August 9, 2016

Notes from the Field

August 9, 2016

by BP Prospect Staff

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Franklyn Kilome, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies (Low-A Lakewood)

It’s not every day you get to sit on a start made by a 6-foot-6, 21-year-old who oozes projection and can throw 96 like he’s playing catch in the backyard. All of these things are why Kilome is such an attractive prospect. A recent look had him at 92-96 with plus-plus downhill plane and slight arm-side run late in its path. His velocity comes incredibly easy from plus arm speed and easy mechanics. He adds a plus-potential power curveball in the low-to-mid-80s with two-plane action and three-quarters tilt. When it’s tight and breaking late, it’s a devastating pitch that dives away from right-handers. His changeup is a non-factor. He threw just one and slowed his actions considerably along with severe casting. Kilome is still developing a feel for his craft. His command projects as below-to-fringe average and he has serious bouts where he can’t get a feel for his stuff. The lack of a present third pitch and raw nature of his game make it easy to tab him as a future late-innings reliever, but you dream on the impact of his two plus pitches as a power starter. If he can stick in a rotation, the ceiling is a no. 2. —David Lee

Brayan Hernandez, OF, Seattle Mariners (AZL Complex)

Hernandez received the third-largest bonus in the 2014 IFA pool, and has only been stateside for a few weeks. He repeated the DSL this year and hit very well after experiencing limited success last year. Turning 19 in September, Hernandez displays quick hands, allowing him to generate wiry pop. He pulled an inside fastball down the left field line for a loud, impressive home run in a recent viewing. He does a good job barreling up pitches left up, but does struggle with pitches in the lower quadrants. He hit an impressive double on a fastball left out over the plate, showing good body control and throwing his hands to smack the ball the other way with authority. He displayed plus range in center field, making a catch in the right-center gap that made one scout let out an audible "Wow." He gets good jumps on balls in the air, however I didn't see his arm tested. —Matt Pullman

Lucas Erceg, 3B, Milwaukee Brewers (Low-A Wisconsin)

Erceg, a second rounder in this year's draft, is a rangy third baseman out of Menlo College—a relatively anonymous school. Scouts in attendance did not seem too concerned about past disciplinary concerns that brought him to Menlo. Either way, Erceg has above-average strength with a slight upper cut swing that saw him take an easy gap to gap approach in BP with some loft. He has loose hands that have some noise, but that's a non-issue at this stage of his development given his production. They drift and drop a bit at the plate, but he makes it work—and has, as he is regularly stringing together multi-hit games thus far in Low-A. It's a tall frame, which impedes him from getting low and bending from the hips at third base, but I think he will stick at third, despite some stiffness out there. He definitely has a left side of infield arm, with an over the top release, which shows plus when he plants his legs. Erceg barreled everything in my viewing (against Anderson Espinoza), and should be a hit-first third baseman with room for power projection given the natural loft and strength he displayed in BP. —Will Siskel

Jordan Sheffield, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers (Low-A Great Lakes)

The Dodgers selected Sheffield—a marquee starter from Vanderbilt—in this year's draft in the first round. Given the innings on the arm this year, Sheffield's start was a brief two-inning burst. Sheffield has power stuff across the board, regularly sitting 96-97 with the fastball. There is noticeable effort in the delivery, with a headwhack and spine tilt, however the right-hander managed to pump strikes in his outing. Sheffield is able to hide the ball well, which can only help his power stuff play up. He gets his height primarily through his legs, and generates ample strength there in his delivery. He also features a power curveball at 81-85 that has some slurvy action but, importantly, retains tight rotation. The pitch breaks hard with moderate depth and has a lot of horizontal movement. He complemented his fastball/power curve combo with a seldom thrown changeup that had some dive in the upper 80s. Sheffield mainly stuck to the FB/CB combo, but there is definite projection with the change because of the arm speed and deception. Given the injury history (TJ), shorter stature, and effort, evaluators will point to the bullpen as Sheffield's developmental destination. In this viewing, I saw exactly why he'd make for such an effective 'pen arm. This two-inning burst was tantalizing, and Sheffield could move quickly out of the bullpen. Should he develop as a starter, I would worry a bit about the max effort, sometimes overthrown pitches sustaining him multiple times through the order, in addition to the aforementioned concerns. —Will Siskel

Brendon Sanger, 2B, Los Angeles Angels (Low-A Burlington)

Sanger has a standard frame with limited projection remaining. At the plate he starts with a slightly open, narrow stance and his hands at this head. The swing is geared towards lifting the ball but he hits mainly topspin groundballs and line drives. He possesses average bat speed but he tends to get into an arm bar which limits his ability to make contact. In the field he has been converted to a second baseman from an outfielder and the conversion has been tough. His hands are stiff and he has committed 25 errors on the year. His feet and hips just don't inspire much confidence that he can stay on the dirt. —James Fisher

Gage Hinsz, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates (Low-A West Virginia)
Hinsz is a case of throwback scouting by getting plucked out of Montana in the 11th round and receiving overslot money on the hopes that he’ll fill out his frame, see his velocity tick up and round out his arsenal into a later-round steal. Two of those three are already happening, and the chance is there for all three to occur, which would be great scouting work for the Pirates. Hinsz was closer to 90-92 last year, but he has ticked up to consistently 92-95 with downhill plane and effective run and sink. He projects to spot it well enough for average command. His curveball flashes plus in the upper-70s with 11/5 break, two-plane action and late bite. He needs to gain more feel for it and improve the consistency of the shape, but it’s enough to project plus potential. He never showed feel for his changeup and often left it in the dirt. He slows his actions slightly and offers below-average fade, leaving it as a below-average pitch. Hinsz has plus arm speed and works downhill effectively with long limbs and a strong, projectable frame. He’s an athlete on the mound and should fill out into a solid starter’s body. If he can gain more feel for his changeup and maintain his velocity, Hinsz has the makings of a major-league starter.

Jordan Yamamoto, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers (Low-A Wisconsin)
Yamamoto is a six-foot right =-hander that comes from a three-quarters delivery with delayed trunk rotation and a heavy landing foot. He does have a soft stab on the back side but the elbow doesn't get high. His fastball touches 95 and sits 91-93 with light arm-side run. Control of the pitch wavers at times when the delivery gets out of sync but when everything is right he shows the ability to work east/west while down in the zone. The fastball lacks swing and miss at present. The curveball varies in shape from 10/4-11/5 but flashes spin and depth at times. It’s his main strikeout offering at present. While Yamamoto throws the changeup with proper arm speed, he lacks movement on the pitch. In the end, Yamamoto is a long reliever. —James Fisher

Troy Stokes, Jr., OF, Milwaukee Brewers (Low-A Wisconsin)
Stokes, Jr. is a small-bodied, athletic outfielder with strength throughout. At the plate he starts with an even stance and his hands at his shoulder. His swing is short to the ball with a line-drive stroke. While there is little over the fence power, he is capable of hitting doubles in the gap with his average to a touch above-average speed helping him get to second. In the outfield he is limited to a corner spot and his 40 arm limits him to left. He tracks balls well in the outfield and takes average routes. Stokes will be limited to a tweener outfielder role without a place in the big leagues. —James Fisher