SB Nation User Blog: cbwilk

Braves Top-10 Minor League Right Handed Starting Pitchers (1-5)

cbwilk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:25:16 -0000

Julio Teheran's funky delivery helped catapult him to the top of the Braves' pitching prospects list.

The Braves have a long history of developing dominant Major League pitching and that trend seems to be continuing with the emergence of Tommy Hanson with Atlanta this season and with the near limitless potential of their top right handed starting pitching prospects. The top half of the list contains a pair of foreign born live arms, one of whom could become a future ace, a former second round draft pick whose stuff and body is as projectable as any pitcher to come through the system since Kevin Millwood, and a pair of more polished, durable college players who eat innings like candy.

1. Julio Teheran B/T: R/R Born: 1/27/1991 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 150
When he was signed out of Columbia as a 16 year old in 2007, Teheran was considered the top international talent available and was a major coup for Atlanta's scouting department. But, his status as a top prospect was quickly revoked by many as he battled both tendonitis and a sore shoulder as well as severely dented confidence in his professional debut, pitching just 15 innings for Danville in 2008, with a record of 1-2, an ERA of 6.60 and a WHIP of 1.46. But, those who continued to believe in him despite his struggles were rewarded for that faith in 2009, as he returned to Danville and pitched masterfully, with a 2-1 record, 2.68 ERA, and 0.98 WHIP in 43.2 innings covering 7 starts. He was rewarded for his efforts with a promotion to Rome at the beginning of August, where he pitched well, especially considering his youth, in another 7 starts, with a 1-3 record, 4.78 ERA, and 1.40 WHIP in 37.2 innings.

The jump to Rome was obviously an adjustment for him, as he saw a sizable increase in all of his numbers, including allowing more hits (10 per 9 innings compared to 7.4 for Danville), walked more (2.6 per 9 innings compared to 1.4 for Danville), and struck out less (6.7 per 9 innings compared to 8.0 with Danville). But, while his final start was poor, he was making adjustments, pitching 17.1 innings in the three starts before that while only allowing 4 runs and striking out 14 while walking 8.

While Teheran does have electric stuff, combining a fastball that tops out at 97 mph, but which is much more effective when he works it in the 94 to 95 range, with a devastating curveball that rolls in at 83 mph and a slurvey slider that could become his best pitch with more work, his mental makeup is his most impressive asset. Ironically though, his overconfidence was a part of his problem in 2008 when he had a difficult time dealing with the fact that the professional hitters in America weren't instantly intimidated by him like the amateurs in Columbia had been. Once he realized that he might not always be the best player on the field, and that he might not always have his best stuff, he was able to enter 2009 with a newfound willingness to be a pitcher instead of a thrower, and that cerebral outlook on the game, combined with his stuff, makes him likely to reach his ceiling as a Major League ace. It's also shown in his stats, as his strikeouts dropped from last season to this one but his effectiveness improved dramatically, a clear indication that he was pitching more to contact and allowing his defense to perform behind him.

Teheran will begin 2010 back at Rome as a 19 year old and the Braves are confident enough with his ability and makeup that they will have no problem moving him quickly if he succeeds. Don't be surprised to see him join Myrtle Beach's rotation sometime around the middle of the season, with AA and perhaps the Major Leagues both possibilities in 2011.

2. Zeke Spruill B/T: S/R Born: 9/11/1989 Ht: 6'4" Wt: 184
After being selected in the second round of the 2008 draft, Spruill was very successful in his debut for the Orlando Braves in the GCL, with 7 wins and no losses, a 2.93 ERA, and a 1.25 WHIP in 40 innings. He continued his success this season with Rome, winning his first 6 decisions, before finishing the season with a team leading 8 wins to go with 6 losses, a team leading 3.03 ERA, and a 1.24 WHIP in 116 innings covering 20 games (19 starts). But the season wasn't a total success for him, as he found himself demoted back to the GCL team for the majority of August as punishment for some minor disiplinary problems. He used his time at the lower level to focus on his secondary pitches, specifically his changeup, and it showed in his numbers, as he collected a 1-0 record, 4.58 ERA, and a 1.47 WHIP in 19.2 innings.

While this demotion does spark some concern, it really isn't a major issue and isn't something that should be held against Spruill. While he doesn't have quite as good stuff as Teheran does, pairing a low 90s fastball with late movement with a biting curveball and a developing slider and changeup, he is similar in that he's smart enough at a young age to pitch to contact and allow his defense to make plays for him. He has the perfect body for a pitcher, and is very comparable to Kevin Millwood at the same age, making it plausible that he could gain velocity and stamina as he moves up the ladder.

Spruill proved capable of handling the Sally Leauge, so in 2010 he'll move up to Myrtle Beach to attempt to corral the Carolina League as a 20 year old. He's still incredibly young and has a long way to go in his development, but, provided the Braves can fine tune his pitching and keep his maturation on course, he seems verly likely to reach his ceiling as a number 2 or 3 starter in a Major League rotation.

3. Randall Delgado B/T: R/R Born: 2/9/1990 Ht: 6'3" Wt: 165
Delgado's overall numbers, a 5-10 record, 4.35 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 124 innings covering 25 starts, don't look that impressive, but given the context of his youth, playing the season as a 19 year old, and his improvement over the course of the year, with a 4-4 record and 3.96 ERA in 72.2 innings after the All-Star break, it was a very successful year. He was even better toward the end of the year, with a 2-1 record, a 3.47 ERA, and 33 strikeouts in 23.1 inning in August, follwed with a 1-1 record, 2.31 ERA, and 12 strikeouts in 11.2 September innings. One thing he was consistently able to do was to strike people out, racking up 141 strikeouts on the season, good for 10.2 per 9 innings.

While most pitchers struggle down the stretch in the second half of their first full season, Delgado flourished, indicating the high level of maturity and determination that has been prominent since the Braves first signed him out of Panama in 2006. His fastball tops out at 94, but works better when he backs it off a few miles per hour, and he pairs it with a changeup and curveball, both of which he's dramatically improved in his time with the organization. He has a tall, lean body, which is still filling out, that allows him great leverage on his pitches, which are further enhanced by a deceptive delivery.

A promotion to Myrtle Beach as a 20 year old in 2010 is in line for Delgado, where he'll join a bevvy of talented young pitchers. His stuff and makeup is as good as any pitcher in the system, and while he could find himself developing into a front of the rotation starter, it's just as plausible, given his mentality and strikeout ability, that he could develop into a shutdown closer.

4. JJ Hoover B/T: R/R Born: 8/13/1987 Ht: 6'3" Wt: 215
After signing at the dealine in 2008 after being drafted in the 10th round, Hoover pitched just 4.2 innings for Danville last season, but he had a great full season debut this year, going 7-6 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 134.1 innings covering 25 games (18 starts) for Rome. He also made an emergency start for Myrtle Beach, getting roughed up and allowing 3 runs while walking 5 in just 3 innings. But, that one outing does nothing to mar his season, as he led Rome in innings pitched, strikeouts, 148 (good for 9.9 per 9 innings) and strikeouts per walk, 5.92. He was also very successful at keeping down his walks, with just 25 on the season, good for only 1.7 per nine innings.

