9-News: 38.098 – Prospect Round-up (Catchers)

[RonCo]

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’ll start with our beloved Nine’s catchers

Overall Assessment:

Last season we suggested a general lack of organizational depth at the catcher role, and we meant it. There’s some time, though. At the major league level we’re got one of the better performers in the league in the aptly named Aaron Stone—whose work behind the plate is Jack the Ripper-ish, but who’s been around long enough that his bat is moving up through the ranks of the franchise’s best hitters. Backup Nate Wood is providing great value, but he’s getting deep enough into his career that he’s wanting to get paid.

PROSPECT DEPTH CHART:

Level	Player	B	OVR	HITTING	DEFENSE	Last Yr
R	Jesus Rodriguez	L	55	6/7/5/6/6	8/11	Drafted 2038
R	Kazuki Saito	R	55	8/9/4/4/8	6/7	#1 (***) 9/10/4/5/10 (6/7 Def) - R
AAA	Pablo Alaniz	R	35	5/8/6/4/6	7/7	#2 (*.5) 5/9/6/4/6 (6/7 Def)- A
A	Augusto Vargas	R	35	6/6/5/3/7	6/5	#3 (*.5) 6/7/5/3/8 (5/5 Def)	- R
SA	Marcos Abalos	R	30	4/5/4/6/5	7/7	#4 (*.5) 5/6/5/6/6 (7/6 Def) - R

The good news here is that we added Jesus Rodriguez, who won’t hit for as much average as Saito, but looks like he’ll have more pop and get on base better. And then there’s the defense, where Rodriguez has Zimmer level topside. He had a solid season R-ball, which makes scouts happy. The not so good news is that pretty much every candidate in the line has taken potential hits to some degree or another, and Saito, in particular, was sent to Short A, and gave scouts reason to drop him a notch before he got sent back to Rookie ball. The two still project as real prospects, though, and some dream of the two coming up together as a solid platoon in maybe three seasons. Or four.

While Saito fell back, Pablo Alaniz impressed enough in a run through AA to AAA that the team apparently views him as the likely heir to Nate Wood’s backup role. Scouts gave him a defensive bump, and he pretty much held onto his ratings. Expect him on the big league roster in 2039 from what we hear.

Vargas skipped Short A and had a solid season in A-ball Fort Worth. His best projection right now is as a backup, or injury insurance policy, but if he can manage to improve his general plate discipline, he could have stronger value. Abalos has faded offensively enough that some think he should be moved from the prospect list to the dark horse list. Next year will be critical for him.

DARK HORSES:

Level	Player	B	OVR	HITTING	DEFENSE	Last Yr
SA	Marcos Gomez	R	20	3/5/3/6/4	7/9	#6 5/6/3/5/6 (6/9 Def) - SA
SA	Stuart Raaijmakers	R	20	4/3/5/6/4	5/8	#5 5/5/6/6/5 (5/8 Def) - A
SA	Antonio Urbina	R	20	4/4/5/6/5	5/6	Not Listed - A

These three guys probably aren’t going anywhere, but you never know. Gomez is the most interesting, as YS9 scouts have given his already good glove ratings a bit of a bump at the same time as they’ve re-judged his bat poorly. Regardless, Raaijmakers and Gomez fell from the prospect list to the dark horse list, and Urbina was newly placed onto it.

[ae37jr]

For my money you have by far the best farm system in the league right now top to bottom.

[RonCo]

Thanks!