2017 Top 100 MLB Prospects

Below is a list of the top 100 prospects in MLB, as compiled by a non-scout. With spring training starting up, what better time to begin prospecting for your fantasy teams than right now. Click on the links below to view each player’s Baseball Reference page. Brief writeups for top 25 only. Enjoy, comment, and share…share a lot!

He has filled out and will fill up the stat sheets in 2017 Courtesy: Boston Herald 1. Andrew Benintendi, OF, BOS: Added muscle to an already incredibly talented skill-set could lead to immediate stardom in 2017.
2. Alex Reyes, RHP, STL: Suspensions are behind him. It won’t be long until he’s 1b behind Carlos Martinez.
3. Lucas Giolito, RHP, CHW: Remember the elbow issues and the babying. He’ll get a grasp on location and he’ll take off.
One of several pieces from the Sale trade, Moncada is a freak Courtesy: Zimbio 4. Yoan Moncada, 2B, CHW: Freak athlete. The numbers from a 2B will make fantasy players drool.
5. J.P. Crawford, SS, PHI: Don’t expect Jimmy Rollins in his game. He’ll begin to impress as soon as he gets his first shot due to a solid approach and all-around game.
6. Dansby Swanson, SS, ATL: Atlanta will be better in their new stadium. Swanson will be one of the reasons why. Getting him for Shelby Miller will be the Braves’ version of the Jeff Bagwell deal.
7. Rafael Devers, 3B, BOS: Power potential for days. He’s going to be special.
8. Gleyber Torres, SS, NYY: The power is coming. At 19 in A+, he had 11 HR and 29 doubles. It’s a race to SS between Torres and Mateo in NY.
9. Brendan Rodgers, SS, COL: There is a lot more swing and miss in his game than Troy Tulowitzki’s, but he’ll be compared to him his entire career – and for good reason.
10. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, PIT: The control can still be an issue, but Glasnow has the right pitching coach to make him an elite arm.
Robles is still in the Nats’ organization for a reason Courtesy: MiLB.com 11. Victor Robles, OF, WAS: A gifted athlete with a crazy contact rate (especially for a 19-year-old in A+), he’ll utilize the entire field and be a threat on the bases.
12. Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, LAD: He has nowhere to play until Adrian Gonzalez leaves after the 2018 season, but he’s nearly ready. Maybe they’ll make room for him in the OF.
13. Austin Meadows, OF, PIT: All of the McCutcheon rumors will lead to a lot of focus on Meadows. He won’t be a star but can do a lot of things well.
14. Bradley Zimmer, OF, CLE: The strikeouts are a huge concern but Zimmer is a unique talent and brings a skill-set that will improve an already impressive roster in Cleveland.
The Reds need a quick moving power bat. He’s the guy Courtesy: redsminorleagues.com 15. Nick Senzel, 3B, CIN: Think of Ryan Zimmerman when you think of how quickly a player can reach the majors here. He could also produce at the same level…hopefully without the injuries.
16. Anderson Espinoza, RHP, SD: There are still a lot of things that can go wrong (he doesn’t turn 19 until March), but there are so many things that are already intriguing here.
17. Lewis Brinson, OF, MIL: Making contact consistently is a concern, but, when he does, Brinson is capable of superstardom in Milwaukee.
18. Eloy Jimenez, OF, CHC: 40 doubles at 19 in the midwest league. He’s going to turn those into HR in 2017 and he’ll be a top 5 prospect in 2018.
19. Manuel Margot, OF, SD: His numbers won’t pop and he may never lead the league in any statistic, but Margot is a smooth baseball player. He can do it all.
20. Josh Bell, 1B/OF, PIT: He never showed the power potential he was supposed to have in the minors, but he’s still a work in progress – one with an approach beyond his years.
Frazier will be an asset for the Yankees, even if it hurt to give up Miller Courtesy: Stack.com 21. Clint Frazier, OF, NYY: The hair may be what many know him for right now. The ability will make others wish that they had curly red hair.
22. Kyle Tucker, OF, HOU: As this guy grows into his 6’4″ frame, he’s going to be a monster. He had 41 XBH and 32 SB while reading A+ at 19 in 2016.
23. Michael Kopech, RHP, CHW: He throws really hard and he’s on a team that is going to give him an opportunity sooner than later. If for no other reason than these, he’s an intriguing prospect. He’s also very good.
24. Willy Adames, SS, TB: He’ll make the David Price trade look silly at some point when he debuts in 2017. He is extremely talented and will quickly become one of the Rays’ top players.
25. Francis Martes, RHP, HOU: Strikeouts jumped a bit (as did the walks) in AA last year, a wonderful sign for a 20-year-old. He throws extremely hard and is capable of becoming a frontline starter.
26. Amed Rosario, SS, NYM
27. Ian Happ, 2B/OF, CHC
28. Ozzie Albies, 2B/SS, ATL
29.  Kyle Lewis, OF, SEA
30. Mickey Moniak, OF, PHI
31. Franklin Barreto, 2B/SS, OAK
32. Francisco Mejia, C, CLE
33. Jose De Leon, RHP, TB
34. Corey Ray, OF, MIL
35. Hunter Renfroe, OF, SD
36. Brent Honeywell, RHP, TB
37. Josh Hader, LHP, MIL
38. Jason Groome, LHP, BOS
39. Jeff Hoffman, RHP, COL
40. Tyler O’Neill, OF, SEA
41. Reynaldo Lopez, RHP, CHW
42. Kolby Allard, LHP, ATL
43. Raimel Tapia, OF, COL
44. Mitch Keller, RHP, PIT
45. Blake Rutherford, OF, NYY
46. Braxton Garrett, LHP, MIA
47. Jorge Alfaro, C, PHI
48. Yohander Mendez, LHP, TEX
49. Anthony Alford, OF, TOR
50. Carson Kelly, C, STL
51. Luis Castillo, RHP, CIN
52. Yadier Alvarez, RHP, LAD
53. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., 3B/OF, TOR
54. Jorge Mateo, SS, NYY
55. Leody Taveras, OF, TEX
56. Riley Pint, RHP, COL
57. Dominic Smith, 1B, NYM
58. Sean Reid-Foley, RHP, TOR
59. Nick Gordon, SS, MIN
60. David Paulino, RHP, HOU
61. Amir Garrett, LHP, CIN
62. Aaron Judge, OF, NYY
63. Triston McKenzie, RHP, CLE
64. Kevin Newman, SS, PIT
65. Alex Verdugo, OF, LAD
66. Nick Williams, OF, PHI
67. Zack Collins, C, CHW
68. Delvin Perez, SS, STL
69. A.J. Puk, LHP, OAK
70. Grant Holmes, RHP, OAK
71. Brady Aiken, LHP, CLE
72. Robert Stephenson, RHP, CIN
73. Jesse Winker, OF, CIN
74. Erick Fedde, RHP, WAS
75. Willie Calhoun, 2B, LAD
76. Dylan Cease, RHP, CHC
77. Jake Bauers, 1B/OF, TB
78. Luke Weaver, RHP, STL
79. Justus Sheffield, LHP, NYY
80. Sean Newcombe, LHP, ATL
81. Matt Manning, RHP, DET
82. Brock Stewart, RHP, LAD
83. Max Fried, LHP, ATL
84. Derek Fisher, OF, HOU
85. Ian Anderson, RHP, ATL
86. Chance Sisco, C, BAL
87. Forrest Whitley, RHP, HOU
88. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP, MIN
89. Kevin Maitan, SS, ATL
90. Matt Chapman, 3B, OAK
91. Tyler Jay, LHP, MIN
92. Cal Quantrill, RHP, SD
93. Bobby Bradley, 1B, CLE
94. Christian Arroyo, INF, SF
95. Mike Soroka, RHP, ATL
96. Isan Diaz, SS, MIL
97. Ramon Laureano, OF, HOU
98. Tyler Beede, RHP, SF
99. German Marquez, RHP, COL
100. James Kaprielian, RHP, NYY

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Statistically Scouting the Lower Minors – 6/11

There are a lot of things that make prospects special – their incredibly smooth deliveries, their sweet swings, and their game-changing gloves; however, I don’t have time to travel around the country. Therefore, scouting becomes what baseball is all about – the numbers. Based on the numbers, here are some prospects to watch in the coming months:

(NOTE: CLICK ON THE BLUE HYPERLINK TO VIEW PLAYER STATS!)

