July 20, 2016

Minor League Update

Games of Tuesday, July 19th

by Mark Anderson

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Prospect of the Day:

Joe Musgrove, RHP, Astros (Triple-A Fresno): 7 IP, 6 H, 0 R/ER, 0 BB, 9 K.
BP’s very own Wilson Karaman made a strong pitch for Musgrove during our recent mid-season Top 50 update discussions, arguing that Musgrove’s control and command are of such quality that his entire arsenal plays up. The arsenal is solid across the board, and if he can continue to locate to the edges, he should be able to sustain some level of success against major-league hitters as early as next season.

Others of Note:

Matt Chapman, 3B, Athletics (Double-A Midland): 4-5, 2 R, 3 2B, 4 RBI. This season hasn’t gone as planned for Chapman. He’s capable of pounding extra-base hits like he did last night, but his inability to make consistent contact has held him back against more advanced pitching.

Sean Reid-Foley, RHP, Blue Jays (High-A Dunedin): 6 IP, H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 10 K. You would like to believe he could come fast enough to mesh with that offense in Toronto, but that doesn’t seem likely. Either way, Reid-Foley’s really, really good, and I’m looking forward to seeing many of his starts next year in Double-A.

Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., OF, Blue Jays (Short-Season Bluefield): 2-4, 2 2B. Every time I talk to a scout about the young Vlad, the conversation is very entertaining. Guerrero has offensive gifts, including some feel for hitting and raw power, two tools that could carry him to the big leagues.

Ian Anderson, RHP, Braves (Rookie GCL): 3 IP, 2 H, R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. The Braves top pick this summer, Anderson turned in a solid showing in this rookie-league outing.

Triston McKenzie, RHP, Indians (Short-Season Mohoning Valley): 6 IP, 4 H, R/ER, 2 BB, 8 K. McKenzie has a huge ceiling and a long way to go to achieve it, but given the reports on his stuff and the performance, he should be a big riser on offseason prospect lists.

Lucas Giolito, RHP, Nationals (Triple-A Syracuse): 6.2 IP, 7 H, R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. We get caught in the trap of nitpicking elite prospects at times, just because we can. We (generally speaking) have done that a bit with Giolito over the last year. While we can pick some nits, the bottom line remains: He’s going to be a frontline starter in the big leagues.

Erick Fedde, RHP, Nationals (High-A Potomac): 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R/ER, BB, 5 K. Fedde obviously doesn’t have Giolito’s raw talent or his upside, but he should be a quality starter behind Scherzer, Strasburg, and Giolito down the line.

Manuel Margot, OF, Padres (Triple-A El Paso): 3-5, 3 R, 2B, 2 3B, K. The headliner in the deal that shipped Craig Kimbrel to Boston, Margot looks the part of a very good everyday player in center field. He can go get it on defense, and he has enough bat speed to drive the ball to the gaps and generate extra-base hits.

G.K. Young, 1B, Padres (Short-Season Tri City): 2-5, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI. In no way is Young a top-flight prospect, but coming off a College World Series title where he was an integral part of Coastal Carolina’s offense, Young has gotten off to a nice start in pro ball.

Kevin Newman, SS, Pirates (Double-A Altoona): 3-4, R, HR, RBI, BB. What’s this? Newman isn’t supposed to hit home runs! Those three hits in four trips, though, now that looks pretty typical.

Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox (High-A Salem): 3-5, R, 2 2B, SB. Since May 28^th, Devers has hit .353 with 16 doubles, five triples, and one home run, along with 11 walks and just 28 strikeouts in 42 games. He has adjusted to High-A, folks, and the Red Sox have a burgeoning offensive star.

Raimel Tapia, OF, Rockies (Double-A Hartford): 4-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, CS. Tapia has done a lot to prove himself at Double-A this year, justifying the past hype. There are some instinctual things that must develop, but Tapia’s natural gifts at the plate are shining in Double-A and he should be a key part of Colorado’s future.

Raul Mondesi, SS, Royals (Triple-A Omaha): 3-5, 2 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 K, SB. That’s a full stat line and is an example of just how broad Mondesi’s game is, without even talking about his glove. He still needs some polishing, but Mondesi can hit, he can drive the ball, and he can run a bit, making him a true big-league threat.

Mark Anderson is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @ProspectMark
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