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Steve Givarz is a member of the BP Prospect team and just spent two weeks in the desert, taking notes on the best players in the AFL.
Steve Givarz: Will join y'all in a few! Doggo needs to go out first!
Ron (Texarkana): Hey Steve, is there anywhere on the BP site where you can see how many minor league options a player has left? It would be great if it was in the player profile or somewhere similar
Steve Givarz: There is not at the moment but many websites have them. I don't refer to them as options but instead as by "years". A player has three years to be optioned back and forth between the minors and majors (some get four but those are rare-ish). This can be in years 1-3 of a player, or up until the final year of team control. Teams often manipulate player's options for extra roster flexibility, but in some cases (such as this one with Zach Eflin https://sports.yahoo.com/phillies-temporary-demotion-will-cost-breakout-pitcher-20000-221349178.html) it can be a PR negative.
Brandon (MO): Gerardo Perdomo a future star?
Steve Givarz: So Forest Stulting just wrote him up for an eyewitness report (linked here https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_bat.php?reportid=602).
It sounds right, most guys I have talked to don't think he will hit for a lot of over the fence power. The swing can be long and most of his OBP has come from a high walk rate. That said, he is just 19 and is a talented switch hitter who is a flashy defender at SS so if he finds some strength he certainly can be a star.
team detroit (chattanooga): cannot make up my mind Nick Madrigal or Vidal Brujan as the top 2B prospect to arrive next year?
Steve Givarz: I would bet on Nick Madrigal making it next year, mainly because the Rays don't typically rush guys (even though Brujan needs to be added to the 40-man for Rule 5 purposes). The White Sox have publicly said they want to be more competitive sooner rather than later, which could force their hand if Madrigal plays well.
Spotted cow (Rockford ): Does the showing out Forrest has done in AZ fall mean anything to his prospects of making the mlb roster next season, and could the Astros begin with him in the majors a la Padres and paddack?
Steve Givarz: Given how the yo-yo season went for Whitley in 2019, I would be shocked if he broke with the ML club in 2020. Non-baseball talent wise, first, he doesn't need to be protected for Rule 5 until 2020. Second, there are MLS manipulations that will most likely take place. Third, even if they don't resign Cole I expect them to add some SP from the outside.
Whitley battled through injuries and ineffectiveness in 2019, but he still has the highest upside of any pitcher in the minors. Given he stays healthy and puts 2019 behind him, he will be in the majors at some point, just probably not to begin the year.
boatman44 (Liverpool): Hey Steve got a couple of true/false questions for you :).
O'Neil Cruz will at some stage in his MLB career lead the league in home runs?
Jo Adell will be at some stage in his MLB career will win the Triple Crown ?
Forest Whitley will strike out 250+ in at least one season of his MLB career?
Thanks for the chat mate.
Steve Givarz: ONeil Cruz could lead the league in home runs, given that Pete Alonso//Joey Gallo/Cody Bellinger/Christian Yelich/Nolan Arenado/etc. all get hurt. In other words, not liekly.
Jo Adell will probably strike out too much (but hey who isn't these days) to have the batting average/OBP necessary to win it.
Whitley like I stated earlier has the highest upside of any pitcher in the minors. Given how the Astros work with pitchers, a 250 strikeout season would not shock me.
brad (NJ): IT seems like in some people's minds Rodgers stock is down. Are you a buy/sell/hold on him? What type of number could he put up in Colorado at 2B? .280 25-30HR?
Steve Givarz: I am a hold on Brendan Rodgers. The injury was obviously disappointing, as well as his first initial foray into the majors. But I think we are now all too accustomed to players destroying the league when they first arrive, for most guys it takes a while. Rodgers is still extremely talented to give up on.
brad (NJ): IT seems like in some people's minds Rodgers stock is down. Are you a buy/sell/hold on him? What type of number could he put up in Colorado at 2B? .280 25-30HR?
Steve Givarz: I am a hold on Brendan Rodgers. The injury was obviously disappointing, as well as his first initial foray into the majors. But I think we are now all too accustomed to players destroying the league when they first arrive, for most guys it takes a while. Rodgers is still too extremely talented to give up on.
boatman44 (Liverpool): Who do you like in the world series Steve? I can't wait to see a Scherzer ,Verlander match up if it happens, I think it will, and I like Washington in six :).
Steve Givarz: Assuming that Houston finishes it off tonight (I believe they will), I don't see a team beating Gerrit Cole three times (assuming he pitches G1, G4 and a G7 if needed), or once for that matter. He is the best pitcher in the game right now.
SotoC803 (Cooperstown, NY): What's different about Andres Gimenez that's allowing him to excel in the AFL after struggling in (AA) with inconsistency?
Steve Givarz: He might just be more rested. He isn't playing everyday (they have lots of SS that need to get reps) and is going up against a wide variety of arms. He is also still a kid who played at Double-A at age 20 years old. I still fully believe in my prior viewings of him as an above-average regular.
Adam (Austin, Texas): Who surprised you the most out in Arizona?
Steve Givarz: Geraldo Perdomo surprised me a lot, showing quality defense and quality feel to hit from both sides of the plate. Jeremy Pena also surprised me with his defense and abilities at the plate. Pitching wise Sam Delaplane showed me why he had such a high K rate in the minor leagues thus far. I wasn't able to see Spencer Howard during the regular season because of his injuries but he sure looked the part in Arizona.
Michael (Minneapolis): Outside of Royce Lewis, what are your thoughts on other Twins players that were out in Arizona?
Steve Givarz: Luke Raley is a physical monster, but really has the ceiling for me of a platoon bat (if it all goes right). Zach Neff is a nice organizational left-hander, one that helps a minor league bullpen. Jovani Moran was fine for me, lefty with some velocity and feel to spin a breaking ball, that usually means some up/down reliever role. Dakota Chalmers has a real quality fastball/curveball combination, but you could tell the rust coming off his Tommy John surgery as well. He has high upside if he cuts down on his walks.
Steve Givarz: That will be all for me. Got to get writing on my feature on my thoughts on the fall League. Thanks!
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