Midwest League

This monster is a few years from crushing the ball in Wrigley
Courtesy: Baseball Prospectus

Eloy Jimenez, OF, Chicago Cubs

Signed as the No. 1 international prospect in 2013 for $2.8 million, the Cubs look to have another dynamic bat coming up through their system. The 6’4″, 200-pound right fielder is second in the MWL with eight home runs, while his 18 doubles show that the power is coming and will translate to future longballs. The rich are getting richer, though it will be at least a couple of more years before Jimenez is making it rain for the Cubbies.

Matt Hall, RHP, Detroit Tigers

The numbers speak for themselves with Hall, whose microscopic ERA and 10.24 K:9 scream that a promotion is needed, but not as much as his age. Though he is 22 – a bit old for the MWL, Hall was a 6th round pick in last year’s draft, so he just needed to get some innings in the minors. Still, he is ready for the Florida State League after dominating to this extent.

South Atlantic League

Brian Mundell, 1B, Colorado Rockies

Like Hall, Mundell was a 2015 college draftee (7th round), and, like Hall, Mundell is dominating his league as a 22-year-old. His 32 doubles are 11 more than the next closest player, while his .351 average is pacing the league by a whopping 26 points. Add in his solid approach (30:22 K:BB), and you have yourself a potential star in Colorado at first base…if he continues hitting like this as he moves up, which should happen soon.

Could Keller become the next homegrown talent for the Pirates?
Courtesy: piratesprospects.com

Mitch Keller, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Keller could be creating his own version of “Mitchapalooza” by dominating and becoming the next big arm in the Pirates system. In his first taste of full-season ball, the 20-year-old, 6’4″ righty has a 69:6 K:BB and is holding opponents to a .195 BAA. When you strike out 10 per nine, don’t walk anyone, and don’t allow many hits, you can become a pretty valuable arm.

California League

Travis Demeritte, 2B, Texas Rangers

The Rangers don’t need much help up the middle, but Demeritte looks like a guy who can provide offensive production wherever he ends up playing. After ripping 25 homers in his age-19 season, Demeritte looks to be enjoying his time in the offensive heaven of the California league, having driven 15 bombs and 13 doubles in his first 58 games. There are some things he needs to work on, including his swing and miss, as his 80:31 K:BB in just 217 AB is grotesque. Plus, he was suspended for 80 games for PEDs last season. Still, power has value and Demeritte appears to have it.

Sam Howard, LHP, Colorado Rockies

Howard has received a promotion to Double-A after posting a 2.47 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 65.2 innings, while holding opposing hitters to a .184 average. At 23, he is right where he needs to be now, and as a college arm, Howard could jump another level in 2016. He allowed a single run over 6.1 innings in his first Double-A start, so he doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Also, he’s left-handed and breathing, which is always useful.

Carolina League

Drew Ward, 3B, Washington Nationals

At 21, Ward is having his best season to date. He leads the Carolina League in OPS, matching his career-high with 10 homers this season. His 15 doubles show solid power, as well, but it is his 53:28 K:BB that shows the best improvement, as his 13% walk rate is, by far, his best in a full season league. At 6″3′, 215-pounds, Ward could continue to develop power and become a useful piece for the Nationals.

Matt Cooper, RHP, Chicago White Sox

At 24, you’re probably wondering why Cooper could be a prospect in Advance A-ball. Well, this is his first season as a starter and he has struck out 11.4 per nine. His 92 strikeouts, in 72.2 innings, top the league by 28 punchouts. The 2014 16th round pick out of Hawaii was dominant as a reliever prior to this season, and he looks like a solid late-round find by the White Sox.

Florida State League

Stewart could move quickly to Detroit
Courtesy: MiLB.com

Christin Stewart, OF, Detroit Tigers

The Tigers’ 1st round pick last season, Stewart has shown impressive power (16 home runs and 12 doubles) and an advanced approach at the plate (60:43 K:BB) in his first taste of the FSL. As a college draftee out of Tennessee, he could move pretty quickly for the Tigers, who are in the middle of a “rebuild-while-winning” situation.

Chance Adams, RHP, New York Yankees

Adams was a 5th round pick last season by the Bronx Bombers. They eased him in as a reliever last season, but they have converted the 21-year-old to a starter this season. He has responded by striking out 11.4 per nine and holding opponents to a .196 BAA. At 6′, 215, he won’t intimidate, but you have to approve of the results.

 

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Trade Deadline Doom and Boom

As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States, we feel that pounding in our chests from the explosions high above, while many of us listen or watch our favorite baseball teams and eat apple pie. It is the epitome of America in a single day, but many of us are reminded that our teams just aren’t doing enough to win. Some of our favorite teams will be seeking help to improve their chances of winning, while others will begin dumping talent to build a winner next year. With less than four weeks remaining until the non-waiver trade deadline, where does your team stand? Does the additional Wild Card opportunity continue to lead to many clubs standing pat? Who needs what and who could be on the market?

The standings tell an interesting story. In the American League, there isn’t a single team more than six games out of the Wild Card hunt. The Oakland Athletics feature a 38-46 record after some huge deals this winter haven’t truly materialized as Billy Beane hoped; however, the A’s are 13-7 over their last 20 games, so they may not be as willing to deal a Ben Zobrist or Scott Kazmir (both free agents after the 2015 season) to continue the club’s unending rebuild and collection of controllable talent. With other woulda-coulda-shoulda-been contenders just ahead of Oakland in Seattle, Boston, and Chicago, the American League could see plenty of clubs reloading rather than rebuilding when the deadline approaches.

In the senior circuit, the National League has its share of contending teams, but they also have four clubs sitting 11 or more games under .500 (Miami, Colorado, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia). Another team that is on the border of Wild Card contention could be Cincinnati, who sits six games out in the Wild Card; however, with the St. Louis Cardinals leading the Reds by 15 games, the team may need to begin looking into dealing Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Aroldis Chapman, and/or Jay Bruce to get back on the same page as their NL Central foes. Even if the Reds aren’t sellers, names like Cole Hamels, Aaron Harang, Carlos Gomez, Jean Segura, Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez, Dan Haren, and Mat Latos will likely head elsewhere from the four bottom-feeding clubs.

So, where could these names end up? Who are the contenders likely to make deals or stand pat?

Buyers

BARF!!!
Courtesy: Twitter.com

St. Louis Cardinals

It isn’t an even year, so the Giants won’t be taking the World Series championship. That leaves the Cardinals, who have the best record in baseball, locked-in and ready to seek another title, utilizing the “Cardinal Way”, aka computer hacking, to make it happen. Though they continue to win games, St. Louis is without Matt Adams and Adam Wainwright for the entire season. With Jaime Garcia continuing to struggle to stay healthy, St. Louis could be in the market for another bat or arm. Stephen Piscotty could get a look if Mark Reynolds isn’t the option at first, but the Cards would be wise to shore-up the rotation a bit – just in case another injury strikes. They’re again loaded and talented, and they could take advantage of their strong farm to improve their chances once again.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are just three games out in the AL East and 1.5 games out in the Wild Card. With their lineup featuring so many capable sluggers, they just need some pitching to get over the hump. Toronto continues to develop strong pitching prospects, so they could offer some of that talent to acquire an arm for a big push down the stretch. The Blue Jays’ 4.59 starter ERA ranks 26th in MLB, and you have to wonder if Hamels, Kazmir, or Cueto could help the pitching staff enough to allow Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson, and Edwin Encarnacion to do their thing with the bats.

New York Mets

The Mets’ pitching staff is too good for the club to run out a lineup of Triple-A and MLB bench quality players on a nightly basis. While the club isn’t going to deal their entire farm system and start from scratch, the Mets would be wise to deal some of their young pitching depth to acquire some semblance of an offensive weapon. The Troy Tulowitzki rumors were a big thing earlier this season, but that wouldn’t be enough to help this lineup on its own, especially when he’d be replacing one of the Mets major producers, Wilmer Flores (11 2B, 10 HR, leads team with 34 RBI), at short.

Standing Pat

Chris Sale is untouchable, right?

