Minor League Notes, August 26, 2010
**Twins fans (and others I assume) are asking me a lot of questions about outfield prospect Osvaldo Arcia, currently hitting a robust .390 for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League, with a shot at the Triple Crown. Overall line: .390/.438/.695 with 14 homers, 47 RBI, 17 walks, and 60 strikeouts in 236 at-bats. What's my view here? Well, obviously he's having a great season, although it's possible to have a great year in the Appy League without being a great prospect, especially with some contact/discipline issues like Arcia has. That said, he's got decent tools, and very genuine bat speed/power from what I've gathered from sources who have seen him. He is deadly from the left side: hitting .403/.460/.767 against right-handers. I gave him a Grade C in the book entering 2010; right now I'd likely have him at a Grade B or B-, depending on what the final reports say.
**Tyler Skaggs Update: Since coming over to Arizona in the Dan Haren trade, Skaggs has made two stats and thrown just six innings due to a strict pitch count, with a 6/2 K/BB, six hits, and two runs allowed. Overall on the year in the Midwest League, he's at 3.57 ERA, 88/23 K/BB in 88 innings, 84 hits, 1.58 GO/AO. I rather like Skaggs and Dbacks fans should be happy to get him in the trade. Midwest League observers are more impressed with his projectability than pure velocity at this point, although he has a very good slider. The stats are pretty solid. I had him as a B- in the book and will stick with that for now.
**Guillermo Moscoso Update: Rangers prospect Moscoso has had a somewhat difficult campaign for Triple-A Oklahoma City, with a 5.11 ERA and a 100/48 K/BB in 116 innings, 135 hits allowed, and 15 homers. He did have an excellent start on the 24th against Round Rock (six innings, three hits, nine strikeouts, zero runs), but on August 19th he gave up 10 hits and five runs in six innings against Reno, which is more typical of his performances this year. I saw that game. His velocity was fine, 90-94 MPH, most fastballs right at 93. But he was having some problems locating his changeup, his breaking ball was very flat most of the game, and he would groove fastballs when behind in the count. The lack of a consistently effective breaking ball seems like his biggest issue right now, and I think he may end up being best-suited for relief work.
**Donovan Tate...what kind of grade do I give this guy in the 2011 book? I'm already trying to figure that out, and I don't have an answer yet. The remarkable tools are still there, of course, and he was seven-for-eight in stolen base attempts in rookie ball. He drew some walks. But he also struck out 41 times in 90 at-bats, a horrific ratio, and he has obviously got some major problems staying healthy. I gave him a Grade B+ in the 2010 book based on the glowing scouting reports from high school, but there is no way I can give him that kind of grade now. Lowering to at least a B is going to happen, but should I go lower than that, or should he get an injury mulligan? It is a puzzle, and this one will definitely take some consulting with sources to get a proper handle on. What do you guys think?
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