How could it be anything other than opinion? We are months away from any official rankings. I think sealclubber's #25 ranking was pretty accurate.
I think Hernandez will be ranked a little higher than i personally would. He stole 24 bases and was caught 11 times, which suggests solid speed, but hardly major weapon speed. He struck out 135 times versus only 41 walks. At this point I honestly don't see a big difference between him and Aplin right now. He does appear to have a fairly high ceiling, but as of right now I want to see more before I anoint him a big prospect.
Here are my postseason award winners. There's not really much change from the midseason winners, to be honest. MVP George Springer finished 3 homers short of a 40-40 season, but he likely had the greatest minor league season in recent memory. That's why he was my undisputed choice for Minor League MVP. After moving up to OKC, he cut his strikeout rate by 5% while his walk rate had a slight boost (+2.4%). I suppose he's proven more than enough at the minor league level. George Springer will be the starting CF for the Astros on Opening Day. If not... that probably won't sit too well with the remnants of the Astros fanbase. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dspring001geo&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,5,9,10,11,12,13"></script> Apologies to: No one. Springer was simply head and shoulders better than any other player in the system this season. Short-Season MVP I gotta go with Michael Feliz. He also nabbed Short-Season Pitcher of the Year honors too. As one of the younger pitchers in the New York-Penn League, Feliz cemented his status as one of the up-and-coming stars of the system by leading the league with a 1.96 ERA, finishing 2nd in WHIP (0.96), and 3rd with 78 strikeouts. Just 20, he'll be a key pitcher for Quad Cities in 2014. If you picked him in the preseason Pick-a-Prospect, congratulations. Rep will be coming your way once I find that thread. Apologies to: Tyler White, Gonzalo Sanudo <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dfeliz-001mic&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,11"></script> Pitcher of the Year WTHB chose Asher Wojciechowski, and I thought that was a good choice. However, I'm no copycat. She highlighted his consistency throughout the season, and aside from two pairs of poor starts, he was consistently good throughout the season. I don't dispute that, I just felt differently about this. My choice would have to be Vince Velasquez. In his first full season, he showed no ill effects from Tommy John surgery. Despite struggling in May, he largely dominated the Midwest League. Velasquez was 2nd in the system with 142 strikeouts in 124.2 innings. He led the Midwest League for much of the season in that category (ultimately finishing in a tie for 2nd) before departing for Lancaster. Though the Cali League wasn't the most welcoming, he rebounded to fire 6 innings of 1-run ball in his final start of the season. He allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 8. Velasquez, now at full health, probably has #2 or #3 starter potential, and I would say that he is a top-10 prospect in this system. He's another starter who has flirted with triple digits this season. Apologies to: Nearly every starter in the system <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dvelasq001vin&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,8"></script> Short-Season Pitcher of the Year See Short-Season MVP. On the Cusp This section is reserved for short-season prospects and players in their first year in a full-season league. One position player and one pitcher. Chris Lee was probably my runner-up for Short-Season Pitcher of the Year. He had 3 cracks at Greeneville; he was inconsistent, but showed promise. The 2nd try was cut short when he was shut down. With a clean bill of health, he wound up leading the Appy Astros in strikeouts and slashed his walk rate from 2011 in half. What kind of stuff does he have? Well, in his interview with WTHB, he throws a fastball that gets up to 96, a hard slider, a curveball, and a changeup. His 3.06 groundout/airout ratio suggests that opponents aren't making good contact off of him. He could become the top lefty in the system next season. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dlee---003chr&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,5"></script> I've been high on Teoscar Hernandez (maybe too high for other people's liking) for a while now. In his first full season in America, he was solid for Quad Cities, leading the club in homers and finishing 2nd in steals. If the 2014 Prospect Handbook came out today, I would say that Hernandez would be somewhere in the 20s. He's got good upside, but I'd like to see him continue to perform. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dhernan000teo&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10"></script> I am Disappoint I hope that the 2013 season humbled Jonathan Singleton. He blew a chance at getting a call-up by getting busted for pot. He then labored through a half-season at OKC as his strikeout rate spiked. Despite that, his walk rate held steady. Singleton was the 2nd-youngest regular in the Pacific Coast League and will undoubtedly repeat Triple-A. Jonathan Singleton is still very much the Astros' 1B of the future, and once Brett Wallace falters (sigh... I'm resigned to the fact that he will), he'll get his chance. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dsingle001jon&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7,12,13,14,15,16,17"></script>
It's hard to be worried about Singleton given his age relative to level, but the weight gain was really frustrating. Hopefully he comes back from the offseason more athletic. There were also some reports from people who saw AAA games that Singleton's approach needed some refinement - lack of 2-strike approach hurt him, apparently. People said he still showed a good eye, but taking massive cuts at every strike really hurt him.
Baseball America: Midwest League Top 20 ($$) 2. Carlos Correa 5. Lance McCullers 12. Vince Velasquez Reds RHP Rob Stephenson was #3, but...
[WTHB] Home Run, Strikeout and Walk Rates in the Astros System Astros fans are currently licking their wounds after a very disappointing 2013 season. One of the most disappointing factors to the season was the strikeout rate. Not only did the team set a single season record for most strikeouts, 1B/LF/DH Chris Carter struck out a whopping 212 times and became the third all-time single season leader in the category. Home run hitters by their very nature tend to be more prone to the strikeout. I was curious about the rate of strikeouts in the major leagues vs. the minor leagues in the Astros system, particularly for those who have the ability to hit the long ball. I looked at every player in the system who had a minimum of 10 home runs for the season and looked at the percentage of their plate appearances that resulted in a home run, a strikeout or a walk. ...
Wallace (36.49%) actually struck out at a higher rate than Carter (36.24%). Not to mention that Carter (11.97%) walked nearly twice as often as Wallace (6.32%). Cut Wallace.
I did. And your right. For Wallace, it must be a mental thing. Certainly ongoing injuries have been ruled out. I suspect he will be there in the spring. And if he cant get out of the gate in pretty productive fashion, his job will go to someone else.
Now, a team-by-team look at the 2013 season. First up... the full-season teams. Click the team logos to head to their Baseball Reference pages. Also, I'll be putting in a bunch of tables from Baseball Reference, so each post will take a little while to load and will make them longer than they really are. When discussing individual players, I will place them with the team where they spent the majority of the season. In the event of one more appearance with one team, I'll put them with the team they finished on. 2013 Record: 82-62, won Pacific Coast League American Southern division Playoffs: Lost 3-0 to Omaha in PCL American Conference Championship Summary The Redhawks, with the youngest roster in Triple-A, were the best team in the Pacific Coast League. The Redhawks should get their share of prospects and semi-prospects making a stop in Bricktown on their way to Houston. That means no more journeymen playing every day. In the playoffs, the Redhawks were upset by Omaha, who wound up winning the Triple-A championship. Offense OKC ranked in the middle of the PCL in most of the offensive categories. They did lead in stolen bases, though. 7 players had at least 10 steals, while only 4 players hit 10+ homers. No one struck out 100 times, although Jonathan Villar had 93. George Springer, despite playing in 62 of a possible 144 games, led the Redhawks in home runs with 18. I don't think his 2013 season will be forgotten by many here, as he ultimately finished 3 homers short of a 40-40 season between OKC and Corpus Christi. I don't think the decision to keep him in the minors will be forgotten, either. However, that argument is best served for this thread. George Springer should and will be the starting center fielder for the Houston Astros come Opening Day: April 1, 2014. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dspring001geo&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,5"></script> Jonathan Villar spent much of this season as the starting shortstop. He terrorized PCL pitchers to the tune of 31 steals while he worked on fine-tuning his game at the plate. Jeff Luhnow wanted to see "3 strong months" ($$) in OKC out of Villar before giving him a shot in Houston. Villar delivered those 3 strong months and made his debut on July 22 against Oakland. I'm going out on a limb here, but I suppose the awfulness at shortstop for the Astros played a factor, as well. He finished the season as the Astros' starting shortstop, and he should continue in that role for the 2014 season. 2 more steals and he'll have 50 for the season. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dvillan001jon&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12"></script> 2013 turned out to be an absolute dud for Jonathan Singleton. Instead of contending for a spot on the Major League roster, he was busted for pot in the offseason, sat out 50 games, and really labored through his first exposure to AAA. I hope this season humbled him. This was probably his first exposure to adversity as a professional, too. Singleton will definitely return to OKC in 2014 and should get a crack if/when Brett Wallace falters. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dsingle001jon&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7"></script> Team Offensive Rankings Batting average: .271, t-8th On-base percentage: .347, 6th Slugging percentage: .403, 11th OPS: .750, 10th Runs per game: 4.7, 10th Runs: 677, 10th Hits: 1289, 10th Doubles: 234, t-14th (2nd-fewest) Triples: 39, 8th Home runs: 105, t-14th (2nd-fewest) Stolen bases: 172, 1st Walks: 530, 7th Strikeouts: 985, 14th (3rd-fewest) Individual Leaders- Offense Games played: Che-Hsuan Lin, 121 Batting average*: Brandon Laird, .277 Runs scored: Laird, 75 Hits: Laird, 130 Doubles: Laird, 33 Triples: Jonathan Villar, 8 Home runs: George Springer, 18 RBI: Laird, 79 Stolen bases: Villar, 31 Walks: Lin, 60 Strikeouts: Villar, 93 On-base percentage*: Lin, .356 Slugging percentage*: Laird, .449 OPS*: Laird, .773 *Batting title qualifiers only; Average, OBP, SLG%, and OPS will only include qualifiers Pitching Instead of plugging in washups like Brian Bass, the Redhawks' starting rotation consisted of pitchers who actually have a chance to contribute to the Astros Reconstruction, as the front office continues to fling stuff at the wall in the hopes that someone sticks. One of those pitchers with a good chance to stick is Brett Oberholtzer. He made his debut on April 21 against the Indians, pitching 2 innings and allowing a pair of solo homers. He was optioned back to OKC a couple of days later and spent the next 2 months in the Redhawks rotation. Oberholtzer was recalled on July 2 and made 2 more relief appearances before being returned to OKC on July 19. He made 1 more start for the Redhawks on July 22 before coming back to Houston for good. On July 31, he made his first career start and fired 7 shutout innings in an 11-0 win in Baltimore. He more or less secured his spot in the rotation by shutting out the Red Sox for 7 innings in his next start. And, on September 1, he threw the Astros' first complete game shutout of the season, blanking the Mariners. Finally, we have something resembling a return from the Michael Bourn trade. He should compete for a rotation spot in the spring, and he figures to be a bulldog at the back. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Brett Oberholtzer has really impressed rival scouts with his ability to compete. He doesn't give in, regardless of situation.</p>— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrtizKicks/statuses/382885009788391424">September 25, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Doberho001bre&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fplayers%2Fo%2Foberhbr01.shtml&div=div_pitching_standard"></script> Asher Wojciechowski was just stellar to open the season, as he opened with a 20.2 inning scoreless streak for Corpus. He got knocked around in his final appearance for the Hooks, but after an impressive first month, he moved up to OKC, where he spent the remainder of the year. The highlight of Wojo's season was a complete game 1-hitter in Round Rock on July 8. He was a much better home pitcher than he was on the road, he had a career high walk rate, and his 3-3, 5.60 August suggests that he wore down to finish the year. Even then, Wojo had 2 outings in which he gave up 6 runs, so those 2 outings might have inflated the ERA. He'll compete for a rotation spot in the spring and should appear in the majors in some capacity next year. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dwojcie001ran&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,6"></script> Jarred Cosart opened up the year in OKC and while he was effective, he wasn't efficient. He only had 3 outings in which he didn't issue a walk. On the other hand, he had 6 outings in which he issued at least 4 walks. And, in 4 of those 6 appearances, he had more walks than strikeouts. Despite all of his control issues, he largely avoided any serious damage and has shown the ability to tightrope out of jams. Cosart made his debut on July 12, when he flirted with a no-hitter in Tampa Bay and had a no-hitter into the 7th. He also nearly went the distance, but was pulled after walking the first Ray he faced in the 9th. He lost his other decision on August 20 in Arlington, but threw a bare minimum quality start nonetheless. In his final start, which came on September 9, he allowed an unearned run on 2 hits, walked 6, and struck out 3 in Seattle. Jarred Cosart is definitely a frontrunner for a spot in the starting rotation next season. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dcosart001jar&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fplayers%2Fc%2Fcosarja01.shtml&div=div_pitching_standard"></script> Team Pitching Rankings Runs allowed per game: 4.47, 6th Runs allowed: 645, 6th Earned runs: 586, 6th ERA: 4.21, 6th Complete games: 4, t-1st Shutouts: 2, 1st Innings pitched: 1254, t-14th Hits allowed: 1219, 15th (2nd-fewest) Home runs allowed: 105, 14th (3rd-fewest) Walks allowed: 530, 12th (5th-most) Strikeouts: 1036, 14th (3rd-fewest) WHIP: 1.395, 5th Individual Pitching Leaders Appearances: Kevin Chapman, 45 Starts: Asher Wojciechowski, 21 Complete Games: Wojciechowski, 2 Shutouts: Wojciechowski and Dallas Keuchel, 1 Wins: Wojciechowski, 9 Losses: Wojciechowski and Ross Seaton, 7 Saves: Josh Zeid and Jose Valdez, 13 ERA*: Wojciechowski, 3.56 Innings pitched: Wojciechowski, 134 Hits allowed: Wojciechowski, 116 Runs allowed: Seaton, 60 Earned runs: Seaton, 56 Home runs allowed: Seaton, 13 Walks allowed: Jarred Cosart, 50 Strikeouts: Wojciechowski, 104 WHIP*: Wojciechowski, 1.19 *ERA and WHIP leaders must qualify for league ERA title 2013 Record: 42-28 1st half (won Texas League South), 41-29 2nd half (won Texas League South), 83-57 overall Playoffs: Lost 3-2 to San Antonio in South Division Series Summary Again, the Hooks had some star power in their roster. Though Jonathan Singleton and Jonathan Villar moved on, they had George Springer and Domingo Santana in their stead. Pitching-wise, they didn't have a true ace, but a bunch of solid starters. Mike Foltynewicz joined the fray later to give them that ace-caliber prospect. The Hooks bowed out in the South Division Series for the 2nd straight season, losing to San Antonio in 5 games. Offense Unlike OKC, the Hooks lineup possessed some serious power. Their 158 homers led the Texas League, they led the league in runs, and they were the only team in the league to slug over .400. 8 players had double-digit home runs. They also had the propensity to swing and miss, as they led the league in that category, too. George Springer mauled Texas League pitching and moved on to Oklahoma City at the end of June. Domingo Santana has always been young for his level. In 2013, he was one of the youngest position players in the Texas League, and his 25 homers suggest that he more than held his own. It also signifies that the power is legit. He also had a slight increase in strikeout rate (up 1%) and a slight decrease in walk rate (down 0.8%) which was still above league average). The strikeout rate was largely in line with his career figures (upper-20s) and he's been drawing walks at a higher rate in the Astros system. He'll likely have his fair share of strikeouts, and I hope he can slash that strikeout rate somewhat. Also, I'm encouraged by his walk rates since joining the organization. The .252 average may seem unimpressive, but his OBP was a respectable .345, and he was just short of slugging .500. He wound up slugging .498. Santana will likely begin again in Corpus next year and should see time in OKC. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dsantan002dom&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,5"></script> Erik Castro didn't have a Jon Gaston-like regression in Corpus. Yes, he only hit 18 homers, but his slugging percentage only dropped 31 points (.511 to .480), he slashed his strikeout rate from 2012, and overall, had a very respectable season. He'll likely move on to OKC. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dcastro001eri&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4"></script> Team Offensive Rankings Batting average: .255, t-2nd On-base percentage: .331, 3rd Slugging percentage: .417, 1st OPS: .748, 1st Runs per game: 4.69, 1st Runs: 657, 1st Hits: 1210, 2nd Doubles: 253, 2nd Triples: 19, 7th Home runs: 158, 1st Stolen bases: 85, 8th Walks: 472, 3rd Strikeouts: 1123, 8th (most) Individual Leaders- Offense Games played: Jonathan Meyer, 129 Batting average: Erik Castro, .280 Runs scored: Domingo Santana, 72 Hits: Meyer, 126 Doubles: Castro, 28 Triples: Drew Muren, 5 Home runs: Santana, 25 RBI: Meyer, 68 Stolen bases: George Springer, 23 Walks: Castro, 55 Strikeouts: Santana, 139 On-base percentage: Castro, .368 Slugging percentage: Santana, .498 OPS: Castro, .848 (3rd in league) Pitching Hooks pitchers weren't spectacular prospects, but they were a solid bunch who did their job. In fact, pitching ruled the day in the Texas League in 2013, where the difference in the best team ERA (San Antonio) and the worst team ERA (Northwest Arkansas) was 0.99 (3.20-4.19). The Hooks led the league in total innings pitched, although they did give up the most hits and the most homers. After spending the first month of the season in Lancaster, Mike Foltynewicz joined the Hooks and made quite the first impression, as he allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 9 over 5 shutout innings in San Antonio on May 6. Folty also threw 8 1/3 shutout innings against the Missions at home on July 24. He allowed 6 hits, walked 2, and fanned 8 that night. He didn't pitch enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, but his 2.87 ERA would've been 4th. He was largely unhittable (6.5 H/9) in his time with the Hooks; he allowed 5+ hits in 5 of his 23 appearances. At this point, the only concern from me is that Foltynewicz's walk rate has increased each season. He has frontline starter potential, but he must curb his walk rate. Then again, he was one of the circuit's youngest pitchers and I imagine that high walk rate of his was a product of refining and trying to harness his stuff, both fastball and secondary. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dfoltyn001mic&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4"></script> Again, I'll put this video here, because I really can't get enough of it. <iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/68236446" width="500" height="281" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> David Martinez has had a slow climb through the system. On August 21, though, he became just the 2nd player from the Astros' now-defunct Venezuelan academy to play in the Majors, joining Jose Altuve. Much of his 2013 season was spent in the Corpus rotation, where he teamed up with Asher Wojciechowski and Mike Foltynewicz before the end of the tandem system. Martinez wound up leading the Texas League in wins (14), ERA (2.02), and was rated by Texas League managers and coaches as having the best control. He's struggled in his first exposure to the Majors, but it is a small sample size, and he'll likely be in the OKC rotation next year. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dmartin013dav&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fplayers%2Fm%2Fmartida02.shtml&div=div_pitching_standard"></script> Nick Tropeano led the staff in innings pitched. He had a mildly disappointing season, and while his strikeout rate dipped, his peripherals didn't really change from 2012. Tropeano had some difficulty keeping the ball in the park, as he gave up 15. He also had a rather high BABIP (.338, league average: .297), and labored through May and June. Despite his up-and-down season, he should be in the OKC rotation in 2014. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dtropea000nic&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5"></script> Team Pitching Rankings Runs allowed per game: 4.31, 5th Runs allowed: 603, 5th Earned runs: 536, 5th ERA: 3.84, 5th Complete games: 4, t-1st Shutouts: 1, t-2nd Innings pitched: 1255, 1st Hits allowed: 1253, 8th (most) Home runs allowed: 133, 8th (most) Walks allowed: 372, 7th (2nd-fewest) Strikeouts: 917, 8th WHIP: 1.295, 5th Individual Pitching Leaders Appearances: Pat Urckfitz, 40 Starts: Nick Tropeano, 20 Complete Games: David Martinez, 2 Shutouts: Luis Cruz, 1 (the only one) Wins: Martinez, 14 (led league) Losses: Tropeano, 10 Saves: Urckfitz, 7 ERA: Martinez, 2.02 (led league) Innings pitched: Tropeano, 133.2 Hits allowed: Tropeano, 140 Runs allowed: R.J. Alaniz, 73 Earned runs: Tropeano, 61 Home runs allowed: Tropeano, 15 Walks allowed: Mike Foltynewicz, 52 Strikeouts: Tropeano, 130 WHIP: Martinez, 1.00 (led league) 2013 Record: 39-31 1st half (won California League South), 43-27 2nd half (won California League South), 82-58 overall Playoffs: Lost 3-2 to Inland Empire in South Division Championship Series Summary With a roster largely composed of 2012 draftees, the Jethawks ran absolutely roughshod on the California League. They scored 976 runs, which led the Minors by a pretty healthy margin. The Jethawks scored double-digit runs in 39 games this season. The pitching was headlined by the likes of David Rollins, Luis Cruz, and Travis Ballew. Though their numbers look rough... that was a function of the Lancaster Effect. Offense Unlike last year, where they led the Cali League in strikeouts, the Jethawks were the only team in the league to strike out fewer than 1000 times. They drew 669 walks; the next-closest team, Visalia, drew 147 fewer. Nolan Fontana, Andrew Aplin, and Chris Epps were 1-2-3 in walks, while Brandon Meredith was 5th. They also led in on-base percentage (.384) and their batters got plunked 113 times, the most in the league. In fact, Matt Duffy repeated as the Craig Biggio Award winner this season, as he got hit 21 times (18 in Lancaster, 3 in Corpus). He's been hit 75 times in 321 career games. He also led the team in homers with 19 and finished 2nd in the league in batting average and OPS and tied for 10th in RBI. He spent the final month of the season in Corpus, which is where he'll likely start the 2014 season as the everyday 3B. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dduffy-000mat&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3"></script> He hit 1 home run in 3 years at UCLA. He didn't hit any at Tri-City. But in Lancaster, Tyler Heineman hit 13. 2 of them were of the inside-the-park variety. Although his home and road splits differ significantly, it doesn't seem that his power was just an illusion. He hit 7 in The Hangar and 6 everywhere else. His final line for the season was hurt by a .160/.229/.293 June. Although he missed some time early in the season, Heineman still caught 100 games, so durability shouldn't be a major concern moving forward. Behind the plate, he nabbed 42% of potential stealers. He, and much of the Jethawks regulars, should be on their way to Corpus. If the power isn't an illusion, then Heineman's stock will receive a huge boost. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dheinem000tyl&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2"></script> A year after stealing 101, Delino DeShields only swiped 51. That sounds like a bit of a downer, but opposing batteries were on high alert when he was on base. He was still largely successful on his steal attempts and wound up having a fine season, despite some various nagging injuries. He shook off a slow start in April and was just torrid at the plate afterwards. As his average rose, so did the steals. Also, despite his home run total dropping from 12 to 5, he actually had a slight increase in his isolated power (.151, up from .141 in 2012). He only homered once in The Hangar. That's a mild shock. He did hit 9 triples there. DeShields was rated the #4 prospect in the California League this season. Beginning with the Arizona Fall League, he will be moving back to center field. He'll be the everyday CF in Corpus Christi in 2014, and he'll likely knock George Springer to a corner once he's ready for Houston. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Ddeshie002del&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,6,7,8,9"></script> Team Offensive Rankings Batting average: .289, 1st On-base percentage: .384, 1st Slugging percentage: .469, 1st OPS: .853, 1st Runs per game: 6.97, 1st Runs: 976, 1st Doubles: 296, 1st Triples: 57, 4th Home runs: 153, 3rd Stolen bases: 140, 5th Walks: 669, 1st Strikeouts: 957, 10th Individual Leaders- Offense Games played: Andrew Aplin, 128 Batting average: Matt Duffy, .323 (2nd in league) Runs scored: Aplin, 102 Hits: Delino DeShields, 143 Doubles: Aplin and Chris Epps, 32 Triples: DeShields, 14 Home runs: Duffy, 19 RBI: Aplin, 107 (led league) Stolen bases: DeShields, 51 (2nd in league) Walks: Nolan Fontana: 102 Strikeouts: Epps, 116 On-base percentage: Fontana, .415 (led league) Slugging percentage: Duffy, .553 OPS: Duffy, .950 Pitching Obviously, given their environment, Jethawks pitchers posted the 2nd-worst ERA in the Cali League. They were middle of the pack in WHIP and strikeouts, and they issued the fewest walks. On May 12, Kyle Hallock and Luis Cruz pitched a combined no-hitter against Stockton. That technically isn't a complete game, but Kyle Smith went the distance on August 10 in High Desert, throwing a 2-hit shutout and striking out 9. Smith struggled in his first exposure to pitcher's hell, as he was shelled in his other 4 starts with the Jethawks. Lauded for his polish, Smith actually pitched fairly well in High-A. A pitching logjam could result in his return to the Cali League, but he's Cruz spent much of the season in Lancaster and had a fine June. He allowed 4 runs in his first appearance that month, then proceeded to give up 3 runs the rest of the way. In 32 innings that month, he went 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA, allowing 22 hits (no homers), walking 7, and striking out 40. Cruz was promoted to Corpus for the final month of the regular season, and sandwiched between 2 scoreless innings was a great start and a spectacular start. He allowed a run on 2 hits in 6 innings against Midland on August 21, and fired a complete game shutout on August 26 in San Antonio, allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 14. The 96 game score was tops in the system this season. Cruz's 150 strikeouts led the organization. He had more walks than strikeouts in only 2 appearances, and 2 where those numbers were equal. In a system (currently) thin on left-handed starters, Cruz certainly ranks around the top with David Rollins and Chris Lee. After 3 seasons in Lexington and and an aborted attempt at Lancaster, Cruz cleared the Lancaster hurdle (don't let the ERA fool you) and closed out his year in dominating fashion in Corpus. He should be a part of the Corpus rotation in 2014. The question of his roster status will be an interesting one, leading up to the 40-man roster deadline on November 20. Protect him on the 40-man roster, or expose him to the Rule 5 draft? <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dcruz--006lui&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7,12,13,14,15,16"></script> Aaron West sported a 5.22 ERA, but behind that was a 2.56 FIP. He was also horribly unlucky, as he had a .388 BABIP. Other than that, his walk rate was largely steady, and he enjoyed an uptick in his strikeout rate. I think he'll be pretty glad to get out of Lancaster, and his numbers should rebound in Corpus next year. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dwest--000aar&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,4"></script> Another guy who should see improvement in his numbers is Brady Rodgers. Like West, he suffered from an astronomically high BABIP. However, his groundball rate (52.4%) was well above the Cali League average of 41.4%. His walk rate increased a little, but he also boosted his strikeout rate, as well. Rodgers was summoned to OKC to pitch the 2nd game of a doubleheader, and he allowed a run on 5 hits and struck out 4 in 5 innings. In his 2nd spot start, he went to Midland to pitch the 2nd game of a doubleheader for Corpus and got the win, pitching 5 shutout innings, allowing 5 hits and striking out 6. Rodgers should be one of the many starters for Corpus Christi in 2014. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Drodger001bra&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,7"></script> David Rollins was the only Lancaster starter who had an ERA under 4 during his time with the club. He also gave up the fewest hits per 9 innings (7.5) out of all the Jethawks pitchers. Rollins really had 4 bad outings (8 ER on April 19, 6 ER on April 28, 7 ER on June 10, and 6 R (5 earned) on July 3) that inflated the ERA somewhat. On July 27, he was summoned to OKC for a spot start and shined, allowing a run on 3 hits, walking 1, and striking out 8 over 6 shutout innings. After that, he spent the final month of the season in Corpus, where he was solid, aside from his final outing of the season, where he gave up 8 runs in 4 1/3 innings. Rollins finishes the season as one of the top lefty starters in the organization, and he should return to the Corpus rotation in 2014. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Drollin001dav&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7,12,13,14,15,16,17,18"></script> Travis Ballew led the organization with 21 saves. He led all full-season pitchers with 13.2 strikeouts per 9 innings thanks to a sick slider and http://www.crawfishboxes.com/2013/9/23/4751238/tcbs-astros-minor-league-all-stars#186343335a fastball that reached 98. He's probably the top reliever prospect, and saw his final line suffer because of a 9.00 ERA in July. He pitched better at The Hangar, where he only served up 1 homer, and his ERA was a full run lower than his road ERA. Ballew will likely be the closer in Corpus Christi next year. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dballew000tra&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,4"></script> Team Pitching Rankings Runs allowed per game: 5.66, 7th Runs allowed: 792, 7th Earned runs: 698, t-8th ERA: 5.09, 8th Complete games: 1, t-2nd Shutouts: 1, t-1st (only 2 shutouts were recorded in the league) Innings pitched: 1234, 7th Hits allowed: 1372, 9th (2nd-most) Home runs allowed: 140, 7th Walks allowed: 414, 10th (fewest) Strikeouts: 1144, 6th Individual Pitching Leaders Appearances: Travis Ballew, 50 Starts: Aaron West, 21 Complete games: Kyle Smith, 1 (the only one) Shutouts: Smith, 1 (the only one) Wins: West and Brady Rodgers, 10 each Losses: West and Rodgers, 8 each Saves: Ballew, 21 (led organization) ERA: Kenny Long, 2.83 Innings pitched: Luis Cruz, 113.1 Hits allowed: Tyson Perez, 142 Runs allowed: Perez, 84 Earned runs: Perez, 73 Home runs allowed: Perez, 16 Walks allowed: Perez, 43 Strikeouts: Cruz, 129 (21 with Corpus = 150, led organization) WHIP: Cruz, 1.33 2013 Record: 38-31 1st half (4th in Midwest League West, 4.5 games behind Beloit), 43-26 2nd half (2nd, 4.5 behind Cedar Rapids), 81-57 overall (2nd, 7 behind Cedar Rapids) Playoffs: Midwest League Champions <iframe src='http://www.milb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=30661301&width=400&height=224&property=milb' width='400' height='224' frameborder='0'>Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe> West Division Semifinals: Defeated Cedar Rapids 2-0 West Division Final: Defeated Beloit 2-1 Midwest League Championship Series: Defeated South Bend 3-0 Summary With the Big 3 of Carlos Correa, Lance McCullers, and Rio Ruiz, the River Bandits used a late surge in the 2nd half to clinch a playoff berth, and rolled through the playoffs on their way to winning the Midwest League. Vince Velasquez was dominant in his first full season and seems to be over his Tommy John surgery. And, Teoscar Hernandez flashed five-tool potential in his first full season since coming to America. Offense With one of the youngest lineups in the Midwest League, the River Bandits were 4th in the league in runs scored despite ranking in the bottom half of 2 of the 3 triple slash categories and OPS. They were 3rd in on-base percentage, 1 point behind Bowling Green. The organization places a heavy emphasis on plate discipline, as we all know, and the River Bandits led the MWL in walks. Pacing the offense was none other than Carlos Correa. While much of the country was all over Byron Buxton, Correa turned in a fine (understatement) age-18 season, as he ranked in the top 10 in the triple slash categories (3rd in average, 2nd in OBP, 8th in SLG%), led the MWL in OPS, and ranked 4th in RBI. He pretty much received rave reviews across the board this season. At 19, Correa could put up sick numbers in Lancaster. Who knows, maybe that'll result in him jumping on the fast track. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dcorrea000car&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,6,7,8"></script> Rio Ruiz was in a rut to start the season, but he was able to get himself going, his numbers improved each month, and he wound up finishing with a double-double: 12 homers and 12 steals. The Astros were high on his hitting ability, and I think that tool started to shine as the season went on. He'll head home to California in 2014. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Druiz--001rio&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,6,7,8"></script> A bargain signing ($20K in February 2011), Teoscar Hernandez is gaining some momentum in the system, despite starting his career a little later. He was the Academy's player of the year in 2011, and that warranted a move stateside. In 2012, he led the GCL with 10 outfield assists and closed out the season with a brief cameo in Lexington, where he hit a 2-run homer in his 1st at-bat. This past season, he led the River Bandits with 13 homers and was 2nd to Jordan Scott with 24 steals. Defensively, he had 14 outfield assists, which was 2nd in the league. However, he was the only player on the team to strike out over 100 times; his 135 whiffs were 8th-most in the MWL. Hernandez had a solid season in his first shot at a full-season league, and he should patrol center field in Lancaster next year. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dhernan000teo&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,5,7,8,9"></script> Team Offensive Rankings Batting average: .247, t-13th On-base percentage: .338, 3rd Slugging percentage: .362, t-11th OPS: .699, t-11th Runs per game: 4.61, 4th Runs: 636, 4th Doubles: 225, 9th Triples: 32, 12th Home runs: 76, t-9th Stolen bases: 151, 5th Walks: 578, 1st Strikeouts: 1039, t-10th Individual Leaders- Offense Games played: Jordan Scott, 125 Batting average: Carlos Correa, .320 (3rd in league) Runs scored: Teoscar Hernandez, 97 Hits: Correa, 144 Doubles: Correa and Rio Ruiz, 33 each Triples: Hernandez, 9 (t-6th with 5 others in the league) Home runs: Hernandez, 13 RBI: Correa, 86 Stolen bases: Scott, 25 Walks: Austin Elkins, 67 Strikeouts: Hernandez, 135 On-base percentage: Correa, .405 (2nd in league) Slugging percentage: Correa, .467 (8th in league) OPS: Correa, .872 (led league) Pitching The pitching staff mainly consisted of 2012 draftees. Headlining that staff was the only teenager (for the vast majority of the year), Lance McCullers. With his power arsenal, he was straight dominant at times. McCullers entered the 2013 season as the #4 prospect in the Astros system according to BA, and they noted that being a starter was fairly new to him. With his repetoire, he's a frontline starter. Judging by his 2.00 groundout/airout ratio, opposing batters had a difficult time making good contact off of him. He did walk 4.2 batters per 9 innings, so refining his control and command would certainly be high-priority. The sky is the limit for McCullers. Could he jump on the same track as Mike Foltynewicz next year? <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dmccull002lan&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,6,7,8"></script> Vince Velasquez had a successful return from Tommy John surgery in 2012, and he enjoyed a breakout 2013 season. One of the factors that contributed to his breakout year was the fact that he did not spend a second on the disabled list. Instead, his fastball flirted with triple digits, he finished 2nd in the organization with 142 strikeouts, and finished his season in Lancaster. His final line in the Quad Cities would've looked even better had he not struggled at tge end of April and the start of May. Velasquez was knocked around in 2 of his 3 starts in Lancaster, but in his final appearance of the regular season, he finished strong, allowing a run on 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 8. He and McCullers will team up again in Lancaster, and they could duke it out to see who gets to Corpus first. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dvelasq001vin&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,8"></script> Mike Hauschild was a senior sign in the 33rd round out of Dayton in 2012. With Greeneville, he put up an unreal 5.25 groundout/airout ratio. He spent much of this season as a tandem starter, and he still posted a stellar groundball rate. According to MLBFarm, 63% of the balls that were put in play off of him were grounders. Hauschild was arguably the steadiest performer in the River Bandits' rotation; he never walked more than 3 in a single outing, and in 3 other appearances, he issued 2 walks. Hauschild was called up to Lancaster, where he had some struggles. His home run rate spiked, but his groundout/airout ratio also increased. He also saw his walk rate rise, in half the innings (40 in Lancaster, 83.1 in QC). Hauschild will likely head back to Lancaster in 2014. His penchant for inducing the groundball should continue to serve him well. The 7 homers he surrendered in Lancaster was probably an aberration. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dhausch000mik&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,6"></script> Team Pitching Rankings Runs allowed per game: 4.05, 3rd Runs allowed: 559, 3rd Earned runs: 489, 3rd ERA: 3.62, 4th Complete games: None. The River Bandits were one of 3 teams without a complete game. Shutouts: Although no one was credited with a shutout, the River Bandits recorded 6 combined shutouts. Innings pitched: 1214.1, t-6th Hits allowed: 1204, 10th Home runs allowed: 73, t-5th Walks allowed: 394, 1st (fewest) Strikeouts: 1086, 3rd Individual Pitching Leaders Appearances: Mitch Lambson, 41 Starts: Lance McCullers, 19 No complete games No shutouts (6 combined) Wins: Vince Velasquez, 9 Losses: Juan Minaya, 6 Saves: John Neely, 12; He retired mid-season. ERA: No one qualified; Velasquez missed by 3 innings. His 3.19 ERA would've been 8th. Jordan Jankowski's 2.61 ERA would've led the league. Innings pitched: Velasquez, 110 Hits allowed: Dan Minor, 112 Runs allowed: Jamaine Cotton, 51 Earned runs: Minor, 41 Home runs allowed: Minor, Cotton, and Jordan Jankowski, 9 each Walks allowed: McCullers, 49 Strikeouts: Velasquez, 123 (t-2nd in league) WHIP: No one qualified, but Velasquez's 1.12 would have been good for 4th. Next up, I'll take a look at the short-season teams.
Awesome. Really enjoyed reading that, thanks. So much talent.. wish more of it was ready but suppose patience is a virtue.
I apologize if this has been posted elsewhere: http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/a-simple-accounting-of-farm-system-impact-potential/ FARM SYSTEM STRENGTH BASED ON LEAGUE TOP 20 RANKINGS NO ORG TOTAL NO ORG TOTAL NO ORG TOTAL 1 Red Sox 122.2 11(t) Blue Jays 90.3 21 Marlins 65.7 2 Astros 111.2 11(t) Mets 90.3 22 Nationals 64.7 3 Padres 110.8 13 Mariners 88.8 23 Indians 62.8 4 Rangers 104.6 14 Pirates 88.0 24 White Sox 57.5 5(t) Cubs 98.2 15 Rays 84.2 25 Reds 50.7 5(t) Royals 98.2 16 Yankees 74.1 26 Athletics 44.3 7 Twins 98.1 17 Phillies 71.7 27 Angels 43.0 8 Cardinals 95.2 18 Rockies 68.8 28 Orioles 32.4 9 D-backs 93.9 19 Dodgers 66.6 29 Tigers 29.4 10 Braves 92.1 20 Giants 66.2 30 Brewers 26.6 2. ASTROS RHP Mike Foltynewicz (2 TL) • OF George Springer (3 PCL) • RHP Jarred Cosart (11 PCL) • SS Carlos Correa (2 MWL) • RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (5 MWL) Houston’s depth is apparent with its players who just missed the cut here: RHP Michael Feliz (3 NYP), SS Jonathan Villar (19 PCL), OF Domingo Santana (6 TL), RHP Vince Velasquez (12 MWL) and 1B Jonathan Singleton (13 PCL).
