May 2, 2013

Minor League Update

Games of Wednesday, May 1

by Zach Mortimer

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Pitching Prospect of the Day: Matt Barnes, RHP, Red Sox (Double-A Portland): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K; potential plus-plus fastball; curveball with plus potential; changeup will be at least average. I’ve never been the leader on the Barnes bandwagon; I think he is a very nice pitcher, but not a top-of-the-line stud.

Position Prospect of the Day: Jacob Wilson, 2B, Cardinals (Low-A Peoria): 3-5, 2 HR, 4 R, 5 RBI; four-year college player; limited room for progression; right-side-of-the-infield player; forced to prove himself step by step; .280/.340/.610 with 4 2B, 3B, and 7 HR in 82 Low-A at-bats.

Other notable prospect performances from May 1: 

“The Good”

• Miguel Almonte, RHP, Royals (Low-A Lexington): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K; fastball up to 95; changeup comes in at 82-85 and is thrown with really good arm speed and fade, which gives it easy plus potential; well-below-average curveball which may end up getting scrapped; slider at 81-83 has small break and is more of a weak-contact-creator than a bat-misser.
• Tyler Collins, OF, Tigers (Double-A Erie): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K; advanced hitter; short swing; loud contact; gap power; average runner; high baseball IQ; tough to profile him as an everyday player.
• Edwin Escobar, LHP, Giants (High-A San Jose): 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K; fastball can touch plus velocity; changeup with solid-average potential; developing breaking ball; shoving in the California league thus far; 25.0 IP, 14 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 37 K in five starts.
• Drew Gagnon, RHP, Brewers (High-A Brevard County): 7.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K; fastball sits in the low 90s; curveball has average potential; changeup has solid-average potential; plus pitchability.
• Eric Haase, C, Indians (Low-A Lake County): 3-5, HR, 3 R, RBI, K; work in progress defensively; solid-average raw power; bat speed only average; will be forced to prove himself at every level.
• Bruce Maxwell, C, Athletics (Low-A Beloit): 4-4, 2 2B, RBI, BB; plus power potential; compact swing; raw defensively; wait-and-see type of prospect; .284/.369/.419 with 7 2B and 1 HR in 74 Low-A at-bats.
• Kevin Plawecki, C, Mets (Low-A Savannah): 3-5, 3 2B, R, RBI, K; polished; excellent bat-to-ball skills; solid-average power potential; defense still a work in progress; .402/.462/.696 with 15 2B and 4 HR in 92 Low-A at-bats.
• Jose Ramirez, RHP, Yankees (Double-A Trenton): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K; plus-plus fastball; easy plus slider; solid-average changeup potential; injury history; will need to prove he can handle the rigor of starting.
• Chad Rogers, RHP, Reds (Double-A Pensacola): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; low-90s fastball with sink; short-breaking slider; fringy changeup; small frame; may be better served as a reliever long term.
• Seth Streich, RHP, Athletics (Low-A Beloit): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; four-pitch mix (fastball/changeup/curveball/cutter); fastball can touch plus velocity; changeup has plus potential; curveball and slider are currently works in progress.
• Taijuan Walker, RHP, Mariners (Double-A Jackson): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; plus-plus fastball; cutter with plus-plus potential; curveball with plus potential; may eventually have to develop a splitter; front-line potential; 35.0 IP, 18 H, 6 ER, 20 BB, 39 K in six starts this season.
• Mason Williams, CF, Yankees (High-A Tampa): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB; toolsy outfielder; plus-plus speed; plus defender; hit tool has solid-average potential; below-average power; major makeup questions; not a blue-chip prospect for me.
• Julian Yan, OF, Rockies (Low-A Asheville): 4-5, 3 2B, 3 RBI, SB; plus raw power; good bat speed; has a tendency to speed the game up unnecessarily; plus arm; toolsy; very far from a finished product.

“The Bad”

• Adrian Marin, SS, Orioles (Low-A Delmarva): 0-4, 2 K, throwing error; unimpressive at the plate and in the field on the first night of the series that I’m watching.
• Gregory Polanco, CF, Pirates (High-A Bradenton): 0-3, 3 K; working to shorten load in swing; plenty of natural ability; gaining polish with every at-bat.

“The Ugly”

Tyler Naquin, CF, Indians (High-A Carolina): 0-4, 3 K; very deep load; has bat speed; mechanics do not allow him to get to any pitch on the inner half; be very cautious about him going forward.

Zach Mortimer is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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