Posted on 11 April 2009
H/W 6-3 190 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 3/2/85
The former 2003 1st round pick had his best season since his infamous '05 season by hitting .296 with 31 HR 84 RBI and scoring 82 runs in just 395 at bats at AAA Salt Lake City. As good as Wood was at AAA, he was equally horrible as a major leaguer, batting a meager .200 with 5 HR and 13 RBI in 55 games. There is no denying that Wood has a power-loaded bat that can launch homeruns at a 30+ per season pace. His fast hands generates exceptional bat speed and the natural leverage of his swing produces fence-clearing loft to all fields. Wood still hasn't figured out major leagu pitching yet. He has a difficult time laying off of breaking balls out of the strike zone and often gets himself behind in the count early. Defensively, Wood made the switch to third base prior to the '08 season and his natural agility as a shortstop and his rifle arm has made him an excellent defender at the hot corner. His footspeed is slightly above average, and he is an intelligent baserunner who has the ability to nab double digits in steals during the early years of his career. As he matures, he will continue to be more of a middle of the order power hitter who, while not a liability on the basepaths, will not be a weapon either. The Angels are cautiously moving Wood forward into a future starting role with the organization.
2009 Projection: Wood had an outstanding spring training, hitting .322 with 4 HR 13 RBI 14 runs scored and a 5 BB/12 K ratio in 59 AB. Despite his strong spring, the healthy return of Chone Figgins and the outstanding play of Erick Aybar sent Brandon packing for another opening day with Salt Lake City. Keep an eye on his eye at the plate. If he can improve his BB/K ratio with Salt Lake City, there may just be a chance yet that he will figure things out at the big league level. Once he does, watch out!
Key Brandon Wood Baseball Cards:
- 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2003 Bowman Heritage
- 2005 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2006 Bowman Chrome Auto
- 2006 Bowman Heritage Auto
- 2007 Bowman's Best Auto
- 2007 SP Authentic By The Letter Auto
- 2007 Sweet Spot Mini Helmet Auto
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Posted on 30 March 2009
H/W: 6-0 190 lb. B/T: S/R DOB: 1/17/85
Emmanuel Burriss missed a considerable amount of time last season with a left oblique injury that nagged him throughout the first part of the season. Regardless, he was able to log in about 240 AB in his first major league season producing a solid 283 BA with 1 HR 18 RBI and 13 SB. Burriss has fleet feet that wreak havoc on the basepaths as testified by the 103 SB he logged in his two previous minor league seasons. A contact hitter, Burriss works counts efficiently and is almost impossible to strike out. He is an excellent bunter and hits line drives to all fields with little to no power. Defensively, Burriss has the ability to play both SS and 2B or the OF in a pinch. He needs to continue to shore up his glove work and arm accuracy in order to stick as a starter.
2009 Projection: Burriss has looked sharp this spring hitting .397. The Giants are locked in at SS with the off season signing of Edgar Renteria, and Kevin Frandsen is the early favorite to receive most of the playing time at 2B. However, Burriss is a serviceable utility guy who should get a considerable amount of playing time at either position throughout the season. He has a strong frame that could add a little more XBH pop as he matures. That would do nothing but help his chances to receive more playing time. In a full season, Burriss is a threat to steal 35-40 bases while hitting for a high average and excellent OBP.
Key Emmanuel Burriss Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospects Auto
- 2007 Bowman's Best Auto
- 2008 Topps
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Posted on 21 March 2009
H/W: 6-5 210 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 9/15/83
Luke Hochevar, the #1 overall pick of the 2006 MLB Draft, completed his first full MLB season with the Royals going 6-12 with a 5.51 ERA and 47 BB/72 K in 121 IP. A stress fracture in his ribcage ended his season in the middle of August. Though his numbers were quite lackluster, Hochevar has an impressive arsenal of pitches led by a low 90's two seam fastball with heavy sink that induced 1.5 GO/FO with the Royals. He also throws a hard curve with a heavy late break that has the potential to be a strikeout pitch. His slider and changeup are merely "show me" pitches at this point and the command of them are still quite inconsistent. Hochevar worked hard in the offseason gaining nearly 20 lbs. that he hopes to hang on to throughout the '09 season. This should help enhance his durability and, perhaps bump his velocity a notch or two. Going forward, Hochevar needs to continue to clean up his mechanics on his delivery and sharpen the command of his slider and change. If he does so, he has an opportunity to be an excellent #2 or 3 starter.
