LegendOfJoey's Mid Season Minor League All Stars

[Legend_Of_Joey]

With the MLB, Triple A, and Double A All Star breaks coming up, I decided to look at the system and pick my All Star team. It was a bit tough, but I think there are some solid (and maybe surprising) picks.

Stats are prior to today's games.

First, my starting 8!

Austin Wynns: Every team needs a catcher and Austin gets the nod to start. Solid defender with over 42% of all runners caught stealing. Has saved several wild pitches from the various "live arms" that Bowie has and has been highly praised by Orioles brass. While defense has been his big point, he apparently purchased a bat last season and has a .292 average, .381 OBP, .424 SLG, and .805 OPS. These numbers put him between 1-3 in the Eastern League for catchers.

Aderlin Rodriguez: Rodriguez has a simple "see ball, crush ball" approach. While not the most athletic of first basemen, he has a prototypical first baseman bat. .296 AVG, 12 HR's, .344 OBP, .463 SLG, .812 OPS. When he hits it, he hits it hard.

Johnny Giavotella: The Orioles newest call up earned it with an impressive display in Norfolk while manning second base. .306 AVG, 43 runs, 22 doubles, 4 triples, 34 walks along with 5 HR's. He was a feared leadoff hitter and had several go ahead and game winning hits/runs. Defense is still a little off, but he swings the bat very well.

Ryan Mountcastle: Every team needs a shortstop. Mountcastle has only hit .307 with 101 hits, 15 home runs, a .333 OBP, .541 SLG, .874 OPS. He's doing this as a 20 year old. His arm and defense will eventually move him, but he is the shortstop for now.

Stevie Wilkerson: Mr. Super Utility has been primary 3rd base since being promoted to Bowie. Over 2 levels, he's hit .312 with 92 hits, 6 homers, 36 walks with a .392 OBP, .424 SLG and .815 OPS. He is a switch hitter who plays multiple positions. He won't "wow" you anywhere but won't kill you anywhere either. Think of a much, much better hitting Flaherty. 

Jake Ring: An impressive start to the season, he cooled off a bit. Still has a .289 AVG with 82 hits, 10 HR's, with a .348 OBP, .507 SLG and a .855 OPS. A work in progress, he gets the starting nod for now.

Randolph Gassaway: Despite being slightly over shadowed at Frederick, he has put up a solid .296 AVG (despite a sub .200 average in Bowie during a short call up), 85 hits, 13 doubles, with a .352 OBP, .380 SLG and .732 OPS. Good corner outfielder who can actually get to a lot of balls. Decent arm with a good future.

Austin Hays: Thought I'd forget him? Over 2 levels, he has only hit for a .329 AVG with 108 hits, 19 home runs, a .361 OBP, .579 SLG, .940 OPS. Solid arm, a bunch of web gems already in Bowie and some speed. Number 1 prospect in the system right now.

Bench : Every team needs a good bench. While these players have been solid all season, they just didn't quite make the starting team.

Chance Sisco: A top prospect (1-5, depending who you ask), he fell just short of taking the starting spot. Getting a daily dose of Triple A and Harbor Park, Sisco has put up a .276 AVG, .350 OBP, .388 SLG and .738 OBP. Started off a bit rough for the first few months of the season, he has picked it up with the bat, though he still has 72 strike outs. Prone to the left handed pitcher, he still hasn't quite figured that out yet. Defense is also still an issue, catching only around 15% of runners. Has almost 80 attempts against him, highest in the system.

Adrian Marin: A bit of a "forgotten" player after a lack luster 2016 and an absolutely awful showing in the Arizona Fall League, Marin has picked it up in 2017. Thought of as a "glove only" player, he hit well enough too to get Sean Coyle released in early June. A .293 AVG, 84 hits, 17 doubles, 5 steals (without being caught) and a .333 OBP, .373 SLG, and .706 OPS gets him on the team, but not a starting spot. A solid middle infielder with a potential bench role.

Garabez Rosa: Mr. Baysox himself brings some versatility to the bench, playing corner outfield and infield spots. He is having a great year at the plate with a .318 AVG, 108 hits, 63 RBI's, .340 OBP, .456 SLG, and .796 OPS. He isn't just knocking on Norfolks door, he is picking up a spare key. He has been solid and reliable all season.

Drew Dosch: Brought up to Norfolk in a potential "let's see what you have" role after multiple injuries to Alex Castallanos and Chris Johnson, Dosch has been the every day third baseman and held his own again Triple A pitching. Between the two levels, he has hit .275 with all 6 of his home runs coming since the promotion. A .341 OBP, .429 SLG, and .796 OBP round it out. He gets edged out of the starting spot due to his 11 errors, showing that he needs to work on his glove game more.

Ademar Rifaela: Seemingly forgotten in Frederick with Hays, Gassaway, and the reliance on Josh Hart, Rifaela is showing he belongs and he wants to make everyone know him. .304 batting with 38 runs, 78 hits, and 14 home runs will do that, along with a .352 OBP, .529 SLG and .881 OBP. Doesn't get a start due to his still wild swing and not so stellar defense, but someone that should be fun to watch progress.

