9. Alec Burleson, OF, Cardinals
Team: Triple-A Memphis (International)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .500/.593/.727 (11-for-22), 2 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 5 BB, 3 SO
The Scoop: Burleson got on base in every game this week while racking up four consecutive multi-hit games to end the week. From Thursday through Sunday Burleson collected 10 hits over 16 at-bats and walked three times. The 23-year-old is hitting .343/.389/.578 with 15 home runs over 63 Triple-A games while spending a majority of his time in left field for Memphis. (GP)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-62822/
Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Moderator: Rays
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Zac Veen kicked off July with a big-time performance.
MLB Pipeline's No. 27 overall prospect played a big role in High-A Spokane's 9-4 win over Vancouver on Friday.
After the pandemic took away Veen's 2020 season after he was selected as the ninth overall Draft pick that year, the young prospect has been soaking in daily playing time after making the jump straight out of high school.
"As the season goes on, there are moments where, honestly, you see a guy go down with COVID, or just unfortunate things happen where you don't really get to play the game, so I've just been grateful to be able to play the game," Veen said about playing with a constant smile on his face.
In his first three plate appearances on Friday, the 20-year-old walked, grounded out and was hit by a pitch, and still found a way to make an impact. Veen scored following his walk in the first inning, and after being hit in the fifth, he stole second and third, matching his season high for stolen bases with two.
https://www.mlb.com/news/rockies-top-pr ... -all-tools
MLB Pipeline's No. 27 overall prospect played a big role in High-A Spokane's 9-4 win over Vancouver on Friday.
After the pandemic took away Veen's 2020 season after he was selected as the ninth overall Draft pick that year, the young prospect has been soaking in daily playing time after making the jump straight out of high school.
"As the season goes on, there are moments where, honestly, you see a guy go down with COVID, or just unfortunate things happen where you don't really get to play the game, so I've just been grateful to be able to play the game," Veen said about playing with a constant smile on his face.
In his first three plate appearances on Friday, the 20-year-old walked, grounded out and was hit by a pitch, and still found a way to make an impact. Veen scored following his walk in the first inning, and after being hit in the fifth, he stole second and third, matching his season high for stolen bases with two.
https://www.mlb.com/news/rockies-top-pr ... -all-tools
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
9. Diego Cartaya, C, Dodgers
Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .333/.500/.889 (6-for-18), 7 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 4 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO
The Scoop: There’s little else to say other than that Cartaya is one of the game’s premier catching prospects. Heck, you can remove the positional qualifier, too: Cartaya is one of the game’s best prospects, period. He proved it again this past week by going tit for tat with Reds prospect Elly De La Cruz in a matchup of Midwest League mashers. Cartaya slammed three home runs in the series (half of his hits left the yard) and had the look of a player who could easily fit into the Dodgers’ recent run of homegrown talents. (JN)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... week-7622/
Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .333/.500/.889 (6-for-18), 7 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 4 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO
The Scoop: There’s little else to say other than that Cartaya is one of the game’s premier catching prospects. Heck, you can remove the positional qualifier, too: Cartaya is one of the game’s best prospects, period. He proved it again this past week by going tit for tat with Reds prospect Elly De La Cruz in a matchup of Midwest League mashers. Cartaya slammed three home runs in the series (half of his hits left the yard) and had the look of a player who could easily fit into the Dodgers’ recent run of homegrown talents. (JN)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... week-7622/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Mets: Dominic Hamel, RHP (No. 9)
The Mets’ third-round pick last year was promoted from Single-A St. Lucie to High-A Brooklyn on Monday, and it’s not hard to see why. The DBU product posted a 2.11 ERA with 25 strikeouts and five walks in 21 1/3 innings over his last four appearances in the Florida State League. He lasted six or more innings in three of those final four outings. In his final appearance on Sunday, the 23-year-old elicited 21 whiffs in only 86 pitches, and those swings and misses were spread out pretty well across his low-90s fastball, slider and changeup. Expect a bigger and much-needed challenge in Brooklyn.
https://www.mlb.com/news/hottest-pitchi ... e-coverage
The Mets’ third-round pick last year was promoted from Single-A St. Lucie to High-A Brooklyn on Monday, and it’s not hard to see why. The DBU product posted a 2.11 ERA with 25 strikeouts and five walks in 21 1/3 innings over his last four appearances in the Florida State League. He lasted six or more innings in three of those final four outings. In his final appearance on Sunday, the 23-year-old elicited 21 whiffs in only 86 pitches, and those swings and misses were spread out pretty well across his low-90s fastball, slider and changeup. Expect a bigger and much-needed challenge in Brooklyn.
https://www.mlb.com/news/hottest-pitchi ... e-coverage
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies (High-A Spokane)
When we last checked in on Veen in early May, the Rockies’ top prospect was showing evidence of rapid development in some key offensive categories. Since that mild April, when the lefty was sitting just shy of a 30% strikeout rate with only one home run, he’s posted a respectable 18% K-rate and added 10 round-trippers to his stat line. While the 20-year-old is currently slashing .285/.382/.479 with 11 home runs and a league-leading 41 stolen bases, equally impressive has been his improved plate discipline, contributing to 42 walks this season, good for second best in the Northwest League. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Veen has a long and lean frame with a reputation of coming out of his shoes at times early in the count. While that reputation bears true, however, Veen has established consistency at the plate with a balanced lower half through the point of contact as well as demonstrating an advanced ability to trust his hands and allow the ball to travel deep in the zone and barrel pitches to all fields—an approach that’s produced close to a 40%,30%,30% spray chart in High-A.
Veen’s average-or-better tools across the board, highlighted by his potential plus power and plus speed, along with his solid production and calculated aggressiveness, were all reasons to be excited about his selection to the National League Futures roster this past weekend. In an event loaded with high-end talent, Veen’s stock proved worthy of inclusion amongst the best prospects in the game. The 20-year-old went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run scored. And he did it in the same fashion he’s been getting it done all season: getting that front foot down on time, and letting the ball travel and exploding with the hands, resulting in two line drive singles to the opposite field.
Veen is an exciting player with five solid tools. One incremental change that could help accelerate his career advancement would be a slight shift in his fly ball-to-groundball ratio. He’s currently sitting at a 46% groundball rate, which allows for good utilization of his speed. However, it’s restricting his ability to tap into his potential plus power, a part of his profile that could add tremendous value at the major league level. A shift closer to 35% could prove big for the sweet-swinging lefty as he works his way towards realizing his way on to a big league roster—an opportunity that could come as soon as 2023. —Kevin Johnson
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... nous-rise/
When we last checked in on Veen in early May, the Rockies’ top prospect was showing evidence of rapid development in some key offensive categories. Since that mild April, when the lefty was sitting just shy of a 30% strikeout rate with only one home run, he’s posted a respectable 18% K-rate and added 10 round-trippers to his stat line. While the 20-year-old is currently slashing .285/.382/.479 with 11 home runs and a league-leading 41 stolen bases, equally impressive has been his improved plate discipline, contributing to 42 walks this season, good for second best in the Northwest League. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Veen has a long and lean frame with a reputation of coming out of his shoes at times early in the count. While that reputation bears true, however, Veen has established consistency at the plate with a balanced lower half through the point of contact as well as demonstrating an advanced ability to trust his hands and allow the ball to travel deep in the zone and barrel pitches to all fields—an approach that’s produced close to a 40%,30%,30% spray chart in High-A.
Veen’s average-or-better tools across the board, highlighted by his potential plus power and plus speed, along with his solid production and calculated aggressiveness, were all reasons to be excited about his selection to the National League Futures roster this past weekend. In an event loaded with high-end talent, Veen’s stock proved worthy of inclusion amongst the best prospects in the game. The 20-year-old went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run scored. And he did it in the same fashion he’s been getting it done all season: getting that front foot down on time, and letting the ball travel and exploding with the hands, resulting in two line drive singles to the opposite field.
