Thursday Night in the Minors
Last night turned out to be a rather eventful one in the minors, and since the wrap won’t launch until Monday, here’s a midweek update:
• Matt Tuiasosopo is back in Tacoma, playing third, after a rehab stint that had him hitting .407.500/.519 in Peoria. He was 1-for-5 with a double, a run scored, and a RBI last night and played the whole game on the field, something that he still hasn’t done yet with great frequency. We should hold off right now to avoid undue pressure, but if he’s ready in a couple weeks, put him into consideration.
• In the Midwest League, 6th-round pick Shaver Hansen debuted, playing shortstop and third and getting a double in three at-bats. He’s probably a second baseman long-term. Poythress and Seager may be joining him sooner or later, but there are no updates on those talks, they’re just “progressingâ€.
• Trevor Coleman, the switch-hitting catcher the Mariners drafted in the 9th-round, already debuted in Everett on Sunday, but more help is on the way, as the Everett Herald says that 4th-round pick OF James Jones and 13th-round pick OF Matt Cerione, both left-handers, will be joining the team shortly.
• Fans in Pulaski got to see the debut of supplemental rounder C Steve Baron, who scored two runs despite only reaching safely once via a walk. He was the designated hitter, but he’ll be behind the plate shortly.
• Finally, in Peoria, Alex Cintron got two plate appearances, doubling and drawing a walk.
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Additional note: Dan Cortes is scheduled to start tonight for the Diamond Jaxx as they face the always amusing Montgomery Biscuits. Tune in at 4 pm PDT.
Nice to see some draft picks getting to work so soon. I was not aware that so many had signed.
Where is the best place to track draft pick signings?
What’s the story on Tui long-term? Does he have the skills to be an MLB 3B? Can he hit well enough?
James Jones seems to be the same type of player that Adam Jones was. Athletic and toolsy and both were pitchers as well. Does James have the same potential Adam had in the minors?
How does he score twice while only reaching base once?
I usually go with Baseball America, as they tend to be on the ball most of the time. They have word now that Seager and 8th-round pick LHP James Gilheeney are now under contract. We’ll be seeing them shortly.
Tui is battling the injury bug at the moment, like most of the system’s top prospects have been this year, but he probably has enough of a bat to be passable at third. We’re talking forty doubles, twenty dingers, sixty walks, about a hundred Ks, not that he’ll get to that immediately (except the Ks). Defensively, he’ll never convince anyone that he’s Beltre. He’s still not natural out there, but he’s not quite on the level of Mike Morse/Chris Shelton bad, he’s just not good. There’s some talk of moving him to the outfield, but it seems like we have enough of those who are close to ready.
People have made that comparison before. Mike Cameron has been the other one that gets thrown out there, based on how both guys look. We would be incredibly lucky to get a left-handed Mike Cameron with a gun for an arm out there, but that’s just not realistic. Most people thought that he would be better off as a pitcher, and pointed to all his time on the field as a detriment to that development. He may end up back there eventually, though not because he’s lacking hitting skills so much as people find is arm so darned intriguing. He has good skills right now, but he’s still a little raw because his physical development came late, so three years of college experience doesn’t mean he’s going to tear through the system. High potential for a fourth-round pick, but risky.
Further mind-boggling: he didn’t even score the time he walked!
No, I probably could throw a “safely” in there to make it more clear. He got on via an error and a fielder’s choice in two of his other plate appearances and scored both times.
What do you see as the upside of the hulking slugger Rich Poythress?
James Jones reminds me of another ultra-athletic former Zduriencik charge in Lorenzo Cain. Am I wrong for thinking that, Jay?
The two negatives on him is that his D isn’t great (probably still better than most of what we have in system already) and that he’s right-handed, but he’s shown the ability to hit to all fields, so Safeco may not hurt him as much in the respect. He hasn’t slugged for as much as his size would indicate, but considering how advanced he is in all other aspects of his hitting, I wouldn’t put it past him to figure that out too and provide both average, on-base skills, and power. There’s a case for him that he’s going to be the top first base prospect in the system as soon as he signs.
I’ve never seen Cain, obviously, but I don’t think that comp is far off. Could both play center, could both top out around 20+, both reasonably good speed. Edge to Jones on being left-handed, but they do look like they could be pretty similar.
Jay,
Have you heard anything about Triunfel? We’re 3 months from his injury. I’m just wondering how he’s progressing.
If Tui gets to a point where he’s knocking 40 2B and 20 HR, with 60 BB, we’re talking about a better than league-average bat. With a halfway-decent glove at third, that’s a league average player. I’ll take that, gladly.
I’ve been wondering about Tuiasosopo — the lack of news was worrisome — so that’s good to hear. Thanks for the update!
There’s a case for him that he’s going to be the top first base prospect in the system as soon as he signs.
Is that including Raben in the group, or still leaving him as a possible outfielder? I suppose Poythress was higher enough in the round to reflect a difference, and that plus Raben’s health issues could compensate for being Poythress being less far along in the system.
I do find Raben’s health a bit worrisome, yes. He had the knee thing this season, which required microfracture surgery, and we know about his history with his back. Poythress had a torn ACL early in his college career, but I haven’t heard about that bothering him anyway and it’s not quite so bad for a first baseman to have that sort of thing. Also, since Raben didn’t get past Everett last season, I think they’re pretty close to equal as to how “far along in the system” they are.
Nothing new. Might be back in time for the Arizona Fall League.
I saw Tuiasosopo in spring training. The one thing that struck me was his arm. It looked like he had the easiest throwing motion with speed and accuracy I have seen in person. Is that observation accurate?
[too far off-topic]
I can’t speak for all third basemen/throwers, but yes, since he’s a former quarterback I’d expect that Tui would be pretty smooth while throwing after a while with just a baseball in his hand. His major issues defensively tend to be more in responses and glovework, I think.
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I’m going to the Aquasox game tonight…who should I be watching out for at the game tonight? I’m not too familiar with them this season.
Question Jay. Did the last two months change anyones view toward James McOwen. OR did he just have the luckiest stretch his life will ever see? Is that proof the kid can hit?
Boy howdy I’m getting a lot of questions today.
McOwen actually changed his stance just before this whole streak thing started. I think the average spike is probably reflective of one of those leaps in development, but you have to put it into context because he was a bit lucky (you have to be) and he’s playing in the Cal League.
He did recover his power swing towards the end of the streak, yet overall there were a lot of singles in there. While he’s bringing a better overall package to the plate, he has fewer hits going for extra bases this year than he did last year. Couple that with the fact that he’s playing center hardly at all, and I’d say that a slap-hitting fourth outfielder is still a slap-hitting fourth outfielder, he’s just slightly more interesting than he used to be and had a great story going for a while.
Man I love this blog. Thanks Jay..
Am I the only person who consistently (mis)reads that as “Alex Chilton” and has an attack of indie rock cognitive dissonance?
barkle sez:
“I’m going to the Aquasox game tonight…who should I be watching out for at the game tonight? I’m not too familiar with them this season.”
For position players I’m most intrigued with:
Jose Rivero CF
Anthony Phillips SS
Hawkins Gebbers 3B
Trevor Coleman C
For pitchers, but relievers and starters, I like:
Andrew Carraway
Daniel Cooper
Luke Burnett
Chris Kirkland
Of that group I’m getting a warm-fuzzy from Andrew Carraway. I’ve been saying it for weeks now, keep an eye on this kid. I think he could progress through the system ala Shawn Kelley.
Lonnie