Innholdsfortegnelse for Friday, July 15, 2016 i Baseball America

JULY 30, 2006 » IN THIS ISSUE: Neil Walker returns to Pittsburgh, and Pirates fans hope he’ll back for good soon. » ALSO: We profile 10 people to watch in the future who could shape the sport. Just the mention of the event causes Neil Walker to break into a large grin. “The 1994 All-Star game? I was there,” he says. “I was only 8 years old but I remember it like it was yesterday.” Walker sat in the upper deck at Three Rivers Stadium along with his father Tom, a former major league relief pitcher, and watched the National League post a thrilling 10-inning victory. What Walker remembers most is batting practice. Walker’s two brothers were siting in the field boxes and were able to snag an autograph from…

Baseball Writer, ESPN.com PHILADELPHIA For every Mike Trout who rules the landscape from his first year in a big league uniform, Major League Baseball tests the fortitude of dozens of hitters whose progress is measured in baby steps. The challenge might come in the form of injuries, a loss of confidence or a weakness that can be easily exploited by opposing pitchers with the ability to execute a scouting report. The operative phrases are “growing pains’’ and “learning curve.’’ “I say this all the time, but this game is punch and counterpunch,’’ Reds manager Bryan Price said. “A young player can come up and perform very well, but the game always counters. It doesn’t matter who you are. The game is going to find out that you struggle with the…

MILB SEEKS BILL TO LIMIT PLAYERS’ PAY Late last month, Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) introduced the Save America’s Pastime act, designed to combat the lawsuit currently in California court challenging the legality of the current minor league pay structure. Specifically, the legislation would alter the Fair Labor Standards Act to ensure minor league players are not subject to the same standards that protect those currently working jobs with hourly wages. Minor League Baseball, for its part, endorsed the bill and applauded the efforts of the politicians and claimed that if the suit in California were to go through, the sport would suffer. “Minor League Baseball would like to thank Congressman Guthrie and Congresswoman Bustos for their leadership on this issue facing Minor League Baseball and…

UNITED STATES The U.S. team comes into the Futures Game on a six-game Futures Game winning streak. This year’s U.S. roster includes some of the top hitting and pitching prospects in the game led by three prospects who crack the top 10 of the Midseason Top 50 Prospects list (Andrew Benintendi, Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman). ANTHONY BANDA, LHP DIAMONDBACKS (TRIPLE-A RENO) BORN: Aug. 10, 1993. HT.: 6-2. WT.: 208. B-T: L-L. Banda helped San Jacinto (Texas) JC to a runner-up finish in the 2012 Junior College World Series. His stuff is more solid than spectacular, with an 89-92 mph fastball, curveball and changeup. PHIL BICKFORD, RHP GIANTS (HIGH CLASS A SAN JOSE) BORN: July 10, 1995. HT.: 6-2. WT.: 200. B-T: R-R. A two-time first round pick (also drafted…

BEST PLAYER: A year ago, second baseman Yoan Moncada needed to catch his breath. In his first pro campaign after signing for a record-setting $31.5 million out of Cuba, he hit just .200/.287/.289 at low Class A Greenville prior to the South Atlantic League all-star break. “When I had that all-star break, I took a little mental break from baseball,” Moncada said through a translator. “It feels like that helped me come back, once I walked away and didn’t think about baseball and was able to return, I was able to come back. It feels like that was very beneficial.” Indeed it was. Over the next calendar year, Moncada hit .309/.421/.498 with 11 homers and 81 steals (in 91 attempts) over 117 games. That included a .307/.427/.496 batting line with…

BEST PLAYER: Righthander Jon Harris, the 2015 first-rounder from Missouri State, has excelled through his first 12 starts at low Class A Lansing. He went 6-1, 2.59 with a 1.25 WHIP, which is a huge improvement after a rough pro debut at short-season Vancouver last year. Harris recorded a 6.75 ERA in 36 innings in 2015, leading roving pitching instructor Sal Fasano to recommended the 6-foot-4 righty to lift his hands over his head at the start of his windup to help generate more momentum. He also asked Harris to move over to thirdbase side of the rubber. “It was a tough transition (to pro ball),” Harris said. “I was tired physically, drained mentally and I just had to push through it . . . “I took to (the mechanical…

