2014 Regular Season Divisional Prospect News

[TheCrew07]

Blaze trio goes back-to-back-to-back

Gelalich, Buckley, Elizalde highlight Bakersfield's seven-run inning

[TheCrew07]

Bryant, Kaminsky, and Kingham... no Brewer prospects.

 

All-Prospect Team: June Edition

July 8, 2014 by Matt Eddy

[reillymcshane]

Crew, thanks for always posting these links. It's great. Just want you to know they are appreciated.

[dacbrewers]

I have seen Stephenson pitch 4 times (two live) and Nelson over 10 (two live) times this year. There is no way that Stephenson should be ranked higher than Nelson. Nelson should be near the top, it's a no brainer. First question... Is Baseball America run by Agents? I would like to see guys ranked according to how close they are to being Major league ready instead of whatever they go by now. Second question...How long do you need to play in the Majors before you are not a prospect anymore?

[TheCrew07]

1) Baseball America tends to rank pitchers on their ultimate ceiling (which is basically what I do as well), not how close they are to MLB, though that is taken into consideration. Stephenson's control has disappeared but his pure stuff is still some of the best in the minor leagues, He's a guy I'm keeping a close eye on.

 

To compile the Baseball America Midseason Top 50 Prospects list, Baseball America writers talked to dozens of scouts and front office personnel who evaluate prospects. And in the process, we gathered information on many prospects who didn’t crack the Top 50. Here are some other players who stood out in our midseason look around the minors. The reports were compiled by J.J. Cooper, Matt Eddy and Josh Norris.

 

2) Pretty much everyone uses the MLB rookie qualifications.

 

To qualify for rookie status, a player must not have exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues, or accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the 25-player limit period, excluding time on the disabled list or in military service.

[dacbrewers]

Thanks for the clarification!

[Noche]

I have seen Stephenson pitch 4 times (two live) and Nelson over 10 (two live) times this year. There is no way that Stephenson should be ranked higher than Nelson. Nelson should be near the top, it's a no brainer. First question... Is Baseball America run by Agents? I would like to see guys ranked according to how close they are to being Major league ready instead of whatever they go by now. Second question...How long do you need to play in the Majors before you are not a prospect anymore?

 

I totally agree that Nelson is better than many of the pitchers on the BA and BP mid-season lists.

 

For example, the last 4 in for the BP 50 are RHP pitchers.

 

47. Michael Lorenzen - RHP - Reds

48. Luis Severino - RHP - Yankees

49. Alex Gonzalez - RHP - Rangers

50. Miguel Almonte - RHP - Royals

 

Nelson has every bit the pedigree (SEC, 2nd round pick), the stuff (up to 96-97 with sinker, out-pitch slider) and twice the performance at least of any of these guys. Not to mention he is about to join a playoff rotation in the majors.

 

Nick Kingham at #43 is described as this: "Lacking the ceiling of some of his fellow listmates, Kingham makes up for that with a high floor and proximity to the majors that could see him called upon late this year or early next. He's built to handle innings and has the arsenal to do it, and he should slide into the middle of the Pirates’ rotation whenever they make room for him. –Jeff Moore"

 

Here is Alex Gonzalez: "The former first round pick has shown strong development and polish of his skills. Gonzalez flashes a four-pitch mix with an electric fastball helping all of his off-speed arsenal play up. Starting at the High-A level, he improved his command within the strike zone and ability to control the zone with his improved curveball. This led to his promotion to Double-A in his age-22 season. A mid-rotation-starter ceiling with a back-end-starter floor makes him a very intriguing prospect. –CJ Wittmann"

 

Both guys sound like a poor man's Jimmy Nelson. BP should be embarressed.

[igor67]

In fairness there is a fair amount of inertia in prospect rankings, which on balance is a good thing. It doesn't mean they didn't mess up, but its not like these rankings are precise to begin with.

[TheCrew07]

Nice story out of a tragic event.

 

Marauders honor Chambers through charity

Toledo saluting home run king Hessman with 'blockhead' giveaway

[TheCrew07]

Jones, Kaminsky are Pipeline Prospects of the Week

Pirates shortstop hit .500, had five homers, Cards pitcher had 0.68 ERA in two games

[TheCrew07]

With Russell, Baez, and Castro it's likely Alcantara gets squeezed out at SS but he could be a heck of a 2B and I had missed that he was getting time in CF as well. The Cubs could always trade away some of that depth but I would think Castro is the one they would try and move, I didn't like his contract, but it's not so horrible that a team wouldn't take it on.

