October 22, 2009

Future Shock Blog

October 22

by Kevin Goldstein

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Hometown hero

Sebastian Valle, C, Phillies (MEX: Mochis)
Yesterday's stats: 2-for-3, 2B, HR (2), R, 3 RBI, BB, K

It's rare to talk about a teenagers playing in the Mexico Pacific League, which is usually filled with local veterans and Triple-A prospects, but Valle is a bit special, as he's playing in his hometown. More importantly, he's really good. Beginning the regular season as a 19-year-old in the Sally League, Valle was overmatched, but he made adjustments back in Phillies camp and was one of the talk-worthy topics of the New York-Penn League, batting .307/.335/.531 in 50 games for Williamsport. With two home runs in two games for the Caneros, he's picking up where he left off, and he's an excellent candidate for a 2010 breakout season.

Which one is real?

Brandon Snyder, 1B, Orioles (AFL: Phoenix)
Yesterday's stats: 4-for-5, 2B, 2 HR (3), 3 R, 7 RBI, SB

You have the first baseman who hit a whopping .343/.421/.597 at Double-A, and then you have the first baseman who hit a pretty awful .248/.316/.355 at Triple-A. The problem is that they're the same guy. Scouts who only saw him at only one level gave remarkably different reports, but both had concerns about his ultimate power ceiling at the position, as well as his below-average defense. This is definitely a step in the right direction, but take it with a grain of salt, as after eight days of play, the Arizona Fall League is hitting a collective .302/.382/.484.

Impossible to ignore

Grant Desme, OF, Athletics (AFL: Phoenix)
Yesterday's stats: 2-for-5, 2 HR (5), 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 K

I realize Desme has made the update nearly every day, but how can one ignore these numbers? In his last five games, he's 12-for-24 with two doubles, five home runs, and 10 RBIs. His .619 BABIP is more than a bit ridiculous, but when you are batting .419 with nearly 40 percent of your hits going for home runs, those are the kinds of things that happen.

Getting over a bump in the road

Chris Heisey, OF, Reds (AFL: Peoria Saguaros)
Yesterday's stats: 4-for-5, 2 2B, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI

Despite being a 17^th-round pick in 2006, Heisey has worked his way to a pretty strong prospect status by hitting at every level, and he seemed to be taking a big-league leap forward (all puns intended) with a .347/.426/.572 line in the first half of the year at Double-A Carolina. Seemingly on the verge of a call, he finally slowed down a bit at Triple-A, but he's lining himself up for a very real look next spring, as he's now 16-for-28 with nine extra-base hits in Arizona.

Others Of Note

• Phillippe Aumont, RHP, Mariners (AFL), 1.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 1 K: There's not much to say here, other than 'Oooooof.'
• Josh Bell, 3B, Orioles (AFL), 4-for-5, 2B, HR (1), 2 R, 3 RBI, K: Now 12-for-20 with half of his hits going for extra bases, the Orioles might not be convinced Bell's ready for the big leagues, but do they have a better option at the hot corner?
• Ike Davis, 1B, Mets (AFL), 3-for-4, 2B, BB: Davis is 11-for-26 with five doubles, as his late-season roll continues. He won't be in The Show on Opening Day, but he could reach the big leagues at some point in 2010.
• Brian Dopirak, 1B, Blue Jays (VEN), 2-for-4, HR (3), R, 3 RBI, K: Dopirak has 13 RBI in 11 games, to go with .349/.429/.651 line in 11 games. Is he deserving of a closer look?
• C.J. Retherford, 2B, White Sox (AFL), 2-for-4, 2 RBI: Retherford was undrafted out of college, but he's a career .301/.354/.500 hitter in the minors who will be at Triple-A next year. Nothing about him is pretty, other than the stat lines.
• Josh Thole, C, Mets (VEN), 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB: Batting .405 in 11 games for the Leones, Thole's eventual future in the majors still makes for a strange profile, as a high-average, high-OBP catcher with no power and below-average defense.
• Josh Vitters, 3B, Cubs (AFL), 3-for-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI, 2 K: Vitters is healthy and raking as one of the youngest players on the circuit.

Kevin Goldstein is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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