Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i Baseball America

@BaseballAmerica @BaseballAmerica BaseballAmericaMag ReadBA @SoftbalAmerica @Softball_America TheSoftballAmerica HOW MENTAL PREPARATION CARRIED UCLA TO 12TH TITLE As the old adage goes, champions are made in the offseason, often when the lights are dim and few are watching. That sentiment proved to be true for second-seeded UCLA at the Women’s College World Series. The Bruins took down top-seeded Oklahoma, 5–4, to capture their 12th NCAA title in program history and first since 2010. Led by WCWS Most Outstanding Player Rachel Garcia, UCLA swept through the season’s final week at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium with a perfect 5–0 record against the country’s top teams. But Garcia’s journey to college softball’s pinnacle went far beyond her physical training. The two-time national player of the year credits her and her team’s mental preparation…

If it takes no talent to hustle, why aren’t we seeing more of it? I am beginning to praise players too often for “hustling” and playing the game “hard” when that should be the norm. Baseball is a sport that requires effort to succeed and a “grind” mentality has to exist in each player. But if this mentality does not already live inside a young player, can it be created and developed? The Navy Seals seem to think that it is possible. They train to go beyond what they think are the limits of their body. We don’t need to go to that extreme, but there are ways that coaches can raise the awareness of—and improve—a player’s motor. Here are some ways to flip the switch in your players: •…

@JJCOOP36 In the span of 10 years, major league teams have become leery of college relievers. As recently as 2008, there were five college relievers drafted in the first round. The idea, which in the end proved misguided, was that college relievers generally had very fresh arms (thanks to modest college workloads) and top-quality stuff. Some would be able to handle a move to the rotation, while the others would be fast-moving relievers. What teams learned from that reliever binge was that with very few exceptions (Andrew Cashner) the switch from college reliever to pro starter was a leap too far. And the fast-moving relievers didn’t provide the expected impact. Of the five relievers drafted in the first round in 2008, Cashner was the only one to ever play a…

RANK: 4. PRESEASON: 5. Whitley opened the season as the top pitching prospect in the game and entered the halfway point in the middle of one of the most disappointing seasons by someone on the Top 100. Before landing on the injured list with shoulder fatigue, Whitley made eight appearances (five starts) at Triple-A Round Rock and went 0-3, 12.21 with 29 strikeouts, 15 walks and nine home runs allowed in 24.1 innings. Beyond the poor results, evaluators have consistently said that the 21-year-old Whitley, who began the year as the youngest player in the Pacific Coast League, had displayed enough immaturity on the mound that it has blurred his still-bright ceiling. “His stuff was way down. In spring training, I saw a lot of stuff to like,” one scout…

IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG TO SEE WHY THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES IN THE WORLD TO DRIVE. Santo Domingo traffic is grinding, the roads are in rough shape and the drivers are aggressive. Seeing people drive on the wrong side of the road is common. Your horn is your turn signal. Motorcycles weave in and out of traffic while pedestrians playing human Frogger dart across the highway. If a driver blows through a red light past a police officer, he probably won’t get pulled over. There are traffic laws, but they’re loosely enforced—especially after dark—so the roads turn into chaos. Major League Baseball has used a similar approach to police free agent signings in the Dominican Republic and the rest of the international market, particularly…

HOF CLASS OF 2019 Explaining Mariano Rivera’s legacy one way is impossible. He holds a record for saves that will likely never be broken with 652—plus 42 more in the postseason—has five World Series rings, is revered by Yankees teammates and is the first player unanimously voted into the Hall of Fame. Yet, Rivera’s legacy is still breathing. Retired since the end of the 2013 season, Rivera is the gift that continues to give to the Yankees. Every time lefthander CC Sabathia takes the mound in the final season of a Hall of Fame-caliber career, a huge chunk of Rivera is in play. “He gave me the cutter,” Sabathia said of Rivera helping him transition from a power pitcher to one who relies on location and the cutter. “Him and…

The Yankees signed Mariano Rivera as a 20-year-old out of Panama in February 1990, and his talent was obvious at an early stage. He ranked as New York’s No. 9 prospect heading into the 1993 season despite having had an injury-abbreviated 1992 season. “Rivera has increased the velocity on his fastball from 87 to 94 mph since signing, and has excellent command of three pitches,” founding editor Allan Simpson wrote in Rivera’s first appearance in the pages of BA. Rivera’s future came into sharper focus in 1996, when the Yankees first considered turning over the closer’s role to the 26-year-old. Yankees correspondent Jeff Bradley even invoked the name of a Hall of Fame closer when writing about Rivera that January. “As a reliever, Rivera wouldn’t have to worry about hitters…

The long line of Long Beach State infielders in the major leagues is a storied one. It began with Jason Giambi and Chris Gomez in the early 1990s, picked up steam in the 2000s with Bobby Crosby, Troy Tulowitzki, Evan Longoria, Danny Espinosa and Matt Duffy and has continued most recently with Jeff McNeil and Garrett Hampson. In large part because of those infield standouts, Long Beach State alumni have produced more wins above replacement, according to Baseball-Reference.com, in the majors since 1999 than any other college program. Jarren Duran is well aware of that tradition. With every swing this year, he is looking more and more like the next Dirtbag in line. Drafted last year in the seventh round, Duran led the minor leagues with a .387 batting average…

The 2020 Olympics are just over a year away. The first round of qualifying is less than six months away. With games rapidly approaching, USA Baseball has begun the process of identifying and selecting players it wants for the U.S. national team, even though an official announcement has yet to be made about which players will be eligible to participate. “We believe it will be non-40-man roster players,” said Paul Seiler, the executive director and CEO of USA Baseball. “The specific date to determine that has not been communicated to us, but it’ll most likely be non-40-man roster players.” The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo mark the return of baseball to the Summer Games for the first time since 2008. The International Olympic Committee voted to cut baseball and softball from…

Our organization reports this issue focus on breakout prospects. They begin on Page 50. In this space, we turn our attention to midseason players of the year—the prospects who have performed the best—for all 30 organizations. Players are listed with their primary minor league affiliate in the first half. Statistics through June 10. ARIZONA: 1B KEVIN CRON TRIPLE-A RENO The 26-year-old slugger earned a callup to Arizona after cranking 21 HR in 44 games. ATLANTA: OF DREW WATERS DOUBLE-A MISSISSIPPI The 20-year-old switch-hitter led the Southern League with a .328 AVG, 20 2B, eight 3B and 40 runs. BALTIMORE: LHP DREW ROM LOW A DELMARVA The 2018 prep fourth-rounder paced the South Atlantic League with a 1.23 ERA while striking out 67 in 46.1 IP. BOSTON: OF JARREN DURAN HIGH…

@TRACYRINGOLSBY What can’t be overlooked about the Hall of Fame is that the admission requirement of at least 10 major league seasons is demanding. There are no short-term wonders in Cooperstown whose careers last just four or five years. Those enshrined in Cooperstown have proven themselves over the long run, with no exceptions for career-ending injuries. A baseball Hall of Famer has to be both durable and impactful. The foundation, however, is laid in the early years, and active right now are under-30 major league players who have made at least a down payment on an eventual spot in Cooperstown. But before we celebrate Generation Next, let’s nod to the 30-something vet set on track for the Hall of Fame. Listed alphabetically, they are: Miguel Cabrera, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw,…

