He needs to go deeper in games to be a true ace to me. He exerts a lot of energy and effort on each pitch - but he can probably tack on another inning a start by continued improvement of his command and throwing less pitches. The Astros have a number of guys that have some key elements needed to be a #1, but most guys with that don’t become #1.
On Ullola, one elite pitch, mediocre secondary pitches, and control problems…that sounds like an 8th inning guy more than a rotation stalwart.
Secondary pitches can be developed, but if you can’t throw an elite fastball it’s not likely you will be taught how to
I don’t disagree. I just think it’s unlikely he makes the leap from where he’s at to ToR SP. Of course I don’t fault the org for trying to get him there. But if I’m making predictions then I peg Ullola for relief.
Oh absolutely. I was just talking best case at his best. Not most likely to end up at. I think he’s going to maximize. If his arm doesn’t fall off. Which is a coin flip.
Kenedy Corona is getting a start in RF today. He’s a guy the shine really came off of last season. He had 22HR/32SB in 2023 across High A and AA at age 23 after 3 good seasons from 2019-2022. His k/bb numbers were pretty much the same as prior years so he had some kind of collapse in contact quality. That could be any number of things, from a hidden/nagging injury to an ill advised swing change to upper level pitchers just figuring him out. But any of those causes has a chance to be addressed. He could be a guy who adjusts (or gets healthy) and sees a quick/dramatic rebound. Very high ceiling player as he is near-Meyers level with the glove, but has a better arm and more speed and just as much power.
Corona has a better glove than Meyers. He is an exceptional fielder - the hit tool has always been the problem. I don’t think he will hit enough but I would love to be proven wrong.
He probably won’t. But ZIPS projects him for 7% bb and 30% k, which for an elite CF defender with average power and high baserunning value is playable. But ZIPS also paints a bleak picture of his ability to hit for power, I’m assuming mostly because of how little power he hit for last season.
Best outfield candidates currently playing at AA and above. C McCormick L/RF J Meyers CF C Smith* RF J Altuve LF K Corona R/CF J Melton* C/LF L Baez LF Z Dezenzo LF B Gamel Bench C Barber Bench Z Cole Bench Injured P Leon Bench T Trammell Bench
Sort of. I decided on “ace” as a top 10 guy in baseball- TOR as a top 30 type. A 2 starter could be the 5th best pitcher in baseball on a certain staff because he’s behind someone better, or definitionally 31-60 in the league.
Or could potentially not even be in the top 100? The A's for example. ZIPS has their top 2 starters at #90 and #103. ZIPS 2025 Astros projected SP rankings Framber 29 Brown 43 Garcia 97 Blanco 111 Arrighetti 113 McCullers 141 Wesneski 175
WAR isn't as beneficial in evaluating SP than pisition players. Besides, it's a cumulative stats and SP get hurt so ofter that just by being healthy and decent your WAR could accumulate to be among the top 25-50% pretty easily. Because of this I prefer other stats to rate pitchers, but if I were to USE WAR, I would look at WAR/GS plus health.
None of this changes the fact that a TOR rotation starter means someone in the top 2 of the rotation. As opposed to a bottom of the rotation starter, which means 4/5
https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/pip...ts-on-top-30-lists?t=astros-pipeline-coverage MLB Pipeline blurb about Joseph Sullivan, who has gotten a lot of buzz and spring playing time: Joseph Sullivan, OF, Astros Callis: “He’s the grandson of 1971 Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback and college football coach Patrick Sullivan. That part's interesting. What's interesting to me is how quickly Joseph Sullivan has risen in terms of how well he's regarded in the Astros organization internally and externally. So Joseph played some football in high school. He's a safety and wide receiver before he decides to focus on baseball. He goes to South Alabama. He hits .271 with a .964 OPS over three seasons, which is good, but not unbelievable. Sophomore eligible in 2023, doesn't get drafted, had a hamate injury last spring and winds up going to the Astros in the seventh round. He showed flashes of all-around ability during his pro debut, and his name started coming up in trade talks almost immediately. He has a lot to offer. He makes good swing decisions … The Astros love this guy, and other teams are willing to take him off the Astros' hands, but they don't want to part with him.”
I mean- p could literally mean top as in #1. That’s how I use it. And BOR as in last. With MOR being 2-4. it’s lien what does average mean? There’s mean, median and mode and they are all appropriate meanings for average and all mean different things.
