(*) CALL-UPS: August 9-15, 2016
Aug 13 2016
Photo: Aaron Judge (OF, NYY)
Contributing writers: Jeremy Deloney (JD), Nick Richards (NR) and Matthew St-Germain (MSG).
August 15, 2016
No call-ups today.
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August 14, 2016
Aaron Judge (OF, NYY)
The Yankees recalled the mammoth 24-year-old from Triple-A and he’ll be immediately inserted as the starting RF for the remainder of the season. Judge, a former first-round pick from 2013, fits the mold of the ideal RF with double-plus power and significant arm strength. He spent half the 2015 season in Triple-A and struggled immensely, failing to make contact and showing defensive lapses in the outfield. In his return trip to that level in 2016, Judge has made positive strides in all aspects of his game. His power continues to be a highlight as he hits the ball a long, long way. He features an advanced approach at the plate and is willing to work counts to draw walks, but his long swing (due to his long arms) will always be conducive to a high number of strikeouts. He is also willing and able to use the entire field in his approach, which makes him a bit more difficult to pitch to, especially early in the count. Judge runs fairly well for his size and is athletic enough to be a solid contributor defensively. His arm strength is incredible, but his accuracy could use a little work. At his peak, he could become a player with a moderately-high BA with 30+ HR. For his career, Judge is a .278/.373/.473 hitter. (JD)
STATS: Scranton/W-B (AAA) – 352 AB, .270/.366/.489, 18 2B, 19 HR, 0.48 Eye, 5 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Starting RF
POTENTIAL: Starting RF
RATING: 8B
Tyler Austin (1B/OF, NYY)
The Yankees have recalled the 24-year-old from Triple-A and he will see action in the outfield corners and at 1B the rest of the way. Austin once was one of New York’s better prospects, as he was a natural hitter who could hit for BA while showing solid-average power to the pull side. The right-handed hitter spent all of 2013 and 2014 in Double-A and seemingly lost his way as a prospect. The 2015 campaign saw him split time between Double-A and Triple-A and he was eventually designated for assignment. Fast forward to 2016 and he began the season again in Double-A, but has found new life with Scranton. Austin already has blasted a career-high in HR while making hard contact and using the entire field. Strikeouts have been a problem, but the resurgence in his offensive output has been a revelation. He has sufficient bat speed and strength, but he can be fooled by breaking balls and jammed inside. He isn’t very fast either and isn’t a threat to steal bases. Defensively, he’s mostly seen action at 1B in 2016 and has also seen some time at 3B and the outfield corners. For Austin to be considered for a future starting role, he must cut down on his swing and make more consistent contact. He also needs to find a defensive home as he lacks quickness and has only an average arm. He is a career .287/.366/.461 hitter in the minors. (JD)
STATS: Scranton/W-B (AAA) – 201 AB, .323/.415/.637, 24 2B, 13 HR, 0.54 Eye, 5 SB
Trenton (AA) – 177 AB, .260/.367/.395, 10 2b, 4 HR, 0.65 Eye
CURRENT ROLE: Backup OF/1B
POTENTIAL: Starting 1B/OF
RATING: 7D
Gabriel Ynoa (RHP, NYM)
The 23-year-old is in the big leagues for the first time after the Mets promoted him to replace the optioned Logan Verrett. Ynoa is a command/control pitcher with an exceptional ability to find the strike zone. Remarkably, his 2.3 Ctl is the highest of his career at this point. He rarely beats himself, though the downside is that he doesn’t strike out many hitters and is ultimately hittable because he’s in the zone a bit too much. Ynoa commands his 91-94 mph fastball at will and mixes in a questionable slider and solid-average change-up. All pitches are generated from the same arm speed, which gives him ample deception. His delivery is smooth and repeatable, which positively impacts the placement of his offerings. There are certainly some things to like about his game and repertoire, however, there are certainly some things that detract from his prospect status. Though not yet announced what his role will be, he could get a few spot starts at some point. Ynoa has a career 3.43 ERA, 1.5 Ctl, and 5.7 Dom. (JD)