Veen is an exciting player with five solid tools. One incremental change that could help accelerate his career advancement would be a slight shift in his fly ball-to-groundball ratio. He’s currently sitting at a 46% groundball rate, which allows for good utilization of his speed. However, it’s restricting his ability to tap into his potential plus power, a part of his profile that could add tremendous value at the major league level. A shift closer to 35% could prove big for the sweet-swinging lefty as he works his way towards realizing his way on to a big league roster—an opportunity that could come as soon as 2023. —Kevin Johnson
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... nous-rise/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
With the Trade Deadline nearing, it’s impossible to escape the rumors of top prospects headlining blockbuster packages. Diego Cartaya has been one of those names, and on Thursday night, he showcased exactly why he’s so highly coveted.
MLB’s No. 12 overall prospect put on a show in High-A Great Lakes’ 7-2 win over Lansing, clubbing two homers in a game for the second time this season as part of a four-RBI game. The two-hit effort raised his season line to .273/.408/.545 with 17 homers and 56 RBIs in 68 games across two levels.
“I’m kind of surprised I have 17 home runs this year,” Cartaya laughed. “I never thought that I was going to be a power hitter. I just try and put a good swing on the ball, and good things are happening.”
The 20-year-old got the scoring started promptly, sending the eighth pitch of the game from Lugnuts righty Joey Estes way over the fence in left field for a two-run dinger.
While the first homer came on a hanging breaking ball, the second was a letter-high fastball that Cartaya jumped all over. The Dodgers' top prospect attacked the first pitch and cranked it to the same part of the ballpark, but this time, it traveled 111 mph off the bat and sailed right out of Dow Diamond.
Diego Cartaya's second homer
Jul 28, 2022 · 0:30
Diego Cartaya's second homer
“It felt good. I just try and help the team, and usually home runs always feel good,” Cartaya said.
Though defense is hard to measure through numbers, Cartaya feels that his game calling has “been much better.” Four Great Lakes pitchers combined to hold Lansing to just two runs on three hits, with both of the runs scoring via walks.
The multihomer performance is Cartaya’s first such effort since April 30, when he reached base five times and fell a triple shy of the cycle in a 4-for-4 game with six RBIs for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.
That was something of a slump buster for the Venezuela native, who hit .288 in his next 18 games before earning a promotion to High-A. Since joining the new level on June 1, he’s batting .286 with a .952 OPS, eight homers, 25 RBIs and 20 walks in 35 games.
“I feel like it’s the same game. It doesn’t change because of the level,” Cartaya said. “Obviously there’s a lot of things I have to work on. It takes time. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job.”
MLB Pipeline's top-rated amateur in the 2018 international class, Cartaya signed for $2.5 million and has hit his way up the rankings ever since. He was ranked No. 26 overall in 2021 and rose to No. 15 in Pipeline’s midseason Top 100 re-rank before graduations bumped him up to No. 12.
Even during the whirlwind that is trade season, Cartaya doesn’t pay attention to any of the outside noise. His only focus? Improving as a player.
“I just try to do my thing,” Cartaya said. “I just come to the field every day ready to do my job.”
https://www.mlb.com/news/diego-cartaya- ... e-coverage
MLB’s No. 12 overall prospect put on a show in High-A Great Lakes’ 7-2 win over Lansing, clubbing two homers in a game for the second time this season as part of a four-RBI game. The two-hit effort raised his season line to .273/.408/.545 with 17 homers and 56 RBIs in 68 games across two levels.
“I’m kind of surprised I have 17 home runs this year,” Cartaya laughed. “I never thought that I was going to be a power hitter. I just try and put a good swing on the ball, and good things are happening.”
The 20-year-old got the scoring started promptly, sending the eighth pitch of the game from Lugnuts righty Joey Estes way over the fence in left field for a two-run dinger.
While the first homer came on a hanging breaking ball, the second was a letter-high fastball that Cartaya jumped all over. The Dodgers' top prospect attacked the first pitch and cranked it to the same part of the ballpark, but this time, it traveled 111 mph off the bat and sailed right out of Dow Diamond.
Diego Cartaya's second homer
Jul 28, 2022 · 0:30
Diego Cartaya's second homer
“It felt good. I just try and help the team, and usually home runs always feel good,” Cartaya said.
Though defense is hard to measure through numbers, Cartaya feels that his game calling has “been much better.” Four Great Lakes pitchers combined to hold Lansing to just two runs on three hits, with both of the runs scoring via walks.
The multihomer performance is Cartaya’s first such effort since April 30, when he reached base five times and fell a triple shy of the cycle in a 4-for-4 game with six RBIs for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.
That was something of a slump buster for the Venezuela native, who hit .288 in his next 18 games before earning a promotion to High-A. Since joining the new level on June 1, he’s batting .286 with a .952 OPS, eight homers, 25 RBIs and 20 walks in 35 games.
“I feel like it’s the same game. It doesn’t change because of the level,” Cartaya said. “Obviously there’s a lot of things I have to work on. It takes time. I feel like I’ve been doing a good job.”
MLB Pipeline's top-rated amateur in the 2018 international class, Cartaya signed for $2.5 million and has hit his way up the rankings ever since. He was ranked No. 26 overall in 2021 and rose to No. 15 in Pipeline’s midseason Top 100 re-rank before graduations bumped him up to No. 12.
Even during the whirlwind that is trade season, Cartaya doesn’t pay attention to any of the outside noise. His only focus? Improving as a player.
“I just try to do my thing,” Cartaya said. “I just come to the field every day ready to do my job.”
https://www.mlb.com/news/diego-cartaya- ... e-coverage
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
DURHAM -- Curtis Mead is on his way to becoming a local, national and international sensation if he continues on his current trajectory.
The 21-year-old infielder has built upon his 2021 breakout season in the Rays system to become Tampa Bay’s top hitting prospect and No. 59 prospect overall in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100. Starting from a simple upright stance in the box, the right-handed slugger has shown continued consistency with a .293/.387/.534 line and 13 homers in 72 games between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham, putting him right on the doorstep of Tropicana Field before he turns 22 in October.
Before the July MLB Pipeline Game of the Month last Saturday, Mead discussed the key to his offensive growth, his proximity to St. Petersburg and the confirmation that he will be representing Australia at next spring’s World Baseball Classic.
(Note: this Q&A was first held on Instagram Live and has been edited for clarity and length. It was also recorded before Mead suffered right forearm tightness in Saturday’s game. A resulting MRI was negative, and he is expected to return to Durham in a few weeks.)
Dykstra: You’ve largely been one of the most consistent performers in the Minors over the last year. What do you think has improved the most for you in that time?
Mead: I think just getting those at-bats consistently and also my defensive versatility. I think I've been able to make strides defensively at three different spots. That's been huge.
Dykstra: Speaking of that versatility, since you got here you’ve pretty much been playing third and second. How much are you working on second specifically?
Mead: Second’s been a big emphasis this year. I played it a lot when I was younger, but this year, that's kind of been the goal. I've been spending one or two days a week there, but definitely three or four days out in the training field at second too, so it’s been good.
Dykstra: What is your focus when you are working out there?
Mead: Just more that the double-play turns are the key. Obviously, the ground balls are similar to third, but the double plays [are different], so the feeds and the turns [are a focus.]
Dykstra: Going back to offensive consistency, you’re always a guy who’s hitting .300 with an OPS around .900 at Single-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A. What is the key to your consistency?
Mead: I'm not really sure. You know, I tried to stay consistent with my work before the game and make sure that I challenge myself at some point before the game so that I go into the game and it slows down a bit.
Mead makes sliding play
Jun 22, 2022 · 0:26
Mead makes sliding play
Dykstra: What’s been the biggest adjustment for you at Triple-A?
Mead: I think it’s the velocity. The relief pitchers have been throwing harder and they’re big league guys. So I’m getting used to facing big league guys every day.
Dykstra: One of my favorite things about you is your setup at the plate. You’ve said you’ve learned that from your dad when he told you to stand straight up in the box. Take us through that and the evolution of your batting stance since you were a kid in Australia.
Mead: Making some little tweaks here and there. I’m not the finished product just yet. But yeah, it’s kind of a narrow stance, feet shoulder width apart, step, pivot, swing. I try to keep it pretty simple with my hands nice and high.
Dykstra: Speaking of those tweaks, what is the difference between now and when you were 10 or 11?
