2011 Minor League Ball Interesting Short-Season Hitting Prospects
by John Sickels on Sep 13, 2011 3:10 PM EDT
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2011 Minor League Ball Interesting Short-Season Hitters
My initial plan was to approach the best players in short-season ball with another poll question, but I think it will be more interesting to write reports about 10 Interesting Short-Season Hitters and 10 Interesting Short Season Pitchers. This is based on a blending of immediate statistical performance as well as long-term outlook, for players that members of the Minor League Ball community expressed interest in, in the previous thread.
I realize there is selection bias, since fans of certain organizations (Blue Jays, Braves) tend to be a lot noisier around here than others. I am also working on a look at sleepers from the 2011 draft. There will be some players in that report that could also be mentioned here, but I'm avoiding duplication and will be covering every team for that article.
DISCLAIMER: This is not intended to be a comprehensive look at prospects in the short-season leagues!!
SHORT-SEASON STAR HITTERS OF NOTE
Yoan Alcantara, OF, Padres: Power-hitting Dominican, didn't play especially last year in the Dominican Summer League but was more effective this year in the Arizona Rookie League with a .348/.367/.586 mark. Strike zone issues are apparent: just four walks, but he struck out just 25 times in 215 at-bats, a good combination of power and contact.
Jorge Alfaro, C, Texas Rangers: Signed for $1.3 million out of Colombia in 2010, Alfaro .300/.345/.481 for Spokane in the Northwest League, showing strong power potential and promising, if raw, defensive skills. He's also got serious strike zone issues, with a 4/54 BB/K despite his gaudy slash line, but at age 18 he has plenty of time to work on that.
Brandon Drury, 3B, Braves: A 13th round pick in 2010 from high school in Oregon, Drury caught the notice of Braves fans with a .347/.367/.525 line for Danville in the Appalachian League, much better than the .198/.248/.292 line he posted in rookie ball last year. He fanned just 35 times in 265 at-bats, but drew a miniscule six walks. He's made substantial progress but more work is needed to carry forward to higher levels.
Taylor Lindsey, 2B, Angels: Supplemental first-round pick in 2010 from high school in Arizona tore up the Pioneer League, hitting .362/.394/.593 with nine homers and 10 steals while showing steady defense at second base. Pure hitting skills are highly-respected by scouts, and he performed well enough on defense that a projected move to the outfield is not inevitable.
Dan Muno, SS, Mets: Eight-round pick out of Fresno State this year destroyed the New York-Penn League, hitting .355/.466/.514 with 43 walks and 23 doubles in 220 at-bats for Brooklyn. At age 22 he doesn't have the long-term projection of other guys on the list, but he's very polished and could reach the majors rapidly as a utility type.
Joe Panik, SS, Giants: First-round pick out of St. John's was excellent in the Northwest League, living up to expectations, hitting .341/.401/.467 with 28 walks and 13 steals in 270 at-bats, showing his cachet as a future leadoff type. Heading to the Arizona Fall League for further experience, and could begin 2012 as high as Double-A.
Eddie Rosario, OF, Twins: Fourth round pick from Puerto Rico in 2010, drew comparisons on draft day to Bobby Abreu. He crushed Appalachian League pitching to the tune of .337/.397/.670 with 21 homers for Elizabethton, while stealing 17 bases and playing solid defense. Sound tools, looks like one of the big steals of the '10 draft.
Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins: Just 18 years old but hit .292/.352/.637 with 20 homers for Elizabethton, making a devastating one-two punch with Rosario in the lineup. Enormous power earned him $3.15 million in 2010. Superstar potential with the bat, but will have to watch strikeouts and sharpen up his defense.
Kevan Smith, C, White Sox: Seventh round pick in 2011 from University of Pittsburgh, annihilated short-season pitching at Bristol (Appy League, .396/.482/.740) and Great Falls (Pioneer League, .318/.417/.523). Drew 28 walks against just 30 strikeouts in 203 at-bats. Power bat and physical strength are well-respected, but he needs more polish with defense, and at age 23 he needs to show this wasn't just a fluke generated against younger competition.
Mason Williams, OF, Yankees: Fourth round pick in 2010 from high school in Florida showed exciting tools while hitting .349/.395/.468 in the New York-Penn League, stealing 28 bases. Good throwing arm, center field range, and overall athleticism are big positives, making him one of the most intriguing young outfielders to watch in full-season ball next year.
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Joc Pederson should be on this list
19 years old and drafted in the 11th round in 2010 as a raw but toolsy guy. It was thought he was going to go to USC, but the Dodgers were able to sign him.
He hit .353/.429/.568 in 68 games and 310 PAs. Showed great plate discipline walking at almost 12% rate and striking out at just 17%. He also stole 24/29 bases and can play all over the outfield. Had the 3rd highest OPS in the Pioneer league amongst batters aged 21 or younger and over 150 PAs (only guys ahead of him were Angels/Dodgers sluggers Cron and Dickson who are 21 years old).
by BFDC on Sep 13, 2011 4:02 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Double A Richmond lineup
could have Brown and Panik at the top of the order.
