2014 Astros Minor League Thread

Extra innings? Depleted roster?

 

BA did say he has the best infield arm.

 

You have to think that will add incentive for the team to have those 2 pitch in that game.

Even an outside chance they could have 2014 #1 make a non-playing appearance, though I don't know if they would do that with him likely not signing immediately.

 

Rodon to possibly make a 1 out appearance after getting introduced to fans and signing a contract just days after the draft???

... I can dream

 

John Sickles is slowly getting his list out, and today he released his preliminary grade breakdown

My predictions are in bold.

What are your thoughts?

 

I keep on misspelling his name. Fixed.

 

A: Correa
A-: Appel, Springer
B+: Singleton
B: McCullers, Feliz, Velasquez, DDJ, Folty, Santana
B-: Woj, Stassi, Thurman, Ruiz

 

Addison Russell over Correa is a joke

 

Source: MILB.com

 

John Sickels' top 20 http://www.minorleagueball.com/2014/2/18/5423408/houston-astros-top-20-prospects-for-2014

Spoiler

1) Carlos Correa, SS, Grade A
2) George Springer, OF, Grade A-: Borderline B+
3) Mark Appel, RHP, Grade A-: Borderline B+
4) Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Grade B+
5) Lance McCullers, JR, RHP, Grade B+
6) Vince Velasquez, RHP, Grade B
7) Domingo Santana, OF, Grade B
8) Michael Feliz, RHP, Grade B
9) Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Grade B
10) Rio Ruiz, 3B, Grade B
11) Delino DeShields, OF, Grade B: Borderline B-
12) Asher Wojciechowski, RHP, Grade B-
13) Max Stassi, C, Grade B-
14) Nick Tropeano, RHP, Grade B-
15) Josh Hader, LHP, Grade B-
16) Kyle Smith, RHP, Grade B-
17) Andrew Thurman, RHP, Grade B-
18) Danry Vazquez, OF, Grade B-
19) Teoscar Hernandez, OF, Grade C+
20) Nolan Fontana, SS, Grade C+

OTHER GRADE C+: Kent Emanuel, LHP; Tyler Heineman, C; Leonardo Heras, OF; Brady Rodgers, RHP; Preston Tucker, OF; Aaron West, RHP.

Thats a lot of B- and up prospects...

 

This was his preliminary grade list:

Spoiler

One Grade A
Two Grade A-
One Grade B+
Six Grade B
Four Grade B-
12 Grade C+
12 Grade C

He ended up giving out more high grades

Spoiler

One Grade A
Two Grade A-
Two Grade B+
Six Grade B
Seven Grade B-
Eight Grade C+

 

Sickels Top 20 is finally up. 18 B- or greater prospects: Nice!

Things that stood out in particular to me were higher than expected number of pitching prospects (10/20). Sickels is high on the Cardinals model of high K/BB, innings eaters so players like Brady Rodgers, Aaron West, and Kent Emmanuel get C+ nods while otherwise getting little prospecting love. That's in addition to Wojo, Nick Tropeano, Kyle Smith and Andrew Thurman making the list with B- grades.

That's a ton MOR/BOR depth. A common thread is that all but Smith were college draftees. Only Wojo was a 1s pick or higher. The really crazy thing is there's all that depth without even mentioning half the top 10 were pitchers (Appel, Folty, LMJ, VV, Feliz).

I gotta imagine Luhnow is going to do the tandem system again cuz that's a ton of starting talent concentrated in the A+/AA/AAA levels this year.

EDIT* darn Rockets12 just beat me to the post

 

The focus on command/control guys in the back half over high upside guys sheds a little light on Appel vs Gray.

I'm still waiting for the analysis of how the Cards/Astros take C&C guys and tweak their mechanics for more MPH and how they take polished low power bats and some how get more power out of them. It really hammers the tradition model that tools can't get better. Somebody out there has to be considering this article right?

 

Springer is #18

 

And Ruiz who could be a top 100 with a continuation of his strong finish from last year.