Pretty much what the IBC Tigers have been saying all along about future Braves 2B Tommy La Stella. Just needs to avoid the freak injuries, but he can play. From MILB.com:
SL notes: La Stella stellar when healthy
M-Braves infielder makes staying on the field a primary goal
Tommy La Stella's drag bunt single in the first inning against Pensacola on June 9 gave him a .330 average in his first 26 games with Mississippi. The hit, though, came with a price, which has too frequently been the case for Atlanta's No. 16 prospect.
La Stella strained his hamstring just before reaching first base, landing him on the disabled list. Unfortunately, that's a spot the second baseman is all too familiar with.
La Stella, 24, was beaned at Class A Advanced Lynchburg last season, then sat out six weeks after breaking his leg in a collision while covering first on a bunt. This year, he missed Spring Training and the first three weeks of the season because of a sore right elbow.
"It's been frustrating," said the left-handed hitting La Stella, who made it back from his hamstring injury June 29. "You want to play, not sit."
When healthy, La Stella has always hit, and the Braves feel that the former Coastal Carolina standout was a steal as an eighth-round pick in the 2011 Draft.
After batting .398 his last season in college, La Stella hit .328 for Class A Rome and then .302 with Lynchburg last year despite being limited to 85 games.
La Stella went 11-for-20 in seven games with the Hillcats this season after recovering from elbow inflammation, and then was 3-for-6 with two doubles, a triple and five RBIs in his Mississippi debut May 7.
Who needs Spring Training?
"Lynchburg was my Spring Training," La Stella said.
But now the New Jersey native is having to get back up to speed again after sitting out nearly three weeks. Eased back, La Stella had just four hits in his first 21 at-bats, dropping his average to .304.
"I'm trying to get my timing back," he said.
When La Stella does, he will be an offensive force again. He has struck out just 11 times while drawing 18 walks for Lynchburg and Mississippi this season, following his normal pattern.
La Stella has walked 84 times in 194 Minor League games and struck out just 64 times.
La Stella, who started his college career at St. John's, also has some pop. He had 14 homers his final season at Coastal Carolina and has a .467 slugging average this year to go with his .422 on-base percentage.
"I want to be aggressive but make sure it is a pitch I can handle," said La Stella, who drove in seven runs in the playoffs as Lynchburg won the Carolina League's Mills Cup last season.
But for La Stella, the real key is staying healthy. He's spent enough time on the disabled list.
"I just want to be on the field and get as many at-bats as I can," he said.
Although a little bigger, the scrappy La Stella has reminded some of former Atlanta second baseman Mark Lemke. The Braves had a lot of success with Lemke as their second baseman during the early part of their run of National League East Division titles in the 1990s.
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Good conversation for IBC Tigers prospect David Holmberg to be mentioned in, per mlbtr.com:
Bowden hears there's an 80 percent chance that Matt Garza will be traded before his next scheduled start (Monday or Tuesday of next week). The Rangers, Red Sox and Diamondbacks are still involved, He describes the D-backs as "dark horses," adding that their odds in the Garza sweepstakes would increase if they were willing to part with left-hander David Holmberg.
Bowden hears there's an 80 percent chance that Matt Garza will be traded before his next scheduled start (Monday or Tuesday of next week). The Rangers, Red Sox and Diamondbacks are still involved, He describes the D-backs as "dark horses," adding that their odds in the Garza sweepstakes would increase if they were willing to part with left-hander David Holmberg.
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Here's a guy no one is talking about, but should be: Kyle Hendricks. To date, Hendricks leads the Southern League with a 1.91 ERA (better than much-praised Archie Bradley and Taijuan Walker). The Dartmouth product has done so over 19 starts, tossing 119 innings and striking out 91 vs. only 24 walks. He's allowed 94 hits for a 1.04 WHIP.
Hendricks was a key piece of last year's Ryan Dempster deal, coming to the Cubs from the Rangers with Christian Villanueva. Thus far, it seems Hendricks is flying under the radar. He's not going to blow anyone away, as he stays in the low 90s with a two- and four-seam FB, but also flashes a cutter, curve and change. He's a thinking pitcher and doesn't just hurl the ball, but attacks hitters and exploits weaknesses. It's probably this approach that has kept prospect sites from gushing, but as he continues his success (2.02 ERA in 2011 in two stops, 2.99 over two stops last year), he should start to get recognized.
Hendricks was a key piece of last year's Ryan Dempster deal, coming to the Cubs from the Rangers with Christian Villanueva. Thus far, it seems Hendricks is flying under the radar. He's not going to blow anyone away, as he stays in the low 90s with a two- and four-seam FB, but also flashes a cutter, curve and change. He's a thinking pitcher and doesn't just hurl the ball, but attacks hitters and exploits weaknesses. It's probably this approach that has kept prospect sites from gushing, but as he continues his success (2.02 ERA in 2011 in two stops, 2.99 over two stops last year), he should start to get recognized.
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Good to see the Giants recognizing the talent of 2012 draftee Matt Duffy, a shortstop who played at Long Beach State. They just promoted him from Single A Augusta to A+ San Jose after a solid start to the year. The 18th round pick struggled a bit in his debut, hitting just .247 with 1 HR, 16 RBI and 10 SB in 47 games. But what stood out was his great eye at the plate: he walked 26 times, striking out only 22 times at Short Season Salem-Keizer.
He started this year at Augusta and improved his hitting quite a bit while still maintaining the K/BB ratio. He hit .304 with 4 HR 43 RBI, 14 2B, 3 3B and a 44/41 K/BB ratio, good for a .406 OBP and .817 OPS. He also did well to commit only 11 errors in 77 games at shortstop.
So, the Giants smartly promoted Duffy recently to A+ San Jose, where his plate discipline has continued to shine. He's hitting .263/.361/.368 in his first 5 games with 1 RBI and a 5/2 K/BB ratio. I expect Duffy to show slightly better power numbers in the hitter-friendly Cal League, while still getting on base and not striking out much.
He started this year at Augusta and improved his hitting quite a bit while still maintaining the K/BB ratio. He hit .304 with 4 HR 43 RBI, 14 2B, 3 3B and a 44/41 K/BB ratio, good for a .406 OBP and .817 OPS. He also did well to commit only 11 errors in 77 games at shortstop.
