Because Pat asked for it...
Jake Arrieta, RHP, Cubs (Triple-A Iowa): 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 K. The acquisition of Arrieta was the beginning of what is looking to be a very beneficial trade season for the Cubs. Arrieta relies on a fastball that can touch the mid 90s and a curveball that works in the low 80s. Some believe that the change of scenery may resurrect his career as a starter, but at worst, most see him as a useful piece in the back end of the bullpen.
Rafael De Paula, RHP, Yankees (High-A Tampa): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. De Paula has gotten touched up a bit in High-A, but we shall not look past his stuff. De Paula offers a fastball that can touch premium velocity, a curveball that has easy plus potential, and the ability to turn over a changeup. The delivery may not be ideal for the rotation, but he is a valuable arm that is maintaining his place on every prospect list.
Following the Baby Nats...
Moderator: Yankees
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Guardians
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Nationals wrote:Because Pat asked for it...
Jake Arrieta, RHP, Cubs (Triple-A Iowa): 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 K. The acquisition of Arrieta was the beginning of what is looking to be a very beneficial trade season for the Cubs. Arrieta relies on a fastball that can touch the mid 90s and a curveball that works in the low 80s. Some believe that the change of scenery may resurrect his career as a starter, but at worst, most see him as a useful piece in the back end of the bullpen.
Rafael De Paula, RHP, Yankees (High-A Tampa): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. De Paula has gotten touched up a bit in High-A, but we shall not look past his stuff. De Paula offers a fastball that can touch premium velocity, a curveball that has easy plus potential, and the ability to turn over a changeup. The delivery may not be ideal for the rotation, but he is a valuable arm that is maintaining his place on every prospect list.
Gonna be a good Friday....I can tell
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Yankees
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Finally made it to Sun Valley...so here's a quick awesomeness update.
Clayton Blackburn, RHP, Giants (High-A San Jose): 8.0, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. Blackburn is a prototypical workhorse. His body is built to log innings and he has the type of stuff that can play in the middle of a rotation, maybe even as high as a no. 3.
Max Fried, LHP, Padres (Class A Fort Wayne): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K. Fried is still very young and working on his craft. With two potential plus pitches (FB and CB) and a developing change, he could be very good soon. Games like this from him are a positive.
Clayton Blackburn, RHP, Giants (High-A San Jose): 8.0, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. Blackburn is a prototypical workhorse. His body is built to log innings and he has the type of stuff that can play in the middle of a rotation, maybe even as high as a no. 3.
Max Fried, LHP, Padres (Class A Fort Wayne): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K. Fried is still very young and working on his craft. With two potential plus pitches (FB and CB) and a developing change, he could be very good soon. Games like this from him are a positive.
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6. Maikel Franco, 3b, Phillies
Team: Double-A Reading (Eastern)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .407/.448/.778 (11-for-27), 3 HR, 1 2B, 6 R, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 Ks, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: Double-A is supposed to be tougher than high Class A, but don’t tell that to Franco. His .975 OPS at Reading is even better than his excellent .925 mark at high Class A Clearwater that earned him a promotion. Franco’s swing isn’t picture-perfect, but it works for him and he has both the hand-eye coordination and the bat speed to hit for both average and power. He’s giving Jesse Biddle a pretty strong run for the title of best Phillies prospect.
10. Addison Russell, ss, Athletics
Team: high Class A Stockton (California)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .545/.643/1.364 (6-for-11), 2 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBIs, 6 R, 3 BB, 2 SO
The Scoop: Anyone who hopped off the Russell bandwagon during the season’s first half, welcome back. A thumb injury kept him out of Stockton’s lineup for nearly two weeks, but he returned on July 28 and promptly went 3-for-4. Two days later, he had his first two-homer game of the season. The teenager has hit .338/.399/.617 with five homers in 38 games since June 1, ranking fourth in the Cal League in both average and OPS (1.016) during that stretch.