Hoover has a strong, thick body that makes him a durable workhorse and he combines that with a sinking low 90s fastball, a looping curve that is becoming more effective as he tightens it up, a good changeup, and a hard slider. He's an advanced pitcher with a good handle on what he wants to accomplish on the mound. At worst, he'll develop into a middle of the rotation innings eater, but his stuff and durability would play well out of the bullpen, so there's a chance he could become a Peter Moylan like bullpen workhorse, capable of coming out and shutting down a team on any given night.

He'll enter 2010 as a 23 year old, which makes him older than the typical top prospects at the lower levels, but that age, combined with his unquestionable success from 2009 and the glut of young arms looking to work in the Myrtle Beach rotation next season make it possible that a strong Spring Training could catapult him to AA Mississippi in 2010.

5. Jacob Thompson B/T: R/R Born: 11/19/1986 Ht: 6'6" Wt: 215
At one point in his college career at the University of Virginia, Thompson was viewed as a possible first round talent, so the Braves feel like they got him as a steal by selecting him in the fifth round in 2008. He pitched just 9.2 innings last year, including 4.2 for his hometown Danville Braves, but proved to be a workhorse this season, as he pitched 154.2 innings in 27 games (25 starts) between Rome and Myrtle Beach, with a 7-9 record overall and a 1.40 WHIP. Oddly enough, he was better at the higher level, posting a 5-4 record, 3.57 ERA, and 1.43 WHIP in 90.2 innings with Myrtle Beach compared to a 2-5 record, 5.20 ERA, and 1.37 WHIP in 64 innings with Rome. While he did walk more batters for the Pelicans, 4.2 per 9 innings compared to 2 per 9 innings for Rome, he also managed to strikeout more batters, 7.7 per 9 innings with Myrtle Beach compared to just 5.8 per 9 with Rome, and give up fewer hits, 8.7 per 9 inning with the Pelicans compared to 10.4 per 9 with the R-Braves.

Whatever issues Thompson was having at the lower level he clearly worked out during his time with the Pelicans, something that can likely be attributed to the team's pitching coach, Altanta's resident Minor League pitching guru, Guy Hansen. His massive, strong frame allows him to get a ton of downward leverage toward the plate, but his lankiness and deceptive delivery also make repeating his arm action difficult. This is what he worked on with Hansen and if he can keep himself consistent, his arsenal of pitches, a low 90s fastball, a biting slider, a developing changeup, and his best pitch, a diving curveball, combined with his durability could make him a solid middle of the rotation innings eater, capable of winning a ton of games for a Major League team.

Thompson will enter 2010 as a 23 year old, so given his age and the success he showed at Myrtle Beach, there's a very good chance he could begin the season with AA Mississippi. He needs to be diligent and remain consistent while continuing to develop his already good feel for pitching. If he can do that, the Braves certainly will have a steal on their hands, and a promising young pitcher who could help them out in late 2010 or 2011.

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

cbwilk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:52:25 -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.

Braves 2009 Season in Review: Tommy Hanson

cbwilk — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:20:57 -0000

After dominating the Arizona Fall League in 2008, becoming the first pitcher in the league's history to win the MVP award, Thomas J. Hanson continued to excel in the Atlanta Braves' 2009 Spring Training, with a win and no losses in 5 games (3 starts), while striking out 18 in 17.2 innings. The Braves felt he needed more seasoning though, and optioned him to AAA Gwinnett, where he was dominant, as well with 3 wins and 3 losses in 11 starts, compiling a 1.49 ERA, 1.046 WHIP and 90 strikeouts in 66.1 innings, good for 12.2 per 9 innings.

Tom Glavine was supposed to be the Braves' fifth starter in 2009, but nagging injuries prevented him from ever pitching for Atlanta this season, and the Braves legend and future Hall of Famer was released June 3rd, just as he was, according to him, ready to assume his role in the Braves rotation. This highly unpopular move coincided with Hanson's additon to the roster, just two days later, and it turned out to be one of Frank Wren's most savvy decisions of the season.

Hanson came out of the gate pitching like an ace, collecting 4 wins in his 5 June starts, with a 2.48 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP while striking out 18 in 29 innings. While he had a losing record in July, 1-2, and his ERA jumped over a run, to 3.94, his strikeout rate increased, from 5.6 per 9 innings to 6.5 and his walks dramatically decreased, from 17 in 29 innings to just 9 in 32 innings, leading to a drop in his WHIP, down to 1.25. These trends continued over the rest of his season, with his ERA dipping back below 3 for August and September as well, leading to a final line that saw him win 11 games, lose 4, compile an ERA of 2.89, a WHIP of 1.18, along with 116 strikeouts in 127.2 innings.

In all, it was a stellar rookie season for Hanson, one which should garner him attention in National League Rookie of the Year voting, if not the award itself. On his own team, he had the third lowest ERA among the regular starters, just behind Javy Vazquez's 2.87 ERA, as well as the third most innings per start, at just over 6 per, behind Vazquez and Jair Jurrjens. Hanson had the second lowest WHIP of the starters, just behind Vazquez, tied with Vazquez for the fewest hits per 9 innings allowed, 7.4, and was second, behind Vazquez, in strikeouts per 9 innings, 8.2, and strikeouts per walk, 2.52.

Hanson showed improvement in each of his 4 Minor League seasons, including his most dominant performance in the early part of this season with Gwinnett. His ability to step seamlessly into Atlanta's rotation as a 22 year old and improve throughout the year indicate that he is well on his way to becoming one of the better pitchers in the National Leauge. While there are many hurdles for him to overcome on that quest, including allowing fewer hits and walks, while striking out more batters, he'll enter 2010 as a 23 year old, firmly entrenched in the Atlanta rotation, and just beginning to show his seemingly limitless ability.

Braves Top-5 Minor League Right Fielders

cbwilk — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:22:45 -0000

Jason Heyward was named the top prospect in baseball by Baseball America and will enter the 2010 season as a 20 year old.

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It wasn't long ago that the Braves felt they were set for years with Jeff Francoeur in right field. But declining and outright poor performances by him over the last few years finally caused the team to cut ties in the middle of the 2009 season, forcing them to play Matt Diaz out of position in right field for the remainder of the year. While this transition has been unsettling, right field looks to be locked up again for the forseeable future very soon, as the top prospect in all of baseball looks poised to claim the starting job at some point in the 2010 season.

1. Jason Heyward B/T: L/L Born: 8/9/1989 Ht: 6'4" Wt: 220

What's not to love about Jason Heyward? Even before he grabs a bat or puts on a glove, you can simply marvel at his sheer size. He's blessed with a massive, strong frame, oozing with athleticism. Defensively, he's able to cover an outstanding amout of ground in right field, enough that he hasn't been overmatched the few times he's played centerfield in his career. Combined with his absolute laser beam of an arm, Heyward is a game winning force on defense alone. But then he steps up to the plate, where he not only has immense power, but and advanced idea of hitting that allows him to hit for average and take walks, making him an OPS machine. Add in a burgeoning knack for stealing bases, and he's showing himself to be a true five tool prospect, or, at worst, a four and a half tool prospect.

