Despite a disappointing rookie year for Justus Sheffield, this is one of the most improved systems in the game, and the Mariners can really thank three players for that. We already knew Evan White was good, and he did take a small step forward with his power, but three guys really exceeded their already high expectations: outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez and pitcher Logan Gilbert. Those three now look like legitimate stars, while White and guys like Justin Dunn, Kyle Lewis, Jake Fraley, and Cal Raleigh look like they'll be effective contributors as soon as 2020. They also have a nice, strong relief corps in the upper minors between Sam Delaplane, Joey Gerber, Art Warren, Wyatt Mills, and the recently acquired Aaron Fletcher and Taylor Guilbeau, and that's a whole bullpen right there. The system might still be a little shallow in the infield dirt behind White, but the rest of the system is looking a lot better than it did a year ago.
Affiliates: AAA Tacoma Rainiers, AA Arkansas Travelers, High A Modesto Nuts, Class A West Virginia Power, short season Everett AquaSox, rookie level AZL and DSL Mariners
Catcher
- Cal Raleigh (2020 Age: 23): Raleigh was a third round pick out of Florida State in 2018, and a huge first full season meant that he turned out to be more advanced on both sides of the ball than originally anticipated. Skipping over Class A entirely, he slashed .251/.323/.497 with 29 home runs and a 116/47 strikeout to walk ratio over 121 games at High A Modesto and AA Arkansas. Raleigh is a switch hitter with a lot of power from both sides of the plate, and while there was some swing and miss in his game in college, he managed to keep the strikeouts reasonably low and get to his power consistently in 2019. Defensively, Raleigh was a bit rough with both the arm and the glove when he entered pro ball, but he's smoothed it out surprisingly quickly and now looks like he'll stay behind the plate. At this point, he looks like he'll be the Mariners' catcher of the future, one who provides most of his value with his bat by hitting 20-25 home runs annually with decent on-base percentages.
- Carter Bins (2020 Age: 21): Bins, an over slot eleventh round pick out of Fresno State in 2019, doesn't quite have the ceiling of Raleigh but he could be a nice backup down the line. In his pro debut, he slashed .208/.391/.357 with seven home runs and a 56/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 49 games at short season Everett, which was about expected given his pre-draft profile. He was a streaky hitter in college and continued to be in pro ball, showing some power and good patience at the plate, though that patience did lead to a high strikeout rate. Bins is also a very good defensive catcher, taking pressure off his bat, and his profiles as the kind of guy who could hit 10-15 home runs annually in the majors with decent on-base percentages he gets more consistent at the plate.
- Keep an eye on: Jose Caguana
Corner Infield
- Evan White (2020 Age: 24): White has an interesting profile as a rare glove-first first baseman. Of course, the Mariners didn't draft him in the middle of the first round out of Kentucky in 2017 without thinking he would be an impact hitter, and the bat has held up in pro ball with a .293/.350/.488 slash line, 18 home runs, and a 92/29 strikeout to walk ratio over 92 games at AA Arkansas in 2019. He came into pro ball with a flat, line drive-oriented swing, but the Mariners got him to start hitting the ball in the air a little more in 2019 and it helped improved his ISO from .153 in 2018 to .195 in 2019 despite moving to a more pitcher-friendly league. That likely will be the difference in him becoming a future impact player for the Mariners, one who can now hit 15-20 home runs annually with high on-base percentages. That would be just a decent projection for a first baseman, except that he's such an exceptional defender around the bag that he'll be a big net-positive on defense. White will likely take over as the starting first baseman in 2020 and he's an early contender for the AL Rookie of the Year Award if he can maintain the strides he's made with his power production.
- Joe Rizzo (2020 Age: 22): Rizzo was a second round pick out of high school a town over from me in Virginia in 2016, so I played against him a few times in high school. Very much a bat-first prospect, he took a few years to get going at the plate while he was pushed aggressively by the Mariners, but he finally started to get it figured out in 2019 when he slashed .295/.354/.423 with ten home runs and a 94/45 strikeout to walk ratio over 129 games at High A Modesto. He's a bit undersized at a listed 5'10" (probably a little smaller than that), and it took a little bit for him to tap into his power. That power is more to the gaps than over the fence, and he set a career high with 30 doubles in 2019, and he has a strong enough approach at the plate to make it play up. It will have to, because he's below average at third base and he's too short to play first base. He doesn't turn 22 until right before the start of the season, so he has time to continue to develop, but his future is contingent on maintaining the strides he made at the plate and proving it wasn't a California League mirage.
- Austin Shenton (2020 Age: 22): Shenton may have been a fifth round pick out of Florida International University, but he's every bit of a hometown guy for the Mariners in that he grew up in Bellingham and spent a year at Bellevue Community College before transferring to FIU. He impressed in his pro debut to earn his spot in this writeup, slashing .298/.376/.510 with seven home runs and a 44/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 53 games at short season Everett and Class A West Virginia. A hit over power guy at FIU, he lifted the ball more in pro ball and hit for more power than expected while keeping his strikeout rate at a reasonable level. A third baseman for now, he's fairly mediocre there, so there's a chance he shifts positions to second base or the outfield. If he can keep up the power surge he showed in a small sample in 2019, his bat should profile wherever he ends up.
- Keep an eye on: Jake Scheiner, Bobby Honeyman
Middle Infield
- Donnie Walton (2020 Age: 25-26): Walton, a fifth round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2016, has always hit just enough to stay relevant, but in 2019 he turned it up a notch and hit himself up to the majors. He hit .300/.390/.427 with eleven home runs, ten stolen bases, and a 72/63 strikeout to walk ratio over 124 games at AA Arkansas, then hit .188/.316/.188 with a 5/3 strikeout to walk ratio in a brief, seven game call-up to the majors. He's not the most physical guy in the lineup at 5'10", but he's hit well due to very strong plate discipline and the ability to hunt his pitch in favorable counts. While that may not lead to a full time starting role, it bodes well for his ability to continue to hit at the major league level. He's a good with the glove but with a fringy arm, he fits better at second base than at shortstop. Expect to see him in the majors in a utility capacity in 2020.
- Joseph Rosa (2020 Age: 23): Rosa was a well-regarded prospect until he hit just .217/.299/.285 in Class A in 2018, but he bounced back nicely in 2019 by slashing .271/.366/.386 with four home runs and a 98/50 strikeout to walk ratio over 118 games at Class A West Virginia and High A Modesto. Rosa is probably a bit light on tools if he wants to end up a full time starter, but he has a strong enough game across the board, especially with his strong plate discipline, to make it work as a utility infielder down the line. Now that he's started to get things figured out at the plate, he might start to move a little more quickly, too.
- Noelvi Marte (2020 Age: 18): Marte signed for $1.55 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, then had a weirdly streaky pro debut that featured 26 consecutive hitless at bats at one point and a streak of 11 multi hit games in a 15 game stretch at another. Overall, he slashed .309/.371/.511 with nine home runs, 17 stolen bases, and a 55/29 strikeout to walk ratio over 65 games in the Dominican Summer League, all at just 17 years old. He's an electric player, one who can hit for power and who got to it consistently in the DSL without striking out too much. He also has easy plus speed that enables him to be a force on the bases, and while it hasn't quite translated to his defensive game yet, it should help him there down the line. Marte is an aggressive hitter who will have to learn to control the strike zone once he starts to face more advanced pitchers, but he also will play all of 2020 at just 18 years old and has plenty of time to figure it out. He's a high ceiling talent for sure, though we don't know where his future lies on the diamond. For now, he's a shortstop and does have the potential to stick there if he gets more consistent.
- Keep an eye on: Jose Caballero, Mike Salvatore, Patrick Frick, Juan Querecuto
Outfield
- Jarred Kelenic (2020 Age: 20-21): Kelenic was on the older side for a high school prospect when he was drafted sixth overall by the Mets out of the Milwaukee area in 2018, turning 19 a month later, but he certainly made up for any perceived lost time by shooting up to AA in his first full season. Acquired from New York as part of the return for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, Kelenic slashed .291/.364/.540 with 23 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and a 111/50 strikeout to walk ratio over 117 games at Class A West Virginia, High A Modesto, and AA Arkansas in 2019. Drafted for his advanced bat, he showed more power than anticipated as well, proving to be as complete of an all-around hitter as you can be in your age 19-20 season. Kelenic manages the strike zone very well for his age, had no problem against much older pitching, and tapped into some raw power that could help him hit 20-25 home runs annually at the major league level, with high on-base percentages. He's also a solid defender with a good arm, one who might not be a Gold Glover in center field but who could get the job done there, and his instincts on the bases helped his above average speed play up. He's probably not quite on superstar level, but he's one of the top prospects around at this point as someone who could impact the game in a variety of ways. Given how wide-open the Mariners outfield situation is, Kelenic might even be able to break through to a starting role at some point in 2020.
- Kyle Lewis (2020 Age: 24-25): Lewis was a potential top five pick in the 2016 draft after a massive season at Mercer, and the Mariners were ecstatic when he ultimately fell to them with the eleventh overall pick. However, it's been anything but a smooth ride for the Atlanta-area native as his pro debut was cut short by a bad knee injury that continued to linger into 2017 and even 2018. Fully healthy for perhaps the first time in three years this year, Lewis had his best pro season yet, slashing .263/.342/.398 with eleven home runs and a 152/56 strikeout to walk ratio over 122 games at AA Arkansas. Earning a call-up to the Mariners in September, he slashed .268/.293/.592 with six home runs in an excellent 18 game debut, though his 29/3 strikeout to walk ratio was just a bit worrisome. All the lost time from the knee injury probably cut down Lewis' ceiling a bit, but with his plus raw power and quick swing, the last thing for him in his development is really just to lock down the strike zone, which he can get to doing now that he's finally healthy. Controlling the zone will be the key to getting to his power consistently against big league pitching, though it take a little bit for him to figure it out consistently. The Mariners' outfield situation is wide open in 2020, with only Mitch Haniger having a locked down starting spot, and Lewis should have the inside track to earning a starting role out of the gate.
- Jake Fraley (2020 Age: 24-25): Fraley, originally a competitive balance pick out of LSU by the Rays in 2016, came over in the Mike Zunino/Mallex Smith deal a year ago. Fraley hit just .211/.279/.339 in an injury-shortened 2017, but turned it around in another injury-shortened 2018 where he hit .347/.415/.547 in High A. He proved that the turnaround was real in 2019, slashing .298/.365/.545 with 19 home runs, 22 stolen bases, and an 89/34 strikeout to walk ratio over 99 games at AA Arkansas and AAA Tacoma, then hit .150/.171/.200 with a 14/0 strikeout to walk ratio in a tough 12 game MLB debut. That power might be a bit of a mirage, as he has never been much of a power hitter before this season and he did spent 38 games in the hitters' heaven of the Pacific Coast League (where he hit eight of his 19 home runs), though he also began to lift the ball a bit more in 2019 and that tells me it's probably not a complete mirage. Fraley makes good, consistent, quality contact when healthy, and he adds great speed that really helped him on both sides of the ball. As I said with Lewis, that's a wide-open outfield situation in Seattle, and I wouldn't call it a stretch to think he could snag a starting spot at some point in 2020. Fraley could hit 10-15 home runs annually with solid on-base percentages and some speed, but the big thing will be staying on the field because his 111 games in 2019 came on the heels of playing just a combined 96 from 2017-2018.
- Braden Bishop (2020 Age: 26): Bishop's bat is a bit light, but his glove got him to the majors in 2019 and it will at least keep him hanging around the fringes while he tries to get that bat over the hump. In 2019, he slashed .271/.358/.471 with eight home runs and a 53/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 50 games at High A Modesto and AAA Tacoma, though you do have to take into consideration the hitter-friendly nature of both of those affiliates. He also spent some time with the major league club and slashed .107/.153/.107 with a 21/3 strikeout to walk ratio in 27 games. Bishop isn't a power hitter but does a good job of making consistent contact and using his plus speed to take extra bases when his hits fall into the gaps, and he does have a little over the fence pop when he gets into one. The bat was a bit exposed in his brief time in the majors in 2019, though he's a hard worker and should be able to get his hit tool to work just enough to carve out a fourth or fifth outfielder spot. The calling card is his defense, as he's excellent in center field and at the very least makes for a valuable defensive replacement late in games. In addition, Mariners fans will find Bishop will be easy to root for for a couple of reasons. First off, though he grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, he's a product of the University of Washington, and secondly, he and his younger brother Hunter (a Giants' 2019 first rounder) run a charity called 4MOM, which works to spread awareness and raise money for Alzheimers research in honor of his late mother.
- Julio Rodriguez (2020 Age: 19): Kelenic's breakout was among the biggest stories on the Seattle farm this year, as it should have been, but it cause another huge breakout to go a bit under the radar. The Mariners signed Julio Rodriguez out of the Dominican Republic for $1.75 million in 2017, then after a successful debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 (.315/.404/.525), they skipped him all the way up to A ball for 2019. Despite the massive jump in competition, playing the season at just 18 years old, and missing time with a fractured hand, Rodriguez passed with flying colors by slashing .326/.390/.540 with 12 home runs and a 76/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 84 games at Class A West Virginia and High A Modesto. He has good raw power from a simple, leveraged right handed swing, and given his age and size (listed 6'4", 225), he should easily add more and end up with true plus power down the road. He also manages the strike zone very well for his age, which enabled him to get up to High A at 18 years old, and that enables him to get to the barrel very consistently and will help him easily tap his power as he gets stronger. Really, there are just two things left for Rodriguez to figure out at the plate, and since he's set to play all of 2020 at 19 years old, he has plenty of time to do it. He needs to start lifting the ball more to get to his power, which should be no problem with his swing, and and he needs to stay within himself consistently at the plate; at times, Rodriguez would pull off the ball and try to do too much, but when he kept everything in line and stayed through the ball, that's when he was at his best. It's a really high ceiling for a really talented player already.
- Keep an eye on: Eric Filia, Dom Thompson-Williams, Cade Marlowe
Starting Pitching
- Logan Gilbert (2020 Age: 22-23): The Mariners drafted Gilbert in the middle of the first round out of Stetson in 2018, but held him out of game action after a long college season. They turned him loose in 2019, and the results were remarkable – Gilbert posted a 2.13 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and a 165/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 135 innings at Class A West Virginia, High A Modesto, and AA Arkansas. The Orlando native has a deep arsenal of effective pitches, led by a fastball that added a tick of velocity this year and now sits consistently in the mid 90's. He adds a slider, a curveball, and a changeup, all of which are effective, and the changeup especially took a step forward in pro ball. He also got more consistent with his command, and his 6'6" frame helps give him extra extension and make everything play up. Not that this was unforeseen, as he was an extremely highly regarded draft prospect in 2018, but he's a more complete pitcher than he was at this point a year ago and now looks like he could be a very good #2 starter, perhaps as soon as 2020.
- Justin Dunn (2020 Age: 24): Back in 2016, Dunn went to the Mets in the middle of the first round out of Boston College, but a rough 2017 set him back a bit as a prospect. He bounced back effectively in 2018, re-establishing himself as a top prospect, and he joined Kelenic and others in being shipped to Seattle in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz deal that offseason. In his new organization in 2019, Dunn posted a 3.55 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and a 158/39 strikeout to walk ratio over 131.2 innings at AA Arkansas, then reached the majors for a brief cup of coffee, allowing two runs on two hits and nine walks over 6.2 innings, striking out five. One of the better athletes in the system, Dunn sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and adds a slider, a curve, and a changeup, and all are gradually improving. The slider is likely his best weapon at this point, but he has worked hard to make himself into more of a complete pitcher and it shows. He's gotten more consistent with his command, walking just 7.1% of his opponents in AA this year, and I'd be pretty comfortable attributing the high walk rate in his MLB debut to rookie jitters. Overall, he looks like a #3 or a #4 starter who could contribute in 2020.
- Justus Sheffield (2020 Age: 23-24): Given how shallow the Mariners are in starting pitching at the major league level, I'm not going to knock Sheffield to the bullpen just yet, as he does have the inside track to winning a spot in 2020. However, given his struggles with command, I'm not sure how long he'll last there. In 2019, he posted a 4.13 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, and a 133/59 strikeout to walk ratio over 133 innings at AA Arkansas and AAA Tacoma, as well as a 5.50 ERA and a 37/18 strikeout to walk ratio in 36 major league innings. There's no question about his stuff, which is easily the best in the Mariners' system. He sits in the mid 90's with his ground ball-inducing fastball, adding a power slider that can be an out pitch when located and a changeup that has come along nicely. However, his command is well below average, making his stuff play down across the board, and even at 23 years old he remains much more of a thrower than a pitcher. However, he has shown the ability to throw consistent strikes at times, and he could be just a few small adjustments away from figuring it out and developing into a #2 or #3 starter. However, guys like Gilbert and Dunn have probably passed him on the depth chart, and if he fails to put it together in 2020, he could find himself as an effective lefty fastball/slider reliever.
- Ljay Newsome (2020 Age: 23): As far as I know, there haven't been any major leaguers to come out of Southern Maryland recently, but Ljay Newsome is looking to become the next. A 26th rounder out of high school in 2015, he's worked his way up slowly but broke out in 2019, posting a 3.54 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and a 169/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 155 innings at High A Modesto, AA Arkansas, and AAA Tacoma. Newsome's carrying tool has always been his pinpoint command, though the rest of his stuff is a bit fringy. His fastball did take a step forward and is now consistently in the low 90's, and he adds a slider, a curve, and a changeup. The slider has some nice, late break, and it's probably his best secondary pitch, but everything really just comes back to his ability to command it. Few minor leaguers can hit their spots like Newsome, and now with his added fastball velocity, he has legitimate aspirations of becoming a #4 starter in the near future. The ceiling is pretty limited, but the floor is pretty high.
- Ricardo Sanchez (2020 Age: 23): Sanchez was originally an Angels prospect but went to the Braves in 2015 for Kyle Kubitza, then got sold to the Mariners after the 2018 season. Always talented, he's faced constant questions about his work ethic that have slowed his development and caused him to be extremely inconsistent throughout his time in the Braves system. He continued to be inconsistent in 2019, but it seems that the change of scenery helped him at least get on the right track. In 2019, he had a 4.44 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and a 135/38 strikeout to walk ratio over 146 innings at AA Arkansas, getting more consistent with his solid stuff and command while setting a career high in innings by a long shot. He sits in the low 90's with his fastball, which has some running life, and he adds a curve and a changeup that can both miss bats when they're on. At present, he's probably a #4/#5 starter, but with the gains it looks like he's made with his work ethic, he could end up as more.
- George Kirby (2020 Age: 22): The Mariners had success with a small school college starter in Logan Gilbert last year, so they grabbed another one in the first round in 2019, taking George Kirby from Elon. Kirby is a pretty similar pitcher to Gilbert, if with a bit lighter stuff and a bit better command, but he's just as good. In his pro debut, he posted a 2.35 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and a 25/0 strikeout to walk ratio over 23 innings at short season Everett, and when you add that to his Cape Cod League and college stats, he had an absurd 156/7 strikeout to walk ratio in 124 innings overall. He sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and adds two distinct, effective breaking balls in a slider and a curveball, as well as a changeup. For a command-first type, that's more than enough stuff, and it gives him more upside than you'd expect. There's a very good chance that a year from now, he's in the same spot that Gilbert is now, which is certainly a great place to be.
