Posted on 05 March 2009
H/W: 5-11 175 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 2/26/89
Drafted in the 3rd round last year, Vasquez signed early and immediately put up some solid numbers at short season Low-A Johnson City, batting .317 with 4 HR 25 RBI 8 SB and 42 runs scored in 55 games. His fine performance earned him a promotion to Low-A Quad Cities where he promptly struggled, managing just 5 hits in 39 AB. Vasquez has power that belies his demure build. He generates tremendous torque with his quick right-handed swing that prompts some scouts to speculate that he can become a 20-25 HR hitter at the major league level. He has shown the ability to take a walk and work deep into counts, but his K rate is too high (69 K in 66 games) for someone with his average power numbers. Defensively, Vasquez has below average speed, but his sure hands and strong accurate arm mitigate errors and should allow for him to stay at the position throughout his development.
2009 Projection: Vasquez should get another shot at Quad Cities and should put up better numbers. Monitor the power progress and also his ability to mitigate his K totals. If he doesn't, he will see a precipitous drop in his batting average numbers. The Redbirds have slick fielding Pete Kozma tabbed as their SS of the future which could mean that Vasquez may need to move to 3B down the road. His arm and good instincts would make him a good fit, but the power would need to progress to a more acceptable level in order to ensure his long term viability at that position.
Key Niko Vasquez Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Bowman Sterling
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1499
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra TOTC Auto #/494
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Posted on 05 March 2009
H/W: 6-2 215 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 9/25/84
The former Oregon State Beaver continued to solidify himself as a lethal offensive weapon at the catching position hitting .285 with 8 HR 81 RBI 28 doubles and 13 SB at HIgh-A Lake Elsinore. Thick and very strong, Canham employs a quick and fluid left handed swing to drive balls with power to the alleys. His 66 BB/73 K ratio further confirms his highly polished approach at the plate and his ability to maintain a high rate of contact. Canham can run as well, swiping 13 bags in 14 tries, and he aggressively seeks to take the extra bag at every opportunity. Defensively, he is lauded for his leadership skills, but all other aspects of his game behind the plate are a work in progress. He threw out only 30 of 161 base stealers and allowed 21 passed balls. As a former third baseman, he is athletic behind the plate, but is still learning many of the nuances of the position.
2009 Projection: Canham's bat should allow for him to receive ample opportunities to develop defensively but, at age 24, he needs to do so soon. Mitch will start the '09 season at AA San Antonio and should play there for most, if not all, of the season. Keep an eye on his power numbers, there is room for growth and given his speed numbers, he could offer an intriguing blend of speed and power at the catching position reminiscent of L.A. Dodgers All-Star Russell Martin. Defensively, he is considerably behind Martin's excellence. This will be an area to monitor as well, especially in his PB numbers and ability to gun down base stealers with more frequency. If he cannot make significant strides this season, the Padres may be forced to examine other defensive options for him.
Key Mitch Canham Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Turn of the Century Auto #/209
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Bowman Sterling
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Posted on 02 March 2009
H/W: 6-5 205 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 8/7/86
The White Sox were elated to see the lanky Longhorn fall to them in the 5th round of the 2008 draft. Immediately after signing, Danks was sent to full season Low-A Kanapolis where he batted .325 with 2 HR 7 RBI and 10 runs scored in 10 games. He continued to impress during his brief stint in the Arizona Fall League hitting .302 with a HR 7 RBI and 3 SB in 18 games. Long and lean, Danks has excellent athleticism and speed that serves him well in CF and on the bases. Coming out of high school, Danks was projected to develop into a power hitter, but that skill never manifested itself during his time with the University of Texas. Instead, he employs a short, quick stroke from the left side which produces hits to the gaps and the occasional long ball. Danks allows for the ball to travel deep into the strike zone which gives him a little more time to see a pitch. As a result, his plate discipline is quite advanced and he feels comfortable working deep into counts. There is quite a bit of projectibility left in his frame and with some adjustments to his swing, he could become more of a power hitter in the future.
2009 Projection: Danks' build and overall game is almost identical to Cincinnati Reds prospect and fellow Longhorn Drew Stubbs. The White Sox will probably send him to High-A Winston-Salem for the start of the '09 season and if things go well, a move to AA Birmingham is by no means out of the question. Watch to see how Danks' game evolves this season. He is a player that could develop as a tall, athletic top of the order player a la Dexter Fowler or he could tap into his power potential and become more of a mid-lineup player that hits 20+ HR per season. Either way, Jordan has an exciting batch of skills that should continue to bloom over the next couple of seasons as he works his way to meet up with his brother, John, in Chicago.
Key Jordan Danks Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/254
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto #/354
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1499
- 2008 UD Team USA Jersey Auto
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
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Posted on 26 February 2009
H/W: 6-1 190 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 12/16/86
The Cardinals top catching prospect continued to sting the ball at AA Springfield and AAA Memphis in '08 hitting .308 with 4 HR 41 RBI and 18 doubles in just 92 games. Anderson has a sweet lefthanded swing that produces line drives to the gaps and down both lines. His excellent hand-eye coordination makes him a difficult hitter to strike out and his solid game plan at the plate allows him to be more disciplined than many young hitters. Defensively, Anderson has continued to make improvements, throwing out 37% of potential basestealers last season and earning a respectable .986 fielding percentage. Pitchers love throwing to Anderson and much praise has been heaped upon him for his game calling techniques and ability to handle a pitching staff. The big knock on Anderson, thusfar, has been his lack of power. Bryan has never socked more than six HR in one season as a professional despite having a seemingly strong frame. Much of this has to do with the fact that Anderson's swing trajectory is more condusive to hitting line drives, and a slight leverage producing alteration may change that in subsequent seasons. The Redbirds have to be pleased with the rapid development of their 22 year old catcher of the future and his time should come very soon.
2009 Projection: Anderson will get a good lookover by the Cardinals this spring, but a shift back to Memphis to play every day is more probable. The Cards are fairly well set behind the dish with Yadier Molina in the fold through at least 2011, which indicates that a trade to another organization may be Bryan's best shot to play in the major leagues on a regular basis. The key for him this season is to drive the ball with more XBH authority while maintaining his high batting average. Anderson will make his MLB debut at some point in 2009 either as a backup to Molina or with another ball club.
Key Bryan Anderson Baseball Cards:
- 2005 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2005 Bowman Heritage
- 2005 Bowman Sterling
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/474
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
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Posted on 26 February 2009
H/W: 5-11 180 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 5/24/87
The speedy U of Miami alum had a power outbreak in 2008 belting 13 HR with the Hurricanes prior to being drafted in the 3rd round by the Padres. He continued his hot hitting at short season Eugene hitting .285 with 6 HR 29 RBI 7 SB and 43 runs scored in 47 games. Tekotte has excellent lead off hitter skills. He grinds out at bats for walks (27 BB/45 K) and runs exceptionally well on the basepaths. His sweeping lefthanded swing can hit well for pull power while lining balls hard to the gaps and down lines for XBH. Defensively, Tekotte has the range and arm to be a solid CF. Tekotte is a scrappy player who gets the most out of his skills and strives to refine every aspect of his game.
2009 Projection: Low-A Fort Wayne will be Tekotte's likely destination come April. The San Diego Padres organization has made a concerted effort to draft and develop gritty, high baseball IQ players like Tekotte over the past couple of seasons (Kellen Kulbacki, Jaff Decker, Eric Sogard, etc...). Blake fits right in with them and his enhanced abilty to play defense in CF may differentiate him somewhat from the rest of the crowd. The main challenge for Tekotte is to limit his strikeout totals and keep his on base percentage high. He has a tendency to allow his swing to get too long at times, opening up holes that more advanced pitchers could exploit. His work ethic and coachability should help him address his struggles in a positive manner and diminish the possibility of him experiencing any prolonged developmental lapses.
Key Blake Tekotte Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/194
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Auto
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
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Posted on 18 February 2009
H/W: 6-2 190 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 3/17/88
The best athlete of the 2007 draft had a decent debut season with the Giants' Arizona Rookie League hitting .259 with 2 HR 17 RBI 7 SB and 39 runs scored in 50 games. Fairley has all of the physical tools to be an elite prospect in the near future. His bat speed ranks amongst the best in the Giants system and he projects to hit for both power and average as he ages. He uses his speed aggressively on the basepaths and in CF where he covers wide swathes of real estate. His arm can play at any OF spot and he has shown the ability to read the ball well off of the bat. One pleasant surprise was his advanced plate discipline. Fairley garnered a 26 BB/37 K ratio which boosted his OBP to a respectible .388. The culpabilities with Wendell have to do with his history of off the field indiscretions that have included alleged assault and and a misdemeanor conviction as a high schooler. He has appeared to move beyond these problems, though, and has not had any recurrences of problems as a member of the Giants organization.
2009 Projection: Fairley should get his first dose of full season baseball in April when the Giants send him to Low-A Augusta. The boost in his strike zone discipline is intriguing and it remains to be seen if this trend can continue. The power should kick in at some point as well. There are plenty of reasons to believe that Fairley can evolve into a 20 HR 20 SB player at the major league level within the next three to four seasons. The San Francisco Giants are loaded with high upside talent on the mound and in the field. It is just a matter of time before this organization ascends to the top of the N.L. West and Fairley will be a big part of that future.
Key Wendell Fairley Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/500
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects 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: 6-1 185 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 12/25/89
Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington has to be extremely pleased with the early returns from this 17th round selection. Jarek Cunningham torched GCL pitching for a .316 BA with 5 HR 22 RBI and 11 doubles in just 43 games. Cunningham has a strong body frame that quite likely is not done growing. His swing is fluid with a trajectory that will produce a lot of flyballs. His arm strength at shortstop is above average, but he struggles with his footwork at times which leads to inaccurate throws at times. As of now, his range at shortstop is acceptible, but there is some concern that he will grow out of the shortstop position and be forced to move to third base in the future. Cunningham showed solid patience for someone his age, but he seems to have a looping swing that has some holes that could be exploited by more advanced pitchers. He hasn't had strikeout problems yet, but it could happen down the line. Cunningham is one to watch this next season as a sleeper prospect in '09, especially if he can stay at shortstop.
2009 Projection: The challenges of full season competition awaits Cunningham as he should be heading to Low-A Hickory. There are two big challenges for Cunningham to address this season. First, he must shorten his swing while still hitting the ball with authority. Watch the BB/K ratio and, of course, his XBH totals. Second, Jarek must be able to stick at SS. The Pirates already have two power hitting 3B prospects in Neil Walker and top '08 pick Pedro Alvarez. There are several shortstops scattered throughout the organization (Brian Bixler, Brian Friday, Chase D'Arnaud, Jordy Mercer), but Cunningham has more offensive upside than any of them. A strong showing with both the bat and the glove this season should separate him from the rest of the bunch.
Key Jarek Cunningham Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/719
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto
- 2008
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Posted on 10 February 2009
H/W: 6-2 200 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 10/30/87
Selected in the 3rd round last season, the former UC Davis star continued to show off his hot bat at short season Hudson Valley, batting .316 with 2 HR 41 RBI and 16 doubles. Jefferies make excellent contact at the plate by spraying line drives from foul line to foul line and working deep into counts. He has a tall and strong build, but his swing does not produce much loft at this time which mitigates his HR totals. Jefferies is a solid athlete as well with fringe average speed and good mobility behind the plate. He has shown himself to be adept at calling pitches and blocking balls in the dirt, but his arm is iffy and baserunners in the New York-Penn League exploited it by succeeding in 23 of 27 SB attempts. There is still a good deal of projectibility left in this 22 year old's skill set. The Rays believe that with some minor adjustments to his swing trajectory and release time, Jefferies will evolve into a very good big league receiver.
2009 Projection: Jefferies will get a crack at full season ball, probably with the Rays' new Low-A affiliate Bowling Green. There is some promise that Jacob can put up better power numbers in coming seasons. He drove in a good number of runs last season and did hit a good amount of doubles. Currently, Tampa Bay's organizational depth chart is devoid of any considerable catching talent. Jefferies, with a little refinement, has an opportunity to move quickly through the Rays' system, making him someone to watch over the next couple of seasons.
Key Jacob Jefferies Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/819
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Posted on 05 February 2009
H/W: 5-10 180 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 5/22/86
The former 2nd round pick out of Arizona State did all that he could to evoke comparisons to fellow Sun Devil alum Dustin Pedroia. In his first full professional season, Sogard batted .308 with 10 HR 87 RBI 16 SB and 97 runs scored. Built like a fire hydrant, Sogard is a high energy dirt magnet whose average skill set is greatly enhanced by his invigorating passion to win. Sogard has good offensive tools as his left handed swing is quick and surprisingly powerful. He is a clutch hitter with elite plate discipline (79 BB/63 K) and a knack for driving in runs. Sogard has average speed, but his high baseball I.Q. makes him a weapon on the basepaths and helps to put him in the right place to make plays defensively. Players like Sogard have a way of grinding out productive and prolonged MLB careers. Whether or not he becomes a star in the same vernacular as his Fenway counterpart remains to be seen and is worth a second look.
2009 Projection: Sogard will play at AA San Antonio in 2009. If Matt Antonelli can stick with San Diego there is reason to believe that Eric can jump to AAA Portland at some point. The main thing that Sogard needs to work on is his defense. His .973 fielding % in '08 was about 15-20 points lower than the Padres would like to see from him. Ultimately, his offensive potential trumps Antonelli's and the odds are that Sogard will be 2B in San Diego within the next two years.
Key Eric Sogard Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/500
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Posted on 03 February 2009
H/W: 6-2 185 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 12/11/88
The Blue Jays challenged their former 1st round draft pick by sending him to full season Low-A Lansing for the entire '08 season. As expected, there were some growing pains for the 19 year old shortstop as he hit just .238 with 7 HR 47 RBI 17 SB and 74 runs scored. At this stage of his career, Jackson's defensive projectivity is greater than his offensive abilities. With a good first step and strong arm, Justin should be come an above average fielding shortstop in time. His offensive game has some holes, but it has upside as well. Last season, Jackson showed some power potential smacking 26 doubles to go with his 6 triples and 7 HR. His long, wiry frame has good strength and potential for future growth. Jackson has bittersweet plate discipline as his 60 BB last season were well above average for someone his age, but so were the 154 K's. Additionally, Justin has slightly above average speed that he utilizes well on the basepaths. There are several pluses and minuses in this young shortstop's game that will need some time to sort out. The Blue Jays should extend to him a great deal of patience in hopes that it will pay off in the form of a future stalwart of the six-hole.
2009 Projection: Jackson should head to High-A Dunedin to start the season, but don't be surprised if the Blue Jays ship him back to Lansing if he struggles in the early going. The strikeouts are the biggest thing holding Jackson back from being a more buzzworthy prospect. If he can cut his totals down to less than one per game, he is a viable threat to score 85-100 runs. Watch the power numbers as well. Jackson had a good number of XBH as a teen, which is a prime indicator of power yet to come. With his size and strength, it is not unreasonable to believe that J-Jack could be a 12-15 HR guy at the major league level.
Key Justin Jackson Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2007 Bowman Sterling
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/850
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Posted on 31 January 2009
H/W: 5-11 210 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 4/20/86
Todd pitched well at three levels in 2008 combining to go 8-6 with a 2.88 ERA and a very respectable 42 BB/136 K in 153 IP. The former Arkansas Razorback has a fastball that sits in the low 90's with good movement that bores in on right-handed batters. Additionally, his slider has wicked downward movement and could be used as a strikeout pitch. He's got good control of his two primary pitches and has the abilty to sink his fastball to induce groundball outs (1.41 GO/FO in '08). Todd proved to be quite durable last season but his stocky size and mediocre third pitch may land him in the bullpen as a major leaguer. He is a fiery competitor and the move to the bullpen would allow for him to add some velocity to his fastball. The Cardinals seem intent to work him as a starter and he has responded well to every challenge put before him over the past two seasons.
2009 Projection: Todd will begin the '09 season with AAA Memphis where he struggled a bit with his control late last season. Watch the K rates that he puts up against AAA hitters as it will be an indicator of what kind of velocity he is throwing with this season. Todd has a sturdily built frame, but many undersized pitchers tend to eventually buckle under heavy workloads. The Cardinals are reportedly using highly touted prospect Chris Perez as their closer this season. If things don't take well for him or there are some injuries in the Cardinals bullpen, it is conceivable that Todd will get called up to St. Louis to work in a long relief/spot starter role.
Key Jess Todd Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/394
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- 2008 Donruss Threads Diamond Kings #/250
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Posted on 29 January 2009
H/W: 6-2 210 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 3/9/88
The Orioles' 2007 16th round pick completed his second tour of short season ball by hitting .240 with 10 HR 38 RBI and 9 SB at Aberdeen. The word that best personifies Tyler's game is "hustle". Kolodny is a max effort player whose exuberance for the game of baseball is evident and contagious. Bases on balls are followed by a 90 ft. sprint up the 1st base line and there isn't a game that Tyler comes of the field in a clean uniform. While his drive is compelling, it often leads to struggles as well. Kolodny often overswings at pitches in and out of the zone, resulting in a high K rate (83 in 72 games) and a deficiency in hitting the ball to the other field. He will steal the occasional bag, but his average speed gets him nabbed on the bases almost as often. Defensively, he has adaquate range and arm strength to stay at 3B, but the depth of hot corner dwellers in Baltimore's system may force him to relocate. Kolodny is an intriguing prospect in the sense that he is intrinsically compelled to be the best player on the field and is dedicated to addressing the soft spots of his game. That desire mixed with a decent assortment of skills makes Tyler Kolodny a dark horse for a breakout season in 2009.
2009 Projection: Beginning this spring, Kolodny should receive his first dose of full season of baseball, likely at Low-A Delmarva. The main thing that Tyler needs to work on in '09 is becoming a more complete hitter. Kolodny showed an ability to draw walks, his K rates were way too high. Watch to see if he can cut these down to less than one per game. Additionally, Kolodny needs to end his pull-happy ways. More advanced pitchers will exploit this tendency by controlling balls on the outer portion of the plate, which leads to K's and groundball outs. An increase in his double and triple totals would be a good indicator of how well he is utilizing the opposite field. The Orioles have two high upside 3B prospects in Billy Rowell and Tyler Henson who are ranked above Kolodny on the organization's depth chart. Kolodny does have the potential to be a solid MLB player, but he may need a change of position or of scenery in future seasons.
Key Tyler Kolodny Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- 2008 Donruss Threads Rookie Class Patch/Auto #/280
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/819
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Posted on 29 January 2009
H/W: 6-2 200 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 12/18/85
The former Lamar Cardinal split time between Low-A Lexington and HIgh-A Salem to hit .246 with 22 HR 71 RBI 14 SB and 81 runs scored. Drafted in the 5th round in '07, DeLome was widely considered one of the top overall athletes in the draft. With a compact left-handed swing, DeLome demonstrated that he can hit for above average power, but his high strikeout totals (128 in 129 games) may well impact his ability to hit for a decent batting average at the major league level. Collin has very good speed that plays well on the basepaths and at any outfield position, though he needs considerable work at making good reads and taking proper routes on flyballs. Despite his struggles, Collin DeLome has some tremendous athletic tools that a drastically thinned out Houston Astros organization will work dilligently to shape into MLB-quality skills.
2009 Projection: DeLome should start the '09 season in Houston's new High-A affiliate Lancaster. This California League ballpark may be they most hitter friendly environment in all of minor league baseball. With that in mind, DeLome should be able to put up some big power numbers in this league. Don't get seduced by these numbers! Rather, watch the BB/K ratio. If it improves there is reason to believe that DeLome can develop into a solid MLB player, and if it doesn't, even the gaudiest of Lancaster-induced numbers could prove to ring hollow once DeLome advances. The 'Stros have had a rough time in recent years in developing young OF talent (Josh Flores, Eli Iorg, Jordan Parraz, Mitch Einertson). Hopefully DeLome will avoid this scrap heap and take a developmental path similar to Hunter Pence.
Key Collin DeLome Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/819
- 2008 Donruss Threads Letterman Patch Auto #/240
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Posted on 29 January 2009
H/W: 6-1 205 lb. B/T: S/R DOB: 4/26/89
The Blue Jays' former supplemental 1st rounder put on 15 lbs. of muscle before the 2008 season in preparation for his shift to 3B. Regardless, the power did not manifest itself as Ahrens hit .259 with 5 HR 42 RBI and 25 doubles at Low-A Lansing. With quick hands and an even swing from both sides of the plate, Ahrens is projected to develop 15-20 HR power as he matures and his plus arm and good shortstop instincts makes him an above average fielder at the hot corner. Those that watched him as a prep player likened him to future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones but, unlike the Braves 3B, Ahrens struggled mightily to hone his plate discipline as he managed a paltry 45 BB/135 K ratio. The Toronto Blue Jays used the 2007 draft to re-stock their farm system with talented, high upside prep talents like Justin Jackson, John Tolisano, Eric Eiland, and Ahrens. While 2008 offered mixed results, the 2009 season should give a better indication on just how much can be expected from Ahrens and the others.
2009 Projection: The Jays are an organization that is thin on talented 3B prospects, which means that Ahrens should, despite his mediocre '08 season, advance to High-A Dunedin for the '09 season. Ahrens should hit for more power there and if he can turn 20 of his K's into walks, his average should bump up to the .280-.300 range. This next season will be critical for Ahrens' future projectibility. The talent is there for him to be an above average every day player, but his second full season will need to render better results than his first one.
Key Kevin Ahrens Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/794
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects Auto
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Posted on 28 January 2009
H/W: 6-1 180 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 8/14/85
The former 2006 3rd round draft pick had another fine season at High-A Sarasota and AA Chattanooga hitting .317 with 18 HR 81 RBI and 78 runs scored en route to being named the organization's minor league player of the year. Valaika has a very fine bat that produces good gap power to all fields that should translate into 15-20 HR per season at the MLB level. He has a good game plan at the plate and has shown a high competency for getting on base, however, he doesn't walk as much as the organization would like (35 BB/102 K's in '08). Defensively, Valaika is an intelligent player, but his subpar range and average arm profiles better at 2B than SS. With Brandon Phillips currently manning the helm at the 4-hole for the next three seasons, it will be imperative for Valaika to be able to be at least an adaquate fielding SS. If not, he may find himself stuck in the AAAA turnstiles or with another club.
2009 Projection: There isn't a lot of stiff competition for the SS job in Cincinnati as current starter Alex Gonzalez missed all of the '08 season and backups Jeff Keppinger and Paul Janish are not nearly as offensively gifted as Valaika. Regardless, Chris will almost assuredly begin the '09 season at AAA Louisville before earning a call up at some point in the season. Valaika is not a high-upside player, but his good bat and decent power could provide an immediate boost to the Reds' offense once he is called up. A solid debut with the big club could sweeten the market for some of his first year cards.
Key Chris Valaika Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Auto
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Bowman Sterling
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/309
- 2008 Donruss Threads Diamond Kings Auto #/500
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Posted on 28 January 2009
H/W: 6-6 240 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 10/1/86
Poreda kept trudging along Chicago's fast track, pitching well at both High-A Winston Salem and AA Birmingham for a combined 8-9 record with a 3.13 ERA and 40 BB/119 K in 161 IP. Poreda's towering barrell-chested frame is quite durable and effortlessly generates a mid-90's fastball that touches 100 MPH on a few occasions. As dominant as his fastball is, his secondary pitches, a slider and change, are far less effective. This has allowed for hitters to sit on the fastball and make good contact at times. Without a solid secondary reportoire, it would seem that Poreda would be best suited for the bullpen, but Chicago team officials are optimistic that these offerings will come along in time. Poreda does a fine job of commanding his fastball down in the strike zone which helps him to induce more groundballs (1.39 GO/FO) and limit the amount of long balls he surrenders ( 6 HR allowed in '08). His competitive makeup and poise are highly regarded and well suited for his future role as a frontline starter or dominant closer.
2009 Projection: There has been some speculation that Poreda will earn a rotation spot in spring training, but the more likely destination for him is AAA Charlotte. The White Sox are flush with left-handed pitching depth with the likes of Mark Buerhle. John Danks, and Clayton Richard already in the rotation, but the upside for Poreda is so high that he could push Richard for that final spot in the rotation this spring. Another possibility is that Poreda could make the MLB roster as a late inning reliever . The best bet for him would be to continue to refine his offspeed stuff in Charlotte while being first in line for a promotion if and when a spot opens up for him. Watch to see if he can boost his K rate this season as that will be an indicator of how much his breaking pitches have progressed. Regardless of whether he is a starter or reliever, Poreda has the stuff and mindset to be a dominant pitcher at the Major League Level.
Key Aaron Poreda Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/500
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Posted on 23 January 2009
H/W: 6-1 170 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 1/7/88
This 20 year old Venezuelan broke out in a big way in 2008 dominating both Low-A Asheville and High-A Modesto to the tune of an 18-3 record with a 2.03 ERA and 42 BB/160 K's in 177.2 IP. His 90-92 MPH fastball can reach 94 MPH but it is the heavy sinking action that induced ground ball outs to the tune of a 2.83 per flyout rate. Mixed with an effective curveball and changeup, Chacin has exceptional command and a highly advanced feel for how to set hitters up. Those who have seen him pitch also state that he is a nimble athlete and that his frame has the room to add more muscle to it. Though he has good command of his three pitches, Jhoulys must continue to develop the depth of them as he progresses. The jet streamed air and spacious gaps of Coors Field have squashed the futures of many a young pitcher, but Chacin's ability to induce groundball outs, coupled with his advanced control of the strike zone may give him a realistic shot at bucking this trend.
2009 Projection: Chacin will be asked to continue his devlelopment at AA Tulsa this season. If he can continue to put away more advanced hitters, he could received a promotion to AAA Colorado Springs at some point. The challenge for Chacin will be to keep the ball down. The Rockies' several minor league stops are hitter-friendly environments (Colorado Springs especially) and the hitters will be much more advanced and patient. If Jhoulys can continue to locate his fastball down in the zone, his future as a key cog in the Rockies' young rotation could be realized by the start of the 2010 season.
Key Jhoulys Chacin Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- 2008 Bowman Sterling
- 2008 Donruss Threads Auto #/1999
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/821
- 2008 Playoff Prime Cuts Auto #/249
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto
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2009 Projection: Vasquez should get another shot at Quad Cities and should put up better numbers. Monitor the power progress and also his ability to mitigate his K totals. If he doesn't, he will see a precipitous drop in his batting average numbers. The Redbirds have slick fielding Pete Kozma tabbed as their SS of the future which could mean that Vasquez may need to move to 3B down the road. His arm and good instincts would make him a good fit, but the power would need to progress to a more acceptable level in order to ensure his long term viability at that position.
