2016 IBC White Sox propspect notes

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2016 IBC White Sox propspect notes

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Two Pale Hose prospects made the BA Minor league All Star team:

2B Brandon Drury Diamondbacks
Double-A Mobile (Southern) Triple-A Reno (Pacific Coast)

In a thin year for prospects at second base if only because Dilson Herrera (Mets) and Yoan Moncada (Red Sox) missed significant time and Tony Kemp (Astros) tapered off in Triple-A. Drury stands out for his consistent feel to hit and gap power. While he might profile better defensively at third base, Drury started more games at the keystone in the minors this season, while hitting .300 and clubbing 40 doubles for a third consecutive season. OK, technically he hit .299 in 2014.

DH Bobby Bradley Indians
Low Class A Lake County (Midwest) High Class A Lynchburg (Carolina)

Bradley led the Rookie-level Arizona League in home runs and RBIs in 2014, and he accomplished the same feat in the Midwest League this season, becoming the circuit's first teenage home run champ since Miguel Sano in 2012. Bradley smashed 27 homers and drove in 92 runs for low Class A Lake County before a late-season drop-in at Lynchburg that spanned two games.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/m ... team-2015/
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18. Johan Cruz, 3b/ss, Great Falls (White Sox)

Age: 19. B-T: R-R. Ht: 6-2. Wt: 170. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2012

Cruz may be one of the best development stories coming out of the Pioneer League this season. Signed by the White Sox in 2012 for $450,000, he made his U.S. debut last summer in the Rookie-level Arizona League and struggled mightily with the bat. Cruz has a lean frame and had a good swing last season, but he lacked the strength to impact the ball. An offseason of work gave Cruz the ability to square balls up and hit line drives into the gaps with the occasional ball over the fence.

Cruz moved from his natural shortstop position to third base this summer to fill a team need, and he’s at least an above-average defender at both spots with a plus-plus arm and excellent hands. He’s a slightly below-average runner but can get faster with more strength.

“If he makes half the improvements from this year to next year that he made from last year to this year, he might be something,” Great Falls manager Cole Armstrong said. “He’s been fun to watch.”

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2 ... ospects-2/

Johan Cruz, Position: SS/3B
Born: 10/08/95
Ht: 6'2" Wt: 170 B-T: R-R
Acquired: Signed as a free agent from Dominican Republic in 2012

â—¾#18 prospect in the Pioneer League, 2015, by Baseball America

Scouting report

Johan Cruz was part of Marco Paddy's first July 2nd international class in 2012, receiving the second highest bonus at $450,000 at 17-years-old. Cruz was described at the time by Baseball America as one of the best defensive shortstops in the Dominican but his bat needed to catch up. In Cruz's first pro season in the DSL he hit a paltry .123/.216/.376. The shortstop made adjustments and returned to the DSL and hit .329/.424/.895 at 18 years old. This earned Cruz a mid-season promotion to the AZL where he hit .179/.273/.529 to finish out the season. This year the White Sox sent Cruz to Great Falls and in his first rookie ball season he's impressing with a high contact rate and some power, though his walk rate needs to improve [.312/.338/.442 ]. A lot of Cruz's value comes from his defense. There are a lot of comparisons to be drawn to between Cruz and current White Sox second baseman Carlos Sanchez, though Cruz could develop significantly more power.

Major League Outlook: High average infielder, but still early to say with any confidence

ETA: 2019

http://www.chicagonow.com/future-sox/johan-cruz/

Johan Cruz, who was one of big names in Marco Paddy's first international class in 2012, took huge step forward in his development. Cruz hit .179/.273/.256 in his stateside debut last season with the Arizona League White Sox but was a different animal in 2015 with the Voyagers. Cruz led the team in hits, doubles, and average by posting a .312/.338/.442 slash line. However, it wasn't all good as he shifted from his original position of shortstop to playing primarily at third base, where the expectations for offensive production are higher.

http://www.chicagonow.com/future-sox/20 ... -voyagers/
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20. Carlos Munoz, 1b, Bristol (Pirates)

Age: 21. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 225. Signed: Mexico, 2011.

Munoz signed with the Pirates in May 2011 but did not advance past the complex leagues until this year, when he enjoyed a breakout season at Bristol. He led the Appy League with a .587 slugging percentage and ranked among the leaders with a .325 average, 11 homers and 21 doubles to win the circuit’s MVP award.

