Posted on 11 April 2009
H/W: 5-11 195 lb. B/T: S/R DOB: 4/23/85
The Marlins acquired the young infielder as the centerpiece of a trade that sent highly talented right hander Scott Olsen and outfielder Josh Willingham to the Washington Nationals this past winter. Bonifacio struggled last season with the Diamondbacks and Nationals hitting .240 with 0 HR 16 RBI and 7 SB in 190 AB, but his numbers in spring training fell more in line with his minor league track record as he hit .279 with 13 RBI 14 runs scored and 5 SB in 24 games. Bonifacio has elite speed that he uses as a weapon on the basepaths and allows him great range in the field. He is adept with the glove and his arm strength is strong enough to place him at 3B. One area of his game that needs to improve is approach at the plate. Bonifacio has below average power, yet his swing is not conducive to playing a small game. He has struck out more than 100 times in four of the last five seasons and struggles to draw walks on a consistent basis.
2009 Projection: Bonifacio earned the starting gig as Florida's third baseman and responded with a 4-5 day which included an inside-the-park homerun, four runs scored, and three stolen bases. Bonifacio has the type of game similar to a Chone Figgins as an atypical, slap-hitting speedster who can play a variety of infield positions and generate runs once he is on the basepaths. His challenge for the Marlins is to become a player that can get on base more than 35% of the time, acting as a catalyst for Florida's powerful middle of the lineup.
Key Emilio Bonifacio Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Threads Auto #/1874
- 2008 Upper Deck Premier Auto #/99
- 2008 Upper Deck Piece of History Auto #/499
- 2008 Upper Deck Spectrum Auto
- 2008 SPX Auto
Posted on 05 April 2009
H/W: 6-6 235 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 3/22/85
The Red Sox used Masterson as both a starter and reliever last season and he performed admirably in both roles. In 36 outings, the tall righthander went 6-5 with a 3.16 ERA and 40 BB/68 K in 88 IP. The San Diego State alum features a heavy 92-94 MPH fastball that he throws from a 3/4 arm slot with a great deal of leverage. In addition to his fastball, he has a promising slider that has good lateral movement, but sometimes gets left up in the zone when he drops his arm slot. His changeup has some promise to be effective too, but it lags behind his other two offerings. Hitters have a difficult time generating much pop off of his fastball, but his slider is still hittable and his command numbers will need to improve. The presence of Jonathan Papelbon at the end of Boston's bullpen may eventually push Masterson into the rotation. Whether he is throwing every 5th day or every other day, he is a highly valued piece to the future prosperity of the Red Sox.
2009 Projection: The acquisitions of Brad Penny and John Smoltz has relegated Masterson to the 7th or 8th inning job once again. His control has been excellent this spring as he has walked just two hitters in 12.2 IP. Keep an eye on this as the major league season goes on. His ability to command the strike zone should allow for him to use his sinker much more effectively as an out pitch. Also monitor the health of Boston's rotation. If one of their horses goes down, Masterson will be the first name called to step into a rotation spot. Once he gets in, he may be too good to supplant.
Key Justin Masterson Baseball Cards:
- 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2008 Finest RC Redemption #6
- 2008 Stadium Club Auto
- 2008 Topps Red Hot Rookie
Posted on 21 March 2009
H/W: 6-2 170 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 12/14/88
Michael Main pitched like a 1st rounder last season, combining to go 3-3 with a 2.76 ERA and 13 BB/65 K per 58.2 IP between Texas' Arizona Rookie League affiliate and full season Low-A Clinton. A nationally renowned two way player as a high schooler, Main is a very good athlete who features a 92-94 MPH fastball and high 70's power curve to strike out hitters in bunches. His changeup is a bit raw at this time and his curveball can be inconsistent at times. Main tends to be a flyball pitcher, which is a dangerous proposition when the Ballpark in Arlington is your future home. That said, he commands his fastball very well and attacks hitters with great confidence. His frame is strong for its size and should project to build some more bulk as he matures. This should help him to add stamina and, perhaps, a couple of digits to the velocity to his already plus fastball.
2009 Projection: The Rangers are overflowing with top quality arms in their farm system with Neftali Feliz, Derek Holland, Martin Perez, Blake Beavan, Kasey Kiker, and Neil Ramirez. Main fits right in the middle of that list, but his curveball and changeup need to develop more consistency or else he could find himself being developed as a power reliever. Keep an eye on this as he pitches at High-A Bakersfield this year. The California League is a difficult one for young pitchers, especially young flyball pitchers. If he can develop some more depth to his offspeed offerings, he should be able to avoid some of the attrition that seems to be awaiting him. If not, he could struggle with this promotion and find himself back at Clinton. Long term, his highly valuable arm will play in the major leagues in some capacity.
Key Michael Main Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2007 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/794
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft AFLAC Auto
Posted on 21 March 2009
H/W: 6-7 210 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 1/17/89
The Rangers' 2007 1st rounder pitched well in his first full season at Low-A Clinton. Blake Beavan went 10-6 with a 2.37 ERA and 20 BB/73 K in 121.2 IP. With his imposing frame and 95 MPH heat, Beavan has the ability to impose his will on hitters, yet he didn't miss as many bats as prognosticated. Part of this could be attributed to alterations to his funky pitching mechanics and, given his size and strength, it is conceivable that the velocity could return. His two plane slider has the ability to develop into a strikeout pitch that would serve him well as a starter or make him a dominant closer. He carries himself with a great deal of confidence on the mound and is regarded as being a fiery, sometimes too much so, competitor. Beavan is a durable pitcher who, with improved mechanics, could be a inning eating workhorse.
2009 Projection: The Rangers seem to have there minds set on developing Blake Beavan as a starting pitcher , at least for the time being. At this point his demeanor and potentially dominant two pitches seem better suited for the bullpen. The dip in his fastball's velocity is a concern. Keep an eye on this development as well as Beavan's starts at High-A Bakersfield. If he continues to live at 91-92 MPH, he could struggle and may need to head back to the Rangers' new Low-A affiliate Hickory.
Key Blake Beavan Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto
- 2007 Bowman Sterling Auto
- 2008 Bowman Draft AFLAC Auto
Posted on 26 February 2009
H/W: 5-11 190 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 12/12/86
The Cincinnati Reds may have struck gold by selecting this former Northwestern Wildcat in the 22nd round of the '08 draft. Coming off of an intensely disappointing collegiate season that saw him bat just .227, Wiley tore apart the pitching of the Pioneer League hitting .327 with 5 HR 37 RBI 17 doubles and 29 runs scored in just 39 games. Wiley is an exceptional athlete with enough footspeed to be an above average CF and a threat to steal double digit bases every year. His left handed swing drives the ball well to the gaps with occasional fence clearing power. His 24 walks in 139 AB shows that he has the capability to work deep into counts, but the rub on Wiley is his disturbingly high strikeout totals. This was a main factor in his struggles at Northwestern (he struck out 51 times in 46 games) and, despite his early success, he punched out 49 times in 39 games with Billings.
2009 Projection: Wiley will move to full season Low-A Dayton to try and build upon his promising short season numbers. The K rate is the big thing to watch in Wiley. He doesn't walk enough nor possess enough power to make his high strikeout rates acceptable. He has shown in previous collegiate seasons a much better grasp of the strike zone, which offers promise that he can do the same with the Reds organization. There is some level of promise with this young outfielder and, in time, he could become widely regarded as a late round steal and potential starting MLB outfielder.
Key Byron Wiley Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Auto
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
H/W: 5-11 195 lb. B/T: S/R DOB: 4/23/85
