Instead of getting to watch Travis d'Arnaud, Buffalo fans will get Anthony Gose, who returns to Triple-A. He can be very exciting to watch, but the reason he's back there is to work on hitting lefties.
Simon Castro, Andre Rienzo, and Charlie Leesman make for an interesting rotation, and Jared Mitchell can be exciting in the outfield. Trayce Thompson will provide some power, but will have to cut down on the swins and misses if he wants to be able to use it in the majors.
Perhaps no prospect in the IL will be more polarizing than Trevor Bauer, who is working on new mechanics. How much time he spends in Columbus will depend on how well he takes to the changes.
The Bulls feature a starting rotation that may actually be better than some of the bottom-end major league rotations, including prospects Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery, and Alex Colome. They also feature Wil Myers in the outfield, one of the best hitting prospects in the minors, and former first overall pick Tim Beckham.
Despite graduations to the majors and trades, the Braves still have some talent in Triple-A. Former first-rounder Sean Gilmartin headlines the rotation while Joey Terdoslavich should be the team's most potent hitter while learning to play the outfield.
The best player in the IL, and certainly the best pitcher, should be Gerrit Cole, who won't be in the league too long after Memorial Day. Tony Sanchez will get one more chance to prove he's more than a backup catcher and Kyle McPherson will stay ready for when the Pirates need pitching depth in the majors.
Darin Ruf will try to back up his breakout 2012 season while also trying to learn how to play a non-disastrous outfield. Ethan Martin has an exciting arm and will try to stick as a starter, and Tommy Joseph has leaped over Sebastian Valle on the organizational depth chart behind the plate. Plus they have video game urinals in the men's rooms.
The Reds say that Billy Hamilton will spend the entire season in Louisville so he can learn the nuances of center field, but we'll all believe it when we see it. Tony Cingrani will work as a starter in the minors, but he'll get called up to bolster the Reds bullpen at some point in the season.
This team is all about Jonathan Schoop for the time being, at least until Dylan Bundy gets promoted and Shoop gets overshadowed within his own organization once again.
Allen Webster would have been the talk of Red Sox spring training had it not been for Jackie Bradley, and he should be the talk of Pawtucket with his power arm. It will also be interesting to see how Bryce Brentz comes back from shooting himself in the leg, literally.
Kyle Gibson will get his arm in shape and work on regain his command post-Tommy John surgery until he gets the call from the Twins. Oswaldo Arcia is a talented but still raw outfielder who factors into the Twins rebuilding plans.
Beware of errant fastballs from Dellin Betances, who returns to Triple-A after a disastrous stretch there last season. Melky Mesa was in the running to fill in for Curtis Granderson but needs to refine his offensive game.
I give Nick Castellanos a hard time, but he's still the Tigers best prospect. He'll be working on his outfield defense. Bruce Rondon will be closing games for the Mud Hens and working on his command in hopes he can close games in the majors this fall.
The Detroit Tigers have a plethora of starting pitching options, says George Sipple of The Detroit Free Press, which will make it difficult for pitching prospects Casey Crosby and Duane Below to crack the major league rotation this spring. Kyle Lobstein further complicates things because of his Rule V status, giving him the inside track as a bullpen lefty/long-man because the team will lose him otherwise. If the Tigers trade Rick Porcello, it could give others a better shot, but the Tigers would still have five more experienced starters remaining, making it unlikely that a rotation spot goes to a prospect.
About two months ago, I broke down the Twins possible plans for how to use Kyle Gibson this season and limit his innings coming off of Tommy John surgery, laying out two options - one that was more similar to what Stephen Strasburg did this season and one that was more along the lines of how Kris Medlen was used. Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com makes the same case here, but with inside access, suggests that the Twins will take the Strasburg route and let him start at the beginning of the season and shut him down later.
Tim Beckham has generally be labeled as a bust because of his status as a first overall pick, but all is not lost for the Rays prospect, notes John Sickels. His latest scouting report isn't glowing, but does offer a few positives on Beckham, who still has some talent, just not enough to have justified his elevated draft spot.
Calling someone a utility-man used to be the prospect equivelent of a death sentence. Essentially it meant that they weren't good enough to be an everyday player.
To a certain extent that's still the case. But in the past few years, we've coined the term "super-utility" player to essentially mean a player who has the defensive ability to play multiple positions regularly based on his team's needs, but the bat to play every day.
Ben Zobrist took this role to a new level over the past 3-4 seasons, playing at an all-star level for the Tampa Bay Rays while receiving significant playing time at two or three positions per season. His versatility has allowed the Rays to mix and match other players on their roster, giving manager Joe Maddon incredible flexibility when it comes to making lineups.
Zobrist's versatility is a tool almost as valuable as his on-field abilities themselves, and teams have begun to covet players who are able to play multiple positions.
This is a list of those players. Below are the ten best prospects in the minors who could fill that type of role on their team - one where they play everyday or almost every day but likely at a number of different positions.
