Archive for Prospects

Welcome to the annual series that provides both a review of your favorite teams’ 2016 season, as well as a early look toward 2017. It also serves as a helpful guide for keeper and dynasty leagues.

The Graduate: Derek Law (RHP): Law, 25, should have been in the Majors in 2014 or ’15 but Tommy John surgery threw a wrench into those plans. Healthy in 2016, the Giants eagerly threw him into a very uncertain bullpen scenario and he thrived. No pitcher on the club (minimum 30 innings) has walked fewer batters per nine innings (1.59 BB/9) and he’s fourth on the team in strikeouts per nine (8.29 K/9). Toss in the third best ground-ball rate (50%) and the best homer per fly ball (5.3%) and you have yourself a potential high-leverage reliever for 2017 and quite possibly Santiago Casilla’s eventually replacement in the ninth inning thanks to his nifty fastball/slider combination.

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Joey Wendle and JaCoby Jones: The other callups

Most of the current prospect buzz is on Yoan Moncada with our own Eric Longenhagan covering him in detail. Besides Moncada, a couple light hitting shortstops have gotten the call, the Athletics’ Joey Wendle and the Tigers’ JaCoby Jones. Let me start my examination with Wendle.

Wendle’s call to fame is that he was the main piece the A’s got for trading away Brandon Moss. Let me start with some comps to his 2016 prospect grades given by MLB.com.

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Today represents the final Prospect Stock Watch of the year… Soon, we’ll be transitioning to the annual series called ‘A Minor Review of 2016: ’ so keep your eye out for that feature. Today’s final stock watch looks at an infielder with crazy-good contact skills, a ready-for-The-Show slugger, and sleeper outfield prospect.

Max Schrock | 2B | Athletics
ETA: 2017
Value: Rising

There aren’t many big leaguers like Schrock — who was recently traded from Washington to Oakland. He makes a crazy amount of contact and his strikeout rate actually sits below 10% in his two-year pro career. That’s allowed him to produce a .325 batting average. The downside to his game, though, is that he’s almost 100% reliant on his ability to hit for average as he doesn’t walk much and has almost zero power. At 5-8, 180 pounds — and with a line-drive approach — he doesn’t project to add much pop. As a result, while the contact is impressive, he probably doesn’t project as anything more than a big league utility player or second-division starter at second base. Schrock, 21, has played all but 12 games in his career at second base so it’s probably about time that Oakland begins to expand his defensive repertoire. With that said, second base has been a blackhole for the A’s so the young infielder is likely earmarked for a shot at the position in mid-to-late 2017 unless the club looks at other internal and external options.

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First, I would like to apologize for recently covering quite a few players at or below the fringes for most leagues. After moving over from tracking injuries, it seems like a ton of new players have entered the league I know little about. I will probably keep up looking at fringe guys until the season’s end, especially with roster’s expanding. Once the season ends, I will mainly stop with the fringy guys and will go to the top and start making a 2017 draft list.

The Newest Mets’ Starters: Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman

All the Mets’ rotation, with the exception of Noah Syndergaard, has gone on the DL this season. Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman are two of the pitchers called up to be replacement starters and here is my stat only based look at each one.

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Chad Kuhl: Quick Look

The 23-year-old righty has been getting some love because of his improved second half when he has posted a 2.37 ERA with 11.3% K%-BB% and a 50% GB%.

I will start with his 2016 MLB.com grades of:

• Fastball: 60
• Slider: 50
• Changeup: 45
• Control: 50
• Overall: 50

His grades weren’t this high until this year. Most places saw him as a low-level bullpen arm.

Year(publication): Overall grade
2016 (BA): 40
2015 (BA): 45
2015 (MLB): 45

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Today’s Prospect Stock Watch looks at an underrated Yankees prospect, a top draft pick from 2015 and a hard-throwing, triple-A reliever.

