Prospects to Watch

[molsaniceman]

Thx Phil think ill hang on to Osuna pitchers are harder to find

 

[molsaniceman]

The Cards will summon John Gast from Triple-A Memphis to start Tuesday against the Mets

What do u know about Gast Is he worth a pick up

 

[molsaniceman]

Found this

Gast doesn't have the high profile like some of the other Cardinals' pitching prospects, but he's off to a great start this season at Triple-A Memphis, posting a 1.16 ERA and 35/13 K/BB ratio over 38 2/3 innings. He'll have a shot at additional starts with the big club if he pitches well against the Mets.

Westbrook going on DL

 

[BigDDude]

Just a link to MLB's Jonathan Mayo's top 100 prospect list for folks to use and enjoy.

2013 Prospect Watch | MLB.com: News

 

[BigDDude]

Here is the info and breakdown on a mock draft at SI.com, making it a good place to get an idea on the freshest batch of prospects.

MLB Mock Draft: Gray looks like best bet at No. 1 -- for now - MLB - SI.com

 

[BigDDude]

Well, the pedigree is there anyway

At 45-6, the Vanderbilt baseball team is arguably the best in the nation, and while some of the Commodores’ stars may be several years from becoming household names, one of them has a name you most certainly already know — even if you can’t spell it.
Mike Yastrzemski is a left-handed, senior outfielder for the Commodores, who seem primed to make the second College World Series in program history.
Yastrzemski has started all 51 games for Vanderbilt, which is riding a 12-game winning streak following a weekend sweep of Kentucky, and is hitting a career-high .333 with three home runs and 36 RBI.
He’s also, as you might have guessed, the grandson of Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski, who played in 18 All-Star games, won seven Gold Gloves and rode one historic triple crown season to the 1967 MVP.
When he was in eighth grade, Mike Yastrzemski’s father, a former minor leaguer also named Mike, died of a heart attack. Since he was 14, the younger Mike has been working with his Hall of Fame grandfather to develop his skills at the plate and become a better all-around player. He even helped him shake a slump earlier this season.
“When he was struggling, he had his hands close to his body,” Carl Yastrzemski told The New York Times, which published a lengthy feature on the Yastrzemski family over the weekend. “He was putting too much weight on his back leg; he was all tied up. I talked to him on the phone after the game and, bam, he went on a tear.”
Mike Yastrzemski was also part of the only other Vanderbilt team to reach the College World Series (in 2011), and this year’s club looks capable of winning it all. After that, he’ll shift his focus to his career — and with a name like Yastrzemski, expectations will always be high.
A 30th-round pick by the Seattle Mariners in last year’s MLB draft, Yastrzemski chose to decline a $300,000 signing bonus to stay in school.
In this year’s draft, which takes place June 6-8, he’s projected to go in the top 15 rounds, though he’s far from a can’t-miss prospect.
One anonymous scout told the Times that Yastrzemski would have to “overachieve” to reach the majors. But even his grandfather didn't break out until that '67 season, when he led the league with a .326 batting average, 44 homers and 112 RBI as a 27-year-old veteran.

 

[Philabuster5]

Thought I'd take a quick look at Rafael De Paula of the NYY.
He is my favourite Yankee prospect right now.

BIO: 6'2" 215lbs throws R....Born Mar 24/1991 in DR
Signed by the Yankees in 2010...but issues with his birth certificate, causing a year suspension from MLB, have slowed down his ascent.

2012: R 8-2 1.46 61ip 35h 18bb 85k
2013: A 3-2 2.70 33ip 21h 16bb 58k

It took me a while to get aboard his bandwagon. The age concerns...he may very well be older, the lack of data/scouting reports. He is currently playing against younger competition, and my bias is huge against older minor leaguers.
But, he certainly looks like a man among boys.

Rafael DePaula vs. Lakewood - YouTube

Rankings:
Bullpen Banter: n/a
BP: n/a
Sickels: n/a
BA: #10 Yankees
Law: n/a
Baseball Instinct: #74

His stock is definitely rising though and I'd be surprised if he doesn't sneak onto a few more midseason lists. He may not be rostered in leagues with less than 150 minors, but he should be. He throws mid 90s heat with a great curve. I just grabbed him in two leagues dropping Stryker Trahan (I might regret this later) and Arismendy Alcantara (haha, another guy I like)
If you like big upside, strong RHPs, take a chance on De Paula. I feel like I was late getting on board with him, but maybe your league-mates are too.

