Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i Baseball America

@BaseballAmerica @BaseballAmerica BaseballAmericaMag ReadBA COMPLETE MIDSEASON PROSPECT COVERAGE This year, Baseball America is delivering unprecedented midseason prospect coverage to subscribers. For the first time, BA is updating Top 30 Prospects rankings for all 30 organizations—but that’s not all. In addition to fully updated Top 30 Prospects rankings, which include 2019 draft picks and international signees, subscribers will find: ■ Updated Organization Talent Rankings: We review the top 30 farm systems after the dust has settled on the draft and the July 31 trade deadline. ■ Updated Top 100 Prospects after the draft signing deadline: Find out where the first-rounders fit on the overall prospect scene. ■ Rising and falling prospects in all 30 farm systems: Get the edge in your fantasy league by being the first to identify under-the-radar prospects…

FACTORY ATHLETICSTMis BA’s For the Love of the Game Selection Partner • ANTHONY COSME, 11 JAMESTOWN, NY: Anthony’s father, Joshua, is a combat veteran who has worked to instill discipline and a sense of self-respect. Anthony is looked up to as a leader in his hometown and excels as an honor student at school. At age 8, he was picked for the allstar team but noticed there were not many kids of color chosen, so he decided not to participate. As a result, a travel team was created to promote inclusion, open to all kids who want to compete. Today that team has grown four times in size. • CARLEY ERNST, 13 EAST PETERSBURG, PA: Carley is a high honors student at Centerville Middle School and a smooth-hitting outfielder for Spooky…

Aggressiveness is the name of the game in this year’s ranking of the top power-speed prospects. Players who aggressively drive the baseball and pursue the extra base—even if it comes packaged with a high strikeout rate—are rewarded. Likewise, players who aggressively attempt to steal when they reach first base will be rewarded, even if they are thrown out from time to time. The minor leagues are the perfect setting for players to refine their power and speed skills. The best players, as they develop, will learn to strike out less frequently and steal more efficiently. Some—but not all—of the players included here will realize those goals. As usual, this year’s power-speed prospects ranking skews heavily toward outfielders, which reflects the reality that the majority of your fantasy team’s stolen bases…

Winning a major league Best Tools category is difficult enough, but to win a category in consecutive years speaks to true greatness in one’s field. The following 2019 Best Tools winners are working on active streaks ranging in length from two seasons to eight. EIGHT STRAIGHT Mike Trout Most Exciting Player (AL) SIX STRAIGHT Nolan Arenado Best Defensive 3B (NL) Billy Hamilton Fastest Baserunner (AL/NL) FIVE STRAIGHT DJ LeMahieu Best Defensive 2B (AL/NL) Joey Votto Best Strike-Zone Judgment (NL) FOUR STRAIGHT Mike Trout Best Hitter (AL) THREE STRAIGHT Chris Sale Best Slider (AL) Max Scherzer Best Slider (NL) TWO STRAIGHT Javier Baez Best Infield Arm (NL) Matt Chapman Best Defensive 3B (AL) Matt Chapman Best Infield Arm (AL) Josh Hader Best Reliever (NL) Max Scherzer Best Pitcher (NL) Mike Trout…

BEST HITTER 1. Mike Trout, Angels 2. Alex Bregman, Astros 3. Michael Brantley, Astros BEST POWER 1. Joey Gallo, Rangers 2. Aaron Judge, Yankees 3. Mike Trout, Angels BEST BUNTER 1. Billy Hamilton, Royals 2. Dee Gordon, Mariners 3. Delino Deshields Jr., Rangers BEST STRIKE-ZONE JUDGMENT 1. Mike Trout, Angels 2. Alex Bregman, Astros 3. Carlos Santana, Indians BEST HIT-AND-RUN ARTIST 1. Elvis Andrus, Rangers 2. Whit Merrifield, Royals 3. David Fletcher, Angels BEST BASERUNNER 1. Adalberto Mondesi, Royals 2. Whit Merrifield, Royals 3. Billy Hamilton, Royals FASTEST BASERUNNER 1. Billy Hamilton, Royals 2. Terrance Gore, Royals 3. Byron Buxton, Twins MOST EXCITING PLAYER 1. Mike Trout, Angels 2. Mookie Betts, Red Sox 3. Alex Bregman, Astros BEST PITCHER 1. Justin Verlander, Astros 2. Charlie Morton, Rays 3. Gerrit Cole,…