BEST PLAYER: Low Class A Greensboro first baseman Josh Naylor, has huge power, which earned him a $2.2 million bonus as the 12th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Listed at 6 feet and 225 pounds, the leftyswinging Naylor has drawn comparisons with Prince Fielder for his thick body and raw strength. He hit .256/.320/.426 with 22 extra-base hits, including seven home runs, and 38 RBIs through 58 games. The Mississauga, Ontario, high school product stole nine bases in 11 tries, showing surprising speed for a big guy. Though the 19-year-old Naylor’s future is bright, his immaturity could be an issue. Early in June, he engaged in what the Marlins described as a “prank” and accidentally stabbed teammate Stone Garrett with a knife. Garrett needed three stitches and follow-up surgery…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PLAYER: Halfway through his third pro season, first baseman Bobby Bradley has established himself as one of the most productive power hitters in the minors. In his first two years with the Indians, the lefthanded-hitting Bradley led his league in home runs and RBIs. He hit eight bombs and drove in 50 runs in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2014 and collected 27 and 92 in the low Class A Midwest League last year. Halfway through this season at high Class A Lynchburg, the 20-year-old Bradley was on pace for a 30-homer, 100-RBI season. Through 68 games he hit a Carolina Leagueleading 15 homers to go with 58 RBIs. The 2014 third-rounder from high school in Gulfport,…

BEST PLAYER: Triple-A Omaha third baseman Hunter Dozier’s baseball journey has had its ebb and flow. The eighth overall pick in 2013 out of Stephen F. Austin, he sped through the lower minors. Halfway through the 2014 season he advanced to Double-A Northwest Arkansas, where he had his first hiccup. That hiccup extended through the 2015 season, so Dozier tried the Texas League for a third time this season. In 26 games, he hit .305/.400/.642. His OPS climbed from .631 in 2015 to 1.042 this season. When the Royals called up Omaha third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert to fill in for Mike Moustakas and his season-ending knee surgery, the Royals moved Dozier to Triple-A. “This is only his third full season,” assistant general manager Scott Sharp said. “His second full season,…

BEST PLAYER: After winning the Southern League batting title last year, catcher Willson Contreras opened the Triple-A Iowa season with a blistering start—he hit .350/.439/.591 in 54 games—and he showed enough rapid improvement in his game-management skills to earn a big league debut on June 17. Within 10 games, he had caught four of the Cubs’ starters, made starts at three different positions (also first base and left field) and had hit three homers and driven in nine runs in his first 27 at-bats. “He’s different—in all the best ways,” big league manager Joe Maddon said of the highenergy rookie. “He’s a good study. He’s insatiable and always in a quest for more information— and it’s sincere. He’s not Eddie Haskell at all. He’s definitely Willie Contreras.” BIGGEST LEAP FORWARD:…

BEST PLAYER: Though he spent most of the spring in Jupiter, Fla., serving the final 39 games of a 50-game suspension for using marijuana, righthander Alex Reyes asserted himself as the system’s top prospect the moment he arrived at Triple-A Memphis. The righthander struck out 11 in his third start and 26 in his first 15 innings at the highest affiliate. Through seven starts, he went 2-0, 4.35 with 48 strikeouts in 31 innings. Reyes continues to show the ability to maintain 100 mph horsepower deep into his starts—in those cases where his pitch efficiency allows him to get deep into starts. All that is keeping Reyes from his big league debut is better pitch economy and the ability to show, start to start, that he cannot only overwhelm hitters…

