A place to follow the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Midwest League, Minor League baseball, Major League Baseball, and everything in between in that order.
And that's it for the Rattlers on the list.Best Changeup: Kyle Heckathorn
In 2003, we began a tradition of compiling all of the extra scouting reports that were written for the Prospect Handbook but didn't quite make it into the book. Sometimes trade acquisitions squeeze other prospects out of a Top 30, and sometimes we just change our minds. We called the group of extra players The 31st Team. Last year, as a premium for people who buy the Handbook directly from us, we included a supplement with a bonus prospect for each team. So that now functions as The 31st Team. But we still have leftover scouting reports, hence the creation of . . . The 32nd Team.Now, for the ex-Rattlers on their list:
The inaugural edition of The 32nd team featured 17 players, several of whom graduated to the 2010 Prospect Handbook. The most notable was Mariners third baseman Alex Liddi, who led the minor leagues with a .345 batting average last season. This year's 32nd Team consists of 25 players. That brings the final count of Handbook-related scouting reports to 958: 30 for each team, 30 more in the bonus supplement, two Cuban defectors in the Appendix and this, The 32nd Team.
Nathan Adcock, rhp, Pirates
Born: Feb. 25, 1988. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 190. Drafted: HS—Radcliff, Ky., 2006 (5th round). Signed by: Brian Williams (Mariners).
Adcock joined the Pirates in a seven-player deal last July, as Pittsburgh sent Jack Wilson and Ian Snell to the Mariners and received Adcock, Jeff Clement, Ronny Cedeno and minor league righthanders Brett Lorin and Aaron Pribanic. The trade liberated Adcock from the hitter-friendly high Class A California League, but he didn't pitch any better after making a move to the Carolina League. The Pirates put Adcock on a strict pitch count after the trade because he occasionally had been bothered by elbow tenderness in 2008 and 2009. He can dial his fastball up to 94 mph, though it normally sits at 88-92. He has smooth mechanics and could throw harder if he adds strength. He also has a hard curveball and changeup that both need refinement. To find success against more advanced hitters, he'll have to throw more strikes and locate his pitches better in the zone. Adcock needs to make a lot of strides if he's going to cut it as a starter, and he may project better as a reliever. He likely will begin 2010 in Double-A.
Efrain Nieves, lhp, Brewers
Born: Nov. 15, 1989. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 175. Drafted: HS—Gurabo, P.R., 2007 (7th round). Signed by: Manolo Hernandez/Charlie Sullivan.
Nieves had his ups and downs when he got his first taste of full-season ball in 2009. He appeared a bit fatigued early in the season, perhaps from pitching in winter ball. He lost the feel for his curveball and changeup, making him a one-pitch pitcher in many outings. That proved to be a problem because he can't overpower hitters with a fastball that sits at 88-91 mph. Nieves must rely on command and mixing his pitches. His changeup may be his most reliable pitch, and he also throws a curveball and a slider. He pitched well for Puerto Rico at the World Cup in September, showing good poise for a teenager. Nieves must continue to work on hitting his spots to prove he can be a starter at the top level. Otherwise, he might have to settle for being a lefthanded specialist out of the bullpen. He'll spend 2010 at high Class A Brevard County.
3) Eric Arnett, RHP, Grade B: Needs to sharpen his control, but power sinker is impressive, combines grounders and strikeouts, which I like. I think he'll take a big step forward in 2010.6) Kentrail Davis, OF, Grade B-. Need to see some pro numbers before ranking higher, but upside is very high. I hope they send him to the Midwest League; I'd like to take an early look in April.
7) Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Grade B-: Personal favorite from the '08 draft, I hope he goes to Wisconsin to start the year for the same reason as with Davis. Upside is very high and they've handled him cautiously thus far.
10) Kyle Heckathorn, RHP, Grade B-: Excellent fastball/slider combination, throws strikes but they aren't always quality strikes, needs to improve changeup if he remains a starter.
21) Scooter Gennett, SS, Grade C+: Speculative grade based on impressive scouting reports and video on a high school bat. Might drop to C.
A tip o' the cap to Jim over at Bernie's Crew for posting this first. A few of Jim's thoughts:
Sickels' rankings are always interesting to compare with those of Baseball America. He is a tough grader, so do not fret that no Brewers prospect received an 'A' or 'A-' from Sickels. Less than 20-25 prospects in all of Minor League Baseball garner a top grade.
