Posted on 18 May 2009
H/W: 6-1 185 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 1/14/87
The Padres drafted the former Arkansas Razorback as the third of seven consecutive offensive player selected in the '08 draft. Forsythe was limited to just 12 games late last summer with the Padres' short season affiliates, but the club felt confident that his polish shown in college would allow for him to transition smoothly to High-A ball. It indeed has as Forsythe hit .320 with 3 HR 11 RBI and 25 runs scored through his first 29 games. Extremely disciplined at the plate, Forsythe has a fluid right-handed swing that drives the ball well to the gaps with good XBH power and the occasional homerun. He makes good contact with the ball and has a good game plan during each plate appearance. Normally a third baseman, Forsythe is also skilled enough to play just about any position in the field adeptly, making him an excellent utility player. Though he is not a speed guy, Logan runs the bases with a good deal of intelligence and determination, allowing him to manufacture runs in many different ways.
2009 Update: As stated before, Forsythe seems to be handling the challenge of High-A ball well in his first full professional season. He is currently batting in the #5 hole for Lake Elsinore and has collected 11 XBH and 27 BB in his first 29 games. Forsythe is someone who's value may not always be recognized statistically as he does so many little things well. He should, though, be a solid #2 or #6 hitter at the major league level who hits 10-15 HR per season while posting an OB% that rivals .400. The Padres are building something special within their organization as they have drafted a ton of high-discipline, mid-ceiling players that should be solid role players as professionals and Logan Forsythe fits right in with that philosophy. With Kevin Kouzmanoff manning the hot corner for the next few seasons, there is no immediate need to rush Forsythe's development. He should play most or all of the season at High-A with an MLB ETA of 2011. By that time, it will be about time for the Friars to decide what to do with Kouzmanoff's upcoming free agent contract. With no other big time third basemen in the system, Forsythe has a genuine opportunity to be groomed as San Diego's next keeper of the hot corner.
Key Logan Forsythe Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Playoff Contenders Auto SP #/262
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/162
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1499
- 2008 Razor Lettermen Auto #/20
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Posted on 01 April 2009
H/W: 6-2 205 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 9/25/87
The former Long Beach State hurler was selected in the 3rd round of the '08 draft by the Phillies and immediately improved on his mediocre collegiate stats with an excellent showing at Low-A Lakeland where he went 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA and 7 BB/53 K in 61 IP. Worley is built solidly with a lively low-90's fastball, and a solid change and curveball show some promise as average MLB pitches, though they are still in their developmental stages. Worley was very effective at commanding his pitches down in the strike zone, resulting in a high number of ground ball outs (1.64/FO). He goes right after hitters and seems to be poised and efficient on the mound. He had some shoulder soreness during his 2007 season, but showed no signs of tiring last year despite his 170+ inning work load.
2009 Projection: Worley has shown enough polish to be promoted to High-A Clearwater for the 2009 season. The Florida State League tends to be slightly favorable to pitchers and, given his high ground ball rate, it is quite conceivable that Worley could have an immensely successful season. Keep an eye on Worley's K rate this year. He struck out about 8 hitters per 9 IP and if he can keep that rate constant or improve upon it, he could vault into the upper echelons of Philadelphia's vastly improved pitching prospect chart. Ultimately, Worley profiles to be a solid mid-rotation starting pitcher within the next three seasons.
Key Vance Worley Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Lettermen Auto Patch #/20
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/219
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Posted on 11 March 2009
H/W: 6-4 220 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 9/29/86
The former 2007 1st rounder had a solid season at AA Midland going 9-6 with a 3.51 ERA and 120 K's in 136 IP. The biggest asset in James Simmons' skill set is his impeccable command. Simmons surrendered just 32 bases on balls last season and allowed just 37 walks in 270 IP during his career at UC Riverside. James' best pitch is his low 90's fastball, which he locates well in all quadrants of the strike zone. He also has a slider, curve and change that are less effective offerings. Simmons tends to pitch to contact quite often and doesn't have dominant enough stuff to put away hitters at times. AA hitters batted .282 against Simmons last year and he induced a less than desirable GO/FO ratio of 0.92. The Athletics are keeping him as a starter right now, but his lack of a breaking pitch and ability to add velocity as a reliever may eventually shift him to the bullpen.
2009 Projection: Simmons is slated to pitch at AAA Sacramento this year with a possibility of earning some MLB innings at some point later in the summer. The A's are flush with better arms in their system (Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, Vin Mazzaro, Michel Inoa, Gio Gonzalez) than Simmons', yet he could wriggle his way into the back end of the rotation as soon as next season. The PCL is a difficult place for pitchers, especially flyball pitchers. Watch to see if James can employ better movement on his offspeed pitches and induce more ground ball outs. If he can, he should be able to progress as a starter, and if he doesn't he may find himself eventually relegated to the role of middle reliever.
