SB Nation - Todd Redmond

Talking Chop Top-25 Braves Prospects: 21-25

gondeee — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:00:15 -0000

A Talking Chop favorite, Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg, just barely found his way into the top-25.

Our countdown of the top-25 prospects in the Atlanta Braves organization begins with #21 through #25 (note that you will actually get 6 prospects today, and that because of a tie, there are really 26 top prospects):

21. Todd Redmond, RHSP :: B/T: R/R Born: 5/17/1985 Ht: 6'3" Wt: 215
Last Year's Talking Chop Rank: X
The Skinny: 2008 Southern League Pitcher of the Year led Gwinnett in wins in 2009, and sparkled in international competition for Team USA late in the year.
The Good: Has shown himself very capable at the highest levels of the Minor Leagues and is essentially a finished product. Excellent control makes him as good at hitting his spots and avoiding walks as anyone.
The Bad: Underwhelming stuff gives him little room for mistakes. Probably had more trouble with AAA than he really should have.
...In a perfect world...he becomes the ideal back of the rotaion innings eater. His propensity for ground balls and ability to avoid walks could also make him a solid reliever.
ETA: 2010. He may return to Gwinnett's rotation, but there's a chance he wins a job in Atlanta's bullpen out of Spring Training.
...for a full scouting report, go here.

T22. Cole Rohrbough, LHSP :: B/T: L/L Born: 05/23/1987 Ht: 6'3" Wt: 203
Last Year's Talking Chop Rank: 6
The Skinny: He was the Braves top LHP prospect at this time last year but was derailed by injuries and confidence issues this year.
The Good: Cole has been blessed with plus stuff from the left hand side and he also possesses a plus curve that works as his strikeout pitch. While everything else was falling apart this season he was still able to get a respectable amount of strikeouts. Also his control actually improved this season despite his struggles.
The Bad: Cole is still largely living off his reputation from 2007 where he dominated the Sally League and the Appy League. In 2008 he wasn't as good as advertised in Rome (though his strikeouts were still amazing). He started 2009 on a torrent but fell apart from May onward. There are reports he pitched through a couple of injuries during the year and also reports that he was prone to lose him composure on the mound at times.
...In a perfect world... He gets healthy, both physically and mentally, and he regains command of the strike zone next season to become a top prospect again and a potential #2 starter.
ETA: Hard to say. He might return to Myrtle Beach next season. 2011 at the earliest, maybe 2012 if injuries and other problems persist.
...for a full scouting report, go here.

T22. Brett Oberholtzer, LHSP :: B/T: L/L Born: 07/01/1989 Ht: 6'2" Wt:190
Last Year's Talking Chop Rank: NR
The Skinny: Oberholtzer debuted in 2009 and was nearly unhittable for Danville posting a 2.01 ERA and helping the Braves win the Appy League title.
The Good: Oberholtzer has slightly above average stuff for a lefty with three good pitches: a fastball with good downward movement, a plus change and slider, all of which he has control and command of. He also has an ideal pitcher's frame with good mechanics that should lead to him being a durable workhorse in the future.
The Bad: Nothing so far. He needs more experience against better competition to see how well his stuff will play up but there aren't any negatives to take away from his season.
...In a perfect world... with command of three good pitches Oberholtzer has the chance to be a middle of the rotation starter in the majors though he still has a long way to go.
ETA: He has time to work on his game, polished as it may already be, though I expect he could move through the low minors pretty quick. Look for a 2012 debut.
...for a full scouting report, go here.

T22. Tyler Stovall, LHSP :: B/T: L/L Born: 12/27/1989 Ht: 6'1" Wt: 180
Last Year's Talking Chop Rank: NR
The Skinny: Spent the year by frustrating and also by amazing all who watched him in Danville in his debut in organized ball, when most thought he would start the year at Rome with the other 2008 draftees.
The Good: He has electric stuff from the left side with a fastball that already sits in the lows 90s and tops out at 94 at times with room to add more velocity. His curveball is already a plus plus pitch that helps him rack up a substantial number of Ks. Scouts also praise his intelligence and makeup.
The Bad: While he can strike guys out, he also walks a ton -- more than 1 per inning this season. He doesn't have a reliable 3rd pitch at the moment though he is developing a change.
...In a perfect world... he harnesses his stuff, develops a go-to 3rd pitch and adds some velocity as his body matures and he becomes a excellent #2 or 3 starter with borderline #1 potential.
ETA: The Braves can afford to move him slow and work on his control. Look for him no earlier than 2012.
...for a full scouting report, go here.

T25. David Hale, RHRP :: B/T: R/R Born: 09/27/1987 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 200
Last Year's Talking Chop Rank: NR
The Skinny: Was a two-way player at Princeton who is finally able to concentrate on pitching full time. He debuted in Danville and pitched well in limited exposure.
The Good: Hale throws an easy fastball that sits in the low to mid 90s and can get up to 97 at times. Having split time between pitching and hitting in college he has a chance to grow into his role as a full time pitcher and could move quickly if everything clicks for him.
The Bad: Hale throws a slider and change, but neither pitch is really an asset at the moment with the slider showing signs of being a plus pitch. Having not focused solely on pitching in college scouts aren't sure what will become of him. Some think he could start if he puts it all together, others think he is a born reliever.
...In a perfect world... he puts everything together and becomes a back of the bullpen force for the Braves with a dominant slider and fastball to keep hitters off balance.
ETA: Without knowing for sure if the Braves plan to try him as a starter, I will be cautious and say 2012. If they go with him as a reliever right out of the gate then maybe as early as 2011.
...for a full scouting report, go here.

T25. Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg, 1B :: B/T: R/R Born: 02/08/1988 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 235
Last Year's Talking Chop Rank: NR
The Skinny: A big powerful first baseman that the Braves took in the 16th round of the 2009 draft, he debuted in the Appy League and proceeded to be voted the top hitter in the league by managers.
The Good: RSF flashes plus power potential and has shown the ability to control the strike zone and put the bat on the ball.
The Bad: He doesn't have a projectable body and a lot of his success was tied into his high batting average this season. He stats regressed each month of the season and his final month was just 'ok' though he was so good early the entire season looked strong. His plate discipline wasn't incredibly impressive (though it is hard to get a good read on a guy who is hitting everything like he did). He was also old for the Appy League at 21.
...In a perfect world... he becomes a power hitting first baseman and an has the ability to start for a major league team, whether it be the Braves or a trade partner.
ETA: There are several good or better prospects ahead of RSF. If he gets a chance with the Braves it won't be till 2012 at the earliest.
...for a full scouting report, go here.

