How good is Tyler Flowers?

by bravitos5122 on Aug 9, 2008 10:21 PM EDT

22 year old catcher at Myrtle Beach. .295/.436/.500 an that doesnt even show the whole story because he got off to a real slow start. This kid wow'd everyone on the big club in spring training with his size and mammoth power an he has certainly had a breakout season. The walk rate is just ridiculous. As a catcher, his defensive skills are solid, and his bat would carry at 1B but his value would obviously take a hit.

Where does he rank with the current catching prospects in the minors excluding Wieters? I know some other guys might be a year younger or doing it at a higher level but I think this kid has the best stick of any catching prospect not named Wieters. Braves have had a great amount of success identifying catchers in recent years. Its unfortunate the braves wont be able to find a place for this kid's bat with McCann at C and Kotchman at 1B and Freeman coming up right behind him.

Tweet Comment 5 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Good prospect

very good plate discipline, good power, and a nice swing. His defensive skills are there as you say, but I very much doubt that he’ll stick behind the plate. Flowers is very big at 6’4” 245 and has already had to undergo surgery on one of his knees. To put it plainly, that is just too much pressure on his knees, especially if he is already having problems. It is hard enough for a guy who is an average size for a catcher.

by was385 on Aug 9, 2008 11:49 PM EDT reply actions

well...

BA recently referred to him as “the best receiver in the [Braves’] system behind Clint Sammons”, so the defensive scouting reports indicate that he’s able to catch the ball well enough. And the bat has been very nice. His walk rates have been good throughout his minor league career, but this year, he’s actually walked more than he’s struck out. Next year in AA will tell us a lot about how his bat will play in the majors. It will be interesting to see how the walk rate in particular changes as he moves up.

Overall, I’d say the position/bat combination gives him some very nice upside, but the injury history and his size also through up some red flags. I’d probably give him a B at this point, maybe B+ depending on how positive the defensive scouting reports are and how much power people think he’ll add.

by mraver on Aug 10, 2008 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

re-read my post

It’s not his defensive skill that I question, it’s the fact that he is quite large (6’4” 245 lbs) with a history of knee problems including knee surgery and he is only in A-ball. Just being that big leaves the concern that it is too much pressure on a catcher’s knees but with him already having gone under the knife for those problems, that makes it that much more likely that his body just won’t be able to hold up.

I love his offense and I think it will play just fine at first base but his body is just too big to play behind the plate. His joints have already shown some breakdown and I just think that will keep happening.

by was385 on Aug 10, 2008 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Kotchman can always be traded. Or Flowers can be flipped in a package for a frontline starter. One thing that is certain is the Braves have a very valuable prospect in Flowers at a very valuable position. I love the K/BB ratio and the emerging power.

by JFP on Aug 10, 2008 12:55 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah...

Kotchman isn’t going to have a strangehold on 1B with guys like Flowers and Freeman moving through the system. He’ll hold down the forst for a couple years and, unless his power resurfaces, he’ll be on his way out of town. Don’t mind Casey at all, but Tyler and Freedie appear to be just that much better.

Here we go again: http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/

by ejruiz on Aug 10, 2008 1:36 AM EDT up reply actions