I am shocked to see Sickels say that Kentrail Davis could challenge Brett Lawrie for the best bat in the system by the end of the year. That is extremely high praise for a young man that has yet to see the playing field professionally, but it seems that every minor league expert has fallen in love with Kentrail as a sleeper for the 2010 season. His Instructional League performance must have been utterly amazing.
Right-handed starter Blake Billings joined Right Field Bleachers for a phone interview this evening. The 19-year-old prospect from Tuscaloosa, Ala. was drafted by the Brewers in the 19th round of the 2008 draft. The 6′5” pitcher went 10-3 with a 1.52 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 92 1/3 innings in his senior year of high school in 2008. He threw three shutouts and one no-hitter on the way to Hillcrest High School’s Class 6A baseball championship. And he didn’t slow down after joining the Rookie League Arizona Brewers in July, posting a 2.25 ERA and 15 strikeouts in just 12 innings. Currently working out in Arizona before minor-league Spring Training begins, Billings hopes to start the 2009 season in Appleton with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.Then, there's this:
Have the Brewers given you any indication where you’ll start out playing this year?'the Timber Rattlers or whatever'?....
No, they will let me know after Spring Training in April so I’ll know then.
Do you have any hopes for where you’ll end up?
Well, I would love to be on a full-season team such as Wisconsin, the Timber Rattlers or whatever, the Low-A club. But, you know, my goal is just to make it to the big leagues and however long it takes is however long it takes. I just want to keep playing ball for as long as I can. As long as God let’s me play, I want to keep playing.
Just out of curiosity....Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers)
Prospect to watch for in 2009
Brett Lawrie has a ton of power in his swing and that was something he showed off with a wooden bat last spring on a trip to the Dominican Republic where he had 114 extra base hits in 30 at bats against DSL teams. He is raw defensively at catcher, but has the tools to stick behind the plate with some work.Other prospects to watch for in 2009
Jake Odorizzi (RHP) and Cutter Dykstra (OF).
Keep in mind all rosters are not final for Low-A ball until the teams leave their Spring Training sites. And even then it may have some changes before Opening Day.Clinton Lumberkings (Seattle Mariners)
Prospect to watch for in 2009
Jharmidy DeJesus split time between the Arizona League Mariners and Everett where he hit .309/.376/.530. DeJesus signed a $1,000,000 out of the Dominican Republic and hasn’t looked back yet. Expect him to be an offensive force in the Clinton line up.
Other prospects to watch for in 2009
Mario Martinez (3B), Tyson Gillies (OF) and Brandon Maurer (RHP).
I'm honestly quite surprised to see Halman up there as high as he is, because for all his physical tools, he has awful plate discipline that hasn't really shown any clear signs of improving. I really thought Triunfel would head it, with a chance of Aumont or Saunders, but we do have Matt Eddy making the list instead of Jim Callis, who usually does it.Dave. You're up next: Baseball America On The M’s
They have Halman #1. This is just really hard to justify, honestly, and I say this as a guy who has consistently been one of Halman’s biggest boosters. There’s no doubt that he’s got some serious power, and his raw physical skills are terrific. He’s also improved by leaps and bounds in the past year, and holding his own in Double-A at age 20 is impressive.
But the characterization of his pitch recognition as “below average” is in the running for the greatest understatement of all time. The list of good major league hitters who have succeeded with the approach Halman employs at the plate is Alfonso Soriano. There’s no doubt the two have similarities, but Soriano is the success story out of guys with this skillset. Without a pretty significant step forward in his approach at the plate, Juan Encarnacion is a much more likely development path, and it’s not like we can ignore the Reggie Abercrombie-type busts either.
Halman has star potential, but the risk is enormous, and the odds he fulfills it are very long. Making Halman the #1 prospect seems to be focusing too much on upside.
Here is a bit on #6 and #7 on the list. These players may be heading to Clinton for 2009.
At #6 and #7, they go young with Mario Martinez and Jhardmidy DeJesus. Both good talents, both a very long way from the majors. I don’t see a scenario where you can justify putting either ahead of Tui right now, and I’ve never been a big Tui fan. But he’s 90% of the upside and a step away from the majors. There’s a lot less projection to do with Tui, and the difference in potential isn’t big enough to put the two kids ahead of him, I don’t think.
Jason? What have you?
It's prospect season, and as I continue finishing up my own top 50 for the M's, two outlets already have their rankings published.
Baseball America has their Seattle Mariners Top 10 out now, and MILB.com has finished their Top 50.