 

[BigDDude]

I'll be he felt more like Al Bundy once his day was finally done.

It was on this date back in 2010 that Owasso High School junior Dylan Bundy, needing his team to win both ends of a doubleheader to stave off elimination from the state tournament, throws the final five innings of the opener and the first five innings of the nightcap. The future first-round pick (4th) of the Orioles, who will throw 181 pitches over the two games en route to striking out 20 batters in 10 innings, helps the Rams beat Jenks, 10-7 and 5-4, advancing his teammates to the Oklahoma state championship game.

 

[boredoutofmymind]

Who has higher upside Grandal or Zunino?

 

[BigDDude]

A VERY deep sleeper, from my neck of the woods.

While a perfect game in the majors is pretty much always newsworthy, it’s rare that a non-professional player gets much attention for it. Sometimes, though, a pitcher manages to accomplish this rare feat in a way that makes the larger sports world sit up and take notice.
That’s just what happened when Michael Strem, senior at St. Francis School in Mountain View, California, threw the first perfect game in his school’s history. Throwing a perfect game – especially the first in your team’s history – is impressive enough. What’s really remarkable is that Strem did it with a mere 66 pitches. In seven innings of baseball, Strem faced 21 batters, which means that each batter saw, on average, just slightly more than three pitches. That makes it one of the most efficient perfect games you could ever hope to see.
Even more impressive, 48 of Strem’s 66 pitches were thrown for strikes, and only 18 were balls. He also recorded 8 strikeouts.

Strem’s gem turned out to be a major boon to his team, whose offense was a little slow. The game was tied 0-0 until the 6th inning, when St. Francis scored two runs on an infield single by Mark Cardinalli.
Thanks to Strem’s amazing pitching (and Cardinalli’s two-run single) St. Francis improved their record to 26-4 and advanced to the semifinal round of the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs.

 

[Microwahevo]

Impressive. But even more impressive that it was done in such a highly tense time like playoff time.

 

[BigDDude]

Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that Orioles infield prospect Jonathan Schoop has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back and is likely to need 6-8 weeks of rest. He will meet with another doctor this week for a second opinion, but the initial diagnosis probably won’t change.
Schoop is hitting .268/.331/.386 with three home runs, six doubles, one stolen base and 18 RBI in 34 games this season at Triple-A Norfolk. He batted .245/.324/.386 with 14 homers, five steals and 56 RBI in 124 games last season at Double-A Bowie.
The 21-year-old native of Curacao ranked 82nd on Baseball America‘s listing of the Top 100 prospects heading into the 2012 campaign. He did not rank in the Top 100 heading into the 2013 season.

 

[Philabuster5]

Re: Zunino/Grandal...
If both available I grab Zunino, but it's likely close.
Grandal's inevitable time-split with Hundley and his ped issue drops him in my mind.

 

[boredoutofmymind]

Do you guys feel Lyons is a descent pickup in 12 team h2h dynasty league for QS? 12 starts per week, not much value in FA pool basically all I do is stream a few spots to get my 12 starts a week.

 

[Philabuster5]

In a 12tm league, where you make 12 starts per week, I'd grab him. Of course, that's an insane set-up.
Normally I'd say no.

 

[BigDDude]

With the 2013 MLB draft rapidly approaching, here is a look at pitchers likely to be drafted on the first day. We haven't forgotten about hitters, as they will follow in a separate article.
EARLY FIRST ROUND TALENTS (alphabetical listing)

Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford University: Last year's unsigned first-round pick by the Pirates at eighth overall, Appel's decision to return to school looks wise as he's now slated to go off the board in the first couple of picks. The 6-5, 215-pounder has a mid-90s heater and has added polish to his slider and changeup, giving him top-of-the-rotation upside.

Trey Ball, LHP, New Castle HS, New Castle, Indiana: The best lefty in the draft, Ball is a super-projectable 6-6, 180-pounder but already throws in the 90s and has good command of his curveball and change-up. He's very athletic and also a prospect as an outfielder, though teams prefer him on the mound. He should come off the board in the first dozen picks.

Jonathan Gray, RHP, University of Oklahoma: Gray shot to the top of the draft boards with an outstanding spring. A 6-4, 240 pound righty, he showed improved command of a 95-100 MPH fastball along with a nasty slider and a decent change-up, pushing past Appel in the eyes of many teams for looking like a future number one starter. He should go first or second overall.