Over the years, many prospects overflowing with tools like Heyward have been unable to put up statistics to match their potential. That's not a prblem for him though, as he followed up an outstanding 2008 season that saw him put up a .316 average and .854 OPS, along with 29 doubles, 11 homre runs, 15 stolen bases, and 9 outfield assists, playing mostly for Rome, with a pheomenal 2009, split almost evenly between Myrtle Beach and Mississippi with a handful of games for Gwinnet, where he hit .323 with a .963 OPS to go with 25 doubles, 17 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and 14 outfield assists.

What's more impressive about those number is that he was able to put them up in 28 fewer games than in 2008, which leads to the only real knock on Heyward so far, that he seems prone to nagging injuries. He was forced to miss stretches of time with Myrtle Beach for minor oblique and leg injuries and was just forced to prematurely end his run in the Arizona Fall League due to an upper leg injury. Whether or not this is a trend or simply a fluke, perhaps created by his still growing body, remains to be seen, but if this is the only chink in his armor, it's a minor one, and it actually makes his production even more impressive when you consider that he might never have been fully healthy this season.

Heyward will enter 2010 as a 20 year old, not turning 21 until August. There are many who want to see him begin the season as Atlanta's starting right fielder, with just 52 games of experience above A ball on his resume. While it's possible, in fact likely, that Heyward could put up an outstanding Spring Training and force the Braves to make this hope a reality, it's more likely, given his age, experience, and the financial realities of baseball, that the Braves start him out at AAA Gwinnett like they did with Tommy Hanson, allowing him to dominate and hone his game, before calling him up June 1st, after he's avoided the possibility of reaching Super Two status down the line.

2. Concepcion Rodriguez B/T: R/R Born: 9/19/1986 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 170

After an impressive 2008 season spent mostly with Myrtle Beach that saw him hit .278 with a .806 OPS to go with 28 doubles, 14 home runs, and 10 stolen bases, Rodriguez looked poised to assert himself as a top prospect as a 22 year old with Mississippi in 2009. But, like Travis Jones and Brandon Hicks, he saw his power evaporate this season, mostly due to his home ballpark, and put up a total line with a .263 average, .651 OPS, 19 doubles, just 3 home runs, and 9 stolen bases. Like Jones and Hicks, he suffered from a slight drop in his number of doubles, but saw his number of home runs plummet. In 209 home plate appearances he was terrible, hitting just .229 with an awful .534 OPS, but looked like himself on the road, where in 225 plate appearances he hit .295 with a .753 OPS.

Rodriguez is a fine defender, blessed with the combination of enough speed and an above average enough arm to make him capable of playing all three outfield positions. He did so in 2008, playing 30 games in center field, 39 in left field, and 40 in right field, but he settled into right field for most of 2009, playing the majority of his games, 72, there.

With his wild splits, it's hard to judge Rodriguez's season. He's obviously not as bad as the total numbers, or the home numbers, would indicate, but they still show that he needs to work on keeping the ball down and hitting it in the gaps. While he does have a strong, athletic body, he's never going to be a big time home run hitter in the Majors, so this is certainly a lesson worth having him learn. The best place for him to do so is probably right in Mississippi's park, which has supplanted Myrtle Beach as the most unforgiving to hitters in the system, so look for Rodriguez to return to AA to start 2010, with a promotion to AAA likely if he's able to master his home park.

3. Luis Sumoza B/T: R/R Born: 7/15/1988 Ht: 6'0" Wt: 170

Sumoza is one of only a few players on the Talking Chop prospect lists who wasn't originally signed by Atlanta, having been acquired from the Red Sox in exchange for Mark Kotsay. It seemed like a great acquisition at the time, as Sumoza was having a fine year for short season Lowell (basically the equivalent of Danville), hitting .301 with a .915 OPS, including 15 doubles, 11 home runs, and 9 stolen bases in 51 games. But, playing this season mostly as a 20 year old, Sumoza wasn't able to repeat his success, putting up a .271 average and .681 OPS for Rome in 494 plate appearances, along with a very poor showing in 40 plate appearances for Myrtle Beach, hitting just .189 with a .466 OPS. He was able to club out 27 doubles for Rome this year, but he also proved weak at taking a walk, complining just a .316 on base percentage for the team. He also found stealing bases more difficult, swiping just 8 while being caught 11 times on the season.

While he's played a little bit of center field in his career, Sumoza has settled better into right field, where his speed fits better and he's able to make use of his above average arm, which allowed him to collect 13 outfield assists this season. But, he's also shown himself to be a bit of a butcher in the field, as evidence by his 11 errors this season. While his arm is certainly well suited for right field, his defensive short comings create huge offensive opportunities for the opponet, so it's likely that he'll shift over to left field as he moves up the ladder.

Of course, that move is predicated on Sumoza finding himself at the plate again. He'll enter next season as a 21 year old, so if he's forced to repeat with Rome he'll be a little too old to garner a lot of excitement as a prospect, but it also means he's still young enough to hope he turns things around. He has a strong, thick body capable of producing power, so if he can make better contact and take more walks, he could develop into another high risk/high reward outfield prospect.

4. Chris Shehan B/T: R/R Born: 5/5/1987 Ht: 6'0" Wt: 205

After being drafted in the 30th round in 2008, Shehan had a more than solid debut, spent mostly with Danville, where he hit .281 with a .776 OPS along with 12 doubles, 4 triples, 5 home runs, and 9 stolen bases in 283 plate appearances as a 21 year old. His full season debut was less successful however, as his numbers fell to a .253 average and .660 OPS with 24 doubles, just 3 home runs, and 9 stolen bases in 382 plate appearances. Oddly enough he was actually better at the higher level this season, posting a .261 average and .683 OPS along with 15 of his doubles in 144 plate appearances for Myrtle Beach, compared to a .248 average and .644 OPS in 238 plate appearances for Rome. While his season numbers certainly suffered as he lacked the home run power that he seemed capable of, what really hurt him was an inabilty to work walks, as he posted just a .302 on base percentage for the season.

Shehan has shown himself capable of covering all three outfield positions, and he actually played more games in center field this season, 41, than he did in left field, 26, or right field, 36. But, because he's a little thicker than the average center fielder, and a little slower, he profiles better at one of the corner spots. His arm is slightly above average, and he was able to rack up 8 outfield assists this season, but, like Sumoza, he was also befallen by a propensity to make errors, with a total of 14 this year. So while he is a solid enough outfielder, he isn't a superb one.

He will turn 23 a month into the 2010 season, so Shehan really needs to get things moving quickly if he hopes to keep himself from becoming an afterthought in the Braves system. He'll likely return to Myrtle Beach to start the year, and will need to get his walks up and his power back to assert himself into the Braves plans.

