PEBA Minor League Organizational Reports: Part 3
PEBA Minor League Organizational Reports: Part 3
Wednesday, August 6, 2009
EDITOR’S NOTE – The first two parts of this series can be found here: Part 1 / Part 2
Organizational Rank – Thirteenth
Average Rank – 12.86
Strengths – First base, starting pitching
Weaknesses – Middle infield, third base
Top Hitting Prospect: Ricardo López – 2007 draft, round 4, pick 3, 75th overall.
Lefty-swinging López put up solid numbers at A-ball in 2008, hitting .331 with 41 doubles, 57 RBI and showing decent discipline at the plate. His first 400 or so at-bats at AA have not been quite as productive, but they are not alarming for his first go-around at the level. He looks like he could have good power to the gaps, but has yet to demonstrate the moderate home run power that scouts believe he may possess. Another season at AA might be in order; would like to see him make progress in the power department and get that batting average back over .300 before making the jump to AAA. Projects as a slightly below average first basemen in the field, but won't kill you with the glove either. For an organization's top hitting prospect López is not overly impressive, but he still looks as though he might be a serviceable PEBA-level player in two or three seasons.
Spotlight On: Alberto Flores – Signed as a minor league free agent, 12-12-2007.
Flores played mostly off the bench as an 18-year-old in his first year of pro ball in 2008 and played decently enough, hitting .265 with 4 HR and 30 RBI in just 151 at-bats – at A-ball, nonetheless, completely skipping short season ball. He has taken advantage of more regular playing time in his second stint at A-ball in 2009, batting .291 with 16 HR and 63 RBI in 382 at-bats so far this season. Has also stolen 13 bases. A lot to like with Flores; he has slightly above average skills in the outfield, slightly above average speed and does the little things well. He scouts as being a platoon-type player with much better scouting splits versus right-handers, yet the lefty batter has fared exactly the opposite this season, smoking southpaws for a .954 OPS as compared to just .757 versus right-handers. So don't believe everything the scouts tell you, at least not yet. Certainly a player worth watching as he rises through the minor leagues.
Newcomer Spotlight: Peter Trent – 2009 draft, round 2, pick 15, 39th overall.
Trent has hit the ground running in his first season of pro ball, literally. He has swiped 17 bases in 51 games, and scouts believe he has the type of speed that could win stolen base crowns. He might need to work on his base-running instincts for that to ever happen, however, as he has also been thrown out 8 times. He has batted .299 with a .362 OBP so far at short season, and swatted 6 HR with 21 RBI. He also might have one more of the more interesting stat lines for the season, as along with those 6 home runs he has 3 triples but zero doubles after 214 at-bats. The numbers so far suggest he might have more power than the scouts originally projected, especially considering those 11 HR in his senior year of college ball. Does the little things well, but really needs some work on his defense; he gets poor jumps on the ball and has hands of stone. Has a plus arm, which will come in handy after he kicks the ball around. Has 5 errors and 7 assists already this season. He might be a little rough around the edges, but if he keeps hitting he should be a productive player someday, with his speed and power making him a duel threat.
Top Pitching Prospect: Francisco Robles – 2009 draft, round 1, pick 2.
Drafted 2nd overall behind Bill Bradley, Robles has not disappointed. Southpaw hits 99 on the gun and has great endurance. Had impeccable control at the high school level, and it should eventually improve as he adjusts to pro ball. Has gone 5-4, 2.99 in his first 11 starts at short season, and has won a pitcher of the month award and been selected to the SS-A Hawaiian League All-Star Game after having appeared in the Interscholastic Federation All-Star Game earlier in the year. Despite his solid record, he is just 18 years old and Connecticut will need to take care not to rush him. His control will need time to catch up to pro ball, and another season at short season ball will probably be necessary before he is ready to begin climbing the ladder. In any scenario, it's very difficult to not see this outstanding young pitcher rising to the PEBA level by the time he's 23 and becoming a future front of the rotation type starter with the potential to really dominate.
Spotlight On: Chris Cochran – 2007 Inaugural draft, round 60, pick 3, 1419th overall.
