August 7, 2017

Minor League Update

Games of August 4th-6th

by Mark Anderson

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Prospect of the Weekend:
D.J. Stewart, OF, Orioles (Double-A, Bowie): 6-17, 3 R, 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBI, K.

Stewart has turned it on of late, including a big weekend that offered a home run each day, and plenty of runs driven in. Blessed with average hitting ability and the potential for average game power at the big-league level, Stewart could develop the offensive game to support his defensive profile, which is limited to left field.

 

 

 

Friday, August 4^th  

 

Ronald Acuna, OF, Braves (Triple-A, Gwinnett): 2-2, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, E.
Oh, so now you’re going to add some walks to the profile? Really? Come on now, be nice!

 

Isan Diaz, 2B, Brewers (High-A, Carolina): 2-3, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI.
Diaz has struggled with the promotion to High-A this season, but he still owns the impressive bat speed and offensive potential that made him one of the more exciting young offensive prospects in the game entering the year.

 

Dawel Lugo, INF, Tigers (Double-A, Erie): 2-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 K.
Lugo has taken well to his new organization, slashing .278/.333/.486 heading into Sunday’s action, including a quick four bombs, six walks, and just 10 strikeouts in 18 games.

 

Aramis Ademan, SS, Cubs (Low-A, South Bend): 3-6, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, 2 K, SB.
Ademan replaced Isaac Paredes with South Bend after the latter was dealt to the Tigers last week, and there are some in the industry that believe Ademan could be on a path to becoming a highly ranked prospect in his own right.

 

Mason House, OF, Padres (Rookie, AZL Padres): 4-5, R, 2B, K.
House had almost no track record against top notch competition heading into the draft, but that didn’t stop the Padres from pulling the trigger in the third round. House has hit the ground running in pro ball, hitting nearly .300 so far, though the strikeout rate is alarming early on. House will likely require significant developmental time to capitalize on his incredible athleticism, but he could be worth the wait.

 

Hudson Potts, 3B/SS, Padres (Low-A, Fort Wayne): 4-5, 4 R, 3 2B, 2 RBI.
Potts was a surprise first-round pick in 2016, and while he’s struggled at the plate for most of this season, he’s holding his own as an 18-year-old in full-season ball. Potts has a chance to be a well-rounded third baseman long term, but the developmental path will not be linear.

 

Lewis Thorpe, LHP, Twins (High-A, Fort Myers): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 3 BB, 9 K.
Finally back in action after missing two seasons due to injury, Thorpe has been impressive in the Florida State League this summer. The reports on his raw stuff have varied from outing to outing, but there are rumblings within the scouting community that he’s slowly looking more comfortable on the mound and could turn a corner in his development in 2018.

 

Jose Suarez, LHP, Angels (Rookie, AZL Angels): 5 IP, 5 H, R/ER, BB, 6 K.
Suarez has had little trouble missing bats over the last two years thanks to a filthy changeup that could be a plus pitch long term. With a fastball that sits in the 89-92 mph range and a breaking ball that is still developing, Suarez has some work to do before he can handle more advanced hitters, as evidenced by his struggles in Low-A to start the season.

 

 

 

Saturday, August 5^th  

 

Austin Meadows, OF, Pirates (complex-level GCK): 4-5, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI.
Back in action and on a rehab assignment. Whether Meadows arrives this year or next, he’s going to be a good one.

 

J.P. Crawford, SS, Phillies (Triple-A, Lehigh Valley): 2-4, R, 2B, HR, RBI, BB.
Crawford’s resurgence continues…

 

Samir Duenez, 1B, Royals (Double-A, Northwest Arkansas): 3-6, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB.
With questions surrounding his power potential entering the year, Duenez has done what he can to try to silence those doubts with 15 bombs on the year, including two Saturday night. A potential plus hitter, the emergence of average or better game power would allow Duenez to profile as a potential regular.

 

Billy McKinney, OF, Yankees (Triple-A, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre): 2-3, R, 2B, HR, RBI, BB.
I highlighted McKinney last weekend and he’s continued an assault on the International League following his promotion from Double-A. McKinney is a 2018 piece for the Yankees, but he could augment their already impressive roster.

 

Michael Kopech, RHP, White Sox (Double-A, Birmingham): 7 IP, 4 H, R, 0 ER, BB, 11 K.
Kopech’s ability to throw strikes recently has been a tremendous development, and makes him one of the most impressive pitching prospects in the game. If this is more than a hot streak with his control/command, Kopech could be scary. We covered him in today’s Ten Pack, too.

 

Alec Hansen, RHP, White Sox (High-A, Wiston-Salem): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 12 K.
Hey, look at that! This guy knows how to bring heat and miss bats, too. Oh, and he’s also in the White Sox system. Trying to imagine a rotation that includes Hansen and Kopech, not to mention Rodon and Giolito, is so much fun.

 

Luis Escobar, RHP, Pirates (Low-A, West Virginia): 6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R/ER, 4 BB, 9 K.
For all the good things Escobar had done as a professional entering the year, the 2017 season has represented a breakout for the young right-hander. With a low- to mid-90s fastball, quality curveball, and developing changeup, Escobar has the raw ingredients to be a mid-rotation starter.

 

 

 

 

Sunday, August 6^th  

 

Yasel Antuna, SS, Nationals (Rookie, GCL Nationals): 3-4, 2B, CS.
The Nationals gave Antuna nearly $4 million last summer as a 16-year old from the Dominican Republic and he’s jumped directly to the Gulf Coast League to debut, hanging in there as a 17-year old. Antuna has impressive offensive tools that could make him an impact offensive player, to along with a defensive profile that should keep him on the left side of the dirt. Javier Barragan covered him in late May, with video.

 

Austin Dean, OF, Marlins (Double-A, Jacksonville): 4-4, 3 R, 2 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, BB.
In what’s been a quiet year for Dean due to injury, it’s worth nothing that he’s taken to Double-A much better than his first trial at the level last season. Dean has the bat-to-ball skills and approach to be a solid hitter with above-average power that eventually shows up in games.

 

Beau Burrows, RHP, Tigers (Double-A, Erie): 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R/ER, BB, 10 K.
Burrows hasn’t been overwhelmed by the promotion to Double-A, but some of his developmental needs have been more noticeable. Burrows needs to refine his command to avoid barrels, and if he can do that, then his fastball/breaking ball combination could make him a no. 3 starter.

 

Caleb Ferguson, LHP, Dodgers (High-A, Rancho Cucamonga): 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R/ER, BB, 10 K.
Drafted in the 38^th round out of high school in 2014, just a month after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Ferguson signed rather than honoring his commitment to West Virginia. Armed with an 89-93 mph fastball that some believe could tough higher down the line, Ferguson is still working to develop the consistency with his 1-7 curveball and solid changeup.

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