Creed Willems 2022

[RZNJ]

12 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

No idea.  I remember reading that Hall didn't play as much as most draftees.

But hey, you want to get nitpicking over one of my posts, you be you.

Actually, I think you were nitpicking over someone else's post before I nitpicked on your post.   Haha.

Hall has long been known as one of the top prospects in Canada, having established himself on the national scene as an underclassman. Hall lived up to the hype on the summer showcase circuit, flashing explosive tools, particularly with his righthanded bat. In the summer, Hall showed natural timing and plus bat speed. He made hard contact against the nation's top prep arms on a consistent basis, flashed an above-average arm and showed plus speed. This spring, playing with the Canadian Junior National Team, Hall hasn't shown as well offensively. His swing includes a late arm bar with his lead arm, and he struggles to get out of it. Hall often displays his frustrations aggressively on the field, an issue scouts asked him to address during the offseason. He still has the natural elements to develop into a quality hitter, with quick hands and line-drive ability in batting practice. Hall is a shortstop now and has some of the ingredients necessary to stay there, but his arm strength and body control have been inconsistent throughout the year and aren't always on display, leading to some concerns as to where he'll wind up defensively. His quick-twitch athleticism and competitive fire give him a high ceiling, albeit with significant risk. He is committed to Texas A&M

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, ChuckS said:

Adam Hall and Ryan McKenna did not make full season clubs the year following when they were drafted and they were second and fourth round picks respectively.  Both ended up becoming decent prospects. 

Things are a little different now with the NY-Penn league gone.  The average age of players in NY-P was 21.7 in 2019.  The FCL is about 19.5.   So if you were playing in the NY-P the year after being drafted out of high school, you were doing well.   Only a few top prospects started for a full season club.  But with that layer gone, the landscape has changed.  

[Tony-OH]

Watching Creed play a couple games and I can tell you, this young man was not very successful in losing that "baby fat". He reminds me of John Kruk body type wise. 

He's really going to have to watch his body to make sure he doesn't get out of control as he ages.

[Frobby]

 

[RZNJ]

He didn't strike out last night.  Baby steps.  

3 of 4 runners caught. Great start in that department.  1 passed ball in each game so far. Gotta tighten that up.  Of course, he's got to hit a little too.

[MurphDogg]

Keith Law mentioned him in his scouting post today.

Baltimore’s eighth-round pick from 2021, catcher Creed Willems, who got a well over-slot bonus of $1 million, was overmatched at the plate and, more concerning, looks totally out of shape.

Obviously the numbers (.053/.100/.053, 14 Ks and 2 walks over 40 plate appearances) speak for themselves. Hopefully he isn't one of those rare players who gets their signing bonus and realizes that their heart just isn't into being a professional ballplayer.

[ChuckS]

5 minutes ago, MurphDogg said:

Keith Law mentioned him in his scouting post today.

Baltimore’s eighth-round pick from 2021, catcher Creed Willems, who got a well over-slot bonus of $1 million, was overmatched at the plate and, more concerning, looks totally out of shape.

Obviously the numbers (.053/.100/.053, 14 Ks and 2 walks over 40 plate appearances) speak for themselves. Hopefully he isn't one of those rare players who gets their signing bonus and realizes that their heart just isn't into being a professional ballplayer.

Since he has never looked in shape to begin with, that isn't as concerning for me as his performance. 

At least he's got time on his side. 

[Frobby]

Just now, ChuckS said:

Since he has never looked in shape to begin with, that isn't as concerning for me as his performance. 

At least he's got time on his side. 

It is concerning to me when a professional athlete who has received $1 mm doesn’t get himself into shape.  I’ll watch him patiently, but this one looks like it could be a bust.  

[ChuckS]

22 minutes ago, Frobby said:

It is concerning to me when a professional athlete who has received $1 mm doesn’t get himself into shape.  I’ll watch him patiently, but this one looks like it could be a bust.  

Of course it's concerning. But if his weight was such a concern they shouldn't have given him that kind of bonus. 

This is a bottom heavy guy with narrow shoulders relative to his weight.  He's always probably going to have a bad body and some conditioning issues.  Unless his hit tool was rating super high, this one seemed like a head scratcher from the start to pay a high school kid that much just based on his EV's. 

[RZNJ]

Not looking good but it's my job to look for anything positive.    He had a 3 game stretch where he struck out 9 times in 14 AB's.   Since then only 2 strikeouts in 14 AB's.   Now, is he making any solid contact?    I don't know but obviously hits are tough to come by for him right now.

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Not looking good but it's my job to look for anything positive.    

I thought that was wildcard’s job.  

[RZNJ]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I thought that was wildcard’s job.  

Tony called Wilcard the pollyana of the ML board and me the pollyana of the minor league board.   Wildcard wants to be know as Pollycard, btw.

I may err on the side of optimism but I don't think I go way overboard either.  haha

[yark14]

He's a kid that should have went to college.

[owknows]

Looks to me like he's been a chubby dude his whole life.  Lots of pictures of him playing as a portly fella.

Don't know if his weight has anything to do with his performance.

More than likely just the jump from high school.

[Hazmat]

I still wish we would have done something like what the Pirates did in the 2021 draft, front load any overslot $ into the first 4-5 picks, sign some big time high schoolers out of their college commitments.