So, the Giants smartly promoted Duffy recently to A+ San Jose, where his plate discipline has continued to shine. He's hitting .263/.361/.368 in his first 5 games with 1 RBI and a 5/2 K/BB ratio. I expect Duffy to show slightly better power numbers in the hitter-friendly Cal League, while still getting on base and not striking out much.
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Another fun night for the IBC Tigers' farm.
Ryan Rua hit home run No. 29 on the season, bringing the RBI total up to an even 80. Rua also has pitched in 13 SB and by all accounts plays a solid 2B. His average at .259 needs to come up a little for him to success at the next level, but it's probably time for him to head to Myrtle Beach.
Top hitting prospect Corey Seager had another big game, going 3-4 with 2 runs, 2 home runs and 5 RBI. He now has 11 home runs and 55 RBI in 71 games. Tack on a .308 avg, .383 obp and .517 slg and you've got a solid .900 OPS for the lefty shortstop and 2012 IBC Tigers first round pick.
Not a monster game, but shout-out to Preston Tucker, the Astros left-handed hitting outfielder. After a monster first half in the hitter-friendly Cal League, he was promoted to AA Corpus Christi, where he's started slow, but put together a very nice stretch lately. In his last 10 games, Tucker is hitting .308/.386/.513 with 2 HR and 7 RBI and a 6/4 K/BB ratio. Tucker's average is only .244 after a 2-5 game Monday, but his plate discipline hasn't left him. He's got 20k/13BB in his 30 AA games. For the season, Tucker is at .302/.367/.513 20 HR 92 RBI 3 SB 66k/40BB over two stops. Not bad for a 2012 draft pick and a guy Jake Hamlin likes to make fun of.
Ryan Rua hit home run No. 29 on the season, bringing the RBI total up to an even 80. Rua also has pitched in 13 SB and by all accounts plays a solid 2B. His average at .259 needs to come up a little for him to success at the next level, but it's probably time for him to head to Myrtle Beach.
Top hitting prospect Corey Seager had another big game, going 3-4 with 2 runs, 2 home runs and 5 RBI. He now has 11 home runs and 55 RBI in 71 games. Tack on a .308 avg, .383 obp and .517 slg and you've got a solid .900 OPS for the lefty shortstop and 2012 IBC Tigers first round pick.
Not a monster game, but shout-out to Preston Tucker, the Astros left-handed hitting outfielder. After a monster first half in the hitter-friendly Cal League, he was promoted to AA Corpus Christi, where he's started slow, but put together a very nice stretch lately. In his last 10 games, Tucker is hitting .308/.386/.513 with 2 HR and 7 RBI and a 6/4 K/BB ratio. Tucker's average is only .244 after a 2-5 game Monday, but his plate discipline hasn't left him. He's got 20k/13BB in his 30 AA games. For the season, Tucker is at .302/.367/.513 20 HR 92 RBI 3 SB 66k/40BB over two stops. Not bad for a 2012 draft pick and a guy Jake Hamlin likes to make fun of.
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Some more positive news for the IBC Tiger farmhands:
Pitching phenom Luc Giolito continues his recovery from TJ surgery and seems to be throwing well. The Nats have limited his innings, which is good, as they know pretty well how to handle guys coming back from surgery.
Giolito posted his best GCL start Thursday night when he tossed 4 scoreless innings, giving up two hits, walking none and striking out 4. His pitching has been a bit sporadic, but the latest solid start brought his season ERA to 4.26 with 15 ks to 7 bb in 12 IP.
Top hitting prospect Corey Seager got promoted from Single A Great Lakes to A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga. After tearing up the Midwest League (.309/.389/.529 12 HR 57 RBI 9 SB), the 6-4 215-pound SS heads to the hitter-friendly Cal League. Watch out, boys.
Second basemen prospects Devon Travis and Tommy La Stella just continue to hit. Another guy to dominate the Midwest League by hitting .353 in 77 games, Travis got bumped up to A+ Lakeland in the Florida State League and, well, hit more. He's now at .402/.445/.520 in 26 games. La Stella, in the AA Southern League, isn't quite at Ted Williams numbers, but is hitting .405 in his last 10 games. He's now at .346/.416/.463 on the season.
Speaking of the Southern League, Kyle Hendricks threw another gem Thursday: 6 ip 7 h 1 er 4 k to lower his league-leading ERA to 1.85.
Pitching phenom Luc Giolito continues his recovery from TJ surgery and seems to be throwing well. The Nats have limited his innings, which is good, as they know pretty well how to handle guys coming back from surgery.
Giolito posted his best GCL start Thursday night when he tossed 4 scoreless innings, giving up two hits, walking none and striking out 4. His pitching has been a bit sporadic, but the latest solid start brought his season ERA to 4.26 with 15 ks to 7 bb in 12 IP.
Top hitting prospect Corey Seager got promoted from Single A Great Lakes to A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga. After tearing up the Midwest League (.309/.389/.529 12 HR 57 RBI 9 SB), the 6-4 215-pound SS heads to the hitter-friendly Cal League. Watch out, boys.
Second basemen prospects Devon Travis and Tommy La Stella just continue to hit. Another guy to dominate the Midwest League by hitting .353 in 77 games, Travis got bumped up to A+ Lakeland in the Florida State League and, well, hit more. He's now at .402/.445/.520 in 26 games. La Stella, in the AA Southern League, isn't quite at Ted Williams numbers, but is hitting .405 in his last 10 games. He's now at .346/.416/.463 on the season.
Speaking of the Southern League, Kyle Hendricks threw another gem Thursday: 6 ip 7 h 1 er 4 k to lower his league-leading ERA to 1.85.
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Good to see IBC Tigers pitching prospect Rafael Montero pitching well in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. The 22-year-old has gone through 8 leagues in three years to get promoted from the Dominican Summer League in 2011 up to the PCL in 2013. He now sports a 3.10 ERA between AA and AAA.