- Isaiah Campbell (2020 Age: 22-23): Campbell was a top draft prospect as an Arkansas redshirt sophomore in 2018, but he elected to go back to school for his redshirt junior season and the Mariners picked him up in the second competitive balance round in 2019. He didn't pitch in pro ball, but I do really like him as a prospect. He looked really, really good at times earlier in his college career, but he also missed time due to injuries and his command often wavered when he was on the mound, causing his stuff to play down at times. However, he got much more consistent with that command in 2019, causing his stuff to play up instead of down. The stuff isn't really a question, as he sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and he gets good downhill plane on that pitch due to his high arm slot. His slider is his next best pitch, and he adds a curveball and a changeup. If he can get more consistent with those last two pitches, now that he's got solid average command, he has a really good shot at becoming a #3 or #4 starter. Even as is, I like his chances of becoming a #4 or a #5, or a power fastball/slider reliever whose stuff can play up from the high arm slot. For draft pick #76, this is great value.
- Brandon Williamson (2020 Age: 22): Williamson went in the second round out of TCU in 2019, then had a strong pro debut with a 2.35 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and a 25/5 strikeout to walk ratio over 15.1 innings at short season Everett. He's a 6'6" lefty who, at his best, can sit in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and add three breaking balls, but both his stuff and his command were inconsistent at TCU. He looked good in that pro debut from both a stuff and a command perspective, but the Mariners have more work to do to get him to looking like that over 150 innings instead of 15. He has #3 starter potential if he does pull it together, but probably ends up in the bullpen if he doesn't.
- Juan Then (2020 Age: 20): Then is a bit of a sleeper, though he's already been traded twice and he's still a teenager – first from Seattle to the Bronx for Nick Rumbelow in 2017, then back to Seattle for Edwin Encarnacion in 2019. This year, he had a 2.98 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and a 48/13 strikeout to walk ratio over 48.1 innings between the complex level Arizona League, short season Everett, and Class A West Virginia, as he's been brought along slowly. Though he's just 19, he's actually more about pitchability than pure stuff, showing a low 90's fastball a solid curveball, and a good changeup, which he can mix effectively for someone his age. At a listed 6'1" and 155 pounds, he's got some projection remaining, which he'll need in order to survive the rigors of a longer season – at this point, he hasn't thrown more than 61.1 innings in any of his three. He'll pitch all of 2020 at 20 years old, and with a keen understanding of the game, he just needs to work on sharpening his stuff.
- Sam Carlson (2020 Age: 21): Carlson was drafted in the second round out of a Minneapolis-area high school in 2017, but he's thrown all of just three innings so far. Elbow discomfort cut his pro debut short, and a year later, he underwent Tommy John surgery, which ended his 2018 season and kept him out for all of 2019 as well. The good news is he should be fully healthy by the time spring training roles around, and had he attended Florida instead of going to pro ball, he'd just be entering his junior season anyways, so he's still younger than recent college draftees like George Kirby and Brandon Williamson. When he's healthy, he has three potential plus pitches that he can command in a mid 90's fastball, a great slider, and a great changeup, which gives him the ceiling of a true ace. However, he has everything to prove after three years away from the mound, as he'll have to re-establish his feel for all of his pitches as well as his command. He's probably the biggest wild card in the system.
- Keep an eye on: Max Povse, Anthony Misiewicz, Penn Murfee, Adam Hill, Tim Elliott, Brayan Perez, Levi Stoudt
Relief Pitching
- Sam Delaplane (2020 Age: 25): Delaplane was a 23rd round pick out of Eastern Michigan in 2017, but since then, all he's done is strike out 270 batters in just 161.1 innings. In 2019, he had a 2.23 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and a 120/23 strikeout to walk ratio over 68.2 innings at High A Modesto and AA Arkansas, then tossed another 2.2 shutout innings (with five strikeouts) in the Texas League playoffs. Delaplane sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and adds a good slider with average command, but everything plays up because hitters just can't pick up the ball out of his hand. He comes from a high arm slot, almost similar to the Dodgers' Marshall Kasowski, and the ball looks like it's coming out of his ear. So even though it's a middle relief profile with his lack of a true strikeout pitch, he will likely end up as more just because you just can't track his pitches.
- Aaron Fletcher (2020 Age: 24): Fletcher was the Nationals' 14th round pick out of Houston in 2018, then came over in the Hunter Strickland/Roenis Elias deal in 2019. Between the two organizations, he posted a 2.09 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and an 84/18 strikeout to walk ratio over 73.1 innings at Class A, High A, and AA, though he doesn't fit the typical relief profile. The lefty sits in the low 90's with his fastball and adds a good slider and a decent changeup, but he makes everything play up due to his above average command as well as his ability to be much more pitcher than thrower. He hides the ball well in his deliberate delivery, and the angle he can put on his pitches makes them play up from the left side. Additionally, Fletcher has shown the ability to be effective over multiple innings, and I honestly think he could crack it as a #4 or a #5 starter, but the Mariners seem committed to him as a lefty long reliever.
- Joey Gerber (2020 Age: 22-23): Gerber was an eighth round pick out of Illinois in 2018, and as expected, he's moved quickly through the minors. After reaching Class A in his pro debut, Gerber had a strong first full season in 2019 with a 2.59 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and a 69/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 48.2 innings at High A Modesto and AA Arkansas, then added five shutout innings (with six K's and no walks) in the Texas League playoffs. Gerber is a fastball/slider guy that sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and gets good lateral movement on his frisbee slider, and both pitches play up because his funky delivery makes it difficult to pick them up. While his command can be just a bit shaky, he's done a good job of getting his funky delivery under control and keeping a consistent arm slot, which has helped him hit his spots more often than not. He should be in the bigs in 2020.
- Keep an eye on: Taylor Guilbeau, Art Warren, Wyatt Mills, Dayeison Arias,
Showing posts with label Jarred Kelenic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jarred Kelenic. Show all posts
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Thursday, September 19, 2019
2018 Draft: A Year Later
One year does not tell you everything you need to know about a draft's success, but the first full season is often a huge tell as to how a player's amateur production will translate into pro ball. In 2017, 2016 second rounder Bo Bichette (Blue Jays) slashed .362/.423/.565 in A ball to turn himself into one of the top prospects in his draft class, while fourth overall pick Riley Pint's (Rockies) 5.42 ERA and poor 79/59 strikeout to walk ratio in Class A that year pointed towards what has ultimately been a disappointing start to his pro career and a greatly diminished prospect status. Now, this does go the other way. Using the same 2016 draft class, third rounder Austin Hays (Orioles) slashed .329/.365/.593 with 32 home runs in 2017 to vault himself all the way to the big leagues, but 2018 and 2019 have been rather pedestrian and he has lost some shine from that big first full season. On the flip side, first rounder Gavin Lux (Dodgers) looked rather mediocre in Class A that year with a .244/.331/.362 slash line, but he exploded for a .324/.399/.514 line in 2018 and is now one of the top prospects in the game.
All of that said about the 2016 draft, the first full season very important, and I'm ready to dive into the 2018 draftees and where they stand today at the end of the 2019 season. As a whole, this draft class is proving to be particularly strong as a lot of players have over-performed and very few have seriously under-performed.
The Top Five Picks
1-1: RHP Casey Mize (Auburn -> Detroit Tigers). Stock ticking up – cautiously
8-3, 2.55 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 106/23 K/BB in 109.1 IP at High A and AA
It's been a roller coaster ride for Mize so far, as a lot happened in his first full season. He had some minor durability questions as an underclassman at Auburn, though he mostly alleviated them as a junior but was still held to just 13.2 innings in his pro debut in 2018 after a long season in the SEC. The Tigers turned him loose at High A Lakeland in 2019, and he quickly rewarded them with four exceptional starts, so he was promoted to AA Erie and threw a no-hitter in his first start at the level. As of June 13th, he had a 0.92 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, and a 75/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 78 innings, but a minor shoulder injury shut him down that day and the entire state of Michigan held its breath. Fortunately, he returned in July, but he was knocked around a bit and had a 6.61 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, and a 30/11 strikeout to walk ratio over his final 31.1 innings before being shut down. The Tigers maintain that he was healthy and that they felt he had accomplished everything he needed to in 2019 and that they were just monitoring his workload, but shoulder injuries are very scary and, at their worst, can end careers. In all, I'd take Mize's 2019 season as a success in that he proved he could dominate the upper minors in just his first full season, but I'm only cautiously optimistic because of the shoulder issue.
1-2: C Joey Bart (Georgia Tech -> San Francisco Giants). Stock holding
16 HR, .278/.328/.495, 5 SB, 71/21 K/BB, 128 wRC+ in 79 games at High A and AA
Aside from a broken left hand that kept him out of action from mid April until early June, Bart neither exceeded nor fell short of expectations in 2019. The 2018 second overall pick out of Georgia Tech began the season at High A San Jose, completely skipping Class A after spending most of his 2018 pro debut at short season Salem-Keizer, and he slashed .265/.315/.479 with 12 home runs and a 50/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 57 games around that broken hand. Promoted to AA Richmond towards the end of the season, Bart held up well at the advanced level and slashed .316/.368/.544 with four home runs and a 21/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 22 games, giving him 16 home runs and a .278/.328/.495 line on the abbreviated year. Bart showed his light-tower power throughout the season, though he didn't get to it quite consistently enough to warrant bumping his already valuable stock up further. Not known for strong plate discipline in college, his approach held up against advanced pitching and looks like it won't be a problem. Bart remains on track to take over the starting catching job from Buster Posey sometime in the next few seasons.
1-3: 3B Alec Bohm (Wichita State -> Philadelphia Phillies). Stock ticking up
21 HR, .305/.378/.518, 6 SB, 73/57 K/BB, 160 wRC+ in 125 games at Class A, High A, and AA
Like Bart, Alec Bohm was known in college for his prodigious raw power. The Phillies weren't quite as aggressive with the Wichita State product, starting him at Class A Lakewood, and he proved quickly that he didn't belong by slashing .367/.441/.595 with three home runs in 22 games, earning a promotion to High A Clearwater. Despite the pitcher-friendly environment, he still slashed .329/.395/.506 with four home runs and a 21/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 40 games. He earned a promotion to AA Reading, though at this point, he had hit "just" seven home runs in 62 games – not a bad number, especially considering his high on-base percentage, but you'd hope for more out of your star third overall pick who was known for his power. In hitter-friendly Reading, that power finally showed up and he slashed .269/.344/.500 with 14 home runs and a 38/28 strikeout to walk ratio over 63 games to close out the year. Together, that meant 21 home runs and a .305/.378/.518 line in his first full season, showing a potent all-around bat that should be major league ready in 2020. With the juiced balls in AAA and the majors, he should have no problem getting to his power up there and his strong plate discipline will help him be a true middle of the order threat.
1-4: SS Nick Madrigal (Oregon State -> Chicago White Sox). Stock ticking up
4 HR, .311/.377/.414, 35 SB, 16/44 K/BB, 125 wRC+ in 120 games at High A, AA, and AAA
While Bohm started in Class A, Madrigal joined Mize and Bart with that aggressive assignment to High A, in this case Winston-Salem, and he responded by slashing .272/.346/.377 with two home runs, 17 stolen bases, and a 6/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 49 games. Those weren't the flashiest numbers, but Madrigal is listed at just 5'7" and 165 pounds, so it was a big step towards proving he could hit pro pitching with authority. Called up to AA Birmingham, he improved to .341/.400/.451 with one home run, 14 stolen bases, and a 5/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 42 games, earning yet another promotion up to AAA Charlotte barely a year after he was drafted. A .331/.398/.424 with a home run, four stolen bases, and a 5/13 strikeout to walk ratio over 29 games closed out his season, and he finished at .309/.371/.398 with 35 stolen bases and just 16 strikeouts in 120 games, good for a 3% strikeout rate. The scouting report today stands exactly the same as it did last year when he was drafted, but now not only does he make the easiest contact in minor league baseball while stealing plenty of bases, he can hit for *some* moderate power as well with 27 doubles, five triples, and four home runs this year. Now a second baseman, where he fits better, he'll match up well with Tim Anderson when he reaches the majors in 2020, likely shortly after his 23rd birthday.
1-5: 3B Jonathan India (Florida -> Cincinnati Reds). Stock down a tick
11 HR, .259/.365/.402, 11 SB, 110/59 K/BB, 129 wRC+ in 121 games at High A and AA
Jonathan India's massive offensive outburst as a junior at Florida in 2018 propelled him into the first round, where I ranked him twelfth on my personal list and where the Reds drafted him with the fifth overall pick. As his first full season comes to a close, I'm feeling pretty good about that #12 ranking and my feeling that #5 was a bit too high seems to be reaffirmed. That said, while India failed to live up to expectations in 2019, I wouldn't call this year a full-on disappointment given the pitcher-friendly contexts he played in. India started off at High A Daytona Beach, where he slashed a rather pedestrian .256/.346/.410 with eight home runs and an 84/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 87 games. Promoted up to AA Chattanooga in July, he finished off the season by slashing .270/.414/.378 with three home runs and a 26/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 34 games, giving him eleven home runs and a .259/.365/.402 line for the year. India showed strong plate discipline to go with average power and contact ability, and though the power didn't really carry over to AA, he remains a highly regarded prospect who should be an all-around contributor at the major league level. As I said with Bohm, the juiced balls at AAA and the majors should help him tap into that power a bit more, and he could be a solid #5 hitter with the Reds in the near future. I just don't see him as a future star.
Stock Way Up
1-6: OF Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West (WI) HS -> New York Mets -> Seattle Mariners)
23 HR, .291/.364/.540, 20 SB, 111/50 K/BB, 152 wRC+ in 117 games at Class A, High A, and AA
If we were to re-do the 2018 Draft this winter, Casey Mize would probably still go first overall, but Jarred Kelenic would have a real shot at going second after after his monster first full season left the Mets regretting trading him to the Mariners in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz deal. Like most advanced high school bats, Kelenic started the season in Class A with West Virginia, but he only lasted 50 games after he slashed .309/.394/.586 with eleven home runs and a 45/25 strikeout to walk ratio. Promoted to High A Modesto, he kept on hitting against advanced competition to the tune of a .290/.353/.485 line, six home runs, and a 49/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 46 games. In August, the Mariners decided to turn him loose up at AA Arkansas, where he slashed .253/.315/.542 with six more home runs and a 17/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 21 games against extremely advanced pitching. We all knew he was advanced for a high schooler, but even then, a 20-20 season and a .291/.364/.540 line while reaching AA is extremely impressive. Unlike most high school draftees, Kelenic is on the fast track to the majors, and he could be a productive, top of the lineup hitter in the Mariners' lineup sooner rather than later.
1-14: RHP Logan Gilbert (Stetson -> Seattle Mariners)
10-5, 2.13 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 165/33 K/BB in 135 IP at Class A, High A, and AA
Well, what can you say, the 2018 Draft has been good to the Seattle Mariners. Not only has Jarred Kelenic established himself as one of the top prospects in baseball, Logan Gilbert has bumped his name among the best pitching prospects as well. After holding him out of game action in 2018 following a long season with Stetson, the Mariners started him off slowly with a relatively conservative assignment to Class A West Virginia, where he posted a 1.59 ERA, a 0.66 WHIP, and a 36/6 strikeout to walk ratio over 22.2 innings before his promotion drew a collective sigh of relief across South Atlantic League lineups. Up at High A Modesto, his opponents didn't fare much better, as he posted a 1.73 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a 73/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 62.1 innings, forcing another promotion. Up at AA Arkansas by mid-July, he had a 2.88 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a 56/15 strikeout to walk ratio over nine starts to finish off one of the finest pitching seasons in the minors this year. He entered the year with good, not great, stuff across the board, but it all played up exceptionally well as he missed bats left and right while maintaining the above average command that helped him go in the first round. Viewed as a potential #2 or #3 starter at draft time, Gilbert looks like he could be a true ace in the near future.
1-28: OF Seth Beer (Clemson -> Houston Astros -> Arizona Diamondbacks)
26 HR, .289/.388/.516, 0 SB, 113/46 K/BB, 155 wRC+ at High A and AA
At Clemson, Seth Beer put up some absolutely ridiculous numbers against strong ACC pitching, but his pronounced history of struggling with wood bats against top competition left teams wondering what his bat would look like in pro ball. Combine that with little to no defensive value and Beer was an enigmatic prospect to the fullest extent. He slashed .304/.389/.496 and reached Class A in his 67 game pro debut in 2018 after going to the Astros in the back of the first round, but his monster 2019 season got rid of any concerns that his bat would play up. After slashing .328/.414/.602 with nine home runs in 35 games at High A Fayetteville, he was quickly promoted to AA Corpus Christi, where he slashed .299/.407/.543 over 63 games before slumping to .205/.297/.318 after being traded to the Diamondbacks. Beer's big production proves he's much closer to the hitter he was at Clemson rather than the one he was over the summers, and this Seth Beer could have been a top ten pick with plate discipline, power, and the ability to get to it. He still won't provide any defensive value, but his bat will slot right into the middle of the Arizona lineup.
2-63: OF Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel [IL] HS -> Arizona Diamondbacks)
10 HR, .300/.379/.450, 15 SB, 105/52 K/BB, 140 wRC+ at Class A and High A
Thomas' numbers don't quite pop off the page like some of the names above him, but for a second rounder that was pegged as a fringy starter/possible fourth outfielder, he's certainly exceeded expectations by a long shot. Thomas started off at Class A Kane County and raked to the tune of a .312/.393/.479 line, eight home runs, eleven stolen bases, and a 72/43 strikeout to walk ratio over 91 games in the pitcher-friendly league. Aggressively promoted up to High A Visalia just a few months after his 19th birthday, he slashed a respectable .255/.327/.340 with a pair of home runs and a 33/9 strikeout to walk ratio over 23 games against advanced competition. We all knew that Thomas had an advanced feel for the game, but we questioned his tools. He showed that strong plate discipline and defense this year, but he also proved he could hit for impact, and that could be the difference between him developing into a fourth outfielder and a legitimate, dynamic, every day contributor.
CBB-72: RHP Josiah Gray (Le Moyne -> Cincinnati Reds -> Los Angeles Dodgers)
11-2, 2.28 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 147/31 K/BB in 130 IP at Class A, High A, and AA
Just as the Mets probably regret trading Jarred Kelenic, the Reds probably regret dealing Josiah Gray in the Yasiel Puig/Matt Kemp deal. A shortstop when he first reached Division II Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, Gray transitioned to the mound and immediately showed a tremendous ceiling. A strong pro debut with Greeneville in the rookie level Appalachian League (2.58 ERA, 59/17 K/BB) in 2018 was an encouraging sign, but he proved in 2019 that he is much more advanced than originally anticipated and that he's flying towards that high ceiling. The Dodgers reasonably started him at Class A Great Lakes, but he put up a 1.93 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and a 26/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 23.1 innings and he was quickly bumped to High A Rancho Cucamonga. There, he didn't miss a beat, posting a 2.14 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and an 80/13 strikeout to walk ratio over 67.1 innings. Up at AA Tulsa well shy of his 22nd birthday, he had a 2.75 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and a 41/11 strikeout to walk ratio over 39.1 innings. Gray is exceptionally athletic and we already knew he had solid stuff, but he sharpened everything this year while greatly improving his command and turning himself into the complete package as a potential #1 or #2 starter. Still a few months away from turning 22, Gray is progressing much more quickly than expected and could be next in the line of great Dodgers rookies.
