by Thomas Belmont on February 6, 2012
Continuing our run through the Top 10 Lists for prospects and we find ourselves here with the 2B. It leads off with a rumored position switch with Rosario and includes some high probability 2B in Wong and Spangenberg. After that the position really thins on surefire major league talent. But there are some players here who change the public opinion in 2012. So once again, let’s take a step back and take a broad look at the minor leagues as we go position by position and bring to you the Top Position Lists with some additional players and information.
Because as we said, we’ll be analyzing the Baseball Instinct 360° not only full circle, but 365 days a year. The deeper we get into the video and our customized Instinctools Stat System the more the view changes from the top.
So let’s get into the catchers position and give you the list and some of the current thoughts.
In the Top 100
23°. Eddie Rosario, OF/2B, Twins, 9/28/1991 - Rosario had an impressive debut in 2010 as an 18-year-old in the Gulf Coast League. He hit .294 with 5 HRs and 22 SB in 194 at bats in 2010. He followed up that impressive season by displaying an awesome power/speed combination in the Appalachian League by posting a triple slash of .337/.397/.670. It was one of, if not the, best minor league performances in 2011. He still has to prove he do it against advanced pitchers and the FSL will be his first true test. He may start 2011 in Fort Myers. ETA 2014.
Update Instinct – Rumor still has it that, Rosario, an OF in 2011 will be making a transition to 2B. I guess the Twins think that Levi Michael will stick at SS or that they already have their SS in Brian Dozier. Either way, Rosario, seems to be in line for a shot at being a 2B. If this pans out, you have one the top bats as far as potential goes, taking on a premium position. It’s not an easy transition, and Levi Michael will be in line to slip right into the 2B of the future role if Rosario falters defensively. [click to continue…]
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by George Utter on February 4, 2012
Gerardo Concepción, LHP Chicago Cubs
6/6/1993
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 180
Cuban left-handed pitcher Gerardo Concepción Pérez wasted no time in signing with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, barely 2 weeks after establishing residency in Mexico and being declared a free agent by Major League Baseball. The deal is reportedly worth $7 million with various incentives that could drive the price beyond $8 million.
It had been speculated by several sources that Concepción was on the verge of reaching an agreement with a major league club last week, and now the speculation is over as Theo Epstein has landed the 1st of the Cuban free agents this winter. Concepción is expected to start his professional career in the minor leagues and while I selfishly wish that he starts off the 2012 season with the Boise Hawks up here in the Northwest League so that our own Bart Klett or myself can get a first hand look at him and provide video for you, though that’s not likely the case. The good news however, is that if he heads to the Midwest League with the Peoria Chiefs or to Florida State League with the Daytona Cubs, Baseball Instinct’s Dave Reiffer (MWL) or Tom Belmont (FSL) will be on top of it. Bottom line, there’s an excellent chance that we will have video and a comprehensive break down on Conception by the early days of this summer.
The lefty is coming off of a season where he was named Rookie of the Year for the Industriales of the Cuban National Series. As an 18-year-old, he went 10-3 with a 3.36 ERA, 53 Ks, and 43 BB over 102 innings in 21 games; 16 of those were starts. Aroldis Chapman comparisons will be inevitable, but he doesn’t have the same kind of triple digit gas that Chapman has. [click to continue…]
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by Thomas Belmont on February 1, 2012
While we’re dropping Prospect Instinct articles on a daily basis to put out the most in-depth Scouting Reports available, I’m going to take a step back and take a broad look again. This time we’ll go position by position and bring to you the Top Position Lists with some additional players and information. Because as we said, we’ll be analyzing the Baseball Instinct 360° not only full circle, but 365 days a year. The deeper we get into the video and our customized Instinctools Stat System the more the view changes from the top.
So let’s get into the 1B and give you the List and the current thoughts.
In the Top 100
30°. Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs, 8/8/1989 - Rizzo had an excellent season in Triple A. Hitting for an average of .331 and slugging .652, with 26 HR’s and 101 rbi’s, what is not to like? Unfortunately, that didn’t translate into the Major leagues where he turned into a strikeout machine. However, it is completely reasonable that he needs time to adjust to the major league caliber pitching. While playing a good glove and showing fine plate skills, there is every reason to believe that the best is yet to come for Rizzo. He came in at #46 on last years top 100 prospects and he has done nothing to invalidate that by his 2011 performance. With the move from the LH hitter graveyard to a park friendly to LH power hitter, Theo and Hoyer did Rizzo a huge favor. ETA 2012.
Instinct Update – With Rizzo’s move to the Friendly Confines he’s in a position to contribute right away. The Cubs front office may give him some time in Triple-A if he’s out played in Spring Training by Bryan LaHair. But LaHair is going to be 30 this year and despite raking outright in Triple-A, he’s probably not going to hold Rizzo down for too long. Consider him the bridge. [click to continue…]
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by George Utter on January 24, 2012
Welcome back to the 2011 draft “in-season” review. We started the series last fall, but took a break from it to present to you our top 10 lists and, of course, our Baseball Instinct 360° top prospects list for 2012. In this series we’re taking a look at players from the 2011 draft who signed and got into game play in 2011. We’ve separated the High School players from the College players and compiled which players had the best season statistically. This ranking if you will, isn’t based on tools or skill set, nor is it a projection into the career these players may have. It’s purely a spotlight on those players from the past draft that grabbed our eye statistically.
I love these types of articles. I get to get my stat geek on. I’ll take a look at a guy like Adam Eaton, OF Diamondbacks (2010 draft round 19 pick 571), who had a great 2010 debut, got on our radar like these players, we investigated him closer, and he followed up 2010 with a solid 2011 campaign. Or perhaps a kid like Brandon Drury, 3B Braves (2010 draft round 13 pick 404). He didn’t have a statistically impressive debut in the GCL, but in a short-supply class of high school players, coupled with the fact that he’s from my region in the Pacific Northwest, he made the “keep an eye on” list for me. As with Eaton, a fantastic 2011 campaign and now both players are on our top 360 list.
We jump back into things with a look at the First basemen. As with the other articles, there was no short supply of silky sweet statistical goodness from the college players, however, the high-school players were in short supply.
[click to continue…]
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