MAJORS The pros and cons for high school pitchers going to college versus turning pro PAGE 51 MINORS The best tools on display at the Futures Game; plus a look ahead to next year PAGE 52 COLLEGE Vanderbilt makes its case for program of the decade with historic season PAGE 56 HIGH SCHOOL First-year PDP League satisfies players, coaches and Team USA decision-makers PAGE 58 DRAFT The draft signing deadline was dramafree, which is exactly the way teams like it PAGE 60 INTERNATIONAL Twenty position players you need to know from this year’s Dominican Summer League PAGE 62…

The 2019 signing deadline came and went, and with it came a return to normalcy. All but two players selected among the top 10 rounds agreed to deals, making the 2018 first-round signing snafus look more like outliers than concerning trends. High school righthander Brandon Sproat (Rangers, seventh round) and Antelope Valley (Calif.) JC catcher Wyatt Hendrie (Cubs, 10th round) were the only two players selected among the top 10 rounds to go unsigned. The Marlins were one of the few teams with real business to take care of at the July 12 signing deadline. Miami came to terms with Vanderbilt outfielder JJ Bleday, its first-round pick, and Missouri outfielder Kameron Misner, its supplemental first-rounder, hours before the 5 p.m. Eastern deadline. With those deals, every player taken in the…

BASEBALL FACTORY’S DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Regardless of ability level, athleticism, measurable strengths and analytics reports, baseball players still have to continue to improve in order to progress to the next level. Whether it’s a youth player aiming for success transitioning to the 90-foot diamond, the high school player trying to earn a varsity spot, or a Triple-A pitcher trying to make the majors, if you don’t get better, you get passed by other players. At Baseball Factory, we feel that an important piece in the player development journey is having self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses. Our coaches are tasked with helping to teach players how to self-assess. It isn’t always easy to look in the mirror, but honest information is paramount here. Here are important items…

@JJCOOP36 As he swung for the fences during the junior home run derby in Miami in 2017, Jarred Kelenic took a look at the top prospects who had gathered to watch the teenagers grip it and rip it. After hitting in a big league ballpark, Kelenic made a prediction to his family. “I told my parents and I told my agent two years ago that I was going to be in (the Futures Game) in two years. And the fact that it came true is pretty special,” said Kelenic, who is the Mariners’ No. 1 prospect. Kelenic’s prediction is a reminder of the importance of the Futures Game. His next dream is to become a big leaguer, and he viewed the Futures Game as an important step on that path.…

Baseball America has tracked Best Tools winners in the American and National leagues continuously since 1988. In that time, no player has medaled—placed in the top three—in balloting for all five of the traditional scouting tools: hit, power, run, field and arm. In fact, just seven players in 32 years have medaled in four of the five tools, indicating the difficulty of the task. These “four-dimensional” superstars include all-time greats like Ichiro, A-Rod, Griffey and Trout—players so iconic that they are identifiable by one name. Nolan Arenado is also a member of the club and might one day be viewed in a similar light. But the other two members of the club might surprise you. One is Jose Reyes, who so thoroughly dominated the fastest baserunner, best defensive shortstop and…

2010 A first baseman in high school, Yelich put on an eye-opening batting practice display with wood bats at a Major League Scouting Bureau showcase at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif. 2013 “His hands really work, though at times he can get too handsy,” said one scout for an National League club. “He’s going to have to use his lower half more to completely tap into that power.” 2015 Yelich hit .300 for the first time in the major leagues, and he established himself as a plus hitter who drove the ball to the gaps. He hit 30 doubles, but only seven home runs for the Marlins. 2016 Yelich won his first Silver Slugger award as his power blossomed. He hit 21 home runs, one more than he…

AUGUST 2019 It would have been easy for shortstop Wander Franco to fail to meet expectations this year. Having never played a game above Rookie ball, the 18-year-old Rays prospect was already heralded as one of the best hitters in the minor leagues. Now, Franco is the No. 1 prospect in baseball, and as unfathomable as it may seem, the expectations for Franco’s bat have only grown. Franco earned a midseason promotion to high Class A Charlotte after hitting .318/.390/.506 at low Class A Bowling Green. He walked 30 times while striking out just 20 times. He managed to be one of the most patient hitters in the Midwest League (his .390 on-base percentage ranked fifth best) while also being one of the toughest to strike out (his 7.4 percent…