Others: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (1-11, Orioles), SS Nico Hoerner (1-24, Cubs), LHP Shane McClanahan (1-31, Rays), LHP Kris Bubic (2-40, Royals), RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (2-48, Mets)
Stock Down
1-23: C Anthony Seigler (Cartersville [GA] HS -> New York Yankees)
0 HR, .175/.328/.206, 1 SB, 28/20 K/BB, 74 wRC+ at Class A
I wouldn't go calling Seigler a bust right away, but his lost 2019 season certainly didn't go as planned. After beginning the season in extended spring training, he debuted with Class A Charleston in June, and picked up multiple hits in three of his first six games, but he slumped hard over the next 24 and was slashing just .175/.328/.206 when a July cross-up with the pitcher ended his season with him taking a fastball of the knee. In his limited game action, Seigler showed strong plate discipline and feel for catching, but he showed virtually no impact with the bat. That's especially concerning given that his strong plate discipline proved that he wasn't exactly overmatched, so if Seigler doesn't start showing some authority at the plate in 2020, he's likely destined for back-up duty in the majors.
1-27: RHP Mason Denaburg (Merritt Island [FL] HS -> Washington Nationals)
1-1, 7.52 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, 19/14 K/BB in 20.1 IP at complex level
The Nationals signed Denaburg to an over-slot $3 million deal knowing that he was dealing with biceps issues, hoping he'd be healthy and ready to be turned loose in 2019. Unfortunately, those biceps problems continued over into 2019, holding him out of game action until June. When he did finally get on the mound in the complex-level Gulf Coast League, he wasn't nearly as polished as advertised, posting a 7.52 ERA and walking 14 batters in 20.1 innings across seven appearances. His control regressed and his stuff flattened out, making 2019 a lost season in terms of his development. As a high school draftee, Denaburg only turned 20 in August, but he'll have a lot to prove in 2020, starting with getting healthy.
CBA-43: RHP Griffin Roberts (Wake Forest -> St. Louis Cardinals)
1-7, 6.44 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 36/35 K/BB in 65.2 IP at High A
It's a good thing that Cardinals' 2018 first rounder Nolan Gorman had a strong year, because it's gone just about as poorly as possible for competitive balance pick Griffin Roberts. Two positive tests for marijuana meant that he got slapped with a 50 game suspension to start the 2019 season, so he didn't make it into game action until June. Once he got on the mound for High A Palm Beach, he wasn't nearly as effective as advertised, walking nearly as many batters as he struck out while allowing opponents to hit over .300 against him in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. While he wasn't necessarily known for his command at Wake Forest, it wasn't a weak spot, either, but it certainly was in 2019 when he walked 35 batters and hit 17 in 65.2 innings. His lethal fastball/slider combination, which he certainly was known for in college, played down in the FSL and he didn't miss nearly as many bats as hoped as he consistently fell into hitters' counts. Roberts has always pitched better out of the bullpen and it looks like that will be his best option going forward, where he can hopefully get back on track.
Others: OF Connor Scott (1-13, Marlins), RHP Cole Winn (1-15, Rangers), OF Jake McCarthy (CBA-39, Diamondbacks), RHP Owen White (2-55, Rangers), RHP Jayson Schroeder (2-66, Astros)
All of that said about the 2016 draft, the first full season very important, and I'm ready to dive into the 2018 draftees and where they stand today at the end of the 2019 season. As a whole, this draft class is proving to be particularly strong as a lot of players have over-performed and very few have seriously under-performed.
The Top Five Picks
1-1: RHP Casey Mize (Auburn -> Detroit Tigers). Stock ticking up – cautiously
8-3, 2.55 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 106/23 K/BB in 109.1 IP at High A and AA
It's been a roller coaster ride for Mize so far, as a lot happened in his first full season. He had some minor durability questions as an underclassman at Auburn, though he mostly alleviated them as a junior but was still held to just 13.2 innings in his pro debut in 2018 after a long season in the SEC. The Tigers turned him loose at High A Lakeland in 2019, and he quickly rewarded them with four exceptional starts, so he was promoted to AA Erie and threw a no-hitter in his first start at the level. As of June 13th, he had a 0.92 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, and a 75/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 78 innings, but a minor shoulder injury shut him down that day and the entire state of Michigan held its breath. Fortunately, he returned in July, but he was knocked around a bit and had a 6.61 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, and a 30/11 strikeout to walk ratio over his final 31.1 innings before being shut down. The Tigers maintain that he was healthy and that they felt he had accomplished everything he needed to in 2019 and that they were just monitoring his workload, but shoulder injuries are very scary and, at their worst, can end careers. In all, I'd take Mize's 2019 season as a success in that he proved he could dominate the upper minors in just his first full season, but I'm only cautiously optimistic because of the shoulder issue.
1-2: C Joey Bart (Georgia Tech -> San Francisco Giants). Stock holding
16 HR, .278/.328/.495, 5 SB, 71/21 K/BB, 128 wRC+ in 79 games at High A and AA
Aside from a broken left hand that kept him out of action from mid April until early June, Bart neither exceeded nor fell short of expectations in 2019. The 2018 second overall pick out of Georgia Tech began the season at High A San Jose, completely skipping Class A after spending most of his 2018 pro debut at short season Salem-Keizer, and he slashed .265/.315/.479 with 12 home runs and a 50/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 57 games around that broken hand. Promoted to AA Richmond towards the end of the season, Bart held up well at the advanced level and slashed .316/.368/.544 with four home runs and a 21/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 22 games, giving him 16 home runs and a .278/.328/.495 line on the abbreviated year. Bart showed his light-tower power throughout the season, though he didn't get to it quite consistently enough to warrant bumping his already valuable stock up further. Not known for strong plate discipline in college, his approach held up against advanced pitching and looks like it won't be a problem. Bart remains on track to take over the starting catching job from Buster Posey sometime in the next few seasons.
1-3: 3B Alec Bohm (Wichita State -> Philadelphia Phillies). Stock ticking up
21 HR, .305/.378/.518, 6 SB, 73/57 K/BB, 160 wRC+ in 125 games at Class A, High A, and AA
Like Bart, Alec Bohm was known in college for his prodigious raw power. The Phillies weren't quite as aggressive with the Wichita State product, starting him at Class A Lakewood, and he proved quickly that he didn't belong by slashing .367/.441/.595 with three home runs in 22 games, earning a promotion to High A Clearwater. Despite the pitcher-friendly environment, he still slashed .329/.395/.506 with four home runs and a 21/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 40 games. He earned a promotion to AA Reading, though at this point, he had hit "just" seven home runs in 62 games – not a bad number, especially considering his high on-base percentage, but you'd hope for more out of your star third overall pick who was known for his power. In hitter-friendly Reading, that power finally showed up and he slashed .269/.344/.500 with 14 home runs and a 38/28 strikeout to walk ratio over 63 games to close out the year. Together, that meant 21 home runs and a .305/.378/.518 line in his first full season, showing a potent all-around bat that should be major league ready in 2020. With the juiced balls in AAA and the majors, he should have no problem getting to his power up there and his strong plate discipline will help him be a true middle of the order threat.
1-4: SS Nick Madrigal (Oregon State -> Chicago White Sox). Stock ticking up
4 HR, .311/.377/.414, 35 SB, 16/44 K/BB, 125 wRC+ in 120 games at High A, AA, and AAA
While Bohm started in Class A, Madrigal joined Mize and Bart with that aggressive assignment to High A, in this case Winston-Salem, and he responded by slashing .272/.346/.377 with two home runs, 17 stolen bases, and a 6/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 49 games. Those weren't the flashiest numbers, but Madrigal is listed at just 5'7" and 165 pounds, so it was a big step towards proving he could hit pro pitching with authority. Called up to AA Birmingham, he improved to .341/.400/.451 with one home run, 14 stolen bases, and a 5/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 42 games, earning yet another promotion up to AAA Charlotte barely a year after he was drafted. A .331/.398/.424 with a home run, four stolen bases, and a 5/13 strikeout to walk ratio over 29 games closed out his season, and he finished at .309/.371/.398 with 35 stolen bases and just 16 strikeouts in 120 games, good for a 3% strikeout rate. The scouting report today stands exactly the same as it did last year when he was drafted, but now not only does he make the easiest contact in minor league baseball while stealing plenty of bases, he can hit for *some* moderate power as well with 27 doubles, five triples, and four home runs this year. Now a second baseman, where he fits better, he'll match up well with Tim Anderson when he reaches the majors in 2020, likely shortly after his 23rd birthday.
1-5: 3B Jonathan India (Florida -> Cincinnati Reds). Stock down a tick
11 HR, .259/.365/.402, 11 SB, 110/59 K/BB, 129 wRC+ in 121 games at High A and AA
Jonathan India's massive offensive outburst as a junior at Florida in 2018 propelled him into the first round, where I ranked him twelfth on my personal list and where the Reds drafted him with the fifth overall pick. As his first full season comes to a close, I'm feeling pretty good about that #12 ranking and my feeling that #5 was a bit too high seems to be reaffirmed. That said, while India failed to live up to expectations in 2019, I wouldn't call this year a full-on disappointment given the pitcher-friendly contexts he played in. India started off at High A Daytona Beach, where he slashed a rather pedestrian .256/.346/.410 with eight home runs and an 84/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 87 games. Promoted up to AA Chattanooga in July, he finished off the season by slashing .270/.414/.378 with three home runs and a 26/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 34 games, giving him eleven home runs and a .259/.365/.402 line for the year. India showed strong plate discipline to go with average power and contact ability, and though the power didn't really carry over to AA, he remains a highly regarded prospect who should be an all-around contributor at the major league level. As I said with Bohm, the juiced balls at AAA and the majors should help him tap into that power a bit more, and he could be a solid #5 hitter with the Reds in the near future. I just don't see him as a future star.
Stock Way Up
1-6: OF Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West (WI) HS -> New York Mets -> Seattle Mariners)
23 HR, .291/.364/.540, 20 SB, 111/50 K/BB, 152 wRC+ in 117 games at Class A, High A, and AA
If we were to re-do the 2018 Draft this winter, Casey Mize would probably still go first overall, but Jarred Kelenic would have a real shot at going second after after his monster first full season left the Mets regretting trading him to the Mariners in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz deal. Like most advanced high school bats, Kelenic started the season in Class A with West Virginia, but he only lasted 50 games after he slashed .309/.394/.586 with eleven home runs and a 45/25 strikeout to walk ratio. Promoted to High A Modesto, he kept on hitting against advanced competition to the tune of a .290/.353/.485 line, six home runs, and a 49/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 46 games. In August, the Mariners decided to turn him loose up at AA Arkansas, where he slashed .253/.315/.542 with six more home runs and a 17/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 21 games against extremely advanced pitching. We all knew he was advanced for a high schooler, but even then, a 20-20 season and a .291/.364/.540 line while reaching AA is extremely impressive. Unlike most high school draftees, Kelenic is on the fast track to the majors, and he could be a productive, top of the lineup hitter in the Mariners' lineup sooner rather than later.
1-14: RHP Logan Gilbert (Stetson -> Seattle Mariners)
10-5, 2.13 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 165/33 K/BB in 135 IP at Class A, High A, and AA
Well, what can you say, the 2018 Draft has been good to the Seattle Mariners. Not only has Jarred Kelenic established himself as one of the top prospects in baseball, Logan Gilbert has bumped his name among the best pitching prospects as well. After holding him out of game action in 2018 following a long season with Stetson, the Mariners started him off slowly with a relatively conservative assignment to Class A West Virginia, where he posted a 1.59 ERA, a 0.66 WHIP, and a 36/6 strikeout to walk ratio over 22.2 innings before his promotion drew a collective sigh of relief across South Atlantic League lineups. Up at High A Modesto, his opponents didn't fare much better, as he posted a 1.73 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a 73/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 62.1 innings, forcing another promotion. Up at AA Arkansas by mid-July, he had a 2.88 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a 56/15 strikeout to walk ratio over nine starts to finish off one of the finest pitching seasons in the minors this year. He entered the year with good, not great, stuff across the board, but it all played up exceptionally well as he missed bats left and right while maintaining the above average command that helped him go in the first round. Viewed as a potential #2 or #3 starter at draft time, Gilbert looks like he could be a true ace in the near future.
1-28: OF Seth Beer (Clemson -> Houston Astros -> Arizona Diamondbacks)
26 HR, .289/.388/.516, 0 SB, 113/46 K/BB, 155 wRC+ at High A and AA
At Clemson, Seth Beer put up some absolutely ridiculous numbers against strong ACC pitching, but his pronounced history of struggling with wood bats against top competition left teams wondering what his bat would look like in pro ball. Combine that with little to no defensive value and Beer was an enigmatic prospect to the fullest extent. He slashed .304/.389/.496 and reached Class A in his 67 game pro debut in 2018 after going to the Astros in the back of the first round, but his monster 2019 season got rid of any concerns that his bat would play up. After slashing .328/.414/.602 with nine home runs in 35 games at High A Fayetteville, he was quickly promoted to AA Corpus Christi, where he slashed .299/.407/.543 over 63 games before slumping to .205/.297/.318 after being traded to the Diamondbacks. Beer's big production proves he's much closer to the hitter he was at Clemson rather than the one he was over the summers, and this Seth Beer could have been a top ten pick with plate discipline, power, and the ability to get to it. He still won't provide any defensive value, but his bat will slot right into the middle of the Arizona lineup.
2-63: OF Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel [IL] HS -> Arizona Diamondbacks)
10 HR, .300/.379/.450, 15 SB, 105/52 K/BB, 140 wRC+ at Class A and High A
Thomas' numbers don't quite pop off the page like some of the names above him, but for a second rounder that was pegged as a fringy starter/possible fourth outfielder, he's certainly exceeded expectations by a long shot. Thomas started off at Class A Kane County and raked to the tune of a .312/.393/.479 line, eight home runs, eleven stolen bases, and a 72/43 strikeout to walk ratio over 91 games in the pitcher-friendly league. Aggressively promoted up to High A Visalia just a few months after his 19th birthday, he slashed a respectable .255/.327/.340 with a pair of home runs and a 33/9 strikeout to walk ratio over 23 games against advanced competition. We all knew that Thomas had an advanced feel for the game, but we questioned his tools. He showed that strong plate discipline and defense this year, but he also proved he could hit for impact, and that could be the difference between him developing into a fourth outfielder and a legitimate, dynamic, every day contributor.
CBB-72: RHP Josiah Gray (Le Moyne -> Cincinnati Reds -> Los Angeles Dodgers)
11-2, 2.28 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 147/31 K/BB in 130 IP at Class A, High A, and AA
Just as the Mets probably regret trading Jarred Kelenic, the Reds probably regret dealing Josiah Gray in the Yasiel Puig/Matt Kemp deal. A shortstop when he first reached Division II Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, Gray transitioned to the mound and immediately showed a tremendous ceiling. A strong pro debut with Greeneville in the rookie level Appalachian League (2.58 ERA, 59/17 K/BB) in 2018 was an encouraging sign, but he proved in 2019 that he is much more advanced than originally anticipated and that he's flying towards that high ceiling. The Dodgers reasonably started him at Class A Great Lakes, but he put up a 1.93 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and a 26/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 23.1 innings and he was quickly bumped to High A Rancho Cucamonga. There, he didn't miss a beat, posting a 2.14 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and an 80/13 strikeout to walk ratio over 67.1 innings. Up at AA Tulsa well shy of his 22nd birthday, he had a 2.75 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and a 41/11 strikeout to walk ratio over 39.1 innings. Gray is exceptionally athletic and we already knew he had solid stuff, but he sharpened everything this year while greatly improving his command and turning himself into the complete package as a potential #1 or #2 starter. Still a few months away from turning 22, Gray is progressing much more quickly than expected and could be next in the line of great Dodgers rookies.
Others: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (1-11, Orioles), SS Nico Hoerner (1-24, Cubs), LHP Shane McClanahan (1-31, Rays), LHP Kris Bubic (2-40, Royals), RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (2-48, Mets)
Stock Down
1-23: C Anthony Seigler (Cartersville [GA] HS -> New York Yankees)
0 HR, .175/.328/.206, 1 SB, 28/20 K/BB, 74 wRC+ at Class A
I wouldn't go calling Seigler a bust right away, but his lost 2019 season certainly didn't go as planned. After beginning the season in extended spring training, he debuted with Class A Charleston in June, and picked up multiple hits in three of his first six games, but he slumped hard over the next 24 and was slashing just .175/.328/.206 when a July cross-up with the pitcher ended his season with him taking a fastball of the knee. In his limited game action, Seigler showed strong plate discipline and feel for catching, but he showed virtually no impact with the bat. That's especially concerning given that his strong plate discipline proved that he wasn't exactly overmatched, so if Seigler doesn't start showing some authority at the plate in 2020, he's likely destined for back-up duty in the majors.
1-27: RHP Mason Denaburg (Merritt Island [FL] HS -> Washington Nationals)
1-1, 7.52 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, 19/14 K/BB in 20.1 IP at complex level
The Nationals signed Denaburg to an over-slot $3 million deal knowing that he was dealing with biceps issues, hoping he'd be healthy and ready to be turned loose in 2019. Unfortunately, those biceps problems continued over into 2019, holding him out of game action until June. When he did finally get on the mound in the complex-level Gulf Coast League, he wasn't nearly as polished as advertised, posting a 7.52 ERA and walking 14 batters in 20.1 innings across seven appearances. His control regressed and his stuff flattened out, making 2019 a lost season in terms of his development. As a high school draftee, Denaburg only turned 20 in August, but he'll have a lot to prove in 2020, starting with getting healthy.
CBA-43: RHP Griffin Roberts (Wake Forest -> St. Louis Cardinals)
1-7, 6.44 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 36/35 K/BB in 65.2 IP at High A
It's a good thing that Cardinals' 2018 first rounder Nolan Gorman had a strong year, because it's gone just about as poorly as possible for competitive balance pick Griffin Roberts. Two positive tests for marijuana meant that he got slapped with a 50 game suspension to start the 2019 season, so he didn't make it into game action until June. Once he got on the mound for High A Palm Beach, he wasn't nearly as effective as advertised, walking nearly as many batters as he struck out while allowing opponents to hit over .300 against him in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. While he wasn't necessarily known for his command at Wake Forest, it wasn't a weak spot, either, but it certainly was in 2019 when he walked 35 batters and hit 17 in 65.2 innings. His lethal fastball/slider combination, which he certainly was known for in college, played down in the FSL and he didn't miss nearly as many bats as hoped as he consistently fell into hitters' counts. Roberts has always pitched better out of the bullpen and it looks like that will be his best option going forward, where he can hopefully get back on track.
Others: OF Connor Scott (1-13, Marlins), RHP Cole Winn (1-15, Rangers), OF Jake McCarthy (CBA-39, Diamondbacks), RHP Owen White (2-55, Rangers), RHP Jayson Schroeder (2-66, Astros)
Sunday, September 8, 2019
2019 Minor League Awards
I put together some awards for the top minor leaguers in a few categories. These are strictly performance based and don't have anything to do with prospect status, though prospect status and being at a higher level would give some players the edge over others in close contests. Different minor leagues have very different run scoring environments, and those are very much factored into consideration. For example, the AAA Pacific Coast League is an extremely hitter-friendly environment, the AAA International League and High A California League are hitter-friendly as well, and leagues such as the AA Texas League, High A Florida State League, and the Class A Midwest League lean more pitcher-friendly.
