Who from the 2008 Draft will start in AA next year?

by laxtonto on Jan 13, 2009 2:55 PM EST Comment 33 comments

After coming across this in a chat transcript today, it got me wondering who else is from the 2008 Draft is going to start in AA.

Richard Durrett: I think the earliest is mid-to-late 2010. That would be my guess. What does that mean for Chris Davis? I don't know. And I don't think the Rangers are too worried about it at this point. Two years is a lot of time. But Smoak is a polished hitter and making solid progress. Here's another one for you: Look for Smoak to start in Frisco(AA) this season and not Bakersfield(A+).

So who else? Right now the list contains:

Justin Smoak, Brett Wallace

Iill update the list if anymore links are posted

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probably

gordham beckham I assume. Posey is a possibility as is Alonso.

ProjectProspect.com - Sullivan10x@yahoo.com

by sully10x on Jan 13, 2009 2:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Smoak

My guess is that Smoak spends a month or two in the California Leauge before moving up to AA, but it wouldn’t shock me if he went to AA straightaway.

by Dalman on Jan 13, 2009 3:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

From what we're seeing

Smoak will be in AA to start the season. Texas looks to be becoming aggressive with promotions, as Andrus might be in the bigs to start the season, too.

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by Andy Seiler on Jan 13, 2009 3:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

overdo it. I suspect that both Smoak and Andrus will be fine in the long run. Smoak in AA isn’t as big a deal as putting Andrus on the ML squad this spring if that’s the route they take, but I’d like a little more caution.

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by t ball on Jan 13, 2009 4:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

To back up Sully

Yonder Alonso has been mentioned as competing in ST for a spot between A+/AA. My guess is that its all talk and he is slated for AA Carolina in April.

It also would not surprise me to see Zach Stewart (RP, Cin) to start in AA. He finished in A+ last year.

www.redsminorleagues.com

by dougdirt on Jan 13, 2009 3:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

From what they did last year

I’d say 1st rounders Brett Wallace (StL), David Cooper (Tor), Conor Gillespie (SF).

2nd rounder Josh Lindblom (LAD)

3rd rounders Zach Stewart (Cincy) and Craig Kimbrel (Atla)

by VladiHondo on Jan 13, 2009 3:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Possibly

Austin Gallagher (3rd rounder?)

The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns.

by mckeeno on Jan 13, 2009 4:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

2007 pick

by Bravesin07 on Jan 13, 2009 4:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Cooper

He’s gonna be there soon, but I can see him doing it Adam Lind style, first month or 2 back in high A, then tearing through AA and getting a taste of AAA. Let’s hope he doesn’t stink up the majors in the same way.

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

by KaoticKlown on Jan 14, 2009 3:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Alvarez maybe

Guys who played in A+ or higher at all last year and therefore are theoretically closest:

Brett Wallace
Yonder Alonso
Carlos Gutierrez
Andrew Cashner
Ryan Perry
Allan Dykstra
Conor Gillaspie (for some reason played in MLB)
Cody Satterwhite
Zach Stewart
Craig Kimbrel
Jay Jackson
Aaron Luna
Matt Hall
Robbie Weinhardt
Brandon Douglas

by aCone419 on Jan 13, 2009 4:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

conor gillaspie

it was actually a great moment in contract negotiations. he wanted a major league contract, but SF didn’t want to waste the option year, so he signed a minor league contract on draft day, and got his major league contract in september with a callup.

he’ll probably get optioned to AA to start the year, with another callup in september, and his final ETA being mid 2010.

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 Jan 13, 2009 6:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

AA or A?

Since Conor Gillaspie played no higher than short season A ball in the minors last season (before his contractual call-up to SF) and posted only a .674 OPS in 71 at bats there, I think he more likely to start 2009 at High A San Jose. Conor also wasn’t selected to play in the Hawaiian League.

The 2008 Giants draft choice who almost certainly WILL open the season in AA is catcher Buster Posey. Buster DID play in Hawaii and has already played in High A in the California League playoffs in 2008. In addition, Steve Decker — former Giants catcher and the guy who worked with Pablo Sandoval on his catching for most of last season in High A ball — has been promoted to AA Connecticut. Any idea which catcher he’ll be working with there? :)

by sharksrog on Jan 16, 2009 6:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm like 99% sure

Dykstra is going back to Lake Elsinore. So I think we can cross him off the list.

