Final installment, here we go:
#28: Jeremi_Levis Jeremi has a solid all around bat, though lacking the pop traditionally seen for a corner infielder/outfielder, or the speed for a defender up the middle. His defense is solid, though not good enough to stay at SS in the majors. Jeremi could turn into a gold glove third baseman, and if tacoma can find pop at some other positions, his contact, splits and batting eye are going to look awfully solid in the back half of that order. Excellant value this late, seems like a great fit for the ultra pitcher friendly Tacoma ball park.
#29: Jim_Rollins The Salem juco scouts liked this kid a bit more than their advanced scouts. Fairly average across the board in splits, stamina, stuff, etc.. Jimmy never going to be a star, though he'll likely spend a few seasons filling out the back of Salem's rotation or pitching some long relief
#30: Stevie_Lane Stevie is the prototypical utility man on defense, great no where, but able to fill in at many spots. He fails to make solid contact at an acceptable rate, but provides solid power from both sides of the plate. He never star in San Diego, but he'll be a valuable bench bat for a few seasons until he gets expensive.
#31: Flip_James Little Rock would been better off flipping this pick for something else. Drafted as a SS out of Valdosat State, Flip was immediatley switched to 2b. Some scouts question if he'll even be able to fill that role in the majors. If he can't defend up the middle, his bat belongs no where near an every day role.
#32: Benny_Montana Another reach late in the 1st round. While Benny displays solid, but not chart topping defensive skills in CF, his approach falls short of a prototypical 1st round pick. Displaying little power potential and poor contact skills, while displaying mediocre splits and batting eye, Benny may find himself as a late defensive replacement, if he ever makes the show.
#33: PJ_Wesson The 2nd straight HS outfielder from Missouri, PJ doesn't show the defensive ability to play a key defensive position, but should be average out in LF. At the plate, PJ Wesson won't blow you away, but unlike his MO all star teammate, PJ should be able to hold his own at the plate. He's average to above average across the boards with great speed, but poor base running technique. PJ will likely spend a few promising season starting in the majors, and will certainly be a great left handed bat off the bench for LF and 1b, but don't count on many all-star apperances.
#34: Bob_Parrish A soft tossing righty out of Illinois, Bob spurned his hometown Illini to come play for the great Philly Organization. Philly owner zhawks was quoted as saying they had other options on the board, but he liked Parrish too much to allow him to spend the next 3 or 4 seasons watching the Zookster erode a once proud football program. On the Diamond, Parrish is quite the steal this late in the draft. While many owners may have been concerned with his lower stamina ratings and questionable health, Parrish should be able to provide the occasional spot start, and lots of innings of long relief in the majors. Displaying great sink, and dominating control of righties, Parrish will likely strive for about 100 innings a season swinging b/w the bullpen and the rotation.
#35: Dizzy_Lindsey Easily the 2nd greatest Dizzy to ever pick up a glove, Lindsey is a bit of a steal as the last 1st round draft pick (not including Type A/B comps). A college SS out of Canada, Dizzy is closer to reaching his projections than most. His glove may limit his starting status, as will his low vsL split, but he should be able to provide many quality "utility" at bats and innings.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Draft Review (Part 3)
Lets get thru this quick & dirty:
#18: Alex_Nunez Charlotte drafted a CF that projects to be a near elite defender, w/ a league average bat that should be able to man CF for a long time, with top end speed. So what's not to like about this kid? Despite the 100 level speed, his baserunning skills are mediocre and his make-up is on the lower side bringing into doubt his ability to reach these projections. Still, if he gets close, this is a steal this late in the game.
#19: Seth_Webb Buffalo picked up great value w/ this 2nd baseman. While he projects to fall just short of stardom, he'll certainly be above average both at the plate and in the field. Injuries are a slight concern, and he's already made 1 trip to the DL, but they shouldn't be too much of a worry.
#20: BArry_Vickers Barry is one of the elite pitching prospects in this draft. Splits are only average, but control and stamina are great, top end movement, sink and zip on his fastball, plus an additional 4 average to above average to mix up. So why did he fall so far? Probably his 45 health rating. If Vickers can stay out of the training room, Dover picked themselves up an all star pitcher.
#21: Darren_Delany What's a good spot to draft an all-star closer? 21st sounds like a good place, and Fresno landed themselves a stud. Darren's velocity and sink are average at best, however pin point control of a ++ fastball/change up combo are what make this right hander so deadly. May give up a few long balls to left handers, but should shut down right handers for the most part while being able to pick up a handful of 2 inning saves.
#22: Pablo_Urbina Pablo was a certain reach at this point, questionable health, average splits, below average control, limited stamina, though great sink and 2 ++ pitches. He'll dazzle at times and fustrate at others, could be a real solid Setup B guy, perhaps even a setup A guy if he exceeds projections in a couple of areas.
#23: Sherman_Sanders Sherman is one of those guys you'd love to have on your bench. He could DH at times, play LF or 1B, perhaps even some CF in a pinch, great speed, solid baserunning skills, hits righties pretty well, but below average contact and power for an everyday 1B or corner outfielder. Health is a concern, but at 22, he should hit the majors quickly and provide a solid bat for the bench.
#24: Charlie_Sarloos Chucky is a righty pitcher out of college w/ intriguing stuff. A great fastball w/ solid sink, but little velocity highlights skills, 3 additional average pitches, good control and splits. Chucky won't be a star in the majors, but he'll certainly eat up plenty of innings. Great value this late in the draft.
#25: Dave_Smith Another solid value pick. Dave handles right handers with ease, but struggles verse the tougher lefties. Great control, sink, and zip on 3 pitchers, but lower stamina and durability will likely relegate Dave to long relief out of the pen. As long as the oppossing team isn't stacked w/ left handers, Dave will be a solid addition to any pen.
#26: Willie_BArker Willie's a little bit of everything, and a lot of nothing. Willie has the glove and accuracy of a first baseman, but the range and arm strength of a corner outfielder. A lefthander who hits lefties well, but struggles verse righties, solid contact, but below average power for a corner bat. Great batting eye, poor baserunning skills. If you could flip his splits, he'd make a solid platoon bat, but his projected skill set may leave him lingering in the minors more than playing in the show.
#27: Rafel_Marts If one were to only look at the control, velocity, sink and quality of the 3 pitches this closer in waiting posseses, they'd predict stardom. Take a look at his splits, and you see a kid that gets hit around alot. Unless WIS implements middle of the plate hitters, Martis is going to struggle in the upper reaches of the minors, though he's probably good for a cup of coffee in the show.
