Creed Willems 2024

[yark14]

Kenny Powers....I mean Creed Willems is off to a hot start. 

https://www.milb.com/player/creed-willems-695735

[ChuckS]

His MO so far has been to mash a level after struggling there the previous year.  

I would like to see him continue that trend but be able to adjust more quickly once he his promoted to Bowie.  If he's able to do that, he could be find himself back in the top 10 which I believe is where he was slotted mid-last season. 

[MTMan13]

Amazing to me he’s still only 20. Feels like he’s been around forever. Seeing him make and look like he belongs at AA would be huge for our farm. 

[Yossarian]

He is a tough one to figure out.  He's in his 4th season of minor league ball and he is only 20 years old (did he play as a 17 year-old)?  While he has good numbers so far this year,  in his 633 MiLB at bats, he has a .210 batting average and a .674 OPS at the lowest levels of professional ball.   That does not seem like the resume of a top 10 prospect in the organization. 

[MTMan13]

He’s a June birthday, very young for his class. Good to see him and Baumler both doing well in early innings for Aberdeen. 

[ChuckS]

15 minutes ago, Yossarian said:

He is a tough one to figure out.  He's in his 4th season of minor league ball and he is only 20 years old (did he play as a 17 year-old)?  While he has good numbers so far this year,  in his 633 MiLB at bats, he has a .210 batting average and a .674 OPS at the lowest levels of professional ball.   That does not seem like the resume of a top 10 prospect in the organization. 

Considering the low offensive bar for catchers, he has a long time to develop the offensive part of his game.

There is still plenty of upside there IMO.  He could follow a similar path as Jonah Heim.  If he was a college player, he would be getting drafted just this season. So making it all to Double-A as a 20/21 year-old would be no small feat. 

[RZNJ]

50 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

His MO so far has been to mash a level after struggling there the previous year.  

I would like to see him continue that trend but be able to adjust more quickly once he his promoted to Bowie.  If he's able to do that, he could be find himself back in the top 10 which I believe is where he was slotted mid-last season. 

Creed doesn’t turn 21 until June.  Give him a full season in Aberdeen unless he totally dominates, which I doubt.   Nothing wrong with a 21 year old catcher starting in AA next year.   

[ChuckS]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

Creed doesn’t turn 21 until June.  Give him a full season in Aberdeen unless he totally dominates, which I doubt.   Nothing wrong with a 21 year old catcher starting in AA next year.   

I have no problem with him being in Aberdeen all season, but would like to see him hit well enough there to have earned a promotion.  

[Frobby]

Sally League player of the week!

 

[Jim'sKid26]

What do we know about his current catch and throw skills? My recollection is that he was not a defensive wizard as a youngster. Have these improved? I also recall some questions about conditioning and the ability to be behind the plate during the Dog Days of summer. 

[Rbiggs2525]

2 hours ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

What do we know about his current catch and throw skills? My recollection is that he was not a defensive wizard as a youngster. Have these improved? I also recall some questions about conditioning and the ability to be behind the plate during the Dog Days of summer. 

Pretty sure his catch and throw is average to slightly above average. His caught stealing has been in low 30’s most his career. I believe he needs work on the minor details like framing and blocking. Most 20 year old catchers need work in those areas.

[Hank Scorpio]

#5 for Creed man tonight.

[Frobby]

12 hours ago, Hank Scorpio said:

#5 for Creed man tonight.

It’s really interesting how this is the second straight year he’s dominated while repeating a level he’d struggled at the previous season.  (Though 9 games is a little early to say that he’ll continue to dominate.)

[Otter]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

It’s really interesting how this is the second straight year he’s dominated while repeating a level he’d struggled at the previous season.  (Though 9 games is a little early to say that he’ll continue to dominate.)

Yes, it's an interesting pattern.  But I also suspect it stands out to us since we've become a little spoiled with the fast-moving and precocious prospects we've had fly through our system in the past few years.  

[btdart20]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

It’s really interesting how this is the second straight year he’s dominated while repeating a level he’d struggled at the previous season.  (Though 9 games is a little early to say that he’ll continue to dominate.)

A year or two ago Elias said something to the effect of liking to promote a guy later in the season so he can get a taste of the competition, experience struggles/failure, and have something to work for in the offseason.  Maybe that's what we're seeing here.