Talking Chop Round Table: Braves Left-Handed Starters

gondeee — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:24:28 -0000

As part of season reviews for major league players and top prospect rankings for minor league players, we here at Talking Chop thought it would be a fun idea to get all of our bloggers together with the help of Google Docs and debate the various aspects of each position in the Braves organization.

The participants are, yours truly (gondeee, indicated by MG), yondaime4 (indicated by MF), royhobbs (indicated by DH), and cbwilk (indicated by CBW).

The round table for left-handed starters in the Braves organization is after the jump.

MG: So many different things being written and said about Mike Minor as far as ceiling goes. Most prospect guys think of him as a #3 at best, but the Braves see him as a possible Cole Hamels type pitcher. I guess I need to see more of him at higher levels, but I'll probably fall somewhere in the middle of those assessments.
MF: I don't know what to think about Minor to be honest. I've heard such varied opinions on him thus far its hard to get a good read on him and it probably won't be any easier until he moves up the ladder and pitches against some people who are closer to his talent level. Obviously he has done well in Arizona, but that doesn't really mean a whole lot. I have heard his fastball gets up to 94 (probably sits somewhere in the low 90s) but that is better than what most reports say about him. I mean if we are talking about a guy who's floor is a number 5 starter in the majors then I'll take that, because all things given, thats still pretty good value, even if he wasn't the best guy we could have had at the time.
CBW: I've never understood the hate for this draft pick. Of the guys in the draft not named Strasburg, nobody seemed like more of a lock to become a contributing Major Leaguer than Minor. And he's a lefty! Obviously, he should have pitched well for Rome given his experience level, but I'm glad he dominated in his time there, because anything less would have been more fodder for the people who seem to be against him. I just want to see what the guy does. I haven't seen him, so I can't even make a guess about what he'll end up being. If he's a number 3, that's great, there's nothing wrong with that, especially since he seems like he could be ready for the Majors by sometime in 2011. At the end of the day, nothing is a sure thing in the draft, so a few years from now I'd rather be the ones with a Major League number 3 than the ones who drafted the high school guy who supposedly could have been amazing but ended up being terrible because gauging how high school players are going to turn out is just about impossible.

MG: There was a lot of disagreement about who should come after Minor. I think it should be DeVall. I know he's injured and out for a year, but he's still got that ceiling that's better than most of the other guys on this list.
MF: I like Brett too, but I made a point not to rank anyone who was injured for most of the season this year. Too many guys have just fallen off the face of the planet recently to injury stuff (Steven Evarts anyone?). If he comes back next year and has a solid year, then yes I will probably have him second, barring any explosions from other prospects. I think the guy that could be the best of this group is Tyler Stovall. His stuff was great in the Appy league but his control just wasn't there. He has good stuff and already a plus curveball and will be 20 next season. Tons of potential there, he just needs to reign it in a little.
CBW: I think if DeVall had pitched a full year with the kind of numbers he was putting up, I might have put him ahead of Osuna and Ortegano, but he was only in 10 games, so it was hard to give him that. I didn't really factor the injury in when I made my list, because at the time the whole Tommy John thing was kind of a rumor. But, since he's going to miss all of 2010, unless there's a real dropoff in the left handed talent in the system, I'd have a hard tim putting him on this list this time next year. What sucks even more is that if he had had the surgery back in June or July, then you'd be pretty certain he'd be fully healed by 2011, but since he just had it, you're going to have to expect 2011 to be sort of a rehab year, so you really won't be able to judge him fully until you see what he does in 2012. As for Stovall, I'm really not sure what to make of him yet. He was the first guy we picked in 08, but he was outpitched in the GCL by the two guys picked after him, DeVall and Zeke Spruill. Then, in 09, those guys go to Rome and both pitch well, but Stovall ends up having to wait to play with Danville. And while he did pretty well, he's shown a tendancy to walk a ton of batters, giving up 8.8 walks per 9 inning this year. His strikeouts and walks are almost neck and neck; he's getting a lot of both, but that's just an odd sign. But, on the other side, he's going to be 20 years old in 2010 playing for Rome, which is the age you want a guy to be there, and he's been touted as having all the talent in the world. So while I still want to see more out of him, you have to think he's better than he's shown.

MG: Edgar Osuna and Jose Ortegano seem to be interchangeable to me. I do like Osuna better, but I think their ceiling is that of a LOOGY.
CBW: For me the big difference is that Ortegano has better stuff but Osuna knows how to pitch better, and I think he's consistently shown that, which is why I ranked him ahead of Ortegano. I've been waiting for these two to break out for a few years, ususally ranking them a lot higher on my own lists than other people have, and 2009 was a huge year for both of them. They both pitched a lot more innings than they had in the past (Osuna had 25 more than his previous high, Ortegano had almost 30 more) and they were both dramatically better at the higher level. They've made some strides over the years, but I got to see them both pitch three times this year, from Spring Training to almost the end of the season, and the difference just between where they started this year and where they finished is huge. These two are getting better and I think a major factor is their friendship and competition. They feed off of each other and want to get better. Ortegano has learned more about pitching because of Osuna, and Osuna has added a little nastiness to his finess repitoire because of Ortegano. I think at the absolute worst these guys become dynamite LOOGYs, but if they keep progressing, and there's no reason to think they won't, there's no reason they can't become middle to back of the rotation starters.

