The loud nature of his game and hard-nosed hustle will surely make him a fan favorite in Milwaukee. Key Tools (Hitters): We all love the flashy prospects that have the potential to put up gaudy numbers, but that can't be all we look for. With the Buffaloes out of contention, the club opted to protect their star pitcher rather than running him out in a bid for either the ERA or strikeout title. The glove has come a long way too. He didnt live up to the hype with the Giants and never played in more than 62 games for the team before being traded to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters after the 2015 season. The more I see of Soderstrom, the more confident I am that he can develop into the left-handed masher for the As. The 24-year-olds extreme confidence in his hit-tool sometimes results in him expanding the zone a bit earlier in counts, holding him back from better walk numbers. The pitch now sits in the mid 90s, touching 99 mph with high spin rates and good shape. Williams put his big tools on display in his first pro season, giving Rays fans plenty to look forward to. The ninth overall pick in the 2020 Draft, Veen was viewed as one of the highest-ceiling bats in his class and has done nothing but reinforce those projections through his first two professional seasons. Perazas sweet swing from the right side and plus defense at short make him a high probability everyday shortstop. The high velocity, riding fastball pairs with Rodriguezs screwball of a changeup at 83-85 mph to make hitters extremely uncomfortable. Already built like a linebacker at 20 years old, Walker has hedged early swing and miss concerns by simply mashing as one of the youngest players at every stop. Then the Pirates signed him on August 15, and he had a bit of a renaissance that earned him a one-year, $4 million contract. The ceiling may be somewhat limited for Graceffo, however his floor is not too far below. While he may not have the superstar upside of Elly De La Cruz or Noelvi Marte, McLain has a really good chance to be an above-average regular at the shortstop positionor anywhere else the Reds want to stick himas a flat out gamer who can set the tone for your lineup. There is probably some room for improvement in terms of picking the right spots to run and getting slightly better jumps from first base, but the speedster should be a 20+ stolen base threat annually. Naylor is a patient hitter who rarely expands the zone, walking at a 16% clip between Double-A and Triple-A this year. Kerry Yo Nakagawa, Japanese American Baseball Multimedia "Chatter Up!" The 2024 high school draft class is anchored by two supreme talents at the top of the class in Konnor Griffin and Derek Curiel, but the bat speed and wheels behind them is gaudy as well. Kishida and Biden meeting heralds an alliance in lock-step but challenges remain, Japan looks beyond U.S. alliance for help to deter China military, Russia and a return to Soviet-style central planning, Electronic music pioneer Yukihiro Takahashi of YMO dies at 70. Carter has the speed to be an impactful base stealer, but will need to get more efficient. Between Center and Right Field, he accumulated a total of +27.2 Ultimate Zone Rating, by far the best of any player in NPB. Arroyo is a natural up the middle, with clean actions, impressive footwork and a rocket for an arm. He currently struggles to keep balls in front of him when blocking, which is likely due to the fact that he lacks the quickness to be able to constantly get in good blocking positions. The fact that Painter commands his elite stuff with such precision for a 19-year-old giant truly is remarkable. Featuring multiple Japanese players, the 2022 Topps Baseball Japan Edition checklist works with a 220-card base set. Like many young hitters, Johnson tends to try to get into his pull side power a bit too much, causing him to be out and around the baseball. While theres definitely some whiff in Walkers game at this point, he only struck out 21.6% of the time this season because of his ability to punish fastballs while rarely missing mistakes of any pitch type. https://t.co/TZYTTAm9a5, Stephen Young (@stevietpfl) April 18, 2022, The Crawfish Boxes (@CrawfishBoxes) April 18, 2022, 20 years old. A prized international free agent after a track record of hitting (and pitching) in Cuba and in Japans Minor League system, Colas scrapped the pitching to focus on hitting and turned in a monster first season in the White Sox org. Yamamotos stellar 2021 has made some fans numb to his sheer dominance. Steer would be an above-average defender at second base and his arm is good enough to play a solid third base. Merrill maneuvers the barrel really well with great plate coverage. Romos stroke from the left side is really impressive as he stays short, compact and quick. The backstop had a particularly impressive July, hitting .325/.435/.481 in 20 games. When the pitch is working, it features good arm fade from Graceffos over the top release point. First is Yoshi Tsutsugo of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Montgomery was dynamite in his first pro season, mashing through Low-A and posting strong numbers in High-A before a premature promotion to Double-A as