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
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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 07 April 2009
H/W: 6-2 185 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 8/1/85
Considered to be the centerpiece to the now ill-advised Erik Bedard trade, Adam Jones gave Orioles fans a glimpse of the immense talent that he possesses. Jones batted .270 with 9 HR 57 RBI 10 SB and 61 runs scored for the O's last season and solidified the outfield defense with his excellent range and arm strength in centerfield. Jones has sinewy strength and excellent bat speed that should transform into 20-25 HR power in the very near future. His speed is also top notch, although, he has historically not fully used it as a weapon on the basepaths. The major question mark at this time is directly related to his discipline at the plate. Last season, Jones had a dismal 23 BB/108 K ratio and had trouble with handling offspeed pitches. This spring has brought forth some positive signs in his development as he has batted .350 with 3 HR 5 RBI 7 SB and a 3 BB/10 K ratio in 19 games.
2009 Projection: Adam Jones is primed for better numbers this season from behind the plate and his high SB totals in the spring shows that he intends to be more aggressive on the basepaths as well. The BB/K ratio is the key component to his overall offensive success. By boosting his walk rate and diminishing his K rate a little bit, Jones can threaten to cross the .300 threshold. Brian Roberts is Baltimore's leadoff hitter, but Jones should make a dangerous #2 hitter in that solid Oriole lineup. With excellent pitching prospects down on the farm and a young offense to build around, the Camden Yard boys should be a rising threat in the A.L. East within the next couple of seasons.
Key Adam Jones Baseball Cards:
- 2003 Upper Deck Prospect Premieres
- 2006 Bowman Heritage
- 2006 Upper Deck Update SP
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Posted on 25 March 2009
H/W: 5-11 205 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 4/24/86
Shipped over from the Diamondbacks in the Dan Haren trade, Cunningham is precisely the type of player that A's GM Billy Beane loves. He pounded pitching at both AA Midland and AAA Sacramento to the tune of a .329 BA with 17 HR 66 RBI 15 SB and 86 runs scored. He recorded another 80 AB with Oakland, hitting .250 with a HR and 14 RBI. With excellent hand-eye coordination and a compact right handed swing, Aaron generates decent pop that should produce 10-15 HR per season at the major league level. His speed is above average and he uses it savvily in the outfield and on the basepaths, where he should average double digit stolen base numbers. Cunningham has shown solid plate discipline throughout his minor league career, though these numbers have eroded somewhat as he has advanced. At 23 years old, there is not too much room for further projection in Cunningham's game, though he has given enough reason to believe that he can be a fairly productive regular at the major league level.
2009 Projection: The trade for Matt Holliday has muddied the waters in Oakland's outfield scenerio. Aaron has had a solid showing this spring and has earned some serious consideration for a major role in either RF or CF. So have, however, Travis Buck, Ryan Sweeney, Rajai Davis, and Chris Denorfia. Being the youngest of this crop, it seems quite likely that Cunningham will be ticketed for AAA at the start of the '09 season, where he will stay until room is made for him by way of injury, non-performance, or trade. Cunningham has some upside as a future MLB regular, but the odds of him becoming one of those "lost in the shuffle" guys increases with every minor league AB.
Key Aaron Cunningham Baseball Cards:
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Prospects
- 2007 Bowman Heritage
- 2008 Bowman Chrome Auto
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Auto
- 2009 Topps
- 2009 UD Spectrum Auto
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Posted on 09 March 2009
H/W: 6-4 205 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 1/27/87
The Detroit Tigers saw projectibility and two MLB-plus pitches when they selected the Ole Miss University hurler in the 2nd round of the '08 draft. Promptly converted to a late inning reliever, Satterwhite threw 20.2 innings at two stops earning 3 saves, a 3.92 ERA and a 13 BB/24 K ratio. Satterwhite has an explosive 95 MPH fastball with excellent late movement that moves in on the hands of RH batters. His slider has high upside with a violent two plane break, but he has had trouble commanding it at times. He has dabbled with developing a changeup, but it really hasn't taken as of yet. Satterwhite has a tall, broad frame that still has quite a bit of projectibility left, which leads some to believe that he can tack on some additional ticks to the velocity of his fastball. His inconsistent delivery and loose mechanics causes him to miss up in the zone quite a bit which makes him hittable and marginalizes his ability to induce groundball outs. This could serve as a problem at higher levels. The Tigers are quite enamored with the closer potential of 1st rounder Ryan Perry, and given Satterwhite's young age, there is still some possibility that he could be developed as a starter in the future.
2009 Projection: Satterwhite will get a nice dose of full season ball at High-A Lakeland this season. The Tigers would like to see him get better command of his off-speed stuff and would like for him to utilize his frame to throw downhill on hitters. His control numbers are the obvious things to watch, but keep an eye on his FO/GO ratio as well. If he can bump that up over 1.00 (it was 0.57 last season), he can rapidly become a dominant reliever. Relief pitching has been a thorn in the side of the Tigers for the past few seasons, but there is high hopes that the combination of Satterwhite and Ryan Perry could help this club shorten games and put more wins on the scoreboard.
Key Cody Satterwhite Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Playoff Contenders Auto SP #/90
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1199
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/322
- 2008 UD USA Auto Jersey #/275
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Posted on 06 March 2009
H/W: 6-1 200 lb. B/T: S/R DOB: 8/16/82
The understated Angels infielder continued to put up excellent numbers at AAA Salt Lake City, hitting .335 with 15 HR 88 RBI 45 doubles and 92 runs scored. Sandoval has a line drive bat that produces gap power and high rates of contact. He has decent speed, but ran a lot less last season than in years past. Defensively, Sandoval is quite versatile spending time at 1B, 2B, 3B and even the OF last season. He is sure handed and plays with a great deal of intelligence. He is not flashy, but he can adequately fill a variety of roles. The rub on Sandoval is his age, at 26 years old, he is rapidly losing status as a prospect and needs to step into an MLB role sometime soon.
2009 Projection: Spring training will be a critical time for Sandoval to wriggle his way onto the Angels' 25 man roster. He has demonstrated all he needs to at the minor league level and, at 26 years old, is entering the prime productive years of his career. Monitor his progress this spring as well as rumblings within the Angels organization as to the 2009 role for Sandoval. He has the makings of a highly productive utility player who can admirably fill a variety of roles and is ready to produce right away. He should get more of a chance at some point in 2009.
Key Freddy Sandoval Baseball Cards:
- 2004 SP Prospects Auto #/400
- 2006 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2009 Topps
- 2009 Upper Deck
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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 13 January 2009
H/W: 5-10 185 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 9/29/89
It's not every day that a 2nd Team All-American prep outfielder falls into your lap in the 15th round, but with $1 million in hand, the Nationals successfully plucked the young Texan from his commitment to Tulane. Ramirez responded well in his brief GCL stint gathering 4 hits, 4 walks, and 8 RBI in just 11 AB's as he continued to put to rest the murmurs that his small stature would be exploited at higher levels. His sturdy build and sweet left-handed swing allows him to make consistently hard contact with just about every ball he swings at and he effectively utilizes the entire field from foul line to foul line. Ramirez has an advanced feel for the strike zone which should help him limit his strikeout totals and hit for a high average. Defensively, Ramirez has an average arm and good range that should allow for him to play either CF or LF at the major league level. Ramirez has decent speed, but not the impact speed that will result in high stolen base totals.
2009 Projection: Ramirez should get his first sniff of full season ball this season at Low-A Hagerstown. The challenge for J.P. will be to show that he can generate enough pop to be considered as a starting outfielder. He is close to maxed out physically which limits his upside. Ideally, he is a solid #2 hitter with 10-15 HR power and a batting average that hovers around .300. Watch his doubles totals this season, if he cracks more than 30, there is a good chance that he could produce the kind of pop that belies his size. He was able to do this as a prep player, but wooden bats seem to weed out the pretenders from the contenders.
Key J.P. Ramirez Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Donruss Elite Extra Auto #/719
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/1199
- 2008 Upper Deck Team USA
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Posted on 03 January 2009
H/W: 6-2 235 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 2/12/86
The big 2004 5th rounder rocketed up the White Sox organizational depth chart with a big season between High-A Winston-Salem and AA Birmingham. Allen batted .278 with 29 HR 75 RBI 17 SB and 87 runs scored while substantially increasing his OBP and SLG from his 2007 numbers. After the departure of Chris Carter, Brandon Allen has become the premier power hitter and 1B in the White Sox farm system. Surprisingly athletic for his size, Allen should be able to reach double digits in stolen bases each season and his quickness gives him good first step range at 1B. HIs glove still needs work, however, and there have been concerns from those within the organization that he may eventually end up as a DH at the major league level. Allen was more effective in drawing walks this past season and his strikeout rate remained fairly constant, but the Sox would like to see him continue to work on handling off speed pitches as well as balls down in the zone.
2009 Projection: 2008 was a big power breakthrough for Allen and his performance after his promotion to Birmingham lends credence to the notion that he may begin the season at AAA Charlotte. The White Sox have secured Paul Konerko and his powerful bat through the 2010 season, which gives them some time to evaluate Allen's progress. If Allen continues to mash the ball and cuts back on his K's, he immediately becomes a potential late season call up for the Sox and Konerko becomes a potential trading chip. The exodus of Nick Swisher and Javier Vazquez, shows that Chicago is determined to cut back on spending while acquiring younger talent. This bodes well for Allen's not too distant future.
Key Brandon Allen Baseball Cards:
- 2004 Bowman Chrome Draft
- 2004 SP Prospects Auto #/400
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Posted on 20 December 2008
H/W: 6-2 235 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 8/26/86
The Cardinals felt blessed to have the Arizona State alum fall to them at the 13th overall pick of the '08 draft. Wallace responded remarkably well to every challenge thrown his way hitting a combined .337 with 8 HR 36 RBI and 41 runs scored in just 54 games. The hot streak continued in the Arizona Fall League as Wallace batted .309 with 6 HR and 24 RBI. A thick build and quick left-handed swing gives Wallace the ability to drive the ball out of any part of the park and his plate discipline should allow for him to hit for a high average and OBP. Despite the many murmurs from baseball scouts who think that he is incapable of playing 3B at the major league level, Wallace impressed many with his soft hands and strong arm at the hot corner. Wallace has a thick and heavy lower body that deters from his athletic potential and should relegate him to 1B at some point in his career. Albert Pujols has 1B locked down for the several seasons to come. It will be of utmost importance for Brett to stick at 3B as long has he can.
2009 Projection: The Cardinals have placed Brett Wallace on the fast track to the major leagues. While his bat is ready, his glove and body needs some work. Expect Wallace to start the '09 season either at AA Springfield or AAA Memphis before earning a spot in St. Louis' lineup at some point later in the season. As of right now, the Cards have the injury-prone Troy Glaus manning the hot corner. If he goes down with an injury, Wallace should get his shot. Once he's here, expect several .300 seasons with 25-30 HR to follow.
Key Brett Wallace Baseball Cards:
- 2008 Razor Signature Series Auto #/499
- 2008 Razor Exclusive Auto
- 2008 UD Team USA Auto #/150
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Posted on 10 November 2008
H/W: 6-5 220 lb. B/T: L/R DOB: 9/12/89
Freeman's 2008 season may have been the best of any prospect in the Braves' system. As an 18 year old, Freeman dominated the talented pitchers South Atlantic League batting .316 with 18 HR and 95 RBI. Freeman seemed to get better as the season went on, hitting .349 after the All-Star break with 10 HR. With a massive frame and long arms, Freeman produces easy power to all fields. However, he is not a one-dimensional masher, as he combined to hit 33 doubles and 7 triples while earning a .384 OBP due to a solid 48 BB/84 K ratio. Freeman has a knack for manufacturing runs i Read the full story
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Posted on 09 November 2008
H/W: 6-3 190 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 9/26/86
Doolittle started his 2008 campaign at High-A Stockton where he proved critics of his power potential wrong by the cover off of tha ball. In 86 games, Doolittle hit .305 with 18 HR 61 RBI and 25 doubles. This performance was good enough to earn him a promotion to AA Midland where he struggled early on to make consistent contact, but a late season hot streak boosted his AA average to .254. Doolittle has a sweet left-handed line drive swing that seems to have developed more loft and power Read the full story
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Posted on 09 November 2008
H/W: 6-6 210 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 8/28/86
You'd be hard pressed to find many pitchers that had a better season than Tommy Hanson. Over two levels, Hanson was dominant combining to go 11-5 with a 2.41 ERA and 163 K's in 138 IP. This included a 14 strikeout no-hitter against AA Birmingham on June 25th. Hanson added a couple ticks to his fastball which now sits at 92-94 MPH with good movement. His curveball and slider are also already MLB plus pitches and his changeup shows quite a bit of promise too. Additionally, Hanson has proven to be a gritty competitor with good poise on the mound. It is hard to Read the full story
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Posted on 08 November 2008
H/W: 6-1 205 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 9/14/84
Hodges put up very similar numbers at AA Akron to fellow Indians farmhand Beau Mills, hitting .290 with 18 HR and 97 RBI. Hodges has an even stroke that drives the ball well to all fields. His plate discipline is solid, as he walked 52 times versus 105 K's in 133 games. Defensively, Hodges is a fringe average 3B and a decent 1B. The Indians will need to choose either Hodges or Mills to play 3B with the other party moving over to 1B. The Tribe sent Wes to the Arizona Fall League to work on his defense and see what he could do with the bat. Offensively, Hodges Read the full story
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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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Posted on 08 November 2008
H/W: 6-5 205 lb. B/T: L/L DOB: 9/3/87
Dominic Brown had a very positive season at Low-A Lakewood, hitting .291 with 9 HR 54 RBI and 22 SB. Even more appealing was the fact that Brown walked 64 times and struck out just 72 times in 114 games. Brown projects to develop a great deal of HR power in Read the full story
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Posted on 08 November 2008
H/W: 6-3 215 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 7/27/84
Scherzer had a memorable MLB debut hurling 4.1 no-hit innings with 7 strikeouts against the Houston Astros. Scherzer oscillated between Arizona and AAA Tuscon as a reliever before having late season success as a starter, striking out 32 hitters in four September starts. The D'Backs sent him to the Arizona Fall League to continue his transition and Scherzer has responded by leading the AFL in strikeouts. Armed with a 93-95 MPH sinking fastball and potentially great Read the full story
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H/W: 5-11 195 lb. B/T: S/R DOB: 4/23/85
