2038-07: Talons Season Preview Series: First Base

[jiminyhopkins]

We'll continue our season preview series with the First Basemen.

ML Starter: Mario Deortez (7/8/9/6/6 Talents)

Last season, Deortez transitioned from DH to starting first baseman, and he performed well defensively, recording a +4.5 zone rating. Unfortunately, his struggles with the bat started early and lasted the entire season. After slashing a mere .279/.350/.457 in last year, the big Texas slugger was unable to maintain his streak of 40 home run, 100 RBI seasons he maintained from 2034-36. Still, he's the cleanup hitter until someone better comes along, so look for improvement as 2038 gets going.

ML Backup: Morgan Hollinger (6/6/8/5/4 Talents)

Surprisingly, there was a dearth of good backup 1B's in free agency this year, so the Talons will turn to former first round pick Hollinger. He hasn't yet played above A ball, but he recorded a 141 OPS+ there last season, and his defensive skills already profile well for major league duty.

Minor League Depth: Kevin MacIntyre (5/5/5/5/6 Talents)

K-Mac will begin his third year in AAA, and could probably be a ML backup in a pinch, but it would have to be quite a pinch. He hasn't been able to his lefties, and there are questions about his hustle.

Prospects to Watch: Raul Fernandez (8/10/9/6/5 Talents) and Juan Mateo (8/10/9/6/5 Talents)

Fernandez made a big splash as a scouting discovery in 2035, and is currently the #22 prospect in the BBA. Featuring a big power bat, good defense, and a team-oriented outlook, 19 year old Raul has the makings to be an All Star in Phoenix someday. Fellow 1B Mateo is also ranked among the top 50 BBA prospects, and shows similar potential talent, if not makeup. He's a bit behind Fernandez but not by much, despite being 2 years younger.

[ae37jr]

Surprisingly, there was a dearth of good backup 1B's in free agency this year

This threw me for a loop as well. I specifically left 1B open figuring I could either sign a good and cheap free agent or pick one up in the rule 5 draft. Well, the free agents weren't that hot and the 7 1B I listed in the Rule 5 either got pulled back or swiped before my first pick. Usually a 7/7/7/6/7 or better 1B will just fall in your lap this time of year. Not this year.

[Ted]

Your list of prospects to watch is getting annoying. Stop having so many good ones.