T5. Daniel Falcon B/T: R/R Born: 12/27/1988 Ht: 6'1" Wt: 220

After playing for the Braves team in his native Dominican Republic, where he complied a .275 average and .784 OPS along with 23 doubles, 15 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and 138 strikeouts in 545 plate appearances over three seasons, Feliz made his American debut for the Orlando Braves in the GCL with a .257 average and .680 OPS in 156 plate appearances. Again, the strikeouts plagued him, as he whiffed 42 times, good for nearly one a game.

He split his time pretty evenly between the corner outfield spots, playing 22 games in right field and 20 in left field, racking up 4 outfield assists and 2 errors on the season. But, defense isn't going to be what gets him to the Majors, or keeps him from there, it's his offense. Falcon will enter next season as a 21 year old, so it's time for him to get his career moving. He needs to cut down on his strikeouts and take more walks, his .288 on base percentage this season was just unacceptable, if he wants to move up the ladder.

T5. Anthony Feliz B/T: R/R Born: 10/7/1987 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 195

2009 was Feliz's second year playing for the Orlando Braves inthe GCL and he put up strkingly similar numbers to the previous one. In 148 plate appearances in 2008, he hit .278 with a .679 OPS, including 9 doubles, 2 home runs, and 6 stolen bases, and in 154 plate appearances in 2009, he hit .261 with a .704 OPS including 9 doubles, 2 home runs, and 4 stolen bases. His improvement in OPS stemmed from hitting two triples this season, compared to none last year, and a dramatic increase in walks, from just 1 in 2008 to 8 this year.

Feliz spent the vast majority of his time in right field this season, gaining 6 outfield assists and 4 errors in 41 games. Like Falcon, his defense is neither good enough to make him a Major Leauger, or bad enough to prevent him from becoming one; his offense is what needs work. Feliz will enter next season as a 22 year old and the minimal progression he showed this year compared to last, though his improvment in walks was very impessive, leave little indication that he's likely to rise very high in Atlanta's Minor League stystem.

Late October/Early November Rosterbation

cbwilk — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:41:03 -0000

Well, I thought maybe everyone could show some restraint, but it appears we have a site full of chronic rosterbators. So, here's the new rosterbation thread. Please post your rosterbation ideas here and only here. If you post them somewhere else, they will get deleted. Like connollybp's post "Lowe's gotta go..." which I have delete and put below with its comments:

Lowe's gotta go....

by connollybp on Oct 28, 2009 6:13 PM PDT 14 comments, 14 new

We have to try to unload Lowe's FULL contract....if we have to pay $5 mill a year or more I think it makes sense to keep him and trade KK or Vazquez...I am trying to brainstorm who needs the most pitching and has the $$$.

Rangers? (Ground Ball pitcher makes sense in that park...come on over Nelson Cruz!!!)

If we hang on to Vazquez we have top rotation in NL 1-4 (excluding Lowe and KK)

1. Hudson

2. Javy

3. JJ

4. Tommy H

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We need a new rosterbation post.

But ya, I’d like to trade DLowe as well.

President of Marteeeny's Weeenies: The Official Fan Club for Martin Prado.
WE WANT PRADO AT 2B IN 2010!

by mvhsbball on Oct 28, 2009 6:20 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

He can block trades to West teams so that rules out the Dodgers. Unlikely the Mets are going to take him off our hands. Cubs might be willing once their ownership gets settled and they know what they can spend. Brewers are a small market team who wants to keep salary low. The Rangers are borrowing money from MLB so thats unlikely.
He’s going to be very tough to move. The only way I see us trading him is if we swap bad contracts with someone.

by jack dein on Oct 28, 2009 6:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Vazquez is the one that can block trades to the NL and AL West

by McCann's the Man on Oct 28, 2009 6:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only truly logical fit is the Dodgers, who have big BIG question marks in their rotation, with the struggles Billingsley went through this year and Randy Wolf leaving. They have Clayton Kershaw, and if he keeps it together better next year Billingsley, but then it’s a crap shoot from there. I don’t what their financials look like other than needing to give arb raises to a large handful of guys, but they’re the closest thing to a perfect fit we’re going to find if we want to dump the full salary. If we eat some, I could see the Cubs getting interested, maybe the Angels with the departure of Lackey. If you’d asked me earlier I would have said the White Sox, but I imagine they’re strapped now with Peavy and Rios.

by J-Freak on Oct 28, 2009 7:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

if the dodgers wanted Lowe, they would have just re-signed him last offseason, maybe im the only one that thinks that though

by McCann's the Man on Oct 28, 2009 7:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps

But maybe they’ll reconsider wanting him back now. I say that because of how messy their pitching situation is right now, as stated above. He was a rock in their rotation for four years, putting up very consistent, and good, numbers. They might welcome him back with open arms considering how ugly their rotation has gotten. Unless they sign John Lackey- if they do that, consider all my speculation here moot.

by J-Freak on Oct 28, 2009 7:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Put Lowe on Waivers

Along with Kenshin
Sexy Rotation:
Javy
JJ
Hanson
Hudson
Medlen

Idk about u guys, but im also digging the extra 23 mill a year we’d have to spend on a power bat. Matt Holiday anyone?

MATT DIAZ IS THE F**K*NG MAN.
They made me change my signature...

by nick9314 on Oct 28, 2009 7:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Waivers only exist in August

He’s got to be either traded or outright released. And he won’t be released, I promise, cuz then we’re on the hook for all $45 mil, minus the major league minimum, which will be payed by the team that signs him. They’d much sooner eat some of the contract in a trade than release him. If they don’t find a trading partner he’ll be here next year, that would be his only way out of town.

by J-Freak on Oct 28, 2009 7:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fine, then wait till August to do it if u can't find a trading partner

How about this deal….
Lowe & Cashhhh
For
Angel Pagán

Idk, but if they are gonna take Lowe off our hands, I think that they are gonna need about Tree Fiddy.

MATT DIAZ IS THE F**K*NG MAN.
They made me change my signature...

by nick9314 on Oct 28, 2009 7:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Please be joking.

Please, for the love of all that is holy, tell me you only proposed that for shits and giggles…

Oh, and don’t be givin the Loch Ness monster no damn tree fiddy!

by J-Freak on Oct 28, 2009 8:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

damn, hahahahah tree fiddy hahahahha makes me laugh everytime hahahahha.

braves#1

by rockybull on Oct 28, 2009 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This whole thread should end

by hoboken_wood on Oct 28, 2009 8:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

LOL Did I miss something about Kenshin Kawakami? I mean last time I checked he was a pretty effective pitcher for us after his first month of the season…

by yondaime4 on Oct 28, 2009 8:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

THIS

And I’ll even admit I was one fo the early guys to push the panic button him… But he certainly did a better job than Lowe. I don’t how he’s gotten so overlooked…

by J-Freak on Oct 28, 2009 8:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

what is that off of????

by scottsharp76 on Oct 28, 2009 8:14 PM PDT reply actions

Braves Top-5 Minor League Center Fielders

cbwilk — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:55:06 -0000

Atlanta Braves center field prospect Matt Young received a late season promotion to Gwinnett after a second strong season at Mississippi.