#18: Alex_Nunez Charlotte drafted a CF that projects to be a near elite defender, w/ a league average bat that should be able to man CF for a long time, with top end speed. So what's not to like about this kid? Despite the 100 level speed, his baserunning skills are mediocre and his make-up is on the lower side bringing into doubt his ability to reach these projections. Still, if he gets close, this is a steal this late in the game.
#19: Seth_Webb Buffalo picked up great value w/ this 2nd baseman. While he projects to fall just short of stardom, he'll certainly be above average both at the plate and in the field. Injuries are a slight concern, and he's already made 1 trip to the DL, but they shouldn't be too much of a worry.
#20: BArry_Vickers Barry is one of the elite pitching prospects in this draft. Splits are only average, but control and stamina are great, top end movement, sink and zip on his fastball, plus an additional 4 average to above average to mix up. So why did he fall so far? Probably his 45 health rating. If Vickers can stay out of the training room, Dover picked themselves up an all star pitcher.
#21: Darren_Delany What's a good spot to draft an all-star closer? 21st sounds like a good place, and Fresno landed themselves a stud. Darren's velocity and sink are average at best, however pin point control of a ++ fastball/change up combo are what make this right hander so deadly. May give up a few long balls to left handers, but should shut down right handers for the most part while being able to pick up a handful of 2 inning saves.
#22: Pablo_Urbina Pablo was a certain reach at this point, questionable health, average splits, below average control, limited stamina, though great sink and 2 ++ pitches. He'll dazzle at times and fustrate at others, could be a real solid Setup B guy, perhaps even a setup A guy if he exceeds projections in a couple of areas.
#23: Sherman_Sanders Sherman is one of those guys you'd love to have on your bench. He could DH at times, play LF or 1B, perhaps even some CF in a pinch, great speed, solid baserunning skills, hits righties pretty well, but below average contact and power for an everyday 1B or corner outfielder. Health is a concern, but at 22, he should hit the majors quickly and provide a solid bat for the bench.
#24: Charlie_Sarloos Chucky is a righty pitcher out of college w/ intriguing stuff. A great fastball w/ solid sink, but little velocity highlights skills, 3 additional average pitches, good control and splits. Chucky won't be a star in the majors, but he'll certainly eat up plenty of innings. Great value this late in the draft.
#25: Dave_Smith Another solid value pick. Dave handles right handers with ease, but struggles verse the tougher lefties. Great control, sink, and zip on 3 pitchers, but lower stamina and durability will likely relegate Dave to long relief out of the pen. As long as the oppossing team isn't stacked w/ left handers, Dave will be a solid addition to any pen.
#26: Willie_BArker Willie's a little bit of everything, and a lot of nothing. Willie has the glove and accuracy of a first baseman, but the range and arm strength of a corner outfielder. A lefthander who hits lefties well, but struggles verse righties, solid contact, but below average power for a corner bat. Great batting eye, poor baserunning skills. If you could flip his splits, he'd make a solid platoon bat, but his projected skill set may leave him lingering in the minors more than playing in the show.
#27: Rafel_Marts If one were to only look at the control, velocity, sink and quality of the 3 pitches this closer in waiting posseses, they'd predict stardom. Take a look at his splits, and you see a kid that gets hit around alot. Unless WIS implements middle of the plate hitters, Martis is going to struggle in the upper reaches of the minors, though he's probably good for a cup of coffee in the show.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Mid Season Roundup
First, just clear up this weekend's festivies, in case you weren't paying attention...
Omar Lopez of Tacoma won the home run derby with 8 deep shots in the final round, besting Jose Armas' 6 dingers in the last round. In true Josh Hamilton fashion, Armas may have lost the derby, but he won the hearts of Americans everywhere with 17 homers in round 2. Unfortunately, he wore out the arm of his geriratic batting practice pitcher and didn't have quite the location in the final round leading to a few balls just short of clearing the fence, while clearing the way for Omar's victory. The other story line of the Derby was Hic Hartley's Derby best 507 foot blast off the light tower. Hic only lasted 1 round, but he had the shot that will be played on highlight shows for the next 20 seasons.
The Futures game saw the World's team besting the US contigent 7-4 as the internationals got to two of Americas most promising youth pitchers, Connie LaMasters and Corbin Walters, for 3 runs a piece.
In the ML All-star game, the NL got out to an early 4-0 lead thanks to the strength of a Jose Armas 3 run blast off of Oscar Bauman, and held on for a 4-3 victory. The AAA all star game was won by the AL 6-5 in similar fashion as the AL got out to an early 6-0 lead, then held on despite the AAA NL's best efforts. In AA, the AL bested the NL 6-4. In both High A and Low A, the ALs best prospects continued the trend of knocking around the NL's prospects w/ victories in both circuits all star games, 7-2 and 12-1 respectively.
Despite being just past the half-way mark, many of the races in the AL have settled into form and leave little for suspense in the 2nd half barring an historic run. Montreal and Salem have seperated themselves from the pack, despite having 2 of the stronger Wild Card contenders in their own divisions. In the AL South, Jacksonville has riden the strength of Oscar Bauman to pace themselves to a 10-0 lead, while over in the AL East Kansas City's offseason spending splurge has put them 6 games out in front of consecutive 4-time division champ Philly.
In the "objects in the rearview mirror are closer than they appear" catagory, both the aforementioned Philly Black Lightening, and Iowa City I Wanna Score More Runs have both the talent and the history to not count themselves completely out of the WC or division races just yet. Expect a strong run from 1 or both of these teams down the stretch.
Over in the NL, expect Syracuse to lock up their division any time now, as they've paced themselves not only to the league's best record, but also to its largest division lead. New York and Little Rock both have solid leads, and signifcantly more talent than their divisional competitors and should wrap up their divisions early as well. The NL West is the race to watch in the 2nd half. San Diego leads Boise by just 2 games at the break, with both stacked to go deep in the playoffs. Portland currently holds the last playoff spot in the AL, but Minnesota, Dover, Charlotte, Atlanta & Fresno are waiting to make their move.
Omar Lopez of Tacoma won the home run derby with 8 deep shots in the final round, besting Jose Armas' 6 dingers in the last round. In true Josh Hamilton fashion, Armas may have lost the derby, but he won the hearts of Americans everywhere with 17 homers in round 2. Unfortunately, he wore out the arm of his geriratic batting practice pitcher and didn't have quite the location in the final round leading to a few balls just short of clearing the fence, while clearing the way for Omar's victory. The other story line of the Derby was Hic Hartley's Derby best 507 foot blast off the light tower. Hic only lasted 1 round, but he had the shot that will be played on highlight shows for the next 20 seasons.