On Sunday, he shut down Memphis, tossing 8 1-run innings, striking out 4, walking 1 and giving up only 4 hits. In his last four starts, he's sporting a 3.24 ERA, lowering his AAA ERA to 3.88. He sported a 2.43 ERA in AA. And he doesn't turn 23 until October, meaning he'll likely be a rookie in 2014 as a 23-year-old with success at every stop in the minors.
On Sunday, he shut down Memphis, tossing 8 1-run innings, striking out 4, walking 1 and giving up only 4 hits. In his last four starts, he's sporting a 3.24 ERA, lowering his AAA ERA to 3.88. He sported a 2.43 ERA in AA. And he doesn't turn 23 until October, meaning he'll likely be a rookie in 2014 as a 23-year-old with success at every stop in the minors.
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Word:
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ym ... b&sid=milb
Travis soaring for Flying Tigers
Lakeland second baseman homers twice, plates seven in win
By Jonathan Raymond / MiLB.com
Devon Travis had a reasonable debut by most standards with Class A Short-Season Connecticut last year, compiling a .793 OPS in 25 games after Detroit took him in the 13th round of the 2012 Draft.
His follow-up in his first full season has been well beyond reasonable.
The 22-year-old had his biggest game in what's been a very big year on Wednesday, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, a career-high seven RBIs and three runs scored to power Class A Advanced Lakeland in a 19-6 romp over Dunedin.
It was another highlight in a season filled with them for the Florida State University product.
"I think it was just one of those days. I went in for some early work today with our hitting coach [Larry Herndon] and just slowed it down," Travis said, "I felt a little bit like I was jumping at the ball lately and I just wanted to see the ball a little bit longer. I don't know, it just worked out.
"The first [home run], our park is pretty big and I hit in the gaps so I was sprinting the entire time. The second one -- I don't ever really hit home runs that I know are gone and that was one of the very few that I've ever hit that I did. As a player you have plenty of nights where, you know, you don't get any hits at all and nights like this you get to cherish a little bit. Tomorrow, today will be gone and it'll be back to work again, but I'd be lying if I said this isn't a day I won't remember for a while."
Travis built on that .280/.352/.441 line with Connecticut last year by tearing through the Class A Midwest League, hitting .352/.430/.486 with West Michigan in 77 games. He had six home runs, 42 RBIs and 14 steals in 17 tries and was the Midwest League All-Star Game MVP.
The production earned him his promotion to the Florida State League, where he hasn't cooled off at all. After the outburst Wednesday, Travis sports a .397/.444/.552 line in 29 games with four homers, 19 RBIs and four steals in four attempts.
"I'm just so thankful [for the success]. The hitting coaches, [Scott Dwyer] in West Michigan and [Herndon] here, are incredible people, so positive. And that's something as a baseball player, where a lot of times when you're not performing it's just mental, and they just do a great job of being positive. It's such a big thing in baseball, it wears on you mentally and it's great to have hitting coaches that are always positive, always willing to help you," he said.
Overall, his season line stands at .365/.434/.505 in 106 games. It's the kind of breakout that drove him up to No. 12 on the Tigers Prospect Watch..
Not that he's dwelling on any of that.
"There's a big-time wall between what the players see and what the organization sees, and that's just something I try not to think about. As long as I'm going out there every day and working hard, putting in my all to be a better baseball player, that's really the only thing I can concern myself with," he said. "I definitely am excited, but it's not done yet. Got a long 25 days left that's probably going to be the slowest 25 days of the season, but up to this point, I'm very thankful and definitely all the credit to the hitting coaches and really just the guys around me."
Aaron Westlake also belted two homers for Lakeland, finishing with four RBIs and three runs scored. No. 11 Tigers prospect Steven Moya fell a homer short of the cycle, driving in three runs.
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ym ... b&sid=milb
Travis soaring for Flying Tigers
Lakeland second baseman homers twice, plates seven in win
By Jonathan Raymond / MiLB.com
Devon Travis had a reasonable debut by most standards with Class A Short-Season Connecticut last year, compiling a .793 OPS in 25 games after Detroit took him in the 13th round of the 2012 Draft.
His follow-up in his first full season has been well beyond reasonable.
The 22-year-old had his biggest game in what's been a very big year on Wednesday, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, a career-high seven RBIs and three runs scored to power Class A Advanced Lakeland in a 19-6 romp over Dunedin.
It was another highlight in a season filled with them for the Florida State University product.
"I think it was just one of those days. I went in for some early work today with our hitting coach [Larry Herndon] and just slowed it down," Travis said, "I felt a little bit like I was jumping at the ball lately and I just wanted to see the ball a little bit longer. I don't know, it just worked out.
"The first [home run], our park is pretty big and I hit in the gaps so I was sprinting the entire time. The second one -- I don't ever really hit home runs that I know are gone and that was one of the very few that I've ever hit that I did. As a player you have plenty of nights where, you know, you don't get any hits at all and nights like this you get to cherish a little bit. Tomorrow, today will be gone and it'll be back to work again, but I'd be lying if I said this isn't a day I won't remember for a while."
Travis built on that .280/.352/.441 line with Connecticut last year by tearing through the Class A Midwest League, hitting .352/.430/.486 with West Michigan in 77 games. He had six home runs, 42 RBIs and 14 steals in 17 tries and was the Midwest League All-Star Game MVP.
The production earned him his promotion to the Florida State League, where he hasn't cooled off at all. After the outburst Wednesday, Travis sports a .397/.444/.552 line in 29 games with four homers, 19 RBIs and four steals in four attempts.
"I'm just so thankful [for the success]. The hitting coaches, [Scott Dwyer] in West Michigan and [Herndon] here, are incredible people, so positive. And that's something as a baseball player, where a lot of times when you're not performing it's just mental, and they just do a great job of being positive. It's such a big thing in baseball, it wears on you mentally and it's great to have hitting coaches that are always positive, always willing to help you," he said.
Overall, his season line stands at .365/.434/.505 in 106 games. It's the kind of breakout that drove him up to No. 12 on the Tigers Prospect Watch..
Not that he's dwelling on any of that.