MG: I probably have more remaining love for Cole Rohrbough than either of you guys. I know he was lost last year, but he seemed lost mentally, while his stuff was still there. I think if he can get his head together he will bounce back nicely.
MF: If anyone does have more raw potential from the left side of the rubber than Tyler Stovall, its Cole. You are right about his stuff still being pretty solid, but he just imploded too often for my tastes. He always had one really bad inning and I know we have read the 'reports' about his mental composure and frankly that scares me more than mechanical issues. I'll take a wait and see approach with him and if he comes out of the gate fast next year I won't be afraid to move him back up the list quickly.
CBW: I don't know if I was right to not even put him on my list, but it made sense at the time. I just can't get over the fact that he was already a little too old for the level, and that he had already had success at the level, and he just spent most of the year getting hammered. And making things even more frustrating is that he started out well, pitching great in his first 5 games. I know he has talent, I've seen it, but the guy just doesn't pitch like a top prospect. Yes, he was outstanding in 2007, but in 08 he was just kind of Ok, even though he spent most of the year with Rome where he was a year older than you really want a prospect to be, and this year he was just bad. I hate to talk about the personal frustrations that he had, but they did exist, and they did affect his year. It'd be unfortunate to think that this might be what derails him, but he wouldn't be the first guy with talent who couldn't hack it because he couldn't handle the lifestyle.

MG: Matt, why this extra love for Scott Diamond (ranking him 2nd on your LHSP list), and no love for Todd Redmond (unranked on RHSP list)? I like Redmond a lot better than I like Diamond.
MF: Well I have to be honest I didn't even look at Redmond because of how bad the first part of his season was, though on a look now he did improve down the stretch. The big thing for me with Diamond is he has always had a very heavy fastball that generates a ton of groundballs. He also struck out 7.4 batters p/9 on the season and got better and better as the season went on. He also played most of the season at age 22. He isn't a classic prospect but he is a soft tossing lefty that more than held his own at AA this season.
CBW: This wasn't directed toward me, but whatever, I'm jumping in anyway. First, I wouldn't rate Redmond ahead of Diamond; he's two years older and only one year ahead in the system and, whether it's fair or not, Diamond is a lefty, which is just more valuable, especially since both of them have average stuff. I didn't have him as high as Matt (in fact I'm not sure now why I had him behind Brett Oberholtzer), but I love the guy. He's a smart pitcher who doesn't try to outplay his limitations and unlike some college guys, he's moved up fast and been able play at age appropriate levels to merit consideration as a top prospect. I think his mental ability is going to be what keeps him successful.

MG: With a full roster of major league starters and Mike Minor in the wings, where does this leave Jo-Jo Reyes? Is he prime trade bait? Does anyone still believe that he can be an effective "major league" pitcher?
MF: I don't. At least not with the Braves.
CBW: I think he can still be a good Major Leaguer. He's only going to be 25 next season and while he's been pretty bad for Atlanta, if you look at his AAA time, it's basically one season, 28 starts, 141 innings, with a 9-3 record, a 2.23 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, 7.9 hits per 9 innings, 3.3 walks per 9 innings, and 7 strikeouts per 9 innings, and about half of that came this season. That's not a guy who can't pitch. More than anything, the times that I've watched JoJo pitch for Atlanta the problem has been that Bobby Cox hasn't let him work himself out of anything. He'd get in trouble in the 3rd or 4th inning and Bobby would pull him, so if he had given up any runs or if the guy who relieved him gave up some runs, his numbers would look awful. If you never learn how to pitch out of a jam, you're never going to e able to. I don't think he's trade bait, because it's hard to get much for a guy who didn't pitch well in the Majors and hasn't in his 3 shots at it, but I do think he needs a change of scenery.

CBW: We each had at least one guy that we didn't vote for on our personal lists who ended up on the final lists, but while we all gave Andy Otero a vote, he actually ended up just missing the list. So let's talk about him for a second; I know it was only the DSL, but he was 17 with a 0.84 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and struck out 13.1 per 9 innings. Pretty damn good.
MF: For all the flack I caught during the year for not including the DSL scores in the recaps. I still was keeping an eye on it. You can't ignore what Otero was doing there. I am still taking a wait and see approach with him because at this point does anyone know what this kid has other than age or a fastball (maybe)? So definitely an interesting prospect, but lets see if he can keep it up next year.

Talking Chop Round Table: Braves Right-Handed Starters

gondeee — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:13:27 -0000

The participants are, yours truly (gondeee, indicated by MG), yondaime4 (indicated by MF), royhobbs (indicated by DH), and cbwilk (indicated by CBW).

The round table for right-handed starters in the Braves organization is after the jump.

MG: For all of the Braves historic focus on young high-ceiling left-handed pitching, the Braves seem to have a whole lot more high-ceiling right-handed pitching. Teheran, Spruill, R. Delgado, and Hoover all seem to project as major leaguers.
MF: You know the crazy thing about those guys? 3 of the 4 might be underrated. John Sickels has maintained for a while that Braves prospects are generally overrated (and I think he in turn underrates some of our guys, but that is another story) and I think that is true to an extent. But I believe that Spruill, Delgado and Hoover could all be top 50 prospects this time next year. I've said it several time about Spruill, with his advanced feel for the game and the fact that his body is supremely projectable he could add a couple MPH to his fastball next year and really start to improve. Delgado is getting some respect but mostly only on Braves lists. The guy throws gas and showed genuine improvement last year with his control. I have a lot of hope for him. I'll get into Hoover a little farther down this list.
CBW: You really do have to like those four guys; I think Teheran is going to be an ace, Spruill looks like a good bet to be a 2 or 3, Delgado at worst could be a great closer, and Hoover could be anything from Good Steve Trachsel to Peter Moylan. And I really think Jacob Thompson is right there with them as a guy who looks like he's right on the path to being a big leaguer and Todd Redmond really could have been in the Majors at any point this year if they needed him, and it wouldn't shock me to see him working out of the bullpen in 2010. From the left side, Minor looks like as good a lock as anybody in the system to be a regular in the Majors, and I personally love Osuna and Ortegano. At the absolute worst those two are going to be awesome LOOGYs. So yeah, definitely when you add in guys like Robinson Lopez, Caleb Brewer, Paul Clemens, and Cory Rasmus you see that things might be looking a little better from the right side, but either way there's a ton of young talent in the system. This is why I think people are ridiculous when they try to say the system is dry, most teams would kill to have any two of Teheran, Spruill, and Minor, and we've got all three.

