Salem's Top Ten Prospects
1. Shohei Otani, pBorn: July 5, 1994 (age 22). B-T: L-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 189. Acquired: via trade, winter, 2016.
Background: Otani has had some remarkable seasons in the past, but 2016 was his best performance to date. The greatest player in the Japanese NPB, Otani set career highs in several categories. The most recent collective bargaining agreement severely reduces Otani's potential earning power when he comes to the US; however, according to his manager, he plans to make that transition after the 2017 season regardless of the money.
Stats: Otani's 1.86 ERA last season was a career-best. In 140 innings, he allowed only 89 hits (5.7 per nine!), 45 walks, and just four home runs. He struck out 174 batters, which is a career-best rate of 11.2 per nine. But that's only half the story. He also had a career year at the plate. In 382 PA's (another career-high), Otani batted .322/.416/.588 (all career-highs), with 22 home runs!
The Future: There is little doubt that Otani will come to the US after next season, which would put him in a 'Tippers uniform in 2019. We resisted the temptation to deal him this winter. We only need to keep resisting that temptation, and the reward could be legendary.
2. Andrew Benintendi, of
Born: July 6, 1994 (age 22.) B-T: L-L. Ht: 5-10. Wt: 170. Acquired: via trade, Chapter Three, 2016.
Background: Who in his right mind trades Kris Bryant? The reigning National League MVP, Bryant is arguably the best player in baseball not named Mike Trout, and has just begun a career that could potentially end in Cooperstown. To trade such a talent would have to require quite a haul in return -- and that is what we feel we received when we traded Bryant last year. Benintendi was the major piece in that trade. He is exactly the type of player we wanted as the centerpiece of our franchise. We envision him having an Alex Gordon type of career, only hopefully without the early struggles. We flipped another piece of that trade, Miguel Sano, for Gary Sanchez. A third piece, Austin Hedges, was traded for Miguel Cabrera. To get three for the price of one was a deal too tempting to reject.
Stats: Benintendi had nothing more to prove in the minor leagues after destroying the New York Penn and Sally Leagues in 2015, but Boston sent him back to the bush leagues to begin the 2016 season anyway. He continued to destroy minor league pitching until he could be held back no more and the Red Sox promoted him for good on August 10th. He basically compiled the equivalent of a full season in the minor leagues, in which he hit .312/.392/.540 in 657 PA's. He clubbed 38 doubles, 16 triples, and 20 home runs and walked (74) more often than he struck out (63). He also stole 26 bases for good measure.
In his MLB debut, he hit .295/.359/.476 in a very limited 118 PA sample, cut short by a freak injury in September.
The Future: Barring another freak injury, we expect Benintendi to be our full-time, middle-of-the-lineup, star in 2018 and beyond. He should be ranked among the top 3-5 prospects in the game when this year's BDBL Farm Report is released.
3. Rafael Devers, 3b
Born: October 24, 1996 (age 20). B-T: L-R. Ht: 6-0. Wt: 195. Acquired: 6th round, summer, 2013 draft
Background: For the first time in his professional career, Devers struggled during his first month at the High-A level. He hit just .138/.242/.263 in the month of April and followed that with a .245/.301/.351 performance in May. At last, he turned his season around in June and carried that momentum into the offseason.
Stats: Overall, his 2016 performance looks nearly identical to 2015: .282/.335/.443, with 11 home runs and 32 doubles in 503 at-bats. It doesn't look all that impressive until you realize that he played the entire season at age 19. Jomar Reyes and Gleyber Torres were the only two hitters younger than Devers in the Carolina League. In addition to his hitting, Devers reportedly made greats strides defensively, and now looks to be an asset at third base.
The Future: Devers should begin 2017 at the Double-A level, where we will finally get a chance to scout him in person. If he can carry his momentum into this coming season, there is a slim chance we could see him get a cup of coffee in September. More than likely, however, it will be 2019 at the earliest before we see him in a Cowtippers uniform.
4. J.B. Bukauskas, p
Born: August 11, 1996 (age 20). B-T: R-R. Ht: 6-0. Wt: 196. Acquired: 1st round, 2017 Farm Draft
Background: Bukauskas was released by the Granite State Lightning on Cutdown Day, and we were more than happy to pick him back up in the draft. A hard-throwing right-hander, Bukauskas has a "70" fastball on the 20-80 scouting scale. He also throws a mid-80's slider that is graded a 60. He is currently ranked as the #6 prospect in the upcoming draft by MLB.com.
Stats: J.B. ranked third in NCAA Division I baseball last year with a 12.8 strikeouts per nine rate. In 78+ innings, he allowed 68 hits and 29 walks, with 111 strikeouts and a 3.10 ERA. With Team USA this summer, he allowed only one run in 21+ innings.
The Future: Way back in 2003, we took a flier on a young college pitcher from Old Dominion in the eighth round of the winter farm draft. We selected that pitcher based on his scouting reports and his high strikeout rate in college. A few months later, we traded that pitcher in exchange for a mostly useless reliever. That college kid, Justin Verlander, turned out to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. We're hoping to catch lightning in a bottle again -- only this time, we'll hang onto it.
5. Brady Singer, p
Born: August 4, 1996 (age 20). B-T: R-R. Ht: 6-5. Wt: 190. Acquired: 2nd round, 2017 Farm Draft
Background: Singer is a rising sophomore with the University of Florida Gators. He was the highest-picked draftee from 2015 who decided to attend college instead of signing a professional contract. He will not be draft-eligible again until 2018, when he should be considered among the top prospects available. This summer, he was ranked by Baseball America as the top prospect in the Cape Cod League.
