Vicente Lamb, Stars Reporter
November 12, 2056
VALENCIA – It's been seven straight losing seasons for the Martians, and as many fourth place finishes in that time. It wasn't a horrible team in 2056. Both position players and pitchers tallied positive collective WAR scores in the double digits. There were two standout performances this past season of note.
Acquired: 2052 Draft, 18th Pick in Round 3 (104th Overall)
Born: Cancún, Mexico
.332/.401/.545, .946 OPS, 165 wRC+, 4.5 WAR
Signature Moment: Rupert Horn Roundfield League Batter of the Month for July.
A strong Class AAA season earned Rivera a look on the big league club, where he was no great shakes (.122/.189/.265), but he'll likely be back in the spring. He doesn't look like much more than a short-side platoon bat at DH, which is tough, because he looked completely helpless against big league southpaw hurlers, collecting no hits in 15 at-bats. We'll chalk that up as a learning experience. The BBA scouting service has pegged Rivera's current value at 50, and his future value at 55.
Acquired: 2049 Draft, 8th Pick in Round 4 (127th Overall)
Born: Jefferson City, Missouri
3.21 ERA, 184 K, 54 BB, 183 HA, 13 HRA, 199 IP, 85 FIP-, 4.2 WAR
Signature Moment: Struck out 10, walked none, allowed 4 hits, and no earned runs in 7.1 innings against the Missouri Blues on August 7.
Bryant pitched a ton in 2056. He was a fringe prospect out of high school, but added 8 mph to his fastball and looks like a more realistic prospect, though likely destined for the bullpen. He throws hard, and too often gets hit hard, which is the biggest concern about him at the next level. He made a handful of appearances out of the pen for the Stars late in the season, but didn't pitch quite pitch enough relief innings to give a firm impression of how he might perform in the BBA. Like Rivera, we'll likely see Bryant again in the spring. The club likes his intellect and leadership qualities. Scouts give him a future value of 50 as a starter.