By Michael N
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on April 4, 2001.
The second installment of the annual prospect report for 2000, as promised, focuses on those players who are considered “projectable”. That’s just a fancy code word meaning these guys have talent but haven’t done squat above A-ball and thus have not faced the real testing grounds (aka AA-ball). Unlike those players in the previous prospect report, all guys I expect to have at least brief major league careers, if half of these guys see a major league uniform – Houston will have done extremely well in its drafting and development as well as being exceedingly fortunate.
Understand that I’m not being harsh. These players all have talent. But most of them are at least 3 years away from the majors and a LOT can happen in 3 years. The baseball gods have a way of ensuring that some of these guys will suffer career ending injuries. In their infinite wisdom they also deem some pitchers will randomly flake out and some hitters will lose all concept of a ball and a strike. It’s just their way and who are we to question?
In any event, here are 20 of the top talents to fill Astro affiliate A-ball rosters in 2001 (in alpha order).
Anthony Acevedo – (DOB: 5/5/78, OF/1B, B: L, T: L)
A thirteenth round draft selection out of Fresno State in last year’s draft, Acevedo was probably a little old (22) to be playing in the Appalachian League. However it’s hard to argue with the results. He finished third in the league in doubles (20), and fourth in extra base hits (28). He also hit .295 and did a decent job of controlling the strikezone (31 BB, 41 K in 200 ABs). Is currently on the Michigan Battlecats’ roster and should see more time in the outfield than at first base.
Travis Anderson – (DOB: 3/18/78, RHP)
To put it mildly, Travis Anderson is a big boy. At 6’4″ and nearly 250lbs., Anderson might have made a decent middle linebacker at his alma mater – the University of Washington. As is, he was taken in the second round of the 1999 draft based on his ability to throw a heavy sinking fastball in the low 90s. Unfortunately his two years of experience as a starter in the pro ranks have made sage those who projected him to ultimately be a bullpen guy. He’s had control problems and rarely does he go very long in a start. He’ll get another year of starting for Michigan, yet it seems all but certain he’ll be a reliever before too long.
Jimmy Barrett – (DOB: 6/7/81, RHP)
A pretty raw high schooler from Maryland taken in the third round of the ’99 draft. Barrett refined his off-speed stuff (curve, change) enough between ’99 and ’00 that, when on his game, he was dominant in the Appalachian League. Problem was, there were a few games when he wasn’t on and he got absolutely hammered. Has good life on his low-90s fastball. With experience and better control, he could become a truly hot commodity. Will be in the Michigan starting rotation. Oh, apparently he led the Appy League last year in hair color changes with at least 3. Has a quirky personality but is described as mature and a hard worker.
John Buck – (DOB: 7/7/80, C, B: R, T: R)
Remember this kid’s name. Prototype catcher’s body (6’3″, 210). Buck has good agility behind the plate, a quick release and a strong throwing arm as evidenced by his throwing out nearly 40% of basestealers last season in Michigan. Does not yet hit for HR power but he does hit for gap power (33 doubles) and controls the strikezone fairly well (55 BB in 390 ABs). Will repeat A-ball this year as the starter for the Lexington Legends. This could very well be his breakout offensive campaign.
Juan Campos – (DOB: 3/28/80, RHP)
A very successful (team MVP) reliever for mid-A Auburn last year, Campos is being converted to a starter and will be in the Michigan rotation. Another product of the Astros’ Venezuelan academy, Campos is a sidearmer who throws around 90 MPH. Ninety may not sound all that great given the number of flamethrowers in the system, but how many guys can you think of off the top of your head who throw that hard from down under? Not many is my guess. It will be interesting to see how he handles the transition.
Cory Doyne – (DOB: 8/13/81, RHP)
Scary resemblance, eh? Raw, raw, raw talent but described by at least one manager in the Appy League as having the best arm in the whole league. The 8th round pick of last year’s draft, Doyne started the year in the pen and got pounded. After settling into the rotation, he overpowered the league with his mid-90s fastball. Needs a lot of work on his control and off-speed stuff so he’ll spend another year in short-season A-ball. Don’t know about you all but the thought of eventually having a guy who looks like Elvis Costello in the Astros rotation is rather appealing to me. Pump it up, indeed.
