August 15, 2013

Minor League Update

Games of Wednesday, August 14

by Zach Mortimer

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“The Good”

• Archie Bradley, RHP, Diamondbacks (Double-A Mobile): 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 7 K. Well, this could go down as a good night or a bad night. I thought I needed to throw it in and say a few words about it. Bradley’s stuff is fantastic, potentially may be the best in the minors, but he is still working to harness it. He is a top-notch athlete, and should be able to improve his command every step of the way.
• Charles Jones, OF, Giants (Low-A Augusta): 2-4, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB, K. Jones has been mentioned on the MLU multiple times, and the overall numbers this season his season have not been that impressive. Jones offers plus raw power and tools, but still needs massive refinement to stay on the prospect radar. He is in line for a promotion to the California League in 2014, and could put up major numbers there for all those California League fantasy players.
• Deck McGuire, RHP, Blue Jays (Double-A New Hampshire): 9.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K. I’ve seen McGuire multiple times in person, and I’ve actually never been impressed. His entire arsenal is, for lack of a better word, “soft."

“The Gray Area”

Jonathan Gray, RHP, Rockies (High-A Modesto): 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. Gray has electric stuff, with a fastball up that can touch triple digits, a slider with wipeout potential, and a developing changeup. The mechanics will need some work, but Gray top-of-the-rotation potential.

“The Bad”

• Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs (High-A Daytona): 0-3, 3 K. Bryant still getting used to life as a professional. The Cubs have moved him up to a more advanced level after starting him in a short-season league.
• Garin Cecchini, 3B, Red Sox (Double-A Portland): 1-6, 3 K. Cecchini is a very good prospect, but he’s more of a bat-to-ball hitter than one with premium bat speed. That makes me just a hair nervous going forward.
• Joey DeMichele, 2B/SS, White Sox (High-A Winston-Salem): 0-5, 3 K. The White Sox are playing DeMichele at shortstop now, and he struggled at second base. DeMichele has excellent bat-to-ball ability, but below-average bat speed.
• Josh Hader, LHP, Astros (Low-A Quad Cities): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K. I’ve seen Hader be really good, and I think he has a major-league future, but this was not his night.
• Nomar Mazara, RF, Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 0-4, 3 K. It’s almost like the Hickory team says “Hey, it’s your night!”
• Rougned Odor, 2B, Rangers (Double-A Frisco): 0-5, 3K. Remember, everyone, this Odor is only 19 years of age.

“The Ugly”

The performances tonight were not very impressive, which makes me a bit sad. However, it does not compare to the 36-hour internet and cable outage I just endured. The storm went through in the morning, and, come on now, I go to a game, get home, and still nothing? Thank you very much, Chris King, for picking me up in my time of small-town need. Hopefully the players will be ready to go tomorrow.

Zach Mortimer is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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