Possibly goes top 10 but is a big, physical SP with ace potential. Moore and co. will be all over him if he slips a bit and could offer top 10 money at No. 16
OF Jarred Kelenic, Waukasha West HS, WI
Spoiler!
Kelenic is the top prep bat, toolsy OF. Royals would be ecstatic to have shot at him.
1B Triston Casas, American Heritage HS (FL).
Spoiler!
Tremendous raw power, best in HS bats. Royals typically like HS arms or HS bats with "special" tools. He qualifies.
RHP Carter Stewart, Eau de Gallie HS (Ga).
Spoiler!
Another big, physical specimen with huge upside. More likely to be available mid-first than Rocker.
ANY Any, Any (Any). Any current top projected pick who slides for injury concerns. Includes current top prospect prospect SP Brady Singer, U of Florida.
Current Prospects to Watch:
OF Seuly Matias - Huge tools. Hit 2 HR in Lexington (A) season opener.
1B Nick Pratto - Top pick in 17 has advanced approach and good glove; needs to start tapping into power in first full year in minors. Also at Lexington.
OF Michael Gigliotti - Good defender in CF, good OBP skills, plus baserunner. Next mainstay in CF for KC, IMO. Advanced college bat also starting at Lexington.
OF Khalil Lee - Probably has highest upside in Royals' system. Could hit 30 HR in majors, could steal 30 bases. Plus defensive ability in RF. Nice test at Wilmington this year.
3B Emmanuel Rivera - Really nice approach and good contact skills. Power is still developing. Also getting a good test at Wilmington.
SP Foster Griffin - Made nice strides in 2017. Needs to continue to progress in 2018. Could be a lefty version of Jakob Junis (good breaking ball that he can really manipulate, OK fastball, good command).
1B Samir Duenez - Duenez still is intriguing, hoping for a step forward in his power production this year at Northwest Arkansas, which would turn him into a legit prospect.
Others to keep an eye on:
SP Gerson Garabito (Wilmington), OF Marten Gasparini (Lexington), C MJ Melendez (Lexington), RP Tyler Zuber (lexington), RP Richard Lovelady (Omaha), SP Dan Tillo (Lexington), SS Nicky Lopez (NWA), SP Scott Blewett (NWA), OF Brewer Hicklen (Idaho Falls),
In general, Lexington and Wilmington are the most interesting spots to watch. Nice depth and a lot of interesting pieces at both. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
If the Brewers would talk Santana and Arcia, that deal would almost certainly get done.
It might be an overpay for them but Arcia's been a disappointment and they're struggling to find a home for Santana. The Orioles will ask Huira but that's gonna be a tough pull for them.
I see conflicting reports on what the Dodgers are offering in comparison... but they are usually not big on offering up their top guys. The only guy apparently saying the Dodgers have offered their top guys is Jim Bowden. And we know how accurate he usually is. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
On the other hand, he leaves one of the nastiest pitching parks in the game for the friendly confines of Kaufman.
If he's legit, the switch in parks can make up a lot of what the switch in leagues costs him.
The 'if' is the catch, but it's also the only reason why you could get him. I mean the kid's pitched as well as anyone in baseball for a month now. If you'd have tried to snag Severino prior to the 2017 season you could have done so but if you waited until the end of 2017 he'd become one of the least attainable assets in baseball. Snell's looking like a similar creature. Maybe you could've snagged him in April when he was pitching well but nobody knew if he'd continue to do so. 10 weeks later you'd have to offer the moon for him. He who hesitates, masturbates and what not...
You don't get young aces unless you're willing to gamble before they've fully established themselves.
Yeah, it’s an interesting, creative idea and presents the potential to turn a good trade chip into a great one.
I just can’t see Moore and his staff making the deal with that in mind. And there is a fair amount of risk (swapping a position player asset for a pitching asset, that pitcher being one on a hot streak who doesn’t have much track record at this level of performance).
Everything we’ve seen from them suggests they’ll target multiple guys and look for upside guys rather than a proven major leaguer. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
I see conflicting reports on what the Dodgers are offering in comparison... but they are usually not big on offering up their top guys. The only guy apparently saying the Dodgers have offered their top guys is Jim Bowden. And we know how accurate he usually is.
Their refusal to part with Alex Verdugo has been the damndest thing to me.
In an absolutely perfect world where nothing goes wrong in his development he becomes Christian Yelich. Meanwhile they gave up Calhoun who may not have Verdugo's high floor but I think his ceiling is better.
The Dodgers and their ridiculous wealth should be a little less clingy with some of their prospects, IMO. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
If the Brewers would talk Santana and Arcia, that deal would almost certainly get done.
It might be an overpay for them but Arcia's been a disappointment and they're struggling to find a home for Santana. The Orioles will ask Huira but that's gonna be a tough pull for them.
Not if I’m pulling the trigger for the Orioles. Would be a really underwhelming return for a rental of a top 10 position player.
They’re fixated on pitching in the return. If they were being creative, the Orioles would throw Bundy into their deal with the Brewers and ask for Hiura, Burnes, and another guy like Wilkerson for the Machado/Bundy combo. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
Not if I’m pulling the trigger for the Orioles. Would be a really underwhelming return for a rental of a top 10 position player.
They’re fixated on pitching in the return. If they were being creative, the Orioles would throw Bundy into their deal with the Brewers and ask for Hiura, Burnes, and another guy like Wilkerson for the Machado/Bundy combo.
I think Santana hits 35 in Camden. Just entering his prime with 3 more years of control after this one. I think he's a nice player with an established major league floor.
Arcia looked like an emerging talent last year and has long been a top 100 type prospect; as much as a top 10 in a lot of lists. Just 23 and with 4 years of control after this year.
That's two pretty nice big league players with potential to be fringe all-star caliber guys with a lot of control left for a player they know they're losing soon. They may not have superstar upside but they have a lot of potential. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
I think Santana hits 35 in Camden. Just entering his prime with 3 more years of control after this one. I think he's a nice player with an established major league floor.
Arcia looked like an emerging talent last year and has long been a top 100 type prospect; as much as a top 10 in a lot of lists. Just 23 and with 4 years of control after this year.
That's two pretty nice big league players with potential to be fringe all-star caliber guys with a lot of control left for a player they know they're losing soon. They may not have superstar upside but they have a lot of potential.
It’s a lot of control, sure, but Santana is atrocious defensively and has struggled enough this year to be relegated to the minors despite a breakout last year. He’s also in a great hitters park already.
But maybe getting solid major leaguers back makes it easier to sell the deal to Angelos, who is crazy. [Reply]
Moustakas struck out on the high fastball twice in a row tonight. And by high, I mean a foot high. Looks bad, we need to trade him before he tanks his value, like we did with Herrera [Reply]
Did anyone post yet that Bubba Starling is finally playing again? He hit two homeruns yesterday. I'm sure it won't last, or he'll get injured again, but it's at least a glimmer of hope. I'd like to see him get a call up in September at the latest if he's actually still healthy by then. [Reply]