2009 Projection: The Royals have a battle going on between Hochevar, Brian Bannister, and Horacio Ramirez for their final two rotation spots. Ramirez seems like a shoe-in given that he is a LHP. Hochevar's fine spring performance should give him the edge going into the season for the final spot. If Bannister wins the final rotation spot, Hochevar will likely fill the middle relief/spot starter role until things open up for him. Long term, the ground ball tendencies and five pitch arsenal make Luke a solid starting pitcher but, at 25 years old, he will need to make marked improvement in his mechanics and the effectiveness of his slider and change up if he wants to evolve into the frontline pitcher that the Royals drafted him to be.
Key Luke Hochevar Baseball Cards:
- 2006 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Auto
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman's Best Auto
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Posted on 09 March 2009
H/W: 6-2 215 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 6/30/86
Carp was a key addition to the trade that sent former All-Star J.J. Putz to the New York Mets. Carp rebounded from a lackluster 2007 season to become an Eastern League All-Star at AA Binghamton, hitting .299 with 17 HR 72 RBI 29 doubles and a sterling 79 BB/88 K ratio. His fluid left handed swing and evolving power potential evokes comparisons to Lyle Overbay and John Olerud. Defensively, Carp is a decent 1B and has spent some time in the outfield as well. Like Overbay and Olerud, he is a below average runner and fringe average athlete. He doesn't have the prolific power that other 1B prospects do, but his blend of patience and good line drive rates should prove to be valuable for a franchise that is in a rebuilding mode.
2009 Projection: Carp has looked very sharp in early spring training action with the Mariners, but the club seems set on giving Russell Branyan and Bryan LaHair the most playing time this season. This should land him at AAA Tacoma until roster room clears either via injury or roster expansion in September. Carp has the potential to hit for 20-25 HR per season and his LH bat is a nice fit at Safeco Field. Watch to see if he is able to replicate his numbers from last season. If so, he will figure prominently into the plans for the M's in 2010.
Key Mike Carp Baseball Cards:
- 2004 SP Prospects Auto #/400
- 2007 Bowman Chrome
- 2007 Bowman's Best
- 2007 Bowman Heritage
- 2008 Bowman Sterling Jersey Auto
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Posted on 26 February 2009
H/W: 6-4 200 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 11/26/84
In an all too disturbing trend, Adam Miller's 2008 season was limited to just 6 games due to nagging injuries in, of all places, his fingers. Miller tore a tendon in his finger that required surgery and months of rehab. This latest digital malady followed the strains in his tendons and, gulp, holes in his skin that plagued him throughout the 2007 season. When healthy, Miller deals some serious heat, sporting a fastball that touches 100 MPH on the radar gun. Complimenting that is a high 80's violent slider that has all the makings of a knockout pitch. Miller locates both plus pitches well to all parts of the zone. Miller's third pitch, a changeup, shows some promise, but his time away has kept him from refining his arm speed and slot for the pitch. The best bet scenario for Miller at this point seems to be as a late inning reliever, and eventually a closer. This would limit the amount of duress that he would put his arm and fingers through while making the best use of his two plus-plus pitches. The Indians have not ruled out the notion of eventually transitioning him back to starting games. Miller is just 24 years old and still full of potential to be an elite pitcher at either the front or back ends of games.
2009 Projection: Miller has kept his velocity up during his healthy Dominican Winter League stretch. The Indians signed Kerry Wood in the off season to fulfill the role of closer, but the door has been left wide open for Miller to nestle into the set up role and, eventually, the closer role. Undoubtedly, health is key for Miller's success. Fortunately, the injuries he suffered are not ones that put unnecessary mileage on his arm. If Adam struggles in the early going with his command, the Tribe may decide to send him to AAA Buffalo for some more work. He will be with the big club at some point this season and should delight the Jacobs Field masses with his own three digit version of "Radar Love"
Key Adam MIller Baseball Cards:
- 2003 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2003 UD Prospect Premieres
- 2007 Bowman's Best Auto
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Posted on 14 February 2009
H/W: 6-5 230 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 12/8/87
The monolithic righty took a bold leap forward as one of New York's top pitching prospects in '08 after going 14-9 with a 2.09 ERA and a stellar 21 BB/115 K ratio in 151 IP. McAllister throws a four seam and two seam fastball that reaches 93 MPH with heavy sink. His slider and change are potential plus pitches that he mixes quite well to induce groundball outs (1.48 GO/FO). His control has made impeccable improvements as Zach cut his walk rate to just 1.3 BB/9 IP. Zach has demonstrated himself to be very strong and durable at a young age, giving the Yankees reason to believe that there is room for him to increase velocity in the near future. Despite his laundry list of positive attributes, McAllister seems to pitch to contact more than he needs to, resulting in lower strikeout numbers and, while his BAA was a respectible .233, more disciplined hitters could have more success against him.