Mead: A little bit wider now, and I got to understand how to use my body more efficiently. So getting a little bit more out of that with hopefully still staying consistent.
Dykstra: Because of that simplicity, do you get a lot of questions from teammates on how it works for you?
Mead: Definitely there are weeks that I’m hitting pretty good, and guys who are going through it a little bit ask questions here and there. But I just try to give myself the best chance to hit every single pitch, whether it’s a fastball, breaking ball or changeup. I’m trying to be on time for the fastball and then react.
Mead smacks second HR of game
Jun 19, 2022 · 0:22
Mead smacks second HR of game
Dykstra: When it comes to your power, it seems like you’re turning some of last year’s doubles into this year’s home runs. What’s been the key to that?
Mead: I think getting the ball out in front. I'm also putting a big emphasis on pitch selection, swinging at better pitches. I find when I swing at better pitches, I hit them harder and further, hopefully.
Dykstra: How do you specifically work on pitch selection?
Mead: So this year, I actually hit pretty much strictly only in the cage because I find that I have a little bit [patience] with what I swing at in the cage and I don't have people outside waiting to pick up balls on me. So I feel fine just letting them go by. Hitting in the cages this year, it's helped me a lot. My walk percentage has gone up, so it’s worked well I think.
Dykstra: Speaking of that percentage, what are stats you look at when evaluating your performance?
Mead: My K rate, my walk rate and my driven rate. Those are the three the Rays hold their guys accountable for. Driven rate is 95 [mph exit velocity] and between 10 and 40 [degrees of launch angle]. That’s pretty much how to get balls in the air.
Dykstra: To go several steps back, the Rays acquired you in what looked like a minor trade with the Phillies back in November 2019. I’m sure many Phillies fans see you as one who got away. What has changed for you from being a Phillies prospect at the complex level to where you are now with Tampa Bay?
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Mead: It’s hard. The Rays coaches have been awesome, and they're really good with their development. Working closely with all of them -- whether it’s our infield coordinator on my defense or our hitting guys -- it’s all been about staying consistent and making the most out of every day.
Dykstra: Do you feel like you’re the same player you were at the time of the trade? Like the Rays just identified something in you that the Phillies were missing?
Mead: I like to think so. I obviously got bigger and stronger over that COVID year before I played for the Rays. But I don’t think a ton has changed really.
Dykstra: In that climb with the Rays, you’re now with the Durham Bulls. What is it like being part of an iconic Minor League franchise, and do they force you to watch the movie before coming here?
Mead: I’d actually already seen the movie. All of my friends and family back home, they don’t really know who the Bowling Green Hot Rods are but when you tell them you’re playing on the Bulls, they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, the Durham Bulls, of course.’ It’s been pretty cool. People back home have bought some Durham Bull stuff.
Dykstra: You are a right-handed hitter. The iconic “Hit Bull, Win Steak” sign is right down the line in left. How much are you aiming for that when you’re playing here?
Mead: I try not to. I try to stay in the middle of the park. I haven’t really come close yet, and I’m not too worried about it.
Dykstra: Speaking of talking to folks back home, one of the big things coming up is the World Baseball Classic. Australia has already qualified for Pool B with Japan, China and South Korea. Have you had any discussions about joining the team next spring?
Mead: Yeah, I’m going to play for Team Australia. The squad is starting to come together, and the coaching staff is starting to communicate a little bit more. I’ll be around there, and the Rays have given me the OK.
Dykstra: What is the process like for the Australia coaches reaching out?
Mead: I’m good friends with the head coach, Dave Nilsson. So we’ve been talking about it over the last few years. I’m going to play the Under-23 World Cup in October as well. I think they would like to think, as a hitter, that I'll be around the place. Obviously with pitching restrictions and stuff, there’s a little bit of the unknown, but yeah, I think the expectation is that most of the hitters are going to be there.
Mead tags opposite-field home run
Jun 14, 2022 · 0:27
Mead tags opposite-field home run
Dykstra: What will it be like to represent your country, especially in a tournament where a lot of people are going to learn about Australian baseball?
Mead: It’s going to be awesome. I've really, really dreamed about that since I was kind of young, and it'll actually be my first time playing for Team Australia, the head team, so I’m looking forward to it.
Dykstra: People know pitchers out of Australia, like Liam Hendriks or Grant Balfour. They don’t really know hitters. Nilsson is probably the best to come out of the country. Do you think you could take over that mantle someday?
Mead: Yeah, that’s definitely something that’s on my mind and a goal of mine. It’s not the be-all, end-all, but it’s something I could reach, which would be pretty cool.
Dykstra: How close to the Majors do you feel here at Durham?
Mead: A lot closer than Double-A. Guys are leaving the dugout in the middle of the game and are going to the big leagues, and guys are coming back down who you saw on TV. So definitely pretty close, and it’s a pretty cool feeling.
Dykstra: Do you feel like there are any benchmarks you need to hit to prove your own Major League readiness?
Mead: I'm not really sure. Nothing personally, I’d say. I'd say just continuing to work on my defense. I think the big point would be for them to know they can put me out in the field and I'll be confident and be able to play good solid defense.
Dykstra: Is that because you are so confident in your bat that you could hit anything?
Mead: Yeah, I’d like to think so.
Dykstra: Are you someone who envisions what your first Major League at-bat will be like?
Mead: Not really, not really. Being from Australia, making the Major Leagues isn’t a goal of mine. I try and stay away from it and think about if I make it, rather than when just because I don’t want to get too caught up in all that stuff.
Dykstra: We’ll end on this one, going back to the WBC. What do you feel is the ceiling for Team Australia in such a big tournament?
Mead: I definitely would hope that we make it out of the first round. I think we’ll have a really talented group. I think anything below that will be a failure and anything above would be a success for the team. You never know. We’ll put our best foot forward and go from there.
https://www.mlb.com/news/curtis-mead-q- ... e-coverage
The 21-year-old infielder has built upon his 2021 breakout season in the Rays system to become Tampa Bay’s top hitting prospect and No. 59 prospect overall in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100. Starting from a simple upright stance in the box, the right-handed slugger has shown continued consistency with a .293/.387/.534 line and 13 homers in 72 games between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham, putting him right on the doorstep of Tropicana Field before he turns 22 in October.
Before the July MLB Pipeline Game of the Month last Saturday, Mead discussed the key to his offensive growth, his proximity to St. Petersburg and the confirmation that he will be representing Australia at next spring’s World Baseball Classic.
(Note: this Q&A was first held on Instagram Live and has been edited for clarity and length. It was also recorded before Mead suffered right forearm tightness in Saturday’s game. A resulting MRI was negative, and he is expected to return to Durham in a few weeks.)
Dykstra: You’ve largely been one of the most consistent performers in the Minors over the last year. What do you think has improved the most for you in that time?
Mead: I think just getting those at-bats consistently and also my defensive versatility. I think I've been able to make strides defensively at three different spots. That's been huge.
Dykstra: Speaking of that versatility, since you got here you’ve pretty much been playing third and second. How much are you working on second specifically?
Mead: Second’s been a big emphasis this year. I played it a lot when I was younger, but this year, that's kind of been the goal. I've been spending one or two days a week there, but definitely three or four days out in the training field at second too, so it’s been good.
Dykstra: What is your focus when you are working out there?
Mead: Just more that the double-play turns are the key. Obviously, the ground balls are similar to third, but the double plays [are different], so the feeds and the turns [are a focus.]
Dykstra: Going back to offensive consistency, you’re always a guy who’s hitting .300 with an OPS around .900 at Single-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A. What is the key to your consistency?
Mead: I'm not really sure. You know, I tried to stay consistent with my work before the game and make sure that I challenge myself at some point before the game so that I go into the game and it slows down a bit.
Mead makes sliding play
Jun 22, 2022 · 0:26
Mead makes sliding play
Dykstra: What’s been the biggest adjustment for you at Triple-A?
Mead: I think it’s the velocity. The relief pitchers have been throwing harder and they’re big league guys. So I’m getting used to facing big league guys every day.
Dykstra: One of my favorite things about you is your setup at the plate. You’ve said you’ve learned that from your dad when he told you to stand straight up in the box. Take us through that and the evolution of your batting stance since you were a kid in Australia.
