Saturday, March 29, 2014

Joey Gallo Scouting Report

I was able to watch 3B prospect Joey Gallo take some batting practice when I was in Surprise and here is what I saw:

He has slightly above average bat speed, definitely not anything special or anything to set him apart. Gallo's power comes more from raw strength than it does a quick bat. With his huge K-rates to this point in his career, I was expecting a very long swing, but I was surprised. His swing is too long, but I don't see it as being long enough to where it would cause more than I minor problem for him at the plate. It definitely attributes some to his K-rate, but I think the root of that problem lies somewhere else. Gallo also struggled to hit to the opposite field when the hitters were working on going oppo, as he lengthened his swing and slowed down his bat to try and take it the other way.

Gallo is very strong, and thus has plus power, but I have some major worries with him. His swing, although not long to an extreme, is too long, his bat speed is nothing special and just a bit above average, and I would like to see him have a more consistent swing when trying to hit to all fields. He has the potential to be a monster, but I see too many questions to put a very good chance on him reaching his potential.

Travis Demeritte Scouting Report

I was able to watch 2013 1st round pick (30th overall) 3B prospect Travis Demeritte take some batting practice when I was in Surprise and here is what I saw:

Demeritte definitely has some plus bat speed. His bat really gets through the zone quick and he should have no problem turning on inside pitches. His swing is just a bit long, but with his bat speed it should not make much of a difference. Demeritte also has a plus plus appreciation of the song Paranoid by Ty Dolla $ign, which is a very important quality in a hitter in today's baseball. My main worry with Demeritte is his wrists, which look a little bit stiff to me.

Demeritte showed me why he was a first round pick, flashing very good bat speed. He definitely has the potential to develop a plus hit tool.

Hanser Alberto Scouting Report

I was able to watch Hanser Alberto take some batting practice a couple weeks ago in Surprise, and here is what I saw:

Alberto is more known for his defense than his hitting ability, and there is definitely a reason for that. While his swing is good and overall pretty short and compact, his bat speed is below average, which will make him very vulnerable to inside fastballs. He also has very average wrist quickness, so he doesn't make up for his lack of bat speed with his wrists.

I have a hard time seeing him develop much of a hit tool or much pop. He will need to develop an very advanced approach at the plate for him to be able to provide much offensively. I plan to go to a couple games in Myrtle Beach this year, and if he gets moved up to Frisco, where he was last year, I will definitely get a look at him there so I can see him defensively, but it will take some serious plus plus defense for me to believe in him developing into a ML-caliber player.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Deep Sleeper Prospects

There are two players who are completely off the radar and have yet to produce in games, that I believe have a chance, albeit a small one, of developing into ML caliber players.

Fernando Vivili: entering his 20-year-old season, Vivili has yet to put up an average above the Mendoza line in three rookie league seasons, putting up averages of .189, .194, and .180. To this point, he has six home runs in 342 career plate appearances.

However, despite his struggles, I believe he has the potential of being a ML caliber hitter. He has good bat speed and a good frame (6'3", 210). His swing is not too long, either.

Clearly, with his lack of production to this point, the chances of him reaching his ceiling are low, but I believe he has the ability to turn into a very good player.

Smerling Lantigua: also entering his 20-year-old season, Lantigua, like Vivili, is yet to produce in-season in three rookie league seasons, with OPS of .669, .524, and .642 to this point. He has struggled defensively as well.

Despite that, Lantigua has above average bat speed to go along with fairly quick wrists, a swing that is not overly long, and he also has a good frame to add strength to.

With his struggles to this point, he also does not have a high chance of reaching his potential, but he does have the ability to turn himself into a major league caliber hitter if he can cut down on his near 30% K-rate, which I can only assume is due to a lack of plate discipline and pitch recognition as I have not seen any reason for it from BP.

In all likelihood, these two will not pan out, but Vivili and Lantigua are a couple of deep sleeper prospects to keep an eye on, as the potential is there for them to develop into good players.

Jairo Beras Scouting Report

I was able to watch Jairo Beras take batting practice over the last couple days at the morning workouts, and here is what I saw:

His swing is a tad long but not long enough to where it should create a major problem for him, very good bat speed, good size (6'5") and should be able to add some good strength as he ages. Fairly quick wrists. Probably a year or two away from breaking out production-wise.

At just 18 with good bat speed, good size/frame, and quick wrists, Beras has a lot of potential to be a very good major league player. Should be able to develop above average power as he adds muscle. Don't see star potential, but definitely has the tools to develop into an above average ML player.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Lewis Brinson Scouting Report

I was able to watch Lewis Brinson take some batting practice over the last couple days, and this is what I saw:

Very good bat speed, one of the top 5 I have seen out here so far, to go along with very quick wrists. The combination of those two should give him plus power as he develops. He also has very good size, with the ability to add some muscle and gain some strength to his tall, skinny frame. However, his swing is definitely too long, and is something that will lead to him struggling to make contact throughout his career without some changes, as shown by his unheard of 38% K-rate last year.