Stats: As a freshman, Singer tossed 43+ innings for the Gators, and allowed 43 hits and 17 walks, with 38 strikeouts. His 4.95 ERA was the highest on the team. During the Cape League this summer, he posted a minuscule 0.64 ERA in 28 innings, with 25 strikeouts.
The Future: Aside from his summer experience, Singer's numbers have yet to match his scouting reports. His sophomore season will either reveal a hidden gem or an overreach by our draft team. Time will tell.
6. Lucas Erceg, 3b
Born: May 1, 1995 (age 21). B-T: L-R. Ht: 6-3. Wt: 200. Acquired: 3rd round, 2017 Farm Draft
Background: Erceg may have been the only player to elicit "damn-you's" from multiple teams when he was drafted this winter. Ranked as the #4 prospect in the Pioneer League and #20 prospect in the Midwest League, Erceg was a second round draft pick by the Brewers in 2016. He dominated the Pioneer League before a quick promotion to the Single-A Midwest League. He draws comparisons to Matt Carpenter because of his smooth left-handed swing.
Stats: Erceg completely overmatched Pioneer League pitching, hitting .400/.452/.552 in a short 105-AB sample. Upon his promotion, he hit .281/.328/.497 in 167 at-bats. He owns a respectable 20/54 BB/K ratio in his brief professional career.
The Future: Erceg is the type of player who can advance rapidly, both through the system and up the prospect ranking. If everything falls into place for him, he could be a top 50 prospect at this time next year.
7. Henry Owens, p
Born: July 21, 1992 (age 24). B-T: L-L. Ht: 6-6. Wt: 220. Acquired: via trade, winter, 2017
Background: Way back in December of 2007, we took a flier on a 24-year-old left-hander with the Boston Red Sox organization. The kid was raw. He walked way too many batters, and was approaching the age where it was becoming clear he would never figure it out. We saw something in that kid, though, so we took a gamble on him, and acquired him (along with a young Dellin Betances) in trade with the Ravenswood Infidels. A little more than a month later, we foolishly traded him to the Los Altos Undertakers in exchange for a mostly useless reliever. That young kid's name was Jon Lester. We're hoping history will repeat itself -- right up to the foolish part.
Stats: Owens' MLB performance last year was pretty much a disaster, albeit in a very small sample. In 22 innings, he allowed a whopping 20 walks and five longballs. He posted an ugly 6.95 ERA, which raised his MLB career ERA (in 85 innings) to 5.19. Although his Triple-A ERA was much better (3.53), he still walked more than five batters per nine (81 walks in 137+ innings.)
The Future: Look up the word "flyer" in the dictionary, and there's a picture of Owens staring back at you. The Boston starting rotation is so jam-packed that there doesn't seem to be any room for Owens on the big league roster. A trade to some team with a fantastic pitching coach would be a godsend. This is a make-or-break year for his career.
8. Vladimir Gutierrez, p
Born: September 18, 1995 (age 22.) B-T: R-R. Ht: 6-3. Wt: 170. Acquired: 5th round, 2014 summer draft.
Background: Gutierrez was ranked the twelfth best prospect in Cuba by BA before his defection. He then spent more than a year trying out for various teams and underwhelming the scouts who attended. Perhaps it was fatigue or the long layoff, but eventually he regained the fastball and curveball that led to his glowing scouting reports in Cuba. On August 30th of last year, the Reds paid a whopping $4.75 million to sign him. Since then, he has worked out at instructional camp and has hit the weights. 2017 will be his US professional debut.
Stats: In his debut season in the Cuban National League, Gutierrez posted a 3.90 ERA in 67 innings, with 40 walks and 44 strikeouts. In his abbreviated second season, his ERA fell to 2.45 in 51+ innings. He cut his walks in half (19) and struck out 49 batters.
The Future: Gutierrez is likely to begin his US career in the Midwest League. Where he goes from there depends on how accurate those scouting reports were.
9. Adrian Rondon, ss
Born: July 7, 1998 (age 18.) B-T: R-R. Ht: 6-1. Wt: 190. Acquired: via trade, winter, 2016.
Background: Ranked as the #7 prospect in the Appalachian League, Rondon was one of the youngest players in the league last year. He exploded out of the gate, but then seemed to wear down as the season progressed. He was considered to be the #1 prospect in the 2014 international draft class.
Stats: Rondon followed an abysmal professional debut by hitting a respectable .249/.301/.430 in 193 at-bats. He slugged seven home runs, ten doubles, and two triples. He also posted a 13/58 BB/K ratio.
The Future: Rondon's path to the big leagues, assuming there is one, will be a long one. Assuming he advances one level per year, it will be four more years before he reaches the big leagues. That means we won't see him in Salem until 2022 at the earliest. Hopefully this league is still around by then.
10. Ryan Castellani, p
Born: April 1, 1996 (age 21.) B-T: R-R. Ht: 6-3. Wt: 193. Acquired: drafted 5th round, 2017 winter farm draft.
Background: Castellani was ranked as the #1 prospect in the California League by Baseball America, and yet he fell to the fifth round of the BDBL farm draft. On the plus side, he performed exceptionally well despite being one of the youngest players in the league and pitching in a league that is notoriously difficult for pitchers. On the downside, his numbers look rather pedestrian compared to other top prospects. According to reports, he owns three "plus" pitches -- all of which he commands well. He has earned comparisons to Max Scherzer for the way he approaches the game.
Stats: Overall, Castellani allowed 156 hits and 50 walks in 168 innings, and struck out 142 batters. He finished the year strong, with a 2.37 ERA in his final seven starts.
The Future: Baseball America described him as a "front of the rotation workhorse." If that label sticks, the Cowtippers will have landed a bargain. If not, it's only a fifth round pick.
No comments:
Post a Comment