Team: Double-A Reading (Eastern)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: .407/.448/.778 (11-for-27), 3 HR, 1 2B, 6 R, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 Ks, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: Double-A is supposed to be tougher than high Class A, but don’t tell that to Franco. His .975 OPS at Reading is even better than his excellent .925 mark at high Class A Clearwater that earned him a promotion. Franco’s swing isn’t picture-perfect, but it works for him and he has both the hand-eye coordination and the bat speed to hit for both average and power. He’s giving Jesse Biddle a pretty strong run for the title of best Phillies prospect.
10. Addison Russell, ss, Athletics
Team: high Class A Stockton (California)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .545/.643/1.364 (6-for-11), 2 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBIs, 6 R, 3 BB, 2 SO
The Scoop: Anyone who hopped off the Russell bandwagon during the season’s first half, welcome back. A thumb injury kept him out of Stockton’s lineup for nearly two weeks, but he returned on July 28 and promptly went 3-for-4. Two days later, he had his first two-homer game of the season. The teenager has hit .338/.399/.617 with five homers in 38 games since June 1, ranking fourth in the Cal League in both average and OPS (1.016) during that stretch.
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This dude is shoving it right now...
Pitching Prospect of the Day: Jake Arrieta, RHP, Cubs (Triple-A Iowa): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K. This has to be a very positive sign for the Cubs. Arrieta was acquired from the Orioles for Scott Feldman with the thought that he may benefit from a change of scenery, and performances like this one keep that hope alive.
Pitching Prospect of the Day: Jake Arrieta, RHP, Cubs (Triple-A Iowa): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K. This has to be a very positive sign for the Cubs. Arrieta was acquired from the Orioles for Scott Feldman with the thought that he may benefit from a change of scenery, and performances like this one keep that hope alive.
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Yankees
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Back on the Darnell Sweeney train. The SS has maintained his profile this year, slashing a .277/.333/.447 line in HA. That includes 27 2b's, 12 3b's, 9 hr's, and 41 sb's.
I've been approached on him by a few people, and I just can't give him up. If he can ever find his way towards consistent contact (121 k's in 459 ab's), he could be an absolute pest at the top of the order, featuring some pop and actions that play at SS.
I've been approached on him by a few people, and I just can't give him up. If he can ever find his way towards consistent contact (121 k's in 459 ab's), he could be an absolute pest at the top of the order, featuring some pop and actions that play at SS.
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Yankees
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Matt Wisler - http://www.baseballprospectus.com/artic ... leid=21480
Roger Kieschnick - http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/r ... lly-comes/
Roger Kieschnick - http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/r ... lly-comes/
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Yankees
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Solid week all around for my prospects...here are some highlights off the Hot Sheet...
No. 3 Matt Wisler, rhp, Padres
Team: Double-A San Antonio (Texas)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: 2-0, 0.82, 11 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 14 SO, 3 BB
The Scoop: Drafted out of high school in 2011, Wisler is a year younger than Jonathan Gray, No. 2 on this Hot Sheet, and other college juniors selected this year. Now take a look at what he’s accomplished in Double-A this season with pitching ratios of 8.3 strikeouts, 2.6 walks and 7.3 hits allowed per nine innings. Wisler has allowed just seven home runs in 16 starts, pitching aggressively with a plus fastball and a quality slider. He’s the undisputed No. 1 righty prospect in the Padres system so long as Casey Kelly and Joe Wieland are on the shelf.
