April 13, 2016
Who to Watch
Carolina League
by Adam McInturff
With action underway (if not postponed) throughout the minor leagues, we bring you guide to the players you should be watching throughout the minor league seasons. Throughout the week the Prospect Team will bring you a league or three per day, with every team covered, and every Top 10 prospect noted. We'll also provide reports on guys who couldn't crack the Top 10s, but are well worth your time anyway. Other pieces in this series:
The Midwest League
The South Atlantic League
The California League
The Eastern League
Frederick Keys—Baltimore Orioles
#5 3B Jomar Reyes
Keep an eye on:
Tanner Scott, LHP
Scott is one of those video game types of pitcher, with one absurdly-dominant aspect paired with a lot of other rough edges. There just aren’t many left-handers—pitchers, really, of any handedness—that genuinely stay in the upper-90s-touching-100 nearly every time out. Scott’s velocity comes from a broad, strapping upper-half, and powerfully-built hips and legs—standing 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, he’s put together like a classic flamethrower. If he were able to keep his fastball around the zone with more regularity, or even spin a slider that had more consistent flashes, he’d be a notable arm in this system. A stiff arm action and recoiled, unbalanced landing really subtract from his control and secondary pitches though, and Scott remains more or less a freak arm-strength guy trying to put anything else together to supplement his fastball. The rare guys like Scott who actually start putting it together seem to reap the rewards of their alterations quickly; southpaws with these types of fastballs can make quick ascents if something clicks.
Lynchburg Hillcats—Cleveland Indians
#4 LHP Justus Sheffield
#5 1B Bobby Bradley
#10 LF Mike Papi
Keep an eye on:
RHP Mitch Brown
Brown had a rough go in 141.2 innings of the Carolina League last year, posting a bloated 5.15 ERA while walking more batters than the year prior, and striking out fewer. The 2012 second-rounder has had a very slow ascent through Cleveland’s system—still yet to get to Double-A Akron entering his fourth professional season—and there’s some chance his sturdy frame and two pitch mix are actually going to be better-situated for a bullpen role at the end of the day. Despite some bumps in the road so far for Brown, a physical arm with best-case flashes of a strong two-pitch mix will get another crack at the Carolina League again this year.
Potomac Nationals—Washington Nationals
#6 RHP Eric Fedde
Keep an eye out:
3B Drew Ward
Ward has an extra-large build with very broad features. While he flashes the size, left-handedness, and raw power scouts seek in everyday corner players, he had a rough time in his first taste of Carolina League last season. Issues with off-speed stuff, same-side pitching, and strikeouts in general detract from the degree he’s able to bring the raw power he does have into game action. There are also some questions about if—despite quality makeup and an intense on-field demeanor—Ward can truly handle the defensive requisites of any infield position that isn’t first base. 2016 will be a critical year for Ward to maintain his standing as one of the top corner infield prospects in Washington’s system. To do that, he’ll need to make improvements to his contact rates and hitting approach in general.
CF Andrew Stevenson
Though not a true first-round selection this past June, Stevenson was the first player Washington, specifically, selected in the Draft. The LSU center fielder has an athletic frame that is a no-doubt plus runner and defender in center—the question is whether or not his bat plays at an everyday level. He’s lacking any upper-body strength for power, and hits form an unorthodox crouch with a fairly grooved path to the baseball. If 2016 goes Stevenson’s way, he should be able to play his way to the Double-A Eastern League by season’s end. If it doesn’t, this toolset can very quickly become a vanilla, defensively-oriented organizational player in the high minors.
Wilmington Blue Rocks—Kansas City Royals
No Player in Top Ten
Keep an eye out:
RHP Josh Staumont
Staumont’s velocity and inconsistent bursts of most everything else also could bin him in the ‘video game’ category. With a very chiseled 6-foot-3, 200 pound frame with strength in his core and legs, Staumont comes by high-90s velocity authentically. The hardest thrower in the 2015 Draft, Kansas City was confident enough in the ability to harness Staumont’s stuff they drafted him in the second-round. His curveball can also be a nasty power pitch with hammer-action in the mid-80s, but significant stiffness and not being a natural strikethrower puts his back against the wall as a one-pitch guy at times. Not nearly as polished as what one generally expects from a second-round college draftee, there’s a rawness that will take time, if ever, for Staumont to move away from.
Carolina Mudcats—Atlanta Braves
#1 SS Dansby Swanson
Keep an eye on:
RHP Zachary Bird
Bird’s physical, 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame is helping his stuff mature more and more each year. A muscle-bound delivery and limited natural feel for throwing strikes have plagued him throughout his career, though. He’s reportedly been up to 97 in the spring and leading up to the season. Given his intimidating frame, double-plus velocity, and historical issues with minimizing walks, this could be a make-or-break year in terms of solidifying himself as a starting pitching prospect in the Braves’ loaded system. Otherwise the temptation to allow him to play to his strengths in a short-stint role might be too great.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans—Chicago Cubs
#1 SS Gleyber Torres
#3 2B/OF Ian Happ
Keep an eye on:
David Berg, RHP
Aside from being a Cubs 2015 draftee, Berg made a name for himself at UCLA—setting a record for most saves over the course of a collegiate career. He’s a low-sidearmer who creates tough angle on same-side hitters, with a mid-80s fastball that features above-average sink. He won’t miss bats with his stuff, but backing a late-darting sinker with a frisbee slider, and circle-changeup he lands for strikes will lead to some frustrated hitters walking back to the dugout. Berg’s ceiling is no more that of a complementary relief-piece, but the feel to pitch and polished mix of stuff could allow the unorthodox sidearmer to move quickly.
Salem Red Sox—Boston Red Sox
#1 2B Yoan Moncada
#3 3B Rafael Devers
#4 CF Andrew Benintendi
Keep an eye on:
The three above.
Winston-Salem Dash—Chicago White Sox
#3 Spencer Adams, RHP
#10 Thaddius Lowry, RHP
Keen an eye on:
The sands of time, slowly slipping through our fingers.
Adam McInturff is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
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Who to Watch (04/13)
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2 comments have been left for this article. 
Fantasy Freestyle: Batted Balls and Team Def...
"The hardest thrower in the 2015 Draft, Kansas City was confident enough in the ability to harness Staumont’s stuff they drafted him in the second-round."
Misplaced modifier. Makes it sound like Kansas City was the hardest thrower in the 2015 draft.
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