BEST PLAYER: Low Class A Burlington righthander Grayson Long has the look of a rotation workhouse, and midway through his first full season, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound starter is showing the potential to be one. Long, a 2015 third-rounder from Texas A&M, went 3-3, 1.58 in his first eight starts, striking out 45 and walking 16 in 40 innings and holding opponents to a .190 average. He went on the disabled list on May 30 and had not yet returned. The first pitcher the Angels selected in 2015 after throwing 96 innings for an Aggies team that fell one win short of the College World Series, he pitched to a 5.03 ERA in 20 innings at Rookie-level Orem last summer. Long throws from a high three-quarters arm slot that helps keep…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PLAYER: The top pitching prospect in baseball when the season began, 19-year-old lefthander Julio Urias was the youngest—and possibly best—pitcher in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League when he got a late-May callup. Urias dominated older hitters at Oklahoma City. At the time of his promotion, he had a 27-inning scoreless streak and led the PCL in ERA (1.10), WHIP (0.78) and opponent average (.176). The youngest major league starter since Felix Hernandez also debuted at 19 in 2005, Urias improved with each of his first seven starts, though the Dodgers remain committed to capping his innings to about 100. “His talent is a little bit ahead of his development,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “It…

BEST PLAYER: Triple-A El Paso right fielder Hunter Renfroe revealed and maintained an improved swing as a run-producing fixture in the Pacific Coast League. He piled up 13 assists in just 71 games and showed better range than Padres right fielder Matt Kemp. A 2013 first-round pick from Mississippi State, the 24-year-old Renfroe looked like a strong candidate for his first major league callup after batting .325/.345/.597 with 18 home runs and 69 RBIs. He had 60 strikeouts against just 10 walks. “I think he’s really turned the corner as far as some of the mechanical stuff in his swing over the last year,” farm director Sam Geaney said. As he did in his amateur career, Renfroe showed he can adapt once he gets substantial exposure to a higher level.…

Editor in Chief Baseball America johnmanuel @baseballamerica.com OMAHA Oklahoma State had just become the first team in College World Series history to win consecutive games by a 1-0 score. But the Cowboys also had scored just two runs in two games, and coach Josh Holliday, while ecstatic to be 2-0, sounded like a man who knew it wouldn’t last. “No question the atbats need to improve,” Holliday said. “I think we got away from our approach a little bit. Our quality at-bats need to improve, and execution, getting our bunts down, is part of our identity. It’s how we create offense in certain spots in our lineup . . . We need to work and get fundamentally sound.” Two losses to Arizona later—which included just 11 hits, four runs and…

CARY, N.C. Alex Scherff is a name to know for the 2017 draft class. He’s a physical specimen, sculpted like Michelangelo’s David, and gifted with an exceptional right arm and a potentially devastating three-pitch mix. Scherff opened eyes on the national scene with an electric performance at the Perfect Game National Showcase, then showed well during two appearances at USA Baseball’s Tournament of Stars. On June 19, Scherff struck out four batters over two innings, drawing at least one swing-and-miss with each of his three pitches. He faced six batters, five of whom were lefthanded hitters, and Scherff started four of those battles with an offspeed pitch. Five of his six first-pitches were thrown to his arm side, with the lone exception being a slider he ran down and away…

OMAHA Coach Jim Schlossnagle said going into the fall that he thought his Texas Christian squad had the talent to get back to the NCAA Tournament, where its success would come down to how well it was playing in June. But a third straight College World Series appearance was not on his mind. “I think three straight Omaha trips is absurd,” Scholossnagle said. “Because everybody is so good in college baseball these days and they’re trying to be good. The margin for error has never been thinner just to win a baseball game.” Schlossnagle has made the absurd possible at TCU. Since 2004, his first season at the school, he has built TCU into a national power, taking a program that had made only two NCAA Tournament appearances in its…

TRIVIALITY It’s only trivial if you don’t know the answer. No switch-hitter has more 20-homer, 20-steal seasons than Carlos Beltran’s seven. With Jimmy Rollins’ release, who’s the only active switch-hitter to do it once? ÈHE’S NO BUM: Giants ace Madison Bumgarner had as many home runs this season (two) as Jacoby Ellsbury. MadBum had as many home runs over the last two seasons (seven) as Denard Span. MadBum had as many home runs over the last three seasons (11) as Carlos Ruiz . . . It took 57 games and 504 innings this season before the Phillies finally put together a rally of more than three runs in any inning. How many teams in history have ever gone 56 games into a season without a single four-run inning? That would…

