2019 #15 Prospect: Brenan Hanifee – RHP

[weams]

https://www.orioleshangout.com/2019/11/13/orioles-15-prospect-brenan-hanifee-rhp/

 

It's Up. Read what the staff experts have to say.

[DirtyBird]

Booo. Missed this one by 13 spots.

[Frobby]

Definitely a down year for Hanifee and it will be interesting to see how he bounces back.    One thing I really like about him is he’s an innings eater.   Despite his struggles he only failed to go five innings 4 times in 24 starts, and he went 6+ in 11 starts, including a 9 inning complete game shutout.   
 

Seems to me a lot of our pitchers struggle in the transition from low A to high A, so in that context I’m also willing to give Hanifee a bit of a mulligan, but he’s going to have to come back strong this year to stay on the radar.   

[weams]

6 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Definitely a down year for Hanifee and it will be interesting to see how he bounces back.    One thing I really like about him is he’s an innings eater.   Despite his struggles he only failed to go five innings 4 times in 24 starts, and he went 6+ in 11 starts, including a 9 inning complete game shutout.   
 

Seems to me a lot of our pitchers struggle in the transition from low A to high A, so in that context I’m also willing to give Hanifee a bit of a mulligan, but he’s going to have to come back strong this year to stay on the radar.   

He might be an opener. The frame might play up. 

[Frobby]

Is it a given that Hanifee will start the year at Bowie, or is it possible he spends some more time at Frederick?

[weams]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Is it a given that Hanifee will start the year at Bowie, or is it possible he spends some more time at Frederick?

I don't know. But I am sure gonna spend a good bit of time at the minor league camp this spring. Yessiree. 

[WalkWithElias]

I'll be curious to see how long Elias & Co. wait before switching to pitchers to bullpen roles. Under prior regimes, we'd have to see a player fail for multiple seasons before finally moving them into a bullpen role. I'd rather see a player moved into a position to succeed sooner rather than wait until they are a reclamation project and need to rebuild confidence in a new role. 

Not saying that is what needs to happen with Hanifee, but he seems like a candidate. 

[weams]

1 minute ago, WalkWithElias said:

I'll be curious to see how long Elias & Co. wait before switching to pitchers to bullpen roles. Under prior regimes, we'd have to see a player fail for multiple seasons before finally moving them into a bullpen role. I'd rather see a player moved into a position to succeed sooner rather than wait until they are a reclamation project and need to rebuild confidence in a new role. 

Not saying that is what needs to happen with Hanifee, but he seems like a candidate. 

I don't believe relief role practice in the minors is all that important. 

[sportsfan8703]

I'm only box score scouting these guys, and reading scouting reports, but I'd think that Sedlock and Zimmerman profile better than Hanifee.  Zimmerman seems like he's underrated because he gets lost in the shuffle of the group of Lefties that we have with sorta/kinda similar profiles.  

[Aristotelian]

3 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

I'm only box score scouting these guys, and reading scouting reports, but I'd think that Sedlock and Zimmerman profile better than Hanifee.  Zimmerman seems like he's underrated because he gets lost in the shuffle of the group of Lefties that we have with sorta/kinda similar profiles.  

+1, I voted for Sedlock/Fenter for this reason. I'd rather bet on the guy who had a bad year and then rebounded than the guy who just had a bad year.

[LookinUp]

Not really going on probability (which may be low), but I still see upside from Hanifee that might not be there for a lot of our other guys. His prospect status could be a yo-yo that goes up or down depending on whether he gets a feel for a 3rd pitch and whether they move him to the pen. I think having him here is defensible in that regard, as is dropping him as many seem to have done. I just personally hate to move a guy down too much when we know he still has physical upside either after an injury or a not very impressive year, particularly when the player development people completely changed, so likely did his preparation.

If he jumps way up next year, I wouldn't be shocked. If he drops, same. 

[7Mo]

5 minutes ago, LookinUp said:

Not really going on probability (which may be low), but I still see upside from Hanifee that might not be there for a lot of our other guys. His prospect status could be a yo-yo that goes up or down depending on whether he gets a feel for a 3rd pitch and whether they move him to the pen. I think having him here is defensible in that regard, as is dropping him as many seem to have done. I just personally hate to move a guy down too much when we know he still has physical upside either after an injury or a not very impressive year, particularly when the player development people completely changed, so likely did his preparation.

If he jumps way up next year, I wouldn't be shocked. If he drops, same. 

I hope he makes a big jump this year like all of us do and I don't disagree with anything you posted but this is what limits my expectations for him:

"He’s filled out and is no longer traditionally projectable. His athleticism and strikethrowing ability also took a step back. His velocity is still 90-94 like it was when he was 19 years old"

 

[Number5]

This was the first real surprise for me.  I didn't expect Hanifee to be in our top 20, frankly, after his mediocre year in A ball.  K/9  and K/BB rates were alarming to me.  You guys know way more than me, and I hope you are right about him.

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, weams said:

I don't know. But I am sure gonna spend a good bit of time at the minor league camp this spring. Yessiree. 

I will be looking for some detailed reports on what you see there.   At least as thorough as your description of the buffet at the Elias radio interview!    That was at Tony/Luke level of detail.    On the 80 point scale, how did you grade the shrimp sliders?

[weams]

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I will be looking for some detailed reports on what you see there.   At least as thorough as your description of the buffet at the Elias radio interview!    That was at Tony/Luke level of detail.    On the 80 point scale, how did you grade the shrimp sliders?

I'll do my best. I thought the Kiwi looked like a monster and I believed in Tyler Wilson.