STATS: Las Vegas (AAA) – 23 gs, 10-5 4.42 ERA, 138.1 IP, 2.0 Cmd, 2.3 Ctl, 4.7 Dom, 15 HR, .293 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Long reliever / Spot starter
POTENTIAL: #4 starter
RATING: 7C
Dixon Machado (SS, DET)
With José Iglesias on the disabled list, the Tigers summoned Machado from Triple-A and he could see a good amount of action at SS. The 24-year-old had 68 AB with Detroit in 2015 and hit .235/.307/.279 with 14 strikeouts. He is a defensive-oriented infielder who offers some offensive talent and has shown marked improvement with his plate patience and contact ability. The right-handed hitter’s swing is geared more towards line drives to the gaps and he uses his average speed to leg out extra base hits. He makes consistent contact with his level stroke, but has enough strength to reach the seats on occasion. Machado is a terrific defender with sure hands and plus range to both sides. He stands out for his quickness and smooth actions. The jury is out on whether he has enough juice in the bat to play every day, however, he offers value with his glove and legs. Machado is a career .246/.324/.316 hitter in the minors with a high of six HR in 2014. (JD)
STATS: Toledo (AAA) – 432 AB, .266/.356/.354, 25 2B, 3 HR, 0.86 Eye, 17 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Won’t play every day, but will get plenty of starts
POTENTIAL: Utility player
RATING: 6A
Nick Buss (OF, LAA)
The Angels have recalled the 29-year-old from Triple-A and he’s expected to serve as a bat off the bench, though he’ll also see a few starts at any outfield spot. The left-handed hitter was an eighth-round pick by the Dodgers in 2008 and eventually worked his way to the big leagues in 2013 when he earned 19 AB. He has also played in the minors with the Athletics and Diamondbacks before signing with the Angels for the 2016 campaign. Buss brings decent skills across the board, but not a standout tool. He puts bat to ball consistently, has some bat speed and strength, and is willing to work counts to get on base. He hit a career-high 17 HR in 2013, but has only hit double-digit HR one other time as a pro. He’s also not stealing as many bases as he once did. He makes contact from a compact, leveraged swing and rarely chases pitches outside the strike zone. Defensively, he is adequate at all three outfield positions with a decent arm and average range. Buss has a career line of .289/.344/.431 in the minors. (JD)
STATS: Salt Lake (AAA) – 331 AB, .290/.345/.462, 23 2B, 8 3B, 6 HR, 0.45 Eye, 8 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Reserve outfielder
POTENTIAL: Reserve outfielder
RATING: 6D
August 13, 2016
Matt Carasiti (RHP, COL)
Carasit’s name doesn’t pop in terms of prospect status, but he’s worked himself into a position where a quality major league career is quite possible. After giving up a whopping 216 hits and 115 ER over 161.0 IP over his first two seasons, Carasiti wisely was transitioned to the bullpen and eventually took over as the closer for high Single-A Modesto, a role he previously had filled his junior year at St Johns. The 6’3”, 205-pound 25-year-old has seen his stuff tick up, working with a plus four-seam fastball that hits 98, alongside an above-average splitter that can drop into the high 70s, rounding out with an average cutter and changeup. Carasiti gets heavy separation between his fastball and off-speed stuff that makes him hard to square up. He’s been particularly dominating this season with excellent splits and peripherals, though he doesn’t have many reps above Single-A. Long term, Carasiti more fits into a setup role than closer even if he does earn the opportunity to end it. His career minor league numbers: 339.2 IP, 4.50 ERA, 55 Sv, 3.2 Ctl, 7.3 Dom, 2.3 Cmd, 29 HR, .278 oppBA, 1.451 WHIP. (MSG)