Garrett Gentry – (DOB: 6/27/81, C, B: L, T: R)
Giving a 19-year old catcher the starting assignment for a full-season team, especially one with as much talent as there will be in Michigan, says a lot about how much the club thinks of this young man. Considered very bright, a capable handler of pitchers and of his duties behind the plate, Gentry also did a fine job with the stick as an 18-year old in the NY-Penn League last year. Playing against a lot of college competition, Gentry hit .286 for the Doubledays and posted a very fine 26BB/27K ratio in 231 ABs. The only knock against him is that he did not hit for a lot of power. As young as he is, that may come in a few years.
Ramon German – (DOB: 1/15/80, 3B/1B, B: S, T: R)
One of the top 3 hitters in the Appalachian League last year, German will switch from 1B to 3B and start for Lexington this season. Hit 24 doubles for Martinsville, third highest total in the history of the league, in only 225 ABs to go with 1 3B, 7 HRs and 16 stolen bases. He’s a free swinger (64 Ks) and may have an adjustment period to adapt to the more experienced pitchers in full-season A-ball. If he is able to make the adjustment offensively and defensively, German’s power from both sides of the plate (and to all fields) will make this young Dominican a jewel of the system and he may be a candidate for 40-man roster status.
Jon Helquist – (DOB: 8/17/80, SS/3B, B: R, T: R)
1999 foretold of really nice things for Helquist after a very nice debut season in Martinsville. But injury and inconsistency at Michigan last year produced disappointment. Unfortunately he twisted his ankle prior to Spring Training so he’s a little behind starting this year. Word is, though, that he will return to Michigan as well as to playing SS on a regular basis. He has a quick bat and started to show more patience at the plate last year. Still needs to cut down on his strikeouts.
Mike Hill – (DOB: 9/30/76, OF, B: R, T: R)
Another case of injury basically killing a year of development. Hill’s 2000 season was limited to just under 200 ABs, and because of that he will be repeating A-ball in Michigan despite being 24 years old (which is a bit on the greybeard side). The Oral Roberts product, and 18th round pick in ’99, has good power and hits for average. Word from Spring Training was that he hit the hell out of the ball and I hope that carries over to the regular season.
Ryan Jamison – (DOB: 1/5/78, RHP)
Unheralded college pitchers who toss relief in mid-A ball don’t have much of a track record of success. So who’da thunk tossing this guy into the rotation would amount to much? Well, either someone is a genius or the Astros hit upon some good ol’ dumb luck as Jamison transformed himself into a heck of a nice starter. The U. of Missouri product led all Astros minor league pitchers with an ERA of 2.10 last year. He also impressed the heck out of AFL (and AAA) manager Tony Pena after Pena reluctantly accepted this mid-A guy called up to replace an injured Brad Lidge on his starting staff. Jamison does not have plus stuff but he does have a fantastic killer mentality on the mound. He’s utterly fearless. Will be in the Lexington rotation.
Joe Lydic – (DOB: 2/20/79, 3B, B: R, T: R)
Big (6’4″, 200lb.) hot corner man from the University of Pittsburgh who was drafted last year in the seventh round. Was probably the best hitter on the 2000 Auburn club, though that’s not saying much as the Doubledays were probably the worst hitting team in the NY-Penn League. Nice defensive player who had a very good spring at the plate. Will start the season on the left side next to Helquist in Michigan.
Anthony Pluta – (DOB: 10/28/82, RHP)
Every scout in the country knew this kid could flat bring it as a high schooler in Las Vegas. But the question was, “why then is he the #3 starter on his HS team?” These doubts, born of his wildness, led to Pluta dropping all the way to the third round of last year’s draft despite his having a first round arm. The kid subsequently signed with Houston and went to instructional league where he proceeded to consistently throw the ball between 98-100MPH. No lie. I talked to, or more like listened to the gushings of, 3 guys who witnessed this in person. They tempered their comments slightly by saying, “oh, but he is raw and he needs to work on his curve.” Well, apparently the mechanical flaws have been addressed sufficiently because the ultra-conservative Astros are putting him in the starting rotation at Lexington. Johnny Buck better put a sponge in his mitt.
Chad Qualls – (DOB: 8/17/78, RHP)
Proof positive that a guy already in his early 20s can significantly raise his stock in baseball by gaining strength and physical maturity. Undrafted as a junior at the University of Nevada, Qualls beefed up and went from throwing in the 86-88MPH range to throwing a hard sinking fastball around 92-93 to go along with a very nice slider and excellent control. Within the space of a year he goes from being unwanted to the first college senior taken in last year’s draft. The one pitching line of his I saw from Spring Training he threw 6 innings, allowed only 2 hits (no runs) and no walks with 7 strikeouts. Should be an anchor of the Michigan staff.
Mike Rosamond – (DOB: 4/18/78, OF, B: R, T: R)
Readers of the Talk Zone probably recall my comments about Rosamond. Superior athlete, needs to learn how to hit a baseball. From memory, the only “toolsy” high draft pick in the Hunsicker era and so far Rosamond is not living up to the potential tag laid on him. Compound that with the fact he’ll be 23 years old in A-ball this year and the signs are not favorable for his success. I could be a homer and say he’ll bust out this year. Instead I’ll just hope I’m wrong and that Lexington is the tonic he needs.
Derek Stanford – (DOB: 9/6/78, RHP)
11-6 W-L, 169.0 IP, 141 H, 133 K, 3.99 ERA in a hitter’s park. That’s pretty good. Add 92 BBs to that line and you get a repeat ticket to Michigan. Drayton’s homey from Temple has pretty good stuff. Obviously he needs to refine it. Walking a ton of guys in A-ball is not a good sign.
Robert Stiehl – (DOB: 12/9/80, RHP)
Sick. Striking out 20 of the 42 guys you face in your first experience with pro ball is just sick. Especially when one knows this guy is a converted catcher and doesn’t have a whole heck of a lot of time spent on the mound. To have 96MPH heat and very good control already is truly amazing. I was told that Stiehl’s curve is coming along very nicely and, despite all the talk of him being a reliever, he’ll spend the year in Lexington as a starter.
(Geez. With Nannini, Pluta and Stiehl in the rotation… Sally League hitters may not dig in much while facing Lexington.)
Jon Topolski – (DOB: 12/28/76, OF, B: L, T: R)
This Baylor product has good speed, plays good defense and has a good eye at the plate. A nice leadoff option for Lexington. What he doesn’t have is power. He hit only 3 HRs last year playing in Michigan, which is a good hitter’s ballpark. Don’t know how the Legends’ new yard will play, but Topolski better hope is has big gaps where he can use his speed.
Jake Whitesides – (DOB: 6/23/81, OF, B: L, T: R)
Like fellow ’00 draftee Cory Doyne, Whitesides is a raw work in progress and will not see league action until the short-seasons begin. Compared favorably to Lenny Dykstra (minus the tobacco drool on his chin), Whitesides is a very good athlete who holds the Missouri schoolboy record for homers.
Gavin Wright – (DOB: 5/6/79, OF, B: R, T: R)
A draft and follow guy from Blinndergarten, Wright may be the fastest player in the Astros’ system. Have little doubt that in a full season this guy could steal 60+ bases while flashing some serious leather in centerfield. Unfortunately he did not get that chance last year as first he hurt his wrist and later his shoulder. Offensively, Wright needs to work on controlling the strike zone and putting the ball in play to take advantage of his considerable speed. Now fully recovered, Wright will be reporting back to Michigan this season. Hope C.O. Brown Stadium in Battle Creek is not a hex for Wright or Hill.