Minor Leaguers of Interest – Houston Astros

Other Stuff

Hello, my name is Steve Potter and I am a new writer on phuturephillies. I am a published author, in a shameless act of self promotion if you are looking for a nice Father’s Day gift check out my book on the 2008 Phillies entitled “2008 Phillies – A Poetic Season”. It is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble 😃.

But the real reason I asked Greg to join this great blog site is to have the chance to talk about the Phillies minor leagues and other systems from a potential trade perspective, I will primarily focus on the Reading team regarding the Phillies but will also post  some articles on minor league systems of other organizations and highlights on players.

For my debut posting I am looking at the minor league system of the Houston Astros from a baseball statistical perspective to review what players may be potential trade chips if the Phillies work out a deal with Houston. I will look at other systems as well, here is the analysis of the Astros I did this week, stats don’t include games played beyond May 31st.

Low Single A team – Quad Cities River Bandits (35-16, 1st place in Midwest League Western Division)
Catcher Jacob Nottingham ( 20 years old) is having an outstanding year hitting .310 with a .387 OBP with 8 home runs and 31 RBI’s thru 39 games played and 148 at bats. He is 6’3″ 200 lbs from Redlands, California.

Outfielder Derek Fisher ( 21 years old). , a 2014 first round draft pick, was hitting .305 with a .386 OBP smacking 6 home runs and driving in 24. He is a product of the University of Virginia and goes 6’1″ 207. Fisher was recently promoted to high A and hit three home runs ( 2 of them grand slams) driving in a record 12 runs in his very first game at that level! He went 4 for 6 in the game which included a 3 run double 😳

Pitcher Daniel Mengden ( 22 years old) is 4-1 with a 1.16 ERA thru 38 innings ( 6 starts) and has struck out 36 batters

High Single A – Lancaster JetHawks (27-23, 2nd in California League Southern Division)

Outfielder Brett Phillips ( 21 years old) is hitting .330 with 8 home runs and 31 RBI’s thru 197 at bats, his OBP is .394.

22 year old first baseman A.J. Reed has 13 home runs and 40 RBI’s thru 185 at bats with a .281 batting average and a .392 OBP

Pitching wise right hander Edison Frias is 6-2 after 8 starts and leads the team in innings pitched with 41 ks in 42 innings

Double A – Corpus Christi Hooks ( 33-16, 1st place in Texas League Southern Division)

Top rated Astros shortstop prospect Carlos Correa ( 20 years old, 6’4″ 210) started the season at double A and tore up the league as he hit .385 (.459 OBP) with 7 home runs and 32 RBI’s along with 15 steals. He was promoted to Triple A Fresno where his stats are more human as he is hitting .240 thru 79 at bats with 3 home runs and 8 RBI’s. He is the real deal and will be an impact player in the show.

Pitching stands out at double A for the Astros in particular 2013 1st round draft pick Mark Appel who is 3-1 thru 9 starts. The 6’5″ 220 pound Stanford product has tossed 40 innings with a relatively high ERA of 5.85 with 29 K’s

Chris Devenski is 6-0 thru 6 starts with an ERA of .59, he began the season pitching out of the pen three games and has 35 K’s in 46 innings. He is a 24 year old.

22 year old closer Jandel Gustave has 5 saves

Triple A Fresno Grizzlies ( 28-22 1st place in Pacific Coast League Pacific North Division)

24 year old outfielder Preston Tucker was hitting .320 with an OBP of .378 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI’s thru 100 at bats before his call up to the Astros

25 year old outfielder LJ Hoes is hitting .320 thru 150 at bats with a .394 OBP,

22 year old outfielder Domingo Santana ( ex Phillies farmhand) is hitting .305 with an OBP of .418 and has smacked 10 home runs while driving in 25. He has struck out a whopping 58 times thru 154 at bats.

