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Post by soxcentral on Jan 4, 2014 11:24:51 GMT -5
I think the only 3 this year that could realistically jump to Top 100 status in our system are Ball, Margot, and Stankiewicz. Of course, there is a very good chance none of the 3 get there and with graduations of Xander, JBJ and probably at least one of the pitchers I'd expect us to be slightly lower as a system next year.
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Post by Oregon Norm on Jan 4, 2014 11:26:31 GMT -5
Posters need to realize that the combo of age and advanced performance we saw from Bogaerts is a rare thing. He will probably hit for average as well as for power, with very good on-base skills, and he just turned 21.
It may be a long time before anyone with that profile shows up in the system. That's ok, prospects can be evaluated for who they are, the way it should be.
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Post by soxfanatic on Jan 4, 2014 11:54:46 GMT -5
I think the only 3 this year that could realistically jump to Top 100 status in our system are Ball, Margot, and Stankiewicz. Of course, there is a very good chance none of the 3 get there and with graduations of Xander, JBJ and probably at least one of the pitchers I'd expect us to be slightly lower as a system next year. Devers if he starts out well in the GCL?
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Post by moonstone2 on Jan 4, 2014 12:05:35 GMT -5
I think the only 3 this year that could realistically jump to Top 100 status in our system are Ball, Margot, and Stankiewicz. Of course, there is a very good chance none of the 3 get there and with graduations of Xander, JBJ and probably at least one of the pitchers I'd expect us to be slightly lower as a system next year. Devers if he starts out well in the GCL? He's going to have to really rip the GCL to be in the top 100. Ironically Spiers said that he'd be a top 5 pick if he were in the 2014 draft. The other guy who could jump is Kukuk. Has good stuff but command needs to take a jump. If it does, he'll be in the top 100.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jan 4, 2014 12:07:11 GMT -5
My thought is that we're likely to lose only Xander, JBJ and maybe Webster and/or Ranaudo from the system (given the standard MLB season starter issues).
It's true that we're unlikely to have a Xander but it's also true that we're likely to have several prospects advancing notches to the point that we have several Top 30 type guys.
It's not so much that I have faith that any particular player 'Mookies up', it's just the shear volume of people that are in a position to do so that we could have several. And let's not forget we have a draft.
Besides those mentioned by chavopepe2 there are others to consider with various ranges of probabilities but not out of the realm of possibilities. Coyle, Johnson, Stankeiwics, Denny, Ramos,Diaz, Rijo, Lin and several of the recent Dominican imports.
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Post by jmei on Jan 4, 2014 12:08:34 GMT -5
I also think guys like Henry Ramos and Sean Coyle can sneak in the back end of top 100s with Betts-esque breakout seasons.
But I agree that the low minors are less stacked than some make it out to be. There are lots of interesting names, but they're only interesting because they're in the low minors and so you can dream on their ceilings. Realistically, while guys like McGrath or Mercedes or Lin might be MLB players, they're a long way from the majors and don't have particularly notable tools. The position player side is particularly sparse, at least in part due to the focus on drafting pitchers the last two years. Salem's lineup looks particularly anemic.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jan 4, 2014 12:36:28 GMT -5
The other little detail that more or less goes unnoticed because it's outside of the top 100 discussion are the relievers. They're also important to the Sox. We have an inordinate amount of decent major league caliber relievers percolating. Noe Ramirez says hi....
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jan 4, 2014 12:54:22 GMT -5
One guy that might pop out of nowhere is Luis Diaz. I listened to a few games he pitched and I'm not so sure we have the fastball speed correct on his profile. I don't remember the numbers Lepler was giving but I do know that I had the impression that he was a hard thrower (but not flame thrower). I also know he was missing bats with his fastball.
If you look at his numbers from Greenville and Salem, they were quite impressive including the peripherals. I think he likely has excellent command of a decent fastball with decent movement and he's still only 21.
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Post by mainesox on Jan 4, 2014 13:13:15 GMT -5
Assuming he doesn't lose eligibility this year, I could see Vazquez breaking into the top 100 with a good year in AAA. Along with the guys who have already been mentioned like Ball, Margot, Stankiewicz, Ramos, Coyle, Kukuk, Rijo, Denney... there are plenty of potential risers in the system who have the potential to be top 100 guys a year from now. That doesn't mean a lot of them will actually pull it off - most of them likely won't - but there's plenty of that kind of potential there.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jan 4, 2014 13:42:24 GMT -5
One guy that might pop out of nowhere is Luis Diaz. I listened to a few games he pitched and I'm not so sure we have the fastball speed correct on his profile. I don't remember the numbers Lepler was giving but I do know that I had the impression that he was a hard thrower (but not flame thrower). I also know he was missing bats with his fastball. If you look at his numbers from Greenville and Salem, they were quite impressive including the peripherals. I think he likely has excellent command of a decent fastball with decent movement and he's still only 21. Just saw this. Abbot's (his pitching coach for half the season) opinion is clearly different from Diaz' profile. www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130630&content_id=52340054&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb
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Post by bmitchsox on Jan 4, 2014 14:00:50 GMT -5
I agree with the relievers, they usually get overlooked. Ramirez and Diaz could help out in the somewhat near future, plus potentially Gunkel, Littrell and Mercedes down the line.
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Post by saysbill on Jan 4, 2014 14:05:42 GMT -5
But I agree that the low minors are less stacked than some make it out to be. There are lots of interesting names, but they're only interesting because they're in the low minors and so you can dream on their ceilings. Realistically, while guys like McGrath or Mercedes or Lin might be MLB players, they're a long way from the majors and don't have particularly notable tools. The position player side is particularly sparse, at least in part due to the focus on drafting pitchers the last two years. Salem's lineup looks particularly anemic. This. I think there are a few interesting pitchers who could make a significant jump if command clicks, but the position players are very thin. Outside of Margot and Devers, who is there that has the potential to crack the Top 100? Denney? Lin (heard he's all glove)? Rijo? Longhi? Guerra and Acosta (I've heard good things about both of them)? A lot would have to go right for ANY of these guys to make it. I love the focus on pitching in drafts because you can never have enough for depth and/or trade chips, but I really hope the Sox add some potential impacts bats in the '14 draft (and the international market!).
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Post by wcsoxfan on Jan 4, 2014 14:43:23 GMT -5
How about Myles Smith? Was effective post-draft despite not being an experienced pitcher. Also, he throws enough heat for scouts to take a look.
May be more of a future closer than SP - but I think he could sneak into the top 100 with a strong full season.
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alnipper
Veteran
Living the dream
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Post by alnipper on Jan 4, 2014 21:43:22 GMT -5
I agree wcsoxfan that Smith has a chance to sneak in. Lets get the hype machine going!
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Post by Oregon Norm on Jan 5, 2014 0:08:20 GMT -5
One thing we need to acknowledge is that the numbers out of A- ball at Lowell may bear little to no relationship to what the players will do as they move up. That first year is a very big learning experience, and the mix of players is all over the map with advanced college talent and raw GCL recruits mixing it up with high school players. The numbers just aren't much of a road map. It is possible to start to discern skillsets, but that's about all I take away from the season's stats.
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