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Post by Grant on Feb 9, 2010 13:33:06 GMT -5
Please post only scouting reports from reputable sources. We are not looking for the "I was at the game once and that dude was awesome" variety. Also, please indicate the players position and what level he is (A, AA, AAA).
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Post by gtatrifecta on Feb 9, 2010 18:36:24 GMT -5
These are just clips from various reports on some guys in our farm system...
Zach Kroenke - He's got good command to both sides of the plate with all his pitches. His fastball runs anywhere from 88-92 mph, touching 94 out of the bullpen. His slider is a strikeout pitch that has tight rotation and a sharp break. Kroenke's frame is of major league caliber, as he has wide shoulders and a strong lower half. Thanks to that frame Kroenke is a workhorse lefthander Kroenke has what scouts call a "pie throwing" delivery; a phrase that stems from a brief pause in his arm motion. It sometimes costs him command and consistency with his pitches. His changeup is in it's developmental stages, lagging significantly behind his fastball and slider. He's never been good at holding runners, and baserunners like to take advantage of his long motion from the stretch. Kroenke isn't known as a guy with back-of-the-bullpen potential...he threw 72.1 innings in just 34 relief appearances and 2 starts last year at AAA in the Yankees' system, and he's major-league ready after carrying a sub-2 ERA in '09...Arizona took him in the Rule 5 Draft, undoubtedly as a left-handed arm to compliment Clay Zavada in the major-league 'pen in both multi-inning relief and as a guy who will occasionally have face a tough lefty or two
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Post by Collin Cowgill on Feb 16, 2010 18:39:57 GMT -5
Collin Cowgill - Bats: Right Throws: Left, 5'9" 195lbs. Born: 5/22/86 Position: Outfield Put up excellent numbers at Kentucky, hitting for power and showing strong on-base skills...an aggressive and hard swing that allows the ball to go a long way when he makes contact...swing is generally short though there are times it can get a bit long...good bat speed, let's the ball travel deep into his hiting zone and turns on a firm front leg. Weaknesses - the ability to take a walk is there, but there are some concerns over his ability to make contact...aggressive swing leads to a lot of swings-and-misses...swing aggressiveness is similar to that of Dustin Pedroia, but he doesn't have the hand-eye coordination to make the consistent, hard contact like Pedroia. Defense - good instincts make up for lack of top-end speed in center field...sports a good throwing arm and should be able to stay at center field...he can play all three outfield spots if needed. Best Case Outcome - shows enough offensive ability to profile as an average or slightly below average starting center fielder More Likely Outcome - a fourth or fifth outfielder than can play all three OF spots in a pinch Credit: Baseball Intellect
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Post by Evan Frey on Feb 16, 2010 18:44:58 GMT -5
Evan Frey Throws: Left Bats: Left 6'0" 170 lbs. Position: Outfield
Batting eye is Frey's best attribute as he walked close to 14% of the time last year...struck out in 16.8% of his plate appearances, which is solid rate especially when you consider the BB%. Has showed an ability to hit for average though the K% did cap his batting average last year at under .300. Good speed and improved instincts on the basepaths led to an increase in steals and steal percentage.
Biggest weakness is a lack of power. Frey has made gradual improvements in his power production, but he still has an ISO-power of under .110 in hitter-friendly environments and there isn't much projection left.
Defense - Lucky for Frey, he doesn't have to play at a corner infield spot. His quality defense in center field and solid arm puts less pressure on his bat to succeed.
Best Case Outcome - Possible left hand side of a platoon in CF
More Likely Outcome - Fourth outfielder that can play all three OF positions Credit: Baseball Intellect
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Post by Grant on Feb 21, 2010 15:27:32 GMT -5
Top 20 Arizona Diamondbacks Prospects for 2010
All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get beyond the Top 10. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize. Complete reports on these and over 1,000 other players will be in the 2010 Baseball Prospect Book, now available for pre-order, shipping on February 2nd!
Star-divide
1) Jarrod Parker, RHP, Grade B-: Would be a B+/A- if not for Tommy John. My policy is to reduce the grade of anyone with TJ until we actually see how they recover. While not as risky as it used to be, it isn't a routine procedure by any means and not everyone recovers properly. That said, Parker is still Arizona's best prospect.