STATS: Albuquerque (AAA) — 6 g, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 Sv, 7.0 IP, 2.6 Ctl, 6.4 Dom, 2.5 Cmd, 0 HR, .091 oppBA, 0.571 WHIP
Hartford (AA) — 38 g, 0-2, 2.31 ERA, 29 Sv, 39.0 IP, 1.6 Ctl, 9.9 Dom, 6.1 Cmd, 5 HR, .200 oppBA, 0.897 WHIP
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Setup reliever
RATING: 7C
Teoscar Hernández (CF, HOU)
A $10K sign in 2011 out of the DR, Hernandez has always been a tools bet, boom-or-bust kind of player, and all signs are currently pointing towards boom. Upon signing, Hernandez flashed enough to get a low-end five-tool projection, but with an odyssey to get there. His plus-plus speed and maybe plus arm were his standout tools, with raw average power, a manageable bat with some length, and an average glove, there were enough makings of a solid future player. We first profiled him as our No. 10 Astros prospect last season, but his struggles last year precipitated a drop from this year’s list. One of the 6’2”, 180-pounder’s main issues was his approach at the plate, leading to high strikeout totals. 2016 has seen strong skill gains from Hernandez in this area, with a 0.58 Eye at Double-A Corpus Christi and 0.52 Eye at Triple-A Fresno, easily his best numbers over his career. His overall slash line is excellent and his underlying metrics are solid as well, and with Carlos Gómez headed out of town, there’s both the skills and the potential to take over an OF spot. Long term, he profiles better in LF, but can certainly play adequate defense in CF for the time being. Hernandez’s career minor league numbers: 2,306 AB, .269/.337/.448, 128 2B, 32 3B, 73 HR, 0.37 Eye, 151 SB. (MSG)
STATS: Fresno (AAA) — 144 AB, .313/.365/.500, 9 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 0.52 Eye, 5 SB
Corpus Christi (AA) — 423 AB, .305/.384/.437, 19 2B, 6 HR, 0.58 Eye, 29 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Time-share with Jake Marisnick & Tony Kemp in LF/CFA
POTENTIAL: Starting OF
RATING: 8D
Jason Hursh (RHP, ATL)
Hursh was a fastball bet back in the 2013 draft where he went in the first round to the Braves, with one of the best in the class but his secondaries lagging. So good was his fastball that he appeared as our No. 4 Braves prospect in 2014 (No. 7 in 2014, and then dropping off this season.) Those secondaries never really came around for the 6’3”, 200-pound Hursh, and after three seasons of starting, permanently moved to the bullpen to start 2016 and finally saw the numbers start to match the scouting reports. His primary weapon is his sinking, low-90s fastball, which generates a high number of groundball outs. Hursh has trouble commanding his fastball at times, which makes reliance on his fringe-average curve difficult, though he’s seen some progression with the pitch over the year. His change is still below-average, seldom employed, and not something he’ll likely be able to rely upon in the majors at this stage. Ultimately, it’s been a long fall considering his draft premium, and while his surface stats in 2016 are enticing, don’t ignore his 3.6 Ctl at Double-A Mississippi alongside a 6.6 Dom. His career minor league line: 334.2 IP, 3.42 ERA, 3.1 Ctl, 5.5 Dom, 1.8 Cmd, 11 HR, .270 oppBA, 1.369 WHIP. (MSG)
STATS: Gwinnett (AAA) — 3 g, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.0 IP, 3.9 Ctl, 3.9 Dom, 1.0 Cmd, 0 HR, .261 oppBA, 1.286 WHIP
Mississippi (AA) — 35 g, 3-2, 2.05 ERA, 3 Sv, 57.0 IP, 3.6 Ctl, 6.6 Dom, 1.8 Cmd, 0 HR, .204 oppBA, 1.140 WHIP
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Setup reliever
RATING: 7C
Akeel Morris (RHP, ATL)