Hitter of the Year
Winner: OF Luis Robert (White Sox High A, AA, and AAA, age 21-22)
32 HR, .328/.376/.624, 36 SB, 170 wRC+ in 122 games
In 2017, a 19 year old Braves prospect slashed .325/.374/.522 with 21 home runs and 44 stolen bases across the three highest minor league levels, then won the 2018 NL Rookie of the Year Award. The White Sox hope that 22 year old Luis Robert is halfway to following in Ronald Acuna's footsteps with his huge and eerily similar season across three levels. Robert, who was 21 at the beginning of the season, began at High A Winston-Salem but demolished Carolina League pitching to the tune of a .453/.512/.920 slash line and eight home runs over 19 games before being promoted to AA Birmingham. He continued to rake in the Southern League, hitting eight more home runs and slashing .314/.362/.518 across 56 games, then got promoted again to AAA Charlotte. The ball was flying in AAA this year and all power numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but a .297/.341/.634 with 16 home runs over 47 games is still extremely impressive for someone who started the season down in A ball. The Cuban outfielder is an exceptional athlete with the kind of power/speed combination teams covet, and by crushing 32 home runs in 2019, he proved that getting to that power is no problem whatsoever. He's an aggressive hitter who makes a lot of contact and therefore fails to draw a ton of walks, but because he still hit .328, his .376 on-base percentage remained strong. Eloy Jimenez was the White Sox' top outfield prospect a year ago but Robert has a very good chance to be the better player very soon.
Runner-Up: SS Gavin Lux (Dodgers AA and AAA, age 21)
26 HR, .347/.421/.607, 10 SB, 165 wRC+ in 113 games
A first round pick in 2016 out of a Wisconsin high school, Lux has gotten better and better the longer he has been in the Dodgers system. A mediocre 2017 at Class A Great Lakes translated into a very strong 2018 between High A Rancho Cucamonga and AA Tulsa, and he returned to the level for 2019. Over 64 games, he slashed .313/.375/.521 with 13 home runs and seven stolen bases, so the Dodgers promoted him across the state to AAA Oklahoma City. The Pacific Coast League is an extremely offense-friendly environment, but even in that context, the numbers he put up in 49 games were ludicrous: 13 home runs, a .392/.478/.719 slash line, and a strong 42/33 strikeout to walk ratio despite being just 21 years old. Together, that meant he slashed .347/.421/.607 with 26 home runs over 113 games, all the while playing strong defense at shortstop and showing his speed on the bases. Lux has power, strong plate discipline, the ability to get on base, some speed, and strong infield defense, leaving very few holes in his game and he's already up in the major leagues contributing with the Dodgers. Unless he somehow reaches 130 at bats this September, he'll be a strong candidate for the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year Award after Dodgers won it in both 2016 (Corey Seager) and 2017 (Cody Bellinger), followed by a very strong 2018 performance from Walker Buehler.
Honorable Mention: OF Jarred Kelenic (Mariners Class A, High A, and AA, age 19-20)
23 HR, .291/.364/.540, 20 SB, 152 wRC+ in 117 games
Jarred Kelenic's numbers might not be as eye popping as the other five players listed here, but he was also the only one who didn't get a turn through homer-happy AAA. Kelenic, the Mets' sixth overall pick out of a Wisconsin high school in 2018 who was traded to the Mariners in the Edwin Diaz/Robinson Cano deal, began the season with Class A West Virginia and quickly hit his way out by slashing .309/.394/.586 with eleven home runs in 50 games in the pitcher-friendly Midwest League. Bumped up to High A Modesto in the hitter-friendly California League, he held his own against older competition by slashing .290/.353/.485 with six home runs and ten stolen bases in 46 games. A second promotion brought him to AA Arkansas less than a month after his 20th birthday, and he slashed .253/.315/.542 with six home runs over 21 games against much older competition in the pitcher-friendly Texas League. Together, that gave him a 20-20 season, a strong .364 on-base percentage, and a .540 slugging percentage across three levels at a young age, adding in good defense in the outfield along the way. Had Kelenic had the chance to play at AAA Tacoma in the Pacific Coast League, his raw numbers may have rivaled those of Trent Grisham, listed right below in the "others" section.
Others
Brewers OF Trent Grisham (26 HR, .300/.407/.603, 12 SB, 166 wRC+ in 97 games, age 22)
Twins/Giants OF Jaylin Davis (35 HR, .306/.397/.590, 10 SB, 159 wRC+ in 126 games, age 24-25)
Padres 3B Ty France (27 HR, .399/.477/.770, 1 SB, 196 wRC+ in 76 games, age 24-25)
Pitcher of the Year
Winner: RHP Logan Gilbert (Mariners Class A, High A, and AA, age 21-22)
10-5, 2.13 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 165/33 K/BB in 135 IP
Drafted in the first round out of Stetson in 2018, Gilbert didn't pitch professionally that year and first took the mound in the Mariners organization in April. At the close of the season, it's safe to say that it went pretty well. Gilbert started out at Class A West Virginia but lasted just five starts there with a 1.59 ERA, a 0.66 WHIP, and a 35/5 strikeout to walk ratio in 22.2 innings before being promoted to High A Modesto in the hitter-friendly California League. Nobody told him that it was an offense-heavy environment, as he posted a 1.73 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a 73/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 62.1 innings. Promoted again to AA Arkansas, he posted a 2.88 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a 56/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 50 innings, bringing him to 165 strikeouts, a 2.13 ERA, and a sub-1.00 WHIP over 26 starts, half of which came in the California League. His best start of the season came on May 19th, when he shut down a strong Rancho Cucamonga lineup (Dodgers High A) over seven innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out eleven. In all, he allowed no more than one earned run in 18 of his 26 starts, and he struck out at least five batters in 21 of 26. Gilbert should be up in the majors at some point in 2020 as a potential future ace.
Runner-Up: RHP James Marvel (Pirates AA and AAA, age 25)
16-5, 2.94 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 136/46 K/BB in 162.1 IP
Marvel lacks the flash of other prospects on this list, and as a 25 year old former 36th round draft pick out of Duke, he still doesn't project to be much more than a #4 or #5 starter. Still, that doesn't take away from the fantastic season he had in 2019. Beginning the year with AA Altoona, he went 9-5 with a 3.10 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and an 83/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 101.2 innings – solid numbers, but nothing that rivals the other guys on this list. However, he was promoted to AAA Indianapolis in July to pitch in the very hitter-friendly International League, and he just kicked it into another gear by going 7-0 with a 2.67 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and a 53/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 60.2 innings, helping him lead all minor leaguers with 16 wins and finish fifth with 162.1 innings pitched. The numbers aren't flashy, but the huge body of work combined with the exceptional turn through the International League where very few other pitchers seemed to be able to find their groove makes his final product as impressive as anybody's in Minor League Baseball. Marvel's most impressive start came on July 5th, when in his first game in the International League launching pad, he tossed seven shutout innings on three hits, no walks, and six strikeouts against Toledo (Tigers AAA). He also had Syracuse's (Mets AAA) number, tossing back to back starts of six shutout innings on a combined two hits and sixteen strikeouts (and five walks) on July 18th and 24th.
Honorable Mention: LHP MacKenzie Gore (Padres High A and AA, age 20)
9-2, 1.69 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 135/28 K/BB in 101 IP
MLB Pipeline named MacKenzie Gore their minor league pitcher of the year, and while I can't quite get behind that due to his smaller body of work (Logan Gilbert threw 34 more innings and James Marvel through 61.1 more), there's no denying that Gore was nothing short of brilliant in 2019. The third overall pick of the 2017 draft out of a small town North Carolina high school, Gore showed flashes of what was to come with an up and down 2018 at Class A Fort Wayne (4.45 ERA, 74/18 K/BB), but 2019 was a completely different story altogether. Starting the year at High A Lake Elsinore in the hitter-friendly California League, Gore was as close to untouchable as it gets as he posted a 1.02 ERA, a 0.71 WHIP, and a 110/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 79.1 innings, totaling just 56 non-error baserunners in 15 starts. He was promoted to AA Amarillo less than six months after his 20th birthday and pitched very well again, though his 4.15 ERA was skewed by his July 19th start against Northwest Arkansas (Royals AA) where he allowed seven earned runs. If you take out that one start, Gore's final ERA and WHIP would be 1.11 and 0.76, respectively, over 97 innings. That's insane. During his time in Lake Elsinore, he allowed more than one run in only one of his 15 starts, and even then he only let two cross the plate in six innings. His last two starts at the level were his best, as he combined for 13.2 shutout innings on six hits, four walks, and one hit batsman while striking out 18, ironically with both of those starts coming against Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers High A), the same team which touched him up for two runs earlier in the season and which Logan Gilbert had his best start against. Gore will probably return to Amarillo in 2020 but could pitch his way to the majors before the season is over.
Others
Dodgers RHP Josiah Gray (11-2, 2.28 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 147/31 K/BB in 130 IP, age 21)
Astros RHP Cristian Javier (8-3, 1.74 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 170/59 K/BB in 113.2, age 22)
Rays RHP Joe Ryan (9-4, 1.96 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 183/27 K/BB in 123.2 IP, age 22-23)
Other Notable Seasons
RHP Casey Mize (Tigers High A and AA, age 21-22)
8-3, 2.55 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 106/23 K/BB in 109.1 IP
As of June 13th, Mize looked like a lock to not only make the Pitcher of the Year list, but win it handily. The 2018 first overall pick out of Auburn had been absolutely untouchable to that point, with a 0.92 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, and a 75/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 78 innings across two levels. On April 29th, his first start at AA Erie less than a year after being drafted, he tossed a no-hitter with seven strikeouts against Altoona (Pirates AA). However, on June 13th, he went down with shoulder issues that kept him out for a month, and he allowed five or more earned runs in three of his first five starts back with AA Erie after two rehab starts at High A Lakeland. Hopefully, Mize puts the shoulder issue behind him and gets back on track in 2020.
RHP James Karinchak (Indians complex, AA, and AAA, age 23)
1-1, 2.67 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 74/17 K/BB in 30.1 IP
A 2.67 ERA over 30 innings isn't going to land you on the short list for pitcher of the year, but Karinchak's season was pretty incredible nonetheless. In all, he struck out 74 of the 125 batters he faced, or 59.2%, which is the best number I've ever seen. Through two playoff games, he's struck out seven of the twelve batter's he's faced, bringing up him up to 81 strikeouts over 137 batters. He struggles with his command and won't be a major league closer immediately, but he misses bats like no other.
3B Ty France (Padres AAA, age 24-25) and 1B Kevin Cron (Diamondbacks AAA, age 26)
Ty France: 27 HR, .399/.477/.770, 1 SB, 196 wRC+ in 76 games
Kevin Cron: 39 HR, .329/.446/.777, 1 SB, 181 wRC+ in 84 games
Of all the big numbers put up in the AAA Pacific Coast League, perhaps no two hitters were more impressive than El Paso's Ty France and Reno's Kevin Cron. France flirted with .400 while hitting for power throughout the season and finished at .399/.477/.770 with 27 home runs in 76 games, while Cron smashed 39 home runs in 84 games while slashing .329/.446/.777 along the way. France had back to back multi-homer games in April and he hit six home runs in a five game stretch in June. On July 25th, he had one of the better offensive performances of the season when he went 5-6 with a pair of home runs against Las Vegas (A's AAA). Meanwhile, Cron hit seven home runs in a six game stretch in May and blasted three home runs on August 13th against Oklahoma City (Dodgers AAA), and together with his five major league home runs, he's already hit 44 on the season despite missing a couple weeks in July.
Hitter of the Year
Winner: OF Luis Robert (White Sox High A, AA, and AAA, age 21-22)
32 HR, .328/.376/.624, 36 SB, 170 wRC+ in 122 games
In 2017, a 19 year old Braves prospect slashed .325/.374/.522 with 21 home runs and 44 stolen bases across the three highest minor league levels, then won the 2018 NL Rookie of the Year Award. The White Sox hope that 22 year old Luis Robert is halfway to following in Ronald Acuna's footsteps with his huge and eerily similar season across three levels. Robert, who was 21 at the beginning of the season, began at High A Winston-Salem but demolished Carolina League pitching to the tune of a .453/.512/.920 slash line and eight home runs over 19 games before being promoted to AA Birmingham. He continued to rake in the Southern League, hitting eight more home runs and slashing .314/.362/.518 across 56 games, then got promoted again to AAA Charlotte. The ball was flying in AAA this year and all power numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but a .297/.341/.634 with 16 home runs over 47 games is still extremely impressive for someone who started the season down in A ball. The Cuban outfielder is an exceptional athlete with the kind of power/speed combination teams covet, and by crushing 32 home runs in 2019, he proved that getting to that power is no problem whatsoever. He's an aggressive hitter who makes a lot of contact and therefore fails to draw a ton of walks, but because he still hit .328, his .376 on-base percentage remained strong. Eloy Jimenez was the White Sox' top outfield prospect a year ago but Robert has a very good chance to be the better player very soon.
Runner-Up: SS Gavin Lux (Dodgers AA and AAA, age 21)
26 HR, .347/.421/.607, 10 SB, 165 wRC+ in 113 games
A first round pick in 2016 out of a Wisconsin high school, Lux has gotten better and better the longer he has been in the Dodgers system. A mediocre 2017 at Class A Great Lakes translated into a very strong 2018 between High A Rancho Cucamonga and AA Tulsa, and he returned to the level for 2019. Over 64 games, he slashed .313/.375/.521 with 13 home runs and seven stolen bases, so the Dodgers promoted him across the state to AAA Oklahoma City. The Pacific Coast League is an extremely offense-friendly environment, but even in that context, the numbers he put up in 49 games were ludicrous: 13 home runs, a .392/.478/.719 slash line, and a strong 42/33 strikeout to walk ratio despite being just 21 years old. Together, that meant he slashed .347/.421/.607 with 26 home runs over 113 games, all the while playing strong defense at shortstop and showing his speed on the bases. Lux has power, strong plate discipline, the ability to get on base, some speed, and strong infield defense, leaving very few holes in his game and he's already up in the major leagues contributing with the Dodgers. Unless he somehow reaches 130 at bats this September, he'll be a strong candidate for the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year Award after Dodgers won it in both 2016 (Corey Seager) and 2017 (Cody Bellinger), followed by a very strong 2018 performance from Walker Buehler.
Honorable Mention: OF Jarred Kelenic (Mariners Class A, High A, and AA, age 19-20)
23 HR, .291/.364/.540, 20 SB, 152 wRC+ in 117 games
Jarred Kelenic's numbers might not be as eye popping as the other five players listed here, but he was also the only one who didn't get a turn through homer-happy AAA. Kelenic, the Mets' sixth overall pick out of a Wisconsin high school in 2018 who was traded to the Mariners in the Edwin Diaz/Robinson Cano deal, began the season with Class A West Virginia and quickly hit his way out by slashing .309/.394/.586 with eleven home runs in 50 games in the pitcher-friendly Midwest League. Bumped up to High A Modesto in the hitter-friendly California League, he held his own against older competition by slashing .290/.353/.485 with six home runs and ten stolen bases in 46 games. A second promotion brought him to AA Arkansas less than a month after his 20th birthday, and he slashed .253/.315/.542 with six home runs over 21 games against much older competition in the pitcher-friendly Texas League. Together, that gave him a 20-20 season, a strong .364 on-base percentage, and a .540 slugging percentage across three levels at a young age, adding in good defense in the outfield along the way. Had Kelenic had the chance to play at AAA Tacoma in the Pacific Coast League, his raw numbers may have rivaled those of Trent Grisham, listed right below in the "others" section.
Others
Brewers OF Trent Grisham (26 HR, .300/.407/.603, 12 SB, 166 wRC+ in 97 games, age 22)
Twins/Giants OF Jaylin Davis (35 HR, .306/.397/.590, 10 SB, 159 wRC+ in 126 games, age 24-25)
Padres 3B Ty France (27 HR, .399/.477/.770, 1 SB, 196 wRC+ in 76 games, age 24-25)
Pitcher of the Year
Winner: RHP Logan Gilbert (Mariners Class A, High A, and AA, age 21-22)
10-5, 2.13 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 165/33 K/BB in 135 IP
Drafted in the first round out of Stetson in 2018, Gilbert didn't pitch professionally that year and first took the mound in the Mariners organization in April. At the close of the season, it's safe to say that it went pretty well. Gilbert started out at Class A West Virginia but lasted just five starts there with a 1.59 ERA, a 0.66 WHIP, and a 35/5 strikeout to walk ratio in 22.2 innings before being promoted to High A Modesto in the hitter-friendly California League. Nobody told him that it was an offense-heavy environment, as he posted a 1.73 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a 73/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 62.1 innings. Promoted again to AA Arkansas, he posted a 2.88 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a 56/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 50 innings, bringing him to 165 strikeouts, a 2.13 ERA, and a sub-1.00 WHIP over 26 starts, half of which came in the California League. His best start of the season came on May 19th, when he shut down a strong Rancho Cucamonga lineup (Dodgers High A) over seven innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out eleven. In all, he allowed no more than one earned run in 18 of his 26 starts, and he struck out at least five batters in 21 of 26. Gilbert should be up in the majors at some point in 2020 as a potential future ace.
Runner-Up: RHP James Marvel (Pirates AA and AAA, age 25)
16-5, 2.94 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 136/46 K/BB in 162.1 IP
Marvel lacks the flash of other prospects on this list, and as a 25 year old former 36th round draft pick out of Duke, he still doesn't project to be much more than a #4 or #5 starter. Still, that doesn't take away from the fantastic season he had in 2019. Beginning the year with AA Altoona, he went 9-5 with a 3.10 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and an 83/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 101.2 innings – solid numbers, but nothing that rivals the other guys on this list. However, he was promoted to AAA Indianapolis in July to pitch in the very hitter-friendly International League, and he just kicked it into another gear by going 7-0 with a 2.67 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and a 53/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 60.2 innings, helping him lead all minor leaguers with 16 wins and finish fifth with 162.1 innings pitched. The numbers aren't flashy, but the huge body of work combined with the exceptional turn through the International League where very few other pitchers seemed to be able to find their groove makes his final product as impressive as anybody's in Minor League Baseball. Marvel's most impressive start came on July 5th, when in his first game in the International League launching pad, he tossed seven shutout innings on three hits, no walks, and six strikeouts against Toledo (Tigers AAA). He also had Syracuse's (Mets AAA) number, tossing back to back starts of six shutout innings on a combined two hits and sixteen strikeouts (and five walks) on July 18th and 24th.
Honorable Mention: LHP MacKenzie Gore (Padres High A and AA, age 20)
9-2, 1.69 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 135/28 K/BB in 101 IP
MLB Pipeline named MacKenzie Gore their minor league pitcher of the year, and while I can't quite get behind that due to his smaller body of work (Logan Gilbert threw 34 more innings and James Marvel through 61.1 more), there's no denying that Gore was nothing short of brilliant in 2019. The third overall pick of the 2017 draft out of a small town North Carolina high school, Gore showed flashes of what was to come with an up and down 2018 at Class A Fort Wayne (4.45 ERA, 74/18 K/BB), but 2019 was a completely different story altogether. Starting the year at High A Lake Elsinore in the hitter-friendly California League, Gore was as close to untouchable as it gets as he posted a 1.02 ERA, a 0.71 WHIP, and a 110/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 79.1 innings, totaling just 56 non-error baserunners in 15 starts. He was promoted to AA Amarillo less than six months after his 20th birthday and pitched very well again, though his 4.15 ERA was skewed by his July 19th start against Northwest Arkansas (Royals AA) where he allowed seven earned runs. If you take out that one start, Gore's final ERA and WHIP would be 1.11 and 0.76, respectively, over 97 innings. That's insane. During his time in Lake Elsinore, he allowed more than one run in only one of his 15 starts, and even then he only let two cross the plate in six innings. His last two starts at the level were his best, as he combined for 13.2 shutout innings on six hits, four walks, and one hit batsman while striking out 18, ironically with both of those starts coming against Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers High A), the same team which touched him up for two runs earlier in the season and which Logan Gilbert had his best start against. Gore will probably return to Amarillo in 2020 but could pitch his way to the majors before the season is over.
