June 10, 2013

Minor League Update

Games of June 6-June 9

by Zach Mortimer

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Games of Thursday, June 6

Pitching Prospect of the Day: Raul Alcantara, RHP, Athletics (Low-A Beloits): 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K; plus fastball; potential solid-average slider; average changeup; improving command. It is good to see a prospect like Alcantara take steps forward this year.

Position Prospect of the Day: Carlos Correa, SS, Astros (Low-A Quad Cities): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, BB. Correa is sort of the forgotten man. Byron Buxton has stolen the spotlight from Correa, but believe me, Correa has plenty of ability, and is getting very good reviews from scouts; .302/.318/.488 with 5 2B, and 1 HR in last 43 at-bats.

Other notable prospect performances on June 6:

“The Good”

• Dustin Ackley, 2B, Mariners (Triple-A Tacoma): 2-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K. Ackley has gone down to Triple-A and hit very well; .408/.508/.592 with 3 2B and 2 HR in 49 at-bats.
• Clayton Blackburn, RHP, Giants (High-A San Jose): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; plus fastball; potential plus changeup; potential solid-average curveball; big frame; high level of polish; 58.2 IP, 50 H, 28 ER, 18 BB, 69 K in 11 starts.
• Bryce Brentz, RF, Red Sox (Triple-A Pawtucket): 3-5, 2B, HR, R, 4 RBI; plus potential power; plus arm; fringy runner; struggles versus breaking balls; should be ready for an everyday job in 2014.
• Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, Indians (Triple-A Columbus): 3-5, 2 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI. Chisenhall really struggled at the MLB level, but he has gone down to Triple-A and is doing what is asked of him. I would assume he will be back in The Show at some point in the next month.
• Brian Fletcher, 1B/LF, Royals (Double-A Northwest Arkansas): 3-5, 2B, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI. Fletcher is a bat-only prospect for me. He struggled to show enough ability on the defensive end to make me feel that he would ever be relevant. Fletcher shows power potential and the ability to make loud contact against quality pitching, but I don’t think he does enough to ever be major-league relevant.
• Grant Green, 2B, Athletics (Triple-A Sacramento): 2-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI; solid-average hit tool; fringy runner; gap power; will have to play on the right side of the infield defensively; solid second-division profile; .340/.365/.580 with 3 2B and 3 HR in last 50 at-bats.
• Rosell Herrera, SS, Rockies (Low-A Asheville): 3-5, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI; plus power potential; solid-average hit tool; will most likely have to move to third base; under-the-radar type; .390/.432/.659 with 2 2B and 3 HR in last 41 at-bats.
• Deck McGuire, RHP, Blue Jays (Double-A New Hampshire): 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K. This is a very interesting line to me. Every time I’ve seen McGuire, he has not been good. From what I’ve heard from others, the slider flashes potential.
• Cesar Puello, RF, Mets (Double-A Binghamton): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K. I was told from a scout that was at this game, “Puello’s second home run has yet to land. He made some adjustments, and the Mets really have something there”; .474/.512/1.026 with 3 2B, 6 HR, and 5 stolen-bases.
• Addison Russell, SS, Athletics (High-A Stockton): 3-4, 2 2B, 3 R; Take a look at what Chris Rodriguez thought about Russell.
• Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers (Low-A Great Lakes): 2-4, HR, R, RBI. The younger brother of Kyle, Corey has a potential plus hit tool; plus power potential; plus arm; improving ability at shortstop; plus makeup.
• Cory Spangenberg, 2B, Padres (High-A Lake Elsinore): 2-5, 2B, RBI; potential solid-average hit tool; plus runner; will get into slap-and-run mode. Some scouts question Spangenberg’s ability to make consistent hard contact, and feel that his batting average may be empty. The Padres promoted Spangenberg to Double-A after the game.
• Mac Williamson, OF, Giants (High-A San Jose): 3-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI; Again our California League guy and great friend Chris Rodriguez had a great report on Williamson.

“The Bad”

• Tyler Naquin, OF, Indians (High-A Carolina): 0-4, BB, 2 K. I recently saw Naquin. He made some adjustments to his swing mechanics, but I’m still not sold it will work.
• Shane Watson, RHP, Phillies (Low-A Lakewood): 1.1 IP, 5 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. The high draft pick in 2012 has not dominated in Low-A.

“The Ugly”

Mitch Walding, 3B, Phillies (Low-A Lakewood): 0-4, 4 K; Intriguing prospect who has tools, but will get himself off balance and give up at-bats.

Games of Friday, June 7

Pitching Prospect of the Day: Wilmer Flores, 2B, Mets (Triple-A Las Vegas): 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI; potential average hit tool; plus power potential; average arm; Mets are giving him a shot to play second base; .359/.405/.538 with 4 2B and 1 HR in last 39 at-bats.