MG: I'm a fan of Todd Redmond. I'm surprised that Matt didn't list him in his top-10 RHSP list, and I'm surprised that CB put Cofield and Reynoso ahead of him. Why the hatin' on this guy? He may not blow your socks off, but he seems to be a pretty refined starting pitcher.
CBW: You questioning my list? The first 6 guys I had on my list for the RHSP ended up being our first 6 guys! But seriously, I'm a big fan of Redmond's. I saw him make about 3 starts this year and even in the games where he didn't pitch that well he showed what a bulldog he is. The guy doesn't give in and he's got that stone-face that you just can't tell how the game is going by looking at. I swear if the Braves had to go into next season with him as the 5th starter I'd be great with it, cause I think you could expect him to do well, considering that he'd be the last guy in the rotation and a rookie. I think his final destination is in the bullpen, but I feel like he's going to excel there. I actually didn't put Reynoso ahead of him though. They're the same age and Redmond is a level ahead, so Ryne doesn't get to be ahead of him for me. But, for a guy who didn't really start pitching until he was a professional, he's done an outstanding job, and I think he'll make a great Major League reliever. Now Cofield, I did put ahead of Redmond, because he's 2 years younger, only playing one level below, and while he didn't have the same season Redmond did in 2008, he had a good season, and was still a year younger than Redmond was last year. Once he figures things out, kind of like James Parr did last year, he's going to rocket to the Bigs.

MG: I listed J.J. Hoover higher than either of you guys. I'll give you that if I ranked them today I may put R. Delgado and Spruill ahead of him, but I still like the package that Hoover brings to the table.
MF: I like Hoover a lot really. Especially after seeing him in the All Star game. His curve is nasty when it is on and he can strike people out with his fastball as well. My only real issue is I have heard too many negative scouting reports on him recently. There isn't much room for projection in his body, his fastball is straight and his curve can be good but it is too inconsistent. I just fear he is pretty close to his potential. His numbers look great, but I am going to have a wait and see approach to him.
CBW: As great as Hoover was this year, he was also a 22 year old in Low A. He should have been that good. In fact, I think if I had the list to do over again, I probably would have put him behind Thompson (same age, pitched better at a higher level), Brewer and Lopez (both 3 years younger with a lot more projectability) and maybe even behind Cofield (same age, pitched decently 2 levels higher). I definitely get caught up in the ages when judging where a prospect should be, but that's just kind of the game. All that being said, aside from Mike Minor there might not be a better lock to pitch in the Majors in the system than Hoover. Matt's right, his body is pretty done, he's big and strong and probably is what he's going to be. He's shown he knows how to pitch, especially how to strike guys out, and he's shown he can eat up innings. I like him a lot and of the guys on this list he's the one I'd be the most surprised not to see play in the Majors for a while.

MG: Robinson Lopez and Caleb Brewer are pretty much unknowns right now, but they could be up near the top of this list this time next year.
MF: Yes, they could. Caleb Brewer has already received praise for his excellent fastball and Baseball America voted his curve the best in the system as well. I don't know much about Robinson Lopez currently other than he was flat out dominant in the GCL this season. His peripherals aren't quite as impressive as his ERA so I am going to wait and see with him.
CBW: I honestly had a hard time writing up these guys, because I've never seen them play, or even seen them in person, so I knew pretty much nothing about them other than their stats. I don't even know what kind of injury kept Brewer out of action in 2008. But, I think we all had enough context with the stats, they had great years and they're both young, to know that they needed to be on this list. It's a complete hunch, but something tells me Lopez is the better of the two and that he's going to show it in 2010.

MG: I still like Jacob Thompson, but something tells me he's going to flame out.
MF: I think of all the guys I ranked he is probably most likely to flame out. He walks too many and doesn't strike out enough guys, but he still had a successful season thanks to generating a lot of groundballs. We'll see.
CBW: I have to disagree. I love the fact that he was better at the higher level and I know it was a direct result of working with Guy Hansen. And the thing about Hansen is that he makes guys better even after they leave him; look at Osuna and Ortegano, better with Myrtle Beach than they had been with Rome, and then even better after they were promoted to AA, away from Hansen. Before he got Mono in college, Thompson was a guy who could have gone in the middle of the second round. He's a big strong guy, and probably has a better frame for pitching than Zeke Spruill, who's kind of the ideal size. I have no doubt that I get swayed on guys because of how I personally feel about them, and Jacob is an outsanding person, but I really think he's got it in him to keep his mechanics straight and really move up the ladder fast.

MG: Has everyone given up on EriK Cordier?
MF: Yes.
CBW: Haha. No, not me. I had Cory Rasmus and Ryne Reynoso on my personal top-10 and I'm not even sure Cordier would have ranked just after them, but I still hold out some hope for the guy. He's going to be 24 next year, but this was his first full season; almost half of his career appearances came in 2009, so it's really hard to even judge him. I was lucky enough to get to talk with Erik for about 20 minutes the last time I saw Myrtle Beach this year and you really have to admire his determination. The guy has been a pro for 6 seasons and in 2 of those years he hasn't even been able to throw a pitch. And it's not like he's Mike Hampton making 15 million a year to sit out, he's making 20 thousand a year like all the other A ball players. Sure, he got almost 600 thousand when he first signed with the Royals, which is a huge amount of money, but it's not enough to make a guy complacent. The amount of work he's had to put in just be able to pitch in 2009 is phenomenal. And, he didn't have that bad of a year. He pitched better than he did in 2008 with Rome and even though he did worse down the stretch than he had at the start of the year, again, you have to remember that he'd never pitched a full season before. I don't know if Erik is ever going to be a Major Leauger, I don't know if he'll even make it to AAA, but you have to give some creedence to the fact that he's still pitching, still working, and still improving, even after all the crap he had to go through.

CBW: You guys really threw me with the David Francis pick. Not only did he not really have a very impressive year, but the vast majority of his appearances were as a reliever. So, what's up with that guys?
MF: Even if he was still pitching mostly as a reliever he was still kind of doing that Tandem starter thing for a lot of the year. The guy has good stuff but I think he is just still putting things together really and I don't think swinging back and forth between the bullpen and starting really helped him. I think probably by the end of the year he was a bonafied reliever but only because there were 5 good starters already in Rome. I still like his arm, but he needs to prove something next year, you are right.