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While the Braves top Minor League center fielders don't have the star power present in right field, or the pure power present in left field, they are still an interesting collection of speedsters and defensive stalwarts. While none currently seem like locks to become future stars, and maybe not even future starters, fortunately, the Braves are well set at the Major League level with Nate McLouth and the center fielder of the future, Jordan Schafer.

1. Matt Young B/T: L/R Born: 10/3/1982 Ht: 5'8" Wt: 175
Young takes the top spot after a second excellent season at Mississippi that saw him take home the award as the Southern League's Top Huslter. After hitting .289 with a .769 OPS along with 30 stolen bases for Mississippi in 2008, Young improved to a .289 average, .827 OPS and a team record 43 stolen bases. After playing most of his games in left field in 08, he shifted and played mostly in center this season. The same speed he utilizes on the basepaths enables him to cover an excellent amount of space in the outfield, and he takes good routes while making intelligent decisions. But, his arm is well below average, so that negates some of his defensive value.

A line drive hitter, Young doesn't make the mistake of trying to hit for power, and instead contents himself with spraying the ball to the gaps, collecting 23 doubles and 10 triples this season. He also makes use of his tiny frame (his listed height of 5'8" is a good bit of an exaggeration) to work a ton of walks, racking up 97 this season on the way to a .414 on base percentage.

Young was originally signed as a second baseman, so he has a bit of versatility, but he's only played 59 games there as a professional, and half of those came in 2006. He'll enter next season as a 27 year old, so he's not a typical prospect, but there's plenty of reason to think that his speed and defense, combined with his on base skills, could make him a valuable part of a Major League bench. If he's left off the Braves' 40 man roster this offseason, there's a possibility that a team looking to keep him as the 25th man on their roster and utilize him as a late inning pinch runner and defensive replacement might take a chance on him in the Rule V draft.

2. Cory Harrilchak B/T: L/L Born: 10/27/1987 Ht: 5'10" Wt: 175
Harrilchak, who turned 22 yesterday, was drafted in the 14th round this year and excelled for Danville, hitting .324 with a .842 OPS and 19 stolen bases as the team's regular hitter in the three hole. He split his time fairly equally around the outfield, playing 25 games each in center field and right field while playing 11 in left field, but, mostly due to his bat, he profiles best as a center fielder. He has excellent speed and a great knowledge of how to play the outfiled, along with a fairly strong, accurate arm.

Harrilchak has a slight frame, so he's unlikely to develop much power, but he's already smart enough to make use of his skills as a line drive hitter, spraying out 10 doubles and 5 triples in his 60 games, and he was able to effectively add speed to his game, getting caught stealing only twice in his 21 attempts. He also showed a knack for getting on base, with a .401 on base percentage, another indicator that, while he may have hit third for Danville, he profiles better as a leadoff or number two hitter in the future.

While he was a bit old at 21 for Danville, like Riann Spanjer-Furstenburg, Harrilchack had an outstanding professional debut, showing plenty of promise that he'll develop into a fine prospect. With his age and his dominance of the Appy League, there's a possibility that he could start 2010 at Myrtle Beach, but an assignment to Rome seems more likely. While he's unlikely to be considered a top flight prospect, at least until he has a breakout season at a more age appropriate level, Harrilchak has the tools to work himself into Atlanta's Major League plans in the future.

3. Kyle Rose B/T: R/R Born: 5/24/1989 Ht: 6'0" Wt: 165
Rose was drafted in the 8th round of the season's draft and, like Harrilchak, he was slightly old for his league, playing for the Orlando Braves in the GCL as a 20 year old. But, unlike Harrilchak, he didn't exactly dominate, though he still fared well, hitting .293 with a .750 OPS along with 27 stolen bases. The speed was the biggest asset to his offensive game, as he led his league, stealing those bases in just 48 games, and, more impressively, in just 63 times of reaching first base, meaning that he stole a base 43% of the time he reached first. For comparison, this year's Major League stolen base leader, Jacoby Ellsbury, stole 35% of the times he reached first. Those are tremendously impressive numbers, especially when you factor in a .397 on base percentage.

While he excelled at the speed game, Rose showed almost no power, slugging just .354 on the season. His incredibly slight frame suggests he isn't likely to gain much power, but if he can continue to get on base at a great clip and steal bases at an oustanding rate, he'll turn into a great prospect. He made 4 errors in center field this season, which raises some concern about his defense, but without the context of those errors, it's possible to write them off as the by product of his first professional season.

While Rose may have been slightly old for the GCL, he won't turn 21 until late May of next year, so if he is able to start out at Rome he'll be in step with the ages that typify better prospects. If he's able to augment his speed with a bit more slugging, he'll likely emerge as a top flight leadoff hitting prospect. Even if he's unable to, his immense speed will make him a valuable player.

4. LV Ware B/T: R/R Born: 3/18/1987 Ht: 5'10" Wt: 185
Ware struggled mightily for Rome in April, hittting just .130 with a .423 OPS in just 51 plate appearances before he was sent to Extended Spring Training. But, a huge part of that poor showing was tied up in the five man outfield rotation that Rome was utilizing at the outset of the season, leading to irregular playing time for Ware, . He rebounded easily though once Danville's season began, hitting .293 with a .740 OPS and a league leading 24 stolen bases as the team's leadoff hitter.

Those numbers were an improvement over the .272 average, .727 OPS and 13 stolen bases that he put up for Danville in 2008, which is important, because even though he was forced to repeat the level, he showed a marked improvement. Like all the other center field prospects, Ware doesn't have much power, hitting no home runs this season, but he makes up for that lack with a strong line drive swing and an excess of speed. Above all, Ware's greatest asset is his mental game, as he has established himself as a smart, polished player who gladly takes on a role as a team leader. He combines that mental edge with his speed to make himself a plus defender, capable of covering a large amount of ground in center field, with a slightly above average arm. He also takes this edge to the plate, as he is a smart hitter, willing to hit behind runners and bunt when advantageous.

Ware is likely to return to Rome to start 2010 and since he'll turn 23 just prior to the start of the season he's too old to be considered a top tier prospect. But, he is a solid, polished player who seems likely to be able to build on his success one level at a time. At worst, he's likely to develop into a 4th outfielder capable of providing great defense off the bench and a ton of speed, but his work ethic and baseball accumen suggest better is in store.

T5. Calvin Culver B/T: R/R Born: 10/7/1988 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 220
Culver began 2009 in Extended Spring Training, before joining Rome at the beginning of April. He started out hot, hitting .295 with a .774 OPS in his first 44 at bats, but faded as the season went on, finishing with just a .225 average and a .607 OPS in a part time role.

He's big for a center fielder, but he's able to use his strong body to make himself a more than capable defender, spending the majority of his games in the middle of the outfield, while playing 16 in right field and 11 and left field. At this point, Culver has shown little aptitude for hitting in the Minor League, compiling a .236 average and .634 OPS in 579 career plate appearances. But, he'll enter next season as a 21 year old, so there's time for him to improve, but with the wealth of young outfielders coming up from Danville and Orlando, there might not be enough at bats available for him.