And of course, I take issue with both lists.
First, the M's Top 10, where BA has Greg Halman No. 1. There's really only one legit star talent in the system that doesn't come with red-flag risks, and it's not Halman. That player is Carlos Triunfel.
They also rank Michael Saunders No. 2, which is a few spots too high for me. Saunders is a high-probability prospect, but he's a medium reward, too.
I'm not quite as high on Mario Martinez as Baseball America is, as they have him at No. 7, ahead of Jharmidy De Jesus....
Minor League Baseball dot com's list is a total joke, and I don't mean to bash Jonathan Mayo and Lisa Winston, whom I understand are the authors of the list, but Cameron Maybin No. 5, Rick Porcello No. 4 and Madison Bumgarner ranked ahead of both Neftali Perez and Chris Tillman, who are much closer to the big leagues with similar or better pure stuff?
Whatever.
Click that link to Prospect Insider to find out what Jason thinks about that MiLB.com list.
1. Greg Halman, ofIf you are a subscriber you can get the to the scouting reports on the Top 10. I'll just give you a taste of #1:
2. Michael Saunders, of
3. Phillipe Aumont, rhp
4. Carlos Triunfel, ss/2b
5. Juan Ramirez, rhp
6. Adam Moore, c
7. Mario Martinez, 3b
8. Jharmidy DeJesus, 3b
9. Dennis Raben, of
10. Michael Pineda, rhp
After an encouraging U.S. debut in 2005, he played just 28 games in 2006 because he broke his right hand in an on-field brawl. He voiced his displeasure with a 2007 Opening Day assignment to low Class A Wisconsin, thinking he had played well enough in a few big league spring-training games to move further up the system. Instead of making a case for promotion, he sulked and hit just .182 before earning a demotion to short-season Everett in June. Humbled by experiencing failure for the first time, he led the short-season Northwest League in slugging (.597) while finishing second in homers (16)—and strikeouts (85). Halman started putting it all together in 2008, hitting .272/.326/.528 and advancing to Double-A West Tenn, where at age 20 he was the Southern League's youngest regular position player. Halman hit 29 home runs and stole 31 bases, narrowly missing becoming the minors' only 30-30 player since Terry Evans in 2006.A few pulls from the Q & A Chat with Matt Eddy:
Q: Jon from Peoria asks:That's enough.
Hi Matt: Did Danny Carroll come close to being on this list? Also, has Alex Liddi made much progress where he can be projected as a future big leaguer?
A:
Matt Eddy: Carroll, the club's third-rounder in '07, finished outside the top 20, but the organization remains high on him. He showed grittiness in playing through two broken bones in his hand (the result of an HBP) during the season which curtailed -- no, eliminated -- his offensive production. Still have to really like the speed (look at those SB attempts), the range in center and the throwing arm. If his bat recovers, he's a big leaguer, possibly in a reserve role.
Q: Ben from Leland Grove asks:
Alex Liddi - prospect or suspect?
A:
Matt Eddy: Prospect ... for one more year, at least. Barring future offseason acquisitions, Liddi has a spot in the 30 because of his wiry strength, feel for hitting and strong work ethic. He's also shown second-half improvement in both of his years in the Midwest League. If he breaks camp in the Cal League (a tough proposition with all the third basemen in the system), we may see him begin to tap into a bit of his opposite field power.
Q: JAYPERS from IL asks:
With Martinez and DeJesus ahead of him on your list, what does the future hold for Tuiasosopo? Is he still residing anywhere on your Top 30?
A:
Matt Eddy: Sure, Matt Tuiasosopo retained a top 30 spot. But your point still holds. If Triunfel, Martinez and DeJesus all develop as third basemen, then that leaves Tuiasosopo a narrow window to establish himself in the bigs. Despite an encouraging second half (.303/.380/.538), evaluators still were not 100 percent sold on his viability as a regular. While he's reasonably well-rounded, he just doesn't do any one thing well enough to guarantee regular playing time.
Q: Troy from Fort Worth asks:
Matt, Looking back on this list in 5 years, who do you think will have become a star or on the verge of becoming one?
A:
Matt Eddy: I'd go with Juan Ramirez. His future is brighter than most give him credit for. He's got 93 mph gas and he does it easy and with movement. And if he finds consistency with his breaking ball, he could be really special.
Q: Tod from Portland asks:
Denny Almonte or Danny Carroll? Will either develop enough bat to matter? What do you think of the Mariner strategy of grabbing fast, limited-power centerfielders? It feels so 1980s to me?