Munoz is a lefthanded hitter with a stocky build and compact arms. He has shown outstanding raw power as a professional, and that power began to translate into game action this summer. Munoz has sound strike-zone discipline and shows the ability to square up plus velocity as well as breaking pitches. He will need to work on driving pitches to the opposite field more consistently, but his strong work ethic and professional routine are encouraging signs that he can improve.

Defensively, Munoz will be limited to first base. He doesn’t move exceptionally well laterally, and will need to continue to work on his agility and glove work, but he has a chance to become an adequate first baseman. If his bat continues to progress, he has a chance to establish himself as a legitimate offense-first prospect.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2 ... prospects/

... Pirates prospect Carlos Munoz took home the Appalachian League's top two awards Tuesday when the circuit revealed it's end-of-season All-Star team and award-winners.

Munoz, a 21-year-old first baseman, was voted the Appalachian League Player of the Year after hitting .330 with 11 homers, 38 RBIs and a .428 on-base percentage in 52 games with Rookie-level Bristol. The left-handed native of Mexico, who produced his second career three-homer game July 25, originally signed with Pittsburgh in July 2011 and has spent each of the last five seasons with one of the Pirates' Rookie affiliates. He batted .396 in July after starting the season with a .346 mark in June.

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ym ... b&sid=milb

Jim in Maine (Maine): Carlos Munoz had a huge breakout year for the Pirates ... Presumably due to maturity and getting used to be in the States. Do you think this will carry over to his physical conditioning as I understand he and Sandoval may share the same physique traits?

Hudson Belinsky: Munoz can swing the bat! He's a big fella, and his athleticism is more in strength and body coordination than it is in twitchy movement. Munoz is an athlete, but he's cemented at first base, and I use that word for a reason. He doesn't move particularly well laterally. He does have solid hands, though, and should be adequate at first as he keeps playing. But there are many believers in his bat at this point. His power finally translated into game action. A nice lottery ticket for the Pirates, who signed him for $175K out of the Mexican League. Makeup reports are very good.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/?1442957196
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Luis Carpio, SS/2B, New York Mets (Short-Season Kingsport)

The Mets gave Carpio $300,000 out of Venezuela in 2013 and brought him stateside to the Appalachian League this summer as a 17-year-old. Under Sandy Alderson the organization had previously only done that with Amed Rosario, who received the biggest July 2nd bonus in club history ($1,700,000). Carpio responded by hitting .304/.372/.359 in 45 games. Although he lacks the raw athletic tools or potential plus shortstop profile of Rosario, he was a much more complete baseball player at the same age and level, while still giving you some things to dream on.

Facing a fair amount of college arms, Carpio displayed a very advanced hit tool and approach for essentially a young high school senior. He showed an ability to track breaking balls, and enough feel for the barrel to send good spin (for the level) into the outfield. It's not hard to see him adding upper body strength as he gets into his twenties, eventually developing double-digit home run power, as the ball carries well off his bat despite an immature frame. In the field, Carpio split time at second base and shortstop with the Mets 2014 third-round pick, Milton Ramos. Ramos showed the better defensive tools of the duo, but Carpio is smooth in the field and around the bag, and moves better laterally than you would think given his very pedestrian home-to-first times. The arm may end up limiting him to the right side of the diamond, but he would project as a plus defender at second base.

I don't have a specific player comp in mind, but Carpio reminds me of the type of Latin American middle infield prospect that the Texas Rangers always seem to have kicking around their system. There isn't a standout tool here, but Carpio's advanced approach and bat-to-ball ability at 17 shouldn't be overlooked in a Mets system that is a bit down from recent years. A potential 2016 South Atlantic League assignment at age 18 would be aggressive, but not more than he could handle, and should bring the major league projection into clearer focus. But even as of right now, it is not hard to see a solid major league regular in here. Jeffrey Paternostro

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/artic ... leid=27503

7. Luis Carpio, ss/2b, Kingsport (Mets)

Age: 18. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 165. Signed: Venezuela, 2013.

Carpio signed with the Mets for $300,000 in July 2013, when he ranked as the No. 30 prospect available on the international market. The Mets skipped him over the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and he handled it well, reaching base in 41 of the 45 games he played at Kingsport.

Carpio is a line-drive hitter with fast-twitch ability on both sides of the ball. He’s an aggressive hitter with impressive feel for the barrel, though he lacks much in the way of power. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in maturity.

Carpio’s sparkplug tendencies are not confined solely to the batter’s box, for he also has defensive upside. He shared second base and shortstop with 2014 third-rounder Milton Ramos, who is nearly two years older. Carpio showed improved footwork and average arm strength and should stay up the middle. Depending on how his body matures, he may project best at second base.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2 ... prospects/

Bren (Pearl River, NY): Is it safe to say that Luis Carpio's bat carried the day over the bigger name of Milton Ramos with scouts? Also Ramos had a demotion during the season that a lot of people speculate was disciplinary?

Hudson Belinsky: Carpio is a sparkplug on both sides of the ball. He's a pest with the bat. One scout told Baseball America that Carpio would be an easy first rounder in the upcoming draft class. Ramos also showed well with the bat, but he has a ways to go in terms of strength, routine, and consistency.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/?1442957196
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2015 Riser: Dinelson Lamet, RHP, San Diego Padres

Lamet is a fascinating story, signing last summer out of the Dominican Republic as a 22-year-old. [Signed as international free agent by Padres, July 18, 2014.] In his first professional season, Lamet pitched 105 1/3 Midwest League innings. His 27.2 percent strikeout rate was best in the MWL among starters who threw at least as many innings, edging out Grant Holmes. Lamet started all but two of his 26 appearances but if he’s going to be considered a legitimate starting prospect, he’ll need to trim his 10 percent walk rate and develop an offspeed pitch to complement his above-average slider and mid-90s heater. As a 23-year-old, there is some age-at-level concern but given the complete lack of meaningful experience, 2015 was a extraordinary performance.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/artic ... leid=27534
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Brian Clark: While Fulmer was technically the starter after he arrived in Winston-Salem, Clark, the Sox' ninth-round pick out of Kent State in 2014, was the one who adopted a starter-type workload as a result. Fulmer would throw his two or three innings, after which Clark came in and picked up as much of the rest of the game as his pitch count allowed. He thrived in this tandem arrangement, picking up the win in each of his last seven games, with an 0.70 ERA over 38â…“ innings and peripherals to match. Fun fact: The 22-year-old lefty made it the entire year (89 innings) without allowing a homer.

http://www.southsidesox.com/minors/2015 ... son-review

... don't sleep on Mr. Clark. the big lefty skipped Low A, and transitioned from a relief role to tandem starting, a role where he put up some very nice numbers: 0.54 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, 1.34 GB:FB. [at Winston-Salem dash ... HiA].

http://www.chicagonow.com/future-sox/20 ... alem-dash/
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According to Callis, the Sox are moving Johan Cruz back to SS in instructs ...

Johan Cruz didn't draw as much fanfare when he signed for $450,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2012 but broke through in his first full year in the United States in '15. He hit .312/.338/.442 at Rookie-level Great Falls while seeing most of his action at third base.

Cruz played the hot corner for the Voyagers out of necessity, but he spent his first two pro seasons at shortstop. He has returned there in instructional league and has looked like he never left.

"He has good hands, good range and a great arm," Capra said. "He can get the ball across the infield. He really put himself on the map with his summer and instructional league."

http://m.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article/ ... nal-league
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7. Amed Rosario, ss, St. Lucie (Mets)

Age: 19. B-T: R-R. Ht: 6-2. Wt: 170. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2012.

The Mets believe so strongly in Rosario’s glove that they sent the teenager to Double-A Binghamton for the Eastern League playoffs when Gavin Cecchini got hurt.

Rosario’s bat is far from ready for Double-A; he merely survived offensively in the FSL. His swing has some length, he’s prone to chase breaking balls and he lacks strength. However, he has some bat-to-ball skills, showed signs of improving his approach, and his plus speed will help him leg out hits and be a factor on the bases.

Scouts don’t need to project Rosario as a special defender because he’s already there. He slows the game down, makes the routine play look routine and has the arm strength and range to make spectacular plays of all kinds. His arm and range earn easy plus grades as well.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2 ... prospects/

Jack (Staten Island): How can Ahmed Rosario be a top prospect with such poor offensive numbers? What do scouts see in him?

John Manuel: It's all about context, Jack. The entire league didn't hit. the league slash line was .248 - .313 - .337. Rosario, as a 19-year-old, was basically at league average, and his defense is elite. Scouts like the swing, the defensive tools, the age, the quiet confidence he plays with ... There's work to do. He's not going to play in Queens next year, barring a significant jump in his strength and offensive game in the short term. But long-term, this guy's going to be a big league regular at shortstop.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/?1443479174
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9. Bobby Bradley, 1b, Lake County (Indians)

Age: 19. B-T: L-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 225. Drafted: HS–Gulfport, Miss., 2014 (3). Video

The MWL is a tough place for most players to hit home runs, and four different teams this year failed to compile 50 as a team. Bradley, despite missing 20 games with an oblique injury, put on a season-long power show. His 27 home runs were 11 more than anyone else in the MWL and the fifth most by a teenager in the league’s modern-day history, which dates back to 1962, the year it became a Class A league.

Bradley’s follow-up to his 2014 triple crown in the Rookie-level Arizona League included a whole lot of power, an amazing 11-home run August and plenty of miscues as well. He struck out in 32 percent of his plate appearances and has to improve his contact ability, but some scouts see a future fringe-average hitter once Bradley learns trust his hands more and use the entire field. His walk rate improved late in the year after he toned down his pre-swing load by eliminating a full-body sway for a simpler rock of his hands.

At first base, Bradley showed inexperience as he continues to learn the position. His 17 errors ranked first among MWL first baseman and right now he tries to do too much, stretching and trying to pick balls he’s just not able to handle.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2 ... prospects/

Most Home Runs

Lake County 1B Bobby Bradley led the MWL with 27 home runs. No other player hit more than 16.

Most Power

Not only did Lake County 1B Bobby Bradley lead the MWL with 27 homers, but he also paced the circuit with 92 RBIs and a .529 slugging percentage.Lake County 1B Bobby Bradley led the MWL with 27 home runs. No other player hit more than 16.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/m ... eague-box/
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Most Well-Rounded Player

West Michigan RF Mike Gerber scored above the league average (among those who qualified for our Top 20 ranking) for power (90th percentile), walk rate (50th), strikeout rate (70th), average on balls in play (70th) and speed (60th).

Top Power-Speed Player

West Michigan RF Mike Gerber hit 13 home runs and stole 16 bases, but as a four-year starter at Creighton, he turned 23 in July and was older than the MWL average this season. For a younger alternative, South Bend RF Jeffrey Baez hit nine homers and stole 34 bases.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/m ... eague-box/

John (Michigan): Surprised to see West Michigan so underrepresented. I was quite impressed with Gerber, Stewart & Jimenez. How close did they come?

J.J. Cooper: Gerber had a great year but he was very old for the league. He turned 23 during the season—he’s older than Bryce Harper. So with him it’s really a case of let’s see him do it at a higher level. [my emphasis] Jimenez throws really hard and is a quality reliever but it’s very hard for any dedicated reliever to crack a LoA Top 20. Stewart was much closer to ranking. I expect him to rank best of those 3 on the Tigers list.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/s ... ects-chat/
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Mike (Atlanta, GA): Ronald Acuna impressed many with his skillset this year, including myself. I'm curious if he got any love for the top 10? Thanks for chatting.

Bill Ballew: Acura received some attention for the lower part of the list but wound up on the outside looking in. He’s a solid top 30 guys who could make a major move up the list in the near future. After all, the 17-year-old skipped the Dominican Summer League and never looked overmatched in either the Gulf Coast or Appalachian leagues, where he ranked as the 11th- and 14th-best prospect, respectively. He impressed the Braves with his outstanding feel for the game, showed plus speed in center field and on the bases and should be a stolen base threat at higher levels.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/a ... ects-chat/
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2. Amed Rosario, ss

Born: Nov. 20, 1995. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 170. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2012. Signed by: Chris Becerra/Gerardo Cabrera.

Background: The Mets ponied up the franchise’s largest-ever bonus for an international amateur when they signed Rosario for $1.75 million in 2012, and following the graduations of Travis d’Arnaud in 2014 and Michael Conforto in 2015, he now stands as the system’s top position prospect. He jumped from short-season Brooklyn in 2014 to high Class A St. Lucie this year as a 19-year-old.

Scouting Report: Rosario has developed since turning pro, but not entirely in the way scouts foresaw. Once regarded as more of a raw-power shortstop who might have to shift to third base, Rosario has instead honed his speed and defensive game to the point where those are his finest attributes. A plus athlete with plus speed, he brings terrific body control, soft hands and plus arm strength to the shortstop position. Rosario is lean but broad-shouldered, so many scouts expect him to fill out and drive the ball more consistently. But at this stage he employs a slashing, loopy swing that is geared more for contact, and he hasn’t shown much power even in batting practice.

The Future: Rosario must learn to slow the game down, but that will come with time. The Mets did not hesitate to promote him to Double-A Binghamton for the playoffs, and he probably will begin 2016 as a starter in the Eastern League.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/n ... prospects/

Stuary (Philadelphia Pa): The Mets appear to have a full stable of middle infielder prospects. In three years who do you think the 2B and SS are? Do you think Cecchini at 2B and Rosario at SS? Does Herrera or Cecchini have to find another position?