Mead: Making some little tweaks here and there. I’m not the finished product just yet. But yeah, it’s kind of a narrow stance, feet shoulder width apart, step, pivot, swing. I try to keep it pretty simple with my hands nice and high.
Dykstra: Speaking of those tweaks, what is the difference between now and when you were 10 or 11?
Mead: A little bit wider now, and I got to understand how to use my body more efficiently. So getting a little bit more out of that with hopefully still staying consistent.
Dykstra: Because of that simplicity, do you get a lot of questions from teammates on how it works for you?
Mead: Definitely there are weeks that I’m hitting pretty good, and guys who are going through it a little bit ask questions here and there. But I just try to give myself the best chance to hit every single pitch, whether it’s a fastball, breaking ball or changeup. I’m trying to be on time for the fastball and then react.
Mead smacks second HR of game
Jun 19, 2022 · 0:22
Mead smacks second HR of game
Dykstra: When it comes to your power, it seems like you’re turning some of last year’s doubles into this year’s home runs. What’s been the key to that?
Mead: I think getting the ball out in front. I'm also putting a big emphasis on pitch selection, swinging at better pitches. I find when I swing at better pitches, I hit them harder and further, hopefully.
Dykstra: How do you specifically work on pitch selection?
Mead: So this year, I actually hit pretty much strictly only in the cage because I find that I have a little bit [patience] with what I swing at in the cage and I don't have people outside waiting to pick up balls on me. So I feel fine just letting them go by. Hitting in the cages this year, it's helped me a lot. My walk percentage has gone up, so it’s worked well I think.
Dykstra: Speaking of that percentage, what are stats you look at when evaluating your performance?
Mead: My K rate, my walk rate and my driven rate. Those are the three the Rays hold their guys accountable for. Driven rate is 95 [mph exit velocity] and between 10 and 40 [degrees of launch angle]. That’s pretty much how to get balls in the air.
Dykstra: To go several steps back, the Rays acquired you in what looked like a minor trade with the Phillies back in November 2019. I’m sure many Phillies fans see you as one who got away. What has changed for you from being a Phillies prospect at the complex level to where you are now with Tampa Bay?
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Mead: It’s hard. The Rays coaches have been awesome, and they're really good with their development. Working closely with all of them -- whether it’s our infield coordinator on my defense or our hitting guys -- it’s all been about staying consistent and making the most out of every day.
Dykstra: Do you feel like you’re the same player you were at the time of the trade? Like the Rays just identified something in you that the Phillies were missing?
Mead: I like to think so. I obviously got bigger and stronger over that COVID year before I played for the Rays. But I don’t think a ton has changed really.
Dykstra: In that climb with the Rays, you’re now with the Durham Bulls. What is it like being part of an iconic Minor League franchise, and do they force you to watch the movie before coming here?
Mead: I’d actually already seen the movie. All of my friends and family back home, they don’t really know who the Bowling Green Hot Rods are but when you tell them you’re playing on the Bulls, they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, the Durham Bulls, of course.’ It’s been pretty cool. People back home have bought some Durham Bull stuff.
Dykstra: You are a right-handed hitter. The iconic “Hit Bull, Win Steak” sign is right down the line in left. How much are you aiming for that when you’re playing here?
Mead: I try not to. I try to stay in the middle of the park. I haven’t really come close yet, and I’m not too worried about it.
Dykstra: Speaking of talking to folks back home, one of the big things coming up is the World Baseball Classic. Australia has already qualified for Pool B with Japan, China and South Korea. Have you had any discussions about joining the team next spring?
Mead: Yeah, I’m going to play for Team Australia. The squad is starting to come together, and the coaching staff is starting to communicate a little bit more. I’ll be around there, and the Rays have given me the OK.
Dykstra: What is the process like for the Australia coaches reaching out?
Mead: I’m good friends with the head coach, Dave Nilsson. So we’ve been talking about it over the last few years. I’m going to play the Under-23 World Cup in October as well. I think they would like to think, as a hitter, that I'll be around the place. Obviously with pitching restrictions and stuff, there’s a little bit of the unknown, but yeah, I think the expectation is that most of the hitters are going to be there.
Mead tags opposite-field home run
Jun 14, 2022 · 0:27
Mead tags opposite-field home run
Dykstra: What will it be like to represent your country, especially in a tournament where a lot of people are going to learn about Australian baseball?
Mead: It’s going to be awesome. I've really, really dreamed about that since I was kind of young, and it'll actually be my first time playing for Team Australia, the head team, so I’m looking forward to it.
Dykstra: People know pitchers out of Australia, like Liam Hendriks or Grant Balfour. They don’t really know hitters. Nilsson is probably the best to come out of the country. Do you think you could take over that mantle someday?
Mead: Yeah, that’s definitely something that’s on my mind and a goal of mine. It’s not the be-all, end-all, but it’s something I could reach, which would be pretty cool.
Dykstra: How close to the Majors do you feel here at Durham?
Mead: A lot closer than Double-A. Guys are leaving the dugout in the middle of the game and are going to the big leagues, and guys are coming back down who you saw on TV. So definitely pretty close, and it’s a pretty cool feeling.
Dykstra: Do you feel like there are any benchmarks you need to hit to prove your own Major League readiness?
Mead: I'm not really sure. Nothing personally, I’d say. I'd say just continuing to work on my defense. I think the big point would be for them to know they can put me out in the field and I'll be confident and be able to play good solid defense.
Dykstra: Is that because you are so confident in your bat that you could hit anything?
Mead: Yeah, I’d like to think so.
Dykstra: Are you someone who envisions what your first Major League at-bat will be like?
Mead: Not really, not really. Being from Australia, making the Major Leagues isn’t a goal of mine. I try and stay away from it and think about if I make it, rather than when just because I don’t want to get too caught up in all that stuff.
Dykstra: We’ll end on this one, going back to the WBC. What do you feel is the ceiling for Team Australia in such a big tournament?
Mead: I definitely would hope that we make it out of the first round. I think we’ll have a really talented group. I think anything below that will be a failure and anything above would be a success for the team. You never know. We’ll put our best foot forward and go from there.
https://www.mlb.com/news/curtis-mead-q- ... e-coverage
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Mets: Dominic Hamel, RHP (No. 9)
The 2021 third-rounder out of Dallas Baptist debuted with High-A Brooklyn on July 9 and hasn’t looked back since. Hamel has a 2.25 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 10 walks in 20 innings during his four-start stint with the Cyclones. There’s a solid case that the 23-year-old should have been in the South Atlantic League from the jump in his first full season, but it’s certainly encouraging to see him hit the ground running. Hamel sits around 92-94 mph with his fastball and gets a decent amount of whiffs on his slider and changeup.
https://www.mlb.com/news/hottest-pitchi ... e-coverage
The 2021 third-rounder out of Dallas Baptist debuted with High-A Brooklyn on July 9 and hasn’t looked back since. Hamel has a 2.25 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 10 walks in 20 innings during his four-start stint with the Cyclones. There’s a solid case that the 23-year-old should have been in the South Atlantic League from the jump in his first full season, but it’s certainly encouraging to see him hit the ground running. Hamel sits around 92-94 mph with his fastball and gets a decent amount of whiffs on his slider and changeup.
https://www.mlb.com/news/hottest-pitchi ... e-coverage
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Fernandez, the Rockies No. 24 prospect, opened the scoring with a long two-run homer to left-center field in the first inning and kept Fresno’s eighth inning rally going with a double two batters after Amador’s homer. He later came around to score the go-ahead run on a bases loaded walk and finished 2-for-5 with his double, home run and a pair of long, loud flyouts to deep center field.
Another 19-year-old signed in the 2019 international class, Fernandez now leads the Cal League with 29 doubles and ranks second with 80 RBIs.
“He’s going to be obviously a monster,” Cancel said. “When he makes contact, when he barrels balls, they just take off.”
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... rm-system/
Another 19-year-old signed in the 2019 international class, Fernandez now leads the Cal League with 29 doubles and ranks second with 80 RBIs.
“He’s going to be obviously a monster,” Cancel said. “When he makes contact, when he barrels balls, they just take off.”
