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August 31, 2017

Eyewitness Accounts

August 31, 2017

by BP Prospect Staff

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Thomas Pannone

Born: 04/28/1994 (Age: 23)
Bats: Left Throws: Left
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 195
Mechanics
Physical: Small frame, skinny waist, average athlete, lacks projection.

Delivery: Deliberate motion, hitch, below-average extension. Balanced, can fall off to 3rd-base line. Mild effort, works quickly; 1.79-1.82 to home from stretch.

Arm action: Three-quarter arm slot, clean arm action, below-average arm speed.

Control: 60/60
Command: 55/55







Evaluator Greg Goldstein
Report Date 08/15/2017
Affiliate Akron RubberDucks (AA, Indians)
Dates Seen 7/29/17
OFP/Risk 45/Mild
Realistic 40; Swingman/Middle Reliever
MLB ETA 2018
Video Yes








Pitch Type Present Grade Future Grade Sitting Velocity Peak Velocity Report
Fastball 50 50 88-91 92 Average arm-side run, plays more to weak contact vs. better hitters, unafraid to attack up in the zone. Strike-thrower, but hittable in the zone, unlikely to throw by hitters at higher levels. Kept velo/command throughout start, worked to both sides well, frequently spotted on the corners.
Changeup 45 50 81-82 Low usage, some fade, lacks tumble, fringy action. Consistent mechanics/arm speed, flashed feel, commanded low; workable third offering.
Curveball 50 55 74-76 1/7 shape, above-average bite, solid depth, bit of late break. Repeats mechanics/arm speed, gets hitters out in front, velo separation brings swing-and-miss potential. Above-average command, capable of throwing in zone even with longer break, pitched backwards with offering.
Overall

Pannone is a craft lefty who pitches to more than the sum of his parts. He’s more control/command than pure stuff, frequently attacking hitters in the zone and showing the ability to place all of his pitches around the zone. He does show some feel for the change, but Pannone is mostly a two-pitch hurler. His FB plays up because of how he works both sides and uses a bit of deception in his delivery, but it should play as an average pitch in the big leagues. Pannone can pitch backwards with his breaking ball and fool hitters in that way. He works quickly and controls the zone, which gives him a ceiling of an innings-eating No. 5 if he can more frequently throw the change. He’s likely a swingman/potential LH reliever whose stuff will play better in short stints rather than if he has to turn a lineup over with mostly average stuff.



Josh Ockimey

Born: 10/18/1995 (Age: 21)
Bats: Left Throws: Right
Height: 6' 1" Weight: 215
Primary Position: 1B
Secondary Position:
Physical/Health
Large man with big arms, mature frame for game, in-shape for size, athletic for a bigger guy.
Evaluator Greg Goldstein
Report Date 08/15/2017
Dates Seen 4/23/17 (DH), 8/11/17-8/12/17
Affiliate Portland Sea Dogs (AA, Red Sox)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2019 High 50 40; Power Bench Bat No
Makeup

Slammed helmet down after strikeout, shows passion and frustration when he falters. Stayed in game on rainy day, despite some of the overreaction.

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 40 Starts open, moderate crouch, drops hands a bit. Plus bat speed, quick bat with a smooth swing throughout, long to ball, power over contact, swings easy. Has tendency to pull; causes him to roll over pitches. Has workable barrel control for a power hitter, needs work picking up offspeed. Caught looking a few times, lunges at breaking balls. Projects below-average utility.
Power 55 Plus raw, easy power, leveraged swing allows for consistent loft. Capable of driving balls on the fringes of the zone, power plays mostly pull-side at present. Potential 20 HR threat.
Baserunning/Speed 30 Timed 4.42; lumbers on the basepaths.
Glove 45 Flashed glove skills, still a work in progress. Athletic enough to develop into an average first baseman, needs to develop fundamentals to reach average, currently below-average at 1B. Safe fringe-average projection with noticeable work ethic.
Arm 40 Below-average arm strength, doesn’t play anywhere other than 1B.
Overall

Ockimey is a pure power hitter who’s long, leveraged power stroke can generate plus power when he squares. He only profiles at first base, but he works hard at it and should get to fringe at the position at the very least. His approach is developing, but his swing mechanics will make it tough for him to approach average contact. The power is real enough to give him a starter’s ceiling, but without much else to rely on there’s a lot of risk as well.






