BP's Rockies Top 11 Prospects

by larry on Nov 17, 2008 1:03 PM EST Comment 32 comments

Five-Star Prospects
1. Dexter Fowler, CF
2. Jhoulys Chacin, RHP
Four-Star Prospects
3. Wilin Rosario, C
Three-Star Prospects
4. Christian Friedrich, LHP
5. Casey Weathers, RHP
6. Michael McKenry, C
7. Hector Gomez, SS
8. Connor Graham, RHP
9. Eric Young Jr., 2B/OF
10. Charles Blackmon, CF
Two-Star Prospects
11. Seth Smith, OF

Just Missed: Darin Holcomb, 3B; Chris Nelson, SS; Chaz Roe, RHP

...

The Sleeper: A 37th-round draft pick this June who got $250,000 to sign, outfielder Delta Cleary is a switch-hitting five-tool athlete who is raw like sushi but offers plenty to dream about.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8313

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Mike McKenry?

I’m talking about the Rockies’ catcher….I’m starting to see his name all over the place. In addition to that, I believe that he’s currently in Arizona and just raking. I don’t see his name anywhere on this list (not even as an honorable mention). is he simply too old?

by psugator on Nov 17, 2008 1:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

#6

by gogotabata on Nov 17, 2008 1:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

and you're ragging on gammons for not being perfect, huh...

free chris getz!

by larry on Nov 17, 2008 1:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wow....i must be grading too many paperrs or something and going crazy

i didn’t even see his name…wow….sorry about that one

by psugator on Nov 17, 2008 1:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thank God

I’m not one of your students…

by slurve on Nov 17, 2008 1:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

"So's your mom"-David Sloane

by gatling on Nov 17, 2008 3:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

time for a break, methinks

clear the head.

free chris getz!

by larry on Nov 17, 2008 1:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

really?

He seems to me to be quite under-the-radar, where have you been seeing his name?

Really a lot of good catching prospects these days, and I think he’s just been overshadowed by them.

by scooter on Nov 17, 2008 2:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

BA seems to include

him in its daily AFL box almost every day. and most days it seems like he has a HR. he’s definitely on the prospect radar. my big concern with him, tho, is his age….

by psugator on Nov 17, 2008 2:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

well if you knew how to read then...

you wouldn’t have me for a teacher :-)

by psugator on Nov 17, 2008 1:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

for having a sense of humor about it, here's what goldstein had to say about your boy.

6. Michael McKenry, C
DOB: 3/4/85
Height/Weight: 5-10/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
Drafted/Signed: 7th round, 2006, Middle Tennessee State University
2008 Stats: .258/.360/.468, .224 EqA at Double-A (111 G)
Last Year’s Ranking: Not Ranked

Year in Review: A breakout performer last year, he proved it was real by riding a strong second half to lead High-A Modesto in home runs and RBI while showing the best all-around catching skills in the league.
The Good: McKenry has excellent secondary skills at the plate, as he works the count well, waits for pitches to drive, and shows plus power and the ability to pull balls down the line. He’s a heady defender with good instincts who calls a good game and combines a plus arm with a very quick release that allowed him to nail 40 of 85 (47 percent) opposing basestealers in the California League.
The Bad: His swing is a bit loopy and has a trigger in it which makes it a bit slow, so it’s difficult to project him as someone who will ever hit for a high average. He’s short and squat and runs like a catcher, and his throws tail away at times, resulting to errors.
Fun Fact: McKenry had one of the best high school careers in Tennessee history, being selected as an All-State performer in each of his last three years at Farragut, going to the state title game each those years, and finishing second in state history in career home runs and RBI.
Perfect World Projection: He’ll be a starting big-league catcher with plus defense who makes up for a low batting average with walks and power.
Glass Half Empty: His batting average is too low to be made up for elsewhere, reducing him to more of a backup role.
Path To The Big Leagues: The same as for Rosario; catching is a crowded position in the organization.
Timetable: McKenry has been a little old for the league in his first two seasons, and will face the big test of Double-A in 2009. The Rockies are excited to see what he can do there after his strong showing in the Arizona Fall League.

free chris getz!

by larry on Nov 17, 2008 1:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You shouldn't repost pay-subscription content here

The scouting reports are behind BP’s subscription wall, I don’t think they’d be happy to see this reprinted on John’s site.

by jibs on Nov 17, 2008 5:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

fair use.

free chris getz!

by larry on Nov 17, 2008 6:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I stand corrected

(and have my control-c macro ready to go)

by jibs on Nov 17, 2008 11:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Sounds like pretty much exactly what people said about Guillermo Quiroz when he was in the Jays system. Eerily similar actually.