4. Ketel Marte, ss, Mariners
Team: low Class A Clinton (Midwest)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .581/.594/.774 (18-for-31), 2 2B, 2 3B, 7 R, 5 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 2-for-2 SB
The Scoop: When the Mariners signed Marte as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic for $100,000 in 2010, we called him the sleeper of their signing class. After a solid season in the Dominican Summer League the next year, Marte ranked among the Top 20 prospects ($) in the Latin summer leagues. The Mariners were excited enough to push him to the short-season Northwest League last year, but Marte struggled to tread water against a league heavy on pitchers with college experience. Things didn’t go much better for Marte early in the 2013 season, but the light bulb that’s turned on in the last 10 games is remarkable, as Marte is 27-for-45—that’s a .600 average—during that stretch. A 6-foot-1, 180-pound switch-hitter, Marte’s hot streak has bumped his line up to .306/.332/.371 on the season. Marte’s power is minimal, but he has a compact, line-drive stroke with good plate coverage and the ability to play a premium position. This just might be the breakout the Mariners have been waiting for.
No. 5 Avisail Garcia, cf, White Sox
Team: Triple-A Charlotte (International)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .400/.500/.600 (10-for-25), 1 HR, 1 3B, 9 RBIs, 6 R, 4 BB, 3 SO
The Scoop: The White Sox held out for the best prospect they could get before trading Jake Peavy, and that prospect turned out to be Garcia via a three-team deal involving the Tigers and Red Sox. Since Detroit stationed Garcia in the International League on July 6, he has hit .344/.401/.536 for a .937 OPS that stands sixth among qualified IL batters in that time frame. He knows where he needs to improve to become a big league star. “I need better patience,” Garcia told the Chicago Tribune. ”In this game, you have to be consistent . . . It gets easier when you figure out how they’re going to pitch you. That comes with experience.”
Mitch Nay, 3b, Blue Jays: A broken foot precluded Nay, Toronto’s sandwich-round pick in 2012, from making his pro debut last summer. Finally getting back to live action with Rookie-level Bluefield, Nay’s hitting .316 with five homers in 44 games and had a stretch of four straight multi-hit games from Aug. 1-4. He finished the week at 9-for-22 with two homers and five walks in seven games.
No. 3 Matt Wisler, rhp, Padres
Team: Double-A San Antonio (Texas)
Age: 20
Why He’s Here: 2-0, 0.82, 11 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 14 SO, 3 BB
The Scoop: Drafted out of high school in 2011, Wisler is a year younger than Jonathan Gray, No. 2 on this Hot Sheet, and other college juniors selected this year. Now take a look at what he’s accomplished in Double-A this season with pitching ratios of 8.3 strikeouts, 2.6 walks and 7.3 hits allowed per nine innings. Wisler has allowed just seven home runs in 16 starts, pitching aggressively with a plus fastball and a quality slider. He’s the undisputed No. 1 righty prospect in the Padres system so long as Casey Kelly and Joe Wieland are on the shelf.
4. Ketel Marte, ss, Mariners
Team: low Class A Clinton (Midwest)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .581/.594/.774 (18-for-31), 2 2B, 2 3B, 7 R, 5 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 2-for-2 SB
The Scoop: When the Mariners signed Marte as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic for $100,000 in 2010, we called him the sleeper of their signing class. After a solid season in the Dominican Summer League the next year, Marte ranked among the Top 20 prospects ($) in the Latin summer leagues. The Mariners were excited enough to push him to the short-season Northwest League last year, but Marte struggled to tread water against a league heavy on pitchers with college experience. Things didn’t go much better for Marte early in the 2013 season, but the light bulb that’s turned on in the last 10 games is remarkable, as Marte is 27-for-45—that’s a .600 average—during that stretch. A 6-foot-1, 180-pound switch-hitter, Marte’s hot streak has bumped his line up to .306/.332/.371 on the season. Marte’s power is minimal, but he has a compact, line-drive stroke with good plate coverage and the ability to play a premium position. This just might be the breakout the Mariners have been waiting for.
