April 14, 2016
Who to Watch
Texas League
by Kit House
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 Florida State League
The Carolina League
The Eastern League
The Southern League
Texas League - North
Arkansas Travelers - Los Angeles Angels
#3 RHP Victor Alcantara
#10 OF Chad Hinshaw
Keep an eye on:
RHP Kyle McGowin
McGowin pitched 154 pedestrian Double-A innings after sitting out half the season in 2014 with a sore elbow. He has a low-90s fastball with some sink and an average slider and change. If his middling command improves, the “innings eater” connotation could be less pejorative and more positive.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals - Kansas City Royals
#1 SS Raul Mondesi
#5 OF Bubba Starling
#10 3B Hunter Dozier
Keep an eye on:
RHP Alec Mills
Handing out 14 walks in 113.3 innings sounds like someone used a lot of savepoints to get a cheap video game achievement. Pairing that with 111 strikeouts sounds more like a cheat code was involved. The big question: If his below-average changeup and curve don’t step up, can he still afford to leave his plus fastball in the zone against Double-A batters?
LHP Eric Skoglund
Command of three unexceptional pitches yielded a fine season for Skoglund at High-A. Unfortunately, the list of successful high-level pitchers with that mix is short—unlike Skoglund, who is listed at 6-foot-7, 200 pounds. If you subscribe to the theory that uncommon physical attributes are worth a longer look, feel free to dream on the length and left-handedness.
Springfield Cardinals - St. Louis Cardinals
No Players in Top Ten
Keep an eye on:
OF Harrison Bader
Saying that Bader has no deficient or exceptional tools seems to foreshadow a fourth-outfielder profile, and that might just end up being the case. However, the former Florida Gator put up serious power numbers in college and A-ball and seems to wring a lot of production from his tools, specifically a mature approach that uses patience to put his power in play.
C Carson Kelly
The Cardinals have a lengthy record of unorthodox position recasting. Add Kelly to the program, because he only has two season of catching under his belt after being a two-way star at third base in high school. He’s either a method actor who started hitting like a catcher to accommodate the change in role, or he’s trying to establish his character’s defensive motivation before a break-out at the plate in act III. He’s probably a glove-first major league backup, but he was probably a pitcher five years ago.
LHP Corey Littrell
A command pitcher with a low-90s fastball, Littrell also throws a curve, slider, and change that are all reliably average or better. That sounds boring, but it also sounds like a future major leaguer.
Tulsa Drillers - Los Angeles Dodgers
#7 OF Alex Verdugo
#9 1B/OF Cody Bellinger
Keep an eye on:
2B/OF Willie Calhoun
The bat control, discipline, and surprising small-package power all look legitimate, at least through High-A. The transition from left field to second base will continue this season. If he can stick there (and early returns are promising) he is a much more interesting prospect.
OF Jacob Scavuzzo
Although Scavuzzo has a well-rounded tool portfolio, he seems to be veering toward left rather than center. That might be okay, because the power and contact are keeping pace with the move down the defensive spectrum. The swing has question marks, but he still has time to make adjustments and rise through the prospect ranks.
Texas League - South
Corpus Christi Hooks - Houston Astros
#1 SS Alex Bregman
#3 RHP Francis Martes
#6 OF Derek Fisher
#9 RHP David Paulino
Keep an eye on:
RHP Joe Musgrove
A testament to the depth of the Houston system beyond the top ten, Musgrove showed off Captain Picard-level command by issuing eight walks and seven home runs in 14 starts last season. Unfortunately, he has Captain Pike-level health: He has missed time every season, including some scary shoulder problems early in his career. With a plus fastball in the low 90s, and a developing change and breaking pitch, he would be knocking at the door of some major league clubhouses. His starts should be appointment viewing for Texas League fans, because health or success will probably limit the number of Double-A appearances he makes this season.
3B J.D. Davis
A testament to the surplus of free-swinging power hitters in the Houston system, Davis struck out 157 times at High-A en route to 26 homers. The arm is fine, the speed is not, and the swing is what it is, so all of the pressure is on the glove. Third base is the express lane, and first base is the DMV waiting room strewn with desperate souls and take-a-number tickets.