Pitchers: This was the struggle. While there were only a few "WOW!" guys, there were a few who put in solid work and had some hard luck. Some have high numbers from some early season slumps but recovered after some changes and others have been solid all season. 

Starting Pitchers:

Alex Wells: The Thunde...Nevermind. the soft tossing lefty has shown some great command in his first full season, with 65 strike outs and only 10 walks. His WHIP stands at 1.07 WHIP. His 7-4 record and 2.90 ERA is hurt by his 13 home runs he has allowed. If he learns to keep the ball in the yard, he can move quickly.

Lucas Long: Long has been consistent for Bowie, with a 2.10 ERA and a 5-3 record. Lack of run support hurt him at times. In 73 innings, he has had 16 walks to 65 strike outs and only 2 long (hahahaha...ok, I'll stop) balls, good for a 1.05 WHIP.

Keegan Akin: The hefty lefty was plagued early in the season by runs and walks, but after taking off a few starts to fix an issue, he has brought his record to 6-5 with a 3.15 ERA, fantastic after having a 10+ ERA earlier. 33 walks and 80 strike outs has been a huge improvement from earlier, where the majority of those walks came from. A 1.28 WHIP rounds out Akins mid season in A+.

David Hess: Another consistent starter who was plagued by run support at times, he has an 8-5 record with a 4.32 ERA with 74 strike outs. A back end starter, he still gives Bowie a shot everytime he starts. A 1.36 WHIP rounds out his stats.

Brandon Barker: Since coming over last season in a trade with Atlanta, Barker has been another good Baysox option. 5-3 with a 4.34 ERA, his stats don't do his work justice. In 87 innings, he struck out 72 as he works to contact. Only 5 home runs have come from him, as he still needs to work on his breaking stuff, but it's coming along. 1.41 WHIP rounds it out for him, which needs some improvement, but doesn't kill him.

John Means: 6-7 as a starter with a 4.19 ERA, the left handed starter has had a small bout of inconsistency at times. He still brings an air of confidence and mixes in 76 strike outs with 23 walks. His 1.33 WHIP was hurt by a few rough games, but he is still one of the better pitchers in the Orioles system.

Alex Katz: The crafty lefty came over from the Chicago White Sox in May for 2 International signing slots and has been effective for Frederick. Started off in regular A for Kannapolis, the trade promoted him to A+, where he has a combined 4.54 ERA, 2-2 record. He is a ground ball pitcher who has been hurt by his defense a lot, he has a good fastball and two "plus" breaking balls. 41 strike outs in 35.2 innings, he also sports a 1.60 WHIP. Double A could be better for him with a better defense behind him.

Ryan Meisinger: A shut down pitcher for Bowie, he sports a 3-0 record with a 2.87 ERA since taking over for Liranzo. 12 walks to 46 strike outs and a 1.19 WHIP is reason why he has flourished in the closer spot for Bowie, shutting down teams and thriving in close games. His runs tend to go up a bit when given a big cushion.

Tim Berry: Another one of the "closer by committee" candidates, Berry made it interesting with 4 saves, a 3-0 record and a 2.36 ERA before mainly becoming a stand out middle reliever. 1.54 WHIP was inflated by a few bouts of bad luck, which you still expect in Double A. A good innings eater, since moving to that role, he has become almost untouchable.

Tanner Scott: "The Man Who Can't Win," Scott has an 0-1 record with a 1.84 ERA. Has gotten his control under wraps with 62 strike outs in 49 innings and multiple 100+ mph radar readings. Allowed only 10 runs and 1 home run, with 32 walks and a 1.29 WHIP. If he can continue to gets his walks down, watch out! The unknown aspect of if he will be a starter, long reliever, or closer makes him hard to predict.

Tanner Chleborad: Fredericks closer hasn't had much chance, as the games are either lost or too far out of reach. A 3.27 ERA is from some early season "mop up" games when the entire Keys staff had no clue what "pitching" was. 8 saves and 35 strike outs gives way to his 1.52 WHIP, which is also inflated by the soft defense behind him. A spot is ready for him in Bowie next year, with some eyes going towards him.

Jimmy Yacabonis: Finally, the closer is the Yac. His struggles in Baltimore don't reflect his 7 save, 0.98 WHIP in Norfolk. Started off the season without allowing a run in 13 games. Showed a bit of what he could do in his last Baltimore stint, but expect him up again and possibly staying next season.

Snubs: Please, put down those torches! Cedric Mullins has been a hot topic this season, but his hamstring has had other ideas. Jesus Liranzo has shown some great stuff recently as a "3 inning starter," but was absolutely horrible in the bullpen as the closer to start the season. Pedro Alvarez has been WAY too streaky in Norfolk, having a 1-23 slump after a hot start. David Washington was an "all or nothing" power swinger, who usually had the "nothing" working in big situations. Some consistency would have put him atleast on the bench.

[Frobby]

Great write-up.    Speaking of "the man who can't win," it's pretty impressive that he only has one loss in 17 starts.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

16 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Great write-up.    Speaking of "the man who can't win," it's pretty impressive that he only has one loss in 17 starts.