The following players ranked as preseason Top 100 Prospects but had either exhausted their prospects eligibility (130 at-bats or 50 innings) or were in the major leagues as of June 10. 1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 3B, Blue Jays 2. Fernando Tatis Jr. SS, Padres 3. Eloy Jimenez OF, White Sox 10. Nick Senzel OF, Reds 11. Victor Robles OF, Nationals 14. Brendan Rodgers 2B/SS, Rockies 19. Alex Reyes RHP, Cardinals 22. Austin Riley OF/3B, Braves 25. Mike Soroka RHP, Braves 34. Yordan Alvarez OF, Astros 35. Alex Verdugo OF, Dodgers 36. Tyler O’Neill OF, Cardinals 42. Danny Jansen C, Blue Jays 45. Yusei Kikuchi LHP, Mariners 46. Corbin Burnes RHP, Brewers 48. Pete Alonso 1B, Mets 53. Touki Toussaint RHP, Braves 63. Griffin Canning RHP, Angels 66. Chris Paddack RHP,…

COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman (left) and Texas high school shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. entered the year as the top talents in college and high school, respectively. Both lived up to expectations and were selected with the first two picks in the 2019 draft. COLLEGE & HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS The biggest names and loudest performances in college and high school baseball in 2019 COLLEGE WE HONOR AN HISTORIC PLAYER AND COACH, WHILE OUR FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR MADE HISTORY OF HIS OWN HIGH SCHOOL BOTH OUR PLAYER AND TEAM OF THE YEAR HAIL FROM THE LONE STAR STATE. ALL-AMERICA TEAMS STANDOUTS FROM AROUND THE DIAMOND AT BOTH THE COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS…

ADLEY RUTSCHMAN, C OREGON STATE A second-team All-American last season, Rutschman lived up to sky-high expectations. At .411/.575/.751, he led the Pacific-12 Conference in all of the slash-line categories. His power took a big jump this season. He set a career high in home runs with 17, and he walked (76) twice as much as he struck out (38) while playing great defense. WILL WILSON, SS N.C. STATE In what appeared to be a crowded class of shortstops coming into the season, Wilson established himself as the best of the bunch. He spent 2019 hitting .335/.425/.661 with 20 doubles, 16 homers and 57 RBIs, all of which were career highs. While he likely will move off shortstop in pro ball, he held down the position adeptly for N.C. State. ANDREW…

International players are committing to sign with teams earlier than ever. Many of the top 2019 players have had deals with teams going back to 2017, when they were 14 or even 13 years old. Once a player has an agreement in place, he typically stops going to open showcases and workouts, which means it has been a couple of years since most scouts have seen the top 2019 players in a competitive environment. That makes it difficult for scouts and for us at Baseball America to assess the top players in the 2019 class based on how they look right now. With that caveat, these are some of the more prominent names to know for the July 2 signing class. All players are 16 years old. JASSON DOMINGUEZ, OF,…

The No. 8 prospect available in the 1987 draft coming out of Montoursville (Pa.) High, Mike Mussina fell to the Orioles in the 11th round because he demanded a $350,000 bonus. He didn’t sign and went on to a distinguished career at Stanford. Mussina fell once again in the 1990 draft—this time as the No. 26 prospect—before the Orioles snagged him with the 20th pick. He signed for $250,000 and the guarantee he would begin his career at Double-A. Mussina shot through the minors so quickly that he ranked as a Top 10 Prospect for the Orioles only once. He ranked No. 2 heading into the 1991 season. Mussina made his big league debut that August. BA correspondent Tim Pearrell wrote about Mussina earlier in 1991, when the 22-year-old was…

Vanderbilt’s Austin Martin has enjoyed a dreamlike sophomore campaign. Coming into the College World Series, the Commodores third baseman was hitting .410/.503/.610. His 18 stolen bases make him a disruptor once he gets aboard, and with 38 walks compared to 31 strikeouts he has proved himself as a competitor in the box. In his first taste of CWS baseball, against Louisville on the opening weekend of the event, the biggest stage the college game has to offer, Martin showed no sign of snapping out of it. On the first pitch from lefthander Reid Detmers, a fastball that just about cut the plate in half at belt height, Martin connected for a missile of a home run well into the leftfield bleachers. It was a tone-setting home run for a guy…

