Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

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phins
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Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by phins »

Hey guys, I apologize I just haven't had the time to spend to make this as long and comprehensive as usual. Honestly, I'm not sure it's anything you couldn't get freely available on the internet already. I included more players this year, but a lot less detail. As always, I fully admit I am an amateur doing this for fun, and I love feedback.

21. Andrew Morales- RHP, 6-0, 185, 1/16/1993. Competitive balance pick seen as a money saver, but has real talent. Signed for 546k after leading UC-Irvine as staff ace. Undersized, but has two legit plus pitches in a hard, 93 mph fastball and a great breaking ball that is a true swing and miss pitch. Will be a reliever in my mind and could move quickly in that role.

20. Chris Perry- RHP, Big relief-only type with velocity, size, and strikeouts. Struggled with injuries, but could be a guy to watch later in the season.

19. Zach Petrick- RHP, Undrafted free agent who has already beaten the odds and made it to AAA, where it appears he has hit his ceiling early in the season. I did these rankings in the offseason and felt it would be disingenuous to change them now.

18. Mike Mayers- RHP, Not really a fan of the big sinkerballer from Ole Miss, but he’s already at AA and has drawn some far-fetched Lance Lynn comparisons.

17. Thomas Pham- OF, 6-1, 175, 3/08/88. Oft injured, older prospect finally stayed healthy and had breakout with .386 wOBA in 390 AAA plate appearances. Could be a bench bat with the big club next year.

16. Breyvic Valera- 2B, Tiny, contact oriented approach hitter who’s big calling card is his versatility. I’m not extremely high on this player, but I recognize the value in making extreme contact and being age appropriate with an ability to play all over the diamond. He’ll never be a regular, but will have a chance. Has already made it to AA.

15. Juan Herrera- SS, Acquired for Scrabble, he has hit a touch better than expected and is a plus glove. Another contact oriented approach hitter with zero power, he does have plus speed, a plus arm, plus glove, and just enough results to be interesting.

14. Sam Tuivalala- RHP- Huge velocity from the converted infielder, I’ve never been a huge fan, but admit I’ve been wrong on his thus far. Has already made his major league debut and the Cards believe he is a part of their immediate future.

13. Mallik Collymore- 2B, Rocked up physical specimen with speed and strength. I think he’s a little tight and might be better served losing a little muscle from his frame. Right handed hitter with excellent bat speed and power when he makes consistent contact. I’m higher on him than most, but he has to stick at 2B to justify this ranking.

12. Aldemys Diaz- SS, Some are very high on the Cuban defector, but he is a bit old already, has struggled with injuries, has never really put up the results expected, and I believe his arm will force him to 2B. If he has to move to 2B I’m not sure he makes it above #20 on this list. No real standout tools and this is a player I’ve studied live.

11. Jacob Wilson- 2B, big pop for a middle infielder. Some believe he ends up at 3B, but I’ve always felt he could be a bit better than a Dan Uggla type at that position, and if he continues to Iso over .200 he has a shot at being a regular for a ML team. He’s currently playing 2B/3B at AA, so the team may disagree with my assessment.

10. Charlie Tilson- OF, I’ve never been a guy who bangs the table for Tilson, but after seeing him live, I’ve come to like him a bit more. He is extremely athletic and “twitchy” with plus bat speed. He can hit velocity and he has loose wrists with a bat that stays in the zone and is very quick. His bat path is a bit choppy, which causes him to hit a lot of ground balls and remove any power, but he is certainly athletic enough to make it work. He’s a true CF with an average to slightly above arm. One player I’m a bit higher on to start the season.

09. Edmundo Sosa- SS, Sosa is a Panamanian SS with plus athleticism and a good arm. He has to clean up his footwork to stay at SS, but I think he has the talent to do so. He has a plus hit tool, below average power, average speed, average glove, slightly plus arm at a premium position. I like him.

08. Tim Cooney- LHP, Classic left-hander who pitches above his stuff. He is one guy I liked quite a bit when we took him out of Wake Forest in the 3rd round. He works with no true plus pitches, but has an average fastball, tick above change-up, commands all his pitches to the four quadrants and has a solid curveball. I think he’s a guy who beats his peripherals and stands out as a #4/5 starter.

07. Carson Kelly- C, Conversion project who has taken to catching surprisingly well. Great arm, big frame, strong, fringe hit tool, potential for plus power, age appropriate. His star has dimmed a touch from when he was first drafted, but if the power continues to develop he could be an above average regular behind the plate.