Miguel Andujar | 3B | Yankees
ETA: 2018
Value: Rising (Underrated)

The Yankees system is loaded with talent thanks to some recent trades, as well as heavy investments in the international market. Andujar — a 2011 signee for $750,000 — gets kind of overlooked but he has the makings of a solid big leaguer. His best tool is a rocket arm that should allow him to stick at third base even if his range is just average. The 21-year-old also has above-average raw power even though he has yet to tap into it consistently in game situations (11 homers, 22 doubles in 119 games in ’16). Andujar doesn’t walk a ton but he’ll take some pitches and he strikes out less than the typical slugging prospect (just 62 Ks in 459 at-bats). He also a decent hitter and could produce a .250-.270 average in his prime.

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Today at the Prospect Stock Watch we take a look a collection of prospects from AAA, AA and single-A, including a flame throwing pitcher that has yet to make things click, a young third baseman oozing with potential, and a shortstop getting ready to break out — perhaps in the mold of Jose Altuve.

Austin Riley | 3B | Braves
ETA: 2019
Value: Rising

Selected 41st overall in 2015, I immediately became a fan of Riley and he’s continued to get better in 2016. The 19-year-old infielder should have power to spare as he fully matures into a big league hitter. He’s already shown good in-game pop in low-A ball in a league that doesn’t tend to give up many home runs. Riley has 16 homers, good for third place in the league and his 34 doubles also rank third. The biggest question around the young hitter’s offence is his discipline. He’s struck out 135 times in 116 games — with just 36 walks. In only his first full season, though, the developing power-hitter will need some time to better recognize spin and understand how pitchers work to him. In the field, he has a good chance to remain at third base thanks to his strong arm. The Braves have some depth at third base ahead of Riley but no one that should be considered a roadblock.

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Today at the Prospect Stock Watch we take a look at two young lower-level arms that could develop into impact arms for their respective clubs… and a little-known slugging first base prospect on a collision course with Colorado.

Thomas Szapucki | LHP | Mets
ETA: 2019
Value: Rising

The Mets have developed some impressive young arms in recent years and Szapucki is another interesting pitching prospect on the way. But Mets fans will have to be patient. The 20-year-old lefty has spent the entire year in short-season ball and likely won’t enter full-season ball until 2017. There are some red flags with his delivery, which leads to inconsistent control and command, but Szapucki can hit the mid-90s with his heater and shows a curveball with plus potential. He’s struck out 86 batters in 52 innings and has held hitters to a .145 batting average. Personally, I see the young lefty developing into a dominating reliever like Andrew Miller but the Mets will no doubt keep him in the starting rotation for the foreseeable future and hope his change-up comes along and that he can smooth out the delivery.

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Quick Looks: Julio Urias

Last Saturday, I was watching the Cards-Cubs game until Alex Reyes was done pitching. I moved over to the Dodgers hoping to see what Brett Anderson looked like. I missed his one inning start. After a brief appearance of Josh Fields, the Dodgers brought in Julio Urias and I got some bonus prospect coverage.

I was not impressed at all with his current production level. He seems to be a thrower in the Tim Lincecum mold and doesn’t really know where the ball is going at times. This wildness can be seen in his 4.1 BB/9.

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Today at the Prospect Stock Watch we review two underrated prospects and an outfielder that has all but sewn up a starting gig for 2017 (which might begin as soon as this September).

Manny Margot | OF | Padres
ETA: mid-2017
Value: Rising

One of the top prospect targets during the Padres’ great dismantling in the winter of 2015-16, Margot has had a consistent first year with his new organization. The former Red Sox outfield prospect received an aggressive assignment to triple-A in 2016 despite having played just 64 games at double-A in ’15 (with a modest .745 OPS). He’s struck out just 44 times in 104 games this season and has shown his good speed by swiping 25 bases (in 36 tries). He has yet to tap into his raw power on a consistent basis but he’s flashed solid gap pop. The Padres’ outfield is a wasteland of no-name outfielders but look for that to change with the promotion of this 21 year old (and eventually Hunter Renfroe). Look for Margot to earn a September call-up and assume a starting position at the beginning of 2017.

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