Prospect Comparisons

[marty22]

It's often said that scouts try to think of a comparable MLB player when looking at a prospect or prep player. I also find it quite helpful and interesting when trying to understand the projectablility of our own prospects. I'd like to see what we can come up with...here are a few of the ones I've thought of

 

Gamel - Votto (ability to hit LHP) or Markakis (go look at their milb numbers, eerily similar at same ages/levels)

 

Lucroy - Ramon Hernandez -- Good pop, plate discipline, low strikeouts

 

Arnett - Adam Wainwright -- I like this one a lot, other than the fact that I'm unsure Arnett has that kind of curveball, but the power sinker is the same

 

Braddock - Scott Kazmir - Good velocity, wipeout slider (okay, so the "old scott kazmir")

 

Taylor Green - Bill Mueller - Solid all around

 

Lorenzo Cain - Matt Kemp - Toolsy, although i don't think cain has that much upside

 

Scarpetta - Chad Billingsley - Stocky power pitchers with big curveballs and heavy fastballs

 

I thought of Cueto comparing to Peralta, but Peralta has a much better GB/FB rate.

Obviously, these are upside projections; if these were all to happen we'd have an all-star team, and I don't pretend to believe that all prospects - or even half - reach their upside. What do you think?

[clancyphile]

Taylor Green - Jeff Cirillo/Lyle Overbay: Regular doubles machines who could also take walks.

 

Cole Gillespie - Brady Clark: A solid outfielder who draws walks, racks up doubles and triples, and is probably an underrated leadoff hitter.

 

EDIT:

 

Alicides Escobar - Scott Podsednik: Great speed, but value as a leadoff hitter will be VERY dependent on a high batting average.

[southpaw121505]

Lorenzo Cain - Matt Kemp - Toolsy, although i don't think cain has that much upside

I do, but I'm no scout, and I'm a homer who thinks very highly of Lo Cain http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Tedaldtada]

Alcides Escobar: Ozzie Smith with a better arm and slightly better stick (Yea, Ozzie had some OK years).

 

Mat Gamel: Aubry Huff or Hank Blalock with a better BA

 

Angel Salome: Idk, mini SF style Benji Molina with the stick, who knows on defense...

 

Cole Gillespie: Ryan Church-ish/Chone Figgins-ish

 

Adam Heether: Brian Roberts-Lite (Very 'Lite')

 

Chris Cody: Doug Davis with less heat and a ton more GB's.

 

Jonathon Lucroy: If everything goes perfect, he reminds me of Varitek-lite or a better Chad Krueter

 

Taylor Green: Kelly Johnson or a better Mark Lorretta

 

Lorenzo Cain: Mike Cameron maybe (D would have to improve a bunch but I like the hitting comp.).

 

Braddock: Manny Parra basically

 

Josh Butler: In the Brandon Webb mold but more of a #4-5 guy

 

Rob Wooten: Rod Beck is perfecto, at worst, David Riske or Scott Linebrink type.

 

Caleb Gindl: Nate McClouth with a cannon.

 

Logan Schafer: Jeremy Reed with a lower BA and OBP

 

Evan Anundson: Braden Looper all the way, but a little less heat (for now).

 

Cody Scarpetta: Aaron Harang but with less heat

 

Wily Peralta: Sky is the limit with his ratios.

 

Brett Lawrie: Garret Atkins/Brad Hawpe type of guy.

 

Guys in the lower levels are to hard to project right now for me. Of course, these are optimistic comparisons and maybe 2-4 of them will prove correct or valid.

[colbyjack]

Here are some of my favorite comparisons to prospects over the past fews years that I feel are dead on:

 

Lucroy = Terry Steinbach

Escobar = Omar Vizquel

Cain = Randy Winn

Cole Gillespie = Matt Murton

Lee Haydel = Jason Tyner

Brett Lawrie = Jeff Kent

 

Pitchers are a lot tougher IMO. I've compared Jeffress to Edison Volquez in the past. Scarpetta has a good, but not great fastball for him to be compared to some of the names being thrown out. Wooten doesn't have the kind of fastball to be mentioned with the guys listed above. Omar Aguilar is very similar to Chad Cordero.

 

Gamel to Votto is a pretty good one, as is Green to either Mueller (best-case) or Kelly Johnson. Gindl is very Brian Giles-esque, but I hate pegging that unfair comparison on him. Same goes for Chris Cody, who is going to need a lot to go right to live up to previous Jamie Moyer comps.

 

Heether is nothing like Brian Roberts. Cirillo is a better comp for Heether, or possibly even McGehee, keeping it local.

[marty22]

The terry steinbach one has been thrown out by the 'Stache himself. Also i really like the Jeff Kent comp for Lawrie, i couldnt peg one for him.