"There's a big-time wall between what the players see and what the organization sees, and that's just something I try not to think about. As long as I'm going out there every day and working hard, putting in my all to be a better baseball player, that's really the only thing I can concern myself with," he said. "I definitely am excited, but it's not done yet. Got a long 25 days left that's probably going to be the slowest 25 days of the season, but up to this point, I'm very thankful and definitely all the credit to the hitting coaches and really just the guys around me."
Aaron Westlake also belted two homers for Lakeland, finishing with four RBIs and three runs scored. No. 11 Tigers prospect Steven Moya fell a homer short of the cycle, driving in three runs.
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Amazing stuff for IBC Tigers' farmhand Kyle Hendricks. After watching him for most of a year, his pickup this summer is turning out to be a great one. He's done sorta well in the AA Southern League, outpitching top pitching prospects Archie Bradley and Taijuan Walker, posting a 10-3 record, 1.85 ERA .227 BAA and 101K/26BB ratio in 126.1 IP.
So, the Cubs did the logical thing and promoted the 23-year-old to the AAA Iowa Cubs of the PCL.
His first start there Thursday: 7 IP 4 H 0 ER 5 K 1 BB vs. Fresno. He now boasts a 1.76 ERA over two levels this season.
Also good to see guys on the farm getting promoted. 2B Ryan Rua in the Rangers' system got bumped from A Hickory to AA Frisco, climbing over A+ Myrtle Beach.
After whacking 29 HRs and driving in 82 runs in 104 games at Hickory, Rua made his debut Thursday. Over two games, he's 2-9 with 1 RBI and Frisco has him playing 3B, which helps his stock in a Rangers system that just lost Mike Olt and has plenty of depth in the middle infield. Good to see him getting his due and it appears the Rangers want to see what he can do quicker rather than later.
So, the Cubs did the logical thing and promoted the 23-year-old to the AAA Iowa Cubs of the PCL.
His first start there Thursday: 7 IP 4 H 0 ER 5 K 1 BB vs. Fresno. He now boasts a 1.76 ERA over two levels this season.
Also good to see guys on the farm getting promoted. 2B Ryan Rua in the Rangers' system got bumped from A Hickory to AA Frisco, climbing over A+ Myrtle Beach.
After whacking 29 HRs and driving in 82 runs in 104 games at Hickory, Rua made his debut Thursday. Over two games, he's 2-9 with 1 RBI and Frisco has him playing 3B, which helps his stock in a Rangers system that just lost Mike Olt and has plenty of depth in the middle infield. Good to see him getting his due and it appears the Rangers want to see what he can do quicker rather than later.
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Another quality start by Rafael Montero. He shut down a good Oklahoma City lineup that features George Springer, Jonathan Singleton, Marwin Gonzalez and Jimmy Paredes.
Final line:
7 ip 2 h 1 er 2 bb 9 k
His only mistake was a solo homer to Springer and the start dropped his PCL ERA to 3.60. After a couple wild starts, he's only surrendered two walks his last 15 innings.
Final line:
7 ip 2 h 1 er 2 bb 9 k
His only mistake was a solo homer to Springer and the start dropped his PCL ERA to 3.60. After a couple wild starts, he's only surrendered two walks his last 15 innings.
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Some good news on the IBC Tigers farm, potentially to help soften the hurt of the news on the IBC Tigers MLB club:
OF Preston Tucker continues to improve as the season goes on. After a 2-3 night tonight with 2 doubles, 1 run and 1 bb, he now is over .260 with an OBP around .350. He has 9 HR and 24 RBI in 48 AA games, bringing his 2013 totals over two levels to 24 HR and 98 RBI with 53 walks to 82K. Great season out of the 23-year-old lefty from Tampa.
Newly re-acquired OF Brian Goodwin has been turning it on since getting away from the oppressive conditions of the IBC Giants. Since the trade was announced, Goodwin is 4-10 with 1 HR 3 RBI and 3BB/1K. The 5-tool CF hasn't lived up to his pre-season hype, but still has put up good all-around numbers. Coming into tonight, he was at .250/.347 10 HR 34 RBI 18 SB 9 3B. He turns 23 in November, so is still young for AA and will have a year of AA experience under his belt heading into 2014.
Also good to see SP prospect Mark Sappington earn a promotion. The big righty pitched the majority of the season in A+ Inland Empire before recently moving to AA Arkansas. In three AA starts, he's sporting a 2.55 ERA, going 17.2 IP and striking out 16, including 7 IP 7k 1 BB 1 ER 4 H start vs. Corpus Christi on Sunday.
OF Preston Tucker continues to improve as the season goes on. After a 2-3 night tonight with 2 doubles, 1 run and 1 bb, he now is over .260 with an OBP around .350. He has 9 HR and 24 RBI in 48 AA games, bringing his 2013 totals over two levels to 24 HR and 98 RBI with 53 walks to 82K. Great season out of the 23-year-old lefty from Tampa.
Newly re-acquired OF Brian Goodwin has been turning it on since getting away from the oppressive conditions of the IBC Giants. Since the trade was announced, Goodwin is 4-10 with 1 HR 3 RBI and 3BB/1K. The 5-tool CF hasn't lived up to his pre-season hype, but still has put up good all-around numbers. Coming into tonight, he was at .250/.347 10 HR 34 RBI 18 SB 9 3B. He turns 23 in November, so is still young for AA and will have a year of AA experience under his belt heading into 2014.
Also good to see SP prospect Mark Sappington earn a promotion. The big righty pitched the majority of the season in A+ Inland Empire before recently moving to AA Arkansas. In three AA starts, he's sporting a 2.55 ERA, going 17.2 IP and striking out 16, including 7 IP 7k 1 BB 1 ER 4 H start vs. Corpus Christi on Sunday.
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Some nice write-ups on IBC Tiger Cubs this week from the BA Prospect Hot Sheet:
Mark Sappington, rhp, Angels: In a farm system light on talent, Sappington stands out for his hard, heavy fastball. He doesn’t always know where it’s going, but it’s been effective for him in three starts with Double-A Arkansas, where he has a 2.55 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
Kendry Flores, rhp, Giants: Flores pitched one of the best games we’ve seen in the minors on Wednesday for low Class A Augusta. The 21-year-old struck out 15 batters without issuing a walk over eight innings, allowing only one run against Lexington. The only pitcher in the minors this year who has struck out more batters in a start is Phillies lefthander Jesse Biddle, who whiffed 16 batters for Double-A Reading back in April. Flores’ start was no fluke, either, as he’s a legitimate prospect with a mid-90s fastball in the midst of a breakout season, which includes four double-digit strikeout games and a stellar 134-17 K-BB mark and a 2.65 ERA in 135 2/3 innings.
