July 10, 2009
Future Shock Blog
July 10
by Kevin Goldstein
There really might be something here
Garrett Mock, RHP, Nationals (Triple-A Syracuse)
Thursday's stats: 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
Mock has provided a dichotomy to scouts for years. H's always had good stuff, but the results have rarely matched. A conversion to a bullpen role early in the year was about as brief as it was successful, but he's suddenly shining back in a starting role. In his last five games, he has allowed just two runs over 35 innings. Oh yeah, and the stuff is still there, as he's pounding the strike zone with a fastball that gets up to 93 mph and two quality breaking balls.
Have a day, EY
Eric Young, 2B, Rockies (Triple-A Colorado Springs)
Thursday's stats: 4-for-4, 3B, 2 HR (5), 4 R, 5 RBI, SB
There have been plenty of rumors lately of Young going to the Pirates for Freddy Sanchez, so if those talks are true, and the Pittsburgh had scouts looking at Young, they got to see a career-best game out of him. Despite the two home runs, power is not his game; it's all about getting on base and running. With a .298/.386/.432 line that includes 48 stolen bases, he's doing both with aplomb.
The comeback continues?
Daric Barton, 1B, Athletics (Triple-A Sacramento)
Thursday's stats: 3-for-3, 2B, HR (7), 2 R, RBI, BB
Two months ago, when Barton was batting .184, one had to wonder if it was time to write the former top prospect off, as a big league collapse followed by less at Triple-A often is the beginning of the end. Instead, a brief big league appearance out of necessity seems to have inspired him. Barton has gone 12-for-35 with three doubles and four home runs since his return to Sacramento. The pure talent is still impressive, and he has still got a chance.
Welcome back . . .
Mat Latos, RHP, Padres (Double-A San Antonio)
Thursday's stats: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K
On a limited pitch count in order to make him available for an inning during Sunday's Futures Game, Latos was expected to go around three innings or so, but instead he went 15 up and 15 down in just 58 pitches, 42 of them for strikes. He's one of the best right-handed pitching prospects in the game, and could get a big league audition in September.
Sure, he was an overdraft, but that doesn't mean he's not good
Tony Sanchez , C, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia)
Thursday's stats: 2-for-3, 2 2B, R, RBI, BB
The highest drafted player from last month who is signed and playing, Sanchez shook to rust off in the New York-Penn League for a few days before moving to a full-season league, where he has already reached base 13 times in seven games while gunning down four of ten attempting base stealers. It's early, but the Pirates could use a big debut from him to justify his selection at No. 4 overall.
Sleeper Alert!
Dexter Carter, LHP, White Sox (Low-A Kannapolis)
Thursday's stats: 7 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 14 K
The White Sox selected Old Dominion pitchers in the fifth and 13th rounds last year, and both have turned into very nice prospects. Dan Hudson has impressed scouts and is already at Double-A, while Carter now leads the minor leagues with 120 strikeouts in just 97 innings. 6-foot-6 and highly athletic, Carter sits in the low 90s, throws strikes and flashes a very good curve ball, and scouts say he's the real deal as well.
Kevin Goldstein is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
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Fantasy Beat: Feeling Short at Short?
It almost seems too easy to demote Detwiler, who has done nothing of late, and promote Mock into the post-break rotation. What kind of starter could Mock be?