May 16, 2013

Minor League Update

Games of Wednesday, May 15

by Zach Mortimer

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Pitching Prospect of the Day: Carlos Contreras, RHP, Reds (High-A Bakersfield): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K; potential plus fastball; potential plus changeup; fringy curveball; below-average command; most believe his future is in the bullpen.

Position Prospect of the Day: Christian Yelich, LF, Mariners (Double-A Jacksonville): 3-6, 2B, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 K; plus-plus hit tool; solid-average power potential; solid-average runner; arm will force him to left field. I’m on board; Yelich may be my favorite player in the minors. He has an uncanny ability to make solid contact with an aesthetically pleasing left-handed swing. The way that the Marlins are currently handling their franchise, Yelich cannot be far from a call-up to the big leagues.  

Other notable prospect performances on May 15:

“The Good”

• Tim Beckham, IF, Rays (Triple-A Durham): 4-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; fringy hit tool; fringy fielding ability at short; shows some bat speed; will have a major-league career, albeit most likely in a utility role.
• Ty Blach, LHP, Giants (High-A San Jose):6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K; fringy fastball; solid-average changeup; below-average slurvy breaking ball; minimal projections; back-end ceiling.
• Mauricio Cabrera, RHP, Braves (Low-A Rome): 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K; potential plus-plus fastball; potential plus changeup that currently is solid-average; command still developing; high ceiling; 42.1 IP, 28 H, 14 ER, 30 BB, 30 K in eight starts.
• Nick Castellanos, OF, Tigers (Triple-A Toledo): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K; potential easy plus hit tool; potential plus power; plus arm; developing ability in outfield; still working on plate discipline; potential first-division player.
• Fred Ford, 1B, Royals (Low-A Lexington): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI; easy plus raw power; hit tool needs major development; tough profile; fringy runner; will need to return to the outfield to even come close to fitting a big-league profile.
• Joey Gallo, 3B, Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI, 2 K; elite raw power; easy plus-plus arm strength; sells out for power; high quantity of swing and miss; will be seeing him for four games the next four days for a more accurate description.
• Teoscar Hernandez, CF, Astros (Low-A Quad Cities): 4-5, 3 R, RBI, BB; plus bat speed; plus power potential; developing plate discipline; hit tool still developing; plus overall defensive package in center field; sleeper prospect with arrow pointing up.
• Deck McGuire, RHP, Blue Jays (Double-A New Hampshire): 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K; average fastball; inconsistent slider that will flash plus; below-average curveball; at best, a below-average changeup; fringy athlete; stock declining.
• Jose Peraza, SS, Braves (Low-A Rome): 3-4, HR, R, 2 RBI; hit tool has average potential; gap power; still needs experience at the plate; easy plus defensive profile.
• Luis Sardinas, SS, Rangers (High-A Myrtle Beach): 4-5, 3B, R, 3 RBI; easy plus potential hit tool; potential plus-plus defender; plus-plus runner; needs to add strength; needs to add strength; first-division potential.
• Andrew Susac, C, Giants (Double-A Richmond): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 4 RBI, K; developing catcher; plus arm strength; potential average hit tool; plus raw power; stock rising; .276/.369/.524 with 11 2B and 5 HR in 105 at-bats.
• Daniel Winkler, RHP, Rockies (High-A Modesto): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K; solid-average fastball; potential plus slider; developing changeup; back-end profile; 46.2 IP, 29 H, 12 ER, 12 BB, 51 K in eight starts this season.

“The Bad”

• Anthony Meo, RHP, Diamondbacks (Double-A Mobile): 2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 0 K; not exactly the start of the season for which the Diamondbacks or Meo had planned; 35.1 IP, 31 H, 25 ER, 25 BB, 17 K in eight starts.
• Adam Morgan, LHP, Phillies (Triple-A Lehigh Valley): 3.1 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. Triple-A hitters have been able to make a lot of contact against the Phillies prospect, whose stock soared in 2012.
• Renato Nunez, 3B, Athletics (Low-A Beloit): 0-4, 3 K. “Violence in swing”; when this quote gets thrown out there, it is only a matter of time until you have a night like this.

“The Ugly”

Chris Bassitt, RHP, White Sox (High-A Winston-Salem): 2.1 IP, 9 H, 8 ER, 1 BB, 1 K. I saw Bassitt throw earlier this season, and he looked like a sleeper prospect with some ability; plus fastball; average slider; get-me-over curveball and changeup. Bassitt is developing as a starter, but will be utilized out of the bullpen at higher levels.

Zach Mortimer is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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