Offensive prospects - Wieters, then nothing

[Camden_yardbird]

Costanzo -- .188/.298/.271 (48 AB)

Moore -- .150/.190/.200 (20 AB)

Reimold -- .167/.242/.259 (54 AB)

Davis -- .204/.273/.286 (49 AB)

Wieters -- .438/.558/.884 (32 AB)

Tripp -- .282/.349/.513 (39 AB)

Vinyard -- .259/.377/.386 (44 AB)

Snyder -- .239/.280/.289 (46 AB)

Henson -- .279/.286/.310 (58 AB)

Angle -- .275/.383/.375 (40 AB)

Mahoney -- .224/.269/.347 (49 AB)

Costanzo doesn't look like he is getting it. He is stiking out 40% of the time. He clearly is not getting it.

Reimold and Davis both look like they are just not hitting. But if their bb/k rates improved with their averages they would both being doing pretty well.

Both Tripp and Vinyard join costanzo in having the ability to strike out at high rates. (40% and 30%) respectively.

I don't mind that Angle can't hit the ball hard, though the only guys you see make it at higher levels with his skill set seem to be middle infielders. Ironic that he has the second highest SLG% on this list.

Im not too worried about Snyder, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary except a lack of hits. I would imagine he has a high GB ratio right now and just isn't getting lift into the ball.

The only guys that really worry me is the few with high K rates. Otherwise I will withhold judgment on the rest until they get a few more AB's under their belt. 3 weeks is still a pretty short time period. There has been a lot of turn over and I would imagine a lot of these teams are still gelling and a lot of the coaches are still understanding what they have in the players on their team.

[BayouBird]

So is this the draft where we go heavy on offensive talent?

I sure hope so.

I think in MLB you have to go best talent available in the draft because there isn't that immediate impact player like NFL/NBA. When that player makes it to the big leagues we may have solidifed his position. This year the top of the draft is heavy in pitching.. Aaron Crow (Missou) Scheppers (Fresno St.) and Brian Matusz (San Diego) with the best bats being first basemen, Smoak (South Carolina) and Alonso (Miami). Our best hope is that SS Tim Beckham falls to us.

[BayouBird]

Costanzo doesn't look like he is getting it. He is stiking out 40% of the time. He clearly is not getting it.

Reimold and Davis both look like they are just not hitting. But if their bb/k rates improved with their averages they would both being doing pretty well.

Both Tripp and Vinyard join costanzo in having the ability to strike out at high rates. (40% and 30%) respectively.

I don't mind that Angle can't hit the ball hard, though the only guys you see make it at higher levels with his skill set seem to be middle infielders. Ironic that he has the second highest SLG% on this list.

Im not too worried about Snyder, nothing seems to be out of the ordinary except a lack of hits. I would imagine he has a high GB ratio right now and just isn't getting lift into the ball.

The only guys that really worry me is the few with high K rates. Otherwise I will withhold judgment on the rest until they get a few more AB's under their belt. 3 weeks is still a pretty short time period. There has been a lot of turn over and I would imagine a lot of these teams are still gelling and a lot of the coaches are still understanding what they have in the players on their team.

Also, very important to remember we're barely 3 weeks into a five month season, and the weather hasn't even warmed up yet. Give the kids some time!

[mikezpen]

For me, i would be looking to deal beato and Liz.

Both have tremendous upside but both, especially Liz, have big question marks about their game and both may have a prospect status that will far exceed what they produce...in other words, they are worth more in trade than what they do for us.

If you feel that way about these guys, what makes you think other GMs want to give you prome prospects for them?

[Sports Guy]

If you feel that way about these guys, what makes you think other GMs want to give you prome prospects for them?

Just as people on here differ from me, i am sure some GMs would as well.

[cwebb24]

See where Angle is at .295/.404/.409

with 3 doubles, a triple, and 6 SB's, isn't that pretty much what is going to be expected of him? I know its not outstanding by any means but given his weaknesses and strengths, as long as he keeps his OBP high, and shows an ok amount of pop he should be fine right?

His power, which is still not much, has increased a bit from last yeah. In 66 games with Aberdeen just 8 XBH 4 doubles, 4 triples, to be at 4 already in 12 games, maybe he is developing a bit of gap power and bring more to the plate.

Still a very small sample size, but I don't think he is disappointing. Which is great after his 1 for 10 start to the season after dealing with the family situation.

[Frobby]

See where Angle is at .295/.404/.409

with 3 doubles, a triple, and 6 SB's, isn't that pretty much what is going to be expected of him? I know its not outstanding by any means but given his weaknesses and strengths, as long as he keeps his OBP high, and shows an ok amount of pop he should be fine right?