In the 2nd part of the team-by-team assessments, I'll be looking at the short-season clubs. I've already devoted one post to the 2013 draft class; in this post, I'll be focusing more on the players who were already in the organization. 2013 Record: 44-32, 1st in New York-Penn League Stedler Division Playoffs: New York-Penn League Champions <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XUnc_Jsa3Nc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> NYPL Semifinals: Defeated Aberdeen 2-0 Game 1: W 1-0 Game 2: W 3-0 NYPL Championship Series: Defeated State College 2-1 Game 1: L 2-1 Game 2: W 5-4 Game 3: W 4-3 Summary Although they didn't dominate the NYPL like they did in 2012, the ValleyCats booked a return trip to the NYPL Championship Series, where they finished the job this time around. Michael Feliz busted out and formally announced his arrival on the top prospect scene. Offense While the numbers seem lackluster, the NYPL was largely dominated by pitching. Every team had an ERA under 3.50 except for one. By contrast, only one team had an OPS of over .700. This was actually a rather potent offense, despite the sub-.700 OPS. They were 3rd in the league in runs scored and were in the top half of the league in the triple slash categories. Since Jeff Luhnow has taken over, the Astros have placed special emphasis on guys who treat at-bats like wars (in the words of Mike Elias), and this was reflected by the fact that the ValleyCats drew the 2nd-most walks (1 fewer than the leading team, Lowell) and struck out the fewest times in the NYPL. Conrad Gregor was the iron man, as he was in the lineup for every game except for 1. While you'd expect a 1B to hit more than 4 homers, he tied for the team lead in RBI (35) mainly because he was outstanding with runners on base: He hit .307/.402/.409 with 2 homers and 33 RBI with runners on and .343/.402/.400 with 27 RBI with RISP. After a rather lackluster start, he turned it on in August, hitting .324/.372/.471 as TC pushed towards the playoffs. Gregor delivered the hits all season; his 78 hits put him in a tie for 3rd in the NYPL, and his 37 walks were 2nd-most. Gregor has shown power in summer leagues while in college, so I have hope that he'll be able to tap into that power as a pro. He might be a candidate to skip the Quad Cities. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dgregor001con&div=div_standard_batting"></script> Mike Martinez was a 36th-round pick of the Astros in 2012, and posted some good numbers in Greeneville. Despite hitting .225 (hurt by a .247 BABIP), his 11 homers were good enough for 3rd in the NYPL. Unfortunately, he, along with D'Andre Toney and Jose Fernandez, tested positive for an amphetamine and will have to serve a 50-game suspension. Because he was caught in the NYPL, he'll have to wait for the NYPL season to start again before the suspension begins. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dmartin016mic&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,4"></script> James Ramsay was drafted in the 7th round in June and he brought a stellar defensive reputation with him. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Astros&src=hash">#Astros</a> 7th rounder USF CF James Ramsay best fielder in D1 this year; insane +15 runs (still +10 regressed/1000 BIP), using our pbp d metric</p>— CollegeSplits.com (@collegesplits) <a href="https://twitter.com/collegesplits/statuses/343099529991684098">June 7, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Drafted in the 33rd round, Tyler White hit 16 homers at Western Carolina and was named a 3rd-team All-American. After turning pro, White played for all 3 short-season clubs, but he spent the most time at Tri-City. While he didn't reproduce the gaudy numbers that he had in the GCL and Greeneville, he still had a respectable triple slash line of .286/.362/.384 with 3 homers and 25 RBI. He's a guy that I'll be watching next season; he's shown power, his lack of strikeouts (8.6% K rate in 278 PA), the fact that he seems to be very adept at putting the ball in play, and his 52 RBI across 3 levels suggest that he's delivered on his opportunities with runners in scoring position. At first he seems to be an organizational grunt, but he could be a deep sleeper based on what he's shown in his draft year. Here's hoping that he doesn't suffer the same fate as Chase Davidson. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dwhite-002tyl&div=div_standard_batting=del_row=6,7,8"></script> Team Offensive Rankings Batting average: .246, 5th On-base percentage: .322, 3rd Slugging percentage: .345, 6th OPS: .667, 4th Runs per game: 4.26, 5th Runs: 324, t-3rd Hits: 618, 4th Doubles: 94, 11th Triples: 16, t-8th Home runs: 41, 2nd Stolen bases: 68, 7th Walks: 248, 2nd (1 behind Lowell) Strikeouts: 482, 14th (fewest) Individual Leaders- Offense Games played: Conrad Gregor, 744 Batting average: Gregor, .289 (10th in league) Runs scored: James Ramsay, 40 Hits: Gregor, 78 (t-3rd in league) Doubles: Gregor, 12 Triples: Chan-Jong Moon and James Ramsay, 4 each Home runs: Mike Martinez, 11 RBI: Martinez and Gregor, 35 Stolen bases: Tony Kemp, 17 Walks: Gregor, 37 (2nd in league) Strikeouts: Martinez, 55 On-base percentage: Gregor, .379 (6th in league) Slugging percentage: Martinez, .413 OPS: Gregor, .764 Pitching With the numbers they posted, you would think that the ValleyCats ranked at the top in every category posted below. Well, the NYPL is a pitcher's league, and although some of those numbers were only middle-of-the-pack, they're still great numbers. Evan Grills spent the 2012 season in Lexington as a reliever and was largely mediocre in that role. The jump from the GCL to Class A was probably too much for him. So, he moved down a level and had a solid season as a tandem starting pitcher. While his numbers as a starter were meh (high BABIP may have played a factor), his numbers coming out of the bullpen were outstanding. Grills' 7 wins put him in a 5-way tie for the NYPL lead. He also slashed his walk rate and his strikeout rate spiked to a respectable 7.8 per 9 innings. With a nice season in the Quad Cities, Grills could sneak his way into the back end of the starting pitching depth in the system. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dgrills001eva&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,6,7,8,9"></script> Adrian Houser has been brought along slowly since getting drafted in the 2nd round out of the Oklahoma high school ranks in 2011. He's done a very good job of keeping the ball in the park, as he's given up 3 homers since turning pro (1 a year, 3 in 156 career innings). Houser finished winless, but put up good numbers despite that 0-4 record. His strikeouts per 9 was a career low, but he also set a career low in walks per 9. Houser was hittable at times (10.3 per 9), but opponents had a .354 BABIP (NYPL average: .299) off of him. Houser will continue his journey to Houston in 2014 with a stop in the Quad Cities. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dhouser000adr&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,7,8,9"></script> Team Pitching Rankings Runs allowed per game: 3.51, 2nd Runs allowed: 267, 4th Earned runs: 225, 7th ERA: 3.01, 6th Complete games: None Shutouts: None; as a team, they recorded 4 shutouts. Innings pitched: 673.1, t-2nd Hits allowed: 606, 9th Home runs allowed: 42, 12th Walks allowed: 161, 14th (fewest) Strikeouts: 619, 2nd WHIP: 1.14, 1st Individual Pitching Leaders Appearances: Charles Basford, 19 Starts: Michael Feliz, 10 Complete Games: None Shutouts: None Wins: Evan Grills, 7 (led league, tied with 4 others) Losses: Kevin Comer, 5 Saves: Gonzalo Sanudo, 8; Sanudo spent the final 2 weeks of the regular season with the ValleyCats, and 8 of his 9 appearances resulted in him getting a save. ERA: Feliz, 1.96 (led league; Kyle Westwood's 0.81 would have led had he thrown enough innings to qualify) Innings pitched: Feliz, 69 Hits allowed: Evan Grills, 66 Runs allowed: Tanner Bushue, 29 Earned runs: Bushue, 28 Home runs allowed: Bushue, 7 Walks allowed: Comer, 18 Strikeouts: Feliz, 78 (3rd in league) WHIP: Feliz, 0.96 (2nd in league) 2013 Record: 38-30, 2nd in Appalachian League West, 2.5 games behind Kingsport Playoffs: Appalachian League runner-up West Division Final: Defeated Kingsport 2-1 Game 1: L 3-1 Game 2: W 7-2 Game 3: W 7-3 Appalachian League Championship Series: Lost 2-0 to Pulaski Game 1: L 5-3 Game 2: L 6-5 Summary The Appy Astros, on the strength of their pitching staff, made an appearance in the Appalachian League Championship Series, where they were unfortunately swept by Pulaski in the best-of-3 series. Chase McDonald and Brian Holberton brought some punch to the lineup. Offense The offense was... for lack of a better term, lacking. However, they made up for it by grinding out at-bats. The problem was... they had some difficulty bringing runners home. Only 4 regulars posted an OPS over .700, and only Chase McDonald slugged over .400. Juan Santana has progressed one level at a time and spent his age-18 season in Greeneville, where he was the youngest player on the entire roster. Yes, his numbers have decreased every year, but don't put too much stock into that. Since coming to America, Santana has manned both short and 2nd, but the majority of his time has come at 2nd. He seems more comfortable there, and that might be his position moving forward. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dsantan006jua&div=div_standard_fielding&del_row=2,3,4,7,8,9,10"></script> Offensively, despite barely maintaining a .600 OPS, Santana ranked 2nd on the club with 30 RBI, mainly because he hit .302/.299/.413 with a homer and 26 RBI with runners in scoring position. Given that he'll play almost the entire 2014 season as a 19-year-old, he'll either move one level at a time, or repeat Greeneville. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dsantan006jua&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,5,6,7"></script> Well, the 2013 season turned out to be a lost year for Ariel Ovando, who, with his $2.6 million bonus, was once considered the poster boy for the Astros' renewed efforts in Latin America. After posting solid numbers in his 2nd tour of duty in Greeneville, Ovando moved on to the Quad Cities, where he looked severely overmatched. That resulted in a 3rd stint in Greeneville, where he barely topped the Mendoza Line. Ovando is still just 20, so time is still very much on his side. But, I'm sure the Astros were hoping for a better return on their record investment. It'll be interesting to see where he starts off, and (just my 2 cents here) it wouldn't really come as a shock to me if the organization thinks he's not ready for full-season ball. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dovando000ari&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,7,8,9"></script> Marc Wik led the Appalachian League with a .433 on-base percentage. He also turned in an error-free season! <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dwik---000mar&div=div_standard_fielding&del_row=2,3,4,11,12,13,14,15,16,17"></script> The former high school basketball player saw time at all 3 outfield spots and also logged in a game at 2B. I don't know much about him, to be honest. I guess he's got a 4th-outfielder vibe to him? <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dwik---000mar&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,4"></script> Team Offensive Rankings Batting average: .237, 8th On-base percentage: .339, t-1st Slugging percentage: .337, t-7th OPS: .676, 5th Runs per game: 4.25, 6th Runs: 289, 6th Hits: 507, 7th Doubles: 95, 8th Triples: 7, 10th Home runs: 35, 7th Stolen bases: 31, 10th Walks: 304, 1st Strikeouts: 491, 9th (2nd-fewest) Individual Leaders- Offense Games played: Juan Santana and Tanner Mathis, 60 Batting average: Mathis, .277 Runs scored: Mathis, 30 Hits: Mathis, 52 Doubles: 3 tied with 8 Triples: Marc Wik, 2 Home runs: Chase McDonald, 6 RBI: McDonald, 33 Stolen bases: Mathis, 7 Walks: Mathis, 44 Strikeouts: Ariel Ovando and Wallace Gonzalez, 46 On-base percentage: Wik, .433 Slugging percentage: McDonald, .413 OPS: Mathis, .734 (he qualified for the league batting title; McDonald posted a .754 and Wik was .757) Pitching The arms were by far Greeneville's strength; out of all the pitchers who had 10+ innings pitched, 9 of them struck out at least 9 per 9 innings. Chris Lee turned in some fine performances on the mound and Gonzalo Sanudo put up some absolutely absurd numbers. Unlike the offense, the pitching ranked at or near the top in most of the major categories. Team Pitching Rankings Runs allowed per game: 3.99, 4th Runs allowed: 271, 4th Earned runs: 217, 3rd ERA: 3.30, 3rd Complete games: None Shutouts: None; as a team, they recorded 4 shutouts. Innings pitched: 591.1, 4th Hits allowed: 528, 5th Home runs allowed: 32, t-3rd Walks allowed: 201, 2nd Strikeouts: 593, 3rd WHIP: 1.23, 1st Individual Pitching Leaders Appearances: Ryan Connolly, 20 Starts: Enderson Franco, 12 Complete Games: None Shutouts: None Wins: Jordan Mills, 5 Losses: Franco, 5 Saves: Gonzalo Sanudo, 11 ERA: Frederick Tiburcio, 2.43 (5th in league, had Jordan Mills thrown enough innings, his 2.08 ERA would've ranked 4th) Innings pitched: Tiburcio, 55.2 Hits allowed: Franco, 58 Runs allowed: Franco, 35 Earned runs: Franco, 29 Home runs allowed: Franco, 4 Walks allowed: Jandel Gustave, 23 Strikeouts: Chris Lee, 54 WHIP: Tiburcio, 1.10 (6th in league; Lee posted a 1.09 and Mills had a 1.03) GCL Astros 2013 Record: 27-33, 3rd in Gulf Coast League Northeast, 9 games behind Yankees 2 Playoffs: Did not qualify Summary The Kissimmee Stros were the only team in the organization to finish with a losing record. However, that's not to say that they were devoid of any encouraging signs. The two California teens, Jake Nottingham and Jason Martin, got their careers off to a nice start. Offense This was a nice group of bats, considering the offensive environment. The GCLstros ranked in the upper half of most of the major offensive categories. They were 11th in strikeouts, which probably means that they weren't giving away at-bats. However, they also drew the 3rd-fewest walks and were in the lower half of the league in on-base percentage. Yonathan Mejia was a bright spot of the offense, as his .324 average and 32 RBI ranked 5th in the GCL in both categories. Mejia only sent 2 out, but seemed to have converted most of his RBI opportunities. He spent the final week of the season with Tri-City and was there for their NYPL championship run. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dmejia-001yon&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,8,9,10,11"></script> Signed for $700K in 2011, Luis Reynoso was one of the few bright spots in a dismal 2012 season for the Academy. In his U.S. debut, he was on fire for the first 2 weeks of the GCL season before suffering a serious tailspin. He spent the final day of the regular season in Greeneville, where he went 1-4. He then spent the playoffs in the Quad Cities, where he didn't see any game action. Reynoso is only 19, so a repeat of Kissimmee could be in the cards. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dreynos000lui&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,6,7,8"></script> Jose Solano was one of the oldest guys in the GCLstros lineup. He found his power this season, as his 6 homers led the team. On August 15, he went 5-5 with 4 doubles, a solo homer, and 5 RBI in a 14-5 win over the Yankees' 2nd GCL team. Solano spent the final 2 weeks of the season in Greeneville. At 21 and repeating the GCL, his prospect stock isn't very high. Nonetheless, he had a nice year and probably bought himself more time in the system. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dsolano001jos&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,3,4,8,9,10"></script> Team Offensive Rankings Batting average: .246, 6th On-base percentage: .321, 10th Slugging percentage: .355, 5th OPS: .677, 6th Runs per game: 4.53, 5th Runs: 272, 5th Hits: 480, 6th Doubles: 95, 6th Triples: 24, 4th Home runs: 23, 5th Stolen bases: 69, 7th Walks: 177, 14th Strikeouts: 429, 11th Individual Leaders- Offense Games played: Yonathan Mejia, 59 Batting average: Mejia, .324 (5th in league) Runs scored: Jason Martin, 35 Hits: Mejia, 72 Doubles: Mejia, 19 Triples: Jean Carlos Batista, 6 (in 24 games, t-2nd in league with 3 others) Home runs: Jose Solano, 6 RBI: Mejia, 32 (t-5th in league with 2 others) Stolen bases: Martin, 11 Walks: Martin, 29 Strikeouts: Javaris Reynolds, 53 On-base percentage: Martin, .357 Slugging percentage: Mejia, .437 OPS: Mejia, .793 Pitching While the pitching wasn't horrific, it was certainly a point of weakness for the Kissimmee Stros. Agapito Barrios was the only pitcher to throw more than 50 innings. In fact, no one else threw 40 innings. Joe Musgrove was 2nd with 32.2 innings pitched. Speaking of Musgrove, he got a late start to his season due to an injury. After giving up 19 runs (14 earned) in his first 6 appearances, he allowed 3 in his final 5. Behind Musgrove's 4.41 ERA was a 2.31 FIP and 3.28 SIERA. He also had an obscenely high .375 BABIP, which was probably a major factor in his early struggles. The big righthander, who was acquired in the J.A. Happ trade, still has good upside, but his age 21 season will be a pivotal one for him; it's time for him to get out of Rookie ball. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dmusgro000joe&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10"></script> Agapito Barrios ended up being the only pitcher on the staff to throw more than 50 innings. He made a dozen starts and was solid. His command still needs ironing out, as evidenced by his 3.4 walks per 9 innings, which was an increase of almost 2 walks from last season. With 2 good seasons in the GCL, he's likely ready to move on to Greeneville. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dbarrio000aga&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,5,6,7"></script> Reymin Guduan is a rarity; a lefty with high heat. He struck out 61 in 45.2 innings in 2011, his 2nd year at the Academy. Jeff Luhnow took notice during his visit to the Dominican last year, when Guduan was up to 97. The good news is that his while his walks per 9 innings number is still unacceptably high, it has decreased every season. His strikeouts per 9 innings have yo-yoed, though, so he'll look to find a happy medium with that number. Guduan finished his season in Oklahoma City, where he threw 2.1 innings in relief of Jake Buchanan on August 30 against Memphis. He allowed a run that was charged to Buchanan, another run that was charged to him, and walked 3. All 3 of those walks came as he was trying to get out of the 7th inning. Otherwise, he held his own, only allowing a hit and striking out 4. He's 22 and doesn't really have much of a track record; those 2.1 innings are the only innings that he's thrown outside a complex league. But Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus believes that he's worth keeping an eye on. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dguduan001rey&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,3,4,8,9,10,11"></script> Team Pitching Rankings Runs allowed per game: 4.82, 14th Runs allowed: 289, 14th Earned runs: 224, t-13th ERA: 3.95, 13th Complete games: None Shutouts: None; as a team, they recorded 2 shutouts Innings pitched: 510.2, 7th Hits allowed: 487, 12th Home runs allowed: 20, t-10th Walks allowed: 219, 15th Strikeouts: 473, 5th WHIP: 1.38, 14th Individual Pitching Leaders Appearances: Erick Gonzalez, 20 Starts: Agapito Barrios, 12 Complete Games: None Shutouts: None Wins: 4 tied with 3 Losses: Barrios, 7 (led league) Saves: Gonzalez, 4 ERA: Barrios, 3.44 Innings pitched: Barrios, 52.1 Hits allowed: Barrios, 55 Runs allowed: Barrios, 25 Earned runs: Samil De Los Santos, 23 Home runs allowed: Reymin Guduan, 3 Walks allowed: Barrios, 20 Strikeouts: Troy Scribner, 42 WHIP: Barrios, 1.43 DSL Astros 2013 Record: 39-31, 3rd in DSL Boca Chica Northwest, 7 games behind Red Sox Playoffs: Did not qualify Summary Although the Academy's winning record didn't equal a playoff berth, this was certainly a step in the right direction after the debacle of 2012. A few of them finished the season by making their U.S. debuts. Offense The offense was still rather lackluster, as they were in the bottom half of the 35-team league in the triple slash categories, OPS, runs scored, and walks, among other offensive statistics. They also suffered the ignominy of leading the DSL in grounding into double plays, with 59. However, considering how abysmal they were in 2012, this was a baby step in the right direction. Another negative: Jean Estrella led the team with a .306 average, but Brian Peña and Hector Roa were the only players to attain a .250 average. Luis Payano was the big signing from the July 2, 2012 signing period, as he got $500,000.($$) Payano had the same trainer as Manuel Margot, a CF in the Red Sox system who signed for $800,000 in 2011. He offers an intriguing package, but he is also described as a player whose "raw tools are ahead of his skills," so he's obviously far, far off. In his first season, Luis Payano played in 69 of a possible 70 games. He shined in July, when he slashed .303/.348/.458 with a homer and 13 RBI. However, in the other 2 months, he hit well under .200 and failed to post a .600 OPS. Payano led the Academy in walks (35) and strikeouts (64). He struck out in just over 20% of his plate appearances (317), but he also walked at an 11% clip. He also led the team in RBI, mainly because he converted his opportunities with runners on base (.304 with runners on, .288 RISP). Payano could be one to watch in the next 3-4 years, and he should be coming to Kissimmee in 2014. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dpayano002lui&div=div_standard_batting"></script> Jean Estrella signed for $110,000 and led the Academy in hitting. He was the only regular to hit over .300. Ben Badler describes him as a "solid hitter who uses the whole field." He has a little power... <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XxxEibV8Xdg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> ...but it seems that his approach is geared towards making contact. Estrella was signed as a shortstop, but spent much of the season at 2nd in deference to Kristian Trompiz. He notched 6 steals, but was also caught 11 times, so working on his baserunning is likely a priority in the offseason. He spent the final week of the season in Kissimmee, and that's where he'll probably start off next year. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Destrel000jea&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=5"></script> Speaking of Kristian Trompiz, he was the first announced signing for the Astros on July 2, 2012. He received $320,000, and was regarded as a better defender than a hitter. He committed 15 errors, but then again, error tracking at the lowest level of minor league baseball is.... sketchy. Trompiz struggled at the plate, but was willing to take a walk here and there (10.2% BB rate). A .700 OPS in August was also an encouraging sign, considering that he was hitting under .200 for the majority of the season. He'll probably return to the Academy to get his bat going. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dtrompi000kri&div=div_standard_batting"></script> Hector Roa got into 33 games after signing in 2012. Since he was already eligible to sign, he was not subject to the $2.9 million bonus cap. The Washington, D.C. native served as the Academy's primary power source, sending 7 out. That number put him in a 4-way tie for 6th; there was a 3-way tie for 3rd at 8. He has power, but will have to refine his approach. Roa played 43 games at 1B and 19 in the outfield. Much of his time in the outfield was spent in left. He played 6 in right field in 2012, but was there only once this year. He even converted both of his putout opportunities in center! Ultimately though, Badler notes that Roa will ultimately be relegated to either LF or 1B. Roa moved to America for the final week of the season, and he'll be back there to start the 2014 season. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Droa---003hec&div=div_standard_batting&del_row=2,6,7,8"></script> Team Offensive Rankings Batting average: .231, t-18th On-base percentage: .312, 27th Slugging percentage: .313, 19th OPS: .625, t-22nd Runs per game: 3.86, 28th Runs: 270, 28th Hits: 534, 15th Doubles: 90, 21st Triples: 20, t-20th Home runs: 20, t-9th Stolen bases: 52, 34th Walks: 230, 29th Strikeouts: 460, 29th Individual Leaders- Offense Games played: Luis Payano, 69 Batting average: Jean Estrella, .306 Runs scored: Payano, 44 Hits: Payano, 61 Doubles: Payano, 13 Triples: Arturo Michelena and Kristian Trompiz, 4 each Home runs: Hector Roa, 7 RBI: Payano, 32 Stolen bases: Jarico Reynoso, 12 Walks: Payano, 35 Strikeouts: Payano, 64 On-base percentage: Estrella, .380 Slugging percentage: Roa, .423 OPS: Estrella, .721 Pitching In contrast, the pitching was outstanding and ranked at or near the top in most of the relevant categories. The Academy's pitchers threw the most innings, had the 2nd-lowest ERA, allowed the 3rd-fewest runs, and were 6th in strikeouts. Their rotation was anchored by a trio of 18-year-olds and the bullpen was great all season. Edwin Villarroel had a fine debut last season, if you were looking strictly at his ERA. 22 of the 39 runs he gave up were unearned. Also, he only struck out 22 batters in 68 innings, which translates to 2.9 Ks per 9 innings. This year, Villarroel raised that number to a much more respectable 6.1, while slashing his walk rate by over 1. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dvillar000edw&div=div_standard_pitching"></script> Harold Arauz was signed for $300,000 out of Panama in July 2011. A projectable righthander, Arauz was pretty good in his abbreviated debut in 2012, but in 2013, he was arguably the most dependable starter for the Academy: he allowed 5+ hits just twice in his 16 appearances (12 starts) and never gave up more than 3 runs in any outing. He allowed 3 runs 4 times, and his 0.89 WHIP put him in a tie for 2nd in the DSL. Arauz was dominant in his 6 starts after the DSL All-Star break, as he went 4-0 with a 1.31 ERA. In that stretch, he had a 0.70 WHIP. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Darauz-000har&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,4"></script> The 3rd member of that trio, Hernandez's 1.26 ERA would've been 2nd in the DSL had he thrown enough innings to qualify for the ERA lead. I think he might have something to say about me saying that Arauz was the Academy's most dependable starter; all but 1 of his 13 appearances were starts. The most hits he allowed in a start was 5, which he did once. He also allowed 3 runs once; that was also a season high. Though his walk rate increased, he also bumped up his K rate as well. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dhernan002eli&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,4"></script> Villarroel, Arauz, and Hernandez will likely make their way to the Gulf Coast League in 2014. Angel Heredia was originally signed by the Pirates as a shortstop in 2009, but didn't last the year. The Astros scooped him up and converted him to pitching, but before the 2012 season, he got busted for Stanozolol and Boldeone and had to sit out for 50 games. In 2013, he served as the closer and was excellent in that role. His fine season leads me to believe that he has a little more upside than the typical 21-year-old in the DSL. However, given the fact that he turns 22 in the middle of the 2014 season, he'll have to get moving. Quickly. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fminors%2Fplayer.cgi%3Fid%3Dheredi001ang&div=div_standard_pitching&del_row=2,4"></script> Team Pitching Rankings Runs allowed per game: 3.29, t-3rd Runs allowed: 230, t-3rd Earned runs: 168, 2nd ERA: 2.35, 2nd Complete games: None Shutouts: None; as a team, they recorded 7 shutouts. Innings pitched: 642.2, 1st Hits allowed: 476, 3rd Home runs allowed: 16, t-17th Walks allowed: 248, 15th Strikeouts: 558, 6th WHIP: 1.12, 2nd Individual Pitching Leaders Appearances: Angel Heredia, 25 Starts: Edwin Villarroel, 14 Complete Games: None Shutouts: None Wins: Villarroel, Harold Arauz, and Elieser Hernandez, 5 apiece Losses: Villarroel, 5 Saves: Heredia, 13 (t-3rd in league) ERA: Arauz, 1.91 (Elieser Hernandez's 1.26 ERA would've been 2nd) Innings pitched: Arauz, 66 Hits allowed: Villarroel, 60 Runs allowed: Arauz and Geronimo Franzua, 23 Earned runs: Franzua, 19 Home runs allowed: Villarroel, 4 Walks allowed: Franzua, 31 Strikeouts: Gerardo Juarez, 50 WHIP: Arauz, 0.89 (t-2nd in league; Juarez recorded an 0.88 WHIP)