At just 20 years old, Brinson has plenty of time to develop, and definitely has tools to succeed, with very good bat speed, quick wrists, and good size at 6'3-4", but he has a long swing that will lead to a tendency to strike out too often. His ability to reach his very high ceiling will likely come down to whether or not he can make enough contact.

Kellin Deglan Scouting Report

I was able to watch Kellin Deglan take some batting practice during the morning workouts today, and here is what I saw:

I saw very average bat speed, which will really hurt his ability to hit better, and especially harder-throwing, pitching. He has a good frame to add strength, which is something he is really going to need to do if he is going to be able to overcome his lack of bat speed.

At his best, he may be able to be a three true outcomes guy that can hang around in the majors as a backup catcher for a bit, with a ceiling of about 15 home runs if he can add a good amount of strength, as he has already shown a tendency to strike out a lot (struck out in 26.2% of plate appearances last year), and draw a good amount of walks (9.2% of plate appearances last year). That is his ceiling, but I don't see him ever being a ML caliber hitter.

Yeyson Yrizarri Scouting Report

I was able to watch Yeyson Yrizarri take some batting practice during this mornings workouts, and here is what I saw:

Many of you may not know this name. He is a 16-year-old shortstop prospect the Rangers signed out of the Dominican last year for $1.35 million.

While Yrizarri is known for having a quick bat, I saw his bat speed as just slightly above average. What I saw as his biggest asset is his very quick wrists. He has a good swing that doesn't have much wasted motion. He is also known for having a good arm although I have not been able to see him throw to this point. At 16 years old, it is too early to start making career projections, but he definitely has the ability to be a ML player down the line, and his quick wrists can make him a quality hitter as he adds strength.

EDIT: I was able to see him take some grounders a couple days after I wrote this report, and here is what I saw defensively:

Yrizzari definitely has a very strong arm, and that should really develop into a plus tool for him as he ages. However, he showed poor hands, fumbling multiple softly hit balls, and really struggling to field groundballs backhanded. I question his ability to stay at short, but he definitely has the arm to stay on the left side of the infield.

Ryan Rua Scouting Report

I was able to watch Ryan Rua take some batting practice during this morning's workouts and here is what I saw:

Rua has good strength, good wrist quickness, good bat speed, good short and compact swing. Just all-around solid tools at the plate, with no one special quality but also without one big flaw. An overall solid hitter.

Nothing about him stood out, but Rua showed good, above average abilities in wrist quickness and bat speed, to go along with good strength and a good short swing. I see his ceiling as a league average third baseman, which is a very valuable player, with a good chance to at least be a quality ML bench bat.

Jorge Alfaro Scouting Report

I was able to watch Jorge Alfaro take some batting practice today and play in an intrasquad game yesterday, and here is what I saw:

Plus plus, elite bat speed, really gets through the zone at a great rate, bat speed rivals Odor for best I have seen this week. Smooth swing with little wasted motion. Does have a plus arm which he is probably most known for, should be able to develop plus power due to his great bat speed. Great size and frame.

With fantastic bat speed, a good, short, smooth, mechanically-sound swing, a plus arm, good frame, good athleticism, Alfaro has the potential to be a perennial All-Star at the Major League level. Not at all overrated. Has all the tools to be a star, but needs to work on his plate discipline, with just a 6.7BB% last year. If he can become a more patient hitter, watch out.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Edwin Garcia Scouting Report

I was able to watch Edwin Garcia take some batting practice during the Rangers morning workouts today and here is what I saw:

I was not expecting anything from Garcia as I watched him this morning, but what he showed me surprised me. He flashed above average bat speed to go along with average hands as far as quickness goes, and a short compact swing. On top of being impressed with his batting today, I was able to watch a game in which he played in Myrtle Beach back in 2012 and was impressed with his glove and above average range at 2B.

Combining his above average bat speed and quick swing with above average range at 2B leads me to feel that he is one of the most underrated prospects in the Rangers system. Clearly he is blocked in the Rangers system by Andrus, Profar, and Odor in the middle infield, but it believe down the line Garcia has the ability to be a major league caliber utility guy with a ceiling of a low end ML starter if he is able to improve his plate discipline and patience at the plate (6.5 BB% last year at Myrtle Beach).

Preston Beck Scouting Report

I was able to watch Preston Beck take some batting practice during the morning workouts today and here is what I saw:

I was not expecting much from Beck, a little talked about prospect who hit .245 at High-A Myrtle Beach last year as a 22-year-old, and I was surprised at what I saw. I saw him show some solid bat speed and some fairly quick wrists. He definitely needs to shorten up his swing, however, as it is a little longer than where it needs to be.