While most of the top Cuban players will wait until July 2 to sign—either by choice or because Major League Baseball won’t let them sign yet—the Dodgers added one more Cuban player before the 2015-16 signing period closed. The Dodgers signed Yordan Alvarez, an 18-year-old who played first base in Cuba but has also showcased in left field. The deal, first reported by MLB.com, is for $2 million, which means the Dodgers will pay $4 million total since they have to pay a 100 percent overage tax for exceeding their bonus pool. Because Alvarez didn’t play much in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, BA’s looks at him while he was in Cuba were limited to just a handful of atbats. Alvarez had a long, lean build in Cuba, but those who have…

STAFF REPORT The college coaching carousel spun at full speed even during the College World Series. The following is a quick rundown of all the latest machinations. ■ TEXAS found its replacement for Augie Garrido when it hired Tulane’s David Pierce, who previously was a head coach at Sam Houston State and an assistant at Rice. Pierce, 53, has big shoes to fill replacing Garrido, the all-time winningest coach in college baseball history. Pierce has a 197-109 record in five seasons as a head coach. “As a kid growing up in Texas, I dreamed of being a Longhorn and wearing the burnt orange,” Pierce said. “Today that dream is coming true.” ■ ALABAMA found its replacement for Mitch Gaspard when it hired Greg Goff away from Louisiana Tech. Goff, a…

Columnist, MLB Network BOSTON We get why Cleveland has been said to have been built on pessimism. It is a great, proud city that the Rust Belt economy left behind. It has less than half the population it had in the 1950s. It has seen an exodus of Fortune 500 companies, and a shocking percentage of its inhabitants within the city limits live at or below the poverty line. And we all know that it had been since 1948 that a Cleveland team—no, the Barons did not win a Stanley Cup—won a championship. So when the Cavaliers had their parade through the streets, it resonated with Indians officials. As it should. Not only have the Indians been one of the proving grounds for cutting-edge thought, executive development and an organizational…

Risers They may not have all made the Midseason Top 50 Prospects list, but here are eight prospects who have significantly improved their stock with strong first halves. TYLER BEEDE, RHP, GIANTS: At this time last year Beede was headed to the Futures Game with a retooled delivery and approach that emphasized contact over velocity. This year, Beede is still working on sinking his two-seamer, but the 91-92 mph velocity he showed last year has been ecliped; he’s back to the 95-97 mph peaks he had shown at Vanderbilt. That combination and his ability to attack hitters has made him a very reliable starter. He’d worked six or more innings in eight consecutive starts and has allowed more than three earned runs only once in 14 starts this season with…

BEST PLAYER: The organization favors Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre catcher Gary Sanchez as best player, though high Class A Tampa shortstop Jorge Mateo is certainly in the discussion. He hit .270 with 26 stolen bases through 69 games and appeared poised for a promotion to Double-A Trenton. Sanchez came to spring training this season with a chance to be the big league backup catcher, but the out-of-options Austin Romine emerged instead. So Sanchez headed to Scranton, where he hit .277/.321/.492 with eight home runs and 16 doubles through 48 games. He missed time with a fractured thumb and returned as a DH. “What Gary has done at Triple-A at a young age as a catcher has been very good,” general manager Brian Cashman said of the 23-yearold Dominican whose best defensive asset…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PLAYER: Low Class A Hagerstown center fielder Victor Robles has looked even better at age 19 than he did when he rocketed up the prospect ranking last season. “Besides having the talent to impact the game with all five tools, he is a sponge with a tremendous work ethic,” farm director Mark Scialabba said. “He’s very determined the be the best he can be in all phases of the game.” Robles, who signed out of the Dominican Republic for $225,000 in 2013, hit .309/.410/.452 with 17 extra-base hits, including five home runs, through 60 games. He stole 18 bases in 25 tries with just 34 strikeouts. “Victor’s approach at the plate continues to evolve,” Scialabba said. “His…