Look at that Dom! Morris has not finished a season or assignment with a Dom under 10. However, the 6’1”, 195-pound Virgin Islands native also sports a career 5.1 Ctl rate and that metric has only grown worse in 2016. Just over from the Mets—where he was our No. 14 prospect in the system—in the Kelly Johnson (2B, NYM) trade, Morris sports impressive Dom numbers because of the extreme separation between his plus mid-90s fastball and plus mid-70s changeup. His deceptive delivery makes picking between the offerings extremely difficult. Morris tosses in a below-average slider to mix things up, but his lack of any discernible command really hinders the overall profile from succeeding. His Ctl only has gotten worse in 2016, with a 6.8 rate at Double-A Mississippi and a 5.7 rate at Double-A Binghamton before the trade. That said, when you are striking out near a batter and a third per inning, coaches tend to let you work the kinks out, and despite a disastrous first big league exposure for Morris last season, there’s enough here for a highly successful major league reliever and he’s in the right organization to help him improve on his command. Morris’ career minor league line: 325.2 IP, 2.90 ERA, 38 Sv, 5.1 Ctl, 12.0 Dom, 2.4 Cmd, 20 HR, .170 oppBA, .161 WHIP. (MSG)
STATS: Mississippi (AA) — 18 g, 3-0, 2.78 ERA, 22.2 IP, 6.8 Ctl, 11.9 Dom, 1.8 Cmd, 0 HR, .214 oppBA, 1.544 WHIP
Binghamton (AA) — 22 g, 2-2, 4.62 ERA, 6 Sv, 25.1 IP, 5.7 Ctl, 12.8 Dom, 2.3 Cmd, 4 HR, .207 oppBA, 1.381 WHIP
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Setup reliever
RATING: 8E
Luke Weaver (RHP, STL)
There’s some dispute among scouts if Weaver truly has a plus pitch, with his fastball and curve earning at least above-average grades when you average everything out. When you toss in a slider that has developed into an average pitch, and plus command of his repertoire, you have a guy pitching strangely above the sum of his parts. 6’2”, and a lithe 170 pounds, Weaver has done nothing but produce since drafted in the first round (2014) after establishing himself as the ace at Florida State. Weaver most often gets pegged with a No. 3 upside, and started the season as our No. 4 Cardinals prospect, but it’s important to note that this is on the premium side of No. 3 and sniffing a poor No. 2 with those two above-average out pitches. And all Weaver has done in his short career is produce, with 2016 being nothing different in both surface and peripheral stats. With Weaver just turning 23 in about 10 days, he’s got the potential to be an above-average producer in the major leagues for a first-division team. Adjust accordingly. His career minor league line: 197.2 IP, 1.78 ERA, 1.6 Ctl, 8.7 Dom, 5.5 Cmd, 7 HR, .237 oppBA, 1.078 WHIP. (MSG)
STATS: Memphis (AAA) — 1 g, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 3.0 Ctl, 6.0 Dom, 2.0 Ctl, 0 HR, .100 oppBA, 0.667 WHIP
Springfield (AA) — 12 g, 6-3, 1.40 ERA, 77.0 IP, 1.2 Ctl, 10.3 Dom, 8.8 Cmd, 4 HR, .214 oppBA, 0.948 WHIP
CURRENT ROLE: Starting pitcher
POTENTIAL: #3 starter
RATING: 8C
Joe Wieland (RHP, SEA)
Wieland’s plus control of a promising three-pitch mix has been continually derailed by injuries. It’s a testament to his ability and continued performance that he’s still regarded as a prospect after being drafted as a fourth-rounder way back in 2008 by the Rangers. His career line in the minors features a 1.8 Ctl, 8.2 Dom and 4.4 Cmd, solid numbers across the board. Tommy John surgery in mid-2012 would sideline him for nearly two years, and then scar tissue surgery in 2014 derailed a significant amount of time. Now with his fourth organization, Wieland still wields control of three average, major league pitches in a low-90s fastball, low-90s curve and 79-82 mph changeup. Weiland’s surface stats currently are elevated, but that’s mainly due to an elevated HR/f rate, as he’s got a 2.7 Ctl, 8.1 Dom and 3.0 Cmd. Health is a skill and Wieland has yet to display this skill over an extended period of time, but therein still exists the makings of a pitcher who can provide solid backend numbers. Wieland’s minor league line: 694.0 IP, 3.80 ERA, 1.8 Ctl, 8.2 Dom, 4.4 Cmd, 50 HR, .269 oppBA, 1.256 WHIP. (MSG)
STATS: Tacoma (AAA) — 22 g, 11-5, 5.38 ERA, 103.2 IP, 2.7 Ctl, 8.1 Dom, 3.0 Cmd, 13 HR, .305 oppBA, 1.563 WHIP
CURRENT ROLE: Starting pitcher
POTENTIAL: #4 starter
RATING: 7B
August 12, 2016
Ben Heller (RHP, NYY)