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... rm-system/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Braxton Garrett
Most articles that I write, I stumble across. Sometimes, that’s scouring the gameday feature on Baseball Savant. More often, something catches my eye while querying leaderboards. But every so often, the article comes to me, and this time, that’s exactly what happened. A Baseball Prospectus subscriber sent me an email, intrigued about Garrett’s run of strong showings and wondering if he’s turning into a good pitcher. After looking into it, I’m inclined to wonder the same thing.
As we try to understand the Garrett of the present, it’s important to understand how he’s changed. A good starting point is to consider how he’s changed his arm slot, something that Nicklaus Gaut has already written about.
Average vertical release point isn’t perfect. It doesn’t account for height, limb length, or pitch extension, all of which contribute greatly to where a pitcher releases the ball from. What it does tell us, though, is where a pitcher is releasing the ball vertically in space. Last year, Garrett threw out of a high three-quarters arm slot, ranking him in the 85th percentile by vertical release point. This year, Garrett has thrown out of the most generic of generic three-quarter arm slots, and ranks in the 62nd percentile.
If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written, it’s fairly likely that I spent some time talking about arm slot there, because it’s important. Generally speaking, the further you get away from a three-quarters arm slot, the more unique the pitch movement. The more unique the pitch movement, the more it gives hitters fits. Here, Garrett has obviously done the opposite—he’s moved towards a very standard arm slot—and yet I think he’s better than ever.
Part of why this has worked is that Garrett has seemed to find a more natural arm slot for himself. That’s evidence from an extra one and two miles per hour on his fastball and sinker, respectively, but it’s also clear that he’s significantly cleaned up the command of all five of his pitches. Why that is is probably evident. Above, you can see that he had a healthy rightward hinge in his torso in 2021, with his head falling off to third base like, say, Blake Snell. More recently, he’s more square to the plate with both his head and torso, with a more direct line from his right shoulder to his left hand.
Velocity and command alone will go a long way in bringing about improvements, but all of his pitches have changed with his lowered arm slot as well. It’s instructive to look at these pitches by raw pitch movement, but in this case perhaps even more so by looking at vertical approach angle (VAA) and horizontal approach angle (HAA).
Consider Garrett’s repertoire by VAA and HAA, via Alex Chamberlain’s pitch leaderboard:
2021 VAA 2022 VAA 2021 HAA 2022 HAA
Fastball -5.5° -5.1° 1.6° 2.3°
Slider -9.0° -8.8° 2.9° 4.3°
Sinker -6.5° -6.9° 0.1° 1.0°
Curveball -10.4° -9.7° 2.6° 3.8°
Changeup -7.8° -7.9° -0.1° 1.2°
Our focus is the top three pitches, since they make up more than four-fifths of his pitches thrown. Garrett’s steep four-seamer has flattened some, whereas the opposite can be said of his sinker—he’s made a steep sinker even steeper. He’s accentuated these pitch shapes by throwing his four-seamer to the top of the zone and glove-side, while he’s thrown his sinker to the bottom of the zone, arm-side.
Where Garrett has really begun to set himself apart, though, is with his slider. In terms of left-handed starters, there are only five that throw a curveball or slider that enter the zone at a sharper angle than Garrett’s: Andrew Heaney, Jose Suárez, Ryan Yarbrough, Nick Lodolo, and Rich Hill. That’s a new thing! Garrett creates much more depth on his slider and throws his the hardest of the bunch which, as far as I’m concerned, makes it something of a unicorn pitch. Perhaps that’s why its swinging-strike percentage is the third-highest of all left-handed starters’ breaking pitches.
There are more similarities to these pitchers than just a few pitch characteristics. In terms of horizontal release point, only five pitchers release closer to first base than Garrett, and some of the names are awfully familiar: Heaney, Lodolo and Yarbrough. As I wrote about with Heaney, that creates a unique angle to the plate that helps creates a sweeper shape despite not necessarily having raw sweeper shape. He gets the third-least sweep of any starting pitcher tagged with a sweeper. In other words, a synthetic sweeper.
This is something that Garrett ought to leverage and, for the most part, he is. At 67.9%, Garrett ranks in the 93rd percentile of all starters in strike percentage. Clearly, he has the knack for throwing strikes, with all three of his primary pitches netting CSWs of 29% or higher, but also ball percentages all below 33%. Given that Garrett’s sinker is superior to his four-seamer by strikes and contact quality, it makes sense to start throwing more of them in place of his four-seamer. But then there’s also that it plays better off his slider, too.
There’s a clear path for Braxton Garrett to take off, although the pitcher he is now is plenty fine. To cap off their email, the BP subscriber mentioned that what Garrett is doing is reminiscent of Patrick Corbin’s prime years, and in many ways, they’re right. Similar pitch shapes and velocity, similar pitch location, and similar results. The difference between the two is basically pitch mix alone. If Garrett were to model his pitch mix off Corbin, leaning heavily on his slider and using his sinker as his primary fastball, we’re probably looking at a similar—and perhaps superior—pitcher.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news ... n-garrett/
Most articles that I write, I stumble across. Sometimes, that’s scouring the gameday feature on Baseball Savant. More often, something catches my eye while querying leaderboards. But every so often, the article comes to me, and this time, that’s exactly what happened. A Baseball Prospectus subscriber sent me an email, intrigued about Garrett’s run of strong showings and wondering if he’s turning into a good pitcher. After looking into it, I’m inclined to wonder the same thing.
As we try to understand the Garrett of the present, it’s important to understand how he’s changed. A good starting point is to consider how he’s changed his arm slot, something that Nicklaus Gaut has already written about.
Average vertical release point isn’t perfect. It doesn’t account for height, limb length, or pitch extension, all of which contribute greatly to where a pitcher releases the ball from. What it does tell us, though, is where a pitcher is releasing the ball vertically in space. Last year, Garrett threw out of a high three-quarters arm slot, ranking him in the 85th percentile by vertical release point. This year, Garrett has thrown out of the most generic of generic three-quarter arm slots, and ranks in the 62nd percentile.
If you’ve ever read anything I’ve written, it’s fairly likely that I spent some time talking about arm slot there, because it’s important. Generally speaking, the further you get away from a three-quarters arm slot, the more unique the pitch movement. The more unique the pitch movement, the more it gives hitters fits. Here, Garrett has obviously done the opposite—he’s moved towards a very standard arm slot—and yet I think he’s better than ever.
Part of why this has worked is that Garrett has seemed to find a more natural arm slot for himself. That’s evidence from an extra one and two miles per hour on his fastball and sinker, respectively, but it’s also clear that he’s significantly cleaned up the command of all five of his pitches. Why that is is probably evident. Above, you can see that he had a healthy rightward hinge in his torso in 2021, with his head falling off to third base like, say, Blake Snell. More recently, he’s more square to the plate with both his head and torso, with a more direct line from his right shoulder to his left hand.
Velocity and command alone will go a long way in bringing about improvements, but all of his pitches have changed with his lowered arm slot as well. It’s instructive to look at these pitches by raw pitch movement, but in this case perhaps even more so by looking at vertical approach angle (VAA) and horizontal approach angle (HAA).
Consider Garrett’s repertoire by VAA and HAA, via Alex Chamberlain’s pitch leaderboard:
2021 VAA 2022 VAA 2021 HAA 2022 HAA
Fastball -5.5° -5.1° 1.6° 2.3°
Slider -9.0° -8.8° 2.9° 4.3°
Sinker -6.5° -6.9° 0.1° 1.0°
Curveball -10.4° -9.7° 2.6° 3.8°
Changeup -7.8° -7.9° -0.1° 1.2°
Our focus is the top three pitches, since they make up more than four-fifths of his pitches thrown. Garrett’s steep four-seamer has flattened some, whereas the opposite can be said of his sinker—he’s made a steep sinker even steeper. He’s accentuated these pitch shapes by throwing his four-seamer to the top of the zone and glove-side, while he’s thrown his sinker to the bottom of the zone, arm-side.