Sean Manaea, LHP, Indiana State University: This big 6-5, 235 pound southpaw broke through in the Cape Cod League last summer with an outstanding fastball. His secondary stuff can be erratic and his velocity was up-and-down this spring, but he was still considered a lock to go in the top half of the round. It is unclear how shoulder tightness that kept him out of action this past Tuesday will impact his status.

Braden Shipley, RHP, University of Nevada: Another breakout pitcher, the 6-2, 180 pound Shipley is a former shortstop who polished his mechanics this spring and throws strikes with a mid-90s fastball and a good change. His breaking ball still needs some work, but he should come off the board in the top 10 or 12 picks.

Ryne Stanek, RHP, University of Arkansas: Rated as a top five talent pre-season, Stanek has had an inconsistent spring but could still go in the top dozen on the basis of his 6-4, 190 pound build, low-to-mid-90s fastball, hard slider, and developing changeup. He could be a number two starter if all goes well, or a power reliever if it doesn't.

Kohl Stewart, RHP, St. Pius X HS, Tomball, Texas: The top high school pitcher in the class, this Texas A&M quarterback recruit is a terrific athlete with a strong 6-3, 195 pound build, a low-to-mid-90s fastball, and a promising array of secondary pitches including a curve, slider, and change. He should go in the top six picks and won't likely present a signability problem in that range.
OTHER FIRST ROUND TALENTS (alphabetical listing)

Chris Anderson, RHP, Jacksonville University: Strongly built at 6-4, 225, Anderson showed sharpened command this spring of a plus fastball/plus slider combination. His change-up has also improved, and he profiles as an inning-chewing mid-rotation starter for a team in the second half of the first round.
Phil Bickford, RHP, Oaks Christian HS, Westlake Village, California: Probably the best high school pitcher on the West Coast, Bickford's projectable 6-4 195 build already generates low-to-mid-90s fastballs. His slider and change need work but he will be on the short list for many teams in the middle and back of the first round.

Aaron Blair, RHP, Marshall University: Seen as a second-round type pre-season, Blair has moved up into the possible late first-round range due to his 6-5, 220 pound body, 89-95 MPH heater, excellent change, and average breaking stuff.

Ian Clarkin, LHP, James Madison HS, San Diego, California: If Bickford isn't the best California prep pitcher, Clarkin is. Teams see him as an certain first round pick due to a low-90s fastball. He also has unusually good feel for his curveball and a promising change.

Jonathan Crawford, RHP, University of Florida: Some teams see Crawford as a reliever due to his impressive fastball/slider combination but a change-up that lags behind. Others believe he can be a mid-rotation starter with more development time. How that argument gets resolved determines if he goes in the middle of the first round or drops towards the back.

Ryan Eades, RHP, Louisiana State University: Eades isn't the same type of dominator that his predecessor as LSU's ace, Kevin Gausman. However, Eades attracts scouts with his 6-3, 200 pound body, his low-90s heat, and his greatly improved curveball and change-up. He's unlikely to last beyond the supplemental round.

Marco Gonzales, LHP, Gonzaga: A classic college-trained finesse lefty, Gonzales doesn't have ace upside but he also has a high floor thanks to outstanding command of his 88-91 MPH heater, a solid breaking ball, and a superb change-up. He's a safe choice in the back of the first round for a team in love with his makeup and polish.

Alex Gonzalez, RHP, Oral Roberts University: Quietly pushing into first round consideration, Gonzalez throws strikes with a low-90s heater, a vicious slider, and a workable curveball and change-up. His makeup is well-respected and his 6-3, 200 pound build looks strong.

Hunter Green, LHP, Warren East HS, Bowling Green, Kentucky: Green has classic projection build at 6-4, 180 and already throws in the low-to-mid-90s. His command and his secondary pitches need work, but a team willing to be patient could get a quality arm in the back of the first round.

Hunter Harvey, RHP, Bandys HS, Catawba, North Carolina: Son of former major leaguer Bryan Harvey, Hunter has great bloodlines and is fully committed to being a professional pitcher. He doesn't have a college plan, making him attractive to anyone worried about signability. He's a bit raw but has plenty of talent, including a 90-plus mph fastball and an erratic, if promising, breaking ball.

Connor Jones, RHP, Great Bridge HS, Chesapeake, Virginia: Unlike Harvey, Jones does present a signability risk due to his University of Virginia commitment. If he's not going to college, his athletic 6-3, 190 pound build, low-90s fastball, and solid slider will make him a candidate late in the first round.