Mark Sappington, rhp, Angels: In a farm system light on talent, Sappington stands out for his hard, heavy fastball. He doesn’t always know where it’s going, but it’s been effective for him in three starts with Double-A Arkansas, where he has a 2.55 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
Kendry Flores, rhp, Giants: Flores pitched one of the best games we’ve seen in the minors on Wednesday for low Class A Augusta. The 21-year-old struck out 15 batters without issuing a walk over eight innings, allowing only one run against Lexington. The only pitcher in the minors this year who has struck out more batters in a start is Phillies lefthander Jesse Biddle, who whiffed 16 batters for Double-A Reading back in April. Flores’ start was no fluke, either, as he’s a legitimate prospect with a mid-90s fastball in the midst of a breakout season, which includes four double-digit strikeout games and a stellar 134-17 K-BB mark and a 2.65 ERA in 135 2/3 innings.
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Good to see another IBC Tigers prospect picking it up to finish the season. Astros RF Preston Tucker has put together one of the better offensive seasons this year in the minors.
With another home run Sunday night, Tucker now has 10 home runs and 29 RBI in 59 AA games after hitting 15 home runs and 74 RBI in 75 A+ games.
To date:
.299/.370/.508 25 HR 103 RBI 3 SB 91K/56BB 134 G
After struggling to start his transition from the hitter-friendly Cal League to the tough Texas League, Tucker is now up to a respectable .266/.352 AA line. With the way he's playing, it seems possible he could end up in the 30 HR club, which should help his stock. You'd have to think that at this point, he's moving up the Astros prospect charts. I don't expect a September call-up, but I suspect 2014 could be an exciting year for Tucker.
With another home run Sunday night, Tucker now has 10 home runs and 29 RBI in 59 AA games after hitting 15 home runs and 74 RBI in 75 A+ games.
To date:
.299/.370/.508 25 HR 103 RBI 3 SB 91K/56BB 134 G
After struggling to start his transition from the hitter-friendly Cal League to the tough Texas League, Tucker is now up to a respectable .266/.352 AA line. With the way he's playing, it seems possible he could end up in the 30 HR club, which should help his stock. You'd have to think that at this point, he's moving up the Astros prospect charts. I don't expect a September call-up, but I suspect 2014 could be an exciting year for Tucker.
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I can't believe it's been two months since I posted something in Tiger Cubs. I guess I was just so mesmerized by the six times daily postings by the Nationals I didn't get to writing about my prospects. Good to see a little nice pub for one Jorge Alfaro, a guy hitting .400 in the AFL and impressing scouts with his defensive upgrades:
Jorge Alfaro started to developed a reputation as a power hitter this season. Now he's proving he has some finesse to accompany the thunder.
Texas' top prospect went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI as the host Surprise Saguaros beat the Scottsdale Scorpions, 9-7, in the Arizona Fall League on Tuesday.
The outing extended the catcher's hitting streak to five games, gave him his ninth multi-hit performance in 18 contests and lifted his batting average to a league-best .409.
"There are some pretty good hitters here, so [I'm] learning pitch sequences," Alfaro said through translator Noe Ramirez. "The biggest thing [I'm] learning is how to call a game, getting to know each pitcher."
The native of Colombia grounded out in the first inning and singled to left field to load the bases in the fourth. He smacked an RBI double in a four-run fifth and he singled the other way to right to begin the seventh.
"I'm simply seeing the ball and wherever I see it, I'm going with it," said Alfaro, who also made a throwing error, got picked off and was caught stealing. "And that's something that's been working pretty well."
The 20-year-old batted .265 across three Minor League levels this year, primarily with the Class A Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League. MLB.com's No. 55 prospect slugged 18 homers, recorded 61 RBIs and swiped 18 bases in 21 attempts.
Signed by the Rangers as a non-drafted free agent in 2010, Alfaro -- who ranks fourth with a .461 on-base percentage and tied for fourth with 18 runs scored -- was a Futures Game selection and South Atlantic League midseason All-Star this season.
"He has a lot of tools, and the Texas Rangers are very lucky to have him," Saguaros manager Gary Kendall said. "He's a very talented guy that has great arm strength, good blocking skills, he's smart, he's alert, he has agility -- and that's just talking defensively. Offensively, the guy moves well around the bases, he's got power to all fields and he's got baseball sense."
Jorge Alfaro started to developed a reputation as a power hitter this season. Now he's proving he has some finesse to accompany the thunder.
Texas' top prospect went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI as the host Surprise Saguaros beat the Scottsdale Scorpions, 9-7, in the Arizona Fall League on Tuesday.
The outing extended the catcher's hitting streak to five games, gave him his ninth multi-hit performance in 18 contests and lifted his batting average to a league-best .409.
"There are some pretty good hitters here, so [I'm] learning pitch sequences," Alfaro said through translator Noe Ramirez. "The biggest thing [I'm] learning is how to call a game, getting to know each pitcher."
The native of Colombia grounded out in the first inning and singled to left field to load the bases in the fourth. He smacked an RBI double in a four-run fifth and he singled the other way to right to begin the seventh.
"I'm simply seeing the ball and wherever I see it, I'm going with it," said Alfaro, who also made a throwing error, got picked off and was caught stealing. "And that's something that's been working pretty well."
The 20-year-old batted .265 across three Minor League levels this year, primarily with the Class A Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League. MLB.com's No. 55 prospect slugged 18 homers, recorded 61 RBIs and swiped 18 bases in 21 attempts.
Signed by the Rangers as a non-drafted free agent in 2010, Alfaro -- who ranks fourth with a .461 on-base percentage and tied for fourth with 18 runs scored -- was a Futures Game selection and South Atlantic League midseason All-Star this season.
