Tidbits

Marcos Vechionacci

Prospect Tidbits

A reader requested an analysis of a couple of players at Class A Charleston, Yankees affiliate in the South Atlantic League. So here goes.

Marcos Vechionacci, 3B
Hitting .286/.359/.361, 35 games, 133 at-bats, 16 walks, 22 strikeouts, 7 doubles, 1 homer, 1 steal. He's holding his own with adequate though not spectacular performance. Not much power so far, but decent on-base abilities. The key number is this one: 8/7/1986. Vechionacci is still only 18 years old, and is holding his own in a full-season professional league. The fact that he is making contact and controlling the strike zone decently is a good sign for his future. As he gets stronger, his power should increase, boosting his SLG to go along with his batting average and OBP.
I would avoid promoting him to a higher league this year; I'd leave him at Charleston for the entire season. In the long run, there is every reason to be optimistic given his age/performance/quality of competition factors.

Christian Garcia, RHP
9 games, 8 starts, 45.2 innings, 41 hits, 49/17 K/BB ratio, 3.35 ERA. A third-round pick in 2004 out of high school in Miami, Garcia is making good progress. I particularly like his strong K/IP ratio. His command still needs some work, but his walk rate isn't excessively out of bounds, and overall he's been quite effective. Listed at 6-4, 175, he already throws in the low 90s, and if he fills out more he could boost his velocity past 95 MPH.
The original plan was for Garcia to begin the year in extended spring training, then start pitching in short-season ball in June. But he looked excellent this spring, earning his way onto a full-season club at age 19. Overall, I don't see any reason NOT to be pleased with him, granted all the usual caveats involved with young pitchers.