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Michael Fulmer

Born: 03/15/1993 (Age: 22)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 3" Weight: 200
Mechanics
Simple and repeatable movements from rocker step to balance point; gets through the first half of delivery with ease and in exactly the same way every time; moderate effort from balance to finish; strong legs create hard drive toward plate, working downhill with good momentum; short stride with consistent foot strike in line with plate; above-average to plus arm speed; high 3/4 slot; ball comes out of the hand with ease; will fall hard to first base at times, particularly when amped up and trying to execute a big pitch; maintains consistent delivery in stretch; mixes looks with slide step in 1.32-1.38 range and small leg lift in 1.37-1.47 range; finishes well in both windup and stretch; strong mechanical profile with athleticism and consistency.
Evaluator Mark Anderson
Report Date 08/17/2015
Affiliate Erie SeaWolves (AA, Tigers)
Dates Seen 8/15/2015
OFP/Risk 60/Low
Realistic 55, #3 Starter
MLB ETA 2016
Video No
Pitch Type Present Grade Future Grade Sitting Velocity Peak Velocity Report
Fastball 65 70 94-95 98 Easy velocity; sat 94-95 across outing; consistently reached 96-97 mph when he needed more; commanded well to glove side, working in to LHH with ease; had difficulty moving fastball to arm side; fastball was hit by LHH when he tried to work away as he missed spots and caught too much plate; showed ability to keep pitch in lower third of zone and elevated when necessary; arm slot, height, and ability to throw ball to lower third allows for strong angle to the plate; pitch has natural arm-side life that keeps it off the barrel; overall, command still developing; potential plus-plus pitch that can dominate hitters.
Slider 60 70 87-90 Flashed as devastating offering; threw in zone for a strike or out of strike zone for as a chase pitch; showed ability to move to both edges; excellent velocity; maintains arm speed well; same slot as fastball; exceptional depth with late movement; pitch has tight rotation and darts down and slightly away from RHH as it approaches plate; demonstrated willingness to throw in any count; extremely confident in pitch; gained feel for offering as start moved along; lack of consistency early was only negative during out; second potential plus-plus offering with swing-and-miss potential.
Changeup 45 50 84-86 Inconsistent offering throughout viewing; missed consistently to arm side early in start; gained feel as game moved along and began to move east-west; matches fastball arm speed well; pitch has same angle to the plate as fastball; at best, offers steep tumble, diving away from the strike zone; overthrew pitch during outing and needs to improve overall feel for pitch; threw in all counts and avoided predictable use; flashed above-average potential and has legitimate chance to be average offering.
Overall

Strong, durable build; carries himself with confidence on the mound; aggressive with entire arsenal and showed willingness to challenge hitters; fastball and slider provide plus-plus duo that can torture hitters; changeup complements arsenal well and should provide average third pitch; must refine fastball command and improve consistent feel for secondaries throughout starts; potential workhorse starter that misses bats and contributes significantly to a championship caliber club.


Gleyber Torres

Born: 12/13/1996 (Age: 18)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 1" Weight: 175
Primary Position: SS
Secondary Position:
Physical/Health
Athletic frame with room for projection.
Evaluator Mauricio Rubio Jr.
Report Date 08/11/2015
Dates Seen 08/08/15-08/09/15
Affiliate South Bend Cubs (Low A, Cubs)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
Late 2017 High 55 50 – Everyday regular No
Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 60 Plus bat speed; linear swing path; fluid swing; moderate barrel control; moderate hand-eye coordination; mild bat wrap; minimal load; moderate leg kick; up the middle approach; makes adjustments during at-bats to spin.
Power 45 Below-average raw power, all pull-oriented; will add strength as he grows; mild leverage in the swing; in-game power will be line drive in nature.
Baserunning/Speed 45 4.35 to first in my viewing; lacks a second gear; baserunning IQ is high and it will help him take some extra bases, and steal a few extra bags but he won't be a big-time threat with his legs.
Glove 55 Fringe-average foot speed hinders mobility and range; shows aptitude for reading ball off the bat; advanced actions; gets overly flashy at times.
Arm 55 Plus arm strength with carry; accuracy gets loose on the run, missed down in my viewing when forced to throw on the move.
Overall

J2 signing out of Venezuela for $1.7-million

Torres is one of the youngest players in Low-A which makes his refined game that much more impressive. He has a good kind of aggressive approach in the batter's box and he manipulates the barrel well to get to spin and velocity alike. Torres has good instincts at short and he has the hands to play the position but limited foot speed hurts his range and might cause a need to move to third down the line where his plus arm-strength will still be an asset.


