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Amaro's Phillies (08/07)
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August 7, 2014
Eyewitness Accounts
August 7, 2014
by Tucker Blair
Ivan Hernandez
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Born: 07/28/1991 (Age: 22) |
Bats: Right |
Throws: Right |
Height: 6' 2" |
Weight: 249 |
Big frame; likely maxed; sturdy body with thick legs; low 3/4 arm slot; good arm speed; will drag arm across body; opens up; ability to drive off back foot and provide explosion; opening up will disrupt timing off delivery and hinder command; has trouble repeating the entire delivery; sometimes will drop arm slot and lose all command; plane is not great from his arm slot. |
Tucker Blair |
06/29/2014 |
Aberdeen IronBirds (Short Season, Orioles) |
6/28/2014 |
30/High |
30; Organizational Player |
2018 |
No |
FB |
50 |
60 |
92-96 |
97 |
Explosive pitch with excellent velocity; mild arm-side run at 92-94; straightens out at higher velocity; cannot command anything over 95 mph; struggles to command pitch in general; erratic and often aims the pitch; opening up and dragging arm are biggest factors for lack of command; pitch can be refined with improvement to mechanics and understanding he does not need to overpower everyone; poor plane makes pitch lose value. |
SL |
35 |
45 |
79 |
79 |
Needs work; casted four SL in this appearance; slight sweep but hangs in the middle of the plate too long; hard contact on two of them; other two were balls; mild tilt but telegraphs pitch; is easy to pick up out of his hand. Refinement possible if he can replicate arm speed and tighten grip. |
CH |
|
|
83 |
83 |
Limited look; threw one CH at 83 with no feel or fade; looked like his fastball with mild arm-side run. |
Hernandez has a big arm but a long ways to go before he becomes a consistent reliever. The secondary pitches do not project to be average, which likely holds back Hernandez in the long run. He can live off the FB for now, but the SL will need major improvement before he reaches full season leagues. Overall, this is likely an org arm with slight potential to become more if the skill-set clicks.
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Gerardo Reyes
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Born: 05/13/1993 (Age: 21) |
Bats: Right |
Throws: Right |
Height: 5' 11" |
Weight: 160 |
Small frame; thicker legs and butt; likely maxed out; arm speed is excellent; slightly lower 3/4 arm slot; able to keep body compact; good drive and push toward home; slight twist in body on delivery; mechanics are smooth; heavy exertion on small frame; plane is average but makes up for it with deception. |
Tucker Blair |
06/29/2014 |
Hudson Valley Renegades (Short Season, Rays) |
6/28/2014 |
55/Medium |
55; Late-innings Reliever |
2016 |
No |
FB |
60 |
65 |
92-96 |
96 |
Hard arm-side run; explosive pitch with plus-plus velocity; highly deceptive offering that sneaks up on the hitter; plane is not terrific; deception plays it up; command is currently average; sat 94-96 in first inning of work; velocity dipped to 92-95 in second inning of work; mild refinement in command could allow to play up a tick in grade; one inning efforts also could benefit. |
SL |
60 |
65 |
78-83 |
85 |
Hard biting slider with excellent tilt; best SL of the night was actually the 85 mph offering; starts in the middle of the plate and bites hard outside; struck out the side on three SL; casted once; release point was too early; works best at the higher velo band; terrific pitch with strikeout potential at any level if he can play it off the FB. |
CH |
|
|
84 |
84 |
Threw one CH; no fade; would need to see more for any other insight. |
Reyes has a big-time arm and is capable of pitching in the majors in high-leverage situations. The FB/SL combo is excellent, and he was overpowering for the NYPL. He struck out the side in his first inning of work on 11 pitches; all strikes. While he is physically maxed, he could still use a slight refinement in his command. This will likely come with more repetition on the mound, as he certainly shows pitchability. His second inning was not as crisp, and he dipped in velocity and command. He flashed a CH, but I don't think he will need that in his max-effort relief role. Overall, this is a quick-moving reliever who could see the majors in a year or two.
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Rafael Bautista
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Born: 03/08/1993 (Age: 21) |
Bats: Right |
Throws: Right |
Height: 6' 2" |
Weight: 165 |
Primary Position: CF |
Secondary Position: |
Wiry frame; skinny legs and not much muscle; room for growth but would not be ideal for his style of game. |
Tucker Blair |
07/20/2014 |
6/14/14, 7/18/14 - 7/20/14 |
Hagerstown Suns (Low A, Nationals) |
2016 |
Medium |
45 |
40; Fourth Outfielder |
No |
Looks thrilled to be out there; generally looks to enjoy the game and hustles everything out.
|
Bautista is a speedy Dominican who displays a few impressive tools. While he is not a flashy player, the defense alone will likely move him through the minors enough to at least get a crack as a fourth OF. His games revolves around the plus speed.
He could end up piecing enough together at the plate for a few second-division type seasons, but is likely a fourth outfielder due to lack of a hit tool and impact bat. The speed is great, but is not good enough to impact his game at the plate.