His power, which is still not much, has increased a bit from last yeah. In 66 games with Aberdeen just 8 XBH 4 doubles, 4 triples, to be at 4 already in 12 games, maybe he is developing a bit of gap power and bring more to the plate.

Still a very small sample size, but I don't think he is disappointing. Which is great after his 1 for 10 start to the season after dealing with the family situation.

I agree with you, Angle is coming on strong after a slow start. And my post was written before his big day yesterday that jumped all his stats another notch. Still, let's not forget that this guy is pretty old for the Sally League and his lack of power is going to inhibit his ceiling.

[Jenius]

This should be obvious, but we need to take all these early-season results with a grain of salt:

• We're less than a month into the season
  
• It's not uncommon for players to get off to slow starts then pick it up (eg Markakis, Huff) or vice versa...even K rates can fluctuate throughout the season (eg Snyder last year improved his K rate dramatically in the second half)
  
• Early season offensive numbers are generally down...for example, only 3 of 16 SAL teams are hitting over .250 (lg. avg. OPS is ~.680)...Frederick leads the Carolina League with a .264 BA...7 of 12 teams in the Eastern League are hitting under .250 BA
  

The one stat that really concerns me early on is Tyler Henson's 0 BB in over 50 PAs...that is hard to do. Hopefully it's an adjustment period. He is making better contact than last year...

[Gurgi]

Tripp looks like he's doing OK. But he's 23 and still in Frederick.

I think he could follow in the Luke Scott mold. Late bloomer.

[glorydays]

Costanzo -- .188/.298/.271 (48 AB)

Moore -- .150/.190/.200 (20 AB)

Reimold -- .167/.242/.259 (54 AB)

Davis -- .204/.273/.286 (49 AB)

Wieters -- .438/.558/.884 (32 AB)

Tripp -- .282/.349/.513 (39 AB)

Vinyard -- .259/.377/.386 (44 AB)

Snyder -- .239/.280/.289 (46 AB)

Henson -- .279/.286/.310 (58 AB)

Angle -- .275/.383/.375 (40 AB)

Mahoney -- .224/.269/.347 (49 AB)

Just a terrible performance by the guys who supposedly are our best offensive prospects. 7 of these 11 have an OBP under .300. 9 of the 11 have an SLG under .400 (5 are under .300).

I hope they heat up as the weather warms up, or it could be a long summer.

Here is what 4/4 night does to the following averages:

Costanza: .250

Moore: .292

Reimold: .224

Davis: .264

Vinyard: .313

Snyder: .294

Mahoney: .283

In other words... it's way too early to start judging how well any of these players are going to do this year.

[WebLink21]

Our best hope is that SS Tim Beckham falls to us.

This is not our best hope. Our best hope would be that Alvarez falls to use. He is a much better prospect and is the closest to the majors. It would take Beckham at least 4-5 years before we see him. How would that be best case?

[BayouBird]

With Alvarez's injury this spring he loses a little luster, but I agree he'd be a stud, but Beckham is gonna be a rock in the middle of the infield. I honestly think Snyder can hang at 3rd, and Beckham is being mentioned in the same breath as Upton... And the scouting reports I've read say hes pretty advanced already, could be up in as few as 3. Just personal preference I guess.

[thomden]

This is good discussion, but meaningless until the end of June. By then we should have a better idea how our prospects are measuring up or down

[ChaosLex]

So is this the draft where we go heavy on offensive talent?

I sure hope so.

If I were Jordan/MacPhail, I would draft like this...

Alvarez

Beckham

Crow

Matusz

Since I highly doubt the first three will be there (unless Pittsburgh drops the ball again), I have to agree with Greg Pappas and say we'll go for the stud LHP (i.e., Matusz) in the 1st Round.

Hopefully we concentrate solely on position prospects at the collegiate level from the 2nd Round on. Lord knows we need 'em.

[oriole_way]

I feel like Wieters is our only blue chip positional prospect at this time. And of course we'll know more when he moves up to AA.

Every other true positional prospect has major question marks on their resume.

Rowell could be but I view him more as an unknown at this point.

I'm starting to lose confidence in Reimold because I hear that he still has lots of trouble against breaking pitches from right handed pitchers. Until he gets that rectified, I don't see how he he'll fare too well at the major league level, where that weakness will be further exposed, unless you platoon him.

Snyder has loads of trouble against offspeed offerings and has questionable power for a first base prospect.

I know Tyler Henson was hyped up at the beginning of the year and he has come on of late, but he hasn't drawn a single BB in 71 AB this year. That's a bit disconcerting.

Sorry to sound like a negative nellie, but I don't think I'm overstating these concerns.