James Ramsay

Born: 03/02/1992 (Age: 23)
Bats: Left Throws: Left
Height: 5' 11" Weight: 200
Primary Position: RF
Secondary Position: CF
Physical/Health
Compact, muscular frame; cut across the chest and arms, strong base, well-proportioned.
Evaluator Wilson Karaman
Report Date 08/12/2015
Dates Seen 11 games May-July 2015
Affiliate Lancaster JetHawks (High A, Astros)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2017 Moderate 45 40/fifth outfielder Yes
Makeup

Excellent makeup; quiet, keeps his head down and goes about his business; puts in the work, busts his ass; every warm-up throw between innings is on a line and crisp, rarely checks up down the line.

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 40 Wide-spread stance, very quiet setup; minimal load with modest bat wrap, very quiet momentum shift to the back leg, front shoulder tucks in; steep angle into the zone, minimal leverage, handsy swing with premium barrel control; below-average bat speed with minimal lower-half engagement, short stroke, plus bat-to-ball; balanced, fluid in the top half, commands the zone against opposite-handed pitching; has a plan, disciplined in execution.
Power 20 Minimal leverage, top-spin contact to pull side; gap-to-gap hitter, rarely looks to extend and drive; strong enough to run into a few a year, limited in-game utility.
Baserunning/Speed 55 4.07 average, max effort down the line; efficient running motion, gets low; raw reads, slow break on stolen base attempts, utility on the bases plays below raw foot speed; gets to second gear quickly.
Glove 55 Quality reads in center and right, first step is usually the right one; efficient route-runner, reads spin and trajectory; speed limits range, controls his radius, above-average closing speed; capable of handling all three outfield positions.
Arm 50 Solid-average arm strength, fundamentally sound field-and-transfer, gets body behind his throws; average carry, accurate, arm is stretched a bit in right but can play.
Overall

Ramsay is a former seventh-round pick with a solid speed and defense skill-set, and strong work ethic. The offensive profile is limited though appropriately geared towards contact, with a short, quick stroke that maximizes efficiency to the ball, but limits his ability to drive it with any authority. He controls the zone well and will work a walk, and he can be a pest by spoiling and working pitchers. The utility of his speed is limited on the bases at present, but it helps him maximize his range in the field. He's an efficient route-runner with a nose for the ball who can handle all three outfield positions, and he profiles as a solid fourth outfielder with versatility and some on-base ability.


Victor Robles

Born: 05/19/1997 (Age: 18)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 185
Primary Position: CF
Secondary Position:
Physical/Health
Lean body; explosive quick-twitch athleticism; wiry strength; body invokes Kenny Lofton.
Evaluator Mark Anderson
Report Date 08/17/2015
Dates Seen 7/24/2015 to 7/26/2015
Affiliate Auburn Doubledays (Short Season, Nationals)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2018 High 60 55; Above-Average CF No
Makeup

Showed extreme confidence on the field; never carried poor results in one phase of the game over to another; appeared to have fun with teammates and enjoy his time on the field.

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 70 Premium bat speed with barrel snapping through zone thanks to strong forearms and wrists; consistent trigger with mild leg kick and minimal hand load allows bat to get to the zone in consistent fashion; loud contact from linear swing allows for routine line drives to all fields; easy contact ability thanks to uncanny balance for his age; stands right on top of the plate allowing for good coverage; sees spin well and is willing to take pitches and work counts; gifted natural hitter that could hit .300 at MLB level.
Power 40 Minimal game power at present despite electric bat speed; has potential to add strength to wiry frame; combined with addition of some mild leverage in swing could result in 10-12 home runs and speed will help provide doubles and triples on line drives to the gaps.
Baserunning/Speed 70 Showed several times in 4.08-4.13 range during series; gets out of the box well and reaches top speed quickly; graceful runner that covers a ton of ground very quickly; shows instincts on the bases and gets good jumps against pitchers; stole second base easily on 1.34 delivery/1.87 pop; top-end speed plays well taking extra bases; impact speed with developing instincts that will result in 30+ stolen bases annually.
Glove 60 Reads ball well off the bat with quick first step; consistently showed proper direction with first step; routes were direct on balls to both sides; came in well on soft liners and showed ability to track balls over his head in center field; quick first step and plus-plus speed lend to good range in all directions; high-end defender at premium position.
Arm 70 Consistently showed plus velocity on throws from center field; unleashed several high-velocity throws worthy of plus-plus grades; throws were accurate to all bases and displayed good carry en route; arm plays well in center field.
Overall

Impact defensive profile at up the middle position; speed plays on both sides of the ball; potential top of the order hitter that posts high averages, solid OBP, and wreaks havoc on the bases; potential to develop strength that augments premium bat speed and leads to some power; confident player with strong makeup; shows instincts on the field.


Andrew Benintendi

Born: 07/06/1994 (Age: 21)
Bats: Left Throws: Left
Height: 5' 10" Weight: 170
Primary Position: CF
Secondary Position:
Physical/Health
Smaller, thin frame; listed height and weight are likely accurate; has surprising strength for size and frame; minimal projection remaining.
Evaluator Mark Anderson
Report Date 08/17/2015
Dates Seen 7/24/2015 to 7/26/2015
Affiliate Lowell Spinners (Short Season, Red Sox)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2018 Moderate 60 50; Average Regular No
Makeup

Appears quiet and reserved on the field; confident in what he's doing; interacted with teammates as expected in team environment.