Chicago White Sox

Chicago would probably burn again if the White Sox trade Chris Sale. At just five games out in the Wild Card, the team isn’t going to fold after spending big on Melky Cabrera, Adam LaRoche, and David Robertson in free agency this past winter, and they still have Avisail Garcia and Jose Abreu to produce in the lineup, along with a deep, strong rotation with Jeff Samardzija, Carlos Rodon, Jose Quintana, and John Danks joining Sale in the group. If the White Sox do anything, they could afford to get a second baseman, as the team has received a .193/.239/.232 from the keystone position this season, easily the worst in baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays are somehow managing to compete in the AL East this season, even after dealing with many injuries to their rotation to start the season. When Alex Cobb, Matt Moore, Drew Smyly, and Jake Odorizzi are on the shelf at the same time, you, likely, wouldn’t expect the Rays to still be just three games out in the division and 1.5 games out of the Wild Card. While Tampa Bay could make a few upgrades, they aren’t really in a position to deal from their minor league system due to continued financial limitations, while they are likely to get production from a healthy Moore, Smyly, and Odorizzi in the second half, who will join Cy Young consideration worthy Chris Archer to squander the opposition and win plenty of games.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks already made some noise by dealing (giving away) a player whom they drafted last year, and signed for $2.7 million, Touki Toussaint, along with Bronson Arroyo‘s remaining contract, for 26-year-old utilityman Philip Gosselin. Even without Kevin Towers running things, no one knows what Arizona is thinking. Dave Stewart is now running things for Tony LaRussa out west, so Lord only knows what is going to happen here. However, this club has a superstar in Paul Goldschmidt, an underrated star in A.J. Pollock, and some very nice young pitching in Rubby De La Rosa, Chase Anderson, Robbie Ray, and Archie Bradley. They would be wise to see what this group would do and to not GIVE AWAY good young talent like the club has been doing for the last several years (see Trevor Bauer, Justin Upton, and Tyler Skaggs).

Sellers

Indeed…
Courtesy: Philly.com

Philadelphia Philles

Whatever the club can manage to pry away to get rid of Ryan Howard and/or Chase Utley would be wise. This team is 27-55 entering play Saturday, well on their way to the first overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. It has to be a miracle that Ruben Amaro, Jr. is still employed. He may be a great guy, but he has ruined this franchise for years to come. If the club can deal Hamels and get great prospects WHILE dumping Hamels salary and allowing the team to start fresh next winter, it would be wise to do so. Dealing Jonathan Papelbon to a contender would also be a great move, as a highly-paid closer on a team that doesn’t win games is an absolute waste of time and money.

Cincinnati Reds

I mentioned before that the Reds could stand pat, but they need to deal Cueto and get value out of him, as I wrote recently.  Jay Bruce’s production could make him hard to deal, but the club has Marlon Byrd under contract next year (vesting or team option at $8 million) with Jesse Winker showing he isn’t over-matched in Double-A to fill in the spaces around Billy Hamilton. Perhaps there is a match with the White Sox with Brandon Phillips, though his contract is as steep as his age. The Reds are more likely to play on the moon than get a team to take on Joey Votto‘s contract, so they’ll need some cheap, controllable pieces to collect and pray for production from. With a payroll that continues to be labeled “small-market”, the Reds are in serious danger of being awful in the next couple of seasons without acquiring near-ready talent.

 

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2015 Season Previews: Chicago White Sox

Over the next several weeks, The Baseball Haven will be creating season previews for all 30 MLB teams. You’ll find their projected records (based on PECOTA records from Baseball Prospectus, as of 2/15/2015), each team’s top three players (based on Steamer WAR projections from FanGraphs), and some valuable notes on each team, including likely bounce-back candidates, potential breakout players or fantasy sleepers, as well as a look back at offseason transactions which led to each team’s projections. Stop back frequently to see where your favorite team ranks! 

Chicago White Sox

Courtesy: MLB.com

2015 Projected Record: 78-84 (3rd in AL Central, 22nd in MLB

Manager: Robin Ventura (221-265 in three seasons with Chicago)

Top Three Players: LHP Chris Sale (4.8), 1B Jose Abreu (4.5), RHP Jeff Samardzija (3.1)

Bounce-back Player: LHP John Danks

It isn’t easy to say that Danks is going to bounce-back, as he hasn’t been a very productive pitcher since winning 15 games in 2010; however, there are signs for people to be positive about Danks. For one thing, Danks was able to pitch 193.1 innings in 2014, less than two years removed from rotator cuff and bicep tendon surgery (which cost him all but nine starts in 2012). The results (4.74 ERA and 1.44 WHIP) weren’t there, but the innings are impressive. Additionally, Danks was able to keep the ball down a bit better, leading to a 1.16 HR:9 IP (1.82 in 2013) and 42.3 percent ground ball rate, neither of which are back to his glory days, but they are trending in the right direction. Danks won’t have the fastball that he once had ever again and he will become more of a changeup artist, but, at the age of 30, he still has time to continue to re-invent himself. Look for another healthy season, with additional improvements across the board – including the wins, as 11 from last season could move to 14 this year with an improved offense.

Carlos Rodon – is he the next Sale?
Courtesy: baseballamerica.com

Fantasy Player to Watch: LHP Carlos Rodon

At one time, the former ace of the N.C. State Wolfpack was the left-handed version of the over-hype drool machine that brought us the “can’t-miss-ace” label that was stuck on Stephen Strasburg and Mark Prior. Today, he still has a lot of helium left in his prospect balloon, but with just a tick off of his fastball, due to collegiate overuse, Rodon’s star doesn’t glow as bright as it once did. Don’t be fooled, though, because this left-hander still possesses enough stuff to be a top-of-the-rotation beast, and, thanks to a Chris Sale foot injury, he will have additional time to shine during spring training in his efforts to make the 25-man roster. Luckily, he only has to keep Hector Noesi from the No.5 spot in order to do that. There will be learning curves, of course, as evidenced by his sexy 13.5 K:9 in 12 innings at AAA that were offset by his 6 BB:9, but Rodon will be an asset for the White Sox, and his time with Chicago should start immediately.

Offseason Overview: The Chicago White Sox were very busy, adding David Robertson as their closer, Jeff Samardzija to complement Sale at the top of the rotation, and Melky Cabrera and Adam LaRoche to strengthen the offense. It was a quick turnaround, adding several key pieces to immediately hop into contention within the AL Central. The front office attacked the weak spots on the roster, didn’t overdo it with a monster, nine-figure contract, and even acquired Samardzija for pennies on the dollar (in prospects) when compared to what Oakland had given up for him months prior. Chicago did an excellent job to quickly improve their roster this winter.

Chris Sale’s injury may open the door for @WhiteSox top prospect @CarlosRodon16: http://t.co/ZcmkncyBPe pic.twitter.com/O6vtB54vEj

— MLB (@MLB) March 2, 2015

The Verdict: Those intelligent moves from the offseason really improved the White Sox, and they are going to be closer to the Tigers, Indians, and Royals in 2015, than they will be to the Twins. With that being said, Chicago needs production from some pieces who haven’t always been consistent. Danks and Rodon are wild cards in the rotation, and if Noesi is their best option if a long-term injury were to happen, they would be in great trouble. Adam Eaton has another year to get on base, Avisail Garcia has another year to become “Miguel Cabrera” (as he was called his clone while he was with Detroit), and Jose Quintana has another season to become one of the best left-handed starters in baseball. When you consider those existing pieces, in addition to what was mentioned above, the Chicago White Sox will outperform their PECOTA and be contenders in 2015.

• 2015 Season Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks (3/1/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Atlanta Braves (2/28/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Baltimore Orioles (3/4/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Chicago Cubs (4/1/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Chicago White Sox (3/4/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Cincinnati Reds (3/11/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Colorado Rockies (2/24/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Houston Astros (3/1/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Kansas City Royals (2/25/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Milwaukee Brewers (3/11/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Minnesota Twins (2/21/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: New York Mets (4/1/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Philadelphia Phillies (2/20/2015)
• 2015 Season Previews: Pittsburgh Pirates (3/22/2015)
• Season Previews: Miami Marlins (3/25/2015)

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Kevin Towers: Where the Diamondbacks Are Going

Courtesy: HalosHeaven.com

Maybe this is an overreaction, but Arizona Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers appears to be crippling the future of the team by making some strange trades. Certainly, Towers has many years of experience, holding the San Diego Padres GM position from 1995 through the 2009 season before being fired in October, then taking over in the desert in late September of 2010. As with any operational move completed by a baseball franchise, some will work and some won’t, but the last three major moves by Towers appear to be crumbling the foundation of long-term success for the Diamondbacks.