Tall, lanky right-hander, he is just 18 and already in his third season of professional ball, all at the single A level. Doesn't throw tremendously hard, barely hitting 90 on the gun, but has a five-pitch arsenal with which to keep hitters off balance. Has saved 45 games with a 3.14 ERA in his minor league career, and has allowed just 5 home runs in 123 innings over his three seasons in the minors. A trip to AA should be coming in the very near future.
EDITORS NOTE – Cochran was traded to the San Antonio Calzones de Laredo along with minor league middle reliever Bill Hill in exchange for middle reliever Francis Phillips just prior to the trade deadline.
Newcomer Spotlight: Ed O'Bryan – 2009 draft, round 4, pick 2, 74th overall.
O'Bryan showed steady progress over three seasons as a college pitcher, enough so that he was drafted in the fourth round by Connecticut. Not a dominating pitcher by any means, O'Bryan lives and dies by his pinpoint control. O'Bryan had pitched decently enough in his first five starts, posting a 2-2, 2.12 mark at short season ball. Sadly, his development has been set back by a fractured elbow that will cause him to miss the rest of the season.
Connecticut Summary – A frenzy of trade activity near the deadline may take its toll on the Connecticut system over the next few years, as several promising youngsters were dealt away, as were several high draft picks. In the short term they may rise to contention, but over the long haul this team may find it tough to get over the hump and sustain winning without a productive farm system. Expect diminished returns and a slide to a much lower spot in these rankings over the next several seasons.
Organizational Rank – Fourteenth
Average Rank – 13.71
Strengths – Relief pitching, third base
Weaknesses – Catching, outfield
Top Hitting Prospect: Joel Swedlove – Signed as a minor league free agent, 5-1-2008.
Swedlove has the potential to be a star for years to come, but we wonder if Kalamazoo might not be rushing him. Despite the fact that he is 21 years old and having moderate success at the AAA level, he has barely 650 at-bats total at all minor league levels in his short career (which consists of two pro seasons). Scouts project he will hit for a consistent average with above average power and a decent eye at the plate. Also has above average speed and will play an above average third base, with a plus arm helping to cover up whatever other defensive deficiencies he might have. With the power/speed combination and the ability to play a slightly better than average third base, he is future All-Star – there is not much doubt about that. It will become increasingly hard for Kalamazoo to hold him back, but at least another half season at AAA and a midseason call up next year and Swedlove could be well on his way to stardom.
Spotlight On: Roberto Ortíz – Signed as a minor league free agent, 1-6-2007.
After not seeing much playing time in either of his first two seasons, Ortíz has responded to his first regular playing time by batting .315 with a .383 OBP. A hard worker who plays simply unbelievable defense at the hot corner, he swings from the left side but has actually been more lethal against southpaws this season, hitting 4 of his 6 HR against the lefties and posting a .377 average and ungodly 1.045 OPS against them. Scouts are not sold that he will ever be anything more than a minor league soldier, but his terrific defense and the fine numbers he has posted with the bat so far make the young Ortíz a player worth watching over the next couple of seasons.
EDITORS NOTE – Ortíz was dealt at the trading deadline to the Arlington Bureaucrats along with SP Pedro Chávez and a 4th round pick in exchange for MR John Page. A brief look at that deal has us at first glance believing Kalamazoo might have overpaid just a little for a pitcher who has limited endurance and who seems to be struggling with his control this season (25 walks in 34.1 innings).
Newcomer Spotlight: José González – 2009 draft, round 2, pick 17, 41st overall.
We thought at the time that, despite very mixed scouting reports on González, this was a very good selection by Kalamazoo. González showed surprising power in his senior year of college ball, swatting 18 home runs and driving in 40 after hitting a combined 9 HR in his first two seasons at the college level. González has great defense and could be an asset anywhere on the infield, and he also has very good speed. While scouts are not sure he will ever hit for enough average, the power he showed at the college level combined with his natural speed can make him a five-tool player at a corner infield spot – a real rarity – if he ever puts it all together. A bit of a high-risk/high-reward pick, but one well worth making at the time. González is not tearing up short season yet, but he is still getting his feet wet. That .271 average and the fact that he has only struck out 15 times in 177 at-bats are good signs. We think González has a real chance to progress and maybe even be something very special someday.