Key James Simmons Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2007 Donruss Elite Auto #/624
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Posted on 09 March 2009
H/W: 6-0 195 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 8/6/85
This former 2004 2nd round pick emerged over the second half of the season at High-A Myrtle Beach batting .255 with 19 HR 67 RBI and 56 runs scored in 88 games. Campbell is a compact, power packed hitter who has a fluid but compact right handed swing that could generate 20-25 HR per season at the major league level. He makes contact with just about everything that he hits, lowering his K rates and he made strides in improving his walk totals (50 BB/57 K). Defensively, Campbell is an agile, sure handed fielder with a strong arm built for the hot corner. The big problem...and it is a big one, is a continued track record of insubordination that has led to a couple of substantial team-induced suspensions over the past two seasons. Campbell has been described as someone who marches to the beat of his own drum, defying requests by the Braves organization to adhere to a specific rehab program following his shoulder injury in '07. It has also been well documented that Campbell's effort is often inconsistent. At times, he plays with a great deal of energy and grit, while other times he appears lackadasical and unfocused. This has manifested itself in his plate discipline as well. He makes good contact with pitches in the zone, but often gets himself out trying to pull pitches out of the strike zone.
2009 Projection: Campbell has all of the physical talent to be a perennial all-star talent. However, his intangible skills severely inhibit his abililty to be a productive major league player. Will he get things straightened out? That is the million dollar question and one that will loom large in 2009. Expect him to begin the season at AA Mississippi where his strike zone judgement will be put to the test. His offensive potential is so tantalizingly potent that it is hard to ignore him as a viable prospect, but his myriad of character-compromising indiscretions make him a difficult guy to put much stock in. If he does get it figured out and decides to tow the company line, Campbell can rise up prospect charts once again, but the opportunities are decreasing for Eric and the patience of the Braves is wearing thin.
Key Eric Campbell Baseball Cards:
- 2004 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2004 Bowman Heritage
- 2004 SP Prospects Auto #/400
- 2004 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/240
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Posted on 02 March 2009
H/W: 5-11 175 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 12/16/89
Chatwood dominated hitters in the Arizona Rookie League last season pitching to a 1-2 record with a 3.08 ERA and 48 K's in just 38 innings. Hitters mustered a paltry .195 BA against him and he was able to induce 2.35 GO/FO. As dominant as he was, his control was a major concern as Chatwood walked 4 or more batters in 7 of his 11 starts. An electric 92-94 MPH fastball thrown from a high arm angle allows for him to keep a good downard plane on the ball, making it heavier to hit. Complimenting his heater is a big breaking curveball that has all the makings of a strikeout pitch as Tyler is already able to command it and use good arm speed to deceive hitters. His changeup is a potential third pitch, but it is far away from the other ones. Mechanically, Chatwood has good arm action, but needs to continue to use his legs to drive more of his velocity. This will help him avoid injury and, perhaps add a tick or two to the velocity of his fastball.
2009 Projection: Full season Low-A Cedar Rapids is the next stop for the Chatwood express. Expect him to carry forward the high GO/FO rate, but a repeat of 2.35 is highly unlikely. That would mean that the control numbers would need to drastically improve in order for Chatwood to avoid experiencing some major struggles in his development. The evolution of the changeup will be a key for his success in sticking as a starting pitcher. He has a small frame and two MLB plus pitches. If things don't work out for him as a starter, he could be a good option as a late inning reliever down the road.
Key Tyler Chatwood Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Razor Signature Series #/1499
- 2008 Playoff Prime Cuts Auto #/187
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto
- 2008 Donruss Threads By The Letter Patch Auto #/240
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/257
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Posted on 11 January 2009
H/W: 5-10 185 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 8/6/85
The son of former Baltimore Oriole and L.A. Dodgers John Shelby once again flew under the radar to put up a rock solid season. Junior skipped a level and played the entire season at AA Winston-Salem batting .295 with 15 HR 80 RBI 33 SB and 81 runs scored. Shelby is a tremendous athlete that plays the game with a high level of energy and uses every inch of his compact frame to hit for surprising power. Over the past two minor league seasons, Shelby has accrued 119 extra-base hits and his great baserunning savvy makes him a superb top of the order candidate. His selectivity at the plate, however, does not. Shelby garnered a lackluster 22 BB/98 K ratio that has some baseball officials concerned that he will not be able to hit for a high average as a major leaguer. Defensively, Shelby's speed and athleticism helps to make up for bad routes on balls and, while he can play CF, there is some thought that LF may be his future home.
2009 Projection: The gaudy stat line at AA has to have raised the collective eyebrows of the White Sox brass. The Sox are a team that is transitioning to a more youth-driven approach as they continue to trade away their high contract players for organizational depth. Shelby should get a prolonged look in spring training before getting jettisoned to AAA Charlotte. With the rumors of Jermaine Dye's departure running rampant, there is a distinct possibility that a trade could shift Carlos Quentin to right field, leaving left field open for Shelby to compete for later this season or early next spring. Keep an eye on the BB/K ratio, as it is the one determinant that keeps T-Bone Jr. from being a top-tier OF prospect. Given that he has no autographed RC's, his 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft cards become intriguing low-risk, high-reward investments for the following year.
Key John Shelby Jr. Baseball Cards:
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Posted on 29 December 2008
H/W: 6-5 240 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 5/21/87
The San Diego Padres' 1st round pick is a prototypical 1B prospect. His towering frame produces easy power to all fields as evidenced by his 49 career HR at Wake Forest. Dykstra has a smooth left-handed swing and superb plate discipline that he exhibited in his brief stint with High-A Lake Elsinore where he hit .292 with a HR 10 RBI and a 7 BB/7 K ratio in just 24 AB's. A business major at Wake Forest, Allan was an academic All-American whose intelligence and work ethic extends from the classroom to the diamond. There are culpabilities in Dykstra's game as well. Defensively, has subpar range and decent hands which should make him a fringe average 1B. Many scouts felt that Dykstra was a step behind many of the top tier first sackers in the '08 draft class fearing that his long-armed swing would struggle to consistently hit MLB pitching. With the pleasing development of Adrian Gonzalez and the potent bat of Kyle Blanks waiting in the wings, Dykstra will be hard pressed to wedge his way into San Diego's future plans, but given his offensive polish and power potential, the Friars may find it difficult to keep him down for long.
2009 Projection: Dykstra made the jump from college to HIgh-A successfully and it is a good bet that he will be back at Lake Elsinore to begin the '09 season. Some scouts feel that this hulking 1st Basemen has holes in his swing that can be exploited by good pitching. This could lead him to be susceptible to racking up big strikeout numbers. Keep an eye on this as well as his batting average. Dykstra's best bet is to play well enough to become an intriguing trading chip for the Padres down the road as Adrian Gonzalez is the 1B of the present for the Padres and Kyle Blanks is the future.
Key Allan Dykstra Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/1069
- 2008 Donruss Prime Cuts Auto #/249
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1199
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Posted on 05 December 2008
H/W: 6-2 180 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 11/26/86
Adams was one of Milwaukee's several 2nd round selections in the '08 draft out of Southern Illinois. Adams pitched well at short season Helena going 5-4 with a 3.48 ERA and 37 K's in 54.1 IP. Adams was quite effective at inducing ground balls at 2.16 per fly ball out. Adams features a 92-94 MPH fastball that he locates well down in the zone. Adams also features a 77-79 MPH and a straight changeup that profile to be average pitches at the MLB level. Adams has clean mechanics and good arm action that helps him pitch deep into games. On the downside, he often pitches to contact and does not strike out many hitters given his good velocity. Also, he is quite slow to the plate with runners on, which should make him easy to run against until he refines his slide step. Adams profiles to be a #3 or #4 starter at the big league level and he should move at a good pace through the major league level.
2009 Projection: Adams should begin the season at Low-A Wisconsin. If he pitches well, he should earn a promotion to High-A Brevard County. Adams is not an elite pitching prospect, but he does have good enough stuff to remain a starter at the big league level. Watch to see if he can increase his strikeout rate and hold hitters to a lower average. If so, his stock could rise.
Key Cody Adams Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/447
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Posted on 08 November 2008
H/W: 6-4 220 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 8/9/89
Jason Heyward's debut season earned him the distinction of being considered one of baseball's brightest young prospects. Heyward played primarily at Low-A Rome where he hit .323 with 11 HR 52 RBI and 15 SB in 18 chances. Heyward's blend of size, strength, speed and athleticism evokes comparisons to Hall of Famer Dave Winfield. Heyward displayed a very advanced sense of plate discipline (51 BB/ 78 K) and baserunning acumen and his work ethic has been widely lauded throughout the Braves system. Heyward's good range and strong arm make him the ideal candidate for RF and his power should come more to the forefront within the next few seasons. Heyward's frame could develop more bulk, which could have an adverse effect on his baserunning speed.
2009 Projection: Heyward struggled in his brief promotion to High-A Myrtle Beach, hitting just .182 in 22 AB. Expect him to begin the season there and, barring any setbacks, a promotion to AA Mississippi seems to be an inevitability. He is on the fast track to Atlanta and his stratospheric ceiling makes him one of baseballs elite prospects. The power should come into more play this season, perhaps 20-25 HR. Let's hope that the batting average and speed numbers carry forward as well.
Key Jason Heyward Baseball Cards:
* 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Jason Heyward RC
* 2007 Bowman Sterling Jason Heyward Auto RC
* 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Jason Heyward Auto RC #'ed /750
* 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects Jason Heyward Auto
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H/W: 6-1 185 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 1/14/87
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