No. 5 Avisail Garcia, cf, White Sox
Team: Triple-A Charlotte (International)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .400/.500/.600 (10-for-25), 1 HR, 1 3B, 9 RBIs, 6 R, 4 BB, 3 SO
The Scoop: The White Sox held out for the best prospect they could get before trading Jake Peavy, and that prospect turned out to be Garcia via a three-team deal involving the Tigers and Red Sox. Since Detroit stationed Garcia in the International League on July 6, he has hit .344/.401/.536 for a .937 OPS that stands sixth among qualified IL batters in that time frame. He knows where he needs to improve to become a big league star. “I need better patience,” Garcia told the Chicago Tribune. ”In this game, you have to be consistent . . . It gets easier when you figure out how they’re going to pitch you. That comes with experience.”
Mitch Nay, 3b, Blue Jays: A broken foot precluded Nay, Toronto’s sandwich-round pick in 2012, from making his pro debut last summer. Finally getting back to live action with Rookie-level Bluefield, Nay’s hitting .316 with five homers in 44 games and had a stretch of four straight multi-hit games from Aug. 1-4. He finished the week at 9-for-22 with two homers and five walks in seven games.
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After a horrific start, Ethan Martin has quietly put together an excellent season, earning an MLB call-up for the Phillies. After a rough 1st start, Martin threw a gem in his 2nd game, earning his first MLB win.
After an April that saw horrible control issues, and a 7.66 era after 5 starts, Martin rebounded to post an 11-5 record with a 4.12 era. He absolutely shoved it in his last 10 starts, going 6-3 with a 2.80 era and 57 k's in 61 ip's. Stuff will never be an issue with Martin...his ability to harness it will ultimately decide if he can pitch in the middle of a rotation or wind up a reliever.
After an April that saw horrible control issues, and a 7.66 era after 5 starts, Martin rebounded to post an 11-5 record with a 4.12 era. He absolutely shoved it in his last 10 starts, going 6-3 with a 2.80 era and 57 k's in 61 ip's. Stuff will never be an issue with Martin...his ability to harness it will ultimately decide if he can pitch in the middle of a rotation or wind up a reliever.
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Yankees
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• Addison Russell, ss, Athletics. Following a 2-for-6 performance yesterday that included a grand slam, Russell now is hitting .317/.411/.592 with seven homers in 36 games for high Class A Stockton since the California League all-star break. The 2012 first-rounder added more than 200 points to his OPS from the first half, climbing from .799 to 1.002.
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Freddie (New York): What's the latest on J.R. Graham? Will he pitch again this season?
Jason Cole: Last I heard, his shoulder was taking a long time to heal but wouldn't require surgery. I really loved him when I saw him in Mississippi earlier this season. He turned in probably the best pitching performance I've seen all season, flashing plus command and sitting mid-90s with big life. Not sure if he will pitch again this season though.
cpernia (work): Thanks for the chat! Matt Wisler is the youngest pitcher in AA or above to have pitched at least 80 innings in the high minors, he has a plus fastball, a four pitch mix, he is only 20, as well as many other positives. Yet none of the main prospect sources gave him a mid season top-50 ranking. For you, why is he not considered a top-50 prospect, and what would he need to demonstrate (that he already hasn't) to make him a consensus top50 prospect?
Jason Cole: Wisler was right on the bubble of our top 50. I really like him. However, there is some legitimate question about the delivery, which is arm heavy and doesn't really incorporate much of the lower half. A lot of those guys tend to end up in the bullpen because of durability issues. I do think he's a starter, but that question definitely exists. I imagine he'll be right on the top 50 bubble this offseason as well. That'll be an interesting debate we have when constructing the list.
Jason Cole: Last I heard, his shoulder was taking a long time to heal but wouldn't require surgery. I really loved him when I saw him in Mississippi earlier this season. He turned in probably the best pitching performance I've seen all season, flashing plus command and sitting mid-90s with big life. Not sure if he will pitch again this season though.
cpernia (work): Thanks for the chat! Matt Wisler is the youngest pitcher in AA or above to have pitched at least 80 innings in the high minors, he has a plus fastball, a four pitch mix, he is only 20, as well as many other positives. Yet none of the main prospect sources gave him a mid season top-50 ranking. For you, why is he not considered a top-50 prospect, and what would he need to demonstrate (that he already hasn't) to make him a consensus top50 prospect?