A:
Matt Eddy: Almoted has impressive power potential; it's just that he strikes out ... a lot. He's still ironing out his lefthanded swing, though, so wait a few years on him. But with Carroll, Tyson Gillies and Jarrett Burgess ... yes, they're speed- and defense-first center fielders. It's not a terrible proposition because it adds org depth and does help the pitching staff.
Matt Eddy: But you have no reason for concern. Seattle has enough OF power options elsewhere, in Halman, Saunders, Raben, Peguero, Wilson and potentially Julio Morban.
Q: Paul from Spokane asks:
Does Nathan Adcock finally break the top 30 after being left out the past two years? He strikes out a fair number of batters, but i've never seen a scouting report. Low 90's fastball, plus-curve?
A:
Matt Eddy: Yes, Adcock ranked this year. The M's 5th-rounder from a Kentucky HS in 2006, he sits at 88-92 mph and relies on a sharp, downer curveball for strikeouts. An elbow injury cut short his season, but he was a key part of Wisconsin's prospect-laden rotation, which also included Aumont, Ramirez, Pineda and Edward Paredes.
Statistically speaking: It can be forgiven that it took Triunfel, who's just 18 years old, time to figure things out in the California League. He hit .233 with a .594 OPS in the first half of the season. Then things clicked, with some renewed focus, and Triunfel hit .335 in the second half with an .873 OPS.#23 Mat GamelScouting report: A young, exciting, high-ceiling player, he's very instinctual on field with the ability to hit for average and power in the future. He has one of the best arms in baseball, Minors or Majors, with the ability to fill three positions -- shortstop, third, second -- in the infield. He'll have to watch his conditioning and may end up being too big to stay at short, though some think he'll be just fine there.
Statistically speaking: While it was impressive that Gamel led the Southern League in RBIs, total bases and extra-base hits, he also finished second in average, fourth in OPS and fifth in slugging. It seems even more impressive when considering he played the last two months with a bad elbow and he hit .243 in July and .205 in August.More on both players at the link.
Scouting report: A terrific pure hitter from the left side, Gamel has better than average power and pop to all fields. His defense lags behind the bat -- as his error totals indicate -- though he has improved. Most of the miscues were of the throwing variety.
Video, stats, and quotes at that link.Statistically speaking: Throwing with a very strict pitch count, Aumont was nonethless very impressive through the first two months of his first full season, allowing just six earned runs and 23 hits over his first 36 innings (1.50 ERA). He also struck out 35 while walking 11, holding hitters to a measly .177 batting average.
Scouting report: A sore elbow slowed him down in the second half, but it's not a big cause for concern. He throws his fastball, which has hard sink and is tough to pick up, up to 95 mph, with room for more. The breaking ball (curve) has a chance to be plus pitch, but his changeup is his third pitch and needs to be improved. He has pretty good command, especially for his age, and uses his size well for mound presence.
MANAGUA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Nicaraguan thrower Juan Ramirez is on the yearly classification list of the best prospects into the U.S. Baseball Minor Leagues.Just for fun...and to see if Blogger supports Chinese characters. Here is the Article translated back into Simplified Chinese
At the yearly list of the magazine "Baseball America" from U.S. published on Thursday, Ramirez is among the 20 best Latin baseball players of the U.S. Minor Leagues.
Ramirez is located on place 17 of the prospects and it is one of the two baseball players of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers team that are on the classification of the magazine.
The other prospect of the U.S. Baseball Minor Leagues is Canadian Phillip Amount, an outstanding thrower in 2007.
According to the magazine, Ramirez, 20, throws a fast ball reaching 99 miles per hour.
In 2007, Ramirez was in the list as the number three of the minor leagues of the U.S. northwester baseball.
Meanwhile, Nicaraguan sports commentator Miguel Espinoza said on Thursday that the team of the U.S. Great Leagues, Settle Sailors have Ramirez among its five most precious prospects.
Espinoza said that Ramirez is usually compared with Venezuelan baseball player Felix Hernandez.