Rios is the next Juan Gonzales, thats right, I said it.

by KaoticKlown on Nov 17, 2008 7:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not bad

Some interesting guys in this system. I think Eric Young may be a bit under rated. Not the highest ceiling guy. Very little power. But, I’d take him at 2B.

by acerimusdux on Nov 17, 2008 1:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

wow chris nelson has fallen far

though hitting great in the AFL, too bad A’s couldnt get him added in the holliday deal

by Asfan4ever723 on Nov 17, 2008 1:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

mckenry one of my boys?

nah, he’s actually not….but i wish chacin were :-)

by psugator on Nov 17, 2008 1:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

hector gomez

does KG elaborate on the reason he didn’t play in 2008? he was on my track list going into the season, but he never showed up.

When they should be sacrifice bunting, they are buying effeminate designer jeans. When they should be fouling off pitches, they are masturbating. Always, they are masturbating.

by variablesdont on Nov 17, 2008 2:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

he had a stress fracture in his lower leg and then messed up his arm and had TJ.

free chris getz!

by larry on Nov 17, 2008 2:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

it's a sad world where

eric young jr. is rated as a higher prospect than seth smith. neither profiles as a starter, but only one of them can hit.

When they should be sacrifice bunting, they are buying effeminate designer jeans. When they should be fouling off pitches, they are masturbating. Always, they are masturbating.

by variablesdont on Nov 17, 2008 2:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

What's sad

is that anyone would worry that much over 2 spots between 2 bench players.

by slurve on Nov 17, 2008 2:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

might as well throw this in here:

My top 15 list for Colorado’s system:

Prospects 1 – 5

Prospects 6 – 15

Some differences:

1. He has Rosario at 3, which is an aggressive spot, but he has better information to go off of. So I went the conservative route.

2. Gomez is still ranked at 4, though that is mostly by default as Colorado’s system sort of thins out after the first 3 guys (4 if you count Rosario)

3. Weathers is ranked way too high for a reliever who is about to have TJ surgery

4. Seth Smith did not qualify as a prospect under my guidelines, which is 100 ABs. Smith probably would of placed 7 or 8 on my list.

5. I’m surprised he didn’t include Dan Mayora at all in his rankings. Middle infielder, not old for his league, respectable numbers though somewhat down from 07, and has some projection.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on Nov 17, 2008 3:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Weathers

It’s a shame he got hurt. I think he could have been an elite closer in the majors as soon as mid-2009. Hopefully he’s ready to rock by that time in 2010.

by Daniel Plainview on Nov 17, 2008 4:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Koshansky

Is it becoming the consensus that he is a AAAA hitter now or is he not eligible anymore due to service time.

by tdot mariner fan on Nov 17, 2008 4:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

he's still eligible

For me, he’s in that 15 – 20 range. Big power, strikes out a ton, walks a lot…3 true outcome type player…doesn’t have a lot of positional value, older for a prospect, and helped out by playing in very hitter friendly parks. He deserves a chance somewhere to be at least a back-up or platoon player, but he’s a better fit in the AL. I mean, he only has 38 PAs at the big league level and his OPS is .776, so the jury’s still out on him.

www.baseball-intellect.com

by NovaO on Nov 17, 2008 6:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Franklin Morales

Is there any hope?

by The Colonel on Nov 17, 2008 4:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

bad signs

decreased velocity
control issues

might be an arm issue (injury).

Now raise your goblet of rock. It's a toast to those who rock!

by Dewey Finn on Nov 17, 2008 4:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

He’s only 22. And I think his biggest problem has been a complete mechanical collapse; which in some sense in a good thing since mechanics can be rebuilt better than a labrum.

And he is doing well in winterball:

http://blogs.rockymountainnews.com/rockies/archives/2008/11/more_strikes_fr.html

by aCone419 on Nov 17, 2008 4:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs