Last year we took a position-by-position dive into the Yellow Springs minor leagues just after the amateur draft. I figured it was time to do a bit of an update and see what’s changed. OF course, one of the most immediate difference is the rating scheme, which the league changed from “true stars” to “relative 20/80.” But there’s more—quite a bit more.
Like last season, we started with the catchers. That means we move now to first base. Just to refresh, here was last year’s overview
Overall Assessment: First Base
Okay, the trial of Lucas McNeill to second base was an unmitigated disaster, so he’s back to being a fulltime Zimmer quality first sacker. That he can still hit a little helps. And, yeah, his contract should keep him in Wheaties for three or four seasons. We’re worried, though, as the lump monster seems to always be lurking just outside his and Mikki Manning’s door. The fact is, we really put him into a min-platoon this past year, sitting him against the toughest lefties. We’re hoping he gets to those vesting options before all hell breaks loose.
When we do platoon McNeill, the time goes to Brazilian Dimiao Laqui, who is kind of a quintessential YS9 player. A really great back-up who no one else would seem to care about. That said, Laqui has two more arbitration seasons left, and we’re not really sure we want to pay him for the last one—or maybe even the next one. To Ted’s point, once you’re paying true value you’re not winning…especially for these kinds of players. Bottom line, though, with the exception of McNeill, first base is a position I’ve often just tried to find a simple, professional hitter and leave them alone.
PROSPECT DEPTH CHART:
| Level | Player | Age | B | OVR | HITTING | DEFENSE | Last Yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Robert Chenowith | 18 | R | 80 | 10/11/9/4/7 | 2/4/4/2 | #1 (*****) 10/11/10/5/7 (3/3/3/2 Def) – IC |
| R | Cesar Torres | 17 | R | 60 | 9/9/8/4/8 | 2/4/4/2 | Drafted 2038 |
| A | Mark Haynes | 19 | R | 60 | 8/9/9/6/7 | 1/3/4/2 | #2 (***) – 8/9/9/6/7 (1/3/4/2 Def)) – R |
| AAA | Jose Garcia | 22 | L | 30 | 7/8/7/5/6 | 1/2/4/2 | BBA |
| AAA | Sinosuke Muto | 21 | R | 25 | 6/8/7/5/6 | 1/2/7/1 | #4 (*.5) – 7/9/7/5/6 (1/2/7/1 Def) – AAA |
| AA | Miguel Angel Perales | 20 | R | 40 | 7/8/7/4/6 | 3/3/3/2 | #3 (**.5) – 7/8/8/4/7 (3/3/3/2 Def) - SA |
| AA | Luis Brandao | 19 | L | 20 | 6/7/6/4/7 | 2/2/3/1 | #5 (*) – 7/7/7/5/7 (2/2/3/1 Def) – A |
So, Robert Chenoweth appeared fully on the radar screen this year, stepping out of the IC and racing up through Rookie and Short-A to find his level at A-ball. He took a small dump on Eye, but also added defense. Overall you’re happy with that. Or at least we are.
Otherwise, we've had a bit of shuffling of the deck when it comes to first base. It's a position I don't tend to draft a whole bunch, figuring I can generally pich guys up here when I need them...or at least I thought that's how operate. Looking at the listings, I'm not sure that's really right.
Anyway, the Future Dream of the Bash Brother combo of Chenoweth and Mark Haynes had a good campaign, and, in fact, Haynes was a rare prospect who took no steps back from the first of year to the end. Of note, however, is that this year a new draft pick sandwiches the two on the first base depth chart—in this case, LHB Cesar Torres, who, if he can be taught to take even an occasional walk or two extra, will be a star. He’s got a very long way to go, though.
In addition, we see another new name here, that of Jose Garcia, a 22-year-old who got pushed down to the prospect list after spending a season in the majors because of the McNeill thing. He’s a solid platoon 1B, but his best shot at a major league roster is now either at DH (where the Nine have George Robertson), or a trade. Sinosuke Muto is in the same vein as Garcia, and really, s platoon players are almost literally the same guy. Muto jumped from A to AAA last year, and his numbers came in pretty big this year. Ideally we would trade one of these guys, but we’re not sure there’s a market right now.
Perales took more development steps down this year—his second in a row. As RHB we moved him down under Muto for now. We’re rooting for him. Same for Brandao.
So, really, just like the catcher review, we see a majority of our prospect in this have suffered at least some small erosion of talents over the past year, and some more than small.
DARK HORSES:
| Level | Player | Age | B | OVR | HITTING | DEFENSE | Last Yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Kisabaka Angosisye | 21 | L | 25 | 6/7/7/5/5 | 1/4/4/1 | #7 (*.5) – 6/7/8/5/5 (1/4/4/1 Def) – A |
Last year I wrote that I had a warm place for Angosysye, and I still do. But he took his second season in A ball and didn’t do much with it, which means he’s now not struggling due to age. He lost a notch off his power belt—it seems again like a lot of my guys pose a point or o of something in the mix.
And, in that vein is Pedro Perez, who was on the prospect list last year, but for whom the development beast had a heyday and passed him a total melt-down this year. So you’ll not find him on the list at all.