Others
Dodgers RHP Josiah Gray (11-2, 2.28 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 147/31 K/BB in 130 IP, age 21)
Astros RHP Cristian Javier (8-3, 1.74 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 170/59 K/BB in 113.2, age 22)
Rays RHP Joe Ryan (9-4, 1.96 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 183/27 K/BB in 123.2 IP, age 22-23)
Other Notable Seasons
RHP Casey Mize (Tigers High A and AA, age 21-22)
8-3, 2.55 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 106/23 K/BB in 109.1 IP
As of June 13th, Mize looked like a lock to not only make the Pitcher of the Year list, but win it handily. The 2018 first overall pick out of Auburn had been absolutely untouchable to that point, with a 0.92 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, and a 75/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 78 innings across two levels. On April 29th, his first start at AA Erie less than a year after being drafted, he tossed a no-hitter with seven strikeouts against Altoona (Pirates AA). However, on June 13th, he went down with shoulder issues that kept him out for a month, and he allowed five or more earned runs in three of his first five starts back with AA Erie after two rehab starts at High A Lakeland. Hopefully, Mize puts the shoulder issue behind him and gets back on track in 2020.
RHP James Karinchak (Indians complex, AA, and AAA, age 23)
1-1, 2.67 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 74/17 K/BB in 30.1 IP
A 2.67 ERA over 30 innings isn't going to land you on the short list for pitcher of the year, but Karinchak's season was pretty incredible nonetheless. In all, he struck out 74 of the 125 batters he faced, or 59.2%, which is the best number I've ever seen. Through two playoff games, he's struck out seven of the twelve batter's he's faced, bringing up him up to 81 strikeouts over 137 batters. He struggles with his command and won't be a major league closer immediately, but he misses bats like no other.
3B Ty France (Padres AAA, age 24-25) and 1B Kevin Cron (Diamondbacks AAA, age 26)
Ty France: 27 HR, .399/.477/.770, 1 SB, 196 wRC+ in 76 games
Kevin Cron: 39 HR, .329/.446/.777, 1 SB, 181 wRC+ in 84 games
Of all the big numbers put up in the AAA Pacific Coast League, perhaps no two hitters were more impressive than El Paso's Ty France and Reno's Kevin Cron. France flirted with .400 while hitting for power throughout the season and finished at .399/.477/.770 with 27 home runs in 76 games, while Cron smashed 39 home runs in 84 games while slashing .329/.446/.777 along the way. France had back to back multi-homer games in April and he hit six home runs in a five game stretch in June. On July 25th, he had one of the better offensive performances of the season when he went 5-6 with a pair of home runs against Las Vegas (A's AAA). Meanwhile, Cron hit seven home runs in a six game stretch in May and blasted three home runs on August 13th against Oklahoma City (Dodgers AAA), and together with his five major league home runs, he's already hit 44 on the season despite missing a couple weeks in July.
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Mets Acquire Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz
Mets Get
2B Robinson Cano (2019 Age: 36): 10 HR, .303/.374/.471, 0 SB, 136 wRC+, 2.9 fWAR
RHP Edwin Diaz (2019 Age: 25): 0-4, 1.96 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 124/17 K/BB, 73.1 IP
$20 million (for Cano's contract)
Mariners Get
OF Jay Bruce (2019 Age: 32): 9 HR, .223/.310/.370, 2 SB, 89 wRC+, 0.1 fWAR
RHP Anthony Swarzak (2019 Age: 33): 0-2, 6.15 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 31/14 K/BB, 26.1 IP
RHP Gerson Bautista (2019 Age: 23-24): 0-1, 12.46 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 3/5 K/BB, 4.1 IP
RHP Justin Dunn (2019 Age: 23): 8-8, 3.59 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 156/52 K/BB, 135.1 IP at High A/AA
OF Jarred Kelenic (2019 Age: 19-20): 6 HR, .286/.371/.468, 15 SB, 124 wRC+ at complex/rookie
There is a lot to unpack in this trade, with core issues being not just player value but contract obligations. Robinson Cano has five years and $120 million left on his contract, and while he'll probably return significant value over the next two years or so, he won't be worth nearly the entire contract. Jay Bruce is owed $26 million over the next two seasons and Anthony Swarzak is owed $8.5 million for 2019, and neither player will likely cover the value of their deals either.
Mets Perspective
I did not like this trade for the Mets at first, but the more I look at it, the more I'm able to stomach it from their perspective. The Mariners will send $20 million along with Cano, making his contract a five year, $100 million commitment for the Mets while also taking $34.5 million more from them in the form of the Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak contracts, though of course they get their potential value to go along with the contracts. Assuming Bruce is worth something like $10-15 million over the next two seasons and Swarzak is worth something around $3 million next year, that excess $17-22 million of saved money over value can be factored into Cano's deal and assume that Cano will now cost them $78-83 million over five years, which is getting close to reasonable. Factor in all the money saved from and Cano's deal ends up adding $65.5 million over the next five years as well as the loss of Bruce's bat and Swarzak's arm. When broken down like that, we can consider Gerson Bautista, Justin Dunn, and Jarred Kelenic to be going over for Diaz, which on its own seems like a light package. Basically, whatever you think of this deal basically boils down to what you think is more important: overpaying for Cano by taking on roughly $80 million in money over value, or underpaying for Diaz by giving up only Bautista, Dunn, and Kelenic. Personally, I don't see this as the greatest deal for the Mets, but it's not as bad as I thought it was originally.
Money aside, Robinson Cano will be a big help for the Mets by providing an above average bat and decent enough defense at second base, at least in the short term. His .303/.374/.471 slash line last season was very good when given the SAFECO Field context, and he can give Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto some badly needed support in the lineup just as Peter Alonso comes up to join in. Back in 2016, he hit 39 home runs while slashing .298/.350/.533, and his decline has not been so steep as to think he can't hit like that for stretches in 2019 and 2020. Ultimately, I think he ends up somewhere around his 2017 numbers (23 HR, .280/.338/.453) for the first couple years in New York, which certainly doesn't justify the contract but that's what Edwin Diaz is for. There is also a very good chance that Cano reaches 3000 hits with the Mets, as he needs just 530 over five years. For his career, the Dominican has 311 home runs, a .304/.355/.493 slash line, and 56.3 fWAR over 2078 games since 2005. For all the talk about Cano, Edwin Diaz is actually the prized get. You can argue that he is the best reliever in the game, having put up a 1.96 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, and a ridiculous 124/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 73.1 innings in 2018. He had the same wicked stuff in 2017, but in 2018, the difference was that he could actually command it. When you have a closer who can't be hit and also throws strikes, that's bad news for opposing teams. He's also not a free agent until after the 2022 season, leaving him in Mets pinstripes for up to four years. For his career, the Puerto Rican has a 2.64 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and a 301/64 strikeout to walk ratio over 188 appearances since 2016.
Mariners Perspective
After dealing James Paxton earlier in the offseason, it looks like the Mariners are getting serious about adding to a farm system that I would argue was the worst in baseball coming into the offseason. Of course, that required them throwing in the towel for short term contention by letting go of two of their biggest stars in Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. They also shed roughly $65.5 million in payroll obligations while getting some very good prospects in return, so while I was on the fence from the Mets' perspective, I like it from the Mariners' side. In terms of the 2019 season, the biggest addition is Jay Bruce for now. Bruce hit 36 home runs and slashed .254/.324/.508 in 2017, but he slumped to .223/.310/.370 with nine home runs in 2018. The bat probably picks back up in 2019, and he'll see time in left field and at DH. The platoon situation will be interesting, as Bruce, left fielder Ben Gamel, and DH Dan Vogelbach are all left handed hitters, with first baseman Ryon Healy being the only right handed hitter in this shuffle. However, Healy is also arguably the best hitter in the group, so it will be hard to justify benching him against right handed pitching in order to get all the lefties into the lineup. My guess is Bruce sees most of his time at DH while Gamel stays in left, with Healy playing most games against right handers but being spelled occasionally by Dan Vogelbach, who loses the most playing time in this scenario. Bruce is under contract for $13 million in both 2019 and 2020, but it's well shy of Cano's annual $24 million obligation. For his career, the Texan has 286 home runs, a .247/.318/.466 slash line, and 20.1 fWAR over 1510 games since 2008. Anthony Swarzak, meanwhile joins the bullpen. He was really good in 2017 (2.33 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 91/22 K/BB in 77.1 IP) but cratered in 2018 (6.15 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 31/14 K/BB in 26.1 IP) as he struggled with nagging injuries all season. If Swarzak can stay healthy, he can be a useful 7th or 8th inning reliever, but he comes with an $8.5 million contract for 2019 that the Mariners will be on the hook for regardless of his health. For his career, the South Florida native has a 4.30 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and a 433/174 strikeout to walk ratio over 316 games (32 starts) since 2009. Gerson Bautista will also join the bullpen, fresh off making his MLB debut in 2018. He spent the majority of the season at AA Binghamton and AAA Las Vegas, posting an ugly 5.14 ERA and 1.71 WHIP to go along with a very nice 69/18 strikeout to walk ratio over 49 innings. He can blow the ball by hitters with a mid to upper 90's fastball and a pretty good slider, but he leaves it over the plate and gets hit often. Just 23, he has time to learn the strike zone, but he's probably just a middle reliever unless something drastic changes. The real upside arm that the Mariners will be excited about is Justin Dunn, a Long Island native who is getting traded away from his hometown team. Dunn bounced back from a rough 2017 at High A Port St. Lucie (5.00 ERA, 75/48 K/BB in 95.1 IP) to have a very solid 2018, starting off by posting a 2.36 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and a 51/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 45.2 innings back at St. Lucie. He wasn't quite as effective at AA Binghamton, where he had a 4.22 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP, and a 105/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 89.2 innings, but he held his own and could be ready for the majors sometime in late 2019. The 23 year old throws hard and is continuing to work on his secondaries and command, and he's athletic enough to make it all work as a starting pitcher. Dunn probably won't be a top of the rotation arm in Seattle, but he has a good shot at becoming a mid-rotation starter in the near future. Lastly, Jarred Kelenic might end up being the prized get for the Mariners. The teenage outfielder was the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft out of high school in Wisconsin, and the kid already known for his advanced bat decided to slash .413/.451/.609 with a home run, four stolen bases, and an 11/4 strikeout to walk ratio over 12 games in complex ball. Promoted to Kingsport in the rookie level Appalachian League, he slashed .253/.350/.431 with five home runs, eleven stolen bases, and a 39/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 44 games. He doesn't turn 20 until July but he already shows an advanced feel for both the barrel and the strike zone, good speed, and some power. He obviously has a lot to prove, starting with handling A ball pitching in the spring, but he has legitimate leadoff upside down the road in Seattle.
2B Robinson Cano (2019 Age: 36): 10 HR, .303/.374/.471, 0 SB, 136 wRC+, 2.9 fWAR
RHP Edwin Diaz (2019 Age: 25): 0-4, 1.96 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 124/17 K/BB, 73.1 IP
$20 million (for Cano's contract)
Mariners Get
OF Jay Bruce (2019 Age: 32): 9 HR, .223/.310/.370, 2 SB, 89 wRC+, 0.1 fWAR
RHP Anthony Swarzak (2019 Age: 33): 0-2, 6.15 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 31/14 K/BB, 26.1 IP
RHP Gerson Bautista (2019 Age: 23-24): 0-1, 12.46 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 3/5 K/BB, 4.1 IP
RHP Justin Dunn (2019 Age: 23): 8-8, 3.59 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 156/52 K/BB, 135.1 IP at High A/AA
OF Jarred Kelenic (2019 Age: 19-20): 6 HR, .286/.371/.468, 15 SB, 124 wRC+ at complex/rookie
There is a lot to unpack in this trade, with core issues being not just player value but contract obligations. Robinson Cano has five years and $120 million left on his contract, and while he'll probably return significant value over the next two years or so, he won't be worth nearly the entire contract. Jay Bruce is owed $26 million over the next two seasons and Anthony Swarzak is owed $8.5 million for 2019, and neither player will likely cover the value of their deals either.
Mets Perspective
I did not like this trade for the Mets at first, but the more I look at it, the more I'm able to stomach it from their perspective. The Mariners will send $20 million along with Cano, making his contract a five year, $100 million commitment for the Mets while also taking $34.5 million more from them in the form of the Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak contracts, though of course they get their potential value to go along with the contracts. Assuming Bruce is worth something like $10-15 million over the next two seasons and Swarzak is worth something around $3 million next year, that excess $17-22 million of saved money over value can be factored into Cano's deal and assume that Cano will now cost them $78-83 million over five years, which is getting close to reasonable. Factor in all the money saved from and Cano's deal ends up adding $65.5 million over the next five years as well as the loss of Bruce's bat and Swarzak's arm. When broken down like that, we can consider Gerson Bautista, Justin Dunn, and Jarred Kelenic to be going over for Diaz, which on its own seems like a light package. Basically, whatever you think of this deal basically boils down to what you think is more important: overpaying for Cano by taking on roughly $80 million in money over value, or underpaying for Diaz by giving up only Bautista, Dunn, and Kelenic. Personally, I don't see this as the greatest deal for the Mets, but it's not as bad as I thought it was originally.
Money aside, Robinson Cano will be a big help for the Mets by providing an above average bat and decent enough defense at second base, at least in the short term. His .303/.374/.471 slash line last season was very good when given the SAFECO Field context, and he can give Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto some badly needed support in the lineup just as Peter Alonso comes up to join in. Back in 2016, he hit 39 home runs while slashing .298/.350/.533, and his decline has not been so steep as to think he can't hit like that for stretches in 2019 and 2020. Ultimately, I think he ends up somewhere around his 2017 numbers (23 HR, .280/.338/.453) for the first couple years in New York, which certainly doesn't justify the contract but that's what Edwin Diaz is for. There is also a very good chance that Cano reaches 3000 hits with the Mets, as he needs just 530 over five years. For his career, the Dominican has 311 home runs, a .304/.355/.493 slash line, and 56.3 fWAR over 2078 games since 2005. For all the talk about Cano, Edwin Diaz is actually the prized get. You can argue that he is the best reliever in the game, having put up a 1.96 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP, and a ridiculous 124/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 73.1 innings in 2018. He had the same wicked stuff in 2017, but in 2018, the difference was that he could actually command it. When you have a closer who can't be hit and also throws strikes, that's bad news for opposing teams. He's also not a free agent until after the 2022 season, leaving him in Mets pinstripes for up to four years. For his career, the Puerto Rican has a 2.64 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and a 301/64 strikeout to walk ratio over 188 appearances since 2016.
Mariners Perspective
After dealing James Paxton earlier in the offseason, it looks like the Mariners are getting serious about adding to a farm system that I would argue was the worst in baseball coming into the offseason. Of course, that required them throwing in the towel for short term contention by letting go of two of their biggest stars in Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. They also shed roughly $65.5 million in payroll obligations while getting some very good prospects in return, so while I was on the fence from the Mets' perspective, I like it from the Mariners' side. In terms of the 2019 season, the biggest addition is Jay Bruce for now. Bruce hit 36 home runs and slashed .254/.324/.508 in 2017, but he slumped to .223/.310/.370 with nine home runs in 2018. The bat probably picks back up in 2019, and he'll see time in left field and at DH. The platoon situation will be interesting, as Bruce, left fielder Ben Gamel, and DH Dan Vogelbach are all left handed hitters, with first baseman Ryon Healy being the only right handed hitter in this shuffle. However, Healy is also arguably the best hitter in the group, so it will be hard to justify benching him against right handed pitching in order to get all the lefties into the lineup. My guess is Bruce sees most of his time at DH while Gamel stays in left, with Healy playing most games against right handers but being spelled occasionally by Dan Vogelbach, who loses the most playing time in this scenario. Bruce is under contract for $13 million in both 2019 and 2020, but it's well shy of Cano's annual $24 million obligation. For his career, the Texan has 286 home runs, a .247/.318/.466 slash line, and 20.1 fWAR over 1510 games since 2008. Anthony Swarzak, meanwhile joins the bullpen. He was really good in 2017 (2.33 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 91/22 K/BB in 77.1 IP) but cratered in 2018 (6.15 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 31/14 K/BB in 26.1 IP) as he struggled with nagging injuries all season. If Swarzak can stay healthy, he can be a useful 7th or 8th inning reliever, but he comes with an $8.5 million contract for 2019 that the Mariners will be on the hook for regardless of his health. For his career, the South Florida native has a 4.30 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and a 433/174 strikeout to walk ratio over 316 games (32 starts) since 2009. Gerson Bautista will also join the bullpen, fresh off making his MLB debut in 2018. He spent the majority of the season at AA Binghamton and AAA Las Vegas, posting an ugly 5.14 ERA and 1.71 WHIP to go along with a very nice 69/18 strikeout to walk ratio over 49 innings. He can blow the ball by hitters with a mid to upper 90's fastball and a pretty good slider, but he leaves it over the plate and gets hit often. Just 23, he has time to learn the strike zone, but he's probably just a middle reliever unless something drastic changes. The real upside arm that the Mariners will be excited about is Justin Dunn, a Long Island native who is getting traded away from his hometown team. Dunn bounced back from a rough 2017 at High A Port St. Lucie (5.00 ERA, 75/48 K/BB in 95.1 IP) to have a very solid 2018, starting off by posting a 2.36 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and a 51/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 45.2 innings back at St. Lucie. He wasn't quite as effective at AA Binghamton, where he had a 4.22 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP, and a 105/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 89.2 innings, but he held his own and could be ready for the majors sometime in late 2019. The 23 year old throws hard and is continuing to work on his secondaries and command, and he's athletic enough to make it all work as a starting pitcher. Dunn probably won't be a top of the rotation arm in Seattle, but he has a good shot at becoming a mid-rotation starter in the near future. Lastly, Jarred Kelenic might end up being the prized get for the Mariners. The teenage outfielder was the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft out of high school in Wisconsin, and the kid already known for his advanced bat decided to slash .413/.451/.609 with a home run, four stolen bases, and an 11/4 strikeout to walk ratio over 12 games in complex ball. Promoted to Kingsport in the rookie level Appalachian League, he slashed .253/.350/.431 with five home runs, eleven stolen bases, and a 39/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 44 games. He doesn't turn 20 until July but he already shows an advanced feel for both the barrel and the strike zone, good speed, and some power. He obviously has a lot to prove, starting with handling A ball pitching in the spring, but he has legitimate leadoff upside down the road in Seattle.
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
2018 Draft Review: New York Mets
First 5 rounds: Jarred Kelenic (1-6), Simeon Woods-Richardson (2-48), Carlos Cortes (3-83), Adam Hill (4-110), Ryley Gilliam (5-140)
Also notable: Nick Meyer (6-170), Bryce Montes de Oca (9-260), Chase Chambers (18-530), Zach Rheams (27-800), Jake Mangum (32-950)
It's been a rough year (decade) for Mets fans, and while a sixth overall pick is always energizing for a franchise, there isn't much else in this draft to get excited over. After taking high schoolers with their first two picks, the Mets switched over to the college ranks for rounds three through ten. Interestingly, they looked to be high on college performers, taking two of South Carolina's best players with back to back picks (Carlos Cortes and Adam Hill) while also grabbing well-known players from Clemson (Ryley Gilliam), Tennessee Tech (Chase Chambers), Cal State Fullerton (Tommy Wilson), Miami (Hayden Senger), Texas Tech (Zach Rheams), and Mississippi State (Jake Mangum).