Position Prospect of the Day: Martin Agosta, RHP, Giants (Low-A Augusta): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K. Well, Giants, Agosta has done everything anyone could have ever wanted him to do in Low-A. I wonder if the Giants are leaving him there for a little extra seasoning only to skip him over the hitter-friendly California League; 35.2 IP, 22 H, 9 ER, 15 BB, 46 K in last six starts.

“The Good”

• Chris Beck, RHP, White Sox (High-A Winston-Salem): 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K; plus fastball; potential solid-average slider; developing changeup; big frame; high maintenance body.
• Adam Conley, LHP, Marlins (Double-A Jacksonville): 6.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K; potential easy plus fastball; developing slider/changeup; deceptive delivery.
• Rafael De Paula, RHP, Yankees (Low-A Charleston): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. De Paula has done nothing but impress scouts in his first year pitching stateside; 59.1 IP, 36 H, 16 ER, 22 BB, 91 K in 12 starts.
• Nomar Mazara, RF, Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 2-3, 2 2B, R, RBI. The numbers have not exactly been sparkling for Mazara, but during the series that I watched Hickory, I liked Mazara the most. I think he could develop into a middle-of-the-order bat.
• Rougned Odor, 2B, Rangers (High-A Myrtle Beach): 3-5, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB; The “Odor” was much nicer on this night; .287/.357/.440 with 17 2B, 2 3B, and 4 HR in last 216 at-bats.
• Ronny Rodriguez, SS, Indians (Double-A Akron): 2-5, 3B, 2 R, RBI, 2 K; plus bat speed; plus power potential; plus arm; will need to consistently make contact; showing signs of life after struggling out of the gate; .310/.333/.476 with 2 2B, 1 3B, HR, and 2 SB in last 42 at-bats.
• Trevor Story, SS, Rockies (High-A Modesto): 2-5, 3B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI. We ranked Story number one in the Rockies system coming into the season, so he obviously has the tools. Let’s hope that the recent success will stick and he can return to the prospect he was in 2012; .308/.357/.462 with 2B, 3B, HR, and 2 SB in last 39 at-bats.

“The Bad”

• Barrett Barnes, CF, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia): 0-4, 3 K; Barnes struggled in his first game back from injury.
• Kelly Dugan, OF, Phillies (High-A Clearwater): 0-4, 4 K; A Phillies prospect that has shown signs of life in 2013. I should be happy that he’s striking out because in the past he would just be on the disabled list.
• Rio Ruiz, 3B, Astros (Low-A Quad Cities): 0-4, BB, 3 K; Ruiz received over-slot money in 2012. Most scouts that saw him in instructs really liked what they saw, but Ruiz has struggled thus far in 2013.

“The Ugly”

Kyle Zimmer, RHP, Royals (High-A Wilmington): 0.2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. Zimmer pitches in my back yard. I’ve seen many things I like about the pitcher, and a few things that make me leery on what he will be in the future. The fastball can be barreled up by inferior players, and he has started to work on his slider more recently. The curveball is obviously his better breaking ball, but I’m sure he is working to round out the rest of his arsenal.

Games of Saturday, June 8

Pitching Prospect of the Day: Taijuan Walker, RHP, Mariners (Double-A Jackson): 7.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K. Take a look at our eyewitness series report on Walker; 71.1 IP, 49 H, 20 ER, 29 BB, 77 K in 12 starts.

Position Prospect of the Day: Wil Myers, RF, Rays (Triple-A Durham): 3-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI; Well, fantasy players, I think it goes without saying that it’s time to pick him up Myers.

Other notable prospect performances on June 8:

“The Good”

• Albert Almora, CF, Cubs (Low-A Kane County): 4-6, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI; The quote I received from a scout about Almora: “Man, I’m really glad this kid is healthy. He is a delight to watch!” .435/.471/.581 with 6 2B and 1 HR in last 62 at-bats.
• Nick Castellanos, OF, Tigers (Triple-A Toledo): 3-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K; One of the top hitters at an advanced level, Castellanos will wait until there is a spot in the lineup in the big leagues.
• A.J. Cole, RHP, Nationals (High-A Potomac): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 11 K; potential plus-plus fastball; plus potential curveball; developing changeup; command of secondary is inconsistent; high ceiling; needs to show more consistency.
• Courtney Hawkins, CF, White Sox (High-A Winston-Salem): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K. It’s good to see Hawkins show off his ability. I, however, saw Hawkins in one of his worst stretches. He will be in at the end of the week, and I will express my thoughts afterward.
• Rafael Montero, RHP, Mets (Double-A Binghamton): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. The feel for pitching may put Montero over the top for me. He has a plus fastball, a plus curveball, and a fringy changeup, but the command of all the pitches may allow him to exceed his projection; 66.2 IP, 51 H, 18 ER, 10 BB, 72 K in 11 starts.
• Hunter Morris, 1B, Brewers (Triple-A Nashville): 2-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI. Morris has plus raw power, but may never make enough contact against quality pitching to be an everyday player.
• Sean Nolin, LHP, Blue Jays (Double-A New Hampshire): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K; look for something on Nolin later this week in our Eyewitness series.
• Cesar Puello, RF, Mets (Double-A Binghamton): 3-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, K; Red-hot may be putting it lightly.
• Chris Reed, LHP, Dodgers (Double-A Chattanooga): 6.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K; plus fastball; plus slider; changeup still developing; may profile better in relief; 19.1 IP, 12 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 16 K in last four outings.
• Robert Stephenson, RHP, Reds (Low-A Dayton): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. I just keep hearing good things about Stephenson. The fastball is dynamite and the secondary offerings are taking steps forward. It would not shock me if he’s a top 20 prospect in baseball at some point; 43.2 IP, 24 H, 8 ER, 8 BB, 46 K in last seven starts.