T5. Cole Miles B/T: S/R Born: 3/24/1987 Ht: 5'8" Wt: 165
Like most of the players on this list, Miles has little to no power, but tons of speed. And, like Matt Young, his listed height is a friendly lie. After putting up a poor showing with Rome in 2008, hitting just .239 with a pathetic .585 OPS to go with 28 stolen bases, he managed to improve dramatically with his promotion to Myrtle Beach this season, hitting .266 with a .679 OPS, though his stolen bases dropped to 16. While thos numbers still aren't overly impressive, he came on strong in the second half, following up a .259 average and .634 OPS in the first half with a .272 average and .716 OPS in the second half while collecting 13 of his 17 extra base hits for the season and 10 of his stolen bases.

This marked improvement was a welcome sight for Miles after his poor showing for the previous year and a half, and looks like a good indication that he's begun to make the adjustments necessary to develop into a Major League prospect. Another change that has aided him is the shift from the infield to the outfield. Originally drafted as a shortstop, MIles had seen most of his playing time at second base prior to 09, playing just 13 games as an outfielder. But 2009 saw him make the full time switch, as he played just 19 games in the infield, compared to 64 in center field, 21 in left field, and even 8 games in right field. While he never seemed to grasp playing the infield, compiling just a .957 fielding percentage there for his career, he's shown apptitude for the outfield, making use of his speed. While he still has great lengths to go in learning the best routes and actions to take in the outfield, and his well below average arm will always be a bit of a liability, he certainly profiles better in the future as an outfielder.

Miles will likely return to Myrtle Beach in 2010 as a 23 year old, looking to build on his strong second half. He'll need to work on hitting the ball with more authority, as he's never hit more than 9 doubles in a season, and he'll need to walk more to utilize his speed, which he needs to utilize more, but his overall situation isn't as dire as all that sounds. There are positives to his game, and if he can continue to show an ability to adjust and adapt, he might become a Matt Young like prospect in a few years.

Braves Prospect LV Ware's Blog

cbwilk — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:39:10 -0000

Braves Prospect LV Ware's Blog

LV is an interesting guy, and one of the more personable and enjoyable to talk with in the system, and this is his blog. Check it out.

Braves Top-5 Shortstop Prospects

cbwilk — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:02:54 -0000

Brandon Hicks is the Atlanta Braves top shortstop prospect.

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2009 saw Yunel Escobar continue to assert himself as one of the top shortstops in the National League and with the dearth of shortstop prospects in Atlanta's farm system, that's a huge blessing. The top two players on this list were unanimous selections by the bloggers, though after that the pickings became so slim that it left ties for both third and fourth place, with none of those players looking at particularly bright futures. And, even with the talent at the top, there are questions about whether or not those players will be able to stick at shortstop. Clearly, Atlanta is fortunate to have Escobar.

1. Brandon Hicks B/T: R/R Born: 9/14/1985 Ht:6'2" Wt: 200
After an impressive 2008 playing mostly for Myrtle Beach, where he hit .235 with a .802 OPS to go with 20 home runs and 14 stolen bases, Hicks put up a strikingly similar season in 2009 with Mississippi, with one major exception, his home run power left him. While he hit for a similar average, .237, his OPS dropped .110 points to just .692 as he felt the effects of Mississippi's home park. He hit 10 home runs and while his number of doubles was nearly identical, 25 in 09 compared to 26 in 08, he had 70 more plate appearances this season.

The jump to AA clearly affected Hicks as he hit just .215 with a .651 OPS in April. He was also affected by his home ballpark, as he hit just .214 with a .624 OPS at home for the season, compared to .258 with a .754 OPS on the road. Despite these struggles, he seemed to turn things around toward the end of the season, hitting .248 with a .773 OPS in 123 August plate appearances, followed by a torrid finish where he hit .400 with a 1.300 OPS in 24 September plate appearances. This turnaround, combined with the fact that he actually decreased his strikeout rate from the previous season, hint toward Hicks' ability and speak highly of his future.

Hicks has been routinely praised as a top tier defensive shortstop and while his range is nothing spectacular, he takes good routes on balls, has a strong, accurate arm, and rarely makes mental mistakes. While his error total did increase in 2009, some of that could be attributed to taking his poor hitting out to the field with him. Hicks is extremely competitive and has a tendency to be too intense at times. But, while this can occasionally be adverse to his play, it's mostly a huge positive, and part of what allowed him to succeed toward the end of the season.

Hicks is playing out in the Arizona Fall League and regardless of how well he does out there, he'll likely begin 2010 at Mississippi again. He'll need to refine his swing and create more line drives to allow his power to come naturally. He's a big, strong kid and may grow out of shortstop, necessitating a move to third base. But, while he's a bit older than most top prospects, Hicks' talent is obvious, and it's not out of the question that he could see time in Atlanta by the tail end of 2010, though he's more likely to begin making an impact in late 2011.

2. Myke Jones B/T: R/R Born: 5/30/1987 Ht: 5'10" Wt: 165
Selected in the fourth round, Jones was Atlanta's third highest draft pick this season. While he was an integral part of Danville's championship team as their leadoff hitter and shortstop, his season wasn't as dominant as you'd hope for a player who was several years too old for the league. His overall numbers were decent for a middle infielder, as he hit .258 with a .767 OPS along with 19 stolen bases, but after hitting his stride in July with a .280 average and .899 OPS, along with all four of his home runs, the length and grind of the professional season seemed to catch up to him, as he hit .250 with a .657 OPS in roughly the same number of at bats in August. He also struggled mightily against left handed pitchers, hitting just .160 against them with a .501 OPS in 50 at bats.

Jones is wiry and athletic, and despite his 18 errors in just 64 games for Danville, he brings an advanced approach and solid instincts to the field. While his arm is adequate enough for shortstop, it's not a plus tool, and that combined with the fact that his body is unlikely to hold up to the punishment that a shortstop takes day in and day out may force a future move to second base.

Because he'll turn 23 early next season, Jones is already a little bit old, so it's likely that he'll begin next season at High A Myrtle Beach. While he didn't dominate at Danville, he'll be able to take his professional experience and the knowledge of what it takes physically to play the professional game and attack the higher level. He is an outstanding athlete and while his line drive stroke does create occasional power, he doesn't get caught up in trying to play outside of his line drive/speed game. He's an intriguing prospect, and while he may never be a top flight player, it's very likely he'll reach his celing as an adequate Major League middle infielder.

T3. Randy Gress B/T: RR Born: 12/6/1984 Ht: 6'3" Wt: 180
Gress became something of a joke here on Talking Chop, as some posters chose to poke fun as his light hitting, ironically saying he was a better prospect than Jason Heyward. While it's certainly unfair to make light of a young man who has shown himself capable of playing professional baseball, something very few can say for themselves, it's true, Gress isn't much of a prospect. He spent this season bouncing between Danville, Rome, and Myrtle Beach, hitting just .222 with a .588 OPS as a part-time player. Gress has never been a full-time player in his career, ammassing just 546 plate appearances in his three seasons, and it shows in his numbers as he has just a .196 career average and .535 career OPS.