Where Garrett has really begun to set himself apart, though, is with his slider. In terms of left-handed starters, there are only five that throw a curveball or slider that enter the zone at a sharper angle than Garrett’s: Andrew Heaney, Jose Suárez, Ryan Yarbrough, Nick Lodolo, and Rich Hill. That’s a new thing! Garrett creates much more depth on his slider and throws his the hardest of the bunch which, as far as I’m concerned, makes it something of a unicorn pitch. Perhaps that’s why its swinging-strike percentage is the third-highest of all left-handed starters’ breaking pitches.
There are more similarities to these pitchers than just a few pitch characteristics. In terms of horizontal release point, only five pitchers release closer to first base than Garrett, and some of the names are awfully familiar: Heaney, Lodolo and Yarbrough. As I wrote about with Heaney, that creates a unique angle to the plate that helps creates a sweeper shape despite not necessarily having raw sweeper shape. He gets the third-least sweep of any starting pitcher tagged with a sweeper. In other words, a synthetic sweeper.
This is something that Garrett ought to leverage and, for the most part, he is. At 67.9%, Garrett ranks in the 93rd percentile of all starters in strike percentage. Clearly, he has the knack for throwing strikes, with all three of his primary pitches netting CSWs of 29% or higher, but also ball percentages all below 33%. Given that Garrett’s sinker is superior to his four-seamer by strikes and contact quality, it makes sense to start throwing more of them in place of his four-seamer. But then there’s also that it plays better off his slider, too.
There’s a clear path for Braxton Garrett to take off, although the pitcher he is now is plenty fine. To cap off their email, the BP subscriber mentioned that what Garrett is doing is reminiscent of Patrick Corbin’s prime years, and in many ways, they’re right. Similar pitch shapes and velocity, similar pitch location, and similar results. The difference between the two is basically pitch mix alone. If Garrett were to model his pitch mix off Corbin, leaning heavily on his slider and using his sinker as his primary fastball, we’re probably looking at a similar—and perhaps superior—pitcher.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news ... n-garrett/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Cartaya goes yard for third straight game with Loons (Aug. 13)
Diego Cartaya didn't just find his power dial, it appears he turned it to max ... and then broke it off.
Already on a hitting streak since the calendar turned to August, the top Dodgers prospect has added a flex to those knocks of late, homering for the third straight game in High-A Great Lakes' 6-0 blanking of Peoria at the Dow Diamond.
"He's not giving any at-bats away," Loons hitting coach Dylan Nasiatka said. "He's a studious worker before the game. He prepares well and in the game he's making good decisions at the plate. He's just handling his at-bats in a really mature way, making adjustments pitch-to-pitch, he's definitely doing things that are beyond his age right now."
https://www.mlb.com/news/potential-late ... e-coverage
Diego Cartaya didn't just find his power dial, it appears he turned it to max ... and then broke it off.
Already on a hitting streak since the calendar turned to August, the top Dodgers prospect has added a flex to those knocks of late, homering for the third straight game in High-A Great Lakes' 6-0 blanking of Peoria at the Dow Diamond.
"He's not giving any at-bats away," Loons hitting coach Dylan Nasiatka said. "He's a studious worker before the game. He prepares well and in the game he's making good decisions at the plate. He's just handling his at-bats in a really mature way, making adjustments pitch-to-pitch, he's definitely doing things that are beyond his age right now."
https://www.mlb.com/news/potential-late ... e-coverage
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Jasson Dominguez, CF, New York Yankees (High-A Hudson Valley)
While his talents may be more terrestrial than the pundits proclaimed, the heavily-hyped teenager continues to produce on the ballfield. The 19-year-old Dominguez opened the season by slashing .265/.373/.440 with 28 extra-base hits at Low-A Tampa, earning a spot in the Futures Game at Dodger Stadium where he promptly homered. The Yankees rewarded Dominguez’s first half with a promotion to High-A Hudson Valley where he hasn’t skipped a beat, compiling a .270/.402/.419 line with five extra-base hits through 21 games. The switch-hitting center fielder can hit for average and power from both sides of the plate, although his production is currently superior from the left side. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 190-pounds, Dominguez is an exceptional athlete with all five tools. His defensive range and arm strength will allow him to remain in center field and his speed has helped him swipe 29 bases in 36 attempts this season. Already holding his own as one of the youngest players in High-A, Dominguez should open the ‘23 season at Double-A, with the big leagues within reach. While it’s become trendy to dismiss The Martian as a prospect meme, Jasson Dominguez continues to develop and play his way towards the big leagues. —Brandon Williams
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... -martinez/
While his talents may be more terrestrial than the pundits proclaimed, the heavily-hyped teenager continues to produce on the ballfield. The 19-year-old Dominguez opened the season by slashing .265/.373/.440 with 28 extra-base hits at Low-A Tampa, earning a spot in the Futures Game at Dodger Stadium where he promptly homered. The Yankees rewarded Dominguez’s first half with a promotion to High-A Hudson Valley where he hasn’t skipped a beat, compiling a .270/.402/.419 line with five extra-base hits through 21 games. The switch-hitting center fielder can hit for average and power from both sides of the plate, although his production is currently superior from the left side. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 190-pounds, Dominguez is an exceptional athlete with all five tools. His defensive range and arm strength will allow him to remain in center field and his speed has helped him swipe 29 bases in 36 attempts this season. Already holding his own as one of the youngest players in High-A, Dominguez should open the ‘23 season at Double-A, with the big leagues within reach. While it’s become trendy to dismiss The Martian as a prospect meme, Jasson Dominguez continues to develop and play his way towards the big leagues. —Brandon Williams
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... -martinez/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
3B: Willy Vasquez, Charleston RiverDogs (Single-A)
Rays No. 10
.438/.500/.813, 4 G, 7-for-16, 1 HR, 1 3B, 1 2B, 5 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 SB
This marks the second appearance on the Prospect Team of the Week for Vasquez, who last appeared during Week 13. The 20-year-old only appeared in four games last week, but boy did he make them count. Vasquez extended his hitting streak to 12 games while filling up the stat sheet with seven knocks, three going for extra bases, five RBIs, five runs and his 23rd stolen base of the year. There seems to be no adjustment period for the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native in his first full-season of pro ball, as he has shown steady improvement all year and sports a .347/.419/.587 slash line with three homers, three triples, three doubles, 18 RBIs, 18 runs, nine walks and is 6-for-8 in stolen base attempts in August.
https://www.mlb.com/news/prospect-team- ... e-coverage
Rays No. 10
.438/.500/.813, 4 G, 7-for-16, 1 HR, 1 3B, 1 2B, 5 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 SB
This marks the second appearance on the Prospect Team of the Week for Vasquez, who last appeared during Week 13. The 20-year-old only appeared in four games last week, but boy did he make them count. Vasquez extended his hitting streak to 12 games while filling up the stat sheet with seven knocks, three going for extra bases, five RBIs, five runs and his 23rd stolen base of the year. There seems to be no adjustment period for the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native in his first full-season of pro ball, as he has shown steady improvement all year and sports a .347/.419/.587 slash line with three homers, three triples, three doubles, 18 RBIs, 18 runs, nine walks and is 6-for-8 in stolen base attempts in August.
https://www.mlb.com/news/prospect-team- ... e-coverage
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
CJ Abrams, SS, Nationals – The top prospect the Nationals received in the trade for Juan Soto is starting to find his form. Abrams went 4-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored to lead the Nationals to a 6-0 win over the Cardinals on Monday. He is now 9-for-23 (.391) with seven runs scored in his last seven games.
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... ue-debuts/
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... ue-debuts/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Shane Sasaki, OF, Rays (Low-A Charleston): 2-4, 2 HR, BB, K.
By the numbers, few players have had as impressive an all-around season in MiLB as Sasaki. Through Sunday, the 21-year-old has a .329/.411/.502 line with 45 steals in 49 attempts.
By the numbers, few players have had as impressive an all-around season in MiLB as Sasaki. Through Sunday, the 21-year-old has a .329/.411/.502 line with 45 steals in 49 attempts.
