Post by Ex-HoustonGM (Doug) on Jan 8, 2016 20:17:48 GMT -6
Javier Baez - SS - CHC
Grade A: Otherworldy bat speed and an aggressive approach plus the tools to (maybe) stay at shortstop if he can get the errors down. If not, he’d slot great at third base. There’s some risk here due to contact but I think he can be a Giancarlo Stanton-type hitter. The commonly-used Gary Sheffield comp works in terms of bat speed, but Sheffield had a much more refined approach and I don’t think Baez will hit for a Sheffield-like average. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a star.
Hunter Renfroe - OF - SD
Jesse Biddle - SP - PHI
Grade B+: Class of the (Philly) system. Local kid, good fastball, very good secondary pitches, no serious command problems, no durability issues yet. Good bet to be a mid-rotation starter, if not more.
Vincent Velasquez - P - HOU
Grade B: A holdover prospect from the Ed Wade administration and a good one, stayed healthy and showed sharp command of 90-95 MPH heater and very good changeup in A-ball. Breaking stuff still needs work but he’s made a lot of progress. Potential number three starter if that continues.
Nick Tropeano - P - HOU
Grade B-: "Tropeano" sounds like some sort of fighter jet designed by a NATO European industrial consortium. "The new Tropeano will replace the Panavia Tornado in RAF service in 2019" or something like that. This Tropeano is a workmanlike inning-eating strike thrower who adapted reasonably well to Double-A and seems very Cardinaly to me.
Nick Travieso, RHP, - CIN
Grade B-: First round pick is somewhat raw and will need development time, but potential to be number two starter is there, or a power closer if his changeup doesn't come along.
Eduardo Rodriguez - LHP - BAL
Grade B: Velocity seems to rise a notch each year and he finished very strong in Double-A. He doesn’t turn 21 until April and I think he needs another year in the high minors, but he could become a mid-rotation starter.
Domingo Santana - OF - HOU
Grade B: Another Ed Wade acquisition who has progressed, Santana has flaws with an aggressive approach but is still just 21 years old and knocked 25 homers in Double-A. Won’t hit for a high average, but raw power is possibly huge and he is young enough to develop his pure hitting skills further. Great arm too. High risk guy but I am growing to like him more.
Michael Feliz, RHP, Grade B: Dominated New York-Penn League with mid-90s fastball, slider, changeup, and better than expected command. Aggressive grade for a short-season pitcher but I like him too and see number three potential. He’s not far off from McCullers and Folty.
Ronald Guzman - 1B/OF - TEX
Grade B-: Another bonus baby, also held his own in AZL. A tick behind Mazara on this chart since he has less defensive value, hasn't fully tapped his power yet, and is six months older. Like Mazara, he could vault forward in '13.
Tanner Rahier, 3B - CIN
Grade C+: Very tough to rank. California prep star draws praise for his polish, hitting ability, arm strength and fielding, but he hit just .192/.266/.311 in rookie ball and struggled defensively. This was pretty much the opposite of all the scouting reports so I don't know what to make of it. He did control the strike zone reasonably well and he hustles.
Aaron West - P - HOU
Grade C+: One of the steals of the 2012 draft, showed outstanding command of very good stuff in the New York-Penn League. Could wind up as mid-rotation starter or power relief arm.
Rob Zastryzny, LHP, Grade C+: Second round pick from the University of Missouri in 2013, performed well in 24 pro innings. Fastball varies between 87 and 95 MPH, secondary pitches have promise.
Brady Rodgers - P - HOU
Grade C+: Gets more press than West and had higher profile in college at Arizona State. Stuff isn't as good but he knows how to pitch, could come quickly as inning-eater.
Max Stassi - C - HOU
Grade B-: "Max Stassi" sounds like an East German import technopop band from the late 1980s. Instead he is a strong defensive catcher with a power bat, a low walk rate, and a propensity for freak injuries. Which does sound rather Warsaw Pact if you ask me.
Ariel Ovando - OF - HOU
Grade C+: More effective in return engagement in Appy League at age 18/19, hitting .287/.350/.444 and giving hope that $2,600,000 investment was not wasted. Still raw with strike zone but is tapping into his power now. High ceiling, high risk.
Telvin Nash - 1B - HOU
(from 2012) Grade C+: Enormous raw power, but fanned 105 times in 281 at-bat in Low-A and GCL rehab assignment. Little defensive value. Cecil Fielder-like upside if he can make enough contact but that is a big IF.
Adrian Houser - P - HOU
Grade C+: Power arm with good sinker flashed plus stuff in Appalachian League. Mid-rotation upside but will need time to refine command.
Teoscar Hernandez - OF - HOU
Grade C+: Domingo Santana pitched in a lower key. Lots of tools here, has less raw power than Santana but a bit more speed, similar problems with contact.
Chia-Jen Lo - P - HOU
The 26 year-old finally made it back in mid-2012 and put up impressive numbers between the GCL and Cal League, then followed it up with a solid Arizona Fall League campaign. Next stop is big league camp, where he'll have a chance to win a bullpen job.
Kevin Matthews - LHP - TEX
Grade C+: 4.79 ERA with 39/41 K/BB in 41 innings for Hickory, 38 hits. Somehow he's kept his ERA below 5.00 despite walking a hitter per inning, but that either the ERA will rise or the walks will come down eventually.
Digging Deeper:
Leonardo Heras - OF - HOU
Henry Ramos - OF - BOS
Tyler Heineman - C - HOU
Jack Armstrong Jr. - P - HOU
Jose Cisnero - P - HOU
Daniel Minor - P - HOU
Brian Holmes - P - HOU
Jay Austin - OF - HOU
Brett Phillips - OF - HOU
Preston Tucker - OF - HOU
JB Shuck - OF - HOU
Cody Reed - P - KC
Jordan Paroubek - OF - SD
Kent Emanuel - LHP - HOU
Conrad Gregor - 1B - HOU
Tony Kemp - 2B - HOU
Austin Nicely - P - HOU
Randall Fant - LHP - HOU
Grade A: Otherworldy bat speed and an aggressive approach plus the tools to (maybe) stay at shortstop if he can get the errors down. If not, he’d slot great at third base. There’s some risk here due to contact but I think he can be a Giancarlo Stanton-type hitter. The commonly-used Gary Sheffield comp works in terms of bat speed, but Sheffield had a much more refined approach and I don’t think Baez will hit for a Sheffield-like average. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a star.
Hunter Renfroe - OF - SD
Jesse Biddle - SP - PHI
Grade B+: Class of the (Philly) system. Local kid, good fastball, very good secondary pitches, no serious command problems, no durability issues yet. Good bet to be a mid-rotation starter, if not more.
Vincent Velasquez - P - HOU
Grade B: A holdover prospect from the Ed Wade administration and a good one, stayed healthy and showed sharp command of 90-95 MPH heater and very good changeup in A-ball. Breaking stuff still needs work but he’s made a lot of progress. Potential number three starter if that continues.
Nick Tropeano - P - HOU
Grade B-: "Tropeano" sounds like some sort of fighter jet designed by a NATO European industrial consortium. "The new Tropeano will replace the Panavia Tornado in RAF service in 2019" or something like that. This Tropeano is a workmanlike inning-eating strike thrower who adapted reasonably well to Double-A and seems very Cardinaly to me.
Nick Travieso, RHP, - CIN
Grade B-: First round pick is somewhat raw and will need development time, but potential to be number two starter is there, or a power closer if his changeup doesn't come along.
Eduardo Rodriguez - LHP - BAL
Grade B: Velocity seems to rise a notch each year and he finished very strong in Double-A. He doesn’t turn 21 until April and I think he needs another year in the high minors, but he could become a mid-rotation starter.
Domingo Santana - OF - HOU
Grade B: Another Ed Wade acquisition who has progressed, Santana has flaws with an aggressive approach but is still just 21 years old and knocked 25 homers in Double-A. Won’t hit for a high average, but raw power is possibly huge and he is young enough to develop his pure hitting skills further. Great arm too. High risk guy but I am growing to like him more.
