Austin Hays 2019

[MDtransplant757]

1 hour ago, Answerman said:

Had an opportunity to see them both play a couple games this weekend in Durham. Just based on the eye test, Hays was the best player on the team...and second place (perhaps Mason Williams?) wasn’t close. The ball screams off his bat. Makes solid contact. Even his outs are loud. 

Unfortunately, Mountcastle was a non-factor. His contact was routine ground outs. I’ve also seen him a bunch of times in the past as well. For my money, while I absolutely hold out hope for the kid, I think his MLB ceiling is Mancini - if everything falls into place. I would almost be willing to include him in a trade if something comes available that is worth getting...perhaps down the road.

All in all, I didn’t see much in Norfolk that gets me excited. 

I've seen Mountcastle MASH at Harbor Park in Norfolk. He's hit 2 HR's when I've seen him and i love how quick his swing is. It's strong, compact and he follows through. A lot of power and he uses all fields. Maybe you just saw him on a bad day. 

[LookinUp]

15 hours ago, Answerman said:

Had an opportunity to see them both play a couple games this weekend in Durham. Just based on the eye test, Hays was the best player on the team...and second place (perhaps Mason Williams?) wasn’t close. The ball screams off his bat. Makes solid contact. Even his outs are loud. 

Unfortunately, Mountcastle was a non-factor. His contact was routine ground outs. I’ve also seen him a bunch of times in the past as well. For my money, while I absolutely hold out hope for the kid, I think his MLB ceiling is Mancini - if everything falls into place. I would almost be willing to include him in a trade if something comes available that is worth getting...perhaps down the road.

All in all, I didn’t see much in Norfolk that gets me excited. 

In fairness to Mountcastle, his production is not a figment of our imagination. He's a good hitter, no doubt. You may not have seen him on his best nights, but there has never been a player who doesn't go into hitting funks. That's the nature of the game.

[Frobby]

18 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

In fairness to Mountcastle, his production is not a figment of our imagination. He's a good hitter, no doubt. You may not have seen him on his best nights, but there has never been a player who doesn't go into hitting funks. That's the nature of the game.

Judging a player based on how he looks in one game is almost impossible.   Sure you can get impressions, but those impressions could be way off base.   

[NCRaven]

I was at one game that Chris Davis hit a home run.  He's back!

[bobmc]

19 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Judging a player based on how he looks in one game is almost impossible.   Sure you can get impressions, but those impressions could be way off base.   

I saw Christian Dubya as the best hitter on the O's Spring team one time and in the same game thought Zach Davies was too skinny with poor command and would never make it. 

[NCRaven]

2 hours ago, bobmc said:

I saw Christian Dubya as the best hitter on the O's Spring team one time and in the same game thought Zach Davies was too skinny with poor command and would never make it. 

Was that George W’s kid?

[MurphDogg]

Hays is 3-4 today with 2 doubles. I am ready to see what he can do at the MLB level.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, MurphDogg said:

Hays is 3-4 today with 2 doubles. I am ready to see what he can do at the MLB level.

I was ready too, but he ended up only 3 for 5, so now I’m not.    

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

I was ready too, but he ended up only 3 for 5, so now I’m not.    

He's in a slump.

[orioles22]

I hope he can start in next year's outfield, but I'd like to see him excel at Norfolk for a few weeks, at least.

[Frobby]

38 minutes ago, orioles22 said:

I hope he can start in next year's outfield, but I'd like to see him excel at Norfolk for a few weeks, at least.

More or less where I am.  He’s showing a lot of power right now (.233 ISO), but the BA (.274) and OBP (.321) aren’t really up to his capabilities.   He’s pretty hot right now (.317/.364/.634 last ten games), and if he sustains it for a few more weeks I’d love to see him in Baltimore.   

[MurphDogg]

Hays with his fourth multi-hit game in his last eight games. 2-5 with a double and a home run, although he did have three strikeouts.

[Frobby]

So many XBH!    Serious contact to damage ratio, as Buck used to say.  

[Flash- bd]

Starting to get a bit worried he's not the prospect we thought he was going into 2018 when BA ranked him #21. Injuries and all that but since then he's had 288 PA at Bowie at age 22-23 to the tune of a .706 OPS and now 129 PA at Norfolk with the major league juiced ball at age 23-24 to the tune of a .774 OPS. 

Luke/Tony and other talent evaluators, what are you hearing? Am I right to be worried? 

[Luke-OH]

11 minutes ago, Flash- bd said:

Starting to get a bit worried he's not the prospect we thought he was going into 2018 when BA ranked him #21. Injuries and all that but since then he's had 288 PA at Bowie at age 22-23 to the tune of a .706 OPS and now 129 PA at Norfolk with the major league juiced ball at age 23-24 to the tune of a .774 OPS. 

Luke/Tony and other talent evaluators, what are you hearing? Am I right to be worried? 

Has he played more than a month or two straight? 129 PA is nothing and it’s not like he’s crashing and burning. I never thought he was a top 40 prospect. Injuries and lost developmental time, plus a bit of a book on him getting out has lowered his outlook. I still think he’s one of the better prospects in the org, he just needs to stay healthy.