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
14. Shane Sasaki, OF, Rays
Team: Low-A Charleston (Carolina)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .529/.636/.882 (9-for-17), 5 R, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 5 BB, 3 SO, 3 SB
The Scoop: It would have been hard to rank Sasaki among the Rays top 40 prospects just a couple of months ago. At the end of June, he was a speedy, but light-hitting outfielder who was slugging .374 with a .071 isolated power number at Low-A Charleston. Now? Now he’s just a few days away from wrapping up a sabermetric triple crown in the Carolina League. He leads the league in batting average (.328), on-base percentage (.411) and slugging percentage (.507) and he’s seventh in the league in extra-base hits (39) and total bases (170). Sasaki has managed to get stronger during the 2022 season, and his newfound thump has helped transform him as a prospect. (JC)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... week-9722/
Team: Low-A Charleston (Carolina)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .529/.636/.882 (9-for-17), 5 R, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 5 BB, 3 SO, 3 SB
The Scoop: It would have been hard to rank Sasaki among the Rays top 40 prospects just a couple of months ago. At the end of June, he was a speedy, but light-hitting outfielder who was slugging .374 with a .071 isolated power number at Low-A Charleston. Now? Now he’s just a few days away from wrapping up a sabermetric triple crown in the Carolina League. He leads the league in batting average (.328), on-base percentage (.411) and slugging percentage (.507) and he’s seventh in the league in extra-base hits (39) and total bases (170). Sasaki has managed to get stronger during the 2022 season, and his newfound thump has helped transform him as a prospect. (JC)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... week-9722/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Hitter of the Weekend
Jasson Dominguez, OF, New York Yankees (High-A Hudson Valley): 6-9, 3 HR, 2 K.
Last edition, the winner of the weekend’s highest honor was a tertiary Rays prospect who happened to be one of few players to receive four games over the holiday. This weekend things swing the opposite way, as the young slugger nicknamed “The Martian” from the earliest days of his prospectdom put together a stellar showing in just two tilts. The teenager has faced an almost impossible level of hype, such that anything short of a Juan Soto trajectory felt like a possible disappointment. And yet, a teenager terrorizing High-A to the tune of a .306/.397/.510 line is nothing short of a brilliant second stateside season.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ng-slowly/
Jasson Dominguez, OF, New York Yankees (High-A Hudson Valley): 6-9, 3 HR, 2 K.
Last edition, the winner of the weekend’s highest honor was a tertiary Rays prospect who happened to be one of few players to receive four games over the holiday. This weekend things swing the opposite way, as the young slugger nicknamed “The Martian” from the earliest days of his prospectdom put together a stellar showing in just two tilts. The teenager has faced an almost impossible level of hype, such that anything short of a Juan Soto trajectory felt like a possible disappointment. And yet, a teenager terrorizing High-A to the tune of a .306/.397/.510 line is nothing short of a brilliant second stateside season.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ng-slowly/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Watson named FSL Player of the Week (Sept. 12)
No. 7 prospect Kahlil Watson led the Florida State League with 15 total bases and tied for the league lead with seven hits to close out Single-A Jupiter's season. He hit .304 with one homer and four RBIs in the final series. The 19-year-old, who was briefly demoted to the Florida Complex League earlier in 2022, clubbed a team-high nine homers but posted a 35.5 percent strikeout rate at Jupiter.
https://www.mlb.com/news/miami-marlins- ... e-coverage
No. 7 prospect Kahlil Watson led the Florida State League with 15 total bases and tied for the league lead with seven hits to close out Single-A Jupiter's season. He hit .304 with one homer and four RBIs in the final series. The 19-year-old, who was briefly demoted to the Florida Complex League earlier in 2022, clubbed a team-high nine homers but posted a 35.5 percent strikeout rate at Jupiter.
https://www.mlb.com/news/miami-marlins- ... e-coverage
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Fernandez tallies 108th RBI, tying Fresno record (Sept. 1)
Not many 19-year-olds playing in their first year of full-season ball make club history, but that’s exactly what Yanquiel Fernandez has done for Single-A Fresno in 2022.
Fernandez, Colorado’s No. 12 prospect per MLB Pipeline, tied the Grizzlies’ single-season RBI record in the first inning with a two-run double, giving him 108 RBIs this year. His early knock gave Fresno a lead it would never relinquish, cruising to an 11-0 victory over Modesto.
After tying a knot around August with a pair of three-hit outings, Fernandez picked up right where he left off to begin September. In his last 10 games, the Rockies’ youngster has amassed 17 hits and 16 RBIs.
A native of Havana, Cuba, Fernandez is getting his first taste of stateside action this season. The slugging left-handed batter crushed in the Dominican Summer League last year, amassing a .333/.406/.531 slash line. Across his first 161 professional games between the DSL and Single-A, the outfielder has racked up 50 doubles, 26 home runs and 142 RBIs.
https://www.mlb.com/news/colorado-rocki ... e-coverage
Not many 19-year-olds playing in their first year of full-season ball make club history, but that’s exactly what Yanquiel Fernandez has done for Single-A Fresno in 2022.
Fernandez, Colorado’s No. 12 prospect per MLB Pipeline, tied the Grizzlies’ single-season RBI record in the first inning with a two-run double, giving him 108 RBIs this year. His early knock gave Fresno a lead it would never relinquish, cruising to an 11-0 victory over Modesto.
After tying a knot around August with a pair of three-hit outings, Fernandez picked up right where he left off to begin September. In his last 10 games, the Rockies’ youngster has amassed 17 hits and 16 RBIs.
A native of Havana, Cuba, Fernandez is getting his first taste of stateside action this season. The slugging left-handed batter crushed in the Dominican Summer League last year, amassing a .333/.406/.531 slash line. Across his first 161 professional games between the DSL and Single-A, the outfielder has racked up 50 doubles, 26 home runs and 142 RBIs.
https://www.mlb.com/news/colorado-rocki ... e-coverage
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Great showing this week on BA Hot sheet by the young Rays
2. Jasson Dominguez, OF, Yankees
Team: High-A Hudson Valley (South Atlantic)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .400/.500/.950 (8-for-20), 5 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 4 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: After an inconsistent turn at Low-A, Dominguez’s 40-game stretch at High-A to close the season was incredibly impressive. He finished his year with a particular flair, by homering twice in his final game—once from each side of the plate—at a pitcher’s park in Wilmington. The lost pandemic season delayed the beginning of Dominguez’s career by a season, but after his second full year as a pro he’s begun to round into the form the Yankees envisioned when they signed him in 2019. (JN)
10. Miguel Amaya, C, Cubs
Team: Double-A Tennessee (Southern)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .375/.476/.875 (6-for-16), 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0-for-0 SB
The Scoop: Amaya returned from Tommy John surgery in early July because the Cubs wanted him to develop offensively, even though his arm wasn’t ready for him to return behind the plate yet. That plan has worked out well. Amaya has been a DH exclusively since he returned and had his latest big showing against Pensacola last week, reaching base in all five games to boost his OPS to .864. Amaya is scheduled to return to catching in the Arizona Fall League, but in the meantime, he’s showing the time away did nothing to dampen his offensive abilities. (KG).
11. David Hamilton, SS, Red Sox
Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern)
Age: 24
Why He’s Here: .478/.556/.783 (11-for-23), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 4 BB, 4 SO, 4 SB, 2 CS.