Needing more talent in their depleted bullpen, the Yankees called up the first piece from their haul in the Andrew Miller trade to Cleveland. 25-year-old Ben Heller is a 6'3", 205-pound right-hander who has a terrific fastball that sits in the 95-96 mph range but can reach triple digits. The fastball has nice movement away from LHB and into RHB. He combines that with an effective slider that could become plus, but should play in the majors even now. Heller is a 22nd-round pick by the Indians back in the 2013 draft. He has moved methodically up the minor leagues with not too many hiccups along the way. His career Dom of 11.8 is excellent, and always has been a skill he has owned. His career Ctl of 3.6 looks a bit worrisome, but note that it was 4.9 in 2014, 3.1 in 2015 and 2.6 this season. So his control skill is coming together for Heller. Batters have a hard time squaring up against Heller, hitting only .154 against him between Double-A and Triple-A this year, and only .192 against him in his minor league career. The Yankees need improvement among their middle relievers and Heller could be that improvement. He has fewer than 29 innings at Triple-A, so more time wouldn't hurt, but he has shown good skills at that level so far and might be ready now. If his slider becomes a plus pitch, he could become dominant in a setup role. For now, he will try to improve middle relief for the Yankees. In four minor league seasons his ERA is 2.72 with a 1.099 WHIP and a Cmd of 3.3 in 175.2 IP. (NR)
STATS: Akron/Columbus/Scranton (AA/AAA) – 46g, 0gs, 3-2, 1.60 ERA, 45.0 IP, 2.6 Ctl, 4.0 Cmd, 10.4 Dom, 2 HR, .154 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Setup reliever
RATING: 7C
August 11, 2016
T.J. Rivera (INF, NYM)
The 27-year-old earned his first shot at the big leagues after the Mets promoted him from Triple-A. Rivera was leading the Pacific Coast League in hitting prior to his recall. The right-handed hitter was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2011 and has only hit under .300 once in his pro career. He makes extreme contact with his level stroke and offers some pull-side power to boot. He already has eclipsed his career-high in HR. With more of a gap-to-gap approach, Rivera can lace doubles to all fields. He doesn’t run particularly well, but he’s not a base-clogger either. His defensive versatility is an asset as he can play a number of positions fairly well. He mostly has seen action at 3B in 2016, but also has played 2B and LF. Other than hitting for a high BA, Rivera doesn’t have any standout skills. He has a good backstory and should provide some value off the bench. He has a career batting line of .323/.370/.433. (JD)
STATS: Las Vegas (AAA) – 372 AB, .349/.391/.513, 26 2B, 11 HR, 0.44 Eye, 3 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Reserve infielder
POTENTIAL: Utility player
RATING: 6B
Jandel Gustave (RHP, HOU)
After designating OF Carlos Gómez for assignment, the Astros brought Gustave to the majors. The hard-throwing 23-year-old has a prized arm and exhibits lightning-fast arm speed to generate a well-above-average fastball. As a reliever—he was moved to the bullpen prior to 2015—he has high strikeout ability, thanks to his heater and knockout slider. Gustave’s fastball often touches triple-digits, but generally sits in the 94-98 mph range. He has done a much better job of throwing strikes with his heater, but he struggles to keep his slider in the zone. The lack of a dependable secondary pitch has negatively impacted his prospect status, but his upside is quite high regardless. If he can harness the power on his slider and learn to control it, he could be a very strong late-innings reliever. Early in his career, Gustave posted very high walk rates. He’s since cleaned up his mechanics, but his extreme arm speed can make it difficult for him to repeat his delivery and arm slot. Gustave has a career 4.71 ERA, 5.6 Ctl, and 8.8 Dom. (JD)
STATS: Fresno (AAA) – 41 g, 2-2 3.71 ERA, 51 IP, 2.9 Cmd, 3.2 Ctl, 9.2 Dom, 0 HR, .226 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Closer