"He has a lot of tools, and the Texas Rangers are very lucky to have him," Saguaros manager Gary Kendall said. "He's a very talented guy that has great arm strength, good blocking skills, he's smart, he's alert, he has agility -- and that's just talking defensively. Offensively, the guy moves well around the bases, he's got power to all fields and he's got baseball sense."
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Again, not going to go all Nationals on my readers and ask questions in forums to solicit responses to write about, so this was a nice surprise to find from BP's Jason Parks on farmhand Kendry Flores. Good to see him being recognized for a great season and big improvements:
4. Kendry Flores
Position: RHP
DOB: 11/24/1991
Height/Weight: 6’2” 175 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted/Acquired: International free agent, 2009, Dominican Republic
Previous Ranking: NR
2013 Stats: 2.73 ERA (141.2 IP, 113 H, 137 K, 17 BB) at Low-A Augusta
The Tools: 6+ potential FB; 6 potential CH; 5 potential CB
What Happened in 2013: After four years of short-season ball, Flores made his way to the Sally League where the Dominican arm walked only 17 batters in over 141 innings of work.
Strengths: Smooth, athletic delivery; sharp command profile; repeats well/consistent release points; fastball jumpy in the low 90s; can work comfortably in the 92-93 range, touching 95; changeup plays up because of consistent mechanics/release; some late sink; shows average curveball with some depth; advanced pitchability.
Weaknesses: Recent uptick in stuff; previous profile was pitchability over power; fastball can still dip to fringe-average; work in the 89-91 range; can get vanilla; breaking ball lacks wipeout grade; needs to add strength to frame; questions about ultimate projection.
Overall Future Potential: High 5; no 3 starter
Realistic Role: 5; no. 4 starter
Risk Factor/Injury History: High risk; yet to pitch above Low-A; velocity uptick is new development.
Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: There’s risk and reward here with Flores, even more than with other pitchers who have completed a full season at Low-A. The combination of the potential stuff and park could make him a future no. 3/4 starter in fantasy leagues, but if there’s real regression in that department, he becomes much closer to waiver wire fodder. I’d prefer taking a flier on a short-season arm with bigger upside to grabbing Flores.
The Year Ahead: Flores is perhaps the most polarizing of arms in the Giants system, with sharp command and strong overall pitchability but stuff that can play sharp in one start and play down in another. Added strength could help with the arsenal consistency, but the concerns about his ultimate projection will remain until he can show an above-average arsenal for an entire season. At his best, Flores could spot up a 92-94 fastball, use his plus potential changeup to miss bats and barrels, and mix in a solid curveball to help change sight lines and disrupt timing. The feel for craft is very strong, and if the uptick in stuff proves to be legit, Flores could move quickly in 2014. Despite his low-level resume, the Giants elected to add the 22-year-old arm to the 40-man roster, a move that seems to suggest the organization believes the gains of 2013 will continue going forward.
4. Kendry Flores
Position: RHP
DOB: 11/24/1991
Height/Weight: 6’2” 175 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted/Acquired: International free agent, 2009, Dominican Republic
Previous Ranking: NR
2013 Stats: 2.73 ERA (141.2 IP, 113 H, 137 K, 17 BB) at Low-A Augusta
The Tools: 6+ potential FB; 6 potential CH; 5 potential CB
What Happened in 2013: After four years of short-season ball, Flores made his way to the Sally League where the Dominican arm walked only 17 batters in over 141 innings of work.
Strengths: Smooth, athletic delivery; sharp command profile; repeats well/consistent release points; fastball jumpy in the low 90s; can work comfortably in the 92-93 range, touching 95; changeup plays up because of consistent mechanics/release; some late sink; shows average curveball with some depth; advanced pitchability.
Weaknesses: Recent uptick in stuff; previous profile was pitchability over power; fastball can still dip to fringe-average; work in the 89-91 range; can get vanilla; breaking ball lacks wipeout grade; needs to add strength to frame; questions about ultimate projection.
Overall Future Potential: High 5; no 3 starter
Realistic Role: 5; no. 4 starter
Risk Factor/Injury History: High risk; yet to pitch above Low-A; velocity uptick is new development.
Bret Sayre’s Fantasy Take: There’s risk and reward here with Flores, even more than with other pitchers who have completed a full season at Low-A. The combination of the potential stuff and park could make him a future no. 3/4 starter in fantasy leagues, but if there’s real regression in that department, he becomes much closer to waiver wire fodder. I’d prefer taking a flier on a short-season arm with bigger upside to grabbing Flores.
The Year Ahead: Flores is perhaps the most polarizing of arms in the Giants system, with sharp command and strong overall pitchability but stuff that can play sharp in one start and play down in another. Added strength could help with the arsenal consistency, but the concerns about his ultimate projection will remain until he can show an above-average arsenal for an entire season. At his best, Flores could spot up a 92-94 fastball, use his plus potential changeup to miss bats and barrels, and mix in a solid curveball to help change sight lines and disrupt timing. The feel for craft is very strong, and if the uptick in stuff proves to be legit, Flores could move quickly in 2014. Despite his low-level resume, the Giants elected to add the 22-year-old arm to the 40-man roster, a move that seems to suggest the organization believes the gains of 2013 will continue going forward.
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It's only Spring Training, but this is nice to see:
Michael Choice hitting a stout .381/.409/.643 so far this spring. He's got 2 HR 7 RBI in 19 games (42 AB). He could stand to take a walk (8k/1bb), but obviously is seeing the ball well. He's likely headed to AAA to start the year, but I have no doubt he'll be in Arlington (his hometown) at some point in 2014.
Michael Choice hitting a stout .381/.409/.643 so far this spring. He's got 2 HR 7 RBI in 19 games (42 AB). He could stand to take a walk (8k/1bb), but obviously is seeing the ball well. He's likely headed to AAA to start the year, but I have no doubt he'll be in Arlington (his hometown) at some point in 2014.
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More good news out of camp for Michael Choice:
Michael Choice went 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run against the Indians on Tuesday.
The blast, which came in the sixth inning off of Josh Tomlin, was Choice's fourth of the spring. He's also hitting .367 in 60 Cactus League at-bats. The Rangers picked up Choice in a trade with the Athletics in December. Choice should platoon with Mitch Moreland at DH and pick up some additional AB's in the outfield from time to time.