He has a long ways to go, as shown by his .245/.345/.342 slash line last year, and the chances of him reaching his potential is relatively low, but I was impressed today and believe he has the potential to be a major league fourth outfielder and solid contributor if he is able to fully develop.

Chris Bostick Scouting Report

I was able to watch Bostick take some batting practice today during the morning workouts, and here is what I saw:

Bostick was a big disappointment to me after seeing him pop up as high as #6 in the Rangers system prospect rankings (he was ranked 6th by Keith Law), but I did not see him anywhere near that high. What I saw from Bostick was average bat speed and a swing that, while not necessarily excessively long, could use to be shortened up a bit. On top of those two detractors, Bostick is just 5'11", 185 without a frame to get much bigger. 

I was not able to scout him defensively, but I don't see him hitting well enough to be able to be an everyday player at the major league level as he develops. He may have the potential to be a utility guy if he has plus range and a plus arm, but his bat is simply not going to be major league quality without some serious improvement.

Nick Williams Scouting Report

I was able to watch Nick Williams take batting practice today during minor league workouts and here is what I saw:

Williams has outstanding bat speed, one of the top 2 or 3 I've seen while I've been out here in Surprise, maybe only behind Rougned Odor in bat speed out of the players I have seen to this point. He will have absolutely no problem getting around on inside pitches. He has a good swing, and although it may be very slightly longer than necessary, it is nowhere near long enough to be a problem with his elite bat speed.

Williams really stood out today, and to put that in perspective, he stood out in a group of Nomar Mazara, Ronald Guzman, and Joey Gallo. Obviously, batting practice doesn't show me his speed, defense, or arm, but based on what I saw today, I believe he is a top 5 Rangers prospect and potentially a top end everyday outfielder down the road.

Nomar Mazara Scouting Report

I was able to watch Mazara take some batting practice today and here is what I was able to pick up:

Mazara has plus bat speed, very good although not elite. He also has a very smooth, mechanically-sound, short, quick-to-the-ball swing. He showed an ability to hit the ball well to all fields as well.

Hopefully I'll be able to watch him play an inter squad game tomorrow morning so I can continue scouting him and expand on this report, but based on what I saw today I believe he has everyday right fielder upside. 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Shawn Tolleson Scouting Report

Tolleson threw one inning in the Rangers B game today and I was impressed with what I saw:

Consistent delivery which he repeats well, hides ball well, fastball a bit too straight, but good velocity plus good deception in his delivery make it a major league average pitch with the ability to be a plus pitch. Sharp, late breaking slider that could also become a plus pitch for him. Below average change.

Tolleson flashed late-inning potential, and I could see him having two plus pitches (fastball and slider) with a little more development. Definite breakout candidate, and at age 26, if it is ever going to happen, it needs to soon.

Rougned Odor Scouting Report

Odor played in the Rangers B game today and I was able to get a close look at him:

Odor has incredible bat speed and a short quick swing with no wasted motion. The combination of those two should lead to him being able to generate more power than would be expected from a player of his 5'11", 170 frame. I see 15-20 home run potential to go along with a good batting average , stemming from a low K-rate and high line drive rate which would come from his plus bat speed and compact swing.

Luis Sardinas Scouting Report

Sardinas played in the Rangers B game today. I was only able to see him bat from the right side today, so I still need to do a lot more scouting before I form an opinion on him, but here is what I saw from him:

Average bat speed from the right side, which, along with his smaller size, will severely limit him generating power from that side of the plate. While his swing is not long it could still be shortened up a little bit. Plus range at shortstop. I plan to watch him take some BP tomorrow from the left side and I'll update this report tomorrow night.

Ronald Guzman Scouting Report

Guzman played in the Rangers B game today, and here is what I was able to pick up:

Guzman has very good bat speed, which should lead to him developing plus power. He also showed a solid patient approach with good discipline in his ABs, although that is not supported by his 5.8 BB% last season. No big holes in his swing, solid mechanically.

After seeing Guzman today, I am a believer in his ability to become a very good big league first baseman down the line due to his very good bat speed.

Justin Germano Scouting Report

Germano pitched 3 innings at the B game today, and here are my observations:

His mechanics are fine and he has a consistent delivery he is able to repeat. His fastball sat in the 83-87 range without a great deal of movement, though it was not straight. His change up was a decent pitch with the chance to become a major league average pitch, but at 31 that is unlikely. His curveball does not have a sharp break and is not a big league caliber pitch. On the 20-80 scale where 40 is poor, 45 is below average, 50 is average, 55 is above average, 60 is plus, 70 is plus-plus, I would give his fastball a 40, change up a 45, and his curveball a 40.

Overall, I just do not see him as a successful major league pitcher pitcher now nor do I see the potential for him to be one in the future.