2009 Projection: A trip to AA Trenton should provide a sound indicator of just how good McAllister's stuff is against advanced hitters. If he is able to boost his velocity by a few ticks while still maintaining similar amounts of control, McAllister will rapidly ascend not only to the upper echelon of pinstriped prospects, but to the top tier of young pitching prospects as well. The Yankees have a host of good arms in their system (Dellin Betances, Mark Melancon, Andrew Brackman, Jario Heredia), but McAllister has the potential to surpass them all and be a mainstay in the Bronx within the next two seasons.
Key Zach McAllister Baseball Cards:
- 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto
- 2007 Bowman's Best
- 2007 Bowman Heritage
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra
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Posted on 10 February 2009
H/W: 6-0 185 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 3/10/88
The 20 year old experienced a nice bounce back from a slightly disappointing '07 season by hitting .318 with 11 HR 84 RBI 33 doubles and 98 runs scored at High-A Lake Elsinore. Hunter has the makings of a future .300 hitter with a sweet left-handed stroke that peppers line drives all over the field and produces occasional power to the gaps. Employing excellent hand-eye coordination, Hunter is a tough man to strike out (42 BB/47 K) and if he continues to work deeper into counts, there is a good chance that he could bump up his walk totals. Hunter has average speed, but he uses it fairly well on the basepaths and in covering the gaps in CF. There was some conjecture in the past about a dip in Hunter's work ethic prior to his 2007 season. Some within the organization felt that his fine '06 pro debut may have went to his head a little bit, contributing to his performance dip at Low-A Fort Wayne. It seems that he has moved beyond these concerns, though, and his future as a #2 or #6 hitter in San Diego seems to be quite bright.
2009 Projection: Hunter will play at AA San Antonio in '09. After a highly successful campaign at Lake Elsinore, it seems reasonable to expect a slight drop in his AA numbers. If he can continue to hover around the .300 mark and progress with his power potential, Hunter should figure more prominently into San Diego's 2010 plans. The Padres, however, have some other intriguing offensive options in the OF with the likes of Chase Headley, Kellen Kulbacki, Chad Huffman, and '08 draftee Jaff Decker. Cedric Hunter may not be able to match them homer for homer, but his several other skills should keep him in the mix.
Key Cedric Hunter Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospects Auto
- 2007 Bowman's Best Auto
- 2007 Bowman Heritage
- 2007 Bowman Sterling
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Posted on 10 February 2009
H/W: 6-1 190 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 6/18/85
This University of Mississippi alum produced a rock solid stat line at AA Carolina this past season hitting .298 with 7 HR 74 RBI 34 SB and 84 runs scored. Coghlan is a highly polished player in just about every aspect of the game. His short, inside-out swing peppers line drives to all fields with the occasional gap power. He is a throw back player that gives a maximum effort both on an off of the field. He grinds out at bats and is a tough man to strikeout (67 BB/65 K in '08) which, when paired with his quickness, makes him a potent top of the order hitter. Defensively, Coghlan has decent range and an average arm which should fit well at 2B.
2009 Projection: Dan Uggla is still the Marlins' second baseman...for now. The 2008 All-Star was shopped around in the offseason and could be a hot commodity at the trading deadline in July. This should give Coghlan ample time to complete his development at AAA before making his debut with the Fish at some point late in the season. His pedal to the metal style of play and all around skill set should make him a fixture atop Florida's lineup and in the hearts of Marlins fans for years to come.
Key Chris Coghlan Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospects Auto
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Futures Game Jersey
- 2007 Bowman's Best Auto
- 2007 Bowman Heritage
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Posted on 23 January 2009
H/W: 6-4 205 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 11/19/86
Michael Saunders, a native of British Columbia, Canada, continued his rapid ascension through the Seattle Mariners' farm system by playing at both AA West Tennessee and AAA Tacoma (.277 11 HR 46 RBI 12 SB 22 doubles). Saunders has 5-tool potential and is widely regarded as one of the M's best organizational athletes. His left-handed swing generates good loft and speed that could develop into 20-25 HR power in the ensuing seasons. He has above average speed that he utilizes well in the outfield, but is still struggling to use effectively on the basepaths. Last season, Saunders took a step back in his plate discipline, earning only 39 BB/96 K. This may be due to the fact that he has been promoted quite aggressively (4 times in 2 years) and has yet to catch up to more advanced pitching. This held true at AAA where Saunders' average dipped to .242 and 30 K's in 24 games. The potential is there for Saunders to be an above average MLB outfielder, but the M's may need to gently apply the brakes to his rapid development.