23 year old first baseman Jon Singleton ( ex Phillies farmhand) has 14 home runs and 47 RBI while sporting a .269 average with a .369 OBP thru his first 182 at bats, he has struck out 41 times

Pitching wise I don’t see any real standouts statistically at this level

Most baseball sites have Correa, Appel and Santana as the top 3 Astros prospects.

Box Score Recap – 6/2/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (20-32) postponed, rain.  Double header tomorrow at 6:05 PM  Joely Rodriguez (2-4, 5.27) in the first game, Phillippe Aumont (2-2, 2.08) in the night cap.

Reading (28-23) beat the Erie SeaWolves 10-2 when they scored 9 runs over the las two innings.  Tom Windle allowed 2 runs in 5.0 innings on 3 hits and 4 walks.  The bullpen allowed only 2 runners the rest of the way and Reinier Roibal picked up the win.  Cam Perkins went 3-5 with his 6th HR and 2 doubles.  Logan Moore also had 3 hits.  Altherr, Stassi, Charles, and Serna each collected 2 hits.  All but Crawford had base hits, butu he contributed 3 walks.  Charles had 3 RBI, Stassi two (#42 and 43).    Ben Lively (4-2, 3.81) pitches tomorrow. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/2/2015 →

The One with the Grand Slam that was Only a Single; June 2, 2015

Game Reports, , , , , , , , ,

Okay, since I used a “Friends”-like title as a hook for this report, I’ll explain that story before giving the full game report for what turned out to be an exciting game.

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the eighth inning, the Dunedin Blue Jays loaded the bases with three singles and nobody out – their second, third, and fourth hits of the game.  Threshers starter, Mark Leiter who had been very effective all night, then allowed a high fly ball to left field off the bat of Christian Lopes.  Left fielder, Dylan Cozens retreated to the wall in front of the bullpens and appeared to have a bead on the ball all the way.  He timed his jump at the wall, and looked like he might have brought the ball back.  The reaction of the Jays bullpen quickly dispelled that thought as the ball landed in their bullpen. Continue reading The One with the Grand Slam that was Only a Single; June 2, 2015 →

Box Score Recap – 6/1/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (20-32) – no game scheduled.  Joely Rodriguez (2-4, 5.27) pitches tomorrow.

Reading (27-23) lost to the Richmond Flying Squirrels, 6-3.  Zach Eflin pitched well but gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and 4 walks over 7.0 innings.  He shut the Squirrels out for 6.0 innings on 1 hit.  Unfortunately, a walk and home run put the Phils behind in the seventh.  The offense scored single runs in the final three innings, but Colton Murray had come on in relief to make sure that 3 runs wouldn’t be enough, and Eflin got his fourth loss.  Roman Quinn and J.P.Crawford each had 2 hits.  Brock Stassi had the Phils only RBI, his 41st.  Quinn was caught stealing twice, both on pickoffs.  Tom Windle (1-3, 4.53) pitches tomorrow. Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/1/2015 →

Open Discussion: Week of June 1st

Weekly Discussion

Here’s an open discussion thread so the minor league posts don’t get cluttered with Phillies’ talk and other topics.

Okay, I’m tired of tracking Jonathan Papelbon’s games finished.  It’s not funny to me any more.  I think it’s unlikely he gets traded unless a closer for a contender gets hurt.  They all seem to be functional so far.  Paps will vest, he’ll deserve it if he does.

Some other random stuff to light the fire –

  • I’ve grown tired of tracking Utley’s road to the Mendoza line, the guys with fewer HRs than Billingsley, the Phillies pathetic offense, their middling pitching, and their position for next year’s draft.  Maybe later.
  • How about this.  Nola’s not ready to jump to the Phillies.  He is not a 1 or even a 2 who could be an impact pitcher at the major league level.  His OFP (or FV) is a 55, that puts him in the 3/4 range.  He has thrown 10 games this year in a 5-man rotation.  You want to promote him?  Move him up to LHV where he can face better hitters before moving up to the Majors.  Remember, not all organizations stock their AAA teams with AAAA guys.  Some actually have prospects .Let him cut his teeth a little longer, bring him up in September if he earns it.