Top Pitching Prospect: King Adams – 2009 draft, round 1, pick 17.
Drafted midway through the first round, Adams went right to the front of the class as the top pitching prospect in the Badgers’ system. A big right-hander who approaches the mid 90s on the gun, Adams took a real step forward in his senior year at the college level. Has good stuff, but scouts have questioned his control, though the numbers suggest the scouts might well be underestimating Adams in this respect (4-5 4.02 in his first 10 starts at short season ball) He has struck out more than he has walked, which is somewhat of a rarity for a pitcher getting his first taste of pro ball. While we are unsure that Adams could ever be a true ace, we do think he has the ability to someday be a very good pitcher at the PEBA level, most likely as a #2 in most rotations.
Spotlight On: Jorge Maldonado – Signed as a minor league free agent, 7-15-2008.
Just 19 years old and in his second season of pro ball. Would like to have seen what he could have done in a second season at short season ball, where he had a mere 18 innings pitched in his first season of pro ball. Hits the low 90s on the gun and keeps the ball down. 3-3 with 10 saves and a 3.43 ERA over 57.2 innings in A-ball this season, but needs to work on his control; he has walked 35 while striking out 36 in his brief career. Scouts think he will eventually at least be a borderline PEBA level pitcher, and with decent endurance he could be a good fit in the middle innings and as a swingman who makes emergency starts. Appears to have the arm; it remains to be seen if he can make the adjustments as he climbs the levels. Another year at A-ball to see if he can get the kinks worked out in the control department and start to dominate hitters would go a long way in his development.
Newcomer Spotlight: Stephen Carpenter – 2009 draft, round 3, pick 17, 65th overall.
Hard-throwing southpaw who hits 97 on the gun, Carpenter only converted to starting this season after having spent the first two years of his college career as a reliever. He is weak on endurance and that may prevent him from ever achieving anything more than a spot towards the rear of a rotation. Has great stuff but so far control has been an issue, and he rarely works past the 6th inning. My real concern with Carpenter would be the high walk rate combined with the fact that he is predominantly a fly ball pitcher, generally not considered to be a good combination. 0-2, 4.15 in ten starts so far at short season ball, his numbers are not terrible, but the lack of endurance is keeping him from sticking around long enough to pick very many (or in this case, any) wins. Really has a long way to go working on the control issue; the Badgers may have to be very patient with Carpenter.
Kalamazoo Summary – A middle-of-the-pack farm system to this point, they have the typical assortment: some very good prospects in some spots, with glaring holes in others. In reality this system could go either way, but we have a fair amount of respect for the work that has gone into this organization under the new ownership. In spite of the fact that trade deadline deals might have weakened this farm system to some degree, we think there is still a solid foundation in place and we believe the new ownership will build up this farm system over the longer term.
Organizational Rank – Fifteenth
Average Rank – 13.96
Strengths – Third base, outfield
Weaknesses – Catching, first base, second base
Top Hitting Prospect: Stan Gill – 2007 draft, round 1, pick 12, by the Charleston Statesmen. Traded to Duluth Warriors 12-12-2007 along with 3B Anastasio Calderón and starting pitcher Matt Howard in exchange for RF Edgardo Sánchez, 1B Fernando López and 3B Steve Henry.
Switch-hitting third baseman with good power from both sides of the plate, and scouts also believe he may make decent contact even if his plate discipline projects as questionable. May have been rushed a bit to AA, but is holding his own after just a little more than 300 at-bats at the A-ball level. A repeat of the AA level next season with a dramatic increase in the statistics would probably help his development. His defense might be rather weak and an eventual move to the safer side of the diamond might eventually be in order. A 2012 arrival in Duluth would be a safe bet.
Spotlight On: John Kelley – 2007 Inaugural draft, round 32, pick 21, 765th pick overall, by the Bakersfield Bears. Traded to Duluth Warriors 11-25-2007 along with starting pitcher Matthew Chandler in exchange for starting pitcher Howard Good and relief pitcher Roy Whitfield.
Why does it not surprise me that again we are looking at the results of a trade where Bakersfield clearly got the much better end of the bargain?
