October 16, 2015

Minor League Update

Arizona Fall League Games of October 15, 2015

by Jeffrey Paternostro

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Hitter of the Day: JaCoby Jones, DH, Detroit Tigers (Scottsdale Scorpions) 4-4, 2 R

Two straight days on the right side of the ledger, but like Mauricio, I don't really buy a starting profile here.

Pitcher of the Day: Alex Reyes, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals (Surprise Saguaros) 3.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

There aren't too many pitchers in the minors right now I would take over Reyes (who reportedly hit 99 in this outing), and if he figures out how to throw more strikes, that number shrinks dramatically.

Other names of note

Bubba Starling, RF, Kansas City Royals (Surprise Saguaros) 3-4, RBI, K

Man, I don't know. He's 23, struggled in his first taste of Double-A this year, but the athletic tools are still excellent. I don't know if he ever really truly figures it out, but the outfield version of Christian Colon isn't an awful outcome I guess.

Dominic Smith, DH, New York Mets (Salt River Rafters) 1-2, 2 R, 3 BB, K

Smith had a superficially good year in the Florida State League, and is in the midst of a red-hot start in Arizona, in but I just don't buy the power profile ever getting where it needs to be to carry a first baseman's glove. He has some feel with the bat head and is strong enough to shoot some doubles the other way now, but once he sees bigger arms that can pound him in with fastballs, I worry the profile falls apart.

Gavin Cecchini, SS, New York Mets (Salt River Rafters) 2-3, R, 2 BB

Cecchini had a superficially good year in the Eastern League (which matters more than one in the Florida State League to be fair), but I can't put a real major league shortstop grade on him, which makes the whole thing a lot less interesting. There is enough hit and approach here that he will kick around major league rosters for a while in some sort of infield bench role.

Jordan Patterson, LF, Colorado Rockies (Salt River Rafters) 1-5, K

Patterson was a pleasant surprise for me in 2015. He probably doesn't make a suddenly loaded Rockies Top 10 due to his age and corner profile, but he's an athletic kid with a broad base of offensive skills. Could start for a few years on a second-division team, which the Rockies look like right about now.

JP Crawford, SS, Philadelphia Phillies (Glendale Desert Dogs) 0-4, 2 E

Crawford could go 0 for the Fall League and I am pretty sure I would still be all-in on him. I think he has a strong case as the best prospect in baseball right now. Incredibly advanced approach, easy plus shortstop projection, and I think there is average game power lurking in there as well.

Jeffrey Paternostro is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @jeffpaternostro
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