Angels new LHP Tyler Skaggs

When the club acquired Mark Trumbo from the Los Angeles Angels last week, they added a powerful bat, but they also added a first baseman and designated hitter who will be playing the outfield, as current first baseman, Paul Goldschmidt, was already present and had an MVP-caliber season in 2013. The Diamondbacks first had to acquire an additional arm to trade to the Angels, and they did so by dealing Adam Eaton to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed starter Hector Santiago. Towers then packaged Santiago with 22-year-old prospect Tyler Skaggs, who was rated the No.10 prospect in baseball by MLB.com prior to the 2013 season, in the deal for Trumbo, while acquiring a couple of fringy players, outfielder Brandon Jacobs and right-handed pitcher A.J. Schugel, as players who were named later in the deal. Eaton, who turned 25 in early December, was listed as the Diamondbacks’ starting centerfielder prior to the deal, and he has been supplanted by A.J. Pollock, who turned 26 in early December and appears to have a lot of Drew Stubbs to his game (solid defender, good power and speed, and a lot of swing and miss). Eaton was highly regarded by many saber-guys for his .450 career minor league on-base percentage and .951 OPS, and giving him up for Santiago, a back-end rotation starter (along with his five years of team-control), to acquire Trumbo was odd, but then Towers moved Skaggs. While Skaggs was pretty terrible in a very difficult league for pitchers in 2013 (4.59 ERA, 1.47 WHIP), he managed to strikeout 9.3 batters per nine as a 21-year-old in Triple-A. After watching Atlanta Braves right-hander Julio Teheran go from a 5.08 ERA and 1.44 WHIP as a 21-year-old in Triple-A in 2012 to 14-8 with a 3.20 ERA and 1.17 WHIP as a 22-year-old in the majors in 2013, could the Diamondbacks have just given up the arm that they appear to now covet in free agency, as they have been rumored to be interested in both Matt Garza and Masahiro Tanaka. Power may be in short supply around the league and you may never know how a prospect will turn out, but if Arizona had kept Skaggs and Eaton and signed Shin-Soo Choo, wouldn’t they be just as likely to contend?

Speaking of a powerful bat…

Braves OF Justin Upton

With power in such short supply, as Kevin Towers so boldly claimed after acquiring Trumbo, wouldn’t dealing Justin Upton and his team-friendly contract, along with third baseman Chris Johnson, to the Atlanta Braves for Martin Prado, Randall Delgado, Zeke Spruill, and minor leaguers Nick Ahmed and Brandon Drury have been considered a bad idea when using that philosophy? There were a lot of underlying issues that led to the Diamondbacks apparent “need” to deal Upton last off-season, but, considering the type of prospect that they just gave up to get a player with a career .768 OPS, shouldn’t Towers have aimed higher in dealing Upton, who has a career .830 OPS? Certainly, Martin Prado is a fine player and his versatility is very useful, but his bat doesn’t play all that well as a full-time third baseman, where he will be playing in 2014, and heading into his age-30 season, it is fair to wonder if he should have been the centerpiece in an Upton deal, especially as Upton enters his age-26 season in 2014, making him younger than even Trumbo! If power is so valuable, why would Upton not be worth a legitimate prospect and a player, considering his contract and disregarding whatever “issues” were making him so useless to Arizona?

Furthermore, the trade that sent Matt Albers, Trevor Bauer, and Bryan Shaw to the Cleveland Indians for Lars Anderson (designated for assignment on 1/24/2013), Tony Sipp (designated for assignment on 11/20/2013), and Didi Gregorius is just as questionable as the package that is highlighted by Skaggs. Bauer was rated as the No.14 prospect in baseball by Baseball America prior to the 2013 season and the Diamondbacks seemed to sour on him due to his desire to train and prepare in a way that is strange to nearly all people who have had the pleasure of viewing him, with long-tossing from foul pole to foul pole and a crow hop seed from the pitchers mound to the catcher as his first warm-up pitch being a part of his hour long pitching preparation. Still, at just 23 on Opening Day of 2014, his long-term outlook is very good and drafting Bauer 3rd overall in the 2011 MLB Draft and dealing him nearly 18 months later for a slap-hitting, defensive-minded shortstop seems very odd, even with defensive metrics and shortstop values being taken into consideration. When looking at the value that the Indians received in Shaw and Albers, along with the fact that the Diamondbacks no longer roster two players that they received in the deal, this was a steal by the Cleveland Indians…and that is all before looking at how Gregorius may lose the everyday shortstop job to a prospect who was in house when the Bauer deal happened, Chris Owings, since Aaron Hill won’t be giving up the second base job.

Diamondbacks’ GM Kevin Towers – answering serious questions?

It is easy to question the style that a franchise is taking and it is even easier to say that you could make better deals than your favorite team’s general manager, but when you consider the recent track record of Kevin Towers in Arizona, most fantasy baseball managers agree – they could do a better job. Is Arizona now the New York Yankees of the west, trading all of their top minor league talent to fill their major league holes? Well, the Yankees never seemed to give away their top prospects without certain, immediate help. Can the Diamondbacks catch the Dodgers? Matching power with Los Angeles doesn’t seem to be an option, as a full season of Matt Kemp (if he isn’t traded), Yasiel Puig, Adrian Gonzalez, and others will likely make the Dodgers that much more dangerous, and Arizona doesn’t have enough “grit” to overcome the L.A. payroll and talent – especially when they are trading the pieces that could get them over the top for veterans who have shown what they can do. Trumbo and Prado aren’t winning the Diamondbacks any championships, and, while they will make Arizona a bit more competitive, it is the front-line, affordable pitching that would have helped the Diamondbacks slither into contention.

Kevin Towers doesn’t seem to have a clear philosophy of where he is taking the Diamondbacks, and if the moves that he has made this season don’t work out, it is fair to wonder if he can make intelligent decisions going forward for any organization, experience be damned.

September Promotions to Geek Over

With September come the expansion of rosters in Major League Baseball. Over the next several weeks, in between completing fantasy football drafts and mocking Notre Dame fans after their loss to Michigan, fans will be able to get a sneak peak at some of the top young players in baseball. While many of them won’t play a huge role in their team’s playoff hopes, several players will excite fans and their favorite organization for the 2014 season. Here are some players to monitor over the next month.

Billy Hamilton, Cincinnati Reds, OF/Pinch-runner extraordinaire

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	22	Louisville	AAA	123	547	504	75	129	18	4	6	41	75	38	102	.256	.308	.343	.651	173

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

When Billy Hamilton steps onto the baseball field, people have to take notice. On Tuesday night, he pinch-ran for Ryan Ludwick and stole his first base – with five-time Gold Glove catcher Yadier Molina behind the plate for St. Louis. Considering the value of a run and a win right now in a very close NL Central and NL Wild Card chase, the ability to utilize Hamilton’s speed will be a tremendous asset for Dusty Baker in Cincinnati. However, after posting a pretty down season in 2013 in Triple-A, there, likely, aren’t  enough bases that Hamilton can steal to make the Reds not look for help in center this offseason, as Shin-Soo Choo reaches free agency and the Reds were looking for more.

Erk Johnson, Chicago White Sox, RHP

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	WHIP	H/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2013	23	2 Teams	AA-AAA	12	3	1.96	24	24	3	1	142.0	100	35	31	7	40	0	131	0.986	6.3	2.5	8.3	3.28
2013	23	Birmingham	AA	8	2	2.23	14	14	3	1	84.2	57	22	21	6	21	0	74	0.921	6.1	2.2	7.9	3.52
2013	23	Charlotte	AAA	4	1	1.57	10	10	0	0	57.1	43	13	10	1	19	0	57	1.081	6.8	3.0	8.9	3.00

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

After an impressive season over two levels, Johnson could have forced the White Sox hand in their apparent rebuilding mode in providing the youngster with a rotation spot in 2013. His ability to keep the ball in the yard will be useful in the bandbox that is US Cellular Field, and while the club has Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Hector Santiago, and John Danks in the rotation right now, they are one of the only teams in baseball that could actually use some solid right-handed pitching. The Pale Hose appear to have a couple of solid options from the right side in Johnson and Andre Rienzo.