Braves Top-10 Minor League Right Handed Starting Pitchers (6-10)

cbwilk — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:30 -0000

The second half of the Braves top right handed starting pitching prospects contains several young, live arms, as well as a few more polished players, and one pitcher who could have an impact in Atlanta in 2010.

6. Caleb Brewer B/T: R/R Born: 2/2/1989 Ht: 6'3" Wt: 205
A 14th round draft pick in 2007, Brewer had a decent debut with the Orlando Braves in the GCL as an 18 year old, going 0-1 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP in 32.2 innings, but certainly wasn't on anybody's prospect list coming in to 2009 after missing all of 2008 with an injury. But, he's rocketed himself up those prospects list after returning to the GCL this year, compiling a 3-3 record with a 2.82 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in 44.2 innings in 12 games (10 starts).

Brewer held opponents to a pathetic .132 average against and led the team in strikeouts with 65, which was 23 more than Robinson Lopez, who pitched 4 more innings than Brewer, as well as leading the team in strikeouts per 9 innings, with an astounding 13.1. But, he also walked a ton of batters, 31, good for a whopping 6.2 per 9 innings. He had troubles with this in his first season, walking 6.6 per 9 innings that year, and while each could be explained away easily, inexperience the first season and rust this year, this is something he's going to have to dramatically improve as he moves up the ladder.

Baseball America recently rated Brewer's curveball as the best in the system, and he pairs it with a good fastball and a developing changeup. At 6'3", he has great size for a pitcher, allowing him to get good leverage on his pitches. The biggest thing for Brewer at this point is staying healthy. He should begin 2010 at Rome and since he's coming into the season as a 21 year old, he'll be a little old for a typical top prospect at that level, but given the missed time and his dominance this season, he seems capable of quickly mastering the Sally League, which could lead to quicker promotions in the ensuing years.

T7. Todd Redmond B/T:R/R Born: 5/17/1985 Ht: 6'3" Wt: 215
After being acquired from the Pirates in exchange for Tyler Yates, Redmond was the Southern League Pitcher of theYear in his first season with the Braves. He followed up that strong showing with an up and down AAA debut that saw him end up with a team leading 9 wins, along with 6 losses, a 4.41 ERA, and 1.37 WHIP in a team leading 145 innings in 27 games (24 starts). He started well, with a 3.32 ERA in April, but stumbled in the middle, going 3-5 with a 5.37 ERA in May and June, before getting on a roll again with a 5-0 record and 3.71 ERA in July and August. Redmond continued that roll as he established him self as the ace of USA's World Cup team, going 3-0 with a 1.21 ERA in three starts, covering 22 innings. Facing Germany, Taiwan, and Puerto Rico, he held batters to a .147 average and struck out 17 while only walking 1.

Redmond doesn't have the pure stuff of some of the other pitchers on this list, pairing a solid curveball and changup with a fastball that tops out at 90 mph, but he's as polished a pitcher as anyone in the organization. He's a control pitcher who hits his spots and rarely hurts himself with mistakes or walks. AAA was obviously a bigger adjustment for him than AA, as he allowed more hits and walks per 9 innings than his career numbers and struck out fewer per 9 innings than his career numbers. But, across the board, those numbers were still solid, if unspectacular, which is a great assement of Redmond himself.

Already a member of the Braves' 40 man roster, Redmond will turn 25 early next season. Essentially, he's a finished product, and will likely be asked to return to Gwinnett to further refine and polish his pitching. While he would be more than suitable as a back of the rotation starter, a role that he could probably fill suitably in 2010 if needed, his ultimate landing spot will likely be the bullpen, where his ability to get ground balls, as well as his stubborn pitching style, could make him a highly effective middle reliever.

T7. Robinson Lopez B/T: R/R Born: 3/2/1991 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 190
One of the youngest players on the Talking Chop prospects lists, Lopez made his professional debut as an 18 year old this season playing for the Orlando Braves in the GCL. He was named the team's Pitcher of the Year and paired with Caleb Brewer to form a daunting duo at the top of the team's rotation, and led the starters with a 1.29 ERA and innings pitched, 48.2, to go with his 3-1 record and 1.08 WHIP in 11 games (8 starts).

Showing this kind of ability at this young an age is a great sign of Lopez's ability. He was highly thought of when the team signed him and he rewarded the scouting department's belief in him. Honestly, little could have gone better for him in his debut and he'll look to build on his success in Rome in 2010, where another fine season could catapult him up this list.

9. Kyle Cofield B/T: R/R Born: 1/23/1987 Ht: 6'5" Wt: 190
Since being drafted in the 8th round of the 2005 draft, Cofield has quietly moved up the organizational ladder, one rung at a time, pitching this year for AA Mississippi as a 22 year old. He turned in another solid season, leading the team with 10 wins, along with 5 losses, a 3.90 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP in 140.2 innings piched in 26 games (24 starts). While he's never been outstanding in his career, Cofield has been consistent, as the majority of his per 9 inning stats were relatively close to his career averages, including 7.8 hits per 9 innings (compared to 8.4 for his career) 5.7 walks per 9 innings (compared to 5.0) and 5.6 strikeouts per 9 innings (compared to 6.3).

Like Redmond, Cofield doesn't have overpowering stuff, but his knowledge of pitching has increased exponentially in his time with the organization and while there's a chance he could return to Mississippi to start out 2010, it's more likely that he makes the move up to AAA Gwinnett. Also like Redmond, his lack of overpowering stuff likely means that his eventual landing spot is in the bullpen, but, unlike Redmond, he's still young enough to make some drastic improvements in his development, meaning that he could establish himself more prominently as a possible starting candidate for Atlanta in late 2010 or 2011.

10. David Francis B/T: R/R Born: 2/8/1988 Ht: 6'1" Wt: 200
The Canadian born Francis made headlines when he struck out 16 on his way to pitching a 7 inning no-hitter while playing for Danville in 2008. The rest of his debut season was equally successful as the 12th round draft pick picked up 5 wins and 3 losses, a 2.35 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in 53.2 innings in 11 games (8 starts). Things didn't go quite as smoothly in his second season as the 21 year old went 5-7 in 30 games (6 starts) for Rome this year, compiling a 3.67 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 88.1 innings. He also started 4 games for Myrtle Beach, where he didn't record a win or a loss, but did post a 7.02 ERA and 1.74 WHIP in 16.2 innings.

