Enrique Bradfield Jr. 2024

[Cuellar35]

1 hour ago, emmett16 said:

Finished 3 for 4 OPS up to .745

Silly question....why aren't stolen bases taken into account for OPS?  Just logically there is great value in being able to turn a walk (or of course a single) into essentially a double.  In this new era of baseball speed importance is heightened.  If Bradfield can find a way to get, and keep, his OBP near .320 he becomes a serious weapon.

[Bemorewins]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

He’s getting his extra base hits of late.  His ISO is up to .145.  If he can maintain that, he’ll be a legit prospect.  

I acknowledge that he is a different kind of player that all of our other first round picks under this administration. But until proven otherwise, based on Elias & Sig’s track record with first round picks and development; he is absolutely already a legit prospect. 

I’m not going to doubt Elias/Sig’s rolls until they come up snake eyes a couple of times. They are batting 1.000 until this point and I wouldn’t expect it to be any different with Bradfield Jr even if his game is different.

[Frobby]

9 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

I acknowledge that he is a different kind of player that all of our other first round picks under this administration. But until proven otherwise, based on Elias & Sig’s track record with first round picks and development; he is absolutely already a legit prospect. 

I’m not going to doubt Elias/Sig’s rolls until they come up snake eyes a couple of times. They are batting 1.000 until this point and I wouldn’t expect it to be any different with Bradfield Jr even if his game is different.

The way I see it, picking at 1:17 is way different from picking at 1:1, 1:2 or 1:5.  So, I don’t assume Bradfield will be legit.  But my big worry coming into the year was that Bradfield would generate so few extra base hits that he wouldn’t be able to draw walks because pitches would just throw it over and dare him to hurt them.  Bradfield is showing that he has doubles/triples power, so that makes me feel a bit better about his ability to cause pitchers to be careful with him.  I still want to see his BA get a good bit higher than the current .253, but he’s trending in the right direction.  In 10 games since coming off the IL, he’s hit .278/.381/.472.  That’s the kind of slash line I can get behind!

[Hazmat]

1 hour ago, jabba72 said:

Enrique Bradfield Jr. hits a triple | 05/17/2024 | MLB.com

Wow.  The ball didn’t even make it to the wall and he was to third easily.  That is some serious speed.

[Bemorewins]

8 hours ago, Frobby said:

The way I see it, picking at 1:17 is way different from picking at 1:1, 1:2 or 1:5.  So, I don’t assume Bradfield will be legit.  But my big worry coming into the year was that Bradfield would generate so few extra base hits that he wouldn’t be able to draw walks because pitches would just throw it over and dare him to hurt them.  Bradfield is showing that he has doubles/triples power, so that makes me feel a bit better about his ability to cause pitchers to be careful with him.  I still want to see his BA get a good bit higher than the current .253, but he’s trending in the right direction.  In 10 games since coming off the IL, he’s hit .278/.381/.472.  That’s the kind of slash line I can get behind!

It’s not like Elias and Sig have been reliant solely upon top 5 picks. Wasn’t Westburg 1:30 and Mayo something like a 3rd rounder? 

If Bradfield happened to be a pitcher, I would most certainly share your concerns. Because this front office has no track record in drafting and developing pitching, for the most part they haven’t even really tried. But the position players, for now I think they have that covered in spades.

Bradfield hasn’t even had a half of a seasons to adjust to professional baseball. Rare is the player like Holliday, who just begins like a whirlwind and doesn’t stop until he gets to the big leagues. 

Not that I’m telling you anything that you don’t already know as a long time baseball/Orioles fan, but most of these guys take a little time. Even our younger players on the big club are still growing/improving.

[jabba72]

Here's how some other Oriole prospects have fared in Aberdeen. 

Cowser .795
Kjerstad .674
Mayo .821
Henderson .775
Westburg .858

I would say Bradfield is doing pretty well at the moment. 

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

Here's how some other Oriole prospects have fared in Aberdeen. 

Cowser .795
Kjerstad .674
Mayo .821
Henderson .775
Westburg .858

I would say Bradfield is doing pretty well at the moment. 

I think that if Gunnar had spent the 2023 season in Aberdeen instead of Baltimore he could have put up some numbers.

[emmett16]

12 hours ago, Cuellar35 said:

Silly question....why aren't stolen bases taken into account for OPS?  Just logically there is great value in being able to turn a walk (or of course a single) into essentially a double.  In this new era of baseball speed importance is heightened.  If Bradfield can find a way to get, and keep, his OBP near .320 he becomes a serious weapon.

OPS is a batting stat combing SLG & OBP.  I get your point and agree.  He doesn’t need to slug if he’s getting on base at a good clip.  He’s an exciting player with a good head on his shoulders and I’m pretty confident he’s going to figure it out and be a difference maker on both sides of the field. 

Edited May 18 by emmett16

[Rbiggs2525]

It’s refreshing to have a first round pick as an afterthought. Exciting last few weeks for Bradfield Jr.

[Frobby]

12 hours ago, Cuellar35 said:

Silly question....why aren't stolen bases taken into account for OPS?  Just logically there is great value in being able to turn a walk (or of course a single) into essentially a double.  In this new era of baseball speed importance is heightened.  If Bradfield can find a way to get, and keep, his OBP near .320 he becomes a serious weapon.

Short answer is, OPS measures batting, not baserunning.  There are plenty of other stats that judge overall offense that take baserunning into account.  

[luismatos4prez]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Short answer is, OPS measures batting, not baserunning.  There are plenty of other stats that judge overall offense that take baserunning into account.  

Fangraphs' Offense (Baserunning and Batting combined) is a good measure that does that. Elly de la Cruz and Gunnar are ahead of Salvador Perez in that one even though Perez is hitting better than them. Speed matters.

I'm a fan of Bradfield. Even if he doesn't hit, Billy Hamilton got to 12 fWAR on CF defense and baserunning alone. And if he does hit, he gets into Carl Crawford territory.

[Yossarian]

Is anyone placing odds on whether Bradfield becomes an every day starter for the Orioles?  I would take the "no" on that one. 

[Gentile4]

I'm glad I came to this thread since I've been wondering if it's too soon to worry about a 22 year old at High-A who's not lighting things up. I feel better about the young man's progress, and I know it's VERY early still. 

[RZNJ]

15 minutes ago, Yossarian said:

Is anyone placing odds on whether Bradfield becomes an every day starter for the Orioles?  I would take the "no" on that one. 

What are the odds?   They’re certainly greater than 0%.   I’d go 50% that he is a regular at some point.

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, Gentile4 said:

I'm glad I came to this thread since I've been wondering if it's too soon to worry about a 22 year old at High-A who's not lighting things up. I feel better about the young man's progress, and I know it's VERY early still. 

Yeah, it’s too early.  There are some good signs with the extra base hits.  Averages and OPS can take big swings either way this early in the season.