Jason Cole: Wisler was right on the bubble of our top 50. I really like him. However, there is some legitimate question about the delivery, which is arm heavy and doesn't really incorporate much of the lower half. A lot of those guys tend to end up in the bullpen because of durability issues. I do think he's a starter, but that question definitely exists. I imagine he'll be right on the top 50 bubble this offseason as well. That'll be an interesting debate we have when constructing the list.
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The Matt Wisler love-a-thon continues...what a year for the kid...
https://baseballprospectus.com/article. ... leid=21539
https://baseballprospectus.com/article. ... leid=21539
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Yankees
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Once more on the Matt Wisler love train. The youngest starting pitcher in AA threw 5 ip's of 1 h ball last night. He also tallied 6 k's & 0 bb's.
After a tough start in AA, Wisler has not just settled down...he's been sensational. After posting an excellent June & July, Wisler has just shoved it in August. In 4 starts and 21 ip's, Wisler has allowed 12 BASERUNNERS, while striking out 26. Opponents have hit a miniscule .104 against him, and the only run he's allowed (0.43 era) was on a home run.
The nice thing about Wisler is that he's a guy I drafted (5th round in '11) and have held on to the entire time. While there have been some cool success stories that have come from my trading, guys like Wisler and Clayton Blackburn will be the most difficult for me to trade...on sheer sentimentality.
After a tough start in AA, Wisler has not just settled down...he's been sensational. After posting an excellent June & July, Wisler has just shoved it in August. In 4 starts and 21 ip's, Wisler has allowed 12 BASERUNNERS, while striking out 26. Opponents have hit a miniscule .104 against him, and the only run he's allowed (0.43 era) was on a home run.
The nice thing about Wisler is that he's a guy I drafted (5th round in '11) and have held on to the entire time. While there have been some cool success stories that have come from my trading, guys like Wisler and Clayton Blackburn will be the most difficult for me to trade...on sheer sentimentality.
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Maikel Franco, 3b, Phillies: Franco’s breakout year continued on Wednesday with his 27th home run of the season and his 33rd double as part of a three-hit night. Franco now ranks 11th in the minors in home runs, 10th in RBIs (93), 10th in hits (154) and 10th in slugging percentage (.560).
Cody Asche is getting his chance to prove he can handle third base for the Phillies in an extended big league tryout at the end of this already lost season for Philadelphia. But before long, it’s more likely we’ll see Franco and his plus power handling the position in Philly.
Cody Asche is getting his chance to prove he can handle third base for the Phillies in an extended big league tryout at the end of this already lost season for Philadelphia. But before long, it’s more likely we’ll see Franco and his plus power handling the position in Philly.
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Clayton Blackburn, RHP, Giants (High-A San Jose): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K. Blackburn offers a mature arsenal. He features a fastball and a curveball, both of which grade out as plus, and also throws a developing changeup. Blackburn should be able to move into Double-A seamlessly in 2014 and put himself in line to contribute at the major-league level in 2015.
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Clayton Blackburn, rhp, Giants. A 16th-round find in the 2011 draft, Blackburn turned in one of the finest seasons in the high Class A California League in 2013, going 7-5, 3.65 with 138 strikeouts in 133 innings. After dealing six scoreless innings yesterday with seven strikeouts, one walk and three hits allowed, the 20-year-old finished the season in strong fashion. In his nine starts for July and August, Blackburn posted a 2.09 ERA and a 50-12 K-BB ratio over 56 innings. With a strong three-pitch mix and performance track record, he’s positioned himself to move quickly next season if he dominates at Double-A.
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Despite a mediocre 2012 season, scouts were still pretty high on Sonny Gray's stuff. As I was looking for prospects to target, his profile was one of interest.