06. Luke Weaver- RHP, Weaver is a pitcher who had his stock fall as a Junior in college, but would’ve been a top-10 pick had he been eligible as a soph. Highly athletic pitcher who works with a 91-94 fastball that is fairly straight. Great changeup is a 60 pitch, fringy breaking ball that needs to improve to make everything work up. He’s competitive, athletic, and advanced as a pitcher. He could move quickly and make his debut at the end of next season.

05. Magneuris Sierra- OF, Dynamite package in a small frame, he exploded onto the prospect scene last year. He’s a legit CF with 50 power, 60 hit, 55 speed, 45 arm, 50 glove. That’s an above average regular who has it all play up with approach and max effort style. I’ve seen scouts believe in him even more than I do, but I don’t quite see the Cargo upside that has been mentioned.

04. Jack Flaherty- RHP, New to pitching, Flaherty was seen as a power-hitting 3B prospect expected to go in the top-3 rounds. Instead, he took to the mound and flew up draft boards. Signed for a slightly above slot bonus, Flaherty oozes upside. He already pitches at 91-94 with the frame to add more. His best pitch is a true plus changeup that he is not afraid to throw in any count. The breaking ball needs work, but the command/control is advanced for his age. He’s the type that could move fast and the Cardinals have already challenged him sending him to a full season assignment and putting him in the rotation.

03. Stephen Piscotty- OF, Piscotty is a converted 3B’man who has a great swing that stays in the zone for a long time with plus feel and strike zone control. I see a guy who has a 55 hit tool, 45 power, 45 run, 45 glove, 60 arm. He’s ranked this high because I believe he’s a safe bet to be a solid regular at the big league level. Probably a .275/.360/.400 type in RF. You can live with that and the grinder style helps it to play up. If the power ticks up to the .450 range, you have a borderline star.

02. Rob Kaminsky- LHP, My Kaminsky love is unabashed and unapologetic. I have him higher than most, but I believe the left-hander with the 91-94 mph fastball, the 65 curveball, 55 changeup, and advanced feel to pitching can be a star. He needs to continue to hone his command, gain some consistency to his delivery, and just be more of a start-to-start guy, you have the makings of a high-end #3 starter.

01. Alex Reyes- RHP, Reyes is young for his level, strikes guys out like it’s going out of style, consistently hits triple digits, has a 65 breaking ball, and a developing changeup. He is one of maybe 15 prospects in the minor leagues who have the stuff to legitimately be a #1 at the big league level if things break right. 75 fastball, 65 breaking ball, 45 changeup that plays up due to the velocity, and improving control. He needs to take another step (or two) with the control, and he could make a cameo next season. The sky is the limit for this kid.

A snapshot of some additional prospects in no certain order:

Julio Mateo- RHP- 6-3, 180. 9/29/95. Perfect pitchers frame, live arm that is loose and should gain velocity as he fills out. Already to Johnson City before 19. Works 88-92 with nice breaking ball. Everything is still growing for this raw Dominican, but lots of upside.

Anthony Garcia- OF, 6-0, 180, 1/04/92. Known for a bit of pop who doesn’t make enough contact, improved his BB % and lowered his K rate. Tired in August. Not a huge fan of talent.

Rowan Wick- OF, 6-3, 220, 11/09/92. Epic campaign at State College, very little contact at Peoria. Rated 17 best prospect in NY-PL by Baseball America. More contact needed, but power is legit after being moved to OF from C. I am not a fan of this type of prospect, personally.

Darren Seferina- 2B, 5-9, 175, 1/24/94. Signed for only 100k out of a Miami JC in the 5th round, Seferina is an ultra-athletic 2B prospect who is Kolten Wong without the power.

Bryan Dobzanski- RHP, 6-4, 220, 8/31/1995. 29th round pick who signed for 700k, Dobzanski is fairly new to pitching but is highly athletic and a physical marvel. State champion wrestler who basically has to learn to throw a breaking ball, but the physical upside is immense.

Chris Rivera- 3B, 5-11, 150, 3/10/1995. 7th round pick in 2013 draft has been moved to 3B full-time, but has the ability to play SS or 2B. Hit 97 off the mound at his peak, so arm strength is immense. Highly athletic but needs to add a lot of weight and strength. Was 14u superstar who has stalled somewhat in development.

Daniel Poncedeleon- RHP, 6-4, 190, 1/16/1992. 9th round pick who signed last year with Cubs, failed physical and ruled ineligible by NCAA. Had to go NAIA route and signed for 5k as a Senior sign. Dominated in first year in pro ball, throws low 90’s, great physical frame and has talent. Steal if shoulder holds up and is sort of own of my “challenge guys.”

