Outfielders

[randybreuerfan]

What might happen with the glut of A/A+/AA outfielders was discussed in the June transactions page. Then other transactions occurred, and the conversation turned to something else. I'm yearning for more opinions...

 

My questions are: Where do people belong this year? When might they get to Milwaukee/major leagues and contribute? What might their contributions be? I'd love to hear from people who follow the minor leagues.

 

My sense is that there are a number of people in A+ and A that belong a half-step to a step higher than they are now positioned. Meanwhile, the high minors/major league bench is replete with low-ceiling prospects. Maybe it's time to challenge Katin and Moss at AAA, which would decrease playing time or roster positions for AAA veterans and to allow some of the others to move up into the vacated spots.

 

 

 

These are my best guesses about minor league outfielders in the system, from players I am most eager to check in box scores on downward. I am basing my rankings mostly on what I get from this site.

 

Even with them being advanced, it seems to me that we have 5 or so prospects that could be at AA right now (see below.)

 

 

La Porta (now at A / could be at AA at the end of this year / on Brewers by late 2008 / ceiling as a 2nd best OF on a contending team) -- Maybe he could force his way up the ladder quickly?

 

Gillespie (A+/AA/2009/#3 OF) -- not a great start to this year but still an All-Star and an All-Star star.

 

Brantley (AA/AA/late 2008/#2 OF) -- I sense good things from him and even helping the Brewers in the next 1.5 to 2 years. Gwynn but better!

 

Cain (A+/AA/2009/#1 OF) -- sounds like he might be a CF candidate? I just know that people are very high on him

 

Ford (A+/A+/2010/#4 OF) -- fast with a little power. One of the people that seems to be labeled "Gwynn, but better"

 

Gamel (AA/AA/2009/#3 OF) still might end up in the outfield, too.

 

Fermaint (A/A+/late 2010/#3 OF) -- struggles at A+ but appears to be dominant at A

 

Katin (AA/AAA/mid-2008/#3 OF) -- he's got a strong bat. Could he be Jenkins' replacement soon?

 

Chapman (A/A/2011?/#5 OF) -- he's still pretty young, I think. He seems to have been outshined by others this year at WV but that doesn't mean that he's not a prospect, right?

 

Moss (AA/AAA/late 2008/#4 OF) -- people used to be very high on him. I think Huntsville must be a terrible place to hit. Again, Gwynn, but better!

 

Anderson (AAA/AAA/#6-7 OF) -- we saw him last year for a bit. He continues to struggle in AAA but he dominated AA briefly when sent back.

 

Alonso, LaFave, Caufield (A) -- their statistics look amazing. I don't really know their stories, though.

 

 

I'm not including outfielders/people who can play the outfield in AAA include Nix, C Thomas, Rottino, Macias, Dillon, Crabbe.

[pogokat]

i'll go through all the names and give my take:

 

Laporta is a total mystery...i want to thow him in AA and hope for the best, but i think that won't happen until next year.

 

Gillespie will still be promoted to Huntsville this season...its shocking to see brantley skip over him, but i dont think brantley is the one blocking him..his batting average is very low, but everythign else is fine and i think he'll hit .280 in huntsville

 

Brantley's discipline is amazing, and he looks like a power hitter in 2007 after looking like a stick in 2006...he seems to be over his injury issues of last year, so hopefully he'll continue to develop a little more power...of course, a guy with a .400 obp only needs to slug .400 to be extremely useful...he's not a cfer defensively though, so dont get your hopes up on that

 

Lorenzo cain has shown no power this year at all, but like brantlye, he looks like a power hitter...he plays great defense, runs very fast, and draws walks while hitting for average...he's really very similar to carl crawford in potential, but he's looked a bit like TGJ this year...he hit for more power last year, and i still thik he's a 20 hr guy in the future..

 

Darren Ford has been phenomenal this year...he was good last year, but his power is way over expectations...i think he'll look a lot like lorenzo cain in BC...they are really similar except for Cain's superior eye at the plate. Darren has the potential to start in the majors, but he's unfortunately competing with his best friend for CF, because neither guy will hit enough to be an above average corner...BC is the right place or the rest of the year

 

Matt Gamel is still a 3b...and i genuinely believe the brewers want him to stick there...i'm not sure why...perhaps they plan to trade him? anyway,he's got legit power even if he's not hitting homers this year---he'll finish with more than 40 doubles, and i suspect 10 or so homers...he projects to hit 25 or so a year in the majors...he's pretty quick, so he could play corner outfield...he's a one step at a time kind of guy, and should definitely be at BC for the rest of the year

 

Fermaint is an enigma. His potential is probably above everyone above him...he has th ability to bat .300 and slug .550. of course, Christian Guerrero did as well...he's very hard to project...he really shoulda been in AA this year, but the brewers have him in low a now...i think he'll be traded..,he seems to be at the bottom of their priority list...i think nelson cruz will turn out to be a very similr comparison

 

Brendan Katin hits for good power, but doest walk enough or hit for much of an average. I suspect he'll spend a couple of years in AAA and have a decent major league career...He's agood prospect, just not a great one. people talk about Laporta like he is what he is, but he's still got a huge ceiling...katin kinda is what he is...i think he'd be an .800-.820 OPS guy in the majors with about 20 homers...maybe like x. nady or michael cuddyer...good, not great...he'll probably get lsot in the shuffle as he is a corner outfielder or 1st baseman only

 

Steve Chapman is a five tool prospect, who unlike cain has been showing above average power already. Steve's onnly 21, so while 3 years in rookie ball was undoubtedly frustrating, he's still on the corey hart schedule. Steve is a fiery dude and plays extremely hard---he'll be a fan favorite as he moves up the ladder..he's the kind of guy that could split a year somewhere between levels so that he winds up in AAA at 23...he can play all three outfield positions well...

 

drew anderson is getting old and doesnt hit for power...you saw him in milwaukee last year...he's not really a prospect...he'll probably play in another 5-6 organizations and spend some decent time as a backup in the majors, but he shouldn't have much impact as a starter anywhere..

 

I wasn't one of the ones who loved steve moss..i've never seen him play, so i can't comment from that angle, but i've never been too high on him. that said, he should be in AAA...at a minimum, he's blocking other players...

 

Chuck Caulfield was a college senior who hits for a high average...he should be dominating Low A, and is...w won't know what kind of hitter he really is until he get to AA, but he probably won't get there until he's 25. He's kind of like Anderson really...just a good hitter, but not quite a starter in the majors...

 

Lefave is in a similar boat to caulfield age wise, but he's been destroying low a...i think he's still a prospect...but the crew needs to bump him up fast...he's the kind of low risk promotion that i think should be rushed...he should be the next guy to BC (after kenny holmberg, who should probably be in huntsville)...and if he succeeds there, they could try him in AA later in the year...he brewers need to test to him to find out if he's for real..

 

Alonso is a good hitter, but more of a first baseman than anything...he's still young and playing at the right level

 

i skipped s

[randybreuerfan]

Wow, thanks for answering in such depth. It's hard to know what to make of players just based on boxscores and season statistics. It sounds like I should be paying a little more attention to Cain, Ford, and Chapman.