Sure enough, 2013 has been an absolute breakout for Gray. Despite pitching in the very hitter friendly PCL, Gray put up excellent stats with stellar scouting reports to go along with it.
The A's saw enough, as well, and promoted the 23-year old to the show. After a couple relief appearances, and in the middle of a playoff race, the A's inserted Gray into the rotation to outstanding results. Outside of one rough start, Gray has had a 2.51 era, a 1.00 whip, and 44 k's in 43 ip's.
It will be interesting to see what happens once the scouting reports catch up to Gray...and how he adjusts, but there's no question the power stuff and the outstanding curve ball. Kid's a boss.
Sure enough, 2013 has been an absolute breakout for Gray. Despite pitching in the very hitter friendly PCL, Gray put up excellent stats with stellar scouting reports to go along with it.
The A's saw enough, as well, and promoted the 23-year old to the show. After a couple relief appearances, and in the middle of a playoff race, the A's inserted Gray into the rotation to outstanding results. Outside of one rough start, Gray has had a 2.51 era, a 1.00 whip, and 44 k's in 43 ip's.
It will be interesting to see what happens once the scouting reports catch up to Gray...and how he adjusts, but there's no question the power stuff and the outstanding curve ball. Kid's a boss.
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Jeff (Bay Area): Is Matt Wisler now a top 100 (or even top 50) guy? Has he surpassed Max Fried?
Jason Cole: Top 100 for sure. He was on the border of our mid-season top 50 rankings at BP this year. So I imagine he'll be in that discussion again this offseason. As far as passing Fried, I think Fried may have a tick higher ceiling but there's an argument to be made about Wisler's polish and likelihood of becoming a no. 3 starter.
Jason Cole: Top 100 for sure. He was on the border of our mid-season top 50 rankings at BP this year. So I imagine he'll be in that discussion again this offseason. As far as passing Fried, I think Fried may have a tick higher ceiling but there's an argument to be made about Wisler's polish and likelihood of becoming a no. 3 starter.
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Nice to read after a bit of a lost season for Graham...
J.R. Graham, RHP, Braves (Double-A Mississippi)
From a scouting perspective, Graham turned in perhaps the most enjoyable outing I saw all season when he tossed six innings of one-run ball on April 16, flashing well above-average stuff and borderline plus command. It was the kind of performance that left me prospect-giddy––and led me to upload his video and write his scouting notes immediately after the game. Graham consistently pounded the lower half of the strike zone with a lively 93-96 mph fastball that reached 97-98 whenever needed. His upper-80s slider was a 60-grade offering that missed bats, and he also showed an average power changeup with good two-seam life. At that point, the 23-year-old righty appeared well on his way to making an impact in Atlanta this summer.
Unfortunately for Graham, a slow-to-recover strained right shoulder––which hasn’t required surgery––ended his season in mid-May after only eight Double-A starts. The injury has turned a potential impact campaign into a disappointing one. On the heels of a strong performance in big-league camp this year, Graham seemed almost certain to make an eventual appearance in the Braves’ bullpen, where his mid-to-upper-90s power sinker and plus slider could make him an immediate late-inning relief option. But the focus with Graham now moves forward to 2014. Given his smallish frame, there are questions about whether he’ll be durable enough to handle a long-term starting role. There are few doubts about his stuff and command, however, and a healthy Graham isn’t far from playing a key role in Atlanta. –Jason Cole
J.R. Graham, RHP, Braves (Double-A Mississippi)
From a scouting perspective, Graham turned in perhaps the most enjoyable outing I saw all season when he tossed six innings of one-run ball on April 16, flashing well above-average stuff and borderline plus command. It was the kind of performance that left me prospect-giddy––and led me to upload his video and write his scouting notes immediately after the game. Graham consistently pounded the lower half of the strike zone with a lively 93-96 mph fastball that reached 97-98 whenever needed. His upper-80s slider was a 60-grade offering that missed bats, and he also showed an average power changeup with good two-seam life. At that point, the 23-year-old righty appeared well on his way to making an impact in Atlanta this summer.