Francis got in trouble by allowing hitters to make good contact, giving up a .293 average against while pitching for Rome, giving up 10.3 hits per 9 innings. Oddly enough, he had less of a problem with this in his starts for Myrtle Beach, dropping his average against to .258 and his hits per 9 innings to 8.6, and while those numbers paired with a huge jump in his strikeout rate, from 7.4 per 9 innings at Rome to 11.9 per 9 innings at Myrtle Beach, both of the hitting stats are still fairly high and he also saw a huge jump in his walks, from 3.1 per 9 innings at Rome to 7 per 9 innings at Myrtle Beach.

It's fairly clear the Francis isn't as bad as his overall 2009 numbers would indicate, but he's also probably not as good as he was in 2008 either. Depending on how things play out in Spring Training, he may find himself returning to Rome in 2010 as a 22 year old, which makes him several years too old to be considered a top prospect. But, if he can keep the batter from getting square on his pitches and start making them miss a few balls again, he could develop into a useful pitcher at the upper levels, even if that may have to happen with him in the bullpen.

The Atlanta Braves Weekly Wrap

gondeee — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:42:27 -0000

More photos » by John Amis - AP

Atlanta Braves' starting pitcher Tim Hudson says he wants to in Atlanta, and would give the team a hometown discount on his contract.

Browse more photos »

Here's a look at the major stories in the world of the Atlanta Braves for the week ending on October 18th:

In the Press...

The Braves lost longtime scouting director Roy Clark to the Nationals, then promoted Tony DeMacio as their new director of scouting.
After there was initially a report that Tim Hudson was going to leave the Braves and opt for free agency, he came out and denied that report, saying that he would accept a "hometown discount" to stay with Atlanta.
Kris Medlen pens his own column, and says he's open to either starting or relieving next year, and that he really learned how to be a reliever on the fly at the Major League level.

At Talking Chop...

Our on-going wrapup of the 2009 season continued with reviews of Martin Prado and Yunel Escobar
CB reviewed the top-5 second base prospects and the top-5 shortstop prospects in the Braves organization.
The Arizona Fall League has begun and Matt kicked off our daily recapping of how our prospects are faring out there.
I warned of a possible Baltimoreification of the Braves after the hiring of Tony DeMacio as Braves director of scouting.
The bloggers of TC participated in a round table discussing the second base position for the Braves, as well as a round table for the shortstop position.
Brian McCann will undergo his second Lasik eye surgery.
The Braves shed their roster of four players in some early off-season roster management.

Notable FanPosts and FanShots...

NCChopper shared with us a picture of the swag she got by winning the TBS Hot Corner NAHWAL contest.
Baseball America spotlighted minor league righty Todd Redmond.
mvhsbball shared with us his trip to the Arizona Fall League.
esadb and a bunch of others think Rudy Jamarillo is the solution to everything.
The Keith Lockhart Era is excited, then laments the end of the Furman Bisher Era.

Top-5 Off-Season Questions for the Atlanta Braves: #2

gondeee — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:30:08 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

The Atlanta Braves depth at starting pitching depends on them keeping Tim Hudson.

Browse more photos »

We continue our look at the top-5 questions facing the Atlanta Braves this off-season.

Question Two: What do the Braves do with six starting pitchers?

It's a good problem to have, six starting pitchers. Especially the six starters that we have, all of them of proven quality (though at least one did not show that quality this season). This assumes, of course, that the Braves will pick up the 2010 option on Tim Hudson's contract, and that Hudson (was has the right to void the option and become a free agent) will accept the option. Most baseball people think that he'll stay here, but we could see the Braves decline the option and try to work out a multi-year deal for less money per year. The problem there is getting insurance on a contract of a player who has just come off major surgery. My guess is that the Braves pick up his option for next year and leave it at that.

Then we really do have six starting pitchers, and six really good starting pitcher. One would think that Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson are safe and will make up the core of the Braves staff for the next half-decade. I did propose that the Braves trade Jurrjens last month, and that is still an idea in the back of my mind, though watching how well JJ pitched down the stretch I hope that it never happens.

Of course, I believe it was Terry Francona who said a couple of years ago, "When you think you have enough pitching, go get more." The Braves certainly know how important depth in starting pitching can be after the debacle of 2008, but that doesn't mean a team can keep multimillion dollar starters waiting in the wings in case of injury. As much as some may want to go into spring training with six starters, just in case one gets injured, I don't think that's going to happen. The guys we have are making too much money, and because of the financial burden of keeping three starters making over $10 million and another making over $6 million, the Braves will be forced to trade one of that group of starters that includes Derek Lowe, Kenshin Kawakami, Javier Vazquez, and Tim Hudson.

The odds are best that Vazquez is the guy to go.

There's not much of a chance that the Braves can trade Hudson -- he wouldn't agree to that contract option if he knew he was going to be traded, and he's approaching 10-and-5 status, so he may be able to veto any trade pretty soon, if not already. Lowe and his contract are probably untradeable, especially after he put up some pretty ugly numbers this season. Kawakami could be desirable to some teams, as he settled down after a rough first month, but he still could be viewed as an unknown quantity, and he's not the number-1 or number-2 type starter that would return the kind of impact bat we are likely looking for.

Add to this question the principal idea of the first question (the Braves need a big power bat), then take a look at the weak free agent class, and how much you'd have to pay a guy like Holliday or Bay, and the only option for the Braves seems to be to trade for a bat and to use this surplus of starting pitching to do that. And unfortunately, the best candidate may be Javier Vazquez.

If the Braves were to try and keep Vazquez and re-sign him to a multi-year deal they'd be doing so at the height of his value, and that might cost the team more than he's worth. On a similar note, trading him now would be trading him at the height of his value, and the return should be better than at any other time. As I said in an article a month ago, trading him will be difficult as he has a no-trade to any west coast team, and he's burned bridges in Chicago, New York, and Arizona, and that leaves very few teams who would still want him and can afford him.

Another factor in determining if we have the depth to trade starters will be how well Mike Minor fares in the Arizona Fall League. He is supposed to be close to major league ready, and if he has a good AFL season, then that would be more minor league depth to go with Jo-Jo Reyes and Todd Redmond.

