June 29, 2015

Minor League Update

Games of June 26-28, 2015

by Jeff Moore

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Friday

Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins (Chattanooga, AA): 3-5, R, 3 2B. It was only a matter of time before Sano got his timing back, and we knew that when he did he’d resume his power-hitting ways. Any way you slice it, he appears to be back to normal. In his last 30 games, he’s hitting .303/.400/.579. Prefer months? In June, he’s hitting .310/.412/.620. This is Sano at his best, as his hit tool will generally slide down a tick or two thanks to the swing and miss in his game. Still, he’s going to offer more than enough power to compensate for hitting .260.

Ryan McMahon, 3B, Rockies (Modesto, A+): 2-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, K. McMahon doesn’t offer any standout tools, but he is average to above average across the board, which adds up to a pretty good player. He’s got enough power potential to be an everyday player at third base, and he’s got plenty of glove and arm to remain there as well. There are some strikeout issues that are a bit concerning, in that they may keep his power from reaching its full potential, but he does enough things well that he should be able to overcome them.

Luis Severino, RHP, Yankees (Scranton/W-B, AAA): 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K. The things that make some scouts believe he’s destined for a bullpen, like his slender frame and the effort in his delivery, are still relevant for Severino, but a plus changeup can be a great equalizer. The effort in his delivery helps the changeup play up even further, and he creates deception with his plus arm speed to make the pitch a true swing-and-miss offering. Ideally, he’ll need to develop a third pitch to be a starter, but a changeup that he can throw to hitters of either handedness gives him a chance to get by without one.

Orlando Arcia, SS, Brewers (Biloxi, AA): 2-5, 2 R, 2B, 3B, K. It’s the arm and glove at a premium defensive position that make Arcia a noteworthy prospect, but it’s the emergence of his bat that has brought him to national attention—and not just as the best option in a weak Brewers farm system. He doesn’t offer much power, but the offensive bar at shortstop is low enough that anyone with a plus hit tool instantly becomes one of the better offensive options at the position. Arcia isn’t quite there yet, but it’s within reach.

Saturday

Austin Meadows, OF, Pirates (Bradenton, A+): 4-5, 3 R, 2B, SB. Meadows is a good hitter, and good hitters don’t slump for very long. The big day on Saturday broke the Pirates center fielder out of a 5-for-38 slump. Even with a brief period of struggles, Meadows has continued to hit throughout the season while also showing a patient approach and elite contact skills. The power hasn’t developed—and thanks to a line-drive approach, it probably never will to the extent that his large frame would suggest—but he’s going to make up for it with a plus hit tool.

Mallex Smith, OF, Braves (Gwinnett, AAA): 3-5, R, K, 3 SB. Smith has hit at every level of the minors, nowhere more so than he was doing in Double-A this season, which forced a promotion to Triple-A Gwinnett. Scouts generally question whether or not his hit tool will be able to carry him—and it will have to given his lack of power—but he’s done nothing but hit thus far. He still profiles as more of a fourth outfielder, but the more success he has against better competition, the more likely it becomes that he’ll be able to hold his own against major-league pitching.

Jonathan Gray, RHP, Rockies (Albuquerque, AAA): 4 1/3 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 4 BB, 5 K. It might be time to worry about Gray. The walk rate has grown while the strikeouts have diminished, and now he’s getting hit more than ever. Some of that is pitching in the Pacific Coast League, but some of that is a regression in his pure stuff from the arsenal that got him selected third overall just two years ago. Many expected him to be in the majors already, but instead he’s taking a step backward in Triple-A.

Kyle Schwarber, C, Cubs (Iowa, AAA): 3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, K. That six-game stint in the majors showed just what Schwarber is capable of with the bat, but he’s not back in the minors for more offensive refinement. The Cubs want his glove to catch up to the offensive profile, and while it’s probably not going to get to that point, his defense can get develop sufficiently to where the Cubs can use him behind the plate once or twice a week.

Sunday

Brandon Drury, 2B/3B, Diamondbacks (Reno, AAA): 2-4, R, 2 2B. Drury is having a strange offensive season, having lost his approach and as a result, his power. The raw pop is still very much intact and was evident this fall in Arizona, where he was learning to play second base for the first time on a regular basis. Perhaps a move to the PCL will help recharge the power in his bat, which might be a little light for third base but will be more than enough for the keystone.

Hunter Renfroe, OF, Padres (San Antonio, AA): 2-4, R, 2 2B. The power is coming back for Renfroe, who stumbled big time out of the gate this season and has yet to prove he can hit Double-A pitching on a regular basis. He’s hitting .275/.356/.513 in June, which is his first extended period of success against advanced arms. Renfroe will struggle with better breaking balls because of a pronounced weight transfer in his swing, but with the proper adjustment, he should be able to do enough damage—especially on fastballs, which he hits as well as anybody.

Bradley Zimmer, OF, Indians (Lynchburg, A+): 3-5, 4 R, 2B, HR, BB, SB. Zimmer has come on incredibly strong in his first full season, impressing scouts up and down the East Coast. The tools haven’t always been evident in a short glimpse, but the pure baseball skills are what becomes apparent during extended looks. Zimmer’s application of the hit tool has been the most impressive development this season, and when coupled with a patient approach and moderate power, it leaves him with a nice everyday-right-fielder profile.