Michael Feliz, RHP, Grade B: Dominated New York-Penn League with mid-90s fastball, slider, changeup, and better than expected command. Aggressive grade for a short-season pitcher but I like him too and see number three potential. He’s not far off from McCullers and Folty.
Ronald Guzman - 1B/OF - TEX
Grade B-: Another bonus baby, also held his own in AZL. A tick behind Mazara on this chart since he has less defensive value, hasn't fully tapped his power yet, and is six months older. Like Mazara, he could vault forward in '13.
Tanner Rahier, 3B - CIN
Grade C+: Very tough to rank. California prep star draws praise for his polish, hitting ability, arm strength and fielding, but he hit just .192/.266/.311 in rookie ball and struggled defensively. This was pretty much the opposite of all the scouting reports so I don't know what to make of it. He did control the strike zone reasonably well and he hustles.
Aaron West - P - HOU
Grade C+: One of the steals of the 2012 draft, showed outstanding command of very good stuff in the New York-Penn League. Could wind up as mid-rotation starter or power relief arm.
Rob Zastryzny, LHP, Grade C+: Second round pick from the University of Missouri in 2013, performed well in 24 pro innings. Fastball varies between 87 and 95 MPH, secondary pitches have promise.
Brady Rodgers - P - HOU
Grade C+: Gets more press than West and had higher profile in college at Arizona State. Stuff isn't as good but he knows how to pitch, could come quickly as inning-eater.
Max Stassi - C - HOU
Grade B-: "Max Stassi" sounds like an East German import technopop band from the late 1980s. Instead he is a strong defensive catcher with a power bat, a low walk rate, and a propensity for freak injuries. Which does sound rather Warsaw Pact if you ask me.
Ariel Ovando - OF - HOU
Grade C+: More effective in return engagement in Appy League at age 18/19, hitting .287/.350/.444 and giving hope that $2,600,000 investment was not wasted. Still raw with strike zone but is tapping into his power now. High ceiling, high risk.
Telvin Nash - 1B - HOU
(from 2012) Grade C+: Enormous raw power, but fanned 105 times in 281 at-bat in Low-A and GCL rehab assignment. Little defensive value. Cecil Fielder-like upside if he can make enough contact but that is a big IF.
Adrian Houser - P - HOU
Grade C+: Power arm with good sinker flashed plus stuff in Appalachian League. Mid-rotation upside but will need time to refine command.
Teoscar Hernandez - OF - HOU
Grade C+: Domingo Santana pitched in a lower key. Lots of tools here, has less raw power than Santana but a bit more speed, similar problems with contact.
Chia-Jen Lo - P - HOU
The 26 year-old finally made it back in mid-2012 and put up impressive numbers between the GCL and Cal League, then followed it up with a solid Arizona Fall League campaign. Next stop is big league camp, where he'll have a chance to win a bullpen job.
Kevin Matthews - LHP - TEX
Grade C+: 4.79 ERA with 39/41 K/BB in 41 innings for Hickory, 38 hits. Somehow he's kept his ERA below 5.00 despite walking a hitter per inning, but that either the ERA will rise or the walks will come down eventually.
Digging Deeper:
Leonardo Heras - OF - HOU
Henry Ramos - OF - BOS
Tyler Heineman - C - HOU
Jack Armstrong Jr. - P - HOU
Jose Cisnero - P - HOU
Daniel Minor - P - HOU
Brian Holmes - P - HOU
Jay Austin - OF - HOU
Brett Phillips - OF - HOU
Preston Tucker - OF - HOU
JB Shuck - OF - HOU
Cody Reed - P - KC
Jordan Paroubek - OF - SD
Kent Emanuel - LHP - HOU
Conrad Gregor - 1B - HOU
Tony Kemp - 2B - HOU
Austin Nicely - P - HOU
Randall Fant - LHP - HOU