2) Bobby Borchering, 3B, Grade B-: Chipper Jones couldn't hit in rookie ball either. That said, his strike zone judgment was disturbingly bad at Missoula and there are still questions about his defense. Loads of potential but I'm going to be cautious until we get more data.
3) Brandon Allen, 1B, Grade B-: I like the guy, but he was probably overhyped this summer. I see him more as a productive slugger than a future All-Star. This is the same grade I gave him last year.
4) A.J. Pollock, OF, Grade B-: Good speed, good glove, average power. Like Allen, I can see him being a good regular but not a star.
5) Mike Belfiore, LHP, Grade B-: Intriguing combination of strikeouts and ground balls, and I like the athleticism as a former two-way college player. If it all comes together, could be a premier prospect a year from now.
6) Marc Krauss, OF, Grade B-: Very polished hitter who destroyed college pitching then hit .304 in the Midwest League. Not very toolsy, but he could move quickly through the system.
7) Ryan Wheeler, 1B, Grade B-: Loyola Marymount product crushed the Northwest League and looked great in late Midwest League action. Limited to first base defensively, but a year from now he could rank among the elite first base prospects in the game if he keeps hitting like this.
8) Chris Owings, SS, Grade C+: Scouts like him and he has better pure tools than Krauss or Wheeler, but doubts about his plate discipline and a possible move to second base knock his stock back slightly for me.
9) Cole Gillespie, OF, Grade C+: I don't know why this guy doesn't get more respect. He does a lot of things right...draws walks, has some power, can swipe a base, good defense at either corner.
10) Collin Cowgill, OF, Grade C+: Undersized outfielder, but like Gillespie he can do lot of different things on the field. . .has some pop, can steal, gets on base.
11) Matt Davidson, 3B, Grade C+: Overmatched in the Northwest League but he was very young for the level and scouts like his power potential. Will have to see how they fit Borchering and Davidson into the same lineup; I'm not sure either one of them can play third base long-term.
12) Wade Miley, LHP, Grade C+: Better prospect than his 4.00+ ERAs indicate. Gets grounders, decent strikeout rate, could break through with some minor adjustments.
13) David Nick, 2B, Grade C+: Another promising young hitter from the '09 draft, has some speed and pop, limited to second base.
14) Leyson Septimo, LHP, Grade C: Great arm from the left side, converted outfielder still working on his command.
15) Rusty Ryal, INF, Grade C: Older prospect age at 27, but if he gets enough playing time he could be a surprise factor in 2010.
16) Kevin Mulvey, RHP, Grade C: Stock has dropped, could be an inning-eater if he makes the rotation.
17) Bryan Augenstein, RHP, Grade C: Strike-throwing inning-eater type.
18) Barry Enright, RHP, Grade C: Strike-throwing inning-eater type.
19) Wes Roemer, RHP, Grade C: Strike-throwing inning-eater type.
20) Roque Mercedes, RHP, Grade C: Bullpen arm with good stuff, can he throw strikes?
OTHERS: (All Grade C): Scottie Allen, RHP; Keon Broxton, OF (great tools but very raw); Pedro Ciriaco, SS: Josh Collmenter, RHP; Kevin Eichhorn, RHP; Paul Goldschmidt, 1B; Trevor Harden, RHP; Matt Helm, 1B; John Hester, C; Zach Kroenke, LHP; Patrick McAnaney, LHP; Reynaldo Navarro, SS; Kyler Newby, RHP; Jordan Norberto, LHP; Rossmel Perez, C; Patrick schuster, LHP; Eric Smith, RHP; Dan Stange, RHP; Cedar Valdez, RHP.
You can take most of those Grade C guys and slot them in anywhere in the 14-20 range depending on what you want to emphasize. In this list I picked guys closer to the majors.
This system is obviously thin, although it could look much better a year from now if young hitters from the 2010 draft pan out as expected.
The only definite impact pitcher is Jarrod Parker, and until we know if he recovers from Tommy John successfully, I have to cut his grade back. After him, there is a large number of very similar strike-throwing inning-eater types. . Augenstein, Enright, Roemer, Mulvey, Collmenter, Harden, McAnaney, Valdez. Someone could emerge from that group but I don't know who. There are some relief arms with potential such as Mercedes, Septimo, and Stange, but all have command problems. Lefty Mike Belfiore from the 2009 draft has the potential to emerge as one of the better lefties in the minors in '10 and could separate himself from the pack once he gets more innings in. I also think Wade Miley could be pretty good.
Things look better on the hitting side, although even here there are some questions. Brandon Allen is the closest thing to being ready, but his major league time and Arizona Fall League struggles exposed some flaws. I think he's more a solid source of power than a future All-Star. Rusty Ryal is too old to be a premium prospect, but he could end up being a surprise in the majors this year. I like Cole Gillespie a lot as a sleeper prospect even if scouts don't seem to like him much.
The '09 draft brought in a bunch of intriguing hitting talent. Bobby Borchering has the best potential of the lot and looked like an awesome hitter in high school. He was pretty lousy in the Pioneer League (though he played better in the playoffs). We need to see more from him. Owings, Davidson, Nick, and Broxton all have strong potential but they also all have questionmarks. None of them are sure things by any means, and it is possible that most of them could bust. College hitters Krauss and Wheeler don't have the same physical upsides, but both had very strong debuts and could move through the system very quickly.
Overall, they really need to hope that the 2009 draft is as good as they say it is.
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Post by gtatrifecta on Mar 11, 2010 13:18:22 GMT -5
Jarrod Parker Height: 6'1" Weight: 190 lbs. Age: 21 Bats: Right Throws: Right
Fastball - his best pitch and he can get it up to 98 mph, but is more regularly thrown in the mid-90's...excellent command of the pitch...can manipulate it to all four quadrants of the plate, adding and subtracting to it as he pleases Slider - some call it a curve, but it's more of a slider due to its velocity (84 - 86 mph) and its trajectory (breaking away from right-handed hitters). It's late breaking, but also inconsistent. Right now, it profiles as an above average pitch with the potential to be plus Curveball - clocked in the high 70's...not thrown much, but the team wants him to work on one...has solid depth and could become useful in the future Change-up - made great strides in the pitch's development...team made him focus on his change-up development and he improved the pitch from a show-me type to average...pitch has above average potential. Mechanics - Tremendous, tremendous arm action...fast and whip like and a major factor in Parker's velocity...very little wasted motion in his smoot and fluid delivery...few weaknesses--can improve his consistency from pitch-to-pitch Weaknesses - numbers not super-dominant (K% of 23.3, BB% of 6.6), but that could be in part to Parker emphasizing his change-up for much of the year...a little too hittable (.322 BABIP)...doesn't generate a lot of GBs (GB% of 44) Best Case Outcome - Parker becomes bonafied No. 1 starter for the Diamondbacks More Likely Outcome - Parker straddles the line of a No. 2 and No. 3 starter by mixing a few great years with a few ordinary ones...think Javier Vazquez. But let's keep in mind: Parker is still a pitcher in the lower level of the minor leagues that throws pure heat (the harder you throw, the higher the injury risk). He's still a long ways off in reaching his potential but he's somebody who could find himself on a fast track to the majors. Credit: Baseball Intellect
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Post by gtatrifecta on Mar 11, 2010 13:26:13 GMT -5
Bryan Augenstein Height: 6'6" Weight: 230 lbs. Bats: Right Throws: Right Age: 24
Fastball - velocity has increased since he was drafted in 07', moving from 87 - 89 to 91 - 94. Can pin-point his fastball to both sides of the plate...heavy fastball has lots of sink which helped in producing a GB% of around 60 last year...fastball can be too straight at times. Slider - tightness and depth of slider has improved over the course of the year...more vertical and less horizontal movement...another pitch he commands very well Change-up - a third pitch he can throw for strikes, but still very much in development...the success he has improving his change-up could dictate whether he stays a starter or not Mechanics - Doesn't possess a power pitcher's mechanics...fairly slow to the plate, but also very consistent in his ability to repeat his mechanics...has an athletic background (father was a college basketball player) and that helps Augenstein maintain consistent mechanics throughout the game The ability to repeat one's mechanics is very important in terms of control. Delivery is also very compact...he keeps everything close to his body, around his core...keeps glove firm out in front of his chest to help maintain a consistent release point. Low three-quarter arm angle helps in getting ground balls Strengths - the ability to generate ground balls...control is close to plus-plus...maintains velocity deep into games Weaknesses - K% is decent enough, but he would make me much more comfortable if he could raise it a bit...BABIP against was very solid at Rookie Ball and in Single-A, but got too much of the plate at times in A+ Visalia, where his BABIP spiked from .290 to .361. Best Case Outcome - Back of the rotation starter More Likely Outcome - A solid set-up man out of the bullpen Credit: Baseball Intellect
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Post by gtatrifecta on Mar 11, 2010 13:35:40 GMT -5
Kevin Mulvey Height: 6'2" Weight: 195 lbs. Bats: Right Throws: Right Age: 25
[Mulvey] showed average control and posted a walk rate of 3.25 BB/9 and his strikeout rate was low at 6.83 K/9. The right-hander struggled in eight MLB appearances split between the Twins and the Diamondbacks. His ceiling is probably that of a No. 4 starter or long/middle reliever. Mulvey has a pretty good slider, but he needs to improve his fastball command so he can set up his out-pitch. Credit: Fangraphs
Mulvey has two solid pitches including a fastball (90-92 mph) and a changeup (82-84 mph which looks the same as his fastball coming out of his hand with very good movement). He also has a curveball and slider but neither are effective enough yet as an out pitch. It’s tough to tell exactly how he will progress, but I see him as a possible middle of the rotation type guy depending on if he can solidify a third pitch. Credit: Diamondcutter
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Post by gtatrifecta on Mar 11, 2010 14:49:38 GMT -5
Cesar Valdez Height: 6'2" Weight: 200 lbs. Bats: Right Throws: Right Age: 25
Fastball - mediocre pitch, rarely hits 90 mph and sits more comfortably in the high 80's. He does a good job of locating the pitch and there is some sinking action to generate ground balls Change-Up - the bread-and-butter pitch, it has a tumbling action...described as a hybrid between a change-up and splitter Curveball - pitch is slurvy, but good enough to potentially get hitters out at the MLB level...pitch has improved with experience Strengths - solid K-rates, solid GB ratios, and above average to plus control...has improved even when facing tougher levels of competition Weaknesses - control is very good, but nothing else stands out...has never been young for league...hitters recognize off-speed pitches much better at the upper levels of the minor leagues. Will he be able to get by with a very average fastball? Best Case Outcome - fastball upticks by 1 or 2 mph and improvement of his curveball help Valdez reach the status of a No.4/5 starter at the big league level More Likely Outcome - Valdez finds himself in the bullpen as a swing man who is able to bounce back and forth between starting and relieving Credit: Baseball Intellect
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Post by gtatrifecta on Mar 11, 2010 15:07:11 GMT -5
Bobby Borchering Height: 6'4" Weight: 195 lbs. Bats: Switch Throws: Right Age: 19
Borchering is young and raw, but he has immense power potential and the ability to become an all-time-great hitter. Everyone has heard the standard Chipper Jones comparison, although Borchering is less apt defensively, but has greater power potential than what Chipper has demonstrated in his career. If he can work on his defense to the point where it's definitely passable at third in the majors, his value spikes and he's one of the best prospects in baseball. A good first full-season in the minors next year would make him a #1-quality prospect. Credit: AZSnakePit
Bobby has a big-league body, and is actually a decent runner for his size. He has a very strong lower half, and a solid muscular build. In the IF, the only part of his game that doesn't standout is his average to slightly above average defensive actions. This will ultimately determine if he will be a 3B or 1B long-term. Other than that, there is nothing that Borchering can't do extremely well. He has a big arm that reached 90mph across the diamond. He knows the game, he enjoys being out at the baseball field. At the plate, Borchering has a very special bat. He switch hits, and he does it well, but it is hard not to like him better from the left-side. He can generate good batspeed, and has tremendous raw power from the left-side. His batting stance, body, and tools remind of Chipper Jones. He can create tremendous leverage at the point of contact. Credit: Prospectwire
Hitting Ability - Borchering has plus, plus bat speed. He's a switch-hitter who's stronger from the left side mostly because he sees more pitching that way. He has different swings from the two sides of the plate. Power - He has pop from both sides. From the left side, he shows it to right-center mostly. Running Speed - Perhaps just shy of average, but he's not a slug on the bases. Base running - He has good instincts. He runs better when he's under way and always runs hard. Arm Strength - It's fringe average, largely because he doesn't have his feet under him when he throws. Fielding - He's a stiff defender with a funky setup, kind of like a hockey goalie. Range - He has below-average range; a move to first base is a possibility. Strengths - The bat. He should hit plenty from both sides of the plate. Weaknesses - His defensive game. He does not look comfortable at third. Summary - Borchering is a third baseman in high school, but it will be his bat that carries him forward. He struggles defensively and may end up at first base. That being said, Borchering's hitting skills are definitely legit. Credit: MLB.com
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Post by gtatrifecta on Mar 11, 2010 15:25:05 GMT -5
Wes Roemer Height: 6'0" Weight: 205 lbs. Bats: Right Throws: Right Age: 23
This was a scouting report on him right after he was drafted in 2007:
Fastball - Roemer is a command-and-feel right-hander who fires fastball in the 89-90 mph range, though he can reach back for 91-92 on occasion. Slider - Roemer has excellent command of his slider and can back-door it, making it an excellent out pitch for left-handed hitters. Changeup - Roemer has excellent command of his slider and can back-door it, making it an excellent out pitch for left-handed hitters. Control - His bread and butter. Roemer uses his command and control to make the most out of his average stuff. Poise - Roemer is an extremely good competitor and goes right after hitters. Physical Description - Roemer's lack of size or projectable body has some wonder whether he'll be a starter in the future. Strengths - Command, control and makeup. Roemer rarely gives up walks (he went 65 2/3 IP last season before issuing his first walk) and keeps hitters off-balance. Weaknesses - Stuff. While he has command of three pitches, none of them grade out as above-average. Summary - Roemer threw the ball well in his first start, though he tired a bit near the end of the outing. He had his usual K:BB ratio (8:1). Some feel with his stuff, body type and arm action, he'll be a prototypical right-handed setup man, rather than a starter, as a pro. Credit: MiLB.com
And then here are some scouting reports that were developed after he spent some time in our system:
•Roemer came out of Cal State Fullerton with three important characteristics in his scouting reports: He never walks batters, he hits lots of them, and his "stuff" was borderline, but he makes up for it by battling and never giving in. After a year and a half of pro ball, Roemer has become a living example of why scouts will never be replaced by computers. The scouting report for Roemer has been dead-on. He worked briefly in a few relief appearances in 2007 after having led the NCAA in innings pitched during his final college season. Back as a starter in 2008, Roemer made 28 starts in the hitter-friendly California League, where his already fringy (big-time scout word) stuff didn't exactly fool hitters. What he did do was not compound his mistake by giving up extra baserunners, walking less than 2 per 9 IP. He also hit a batter in almost every other start, and according to reports, it wasn;t necessarily by accident. He uses HBP's the old-fashoned way...to make up for not having enough "stuff" The scouts were 3 for 3. His 4.59 ERA was just slightly above the California League average of 4.51, so his performance was not as bad as it seems. Given that his high WHIP (1.43) was due primarily to the high amount of hits he surrendered (199 in 162 2/3), he could bounce back with a better performance if the Diamondbacks put in him Double-A for 2009, which is his likely destination. Credit: MLB prospect Watch
Displayed his dominance over the California League, no small feat considering its hitter-friendly nature, early in the season and earned a promotion to Mobile, where he put up a solid season for the BayBears. Had an ERA just over 4, which was as good as any of the other arms in the BayBears rotation not named Augenstein or Parker. Has a slider that will get major-league hitters out with a little more polish and a few more years of experience. He also is young, as he will be 23 for all of next season. I hear incessantly about guys like Belfiore and all of the young first-round picks from the '09 draft, but yet very little about Roemer, a sandwich-round pick from just a couple years back who hasn't faltered in his development. Credit: AZSnakePit
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