OF Teoscar Hernandez
An intriguing power/speed guy, Hernandez cratered last year with a curious .261 BABIP that was 40 points south of any previous professional season. Considering his 33 stolen bases and 17 home runs, one would usually suppose that hard contact and infield hits were also part of the mix that normally pushes BABIP up. This season could reveal how much his admittedly poor hit tool and approach were to blame for weak contact and how much bad luck was involved. Regardless, he probably can’t stick in center so it wouldn’t hurt to gain some ground at the plate this season.
Frisco RoughRiders - Texas Rangers
#3 OF Lewis Brinson
Keep an eye on:
1B Ronald Guzman
After signing four years ago as a Dominican teenager, Guzman is still raw. First base is the only position he can play, but he’s at least adequate there. The bat needs to develop. Most agree on plus raw power with more potential strength down the road. Opinions on his present and potential hit tool vary between decent and doomed.
OF Ryan Cordell
Bat speed and strength give Cordell some projection at the plate, but his lack of success at Double-A last year confirmed that his offense isn’t ready yet. He does have plus speed and solid chops for all outfield positions. After playing all over the field, he might be transitioning from a utility track to more of an outfield-only one.
RHP Connor Sadzeck
After a year lost to Tommy John surgery, Sadzeck returned to touch 100 mph in Arizona last fall. His curve and change aren’t there and might never be. He is starting the year in the rotation, but looks like a reliever long term.
Midland RockHounds - Oakland Athletics
#1 SS Franklin Barreto
#6 3B Matt Chapman
Keep an eye on:
RHP Raul Alcantara
Alcantara’s low-90s fastball is major-league quality, and it’s supported by a good change and solid control. However, he lost two seasons of development after Tommy John surgery and a keep-it-between-the-ditches repeat of High-A. Oakland is nothing if not intentional, so the breaking stuff that took a backseat during extended rehab could become a priority this season.
RHP Daniel Mengden
Let’s talk about Mengden’s peripherals last season. No, not 8.6 whiffs per nine, 2.5 walks per nin, or 0.76 homers per nine on three A-Level teams. I’m talking about the Looney Tunes windup and the Rollie Fingers mustache. Do you really care about seeing four pitches and control that is all a bit above or below average? Or do you care about seeing a saloon villain looking like he’s trying to sniff-test his deodorant before coming to the plate? Entertainment value: the new market inefficiency.
OF Jaycob Brugman
His tools are all close to average, but he’s survived at three outfield positions and his smooth lefty swing produced a four-game home run streak in the Texas League postseason. Overfitting certain profiles to certain teams can feel like lazy analysis, so let’s just ignore the platoon-ready elephant with defensive versatility in the room.
San Antonio Missions - San Diego Padres
#6 SS Jose Rondon
Keep an eye on:
OF Auston Bousfield
Bousfield has the speed to play decent center and swipe some bags, but the on-base skills didn’t follow him from High-A to Double-A last season. If he really added 15 pounds of muscle over the winter (as Fox Sports San Diego reported) he at least tried to address his total lack of power from last season.
RHP Trey McNutt
A former 32nd-round pick of the Cubs, McNutt caught many by surprise when he cruised through three levels as a 20-year-old, finishing the 2010 season in Double-A, earning him a top prospect status. It is even rumored Cubs favored McNutt over Archer in the Matt Garza trade. McNutt sat in the mid 90s, touching as high as 99, with a power breaking ball. Fast-forward five underwhelming years and a shoulder surgery later, it looked like his career may be over. After being released early in 2015, he spent the rest of the year rehabbing and training and was given a second chance with the Padres in 2016, even appearing in a Spring Training game where his fastball touched 96 MPH in a strikeout of Hunter Pence. Once projected as a mid-level starter or a late inning reliever, if he can stay healthy there is no reason to think he couldn’t at least attain the latter. – Derek Florko
OF Nick Torres
The organization’s Minor League Player of the Year somehow hit 44 doubles but only five home runs. His swing has some lift but little load, and his other tools are unremarkable.
Who to Watch (04/14)
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2 comments have been left for this article. 
The Stash List: Second Edition, 2016
I would definitely put Matt Bush on the who to watch list for
the Frisco Roughriders. Between the long unfortunate history leading up to this point, the high 90s (touching 100) fastball and the plus curveball he makes for compelling viewing, and could be in Arlington much sooner than later.
I think you're right that Matt Bush is one to watch. There's enough talent and tragedy there to elicit plenty of strong opinions, with a lot of unknowns.