Bowker, John - VG LF, AV RF, 4.9 RC/27
Damon, Johnny - AV LF, 5.3 RC/27
Desmond, Ian - AV SS & 2B, 4.2 RC/27
Ibanez, Raul - 112 OPS+, 5.4 RC/27
Kroon, Marc - 111 ERA+,3.77 ERA, .680 OPS against.
Lius Jimenez - BA - Jimenez is a man of extremes. Few Texas League players hit for more power than he does—his .230 isolated power ranks 10th on the season—but on the flip side, few walk as infrequently as he does. Jimenez has drawn 12 walks in 279 trips to the plate (and none since June
, a rate of 4.4 percent that's fourth lowest in the TL. To be fair, his low strikeout rate (12.9 percent) also ranks among the TL's best. In the Texas League's worst park to hit in he's - .298/.347/.512. Wells, Casper - 26 yo, currently sporting a .774 OPS in MLB. - .257/.323/.451 (SOLD)
10-Akins, Jordan -BP - Akins is a plus-plus athlete and has the raw tools to stick in center field (depending on how the body develops), the speed to be a weapon on the bases, and the bat to develop into a 50-grade hitter with above-average power. There is a wide gap between Akins’ present and future abilities, and he often relies too heavily on natural athleticism. He’s still in the process of developing and utilizing his tools in game action. If everything breaks in his favor (which rarely occurs), Akins could be a perennial All-Star from a premium position; right now, he’s a lottery ticket with legit five-tool potential. He might require another season in short-season ball to add the necessary skills to his game to play at the full-season level. Tool-based grade: 61: That’s a first-division starter in the majors and an All-Star-level talent.
10-Cardona, Adonis - KG -The Venezuelan teen got a $2.8 million bonus, but he's raw, but he also has an absolutely huge arm.
10-De La Cruz, Vicmal - KG - Another international signing from the summer, this small but speedy outfielder also has impressive hitting ability.
10-Eaton, Adam - KG -Small outfielder with gap power and outstanding bat speed; .366/.458/.537 in 10 Double-A games after huge showing in Cal League
10-Garcia, Robel -BP - Garcia is an 18-year-old third baseman from the Dominican Republic with an unexpectedly nice glove and a good feel for hitting. Garcia’s glove caught my eye after a few nice plays in the field, one of which saw him dive glove-side for a ball in the left-side hole, pocket the ball, find his feet, acquire a quick grip on the ball, and fire a strong, accurate throw to first to get a baserunner that clocked 4.3 seconds down the line. It was an advanced play from a prospect who appears to have some polish and projection. Garcia thrill at the plate—his performance was uneventful—but I liked his swing and overall approach to hitting. I would need to see more plate appearances to offer specifics, but I saw enough to know Garcia has the tools to hit.
10-Nunez, Renato - BP - Nunez is a dream, but the dream has a happy ending, as the 17-year-old’s offensive ceiling is exceptionally high; both his hit and power tools project to be plus attributes, with some in the industry throwing 70s on his future power. Nunez isn’t especially toolsy on defense, but he has a chance to stay at third if his body cooperates, as his glove and arm are of positional quality. He’s a lifetime away, but his ceiling is worthy of the present attention.
10-Payano, Victor - BP - Here’s the reason why Payano is worth keeping an eye on: 18-year-old lefties that stand 6-foot-6, already sit in the upper 80s, spin a quality breaking ball, and show a good feel for the strike zone are hot commodities. If Payano were entering the draft as a high school senior, he would have first-round potential and command a seven-figure bonus. Is he a dream? Hell yes, but dreams are the foundation of baseball, so I don’t have a problem hyping a prospect with a high ceiling, regardless of the space between his present and future grades. Payano will be making his stateside debut this season, and if he can stay healthy and log innings, he will find a home on the prospect landscape.
10-Ray, Robbie - KG - If you see Ray on a good day, he looks like an easy first-round pick. Skinny and loose, he generally sits in the low 90s with a naturally darting fastball and has a change-up that is highly advanced for his age. His arm action is clean and his command and control are solid.
10-Rivera, Yadiel - BA - Rivera has enjoyed a turnaround with the bat, going 43-for-131 (.328) and leading the PL in hits and total bases (75). Most of that is the Pioneer League effect—no minor league is more friendly for hitters—but Rivera did recently reel off seven straight multi-hit games, and on Monday he went 5-for-5 and hit for the cycle (two doubles) in a game against Casper. Throw in strong defensive actions at shortstop and you have a prospect who bears watching—just be warned that Rivera also leads the PL with 40 strikeouts.