JAMES “JIM” ANDERSON, a first baseman who played in the New York-Penn, Midwest and Northern leagues for the Tigers organization in 1959 and ’60, died May 17 in Yardley, Pa. He was 78. WILLIAM “BILL” BUCKNER, a 1981 all-star and the 1980 National League batting champion who played for the Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, California Angels and Royals over 22 big league seasons from 1969-90, died May 27 in Vallejo, Calif. He was 69. An outfielder and first baseman during his career, Buckner played in more than 2,500 major league games, hitting .289/.321/.408 with 174 home runs, 1,208 RBIs and 183 stolen bases. He finished inside the top 10 in NL MVP voting in both 1981 and 1982, and he led the league in doubles in 1981 and 1983. He…

FACTORY ATHLETICS is BA’s For the Love of the Game Selection Partner XAVIER CARR, 14 ORANGE, VA: Xavier has been a stellar student, winning an academic award for earning straight A’s in middle school. He has volunteered to help his school during the summer, shredding documents and packing/unpacking books and helping to organize classroom items. Xavier loves baseball, having played since the age of 4, and this year he made the junior varsity team as an eighth grader. He will travel to Bradenton, Fla., this month for Baseball Factory’s National World Series event at Pirate City. MAX MAHER, 10 ATLANTA, GA: At just 10, Max is making an impact on less fortunate baseball players around the world. He helped organize a used equipment fundraiser that generated more than 500 bats,…

The attributes required to profile as a major league closer are as follows: one dominant pitch, a second plus pitch, plus command and plus-plus makeup. That’s according to the scouting profile presented in our Prospect Handbook, which spells out which tools and attributes are prioritized at each position. But there’s a fifth attribute that a vast majority of big league closers have in common: rotation pedigree. Roughly four out of every five big league closers worked as a starter in pro ball, even if only briefly or only if exclusively in the low minor leagues. While saves may not be the best indicator of overall reliever quality, they are a vitally important category in most fantasy formats. Saves account for 20 percent of pitcher value in the typical 5x5 league.…

Not all Top 100 Prospects lists are created equal. And this midseason list is admittedly not as deep as the preseason ranking that appeared in the March issue of Baseball America. Top 10 prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Fernando Tatis Jr., Eloy Jimenez and Nick Senzel have graduated, as have 25 total players from the preseason Top 100 Prospects. Adley Rutschman, Bobby Witt Jr. and the rest of the 2019 draft class won’t arrive until our next update. That creates a natural downturn in talent. But this list has less talent than recent lists for more than just chronological reasons. After an amazing run of top prospects, the minors are experiencing a lull. Conversations with numerous scouts around the country finds most of them lamenting the lack of low-risk impact talent…

After a sensational performance last year at the College World Series that saw him earn Most Outstanding Player honors and lead Oregon State to the national title, catcher Adley Rutschman came into this season with all of baseball watching him. Those in the college game wanted to see how he would respond to taking over as the Beavers’ unquestioned leader after the veterans from their national championship team had moved on to pro ball. Major league scouting directors were closely watching him as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. The pressure didn’t bother him. Rutschman never wavered and he went wire-to-wire as both college baseball’s best player and the draft’s best prospect. The Orioles made him the first overall pick in June, and he earned the…

ETHAN HEARN, C MOBILE (ALA.) CHRISTIAN HS Hearn wasn’t fazed by Alabama’s 4A competition and did what scouts expected from the top-ranked backstop in the class, hitting .482 with 11 home runs and 11 doubles. His lefthanded power pairs nicely with his defensive skills and plus arm behind the plate. Hearn was the first high school catcher selected in the draft. BOBBY WITT JR., MI COLLEYVILLE (TEXAS) HERITAGE HS Witt did everything teams wanted to see this spring while meeting high expectations. He played elite defense and hit .500 with 15 home runs and 17 stolen bases while leading his Colleyville club to a 5A Texas state championship. The Royals made him the second overall pick in this year’s draft. BRETT BATY, CI LAKE TRAVIS HS, AUSTIN Baty posted the…