Kelley is in his third season at AAA, and has finally begun to put together some decent numbers, and at the age of 22 he could still be something yet. Scouts don't project a lot, but do think maybe he could be a decent option as a platoon partner at one of the corner outfield spots or a 5th outfielder and lefty bat off the bench. Has a plus arm but his defense is marginal otherwise, and he has no speed. Finally growing into some power, it is possible he could hit 15-18 with something resembling regular playing time at the PEBA level. Will never be a superstar, but at least Duluth might salvage something resembling a serviceable player from the train wreck of a deal they made.
Newcomer Spotlight: Justin Hill – 2009 draft, round 8, pick 6, 174th pick overall.
A bit of a drop off in his numbers during his senior year of high school ball led to a drop in for Hill all the way to the eighth round of the most recent draft. A left-hand batting catcher, always worth having around as a possible platoon mate, Hill is batting .233 in his first taste of pro ball, but it's important to remember he is just 18 and will probably need to repeat the level. He could arguably be the best catching prospect in the Warriors system, but is at least 4 (if not 5) years away from the PEBA level. Might have some warning track power and hit for enough average to be part of platoon someday, or at least that is the scouting report on him. His tools behind the plate are rather average. The high school numbers from back in 2008 are still rather attractive looking; if he could ever rebound to that level of production he could maybe be something. Keep in mind the age; plenty of room to grow, so don't be too surprised if you hear the name again.
Top Pitching Prospect: Minoru Kudo – Signed as a minor league free agent by the Canton Longshoremen, 3-31-2007. Traded to Arlington Bureaucrats 11-2-2008 for 2B Frederick Craig. Traded by Arlington Bureaucrats to Duluth Warriors 12-18-2008 along with left fielder Larry Hoskins in exchange for right fielder Andres López and a 4th round draft pick.
Kudo is southpaw who throws in the low 90s and has great endurance. He looks as if he might have the stuff to succeed at the PEBA level eventually, but needs to improve the control. Is having a decent season in his first trip around AAA (7-4, 3.03) but the high walk totals remain problematic. If he could repeat the level next year and cut the walks in half, he might be in line for a job at the back end a rotation come 2011.
Spotlight On: Lúcio Medina – 2008 draft, round 2, pick 11, 35th overall.
Medina is a southpaw who throws in the mid 90s. In his second season of A-ball he is displaying good control and appears to be ready to make the move to AA. Has saved 38 games in his first two seasons of pro ball after completely skipping the short season league. Good endurance and pitches smartly. 3-1, 2.02 with 25 saves so far this season. Scouts project him as a future left-handed setup man at the PEBA level, and if he continues developing and posting the type of numbers he has posted so far he could be much more than that. Worth keeping an eye on.
Newcomer Spotlight: Norberto Guillén – 2009 draft, round 1, pick 6.
“Jitters” displayed excellent control at the college level and it was hard to argue with his success. However, he only hits the upper 80s on the radar gun, and with only average endurance he projects as merely a middle of the rotation starter in a best case scenario, making his selection at number six overall in the most recent draft a bit of a reach in our opinion. Despite a 1-5 record, his 3.40 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in his first seven starts at the short season level in pro ball suggest he been pitching well enough. Sadly, it looks as if he will miss the rest of the season with a torn bicep. Will be an interesting pitcher to watch because of his lack of velocity; will his ability to pitch with his head help him as he tries to rise through the ranks, or will his lack of velocity and limited repertoire hold him back?
Duluth Summary – About a middle-of-the-pack farm system, but if recent history is any indication we believe the Warriors will rectify the situation in short order. Virtually guaranteed to have one of the top two selections in next year’s draft courtesy of their all-out assault on PEBA's worst record, the talent level is likely to improve significantly. What waits to be seen is how well Duluth can fill in all the cracks and build the depth.
Organizational Rank – Sixteenth
Average Rank – 14.29
Strengths – First base, second base, outfield
Weaknesses – By far the weakest overall pitching
Top Hitting Prospect: Dennis Carter – 2008 draft, round 1, pick 10.