Nick Castellanos, Detroit Tigers, OF

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	21	Toledo	AAA	134	595	533	81	147	37	1	18	76	4	54	100	.276	.343	.450	.793	240

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Nick Castellanos was once a lanky, beanpole-like prospect with a long swing and a lot of holes in his swing. While he could still eat a few steaks, Castellanos has done a lot to make himself useful to the Tigers, moving off of third base to become a solid outfielder, and improving his strike zone management tremendously. He has very good, still raw, power that could make him a fantastic addition to the already formidable Detroit lineup. He may not get a huge opportunity this month but the Tigers gave a lot of at-bats to Avisail Garcia late last season and Castellanos could prove to be more valuable in the lineup than Pat Kelly and Andy Dirks in left field. With the talent around him in Motown, Castellanos could become an above-average regular with clubs being more cautious with Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera.

Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians, INF

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	20	Akron	AA	113	533	482	78	131	16	6	3	38	38	39	41	.272	.325	.349	.674	168

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

A strong middle infield prospect in the Cleveland Indians organization that isn’t named Francisco Lindor, Ramirez has established himself as a unique talent, with an excellent hit tool and solid speed. It’s possible that Ramirez steals quite a few at-bats from the struggling Lonnie Chisenhall in September, and, if he shows himself capable, he could steal his job next spring. Ramirez was moved quickly to accommodate the quick rise of Lindor, and, while he doesn’t have a lot of power, he will make enough contact to be a very good utility infielder in any worst case scenario.

JR Murphy, New York Yankees, C

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	22	2 Teams	AAA-AA	108	468	413	60	111	29	0	12	46	1	47	73	.269	.347	.426	.773	176
2013	22	Trenton	AA	49	211	183	34	49	10	0	6	25	1	24	32	.268	.352	.421	.773	77
2013	22	Scranton/Wilkes-Barre	AAA	59	257	230	26	62	19	0	6	21	0	23	41	.270	.342	.430	.773	99

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Murphy, like Ramirez, has been pushed along by another top prospect, as the Yankees have moved the young catcher quickly due to the potential monster who is Gary Sanchez; however, Murphy isn’t a terrible player and probably shouldn’t be overlooked as an option at a weak Yankees catching position in 2014. With only Chris Stewart, Austin Romine and Francisco Cervelli ahead of him, Murphy could prove to be more than a holdover before Sanchez gets his already questionable makeup together in New York.

Michael Choice, Oakland Athletics, OF

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	23	Sacramento	AAA	132	600	510	90	154	29	1	14	89	1	69	115	.302	.390	.445	.835	227

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Choice was once an all-or-nothing type of hitter who hit home runs in bunches while attending the University of Texas-Arlington. After hitting 30 home runs in 2011, with a little help from the fences of the California League, Choice has a total of 24 home runs over the last two seasons. While he may never reach the power expectations that he once had, Choice has enough plate discipline and gap power to be an asset for the always cost-conscious Oakland A’s. He could take the at-bats that Chris Young was getting in 2014, which would make him a fantasy baseball asset.

Jonathan Schoop, Baltimore Orioles, INF

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	21	3 Teams	AAA-Rk-A-	81	336	309	42	86	14	0	14	52	1	20	62	.278	.330	.460	.790	142
2013	21	Orioles	Rk	8	32	25	9	9	2	0	3	9	0	6	6	.360	.469	.800	1.269	20
2013	21	Aberdeen	A-	3	15	14	3	8	1	0	2	9	0	1	1	.571	.600	1.071	1.671	15
2013	21	Norfolk	AAA	70	289	270	30	69	11	0	9	34	1	13	55	.256	.301	.396	.697	107

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Schoop missed significant time in 2013 due to a stress fracture in his back, but upon his return, he quickly showed the Orioles the tools that have made him a solid, under-the-radar prospect. Schoop may not have a very keen eye at the dish, but he is very effective hitter, especially for a 21-year-old in the upper ranks of the minors. Schoop will, likely, have an opportunity to win the second base or third base job down the line, but not until the Orioles give Manny Machado a look at shortstop once J.J. Hardy leaves via free agency (or is moved off of short).

Carlos Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals, RHP

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	H/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2013	21	2 Teams	AAA-AA	6	3	2.49	16	16	79.2	65	25	22	4	28	72	1.167	7.3	3.2	8.1	2.57
2013	21	Springfield	AA	1	0	2.31	3	3	11.2	11	3	3	1	1	9	1.029	8.5	0.8	6.9	9.00
2013	21	Memphis	AAA	5	3	2.51	13	13	68.0	54	22	19	3	27	63	1.191	7.1	3.6	8.3	2.33

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Dubbed “Little Pedro” due to his size and stuff, Carlos Martinez has been up and down for the Cardinals this season, mostly pitching in relief, a role that many seem he is destined to take over due to his small (6′, 185) frame. Martinez has enough stuff to be a front-end starter, but the Cardinals pitching depth allows the club to take things slow with their young arms. By utilizing Martinez and his electric stuff out of the bullpen, much like they did with Trevor Rosenthal in 2012, the Cardinals may be able to have even more shutdown options out of the bullpen.
Michael Wacha, St. Louis Cardinals, RHP

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	H/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2013	21	Memphis	PCL	AAA	STL	5	3	2.65	15	15	85.0	65	26	25	9	19	73	0.988	6.9	2.0	7.7	3.84

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Michael Wacha, like Martinez, has been up and down this season. A first-round pick out of Texas A&M in 2012, Wacha flew through the minors with precise control and powerful stuff, which has carried over to the big leagues in his 39.1 innings. With injuries to Jaime Garcia and Jake Westbrook, the club has relied heavily on young arms, including Shelby Miller, Lance Lynn, and Joe Kelly, and as those arms reach innings limits, it could be Wacha and Martinez who come to the rescue as the Cards head to another playoff round.
Taijuan Walker, Seattle Mariners, RHP

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	H/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2013	20	2 Teams	AA-AAA	9	10	2.93	25	25	141.1	112	56	46	11	57	160	1.196	7.1	3.6	10.2	2.81
2013	20	Jackson	AA	4	7	2.46	14	14	84.0	58	31	23	6	30	96	1.048	6.2	3.2	10.3	3.20
2013	20	Tacoma	AAA	5	3	3.61	11	11	57.1	54	25	23	5	27	64	1.413	8.5	4.2	10.0	2.37

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Walker is an extremely big and athletic body who is still relatively raw as far as his command and stuff goes, which speaks volumes as to why you should be excited to see him. He could be the top arm in the majors, taking on a phenomenon in Seattle that could equal that of Felix Hernandez. At 6’4″, 220 pounds and having just turned 21 in August, Walker has an immeasurable ceiling and will likely become a number one starter within the next few years. His first start (five innings, two hits, zero earned runs) was a nice introduction. He may not make more than one or two more starts before being shut down due to innings, but those are starts that are must-see TV.
James Paxton, Seattle Mariners, LHP

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	H/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2013	24	Tacoma	AAA	8	11	4.45	28	26	2	1	145.2	158	84	72	10	58	131	1.483	9.8	3.6	8.1	2.26

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Paxton is an interesting prospect. He is left-handed and has very good stuff, striking out 9.6 per 9/IP over his minor league career; however, Paxton also walks a lot of batters and can’t seem to miss enough bats when he isn’t completely missing them, posting a 1.45 WHIP over his last two seasons and 252 innings. At 6’4″, 220, Paxton has a strong frame, just like Walker, but he appears headed to a mid-rotation future, and he could become a very good innings-eating pitcher once he gets a grasp of his stuff and the strike zone.
Marcus Semien, Chicago White Sox, INF

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	22	2 Teams	AA-AAA	137	625	518	110	147	32	6	19	66	24	98	90	.284	.401	.479	.880	248
2013	22	Birmingham	AA	105	483	393	90	114	21	5	15	49	20	84	66	.290	.420	.483	.903	190
2013	22	Charlotte	AAA	32	142	125	20	33	11	1	4	17	4	14	24	.264	.338	.464	.802	58