In order to be considered for this list, a player must either play two positions regularly, one of which has to be an up-the-middle position (C, 2B, SS, CF) or if he is limited to the corners, he must be able to play at least three (1B, 3B, LF/RF).
When you think utility-man you don't typically think of a catcher, but having a player who can catch a few days a week and play another position can be a handy tool to have, especially in the National League with double switches. Gattis can be that guy for the Braves. A late-arrival to the prospect party, Gattis has come on with reckless abondon, hitting 22 home runs in 2011 and 18 in 2012 despite only playing about half the season. At 25, he's on the fast track through the minors and should start the season in Triple-A. The Braves left field situation is unsettled and Gattis played there a lot this winter. He could be up in the majors by mid-season, playing some left field and spelling Brian McCann behind the plate.
The former first overall pick as a shortstop, Beckham has been projected as a second baseman and third baseman by those who thoguht he'd eventually outgrown his original position. After struggling with his bat and a 50-game suspension for drugs, he's no longer the Rays anything of the future, but his ability to play a few different positions could turn him into a regular utility player. He has a few things going against him - being right-handed for one - but he should be able to play all three infield positions and could probably handle both corner outfield spots if given a chance to learn them. He does enough things well and will still be just 23 next season so there's still time to carve out a role in the majors.
Borchering has gone from a power-hitting third baseman taken in the first round to a first-baseman only with contact issues, and has somehow come back around back where he started. A trade from the Diamondbacks to the Astros helped that, as his new team has given him another opportunity to play the hot corner. He'll never be very good at it, and the Diamondbacks had enough other 3B prospects that it wasn't worth working with him on it, but the Astros want to give him a chance to stick there. Even if he can't play there every day, he's now had experience at first base and both corner outfield spots. He doesn't get on base enough, but he still has plus power as a switch-hitter, so he could be a good fit as a 3-4 day per week player at a number of positions.
Just 20 and only through A-ball, Rodriguez has already seen significant time at both shortstop and second base, and even has a game at third under his belt. He has good power but an ultra-aggressive approach at the plate that may be better suited for sporadic play in the majors. His power (30 homers in two seasons) will get him chances, but expect him to bounce around the infield before finding a home defensively, if he ever does.
Rosario gets overlooked in a Twins system that is being quickly rebuilt, but his versatility could be a significant portion of their future plans. Rosario has played both second base and center field regularly, giving him a unique and valuable set of skills. With Aaron Hicks and Byron Buxton in the mold, Rosario likely won't be needed too often in center, but he should have no problem sliding over to a corner and handling it quite well. At the plate, he posted an .835 OPS in his first taste of full-season ball. The Twins should try to keep Rosario at second base as long as he can stay there given that it's a much weaker position within their system than the outfield, and because the more experience he has there the more valuable he will be.
The Padres are always on the lookout for more offense, and no one in their farm system has provided more than Gyorko over the past two seasons. Gyorko has posted OPS's of .952 and .921 in back-to-back years, making it seem like he's a star in the making, and he is a good prospect in his own right. He's also seen time at both second and third base as he works his way through the minors and could settle at either or both, depending on what happens with Chase Headley. The only question about Gyorko is how he'll hit in more neutral hitting environments. The majority of his offensive damage has come in the California and Pacific Coast Leagues, both extreme hitter-friendly leagues. He has a career 1.068 OPS in High-A and a .968 mark in Triple-A. In between, he posted just a .786 OPS in Double-A - okay, but not great. If he continues to be a 30-homer player, he'll likely settle in at a position, but he has shown the ability to play both third and second and could bounce back and forth depending on the needs of the Padres.
No one on this list has played more positions than Green, who played five last season alone. Drafted as a shortstop, he's had throwing issues there, and the A's have tried him at second base, third base and left and center field. Green struggled in the outfield, but looked comfortable at second base, where the A's have a need. He could win that job this spring, but depending on the A's needs over the next few years, he could spend time at third base or left field.
Schoop's defensive landing spot is up in their air for two reasons - he can handle all three infield positions, and Manny Machado's future is still up in the air and Schoop will likely move around in difference to him. Machado is playing third in the majors now and could stay there. If so, Schoop can handle shortstop just fine. He would be above average at second base and could also handle third if Machado moves back to short at some point. Schoop took a step back with his bat last season but still projects to be enough hitter to get regular at-bats.
Unlike many of the players on this list, Castellanos doesn't project as a utility player. He projects as a regular. Most people are higher on Castellanos than I am but that doesn't mean I don't think he'll be a regular. Until the Tigers signed Prince Fielder and shifted Miguel Cabrera over to third base, Castellanos was seen as a third baseman. Not everyone thought he could stay there, but the Tigers had no plan to move him. Now that he's shown he can play right field, he has the potential to fill in at either position for either the Tigers, or whatever team he ends up being traded to.