2009 Projection: Saunders will undoubtedly be headed to AAA to start the season. This year's go around should provide better results for the 22 year old OF. Keep an eye on the plate discipline numbers as well as his power output. The Mariners are a team in transition with LF completely wide open and CF being manned by the unproven Franklin Gutierrez. Aside from Greg Halman, Saunders is the top OF talent in Seattle's farm system. If he can return to his 2007 form, he may get a shot to earn some AB's in Safeco come September.
Key Michael Saunders Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman's Best
- 2007 Bowman Sterling
- 2007 Bowman Heritage
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Posted on 11 January 2009
H/W: 6-3 210 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 7/2/88
A devastating slide into homeplate ended the former first round pick's 2008 season in late June as he broke his fibula and tore ligaments in his right ankle. Up to that point, Marrero bat was just beginning to heat up after a slow start in April. Marrero ended up hitting .250 with 11 HR and 38 RBI in 70 games. When healthy, Marrero has a quick swing with good balance and leverage that produces light tower power that could translate to 30-40 HR potential in the major leagues. He has been lauded as being a hard worker and intelligent hitter who is always seeking to make adjustments. Marrero chased fewer pitches out of the zone last season, cutting back his strikeout rate, though he still needs to hone his ability to work counts and draw bases on balls. Marrero's slow foot speed and marginal athleticism forced the Nationals to shift him to 1B last season and, while it does not effectively utilize his strong arm, it seems to be an appropriate destination for him.
2009 Projection: The injury derailed Marrero's fast track progress, but don't be surprised to see him begin the '09 season with AA Harrisburg. Reports from Nationals camp regarding Marrero's recovery are quite positive and things seem to be all systems go for him this spring. Nevertheless, his health should be monitored closely as this was a major injury. Beyond that, take notice of how Washington decides to address their void at 1B. As it stands now, Nick Johnson is the opening day 1B, but there have been murmurs that the Nats would like to make an upgrade with a free agent who provides more power than Johnson. If they go that route, Marrero's path to the major leagues will be delayed. If not, he has an outside shot of being a September call up.
Key Chris Marrero Baseball Cards:
- 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2006 Bowman Heritage
- 2007 Bowman's Best Auto
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Posted on 17 November 2008
H/W: 6-1 190 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 10/10/88
Martinez had a 2008 season that was strikingly similar to his 2007 season. Martinez started the year again at AA Binghamton when a hamstring injury put him on the shelf for a while. Upon his return, Martinez rehabbed at the Mets' GCL team briefly before returning to Binghamton to finish the season. From a distance, Martinez's numbers are somewhat pedestrian (.286 8 HR 43 RBI 27 BB/73 K 86 games) until you do the math and realize that he is just 19 years old. Martinez has one of the most exciting offensive ceilings in all of minor league baseball. His bat speed is special and his power ranges from foul pole to foul pole. He makes good contact and his plate discipline is improving. Martinez has average speed and he profiles better as a LF than as a CF at the major league level. He will not steal many bases, though he will not clog the bases either. One area of concern is the fact that Martinez has missed sizable chunks of time over the past two seasons due to injuries. In 2007, a wrist injury limited him to just 63 games, and this season the hamstring injury hampered his production considerably. Players who are often injured at a young age tend to have more difficulty in reaching their potential as they age. The Mets seem optimistic that this will not be a problem for Martinez.
2009 Projection: Martinez has wreaked havoc on pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League and has stayed healthy throughout. Expect the Mets to give F-Mart a long look this spring to assess where he is at in his development. It is doubtful that he will serve a third stint at Binghamton, so an April debut at AAA New Orleans seems in order. Keep an eye on Martinez's health this spring. If he can avoid injuries and prolonged slumps, it is very likely that he will get some late season AB's in a Mets uniform. That could only prove to be beneficial for many of his 2007 Bowman autographs.
Key Fernando Martinez Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Fernando Martinez Auto
- 2007 Bowman's Best Fernando Martinez Auto
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Fernando Martinez Auto
- 2007 Bowman Heritage Fernando Martinez
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H/W 6-3 190 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 3/2/85