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Marcus Semien has moved quickly through the White Sox system after being taken in the 6th round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He has an intriguing skill-set for a middle infielder, possessing very good gap power, solid speed, and the ability to handle both short and second defensively. His plate discipline will be valuable to the rebuilding White Sox and if the club is ready to move on from the Gordon Beckham, Alexei Ramirez, and Conor Gillaspie trio in the infield, Semien could fill any of those positions in 2014.
Matt Davidson, Arizona Diamondbacks, 3B

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	22	Reno	AAA	115	500	443	55	124	32	3	17	74	1	46	134	.280	.350	.481	.831	213

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Davidson is a powerful third base prospect who has been passed over for Eric Chavez this season. He has the ability to hit around 30 home runs playing half of his games at Chase Field, but he will need to make more consistent contact to reach those levels. Having watched Paul Goldschmidt similar strikeout numbers in the minors before reaching MVP levels in performance this season, Davidson’s stock shouldn’t be taken lightly. With that being said, the fact that they didn’t seem to want to commit to him when Chavez was hurt, instead relying on Martin Prado moving in from the outfield, the club may have questions about his long-term role. Considering how quickly they gave up on Trevor Bauer, you have to wonder what is going on in their front office at times.
Chris Owings, Arizona Diamondbacks, SS

Year	Age	Tm	Lev	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	21	Reno	AAA	125	575	546	104	180	31	8	12	81	20	22	99	.330	.359	.482	.841	263

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/3/2013.

Owings looks to be blocked by Didi Gregorius at short but he looks like a player that could fetch a nice return if the Diamondbacks were to deal him this offseason. Solid pop, solid speed, and an atrocious approach at the plate, Owings could become a valuable Ben Zobrist-like player, capable of handling several positions to get his playing time, as he is just 22 years old Arizona could have him blocked at short (Gregorius), third (Davidson), and second (Aaron Hill is signed through 2016).

Give Me More Mike Marshall

The Major League Baseball bullpen is a place that is littered with flamed out former starting pitchers, pitchers who have a niche for getting a certain type of player out when matched up properly, and guys that get paid millions of dollars to close out games, utilizing the false value of the save statistic to present himself as valuable within the game.

Certainly, the top closers in baseball history have had value to their teams, but how much? Consider the top 10 relief pitchers in the save category in baseball history:

Name	Saves	Games	Innings Pitched	IP/G
Mariano Rivera	645	1092	1217.2	1.11
Trevor Hoffman	601	1034	1089.1	1.05
Lee Smith	478	1015	1252.1	1.23
John Franco	424	1119	1245.2	1.11
Billy Wagner	422	853	903	1.06
Dennis Eckersley	390	710	807.1	1.14
Jeff Reardon	367	880	1132.1	1.29
Troy Percival	358	702	707.2	1.01
Randy Myers	347	716	814.1	1.14
Rollie Fingers	339	899	1553.1	1.73

Courtesy: kffl.com

Rollie Fingers pitched in a different era, but you could say the same for Lee Smith and Jeff Reardon. Relief pitchers used to pitch more innings and they were more valuable to their clubs because of their extended  appearances. When Fingers led the league in saves in 1977 with 35, he made 78 appearances and pitched 132.1 innings (1.7 IP/G) while facing 543 batters. Last season, Craig Kimbrel led the NL in saves, 42, while making 63 appearances and pitching 62.2 innings (0.99 IP/G) while facing 231 batters. How much more valuable could he have been for Atlanta last season by pitching 1.11 IP/G?

He would have reached just 70 innings but Kimbrel was striking out 16.7 K/9, so he could have struck out an additional 13-14 batters, which could have killed another rally or won the Braves another couple of games. If Kimbrel was worth 3.3 WAR last year and he had taken innings away from Jonny Venters, who had a 0.4 WAR, his WAR could have increased to 3.6, which may or may not have counted in the wins column, but why wouldn’t you want your best reliever in a game in the most valuable moments?

Which leads us to former journeyman relief pitcher Mike Marshall. Marshall won the Cy Young award in 1974 when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made 106 appearances, led the NL with 21 saves, and pitched a whopping 208.1 innings out of the bullpen! Sure, the league leader in innings pitched in 1974 was Nolan Ryan, who made 41 starts and accumulated 332.2 innings with his 26 complete games, but the next closest pitcher in appearances was Burt Hooten, who had 48.

Marshall pitched in exactly 700 games out of the bullpen (he made 24 career starts) and he pitched 1259.1 innings, good for 1.8 IP/G. For all of those failed starting pitchers who sit in bullpens around the league, why aren’t more teams utilizing them differently? What if pitchers who dominate in earlier innings but struggle later in the game were able to pitch two to three times each week out of the bullpen with a four-man rotation?

For example:

Jose Quintana, the Chicago White Sox left-hander, has a 2.73 ERA over his first 75 pitches in a game. After that point, Quintanta has a 6.26 ERA.

A.J. Griffin, the Oakland Athletics right-hander, has a 3.08 ERA over his first 75 pitches in a game with a 5.74 ERA from pitch 76 on.

Tyler Chatwood, the Colorado Rockies right-hander, has a 2.94 ERA over his first 75 pitches, followed up by a 4.11 ERA from pitch 76 on.

Even more prolific starters fall into this type of split:

Madison Bumgarner – first 75 pitches 1.99 ERA, 76+ pitches 5.24 ERA

Mat Latos – first 75 pitches 2.37 ERA, 76+ pitches 4.53 ERA

Obviously, as a starting pitcher goes deeper into the game, they are likely to get tired, but the multiple times that the hitters see the pitchers will impact the success of the opposition, as well. However, why aren’t there more teams utilizing their 25-man roster differently?

The Minnesota Twins utilize Anthony Swarzak in a Marshall-like role, as he has pitched 73 innings over 37 appearances (1.97 IP/G) and the Arizona Diamondbacks do the same with Josh Collmenter, who has pitched 78.1 innings over 37 appearances (2.18 IP/G), but with so many extra inning games and the need to roster flexibility, why aren’t more teams going to a five or six man bullpen featuring rubber arms that can be used for several innings per appearance?

Sure, teams need to be careful with their investments and the days of your starters tossing 300 innings and 25 or more complete games in a season are long gone, but why waste a roster spot on a LOOGY (Lefty One Out GuY) when you can utilize your other arms in a different way? With all of these young starters, like Stephen Strasburg last year and Matt Harvey this year, reaching innings limits, wouldn’t the Marshall-like relief pitcher help a team keep that solid, young arm effective into the playoffs by keeping outings short?

The one inning closer may not ever go away again, Lord knows that agents and the Players Union wouldn’t be too keen on the idea of eliminating the role, but maybe paying big-time money to a pitcher that doesn’t impact a significant part of the game wouldn’t be such a bad idea for clubs. Do you think Aroldis Chapman tossing two to three innings per outing would be good or bad for the Reds, especially during a Latos start based on the statistics above?

Minor League Report, 8/8

I haven’t done one of these in quite some time. When I search minor league stats, I look for strikeouts and WHIP leaders out of guys with solid frames out of pitchers, solid plate discipline and gap power and speed out of hitters. I am not a scout that can go to games, but I tend to find some pretty interesting talent on numbers alone. It worked for Billy Beane, right? Here is a list of some players to get to know or keep an eye on based on their production.

Domingo Leyba, 2B/SS, Detroit Tigers – Dominican Summer League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2013	17	DOSL	DET	50	220	177	44	62	15	8	4	31	16	8	32	24	.350	.451	.593	1.044	105

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

At just 17, Leyba has shown a fantastic approach with solid speed and gap power in one of the lowest levels of minor league baseball. While he is quite a long ways away from making an impact in Detroit. Leyba is tied for 2nd in the DSL in total bases and if he can maintain this type of production as he rises up through the minors, he could become quite a fantasy baseball asset.