MANAGUA， 10 月 9 日 ( 新华社 )-- 胡安 Ramirez 是关于的尼加拉瓜的扔者进到美国的最好的前景的每年的分类清单棒球次要机构加盟。
在杂志“棒球”的每年的清单来自美国的“美国”星期四出版， Ramirez 在美国的 20 名最好拉丁棒球选手中间次要的同盟。
Ramirez 在地方上被找出前景的 17 和它在威斯康星木材的二名棒球选手是关于杂志的分类的 Rattlers 小组之中是一。
美国的其他前景棒球次要机构同盟是加拿大的菲立普 Amount， 2007 年的一个杰出的扔者。
根据杂志， 20 岁的 Ramirez，扔达到 99 英里/小时的一个快的球。
在 2007 年， Ramirez 像数字一样在清单中美国西北大风棒球的三个次要的同盟。
同时，尼加拉瓜的运动评论员 Miguel Espinoza 星期四说那美国的小组不错的同盟，安顿水手在其五个最宝贵的前景中间有 Ramirez。
Espinoza 说通常被 Ramirez 与委内瑞拉的棒球选手费利克斯 Hernandez 比较。
Tillman regularly reaches 93-94 mph with his fastball and sits at 90-93. His curveball has developed into an above-average pitch with 12-to-6 break, and he made significant progress with a changeup. He has the velocity to work up with his four-seam fastball and down with his change and curve. He also impressed scouts by staying tall in his delivery and creating difficult angles for the hitter.Might he be up with the big club in Baltimore next season?
"He's a future stud," a scout with an American League organization said. "He's sitting in the low 90s and throwing consistent strikes with it. He's got good poise. He's got a chance to be a No. 1 or No. 2 starter."
Clement decimated PCL pitching while waiting for his shot this year. Power is his calling card, but he also has matured as a hitter and uses the entire field. He continued improving his eye at the plate and waited for pitches he could drive.#10 Wladimir Balentien ('04)
He's a tireless worker, but scouts still doubt his defensive future and foresee him moving to first base. His throwing arm, receiving skills and agility are average at best, and he threw out just 22 percent of PCL basestealers. As usual for a catcher, he's a below-average runner.
He may never hit for a high average because he'll lapse into an all-out approach and his pitch recognition wavers, but when he connects, few players can hit a ball farther.
Balentien has more tools, too. He has average speed and some basestealing instincts. He has plus arm strength, and PCL runners rarely challenged him after he racked up 15 assists last year. He covers enough ground in the outfield that he occasionally played center field in both Tacoma and Seattle.
The Mariners have brought Halman along slowly since signing him out of the Netherlands in 2004, and he showed signs this season of translating his considerable tools into production. His .892 OPS would have ranked fifth in the Cal League if he had enough at-bats to qualify, but he moved up to Double-A after just 67 games.15. Carlos Triunfel ('07)
Halman has strong tools, but what stood out the most was the way he improved as the season went on and performed at his best in important game situations. He has unbelievable bat speed and drove the ball as well as anybody in the league. He closed up some holes in his swing and improved his strikeout rate marginally, but he still needs to make more contact.
The outlook couldn't have been rosier for Triunfel coming into the season, after he reached high Class A at age 17 in his pro debut in 2007 and more than held his own. His return engagement in the Cal League, however, didn't go as well. He battled an abdominal strain early in the year, drew a 10-day suspension in May for violating team rules and earned generally bad reviews for his attitude and immaturity.
Triunfel has a good swing but isn't an effective situational hitter—part of general questions about his instincts—and while he can sting the ball it doesn't look like he'll be able to elevate it for over-the-fence power. On defense, he shows first-step quickness but not great range, and his body could get too big for shortstop. In fact, his only consensus plus tool this season was his throwing arm.
Wisconsin may have finished with the worst record in the Western Division (56-80), but no MWL team could match the Timber Rattlers' trio of teenage power arms: Aumont, Juan Carlos Ramirez and Michael Pineda. Aumont made the biggest splash despite being limited to 10 innings in the second half as a precaution after he came down with a sore elbow.I'm going to agree with Jay at Mariner Minors and others who were surprised that Pineda did not make the list.
Aumont already throws 90-95 mph, and the projection remaining in his 6-foot-7 frame leads scouts to believe he'll push his velocity into the upper 90s. The hard sink on his fastball and his crossfire delivery make it even tougher on hitters. He flashes a plus curveball, though his arm angle makes it tough to stay on top of the pitch consistently.
...
Ramirez and teammate Michael Pineda had much in common. Both are products of the Mariners' productive Latin American program, pitched at age 19 this season and have big-time projection remaining. Though Pineda finished second in the league in ERA (1.95) and capped his year with a 14-strikeout one-hitter, scouts preferred Ramirez because they think he has a better chance to remain a starter.