Very! I should go and see how that one actually played out and how many times the Baysox offense has had to bail him out.

[Frobby]

14 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Very! I should go and see how that one actually played out and how many times the Baysox offense has had to bail him out.

Well, he's only allowed 3 runs once, and that was his loss.    He's allowed 2 runs twice, 1 run three times and was unscored upon 11 times.    

[sportsfan8703]

Rafaela now has a higher OPS than Mountcastle. Good list. I'd have him over Ring. Ring was a nice story but is fading fast. 

[Ohfan67]

Fun write-up! Thanks for sharing. But I don't get this:

"Wilkerson: promoted to Bowie. Over 2 levels, he's hit .312 with 92 hits, 6 homers, 36 walks with a .392 OBP, .424 SLG and .815 OPS. He is a switch hitter who plays multiple positions. He won't "wow" you anywhere but won't kill you anywhere either. Think of a much, much better hitting Flaherty."

 

Flaherty's OPS at AA was .843 in 441 PA. If Wilkerson out hits Flaherty as a major leaguer I'll eat my hat. 

[Legend_Of_Joey]

3 hours ago, Ohfan67 said:

Fun write-up! Thanks for sharing. But I don't get this:

"Wilkerson: promoted to Bowie. Over 2 levels, he's hit .312 with 92 hits, 6 homers, 36 walks with a .392 OBP, .424 SLG and .815 OPS. He is a switch hitter who plays multiple positions. He won't "wow" you anywhere but won't kill you anywhere either. Think of a much, much better hitting Flaherty."

 

Flaherty's OPS at AA was .843 in 441 PA. If Wilkerson out hits Flaherty as a major leaguer I'll eat my hat. 

If given the chance, he can produce. His switch hitting ability could (hopefully should) benefit him and he has gotten better as he goes up. Norfolk would be a good test but I believe he could handle it and do well.

Also, Wilkerson hasn't been in AA that long. I can see it continue to improve.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

8 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Rafaela now has a higher OPS than Mountcastle. Good list. I'd have him over Ring. Ring was a nice story but is fading fast. 

It was really close, but Rings defense gave him the nod. Not by much though.

[Ohfan67]

15 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

If given the chance, he can produce. His switch hitting ability could (hopefully should) benefit him and he has gotten better as he goes up. Norfolk would be a good test but I believe he could handle it and do well.

Also, Wilkerson hasn't been in AA that long. I can see it continue to improve.

I hope he does well. I was more knocking your flippant dismissal of Flaherty as a hitter, especially relative to a guy like Wilkerson. At Wilkerson's age Flaherty had posted a career OPS of > .800 in the minors and was trying to keep his head above water in Baltimore. Flaherty hit the snot out of the ball in AA and was a first round draft choice to boot. I bet you would have been far more impressed with Flaherty as a hitter when he was in AA than this guy. Wilkerson will be extremely lucky to have Flaherty's major league career IMO. I'm not knocking him or your evaluation, just pointing out that Flaherty was no light hitting wimp as a minor leaguer and worthy of some respect IMO. He was certainly a better hitter in most ways than Wilkerson at the same age. 

 

P.s.  I don't mean this to be snarky. Just pointing out that We often forget that the Flaherty's of the world are not chopped liver and many were well regarded minor leaguers with real accomplished minor league resumes. 

[Legend_Of_Joey]

7 minutes ago, Ohfan67 said:

I hope he does well. I was more knocking your flippant dismissal of Flaherty as a hitter, especially relative to a guy like Wilkerson. At Wilkerson's age Flaherty had posted a career OPS of > .800 in the minors and was trying to keep his head above water in Baltimore. Flaherty hit the snot out of the ball in AA and was a first round draft choice to boot. I bet you would have been far more impressed with Flaherty as a hitter when he was in AA than this guy. Wilkerson will be extremely lucky to have Flaherty's major league career IMO. I'm not knocking him or your evaluation, just pointing out that Flaherty was no light hitting wimp as a minor leaguer and worthy of some respect IMO. He was certainly a better hitter in most ways than Wilkerson at the same age. 

 

P.s.  I don't mean this to be snarky. Just pointing out that We often forget that the Flaherty's of the world are not chopped liver and many were well regarded minor leaguers with real accomplished minor league resumes. 

No problem and no issues taken. I unfortunately never got to go see Flaherty in the minors, so I don't have that comparison to go on.

I do have respect for Flash. Anyone that can make it to the majors already accomplished way more than me, and someone that can stick with a team for 6 years as a bench player is even better.

But also, like you said, Flaherty was a first round pick. With a pick like that comes expectations.

I know he had a lot of success when he gets extended playing time, as most players do, then tends to slump and have several "0-" games during some sporadic appearances. I believe Wilkerson could provide a better bat off the bench.

But, like everyone in the minors, you never really know what will happen.

P.S. Along with very well accomplished college resumes.

[Luke-OH]

Comparing swings, Wilkerson has a better chance to hit in the majors.  His swing is compact and line drive oriented, but he doesn't have the pop Flaherty does, I don't think he's quite as strong defensively either.