Gress does possess a strong body and decent speed and he's a capable fielder at any of the four infield positions, playing each for all three teams he was with this season. He's an excellent teammate and while he's never been happy with his lack of playing time, he's always been dilligent about putting in the work it takes to remain a professional and has been a helpful and accomadating teammate. He'll be 25 entering next season and there's little reason to suspect he'll be any more than a backup next year as well.

T3. Fernando de los Santos B/T: R/R Born: 1/18/1990 Ht: 6'1" Wt: 180
Fernando de los Santos was signed by Atlanta out of the Domincan Republic in 2008 for $100,000 and he showed them enough in Extended Spring Training that he made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League for the Orlando Braves in 2009. Unfortunately, he didn't show much during the season, batting just .229 with a .612 OPS in 120 plate appearances. He didn't show much pop or speed, and made 6 errors in just 29 games, but he'll be just 20 years old entering the 2010 season, and he has good size for a shortstop, so there's reason to believe he'll be able to make sizeable advances in his second professional season, which will also be just his second year in the US.

Where de los Santos starts 2010 is up for debate. There's a possibility he returns to the GCL, or he may again impress the coaches in Spring Training and earn a promotion to Danville. There's also a possiblity that he could follow in the footsteps of countryman Yoel Campusano and return to the Domincan and play in their summer league. After a poor debut in the US, Campusano took this route and revitalized his career. Wherever de los Santos plays in 2010, he'll need to perform better if he wants to assert himself as a legitimate prospect.

T5. Diory Hernandez B/T: R/R Born: 4/8/1984 Ht: 6'0" Wt: 185
Many soured on Hernandez after he spent the entire months of June and July with Atlanta, filling in for the injured Omar Infante and the banged up Yunel Escobar, and hit just .141 with a woeful .410 OPS in 93 plate appearances. But, surrounding this poor showing in his first chance at the Major League, he put up another solid Minor League campaign, hitting .319 with a .821 OPS for AAA Gwinnett in 234 plate appearances.

After scuffling to a .241 average and .644 OPS playing mostly for Myrtle Beach in 2006, Hernandez turned things around with solid seasons in 07, .308 average and .795 OPS for Myrtle Beach and Mississippi, and 08, .287 average and .710 OPS for Mississippi and Richmond. He doesn't hit for much power, hitting seven homers each of the last three season before hitting only one this year, and his stolen bases have evaporated as he's moved up the ladder, but Hernandez utilizes a solid line drive hitting approach that makes him perfect as a number 2 or 8 hitter.

While he's played the vast majority of his games at shortstop, he's also played nearly a season's worth of games over his career at second base and about a half season's worth at third. He's a solid defender at each, posessed with a good, accurate arm. If he were asked to perform in the Major League for an extended period, his best fit would probably be at second base, but he's solid enough at all three positions to place himself as an ideal candidate for utility infield duty. Hernandez will return to Gwinnett to start the 2010 season as a 26 year old, looking to refine his skills until and oppportunity for a full-time job on Atlanta's bench opens for him.

T5. Chris Lovett B/T: R/R Born: 12/21/1988 Ht: 6'0" Wt: 180
Lovett was drafted out of Columbia State Community College in Tennessee in the 12th round this year and his debut for the Orlando Braves in the GCL was less than spectacular, as he hit for a .231 average with a .674 OPS. While he did rank seventh on the team with 12 RBI, tieing fellow shortstop prospect Fernando de los Santos, he was also third on the team with 9 errors, making them in just 35 games. He'll be 21 entering next season, so it's going to take a good Spring Training and strong start to the season for Lovett to really establish himself as a prospect.

(All photos by CB Wilkins)

Braves Top-5 Second Base Prospects

cbwilk — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:53:28 -0000

Braves second base prospect Travis Jones.

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The Braves have been fortunate enough to consistently fill their second base position with homegrown talent over the last three decades. Aside from small stretches by Brett Boone and Quilvio Veras, the mantle of starting second baseman has passed from Glen Hubbard to Mark Lemke to Marcus Giles to Kelly Johnson and now to the newest in the string of Atlanta-developed second sackers, Martin Prado. The position has remained solidly, if not spectacularly, filled and the next wave of prospects hints at more of the same. Atlanta's current bevy of second base prospects is fairly lacking in top flight talent with huge celings, but it's a group of solid players who all seem likely to reach their personal potentials.

1. Travis Jones B/T: R/R Born: 11/10/1985 Ht: 5/9" Wt: 190
Jones takes the top spot among Braves' Minor League second basemen despite a bit of a down year for AA Mississippi. As a 22 year old playing for Myrtle Beach in 2008, Jones managed to club out 29 doubles, 16 homers and 78 RBIs along with swiping 17 bases while compling a .248 average and a .789 OPS. This season his OPS dropped to .706 as his home run power seemed to vanish, but his other numbers held firm, as he hit for a .249 average to with 22 doubles and 23 stolen bases.

Mississippi's park has become known as a pitcher's park, as notoriously hard to hit home runs in as Myrtle Beach's park, and that coupled with the natural trials of the adjustment to AA, considered the hardest adjustment in professional baseball, led to Jones' first half struggles. In 228 at bats before the All-Star break he hit just .224 with a punchless .637 OPS, but rebounded amiably after the break hitting .290 with a .819 OPS in 138 at bats.

Jones is a solid, reliable defender who combines good instincts with plus range. He doesn't have the arm to play shortstop, nor the body to play third, and he's played neither position as a professional, so there isn't much of a chance that he'll be able to work his way into the Major Leagues as a utiliy infielder. But, the power/speed combo that he showed in 07, 08, and the second half of 09 suggest that he has the tools to be an everyday starter for a Big League team. He'll begin next season as a 24 year old, so there's not much chance that he'll develop into a high octane, incredibly exciting player, but he's certainly in the Braves mold of a dependable, solid second baseman.

Due to his second half surge, a great Spring Training could propel Jones to AAA Gwinnett, but it's more likely the Braves allow him to repeat his success at AA, at least for the first half of the season. Either way, he'll need to continue to work on keeping his swing correct and aiming for doubles instead of home runs. His history suggests he's never going to hit for a high average, but he still gets on base at a good clip and has shown a knack for situational hitting. Jones doesn't have the highest ceiling in the Braves' farm system, but his combination of slugging and speed make him a valuable component in a lineup and he could help Atlanta as soon as the end of the 2010 season.

2. Yoel Campusano B/T: R/R Born: 12/14/1986 Ht: 5'11" Wt: 200
Campusano, who has alternately been known by the first names Joel and Albaro, comes in at second on the list after garnering Rome's Player of the Year honors by hitting .288 with a .730 OPS. Despite this accolade, 2009 wasn't exactly an outstanding season for him, since at 22 he was several years too old for the league and didn't dominate in the way that a player that old should have.