9-Alcantara, Raul - KG - Keep an eye on this one. $500,000 18-year-old is projectable as all get out, already at 91-95 mph and has feel for both a breaking ball and a changeup.
9-Bonifacio, Jorge - KG - 18-year-old Dominican with plenty of hitting ability and raw power; .330/.357/.578 in 28 games.
9-Herrera, Rosell - BP - Herrera has a big offensive ceiling and the defensive tools to stick at shortstop as he climbs the professional ladder. After signing out of the Dominican Republic in the J2 window of 2009, the now-18-year-old has been a player scouts love to talk about: “Have you seen this kid yet? Damn. I think he’s going to hit. Also, stop calling me every night.”
It remains to be seen if Herrera can translate his raw tools into game action; he’s only a week into his stateside debut. If he lives up to his projections, Herrera could be a first-division regular with the ability to hit for average, reach base at a high clip, the strength/swing to produce at least average power (possibly more), and the defensive chops to stay up the middle, even if his body proves to be too much man for shortstop.
9-Morales, Alfredo - BP - Signed as an international free agent in summer 2009, Morales struggled in his 2010 stateside debut but has exploded so far in 2011, repeating the AZL and showing all the signs of a legit offensive threat. At the plate, the 18-year-old Dominican has a smooth left-handed swing, conducive for both contact and power, with some natural loft (not too extreme) and the ability to use his raw strength to create bat speed. It’s a nice swing. As he continues to develop, I see plus power emerging, although his hit tool might not reach the same heights.
In the field, Morales is athletic and agile, but will struggle to stick in center field as he continues to mature physically; his most likely destination is right field. I don’t see the same offensive ceiling as Castillo, but Morales has serious power potential and an easy swing. He’s another promising outfielder in the Mariners system.
0-Araujo, Elvis - BP - This 20-year-old lefty has a huge (Sabathia-like) body and a very promising fastball. The Venezuelan uses an overhand delivery and is very “arm-y” in his release, but the stuff looked very good. His fastball was in the 92-95 range during his five innings of work, touching 97 on one occasion. The plus pitch had some natural sink and run, and avoided the barrel most of the night. Araujo also delivered several good 11-to-5 curveballs, but they weren’t consistent; the pitch often featured a soft break and loose rotation. Araujo’s stuff is too advanced for the complex league, and if he can find an edge with his secondary stuff, he could develop into a very good prospect
0-Brach, Brad - BP - 6-foot-6/210 pounds, Brach is a 25-year-old reliever with a mature arsenal and above-average command. He lacks elite stuff but uses his height well, creating a good angle on a 92-96 mph fastball. He can throw his slider and splitter for strikes, and uses pitch sequence as a weapon. Despite not having overpowering stuff, Brach is able to produce overpowering results, missing bats, limiting walks, and showing the necessary mentality to handle late-inning assignments.
0-Haley, Curtis - BP - With a violent delivery from a three-quarters slot, Haley pumps fastballs in the 95-98 range with some deception in the release thanks to his high front side and late hand break. Seventy-grade velocity is 70-grade velocity; the level of competition doesn’t play a role in that specific piece of tangible evidence.
After a heavy dose of the fastball in his first inning of work, Haley introduced two breaking balls in his second inning of work, both of which looked like major league-quality pitches. His curve clocked in the 80-83 range, with late vertical break off of an 11-to-5 shape, while his slider was a filthy monster at 86 mph, entering the zone with sharp tilt before escaping beyond the outside corner for a no-chance swinging strike. Haley’s stuff suggests major-league late-inning potential, but the command needs to allow the stuff to shine. If it comes together, he’s going to move fast; the stuff impressed me that much.
0-Hood, Destin - BA - Hood's another ex-football guy figuring things out. He has the bat speed to hit for more power than he has (just 13 homers in his pro career), and his approach is solid for a guy that raw.
0-Martinez, Francisco - BA - Martinez has a good frame with present strength and projection remaining. He has all the raw tools of a prototypical third baseman, with the added bonus of above-average speed. With a quick bat and a flat swing path, he produces a lot of hard groundballs and line drives. While he hit just three homers in 2010, he should have solid over-the-fence power as he continues to physically mature and learns to deal with more experienced pitchers. Martinez has soft hands and a strong arm at third base.