BEST PLAYER: The Mets signed Dominican shortstop Amed Rosario to an organizationrecord $1.75 million bonus for an international amateur in 2012. Four years later, all signs point to Rosario as the team’s shortstop of the future. Repeating this season at high Class A St. Lucie, the 20-year-old hit .309/.359/.442 with 21 extra-base hits and 13 stolen bases through 66 games. He walked 21 times against 36 strikeouts. Rosario arrived this season with 10 extra pounds of muscle. He now stands 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. He also worked hard on agility and believes he will stick at shortstop long term. “He’s just got all of the tools,” said first-year big league bench coach Dick Scott, who formerly served as farm director. “His physicality is more pronounced this year than it’s been…

BEST PLAYER: When the big league lineup bogged down in early June and shortstop Tim Anderson got the call from Triple-A Charlotte, general manager Rick Hahn said first baseman Nicky Delmonico was also on the major league radar. That is a testament to 23-year-old Delmonico’s skill with the bat and his ability to overcome past personal issues during his time with the Orioles and Brewers. Baltimore made him a sixth-round pick in 2011 from Farragut High in Knoxville, Tenn.. “He was kind of confused and didn’t have a lot of direction,” farm director Nick Capra said. “I think he finally figured out he wanted to play baseball, and he’s really dedicated himself to doing that.” Delmonico, whom Chicago signed in February 2015 following his release by the Brewers, hit .338/.397/.676…

BEST PLAYER: Righthander Jose Berrios earned one major league victory during his brief audition with the Twins, but it’s a memorable one: He broke Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel’s 17-game, almost-two-year home winning streak in Houston. “He’s got four pitches, and when he uses them all, a lot of times, hitters don’t have any idea what’s coming,” big league manager Paul Molitor said. Berrios, a 2012 sandwich pick from a Puerto Rico high school, features a 95 mph fastball but can snap off sliders around 90 that produce strikeouts in bunches. He scuffled through a couple of so-so starts after being optioned to Triple-A Rochester, but the Twins say traveling to be with his wife for the birth of his first child was a part of the reason. “Put…

BEST PLAYER: The Brewers harbored high expectations for lefthander Josh Hader this season after his strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, and he did not disappoint after being assigned to Double-A Biloxi. Hader dominated Southern League hitters in 11 starts there, recording an 0.95 ERA and .194 opponent average, with 73 strikeouts in 57 innings. That was good enough for the Brewers, who promoted the 22-year-old to Triple-A Colorado Springs with hopes of continuing his progress toward Milwaukee. Hader, whom the Brewers acquired from the Astros in the Carlos Gomez trade last July, has shown he can hack it as a starter. His combination of a mid-90s fastball with movement and a sharp-breaking slider plays against righties and lefties. “He did all we could ask at Biloxi,” farm director…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PLAYER: After an all-star performance at Double-A Midland in 2015, third baseman Ryon Healy found himself repeating the Texas League this season. Rather than sulk, he proved he belonged at a higher level. Healy, a 2013 third-round pick from Oregon, forced a quick promotion to Triple-A Nashville, where he hit .340/.387/.545 with 21 extra-base hits through 40 games. “He has grit and determination,” farm director Keith Lieppman said. “He has the kind of mindset that you admire in a player. When he didn’t get invited to big league camp this year, he was really frustrated and angry. He came back with a chip on his shoulder that he was going to prove everybody wrong.” Healy, 24, played…

BEST PLAYER: Double-A Jackson corner outfielder Tyler O’Neill has been the best player in the organization, and the next best isn’t that close. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound package of muscle and power, who just turned 21, has been dominant and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Through 73 games, O’Neill hit .310/.371/.532 with 13 home runs, 20 doubles and 59 RBIs. The 2013 third-rounder from high school in British Columbia even had an eight-RBI game. But more importantly is his willingness to embrace the Mariners’ mantra of controlling the zone, getting deep into counts, finding premium pitches to hit and reaching base. O’Neill had drawn 28 walks this season after drawing just 29 for the entire 2015 season. At one point he recorded a 28-game on-base streak. BIGGEST LEAP FORWARD:…