The Futures game saw the World's team besting the US contigent 7-4 as the internationals got to two of Americas most promising youth pitchers, Connie LaMasters and Corbin Walters, for 3 runs a piece.
In the ML All-star game, the NL got out to an early 4-0 lead thanks to the strength of a Jose Armas 3 run blast off of Oscar Bauman, and held on for a 4-3 victory. The AAA all star game was won by the AL 6-5 in similar fashion as the AL got out to an early 6-0 lead, then held on despite the AAA NL's best efforts. In AA, the AL bested the NL 6-4. In both High A and Low A, the ALs best prospects continued the trend of knocking around the NL's prospects w/ victories in both circuits all star games, 7-2 and 12-1 respectively.
Despite being just past the half-way mark, many of the races in the AL have settled into form and leave little for suspense in the 2nd half barring an historic run. Montreal and Salem have seperated themselves from the pack, despite having 2 of the stronger Wild Card contenders in their own divisions. In the AL South, Jacksonville has riden the strength of Oscar Bauman to pace themselves to a 10-0 lead, while over in the AL East Kansas City's offseason spending splurge has put them 6 games out in front of consecutive 4-time division champ Philly.
In the "objects in the rearview mirror are closer than they appear" catagory, both the aforementioned Philly Black Lightening, and Iowa City I Wanna Score More Runs have both the talent and the history to not count themselves completely out of the WC or division races just yet. Expect a strong run from 1 or both of these teams down the stretch.
Over in the NL, expect Syracuse to lock up their division any time now, as they've paced themselves not only to the league's best record, but also to its largest division lead. New York and Little Rock both have solid leads, and signifcantly more talent than their divisional competitors and should wrap up their divisions early as well. The NL West is the race to watch in the 2nd half. San Diego leads Boise by just 2 games at the break, with both stacked to go deep in the playoffs. Portland currently holds the last playoff spot in the AL, but Minnesota, Dover, Charlotte, Atlanta & Fresno are waiting to make their move.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Season 6 draft review (Part 2)
I'll trim this one up a bit in an attempt to get more picks covered in quicker fashion.
#11: Brooks_Nance A 2nd year Juco, Brooks displays solid control and excellant sink on an array of 5 pitchers, higlighted by his potentially ++ 4 seamer. Splits are slightly below average, but not terrible, ok stamina and solid durability should allow him to eat up many innings. Not much zip on his fastball, so don't count on strikeouts, however w/ that much sink, if he gets a solid defense behind him he should fill out the back of a rotation, if not make a solid #3 at his peak.
Comp: Bob_Guerrero Guerrero has far more zip on his fastball than Nance, but similar everywhere else. Bob has ate up a bunch if innings at the back of Trenton's order with roughly league average results, a good goal for Nance
#12: Fernando_Franco The 1st of 2 consecutive pitchers taken by Houston aimed at adding depth to the minor league system. Unfortunately, neither will star in the majors, should they ever reach the show. Franco is clearly the better of the 2 with a shot at providing long relief in the show one day. His splits are solid, but his stuff is roughly average, with decent sink, but below average control. With a history of great health, and solid stamina he may be able to fill in as a Long B and occasional swing starter to give others a bit of a rest.
Comp: Oleg_Penny
#13: Lawarence_Truby Another lefty with a solid history of health and great stamina. Lawerence excels vs Lefties and has even better sink and more stuff than Franco, however he has 2 bit "yeah but....s" going for him. With projected control of just 46, he'll walk far to many to excell in the show, and his vR skill is well below average. As a 21 year old w/ a long ways to go before reaching his projections, his ceiling looks like a AAAA pitcher, occasionally filling in for an injury at the big league level.
Comp: Billy_Gabriel Billy is the right handed version of Truby. If they ever get the LOOGY specialist figured out, Truby would be a solid edition to the pen, but righties w/ good batting eyes should eat him alive.
#14: Troy_Kubinski Troy makes an interesting case. In some respects he could have been drafted much higher, in others he may fall just short of being a star. At any rate, he'll be a solid pro, if not an occasional all star. His outstanding makeup is his most enhances his otherwise average SS fielding projections. Assuming he comes closer to meeting this projections due to high makeup than your average kid, Troy should be able to hold his own in the field, while his switch hitting approach and across the board average batting skills (save poor power) will make him an asset to the bottom of any batting order. He does nothing poorly at the plate, but nothing outstanding. His key will be getting those fielding projections into check, if he has to move to 3b, his bat will be less than adequate.
Comp: Lou_Gumbert should Troy reach his fielding projections, similar to Lou's skill set, he should provide a similar bat in the field. Lou's got more power, Troy projects for more contact enhanced by his ability to hit from both sides of the plate.
#15: Desi_Carreres Desi was rated as the top closer in the draft. Excellant stamina (for a closer), excellant control, splits, speed, sink and a killer curveball Desi could do lots of damage. However, his below average health and lack of a high quality 2nd pitch and no 3rd (or 4th) pitch to speak of gives one cause for concern. If he can stay healthy he should provide some dominate relief work, sprinkled in with a handful of blownsaves.
Comp: Danny_McCracken McCraken throws from the opposite side of the bump, but is quite similar w/o as much sink, but a better 2nd pitch; Desi should be at least equal to McCraken if not better.
#16: James_Sheets Florida drafted a collegiate right hander fresh out of James Andrews operating table. When healthy, Sheets hould be more than able to hold down the middle of any rotation, particular one anchored by future hall of famer Corban Walters, however scouts think he'll spend more time on the mend than on the major league bump.
Comp: Brandon_Lazzeri Bradon has managed to scath thru with only 1 major stint on the DL, something Sheets would love to accomplish. Get the majors healthy, and he may just find himself with an equally big payday.
#17: Andy_Rojas Rumor on the street is that Kansas City may have drafted the best overall pitcher in this draft, however my scouts have had an easier time finding a whore in the local nunery than catching a glimpse of anything Rojas has to offer.
#11: Brooks_Nance A 2nd year Juco, Brooks displays solid control and excellant sink on an array of 5 pitchers, higlighted by his potentially ++ 4 seamer. Splits are slightly below average, but not terrible, ok stamina and solid durability should allow him to eat up many innings. Not much zip on his fastball, so don't count on strikeouts, however w/ that much sink, if he gets a solid defense behind him he should fill out the back of a rotation, if not make a solid #3 at his peak.