part of the White Sox Project Birmingham idea to have all of their top prospects on the same team. Some of the easier power youll see in the minors, Baty requires little movement to get into his plus raw power. Lawlar very rarely looks sped up or fooled in the box and it always looks like he is in control of the at-bat. Alcantara is a fairly aggressive hitter, with a 32% chase rate this season, but much like his contact rates, the newly-turned 20-year-olds approach progressed nicely as the season went on. If he further develops his breaking balls and command, Stone has the ceiling of a number two starter on a first-division team. His actions are smooth and he has a plus arm (he threw 27.2 innings in college) which should make him a great bet to stick at short. He also set a world record by homering in five consecutive plate appearances between July 31 and August 2. The power/speed combo that Davis possesses along with a good feel to hit evoke some young Matt Kemp memories. Rodriguez mashed breaking balls to an OPS of .988 while dismantling fastballs to the tune of a 1.177 OPS. Expanding to the rest of his stuff, Espino posted the second best swinging strike rate among qualified pitchers in the minors in 2021 at 20.2%, behind only Spencer Strider of the Braves. Viewed as a high-level draft prospect dating back to his high school days, Lee elected to play for his father at Cal Poly where he raked for three seasons as well as on the Cape. He should be an above average defender. The defense will be something to follow for Amador, not because he isnt capable at shortstop, but rather the presence of Ezequiel Tovar and Amadors elite defensive potential at second base could result in a move to the other side of the diamond at the upper levels. Remembering Tetsuto Yamada's game-changing home run in the #Premier12 Final against Korea: Story: https://t.co/jszQ4hsUvg @samuraijapan_pr @swallowspr @PacificleagueTV pic.twitter.com/ZWZBTKIZVp. His footwork is great, his actions are smooth, his arm is plus and he has the instincts of a 10-year veteran. Seemingly always on time with a knack for manipulating the barrel and getting to tough pitches, Moreno has one of the best hit-tools in the minors. Jungs groundball rate dipped by more than 15% while his HR/FB rate jumped from 5% to 22%. Its hard to argue with a hitter who posts an OPS above .900 from both sides of the plate and while Rodriguezs exit velocities are above average at best, his swing is designed to drive the ball in the air. For hitters, I've really started factoring in a prospect's hit tool more heavily. The speedy shortstop has improved his base stealing drastically in 2022, getting better jumps and picking more opportune times to run. The big right-handed hitter starts heavily stacked on his backside using a pronounced toe tap as a timing mechanism. He uses his athleticism to help him move well behind the dish and block effectively. With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. Though Meyers fastball sits 95-97 mph, it lacks desired shape and life. This is common for tall young hitters and his tendency to lose his back hip and drift will cause his bat to drag through the zone sometimes. An easy plus plus pitch, the 12 inches of horizontal break, the pitch fades away from lefties, inducing plenty of weak contact while also diving in and under the hands of righties. As we are already seeing, Hall has a comfortable fall back as a nasty reliever. The 22-year-old seemed to be in the midst of a breakout in that department last year, launching eight homers in 32 Double-A games before a thumb injury cut his season short. Height/Weight: 511, 220|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $200K, 2016 (STL)|ETA: 2022. When Valera is at his best, he is able to stay back hip and let his natural bat speed/strength eat. He only throws it a few times each outing and it tends to back up a bit on him at times leading to some consistency issues regarding location. Even in just 53 games, Davis launched nine homers along with 21 extra base hits, flashing his plus raw power. He will definitely need to temper his 38% chase rate, however he has shown enough to provide optimism that he can develop into an at least average hitter. He is an athletic hitter who should consistently post above average contact rates and does not expand the zone too much. It just illuminates some of the subtle differences between leagues. The pitch tunnels well off of his riding fastball boasting late, sharp bite away from right-handers. He find the barrel as much as any hitter in the minors and should quickly climb to the big leagues. Turang has impressed scouts with his ability to hit and polish dating back to his high school days in Corona, California. Green ran a ridiculous 6.16 60-yard dash as a high schooler and his electrifying speed helps him cover a ton of ground in center. He has struggled to locate the pitch at times this year, throwing it for a strike roughly 15% less frequently than the rest of his arsenal. He controls his body well and his inward toe tap helps keep his front side on the baseball, aiding him in left-on-left matchups. As he gets more reps and irons out the fundamentals, Williams should be an above average defender at short. The only reason we did not see Mervis promoted was due to the fact that he is not Rule 5 eligible until next year and the Cubs already have a 40 Man Roster crunch. Consistent numbers in Triple-A have Steer knocking on the door of a Big League debut. He is extremely accurate with his throws as well. Rocchios speed is more visible in the field than on the base paths at this point, which is a bit surprising given his well-documented impressive baseball IQ. Height/Weight: 63, 210|Bat/Throw: L/R|2nd Round (42), 2019 (BAL)|ETA: 2023. Henderson has continued to add strength since joining the Orioles organization, producing exit velocities as high as 112 mph and home runs as long as 480 feet this season. His playing time steadily eroded, and he finished with a .204 batting mark. Age: 22 | Height/Weight: 64, 220 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd Round (62), 2020 (CHC) | ETA: 2022. The fourth pitch for Painter is a changeup that has flashed above-average in the upper 80s. The most intriguing of the eight Japanese imports are Ohtani and Suzuki, who left the Hiroshima Toyo Carp to sign a five-year, $85 million contract with the Chicago Cubs in March. Rookies are always highly coveted in fantasy baseball, both redraft and keeper/dynasty leagues. Ahead of his years in the maturity department at the plate, Volpe commands his at bats with comfort and rarely chases. He posts average home to first times due to the time it takes him to get to top speed but the speed plays a bit better in the outfield. Assuming Chourio continues to mature as a hitter, he has 30/30 upside while playing center field at an extremely high level. Buschs value will be dictated by the potency of his bat. How much power he taps into will be a determinant in just how absurdly high his ceiling is, but Hollidays instincts, natural hitting ability, physical projection and bloodlines have Holliday looking like a potential All-Star shortstop for the Orioles. The son of MLB All-Star Matt Holliday and the No. As he continues to get stronger and more advanced with his approach, Veen has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order monster who adds a dynamic piece to a lineup due to his ability to run. Rafaela saw the majority of his action in centerfield where his speed is on full display. Soderstroms controlled violence with his swing gives him a great chance to hit for power while not whiffing at too high of a clip. Ford impressively only chased 14% of pitches in this season, helping him walk at a 18% clip. Vientos is heavy on his feet and a below average runner, though he has continued to focus on his footwork and conditioning. He identifies spin well and punishes mistakes while lifting the ball as much as anyone in the minors which helps his offensive profile. He posted a 4.25 ERA in 133.1 innings, the highest among the 14 players who qualified for the pitching titles. Montgomery already controls his body really well, keeping his weight back and using his leverage. Johnson starts with his bat resting on his shoulder and his weight favoring his backside before getting into a big leg kick that coincides with a barrel tip. George Arias, Hanshin Tigers, Yomiuri Giants, and "Chatter Up!" Whenever Senga arrives, he has the potential to be at least a mid-rotation starter. Not only does Priester get more whiffs with his sinker than his four seamer, but it is also a weak contact machine. In seven seasons with the Marines, hes 63-55 with a 3.56 ERA. Veen is one of the more tantalizing talents in the minor leagues. Caissie is short to the ball and can really turn on pitches middle-in with authority. The top player in the class is one of the best catching prospects in recent history. Baty has a plus arm and is confident making difficult throws. Since debuting in 2021, Whites fastball has operated in the mid 90s, topping out at 97 mph with riding life. When Marte is at his best, he is staying back and using the whole field. The offensive skill set is extremely exciting and he could develop into one of baseballs most exciting offensive prospects, but he may be more challenged by older pitching than some may think. Manzardo starts with his hands relaxed on his shoulder, using a toe tap for timing. The same can be said about his ability on the base paths were, despite being an average runner, he adds value. His low 80s slider flashes plus with late sweeping break. Its easy to see enough talent to believe that Hence could be a No. Nothing jumps off of the page with Turang, but youd be hard-pressed to find a glaring weakness in his game. This is generally typical of players who are quick to the ball and do not have to accommodate a ton of pre-swing movement; those types of hitters just have more time to decide. Getting his lower half more incorporated has helped Naylor hit the ball with authority more consistently, seeing his 90th percentile exit velocity jump by three mph. In April 2019, the Associated Press reported Moinelo was included on a list of players the Cuban Baseball Federation deemed eligible to sign contracts with MLB clubs, so there could be a path for him sometime in the future.
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