The 2038 Tallahassee Gamblers finished the season 19-9 with the following hitters disappointing:
LF David Flores
.242/.306/.313, 16 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 SB in 4 ATT (.750 success rate), -0.3 WAR in 99 AB
Flores, 23, struggled at the plate for Tallahassee while providing adequate defense. Drafted with the 18th pick in the 2nd round (51st overall) by the Gamblers organization in the 2035 BBA Amateur Draft, Flores showed regression from his excellent 2037 season for Class-AA Trenton (.290/.334/.507, 24 HR, 80 RBI, 3.3 WAR in 551 PA) through is poor performance with Class-AAA Brooklyn in 2038 (.235/.248/.324, 2 HR, 10 RBI, -0.4 WAR in 105 PA). He was demoted to Class-AA Trenton after his initial struggles in Brooklyn in 2038, slashing similarly to his 2037 output (.281/.325/.487, 16 HR, 56 RBI, 2.1 WAR in 424 PA). Although Flores excited early, his struggles this past season has reportedly soured the organization on his future prognosis as an organizational piece, and his Winter League performance certainly doesn’t add any optimism. He’ll likely start 2039 with Class-AAA Brooklyn in a true “sink or swim” season.
RF António Rivera
.231/.333/.308, 4 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 0.0 WAR in 13 AB
Rivera, 18, struggled for Talahassee in limited action, but displayed the potential that made him the 16th pick in the 5th round (166th overall) by Atlantic City in the 2037 BBA Amateur Draft for Rookie Class Albany in 2038 (.271/.324/.494, 20 2B, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 1.2 WAR in 179 PA). Rivera was drafted into the Gamblers’ organization with baggage, having failed a drug test in May 2037, resulting in an 80 game suspension for performance enhancing drugs in the year following his 2036 IFA C2 Platinum Stick Award at RF. Despite the poor performance for Tallahassee, he will start the season either with Class-Short Season A Bogota or Class-A Long Island.
3B/SS Jaime Lopo
.187/.275/.264, 10 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, -0.3 WAR in 91 AB
Lopo, 21, was pathetic at the plate for Tallahassee, but showed adequate ability to play third base (-0.2 ZR, 1.003 EFF in 206 innings) and shortstop (+0.0 ZR, 1.019 EFF in 7 innings at shortstop). Lopo has dazzled with his phenomenal range and an amazing arm, which leads some scouts to believe he projects better as a shortstop, but he will be a one-dimensional one unless he can consistently produce at the plate. Despite the poor performance for Tallahassee, he has shown some ability with the bat, finishing the 2038 season with Class-A Long Island hitting .264/.307/.408 with 59 runs scored, 31 doubles, 13 home runs, 49 RBIs, and a 0.3 WAR in 515 plate appearances. Lopo will start the 2039 season with either Class-A Long Island or Class-AA Trenton.