Comp: Bob_Guerrero Guerrero has far more zip on his fastball than Nance, but similar everywhere else. Bob has ate up a bunch if innings at the back of Trenton's order with roughly league average results, a good goal for Nance
#12: Fernando_Franco The 1st of 2 consecutive pitchers taken by Houston aimed at adding depth to the minor league system. Unfortunately, neither will star in the majors, should they ever reach the show. Franco is clearly the better of the 2 with a shot at providing long relief in the show one day. His splits are solid, but his stuff is roughly average, with decent sink, but below average control. With a history of great health, and solid stamina he may be able to fill in as a Long B and occasional swing starter to give others a bit of a rest.
Comp: Oleg_Penny
#13: Lawarence_Truby Another lefty with a solid history of health and great stamina. Lawerence excels vs Lefties and has even better sink and more stuff than Franco, however he has 2 bit "yeah but....s" going for him. With projected control of just 46, he'll walk far to many to excell in the show, and his vR skill is well below average. As a 21 year old w/ a long ways to go before reaching his projections, his ceiling looks like a AAAA pitcher, occasionally filling in for an injury at the big league level.
Comp: Billy_Gabriel Billy is the right handed version of Truby. If they ever get the LOOGY specialist figured out, Truby would be a solid edition to the pen, but righties w/ good batting eyes should eat him alive.
#14: Troy_Kubinski Troy makes an interesting case. In some respects he could have been drafted much higher, in others he may fall just short of being a star. At any rate, he'll be a solid pro, if not an occasional all star. His outstanding makeup is his most enhances his otherwise average SS fielding projections. Assuming he comes closer to meeting this projections due to high makeup than your average kid, Troy should be able to hold his own in the field, while his switch hitting approach and across the board average batting skills (save poor power) will make him an asset to the bottom of any batting order. He does nothing poorly at the plate, but nothing outstanding. His key will be getting those fielding projections into check, if he has to move to 3b, his bat will be less than adequate.
Comp: Lou_Gumbert should Troy reach his fielding projections, similar to Lou's skill set, he should provide a similar bat in the field. Lou's got more power, Troy projects for more contact enhanced by his ability to hit from both sides of the plate.
#15: Desi_Carreres Desi was rated as the top closer in the draft. Excellant stamina (for a closer), excellant control, splits, speed, sink and a killer curveball Desi could do lots of damage. However, his below average health and lack of a high quality 2nd pitch and no 3rd (or 4th) pitch to speak of gives one cause for concern. If he can stay healthy he should provide some dominate relief work, sprinkled in with a handful of blownsaves.
Comp: Danny_McCracken McCraken throws from the opposite side of the bump, but is quite similar w/o as much sink, but a better 2nd pitch; Desi should be at least equal to McCraken if not better.
#16: James_Sheets Florida drafted a collegiate right hander fresh out of James Andrews operating table. When healthy, Sheets hould be more than able to hold down the middle of any rotation, particular one anchored by future hall of famer Corban Walters, however scouts think he'll spend more time on the mend than on the major league bump.
Comp: Brandon_Lazzeri Bradon has managed to scath thru with only 1 major stint on the DL, something Sheets would love to accomplish. Get the majors healthy, and he may just find himself with an equally big payday.
#17: Andy_Rojas Rumor on the street is that Kansas City may have drafted the best overall pitcher in this draft, however my scouts have had an easier time finding a whore in the local nunery than catching a glimpse of anything Rojas has to offer.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Season 6 draft review, aka the year of the "yeah, but..."
With most of this season's top picks signed, sealed and delivered, its time to review the picks, and how each team did in the draft. The draft seemed to be fairly thin on talent, with a ton of kids that looked pretty good overall, but were missing 1 or 2 skills that made you wishing for just a little more.
#1: Ken_Borland kicks off the draft as well as our "yeah but..." review. This HS senior is still awaiting a final decision on signing w/ Albuquerque, but word on the street is that he'll stick to his promise of signing if drafted in the first round, though it may require a bit more cash. This left handed speedster has off the charts contact and batting eye skills, with a great approach vs righties, and solid enough vs lefties. Projects as a prototypical leadoff hitter w/ solid power (projected to 50), perhaps even a 3rd hole hitter if one can ignore his classic 3-hole pop. So where's the "yeah, but...?" Ken has well below average makeup, making many scouts wonder how much of his potential will ever be fully tapped, and even more damning, his defense projects to left field or 1b. Bottom line, he's going to make a great pro, and is certainly worth of the pick, but ideally you'd like more pop out of your LF or 1b. If Ronzabill can pick up some power at other defensive minded position, Borland's lack of range will quickly be forgotten when he's leading the league in OBP.
#2: Delino_Rodriquez Boston really hit a home run with this pick. Delino is a HS Centerfielder batting from the left side. Great contact and power, solid splits and a decent batting eye. Top end speed and range and enough glove to stay in CF. It would be picking nits to find a "yeah but..." with Delino. Yes his makeup is low, and he'll likely fall a bit short on durability needed a 20-30 days off a season, but his bat will more than make up for either of those issues. Delino has future MVP written all over his projections.
Comp: Hick_Hartley Consider Delino to be the Center field versino of Salem's all star third bagger. In other words, get ready to pony up some serious cash for this kid when he hits the free agent market sometime around season 16.
#3: Rickey_Norton The first pitcher selected, this southpaw has stuff that makes the drool. Norton throws a mid-90s fastball with pinpoint control to dominate both sides of the plate, not to mention outstanding stamina that has him pitching deep into games. So what's not to like? None of Norton's pitches project to be dominate, though 2 should be well above average. His changeup may well be dropped before he hits the majors. However with that control and splits, he should make several all-star games.
Comp: Chili_Stocker Chili has 1 more above average pitch than Norton projects, and has managed to win twice as many games as he's lost. I'm assuming most would be happy with a young cheap Chili Clone.
#4: Marshal_Svuem A switch hitting SS out of Washington, Marshall possess great contact skills w/ a particularly sharp approach vs lefties. An above average eye and solid baserunning skills to compliment his great speed. yeah but...? Marshall's displays a lack of range and arm strength making many scouts question his ability to stick at SS in the majors, while lacking the ideal power many would prefer at 3rd. Similar to Borland, he's got enough skill to stick somewhere in the majors and be a key cog on a playoff team, but Tampa Bay will need to find some power to complement his talent
Comp: TJ_STark The switching second baseman of the Evil Empire possesses a similar, if not better bat than Svuem, however Svuem will be more of an asset in the field with better arm strength and accuracy. Stark, has hit for a decent .801 OPS while stealing over 100 bases in 6 majore league seasons, a level Svuem should be able to hit during his tenure.
