Inf prospects to CF?

[seak05]

With Cedric nearing free agency, I was half wondering if any of the orioles infield prospects could potentially play a plus cf?

I assume Holiday, but he’s staying at SS (and is a ways away). I know Vavra has dabbled out there. Westburg? 

[Brooks The Great]

I'd be shocked if Westburg has the speed and range to play CF. A corner outfield spot, maybe. But I think he'll be tried at 1B before any OF spot.

[owknows]

I still like Hudson Haskin.

Colton Cowser has considerable experience at the position.

Fabian is coming.

Not sure we need any more than that

[btdart20]

For INF options not named Holliday - Darell Hernaiz would fit the Vinn diagram intersect of speed, hitting upside, and proximity.  Tony has him with a 55 speed.  FG (heading into 2022) had him with a 50/45 speed.

Darell Hernaiz - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball

I think it's more likely we see Cowser or one of the stockpiles of AAA OFers (Franchy, Cameron, Fontana, Phillips - assuming he's still in the org).

 

[seak05]

1 hour ago, owknows said:

I still like Hudson Haskin.

Colton Cowser has considerable experience at the position.

Fabian is coming.

Not sure we need any more than that

I feel like the consensus on Cowser is more avg def cf, and seems like he’s best suited to the super size lf at Camden yards long term. Hernaiz might be interesting. 

[owknows]

2 minutes ago, seak05 said:

I feel like the consensus on Cowser is more avg def cf, and seems like he’s best suited to the super size lf at Camden yards long term. Hernaiz might be interesting. 

I've even heard people suggest Mateo as a conversion.

But I'm generally of the opinion that a .325+ OBP average defense in CF will probably win you more games than a .265 OBP awesome defense.

[btdart20]

2 hours ago, owknows said:

I've even heard people suggest Mateo as a conversion.

But I'm generally of the opinion that a .325+ OBP average defense in CF will probably win you more games than a .265 OBP awesome defense.

Yeah, I didn't cite Mateo because he's not a prospect.  He certainly has the speed, but if we're considering Mateo then we're in the Phillips realm too.

2 hours ago, seak05 said:

I feel like the consensus on Cowser is more avg def cf, and seems like he’s best suited to the super size lf at Camden yards long term. Hernaiz might be interesting. 

For context:

Hernaiz speed - Tony = 55.  FG = 50/45.  Not sure if his speed 'plays up' moving to the outfield.  It's a bit different type of speed plus I'm not sure if it impacts the grade.

Cowser speed - Tony = 60/55.  FG = 55/55 playing a known position.  

[SemperFi]

I know Elias that loves versatility, and I think he has drafted with that in mind but it's one thing to play corner OF another to play CF.  Range is not just speed, instincts and jump are so important in CF and trying to learn that at the higher minors or majors is so tough-on top of that there is a big learning curve adjusting to MLB stadiums with huge upper decks, wind patterns etc...every second is critical in CF.  How many times do you see non plus defenders get fooled by a big swing or take a bad angle to the ball, can't afford to give up an extra out or base at that level.  I will say having played CF (college) that I preferred that to trying to read tail or slice in the corners. Robin Yount was the best I remember at making that conversion and he made it later in his career-amazing!!

[Number5]

14 minutes ago, SemperFi said:

Robin Yount was the best I remember at making that conversion

That Mantle guy was pretty good.

[SemperFi]

13 minutes ago, Number5 said:

That Mantle guy was pretty good.

Wow, I love baseball history and had forgot he was signed as a SS.  Another name from the past and a personal favorite was Pete Reiser (the reason for padded OF walls), for those who never heard of him if he stayed at SS or 3B he would have been one of the best of all time.  Remember the Dodgers had Billy Cox at 3B (maybe the best glove man before Brooks) and Reese at SS so he was moved to OF.  The below links are a good read and I liked this quote from Leo Durocher  who was Reiser's first major league manager, reflecting many years later that in terms of talent, skill and potential, there was only one other player comparable to Reiser: Willie Mays. He also said, "Pete had more power than Willie—left-handed and right-handed both. Willie had everything, Pete had everything but luck."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Reiser

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/pete-reiser/

[Frobby]

9 hours ago, seak05 said:

With Cedric nearing free agency…

Nearing free agency?   He’s three seasons away!  By then you might have Fabian or Beavers in CF.   

[jabba72]

Mateo to me is the only IF worth mentioning as a possible CF. Unless theres a speedster in the lower minors im unaware of.

CF is where you generally want alot of speed. 

[SemperFi]

One of my favorite Orioles memories is of watching the brief period when Anderson, Finley and Devereaux-three very good CF's played together.  Ben McDonald spoke about what a joy it was to pitch with them behind him.

[Tony-OH]

7 hours ago, seak05 said:

With Cedric nearing free agency, I was half wondering if any of the orioles infield prospects could potentially play a plus cf?

I assume Holiday, but he’s staying at SS (and is a ways away). I know Vavra has dabbled out there. Westburg? 

Of the current middle infielders, Vavra has the most experience out there making 30 starts. Typically you want plus speed to consider moving an infielder to center field. Holliday right now would have that, but there are not a lot of other candidates. 

[RZNJ]

4 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Of the current middle infielders, Vavra has the most experience out there making 30 starts. Typically you want plus speed to consider moving an infielder to center field. Holliday right now would have that, but there are not a lot of other candidates. 

Gunnar would be an intriguing fit in CF if he wasn’t so good in the IF.