Grae Kessinger delivers a 2 RBI triple for Glendale in the Fall League. Also, under the radar: Joe Record has allowed 0 runs, 1 hit, and only 3 BB and K'd 9 in 9.2 IP (7 games so far), while also recording a save.
https://www.mlb.com/news/offseason-prospect-roundup-for-november-6 Hadn’t seen this posted from yesterday — Peña debuted in his winter league for Estrellas and he had 4 hits, including a homer.
Wow I didn’t know Sierra and Tejada were already eligible for free agency. Bummer. I would expect both of them (along with Hinojosa, Garcia, and Ferrell) to latch on to another teams AAA roster.
About 5 years ago if you would have bet me on Miguelangel Sierra having exactly zero success above rookie ball I would have lost a lot of money. They promoted him to AAA after the Covid break, but he hasn't really earned a single promotion since he left Greeneville.
I saw him play 3 times this year and he looked really good. He is a very good athlete with a good arm and quickness in the field, and he hits the ball hard, showing easy double digit HR power with potential for a lot more if he didn’t swing and miss so much. The strikeouts were his undoing but it would not shock me if he latched on with another team and has a AAAA career like Robel Garcia. But I agree he definitely didn’t match the hype after his signing bonus and power show in tricity.
I can remember when some people thought there was a chance Riley Ferrell could be a September call up in the year he was drafted because he was so MLB ready.
Joe Record pitched 2 more innings today. Gave up 2 hits, struck out 4, didn't walk anybody, and continues to be scoreless. Grae Kessinger went 1-4 with a single and a K.
Huston Street is the one guy I can think of that really accomplished that and had a very successful career. The other guys I can think of were starters (as most draftees are) that were moved to the bullpen mostly to limit innings.
In hindsight, his walk rate his last year at TCU should have been a bigger red flag than was given credit. Still striking out 53 guys in 31 innings at the highest level of college competition is hard to ignore. He was basically coming from A ball when we drafted him.
He very well may have made it anyway if it wasn't for shoulder problems. Shoulders de-rail so many pitcher careers.
Not saying it is frequent, but the payoff of a reliever isn't big. Using a high 3rd round pick on a reliever without starter upside implies low risk (i.e.-almost MLB Ready).
Ryan Wagner from UH comes to mind as someone that went straight from college as a closer to the Big Leagues. Nasty slider but career was cutshort I believe to injuries
Record and Korey Lee made the all-star team. Record has shown really well in the AFL and will be one to watch in Sugar Land’s bullpen next season. I had no idea he was throwing high 90s stuff, crazy that he was just let go in the minor league rule 5.
Like 2 days after I posted this comment someone went in and edited Prieto’s wiki page to remove the Astros reference. Strange that it was updated to the Astros in the first place and even more strange that it was changed back so quickly after I saw it.
https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-2021-minor-league-report Excerpts below. Tamarez, the Astros’ No. 26 prospect, reached 98 mph with his fastball this year and eats up right-handed hitters with his slider, which he throws as hard as 87 mph, though he can be wild at times. Melendez He’s added about 5 mph to his fastball since signing and now sits at 92-95 mph with a pair of solid breaking balls, an 83-85 slider and a 78-80 curveball. He's only 5-foot-8, so he could profile more as a reliever as he advances through the system.
