2065.4 Charlotte Prospects Catcher

[Krathan]

As we prepare for the 2065 season, I want to take a look at the top prospects in my organization. In this article, I’m going to look at the catchers in my system.

1 Francisco Ayala is the top guy here. The lefty hitting backstop played in 41 BBA games in 2064 and might not officially count as a prospect, but he is only 21 years old and will be counted on to be a big part of the big league club in 2065. I got Ayala in July of ‘64 when I sent Eduardo Moreno to Vancouver. Ayala hit 28 home runs in 116 minor league games before being promoted to Charlotte. He struggled to find his footing with the Flyers, but did hit 9 home runs in 41 games. His batting average was only .199, but he did get a little better late in the season and his current and potential BABIP ratings have both improved over the offseason. He also improved his catching defense in the dev lab. His defense is not as good as some of my other prospects, but that improvement is a welcome change. His 5 contact, 6 gap, 9 power, and 6 eye make him a potential difference maker at the plate.

2 Rodger Jones is the next guy here. He’s a 21 year old switch hitter who has spent the last two seasons developing in Rookie ball after being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2063 draft. He hasn’t reached his potential yet, but has progressed towards the 6 contact, 7 gap, 6 power, and 5 eye ratings. His Rookie level stats have been excellent, slashing .353/.429/.569, with a 143 wRC+. He will play at a higher level this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing how he does against tougher competition. He has a great arm behind the plate, but his blocking and framing are not as high as I’d like.

I have a few more guys that I’m keeping an eye on, but none of them are as exciting as the two mentioned above. Brody Stapleton and Cipriano Martínez are still young, and will fight for playing time alongside/behind Ayala. Thibaut Bonnet and Talib bin Jawad are guys I like, but they have a long way to go in order to become real options at the big league level.

[BaseClogger]

Doesn’t seem like Stapleton is gonna find that power.

[Krathan]

Unfortunately, I think you’re right. I’m hoping maybe he’s a lte bloomer, but I seriously doubt it.