Raudy Read

Born: 10/29/1993 (Age: 23)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 170
Primary Position: C
Secondary Position:
Physical/Health
Stockier build, but typical for a catcher. No projection left in body. More athletic than the typical catcher with his frame.
Evaluator Greg Goldstein
Report Date 08/15/2017
Dates Seen 5/31/17, 6/1/17, 8/4/17, 8/5/17
Affiliate Harrisburg Senators (AA, Nationals)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2018 Moderate 50 45; Second Division Regular No
Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 45 Open stance, toe-tap for timing, hands start low, then rise while loading. Noise in swing makes him late some; attacks ball, not real compact, above-average bat speed. Swing can get a little wild, had trouble catching up to heat at times. Showed bat control oppo way, reached pitch on outer half with solid contact. Pulls head at times, shows some weakness vs. offspeed. Projects fringe-average utility.
Power 50 Above-average raw, moderate load, body gives him some natural pop. Leveraged swing leaves him capable of driving ball. Projects to average game power.
Baserunning/Speed 35 Timed 4.43, 4.45, 4.47. A bit of a liability on the bases.
Glove 45 2.12, 2.14, 2.14 pop up. Struggles blocking bouncers, shows average glove skills, hands need more consistency. A bit unrefined at the position, questionable whether he stays at catcher. Would be fine at 1B.
Arm 55 Shows 50-55 arm, inaccurate despite velo, capable thrower to 2B when he’s on target.
Overall

Read has about a 50/50 chance of sticking behind the plate. If he does, his fringe-to-average contact/power game would make him a capable starter. If not, he’s more of a second-tier starter at first base. The risk lies in the fielding profile, but his bat should give him a role for a MLB club at the very least.









Eloy Jimenez

Born: 11/27/1996 (Age: 20)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 4" Weight: 205
Primary Position: RF
Secondary Position:
Physical/Health
Athletic, cut build. Still has room to grow into already big frame. Wide torso, large upper body, imposing force on the baseball field.
Evaluator Greg Goldstein
Report Date 08/15/2017
Dates Seen 3x in August
Affiliate Winston-Salem Dash (High A, White Sox)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2018 Mild 70 60; First-Division Regular Yes
Makeup

Easy-going personality, game comes easy to him, didn't get frustrated with poor result.

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 60 Noticeable crouch, hands start tight to head, open stance, moderate kick. Plus-plus bat speed, potentially premium at maturity. Drives through ball, flashed ability to let ball travel, keeps hands back. Bat control to oppo field; shows willingness to hit ball where pitched, covers plate well for a power hitter. Gets long/unbalanced on power stroke at times, mostly compact for a power hitter, doesn’t get beaten to a single spot. Capable of shortening swing with two strikes, waits for his pitch, saw spin. Incredible tool that should play plus utility at maturity.
Power 70 Premium raw, true HR power to all fields, great at turning on pitches in the inner half. High leverage/strength, capable of excellent launch angles. Deadly pull-side power; strong hands allow him to drive on any part of the plate. Projects to 30-35 homers.
Baserunning/Speed 40 Timed 4.41, 4.44. Lumbers a bit due to big body; below-average runner overall.
Glove 50 Little bit of a stiff mover in RF. Moves a lot of weight on the run, decent mover for his size. Works in RF, gets to all necessary balls, made solid reads, won’t run down balls in the gaps.
Arm 60 Plus arm strength, capable of throwing runners out, has velo/carry to reach bases in the air, will make runners think twice.
Overall

Jimenez is truly an elite power prospect who flashes the ability to hit for a great average as well. At just 20 years old in the Carolina League, Jimenez controls the bat head very well for a hitter who produces the kind of game power that he does. He shows a willingness/ability to work the entire field, with the ball jumping off the bat in a way that makes your head turn. His batting practice is something to behold, as you can fully see just how well he gets inside of pitches on the inner half. Pitchers will have to fool him to be successful because his bat speed won’t cause him to miss a pitch in his hittable zone all too often. He profiles well in right with a plus arm, too. Jimenez’s contact/power potential is something you don’t see everyday, and it could lead him to becoming the top prospect in the game at some point before he gets the call.