Robert Kaminsky, LHP, St. Joseph Regional HS, Edgewood Cliffs, New Jersey: He's not big (5-11, 190) but Kaminsky has major league stuff with a 90-plus mph fastball, an excellent curveball, and unusually good polish for a cold-weather high school arm. He is committed to North Carolina but should be signable before the second round.

Matt Krook, LHP, St. Ignatius Prep HS, Hillsborough, California: Another hard-throwing lefty, Krook can get to 94-95 mph and has a classic 6-4, 195 pound pitcher build. His curve has promise, but he's rather raw and will need patient development. His upside is among the highest in the class.

Kyle Serrano, RHP, Farragut HS, Knoxville, Tennessee: Kyle's father Dave is the head coach at the University of Tennessee and Kyle will likely end up there if he's not drafted early enough. Absent that issue, his 90-94 mph fastball, advanced curveball and solid change-up would make him a very attractive pick late in the first round.

Bobby Wahl, RHP, University of Mississippi: Well-known to college baseball fans, Wahl lost some crispness off his 90-96 mph fastball, slider, and change this spring but continued to perform well statistically, and still projects as a first round or supplemental pick.
Devin Williams, RHP, Hazelwood West HS, Florissant, Missouri: Athletic and projectable at 6-3, 175, Williams is erratic with his stuff but shows the potential for three above-average pitches and has moved up draft boards this spring despite fighting cold weather early.
OTHER EARLY POSSIBILITIES

Dustin Driver, RHP, Wenatchee HS, Wenatchee, Washington; Kent Emanuel, LHP, North Carolina; Jason Hursh, RHP, Oklahoma State; Andrew Mitchell, RHP, Texas Christian; Teddy Stankiewicz, RHP, Seminole State Junior College (Oklahoma); Blake Taylor, LHP, Dana Hills HS, Mission Viejo, California; Andrew Thurman, RHP, UC-Irvine; Tom Windle, LHP, University of Minnesota; Trevor Williams, RHP, Arizona State University; Kevin Ziomek, LHP, Vanderbilt.

 

[BigDDude]

ith the 2013 MLB Draft rapidly approaching, it's time to look at many of the talents who could be drafted.

EARLY FIRST ROUND TALENTS (alphabetical listing)
Kris Bryant, 3B, University of San Diego: The best bat in the draft, Bryant is a 6-5, 205 bruiser with outstanding right-handed power and the ability to hit the ball out of any park to all fields. He also has good pure hitting skills, controls the strike zone well, and has a chance to stick at third. Even if he moves over to first base, this is an All-Star caliber bat. He's hit more home runs this year than most college teams.

Clint Frazier, OF, Loganville HS, Loganville, Georgia: The red-haired, right-handed, 6-1, 190 pound outfielder has thrived in high school and may have even more bat speed than Bryant, although his approach to hitting (understandably) is less refined. He may wind up in left field, but his bat will certainly play there given his outstanding power potential. His makeup is considered a big plus.

Reese McGuire, C, Kentwood HS, Covington, Washington: High school catching is a strength in this draft and McGuire is the best of the lot, a 6-1, 190 pound lefty hitter with athleticism and excellent defensive skills. His hitting is considered solid and this complete package should take him off the board before the middle of the first round, perhaps even in the top five.

Austin Meadows, OF, Grayson HS, Loganville, Georgia: Often compared to high school competitor Frazier, Meadows is a lefty hitter at 6-3, 210 pounds. His across-the-board tools may be a bit stronger than Frazier's, but his bat has less zip in it and he plays with less energy. He still projects as a major-league regular and is a lock to go in the top half of the draft.

Colin Moran, 3B, University of North Carolina: Bryant's outstanding season has overshadowed the progress Moran (listed at 6-4, 180) has made in tapping into his left-handed power. The nephew of B.J. Surhoff, Moran already had impressive pure hitting skills and excellent plate discipline. His defense has improved, and there are rumors he could go first-overall to the Houston Astros.

Hunter Renfroe, OF, Mississippi State University: A burly-but-athletic type at 6-1, 215, Renfroe took a giant step forward this spring as a power hitter thanks to better plate discipline. He's a certain first-rounder at this point and could go in the top ten under certain scenarios. His strong arm would look good in right field.