Matt Eddy: I’m inclined to say Amed Rosario at shortstop and Wilmer Flores at second base ...

Rich (NJ): Do scouts see Amed Rosario developing more strength and power down the road or has he become more of a contact hitter. Similar to Niko Goodrum in the sense of how the body develops will in some ways determine the way forward?

Matt Eddy: Yes, scouts indicate that Rosario has adopted a slashing hitting approach that emphasizes his speed. He could grow into more muscle – he’s just 19 – and cut some of the loop out of his swing, but he has impact potential with his glove, speed and on-base ability, so power won’t be crucial for him to develop to be a frontline shortstop.

Jaypers413 (IL): How many of the top ten are you comfortable nominating for a possible appearance on the next edition of BA's top 100 prospects list?

Matt Eddy: I would speculate that Matz, Rosario and Smith are locks, while Cecchini is a safe bet and Nimmo more of a long shot – but still possible.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/n ... ects-chat/
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Kyle Farmer, C/3B, Dodgers (High A)

Ht/Wt: 6’0″/200 | B/T: R/R | Age (as of 12/1/15): 25y, 3m
A relatively recent convert to catching — Farmer started working out in earnest behind the plate in 2013 after spending his collegiate career as a shortstop — things are starting to fall into place behind the plate for the former eighth-rounder. Farmer received positive reviews after the 2014 AFL season, with evaluators impressed by his defensive progress, and continued the trend in 2015, showing solid footwork and side-to-side actions while flashing pop times around and below 2.00 seconds. There’s solid arm strength and accuracy to work with, as well as more than enough durability to handle the trials and tribulations of a professional backstop. He’s a capable defender at the hot corner, as well, where his foot work, hands and arm all play. The offensive profile is uninspiring but solid, as the former Georgia Bulldog will flash some pop and has amassed a decent track record of steady production through his first 250-plus pro games. There may not be impact here, but Farmer projects as a solid everyday option or valuable back-up on a first-division club.

http://2080baseball.com/2015/12/afl-tea ... sert-dogs/
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Nestor Cortes, lhp, Yankees.

Cortes is not overpowering, and in the recent flood of high-profile acquisitions he can get easily overlooked in the Yankees’ system. But he keeps impressing, even following a promotion to high Class A. On Friday, the 36th-round pick from Hialeah (Fla.) High in 2013 retired the first 19 Brevard County (Brewers) batters he faced before allowing two hits in an 11-0 win. Cortes pitches backward, leading with his offspeed stuff and using his fastball as a putaway pitch. He struck out nine and walked none, outpitching the higher-profile Marcos Diplan. Cortes is now 10-3, 1.51 with 101 whiffs and 20 walks in 95 1/3 innings over two levels.

(Source: BA Prospect Report )
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Chance Adams, rhp, Yankees.

Adams knew he would have a limited workload, so he got done as much as he could in that time. Adams struck out 10, matching a career best, in 4.1 innings Wednesday in Double-A Trenton’s 4-1 win over Bowie (Orioles). Adams was limited to 85 pitches or six innings and he was removed after a 10-pitch walk to Adrian Marin left him with 87 pitches. At high Class A and Double-A, Adams is 13-1, 2.33, with 144 strikeouts in 127.1 innings. Adams has the ceiling of a mid-rotation starter.

(Source: BA Prospect Report)
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Paul Blackburn, rhp, Mariners.

Seattle didn’t regard Blackburn as a throw-in when it acquired him in the trade of Mike Montgomery to the Cubs, but he certainly didn’t get the publicity afforded Dan Vogelbach. But Blackburn has impressed in his short time in the organization, including Tuesday, when he outdueled Jorge Lopez in Double-A Jackson’s 3-1 win at Biloxi (Brewers). Blackburn, whose fastball tops out at 93 mph but who fills the zone, allowed just five hits over 8.1 innings. With the Mariners, Blackburn is 3-1, 3.54.