London's first round pick from 2008 appears to be right on track for an arrival at the PEBA level in about 3 seasons. Played well enough at short season in 2008 and made the jump to single A to start this season, and all facets of his game have continued to improve. A true five-tool prospect, about the only knock on his game so far is that he may strike out a little too much. But if he keeps producing like he has, that can be lived with. Has 9 HR, 40 RBI, batting .304 and has stolen 35 bases so far this season. An eventual home in the London lineup is just a short development cycle away.
Spotlight On: Michael Owens – Signed as a minor league free agent, 5-17-2008.
Left-hand hitter does not scout as anything special; in fact most scouts will be surprised if he ever rises above AA. But he has demonstrated an ability to handle the bat so far, batting .277 with 14 doubles in his first taste of pro ball at short season in 2008. Has stepped it up a notch even with his promotion to A-ball in 2009, batting .349 with a .416 OBP through his first 186 at-bats at the level. His defense is barely average (if that) at second base, and he has no speed or power and may strike out too much – at least that is what the scouts think. But the early success with the stick makes him worth keeping an eye on.
Newcomer Spotlight: Juan Zúñiga – Drafted 2009, round 2, pick 4, 28th overall.
Scouts think his range might be a bit limited for a shortstop, and has a strong enough arm to make a conversion to third base if he ever hits for power. Had a very good career at the college level, batting .346 with a .423 OBP in his three seasons. Scouts believe he will have at least modest power, though he has yet to show it much to this point. Has above average speed and is known as a hard worker. Has struggled a bit with his first taste of pro ball, batting just .213 to this point at short season ball.
Top Pitching Prospect: Felipe Rodríguez – 2007 draft, round 1, pick 10 by the New Orleans Trendsetters. Traded to London Underground 7-14-2008 along with LF Daron Little and second baseman Morimasa Sasaki in exchange for 3B Dominic Gagné.
Felipe is an interesting case. The former first round pick has an intriguing arm; he throws in the mid 90s, has a six-pitch arsenal and has very good endurance. He had posted solid ERA numbers for the most part during his time at short season as well as at A-ball, but he never seemed to put it together as far as his control and did not appear to be ready to make the move to AA. His lack of control has finally caught up to him at the AA level, where is getting hit hard, posting a 4-8 mark, 5.19 ERA, 1.75 WHIP and has walked 57 while striking out just 47 in 93.2 innings pitched. Will be 24 next season and will obviously need to repeat AA. Hard to give up on a guy with an arm like this, especially a former first round pick, but he is quickly becoming a bust. London certainly hopes Felipe can turn things around in short order, but they may have to face reality before too long.
Spotlight On: Alfonso Robles – Signed as a minor league free agent by the Kalamazoo Badgers, 7-17-2007. Traded to London Underground 5-17-2009 along with shortstop Kien-lung Hsiao in exchange for reliever Powell Lilley and a 9th round draft pick.
18-year-old with good size who throws in the low 90s, has a six-pitch arsenal and good endurance for a reliever. He has already progressed to the AAA level despite starting the season at the A level. Was not especially successful at A-ball in 2008; in fact the 1.85 WHIP last season would have been cause for concern. Seemed to have had the light go on after the promotion to AA this season, but was promoted to AAA after just 50 innings at AA. Would like to have seen the youngster complete the season at AA. Good intangibles and a lot of things to like with the young pitcher, he could eventually be a solid middle of the bullpen type.
Newcomer Spotlight: Joe Sawyer – 2009 draft, round 11, pick 4, 244th overall.
Sawyer barely reaches the upper 80s, but pitches smart and relies on the ground ball. So far has impressed just a little bit in his first season of pro ball, posting a 2-3 mark with 13 saves and 2.91 ERA at short season. Closer is unlikely to be his role at any future level, as he's a soft-tosser with just a two-pitch selection. In the long run, hard to see Sawyer being much more than a minor league journeyman for a few seasons, but his numbers early on suggest keeping at least one eye on him for now.
London Summary – The London organization was crippled by the poor drafts of the previous regime, and it will take several more drafts before we will be able to judge the direction that London might be headed. They certainly have their work cut out for them, and being a small market team it is imperative that the Underground find the right formula for improving their minor league system if they want to ever be consistently competitive.