Much like Castellanos, Rendon's utility-ness is a product of circumstance. If it weren't for Ryan Zimmerman's presence in Washington, he'd simply be the Nationals third baseman of the future. Instead, he's going to have to learn a new position, which could be second base, first base or left field. The Nats don't really have openings at any of them at the moment, which makes it hard to predict, but second base is the position he'll likely be able to handle best. If he takes to second, he will still be able to fill in at third base to spell the injury-prone Zimmerman, giving the Nats added versatility.
The following is the fourth of what will now be a five-part series from new MLB Prospect Watch contributor Kevin Walsh, who spent the last week taking in Arizona Fall League games and saw all six of the league's
teams. This series will highlight some of the players that impressed and
disappointed during the fall league.
Watching Cabrera at 3B was really humorous. He looked lost, made a ton of
miscues and overall, he looked really bad. He has the arm,
but his body is thick and he is not very fluid with his movement. Making matters
worth, the bat is pretty far behind and at 22, I think you’ll be see him repeat
high-A. Long-term I think he is a first-basemen defensively and without the
bat, I don’t see him as a prospect.
Matthes caught my eye while I was studying the Rockies
system. He has great power, but that is very deceiving. He doesn’t really strike out a ton for a power-hitter, but he’ll be 26 next season, he hit .214 in Double-A, he doesn’t walk, and he
isn’t exactly a good outfielder. His arm struggles and he looks a bit lost
(again small sample size). For a bigger guy he does have above-average speed
and that may help him transform his game. His bat looks slow (although he has played many more games this year than at any other
time in his career, but that is barely over 100) and he drops his hands before
swinging (something that was confirmed by evaluators around me). I didn’t get
to see the power in person but I am sure it is there, I just don’t think the
package needed to surround it is.
The biggest reason he appears here is because he was the #1 overall
pick. Simply put, I struggle to see him as a first-round talent. Beckham has a
great arm and that will help him because his bat isn’t impressive. I read that
he has great bat-speed and raw power, but I really don’t see it. In 500 games
he has 30 homerun and just 107 doubles. Most raw power guys are at least capable of doubling. I think he is
definitely a second-basemen only.
Hak-Ju Lee is a great fielder. He displays awesome
range and a great first-step, but I am not sold on his arm. He made a couple of
great stops but couldn’t get the throw to first to convert the out. That said,
he is a great fielder and will keep balls on the infield. He has great speed
and is a very good baserunner. I was hoping to see a future all-star SS with
plus-plus skills, but instead saw a guy who I think will be a decent hitter but
I struggle to see him as anything more than a bottom of the order batter with
plus defense.
Brown is a great fielder, and makes great reads in centerfield. But his funky hitting mechanics look really bad. I’m
all for creativity as long as it works, but I question if Brown’s are going to
work at the higher levels
When the Braves signed Edward Salcedothey hoped they had a Hanley Ramirez on their hands. While he is
listed as 6’3”, 195, Salcedo looks overweight. At
third base, he shows off a very strong arm, but also makes mental mistakes that
just aren’t acceptable. He made 42 errors this season, which is alarming, but I think
third base is the only spot he can stick long-term. There is a chance he moves
to the corner outfield spots, but as of now I struggle to see his bat fitting
at the major league level.
Black’s going to be Rule V eligible this season but I struggle to
believe anyone will take him. He has good velocity with the fastball, 94-96,
but he was pounded and has been hit hard all fall. He is also wild and when he
does get it over the plate it tends to be right down the heart. His young
catcher was diving all over the place just to keep
the balls remotely close to the batters box.
Lastly, and most disappointing to me was Nick Castellanos.
Castellanos is tall, but he looks rail-thin, so I am hoping he will fill out
some more. And while I read reports he was the best batting prospect in both
the Florida State League and the Eastern League, I am not sold. He was very
late on a number of pitches in the game I saw him and was being over-powered by
pitchers who shouldn’t have over-powered him. He is a definite corner
outfielder to me and he has been playing LF for the Solar Sox this fall. Scouts
love to dream on power, but I just don’t see him developing into a major power
threat. I think he has the potential to be a 10-15 homerun guy, but I just
don’t see him as a future home-run derby competitor. I am still convinced he’ll
be a good player, but I am less bullish on him now.
Kevin Walsh is a life-long stat head with a penchant for analysis. He has business experience in Major League Baseball and the Media Relations in the Arena Football League. He can be found on Twitter @AltitudeSports and through his blog at altitudesports.blogspot.com.
A ridiculous 15-run offensive outburst by the Phoenix Desert Dogs that included 22 hits but no home runs was led by Tampa Bay Rays prospect Tim Beckham, who went 4-for-5 with four RBI's and Brewers outfielder Brock Kjeldgaard went 4-for-6 with two RBI's. Beckham has been playing second base this fall and has looked good at the position.