“The Bad”

Gregory Polanco, CF, Pirates (High-A Bradenton): 0-5, 2 K; Polanco has handled himself quite nicely in the Florida State League, but the swing mechanics are still being refined.

“The Ugly”

Christian Walker, 1B, Orioles (High-A Frederick): 0-4, 3 K. Walker is the classic 1B-only guy with no projection. I as well as many other scouts have questioned his ability to hit for power; .346/.409/.500 with 7 2B and 3 HR in 104 at-bats.

Games of Sunday, June 9

Pitching Prospect of the Day: Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia): 4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K; easy plus fastball; easy plus curveball; changeup taking steps forward. Glasnow was impressive in spring training and I believed he had a good future. He has exceeded my expectations, and now belongs squarely in the top 100 prospect conversation; 52.1 IP, 23 H, 17 ER, 35 BB, 80 K in 12 starts.

Position Prospect of the Day: Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins (Double-A Fort Myers): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, K. Well, everyone, Miguel Sano is coming northeast to the Eastern League. The test of Double-A pitching will allow us to really see what level of prospect he is; .330/.424/.655 with 15 2B, 2 3B, and 16 HR in 206 at-bats.

Other notable prospect performances on June 9:

“The Good”

• Tyler Austin, RF, Yankees (Double-A Trenton): 3-5, 2 2B, RBI. I really like Austin; he has a short, compact swing with the ability to generate plus bat speed. He shows the ability to hit for power and I believe he still has plenty that he has yet to tap into; .372/.391/.628 with 5 2B and 2 HR in last 43 at-bats.
• Timothy Berry, LHP, Orioles (High-A Frederick): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K; solid-average fastball; solid-average curveball; potential solid-average changeup; skinny frame with ability to add mass; back-end profile.
• C.J. Edwards, RHP, Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 8 K. Edwards is one of my favorites, and he got back to form in his first start since being activated of the disabled list. He has the stuff to pitch in the middle of a rotation, but may be forced to be a high-leverage reliever if he is not able to add some mass to his frame.
• Kevin Quackenbush, RHP, Padres (Double-A San Antonio): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K; make sure you check out today’s Ten Pack to see what Jason Cole had to say about Quackenbush; 29.0 IP, 13 H, 1 ER, 10 BB, 42 K, and 12 saves in 27 appearances.
• Marcus Stroman, RHP, Blue Jays (Double-A New Hampshire): 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K; potential plus-plus fastball; plus-plus slider; developing changeup; small frame. The Blue Jays are giving Stroman the chance to stick as a starter, but at any point he could be moved to the bullpen and would profile as a potential closer.
• Dan Vogelbach, 1B, Twins (Low-A Kane County): 2-3, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB; elite raw power; potential plus hit tool; really tough profile defensively. Vogelbach shows plenty of ability, but he will really have to hit in order to have an everyday future.

“The Bad”

• Sean Gilmartin, LHP, Braves (Triple-A Gwinnett): 3.2 IP, 9 H, 9 ER, 3 BB, 2 K; limited projection, Gilmartin will need to command pitches at all times or else he will end up in trouble.
• Dillon Maples, RHP, Cubs (Low-A Kane County): 2.0 IP, 1 H, 4 ER, 7 BB, 1 K; no real knockout offering, and Maples has not wowed scouts this season.
• James Ramsey, OF, Cardinals (Double-A Springfield): 0-5, 1 K. Ramsey, a 2012 first-round selection as a senior, has not adapted well to Double-A pitching; .229/.362/.305 with 31 K in 105 at-bats.
• Victor Roache, OF, Brewers (Low-A Wisconsin): 0-4, BB, 3 K; plenty of raw power, plenty of swing and miss—sounds like a broken record, doesn’t it?

“The Return”

Roberto Osuna, RHP, Blue Jays (Low-A Lansing): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. Osuna returned from the disabled list, and his fastball was touching 97. That is good news for Blue Jays fans who believed Tommy John was in his near future.

Zach Mortimer is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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