1-6: OF Jarred Kelenic (my rank: 10)
I have Kelenic ranked a bit lower, but it is hard to fault the Mets for grabbing the top high school bat in the country here, especially considering how much money they saved. Kelenic doesn't have a standout tool, but he is extremely advanced for his age and should be able to move through the minor leagues quicker than most high schoolers. The 6'1" outfielder out of Waukesha, Wisconsin has excellent feel for the barrel with a smooth swing, and he hits for average power, giving him the potential for 20 home runs per season to go along with on-base percentages approaching .400. He's fast as well, helping him both on the base paths and in the outfield, and his overall feel for the game is universally praised. Some may be disappointed by the lack of excitement that typically comes with this kind of all-around player, but Kelenic has top of the order potential and a higher floor than most high schoolers. The one knock on him is his age, as he turns 19 in two weeks, but he also played in a cold weather area where he may not have been able to practice as consistently as his southern counterparts, so it evens out. He signed for $4.5 million, over $1 million below slot. He has rewarded them in his tiny sample so far, slashing .464/.500/.643 with a 6/2 strikeout to walk ratio and a pair of stolen bases (no home runs yet) in seven games in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.
2-48: RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (unranked)
This was a surprising pick by the Mets considering Woods-Richardson's general stock within the industry, but the Mets apparently like his upside and gambled on him with the 48th pick. The 6'3" righty out of high school in the Houston suburbs has been inconsistent, showing a fastball anywhere from 89 to 95 while also tossing an at-times plus curveball and a changeup that has its moments. When it's all going right, he looks like a mid-rotation starter, but there are also times where he looks like he'll have to be shifted to the bullpen. The Mets clearly think the former is more likely than the latter, and he doesn't turn 18 until September (making him more than a full year younger than Kelenic), so we'll see. He signed for $1.85 million, which was $364,900 above slot.
3-83: 2B Carlos Cortes (unranked)
Carlos Cortes was considered by some to be a top 100 prospect in the 2016 draft (97th on my list) and is back after a couple of good years at South Carolina. After slashing .286/.368/.565 with 12 home runs and a 27/22 strikeout to walk ratio as a freshman last year, he improved his plate discipline in his sophomore year this year and slashed .265/.385/.500 with 15 home runs and a 32/43 strikeout to walk ratio. The strikeout rate dropped from 13.9% to 11.5% while the walk rate jumped from 11.3% to 15.5%, and he kept the rest of his production steady. That offensive production is important, because he's a bat-first prospect who may end up being a liability in the field. The Mets took him as a second baseman, but he probably fits better at third base or in the outfield. At just 5'8" and not all that fast, he'll be a mediocre fielder at best. I think there were guys available who could hit just as well as Cortes who could also field, but the Mets liked this bat in particular and went all in. They signed him for just over $1 million, going $294,738 over slot. He went 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts in his first New York-Penn League game.
4-110: RHP Adam Hill (unranked)
In the next round, the Mets took Cortes' teammate at South Carolina, Adam Hill. The 6'6" right hander finished his junior season 7-5 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP, striking out 101 and walking 55 in 83 innings. Those aren't great numbers, but they're credible for the SEC, and he has a track record of success from throughout his three years in Columbia. He throws his fastball in the low 90's but it looks faster because of his long arms and release point, and he has a pretty good slider and changeup as well. That's all good stuff, though his command could use some work. If he can take a step forward with his command, he has a chance to stick as a #3 or #4 starter. He signed for $507,800, right at slot,.
5-140: RHP Ryley Gilliam (unranked)
Gilliam served as Clemson's closer this year, putting up a 1.41 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a 54/22 strikeout to walk ratio in 38 innings. He has a great fastball/curveball combo, throwing the fastball in the low to mid 90's and showing hard break on the curve. However, he struggles to command it, and at just 5'10", he'll need to improve that command to reach the majors. If he does, he profiles well as a set-up man at the major league level. He signed for $550,000, which is $170,600 above slot.
Others: 6th rounder Nick Meyer was the starting catcher at Cal Poly for three years, capping it off with a .344/.408/.428 line, no home runs, and a 19/18 strikeout to walk ratio. He's definitely a defense-first guy, one who will definitely stick behind the plate no matter how far his bat takes him. The question is the bat, as he generates no power from his flat swing and doesn't walk all that much at 7.3%. The saving grace for him at the plate is his ability to get the bat on the ball, as he struck out in just 7.7% of his plate appearances this year, but he'll have to hit with more authority as he moves through the minors. 9th rounder Bryce Montes de Oca was draft eligible last year but returned to Missouri for his senior year, going 6-4 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP while striking out 65 and walking 33 in 54.2 innings. After years of injuries, the huge 6'7" righty has been healthy the past two seasons, though is very much stuff over command. Out of the bullpen, he can run his fastball up to 100 with heavy sink as well as a slider that looks great at times, but he struggles to throw strikes. He's likely a reliever in pro ball, where if coaching and long stretches of health can improve his command, he'll be a Dellin Betances type arm. 18th rounder Chase Chambers was at the center of the most productive offense in college baseball, slashing .395/.500/.652 with 17 home runs and a 24/49 strikeout to walk ratio at Tennessee Tech. As a senior sign first baseman, the bat will have to carry him and carry him quickly, but I think there is a good chance it does. He's already slashing .345/.433/.448 with a home run in 15 New York-Penn League games. 27th rounder Zach Rheams was a big producer for Texas Tech, slashing .341/.461/.713 with 17 home runs and a 49/35 strikeout to walk ratio in 51 games. Also a first baseman, his bat will have to carry him, though he does walk a lot (17%) in addition to the power. Lastly, 32nd rounder Jake Mangum already announced that he won't sign and will head back to Mississippi State for his senior year, marking the second time in as many years that he has chosen to return to school rather than go pro. He's hit over power, slashing .351/.434/.479 with three home runs, 14 stolen bases, and a 29/30 strikeout to walk ratio in 68 games, providing leadership and energy to the team. He was really fun to watch during the NCAA Tournament and College World Series, and he's clearly a gamer than can play above his average tools. Had signability not been an issue, he could have gone in the top six or so rounds.
Also notable: Nick Meyer (6-170), Bryce Montes de Oca (9-260), Chase Chambers (18-530), Zach Rheams (27-800), Jake Mangum (32-950)
It's been a rough year (decade) for Mets fans, and while a sixth overall pick is always energizing for a franchise, there isn't much else in this draft to get excited over. After taking high schoolers with their first two picks, the Mets switched over to the college ranks for rounds three through ten. Interestingly, they looked to be high on college performers, taking two of South Carolina's best players with back to back picks (Carlos Cortes and Adam Hill) while also grabbing well-known players from Clemson (Ryley Gilliam), Tennessee Tech (Chase Chambers), Cal State Fullerton (Tommy Wilson), Miami (Hayden Senger), Texas Tech (Zach Rheams), and Mississippi State (Jake Mangum).
1-6: OF Jarred Kelenic (my rank: 10)
I have Kelenic ranked a bit lower, but it is hard to fault the Mets for grabbing the top high school bat in the country here, especially considering how much money they saved. Kelenic doesn't have a standout tool, but he is extremely advanced for his age and should be able to move through the minor leagues quicker than most high schoolers. The 6'1" outfielder out of Waukesha, Wisconsin has excellent feel for the barrel with a smooth swing, and he hits for average power, giving him the potential for 20 home runs per season to go along with on-base percentages approaching .400. He's fast as well, helping him both on the base paths and in the outfield, and his overall feel for the game is universally praised. Some may be disappointed by the lack of excitement that typically comes with this kind of all-around player, but Kelenic has top of the order potential and a higher floor than most high schoolers. The one knock on him is his age, as he turns 19 in two weeks, but he also played in a cold weather area where he may not have been able to practice as consistently as his southern counterparts, so it evens out. He signed for $4.5 million, over $1 million below slot. He has rewarded them in his tiny sample so far, slashing .464/.500/.643 with a 6/2 strikeout to walk ratio and a pair of stolen bases (no home runs yet) in seven games in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.
2-48: RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (unranked)
This was a surprising pick by the Mets considering Woods-Richardson's general stock within the industry, but the Mets apparently like his upside and gambled on him with the 48th pick. The 6'3" righty out of high school in the Houston suburbs has been inconsistent, showing a fastball anywhere from 89 to 95 while also tossing an at-times plus curveball and a changeup that has its moments. When it's all going right, he looks like a mid-rotation starter, but there are also times where he looks like he'll have to be shifted to the bullpen. The Mets clearly think the former is more likely than the latter, and he doesn't turn 18 until September (making him more than a full year younger than Kelenic), so we'll see. He signed for $1.85 million, which was $364,900 above slot.
3-83: 2B Carlos Cortes (unranked)
Carlos Cortes was considered by some to be a top 100 prospect in the 2016 draft (97th on my list) and is back after a couple of good years at South Carolina. After slashing .286/.368/.565 with 12 home runs and a 27/22 strikeout to walk ratio as a freshman last year, he improved his plate discipline in his sophomore year this year and slashed .265/.385/.500 with 15 home runs and a 32/43 strikeout to walk ratio. The strikeout rate dropped from 13.9% to 11.5% while the walk rate jumped from 11.3% to 15.5%, and he kept the rest of his production steady. That offensive production is important, because he's a bat-first prospect who may end up being a liability in the field. The Mets took him as a second baseman, but he probably fits better at third base or in the outfield. At just 5'8" and not all that fast, he'll be a mediocre fielder at best. I think there were guys available who could hit just as well as Cortes who could also field, but the Mets liked this bat in particular and went all in. They signed him for just over $1 million, going $294,738 over slot. He went 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts in his first New York-Penn League game.
4-110: RHP Adam Hill (unranked)
In the next round, the Mets took Cortes' teammate at South Carolina, Adam Hill. The 6'6" right hander finished his junior season 7-5 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP, striking out 101 and walking 55 in 83 innings. Those aren't great numbers, but they're credible for the SEC, and he has a track record of success from throughout his three years in Columbia. He throws his fastball in the low 90's but it looks faster because of his long arms and release point, and he has a pretty good slider and changeup as well. That's all good stuff, though his command could use some work. If he can take a step forward with his command, he has a chance to stick as a #3 or #4 starter. He signed for $507,800, right at slot,.
5-140: RHP Ryley Gilliam (unranked)
Gilliam served as Clemson's closer this year, putting up a 1.41 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a 54/22 strikeout to walk ratio in 38 innings. He has a great fastball/curveball combo, throwing the fastball in the low to mid 90's and showing hard break on the curve. However, he struggles to command it, and at just 5'10", he'll need to improve that command to reach the majors. If he does, he profiles well as a set-up man at the major league level. He signed for $550,000, which is $170,600 above slot.
Others: 6th rounder Nick Meyer was the starting catcher at Cal Poly for three years, capping it off with a .344/.408/.428 line, no home runs, and a 19/18 strikeout to walk ratio. He's definitely a defense-first guy, one who will definitely stick behind the plate no matter how far his bat takes him. The question is the bat, as he generates no power from his flat swing and doesn't walk all that much at 7.3%. The saving grace for him at the plate is his ability to get the bat on the ball, as he struck out in just 7.7% of his plate appearances this year, but he'll have to hit with more authority as he moves through the minors. 9th rounder Bryce Montes de Oca was draft eligible last year but returned to Missouri for his senior year, going 6-4 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP while striking out 65 and walking 33 in 54.2 innings. After years of injuries, the huge 6'7" righty has been healthy the past two seasons, though is very much stuff over command. Out of the bullpen, he can run his fastball up to 100 with heavy sink as well as a slider that looks great at times, but he struggles to throw strikes. He's likely a reliever in pro ball, where if coaching and long stretches of health can improve his command, he'll be a Dellin Betances type arm. 18th rounder Chase Chambers was at the center of the most productive offense in college baseball, slashing .395/.500/.652 with 17 home runs and a 24/49 strikeout to walk ratio at Tennessee Tech. As a senior sign first baseman, the bat will have to carry him and carry him quickly, but I think there is a good chance it does. He's already slashing .345/.433/.448 with a home run in 15 New York-Penn League games. 27th rounder Zach Rheams was a big producer for Texas Tech, slashing .341/.461/.713 with 17 home runs and a 49/35 strikeout to walk ratio in 51 games. Also a first baseman, his bat will have to carry him, though he does walk a lot (17%) in addition to the power. Lastly, 32nd rounder Jake Mangum already announced that he won't sign and will head back to Mississippi State for his senior year, marking the second time in as many years that he has chosen to return to school rather than go pro. He's hit over power, slashing .351/.434/.479 with three home runs, 14 stolen bases, and a 29/30 strikeout to walk ratio in 68 games, providing leadership and energy to the team. He was really fun to watch during the NCAA Tournament and College World Series, and he's clearly a gamer than can play above his average tools. Had signability not been an issue, he could have gone in the top six or so rounds.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
2018 MLB Draft: Top 15 Outfielders
There are no superstars in this year's outfield class, but there is good depth, especially if you are looking for guys who can stay in center field long term. Being a center fielder is much like being a shortstop or second baseman in that pressure is taken off the bat, and on the flip side, being a left fielder means that all of the pressure is on the bat, nearly as much as if a player was a first baseman.
1. Travis Swaggerty (South Alabama)
Swaggerty opened eyes with a big sophomore season at South Alabama (10 HR, .361/.487/.567), and while his batting average dropped in 2018, he walked a lot more, added more power, and pushed himself possibly into the top ten picks. Over 57 games, he hit 13 home runs and slashed .296/.455/.526 with an excellent 38/54 strikeout to walk ratio. He generates more power than you would think for a 5'11" guy, especially with his speed. That speed plays on both sides of the ball, as he projects to stay in center field long term, taking some pressure off his bat. Add in that he's young for a college junior and won't turn 21 until August, and you have a guy with power, patience, and speed who could impact the game in a lot of ways.
2. Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West HS, WI)
There was buzz that the Tigers could select Kelenic first overall for an under slot deal for a while, but that has faded and he looks to go somewhere in the middle of the first round, with the top ten still being a possibility. He may be the most advanced high school hitter available, one who could slot into full season ball soon and who could work his way to the majors fairly quickly. While he doesn't have a plus tool, he does everything well, showing a very advanced approach at the plate as well as some power, speed, and good defense. If he can stay in center field, he could be a left handed Adam Eaton, but even if he slides to a corner, he'll still be an impactful player for a long time. He is a little old for the class, turning 19 in July, but he's so advanced as a hitter that that shouldn't be a problem. He's committed to Louisville.
3. Connor Scott (Plant HS, FL)
If Kelenic is the unspectacular, steady player, Scott is the exciting wild card. The Tampa native is lanky at 6'4" with plenty of room to grow into his frame, and he does everything well. While his approach is not as advanced as Kelenic's, he still has a good feel for the barrel and could grow into more power. He's extremely fast and has a cannon arm, meaning he could be an above average defender in center field, so he can impact the game on both ends of the ball. He is a little bit of a bust risk, as his swing is awkward and his power hasn't developed yet, but the swing works for him and it's not too dissimilar to former teammate and Astros first round pick Kyle Tucker's. He won't make it out of the first round and has a good shot at going in the top half, and he's committed to Florida.
4. Trevor Larnach (Oregon State)
Larnach's excellent performance this spring has had him shooting up draft boards, as he has slashed .330/.452/.632 with 17 home runs to actually overshadow possible top five pick Nick Madrigal in the Oregon State lineup at times. That power is real, as he generates elite exit velocities off the bat, so it should play up with wood bats. He does strike out a lot, but he also walks a lot, showing a power/patience combination that should carry him all the way to the majors. He also swung well in the Cape Cod League for two years, and he's overall trending hard in the right direction. He could hit his way to the majors quickly. On defense though, he's mediocre and will likely have to play left field, where he has enough bat to carry him. He'll likely come off the board before Scott.
5. Greyson Jenista (Wichita State)
Alec Bohm's teammate in Wichita is a first round prospect as well, albeit not as strong of one. He looked like a first round lock after a very good summer in the Cape Cod League (3 HR, .310/.391/.401) in which he was universally praised by coaches for his work ethic and leadership as well as his performance, but a pedestrian junior season (9 HR, .309/.446/.475) has knocked him at least to the back half of the first round if not out of it. I'm still high on him and think he'll be an impact player in time, as he has an explosive swing from a 6'4" frame that will help his power play up. He also walks a lot, and if he can improve his barrel control, he should be able to put it all together and be a complete hitter. He's athletic for his size and should be able to stay in the outfield, but he may have to move to first base if he slows down.
6. Jake McCarthy (Virginia)
Jake McCarthy, whose brother Joe is currently a prospect in the Rays system, had a very good sophomore year (5 HR, .338/.425/.506, 27 SB) and was ready to build on it in 2018 until a broken wrist cut a large chunk out of his season. I still like him as a prospect, as he has a clean, explosive swing that could generate more power if he adds some loft to go along with enough speed to stay in center field. The wrist injury makes him a bit of a wild card, and he may end up as a tweener that doesn't hit quite enough to break past AAA, but I buy the upside and think he could be an every day center fielder. He's also young for a college junior, and he's unlikely to go in the first round but should be drafted shortly afterwards.
7. Jordyn Adams (Green Hope HS, NC)
Adams is a fast rising prospect who could make this ranking look too conservative when it is all said and done. He wasn't well known heading into the season, but a huge performance at the National High School Invitational in March and continued good play afterwards have elevated him to a likely first round prospect. He's a super-athlete who is committed to North Carolina not just for baseball but for football as well, showcasing top of the scale speed that should help him stay in center field no matter how his arm and glove progress. That takes pressure off his bat, which is behind his glove but could generate power and contact when it's all said and done. His swing is long and smooth, and once he gives up football, it should get shorter and more consistent, though he does do a good job of getting the barrel into the zone early. He's ranked here but will go higher than McCarthy, probably higher than Jenista, and possibly in the same range as Scott and Larnach at best, though signability will be an issue no matter where he is drafted.
8. Mike Siani (Penn Charter HS, PA)
The Philadelphia area doesn't have much going on in terms of draft prospects, but Siani is right there in the national conversation. He is fast enough and has enough arm strength to not only stay in center field, but be very good there, taking some pressure off his bat. He'll need that pressure off, because even though he has some loft in his swing and the wheels to turn doubles into triples, he has struggled to find the barrel and will take some time to develop. If it all breaks right, I honestly see some Adam Haseley in him, and he's committed to Virginia like Haseley. He's a little old for a high school senior, turning 19 in July, and is probably a second round pick.
9. Griffin Conine (Duke)
Jeff Conine's son had a huge sophomore season (13 HR, .298/.425/.546) and then hit extremely well in the Cape Cod League (9 HR, .329/.406/.537), leading to projections that he could hit his way into the top ten picks with a good junior season. That didn't happen, as he sold out for power, his swing got long, and he struck out way too much, but he began to right the ship as the season went on and brings 15 home runs and a respectable .265/.390/.559 line into this writing. He strikes out a ton, 27.3% of the time, and that alone could be his downfall in pro ball. However, if he cleans up his approach with pro coaching, he has a good shot at being a power hitting right fielder in the middle of a major league order. He's also young for a college junior, turning 21 in July, and should go somewhere in the second round.