Box Score Recap – 5/31/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (20-32) was shutout by the Charlotte Knights, 2-0.  Our AAAA guys managed 1 hit in 5.0 innings off the Knights AAAA journeyman starting pitcher and 2 hits off their bullpen.  Chris Leroux emerged as the IronPigs TBD pitcher and was charged with an unearned run.  That was enough to earn the loss.  Seth Rosin pitched himself into a little trouble in the sixth, and Nick Hill obliged by allowing 1 of 2 inherited runners to score.   Off Monday, Joely Rodriguez (2-4, 5.27) pitches Tuesday.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/31/2015 →

Box Score Recap – 5/30/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (20-31) beat the Charlotte Knights, 1-0.  Anthony Vasquez allowed 0 runs, 3 hits, and 2 walks in 8.0 shutout innings.  Jayson Nix, one of the “AAAA Phillies”, homered in the seventh to provide the only run the ‘Pigs could score.  TBD pitches tomorrow.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/30/2015 →

Around the System–Catcher

Other Stuff

Certainly an area where the Phillies will be looking to add talent and depth in the upcoming draft.  Nothing to be over whelmed about but Lino and Knapp have been solid this year, with Gruillon learning and progressing.

Lehigh Valley

John Hester, 32, Signed as a free agent in 2015; .269/.296/.385 in 26 AB’s between Reading and Lehigh Valley; 0HR 0RBI.  10 games caught with any errors or passed balls; Has thrown out 2/10 (20%) of base stealers; STarted the season on the DL after knee surgery and has played very sparingly since.

Logan Moore, 24, Phils 9th round pick in 2011; .187/.282/.240 in 75AB’s between Reading and Lehigh Valley; 0HR 8RBI; 12%BB/22%K rates; Hitting .194 in 36 AB’s with Lehigh Valley; 24 games caught with 4 errors (.975); 4 passed balls; Has thrown out 14/23 (61%) base stealers.  No bat, excellent arm.

Tommy Joseph, 23, Acquired from San Francisco in 2012; .123/.135/.178 in 73 AB’s before being placed on the DL with a concussion.  Hasnt played in three weeks and no timeline for his return.

Blake Forsythe, 25, Acquired from Oakland in 2015;  Hitting .250 in 12 AB’s between Reading and Lehigh Valley; 4 games caught without an error; 1 passed ball; Has thrown out 2/3 base stealers; Depth guy.

Reading

Gabriel Lino, 22, Acquired from Baltimore in 2012; .255/.325/.331 in 102AB’s for Reading; 3HR 12RBI; 8%BB/23%K rates; .261 vs. LH, .253 vs. RH, .240 with RISP; .245 in May;  30 games caught with 2 errors (.991); 2 passed balls; Has thrown out 15/30 base stealers (50%); Lino has played well this year.  Looking for perhaps a bit more with the stick but very solid behind the plate. Continue reading Around the System–Catcher →

Box Score Recap – 5/29/2015

Box Score Recap

Lehigh Valley (19-31) lost to the Charlotte Knights, 7-3.  Adam Morgan posted an ugly line – 5.0 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 HR.  Dom Brown went 1-3 with a double and 2 RBI.  Anthony Vasquez (1-1, 5.68) pitches tomorrow.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 5/29/2015 →

Threshers Walk Off with Win Against Fort Myers; May 29, 2015

Game Reports, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Threshers played two different games in the span of nine innings.  In the first game they ran out to a 6-0 lead in four innings against the Miracle’s top prospect, RHP Kohl Stewart.  Then they went dormant for four innings as the Miracle mounted a comeback that tied the game.  Dylan Cozens’ walk off single in the ninth finally ended the suspense.

Continue reading Threshers Walk Off with Win Against Fort Myers; May 29, 2015 →