Perfect Game National June 11-15 The event that kicks off the draft cycle, the Perfect Game National Showcase routinely occurs just after the draft, giving scouting departments their first concentrated look at most of the top talent in the prep class. PDP League June 13-July 6 Previously the Tournament of Stars, the Prospect Development Pipeline is hosted by USA Baseball and invites 80 of the top players in the country for a three-week training session and 18U National Team identifying event. PG World Wood Bat June 28-July 5 Held in Georgia, the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Association tournament features hundreds of teams and thousands of players, allowing scouts to get a feel for the depth of the prep class, rather than simply the top end. Under Armour All-America Game…

BALTIMORE ORIOLES Now that the Orioles have signed No. 1 overall draft pick Adley Rutschman, they must decide how to ease the Oregon State catcher into his first professional season. Rutschman reported to the Orioles’ Sarasota, Fla., complex for workouts with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League team. He eventually will join short-season Aberdeen after knocking off rust from an extended period of inactivity. Oregon State bowed out of the NCAA Tournament at regionals in early June. “I think we’ll let his play determine how fast he moves,” executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said. “Every player’s different. Every first-round pick is different… I always believe in starting (players) at the lower level because it’s very easy to transfer them if they’re performing well. “He’s done a lot in his life…

In the lead up to the draft every year, college pitchers are frequently labeled “safe” while high school pitchers are given the “high upside” moniker. The inference is college pitchers might make it to the majors but won’t be aces, while high school pitchers are less likely to get there but offer greater reward potential. A quick look around the majors debunks that theory—and fast. Since the beginning of the 2017 season, the top five starters in the majors—and 11 of the top 13—as measured by Baseball-Reference wins above replacement were all college draftees. They are Max Scherzer, Aaron Nola, Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, Mike Minor, Stephen Strasburg, Kyle Freeland, Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole. High school product Zack Greinke ranks sixth on the WAR list…

The 2019 draft made history when no pitcher was selected among the top six picks. When the Reds drafted Texas Christian lefthander Nick Lodolo at No. 7, he was the first arm off the board. First overall pick Adley Rutschman also made draft history. The Oregon State catcher—and our College Player of the Year—signed for a record $8.1 million bonus. Rutschman signed with the Orioles for $100,000 more than Gerrit Cole received from the Pirates as the No. 1 pick in 2011. Other notable bonuses. ● Rutschman topped the previous bonus record for a catcher by more than $1 million. Joey Bart had signed for $7,025,000 with the Giants as the No. 2 pick in 2018. Rutschman also set an Orioles franchise bonus record that was previously held by Matt…

JOSEPH ALUSIK, a minor league reliever who pitched in the Coastal Plain League for Goldsboro Goldbugs in 1949, died June 30 in Edison, N.J. He was 90. LEONARD ARNDT, a minor leaguer who played in the Florida State League for the DeLand Red Hats in 1948 and also worked as a minor league umpire in the 1950s, died June 3 in Hickory, N.C. He was 97. ROBERT “DAN” BALLARD, a righthanded reliever who pitched in the Appalachian and Western Carolinas leagues for the Braves organization in 1977 and ’78, died June 14 in New Brunswick, N.J. He was 63. MYRON “MIKE” BELKIN, a lefthanded reliever who pitched in the Texas and Big State leagues for the Milwaukee Braves organization in1955 and ’56, died June 26 in Cleveland. He was 83.…

BEST TOOLS OF THE 2010s The toolsiest players of the decade in the American and National leagues Baseball America surveys major league managers, coaches and evaluators every year to determine which players have the top tools in the American and National leagues. Our Best Tools tradition dates back more than 30 years, but with this being the final year of the decade, we turn our attention to the biggest stars and best tools of 2010s. Players are ranked to three places in each Best Tools category. This allows us to apply an Olympics-style 5-3-1 scoring system for first-, second- and third-place finishes. In the tables below, Medals refer to the number of different seasons in which a player finished top three in his league, while Points are his accumulated weighted…

@TRACYRINGOLSBY This time, Major League Baseball did not need a voting scandal. This time, Major League Baseball was out front in addressing what was an ongoing concern about all-star voting. This time, Major League Baseball adjusted the voting rules for the All-Star Game without taking the vote away from its fans, which happened 62 years ago. MLB revoked the fan vote in 1957, when the folks in Cincinnati were found to have taken advantage of laissez-faire voting rules that resulted in an initial National League lineup that included Reds at every position, except for the Cardinals’ Stan Musial at first base. The commissioner’s office investigated the situation and found that, among other things, the Cincinnati Enquirer had printed ballots premarked with exclusively Reds players, making it easier for fans to…