#5: Chet_Turner A sweet swinging lefty first bagger from New Mexico, Chet projects as the classic 3 hole hitter. Great contact, splits and batting eye, and just enough pop to clear the bases 30+ times a season. He'd fit the middle 3rd of any lineup at his projections, the only draw back is that similar to most solid bats, he's limited to 1b and not much else. Durability and health are a small problem, but shouldn't deter him from picking up a handful of silver sluggers along the way.
Comp: Vincente_Arias Chet projects similar to Little Rock's hot shot rookie 1st baseman. Arias bashed his way to a near .900 OPS in the minors, while being fairly young for his level at each step. His current .955 OPS mark at the midway point is no mirage and something Chet Turner can aspire to in a few seasons.
#6: John_Hayes A HS 3rd baseman, Hayes will need to transition into a corner OF spot in the majors. Despite just average contact skills, Hayes projects great power, solid splits and a keen batting eye. While he only possesses average speed, one can tell he's a true student of the game when they notice his outstanding approach on the basepaths.
Comp: Patrick_Watson While Watson has the advantige of swinging from both sides of the plate, Hayes should be able to come close to his .850 major league OPS.
#7: Chris_Langston The first real question mark of the draft. A Juco SS, Langston lacks the ideal range to star at the SS position in the majors. While he posses just average batting skills across the board, if his ideal makeup and coaching can improve his range to an acceptable rate while meeting his projections elsewhere, he'll make a solid major league SS until his price tag gets too high.
Comp: Rich_Clarke Cincity's SS possesses simlar range to Langston's projection and a similar, though less potent bat.
#8: Adam_Billingsly Premier defensive talent at SS, this switch hitter projects to more than hold his own at the bottom of the order to compliment his golden glove. However, while his glove is nearly major league ready, he's still got a good amount of work to do at the plate before he's ready for the show. Willing to sign for slot, he's patiently waiting for Nashville to free up some funds before making his minor league debut.
Comp: Vic_VEnezula Adam shows slightly more promise in the field than Albequerque's gold glove level SS, while possessing a slightly less potent bat. Neither are the cornerstones of their respective franchises, both are solid pieces of a major league lineup.
#9: Mandy_Hansen the Clubbers were thrilled to see Hansen slide this far in the draft. A JR switch hitter out of UNLV is still awaiting a larger payday before signing his name on the dotted line. The product of Barry Manilow concert, Mandy display's supurb contact, solid power and splits, but just an average batting eye. His defense is less than ideal, but solid enough to stick at 2b in the majors.
Update: actually his 1st name is Mendy, which perhaps makes the Barry Manilow reference all that more relevant and funny.
Comp: Francis_Kennedy Iowa's left field displays similar contact and splits to Hansen's projected level while both display a less than ideal batting eye. Hansen's ability to hit from both sides, combined w/ his better defense will ultimately make him a better player than Kennedy's .800 OPS display to date.
#10: Howard_Bevil The Clubber's 2nd pick in a row, and another middle infielder. Howard displays roughly average majore league potential defensively, with a better than average bat for SS. However his low makeup is a huge "yeah but...". Should he reach his potential he'll definently make a solid addition, otherwise he's an OK 3b
Comp: Jon_Huff Prior to injury and age taking over, Huff was once an .800 OPS bat w slightly below average SS skills. Father time has not been kind to Jon, but a few seasons similar to what we saw in his early years would give Chicago a hell of a middle of the infield.
#1: Ken_Borland kicks off the draft as well as our "yeah but..." review. This HS senior is still awaiting a final decision on signing w/ Albuquerque, but word on the street is that he'll stick to his promise of signing if drafted in the first round, though it may require a bit more cash. This left handed speedster has off the charts contact and batting eye skills, with a great approach vs righties, and solid enough vs lefties. Projects as a prototypical leadoff hitter w/ solid power (projected to 50), perhaps even a 3rd hole hitter if one can ignore his classic 3-hole pop. So where's the "yeah, but...?" Ken has well below average makeup, making many scouts wonder how much of his potential will ever be fully tapped, and even more damning, his defense projects to left field or 1b. Bottom line, he's going to make a great pro, and is certainly worth of the pick, but ideally you'd like more pop out of your LF or 1b. If Ronzabill can pick up some power at other defensive minded position, Borland's lack of range will quickly be forgotten when he's leading the league in OBP.
Update: Signed for $4.0 mil after the initial draft
Comp: Willis_Lewis Borland should be better offensively, but a shade worse defensively than Trenton's young leadoff hitter#2: Delino_Rodriquez Boston really hit a home run with this pick. Delino is a HS Centerfielder batting from the left side. Great contact and power, solid splits and a decent batting eye. Top end speed and range and enough glove to stay in CF. It would be picking nits to find a "yeah but..." with Delino. Yes his makeup is low, and he'll likely fall a bit short on durability needed a 20-30 days off a season, but his bat will more than make up for either of those issues. Delino has future MVP written all over his projections.
Comp: Hick_Hartley Consider Delino to be the Center field versino of Salem's all star third bagger. In other words, get ready to pony up some serious cash for this kid when he hits the free agent market sometime around season 16.
#3: Rickey_Norton The first pitcher selected, this southpaw has stuff that makes the drool. Norton throws a mid-90s fastball with pinpoint control to dominate both sides of the plate, not to mention outstanding stamina that has him pitching deep into games. So what's not to like? None of Norton's pitches project to be dominate, though 2 should be well above average. His changeup may well be dropped before he hits the majors. However with that control and splits, he should make several all-star games.
Comp: Chili_Stocker Chili has 1 more above average pitch than Norton projects, and has managed to win twice as many games as he's lost. I'm assuming most would be happy with a young cheap Chili Clone.
#4: Marshal_Svuem A switch hitting SS out of Washington, Marshall possess great contact skills w/ a particularly sharp approach vs lefties. An above average eye and solid baserunning skills to compliment his great speed. yeah but...? Marshall's displays a lack of range and arm strength making many scouts question his ability to stick at SS in the majors, while lacking the ideal power many would prefer at 3rd. Similar to Borland, he's got enough skill to stick somewhere in the majors and be a key cog on a playoff team, but Tampa Bay will need to find some power to complement his talent
Comp: TJ_STark The switching second baseman of the Evil Empire possesses a similar, if not better bat than Svuem, however Svuem will be more of an asset in the field with better arm strength and accuracy. Stark, has hit for a decent .801 OPS while stealing over 100 bases in 6 majore league seasons, a level Svuem should be able to hit during his tenure.
