Here it is: the final Pulse of the year. The top hitters kept hitting but some of the pitchers hit the wall in August. This month, I've got Myers, Hosmer and Moustakas as the Top 3. Those three are so tightly ranked--in a Top 50 list of prospects, I'd have them with all within 5 or 6 slots of each other. I also see Monty/Lamb/Dwyer/Duffy bunched up pretty close. Finally, I bumped Aaron Crow up a spot (this was before his 13K game last night). I understand the comparisons to Hochevar--but Hochevar never consistently showed the stuff that he flashed for a few moments in the indy league. Crow's stuff is still there and I could see him be the 2011 version of Moustakas.
There is still plenty of baseball to come--there is another week in the minor league regular season and there is the playoffs. Also, October will be the Arizona Fall League--where several of our better prospects will be playing. Also, Moose and Hoz might be playing for the US in the Pan-Am games. In November I should start cranking my offseason prospect rankings.
minorleaguesplits.com was behind on stats when I put this together. This hitters stats remain the same (avg/opb/slg) but pitchers stats are different. For August it goes K%/BB%/ERA and for YTD it goes K%/BB%/FIP ERA. Also, I've listed the players age as the last piece of info in the 'Name' column.
Rank | Name | Last Month | August Stats | YTD | Comment |
1 | Wil Myers--C--HighA--19 | 2 | 330/405/424 |
LowA 289/408/500 HighA 332/435/481 |
Primed for huge numbers in AA next year. |
2 | Eric Hosmer--1B--AA--20 | 1 | 304/339/571 |
HighA 350/427/538 AA 310/358/615 |
900 OPS in August and gets knocked down a peg--that's how competitive this system is |
3 | Mike Moustakas--3B--AAA--21 | 3 | 331/357/636 |
AA 347/413/687 AAA 297/317/569 |
Remember when he was struggling in AAA? |
4 | Mike Montgomery--LHP--AA--21 | 4 | 17%/13%/4.25 |
HighA 37%/4%/1.22 AA 19%/11%/3.99 |
Been inconsistent since return from injury--which is worrisome |
5 | John Lamb--LHP--AA--20 | 5 | 12%/12%/5.89 |
LowA 27%/11%/3.64 HighA 31%/5%/1.89 AA 13%/10%/4.81 |
Up and down at AA |
6 | Chris Dwyer--LHP--AA--22 | 6 | NA |
HighA 24%/10%/3.15 AA 28%/14%/4.12 |
Didn't pitch in August because of back issue |
7 | Dan Duffy--LHP--AA--21 | 9 | 25%/6%/3.37 | 25%/6%/3.05 | Very impressive at AA. |
8 | Christian Colon--SS--HighA--21 | 7 | 306/336/407 | 276/316/364 | Improved some in August--would like to see more walks. |
9 | Aaron Crow--RHP--HighA--23 | 10 | 24%/3%/5.79 |
AA 17%/11%/4.76 HighA 24%/3%/4.23 |
Good to see improved control--might even be a little underrated at this point. |
10 | Cheslor Cuthbert--3B--SS--17 | 15 | NA |
AZ 265/342/412 ID 233/281/433 |
Injury knocked him out but in a short amount made an impression. |
11 | Brett Eibner--CF--SS--21 | 11 | NA | NA | Not sure if he will get an ABs in this year or not. |
12 | Johnny Giavotella--2B--AA--23 | 13 | 404/470/577 | 323/390/448 | Heck of a second half. |
13 | Tyler Sample--RHP--LowA--21 | 12 | 17%/25%/9.50 | 20%/17%/5.19 | Really bad month. |
14 | David Lough--OF--AAA--24 | 14 | 380/432/522 | 279/334/437 | Flying a little under the radar--had a good month after being unlucky for most of the year. |
15 | Tim Melville--RHP--HighA--20 | 18 | 16%/7%/3.05 | 18%/11%/4.41 | Has righted the ship and could zoom up the rankings next year. |
16 | Tim Collins--LHP--AAA--21 | 19 | 27%/11%/1.50 |
AA 46%/10%/2.55 AAA 27%/11%/2.81 |
Hasn't missed a beat at AAA. |
17 | Derrick Robinson--CF--AA--22 | 17 | 273/333/386 | 285/344/379 | Hasn't been able to match a very good April. |
18 | Paulo Orlando--CF--AA--24 | 20 | 283/339/455 | 310/369/475 | Numbers were down a bit in August due to low BB% and low BABIP. |
19 | Will Smith-LHP--HighA--21 | 21 | 23%/2%/3.59 |
AAA 17%/8%/4.68 AA 8%/9%/6.07 HighA 21%/5%/3.98 |
Pitching well after getting yanked around by the Angels. |
20 | Clint Robinson--1B--AA--25 | 28 | 410/483/780 | 328/406/613 | Home numbers are great but road numbers are also good. |
