Caesar Petrio. Boom or Bust?

[rudyrooster]

Seems like the O's have some sorta connection to Cuba.  If rumors are to be believed, Prieto is the Cuban version of Tony Gwynn.

[Roll Tide]

53 minutes ago, rudyrooster said:

Seems like the O's have some sorta connection to Cuba.  If rumors are to be believed, Prieto is the Cuban version of Tony Gwynn.

That would be exciting if it comes to be. I wouldn’t get too excited about .370 at the level of competition. That doesn’t mean he can’t be … just that those stats tend to be inflated. Also hopefully he can play defense 

 

by the way according to bbref his name is Prieto like you spelled it in the post not the thread title.

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=prieto000ces

[Frobby]

Last week, Matt Blood was asked on 105.7 to pick a player or two who he thought were flying a little under the radar and were looking good in camp.  Last year he chose Joey Ortiz and that turned out to be a good call before he got hurt.  The two names he gave this year were Adam Hall and Cesar Prieto.   

[DrinkinWithFermi]

I will be pretty damn happy if Prieto can provide league-average offense at 3 or 4 positions around the diamond as a utility guy. If he can be more than that, even better.

[Moose Milligan]

Can’t really bust if you don’t have high hopes. From what I remember reading the contact skills are nice but how they translate to pro ball in the States remains to be seen. 
 

 

[now]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

Can’t really bust if you don’t have high hopes. From what I remember reading the contact skills are nice but how they translate to pro ball in the States remains to be seen. 
 

 

I would wager elite contact skills will play anywhere.

[Pickles]

11 minutes ago, now said:

I would wager elite contact skills will play anywhere.

How valuable did they make Hanser Alberto?

Now I'm not saying Peitro is Alberto.  But it's entirely possible to hit 300 and be essentially valueless.

That said, I'm excited to watch this guy and hope for the best.

[Moose Milligan]

41 minutes ago, now said:

I would wager elite contact skills will play anywhere.

I’m sure there have been guys with elite contact skills in the minors that have washed out in the majors. 
 

For Prieto, it depends on the level of competition he is used to facing. 

[SteveA]

49 minutes ago, Pickles said:

How valuable did they make Hanser Alberto?

Now I'm not saying Peitro is Alberto.  But it's entirely possible to hit 300 and be essentially valueless.

That said, I'm excited to watch this guy and hope for the best.

Alberto just signed with the Dodgers.  Guess they feel he has some value.

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, SteveA said:

Alberto just signed with the Dodgers.  Guess they feel he has some value.

He almost surely signed a minimum contract commensurate with his minimal value.

My point wasn't really about Alberto, or Pietro for that matter, but simply that elite contact skills, if that's all you bring to the table, do not constitute a valuable player.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

53 minutes ago, Pickles said:

But it's entirely possible to hit 300 and be essentially valueless.

The year Hanser hit over .300 for us in over 500 PAs, his OPS+ was sub-100.

[Pickles]

7 minutes ago, DrinkinWithFermi said:

The year Hanser hit over .300 for us in over 500 PAs, his OPS+ was sub-100.

Case in point.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, now said:

I would wager elite contact skills will play anywhere.

We won’t know if he has elite contact skills against consistent low-mid 90’s stuff until he proves that Stateside.   From what I’ve read, the Cuban league he played in features a lot of crafty high-80’s pitchers but not many high velocity guys.   So, I’m hopeful his contact skills will translate but he’ll have to prove it.  

[btdart20]

A lot TBD for his move to the MLB.  His SB success rate is lacking.  His BB rate is spotty at best.  His contact skills seem legit consider his Cuba stats and Cowser’s impressions.  Agree that there’s still an adjustment to the velocity  of MLB pitchers.

Even if his SLG isn’t top tier he can add value with OBP.  Hitting .280 is meaningless if you’re OBP is .300 like Hanser.  OBP for a slap hitter needs to be much higher to bring value and lead to runs.

[Jammer7]

Prieto is interesting, sure. I want to see him drive the ball more than his profile suggests he has in the past. He does not come with a great defensive reputation, and that has to improve. 

I am interested to see what physicality he gains from proper nutrition and training, and then we’ll see what he can be. From what little we have seen in video clips on twitter and such, I think he has a chance to have an impact in 2023, maybe mid year.