So just what is it about Appel that is so appealing. Well, if the comparison to Mark Pryor is true (and there is nothing that he shows that says it’s not), this kid is going to be really good. In fact, he may be better than just good. And he’s now going to be a Houston Astro. I know, sign on the dotted line kid before we all pass out from holding our collective breath here. All in all, looks like Houston just drafted an Ace of the near future.

And there ain’t nothing wrong with that at all!

But the pundits were dead certain that either Mark Appel, pitcher at Stanford, or Byron Buxton, a very talented high school OF from Georgia were going to be the next Astros pick. The last time the Astros had an overall number 1 pick, they chose Phil Nevin, so things were a bit exciting around the organization. But neither Appel nor Buxton’s name were called out, instead it was Correa.  Stretch pick? No, not really… maybe the prototypical “scout” pick if you will. But you would have thought with the reaction around the media types, the Astros just threw away the pick. From here, doesn’t look to be the case.

Later in the night, the Astros pulled another stunner. Young Lance McCullers, he of former major leaguer stock, fell all the way to the supplemental round where the Astros were able to tab him. What is unique about this pick is the noise surrounding the young man, not because of talent, but because of the choice of agent… one Scott “I’m the real Devil Lanse” Boras. McCullers probably scared away a whole slew of good organizations because of the talk of what might be his asking price. The Astros made the pick and hope to sign both Correa and McCullers based on slot money or little above without hurting themselves in the process. If they do, this may be the day everyone looks back on and says “This was the day the organization turned it all around!”

Good job Bobby Heck and new GM Jeff Luhnow!

]]> http://www.orangewhoopass.com/2011/06/07/george-springer-2011-first-round-pick/ Tue, 07 Jun 2011 06:07:05 +0000 http://www.spikesnstars.com/?p=8896
There you have it, no more speculation. Could this be the next Lance Berkman or the next Chris Burke type pick? Time will tell.

Join in the fun!

HOUSTON, TX — The Houston Astros have signed 16-year-old Dominican free agent outfielder Ariel Ovando to a 2011 minor league contract, General Manager Ed Wade announced today. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. Ovando was signed by Felix Francisco, the Astros Special Assistant to the G.M./Latin American Operations. The signing is contingent upon approval by the Commissioner’s Office.

Ovando, a 6’4”, left-handed-hitting right fielder, was considered one of this year’s top July 2 prospects in Latin America. Latin players are eligible to be signed if they are 16 years old by July 2, and will attain age 17 prior to September 1 of such effective season. Ovando, who will be 17 on September 15, has signed a minor league contract for 2011. This season, he is expected to first report to the Astros Latin American complex in Boca Chica, DR, in the upcoming days and then is scheduled to participate in the Florida Instructional League in Kissimmee, FL in September.

“We’re extremely excited to get Ariel into the Astros organization,” said Wade. “Felix did a lot of work on this kid and we also were able to have some of our other evaluators scout him over the past several months. Ariel profiles as a middle of the order power hitter with excellent defensive skills. He profiles as a front line major league right fielder and should move quickly through the minor league system.”

Below are some Astros scouting reports on Ovando:

Felix Francisco, Special Asst. to the G.M./Latin American Operations: Darryl Strawberry type body. Large frame. Long arms and legs with a lot of room to fill out. Everyday right fielder with the ability to hit for average and power. Ball carries off bat. Will be an above average right fielder with an average to above-average arm. Smart kid who has a clear goal in life and is dedicated.

Clarence Johns, Eastern Regional Supervisor: 2XL frame. Long, lanky features. High waist with extra long arms and legs. Has the frame of Fred McGriff with the long arms and legs of Darryl Strawberry. Will be a middle of the order bat with 30 plus home runs and 100 RBI potential. Will drive the ball to all fields. Future strong defender with arm strength
to hold runners in check. Makes solid contact with ease. Plays the game with confidence and youthful exuberance. Very engaging personality. Reminiscent of Jason Heyward (Braves) and Dominic Brown (Phillies) as amateurs.