Despite a slightly stocky body, Campusano has a fair amount of quickness and is a solid defender. He began his career as a shortstop, but as his body has filled out he's found himself better suited for second base. But, while his body is well suited for second, it limits him offensively; despite his build, he's not blessed with much power, and he doesn't have the speed to steal enough bases to make him a dynamic hitter.

Like Jones before him, Campusano is a fairly polished player. He's too old to imagine a huge boost in his tools, but he's been steady enough to suggest he won't regress much either. He'll go into 2010 as Myrtle Beach's starting second baseman and look to continue to build on his Minor League resume.

3. JC Holt B/T: L/R Born: 12/8/1982 Ht: 5"9" Wt: 175
Holt will be 27 entering the 2010 season, so he's hardly the typical prospect, and, despite consistently being a year or so old for the level he was playing at, he's never dominated, compiling a .711 OPS in his six Minor League seasons. But, he's working on his versatility to make himself a more attractive player, going back to the outfield, where he excelled in college, and playing nearly as many games in left field this season as he played at second base.

An August knee injury cut short his 2009 season, but Holt was working mainly as a part-time player even before that, compiling a .282 average and .697 OPS in 302 plate appearances. While he's never been a terror with the bat, he does supplement his lack of power with speed, stealing an average of 25 bases over the last four seasons. He uses his speed well, both at the plate, where he regularly bunts for base hits, and in the field, where he has plus range both in the infield and the outfield. But, his small frame (that he's listed at 5'9" tall is a comical lie) doesn't allow for much of an arm, so he's not likely to be an adequate defender at third base or shortstop and while he'd certainly have the range for center, his arm would be a liability there.

Holt is a completely finished product; you know what you're going to get out of him, an average somewhere in the .270 to .280 range, a low .700 OPS, and around 25 stolen bases. He'll spend 2010 once again refining his skills in Gwinnett, hoping for an injury that will allow his particular set of skills to be useful in the Major Leagues. He's unlikely to be protected on Atlanta's 40 man roster, so a team looking to stash his speed and versatility at the end of their bench might find him attractive.

4. Michael Fisher B/T: S/R Born: 3/22/1985 Ht: 6'2" Wt: 188
Fisher's inclusion on this list is a clear sign that Atlanta is not deep at second base in the Minor Leagues. Despite being several years old for the league at 24, he put up a poor showing at Myrtle Beach, hitting just .238 with a .590 OPS. He showed almost no power, slugging just .296, and doesn't have the speed to make up for it. Add on to that the 18 erros he made and things aren't looking good for Fisher's future.

He'll be entering 2010 as a 25 year old, so at this point Fisher can't be looked at as anything more than organizational filler. He's likely to return to Myrtle Beach if only to supplement the roster and aid the younger players. Even if he is able to make a dramatic turnaround in his career, he'll need to prove himself at AA and AAA before he can be counted on for Atlanta's future.

5. Jim Linger B/T: R/R Born: 9/6/1990 Ht: 5'11" Wt: 195
Linger sneaks onto the end of this list based on potential alone. When he was signed out of Australia last year he was considered the top amateur talent in the country and represented his homeland in this year's World Cup Tournament. His introduction into professional baseball was a little rough, but not without its promise, as he hit for a .273 average and a .688 OPS in 142 plate appearances for the Orlando Braves in the Gulf Coast League. While these numbers aren't spectacular, he did show improvement as he acclimated to playing in America, ending the year hitting .303 with a .748 OPS in 76 August at bats while collecting both of his home runs and 6 of his 8 RBIs on the season. Originally signed as a shortstop, he has settled in at second base as a pro, utilizing his rangy frame and athleticism to make himself a plus defender.

Australians often take longer than players from other foreign countries to develop as the level of play isn't as competitive, so it's not out of the question that Linger will be slow to develop. With a good showing in Spring Training, he could find himself as Rome's starting second baseman in 2010, but it's more likely that he'll stay in Extended ST and begin playing with Danville in June. Either way, Linger is young enough that there's room to be patient with him and his combination of athleticism and potential make it plausible that he could be at the top of Altanta's second base prospect pile come this time next year.

(All photos by CB Wilkins, except Campusano by Chip Jett)

Braves 2009 Season In Review: Martin Prado

cbwilk — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:32:07 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Martin Prado batted .331 with a .913 OPS in 269 plate appearances as a second baseman in 2009.

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Prior to the 2009 season, there was speculation that Martin Prado could perform well enough to replace Kelly Johnson as the Braves' starting second baseman. This speculation was based on the idea that Prado's presence could allow the Braves to trade Johnson, who had shown himself to be one of the better second basemen in the National League over the previous two seasons, to help fill other holes on the team. Well, Johnson wasn't traded, but his 2009 struggles coupled with Prado's breakout campaign, have firmly placed Prado as the Braves' new starting second baseman.

Coming off of a solid 2008 campaign as a reserve for Atlanta, Prado started the 2009 season in the same role, playing in just 12 games in the month of April, starting just 4 of those. But, like the year before, he excelled in limited time, hitting for a .350 average with a 1.035 OPS in just 23 plate appearances. Despite a precipitous dip in his numbers, dropping to a .208 average with a .653 OPS in 59 palte appearances, he garnered more playing time in May, starting 11 of the 19 games he played.

But June was the turning point of Prado's season, as he saw his numbers bounce back, hitting for a .359 average with a .921 OPS in 73 plate appearances, as he started in 16 of the 20 games he played that month. From that point on, he established himself as a regular in the Braves' lineup, starting 75 of the team's final 86 games.

One of the big questions about Prado was how he would handle playing regularly over the course of a full season, and a second half dip in his numbers show that he hasn't fully quelled those doubts. After hitting for a .330 averge along with a .889 OPS in 214 first half plate appearances, he fell to a .289 average and a .772 OPS in 289 second half plate appearances. The drop was aided by a concussion he suffered at the hands of a line drive that contributed to dizzyness and heat stroke in August, but even though his numbers dropped by huge amounts, .041 points on his average and .117 points on his OPS, his second half numbers were still good enough production out of a second baseman, and his total season numbers are very comperable to what Kelly Johnson produced out of that position for the team the previous two seasons.

The only real knock on Prado's 2009 season is that he was surprisingly bad as a third baseman. He had his lowest fielding percentage at any position at third, just .975, and in 127 plate appearances, a quarter of his season total, he hit just .231 with a woeful .590 OPS. But, the team isn't counting on him to play third, and as a second baseman he was outstanding, combining a solid .986 fielding percentage with a .331 average and a .913 OPS in 269 plate appearances.

Martin Prado certainly proved himself in 2009, coming to the plate nearly as many times as he had in his previous three Major League seasons combined and shifting fairly seamlessly from the role of a reserve to that of a starter. Since he's shown himself capable of providing equal production to former starting second baseman Kelly Johnson while only being paid the league minimum, he should allow the Braves to utilize the money they paid Johnson in 2009 on another spot on the diamond in 2010.