Jersey City Chillitowners (AAA)
Organizational Rank – Seventeenth
Average Rank – 14.75
Strengths – Catcher, shortstop, age
Weaknesses – Second base, outfield, front line type talent
Top Hitting Prospect: Shou-chien Jung – 2008 draft, round 5, pick 4, 100th overall.
Struggled a bit out of college, not impressing at all at either short season or A-ball in 2008. Was faring better to start 2009 at A-ball, batting .293 in just 42 games before getting "Hancocked" to AA. There he is again facing struggles with the jump in competition, batting just .183 in 33 games. Has great speed, average skills in the outfield, and scouts believe he may hit just enough (though plate discipline could be a problem). Took a pitch to the face and is out for at least 8 months, setting his development back. It might be hard for New Jersey to resist rushing him when he returns, especially considering the lack of talent presently on hand in the farm system, but he has yet to really put together any type of consistent run of any length at any minor league level.
Spotlight On: Taro Ishii – Signed as a minor league free agent, 1-28-2007.
In his third season at A-ball, Ishii is finally making strides, batting .329 with a .412 OBP through 83 games. Does not scout well in any area; his moderate power potential is the only thing that sticks out. May never hit enough to make that power useful at the higher levels. Has no speed and is a danger to himself and innocent bystanders when he wears the leather. Will need to make the jump to AA next season for the Hitmen to begin to get a gauge on whether Ishii is a prospect or not. We suspect not, but the numbers this year suggest keeping him around a little while longer.
Newcomer Spotlight: Greg McCoy – 2009 draft, round 6, pick 21, 141st overall.
It was a little difficult to gauge McCoy coming out of college due to his limited playing time in his final two seasons of collegiate ball. Definitely has great speed, but questions remained as to how well he could hit. Has a good arm from the outfield, but his other defensive skills are lacking and, despite his speed, he’ll probably be limited to a corner outfield spot. Has proven to be the real McCoy so far at short season, batting .308 with 11 doubles, 23 RBI and 20 stolen bases. Should be in line to make the move to A-ball next season.
Top Pitching Prospect: Alan Graves – 2008 draft, round 1, pick 24.
A first round selection directly out of high school, Graves had a decent but unspectacular season at short season ball. So what to do with him in 2009 to start his second season of pro ball as a 19-year-old? Another season of short season ball maybe, or make the jump to A-ball? No, instead he gets “Hancocked” up to AA and AAA, completely bypassing A-ball, and he is getting pounded on a regular basis. He is walking more batters than he strikes out, and he's in danger of being completely ruined because of impatience and poor management of the farm system. Graves has a good arm, approaching the mid 90s on the gun, with great endurance.
Spotlight On: Xiong Ci – Signed as a minor league free agent, 12-06-2007.
A promising pitcher at the time of his signing, he’s another of the Hitmen players who was “Hancocked” to the wrong level way too soon and has his growth stunted. Was pitching in AA and AAA as a 17-year-old last season. Pitching in AAA as an 18-year-old this year, where he posted a 2-9 mark, 5.52 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, allowed 10 HR in 88 innings and walked 24 while striking out just 21. A southpaw who once appeared to have promise, he seems to have been ruined by the poor judgment used in his development.
Newcomer Spotlight: Charlie Chaney – 2009 draft, round 5, pick 21, 117th overall.
5-5, 2.84 in his first season of pro ball at short season. Judging by the way New Jersey rushes their players, a spot in the Hitmen rotation is probably being considered as we speak. Chaney does have some potential to maybe be a back of rotation starter someday, but we just don't see that happening if he remains in the poorly run New Jersey farm system.
New Jersey Summary – The Hitmen have traded away a lot of their young talent in deals that have been to solidify the PEBA team. This leaves them in a precarious position, as the Hitmen have appeared to be on the decline this year, and there is not much in the farm system to fall back on. What remains in the farm system tends to get mismanaged, and several promising players are having their development threatened by getting “Hancocked” to levels they are no where near ready for. New Jersey will be forced to go the free agent route in the near future to solve their issues at the PEBA level. Fortunately, they do have the large market which cushions the blow of the high priced free agent contracts, but the road would certainly be a lot easier if they hadn't nearly gutted and mismanaged their farm system.
