SURE FIRE LOCKS:
HOPEFULS: Pancho Torres, Mark “Hack” Sturdivant
LONG SHOTS: Juan Lopez, Cesar Sanchez
Analysis:
Hack Sturdivant is an up and comer who seems to be the long term answer somewhere in right. He was drafted in the 1st round of the ’23 draft and has been working his way up through the ranks. He has hit .300 almost every step of the way and got a cup of coffee last season. There are GM’s who will argue for keeping service time and not enjoying the possible real life similes of the game (not sure if that is the correct usage of the term but the professional writers of the group can correct me,
). But, I like to have fun with this thing. So… Hack got a chance late last year. And flopped. He did hit his first professional homer though which was awesome for the kid. He has room to grow into his power rating yet and he will be given a chance in spring to make the big league squad.Torres has had a rough go of it in his Monty career. He has been a plus WAR only 1 season (1.0 in ’26) and has struggled both at the plate (.224 avg in ’24) and in the field (-2.1 ZR and .964 EFF in ’22). He is starting to lose some ratings and he was average to begin with. He is a lefty with a plus split versus righties so he has some value as a PtP’er. $1.5M is steep and he may be on his way out of town. Errr… back to the States. Errr… maybe Cuba.
Lopez is the younger, speedier version of Torres. He has average ratings, middling defense and is a long shot. But… he has speed in every sense of the word and has a golden avoid K’s rating. He had shown some ability in the field last season and will be tested in spring training. He is likely going to be going back to Valencia but it is worth the effort to see what the kid can do. If nothing else he could be a cheaper version of Torres.
Sanchez nailed it in his ’23 audition with Halifax. If this was a stats only league he may have been something. As it is he is an old version of Lopez.
