The Cream of the Crop:
Bryce Harper, LF (Washington Nationals; Level - AA):
Last year’s number one pick was one of the main reasons I was excited for the Futures Game. He is only 18 years old and it’s his first year of professional baseball after being drafted first overall in the 2010 draft. Although he put on a show in batting practice according to the ESPN announcers and numerous media outlets, he struggled with off-speed pitches, and even missed a fastball in his last at-bat that was right down the middle and belt height. This is one of the main reasons that the Nationals shouldn’t be worried about rushing Harper, and that he needs more seasoning before reaching the big leagues. Having said the negatives, he has an amazing arm in left field, solid speed, especially for a former catcher, and in batting practice he showed that he possesses the most power in the minor leagues. He will be a fixture for All-Star games once he reaches the Major Leagues, and Nationals fans have to be excited for their bright future.
Minor League stats: .318, 14 HR, 46 RBI, 19 SB, and 17 2B at Class A Hagerstown
*He has only been promoted to AA for 4 games.
Hak-Ju Lee, SS (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - A):
Fortunately, it wasn’t my first time watching Hak-Ju Lee because he played for the Peoria Chiefs last season, and I was able to catch a couple of games. Since then, he has been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays as a major component of the Matt Garza trade. He showed great range at shortstop in turning a double play, and reaching balls in the hole. Although he went hitless in two at-bats, Lee is a great hitter and will continue making strides in the Rays organization. Expect to see him in plenty of All-Star games next to teammate Evan Longoria.
Minor League stats: .330, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 20 SB, and 9 3B at Class A Charlotte
Manny Machado, SS (Baltimore Orioles; Level - A):
Another player that went hitless in the Futures Game but will be a star at the next level is Manny Machado. Machado made some nice plays at shortstop, and helped show the world why the Orioles drafted him third overall last season. Baseball writer Peter Gammons tweeted, “Does Manny Machado look like what an All-Star shortstop is supposed to look like, or what?” Again, this is a player that people will remember for a long time. Also, note that he has almost an even walk-to-strikeout ratio (23 to 25), which is even more amazing when you consider that he is only 19 years old.
Minor League stats: .276, 6 HR, 24 RBI, 3 SB, and 23 BB at Class A Delmarva
*He has only been promoted to Hi-A for 14 games.
Carlos Martinez, RHP (St. Louis Cardinals; Level - A):
Although Carlos Martinez has rolled through Peoria a couple of times this season, unfortunately I was never able to see him pitch live.
Also, I have been working on my Spanish, and I was hoping I would even have him available for an interview on this blog but he has since been promoted. He is regarded as ‘untouchable’ for any trade talks by the St. Louis Cardinals, even when the San Diego Padres reportedly offered Heath Bell for him. Martinez throws a 98 mph fastball that can touch up to 100 mph. He also throws around 97 mph in the stretch. Along with his electric fastball, he has an 83 mph curveball and 80 mph slider. He needs to work on his command as he was a little wild at the All-Star game and his control has plagued him a little bit at the single-A level. However, he has immense potential and should be considered the future ace of the St. Louis Cardinals.Minor League stats: 3-2, 2.33 ERA, 38.2 IP, 50 K, in 8 starts at Class A Quad Cities
*He has only made 2 starts at Hi-A Palm Beach (5.06 ERA)
Matt Moore, LHP (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - AA):
I’ll admit Moore was the only player that I didn’t know on my “Cream of the Crop” list entering the All-Star game. However, I read several tweets and scouting reports that stated Moore should be able to make the Rays staff the best rotation in baseball once he reaches the Major Leagues. Thus, I was extremely excited to see him take the mound and he did not disappoint. Moore throws a 98 mph fastball that can touch 100 as a left-hander. He also threw an 88 mph slider that plagued even the best hitters he faced. After watching him for one inning on the mound, I’m in a daze and can’t wait to see Moore in the Majors. Don’t believe me for watching only one inning? Read the stats below.
Minor League stats: 7-3, 2.14 ERA, 96.2 IP, 26 BB, and 125 K in 17 starts at Class AA Montgomery
*He also threw an 11-strikeout no-hitter on June 16th.
Wil Myers, RF (Kansas City Royals; Level - AA):
Coming into the Futures Game, I knew that Myers was the next in line after Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas found themselves in the Major Leagues this season. However, I had yet to watch Myers and didn’t know what to expect. While watching the game, I found myself loving Myers as a prospect, and I think he has the potential to do big things. Myers showed great speed when he broke up a double play for a fielder’s choice RBI early in the game, and he just held himself throughout the game as a player that was ready to be called up to the Majors in the next half season. I don’t know how soon the Royals plans have him for being called up, but I am excited to see him play in the future All-Star games.
Minor League stats: .271, 3 HR, 20 RBI, and 5 SB at Class AA Northwest Arkansas
Julio Teheran, RHP (Atlanta Braves; Level - AAA):
Teheran already has Braves’ fans calling for him to start in the Major Leagues and it’s easy to understand after watching him start for the World team in the Futures Game. He gave up a leadoff home run to Jason Kipnis, but I think that was more due to the fact that he threw seven straight fastballs. Tehran shut the rest of the U.S. lineup down including fooling Bryce Harper in his first at-bat. Tehran throws a 95 mph fastball, 76 mph slider, 78 mph curveball and a change-up. His change-up is deadly as it looks just like his fastball but he will get hitters to swing way ahead of it. Thus, his freezing of Bryce Harper was more of him not wanting to get fooled by his change-up which led to a strikeout looking. Teheran should be called up soon, and he will make the Braves rotation happy for the next 15 years.
Minor League stats: 9-1, 1.79 ERA, 95.2 IP, 25 BB, and 81 K in 15 starts at Class AAA Gwinnett
Impressive:
Tyler Thornburg, RHP (Milwaukee Brewers; Level - A):
Thornburg has been one of the best pitchers in minor league baseball based on production, but his potential is still impressive. He has an interview on this blog, which can be found here. He was compared to Roy Oswalt on ESPN’s coverage and I agree with that assessment. He throws a 95 mph fastball, 79 mph curveball that has huge break, and an 82 mph changeup. ESPN’s Keith Law only projects him as a reliever but I think he has the potential to be one of the top starting pitchers in baseball.
Tim Beckham, SS (Tampa Bay Rays; Level - AA):
Beckham has been labeled a bust after being drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 draft and not reaching the Major Leagues yet. However, he was drafted out of high school and credit to him during the Futures Game for drilling a 94 mph fastball to the outfield wall for a RBI double. He still has work to do to make it to the Major Leagues, but he’s still only 21 years old. However, due to the pressure he has faced, credit to him for doing well in the Futures Game.
Grant Green, SS (Oakland Athletics; Level - AA):
The Futures Game MVP had a great day at the plate after coming off of the bench. Green also made two spectacular plays at second base, although he primarily plays shortstop. His RBI double in the fifth inning was off of a 95 mph fastball, as was his RBI double in the eight inning. I loved his potential as a second basemen because of the defensive range that he showed in the game, but I would have to rank him a little bit lower as a shortstop. Green is having a good season at the AA level, but he strikes out too much and his power has dropped from 20 home runs in 2010 to only 4 home runs this season.
Jason Kipnis, 2B (Cleveland Indians; Level - AAA):
Kipnis led off the game with a home run off of Julio Teheran, which is no easy task. However, I have to discount it a little bit due to the fact that he faced seven straight fastballs. Kipnis should be in the Major Leagues but Indians’ manager Manny Acta wants him to continue working defensively on becoming a better second basemen before he earns the promotion. I don’t think he projects to be a perennial All-Star but he should get the job done for the Indians, especially as a #7 hitter in the lineup.
Kyle Gibson, RHP (Minnesota Twins; Level - AAA):
With all of the injuries to the Twins Major League roster, you have to wonder if Gibson will be one of the next ones to rise up to the Majors. In the Futures Game he threw a 92 mph fastball, 81 mph changeup and picked a runner off of first base. He’s shown good command in AAA with an 86 to 22 strikeout to walk ratio, but hitters are still batting .272 against him. If he can force more outs when opposing hitters put the ball in play, he should have a successful Major League career as a #3-4 starter.
Shelby Miller, RHP (St. Louis Cardinals; Level - AA):
Although Carlos Martinez has the electricity to be the future ace of the Cardinals, don’t discount the potential of Miller. He throws a 93 mph fastball with an 85 mph changeup and 79 mph curveball. He was dominant in single-A and high-A with tons of strikeouts and a low ERA, but he has outdone himself in double-A. In seven starts, he has 43 strikeouts in 42.2 innings and a 1.90 ERA, and could be looking at a September call-up. However, one problem I saw in Miller was his funky delivery in the stretch. He pulls the ball out of his glove slightly and then puts it back in before making the pitch, but I think that will allow a lot of base stealers to swipe second against him.
Brad Peacock, RHP (Washington Nationals; Level - AA):
Although Bryce Harper will steal all of the highlights and media attention at the double-A Harrisburg, Peacock is a pitcher that is sneaking through the minor leagues with such potential that he could be the #2 starter in the future Nationals rotation next to Stephen Strasburg. Peacock threw a 94 mph fastball, an 81 mph change-up, and a beautiful 74 mph curveball that dropped off of the table to hitters. This season, Peacock is 10-2 with a 2.01 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 98.2 innings. In years past, Peacock has struggled with opposing hitters batting around .260 against him, but he has lowered them to a .179 batting average this season. For a 41st round pick, the Nationals got a steal and a future star.
Jarred Cosart, RHP (Philadlephia Phillies; Level - A):
The Phillies’ Big Four rotation has made waves throughout baseball this season, but don’t sleep on the future Cosart once he reaches the Majors. He throws a 98 mph fastball, a 76 mph 12-6 curveball, and an 85 mph changeup. He has a type of whip delivery that is usually associated with closers, but he has been a starter throughout his minor league career. I think he will eventually be converted to a solid setup man or closer, but he has the potential to be successful at the Major League level.
Tyler Skaggs, LHP (Arizona Diamondbacks; Level - AA):
Count me as impressed by Skaggs with the pressures of pitching in Arizona, and competing with guys that are much more experienced than Skaggs. His poise, along with his nasty curveball and movement on his pitches from left to right were especially impressive. Skaggs has struck out 125 in 100.2 innings in high-A and should be a great prospect for the Diamondbacks in the future.
Gary Brown, CF (San Francisco Giants; Level - A):
Only in his first full season, Brown has shown a tremendous about of potential. He was the only player to steal a base in the Futures Game, but that should come as no surprise as he has stolen 35 bases in 49 attempts this season. Also, Brown is hitting .316 but a staggering .404 against left-handed pitchers. Hailing from Cal-State Fullerton, I think the Giants have found their future lead-off man in this local talent.
Others:
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B (Arizona Diamondbacks; Level - AA):
Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers admitted to the ESPN booth that Goldschmidt has a strong chance of being called up by the end of the season. Although he didn’t have a great game, he was one of the most watched prospects because he was playing in his future ballpark. He is having a great season at Double-A: a .315 batting average with 25 HR, 78 RBI, and 7 SB.
Matt Szczur, CF (Chicago Cubs; Level - A):
The prospect I know the best because I interned with the team he has been on all season, the Peoria Chiefs. He will be promoted after the Futures Game to High-A Daytona, but he has excellent speed and range in center field. It will probably take him a little longer to progress at the plate because he was a two-sport athlete (football) in college, and he is working on his first full seasons of baseball. However, a good sign is that he rarely strikes out and leaves the Midwest League tied for third in batting average. He has the potential to be the future center fielder for the Chicago Cubs, but I think the key will be him driving the ball at the plate because his speed will allow him to make plays on the base paths once he is on base.
Liam Hendriks, RHP (Minnesota Twins; Level AA):
Hendriks has generated a ton of attention in the Twins organization and has been hailed as a future star for the Twins’ rotation. However, I don’t buy it, as I just didn’t see the poise on the mound during the Futures Game. Hendriks throws a 92 mph fastball, 82 mph changeup and a 75 mph 12-6 curveball. His numbers speak for themselves this year, 81 strikeouts in 90 innings with a 2.70 ERA; but I just didn’t see the look of a future star for the Twins.
James Paxton, LHP (Seattle Mariners; Level - A):
Unfortunately he got out of his inning pitched in only six pitches so I didn’t get to see much of him in the Futures Game. Luckily, I have seen him pitch against the Peoria Chiefs earlier this season, and he is the real deal. He is a strong throwing lefty with a 95 mph fastball, and good off-speed pitches. Paxton struck out 80 in 56 innings with a .273 opposing batting average at single-A before being promoted to double-A right at the beginning of July. Paxton has a lot of potential, but I can also see him making a move to the bullpen at some point due to the plethora of talent in the Mariners’ rotation.
Alex Liddi, 3B (Seattle Mariners; Level - AAA):
I really like the potential of Liddi from what I saw of him during the Futures Game. He made some great plays at third base, and has a nice swing that projects nicely at the next level. This season at triple-A, Liddi is hitting .257 with 17 HR and 61 RBI. My only question is why Liddi hasn’t been called up on the Mariners who have struggled with offense this season? Liddi has been awful against left-handers this season (.171 batting average), and I’m guessing he is struggling with off-speed pitching, but if he can make the adjustments, he will make for a solid third basemen in the future.
Snubbed:
Taijuan Walker, RHP (Seattle Mariners; Level - A):
Although he didn’t make it to the Futures Game, Walker is my favorite prospect in the minor leagues. I have seen him pitch several times against the Peoria Chiefs, and I think he has what it takes to fit perfectly in the Mariners’ rotation with Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda, and Danny Hultzen (2011 draft pick). Walker has thrown 83 strikeouts in 62 innings with a 2.76 ERA, including 19 strikeouts in 12 innings and a 1.50 ERA in two July starts. This kid has tons of potential and hopefully he will be showcased in next year’s Futures Game, because he has a ceiling to be the future #1 starter for the Mariners.
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