Dominic Smith, 1B, Serra HS, Los Angeles, California: Smith was seen as a first-rounder pre-season due to his bat speed and strong defense and he's done nothing to change that assessment, ticketed for at least the middle of the round and perhaps sooner. He's athletic at 6-1, 200 and projects to hit for both power and average from the left side.
OTHER FIRST ROUND TALENTS (alphabetical listing)


Nick Ciuffo, C, Lexington HS, Lexington, South Carolina: Ciuffo is a 6-1, 205 left-handed hitter with solid across-the-board abilities, projecting as above-average on both offense and defense. He's an almost-certain first-rounder, and depending on what happens with other players and his own bonus demands, he could go sooner than expected.

J.P. Crawford, SS, Lakewood HS, Lakewood, California: This draft is thin in shortstops and the 6-2, 180 pound Crawford is the best of the bunch, with the arm and range necessary to remain at that position at higher levels. Questions about his hitting may keep him out of the top ten, but it is unlikely that he'll slip out of the first round completely, and positional scarcity may move him up.

Jonathan Denney, C, Yukon HS, Yukon, Oklahoma: This 6-2, 205 pound slugger has more mash in his bat than fellow prep backstops McGuire or Ciuffo, but Denney's defense is less refined and there's some chance he'll have to switch positions. A team that buys into his ability to improve his glovework could take him early, and he won't fall past the supplemental round.

Hunter Dozier, SS, Stephen F. Austin State University: One of the best power hitters in college baseball, Dozier has a strong arm and surprising mobility in his 6-4, 220 pound body. Scouts generally assume he'll move to third base, but his bat will still play anywhere and he seems like a lock to go before the second round.

Phil Ervin, OF, Samford University: Another talented college right-handed bat, Ervin is stocky but strong at 5-10, 205. He runs and throws well, could stick in center field, and is considered a safe bet to bring his power/speed combination forward for success in pro ball. He's a middle first round target.

Eric Jagielo, 3B, Notre Dame: Left-handed power from a 6-3, 215 pound body could get Jagielo into the first round and he won't fall far beyond it. Sharper plate discipline and defense have boosted his stock, but even teams that see him as a first baseman long-term respect his bat.

Aaron Judge, OF, Fresno State University: Judge is huge at 6-7, 255, but the right-handed hitter is quite athletic with decent speed and a strong throwing arm. Scouts worry that his wide wingspan could hamper him in pro ball, but few players in this draft offer as much raw power.

D.J. Peterson, 3B-1B, University of New Mexico: Another right-handed college power hitter, Peterson controls the strike zone well and has excellent power to all fields. His 6-1, 205 pound body lacks speed and he may have to switch positions, but his bat is expected to take him through the minors quickly.

Riley Unroe, SS, Desert Ridge HS, Mesa, Arizona: Son of former major leaguer Tim Unroe, Riley is moving up boards quickly and has gone from a third or fourth round projection to a first-round possibility. He has the tools to stick at shortstop, plus his switch-hitting bat, 6-0, 180 pound bundle of athleticism and superior makeup help him stand out.

Austin Wilson, OF, Stanford University: Like Aaron Judge at Fresno State, Wilson is a tall toolshed at 6-5, 245, with an outstanding throwing arm, good speed, and superior power potential. His college track record is erratic and will probably keep him out of the top dozen picks, but it is unlikely he'll fall past the supplemental. His tools are just too good and his problems may be fixable with pro coaching.
OTHER EARLY POSSIBILITIES
Tim Anderson, SS, East Central Mississippi Community College; Cavan Biggio, INF, St. Thomas HS, Houston, Texas; Travis Demeritte, 3B, Winder Barrow HS, Statham, Georgia; Josh Hart, OF, Parkview HS, Lilburn, Georgia; Mike Lorenzen, OF, Cal State Fullerton; Billy McKinney, OF, Plano West HS, Plano, Texas; Tucker Neuhaus, SS, Wharton HS, Tampa, Florida; Chris Okey, C, Eustis HS, Eustis, Florida; Chad Pinder, INF, University of Virginia; Dustin Peterson, SS, Gilbert HS, Gilbert, Arizona; Cord Sandberg, OF, Manatee HS, Bradenton, Florida; Rowdy Tellez, 1B, Elk Grove HS, Elk Grove, California.

 

[Chef99]

Philabuster, i'm takin' a shot in our league this week...gonna be interesting to see what the Cardinals do.

 

[boredoutofmymind]

Philabuster, i'm takin' a shot in our league this week...gonna be interesting to see what the Cardinals do.

Well I don't think the Cardinals have any other options but to bring up Wacha. It would not surprise me that they do not bring him up though.

 

[Philabuster5]

I went to grab him too Chef, just couldn't figure out who to drop haha. Sucks when your bench is full of man-crushes hahaha.