BEST PLAYER: By putting up some of the best power numbers in the minors, 25-yearold left fielder Peter O’Brien forced his way into a crowded outfield situation in Arizona. At the time of his promotion on June 10, O’Brien led the minors with 17 home runs and was hitting .330/.356/.670. Those numbers are hard to ignore even in the hitterfriendly environments of Triple-A Reno and the Pacific Coast League. “He was impressive last year offensively in Reno, but it was just the way he was doing it and against the type of pitchers he was doing it against this year,” farm director Mike Bell said. “It was the situations—the big hits, big home runs, big at-bats. It was fun to watch when he was in Reno.” A Yankees second-round pick…

BEST PLAYER: Lefthander Adalberto Mejia might not have the best stuff among Giants pitching prospects. But given his age and level, he had the most dominant first half of any starter in the system. Though the 23-year-old, who signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2011, opened the season at Double-A Richmond for the third time, he earned a quick promotion to Triple-A Sacramento after recording a 1.94 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 11 starts. “Whether his fastball is 88 or 93 (mph), guys don’t square it up well,” farm director Shane Turner said. “Now his changeup has come a long way. It drops out of the zone, but he can also throw it straight for strikes. And stuff aside, his composure, his reading of swings, his conditioning have all…

It has been a long time since Venezuela has had an amateur prospect as good as Kevin Maitan. That’s saying something for a country that has been a rich source of talent for major league teams. The two best Venezuelan amateur prospects of the last five years, at the time they signed at age 16, were Cubs shortstop Gleyber Torres in 2013, and Athletics shortstop Franklin Barreto, who signed with the Blue Jays the previous year and was one of the country’s most accomplished players ever at international tournaments. The top bonus ever for a Venezuelan position player was $2.5 million in 2008 for Reds outfielder Yorman Rodriguez, a good athlete with raw tools but a lot of questions on his bat. Maitan, quite simply, is better than any of…

For as far back as Mike Beer can remember, his son, Seth, has been a dreamer—the kind of kid who visualizes greatness, who makes himself the protagonist of his own fictions. When Mike and his wife, Robin, lived in Iowa about 15 years ago, a 4-year-old Seth would play floor hockey inside their five-car garage, and he’d make his parents stand there with him, and he’d say, “Act like the crowd, mom! Act like the crowd, dad!” And Mike and Robin would stand there and make crowd noises as their son promised them he would one day play in front of real fans. Beer used to swim. Mike and Robin homeschooled him as a child because Seth would wake up at 4 a.m.—before anyone else in the house—and swim for…

Baseball Analyst, Senior Writer ESPN.com PHILADELPHIA They’re traveling down a road toward magic. Toward history. Toward life-changing, metropolis-changing moments. But do those amazing Cubs even realize that this shouldn’t be happening, shouldn’t be possible? And no, not because they’re the Cubs. Because they’re way too young. Too young to be this good. Too young to be this great. Too young to have a better run differential at this point than the 1927 Yankees. Too young to be one of those teams we might talk about for a lifetime. Here’s what we mean. Of the 10 Cubs position players who had 100 plate appearances so far this year, six of them are age 26 or younger. Let’s just say history tells us that teams like that don’t have seasons like this.…

LOOKING FOR LUKEN With Luken Baker being a 1B/DH guy, what’s his draft outlook for 2018? CHRIS JOHNSON, HOUSTON You are right to wonder just how high Baker can be drafted as a college first baseman. Just 10 college first baseman have been drafted in the first round this century. Four of those were drafted in one year, 2008, and three have been taken in the eight drafts since. And the track record isn’t great for those who are picked. Allan Dykstra, Michael Aubrey, David Cooper and Justin Smoak are cautionary tales. Not one college first-round first baseman drafted this century has made an all-star appearance. It gets even tougher if you are a righthanded-hitting college first baseman. Just two righthanded-hitting college first baseman have been drafted in the first…