10. Steele Walker (Oklahoma)
Walker is an interesting prospect for more reasons than just his cool name, as he has hit better than ever during his junior year at Oklahoma (13 HR, .352/.441/.606), but hasn't seen his draft stock move up all that much. He plays the game hard and plays it smart, getting the most out of his skill set despite a relative lack of loud tools, which has led to plenty of success for the Sooners, but given that description, I'd like to see a better strikeout to walk ratio than 48/31 if I'm going to take him in the first round, as some teams have shown interest in doing. He strikes me as a bit of a tweener, a player who can't quite field enough to stay in center field but who doesn't quite hit enough for left field, so he could end up a fourth outfielder, but he also plays the game in such a way that he could surprise. He is a little bit old for his class though, turning 22 in July (quite a few July birthdays in this part of the rankings, I know). He could go anywhere from the end of the first round to the back of the second round, and likely ahead of Conine and Siani.
11. Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
While I consider Walker a slightly better prospect, his teammate Kyler Murray is perhaps the most interesting man in the draft. A potential first round pick as a Dallas area high schooler, he was instead busy leading the famous Allen High School football program as one of the top quarterback recruits in the country to Texas A&M. Things didn't work out there and he transferred to Oklahoma, where he backed up first overall pick Baker Mayfield in Norman. Meanwhile, this paragraph is supposed to be about baseball, and I'll get to that. He had to sit out his freshman baseball season at Oklahoma due to transfer rules and slashed a miserable .122/.317/.122 as a sophomore, leading to the baseball world all but forgetting about him, but he's back out of nowhere this year. In 51 games, he has ten home runs and is slashing .296/.398/.556 with a respectable 56/28 strikeout to walk ratio given the circumstances, showing plenty of speed and the athleticism you'd expect from a two sport star. His bat is coming along nicely as well, and once (if ever) he focuses full time on baseball, he should be able to cut down that strikeout rate and bump up the walk rate. There is a lot of potential to unlock here, and to top it off, he is young for a college junior and won't turn 21 until August. He has pushed himself into the first round conversation, but he will be an extremely tough sign given that he has the opportunity to take over for Mayfield as the starting quarterback of the famous University of Oklahoma offense next fall.
12. Nick Schnell (Roncalli HS, IN)
Schnell is a high ceiling outfielder from Indianapolis who does a little bit of everything. He can run and stay in center field, taking pressure of his bat, and he has added power this spring with big bat speed and a whippy bat path. He is fairly raw at the plate, and pro coaching will need to clean up that swing, but as I said, the good defense buys him slack. He looks to go somewhere in the second round and is committed to Louisville, like Kelenic.
13. Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel HS, IL)
Thomas lacks any real standout tool but plays the game well and has a higher floor than most high school hitters. His feel to hit and defensive ability are both advanced, and if he can improve his arm strength, he'll be a good center fielder. That takes some pressure off his bat, which might need it because he lacks power and could end up a fourth outfielder if he doesn't start driving the ball with more authority. He's committed to TCU and could go as early as the end of the first round.
14. Jameson Hannah (Dallas Baptist)
Hannah may only be 5'9", but he has a lot of Denard Span in him and has shown consistent gap power this spring, slashing .363/.449/.556 with six home runs, 24 doubles, three triples, and an even 38/38 strikeout to walk ratio for the Patriots. He's fast, has shown a great feel for the barrel, and should stick in center field. If he can't cut it as a leadoff guy, he'll make a solid fourth outfielder, and should go somewhere in the second or third round.
15. Parker Meadows (Grayson HS, GA)
The younger brother of Pirates rookie star Austin Meadows, Parker isn't quite the same prospect but has high upside. His left handed swing, combined with his lean 6'4" frame, is built for knocking balls out of the park, but his feel for the barrel is subpar and will need to improve if he wants to go anywhere. With his speed and arm strength, he should be able to stick in center field, buying the contact some time to come along. He's committed to Clemson, where he could emerge as a first round pick in three years. If he chooses to sign, he's a second or third round talent.
Others: Kyle Isbel (UNLV), Tristan Pompey (Kentucky), Joe Gray Jr. (Hattiesburg HS, MS), Zach Watson (Louisiana State), Ryder Green (Karns HS, TN), Nick Decker (Seneca HS, NJ)
1. Travis Swaggerty (South Alabama)
Swaggerty opened eyes with a big sophomore season at South Alabama (10 HR, .361/.487/.567), and while his batting average dropped in 2018, he walked a lot more, added more power, and pushed himself possibly into the top ten picks. Over 57 games, he hit 13 home runs and slashed .296/.455/.526 with an excellent 38/54 strikeout to walk ratio. He generates more power than you would think for a 5'11" guy, especially with his speed. That speed plays on both sides of the ball, as he projects to stay in center field long term, taking some pressure off his bat. Add in that he's young for a college junior and won't turn 21 until August, and you have a guy with power, patience, and speed who could impact the game in a lot of ways.
2. Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West HS, WI)
There was buzz that the Tigers could select Kelenic first overall for an under slot deal for a while, but that has faded and he looks to go somewhere in the middle of the first round, with the top ten still being a possibility. He may be the most advanced high school hitter available, one who could slot into full season ball soon and who could work his way to the majors fairly quickly. While he doesn't have a plus tool, he does everything well, showing a very advanced approach at the plate as well as some power, speed, and good defense. If he can stay in center field, he could be a left handed Adam Eaton, but even if he slides to a corner, he'll still be an impactful player for a long time. He is a little old for the class, turning 19 in July, but he's so advanced as a hitter that that shouldn't be a problem. He's committed to Louisville.
3. Connor Scott (Plant HS, FL)
If Kelenic is the unspectacular, steady player, Scott is the exciting wild card. The Tampa native is lanky at 6'4" with plenty of room to grow into his frame, and he does everything well. While his approach is not as advanced as Kelenic's, he still has a good feel for the barrel and could grow into more power. He's extremely fast and has a cannon arm, meaning he could be an above average defender in center field, so he can impact the game on both ends of the ball. He is a little bit of a bust risk, as his swing is awkward and his power hasn't developed yet, but the swing works for him and it's not too dissimilar to former teammate and Astros first round pick Kyle Tucker's. He won't make it out of the first round and has a good shot at going in the top half, and he's committed to Florida.
4. Trevor Larnach (Oregon State)
Larnach's excellent performance this spring has had him shooting up draft boards, as he has slashed .330/.452/.632 with 17 home runs to actually overshadow possible top five pick Nick Madrigal in the Oregon State lineup at times. That power is real, as he generates elite exit velocities off the bat, so it should play up with wood bats. He does strike out a lot, but he also walks a lot, showing a power/patience combination that should carry him all the way to the majors. He also swung well in the Cape Cod League for two years, and he's overall trending hard in the right direction. He could hit his way to the majors quickly. On defense though, he's mediocre and will likely have to play left field, where he has enough bat to carry him. He'll likely come off the board before Scott.
5. Greyson Jenista (Wichita State)
Alec Bohm's teammate in Wichita is a first round prospect as well, albeit not as strong of one. He looked like a first round lock after a very good summer in the Cape Cod League (3 HR, .310/.391/.401) in which he was universally praised by coaches for his work ethic and leadership as well as his performance, but a pedestrian junior season (9 HR, .309/.446/.475) has knocked him at least to the back half of the first round if not out of it. I'm still high on him and think he'll be an impact player in time, as he has an explosive swing from a 6'4" frame that will help his power play up. He also walks a lot, and if he can improve his barrel control, he should be able to put it all together and be a complete hitter. He's athletic for his size and should be able to stay in the outfield, but he may have to move to first base if he slows down.
6. Jake McCarthy (Virginia)
Jake McCarthy, whose brother Joe is currently a prospect in the Rays system, had a very good sophomore year (5 HR, .338/.425/.506, 27 SB) and was ready to build on it in 2018 until a broken wrist cut a large chunk out of his season. I still like him as a prospect, as he has a clean, explosive swing that could generate more power if he adds some loft to go along with enough speed to stay in center field. The wrist injury makes him a bit of a wild card, and he may end up as a tweener that doesn't hit quite enough to break past AAA, but I buy the upside and think he could be an every day center fielder. He's also young for a college junior, and he's unlikely to go in the first round but should be drafted shortly afterwards.
7. Jordyn Adams (Green Hope HS, NC)
Adams is a fast rising prospect who could make this ranking look too conservative when it is all said and done. He wasn't well known heading into the season, but a huge performance at the National High School Invitational in March and continued good play afterwards have elevated him to a likely first round prospect. He's a super-athlete who is committed to North Carolina not just for baseball but for football as well, showcasing top of the scale speed that should help him stay in center field no matter how his arm and glove progress. That takes pressure off his bat, which is behind his glove but could generate power and contact when it's all said and done. His swing is long and smooth, and once he gives up football, it should get shorter and more consistent, though he does do a good job of getting the barrel into the zone early. He's ranked here but will go higher than McCarthy, probably higher than Jenista, and possibly in the same range as Scott and Larnach at best, though signability will be an issue no matter where he is drafted.
8. Mike Siani (Penn Charter HS, PA)
The Philadelphia area doesn't have much going on in terms of draft prospects, but Siani is right there in the national conversation. He is fast enough and has enough arm strength to not only stay in center field, but be very good there, taking some pressure off his bat. He'll need that pressure off, because even though he has some loft in his swing and the wheels to turn doubles into triples, he has struggled to find the barrel and will take some time to develop. If it all breaks right, I honestly see some Adam Haseley in him, and he's committed to Virginia like Haseley. He's a little old for a high school senior, turning 19 in July, and is probably a second round pick.
9. Griffin Conine (Duke)
Jeff Conine's son had a huge sophomore season (13 HR, .298/.425/.546) and then hit extremely well in the Cape Cod League (9 HR, .329/.406/.537), leading to projections that he could hit his way into the top ten picks with a good junior season. That didn't happen, as he sold out for power, his swing got long, and he struck out way too much, but he began to right the ship as the season went on and brings 15 home runs and a respectable .265/.390/.559 line into this writing. He strikes out a ton, 27.3% of the time, and that alone could be his downfall in pro ball. However, if he cleans up his approach with pro coaching, he has a good shot at being a power hitting right fielder in the middle of a major league order. He's also young for a college junior, turning 21 in July, and should go somewhere in the second round.
10. Steele Walker (Oklahoma)
Walker is an interesting prospect for more reasons than just his cool name, as he has hit better than ever during his junior year at Oklahoma (13 HR, .352/.441/.606), but hasn't seen his draft stock move up all that much. He plays the game hard and plays it smart, getting the most out of his skill set despite a relative lack of loud tools, which has led to plenty of success for the Sooners, but given that description, I'd like to see a better strikeout to walk ratio than 48/31 if I'm going to take him in the first round, as some teams have shown interest in doing. He strikes me as a bit of a tweener, a player who can't quite field enough to stay in center field but who doesn't quite hit enough for left field, so he could end up a fourth outfielder, but he also plays the game in such a way that he could surprise. He is a little bit old for his class though, turning 22 in July (quite a few July birthdays in this part of the rankings, I know). He could go anywhere from the end of the first round to the back of the second round, and likely ahead of Conine and Siani.
11. Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
While I consider Walker a slightly better prospect, his teammate Kyler Murray is perhaps the most interesting man in the draft. A potential first round pick as a Dallas area high schooler, he was instead busy leading the famous Allen High School football program as one of the top quarterback recruits in the country to Texas A&M. Things didn't work out there and he transferred to Oklahoma, where he backed up first overall pick Baker Mayfield in Norman. Meanwhile, this paragraph is supposed to be about baseball, and I'll get to that. He had to sit out his freshman baseball season at Oklahoma due to transfer rules and slashed a miserable .122/.317/.122 as a sophomore, leading to the baseball world all but forgetting about him, but he's back out of nowhere this year. In 51 games, he has ten home runs and is slashing .296/.398/.556 with a respectable 56/28 strikeout to walk ratio given the circumstances, showing plenty of speed and the athleticism you'd expect from a two sport star. His bat is coming along nicely as well, and once (if ever) he focuses full time on baseball, he should be able to cut down that strikeout rate and bump up the walk rate. There is a lot of potential to unlock here, and to top it off, he is young for a college junior and won't turn 21 until August. He has pushed himself into the first round conversation, but he will be an extremely tough sign given that he has the opportunity to take over for Mayfield as the starting quarterback of the famous University of Oklahoma offense next fall.
12. Nick Schnell (Roncalli HS, IN)
Schnell is a high ceiling outfielder from Indianapolis who does a little bit of everything. He can run and stay in center field, taking pressure of his bat, and he has added power this spring with big bat speed and a whippy bat path. He is fairly raw at the plate, and pro coaching will need to clean up that swing, but as I said, the good defense buys him slack. He looks to go somewhere in the second round and is committed to Louisville, like Kelenic.
13. Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel HS, IL)
Thomas lacks any real standout tool but plays the game well and has a higher floor than most high school hitters. His feel to hit and defensive ability are both advanced, and if he can improve his arm strength, he'll be a good center fielder. That takes some pressure off his bat, which might need it because he lacks power and could end up a fourth outfielder if he doesn't start driving the ball with more authority. He's committed to TCU and could go as early as the end of the first round.
14. Jameson Hannah (Dallas Baptist)
Hannah may only be 5'9", but he has a lot of Denard Span in him and has shown consistent gap power this spring, slashing .363/.449/.556 with six home runs, 24 doubles, three triples, and an even 38/38 strikeout to walk ratio for the Patriots. He's fast, has shown a great feel for the barrel, and should stick in center field. If he can't cut it as a leadoff guy, he'll make a solid fourth outfielder, and should go somewhere in the second or third round.
15. Parker Meadows (Grayson HS, GA)
The younger brother of Pirates rookie star Austin Meadows, Parker isn't quite the same prospect but has high upside. His left handed swing, combined with his lean 6'4" frame, is built for knocking balls out of the park, but his feel for the barrel is subpar and will need to improve if he wants to go anywhere. With his speed and arm strength, he should be able to stick in center field, buying the contact some time to come along. He's committed to Clemson, where he could emerge as a first round pick in three years. If he chooses to sign, he's a second or third round talent.
Others: Kyle Isbel (UNLV), Tristan Pompey (Kentucky), Joe Gray Jr. (Hattiesburg HS, MS), Zach Watson (Louisiana State), Ryder Green (Karns HS, TN), Nick Decker (Seneca HS, NJ)
Friday, January 5, 2018
2018 Draft: An Early Top 10 Prospect List (1/5/2018)
Aside from a few rumors, there isn't much going on in the world of baseball, so I'm taking some time during this slow Hot Stove period to look over what looks like, for now, the top of the draft. Things will undoubtedly change between now and June, but here are my top ten prospects for now:
1. RHP Brady Singer (University of Florida). MLB.com rank: #1
Right now, Gator ace Brady Singer checks all of the boxes of a 1-1 pick, and there aren't many publications out there that don't have him in the top slot. The 6'5", 180 pound right hander had a big sophomore year with Florida last year, going 9-5 with a 3.21 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and a 129/32 strikeout to walk ratio in 126 innings mostly against tough SEC competition. He has an extremely quick arm that produces a hard running, deceptive, low to mid 90's fastball that only figures to get faster as he fills out his lanky frame. His slider is one of the best breaking pitches in the NCAA, as he can manipulate it's shape and speed at will to give hitters a multitude of different looks. On top of it all, he can command everything well and he is said to have great makeup, and looks to have a very good shot at ending up a number two starter if not more. At worst, I think he still cracks the back of a big league rotation. He originally hails from Eustis, Florida, outside of Orlando.
What he can do this spring: Not much. Singer just needs to stay healthy and keep doing what he has been doing, and he'll remain a frontrunner for 1-1.
2. LHP Matthew Liberatore (Mountain Ridge HS, AZ). MLB.com rank: #3
I am a huge fan of Matthew Liberatore, a 6'5" high school left hander out of the Phoenix area. In my four years of following the draft closely, he is the first pitcher to remind me of Clayton Kershaw right off the bat. Liberatore is currently pitchability over stuff, but I can see him having plus stuff when all is said and done, combining the two traits in a similar way to Kershaw. He throws his fastball in the low 90's and has an excellent, diving changeup well advanced beyond most high schoolers. His curveball isn't quite the pitch his fastball and changeup are, but it has good shape and spin rate, and if he adds power, it will be a third plus pitch. Around it all, like Singer, he has great command. His pitching motion could use some work, as he doesn't quite get all of his momentum going towards the plate, but that's fixable. The similarities with Kershaw are there: handedness, build, stuff (Kershaw throws low 90's as well), command, and even drop and drive pitching mechanics. Kershaw's curve has more power and he also throws an excellent slider, but Liberatore is Kershaw lite. He is committed to the University of Arizona.
What he can do this spring: If he takes a step forward with his curveball while maintaining the rest of his skill set, he could challenge Singer for the 1-1 spot.
3. RHP Ethan Hankins (Forsyth Central HS, GA). MLB.com rank: #2
There aren't many publications that list Ethan Hankins as anything but the top high school pitcher in the country, but his ranking behind Liberatore here speaks more to how much I like Liberatore than anything about Hankins. Hankins is a 6'6" right handed pitcher from high school on the outskirts of the Atlanta suburbs, and he has arguably the most electric arm in this draft. He throws a running mid 90's fastball that hits 98 and could top out at 100 by the time he fills out his frame, and unlike most power high school arms, he can actually control it. Like Liberatore, he also has an advanced changeup, though his biggest area for improvement comes with his two breaking pitches. His curveball and slider both look good at times, and his curveball has especially good shape, but they lack power and are average at this point. All of that together helped him dominate the 18 and Under World Cup this past summer more than any other prospect. If he develops one or both breaking pitches, he could be a top of the rotation starter, but he has a bit of a lower floor should his command unravel, with his realistic floor being that of a power reliever. Hankins is committed to Vanderbilt.
What he can do this spring: Without improving one of his breaking pitches, he probably has a better chance to go in the 3-6 range, but improving either his slider or curveball to plus could make him the first high school right hander ever to go first overall.
4. RHP Casey Mize (Auburn University). MLB.com ranking: #8.
I promise some hitters are coming, but the top of this draft is just filled with great pitchers. Auburn ace Casey Mize lacks the ceiling of those above him on this list, but he has dominated college hitters unlike almost anybody else in the league. In 13 games (12 starts) for the Tigers this past spring, Mize went 8-2 with a 2.04 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and a 109/9 strikeout to walk ratio in 83.2 innings, mostly against tough SEC hitters. Aside from Singer, Mize might be the most advanced pitcher in this draft, showing excellent command of a mid 90's fastball, a plus splitter, and a very good slider. The 6'3" right hander is a bulldog on the mound, and though he doesn't figure to gain much velocity, he's excellent where he is now. His whole arsenal, with his command, could play in the major leagues in the very near future, but he has one flaw that causes teams to take a second look; durability. Mize seemed to run out of gas towards the end of the spring collegiate season and was shut down, and when he tried to ramp it back up over the summer, he strained his forearm and had to be shut down again. An optimist could say that professional conditioning regimens could be just what he needs, but the truth is that Mize has not proven that he can handle a 100 inning workload, let alone a 200 inning workload. He has the makings of a mid rotation starter, and if he stays healthy, he is very likely to reach that potential. Mize comes from Springville, Alabama, outside of Birmingham.
What he can do this spring: All Mize needs to to is stay healthy. I have a hard time seeing him go 1-1 no matter what he does due to his lack of a high ceiling, but a healthy Mize who maintains his stuff and velocity all through the spring has a very good chance of going in the top five.