Bobby Heck, Assistant G.M./ Scouting Director: Impact player. Large, lean and loose frame. Broad, sloped shoulders. High, trim waist. Body similar to Carlos Delgado. Will hit 3-4 in a lineup. Advanced hitter for age. Quiet confidence with a boyish smile. Will be a big man. Easy, fast bat with hitter’s hands. Reminds me of Jason Heyward, Fred McGriff and Carlos Delgado.

Ricky Bennett, Assistant G.M./Player Development Director: Tall, athletic frame, good build with room to fill out; body type similar to Cliff Floyd. Corner OF with power to all fields. Good bat speed and plate coverage. Ball jumps off bat and has 25-30 home run type power.

With last year’s draft appearing to be very strong expectations for this year’s draft are running high. The Astros had 11 selections in the first 10 rounds. The had a supplemental third round pick for not signing the aforementioned third round pick Charles Davidson. The Astros first round pick was #21 rather than #20 thanks to the Nationals not signing their first round pick last year (#9) and being awarded the 10th pick this year as compensation. The Astros intended to continue to pick the best available player as they continue to try to rebuild the farm system. Anything close to the quality of last year’s draft will go a long way to doing that.

Heck said they would not necessarily look for catchers early in the draft considering what they did last year and the perceived depth of catching in the system. Still he knew they could not draft on need alone. This year the Astros selected 2 catchers, 4 first basemen, 2 second basemen, 3 third basemen, 6 shortstops, 9 outfielders, 19 righthanded pitchers, and 6 lefthanded pitchers.

The following is a chart of the draftees. Unfortunately, due to time constraints we are not able to provide write-ups this year.

The interview has not been edited for content but formatted for the website.  Join us as we go ‘Round the Bases’ with Jeff Lasky

First Base

SnS: We would like to give our readers a sense of where you came from and how you got to where you are now.  Please describe for our readers your journey to land behind the mic in Lancaster.  Specifically other teams you have called for and any other work if applicable away from the mic that may have helped lead you to your current role.

JL: I was very fortunate that we had a little “radio station” at my high school in the suburbs of Los Angeles, so I decided when I was 14 or so that I wanted to be a sports broadcaster.  Many L.A. area sportscasters were gracious enough to let me shadow them, so got to learn from some of the best.  I got my journalism degree at the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State where I called games for the student station.  I was hired shortly after graduation to be the sports anchor for a NBC station in Bozeman, Montana, but always wanted to move to play-by-play.  I did fill-in work at the local radio stations as a sideline reporter for football and doing pxp for high school basketball and legion baseball.  That helped lead me back home to the California League where I spent a season as the #2 broadcaster for Inland Empire before moving here to Lancaster for the 2006 season.  Starting in 2007 I became the pxp voice of Montana State football and basketball for Learfield Sports.  I’m probably the only one dumb enough to live in the Mojave Desert in the summer and in the Rocky Mountains in the winter.

Touching Second

SnS: Following up on that what in your opinion are the best and worst parts of broadcasting minor league baseball games?

JL: I’m a very verbal person, so I really enjoy the challenge of delivering a clear and concise yet descriptive broadcast.  In radio much more than television you really get to weave a story through the course of the game and it get great pleasure from hopefully bringing people along the ride of each game, so to speak.  I also have access to some very knowledgeable and interesting people from each sport and it can be fun to tap into their experience.  I try to share with listeners what may be going on in the minds of those playing or coaching, as well as compare and contrast that with past players and coach’s when certain situations come up.

Rounding Third

SnS: . Can you describe some of your most memorable moments behind the mic in your career?  Also which ballplayers were your favorite to call and why?