Miguel Castro, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays – Dominican Summer League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	WHIP	H/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2012	17	DOSL	TOR	3	2	4.87	8	3	20.1	16	13	11	1	11	0	20	3	1.328	7.1	8.9	1.82
2013	18	DOSL	TOR	5	2	1.36	11	10	53.0	40	14	8	0	12	0	71	5	0.981	6.8	12.1	5.92
2 Seasons				8	4	2.33	19	13	73.1	56	27	19	1	23	0	91	8	1.077	6.9	11.2	3.96

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

An 18-year-old that is 6’5″, 190 pounds putting up a 12.1 K/9 is definitely someone to keep an eye on. Castro isn’t that much older than his counterparts in the DSL but he is certainly making a mockery of them. When he signed, he reportedly had a low-90’s fastball, a solid slider, and a changeup, so with a frame that could fill out with existing decent stuff, Castro could be another solid arm in the Blue Jays system.

Devon Travis, 2B, Detroit Tigers – High-A: Florida State League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2012	21	NYPL	DET	25	107	93	17	26	2	2	3	11	3	1	8	10	.280	.352	.441	.793	41
2013	22	2 Lgs	DET	106	465	406	73	148	23	2	10	61	18	3	44	45	.365	.434	.505	.939	205
2013	22	MIDW	DET	77	339	290	55	102	17	2	6	42	14	3	35	32	.352	.430	.486	.916	141
2013	22	FLOR	DET	29	126	116	18	46	6	0	4	19	4	0	9	13	.397	.444	.552	.996	64
2 Seasons				131	572	499	90	174	25	4	13	72	21	4	52	55	.349	.419	.493	.912	246

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

Say what you want about 5’9″ players not cutting it physically, but Jose Altuve has proven the stereotype wrong. Travis has hit very well in the lower levels, as he should have being a collegiate player out of Florida State. However, his impressive gap power, solid speed, and plate discipline could lead to continued success as he climbs the organizational ladder. The Tigers don’t seem to hang onto the players that they continue to churn out, instead trading them for major league talent, but Travis looks like he could become valuable wherever he ends up.

Jesse Winker, OF, Cincinnati Reds – Low-A: Midwest League

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2012	18	Billings	PION	Rk	CIN	62	275	228	42	77	16	3	5	35	1	3	40	50	.338	.443	.500	.943	114
2013	19	Dayton	MIDW	A	CIN	103	449	387	62	108	16	5	16	74	5	0	56	67	.279	.374	.470	.844	182
2 Seasons						165	724	615	104	185	32	8	21	109	6	3	96	117	.301	.400	.481	.882	296

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

Winker, who doesn’t turn 20 for another week or so, has done a great job at the dish since he was drafted in the 1st round (49th overall) in the 2012 MLB draft. He has a very good approach with solid power to all fields and good plate discipline. One knock on him is his inability to drive the ball against left-handed pitching, as he has just four extra-base hits in 83 at-bats against them in 2013, but he hasn’t been overmatched, posting a .277/.381/.398 line against them. Winker could very well take Jay Bruce‘s spot in Cincinnati in 2016 if the team was to decline his 2017 option, if he doesn’t force an earlier callup to play left field prior to that.

Daniel Winkler, RHP, Colorado Rockies – Double-A: Texas League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	WHIP	H/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2011	21	PION	COL	4	3	3.92	12	12	57.1	64	31	25	6	19	0	65	1	1.448	10.0	10.2	3.42
2012	22	SALL	COL	11	10	4.46	25	25	145.1	152	80	72	16	47	0	136	22	1.369	9.4	8.4	2.89
2013	23	2 Lgs	COL	12	5	3.01	23	23	134.1	88	52	45	16	40	0	157	9	0.953	5.9	10.5	3.93
2013	23	CALL	COL	12	5	2.97	22	22	130.1	84	48	43	15	37	0	152	9	0.928	5.8	10.5	4.11
2013	23	TL	COL	0	0	4.50	1	1	4.0	4	4	2	1	3	0	5	0	1.750	9.0	11.2	1.67
3 Seasons				27	18	3.79	60	60	337.0	304	163	142	38	106	0	358	32	1.217	8.1	9.6	3.38

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

When Tony Cingrani and Tyler Skaggs went through the California League, they posted results similar to what Winkler has this season. Does that mean that Winkler will be a similar prospect or produce similar results? Probably not, but the Rockies need some consistent arms and their system is full of unfriendly ballparks. For that reason, Winkler’s statistics are pretty impressive. He appears to work inside (look at all of those HBP!) and his improved stinginess in allowing base runners shows that he may have turned a corner.

Ty Blach, LHP, San Francisco Giants – High-A: California League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	W	L	ERA	G	GS	GF	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	WHIP	H/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2013	22	CALL	SFG	11	3	2.64	19	17	1	112.2	109	35	33	7	14	0	103	1	1.092	8.7	8.2	7.36
1 Season				11	3	2.64	19	17	1	112.2	109	35	33	7	14	0	103	1	1.092	8.7	8.2	7.36

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

Blach hasn’t received the kind of hype that fellow California League teammates Kyle Crick and Clayton Blackburn have received in San Jose, but he probably should. A 5th round pick last year out of Creighton, this is Blach’s professional debut, and he has done a tremendous job in a tough pitching environment, while showing amazing control and command. While his ceiling may not be as high as his teammates’, Blach appears to be the same type of prospect that Danny Hultzen was prior to his shoulder woes: he is what he is…so he’ll move quickly.

Zach Borenstein, OF, Los Angeles Angels- High-A: California League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2011	20	ARIZ	LAA	31	136	113	21	31	6	4	2	21	12	1	17	21	.274	.397	.451	.848	51
2012	21	MIDW	LAA	79	327	293	42	78	25	3	11	50	13	5	27	60	.266	.339	.485	.824	142
2013	22	CALL	LAA	89	364	324	64	112	19	7	23	82	4	5	29	68	.346	.399	.660	1.060	214
3 Seasons				199	827	730	127	221	50	14	36	153	29	11	73	149	.303	.375	.558	.933	407

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

Brandon Wood was once a superstar, power prospect in the California League, so one could wonder if what Borenstein has done in the 2013 season is a product of the league or improved skills. His plate discipline is solid considering his apparent power stroke and he isn’t running as much (since he is jogging around the bases), so it’s hard to decide whether he should be brushed aside. With Mike Trout and Josh Hamilton around, Borenstein could make a push for left field if Peter Bourjos doesn’t lock down a roster spot in the next two years. At 22, Borenstein could be on his way to establishing himself as a legitimate prospect or solid organizational depth, it just depends on who you ask. I say he’ll work his way into the Angels’ plans.

Andrew Aplin, OF, Houston Astros – High-A: California League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2012	21	2 Lgs	HOU	68	304	268	57	84	13	7	7	38	24	10	28	38	.313	.386	.493	.879	132
2012	21	NYPL	HOU	44	196	164	38	57	9	5	4	25	20	7	24	22	.348	.441	.537	.978	88
2012	21	CALL	HOU	24	108	104	19	27	4	2	3	13	4	3	4	16	.260	.287	.423	.710	44
2013	22	CALL	HOU	111	523	437	91	123	29	5	8	92	20	6	74	53	.281	.381	.426	.806	186
2 Seasons				179	827	705	148	207	42	12	15	130	44	16	102	91	.294	.383	.451	.834	318
A+ (2 seasons)				135	631	541	110	150	33	7	11	105	24	9	78	69	.277	.365	.425	.790	230
A- (1 season)				44	196	164	38	57	9	5	4	25	20	7	24	22	.348	.441	.537	.978	88

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

Meet the future leadoff hitter for the Houston Astros…maybe. Aplin is not really repeating High-A, having spent all of 24 games in Lancaster last season, but being a 5th round pick out of Arizona State last season, he appears ready to take his place as a decent prospect in the Houston organization. Certainly Aplin’s power is inflated in Lancaster, but the plate discipline is a thing of beauty for stat geeks like Astros’ GM Jeff Luhnow. While Aplin may never be an All-Star caliber player, he appears to have enough skills across the board to be useful, especially for a team that may be very good in about three years.