Unfortunately for Graham, a slow-to-recover strained right shoulder––which hasn’t required surgery––ended his season in mid-May after only eight Double-A starts. The injury has turned a potential impact campaign into a disappointing one. On the heels of a strong performance in big-league camp this year, Graham seemed almost certain to make an eventual appearance in the Braves’ bullpen, where his mid-to-upper-90s power sinker and plus slider could make him an immediate late-inning relief option. But the focus with Graham now moves forward to 2014. Given his smallish frame, there are questions about whether he’ll be durable enough to handle a long-term starting role. There are few doubts about his stuff and command, however, and a healthy Graham isn’t far from playing a key role in Atlanta. –Jason Cole
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Addison Russell, Shortstop, Athletics (High-A Stockton)
The questions that surrounded Russell's ability to stick at shortstop versus a move to the hot corner as an amateur are well known, and still exist. But how loud the doubters are has decreased significantly from the draft to the present, with many now believing Russell is a shortstop in the long term.
It's always good to get multiple looks at a prospect, and fortunately for me, I got to see Russell at two different points in the season. The first thing I noticed was the wide, broad shouldered frame. After that, it was the special hands and how well they worked together at the plate. I was sold on the offensive skill set early on, but was hesitant when it came to the actions at shortstop. But by the time I got my second look, I found myself all-in on Addison Russell the shortstop. I wish I could say I foresaw the great hands at the plate translating to the glove as quickly as it came together. The arm strength had always been there, but the glove-to-hand transfers were much cleaner now. The footwork caught up with the rest of the body around the bag as well as when it came to ranging in either direction. It also turned out Russell changed his physical approach at the plate (video). Perhaps no prospect has improved his stock on the national stage as much, or as quickly, as Addison Russell in the non-Buxton division over the past year. He continues to impress and could be in the majors sooner than anyone, aside from himself, could have expected. –Ronit Shah
The questions that surrounded Russell's ability to stick at shortstop versus a move to the hot corner as an amateur are well known, and still exist. But how loud the doubters are has decreased significantly from the draft to the present, with many now believing Russell is a shortstop in the long term.
It's always good to get multiple looks at a prospect, and fortunately for me, I got to see Russell at two different points in the season. The first thing I noticed was the wide, broad shouldered frame. After that, it was the special hands and how well they worked together at the plate. I was sold on the offensive skill set early on, but was hesitant when it came to the actions at shortstop. But by the time I got my second look, I found myself all-in on Addison Russell the shortstop. I wish I could say I foresaw the great hands at the plate translating to the glove as quickly as it came together. The arm strength had always been there, but the glove-to-hand transfers were much cleaner now. The footwork caught up with the rest of the body around the bag as well as when it came to ranging in either direction. It also turned out Russell changed his physical approach at the plate (video). Perhaps no prospect has improved his stock on the national stage as much, or as quickly, as Addison Russell in the non-Buxton division over the past year. He continues to impress and could be in the majors sooner than anyone, aside from himself, could have expected. –Ronit Shah
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Yankees
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After a lot of people saying he can't handle SS, the growing sentiment seems to be shifting a little. Will be interesting to read the BA & BP breakdowns.
Dave from Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh): Should I be worried about Alen Hanson struggling in AA? Does the bat still play?
Zachary Levine: No, not really. Very short sample when you're talking only 35 games. And at a premium defensive position and at age 20, I wouldn't worry about it at all. It's not like he's striking out a lot. If we're having this conversation a year from now, maybe, but if he gets a full year at this level, I'd expect performance to rise and he'll still be 21.
Sagar (my cubicle): When do you think we see Alen Hanson in the bigs? Does he stick at SS?