RATING: 8E
Jarrett Grube (RHP, SEA)
The Mariners purchased the contract of the 34-year-old and he’ll likely serve as a long reliever. Grube has a long, well-traveled career and has pitched in one game in the majors—0.2 innings with the Angels in 2014. He was a 10th-round pick of the Rockies in 2004 and later pitched in the independent leagues and the Mariners (2010-2012), Angels and Indians organizations. He also had a brief stint in Mexico. Grube began 2016 with the Indians before he latched on with Seattle at the halfway point. He has pitched as both a starter and reliever throughout his career. Grube works with an 88-92 mph fastball, two breaking balls and a below-average change-up. He succeeds with control and command over his natural stuff, but his inability to effectively change speeds limits his effectiveness against left-handed hitting. He’s also been susceptible to HR. Grube is mostly roster filler at this point, but could be a useful arm in the middle innings during garbage time. He has a career 4.30 ERA, 2.6 Ctl, and 7.9 Dom in the minors. (JD)
STATS: Tacoma (AAA) – 10 g, 8 gs, 1-2 3.97 ERA, 45.1 IP, 3.8 Cmd, 2.4 Ctl, 9.1 Dom, 7 HR, .232 oppBA
Columbus (AAA) – 11 g, 7 gs, 0-3 4.43 ERA, 44.2 IP, 3.7 Cmd, 2.0 Ctl, 7.5 Dom, 7 HR, .273 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Long reliever
POTENTIAL: #5 starter / Long reliever
RATING: 5D
August 10, 2016
Alex Reyes (RHP, STL)
The Cardinals recalled the 21-year-old from Triple-A and it appears he will be used out of the bullpen for now. Reyes, the #3 ranked prospect in the HQ midseason 50, started the 2016 Futures Game and showcased why he has such incredible upside. His electric fastball sits in the 95-99 mph range and will touch 100+ mph rather frequently. Not only does he have exceptional velocity, but the fastball features heavy, late life that is tough to make hard contact against. Reyes has a hard curveball that flashes plus and could be a double-plus offering once he learns to throw it for strikes more consistently. The ultimate differentiator could be his change-up which has improved by leaps and bounds. Because of his plus-plus velocity, his change-up is thrown with ideal arm speed and will sit in the upper-80s. Reyes has cleaned up his mechanics in recent years, but still struggles to throw strikes. If he masters the art of command, then he could be a perennial Cy Young contender. He has the potential to lead the majors in strikeouts with his three plus pitches as well. One concern—he was suspended for 50 games at the beginning of the season due to his second positive test for marijuana. For him to have a long-lasting career, he needs to mature and stay on the field. Reyes has a career 3.50 ERA, 4.6 Ctl, and 12.1 Dom in the minors. (JD)
STATS: Memphis (AAA) – 14 gs, 2-3 4.96 ERA, 65.1 IP, 2.9 Cmd, 4.4 Ctl, 12.8 Dom, 6 HR, .252 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Reliever / Possible spot starter
POTENTIAL: #1 starter
RATING: 10D
Oscar Hernandez (C, ARI)
The 23-year-old is back in the majors after Welington Castillo was placed on the paternity leave list. Hernandez was a Rule 5 selection from the Rays organization in December 2014 and spent all of 2015 with the Diamondbacks despite never appearing above Low-A prior to that season. However, because of a broken wrist sustained in March 2015, he appeared in 18 games and had only 31 AB (.161 with 15 strikeouts) all season. To begin 2016, Arizona moved him to High-A where he enjoyed a nice start to the season. Hernandez, a right-handed hitter, has some offensive potential thanks to his strong build and above average bat speed. He has vastly improved his approach in 2016 and is seeing more pitches per at bat. He doesn’t project to a high BA, however, as he exhibits inconsistent swing mechanics. He’ll show an uppercut stroke in one at bat and follow it up with a slower, level swing path the next. The hope is that Hernandez develops consistency and starts using the entire field. Defensively, his arm strength and footwork are extremely good. He needs to iron out some wrinkles with his release and transfer, but he has the tools to be a sufficient defensive backstop. He owns a career line of .269/.350/.461 in the minors. (JD)