 

What To Expect: Arismendy Alcantara

July 9, 2014 by Vince Lara-Cinisomo

[TheCrew07]

BA prospect chat coming up at 1:30 PM CST today, submit some Brewer related questions!

 

Baseball America Prospect Chat

[TheCrew07]

Reds' Stephens delivers five healthy frames

Righty allows one hit, strikes out eight in shutout outing for Dragons

[TheCrew07]

Hooray for being on the wrong end...

 

Baseball America Prospect Report (July 10)

 

PITCHER OF THE DAY: Tim Cooney, lhp — Triple-A Memphis (Cardinals)

 

The 2012 third-rounder from Wake Forest has bounced back from a rough patch with two stellar outings. On Wednesday, the 6-foot-3 lefty twirled eight, three-hit innings, allowing just a run and no walks with eight strikeouts. For the season, Cooney’s 9-5, 3.74 with an 81/39 strikeout/walk comparison.

[TheCrew07]

What To Expect: Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks

July 10, 2014 by Vince Lara-Cinisomo

[TheCrew07]

Kingham carries perfecto bid into sixth

Pirates prospect puts up zeros for third time in six Triple-A starts

[TheCrew07]

Kaminsky, Peterson among best of June

First-round Draft picks shine for Peoria and High Desert

[TheCrew07]

Prospect Hot Sheet (July 11): JaCoby Jones Brings Up-The-Middle Power

 

1. JaCoby Jones, ss, Pirates

 

Team: low Class A West Virginia (South Atlantic)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .538/.556/1.154 (14-for-26), 9 R, 1 2B, 5 HR, 7 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

 

The Scoop: The best thing the Pirates could for Jones was to put him at shortstop and leave him there, which is exactly what they have done. He played second base and center field at Louisiana State, but Pittsburgh drafted him with an eye to seeing what he could do at shortstop. Scouts who have seen him this year think he has at least a shot of being able to stick there, where his power (14 home runs this year) makes him a very valuable option. Even if he can’t stick at shortstop, he should be able to handle an up-the-middle position.

3. Tim Cooney, lhp, Cardinals

 

Team: Triple-A Memphis (Pacific Coast)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.69, 16 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 13 so

 

The Scoop: Cooney doesn’t really have a pitch to blow away hitters, though his changeup is above-average at its best, and he doesn’t give hitters comfortable at-bats. He’ll begin with a fastball, curveball or changeup, and there’s a pretty good chance that pitch will be a strike to get him ahead in the count. From there, he’ll mix his pitches well, hit his spots and add and subtract to ensure the hitter can never time him consistently. It’s not sexy, but it’s an assortment that has Cooney nearly ready to help the Cardinals as a back-end lefty starter.

 

Not-So Hot

 

Reese McGuire, c, Pirates: Yes, his defense is outstanding, but McGuire’s bat has been in a tailspin since the all-star break. He’s hit .186 (13-for-70) with no extra-base hits in his past 16 games. At 19 and in his first taste of low Class A at West Virginia, he still has plenty of time to develop into the power-hitting catcher the Pirates believed he would be when they drafted him in the first round last year.

[TheCrew07]

Ask some Brewer related questions!

 

Prospect Hot Sheet Chat (July 11)

Moderator: Baseball America's Josh Norris and Vincent Lara-Cinisomo will be here to chat about this week's Prospect Hot Sheet at 2 p.m. EST.

[TheCrew07]

MLBPipelines' take... Jimmy Nelson makes the list

 

Bryant, Betts highlight First-Half All-Prospect team

Cubs 2013 first-rounder, trio of Red Sox among young players who have shined

[TheCrew07]

Healthy Soler powers Smokies with blasts

Cubs' No. 6 prospect goes yard twice, drives in career-high five runs

[TheCrew07]

Mahle keeps going and going and going

Billings righty holds Ogden to three hits in complete-game shutout

[TheCrew07]

McKinney hits first homer as D-Cub

Outfielder goes deep in eighth game following Samardzija trade

[TheCrew07]

WATCH IT: Javier Baez Futures Game Batting Practice

July 13, 2014 by Josh Norris

[TheCrew07]

Handing Out Futures Game Superlatives

July 13, 2014 by Ben Badler