2007 Florida Marlins Prospects

by John Sickels on Dec 23, 2006 10:53 PM EST in News Comment 22 comments

Sean West, LHP, Grade B+ (I like him best of the Greensboro bunch right now)
Chris Volstad, RHP, Grade B (very projectable, a bit more than Thompson)
Aaron Thompson, LHP, Grade B (very projectable)
Taylor Tankersley, LHP, B (under the 50-inning limit. Needs better control to sustain low ERA but I think he'll be fine)
Gaby Hernandez, RHP, B (solid all-around pitcher)
Jose Garcia, RHP, B (fine talent, needs a consolidation season)
Renyel Pinto, LHP, B (another guy with talent but need for sharper command)
Brett Sinkbeil, RHP, B (I'm not sure why, but I just have a feeling that he might disappoint. Not a scientific opinion, just a nagging doubt that I can't pin down)
Gabriel Sanchez, 1B, B (intriguing and overlooked bat)
Henry Owens, RHP, B- (power arm for bullpen, from Mets)
Matt Lindstrom, RHP, C+ (power arm for bullpen, from Mets)
Ryan Tucker, RHP, C+ (Great stuff, command needs a lot of work)
Paul Mildren, LHP, C+ (Australian lefty on 40-man)
Rick Vanden Hurk, RHP, C+ (Dutch power arm had good fall league)
Harvey Garcia, RHP, C+ (another power arm to track)
Jacob Marceaux, RHP, C+ (had a decent year but overshadowed by younger arms in system)
Kyle Winters, RHP, C+ (projectable righthander to watch)
Chris Coghlan, 3B, C+ (should hit for average)
Jesus Delgado, RHP, C (another bullpen power arm)
Scott Tyler, RHP, C (another bullpen power arm)
Hector Correa, RHP, C (impressive rookie ball pitcher)

Others of Note: Robert Andino, SS; Greg Burns, OF; Don Czyz, RHP; Tom Doolittle, RHP; Kris Harvey, OF; Tom Hickman, OF; John Raynor, OF; Eric Reed, OF; Graham Taylor, LHP; Matt Yourkin, LHP.

The Marlins in One Sentence: This system is thinned out after all the major league graduations, but there is still an intriguing set of long-term arms.

They really need some hitters, though, and I'd like to see them focus on that in the '07 draft just to provide a bit of balance to the system.

ALL GRADES ARE PRELIMINARY. If you hate a grade, feel free to make a case for me to change it, though remember that cases phrased respectfully using logic and facts are more likely to be viewed positively than those featuring insults and invective.

There is a lot of slack in the B-/C+/C range and players may move up and down depending on how my thinking progresses. Feel free to make comments, point out sleepers I may have missed, etc. Note that there is only a limited amount of space in the book, and the max I can do is 35-36 players per team.

And, as always, there is the helpful reminder to Buy My Book, which will lay out reports for all these guys (and more) in detail.

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Comments

West vs. Volstad

I can understand West being ranked ahead of Volstad, but I honestly expected the same grade for them. I'd give them both B+ grades, but West the edge being a lefty and more of a power guy. Volstad had a better GB:FB rate, better K/BB rate, lower ERA, and prevented HR's better. West had the advantage in WHIP and K/9 rate.

It is unusual to see 18 pitchers in a team's top 20, but with that kind of a surplus of arms, plus quite a few guys in the bigs that could be deemed expendable, the Marlins should be able to trade for a hitter or two. I'd look strongly into a Humber/Milledge/Heilman for Dontrelle swap, then try and spin Humber and Heilman off for Baldelli. Just a thought.

I don't get enjoyment out of reading baseball books. I'd rather watch a sci-fi movie on TV. -Joe Morgan, Emmy winning BASEBALL analyst

by gatling on Dec 23, 2006 11:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

trade

so you would end up with two CFers in milledge and baldelli?

by npurcell on Dec 23, 2006 11:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Milledge

I'd honestly send him to AAA, hope he has a great year, then peddle him off for more prospects. I don't personally care for Milledge, I don't see the same greatness in him so many people do. However, he does have value and it would foolish not to acquire him in a D-Train trade with the Mets. I'd look at moving him for a young C and a younger 2B. I'm not sold on Uggla being able to stay at the level of production he established this year. Sean Rodriguez and Jeff Mathis would be ok with me in return for Milledge. He could then become the future in LF for the Angels.

I don't get enjoyment out of reading baseball books. I'd rather watch a sci-fi movie on TV. -Joe Morgan, Emmy winning BASEBALL analyst

by gatling on Dec 24, 2006 12:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why....

are people always wanting Florida to trade Willis? He is a great, young lefty who is barely beginning to get to his arbitration years and get paid more.

Did everyone think Houston should have traded Roy Oswalt 4 years ago too?

by Boxkutter on Dec 23, 2006 11:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

why... ?

Because they want the team they root for to get him.

God rested one day out of 7, Felix rests 4 out of 5.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Dec 23, 2006 11:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not me

I'm not a Mets fan or a Marlins fan. I think Willis is a major injury waiting to explode, and with the demand for pitching right now the return for him would be very high. I'd rather see the Marlins move him now, before he gets hurt and his value drops.