Columnist, MLB.com DENVER Diamondbacks closer Brad Ziegler does not get rattled. Not even in late June when his streak of 43 consecutive saves—longest in franchise history, and seventh-longest in major league history— ended. But then with what Ziegler has been through, not much flusters him. He has had plenty of chances over the years to give up the dream and get on with real life. He was told by the A’s, when he was in the minor leagues, that he should become a sidearmer and move into the bullpen, even though he was among the high Class A California League leaders in strikeouts in 2005 and finished second in the Double-A Texas League in ERA in 2006. Even taking a line drive off his right temple in 2004, splitting open…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PLAYER: The knock on Double-A Bowie catcher Chance Sisco had been his work behind the plate. His bat could play, but his defense and arm received poor grades from scouts outside the organization. Not anymore. A 2013 second-round pick from high school in Corona, Calif., Sisco hit .308/.397/.379 with 15 doubles through 61 games, but that’s only part of his story. “He’s also gotten better defensively,” farm director Brian Graham said. “His skills have really improved. His receiving has improved, his ability to throw is improving and he’s maturing as a hitter. It’s not just about batting average. The guy understands the strike zone and is using all fields and hitting good pitching.” Sisco, who won the…

BEST PLAYER: What shortstop Willy Adames has done this season at Double-A Montgomery is impressive enough—he hit .275 /.365/.472 with eight home runs through 71 games. That becomes even more striking when one considers his youth. “What is he, 20 years old?,” farm director Mitch Lukevics said. “Adames has the rare combination of plus skill and plus intangibles with youth.” Adames has shown the Rays what they were hoping for in making him a key part of the return from the Tigers in the July 2014 David Price deal, and they are confident that there is much more to come, given his combination of athleticism, feel for the game and bat speed. “Adames has shown to be an above-average defender who has the arm to make all the plays,” Lukevics…

BEST PLAYER: Shortstop Dansby Swanson has shown why the Diamondbacks made him the first overall pick in the 2015 draft. Limited to 22 games in his pro debut in the Arizona system in 2015, he joined the Braves in December as part of the return for Shelby Miller. Swanson then made a seamless shift to high Class A Carolina this season, where he recorded a .967 OPS through 21 games before a promotion to Double-A Mississippi. Through 65 total games at both stops, he hit .270/.364/.426 with 27 extra-base hits, including five home runs, 33 walks and 49 strikeouts. Swanson endured a 1-for-27 slide during the second week of June, but he has the tools on both offense and defense to be an impact player in the major leagues. BIGGEST…

BEST PLAYER: For several years, the Phillies have considered Dylan Cozens to have the most upside in the organization. Four years after being selected in the second round of the 2012 draft and passing on a chance to play baseball and football at Arizona, the hulking 6-foot-6, 250-pound right fielder is putting things together at Double-A Reading. Cozens hit .277/.363/.562 with 19 homers, 19 doubles and 55 RBIs through 70 games. The 22-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz., prep product also stole 13 bases in 14 tries and had shown an average outfield arm. Mammoth lefthanded power to all fields is Cozens’ calling card, but director of player development Joe Jordan believes Cozens can cut down on his 30 percent strikeout rate and hit for more average. “We challenged him to become more…

BEST PLAYER: The Tigers knew Tennessee left fielder Christin Stewart had some pop in his bat when they selected him in the first round of the 2015 draft. But they might not have expected him to flex this much muscle this early in his minor league career. Stewart didn’t hit for a high average in the first half of the season, his first at high Class A Lakeland, but he hit for plenty of power while showing a patient approach. Through 74 games, he had amassed 18 home runs, 17 doubles and 55 walks. The 22-year-old Stewart was hitting .248/.394/.523, and he had struck out 25 percent of the time. BIGGEST LEAP FORWARD: JaCoby Jones went from working out in Florida while serving a 50-game drug suspension to Double-A Erie…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BEST PLAYER: Lefthander Amir Garrett’s talent has never been in question. That’s because 22nd-round picks don’t get $1 million without obvious talent. But the Reds gave the 6-foot-6 Garrett, a Henderson, Nev., high school product, that bonus in 2011 hoping that once he decided to give up basketball, that his athleticism would pay off. And it’s beginning to do just that. Even after recording a 2.44 ERA at high Class A Daytona in 2015, Garrett has been better this season. He dominated at Double-A Pensacola, going 5-3, 1.75 with 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 13 appearances before being promoted to Triple-A Louisville. Garrett has improved in just about every statistical category this season—giving up fewer hits and…