Michael Choice went 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run against the Indians on Tuesday.
The blast, which came in the sixth inning off of Josh Tomlin, was Choice's fourth of the spring. He's also hitting .367 in 60 Cactus League at-bats. The Rangers picked up Choice in a trade with the Athletics in December. Choice should platoon with Mitch Moreland at DH and pick up some additional AB's in the outfield from time to time.
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Get this kid a meeting with Rick Vaughn and we'll be good to go(from BP):
RHP Mark Appel: High-3/4 arm action, with a gorgeous pitcher's body. Looks the part. Loose arm swing, and live arm. Fastball was 94-96 with a bit of wiggle and good life. His FB command was spotty on that day, and speaking to a couple scouts, it's been better recently. He was having trouble spotting to all four quadrants. In the first, he left two up around the thighs to two organizational guys, and they each hit doubles in the first two PA against him. I wanted to see Appel get angry and pitch inside. I wanted to see him drop an F bomb, or smack his glove, or do something, anything, to show some emotion. He didn't.
The breaking ball was wipe-out at times, and it's got two-plane break with tight spin. It's a shorter pitch, and doesn't have huge shape, but right handers had trouble with the offering, and it flashed plus-plus potential. I'd probably grade it around a 6 right now, but he snapped off a couple that were nasty. His breaking ball command isn't quite there yet, and that will come later. Appel definitely has feel for a change, although he doesn't quite throw it with absolute conviction or trust yet. It's definitely got potential, and he can spot it down and away to lefties. The arm speed on the pitch is extremely good, and it's probably a plus pitch in the future. I see Appel as a no. 2, and a good one at that, but he just doesn't have the requisite "shove it up your you-know-what" attitude for me to consider him a potential ace. –Jordan Gorosh
RHP Mark Appel: High-3/4 arm action, with a gorgeous pitcher's body. Looks the part. Loose arm swing, and live arm. Fastball was 94-96 with a bit of wiggle and good life. His FB command was spotty on that day, and speaking to a couple scouts, it's been better recently. He was having trouble spotting to all four quadrants. In the first, he left two up around the thighs to two organizational guys, and they each hit doubles in the first two PA against him. I wanted to see Appel get angry and pitch inside. I wanted to see him drop an F bomb, or smack his glove, or do something, anything, to show some emotion. He didn't.
The breaking ball was wipe-out at times, and it's got two-plane break with tight spin. It's a shorter pitch, and doesn't have huge shape, but right handers had trouble with the offering, and it flashed plus-plus potential. I'd probably grade it around a 6 right now, but he snapped off a couple that were nasty. His breaking ball command isn't quite there yet, and that will come later. Appel definitely has feel for a change, although he doesn't quite throw it with absolute conviction or trust yet. It's definitely got potential, and he can spot it down and away to lefties. The arm speed on the pitch is extremely good, and it's probably a plus pitch in the future. I see Appel as a no. 2, and a good one at that, but he just doesn't have the requisite "shove it up your you-know-what" attitude for me to consider him a potential ace. –Jordan Gorosh
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It's early, but these are very encouraging numbers:
Kendry Flores (A+ Cal League vs. Rancho Cucamonga): 7 IP 2 H 1 ER 1 BB 6K. Flores thoroughly outpitched Josh Beckett, only giving up a solo homer after 6 shutout innings. He had a no-hitter through five. He made my boy Corey Seager look bad (0-4 3K) as well as the rest of the squad. Very nice first start in a tough league for pitchers.
Hunter Harvey (A South Atlantic League vs. Asheville): This is a lineup that featured a stout 1-2 of Tapia/Dahl that went 2-8. No one else could touch the IBC Tigers' first round pick. Final line: 6 IP 4 H 5 K zeros the rest of the way. It should be fun to watch this kid move.
Preston Tucker (AA Texas League vs. Tulsa Drillers and some guy named Jonathan Gray): All Tucker does is hit. I'm glad people have rejected him as an offering in trade talks. 2-3 1 HR 1 RBI 1 R 1 BB. He plays a strong RF and is only a 23-year-old in AA. I don't know where he's going to end up given Domingo Santana is ahead of him on the depth chart, but I have to think the Astros may be forced to give him chances if he can replicate his 25 HR 103 RBI .297.364/.505 season from last year.
Kendry Flores (A+ Cal League vs. Rancho Cucamonga): 7 IP 2 H 1 ER 1 BB 6K. Flores thoroughly outpitched Josh Beckett, only giving up a solo homer after 6 shutout innings. He had a no-hitter through five. He made my boy Corey Seager look bad (0-4 3K) as well as the rest of the squad. Very nice first start in a tough league for pitchers.
Hunter Harvey (A South Atlantic League vs. Asheville): This is a lineup that featured a stout 1-2 of Tapia/Dahl that went 2-8. No one else could touch the IBC Tigers' first round pick. Final line: 6 IP 4 H 5 K zeros the rest of the way. It should be fun to watch this kid move.
Preston Tucker (AA Texas League vs. Tulsa Drillers and some guy named Jonathan Gray): All Tucker does is hit. I'm glad people have rejected him as an offering in trade talks. 2-3 1 HR 1 RBI 1 R 1 BB. He plays a strong RF and is only a 23-year-old in AA. I don't know where he's going to end up given Domingo Santana is ahead of him on the depth chart, but I have to think the Astros may be forced to give him chances if he can replicate his 25 HR 103 RBI .297.364/.505 season from last year.
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Preston Tucker keeps chugging along in the AA Texas League. If this guy keeps it up, he's going to force his way into the conversation for the Astros and also for the IBC Tigers. Through 10 games (44 abs), he's been playing well, hitting .341/.370/.545 for a .915 OPS. Over those 10 games, he has 2 HR and 8 RBI and a 3k/1bb ratio. He's also hit 3 doubles. He's on an 8-game hit streak and has gotten a hit in 9/10 games so far.