Henderson Fighting Scotts (AAA)
Organizational Rank – Eighteenth
Average Rank – 16.14
Strengths –Second base, age
Weaknesses – Shortstop, outfield, depth, overall talent
Top Hitting Prospect: Pedro Maldanoda – 2008 draft, round 1, pick 7.
Nicknamed “Duck”, Maldanoda was a great high school hitter drafted in the first round in 2008. He was not impressive in his first go around at short season, batting just .211, and is smartly being asked to repeat the level as a 19-year-old. This year he is faring better, batting .250 with improved plate discipline. Maldanoda can play slightly above average defense and has enough speed to be annoying. Scouts love his potential with the bat; he should hit for a very good average, have great power to the gaps and some decent home run pop as well. His plate discipline also looks like it will be an asset. Needs time to develop, but could be a future star at the PEBA level.
Spotlight On: Jesús Reynoso – 2008 draft, round 1, pick 16, by the Aurora Borealis.
Part of the ill-fated trade that sent the rights to Bill Bradley to Aurora, Reynosa batted .198 in his first year of pro ball last season. He Is faring better this season, batting .277 with a .381 OBP in his second go-around at short season ball, but in spite of his limited success we remain critical of the trade. Reynoso has showed no signs that he will ever hit for power, his defense is marginal for a middle infielder – in fact Yuma has converted him to first base – and he has below average speed. He scouts as a marginal player at best, certainly not one you trade away the first overall pick in the draft for. We hope for Yuma’s sake that Reynoso pans out, because if he doesn't they will continue to take heat for that deal for years and years.
Newcomer Spotlight: Jimmy O'Quinn – 2009 draft, round 9, pick 1, 193rd overall.
Considering the lack of catching talent in the Yuma organization, waiting until the 9th round to grab a catcher seemed a bit long. O'Quinn was nothing special at the college level, but scouts think he might have some power. His skills behind the plate are well below average. Batting .241 in his first stint at pro ball at short season. Unless he begins to show some power, he probably won't be much of a prospect.
Top Pitching Prospect: Jack Peterson – 2009 draft, round 1, pick 21.
Peterson only hits the upper 80s on the radar gun, but had shown in his college career an ability to pitch consistently well. Has posted a fine 6-1 mark with a 2.07 ERA in his first taste of pro ball at short season Kivalina. Has the potential to someday be a solid middle of the rotation type starter, but nowhere near the stud that Bill Bradley will be.
Spotlight On: Pedro Álvarez – 2007 draft, round 1, pick 22.
Has electric stuff; hits mid 90s on the gun. Problems with his control and keeping the ball in the park might hold him back. Was recently “Hancocked” to AAA despite the fact that he had allowed 26 walks in 44.1 innings at AA-ball. Has already walked 6 in 9.2 innings at AAA. Needs to get the control harnessed before he will ever be a useful pitcher at the next level.
Newcomer Spotlight: John Miller – 2009 draft, round 7, pick 21, 165th overall.
Was not highly touted coming out of high school even though his numbers were fairly decent and he is a southpaw who can reach the mid 90s. Has pitched 8 innings of shutout ball at short season to begin his pro career. Despite the fact that he doesn't scout especially well, we think a few teams might have missed the boat in letting Miller fall all the way to the seventh round. Getting so few innings in a relief role will probably make it necessary for Miller to repeat the level next season, but continued success going forward and Miller could someday be a very useful part of a bullpen at the PEBA level.
Yuma Summary – This is an organization that is in need of some real work. For a small market team, trading away the first overall pick in the draft for a marginal, one-dimensional first basemen who may never be more than an organizational soldier has to be considered completely negligent. Stud pitchers like Bill Bradley don't grow on trees, and trading away the rights to him – and to a budding dynasty in Aurora, no less – was simply not smart. Issues with a lack of talent and lack of depth could eventually be corrected, as last year's ill-advised trade assured them many more seasons of very high draft picks. Now if they can only be smart enough to not trade those picks away to big market teams, they might eventually have things looking up. They certainly can't get too much lower.