Marcus Semien, 2B/SS, Chicago White Sox – Triple-A: International League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB
2011	20	SALL	CHW	60	262	229	35	58	15	2	3	26	3	4	22	53	.253	.320	.376	.696	86
2012	21	CARL	CHW	107	487	418	80	114	31	5	14	59	11	5	55	97	.273	.362	.471	.833	197
2013	22	2 Lgs	CHW	112	515	422	96	123	26	5	16	50	20	5	87	69	.291	.417	.491	.908	207
2013	22	SOUL	CHW	105	483	393	90	114	21	5	15	49	20	5	84	66	.290	.420	.483	.903	190
2013	22	IL	CHW	7	32	29	6	9	5	0	1	1	0	0	3	3	.310	.375	.586	.961	17
3 Seasons				279	1264	1069	211	295	72	12	33	135	34	14	164	219	.276	.376	.458	.834	490

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

At 22 in Triple-A and having hit the way that he has since making his professional debut late in the 2011 season, it is shocking that Semien hasn’t gained more attention, especially since he appears capable of handling shortstop (though he will likely end up at second base). Semien has very good plate discipline and surprising pop for a middle infielder. For a White Sox team that could be headed towards a quick rebuild, he could become a very useful bat by the middle of next season, as he could play second while the resurgent Gordon Beckham plays third. Regardless of where Semien plays, his stats prove that he shouldn’t be as overlooked as he appears to be.

Kyle Hendricks, RHP, Chicago Cubs – Double-A: Southern League

Year	Age	Lg	Aff	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	WHIP	H/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2011	21	2 Lgs	TEX	2	2	2.02	21	1	35.2	24	8	8	0	6	0	38	0	0.841	6.1	9.6	6.33
2011	21	NORW	TEX	2	2	1.93	20	0	32.2	20	7	7	0	4	0	36	0	0.735	5.5	9.9	9.00
2011	21	TL	TEX	0	0	3.00	1	1	3.0	4	1	1	0	2	0	2	0	2.000	12.0	6.0	1.00
2012	22	2 Lgs	TEX,CHC	6	8	2.99	25	24	147.2	140	57	49	11	18	0	123	7	1.070	8.5	7.5	6.83
2012	22	FLOR	CHC	1	0	4.24	5	4	17.0	17	8	8	3	3	0	11	1	1.176	9.0	5.8	3.67
2012	22	CARL	TEX	5	8	2.82	20	20	130.2	123	49	41	8	15	0	112	6	1.056	8.5	7.7	7.47
2013	23	SOUL	CHC	10	3	1.85	21	21	126.1	107	34	26	3	26	0	101	5	1.053	7.6	7.2	3.88
3 Seasons				18	13	2.41	67	46	309.2	271	99	83	14	50	0	262	12	1.037	7.9	7.6	5.24

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/8/2013.

Hendricks was acquired in the Cubs deal with the Texas Rangers for Ryan Dempster last season and he has established himself as a useful part in the future plans of the Chicago Cubs. While he doesn’t have a tremendous ceiling, Hendricks hardly walks anyone and gets his fair share of strikeouts, though he isn’t dominant. If Hendricks is able to continue to pass on the free passes and maintain his impressive WHIP totals in the majors, he could become a very good mid-rotation starter for the constantly rebuilding Cubs.

The White Sox Are Winners

While looking at the 40-64 record heading into tonight’s game wouldn’t tell you anything positive about the Chicago White Sox, the club took the crown for the best moves at the trade deadline this season, even though the club failed to move right fielder Alex Rios.

The White Sox have had a tough year, scoring the second fewest runs in all of baseball. Injuries to veterans like Paul Konerko, John Danks, and Jake Peavy (prior to the trade with Boston) didn’t help the club this season, and the loss of A.J. Pierzynski to free agency and the lack of effectiveness from Tyler Flowers certainly didn’t help either.

The right thing to do, as the club sits 20 games out in the AL Central, was to sell off the parts and start over. The loss of Peavy’s contract ($14.5 million in 2014 with a player option for $15 million in 2015 if he reaches 400 IP in 2013-2014) is huge for Chicago’s ability to start over. With Paul Konerko ($13.5 million) and Gavin Floyd ($9.5 million) likely leaving via retirement and free agency, the White Sox will have quite a bit to work with, and, potentially, dealing the likes of Rios, Danks, and Alexei Ramirez this winter could truly allow new GM Rick Hahn to take the steps necessary to rebuild the mess that Kenny Williams left after his promotion to Executive Vice President.

Williams didn’t do any favors by loading the Pale Hose system with a bunch of free swinging, no contact athletes. Jared Mitchell, Courtney Hawkins, Trayce Thompson, and Keenyn Walker are all toolsy outfield prospects that rank near the top of the club’s prospect lists over the last few season, but they just aren’t having the success that the club needs them to have. Add in the Tim Anderson pick in this year’s MLB Draft, and it looks like Hahn is going to continue the trend by drafting more athletes that can’t hit a curveball.

However, today, we bask in the glory of what Hahn was able to accomplish. He stuck the remaining balance of Jake Peavy’s contract on Boston. While Chicago didn’t get any major prospects in the deal, Francellis Montas appears to have a live arm, Cleuluis Rondon could become a useful utility player, and Jeff Wendelken could be a solid bullpen arm. But, again, it wasn’t about the prospects, it was about the money, and the fact that the club DID receive Avisail Garcia from Boston, via Detroit, as part of the three-team deal makes the deal a winner for Chicago.

Garcia had a very successful cup of coffee in 2012 for Detroit, hitting .319 over 47 at-bats before hitting .455 in Detroit’s ALCS win over the New York Yankees. He has torn apart Triple-A this season, posting a .374/.410/.537 line in 33 games, and the 6’4″, 240 pound, 22-year-old outfielder should factor tremendously into the White Sox transition in acquiring Major League ready talent.

Garcia will likely take over an outfield corner next season, and it could be sooner if the club is able to pawn-off Rios and his contract on a contending team during the waiver trade period over the next month.

Chicago didn’t get Xander Bogaerts in the Jake Peavy trade, but they did get some young depth to help their awful farm system, while getting salary relief to guide a quick turnaround. With Chris Sale as the new, veteran anchor of the pitching staff, the club will continue to find parts via trade and free agency to become a nuisance in the AL Central again next season. While the draft didn’t seem to be a good indication of where the White Sox front office is sending the farm, this trade was definitely a win for Rick Hahn and Chicago White Sox fans.

 

Hold On Meow…

I know he’s looking all nimbly bimbly right now, going 5-for-8 with two home runs and five RBI after two games, but all of the Bo Jackson and greatest player ever stuff about Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig should probably stop. Many players have had great games, great starts, and nice stretches, only to fade into their typical, normal-guy kind of existence – like Karl “Tuffy” Rhodes after Opening Day of 1994.

Certainly, Puig is a physical specimen. Comparing him to Jackson seems normal due to photos:

Puig is listed at 6’3″, 245 pounds.
Jackson was listed at 6’1″, 220 pounds.
They both appear to be finer looking versions of what a man should look like than I am, but Prince Fielder and Pablo Sandoval have proven that physique doesn’t guarantee success at the major league level.

Puig was a monster for the Cuban National Team, as Fangraphs.com compared his statistics against Yoenis Cespedes during the 2010-2011 seasons:

Player	2B	3B	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB	SO
Yasiel Puig	19	6	17	.330	.430	.581	49	39
Yoenis Cespedes	17	1	33	.333	.424	.667	49	40

When compared to other former Cuban stars, Puig and Cespedes appear to have plate discipline skills that make other Cuban bats like Juan Miranda, Alexei Ramirez, Dayan Viciedo, and Kendry Morales look like Domonic Brown in the month of May (zero walks in 109 plate appearances for those of you who missed the joke, there). It tends to be unheard of for the plate discipline of Cuban imports to be so…present.

For now, Puig is full of potential. He’s 22 years old, strong, athletic, and a special talent – which led to his seven-year, $42 million deal prior to swinging a bat in the states; however, give him some time to adjust. The man only had 262 plate appearances in the minor leagues, and while he did put up an impressive .328/.405/.611 line with 14 doubles, six triples, 13 home runs, and 21 stolen bases, he was just the No.76 prospect in baseball (according to MLB.com) prior to the 2013 season.

All of the absurd physical comparisons after two games are nuts. As a Cincinnati native, I remember Glenn Braggs playing for the Reds when I was growing up. He was so strong he broke bats in half when he swung and missed.

He was a career .257/.322/.405 hitter in 2,609 plate appearances. Muscles and athleticism don’t equal success. Bo Jackson was an amazing athlete that couldn’t make consistent contact. While he was hurt while he was making a significant improvement in his baseball abilities, it doesn’t change the fact that being ripped doesn’t necessarily mean that you can rip the cover off of a baseball.