Zachary Levine: 2015. Yes.
Dave from Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh): Should I be worried about Alen Hanson struggling in AA? Does the bat still play?
Zachary Levine: No, not really. Very short sample when you're talking only 35 games. And at a premium defensive position and at age 20, I wouldn't worry about it at all. It's not like he's striking out a lot. If we're having this conversation a year from now, maybe, but if he gets a full year at this level, I'd expect performance to rise and he'll still be 21.
Sagar (my cubicle): When do you think we see Alen Hanson in the bigs? Does he stick at SS?
Zachary Levine: 2015. Yes.
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Yankees
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4. Mitch Nay, 3b, Bluefield (Blue Jays)
Age: 20. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 195. Drafted: HS—Chandler, Ariz., 2012 (1s).
Shortly after signing last summer, Nay broke his foot, delaying his debut. Once he got on the field, he showed the potential to be a profile third baseman and led the Appy League in RBIs. He drew praise for his work ethic.
Nay has quick hands and plus bat speed, and he makes consistent hard contact to all fields. With a large, strong frame he has 70 raw power on the 20-80 scouting scale. Evaluators lauded his up-the-middle approach and ability to drive the ball to the right-center field gap this summer, traits he picked up after shortening his stride and swing path significantly in extended spring training. He showed a sound approach, striking out just 13.6 percent of the time, and he could be a middle-of-the-order hitter with plus power and on-base skills.
A below-average runner, Nay has adequate range and a strong, accurate arm that should allow him to remain at third. He is working on his lateral quickness.
Age: 20. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 195. Drafted: HS—Chandler, Ariz., 2012 (1s).
Shortly after signing last summer, Nay broke his foot, delaying his debut. Once he got on the field, he showed the potential to be a profile third baseman and led the Appy League in RBIs. He drew praise for his work ethic.
Nay has quick hands and plus bat speed, and he makes consistent hard contact to all fields. With a large, strong frame he has 70 raw power on the 20-80 scouting scale. Evaluators lauded his up-the-middle approach and ability to drive the ball to the right-center field gap this summer, traits he picked up after shortening his stride and swing path significantly in extended spring training. He showed a sound approach, striking out just 13.6 percent of the time, and he could be a middle-of-the-order hitter with plus power and on-base skills.
A below-average runner, Nay has adequate range and a strong, accurate arm that should allow him to remain at third. He is working on his lateral quickness.
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Yankees
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8. Max Fried, lhp, Fort Wayne (Padres)
Age: 19. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 185. Drafted: HS—Studio City, Calif., 2012 (1).
Max Fried
Fort Wayne boasted the most talented rotation in the league with four starters who are solid prospects. A 6-foot-4 lefthander, Fried has the highest upside of the four and he also may be the closest to the majors as well.
A high school teammate of Nationals righthander Lucas Giolito, Fried has a plus fastball that sits 91-93 mph and touches 95. His curveball was one of the best in the league and his changeup shows flashes of being an average pitch. He had the second-best strikeout rate among MWL starters at 7.6 per nine innings.
“I don’t think he’ll take long. He’ll shoot through the minors,” a second AL scout said. “He doesn’t have all that much to work on.”
Age: 19. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-4. Wt.: 185. Drafted: HS—Studio City, Calif., 2012 (1).
Max Fried
Fort Wayne boasted the most talented rotation in the league with four starters who are solid prospects. A 6-foot-4 lefthander, Fried has the highest upside of the four and he also may be the closest to the majors as well.
A high school teammate of Nationals righthander Lucas Giolito, Fried has a plus fastball that sits 91-93 mph and touches 95. His curveball was one of the best in the league and his changeup shows flashes of being an average pitch. He had the second-best strikeout rate among MWL starters at 7.6 per nine innings.
“I don’t think he’ll take long. He’ll shoot through the minors,” a second AL scout said. “He doesn’t have all that much to work on.”