JL: Sadly, I’ve done this long enough that individual moments and games are starting to meld together.  One memorable weekend came in 2007 during a three game series with Lake Elsinore.  We lost the first game 30-0, a record for the worst loss in league history.  The next night, Aaron Bates became the first player in Cal League history to hit four home runs in a game.  Then Yordany Ramirez (now with the Houston organization) hit for the cycle in the third game.  That same year we tied for the first half crown with Inland Empire and the tie-breaker happened to fall on July 4 at home with two future big leaguers dueling (Justin Masterson for us against James McDonald).  Having 6,200 fans there to watch us win the half was fun.  Just this year scoring seven runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie Rancho Cucamonga, then getting a homer from Koby Clemens in the 10^th was fun.  And just last night I called 17 innings in a win for us.  When a game goes that long, I like to play a game on the air called “Are You Still Listening?” where people write in to say why they’ve stayed tuned in so long and what else they’re doing.  It’s fun to read those e-mails on the air and makes our listenership into a community.

My favorite players tend to not always be the stars, but the guys I just happen to enjoy talking with.  As far as great players go, I loved watching Greg Smith and Michael Bowden pitch.  Emilio Bonifacio’s speed was very exciting and watching sluggers like Mark Reynolds, Lars Anderson, and Josh Reddick has been fun.  Amongst my favorite personalities are Greg Smith, Bubba Bell, and Lars Anderson.  This first group from Houston has a great personality.

Bringing it home

SnS: Finally, as The Bus Ride highlights Astros prospects we would like to know one pitcher and one position player who you have seen this year that stands out.  We’d like to know in your view those players’ strengths and areas for improvement.

JL: There’s no question that from a pitching side, Chia-Jen Lo stands out.  His fastball was dominant as it normally sat 91-94 (on stadium radar guns-take with a grain of salt) but with some movement.  He could also command it.  He’ll need to get more consistent with his secondary pitches at the higher levels.  In High-A ball, a guy who throws hard with that kind of command can still mostly get away with overpowering people with his fastball.  He won’t be able to do that at AA.  But he looks like a big leaguer to me.

Offensively, it’s a little tougher to say.  I suppose the one I’ve enjoyed watching the most is J.B. Shuck.  He’s a little unorthodox in how he handles the bat, but he really controls it well.  I’ve seen a lot of guys who like to slap it the other way, but he can also drive it the other way.  He runs very well and is aggressive.  I think if he continues to make general improvement and be able to pull the ball a little bit more when it’s appropriate, he should be a fun one to watch as he develops.

You can hear the JetHawks games online at www.jethawks.com .  Spikesnstars.com and The Bus Ride thank Jeff Lasky for the interview.

As we did last year we present to you not just our top 10 but our top 20. Additionally we present you our view of the short-season prospects to keep an eye on. Keep in mind the SnS top 10/20 does not include short season prospects. In other words, you won’t find Jason Castro on the list. This year’s top 10 includes a few hold overs from last year but is mostly made up of newcomers to the list and those that made big jumps up the ladder. Our top 10 includes 1 third baseman, 5 right-handed pitchers, 2 infielders, 1 outfielder, and 1 left-handed pitcher. Enough introduction. Here is the SpikesnStars top 10.

1. Chris Johnson – Third base. Johnson jumps from #16 last year to the top spot in this year’s top 10. 2008 marked the first time Johnson entered a season as the full-time third baseman. Prior to 2008 he had played all over the infield. We remarked last year that he is a good defender who needed to step up with the bat in 2008. Offensively in Corpus he pounded the baseball putting together his finest season of offensive work to date. Johnson spanked AA pitching to the tune of a .324 average and a .506 slugging percentage. Johnson, a free swinger, did not walk much but also did not strike out much. Defensively, however, he had some struggles. Johnson committed 23 errors over 84 games, but most of those errors were in the first 60 games of the season. In the second half of the season Johnson settled in and improved his work and confidence. His hard work in AA earned him a later season promotion to AAA Round Rock. There Johnson struggled at the plate and, though he committed few errors, in the field. Chris showed some rawness and suffered from lack of exposure to more seasoned pitchers. But it appears that experience helped in fall ball. Assigned to the Arizona Fall League, Chris picked up the pace again hitting .296 with a .490 slugging percentage against some of the best minor league pitchers. The error bug did bite him again as he committed 8 in 25 games. Early in spring training this year Astros Assistant GM Ricky Bennett asserted that Johnson is major league ready defensively and expects him to be major league average at the hot corner. Johnson is also viewed as being ready or near-ready offensively. We expected him to be assigned to Round Rock to start the season before Boone left with a heart ailment. Now however, as of this writing, Johnson stands a good chance of opening the season in Houston. If he is assigned to Round Rock, how long he remains there will be dependent on how well he plays, obviously, and how well Blum or a Blum and whoever platoon perform.

2. Bud Norris – Right-handed pitcher. Norris is the second big mover from last year’s top 10. Bud jumps from #14 to #2, nearly a 1a in our minds. Spending the 2008 season at Corpus Christi Norris pitched well in the limited time he was on the mound. He spent a good deal of time in the middle of the season on the shelf with arm problems. Still, he struck out more than 1 batter per inning pitched over 19 starts. The Astros sent Norris to the Arizona Fall League along with Corpus teammate Chris Johnson. There he worked exclusively out of the bullpen. Working in relief, Norris stepped up his game. Facing many of the minors best hitters Norris struck out 20 over 19 innings. He limited the opposition to just 14 hits and finished with a 1.89 ERA. That solid work opened the Astros eyes to the possibility of Norris being a quality late-inning reliever. Bud continues to sport the mid-90’s fastball and solid breaking pitch. He continues to work on his change up as it is not yet major league caliber. Development of that third pitch will likely dictate whether Bud remains a starting pitcher long-term or is eventually converted to a reliever. For now though Norris will start at Round Rock and continue to develop as a pitcher.

3. Brian Bogusevic – Outfielder. What a difference a year makes. Last year we had Bogusevic at #18 and in desperate need of consistent work on the mound. This year he checks in at #3 thanks to the well documented position change. We won’t go into the details here as you can find plenty about it elsewhere with a quick Google search, but suffice it to say Bogusevic wasn’t improving on the mound by mid-season last year. So, the Astros decided a move to the outfield was his best bet to reach his potential. Recall from the 2004 draft, Bogusevic was considered a first round talent in the outfield as well as on the mound. It should not surprise anyone that he has shown high level ability in the outfield. What is surprising is how quickly he took to being an outfielder again. After a brief stop at high-A Salem to get his hitting eye, Bogusevic finished the 2008 season torching AA pitching at Corpus. Bogusevic was then sent with Johnson and Norris to the Arizona Fall League to get more at-bats. There he continued his hot hitting, finishing with a .338 average. The Astros want to see Bogusevic build his stamina and be able to play everyday. Further they expect to see his hitting refine. He is able to hit to all fields now for average, and the Astros expect to see him mature into a power hitter beyond simply settling for singles. Defensively Bogusevic is best suited to right field, but he is also capable of manning center competently. We expect to find Brian patrolling center field and right field in Round Rock.

4. Polin Trinidad – Left-handed pitcher. Polin Trinidad is a pitcher, not a thrower. His fastball barely breaks 90, but his ability to put it where he wants to and his ability to keep hitters off balance with a change up has allowed him to move up the Astros system and join the 40 man roster. Trinidad spent 3 seasons in the DSL before coming to the states. Then he spent two seasons in Greeneville. Since joining full season ball in 2007 he has earned a mid-season promotion in each year, finishing 2008 in Corpus. He is projected to start in Round Rock this year. The skinny lefty is reported to be working on being more consistant with his curve ball so that he can be an effective starter at the big league level.

5. Felipe Paulino – Right-handed pitcher. Paulino drops from #2 to #5 this year. Despite missing most of last season to arm injury the Astros expect his power arm to rebound in 2009. We all know about the mid- to high-90’s fastball and his brief but fairly successful stint in Houston in 2007. But he must prove he can stay healthy if he wants to be a regular major leaguer. Paulino did not pitch competitively in the Venezuelan Winter League but did throw on the side to the satisfaction of the Astros. The Astros will continue to have Paulino start despite his history of injury. He is expected to take a rotation spot in Round Rock.

6. Drew Sutton – Infielder. Sutton came out of nowhere in 2008. Repeating AA he blasted Texas League pitching with a .317 average and .523 slugging percentage. His first go around in AA was unremarkable, and so it is not so much a surprise he was better with the bat as it is surprising he hit so well and so consistently. Impressing the Astros with consistent quality work in the batters box led them to sending Sutton to the AFL along with Johnson, Norris, and Bogusevic . There Sutton continued to smack the baseball. He hit .315 and slugged .611, including 7 homers in 108 at-bats. Drew is a steady but not spectacular fielder. He’ll get the job done when he gets to the ball and demonstrates more or less average range and arm strength. The Astros had been so impressed they talked about the possiblity of Sutton breaking training camp with the team as a utility infielder. His work at spring training though led them to wanting Sutton to spend the start of the 2009 season at Round Rock playing second base.

7. Sergio Perez – Right-handed pitcher. Perez had a tough 2008 season. He was limited to just 27 innings on the mound at Corpus Christi. He was unremarkable in his short time there. The Astros sent him too to the Arizona Fall League. For Scottsdale he logged 26 innings over 7 starts and was inconsistent. At times he showed flashes of his talent. At other times he was utterly hittable. The Astros continue to consider him a starting pitcher and expect him to develop as a starter in 2009 with Round Rock. He will be looking to be more consistent with the location of his fastball and breaking pitch and improve the quality and consistency of his change up.

8. Chia-Jen Lo – Right-handed pitcher. C. J. is the first big signing from Asia for the Astros. He was signed in October to a contract with a signing bonus of about $250,000. Lo’s fastball topped out at 92-93 in bullpen sessions for teams looking to sign him. Lo has been pitching in international competitions since 2004. Most recently, he pitched for Taiwan in the Olympics on a limited basis. Throwing two innings against China giving up one run. His command caused some concerns. He was on the preliminary roster for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic but did not pitch. He is projected to be a late inning reliever/ closer type. In addition to his heat, he is supposed to have a pretty solid splitter and a decent curve that he uses to keep hitters honest. It is expected that these secondary pitches aren’t strong enough to allow him to move into the role of a starter. He will turn 23 just as the season begins and is expected to start the season at high-A Lancaster.

9. Sammy Gervacio – Right-handed pitcher. Yet another bullpen arm in the system. Sammy is an oddity in that he has never started a game in his minor league career. He has appeared in 175 games, all out of the pen. He has finished over 100 of the 175 games. In his minor league career, he has never had a season where his innings pitched exceeded his strike outs. That trend continued when he got a short promotion in 2008 to AAA where he pitched 8 innings, striking out 14. One would think with those K numbers that he is a flame thrower. However, Sammy never hits 90 on the gun. He tops out at 88-89 and his out pitch is a slider, which Baseball America called the best in the organization. Gervacio turns 24 this year and should start the season at Round Rock. It will be interesting to see if he is in a set up or closer role for them.

10. Tommy Manzella – Shortstop. Manzella falls from #4 to #10 this year. Recall from last year’s top 10 Manzella had a very good 1/2 season run at Corpus Christi followed by a solid AFL season. He began 2008 at Corpus and continued to hit the ball well, hitting .299 and slugging .446. His defense remained solid, and the Astros promoted him to Round Rock. There, he found facing more polished pitchers a more difficult task than facing the younger guns of the Texas League. Though not overwhelmed by the Pacific Coast League pitchers, Manzella could manage just a .219 average and had trouble making solid contact. Right now the Astros believe he has the size and strength to hit consistently at the major league level. However Tommy needs to control the strike zone better, making better choices on pitches to hit and let go, and improve his ability to make consistent contact. He needs to work on hitting line drives instead of fly balls.

11. Mitch Einertson. Mitch continues to have an up and down career. However, his age (turns 23 right after opening day) and the glimpses of being a solid ballplayer keep him on the prospect watch for another season. Last year, he had a decent season in his first at AA but it like his career had it’s ups and downs. He hit just .221 prior to the all star break and then missed most of July with an injury. He returned and hit .350 in 120 at bats to finish out the season. But with the solid ending of the season, the return of a higher strike out percentage returned. Mitch doesn’t have the range for center but lacks the pop for the corners. He can play all adequately but none spectacularly. He is looking like a 4th outfielder type for the future if he can bring his strike outs down. We suspect he will begin the season at Round Rock this year, though we wouldn’t be shocked if he returned to Corpus Christi.

12. Brad James. Brad got a great deal of good press heading into the 2008 campaign. He was being looked at as a possible September call up at worst. Brad had a forgettable 2008 season on the mound. He missed a great deal of time with injuries only throwing 93 innings, and finishing with a 4.45 ERA. He also had trouble keeping the ball in the yard, giving up 9 HR. He then went out to Arizona and has a less than stellar performance out there. So why keep him in the top 20? Because he still throws a hard sinker that people pound in the ground. We are going to chalk up last year up to Brad being injured and also being taught to use his change up effectively. He has fallen from #3 last year all the way down to #12 this year. If improvement is not seen, James won’t be on this list next year, much less the 40 man roster.

13. Chris Blazek. Blazek makes his first appearance in our top 20 on the strength of his 2008 campaign. He a lefty so that’s a plus and was effective at AA, another plus. Working exclusively out of the bullpen Blazek finished with a respectable 1.36 WHIP and fewer hits allowed (67) than innings pitched (69.2). As has always been the case for Chris, he continues the high strike out rate. He K’d 84 batters in those 69+ innings. He is Rule 5 eligible, but a solid 2009 season at AAA could find him placed on the 40-man roster this winter.

14. Koby Clemens. Koby continues to be an interesting figure in the Astros system. Offensively in 2008 Clemens held his own despite distractions learning a new position. He hit .268 and showed good gap power. In his first year as a full-time catcher though Clemens had all kinds of problems. He was not a good receiver, did not show great mobility, and his throwing technique continues to be a work in progress. The Astros will keep him there and expect improvement. The extent of any improvements will determine how long the Astros keep him. He could start 2009 at Corpus.

15. Josh Flores. Flores tumbles out of the top 10 thanks to a 2008 season lost to knee injury. He needs to get back into playing shape. Losing a year cannot have helped his development so we’ll be keeping an eye on his progress. He’ll start 2009 at Corpus.

16. Fernando Abad. Fernando was successful in his first full season in the States. He pitched in 45 games for Lexington striking out 94 batters in 76 1/3 innings pitched. Abad is a bit old for the level (turned 23 in December) but has been impressive since coming to the States. Abad doesn’t throw hard but he pitches well. He has a mid 80’s fastball, mixed with very good change and curves. He will keep you off balance and swinging at air. How he adjusts to higher level hitters at a hitter friendly park in Lancaster will be interesting to watch.

17. Reid Kelly. It may seem a little strange to have a low-A right-handed reliever in here at all, but Kelly pitched very well in the Lexington bullpen as a 21 year old. He’s got a strong arm, had a 1.35 WHIP last season, and struck out more than 1 per inning pitched. He saved 4 games last year and could be one the Astros look to to fill a late inning role down the road. He will stand a solid test in 2009 at hitter friendly Lancaster.

18. Colin DeLome. DeLome split last year between Lexington and Salem and has become something of an enigma. Known mostly as a speed guy not as a power hitter, he smacked 22 home runs last year. The trouble is he was expected to develop his eye at the plate but didn’t. He hit a combined .246 and struck out in over 27% of his at-bats. The Astros don’t view him as a power guy long-term and would like to see him cut down on the strike outs and get on base much more often.

19. James Van Ostrand. Had a busy year last year. He was on the Canadian Olympic Qualifying team during Spring Training and then was assigned to Salem. He hit well at Salem and then got a brief call up to Corpus Christi. He struggled during his short visit, hitting just .160 in 25 at bats. He then went back to Salem only to head out to Bejing for the Olympics. When he returned, his bat continued to struggle going 8 for 30 to wrap up the season. He has shown improvement every year at the plate. Due to limited range and speed, he is viewed as a first baseman now and not an outfield prospect. He should begin the season at Corpus Christi and since he was not on theWBC roster for Canada, he should be able to focus solely on development.

20. Douglas Arguello. Arguello was the ace of the Salem staff in 2008. He accounted for 10 of Salem’s 56 wins last year. He is a soft throwing lefty who won’t break 90 on the gun but will keep hitters off balance by changing speeds. He struggles with control at times as you can see looking at his walks (69 in 142IP ), hit batters (10) and wild pitches (14). However, he had his best season as a pro and should be interesting to watch as he likely steps up to Corpus Christi this season.

Continuing our analysis of the Astros minor league system we take a look at a list of other prospects to keep an eye on. The first thing you should notice is that we did not include any other full-season prospects. After looking at who was left in the system above short-season we came to the conclusion there were no players worth noting at this time. If you would like to take the time to find others’ of interest to you, we suggest you start by heading to last year’s top 10 and seeing who was there but not here and still with the Astros organization. The players we have included here are from the 2008 short-season leagues. Here you’ll find the top draftees from 2008, a few from previous drafts, and some from last season’s Dominican and Venezuelan Summer Leagues. Keep in mind that with the following players time and patience are virtues. All of the following players have a great deal of development ahead of them and, as we know from history, most will wash out. This year there are 3 catchers, 2 first basemen, 4 second basemen, 3 third basemen, 1 shortstop, 6 outfielders, 8 left-handed pitchers, and 6 right-handed pitchers listed.

Short-season Watch List

Catchers

Jason Castro – The 1st round draft pick showed why he was highly touted giving a solid showing in the NYPL and then tearing up the HWL. Could be in for rapid advancement.

Federico Hernandez – Quick backstop, made outstanding plays on pop flies during the season. Showed solid work at the plate as well hitting .298 in 114 at bats. Is the cousin of Baltimore catcher Ramon Hernandez.

Rene Garcia – Started the conversion process to catcher following being drafted out of Puerto Rico. Showed promise at the plate in limited exposure in Greeneville.

First Basemen

Phil Disher – Slugged 13 homers and 20 doubles in his first season in the NYPL. Add to that a .304 average and you have a 1st baseman to watch.

Luis Alvarez – Short at 5’11” and listed as a 1st baseman but played third and caught also in the VSL. Demonstrated power and patience at the plate as an 18 year old in 2008.

Second Basemen

Albert Cartright – Played a solid second while raising his average every month in Greeneville.

Jose Altuve – Shared 2nd with Cartwright and both showed flashes of being solid in the field. Altuve is extremely quick and showed decent pop out of his 5’4” frame. Will turn 19 during spring training.

Michael Diaz – Put in a solid showing at Tri City. He hit .282 with 17 extra base hits.

Miguel Arrendell – Speedy 20 year old. .459 OBP and 20 stolen bases over 57 games.

Third Basemen

Ebert Rosario – In his second season in Greeneville, Rosario improved in all aspects of the game. He improved his average from .273 to .304 and reduced his errors from 28 to 15. Good range and quickness, needs more pop in bat.

Johnny Medrano – Missed all of last season with a knee injury. Was expected to be the best position player in Greeneville.

David Flores – Showed corner infield pop with 11 homers and 17 doubles at Tri City.

Shortstop

Ricardo Bonfonte – Was outstanding at SS and had several clutch hits. Started very hot but faded at year’s end.

Outfielders

Jay Austin – 2nd round pick didn’t turn 18 until August. Is a speed burner and can run any ball down in the outfield. Was overmatched at the plate to begin the year and started showing frustration at the end of the year.

Jack Shuck – the lefty hitting former Buckeye got his pro start hitting .300 in the NYPL for Tri City. He also had more walks (35) than strikeouts (34) in 263 AB.

T. J. Steele – Started hot and then faded some down the stretch. Still hit .283 on the season. Fanned too many times (51 in 159 AB).

Nathan Metroka – hit .400 in 17 games in August to wrap up his first season in Greeneville. Had 25 K’s in 53 AB in June & July with only 11 K’s in 60 AB in August. Looks like something may have clicked.

Frank Almonte – Started the season hot with the bat but cooled as the year went on in Greeneville. Still finished with a decent .271 average. Showed a strong arm in RF.

Renzo Tello – Showed flashes in corner outfield positions. Hit .288 on the season.

Left-handed Pitchers

Luis Cruz – Little lefty drafted out of Puerto Rico was dominant before being shut down with a shoulder injury.

Brad Dydalewicz – only made four starts, pitching 10 innings but was impressive.

Colton Pitkin – Struck out 45 in 44 innings. Struggled with control some in his second year in Greeneville but finished with a strong August (5 games, 3 saves, 23K in 16 IP). Won’t turn 20 until August.

Patrick Urckfitz – looking for a long shot to follow? Pat is your man. A NDFA signed after the season started became a solid arm in the bullpen. In 19 1/3 IP, he fanned 23 and finished with a 1.40 ERA.

Eduin Ciriaco – Impressive year out of the pen in Tri City. 47 K in 37 1/3 IP while only giving up 42 combined walks and hits. A bit old for competition.

Radaulin Vargas – Good size. 1.19 WHIP and 64 K’s in 59.2 IP in DSL. 20 years old for 2009.

Angel Gonzalez – Smaller frame but very successful in DSL and did not turn 20 until August.

Right-handed Pitchers

Jordan Lyles – Struck out 64 in 49 2/3 IP while only walking 10 batters, in Greeneville. The 1st round supplemental pick got 2 starts in Tri City. The first being awful and then coming back with a solid outing against the same team he struggled against. Showing good maturity.

Kyle Greenwalt – Showed significant improvement in his second year in Greeneville. Was MVP of the team. Only allowed 2 home runs in 77 2/3 IP this year.

Ross Seaton – You can’t tell much from 4 innings of pitching but we should definitely watch him this summer. Expect him to be in Greeneville to start out.

Christopher Hicks – Had limited action in Tri City but pitched well out of the pen in the HWL. Control needs to be watched as he walked 12 in 18 IP in HWL.

Brian Wabick – split between Greeneville and Tri City, enjoyed another solid year out of the pen. 39 Ks in 39 1/3 IP with only 6 walks.

Andrea Lucati – The Italian teenage signee only got in 7 innings in Greeneville. He fanned 12 during that brief stretch.

Juan Mojica – Long and thin with a frame to fill out a bit. Successful in the DSL as a 19 year old in 2008.

Contest Results

13 contestants vied for the Top 10 Guessing Game Championship and coveted Greeneville Baseball Glove Ovenmitt this year. The winner this year is muircheartaigh with a total score of an impressive 92 and more impressively all 10 players correct. Three players tied for second. Russe, jaklewein, and CarolinaStro scored 81 and 9 correct players. You can go to the Top 10 Contest page and view all the scores.