At the end of spring training we wrote up a report on Sleeper Prospects for each major league organization. With the minor league season at an end this seems like a good time to review the list and see how we did.
We already looked at the National League East, which you can access here.
Here’s the American League East.
This report looks at the American League West. The original report was written March 30th, 2018.
HOUSTON ASTROS: Jorge Alcala, RHP:
Original report: Age 22, signed out of Dominican Republic in 2014, posted 3.05 ERA in 109 innings between Low-A and High-A with 95/45 K/BB, 71 hits allowed; mid/upper-90s fastball with reliable reports of 100-102 MPH peaks; good slider, change-up and curve coming along but inconsistent, needs to lower walks; watch for any spike in strikeout rate which would herald more consistency with off-speed pitches; ceiling is obviously very high.
Result: Still inconsistent but promising, posted 3.81 ERA with 104/49 K/BB in 99 innings between High-A and Double-A; traded to Minnesota Twins in Ryan Pressly deal; strikeout rate did spike, next step is to lower walks, has breakthrough potential for Twins in ‘19.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS: Jose Soriano, RHP:
Original report: Age 19, signed out of Dominican Republic in 2016, posted 2.92 ERA with 39/18 K/BB in 52 innings in rookie ball; promising fastball up to 94-95, also throws an above-average curveball; still projectable and velocity may improve further; action on pitches already results in high ground ball rate; long-term investment type but another high-ceiling arm.
Result: Threw 46 innings in Low-A after being activated in June, posting 4.47 ERA with 42/35 K/BB; more thrower than pitcher at this point, ceiling remains high.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS: Nolan Blackwood, RHP:
Original report: Age 23, 14th round pick in 2016 from University of Memphis, posted 3.00 ERA, 48/18 K/BB in 57 innings in High-A, 3.00 GO/AO, 19 saves; threw six innings with just one unearned run in big league spring training; submarine pitcher with a fastball that gets into low-90s, unusually good velocity for this type of pitcher; decent slider and change-up, if his command is sharp enough he could have a very long bullpen career.
Result: Adequate season in Double-A, 4.13 ERA in 61 innings, 55/19 K/BB, GO/AO remains crazy at 3.13; traded to Detroit Tigers in August, still has enough middle relief potential to rate.
SEATTLE MARINERS: Joseph Rosa, 2B:
Original report: Age 21, interesting sleeper who has received little notice but has always hit well, .296/.374/.531 in Northwest League after hitting .305/.345/.455 in rookie ball in ’16; New York native but signed as an undrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2014; holds career slash line of .298/.369/.436; switch-hitter with developing pop and solid plate discipline, but prospect stock has been held back by poor defense; he can hit though.
Result: Very disappointing season in Low-A, hitting .217/.299/.285 with 20 steals, 46 walks, 117 strikeouts in 428 at-bats; far worse than anything he did in the low minors, scouting reports went negative too; on the upside his defense improved but without a lot more with the bat the skeptics will win this case.
TEXAS RANGERS: Brendon Davis, SS:
Original report: Age 20, drafted by Los Angeles Dodgers in fifth round in 2015 from high school in Lakewood, California; traded to Rangers in Yu Darvish deal; hit .230/.341/.379 between Low-A and High-A last year with 11 homers, 62 walks, 148 whiffs; looks like a player with athleticism and projectable frame, patient approach is good but swing mechanics need work to tap his strength more often; also needs more polish on defense and may wind up a third or second; bundle of potential who may or may not pan out.
Result: Hit .254/.334/.365 in High-A, six homers, 46 walks, 105 strikeouts in 406 at-bats; both strikeouts and walks were down this year with no underlying change in production; hit better late in the season; tools and youth are still there, remains interesting but has work to do.