LaTroy Hawkins: Went 15-5, 2.08 with a 179/41 K/BB ratio for Fort Wayne in the 1993 Midwest League
Part Two of the 1993 Top Pitching Prospects Report, looking at A-ball and the short-season leagues.
1993 Top Pitching Prospects, Full-Season Class A
John Burke, RHP, Central Valley (Rockies): Career record of 4-6, 6.75 ERA in 75 innings. Career ruined by injuries.
Mark Thompson, RHP, Central Valley (Rockies): Career record 18-24, 5.76 in 336 innings. A few flashes of success, but injuries and thin air were big handicaps.
Mac Suzuki, RHP, San Bernadino (Mariners): Career 16-31, 5.72 in 466 innings. Control problems were the big issue here.
Tyrone Hill, LHP, Stockton (Brewers): Never reached the Majors, hurt his arm.
Julian Tavarez, RHP, Kinston (Indians): Career 70-52, 4.39 ERA in 1016 innings entering 2005. Erratic, occasionally good, average overall. Better in relief than the rotation.
Jon Lieber, RHP, Wilmington (Royals): Career 100-91, 4.20 ERA in 1687 innings entering 2005. Useful mid-rotation starting pitcher.
Brian Bevil, RHP, Wilmington (Royals): Career 5-3, 6.28 in 67 innings. Career ruined by injuries and control problems.
Rod Henderson, RHP, West Palm Beach (Expos): Career 0-1, 9.58 in 10 innings. Topped out in Triple-A, career over at age 28 due to injuries.
Bill Pulsipher, LHP, St. Lucie (Mets): Career 13-19, 5.14 in 322 innings entering 2005. Arm was slagged by the Mets, has persevered as a journeyman.
Justin Thompson, LHP, Lakeland (Tigers): Career 36-43, 3.98 in 657 innings. A very promising young pitcher, hurt his arm at age 26 and never recovered.
Felix Rodriguez, RHP, Vero Beach (Dodgers): Career 37-25, 3.43 in 525 innings entering 2005. A very effective bullpen guy when he throws strikes.
Ugueth Urbina, RHP, Burlington (Expos): Career 39-43, 227 saves, 3.42 ERA in 618 innings entering 2005. An outstanding closer at his peak.
LaTroy Hawkins, RHP, Fort Wayne (Twins): Career 49-61, 4.83 in 900 innings, 69 saves. Failed as a starter, had success in middle relief but very erratic when asked to be a closer.
Hector Trinidad, RHP, Peoria (Cubs): Never reached the Majors.
Terrell Wade, LHP, Macon (Braves): Career 8-5, 3.99 in 126 innings. Pitched very well in 1996 but hurt his arm and never got his control back.
Jose Silva, RHP, Hagerstown (Blue Jays): Career 25-28, 5.41 in 427 innings. Never lived up to his potential.
Armando Benitez, RHP, Albany (Orioles): Career 32-33, 244 saves, 2.85 ERA in 654 innings. Personally, I don't think he's received the respect he deserves.
Ryan Karp, LHP, Greensboro (Yankees): Career 1-1, 5.29 ERA in 17 innings. Reached Triple-A, got a cup-of-coffee, hurt his arm.
1993 Top Pitching Prospects, Short-Season and Rookie ball
Adam Meinershagen, RHP, St. Catherines (Blue Jays): I have no idea what happened to this guy.
Daron Kirkreit, RHP, Watertown (Indians): Undone by injuries and control problems.
Alan Benes, RHP, Glens Falls (Cardinals): Career 29-28, 4.60 ERA in 493 innings through 2005. An effective starter in '96 and '97, but his arm fell off.
Casey Whitten, LHP, Watertown (Indians): Injury casualty.
Jason Isringhausen, RHP, Pittsfield (Mets): Career 35-34, 3.73 in 681 innings, 177 saves through 2005. Arm was slagged by the Mets, but he came back and rebuilt his career as a closer.
Andy Larkin, RHP, Elmira (Marlins): Career 3-11, 8.86 ERA in 106 innings. Ruined by injuries and control problems.
Jeff Granger, LHP, Eugene (Royals): Career 0-1, 9.09 ERA in 32 innings. Injuries, control problems, etc.
Bob Wolcott, RHP, Everett (Mariners): Career 16-21, 5.86 in 326 innings. An effective control pitcher in the minor leagues, but wasn't able to make a successful transition to the Show.
Glenn Dishman, LHP, Spokane (Padres): Career 5-10, 5.25 in 135 innings. Basically a left-handed Bob Wolcott.
Jay Witasick, RHP, Johnson City (Cardinals): Career 29-36, 4.72 in 614 innings entering 2005. Very good stuff, erratic command, has done very well at times.
Troy Carrasco, LHP, Elizabethton (Twins): Topped out in Double-A.
William Percibal, RHP, Bluefield (Orioles): Didn't develop.
Kym Ashworth, LHP, Great Falls (Dodgers): Didn't develop.
Scott Sullivan, RHP, Billings (Reds): Career 40-28, 3.98, 9 saves in 737 innings entering 2005. Effective middle and long reliever for several years.
Brad Tweedlie, RHP, Billings (Reds): Who?
Brian Grant, LHP, Medicine Hat (Blue Jays): What?
Joe Wagner, RHP, Helena (Brewers): Why?
Jason Myers, LHP, AZL Giants: Where?
Matt Lachappa, LHP, AZL Padres: Tragically suffered a massive heart attack.
Julio Santana, RHP, GCL Rangers: Career 14-26, 5.33 ERA in 429 innings. Good arm, never learned how to pitch.
Jason Green, RHP, GCL Braves: Career 1-1, 6.62 ERA in 18 innings. Good arm strength, never learned to use it, also had injuries.
Jeff Suppan, RHP, GCL Red Sox: Career 78-84, 4.80 ERA in 1480 innings. Maddux comparisons did not pan out, but he can eat some innings.
Mike Gordon, RHP, GCL Yankees: When?
Let's see. The low minors contributed three strong closers in Benitez, Isringhausen, and Urbina. Lieber and Suppan are useful inning-eaters but not aces. There are some "good arm but erratic" bullpen guys (Witasick, Tavarez, Rodriguez), several journeymen, and a bunch of guys who burned out or disappeared off the face of the planet.
What we really need to do here is draw up a bunch of lists for different years, then measure the "output" of pitching prospect lists with something like Win Shares. We'd also need to look at guys who turned out good but WEREN'T on the hot prospect lists. A really intriguing study could be designed here, but it would be a formidable research project. Which doesn't mean I won't do it, but it will take some time.
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