It will be strange this off-season to watch the team try and get rid of starting pitching, as opposed to last off-season when they were so desperate to get as much starting pitching as they could. I just hope we don't go all out in our pursuit of a right-handed bat this year, like we did last year in our pursuit of starting pitching, when we seemingly forgot that there were other needs facing this team. Speaking of other needs...

Coming up later, Question Three: Who will be the Braves closer in 2010?

News Roundup: Pedro Alvarez Hits Three Homers for Team USA

Charlie — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:58:14 -0000

UPDATE: There are four items here. Two had threads I already knew about before I wrote this, and by the time I wrote it and published it, people had posted fanposts or fanshots about the other two, as well. I guess that shows how little there is to discuss right now. Thanks to everyone who has been on top of these things.

Alvarez slugs three home runs for U.S. - PBC Blog - post-gazette.com

Pedro Alvarez hit three homers today for team USA. Former Pirate prospect Todd Redmond was the winning pitcher for the U.S. against Chinese Taipei.

Rangers sign supplemental 1st-round pick Scheppers - USATODAY.com

Tanner Scheppers, the Pirates' 2nd-round pick in 2008, finally signed with the Rangers for a $1.25 million bonus. Scheppers always seems to be struggling with injuries and amateur pitchers are never the most reliable commodities, so this would seem to be a risky investment for Texas.

Minor League Baseball: Scoreboard: Scoreboard

Jeff Locke and the Lynchburg Hillcats can win the Carolina League championship with a victory tonight.

Murray Chass On Baseball " PIRATES GET $40 MILLION, PLAYERS $20 MILLION

There has already been a fair amount of commentary here and elsewhere about this Murray Chass article. For me it's not really worth commenting on, except to marvel at sportswriters' inability to understand the strategic reasons behind the idea of rebuilding. It's not just Chass; a lot of mainstream writers, perhaps a majority, don't get it, or pretend not to get it, and use it as an excuse for all kinds of misplaced moralizing. For example:

The Pirates this year traded Nate McLouth, Morgan, Adam LaRoche, Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson, Eric Hinske, Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny, John Grabow and Sean Burnett. You could almost put a team on the field with that lineup.

Well, yeah--a terrible one, which is exactly why you trade them. Chass apparently hasn't watched the Pirates for the last three or four years, at a minimum.

But what was Morgan (at left)? He was a rookie who showed he was ready to play in the majors. He was hitting .271 when he was traded, and he has hit .351 for Washington for a .307 season average.

They didn’t need to trade Morgan to make room in the outfield for McCutchen because McCutchen was already there and hitting .295 in his first month. They didn’t need to trade Morgan to get Lastings Milledge, another young outfielder, because they didn’t need Milledge, who in trials with the Mets and the Nationals had failed to demonstrate major league maturity...

The belief among officials of other clubs is that the Pirates traded Morgan because of his age. At 29, he is five years older than Milledge (below). The Pirates, though, shouldn’t be concerned about having a 35-year-old Morgan playing center field for them. They would have traded him well before they reached that juncture.

So... the Pirates shouldn't have traded Morgan because they didn't have to worry about Morgan getting old, because they would have traded him before that point? Does that strike anyone else as a bizarre criticism?

This, though, is my favorite:

On second thought they have Andrew McCutchen (at right) on their roster, and if they traded Nyjer Morgan they can trade Andrew McCutchen.

Right, because Morgan = McCutchen. A baseball writer who is unable to see the enormous differences between the two is like a jeweler who is unable to understand the difference between diamonds and cubic zirconia. Not all shiny things are created equal, and not all fast outfielders are either.

Atlanta Braves Minor League Recap: 8/26

yondaime4 — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:56:19 -0000

It is hard for me to get excited about even the minors when the big club is getting hammered by the Padres.

Gwinnett 7, Charlotte 10 - 11 Innings

B. Jones 2-4 RBI, BB, K, SB(5)
D. Hernandez 2-4 2 2B, RBI, 2 BB, 2K

Todd Redmond got knocked around pretty solidly in this one, allowing 6 runs in less than 6 innings and not striking out anyone. 87 year old Juan Perez didn't help things by giving up a 3 run walk off homer in the 11th inning. Gwinnett's lead is not 1 game.

Mississippi 7, Chattanooga 3

W. Cabrera 2-4 HR(6), 2 RBI
B. Johnson 2-4 2B, HR(1), 3 RBI, K
R. Reynoso 6IP 9H 3R 1BB 4K

Yet another consistent outing from Ryne Reynoso. He has been a solid anchor for this rotation thiss season. Willie Cabrera looks to make the most of his playing time with Jason Heyward sitting out the past couple of games. No word on what is the deal with him, though he did pinch hit last night. Also, Ernesto Mejia has been promoted (this was his third game!) to Mississppi and I can't wait to see what he can do, though so far he has only displayed his propensity for striking out.

Potomac 4, Myrtle Beach 3

D. Linares 1-4 2B
R. Gress 1-3 2B, K
CJ Lee 1-2 HR(4), BB, K

Even the almighty Awesome of Rany Gress couldn't salvage a win for the Pelicans on this day.

Rome 5, Charleston 4

A. Milligan 1-4 2B, BB
L. Sumoza 4-4 2B, RBI, CS(9)
E. Spruill 5IP 8H 3R 1BB 4K

Welcome back to full season ball Zeke Spruill! How the heck are ya? It stands to reason the night after I lament Luis Sumoza's ability to put his tools together he goes 4-4. If he is thusly motivated I would continue to poke holes in his game. Look at that caught stealing there. He obviously can't properly use his speed.

Danville 3, Burlington 4

C. Harrilchak 1-3 3B, BB, K
RSF 2-3 RBI
M. Crim 5IP 3H 4R 2BB 2K

Well I guess Matt Crim won't go his whole career without losing. It was a nice run though, good enough to earn the Pitcher of the Year honors. Cory Harrilchak has been slumping a bit lately hitting .152 in his last 10 games. RSF just continues to pile up the hits as the Appy League Batter of the Year.

