Austin Wynns injured in Dominican Winter Baseball League

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Not sure how serious the injury is. During a Dominican Winter League Championship game, Wynns was on the back half of a double play, as he was caught at second on a line drive and injured his ankle and had to leave the game. His team, Tigres del Licey announced they would evaluate him tomorrow morning and make an announcement.

Hopefully it isn't anything major and he just tweaked it or a minor twist. He is a non-roster invitee to Spring Training and has been doing everything the Orioles have asked him. Hit almost .300 while working through Frederick, Bowie, and Norfolk at various points in 2016, hit right around .300 in the Arizona Fall League, hit almost .300 in the Dominican Winter League season, and hit almost .300 in the Playoff/Championship series (.297 at the time of injury.)

His Orioles counterpart, Francisco Pena, has hit .188 in the series and has been pinch hit for multiple times during the 5-7th innings the last couple of games.

On another side note, Yermin Mercedes had a pinch hit home run 2 games ago. He has had very, VERY sporadic playing time.

[Tony-OH]

He sprained his ankle on the play. Obviously sprains are tricky so they are unsure whether this will affect his availability come spring training in a few weeks. Hopefully it's a minor sprain, but they won't know until he gets back and they can evaluate him.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

4 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

He sprained his ankle on the play. Obviously sprains are tricky so they are unsure whether this will affect his availability come spring training in a few weeks. Hopefully it's a minor sprain, but they won't know until he gets back and they can evaluate him.

Thanks. Hopefully it isn't a high ankle sprain.

Couldn't tell anything at all. I was "watching" on gamecast and it said he was hurt and was taken out. That's the bad thing about gamecast...Not much info.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Tigres del Licey updated on Wynns (ironically while I was in PT for my shoulder....)

He is listed as "day to day" and had no breaks or ligament tears. He isn't starting tonight, but I'll keep an eye out for the next few days. Doesn't seem like something that should affect him much, if at all, for spring training, as it appears extremely minor.

I can resume breathing normally now.

[Number5]

3 hours ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Tigres del Licey updated on Wynns (ironically while I was in PT for my shoulder....)

He is listed as "day to day" and had no breaks or ligament tears. He isn't starting tonight, but I'll keep an eye out for the next few days. Doesn't seem like something that should affect him much, if at all, for spring training, as it appears extremely minor.

I can resume breathing normally now.

Well, that's better news.  Thanks for the update.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Wynns has sat out the past 2 games.

Yermin Mercedes came in as a defensive replacement tonight in the 10th inning, after the starting catcher was pinch hit for. Mercedes wasn't the batter.

On another note, Francisco Pena continues to struggle. 0-4 with 3 strike outs and now has a .188 batting average.

[MDtransplant757]

With SIsco catching, should we move him to LF or at least try to?

[Legend_Of_Joey]

30 minutes ago, MDtransplant757 said:

With SIsco catching, should we move him to LF or at least try to?

Who? Wynns, Mercedes, or Pena?

Mercedes was already getting moved to the outfield in Frederick this past season and probably will be in the outfield or first base this upcoming season.

Wynns is probably the best defensive catcher in the organization right now and can hit. If Sisco wasn't a catcher, Wynns would probably be the next one up.

Pena...Um...

[MDtransplant757]

4 hours ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Who? Wynns, Mercedes, or Pena?

Mercedes was already getting moved to the outfield in Frederick this past season and probably will be in the outfield or first base this upcoming season.

Wynns is probably the best defensive catcher in the organization right now and can hit. If Sisco wasn't a catcher, Wynns would probably be the next one up.

Pena...Um...

I was going to say Wynns. I don't get why moving Sisco to LF would be a bad idea now with Wynns in Bowie. Would be better for Wynns to catch than anything else

[Legend_Of_Joey]

8 minutes ago, MDtransplant757 said:

I was going to say Wynns. I don't get why moving Sisco to LF would be a bad idea now with Wynns in Bowie. Would be better for Wynns to catch than anything else

 

Sisco moving to the outfield would probably be the best move for everyone. Giving him a less physically demanding position to keep him healthier and keep his bat around longer would be good. He has athleticism but I think might get severely beat up behind the plate.

If Wynns can keep up his hitting like he has and does really good in Spring Training, I could see him getting a call up if they keep Wellington and Joseph (Pena has no options and I don't see them having 3 catchers in Norfolk with Perez and Sisco) and one of them gets on the 15 day DL.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Legend_Of_Joey said:

 

Sisco moving to the outfield would probably be the best move for everyone. Giving him a less physically demanding position to keep him healthier and keep his bat around longer would be good. He has athleticism but I think might get severely beat up behind the plate.

If Wynns can keep up his hitting like he has and does really good in Spring Training, I could see him getting a call up if they keep Wellington and Joseph (Pena has no options and I don't see them having 3 catchers in Norfolk with Perez and Sisco) and one of them gets on the 15 day DL.

Who cares?  As long as he makes it through the 6-7 years he's Oriole property.

They just have to not run him into the ground as much as they did Matt, to make sure he doesn't break too early.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

Who cares?  As long as he makes it through the 6-7 years he's Oriole property.

They just have to not run him into the ground as much as they did Matt, to make sure he doesn't break too early.

If he hits in Baltimore like he does in the minors, they will send him out there everyday to keep him in the lineup. I can see him getting a LOT of "minor" injuries that keep him out for 2 games here, 5 games there, and a few "15 day DL" stints within the first 3 seasons if they keep him behind the plate.

I'd just rather see him take an outfield spot and consistently play and get on base. The kid is extremely good, I just don't have a good feeling about his position and he could have a long, useful career (see: Werth, Jayson).

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

If he hits in Baltimore like he does in the minors, they will send him out there everyday to keep him in the lineup. I can see him getting a LOT of "minor" injuries that keep him out for 2 games here, 5 games there, and a few "15 day DL" stints within the first 3 seasons if they keep him behind the plate.

I'd just rather see him take an outfield spot and consistently play and get on base. The kid is extremely good, I just don't have a good feeling about his position and he could have a long, useful career (see: Werth, Jayson).

I'd rather play a guy at the position with the highest positional value. 

[Legend_Of_Joey]

4 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'd rather play a guy at the position with the highest positional value. 

Would his value be better as a catcher where he is limited in playing time due to injury and rest (lets say 80-100 games a season) vs. outfield (130-150) games a season as a primary "bat first" talent?

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Would his value be better as a catcher where he is limited in playing time due to injury and rest (lets say 80-100 games a season) vs. outfield (130-150) games a season as a primary "bat first" talent?

Not doing the math right now but I'd say 100-110 games at catcher (80-100 seems very pessimistic) should be worth more than 140-150 in left field (the lowliest of the fields and the one you mentioned).

Of course we don't even know if he can play an adequate outfield.