#5: Chet_Turner A sweet swinging lefty first bagger from New Mexico, Chet projects as the classic 3 hole hitter. Great contact, splits and batting eye, and just enough pop to clear the bases 30+ times a season. He'd fit the middle 3rd of any lineup at his projections, the only draw back is that similar to most solid bats, he's limited to 1b and not much else. Durability and health are a small problem, but shouldn't deter him from picking up a handful of silver sluggers along the way.
Comp: Vincente_Arias Chet projects similar to Little Rock's hot shot rookie 1st baseman. Arias bashed his way to a near .900 OPS in the minors, while being fairly young for his level at each step. His current .955 OPS mark at the midway point is no mirage and something Chet Turner can aspire to in a few seasons.
#6: John_Hayes A HS 3rd baseman, Hayes will need to transition into a corner OF spot in the majors. Despite just average contact skills, Hayes projects great power, solid splits and a keen batting eye. While he only possesses average speed, one can tell he's a true student of the game when they notice his outstanding approach on the basepaths.
Comp: Patrick_Watson While Watson has the advantige of swinging from both sides of the plate, Hayes should be able to come close to his .850 major league OPS.
#7: Chris_Langston The first real question mark of the draft. A Juco SS, Langston lacks the ideal range to star at the SS position in the majors. While he posses just average batting skills across the board, if his ideal makeup and coaching can improve his range to an acceptable rate while meeting his projections elsewhere, he'll make a solid major league SS until his price tag gets too high.
Comp: Rich_Clarke Cincity's SS possesses simlar range to Langston's projection and a similar, though less potent bat.
#8: Adam_Billingsly Premier defensive talent at SS, this switch hitter projects to more than hold his own at the bottom of the order to compliment his golden glove. However, while his glove is nearly major league ready, he's still got a good amount of work to do at the plate before he's ready for the show. Willing to sign for slot, he's patiently waiting for Nashville to free up some funds before making his minor league debut.
Comp: Vic_VEnezula Adam shows slightly more promise in the field than Albequerque's gold glove level SS, while possessing a slightly less potent bat. Neither are the cornerstones of their respective franchises, both are solid pieces of a major league lineup.
#9: Mandy_Hansen the Clubbers were thrilled to see Hansen slide this far in the draft. A JR switch hitter out of UNLV is still awaiting a larger payday before signing his name on the dotted line. The product of Barry Manilow concert, Mandy display's supurb contact, solid power and splits, but just an average batting eye. His defense is less than ideal, but solid enough to stick at 2b in the majors.
Update: actually his 1st name is Mendy, which perhaps makes the Barry Manilow reference all that more relevant and funny.
Comp: Francis_Kennedy Iowa's left field displays similar contact and splits to Hansen's projected level while both display a less than ideal batting eye. Hansen's ability to hit from both sides, combined w/ his better defense will ultimately make him a better player than Kennedy's .800 OPS display to date.
#10: Howard_Bevil The Clubber's 2nd pick in a row, and another middle infielder. Howard displays roughly average majore league potential defensively, with a better than average bat for SS. However his low makeup is a huge "yeah but...". Should he reach his potential he'll definently make a solid addition, otherwise he's an OK 3b
Comp: Jon_Huff Prior to injury and age taking over, Huff was once an .800 OPS bat w slightly below average SS skills. Father time has not been kind to Jon, but a few seasons similar to what we saw in his early years would give Chicago a hell of a middle of the infield.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
AL South Top Prospects List
Jacksonville Dolphins
Ramiro Vargas, sp, 21: Vargas currently pitches for the teams Triple A affiliate. He has amazing stamina and good control to go along with a ++ slider in his four pitch selection. Vargas is a righty and projects to throw well to both lefty and righty batters. Vargas could make an appearance in the Majors this year, depending on how competitive the Dolphins are. If you don't see him this year he most certainly will be up at some point next season.
Pete Kirk,sp, 21: Kirk is projected as a front of the rotation starter. The groundball pitcher projects to have good control and velocity to go along with a + 4-seamer and slider. He throws very well to both sides of the plate but does pitch substantially better to righties. Kirk is still at least another year away from the Majors, although there is no guarantee that he will be pitching at the ML level next year.
Alex Silva, ss, 22: Silva projects to be an average fielding ss who is currently fielding for the teams High A affiliate. He has little room for growth in the power on his swing but looks to have quite a bit of development in improving his contact. Silva has a solid eye of the plate, but hits lefties quite a bit better then righties. Silva is still at least two years away from the Majors.
Houston texans
Dion Heathcott, cf, 21: Heathcott projects to be a solid fielding cf with great contact with his bat. he has a solid eye and has quite a bit of room to improve his baserunning skills, couple that with his top notch speed and Heathcott could steal a ton of bases. While Heathcott could play in the Majors this season, expect it to be next year when he debuts.
Steven Jackson, ss, 21: Jackson projects to be a fairly average fielding ss, with good power in his bat. He has solid speed with decent baserunning instincts, which should produce a solid stealing percent. There is a possibility that Jackson could see some Major League action this season but more realistically he will debut next season.
Dan Downs, 1b, 21: Downs has an all around solid bat, great contact with good power and eye. He has good speed and hits both pitchers solid. Downs projects to be more of a dh then 1b, due to his lack of glove skills, although he can work some 1b throughout a season.
Tampa Bay Waves
Johnny Powell, cf, 20: Powell projects as either a solid cf or a below average ss defensively. He has is very fast and couples that with baserunning skills that are still developing, but could allow him to one day be a very good base stealer. He has a good eye and the righty hits both lefties and righties equally well. He does not have outstanding contact or power with his bat but is decent in both areas. Powell could get some time on the ML club this season, but expect last years #5 pick to be a year or two out before he hits the Majors.
Walter Russell, sp, 20: Russell is a frontline starting pitching prospect. He is very good all across the board. He combines two + pitches, a slider and 4-seamer, with good control and great velocity. The lefty pitches equally well to both right handed and left handed batters. Russell looks to be two seasons away from the Majors, although it is very dependent upon how fast he develops.