STATS: Mobile (AA) – 97 AB, .196/.235/.433, 2 2b, 7 HR, 0.22 Eye, 2 SB
Visalia (A+) – 112 AB, .295/.402/.464, 10 2b, 3 HR, 0.69 Eye, 1 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Backup catcher for a few games until Welington Castillo returns
POTENTIAL: Starting catcher
RATING: 7D
Austin Brice (RHP, MIA)
The Marlins promoted the 24-year-old to the majors for the first time and he will pitch out of the bullpen. Brice pitched 2015 in Double-A and returned to that level to begin 2016. The Marlins eventually moved him to the bullpen in mid-June and he’s done quite well. Tall and projectable at 6’4” 235 pounds, he uses an above average 90-95 mph fastball to get ahead in the count and likes to use his hard curveball as his knockout offering. Though he’s struggled with his mechanics in recent years and has posted high walk rates, he’s throwing more strikes in 2016. This is paramount for his future success. He’s added a slider to his repertoire and has a middling change-up as well. Brice can register strikeouts, but he is equally effective by working efficiently and getting hitters to make weak contact. The jury is out on what role would be best for his future, but he should prove to be an effective big league pitcher. Brice has a career 4.19 ERA, 4.9 Ctl, and 8.8 Dom since being selected in the 9th round of the 2010 draft. (JD)
STATS: New Orleans (AAA) – 1 g, 2 IP, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Jacksonville (AA) – 27 g, 13 gs, 4-7 2.89 ERA, 93.1 IP, 2.7 Cmd, 2.8 Ctl, 7.6 Dom, 5 HR, .231 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Long reliever
POTENTIAL: #4 starter / Setup reliever
RATING: 7D
August 9, 2016
Josh Ravin (RHP, LA)
With Joe Blanton going on the bereavement list, the Dodgers called upon 28-year-old Josh Ravin to join the bullpen for a few days. The 6'4", 215-pound right-hander appeared in nine relief appearances for L.A. last year, facing 47 batters in the process, striking out 12, walking 4, but giving up 13 hits. He has almost no playing time this season since he was suspended in early May for a positive test for growth hormone. He has only recently been activated from the restricted list. Since switching to relieving in 2012, Ravin has had success striking out batters, but his control has not been great. His fastball is plus, a 95-98 mph offering that can reach triple digits. His other pitch is a cutter/slider that sits in the mid-80s. He can keep the ball down and limit home runs, but his fastball can be straight and he does struggle with the control. He has erratic mechanics and an inconsistent release point which contributes to his poor command. If he can reign in the walks, that fastball would look nice in the back of a bullpen. Until then, he might continue his long stay in the minors. In 11 minor league seasons his ERA is 5.10 with a 1.591 WHIP and a Cmd of 1.4 in 579.1 IP. (NR)
STATS: Oklahoma City (AAA) – 2g, 0gs, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, 2.2 Ctl, 7.0 Cmd, 15.8 Dom, 0 HR, .077 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Setup reliever
RATING: 6B
PLAYER POTENTIAL RATING
Scale of (1-10) representing a player’s upside potential
10 - Hall of Fame-type player
9 - Elite player
8 - Solid regular
7 - Average regular
6 - Platoon player
5 - Major League reserve player
4 - Top minor league player
3 - Average minor league player
2 - Minor league reserve player
1 - Minor league roster filler
PROBABILITY RATING
Scale of (A-E) representing the player’s realistic chances of achieving their potential
A - 90% probability of reaching potential
B - 70% probability of reaching potential
C - 50% probability of reaching potential
D - 30% probability of reaching potential
E - 10% probability of reaching potential
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