Andrew Morales- RHP, 6-0, 185, 1/16/1993. Competitive balance pick seen as a money saver, but has real talent. Signed for 546k after leading UC-Irvine as staff ace. Undersized, but has two legit plus pitches in a hard, 93 mph fastball and a great breaking ball that is a true swing and miss pitch. Will be a reliever in my mind and could move quickly in that role.

Dixon Llorens- RHP, 5-10, 170, 11/18/1992. Extreme sidearmer can be a ROOGY at big league level. Righties had .458 OPS against him. Like to see him cut down walks.

Cory Jones- RHP, 6-5, 225, 9/20/1991. Legit prospect out of College of the Canyons, was reliever in college, Cards turned him to starter and had success until TJ surgery this past year. Unknown, but big velocity on sinker prior to arm injury.

Ian McKinney- LHP, 5-11, 185, 11/18/1994. Light on stuff, but extremely polished and misses just enough bats. Fly ball pitcher needs to find a way to get more ground balls and hope for a tick more projection.

Jimmy Reed- LHP, 5-11, 185, 12/18/1990. Soft tossing lefty does not break 90, but is highly competitive and is quite polished. Turning 24, it’s time to push him to see what they have. Not a LOOGY candidate.

Fernando Baez- RHP, 6-1, 190, 2/1/1992. Relief-only prospect might have best velocity in system. Walks way too many, but an arm like this gets a lot of chances to figure it out.

Corey Littrell- LHP, 6-3, 195, 3/21/1992. Acquired in Allen Craig deal, left-hander has enough velocity and polish to keep an eye on. Pitched worse once came over to St. Louis system, and probably ultimately an NP since he isn’t a LOOGY type.

Cody Stanley- C, 5-10, 190, 12/21/1998. Breakout season for Stanley who hit for power at AA and put himself on radar to be backup catcher in big leagues in a few years. Low OBP, decent pop type with enough arm and smarts to help a club.

Frederis Parra- RHP, Very polished pitcher who is without elite stuff, but will have a chance to make it based on smarts and just enough ability.

Woolkins
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Re: Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by Woolkins »

Thanks for putting this together. Appreciate the work done.

Probably been spoiled by recent systems, but this one seems to lack that wow factor. Lots of solid prospects with futures in majors, but outside of Reyes, none scream potential star

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Re: Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by Woolkins »

Not sure how much of these guys you see live, but in regards to Reyes, how would you compare him to Martinez, Rosenthal, Miller at the same level?

The optimist in me wants to say he walks a lot of guys because he's just so dominant against current competition. Why throw over the plate when you know guys will chase.

Any guess as to when the org will move him up? Possible him and Kaminsky go to AA soon as they're both pitching seemingly above their level.

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MrCrowesGarden
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Re: Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by MrCrowesGarden »

Just wondering what you think of Austin Gomber. He's off to a slow start this year, but I like him.

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33anda3rd
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Re: Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by 33anda3rd »

Woolkins wrote:Not sure how much of these guys you see live, but in regards to Reyes, how would you compare him to Martinez, Rosenthal, Miller at the same level?
Not phins, but I saw all four in low-A. Reyes has the best stuff of all four--his fastball and changeup combo is better than any 1-2 punch the others had at that level. Miller was the most complete pitcher at that level, the most projectable to Future Ace, and had the best athleticism/body. Rosenthal had the best fastball command. Martinez was the weakest of the four in low-A.

phins
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Re: Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by phins »

Gomber is a guy the Cards have always been higher on than I am, but a really young college sign, big frame, lefty, three pitches that work, above average velocity.

He probably should've been mentioned honestly.

phins
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Re: Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by phins »

Woolkins wrote:Thanks for putting this together. Appreciate the work done.

Probably been spoiled by recent systems, but this one seems to lack that wow factor. Lots of solid prospects with futures in majors, but outside of Reyes, none scream potential star
Yup. Take Grichuk, Taveras, Marco out of the system along with a FA other departures and the system is pretty bad.

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Re: Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by Cheddar Tom »

Yikes, no Oscar Mercado?

phins
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Re: Abbreviated top-21 (2015)

Post by phins »

Cheddar Tom wrote:Yikes, no Oscar Mercado?
Never been a fan. He can't hit and reports on his glove have been very underwhelming. His best bet is to be a Kozma-type.

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