Red Hitchcock, sp, 21: Hitchcock is one of the top pitching prospects in the league. He projects to be an elite control pitcher who has the velocity to match it. The lefty pitches very well to both sides of the plate. The only knock on Hitchcock throughout his career has been his lack of a + pitch, but he has three good pitches a 4-seamer, curve and change-up.
Iowa City I Wanna Score More
Victor Espinoza, rp, 20: Espinoza is a solid relief prospect, he has good control of his projected ++ 4-seamer and good curve. He pitches to lefties and righties well. Look for Espinoza to break into the Majors in the next 2 seasons.
Gorkys Gonzales, sp, 19: Gonzales projects to be a middle of the rotation starter. With his good control, velocity and good l/r splits. He projects to have solid stamina. Gonzales, who signed an $8.9 million bonus last season to come to Iowa's farm system is at least two more years out of the Majors.
Will Tresh, ss, 21: Tresh projects to be a below average ss defensively and might be better suited to play 3b. He has solid contact that still has room to improve and hits lefties better then righties. Tresh has adequate power in his swing. Tresh is still another year away from the Majors.
Ramiro Vargas, sp, 21: Vargas currently pitches for the teams Triple A affiliate. He has amazing stamina and good control to go along with a ++ slider in his four pitch selection. Vargas is a righty and projects to throw well to both lefty and righty batters. Vargas could make an appearance in the Majors this year, depending on how competitive the Dolphins are. If you don't see him this year he most certainly will be up at some point next season.
Pete Kirk,sp, 21: Kirk is projected as a front of the rotation starter. The groundball pitcher projects to have good control and velocity to go along with a + 4-seamer and slider. He throws very well to both sides of the plate but does pitch substantially better to righties. Kirk is still at least another year away from the Majors, although there is no guarantee that he will be pitching at the ML level next year.
Alex Silva, ss, 22: Silva projects to be an average fielding ss who is currently fielding for the teams High A affiliate. He has little room for growth in the power on his swing but looks to have quite a bit of development in improving his contact. Silva has a solid eye of the plate, but hits lefties quite a bit better then righties. Silva is still at least two years away from the Majors.
Houston texans
Dion Heathcott, cf, 21: Heathcott projects to be a solid fielding cf with great contact with his bat. he has a solid eye and has quite a bit of room to improve his baserunning skills, couple that with his top notch speed and Heathcott could steal a ton of bases. While Heathcott could play in the Majors this season, expect it to be next year when he debuts.
Steven Jackson, ss, 21: Jackson projects to be a fairly average fielding ss, with good power in his bat. He has solid speed with decent baserunning instincts, which should produce a solid stealing percent. There is a possibility that Jackson could see some Major League action this season but more realistically he will debut next season.
Dan Downs, 1b, 21: Downs has an all around solid bat, great contact with good power and eye. He has good speed and hits both pitchers solid. Downs projects to be more of a dh then 1b, due to his lack of glove skills, although he can work some 1b throughout a season.
Tampa Bay Waves
Johnny Powell, cf, 20: Powell projects as either a solid cf or a below average ss defensively. He has is very fast and couples that with baserunning skills that are still developing, but could allow him to one day be a very good base stealer. He has a good eye and the righty hits both lefties and righties equally well. He does not have outstanding contact or power with his bat but is decent in both areas. Powell could get some time on the ML club this season, but expect last years #5 pick to be a year or two out before he hits the Majors.
Walter Russell, sp, 20: Russell is a frontline starting pitching prospect. He is very good all across the board. He combines two + pitches, a slider and 4-seamer, with good control and great velocity. The lefty pitches equally well to both right handed and left handed batters. Russell looks to be two seasons away from the Majors, although it is very dependent upon how fast he develops.
Red Hitchcock, sp, 21: Hitchcock is one of the top pitching prospects in the league. He projects to be an elite control pitcher who has the velocity to match it. The lefty pitches very well to both sides of the plate. The only knock on Hitchcock throughout his career has been his lack of a + pitch, but he has three good pitches a 4-seamer, curve and change-up.
Iowa City I Wanna Score More
Victor Espinoza, rp, 20: Espinoza is a solid relief prospect, he has good control of his projected ++ 4-seamer and good curve. He pitches to lefties and righties well. Look for Espinoza to break into the Majors in the next 2 seasons.
Gorkys Gonzales, sp, 19: Gonzales projects to be a middle of the rotation starter. With his good control, velocity and good l/r splits. He projects to have solid stamina. Gonzales, who signed an $8.9 million bonus last season to come to Iowa's farm system is at least two more years out of the Majors.
Will Tresh, ss, 21: Tresh projects to be a below average ss defensively and might be better suited to play 3b. He has solid contact that still has room to improve and hits lefties better then righties. Tresh has adequate power in his swing. Tresh is still another year away from the Majors.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
AL East Top Prospects List
Hartford Yellow Jackets
Doc Harris, sp, 24: Harris is a top notch starting pitching prospect. He projects to be a top of the line starter. He combines elite stamina with good control and velocity with a projected ++ 4-seamer and good curve. He throws better to righties then lefties. Expect to see Harris in the Majors by next season, if he doesn't make his debut this year.
Alex Baker, cf, 20: Baker is a fantastic prospect for the Yellow Jackets. He has limited range and projects to be a below average cf defensively and might be better suited to play in a corner outfield position. He projects to have amazing contact and a great eye to go with good power. He hits righties substantially better then lefties and has elite speed, but lacks baserunning skills to make the best of his speed. Baker could start in the Majors this year but looks to be a year or so away from making his major league debut.
Ted Hines, cf, 22: Hines is a good cf prospect, he projects to have better range then Baker, which means he will most likely be the one starting in cf in a few years. He projects to have good contact and solid power. He has a decent eye and also hits righties better then lefties. Look for Hines to make his Major League debut sometime next year.
Houston Dreifort, ss, 19: Last years 16th overall pick, Dreifort is a subpar defensive ss and is likely to move to 3b when he nears the majors. He has good contact and baserunning skills to go along with elite speed and he hits righties and lefties well. Dreifort is still quite a few years away from the Majors.
Boston Puritans
Placido Prieto, sp, 19: Last years #3 pick looks to be a front of the line starter in Boston. The knock on him is that he is a flyball pitchers. He has lower stamina but should still be able to pitch 5-6 innings for Boston. He is a lefty and pitches well to both righties and lefties and has elite control and good velocity. He projects to have a + curve with a good slider and change. Preito is still three plus years away from the majors.
Pokey House, 2b, 21: House projects to have elite contact and great baserunning skills to go with lightning fast speed, given the chance he could easily steal 100 bases a season once he reaches the majors. House has average eye and hits lefties much better then righties. Expect to see House in the Majors in the next two years.