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Some nice write-ups for the Tigers' 2014 draft class. From BP:
Mark Appel, RHP, Astros (High-A Lancaster)
Appel looks the part, with prototypical size paired with athleticism to control his thick legs and broad shoulders. His delivery is perfectly timed; everything is in sync. His hip drives to the plate creating a ton of torque, and he finishes square. He came out of the gate firing bullets—his first three fastballs registered 96, 97, and 98 mph. The fastball featured some good two-seam run that really burrows into right-handed hitters. Later in the game his fastball sat 92-94 mph and he was commanding it well, getting some weak contact. For the most part, he pounded the zone with the fastball, which was a good sign considering some question his aggressiveness on the mound. My only nitpick is that he shows the ball in the back of his delivery which could give the hitter an advantage, but it certainly did not help on this occasion. His slider is a major-league quality bat-misser, with quick dart and thrown around 87-89 mph. It's a shorter slider, meaning it doesn't have severe horizontal break, but it is thrown with such tight spin that hitters have a very tough time recognizing it. I didn't see a changeup in his five innings of work, which is surprising, but maybe he was simply working on fastball and slider command.
Appel is almost a finished product, which is rarely the case for pitchers in the California League. He has the raw tools to be a monster on the mound. It just depends whether or not he has that extra edge to max out his potential. I'm comfortable putting a no. 2 starter
ceiling on him and have little doubt that he will be a solid middle-of-the-rotation workhorse for many years.
Hunter Harvey, RHP, Orioles (Low-A Delmarva)
Given the volatility of young arms, along with the overall nature of the position, it’s easy to be on the conservative side when initially assessing the early stages of their pro careers. After seeing Harvey toward the end of last season, though, it wasn’t a tough call to put a 7 on the future potential. The stuff absolutely screamed “legit.” The heater effortlessly came out of his hand at 92-95 mph, with late life and jump. The feel for the curveball was advanced for a pitcher his age, and though the changeup was inconsistent, the quality arm-side fading action when Harvey did execute lent a big clue that future growth is there. It’s an arsenal of three future plus-to-better pitches.
I left that first look impressed, and with the view that 2014 was going to reveal some big things. We ranked him 58th in the BP Top 101 based on the belief that this is an arm with the potential to be special.
After some solid reports from spring training, especially in regards to Harvey’s fastball command, contacts who saw his first two outings have indicated it is only a matter of time before he’s taking the hill a level up. Both the fastball and curve have received high marks. Harvey’s heater has routinely been 93-95 mph, and he has shown the ability to pound the lower tier of the zone and control plate appearances with it. The curve has shown the tight rotation, depth, and power of a plus offering that can get swinging strikes or freeze hitters. Harvey’s poise and composure have also stood out for a pitcher his age.
Of note, the change can still be firm at times, but has flashed plus and shown improving arm action. Comments have indicated that the pitcher needs more trust in the offering and to work it more into sequences. This is the developmental aspect to zone in on as Harvey progresses. He likely will be able to overmatch low-minors hitters with his fastball-curve combo, but will need to be able to rely on the change in the upper levels and beyond. The progress with the pitch this season should provide big clues as to whether his stay in the lower minors will be a relatively short one. I'm guessing that it will.
Mark Appel, RHP, Astros (High-A Lancaster)
Appel looks the part, with prototypical size paired with athleticism to control his thick legs and broad shoulders. His delivery is perfectly timed; everything is in sync. His hip drives to the plate creating a ton of torque, and he finishes square. He came out of the gate firing bullets—his first three fastballs registered 96, 97, and 98 mph. The fastball featured some good two-seam run that really burrows into right-handed hitters. Later in the game his fastball sat 92-94 mph and he was commanding it well, getting some weak contact. For the most part, he pounded the zone with the fastball, which was a good sign considering some question his aggressiveness on the mound. My only nitpick is that he shows the ball in the back of his delivery which could give the hitter an advantage, but it certainly did not help on this occasion. His slider is a major-league quality bat-misser, with quick dart and thrown around 87-89 mph. It's a shorter slider, meaning it doesn't have severe horizontal break, but it is thrown with such tight spin that hitters have a very tough time recognizing it. I didn't see a changeup in his five innings of work, which is surprising, but maybe he was simply working on fastball and slider command.
Appel is almost a finished product, which is rarely the case for pitchers in the California League. He has the raw tools to be a monster on the mound. It just depends whether or not he has that extra edge to max out his potential. I'm comfortable putting a no. 2 starter
ceiling on him and have little doubt that he will be a solid middle-of-the-rotation workhorse for many years.
Hunter Harvey, RHP, Orioles (Low-A Delmarva)
Given the volatility of young arms, along with the overall nature of the position, it’s easy to be on the conservative side when initially assessing the early stages of their pro careers. After seeing Harvey toward the end of last season, though, it wasn’t a tough call to put a 7 on the future potential. The stuff absolutely screamed “legit.” The heater effortlessly came out of his hand at 92-95 mph, with late life and jump. The feel for the curveball was advanced for a pitcher his age, and though the changeup was inconsistent, the quality arm-side fading action when Harvey did execute lent a big clue that future growth is there. It’s an arsenal of three future plus-to-better pitches.
I left that first look impressed, and with the view that 2014 was going to reveal some big things. We ranked him 58th in the BP Top 101 based on the belief that this is an arm with the potential to be special.
After some solid reports from spring training, especially in regards to Harvey’s fastball command, contacts who saw his first two outings have indicated it is only a matter of time before he’s taking the hill a level up. Both the fastball and curve have received high marks. Harvey’s heater has routinely been 93-95 mph, and he has shown the ability to pound the lower tier of the zone and control plate appearances with it. The curve has shown the tight rotation, depth, and power of a plus offering that can get swinging strikes or freeze hitters. Harvey’s poise and composure have also stood out for a pitcher his age.
Of note, the change can still be firm at times, but has flashed plus and shown improving arm action. Comments have indicated that the pitcher needs more trust in the offering and to work it more into sequences. This is the developmental aspect to zone in on as Harvey progresses. He likely will be able to overmatch low-minors hitters with his fastball-curve combo, but will need to be able to rely on the change in the upper levels and beyond. The progress with the pitch this season should provide big clues as to whether his stay in the lower minors will be a relatively short one. I'm guessing that it will.