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Josh Bell
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Born: 08/14/1992 (Age: 21) |
Bats: Switch |
Throws: Right |
Height: 6' 3" |
Weight: 213 |
Primary Position: RF |
Secondary Position: |
Thicker build; mild room left for growth; should settle into a power body that looks like a major-league power hitter; thick thighs and broad shoulders; looks like a RF. |
Tucker Blair |
07/27/2014 |
7/24/14 - 7/26/14 |
Altoona Curve (AA, Pirates) |
2016 |
Moderate |
60 |
50; Major League Regular |
No |
Bell has two plus tools that will suited to his position. The swing is currently inconsistent but he shows ability to hit the ball to all fields and the barrel-to-ball ability is solid. The skills are still lagging in-game, but the raw tools are all there and he is showing some of them. The ball jumps off his bat when he makes contact, but he still needs to learn and grow as a hitter when it comes to situational hitting and his general approach at the plate. He has a decent eye, but there were a few AB where he did not have the most logical approach for the situation at hand.
Overall, I like Bell and think there is enough talent to be a very talented right fielder. However, the swing still needs some refinement and he looks like a player who will need at least another year at the Double-A level.
|
Stetson Allie
|
Born: 03/13/1991 (Age: 23) |
Bats: Right |
Throws: Right |
Height: 6' 2" |
Weight: 238 |
Primary Position: 1B |
Secondary Position: DH |
Big frame; accurate listing; thick neck; broad shoulders; thick legs; looks like a first basemen; frame is surprisingly not maxed but probably not a good idea to put anything else on the frame. |
Tucker Blair |
07/27/2014 |
7/3/14, 7/24/14 - 7/26/14 |
Altoona Curve (AA, Pirates) |
2016 |
Moderate |
35 |
30; Organizational Player |
No |
Looked to whine a little after making an error; otherwise acted fine and did not see anything else to shift my views in either direction.
|
Stetson Allie has plus-plus raw power and a terrific arm. However, both tools are largely unused during the game. His hit tool will hinder the power for his career, and I do not see the hit tool allowing much impact with the bat. The arm is essentially irrelevant as he is limited to first base only.
Allie is likely an org player who might get a cup of coffee or end up as a platoon bat with some pop off the bench. The risk is moderate because he is a converted pitcher and just reached Double-A for the first time.
|
Alen Hanson
|
Born: 10/22/1992 (Age: 21) |
Bats: Switch |
Throws: Right |
Height: 5' 11" |
Weight: 170 |
Primary Position: SS |
Secondary Position: 2B |
Accurate size listing; slight room for growth; smaller framed player with skinny legs. |
Tucker Blair |
07/25/2014 |
7/3/14, 7/24/14 - 7/26/14 |
Altoona Curve (AA, Pirates) |
2015 |
Moderate |
50 |
45; Second Division Starter |
No |
Did not enjoy a few called strikes; let the umpire know but handled it in the proper manner; looks professional out there for the most part.
|
Hanson does not have an exciting profile, largely because he will not be able stick as a SS. He does not have the arm or instincts to play there, and he is much better off playing a position with less athleticism required, such as 2B. He should be fine there, and could play average to solid-average defense there, simply because he has more time to set his feet and the throws are not as long.
At the plate, Hanson shows ability to barrel the ball and spray across the diamond. He is fairly consistent from both sides of the plate, and will make enough contact to hit for a decent batting average. He does not have a great eye at the plate and the discipline is not terrific. This likely hinders his ability to get on base, but the barrel skills make up for it some.
Overall, Hanson is a solid second division prospect who should provide some offensive value at 2B. He can play SS in a pinch if necessary, but will not be able to stick there long term.
|
Michael Yastrzemski
|
Born: 08/23/1990 (Age: 23) |
Bats: Left |
Throws: Left |
Height: 5' 11" |
Weight: 180 |
Primary Position: CF |
Secondary Position: RF |
Athletic build; small frame; likely physically maxed; muscular but not large. |
Tucker Blair |
07/27/2014 |
7/24/14 - 7/26/14 |
Bowie Baysox (AA, Orioles) |
2015 |
Moderate |
50 |
45; Fourth Outfielder |
No |
Elite; max hustle; grinds out everything; full effort at all times; always in position; everyone likes him, players, coaches, fans.
|
The grandson of the great Carl does not have impact tools. However, his elite makeup and baseball smarts substitute for many of his weaknesses. This is a player who will grind out every play, even the ones he is not directly involved with. He sprinted from right-center to a routine fly ball at the left fielder. If the fielder was not there, Yastrzemski could have made the catch.
The tools are fringe-average to solid-average across the board, leaving an average ballplayer. However, his elite makeup and hustle could allow him to maximize these tools and put together a solid career as a second-division talent. He just reached Double-A, so there is still much to learn. He still needs to work on his approach against LHP.
|
Tucker Blair is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
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5 comments have been left for this article.
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The depth of info here is outstanding, and I feel like I am well-informed regarding names I always hear about with the Pirates. Thanks Tucker!