Aramis Zurbaran, rf, 24: Zurbaran is a solid rf who made his ML debut two seasons ago. He has good contact with his bat and a good eye to go with that. He also has great speed and good baserunning instincts that should go a long way towards helping him steal many bases over his career. Expect to see Zurbaran in the Majors sometime this year.
Philadelphia Black Lightning
Ivan Valenzuela, 2b, 24: Valenzuela is a 2b prospect whose defense is subpar for the position. He projects to be a better lf/1b then 2b. He has decent contact and power, hits both lefties and righties ok and has a good eye and has decent speed with baserunning skills. Expect to see Valenzuela in the Majors next year, although he could easily play in a utility role for the club this season if needed.
Tom Owens, rp, 23: Owens is a top-notch closer prospect and he is expected to take over the closer role for the club in the future. He projects to have elite control and velocity and projects to have two ++ pitches, a 4-seamer and curve to go along with two more pitches. Expect to see Owens in the Majors next season, although he could be used this season if the clubs bullpen struggles.
Tim Casey, ss, 22: Casey projects as the Major League clubs starting ss this season, but has not been called up to the majors. He is by far the clubs best defensive player and has a good bat too. His elite speed and baserunning skills have the club thinking about running much more this season. He has only average contact at best and doesn't hit lefties or righties all that well but has a decent eye. Look for Casey to get the call up before the regular season starts.
Kansas City Black and Blue Brachiosaurus
Brian Davis, sp, 19: Davis is a solid starting pitching prospect. Last years #7 pick projects to have an elite control and pitches to lefties and righties well. He projects out a + sinker with a good slider. He has lower stamina for a starter but he will still find a place in a rotation in the Majors. Davis is still three plus years out.
Pascual Benitez, cf, 23: Last seasons #9 pick, who signed with KC in the winter, projects to be a solid cf with good range and glove. He sees the ball very well from righties and still projects to improve quite a bit. He projects to be an elite contact hitter with good baserunning skills and the speed to use them. Benitez is still a few years away from the Majors, but should find a place in KC's outfield at some point in the future.
Fred Turner, 2b, 22: Turner is a contact hitting 2b that has solid power and is pretty good all across the board. He hits lefties better then righties and has a good eye. Look for Turner to break into the Majors in a year or two.
Doc Harris, sp, 24: Harris is a top notch starting pitching prospect. He projects to be a top of the line starter. He combines elite stamina with good control and velocity with a projected ++ 4-seamer and good curve. He throws better to righties then lefties. Expect to see Harris in the Majors by next season, if he doesn't make his debut this year.
Alex Baker, cf, 20: Baker is a fantastic prospect for the Yellow Jackets. He has limited range and projects to be a below average cf defensively and might be better suited to play in a corner outfield position. He projects to have amazing contact and a great eye to go with good power. He hits righties substantially better then lefties and has elite speed, but lacks baserunning skills to make the best of his speed. Baker could start in the Majors this year but looks to be a year or so away from making his major league debut.
Ted Hines, cf, 22: Hines is a good cf prospect, he projects to have better range then Baker, which means he will most likely be the one starting in cf in a few years. He projects to have good contact and solid power. He has a decent eye and also hits righties better then lefties. Look for Hines to make his Major League debut sometime next year.
Houston Dreifort, ss, 19: Last years 16th overall pick, Dreifort is a subpar defensive ss and is likely to move to 3b when he nears the majors. He has good contact and baserunning skills to go along with elite speed and he hits righties and lefties well. Dreifort is still quite a few years away from the Majors.
Boston Puritans
Placido Prieto, sp, 19: Last years #3 pick looks to be a front of the line starter in Boston. The knock on him is that he is a flyball pitchers. He has lower stamina but should still be able to pitch 5-6 innings for Boston. He is a lefty and pitches well to both righties and lefties and has elite control and good velocity. He projects to have a + curve with a good slider and change. Preito is still three plus years away from the majors.
Pokey House, 2b, 21: House projects to have elite contact and great baserunning skills to go with lightning fast speed, given the chance he could easily steal 100 bases a season once he reaches the majors. House has average eye and hits lefties much better then righties. Expect to see House in the Majors in the next two years.
Aramis Zurbaran, rf, 24: Zurbaran is a solid rf who made his ML debut two seasons ago. He has good contact with his bat and a good eye to go with that. He also has great speed and good baserunning instincts that should go a long way towards helping him steal many bases over his career. Expect to see Zurbaran in the Majors sometime this year.
Philadelphia Black Lightning
Ivan Valenzuela, 2b, 24: Valenzuela is a 2b prospect whose defense is subpar for the position. He projects to be a better lf/1b then 2b. He has decent contact and power, hits both lefties and righties ok and has a good eye and has decent speed with baserunning skills. Expect to see Valenzuela in the Majors next year, although he could easily play in a utility role for the club this season if needed.
Tom Owens, rp, 23: Owens is a top-notch closer prospect and he is expected to take over the closer role for the club in the future. He projects to have elite control and velocity and projects to have two ++ pitches, a 4-seamer and curve to go along with two more pitches. Expect to see Owens in the Majors next season, although he could be used this season if the clubs bullpen struggles.
Tim Casey, ss, 22: Casey projects as the Major League clubs starting ss this season, but has not been called up to the majors. He is by far the clubs best defensive player and has a good bat too. His elite speed and baserunning skills have the club thinking about running much more this season. He has only average contact at best and doesn't hit lefties or righties all that well but has a decent eye. Look for Casey to get the call up before the regular season starts.
Kansas City Black and Blue Brachiosaurus
Brian Davis, sp, 19: Davis is a solid starting pitching prospect. Last years #7 pick projects to have an elite control and pitches to lefties and righties well. He projects out a + sinker with a good slider. He has lower stamina for a starter but he will still find a place in a rotation in the Majors. Davis is still three plus years out.
Pascual Benitez, cf, 23: Last seasons #9 pick, who signed with KC in the winter, projects to be a solid cf with good range and glove. He sees the ball very well from righties and still projects to improve quite a bit. He projects to be an elite contact hitter with good baserunning skills and the speed to use them. Benitez is still a few years away from the Majors, but should find a place in KC's outfield at some point in the future.
Fred Turner, 2b, 22: Turner is a contact hitting 2b that has solid power and is pretty good all across the board. He hits lefties better then righties and has a good eye. Look for Turner to break into the Majors in a year or two.
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