Hudson Potts

Born: 10/28/1998 (Age: 18)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 3" Weight: 205
Primary Position: 3B
Secondary Position: SS
Physical/Health
Tall and strong, sloped shoulders, athletic build with room for future mass and muscle growth.
Evaluator Nathan Graham
Report Date 08/29/2017
Dates Seen 8X May-August
Affiliate Fort Wayne TinCaps (Low A, Padres)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2020 High 50 40 Reserve/Bench Bat Yes
Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 45 Upright, balanced stance; minimal load with a mild leg kick. Average bat speed with mild leverage. Quiet swing. Currently lacks plate discipline, will get out front on off speed, expands the zone up on velocity.
Power 55 Raw power, primarily pull-side, should play above-average as body continues to develop. Has strength, and leverage in swing allows ball to be driven with carry. Will go max effort in hitters' counts.
Baserunning/Speed 40 Current fringe-average runner, 4.35 home to first average on multiple clocks, will play down a notch as body matures. Upright runner, will not be a base-clogger but not a threat to steal.
Glove 55 Engaged pre-pitch, displays proper range for the position. Soft hands, reads and plays hops well, smooth transfers. Looks comfortable at 3B, stays under control when charging ground balls.
Arm 55 Above-average velocity with good carry; solid footwork, accurate with a quick release.
Overall

Drafted in the first round of the 2016 draft and signed under slot value, Potts is one of the youngest players in the Midwest League. After getting off to a slow start, the 18-year-old has begun to show his power potential. His age and the amount of swing-and-miss in his game give a high level of risk to the profile. However, the power is real and the defense is solid, giving Potts a projection of a major league regular at the hot corner.


Michael Gettys

Born: 10/22/1995 (Age: 21)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 1" Weight: 203
Primary Position: CF
Secondary Position:
Physical/Health
Elite athlete, well-proportioned, mature frame. Strength throughout, mild projection remaining, can wear additional muscle into maturity without compromising physicality.
Evaluator Wilson Karaman
Report Date 08/30/2017
Dates Seen 5x 2016, 8x 2017
Affiliate Lake Elsinore Storm (High A, Padres)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2019 Moderate 55 45: 4th OF Yes
Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 40 Swing has undergone some mechanical overhaul this year. Still very quiet at setup, starts wider, has long stride, more balanced. Stiff, minimal load, mechanical stride, gets flat-footed at trigger, creates torque but costs him length into the zone. Bat speed pushes plus, explosive wrists, doesn't get a ton out of his legs, will leverage up in hitter's counts. Gets bottom hand-heavy, has poor barrel control, hits lots of rollovers, weak infield contact. Well above-average swing-and-miss; struggles with off-speed recognition and right-right spin.
Power 45 Plus raw, powerful wrists and shoulders, has the physicality to damage the baseball. Lack of consistent lower-half engagement, poor pitch recognition, generally flat swing plane limit in-game utility. Power plays mostly to center/left-center in hitter's count.
Baserunning/Speed 60 4.19 average on 8 clocks, efficient stride gets to speed quickly, plays to full utility in the outfield. Reads on the bases are still raw, some uncertain crossovers on stolen-base attempts; potential to develop into 20-bag threat.
Glove 55 Reads are still raw at times, lacks elite pickup off the bat. Has feel for trajectory, gets to speed quickly, routes are generally efficient, excellent closing speed, controls body pursing balls into the gaps. Can struggle going back on balls, physicality to develop above-average utility.
Arm 70 Fire hose, plus-plus velocity. Low trackers lack a ton of carry at times, but get where they're going very quickly; solid accuracy on the move.
Overall

Gettys tantalizes with elite athleticism and big-time raw tools. He's a physical specimen with a huge arm, plus speed and raw power, and the makings of a solid-average glove in centerfield. The big question remains whether he'll ever hit enough for it to matter. He's attempted to make some adjustments to his setup and swing, but he remains oddly stiff in his setup and launch, and while he's shown improvement in his balance and stride, the barrel delivery remains below-average. If he can find himself a hitting coach who can figure out how to unlock his power and draw out more consistent contact, there remains all-star potential here. As is, he offers enough speed, defense, and nascent game power to profile as a big-leaguer even in spite of a below-average offensive trajectory.





























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Premium Article The Prospectus Hit Lis... (08/31)
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Eyewitness Accounts: T... (09/07)
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