5. 2B/SS Nick Madrigal (Oregon State University). MLB.com ranking: #11
Finally, we have the first hitter on our list. The first thing anybody notices about Madrigal is his size: at 5'7" and 160 pounds, he always one of the smallest guys on the field, but Astros second baseman Jose Altuve might be the best thing that ever happened to him. With Altuve proving that little guys can rake, Madrigal's draft stock is much higher than it might have been had he come around a few years earlier. Oregon State was the best team in the country for most of the season, and Madrigal played a huge part in that by slashing .380/.449/.532 with 20 doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 16 stolen bases in 60 games. He also proved to have an excellent approach at the plate, walking 27 times while striking out just 16 times, good for 9.6% and 5.7% of his plate appearances, respectively. Despite his small size, he does have nearly average power, coming from a quick bat that he deploys against a stiff front leg. If he wants to improve that power, he could benefit from gaining more ground with his stride, but a guy his size should maximize his ability to spray line drives around the field, something he does very well. In the field, he's a second baseman right now, though his arm may just be strong enough for shortstop. Either way, he's a very valuable asset, one who should at least hit for average in the major leagues due to his excellent approach. He originally comes from Elk Grove, California, just south of Sacramento.
What he can do this spring: Madrigal likely isn't going to grow any more, so aside from a surprise outburst of power, the best thing Madrigal can do for his draft stock is to keep spraying line drives all over the field and maybe add a few more walks, as 9.6% is good but not amazing.
6. 3B Nolan Gorman (O'Connor HS, AZ). MLB.com ranking: #4
The players who in my opinion are the best high school hitter and best high school pitcher, respectively, in the class, go to school just ten minutes apart in the northern Phoenix suburbs. While Matthew Liberatore will draw scouts by the dozens to Mountain Ridge High School, neighboring Sandra Day O'Connor High School will have it's own share of scouts to see power hitting third baseman Nolan Gorman. At 6'1", Gorman is a bit undersized for a pure power hitter, but the MLB All Star Game High School Home Run Derby champion can blast home runs with the best of them. He has extremely quick hands that help him maximize the power coming from his thick build, though he does sometimes appear uncomfortable at the plate. This has led to worries from scouts as to how his power will translate up, and I myself have noticed that he gets his hands back fairly late, something he'll have to fix against advanced pitching. When your bat is as quick as Gorman's it's often easier to make these adjustments, but it is something to watch. If all goes right, he could hit 30-40 home runs annually in the majors. Like Liberatore, Gorman is committed to the University of Arizona.
What he can do this spring: Gorman needs to show a better approach at the plate, so keeping his strikeouts down and drawing lots of walks would be good for him. A home run off rival Matthew Liberatore would be a nice bonus.
7. OF Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West HS, WI). MLB.com ranking: #12
Wisconsin isn't typically a hotbed for talent, but they've had a nice run with first rounder Gavin Lux and second rounder Ben Rortvedt in 2016, followed by first rounder Jeren Kendall (Wisconsin native playing at Vanderbilt) in 2017, and finally Jarred Kelenic this year. Kelenic may be a bit old for his class with a July birthday, but he's a five tool player who could contribute in multiple categories at the big league level. He's an excellent pure hitter, using a clean swing to spray line drives and extra base hits all over the field while knocking his share of home runs. He doesn't get fooled at the plate, and he won't need as much time adjusting to the low minors as, for example, a Nolan Gorman-type. He's also a very good defensive outfielder, and while he may not stick in center, he could provide plenty of value in right. If it all breaks right, Kelenic could be an annual 20-20 threat while posting on-base percentages approaching .400. He is committed to the University of Louisville.
What he can do this spring: Kelenic is a great all-around player who doesn't shine in any particular place, so I think the best tool for him to improve this spring would be power. Listed at 6'1" and 195 pounds, he has a wiry, athletic frame that could produce more than the average power he has now. Some big moonshots in front of scouts could push him towards the top five.
8. SS Brice Turang (Santiago HS, CA). MLB.com ranking: #7
Southern California native Brice Turang has been a top prospect for years, and he could find himself drafted in the top ten picks in 2018. Like Kelenic, Turang is more of an all-around player than one with standout tools, though he's not exactly the same. First off, he's a shortstop (and a good one at that), and he is faster than Kelenic. On the flip side, his bat isn't quite as developed, as he shows a whippy swing from a lean frame but was up and down over the summer. I like that swing, and I think he could hit for power and average in the majors, but it'll take some work to get there. Turang is committed to Louisiana State.
What he can do this spring: Of primary focus for Turang should be to show more consistency at the plate than he did over the summer. That would solidify his ranking in the top ten. If he does that while adding the power I believe he is capable of adding, he'll jump back into the top five where he was ranked before the summer.
9. SS/3B Nander De Sedas (Montverde Academy, FL). MLB.com ranking: #6
Nander De Sedas is a high school switch hitter with a good balance of above average power and above average contact, and while it's not as certain as with Turang, he could stick at shortstop. De Sedas has a clean swing that enables him to reach that balance, though his mechanics can get a bit inconsistent due to his switch hitting, which is normal for high schoolers. He gets dinged a little bit due to his early birthday, like Kelenic's a July one, but his combination of approach, power, and defensive value isn't easy to come by. If he has to move off shortstop, he does have the arm to stick at third base. De Sedas is committed to Florida State.
What he can do this spring: Two areas where De Sedas could conceivably improve are on defense and with power. If he emerges from the winter having worked hard on improving his range at shortstop, teams can safely draft him as a shortstop and see him as a future Francisco Lindor (who also attended the Montverde Academy), albeit with less speed. Adding power could also help his bat profile better at third base should shortstop not work out, and his plate discipline would make him an attractive alternative to Nolan Gorman.
10. RF Griffin Conine (Duke University). MLB.com ranking: #19
Former Marlins and Orioles star Jeff Conine's son Griffin is looking like one of the top bats in this year's college class. After a forgettable freshman season (0 HR, .205/.306/.247), Conine broke out in a big way by socking 13 home runs and slashing .298/.425/.546 as a sophomore, striking out 45 times while walking 41 times in 58 games. He continued that production over into the prestigious Cape Cod League, where he slashed .329/.406/.537 with nine home runs and a 43/20 strikeout to walk ratio in 42 games, and scouts named him the league's top prospect. I'm personally a huge fan of Conine, as he generates his plus power from a strong 6'1" frame while keeping his bat in the zone for a long time. He could use to add some more loft, but I like the way his swing has come along so far, and doing so could turn him into a legitimate 30+ home run threat. He's a patient hitter, which enabled him to post on-base percentages above .400 in both his predominantly-ACC collegiate season and his Cape Cod season, but he does also swing and miss quite a bit. That's his only flaw on offense. Defensively, he should be a very good right fielder, showcasing more speed than typical for a power hitter as well as a very good arm. To top it off, he's a little younger than the typical college junior, not turning 21 until July. He's originally from the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area.
What he can do this spring: Conine has the power and he's trending in the right direction, so aside from continuing this trend, I think the best thing he can do is to cut down his strikeouts. 16.8% in his collegiate season and 23% in the Cape Cod League aren't astronomically high as they are, but cutting that regular season rate down to 10-15% could do wonders for his draft stock, as teams will be much more confident that he can tap into his raw power.
Just missed: LHP Shane McClanahan (South Florida), LHP Ryan Rolison (Mississippi), RHP Logan Gilbert (Stetson), OF Greyson Jenista (Wichita State), OF Travis Swaggerty (South Alabama)
1. RHP Brady Singer (University of Florida). MLB.com rank: #1
Right now, Gator ace Brady Singer checks all of the boxes of a 1-1 pick, and there aren't many publications out there that don't have him in the top slot. The 6'5", 180 pound right hander had a big sophomore year with Florida last year, going 9-5 with a 3.21 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and a 129/32 strikeout to walk ratio in 126 innings mostly against tough SEC competition. He has an extremely quick arm that produces a hard running, deceptive, low to mid 90's fastball that only figures to get faster as he fills out his lanky frame. His slider is one of the best breaking pitches in the NCAA, as he can manipulate it's shape and speed at will to give hitters a multitude of different looks. On top of it all, he can command everything well and he is said to have great makeup, and looks to have a very good shot at ending up a number two starter if not more. At worst, I think he still cracks the back of a big league rotation. He originally hails from Eustis, Florida, outside of Orlando.
What he can do this spring: Not much. Singer just needs to stay healthy and keep doing what he has been doing, and he'll remain a frontrunner for 1-1.
2. LHP Matthew Liberatore (Mountain Ridge HS, AZ). MLB.com rank: #3
I am a huge fan of Matthew Liberatore, a 6'5" high school left hander out of the Phoenix area. In my four years of following the draft closely, he is the first pitcher to remind me of Clayton Kershaw right off the bat. Liberatore is currently pitchability over stuff, but I can see him having plus stuff when all is said and done, combining the two traits in a similar way to Kershaw. He throws his fastball in the low 90's and has an excellent, diving changeup well advanced beyond most high schoolers. His curveball isn't quite the pitch his fastball and changeup are, but it has good shape and spin rate, and if he adds power, it will be a third plus pitch. Around it all, like Singer, he has great command. His pitching motion could use some work, as he doesn't quite get all of his momentum going towards the plate, but that's fixable. The similarities with Kershaw are there: handedness, build, stuff (Kershaw throws low 90's as well), command, and even drop and drive pitching mechanics. Kershaw's curve has more power and he also throws an excellent slider, but Liberatore is Kershaw lite. He is committed to the University of Arizona.
What he can do this spring: If he takes a step forward with his curveball while maintaining the rest of his skill set, he could challenge Singer for the 1-1 spot.
3. RHP Ethan Hankins (Forsyth Central HS, GA). MLB.com rank: #2
There aren't many publications that list Ethan Hankins as anything but the top high school pitcher in the country, but his ranking behind Liberatore here speaks more to how much I like Liberatore than anything about Hankins. Hankins is a 6'6" right handed pitcher from high school on the outskirts of the Atlanta suburbs, and he has arguably the most electric arm in this draft. He throws a running mid 90's fastball that hits 98 and could top out at 100 by the time he fills out his frame, and unlike most power high school arms, he can actually control it. Like Liberatore, he also has an advanced changeup, though his biggest area for improvement comes with his two breaking pitches. His curveball and slider both look good at times, and his curveball has especially good shape, but they lack power and are average at this point. All of that together helped him dominate the 18 and Under World Cup this past summer more than any other prospect. If he develops one or both breaking pitches, he could be a top of the rotation starter, but he has a bit of a lower floor should his command unravel, with his realistic floor being that of a power reliever. Hankins is committed to Vanderbilt.
What he can do this spring: Without improving one of his breaking pitches, he probably has a better chance to go in the 3-6 range, but improving either his slider or curveball to plus could make him the first high school right hander ever to go first overall.
4. RHP Casey Mize (Auburn University). MLB.com ranking: #8.
I promise some hitters are coming, but the top of this draft is just filled with great pitchers. Auburn ace Casey Mize lacks the ceiling of those above him on this list, but he has dominated college hitters unlike almost anybody else in the league. In 13 games (12 starts) for the Tigers this past spring, Mize went 8-2 with a 2.04 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, and a 109/9 strikeout to walk ratio in 83.2 innings, mostly against tough SEC hitters. Aside from Singer, Mize might be the most advanced pitcher in this draft, showing excellent command of a mid 90's fastball, a plus splitter, and a very good slider. The 6'3" right hander is a bulldog on the mound, and though he doesn't figure to gain much velocity, he's excellent where he is now. His whole arsenal, with his command, could play in the major leagues in the very near future, but he has one flaw that causes teams to take a second look; durability. Mize seemed to run out of gas towards the end of the spring collegiate season and was shut down, and when he tried to ramp it back up over the summer, he strained his forearm and had to be shut down again. An optimist could say that professional conditioning regimens could be just what he needs, but the truth is that Mize has not proven that he can handle a 100 inning workload, let alone a 200 inning workload. He has the makings of a mid rotation starter, and if he stays healthy, he is very likely to reach that potential. Mize comes from Springville, Alabama, outside of Birmingham.
What he can do this spring: All Mize needs to to is stay healthy. I have a hard time seeing him go 1-1 no matter what he does due to his lack of a high ceiling, but a healthy Mize who maintains his stuff and velocity all through the spring has a very good chance of going in the top five.
5. 2B/SS Nick Madrigal (Oregon State University). MLB.com ranking: #11
Finally, we have the first hitter on our list. The first thing anybody notices about Madrigal is his size: at 5'7" and 160 pounds, he always one of the smallest guys on the field, but Astros second baseman Jose Altuve might be the best thing that ever happened to him. With Altuve proving that little guys can rake, Madrigal's draft stock is much higher than it might have been had he come around a few years earlier. Oregon State was the best team in the country for most of the season, and Madrigal played a huge part in that by slashing .380/.449/.532 with 20 doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 16 stolen bases in 60 games. He also proved to have an excellent approach at the plate, walking 27 times while striking out just 16 times, good for 9.6% and 5.7% of his plate appearances, respectively. Despite his small size, he does have nearly average power, coming from a quick bat that he deploys against a stiff front leg. If he wants to improve that power, he could benefit from gaining more ground with his stride, but a guy his size should maximize his ability to spray line drives around the field, something he does very well. In the field, he's a second baseman right now, though his arm may just be strong enough for shortstop. Either way, he's a very valuable asset, one who should at least hit for average in the major leagues due to his excellent approach. He originally comes from Elk Grove, California, just south of Sacramento.
What he can do this spring: Madrigal likely isn't going to grow any more, so aside from a surprise outburst of power, the best thing Madrigal can do for his draft stock is to keep spraying line drives all over the field and maybe add a few more walks, as 9.6% is good but not amazing.
6. 3B Nolan Gorman (O'Connor HS, AZ). MLB.com ranking: #4
The players who in my opinion are the best high school hitter and best high school pitcher, respectively, in the class, go to school just ten minutes apart in the northern Phoenix suburbs. While Matthew Liberatore will draw scouts by the dozens to Mountain Ridge High School, neighboring Sandra Day O'Connor High School will have it's own share of scouts to see power hitting third baseman Nolan Gorman. At 6'1", Gorman is a bit undersized for a pure power hitter, but the MLB All Star Game High School Home Run Derby champion can blast home runs with the best of them. He has extremely quick hands that help him maximize the power coming from his thick build, though he does sometimes appear uncomfortable at the plate. This has led to worries from scouts as to how his power will translate up, and I myself have noticed that he gets his hands back fairly late, something he'll have to fix against advanced pitching. When your bat is as quick as Gorman's it's often easier to make these adjustments, but it is something to watch. If all goes right, he could hit 30-40 home runs annually in the majors. Like Liberatore, Gorman is committed to the University of Arizona.
What he can do this spring: Gorman needs to show a better approach at the plate, so keeping his strikeouts down and drawing lots of walks would be good for him. A home run off rival Matthew Liberatore would be a nice bonus.
7. OF Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West HS, WI). MLB.com ranking: #12
Wisconsin isn't typically a hotbed for talent, but they've had a nice run with first rounder Gavin Lux and second rounder Ben Rortvedt in 2016, followed by first rounder Jeren Kendall (Wisconsin native playing at Vanderbilt) in 2017, and finally Jarred Kelenic this year. Kelenic may be a bit old for his class with a July birthday, but he's a five tool player who could contribute in multiple categories at the big league level. He's an excellent pure hitter, using a clean swing to spray line drives and extra base hits all over the field while knocking his share of home runs. He doesn't get fooled at the plate, and he won't need as much time adjusting to the low minors as, for example, a Nolan Gorman-type. He's also a very good defensive outfielder, and while he may not stick in center, he could provide plenty of value in right. If it all breaks right, Kelenic could be an annual 20-20 threat while posting on-base percentages approaching .400. He is committed to the University of Louisville.
What he can do this spring: Kelenic is a great all-around player who doesn't shine in any particular place, so I think the best tool for him to improve this spring would be power. Listed at 6'1" and 195 pounds, he has a wiry, athletic frame that could produce more than the average power he has now. Some big moonshots in front of scouts could push him towards the top five.
8. SS Brice Turang (Santiago HS, CA). MLB.com ranking: #7
Southern California native Brice Turang has been a top prospect for years, and he could find himself drafted in the top ten picks in 2018. Like Kelenic, Turang is more of an all-around player than one with standout tools, though he's not exactly the same. First off, he's a shortstop (and a good one at that), and he is faster than Kelenic. On the flip side, his bat isn't quite as developed, as he shows a whippy swing from a lean frame but was up and down over the summer. I like that swing, and I think he could hit for power and average in the majors, but it'll take some work to get there. Turang is committed to Louisiana State.
What he can do this spring: Of primary focus for Turang should be to show more consistency at the plate than he did over the summer. That would solidify his ranking in the top ten. If he does that while adding the power I believe he is capable of adding, he'll jump back into the top five where he was ranked before the summer.
9. SS/3B Nander De Sedas (Montverde Academy, FL). MLB.com ranking: #6
Nander De Sedas is a high school switch hitter with a good balance of above average power and above average contact, and while it's not as certain as with Turang, he could stick at shortstop. De Sedas has a clean swing that enables him to reach that balance, though his mechanics can get a bit inconsistent due to his switch hitting, which is normal for high schoolers. He gets dinged a little bit due to his early birthday, like Kelenic's a July one, but his combination of approach, power, and defensive value isn't easy to come by. If he has to move off shortstop, he does have the arm to stick at third base. De Sedas is committed to Florida State.
What he can do this spring: Two areas where De Sedas could conceivably improve are on defense and with power. If he emerges from the winter having worked hard on improving his range at shortstop, teams can safely draft him as a shortstop and see him as a future Francisco Lindor (who also attended the Montverde Academy), albeit with less speed. Adding power could also help his bat profile better at third base should shortstop not work out, and his plate discipline would make him an attractive alternative to Nolan Gorman.
10. RF Griffin Conine (Duke University). MLB.com ranking: #19
Former Marlins and Orioles star Jeff Conine's son Griffin is looking like one of the top bats in this year's college class. After a forgettable freshman season (0 HR, .205/.306/.247), Conine broke out in a big way by socking 13 home runs and slashing .298/.425/.546 as a sophomore, striking out 45 times while walking 41 times in 58 games. He continued that production over into the prestigious Cape Cod League, where he slashed .329/.406/.537 with nine home runs and a 43/20 strikeout to walk ratio in 42 games, and scouts named him the league's top prospect. I'm personally a huge fan of Conine, as he generates his plus power from a strong 6'1" frame while keeping his bat in the zone for a long time. He could use to add some more loft, but I like the way his swing has come along so far, and doing so could turn him into a legitimate 30+ home run threat. He's a patient hitter, which enabled him to post on-base percentages above .400 in both his predominantly-ACC collegiate season and his Cape Cod season, but he does also swing and miss quite a bit. That's his only flaw on offense. Defensively, he should be a very good right fielder, showcasing more speed than typical for a power hitter as well as a very good arm. To top it off, he's a little younger than the typical college junior, not turning 21 until July. He's originally from the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area.
What he can do this spring: Conine has the power and he's trending in the right direction, so aside from continuing this trend, I think the best thing he can do is to cut down his strikeouts. 16.8% in his collegiate season and 23% in the Cape Cod League aren't astronomically high as they are, but cutting that regular season rate down to 10-15% could do wonders for his draft stock, as teams will be much more confident that he can tap into his raw power.
Just missed: LHP Shane McClanahan (South Florida), LHP Ryan Rolison (Mississippi), RHP Logan Gilbert (Stetson), OF Greyson Jenista (Wichita State), OF Travis Swaggerty (South Alabama)
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