Sleeper Alert Review, Part Two
Continuing with the Sleeper Alert prospect reviews, here are nine more, now covering 23 of the 44. I don't think I was consciously aware of this at the time, but it looks like I noticed a lot more pitching sleepers than hitting sleepers this year.
Trevor Harden, RHP, Diamondbacks
21 years old, went 5-1, 2.39 with a 31/7 K/BB in 38 innings for South Bend in the Midwest League. Promoted to Visalia in the Cal League, is 1-6 so far but with a 3.99 ERA and a 23/6 K/BB in 47 innings, 65 hits allowed. Overall he is 6-7, 3.28 with a 54/13 K/BB in 85 innings, 93 hits. His command has been excellent, but his strikeouts are way down and his hits way up since moving up to Visalia.
Jairo Heredia, RHP, Yankees
19 years old. Has missed the entire season with an injury, although what exactly this injury is hasn't been made public to my knowledge.
Chris Hicks, RHP, Astros
22 years old, 6.09 ERA with a 55/22 K/BB in 68 innings for Class A Lancaster, 97 hits allowed. I know that's a tough pitching environment, but it is hard to find a good spin here. . .his control has been OK. But other than that, not much to be happy about and no evidence that this call will pan out.
Deryk Hooker, RHP, Cardinals
20 years old. Just started pitching for Batavia in the New York-Penn League. Threw four shutout innings in his first start before coming out due to pitch count.
J.J. Hoover, RHP, Braves
21 years old. 3.06 ERA with 67/9 K/BB in 62 innings for Class A Rome, 65 hits allowed. This are higher than I'd like at slightly more than one per inning, but the K/IP and K/BB are very strong so far. I'm happy with this one.
Jeremy Horst, LHP, Reds
23 years old. 2-8, 3.52 with a 58/23 K/BB in 77 innings for Class A Sarasota, 74 hits allowed. Just promoted to Double-A this week, allowed five runs in 5.2 innings in his first start. Numbers at Sarasota were OK but not great. Still, he's been promoted; hard to complain about that.
T.J. House, LHP, Indians
19 years old, didn't pitch last year after signing late; I rated him as a sleeper based on scouting reports, video, and intuition. He's 2-7 but with a 2.74 ERA and a 58/24 K/BB in 69 innings for Class A Lake County, 55 hits allowed. Very impressive for a high school guy who skipped rookie ball. Has above average stuff for a lefty.
Dan Houston, RHP, Rockies
22 years old, 2-6, 4.39 with a 52/30 K/BB in 68 innings for Class A Asheville, 67 hits allowed, 2.11 GO/AO. He's got good stuff but will definitely have to sharpen his command at higher levels.
Dan Hudson, RHP, White Sox
22 years old, has pitched at three levels already this year, promoted to Double-A late last week. Is a combined 6-5, 2.43 with an 87/17 K/BB in 74 innings, just 49 hits allowed. Excellent component ratios, which he had last year in college also despite a disappointing season overall for Old Dominion. Keep a really close eye on this one.
I'm very pleased with Hudson, House, and Hoover. Can't tell about the injured Heredia or short-season Hooker yet. Hicks looks like the big failure. He was ineffective in college, but I rated him as a sleeper due to good stuff and nice pitching in a small sample size last year after turning pro.
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