The Scoop: A speedy and versatile defender who is a threat to steal any time he gets on base, Hamilton’s light bat has been his biggest hurdle. Until September, he hadn’t hit .300 in any month this season and hadn’t hit .250 in any month since April’s .294, but this month he’s hitting .412/.524/.735 with a hit in eight of nine games. Hamilton can play shortstop, second base and he’s toyed with center field as well. The bat has to keep getting better, but his athleticism and versatility give him a shot. (JC)
17. Dominic Hamel, RHP, Mets
Team: High-A Brooklyn (South Atlantic)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
The Scoop: The 2021 third-rounder out of Dallas Baptist was promoted to High-A Brooklyn in July and has been impressive over his 11 starts with the Cyclones. During his time with Brooklyn, Hamel compiled a 5-1 record with a 2.59 ERA and 74 strikeouts to 25 walks over 55.2 innings. In his final start of the season, Hamel tossed seven scoreless frames, striking out eight while allowing five hitters to reach base. Hamel sat 91-93 mph on his fastball, using his low-to-mid-80s slider as his bread-and-butter secondary pitch. He mixes in his changeup and curveball effectively as well, and generated whiffs on all four pitches in this start. (GP)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-91322/
2. Jasson Dominguez, OF, Yankees
Team: High-A Hudson Valley (South Atlantic)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .400/.500/.950 (8-for-20), 5 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 4 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: After an inconsistent turn at Low-A, Dominguez’s 40-game stretch at High-A to close the season was incredibly impressive. He finished his year with a particular flair, by homering twice in his final game—once from each side of the plate—at a pitcher’s park in Wilmington. The lost pandemic season delayed the beginning of Dominguez’s career by a season, but after his second full year as a pro he’s begun to round into the form the Yankees envisioned when they signed him in 2019. (JN)
10. Miguel Amaya, C, Cubs
Team: Double-A Tennessee (Southern)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .375/.476/.875 (6-for-16), 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 2 BB, 7 SO, 0-for-0 SB
The Scoop: Amaya returned from Tommy John surgery in early July because the Cubs wanted him to develop offensively, even though his arm wasn’t ready for him to return behind the plate yet. That plan has worked out well. Amaya has been a DH exclusively since he returned and had his latest big showing against Pensacola last week, reaching base in all five games to boost his OPS to .864. Amaya is scheduled to return to catching in the Arizona Fall League, but in the meantime, he’s showing the time away did nothing to dampen his offensive abilities. (KG).
11. David Hamilton, SS, Red Sox
Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern)
Age: 24
Why He’s Here: .478/.556/.783 (11-for-23), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 4 BB, 4 SO, 4 SB, 2 CS.
The Scoop: A speedy and versatile defender who is a threat to steal any time he gets on base, Hamilton’s light bat has been his biggest hurdle. Until September, he hadn’t hit .300 in any month this season and hadn’t hit .250 in any month since April’s .294, but this month he’s hitting .412/.524/.735 with a hit in eight of nine games. Hamilton can play shortstop, second base and he’s toyed with center field as well. The bat has to keep getting better, but his athleticism and versatility give him a shot. (JC)
17. Dominic Hamel, RHP, Mets
Team: High-A Brooklyn (South Atlantic)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
The Scoop: The 2021 third-rounder out of Dallas Baptist was promoted to High-A Brooklyn in July and has been impressive over his 11 starts with the Cyclones. During his time with Brooklyn, Hamel compiled a 5-1 record with a 2.59 ERA and 74 strikeouts to 25 walks over 55.2 innings. In his final start of the season, Hamel tossed seven scoreless frames, striking out eight while allowing five hitters to reach base. Hamel sat 91-93 mph on his fastball, using his low-to-mid-80s slider as his bread-and-butter secondary pitch. He mixes in his changeup and curveball effectively as well, and generated whiffs on all four pitches in this start. (GP)
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... eek-91322/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
Zac Veen, OF, Colorado Rockies (AFL Salt River): 4-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB, SB.
Veen’s looking to use Arizona to get the offense back on track after struggling late in the season in Hartford. He slashed just .177/.262/.234 during his time there, and saw the strikeout rate jump to nearly 30% against the more advanced pitching of the Eastern League. It was an aggressive assignment for a 20-year-old, especially one experiencing the drudgery of the longest season of his brief career. He’ll get another crack there next year, where we can see what a fresh and rested Veen is capable of.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... n-the-afl/
Jake Hirst saw it firsthand.
The Double-A Somerset hitting coach watched every swing as center fielder Jasson Dominguez lit up the Erie SeaWolves in the Eastern League finals, going 7-for-13 with three home runs and a double in the best-of-three series.
It was a glimpse at what the Yankees believe the switch-hitting Dominguez can be in the majors sooner than later.
“When he controls the zone as well as anybody else, and as well as he can, he gives himself the opportunity to let the impact and the power he has play up so much more,” Hirst said.
The 19-year-old Dominguez just about lived up to his billing in 2022, showing exceptional power, improved plate discipline and more at three levels.
The Dominican Republic native received plenty of attention when he signed at age 16 in 2019 and was dubbed “The Martian.” His $5.1 million bonus is a record for a Yankees international amateur.
He made big strides this season, hitting .273/.376/.461 with 16 home runs, 37 stolen bases, 72 walks and 128 strikeouts in 120 games for Low-A Tampa, High-A Hudson Valley and Somerset.
Hirst pointed to Dominguez refining his preparation from spring training through September.
“What Jasson does a good job of is preparing and knowing what the pitcher has in his arsenal, how it moves, how hard it is and what he tries to do in certain counts,” Hirst said. “He understands that the better he prepares, the easier it is in the box.”
Hirst said Dominguez will face a serious test at the Arizona Fall League.
“The big thing that I’m excited for is just to see him play against some really good pitchers and see how well he can execute,” Hirst said. “I’ve said this a lot, too. It’s about just how consistent can you be?
"Anybody can have a good week. Anybody can have a good month. But how consistent can you be over a long season? It’s just another opportunity to show that he can play more than a minor league season and into an extra month.”
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... se-upside/
Veen’s looking to use Arizona to get the offense back on track after struggling late in the season in Hartford. He slashed just .177/.262/.234 during his time there, and saw the strikeout rate jump to nearly 30% against the more advanced pitching of the Eastern League. It was an aggressive assignment for a 20-year-old, especially one experiencing the drudgery of the longest season of his brief career. He’ll get another crack there next year, where we can see what a fresh and rested Veen is capable of.
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... n-the-afl/
Jake Hirst saw it firsthand.
The Double-A Somerset hitting coach watched every swing as center fielder Jasson Dominguez lit up the Erie SeaWolves in the Eastern League finals, going 7-for-13 with three home runs and a double in the best-of-three series.
It was a glimpse at what the Yankees believe the switch-hitting Dominguez can be in the majors sooner than later.
“When he controls the zone as well as anybody else, and as well as he can, he gives himself the opportunity to let the impact and the power he has play up so much more,” Hirst said.
The 19-year-old Dominguez just about lived up to his billing in 2022, showing exceptional power, improved plate discipline and more at three levels.
The Dominican Republic native received plenty of attention when he signed at age 16 in 2019 and was dubbed “The Martian.” His $5.1 million bonus is a record for a Yankees international amateur.
He made big strides this season, hitting .273/.376/.461 with 16 home runs, 37 stolen bases, 72 walks and 128 strikeouts in 120 games for Low-A Tampa, High-A Hudson Valley and Somerset.
Hirst pointed to Dominguez refining his preparation from spring training through September.
“What Jasson does a good job of is preparing and knowing what the pitcher has in his arsenal, how it moves, how hard it is and what he tries to do in certain counts,” Hirst said. “He understands that the better he prepares, the easier it is in the box.”
Hirst said Dominguez will face a serious test at the Arizona Fall League.
“The big thing that I’m excited for is just to see him play against some really good pitchers and see how well he can execute,” Hirst said. “I’ve said this a lot, too. It’s about just how consistent can you be?
"Anybody can have a good week. Anybody can have a good month. But how consistent can you be over a long season? It’s just another opportunity to show that he can play more than a minor league season and into an extra month.”
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... se-upside/
Re: Rays Prospect Notes 2022
2. Zac Veen, OF, Rockies
Team: Salt River
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .500/.588/.833 (6-for-12), 3 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4-for-5 SB
The Scoop: Veen has long had a rep as one of the most exciting prospects in the sport. He has power and speed in spades and has shown off both of those skills with Salt River. After stealing 55 bases in a regular season split between High-A and Double-A, Veen has already swiped four more bags in the AFL. That total has him tied at the top with Glendale’s Terrell Tatum (White Sox).
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... ek-101022/
Team: Salt River
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .500/.588/.833 (6-for-12), 3 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 SO, 4-for-5 SB
The Scoop: Veen has long had a rep as one of the most exciting prospects in the sport. He has power and speed in spades and has shown off both of those skills with Salt River. After stealing 55 bases in a regular season split between High-A and Double-A, Veen has already swiped four more bags in the AFL. That total has him tied at the top with Glendale’s Terrell Tatum (White Sox).
https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... ek-101022/
