July 7, 2016

Minor League Update

Games of Wednesday, July 6th

by Christopher Crawford

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Prospect of the Day: Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox (High-A Salem): 4-for-8, 2 R, 3 2B, 3 K.
Most of the damage done by Devers was in game one of the doubleheader, as he went 3-for-4 with three doubles. You might look at his statline and say he’s struggled in 2016. That’d only be a half-truth. Sure, there have been ups and downs, but Devers’ offensive talent competes with anyone’s, and there have been plenty of games like this that suggest he’ll be just fine, especially when you keep in mind that he’s still only 19 years old. He’s going to be very, very good.

Others of Note:

Hunter Dozier, 3B, Kansas City Royals (Triple-A Omaha): 5-for-7, 4 R, 2B, HR, 2 BB. Last year was a disaster. This year has been... whatever the opposite of a disaster is.

David Dahl, OF, Colorado Rockies (Triple-A Albuquerque): 4-for-4, 2 2B. The thing about players needing time to adjust to a level is no they don’t, especially when they’re as talented as Dahl is.

Jose De Leon, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers (Triple-A Oklahoma City): 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K. I’m guessing the three walks will be close to a season high; he’s pounding the zone with all three pitches, and two of them have flashed plus-plus since his return.

Kendry Flores, RHP, Miami Marlins (Triple-A New Orleans): 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Speaking of pounding the zone. Flores throws all of his pitches for strikes and limits the self-inflicted damage as well; he just doesn’t have the same kind of stuff as De Leon does.

Carson Fulmer, RHP, Chicago White Sox (Double-A Birmingham): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K. I guess I could complain about the three walks, but I’m not going to. Fulmer’s stuff is nasty when everything is clicking.

Kyle Crick, RHP, San Francisco Giants (Double-A Richmond): 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 3 K. Seriously, what’s up with all the walks tonight? With how much Crick has struggled as a starter in 2016, I’m sure he and the Giants will take it.

Franklin Barreto, SS, Oakland Athletics (Double-A Midland): 3-for-3, 2 R, 2B, BB, 2 SB. Take away Barreto’s May, in which he posted a .530 OPS, and his numbers would be much more in line with what his talent suggests.

J.D. Davis, 3B, Houston Astros (Double-A Corpus Christi): 3-for-5, R, 2B. Davis gets lost in the shuffle with some of the other Astros prospects, but there’s plus power from the right side, and his plus-plus throwing arm serves him well at the hot corner.

Yu-Cheng Chang, SS, Cleveland (High-A Lynchburg): 4-for-5, 2 R, 2 B, K. If Chang can keep the strikeouts to a dull roar, he has a chance to be a regular somewhere in the infield, as all of the tools flash average or better.

Josh Staumont, RHP, Kansas City Royals (High-A Wilmington): 7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. Staumont throws really, really hard, and when he locates the gas and his solid-average curveball, he looks like a mid-rotation starter. Those types of outings been few and far between in 2016, though, and he’s almost universally regarded as a reliever.

Austin Williams, RHP, Washington Nationals (High-A Potomac): 6 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. The greatest strength in Williams’ arsenal is his command, but he will show an above-average fastball and a curveball that has enough depth and spin to be called average.

Braxton Davidson, OF, Atlanta Braves (High-A Carolina): 2-for-6, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 3 K. Yeah, yeah, three strikeouts and whatnot; anytime you hit a dinger and walk twice, you’re having a pretty darn good day.

Alex Jackson, OF, Seattle Mariners (Low-A Clinton): 1-for-4, HR, 2 K. I’m sorry, Mr. Jackson, but are you for real?

Jared Foster, OF, Los Angeles Angels (Low-A Burlington): 4-for-5, 4 R, HR. Foster is still relatively new to full-time baseball, but he’s shown four average tools, and there could be some more power on the way.

Jon Harris, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays (Low-A Lansing): 7 IP, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K. On Monday we talked about how there was a plethora of right-handers competing to be the best pitching prospect in the Toronto system. This is definitely one of them.

Franklyn Kilome, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies (Low-A Lakewood): 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 7 K. Seriously, enough with the walks, everyone. I hate walks. Kilome’s stuff is really impressive, but if he can’t throw more strikes, it’s not gonna work as a starter.

Brady Aiken, LHP, Cleveland (Short-season AZL): 2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. I can’t stay mad at you. We’re all just real happy to see you pitching.

Jordan Holloway, RHP, Miami Marlins (Short-season Batavia): 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. Holloway shows a plus fastball and curveball, and if the change/command can get to even 45 levels, he has a chance to pitch every fifth day.

Seuly Matias, OF, Royals (Short-Season AZL) 2-for-2, 2 R, SB, CS. It’s all very raw, but Matias is a living tool shed, and several scouts have told me this is the most talented outfielder in the Kansas City system.

Gilberto Celestino, OF, Astros (Short-Season DSL Orange): 1- for-4, HR. The Astros gave Celestino over $2 million in last year’s IFA “season,” and you shouldn’t be surprised if this is one of the best hitting prospects in the Houston system in a couple of years. He can do a little bit of everything, and he’s especially good with the glove.

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