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by Wonko on Jan 13, 2009 8:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wallace

Brett Wallace ended the season at AA so I think that’s a no-brainer.

by FI2 on Jan 13, 2009 10:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

On the Cubs

I think there’s an outside shot Cashner starts at AA. There are some rumors that the Cubs are going to stretch him out, though, so I think Daytona is more likely.

Jackson was so good last year that it wouldn’t stun me if he started in AA.

by toonsterwu on Jan 13, 2009 11:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Lance Lynn, rhp

The Cardinals threw Clayton Mortensen right into the Springfield rotation last year and Lynn is more polished than he is. They’ve been very aggressive promoting guys to AA the last couple years.

by mateodh on Jan 13, 2009 4:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Posey

The Giants just named Steve Decker, former ML catcher as manager of the CT Defenders. They’ll certainly send Posey there to work with him.

Hector Sanchez: really getting tired of playing baseball in foreign countries...

by tedfordfan on Jan 13, 2009 4:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

nice i'll see him then

by Bravesin07 on Jan 13, 2009 5:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Make sure you post reports...

Also, the starting rotation is rumored to be:

Bumgarner
Alderson
Sosa
Tanner
Snyder

And there’s talk of pushing Noonan to AA to play 2B.

Hector Sanchez: really getting tired of playing baseball in foreign countries...

by tedfordfan on Jan 14, 2009 9:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

that would be incredible for me

by Bravesin07 on Jan 14, 2009 4:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"And there’s talk of pushing Noonan to AA to play 2B."

No shit? Do they not care that he couldn’t control the strike zone in Low A?

Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.

by doublestix on Jan 14, 2009 7:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The funniest thing about this is that Giants personnel think Noonan has the best strike zone judgement in the system.

While most will go with the obvious: “Well, that might very well be true, it IS the Giants system and we’re talking about hitters here…” I think I prefer to go with: “Just remember that the Giants have a different definition of strike zone discipline than most. Their definition loosely translates into ‘swings at pitches.’”

Hector Sanchez: really getting tired of playing baseball in foreign countries...

by tedfordfan on Jan 15, 2009 10:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You beat me to it

You beat me to it, Jefffan. I guess I’m Shane Vereen, and you’re Jahvid Best! :)

by sharksrog on Jan 16, 2009 6:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Brad Holt maybe

by viktor06 on Jan 13, 2009 4:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

too early for him but I can watch him get rocked in AA then.

by Bravesin07 on Jan 13, 2009 5:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Of course he'll get rocked

He’s finally going to have a chance to work on those secondary pitches. I look forward to it.

by JayWise on Jan 14, 2009 12:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I could see Carlos Guitierrez

But if so just barely

by SteveHoffmanSlowey on Jan 13, 2009 5:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Thoughts

The first basemen and Wallace all seem like good bets. I think Beckham will go to A+ first unless he looks really tremendous in the spring.

My sleeper for this question is Christian Friedrich of the Rockies, who profiles as a guy who should eat A ballers alive and probably would benefit more from a challenge in AA.

by mrkupe on Jan 13, 2009 7:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Alvarez

by Bravesin07 on Jan 13, 2009 8:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Smoak Quick rise

Would that ever shift Davis to DH or back to 3B? It just seems like Blalock would be the guy to lose out on some ABs and not Davis.

by Chalupa Cabrera on Jan 14, 2009 12:04 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Blalock is in the last year of his contract

and it looks like Davis gets to move to DH or LF.

The DH spot may depend on Max Ramirez and his if the team keeps him as a bat or trys to get value as a C.

by laxtonto on Jan 14, 2009 12:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Thanks for the info on Blalock, wasn’t sure how much longer he was under contract. If Max Ramirez could stick behind the plate the thought of him, Davis, and Smoak in the same lineup is very scary. I know this doesn’t consider the emergence of other other Ranger C and 1B bats like Salty and Teagarden, but I think Ramirez will have the best bat of those 3 aforementioned.

by Chalupa Cabrera on Jan 14, 2009 4:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs