Optimum Fitness Fitness News and equipment reviews
He has a simple, well-leveraged swing that takes advantage of his strength, and the long levers that come with his 6-foot-5, 220 pound frame produce jaw-dropping home runs when he really squares one up. His hands are quick and direct to the ball, though he struggles to make contact in front of the plate, often over-swings, and tends to chase. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. On defense, Rodriguezs size is both a feature and a bug. He has a polished first step, actions, and internal clock, and enough arm strength for the left side of the infield. He checks the talent and proximity boxes rather emphatically, and when you start lining up the other pitchers toward the back of the Top 100 list, Williams past and theoretical future injuries are more palatable than lots of other prospects actual injuries, so weve bumped him into this tier as a correction. Stone was an athletic small-school prospect with a powerful drop-and-drive delivery and short, vertically-oriented arm action who the Dodgers selected late in the shortened 2020 draft. Jesus Caba, SS, D.R. The 2021-22 international signing period opens on January 15, as for the second straight season, the usual July 2 opening date for the int'l was pushed back due to the pandemic. A physical lefty with mid-90s arm strength and a mind-bending slider, Tiedemann has become one of the minors highest-ceiling arms. Harrisons body has thickened pretty quickly, but he throws hard and has diverse fastball utility and great secondary stuff. Mauricios measurable power is already plus (45% hard-hit rate, 114 mph max exit velo), and at a strapping 6-foot-4 or so, he might still grow into more. There is hit-related bust risk here, but things trended in a favorable direction during Greens senior season and he didnt play enough after the draft for his pro strikeout rate to scare us away. Teams will be allowed to trade international bonus slots during this signing period starting Jan. 15. : Mariners ($600,000) More 43. Lots of scouts think he ultimately projects in relief, but hes holding his velocity deep into games and has some other pitchability traits that suggest he could continue to start. Fall League pitchers were working him in on the hands, then getting him to swing over the top of back-foot breaking balls once Veen would start to cheat on heaters in that spot. Because hes a bit stiff, its possible the grind of a full-season will impact his defensive mobility and even his offense if he has to catch 80-plus games. International players under 25 can sign minor league contracts only. Every aspect of his offense is plus except for his raw power, but Manzardos precise feel for the barrel and tendency to hunt pitches he can drive (or spoil ones he cant until he gets something hittable) should enable his game power to play above his batting practice raw. Hes able to pull his hands in and get the barrel on inside pitches, but he swung underneath a ton of fastballs during his 2022 season on the complex, which is why he struck out at a very scary 30% clip. He can vary his breaking ball shape and will occasionally show you 88-91 mph with cut, at other times 77-83 mph with sweep. Any discussion of Walker begins with his exit velocities, which are nearly unheard of for a player this young. His performance in 2022 was a reminder of what makes him such an exciting prospect: over 34 games at Triple-A, he slashed .313/.405/.534 with nearly 12% walks and just over 20% strikeouts. He worked in the 89-93 mph range as a high schooler, then exploded in college, hitting 100 mph as a freshman and sustaining upper-90s velocity when he finally moved to the rotation as a fourth-year junior in 2021. Caminero has a big leg kick, loads his hands low, and swings with bloodthirsty effort, with plus bat speed driving big pull-side power. The righty received a 60-game suspension without pay in March after testing positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League . As far as defensive projection is concerned, a boxy frame, medium straight line speed, and an awkward running gait push and pull against Mayers defensive instincts, first-step quickness, and strong arm. Were projecting heavily on Abels command in anticipation of him growing into his body and arm speed. Buschs swing is simple but still athletic and explosive. The tailing shape on his heater is suboptimal but at times helps him miss a bat. Berry turned down seven figures coming out of high school and went to Arizona, where he raked as a freshman DH for a Wildcats team that made a deep postseason run. The Padres pitching development track record isnt great and perhaps theyre not the team best suited to coax a great breaking ball out of Lesko, but as long as his stuff is the same coming off of TJ, hes already in position to project as a 50. Both of Painters breaking balls have huge movement. Even when he has to shorten up to protect, the strength in his hands enables him to do extra-base damage. Martinez made that less likely. McGarrys mid-80s slider and low-80s changeup are both plus, but his control issues extend to those pitches. Parada has impeccable hitters timing, and batting stance aside, his swing is rhythmic and balanced. Caminero is much bigger than his team-listed height and weight, and is very likely a third base-only fit, though the Rays continue to give him some middle infield reps. 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 - Sort by Team - ARI ATL BAL BOS CHC CHW CIN CLE COL DET HOU KC LAA LAD MIA MIL MIN NYM NYY OAK PHI PIT SD SF SEA STL TB TEX TOR WSH Theres still risk Rafaela walks the Cristian Pache path, as his issues are similar to the ones that have apparently undone the young Athletic, but more likely hes akin to Kevin Pillar, and there are scouts who think Rafaelas frame will continue to add strength such that he hits for more power than Pillar was able to. Braylin Tavera, OF, Dominican Republic Orioles ($1,700,000) More 23. On defense, he has the chance to be an elite defender because of his soft hands, flexibility and blocking skills. Even though Stones delivery looks like the sort that can create a power pitchers angle and shape on his fastball, it isnt a dominant in-zone pitch, and his slider/cutter plays more due to command rather than pure stuff. Yendry Rojas, SS, Cuba Padres ($1,300,000) More 25. Long, lanky and loaded with tools and projection, Alcantara is a loose, 6-foot-6 outfielder with massive potential. He has incredible defensive range, especially to his right, and his footwork around the bag is balletic. SS Dylan Jorge, Cuba: At 18, Jorge is one of the oldest players available this signing period, but he's an exciting prospect thanks to a good righty bat and strong defensive chops. -- $650,000Samuel Acuna, RHP, Ven. Rodriguezs changeup, which falls through a trap door just as it approaches the plate, is among the best secondary pitches in the minors, garnering a 42% chase and whiff rate in 2022. He generates bigger exit velocity than his size would imply, but because he tends to offer at pitchers pitches, it has resulted in a groundball rate around the 50% mark. A bat-only prospect with a well-rounded offensive skill set, Busch may end up a 30-grade second base defender or just play 1B/LF. : Pirates+ ($600,000) More 27. His slider often has curt, unspectacular-looking movement, but Bradleys command of it and the way he sets it up with well-located fastballs make it a dominant pitch. Combine that with notes from in-person looks (there are sometimes workouts and showcases in Arizona or in close proximity to big MLB events like the Winter Meetings) and supplementary video analysis of my own, and the list is pretty much baked. Forty-two of the 57 games he played in the Carolina League came at ballparks with park factors of 116 or more, per research conducted annually by Baseball Americas Matt Eddy. In Casas case, there is so much lefty-hitting power here that we are still buying him as an above-average big league run producer at first base. Nitpicking about his swing actualization is fine because were talking about one of baseballs best prospects, but the foundation of present skills and tools combined with Jones physical projection makes him a potential franchise-altering superstar. It looked like he would continue his dominant performance at the higher level. Jung had a rough 2022 that were chalking up to injury-related rust rather than severe skill regression. Keith may not have a position, but he has a pretty stable hit/power combination that will profile at third if he can actually stay there. This is mind blowing when you consider that Rafaela has only been playing the outfield for two years. Hes also adept at positioning his body to be ready to throw as he fields the baseball, his transfer is quick, and his internal clock is well-calibrated. Typically, we roll out most of our international amateur free agent reports during Prospect Week, which falls just five months ahead of those players' usual signing day on July 2, with a few more trickling in as the signing date approaches. Unless otherwise noted, clubs have not confirmed the deals. Graceffos velocity has exploded since he left the Main Line, and hes now nearing the big leagues as a contenders fourth starter. Built like human skyscraper, Prez has incredible control of his limbs for a pitcher this tall, this age, and who throws this hard. The upright nature of this adjusted swing has impacted Meads plate coverage a bit, and he swung through lots of high fastballs and sliders that finished on the outer third of the zone in 2022. Johnson often ends his swing with his torso having made a full 180 degree rotation, sometimes swinging with such ferocious bat speed that he loses his balance and faceplants in the batters box. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year -- in practical terms, that means players born between Sept. 1, 2004, and Aug. 31, 2005, will be eligible to sign in the upcoming signing period. Kenni Gomez, OF, Cuba Astros ($775,000) More 43. He spent four years working for the Phillies Triple-A affiliate, two with Baseball Info Solutions and two contributing to prospect coverage at ESPN.com. Hes not a great defender right now, and probably wont ever be better than a 40-grade glove, but Davis frames high strikes well and has plus raw arm strength. For instance, Merrills hard-hit rate in 2022 was nearly 44%, which is already well above the average big league shortstops mark (35%). Almost all of Veens pull-side contact into the outfield once he was promoted to Double-A came against secondary pitches. All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. He has a shot to break camp with the big club and play a huge role on the next Orioles contender. Manuel Cabrera, SS, D.R. On a universal prospect continuum, Henderson grades out a shade below some of the 70 FV or better prospects from recent years like Shohei Ohtani, Wander Franco, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and (gulp) Gavin Lux (who is now tracking like a 60, thank goodness) because were talking about a corner bat with what might be a 45-grade hit tool. It can be found here. At one point, his in-zone contact rate was in the ninth percentile among minor leaguers, even while his triple slash line was out of this world. Jones had surgery, missed the back half of the summer and instructs, and only began hitting again in January. -- $500,000, RedsAlfredo Alcantara, SS, D.R. He practically straddles the plate and was hit by 20 pitches during an injury-shortened regular season, then was somehow beaned seven more times in just 17 Arizona Fall League games. Browse our online application for MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, EPL, or MLS player contracts, salaries, transactions, and more. Casas has plus-plus power and enough bat-to-ball skill to weaponize it. Hes so long that this may be exposed as an issue as the level of velocity Wood sees increases. The final installment of this weeks set of international player updates revolves around the amateur prospects who will begin to sign a month from now when the new international signing period begins on January 15. The scouting summaries were compiled with information provided by available data and industry sources, as well as from our own observations. Casas went to the Dominican Winter League to be part of Liceys prospect-studded lineup (Elly De La Cruz, Ronny Mauricio, and a few others were also on that roster at the start of the LIDOM season), but a knee injury ended that jaunt after just three games. His finishing pitch, though, is his slider, a nasty upper-80s sweeper that generated a 50% whiff rate and 38% chase rate in 2022. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year -- in practical terms, that means players born between Sept. 1, 2005, and Aug. 31, 2006, will be eligible to sign in the upcoming signing period. He swings bent at the waist, his torso hanging over the zone, enabling him to cover the plate with gentle lift that helps him pepper the opposite field gap with doubles contact. A bat-only prospect with a well-rounded offensive skill set, Steer may end up a 30-grade second base defender or just play 3B/1B/LF. Here he stays in the same FV tier as last year but falls within that tier due to his 2022 performance. While this might contribute to some of his in-zone and overall swing-and-miss rates (he posted a 77% Z-contact% and 72% overall contact% in 2022, both comfortably below the big league average), Henderson shows plenty of hitterish traits that instill confidence in his 2022 output. Constant max-effort hacking often leads to lots of strikeouts, but Wiemer had mostly kept his Ks in check until 2022, when he punched out 30% of the time at Double-A Biloxi. : Rays ($3,700,000) More 13. Rayner Arias, OF, D.R. Tony Blanco Jr., OF, Dominican Republic Pirates ($900,000) More 12. While there were some pre-draft industry concerns about the balky back, Williams innings-eating frame, his intense on-mound presence, and the ferocity of his stuff made him a slam dunk first round prospect. Andruw Jones won 10 gold gloves with the Braves as he became arguably the greatest defensive center fielder of all time. Add to that performance his track record as a clubhouse favorite with natural leadership abilities and his multi-positional utility, and Lewis is primed for an everyday role as soon as his health allows. Back in Port St. Lucie to start 2022, Ramirez was red hot for the first month of the season, slashing a whopping .385/.423/.606 while cutting his strikeout rate by about 42% (from 31% to 18%), though his walk rate also dipped. It can be prudent to limit the risk and wait until the top names are off the board. This level of athleticism might be an indication that Rodriguez will find a way to mature into more raw power despite not having a traditionally projectable frame. He has retained foundational feel for the barrel while coming into all that power, and is one of the higher-ceilinged all-around players in the minors. Born in Panama, Espino had the best arm strength among the high school pitchers in the 2019 draft, but concerns about his delivery and arsenal depth dropped him to the 24th overall pick. He started the season at High-A, advancing to Double-A in late May, where his strikeout rate increased slightly, but not at all to a concerning degree. His open batting stance and deep pre-stride crouch are much more extreme than they were last year, and this change might have enabled him to see the ball better (similar to the way opening his stance helped unlock peak D-backs Luis Gonzalez) and improve his bat-to-ball ability enough for all of his modest power to play, especially in the Cal League. The toolset to profile as a 50 in right is arguably already in place, and theres a chance Mayo ends up with 70 raw at peak and becomes a star out there. Johnson projects as a second baseman with plus contact and power. Hitters in general seemed unphased by Jobes fastball/breaking ball combo and were comfortable parsing them from one another, even in A-ball. Roderick Arias, shortstop, Dominican Republic The top prospect in the class, Arias has plus-arm potential. So far that looks to have been the correct assessment, as Williams hit 19 homers, tallied 51 extra-base hits, stole 28 bases and solidified shortstop as his future defensive home during his 2022 foray into full-season ball. Allen was an undersized, pitchability high school lefty who worked 88-92 mph with mostly average secondary stuff and a changeup that flashed plus. If he had somehow improved his throwing (which isnt terrible he could play short in an emergency), hed still be behind Oswald Peraza and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in this regard and would end up at second base anyway. -- $300,000, Red SoxFranklin Arias, SS, Ven. He will reach back and show you a plus arm when he needs to. We didnt know enough about the players, and their proximity to the Majors didnt help their appeal. : D-backs+ ($1,250,000) More 48. For now, his ability to bend and get deep into his legs, as well as his lateral agility and range, is pretty amazing for a player his size. : Nationals+ ($550,000) More 40. : Rockies ($1,700,000) More 25. Once a two-way prospect, Winns skills in the batters box quickly won out, and hes been developed solely as a position player. He already touched 97 mph with his fastball, then "there's his slider, which runs 84-87 mph, and a power changeup with late sink that sits in the 86-mph range," according to MLB.com. Ranking players is a challenge regardless of their age. Because the White Sox had so many good prospects in Birmingham toward the end of the season, it was extremely efficient to source scouts and conduct film study from that time period. Hassell was playing like his usual sweet-swinging self until he was traded to Washington as part of the Juan Soto blockbuster; after the deal, his performance took a nosedive. He has plus feet, range, and actions, and will make throws from all kinds of odd platforms, including when hes backhanding balls to his right and throwing on the run. His speed makes him a defensive fit in center field but a lack of arm strength and the presence of young Alek Thomas in Arizona will likely push Carroll to left, where he might be the games best defender at that position. The bat is impactful enough to consider him a high-probability big leaguer regular of some kind, even at the bottom of the defensive hierarchy. Michael Arroyo, SS, Colombia Mariners ($1,375,000) More 42. Young stars like Fernando Tatis Jr, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Ronald Acuna, Yordan Alvarez, Wander Franco, Julio Rodriguez, and many more started as relatively obscure teenagers. The area where its most imperative for Tovar to show improvement is his plate discipline. Julien hit 17 dingers and slashed .278/.398/.556 as a freshman at Auburn, then was ruled draft-eligible as a 20-year-old sophomore not because of his age, but because he had attended a year of secondary school in Canada before heading to college, which made him three years removed from high school.
William Griggs Obituary,
Articles OTHER
