential; let the 17-year-old adjust to full-season ball, and he could be a monster.

Other notable prospect performances from April 18:

 “The Good”

• Cody Asche, 3B, Phillies (Triple-A Lehigh Valley): 4-6, 2 R, K; hit tool has plus potential; questions on how else he will affect the game offensively; fringy arm leaves questions on what overall defensive profile will look like.
• Chris Beck, RHP, White Sox (High-A Winston-Salem): 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K; potential for a plus fastball and a usable slider/changeup, but he may profile best as an innings-eating back-of-the-rotation starter.
• Garin Cecchini, 3B, Red Sox (High-A Salem): 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB, K; potential solid-average hit tool, plenty of bat speed and added muscle mass may allow for a touch-better-than-average power, below/well-below average runner that plays up on the base paths due to tremendous instincts.
• Chun-Hsiu Chen, 1B, Indians (Double-A Akron): 2-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, 2 K; the bat has some juice, but I saw him against Kevin Gausman, and he did not have a chance to catch up with major-league velocity on that night. He has a swing that can get lengthy and he is no longer catching; tough major-league profile.
• Andrew Cisco, RHP, Reds (Low-A Dayton): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 12 K; great command of the fastball that only has average velocity, potential plus curveball, and a developing changeup; at 21 years old, he is having big-time success in Low-A; 19.0 IP, 15 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 22 K.
• Anthony DeSclafani, RHP, Marlins (High-A Jupiter): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; big-league fastball with plus-plus potential and a slider that has a short, sharp break.
• Roger Kieschnick, RF, Giants (Triple-A Fresno): 4-6, 2 2B, 3B, 2 R, RBI, K; improving plate discipline; solid average speed; grinder mentality.
• Casey Lawrence, RHP, Blue Jays (High-A Dunedin): 9.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; a 25-year-old still in High-A who is willing to pitch 9.2 IP … “WEAR IT!”
• Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians (High-A Carolina): 2-4, 2B, 3B, R, SB; watched him for a series; highly impressive; future plus hit tool; incredible baseball instincts; plus-plus defensive profile; will be a far better real-life baseball player than fantasy baseball player.
• Alex Meyer, RHP, Twins (Double-A New Britain): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 5 K; Meyer, who was acquired for Denard Span, has big-time stuff, but his overall future will be tied with how well he is able to command his pitches; 16.0 IP, 13 H, 3 ER, 7 BB, 19 K.
• Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Rays (Triple-A Durham): 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K; Odorizzi, an athlete who normally repeats his delivery well, struggled in the beginning of the game to find his release point. As the game wore on, he was able to right the ship and miss plenty of bats with his fastball/curveball/changeup arsenal.
• Ricky Oropesa, 1B, Giants (Double-A Richmond): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI; stuck at first base; put up numbers in the California league; show me consistency at the next level.
• Stephen Piscotty, RF, Cardinals (High-A Palm Beach): 3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI; advanced approach with a potential plus hit tool, Piscotty may never provide big power, but will have always have a good batting average; .409/.458/.818 with 22 at-bats.
• Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Rockies (Triple-A Colorado Springs): 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K; was sent to Triple-A to refine his command of all pitches; great sign for the Rockies, who could use a starting pitcher with Pomeranz’ pedigree after their hot start.
• Rob Rasmussen, LHP, Dodgers (Double-A Chattanooga): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; small frame with two breaking balls; Rasmussen has a low 90s fastball, a slider/curveball that are still developing, and most believe he will be shifted to a bullpen role at some point.
• Matt Reynolds, SS, Mets (High-A St. Lucie): 2-5, 3B, HR, R, 3 RBI; With well-below-average power and speed, Reynolds will eventually have to make the move to the right side of the infield.  He has solid-average contact ability and gap power.
• Enny Romero, LHP, Rays (Double-A Montgomery): 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; fastball is an easy 6, average curveball, and fringy changeup; Romero could be a monster in the late innings, or even a mid-rotation starter if he can figure out the changeup.
• Gary Sanchez, C, Yankees (High-A Tampa): 3-4, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB; the bat has a chance to be more than plus, but his overall role will be tied to whether he is able to stay behind the plate; .358/.426/.623 with 53 at-bats.
• Blake Smith, OF, Dodgers (Double-A Chattanooga): 3-4, 2 2B, R, RBI; Though he may profile best as a fourth outfielder, Smith has the potential to have a solid-average hit tool with average power.
• Burch Smith, RHP, Padres (Double-A San Antonio): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; fastball can reach plus velocity with good life, but he is still refining all of his secondary offerings; 16.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 20 K.
• Chris Stratton, RHP, Giants (Low-A Augusta): 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; With the ability to command his fastball, solid-average slider, and changeup that is making strides, Stratton has had success against inferior batters thus far; 16.2 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 17 K.
• Jonathan Villar, SS, Astros (Triple-A Oklahoma City): 3-3, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB; plus runner; displays easy defensive skills; still out of control defensively; at the plate, he displays contact and power ability, but they are still gaining polish.
• Michael Wacha, RHP, Cardinals (Triple-A Memphis): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; fastball has been up to 95; curveball has taken steps forward as a professional with plus potential; plus changeup; proving that stuff can hold up as a starter; has taken steps forward since being drafted.

“The Bad”

• Austin Brice, RHP, Marlins (Low-A Greensboro): 2.2 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 3 K; still working on the ability to command all of his pitches.
• Colton Cain, LHP, Astros (Low-A Quad Cities): 3.0 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 3 K; after being traded by the Pirates to the Astros, Cain has had his struggles in his new organization.
• Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Mets (High-A St. Lucie): 3.0 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; Syndergaard has big stuff, but he still needs plenty of refinement.

“The Injured”

Travis d’Arnaud, C, Mets (Triple-A): d’Arnaud has a broken bone in his foot. It is another injury setback, but I’m certainly not going to label him as a lost-cause prospect. He has had injury questions thus far in his career, but his stock is still bright.

Zach Mortimer is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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