I don't get enjoyment out of reading baseball books. I'd rather watch a sci-fi movie on TV. -Joe Morgan, Emmy winning BASEBALL analyst

by gatling on Dec 24, 2006 12:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Willis....

is a hugely overrated pitcher who has been worked pretty damn hard at a young age.

He's one of the biggest "sell high" guys in the majors IMO.

He is not the pitcher Oswalt is I'll tell you that.

by SenorGato88 on Dec 24, 2006 12:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

West, Volstad and a question

I think both of these guys are great talents and will be part of the Florida rotation soon and for years to come. Sinkbeil is an interesting one to watch, as he may be the best of the bunch down the road. But the young pitching talent Florida has is incredible and I can see some being moved for hitters down the road.

So here is a question... How do we project the current SP in florida to do? Will J. Johnson have an ERA in the low 3's again? A. Sanchez and Olsen... low 4's high 3's? I think that Olsen will be a top flight starter very soon. Sorry for the rant.. just an intriguing farm system.

Nick

by jrbro on Dec 24, 2006 10:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Quite a difference between this list and BP's, more than I would have expected, one of the largest I've seen. It'll be interesting to see what BA thinks of this system. Tucker I especially found interesting since BP thought he was their second best prospect whereas he didn't make John's top 10 and Hickman who didn't make John's list at all.

+/- difference between John's list and BP's

Sean West, LHP
Ryan Tucker, RHP +9
Chris Volstad, RHP +1
Brett Sinkbeil, RHP +6
Gaby Hernandez, RHP
Aaron Thompson, LHP -3
Rick Vanden Hurk, RHP +6
Tom Hickman, OF +12(unranked by John)
Henry Owens, RHP +1
Jose Garcia, RHP -4

God rested one day out of 7, Felix rests 4 out of 5.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Dec 23, 2006 11:25 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yusmeiro Petit

Just wondering what you guys thought of Petit, a B+ last year from John. He threw 26 IP last year and got hammered. Just wondering how his future looked. Thanks!

by The Colonel on Dec 23, 2006 11:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Top100 lists

Petit pops up on several top 100 lists. 2 lists from Baseball Digest writers (#51 and 52) and #52 on Top Prospect Alert (I have no idea if any of these sites are valid btw). I assume he's still eligible?

by The Colonel on Dec 24, 2006 1:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

petit

For some reason I dind't think he was eligible any more. I will put him in the book. Not sure of the grade yet.

by John Sickels on Dec 24, 2006 1:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Gaby Sanchez

Any chance that he remains at or returns to catcher, especially considering that Florida's organizational depth at the position seems to lie somewhere between nothing and Nick Trzesniak?

by Joy in Melville on Dec 24, 2006 12:10 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Gaby

0 chance he goes back to catching. he just doesnt have the instincts

by Maverick on Dec 25, 2006 6:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

High school pitchers in 05 draft in 1st and supp 1

Chris Volstad- B (16)
Mark Pawelek- B (20)
Aaron Thompson-B (22)
Ryan Tucker- C+ (34)
Trevor Bell- C+ (37)
Beau Jones- unranked C+ or more likely C(41)
Sean West- B+(44)
Tyler Herron- unknown but likely C(46)
Micheal Bowden- B+(47)
Not counting JC or anything like that.
Herron and Jones are bombs so far. Bowden, West, Thompson, Volstad and Pawelek cream of crop. And Bell and Tucker are still question marks?

by wir963 on Dec 24, 2006 1:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Tankersley

Does Tankersley have the stuff to keep up the ERA he posted this year/ be an average to above average closer this season?

by znyfan on Dec 24, 2006 3:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

tankersley

This year was the first time I'd seen him pitch and I was really impressed. His fastball is "sneaky fast", it might be 92 mph but the hitters react like it's 96. His slider looked good the times I saw him. He needs to improve his command obviously, but his stuff is better than expected.

by jeck on Dec 24, 2006 1:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

RVH

Do you see Vanden Hurk more as a SP or a RP?

by mckeeno on Dec 24, 2006 3:16 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Vanden Hurk

Vanden Hurk is a better prospect than quite a few of those guys listed ahead of him... his stuff is great and the stats back that up when he's healthy.

Rays in '08....

by youALREADYknow on Dec 24, 2006 5:08 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Franklin Morales or Sean West?

by ISC on Dec 24, 2006 2:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

List

I like the list, I have a few disagreements and a few i agree on. First is Sinkbeil, I agree completely that sinkbeil will be kind of a bust. nothing to back it up just my gut tells me that. he wasnt pitching as good as volstad and west and thompson and he is older than them.

And i believe vanden hurk is gonna fly up prospect list this year. I think hes got really good stuff and will have a breakthrough year.

And I also believe that volstad should be a B+, him and west seem to be 1 and 1a in my oppinion.

All in all another very informative list. These lists are the most informative out there. Going in depth with 20 prospects as opposed to BA's top 10. I look forward to these lists all year. nice work john

by FishHead on Dec 26, 2006 2:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs