Santana

[Ebby Calvin]

I follow the minor leaguers fairly regularly now, but I'm not at all familiar with timetables, growth curves, etc.
How close do you guys think Domingo Santana is to a regular gig with in Houston (I know he's in AAA)?

[Jacksonian]

I follow the minor leaguers fairly regularly now, but I'm not at all familiar with timetables, growth curves, etc.
How close do you guys think Domingo Santana is to a regular gig with in Houston (I know he's in AAA)?

He's at least a year out, maybe two depending on his work.  He doesn't turn 22 until August.  Right now he's a big strikeout guy with big power that he's just now tapping.  He has been promoted aggressively his entire career.  He was at Lancaster at the same age as Correa is now.  Essentially big potential but patience is necessary.

[juliogotay]

I follow the minor leaguers fairly regularly now, but I'm not at all familiar with timetables, growth curves, etc.
How close do you guys think Domingo Santana is to a regular gig with in Houston (I know he's in AAA)?

I'll weigh in although I don't have any better idea than you do. I do know he is very young for AAA. 21 or 22 I believe. I don't think he'll see Houston this year regardless of how well he does. I think he'll start next year in AAA too. But who knows?

I was typing while Jacksonian was posting. Didn't mean to sound like a broken record.

[Duman]

I think he is likely up in September.

[Jacksonian]

I think he is likely up in September.

I'm going to disagree mainly because Luhnow set a precedent with Springer last year.  Given his youth and susceptibility to the strikeout I think they'll leave him at AAA.

[Duman]

Springer wasn't on the 40 man.  Santana is. 

[Jacksonian]

Springer wasn't on the 40 man.  Santana is. 

That is true.  I still believe he's too much a work in progress though for anything meaningful.  A September call-up to give him mlb exposure without much playing time would make sense to me.

[jbm]

He's at least a year out, maybe two depending on his work.  He doesn't turn 22 until August.  Right now he's a big strikeout guy with big power that he's just now tapping.  He has been promoted aggressively his entire career.  He was at Lancaster at the same age as Correa is now.  Essentially big potential but patience is necessary.

I tried to express my thoughts on this and was stumped, but your post pretty much nailed it.

After seeing quite a bit of him, I am still surprised how aggressive they have been with him.  To my untrained eye, he reminds of Villar circa 2012 in that I don't have the skills or imagination to see it, but the professionals do.

[juliogotay]

I tried to express my thoughts on this and was stumped, but your post pretty much nailed it.

After seeing quite a bit of him, I am still surprised how aggressive they have been with him.  To my untrained eye, he reminds of Villar circa 2012 in that I don't have the skills or imagination to see it, but the professionals do.

I, too, am surprised he's at AAA. He must have pretty good make-up or they would be more conservative with him.

[VirtualBob]

I, too, am surprised he's at AAA. He must have pretty good make-up or they would be more conservative with him.

I like the fact that they have him at AAA, but I agree with Jacksonian that he will (at best) see a little MLB bench time with a few AB's in September.  Spending all this year (and probably at least a month or so next year, perhaps much longer) in AAA is (IMO) a good step for his development in addition to a vote of confidence in his make-up.  He will not be facing top-of-the-line MLB talent, but AAA pitchers generally know how to pitch and how to exploit weaknesses.  I would a lot rather see Santana learn how to deal with that than fatten his power stats hitting prospect mistakes at AA.  I think he is young enough (and smart enough) to learn to cut back on the strike-outs and still hammer "his pitch" when he sees it.  If so, it will be fun to watch him for a decade or so in Houston once he arrives.

[OregonStrosFan]

Santana is Sickel's "prospect of the day." LINK