It’ll be interesting to see where the Giants bat them. Brown is more of a slash-and-put-the-ball-in-play hitter who doesn’t walk much, sort of White Ichiro Lite, but with the speed to wreak havoc. Panik, in his initial pro exposure, seems to be more disciplined, can get on base more ways, and has enough speed to also be an effective lead off batter.
I could see the Giants having Brown lead off since Panik is probably more able to do things with the bat to move Brown up on the bases as a number 2 hitter. And if Brown does not get on, Panik can serve as a “second lead off batter.”
i agree with most of this assesment
but i think they’ll start panik in San Jose
by you'vejustbeenCAINED on Sep 13, 2011 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
Ehire Adrianza, the highly-regarded SS who played in A and A+ ball this year will almost certainly get the nod at SS in Richmond. He played the full year in A+ ball in 2010 and was scheduled to start 2011 in AA, but he injured a ligament in his throwing hand in spring training and sat out the first 2 months of the season. He ended up putting up very strong numbers (for a SS) in A+ ball this summer.
BTW, Panik hit mostly in the #2 spot this entire season (with a few games in the #3 spot), and the Giants have not said that they see him as a leadoff type. They appear to be grooming him as a #2 hitter with the possibility of sliding down to #3 if he ever develops enough power.
"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner
Keep an eye on my son, Jake "The Jacksonville Rifle" Dunning. From SS to the mound - exclusively toeing the rubber since March 2010.
Sano Rosario
Twins #1 and 2 prospects right now or does Arcia/Hicks/Michael/Benson slip in at #2?
Wagner Mate-!... oh.
(see what I did there?!)
Founder and Chairman of the Hire A Body Double For David Hernandez's Right Arm Commission. A non-profit organization.
by Dan Strittmatter on Sep 13, 2011 7:05 PM EDT reply actions
Also worthy of note...
IMHO are Garin Cecchini, Rougned Odor, Phillips Castillo, Dante Bichette Jr., Tyler Austin and Vicente Campos.
Squeaky wheel Jays fan
wants discussion of Chris Hawkins, Kevin Pillar, Jonathan Berti and Eric Arce!
Actually, none are terribly interesting.
Arce
Dont know anything about him, but his stats look interesting. Only 5’9 so maybe his power doesnt project to more advanced levels?
we’ll have to see as he moves up but I doubt he can hit for that much power. Maybe 15-20 is a possibility.
by Sniderlover on Sep 13, 2011 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions
He has a plus hit tool
And serious raw power. He has a very good arm as well. Think Jaff Decker here.
by Matt Garrioch on Sep 14, 2011 1:54 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
do you mean the draftee version of Decker?
That sure isn’t him now.
Considering
He is 21 in AA, I think he’s going to be fine. Just a few potential flags showing up now. He’s not an elite guy but still a very good hitting prospect.
by Matt Garrioch on Sep 15, 2011 8:03 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Mason Williams baseball card
Has anyone checked his birth certificate?? Is the dude 12 years old or what?
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again.
Amazingly
He is only 2 weeks younger than Mike Trout.
by Matt Garrioch on Sep 14, 2011 1:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Anthony Garcia
Last year, he was the first GCL teenage hitter since Hanley R. to bat for average (.280+) and solid power (ISO .170+) with more walks than whiffs…and he’s followed it up with a stellar Appy year of .308/.407/.527.
Yeah, he’s been bumped from catcher (wow) to corner OF (sigh), but the big bat WILL play.
Top 100 prospect, by my lights. Not top 50 or 60, but certainly in the 80-90 range.
Kevan Smith seems somewhat interesting.
Especially in a system like the White Sox. He needs to move fast, so what do they do with Gonzalez, Blanke and Phegley all floundering in front of him on the depth chart? Would this be a situation where you might be ok with jumping a level?
I like Muno
Old for the league, it’s true, but you gotta like the 16.1 BB% and 14.6 K% to go with the .355 BA. And after a scorching start, he proceeded to hit even better as the NYPL season went on.
yeah I just wonder if Muno is an Eckstein-type or
if there’s any reason to expect something more…
by ThnkGoodnessforHowieRose on Sep 15, 2011 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
An Eckstein type would be great
Eckstein-obsessed sportswriters are fun to mock, but he was a two-time All-Star who averaged 3 WAR per year for his first 6 seasons.
Muno doesn’t have Eckstein’s defensive talents (he’s probably an emergency SS at best in the majors) but I could see him becoming a switch-hitting, slightly-better-all-around version of Justin Turner.
I wasn't mocking Eck
I realize he was a fairly effective player the 1st half of his career.
by ThnkGoodnessforHowieRose on Sep 16, 2011 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions
re: Kevan Smith/White Sox catchers
Blanke and Gonzalez are good defensively, but both have a suspect bat. Gonzalez may be rated higher. Phegly…the story on him was good bat no glove, now he doesn’t have either. If Smith continues to develop, he’ll leap over everyone. Another kid to watch in the next few years is Bryan Mosier, who debuted in Bristol. Good projectable bat/good glove.
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