Promising Starter Prospects Bring Hope for the Future

[Greg Pappas]

Every few weeks I browse the stats of our minor leagues.  It struck me today that we have a larger group of promising starter prospects than I'd recalled.  

The following list is based on guys that I feel merit mentioning and I may be missing someone:

AAA Norfolk:  LHP Keegan Akin (24)

AA Bowie: LHP Zac Lowther (23) ,  LHP Alex Wells (22) ,  LHP Bruce Zimmerman (24) ,  RHP Hunter Harvey (24)

A+ Frederick: LHP DL Hall (20) ,  RHP Dean Kremer (23) ,  RHP Blaine Knight (22) ,  RHP Michael Baumann (23) ,  RHP Cody Sedlock (23) ,  RHP Brenan Hanifee (20) 

A Delmarva: RHP Grayson Rodriguez (19) ,  RHP Ofelky Peralta (22) ,  LHP Drew Rom (19)

I have no faith in Dillon Tate or Luis Ortiz, so I didn't include them.  However, it's understandable if you still view them as quality prospects. Gray Fenter, David Lebron, and Cameron Bishop missed the cut.

Frederick is loaded.  Kremer will be back up in Bowie soon enough, but even then, this is a strong group.  Overall, this collection is probably middle-of-the-pack as far as starter prospects go in all of baseball.  Hopefully we can add an arm or two that excites us via the draft.

As we all know, the odds of producing five quality Major League starters from any minor league system, is unlikely.  However, I'd be pleased if three of this crop step up and fill 3/5 of our future rotation.

Thoughts?

EDIT: I've added the stats here as of this morning. No order, outside of level.
If you follow the link to Twitter and once there click the image of the stats, it'll get notably larger and easier to read.

 

 

[oriolesacox]

I try to temper my expectations but I can’t help but to be very excited.  Even more than 3 out of 5 to pan out, I want a legit certified ace.  A guy we trot out every 5th day and know we have a good chance to win that game.  Haven’t had one in a while in Baltimore. 

[Moose Milligan]

The Calvary is coming!

[Greg Pappas]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

The Calvary is coming!

That last group was The Calvary, but THIS group is The Cavalry! BIG difference! 

[Philip]

I’m really interested in whether someone like Wells, who throws smart but not hard, can have success in The Show. I’m hoping so.

I agree that Ortiz and Tate were mistakes by Dan(or by whomever did those transactions)and not meaningful additions, but there’s a lot here to be hopeful about.

[ChuckS]

Not a lot of blue chippers other than Hall and Rodriguez, but we have great depth. 

When there is this much depth though a few guys you don't expect much from are bound to work out.  Bruce Zimmerman could be another John Means.  Dean Kramer and Keegan Akin have great peripherals, although they are only moderately rated as prospects.  The old calvary went about 4-5 deep.  This one goes 10-12 deep.  Even with a high failure/wash-out rate we are assured of getting 3 or 4 long-term starters from this bunch. 

I bet we get a few effective/high leverage relievers from this bunch as well.  Harvey, Peralta, and Baumann I could envision filling that kind of role. 

[ChuckS]

I'll be interested in seeing how they handle promotions since there is such a glut of starters at Frederick and Bowie. 

Kremer will certainly be back in Bowie very shortly.  Baumann and Sedlock are making cases for promotions as well.  The only Bowie starter I can see moved up to Norfolk at this point is Zimmerman.  Lowther maybe in another month if he's still pitching to a sub 2.50 ERA.  So maybe those two promotions will allow for Baumann and Sedlock to be moved up by mid-season. 

[panick]

29 minutes ago, Philip said:

I’m really interested in whether someone like Wells, who throws smart but not hard, can have success in The Show. I’m hoping so.

I agree that Ortiz and Tate were mistakes by Dan(or by whomever did those transactions)and not meaningful additions, but there’s a lot here to be hopeful about.

Aren't those guys known as crafty left-handers, like Moyer?

[Ohfan67]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

The Calvary is coming!

NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! I almost made this same joke, but it's playing with fire, teasing the devil, toying with voodoo. The C word is not allowed. Banned. Totally verboten. 

[Aristotelian]

Starting pitching prospects is definitely the strength of the organization. I am optimistic that the core of our future rotation is already in the system. Akin, Lowther, and Kremer look to be MLB starters within the next 2-3 years. Hall and Grayson have TOR potential. Means looks legit already. Even without Harvey that is a pretty strong group. Maybe he can be turned into a closer and the other guys turn into 5th starter/longman types. That covers quite a few bases.

[Philip]

1 hour ago, panick said:

Aren't those guys known as crafty left-handers, like Moyer?

Yes, absolutely, but what I have read about Wells is that even though he’s very accurate, he just doesn’t throw hard enough to succeed at the big level. I really hope that’s wrong, because I love the idea of a guy with an 89 mile an hour fastball being a success

[Philip]

31 minutes ago, Ohfan67 said:

NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! I almost made this same joke, but it's playing with fire, teasing the devil, toying with voodoo. The C word is not allowed. Banned. Totally verboten. 

Calvary is where our Lord met his end. Cavalry is a bunch of Army guys on horseback

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, Philip said:

Yes, absolutely, but what I have read about Wells is that even though he’s very accurate, he just doesn’t throw hard enough to succeed at the big level. I really hope that’s wrong, because I love the idea of a guy with an 89 mile an hour fastball being a success

The fact that he’s handling AA so far is encouraging.    

[Philip]

Just now, Frobby said:

The fact that he’s handling AA so far is encouraging.    

Yes, and no doubt, but remember there’s a huge gap between AA and AAA and a bigger gap between AAA and the show.

[Luke-OH]

I talk about a bunch of these guys in this podcast with Adam Pohl.