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 55 Plus bat speed thanks to strong arms and wrists; shows pre-swing noise with hands but quiets quickly when he initiates slight leg kick; high hands drop slightly to set path toward hitting zone; swing has moderate leverage; takes aggressive swing and doesn't get cheated, but still controls barrel well and shows ability to make contact on a variety of pitches; willing to work counts and take pitches; demonstrated strong pitch recognition during series; natural hitting ability could play up slightly because of approach and willingness to wait for pitches that can be driven; potential above-average hitter with occasional seasons better than that.
Power 55 Flashes plus raw power in batting practice; will occasionally translate to game situations; more often shows above-average power in-game; leverage in swing allows him to lift ball and drive it out of the park; bulk of power is to pull side with limited demonstration of ability to drive ball consistently to opposite field; potential 20-25 home run bat at peak.
Baserunning/Speed 55 Few instances during series where he really got down the line on a dig; when he did, flashed 4.25-4.30 times; athleticism shows through when running; showed aggressiveness on the bases that translated to ability to take extra base and put pressure on defenders; potential to steal 20+ bases at MLB level; speed plays on defense as well.
Glove 50 Showed solid reactions to ball off the bat; average first step, typically in proper direction; moved well to both sides; occasionally struggled with balls hit directly at him; runs well enough underway to demonstrate above-average range to the gaps; routes were typically straight line with only occasional deviations. average up the middle defender with defensive profile that could play up on a corner.
Arm 55 Throws showed consistent above-average velocity; throws maintained velocity well and carried to all bases with ease; accuracy was generally good but faltered when situations required a quicker release and footwork was rushed.
Overall

Broad skill set; five tools that could play average or better at peak; hit and power can carry profile with hit tool playing up thanks to approach and potential to get on base in other ways; solid runner that can handle center field at average level; sum of the parts is likely greater than any individual tool.


Chase McDonald

Born: 06/02/1992 (Age: 23)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 4" Weight: 265
Primary Position: 1B
Secondary Position: DH
Physical/Health
Looks like an offensive lineman; big upper half, hulking shoulders, limited dexterity; heavy legs, limited athleticism; high-maintenance body does not project to age well.
Evaluator Wilson Karaman
Report Date 08/19/2015
Dates Seen 10 games May-July 2015
Affiliate Lancaster JetHawks (High A, Astros)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2017 Extreme 40 30 No
Makeup

Hard-worker, nose-to-the-grindstone type, has shown notable growth and offensive development this season.

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 40 Slight crouch, wide base; moderate load, hitch; high back elbow, rigidity in the forearms and wrists; has quieted lower-half noise, mild leg lift; improved consistency between shoulders and hips; leveraged swing with average bat speed; shows balance with moderate barrel control; aggressive in-zone, moderate command of the zone; tracks well, no platoon issues.
Power 50 Above-average raw, leveraged swing; average bat speed limits in-game utility, strong enough to drive it out to all fields; game power geared to the pull side, can extend and take it out to center.
Baserunning/Speed 20 Bottom of the scale runner, 4.66 average to first; no second gear, true base-clogger.
Glove 30 Choppy footwork around the bag, very limited range and mobility; below-average reaction times, average hands on balls he can reach; slow to the bag, limited stretch; solid on short-hops, average receiving.
Arm 40 Deliberate actions, slow in setup; average velocity to second; struggles to control body on tosses to first, below-average accuracy.
Overall

McDonald is an all-bat prospect with very little margin for error; he demonstrates a solid approach at the plate, commanding the zone well and attacking decisively when he commits. He has shown commendable growth in toning down some of the early season noise in his swing, better engaging his lower half as the year has progressed and making the swing less dependent on raw strength. The power he has should play, but I worry about his ability to consistently handle high-octane velocity on the inner half.

Very limited defensive profile leaves him best-suited as a DH prospect, putting enormous pressure on the hit/power combination to max out. Low-impact player may provide some value as a power bat on the bench or a second-division DH if he hits his ceiling in the batter's box.


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heterodude
8/20
I'm genuinely surprised that three future 70 grades for a position player only yields a FV of 60.
juice133
8/20
It's the distribution of those grades that drives it in this case. If the three 70 grades were hit, power, defense, that would be a role 7 player. In this case, when it's hit, speed, and arm, even with a 60 glove, I don't see that translating to a role 7 guy.
cjbuettfr
8/20
Torres offensive profile reads a lot like Wilmer Flores. Would that be a fair comparison?
MRubio52
8/20
Bat only, it's fair enough, difference In overall profile being that Torres is the superior defender.
JasonPennini
8/20
Victor robles! BOOM!