For decades, the baseball’s effect on the game was one of the great conspiracy theories that baseball fans loved to debate. There was plenty of discussion but little data. There was the weird home run blip in 1987, when home runs were hit in bunches only to go back to “normal” in 1988. But for years, any rumored tweaks to the baseball were treated much in the same way as corked bats, stolen signs and spitballs in the nebulous world of speculation. In 2019, we no longer are left to speculate as to whether a tweak to the baseball makes a major impact on the game, The data is there and we have multiple examples of leagues deliberately or accidentally modifying their game simply by changing the baseball. If a…

Even for a man who notched 42 postseason saves and a recorded a 0.70 ERA over 141 October innings, some moments are more momentous than others. Here we present Mariano Rivera’s top five postseason moments for the Yankees in the American League playoffs and World Series, as selected by columnist Joe Sheehan. 1. Game 2 of 1995 AL Division Series This is Rivera’s first big moment in the spotlight. He pitched the last 3.1 shutout innings in a game the Yankees would win in 15 innings against the Mariners. 2. Game 7 of 2003 AL Championship Series Rivera throws three shutout innings to set up Aaron Boone’s 11th-inning, pennant-winning homer against the Red Sox. 3. Game 6 of 1996 World Series Rivera’s first two-inning World Series appearance protected a two-run…

The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Heading into its 23rd season in 2019, the CPL features 16 franchises playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. To date, the CPL has had over 1,450 alumni drafted and 123 alums – including 2017 ALCS MVP, 2017 World Series champion, 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander, as well as 2017 NLCS MVP Chris Taylor – make their Major League debut. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @CPLBaseball. ?The Coastal Plain League announced a new partnership with stat tracking service TrackMan Baseball. The innovative technology has initially be installed in nine…

Now that the 2019 draft is in the books, we turn our attention to the class of 2020 and the top high school talent that will be available. A lot can change in a year—especially for rising high school seniors—and so much will depend on how these prep prospects fare on the summer showcase circuit in front of scouting directors and next year when they are under the draft microscope. 1. PETE CROW-ARMSTRONG, OF HARVARD-WESTLAKE HS, LOS ANGELES Crow-Armstrong ranks No. 1 on the high school side and is the top name in what is expected to be a deep Southern California crop. He is a polished lefthanded hitter who has some of the best feel for the barrel in the class, to go along with plus running ability, plus…

1. Position players dominated the top of the draft The 2019 draft set a record when position players were taken with each of the first six picks before the Reds chose Texas Christian lefthander Nick Lodolo. Next year’s college pitcher class is strong and should make this a blip. 2. The D-backs’ studied approach to their draft bonanza With seven picks in the top 75, the D-backs relied on additional scouting resources to help land a broad base of talent. “We wanted to spread it out, where we didn’t use every bit of our bonus pools early in the draft unless we had too,” Arizona scouting director Deric Ladnier said. With their four first-round picks, the D-backs picked a high school outfielder (Corbin Carroll), two prep arms (Blake Walston, Brennan…

@JOE_SHEEHAN Mariano Rivera will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. This isn’t news—Rivera has been a shoo-in for Cooperstown since the middle of the last decade—but the manner of his election was. Rivera is the first player to receive unanimous acclaim by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in the annual Hall balloting. That it was Rivera, rather than Willie Mays or Greg Maddux or Babe Ruth, is an accident of history, a product of the ever-changing, occasionally inscrutable process of choosing our immortals over 80 years. Rivera is certainly worthy of the honor as the greatest relief pitcher who ever lived, and someone who spent 20 years in the spotlight without a hint of controversy. Rivera had two Hall of Fame careers. The first ran through…