April 21, 2016

Minor League Update

Games of Wednesday, April 20th

by Christopher Crawford

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Prospect of the Day:

Trea Turner, SS, Washington Nationals (Triple-A Syracuse): 5-for-8, 2 R, 2 SB, 1 K.
Turner now has 20 hits in his dozen games, and he’s not just dinking and dunking; he’s hitting the ball with authority to all parts of the field. With a plus hit tool, double-plus speed, and competent defense at shortstop, it shouldn’t be long until we see him hitting at or near the top of the Nationals lineup. He should have been to begin the year, however, so it remains to be seen when he’ll get that chance. Enjoy him while you can, Syracuse.

Others of Note:

Kendry Flores, RHP, MIami Marlins (Triple-A New Orleans): 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K. The former Giants prospect does it more with command than big-time stuff, but it’ll be good enough to let him pitch every fifth day.

Jesse Winker, OF, Cincinnati Reds (Triple-A Louisville): 3-for-4, R, 2B, 2 BB. Best hit tool in Triple-A? Best hit tool in Triple-A.

Alex Meyer, RHP, Minnesota Twins (Triple-A Rochester): 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. Keep throwing strikes, Mr. Meyer. We all want to believe in you.

Albert Almora, OF, Chicago Cubs (Triple-A Iowa): 3-for-4, 2B, HR. That’s six hits in the last two games for the sixth-overall pick in the 2012 draft.

Orlando Arcia, SS, Milwaukee Brewers (Triple-A Colorado Springs): 2-for-7, HR, K (doubleheader): The homer was a walkoff. Walkoffs are fun. Oh, and I had an assistant GM say this was the best prospect in baseball today. That’s fun, too.

Jake Bauers, 1B/OF, Tampa Bay Rays (Double-A Montgomery): 3-for-4, 2 R, HR, BB. If he can stay in the outfield, he has a chance to be a regular thanks to the potential for 55 hit and power tools.

Ricardo Pinto, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies (Double-A Reading): 7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. Nice bounceback from the talented right-hander after giving up eight runs in under three innings the start before.

David Dahl, OF, Colorado Rockies (Double-A Hartford): 2-for-5, 2B, HR, BB, K. Not only did that homer tie his 2015 output (6), it tied him for the lead in all of minor-league baseball.

Austin Dean, OF, Marlins (Double-A Jupiter): 3-for-3, 2 R, HR, BB. Has a name that reminds you of the 1950s and a game that reminds you of (potentially) a very competent bench bat. Nothing wrong with that.

Adalberto Mejia, LHP, San Francisco Giants (Double-A Richmond): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. The burly left-hander has three competent pitches and feel for missing bats.

Jorge Mateo, SS, New York Yankees (High-A Tampa): 1-for-3, R, 2 SB, BB, K. The only top-100 prospect who can make Trea Turner look slow.

Austin Gomber, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals (High-A Palm Beach): 6.2 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB 5 K. This 2014 fourth-round selection has not allowed a run in his last 14 2/3 innings pitched.

Kevin Newman, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates (High-A Bradenton): 2-for-3, BB. I wish there were some semblance of power here, because if there was, he’d be a potential superstar.

Kohl Stewart, RHP, Twins (High-A Fort Myers): 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. Not a great start for the ERA, but we care much more about the fact that he’s missing bats (21 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings).

Jordan Stephens, RHP, Chicago White Sox (High-A Winston-Salem): 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K. A very nice start for Stephens. He’s a right-hander with four pitches led by an above-average curveball and solid-average cutter.

Victor Robles, OF, Nationals (Low-A Potomac): 3-for-4, 3 R, 3B, HR, SB. I get asked about him in every chat I have. I can’t blame anyone for asking; the upside competes with anyone’s.

Peter Lambert, LHP, Rockies (Low-A Asheville): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K. One of the most advanced hurlers from last year’s class, but he’s not lacking in upside thanks to his 60 fastball and potentially plus curveball.

Josh Ockimey, 1B, Boston Red Sox (Low-A Greenville): 1-for-4, 4 BB, K. One of the weirdest statlines I’ve ever seen. Weird things happen in games that go 17 innings, I suppose.

Andy Ibanez, 2B, Texas Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 5-for-7, 2 R, 2 2B, HR, BB, SB, CS, K. Whether he’s two or 10 years too old for the league, he’s still crushing the ball, and he gives the Rangers another quality middle infielder in a system that’s seemingly constantly full of them.

Dario Agrazal, RHP, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia): 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. He’s never going to miss a ton of bats, but Agrazal throws strikes with all of his offerings, and he generates a ton of groundballs thanks to his sinking fastball.

Christopher Crawford is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @CVCrawfordBP
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