21 | Crawford Simmons--LHP--SS--20 | 33 | 21%/5%/1.67 | 23%/6%/3.71 | Another Royal lefty who is having great success. |
22 | Louis Coleman--RHP--AAA--24 | 23 | 29%/10%/2.04 |
AA 28%/7%/3.29 AAA 29%/7%/3.26 |
Would like to see what he could do in a KC Sept. audition |
23 | Buddy Baumann--RHP--HighA--22 | 29 | 22%/6%/1.57 | 28%/9%/2.66 | Just keeps on performing |
24 | Salvador Perez--C--HighA--20 | 26 | 390/412/623 | 283/311/406 | Strong finish for a good defensive 20 year old catcher |
25 | Jordan Parraz--OF--AAA--25 | 16 | 188/280/259 | 251/332/384 | Not sure if he has much of a space |
26 | Patrick Keating--RHP--AA--23 | 24 | 43%/9%/4.15 |
HighA 35%/9%/2.64 AA 33%/11%/2.86 |
Struggled somewhat this month |
27 | Manny Pina--C--AA--23 | 25 | 268/308/378 |
AA AAA 218/267/364 |
Good D with a bat that won't kill you |
28 | Jason Adams--RHP--N/A--19 | 27 | NA | NA | Will have to wait til 2011 to see what he can do |
29 | Noel Arguelles--LHP--DL--20 | 22 | NA | NA | Nothing to see here |
30 | Kevin Chapman--LHP--HighA--22 | 32 | 19%/7%/5.00 | 22%/10%/3.78 | |
31 | Lucas May--C--AAA--25 | 34 | 267/370/494 | 287/361/507 |
I'm still a little skeptical but its good that he has hit away from Albuquerque |
32 | Michael Antonio--SS--SS--19 | 30 | 266/289/394 | 264/297/429 | Bat slumped toward the end of the year. |
33 | Blaine Hardy--LHP--AAA--23 | 34* | 12%/7%/4.83 |
AA 17%/8%/3.04 AAA 17%/7%/4.92 |
Has been used as starter not sure what the plan is |
34 | Elisaul Pimentel--RHP--LowA--22 | 31 | 15%/14%/6.00 | 24%/10%/3.87 | Hasn't pitched well since coming to KC organization |
35 | Jarrod Dyson--CF--AAA--25 | 45 | 275/327/366 |
AAA 282/328/368 |
Defense supposed to be great but will never be an asset with the bat |
36 | Robinson Yambati--RHP--SS--19 | 41 | 17%/3%/2.20 | 22%/4%/3.16 | Kid with great control |
37 | Rey Navarro--SS/2B--HighA--20 | 38 | 232/252/384 | 236/272/328 | The numbers are horrible but I still think there is something there. |
38 | Yordano Ventura--RHP--SS--19 | NR| | 26%/7%/2.16 | 25%/8%/3.94 | Supposed to have electric stuff |
39 | Jeff Bianchi--SS--DL--23 | 42 | NA | NA | Hopefully will see him back in 2011 |
40 | Brandon Sisk--LHP--AA--25 | 37 | 17%/14%/4.91 | 21%/10%/4.05 | Control hasn't been very good of late. |
41 | Edgar Osuna--LHP--AA--23 | 35 | 11%/11%/10.4 |
AAA 11%/11%/10.4 AA 17%/3%/3.77 |
Really struggled down the stretch |
42 | Tim Smith--OF--AA--24 | 36 | 313/329/500 | 303/365/456 | Continues to be pretty good but not great with bat |
43 | Jorge Bonifacio--CF--SS--17 | 46 | 211/267/342 | 211/267/342 | Another talented teenager in our low minor leagues |
44 | Ed Lucas--SS--AAA--29 | 47 | 282/393/453 | 312/395/497 | Is he this good? Probably not but he looks useful. |
45 | Kelvim Herrera--RHP--DL--20 | 39 | NA | 23%/9%/3.72 | Haven't heard a thing about him--here's to health in 2011. |
46 | Greg Billo--RHP--SS--20 | NR | 27%/8%/5.00 | 25%/6%/4.31 | Numbers look pretty good--especially in Pioneer league. |
47 | Yowil Espinal--2B--SS--19 | 50 | 208/322/250 | 280/349/352 | Where has the power gone? |
48 | Keaton Hayenga--RHP--LowA--22 | 49 | 12%/10%/4.67 | 9%/10%/5.78 | Pitching a little bit better of late. |
49 | Shin Jo-Ho--C--SS--19 | 44 | 044/204/067 | 152/282/208 | Horrible month but I the talent is still intriguing. |
50 | Michael Mariot--RHP--SS--21 | NR | 37%/6%/5.84 | 28%/7%/4.00 | Cornhusker has had a good pro debut. |
Graduated: Kila Kaaihue, Jai Miller
Dropped Off: Mario Santiago
Player of the Month: Johnny Giavotella
Johnny G., our 2nd Round pick from 2008 had a great month--hitting for average, drawing walks and hitting for power. He has really come on in the 2nd Half--the power he has shown in the past couple months is especially encouraging. For 2011 he needs to show consistency over the entire year. I've heard the defense should work at second base. By 2012, he could be our starting second baseman--where I think he could be an offensive asset and a fan favorite--as the little scrappy player who actually can hit.