BT19 MAKING THE GRADE AUGUST 2019 As the spring of 2010 unfolded, Tim McDonnell formed an opinion firmly outside the scouting mainstream. McDonnell, the Marlins’ area scout for greater Los Angeles, believed Christian Yelich had the potential to hit 25-home run power. Few others shared that opinion. The overall consensus was Yelich, a skinny first baseman with a sweet lefthanded swing from Westlake High, would primarily hit for average and might approach 15 home runs in his best years, a la Casey Kotchman or James Loney. McDonnell felt otherwise. “You go back to his junior year and we saw him against Tyler Skaggs (of Santa Monica High), myself and our national crosschecker at the time, and he homered to dead center off of Skaggs that day and we were both…

BEST HITTER 1. Christian Yelich, Brewers 2. Cody Bellinger, Dodgers 3. Nolan Arenado, Rockies BEST POWER 1. Pete Alonso, Mets 2. Cody Bellinger, Dodgers 3. Christian Yelich, Brewers BEST BUNTER 1. Victor Robles, Nationals 2. Kolten Wong, Cardinals 3. Brandon Belt, Giants BEST STRIKE-ZONE JUDGMENT 1. Joey Votto, Reds 2. Freddie Freeman, Braves 3. Anthony Rendon, Nationals BEST HIT-AND-RUN ARTIST 1. Yadier Molina, Cardinals 2. Jeff McNeil, Mets 3. Jean Segura, Phillies BEST BASERUNNER 1. Trea Turner, Nationals 2. Kolten Wong, Cardinals 3. Jarrod Dyson, D-backs FASTEST BASERUNNER 1. Trea Turner, Nationals 2. Tim Locastro, D-backs 3. Garrett Hampson, Rockies MOST EXCITING PLAYER 1. Cody Bellinger, Dodgers 2. Christian Yelich, Brewers 3. Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves BEST PITCHER 1. Max Scherzer, Nationals 2. Jacob deGrom, Mets 3. Zack Greinke, D-backs…

Though the Little League World Series is often noted as one of the last tournaments in which a player competes without being scouted, some of its most famous alumni have made the jump to the big leagues.…

Blaze Jordan HS—Southaven, Miss. Jordan likely has the most raw power in the high school class despite being one of the youngest players in it. He matured physically quicker than most players his age, and he has well above-average natural strength in the box, plus extremely quick bat speed. The two combine to give Jordan 80-grade raw power, which has been seen in both amateur home run derbies and in game competition against older pitchers. Spencer Torkelson Arizona State Torkelson ranked No. 436 on the BA 500 predraft ranking in 2017 when he was a high schooler in Petaluma, Calif. After going undrafted, Torkelson tapped into immense power at Arizona State. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound first baseman shattered Barry Bonds’ ASU freshman home run record (11) in 2018 by hitting 25.…

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS For righthander Riley Smith, an arm injury from three years ago turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Smith’s velocity dropped after a bout with biceps tendinitis during his junior year at Louisiana State, forcing him to focus more on locating pitches and developing his secondary stuff. Now that his fastball is back to its previous levels, Smith believes he has been able to marry power stuff with pitchability. It’s hard to argue with the results. Through 13 starts with Double-A Jackson, Smith recorded a 2.27 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 16 walks in 71.1 innings. That earned him a promotion to Triple-A Reno. “I kind of learned how to use my secondary pitches and how to pitch backward, and as I got my velo back, it…

While the 2019 Futures Game in Cleveland was light on offense early, there were plenty of players who stood out from a scouting perspective between batting practice, pregame defensive work and the game—especially on a pair of rosters stacked with a number of the best prospects in baseball. BEST SWING Wander Franco | SS | Rays The day started with the high school home run derby, with Franco coming out of the clubhouse to watch some of the top 2020 high school prospects. At just 18 years old, Franco was born the same year as some of those high school players, but the 2017 international signee from the Dominican Republic is on the Futures Game stage instead. The No. 1 prospect in baseball who had joined high Class A Charlotte…

@JOE_SHEEHAN Christian Yelich hit .290/.369/.432 with 15 steals a year and strong outfield defense in his five seasons with the Marlins. He was a star back then, even if no one knew it because of the team for which he played. After joining the Brewers in 2018, Yelich went on to win the National League MVP behind a massive second-half power surge, and he has continued to hit for power in 2019. Through the end of June, Yelich had hit .328/.425/.704 with a major league-leading 29 home runs. He had tacked on 18 steals for good measure. In the last calendar year, Yelich hit .343/.430/.704 with 54 homers and 30 steals. It’s an incredible stretch of play that could win Yelich back-to-back MVPs. It’s also what Mike Trout does all…