GCL Pirates 6, GCL Braves 3

J. Hanson 2-4 2B, K
A. Feliz 2-2 RBI, BB
R. Lopez 5IP 5H 2R 1BB 5K
C. Rodgers 2IP 2H 1R 0BB 0K

Well look at that! A Chad Rodgers sighting! Again, he has appeared in 3 games already but one was a month ago. I wish him well on the comeback trail. Robinson Lopez continues to get the job done for the Braves as well as he has not allowed more than 2 earned runs in any start this year. Not bad. Also I have a feeling that Jake Hanson might be a kid we are talking a lot about next season. Just a gut feeling on that one.

Atlanta Braves Minor League Recap: 8/4

yondaime4 — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:24:29 -0000

Gwinnett 5, Columbus 1

R. Gorecki 3-4 RBI, BB, SB(13)
B. Canizares 2-5
V. Pope 2-3 HR(2)

Holy Crap! Van Pope is almost hitting .200 for the season! He is actually hitting .312 in his last 10 games. Todd Redmond pitched his second straight good game, going 6 strong innings without giving up any runs and only allowing 2 hits. He hasn't allowed a run in his last two games.

Montgomery 5, Mississippi 1

M. Young 1-3 HR(3), 2 BB
J. Heyward 2-3 HBP
E. Osuna 6IP 5H 4R 1BB 3K

I am glad to see Jason Heyward in this game after he left yesterday's opening game and didn't return for the second game. I didn't know if he was out because of injury or what. The box score says he is fine. His OPS is still just north of 1.200 in AA. Edgar Osuna posted his second straight game where he allowed 4 runs in 6 innings. I think he is going to have games where teams just get to him because of how soft he throws. If his command isn't razor sharp he is going to be hittable.

Myrtle Beach 4, Salem 1

C. Miles 2-4 HR(4), 2 RBI, CS(3)
G. Rodriguez 2-4 RBI, K
R. Gress 2-4 2B,
J. Thompson 5.2IP 7H 1R 1BB 5K

I don't know where Cody Johnson has been lately. He has not played in a game since July 29 and he isn't on the DL currently. I wonder if they pulled him to help him straighten out his swing a little. I think they did that with him last season in the second half and it really paid dividends. Also, Randy Gress is a monster.

Savannah 2, Rome 3

A. Milligan 1-3 2B, BB, K
L. Sumoza 1-4 2B, 3K
B. Schlehuber 3-4 2B
C. Culver 1-3 2B, 2 RBI

Also in this game JJ Hoover went 5+ innings and struck out 7 while allowing only 1 run. John Sickels talked about him a little today if you want to head on over there and read what he has to say. Buddy Carlyle made a rehab start as well and allowed 1 hit through 2 innings.

Princeton 0, Danville 3

LV Ware 2-4 2 2B
C. Harrilchak 2-4 RBI
M. Crim 7Ip 4H 0R 1BB 3K

Ware has been a double machine in Danville (also he is 17/19 for SB) and I think he has this level mastered. Maybe it is time to send him back to Rome for a month to see if he can make the adjustment. Matt Crim is from my old stomping grounds of Charleston, SC (he was drafted out of the Citadel and I used to live a block from there) and has accomplished a fairly impressive feat so far this season. He is 7-0 in 8 appearances. The amazing this is that his stats aren't overwhelming at all. in 44 innings he has allowed 48 hits though only 7 walks to go along with 30K. The one thing he does well (and apparently a lot of our pitchers do) is he induces a lot of groundballs.

GCL Braves 4, GCL Phillies 3

K. Rose 1-3 3B, SB(18)
C. Bethancourt 2-4 HR(2), 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB(5)
J. Hanson 2-3 BB
C. Perez 4IP 4H 3R 2BB 3K

You know, the Braves may not have a lot of depth at the top of the system, but on the whole we might have a larger supply of high ceiling guys than any other system. Heyward, Freeman, Spruill, Teheran, Bethancourt and Carlos Perez. What do they all have in common? They are all teenagers and they all have big ceilings.

Atlanta Braves Minor League Recap: 7/30

yondaime4 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:58:07 -0000

Rochester 1, Gwinnett 2

B. Jones 1-4 2B
B. Barton 1-1 HR(6). 2 BB
T. Redmond 7IP 6H 1R 1BB 7K

Look at Todd Redmond getting back on track. His one run allowed was of the unearned variety when Gregor Blanco missed a ball in the OF which led to Rochester scoring their only run of the night. Brandon Jones actually has 5 XBH in his last 7 games. What has gotten into him?

West Tenn 3, Mississippi 0

F. Freeman 2-3
R. Reynoso 7IP 5H 2R 1BB 0K

You know it can't be easy to get a quality start without striking out any batters, but Ryne Reynoso pulled it off. Too bad the offense was shut down by Steve Bray. Even Jason Heyward went hitless with 2 K. (Don't worry he still has almost twice as many BB as K in Mississippi and more than twice as many XBH).

Kinston @ Myrtle Beach - RAIN

Asheville 8, Rome 4

L. Sumoza 3-4 2B, RBI
A. Milligan 2-4 3B, RBI
JJ Hoover 5IP 8H 5R 2BB 7K

This one probably constitutes JJ Hoover's worst start of the season which isn't too bad in my estimation. I wonder if he isn't getting a little tired though as he is having his worst month of the season. His control has still been superb and as you can see he is still getting his strike outs. Asheville is the best hitting team in the league so for now I will chalk it up to that.

Danville 3, Burlington 1

LV Ware 1-5 2B, SB(17)
B. Rauh 1-3 2B, SB(4)
J. Teheran 8IP 2H 1R 1BB 11K

There really hasn't been anything from Julio Teheran that hasn't been impressive this season. He is getting Ks, he is pitching deep into games (7 or more innings in 4 of his 7 starts), he gets ground balls and he doesn't walk a ton of people. I really want to see him move up a level and show us what he can do. Obviously he has all the time in the world being only 18 years old.

GCL Braves 6, GCL Blue Jays 10

A. Odreman 2-5 RBI, 2K
C. Bethancourt 2-5 RBI
D. Falcon 2-3 2B, 3B RBI

The very young Christian Bethancourt keeps on hitting the ball to the tune of .314/.362/.465. He has shown good doubles power so far and a K rate that isn't horrible. I hope everyone has him on their lists at the end of the year.