(Source: BA Prospect Report)
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Jordan Montgomery, LHP

New York Yankees (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre): 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K. Since being promoted to Triple-A, Montgomery has given up just 31 hits in 44 innings, while walking just 12 and striking out 42. Oh, and his ERA is below 1.00 in that stretch. Do not be shocked if he’s starting games for the Yankees next season.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/artic ... leid=30326
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SP Chance Adams - Yankees

Double-A Trenton (Eastern) - High Class A Tampa (Florida State)

Move over, Tyler Glasnow. Adams allowed just 5.4 hits per nine innings this season and led the minors with a .169 opponent average. That mark ranks as the second lowest by a qualified minor league starter since 1993, which is as far back as we can trace such records. (The top mark belongs to former White Sox prospect Fautino de los Santos, a righty who allowed a .163 average in 2007.) Adams, a 2015 fifth-round pick from Dallas Baptist, throws an excellent fastball up to 97 mph that helped him set up solid secondary stuff and go 13-1, 2.33 at two levels this season. He struck out 144 in 127 innings and ranked among the overall minor league leaders in ERA and WHIP (0.90).

Second-Team All-Stars

C Chance Sisco - Orioles
Double-A Bowie (Eastern)

DH Mitch Haniger - Diamondbacks
Triple-A Reno (Pacific Coast) - Double-A Mobile (Southern)

http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/m ... rvzB6kS.97
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Andrew Toles, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Back in the spring I wrote a fairly glowing report about Toles after he came (pretty literally) out of nowhere to shock the scouting gallery at Rancho Cucamonga with how absurdly intact his baseball skills remained after a season and a half of inactivity against professional competition. In addition to the lost developmental time, I noted, the disciplinary history was such that he made for an absurdly high-risk prospect. But the talent that had at one point made him a potential first-round pick was clear, from excellent speed which he utilized on the bases, to the aggressive discipline of his approach and quick stroke that allowed him to drive pitches from gap to gap. I wasn’t necessarily surprised that Toles advanced up the chain and continued to find success when he did. I was surprised that success exploded across two more levels of the high minors and culminated with a to-date absurd 106-plate-appearance debut in the big leagues. This kid can play, though. And while the top-line numbers aren’t likely to remain in the clouds, his is a well-rounded skillset absolutely capable of producing average-regular value as a reasonable outcome, with room for more if he succeeds in counter-adjusting to the inevitable scouting book being written in real time. –Wilson Karaman

Chance Adams, RHP, New York Yankees (Double-A Trenton)

When it was announced that Adams would be working as a starting pitcher, I was certainly surprised. After all, he was a dominant closer at Dallas Baptist, and was known as a fireballer with a wipeout slider. While he did start at Yavapai College, he seemed more comfortable as a closer. Needless to say, I was surprised with how effective he was and his overall arsenal. Adams certainly looked the part, he has a broad, muscular 6-foot, 215-pound body, a simple, repeatable delivery, and a smooth arm action with above-average arm speed. While starting, he still showed off the two plus pitches that got him drafted, but showed more feel for his changeup and curveball as the season progressed. His command also improved as the season progressed, having a better idea of where to locate and execute his pitches in specific counts. Next for Adams will be to see how well he is able to bounce back next year. His 127 innings this year was 33 more than he threw last year, between college and pro ball. While I don’t think durability will be an overall issue for him, it is just something to keep notice of for the following year. –Steve Givarz

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Roger (Greenville, SC): Obviously this league was loaded, but what kept [Ronald] Acuna from ranking higher? I'd have him above Luis Alexander Basabe at 9 based on a better hit tool and raw power.

J.J. Cooper: You can make a case for Acuna higher, but he didn't get much of a chance to show scouts/coaches what he can do. He barely got enough PAs to qualify thanks to a significant thumb injury. At this point, Basabe has significantly more track record, especially when it comes to productive power. Basabe has slugged .400+ and posted better isolated power numbers than Acuna has in their admittedly short careers. Both are interesting outfield prospects, but Acuna does get dinged a little because in a list that does take into account league context, he had an injury-plagued season.

Stan (Baltimore): Thoughts on Ryan Mountcastle? I was surprised to not see him on the list. Was he considered for the top 20 or is his defense too much of a liability?

J.J. Cooper: You nailed it. He's a shortstop right now, but virtually everyone I talked to said they didn't see him being able to stick at shortstop, and with his arm, they couldn't project him to move to second, third or center field. Some said that they thought his arm would be stretched in left field and so they projected him as a first baseman long term. He's a good hitter, although he's a little too aggressive at times.

Nick (Atlanta): If he can tap into some of his plus-plus raw power, how far up prospect lists do you expect to see (a healthy) Ronald Acuna rise? Also, thanks for great minor league coverage all season long.

J.J. Cooper: Oh if he is healthy all next year, he could fly up our rankings lists. There's a ton of potential there, he just hasn't had a chance to show it in games all that often yet.

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