BEST PLAYER: In a season in which fellow prospect righthander Jameson Taillon has come back strong after sitting out two seasons with injuries, righty Tyler Glasnow remains the organization’s top young talent. The 22-year-old Glasnow has been ranked as the system’s No. 1 prospect after each of the past two seasons because of his high-90s fastball and big-breaking curveball. Glasnow went 7-2, 1.70 through his first 16 starts at Triple-A Indianapolis. He had recorded 10.5 strikeouts and 5.1 walks per nine innings, while allowing just 53 hits (three home runs) in 90 innings. Once the 6-foot-8 Glasnow, a 2011 fifthround pick from high school in Santa Clarita, Calif., improves his control and sharpens his changeup, he will join Taillon in the big league rotation. BIGGEST LEAP FORWARD: The Pirates cautioned…

BEST PLAYER: When the Astros opted to start shortstop Alex Bregman at Double-A Corpus Christi in April, the assignment could have been viewed as somewhat aggressive. Bregman had just 37 games of experience at high Class A Lancaster at the time, and the 22-year-old struggled in his first big league spring training. No one could have expected what came next. The No. 2 overall pick in 2015 from Louisiana State dominated the Texas League. Bregman’s incredible first half earned him a starting spot in the TL all-star game and, more importantly, thrust him into the conversation for a big league callup later this season. Bregman, who moves to Triple-A Fresno after the all-star break, has been arguably the most productive prospect in the minors. He hit .297/.415/.559 through 62 games,…

BEST PLAYER: Triple-A Round Rock third baseman Joey Gallo entered the season as the system’s top prospect and has stayed true to the ranking with his first-half performance. He has also stayed true to his career track record, which shows that he has always fared better in his second season at a each level. He struggled at Triple-A in 2015, batting .195 with 90 strikeouts in 200 at-bats after being optioned from the big league club. This season, though, Gallo said he understands how he is going to be pitched to—or not pitched to. He hit .256/.391/.583 with 14 homers through 48 games this season. Gallo, the 2012 sandwich pick from high school in Las Vegas, is also playing more first base, which could be his big league position in…

BEST PLAYER: The centerpiece acquisition in the trade that sent Troy Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays, righthander Jeff Hoffman in 15 starts at Triple-A Albuquerque went 4-5, 3.49 with 88 strikeouts and 29 walks in 88 innings. “For his second year pitching in professional baseball, doing what he’s doing at Triple-A is pretty remarkable,” player development director Zach Wilson said. Hoffman, the 2014 first-round pick from East Carolina, has progressed to the point where all four pitches come into play in an outing, and he’s working off those pitches well. As Hoffman nears a callup, Wilson said the focus now is on smaller points, such as consistently holding runners and making sure his effective delivery is both consistently balanced and aggressive. BIGGEST LEAP FORWARD: Lefthander Sam Howard went 4-3, 2.47…

Investing big money in a 16-year-old pitcher isn’t something many teams are comfortable doing. The risk involved in 18-yearold high school seniors is already high, but take a 16-year-old kid from the Dominican Republic who probably doesn’t even have one consistent plus pitch yet and the risk involved climbs dramatically. Also teams have had significant success signing low-cost 16-year-olds who blossom into big leaguers. A look at Baseball America’s Top 50 international prospects for July 2 illustrates this divide. Not one pitcher cracks the Top 10, only three pitchers rank in the Top 25 and there are only seven pitchers in the Top 50. Felix Hernandez and Julio Teheran are two examples of pitchers who got paid top-end bonuses in their class as 16-year-olds and have worked out wonderfully, while…

The Phillies took all the drama out of signing No. 1 overall draft pick Mickey Moniak, announcing a deal with the prep outfielder on June 20, less than two weeks after the draft. Nine days after signing for a $6.1 million bonus, Moniak made his pro debut, going 1-for-4 with an RBI single and walk in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Moniak, an outfielder out of La Costa Canyon High in Carlsbad, Calif., received the second-largest bonus of the draft class so far, behind the $6.2 million bonus for Reds pick Nick Senzel, the No. 2 overall selection out of Tennessee. The bonus pool allotment for the No. 1 overall pick was $9,015,000, so Moniak’s signing was nearly $3 million below pick value. For perspective, the pick value for the…