Minor League and Prospect Discussion

[ATLien]

Top Positional Players.

Link

1. Andy Marte – He’s close. Defensively, he showed everyone in Atlanta how good he is. He just needs consistent at bats to prove the offensive part.

2. Jeff Francoeur – Jeff is walking more and becoming a RBI machine for the AA team. A good July by Jeff may make force the Braves to release Brian Jordan.

3. Scott Thorman – The forgotten prospect. No one ever mentions Scott, but he’s showing this season that he’s a hitter.

4. Josh Burrus – He turned the corner last season and this year he is showing that he is a prime prospect.

5. Jarrod Saltalamacchia – When the season is over, he’ll be one of the most highly touted catching prospects in the game.

6. Billy McCarthy – Struggling in his second season back in AAA, but he’s still a hitter that the Braves love.

7. Matt Esquivel – Also showing tremendous production, Esquivel must cut down on his strikeouts.

8. Wes Timmons – Ladies and Gentleman, the next Pete Orr. He’s versatile, plays hard, and makes things happen.

9. James Jurries – Somebody’s going to have to give JJ a chance, but it might not be Atlanta.

10. Brayan Pena – Still has huge defensive question marks. Short stint in Atlanta did nothing to dispel defensive shortcomings. But his bat still makes him a prospect.

11. Van Pope – Having a solid season in Rome. Pope is a lower-level prospect that will be fun to watch develop over the next several seasons.

12. Tony Pena, Jr. – Instead of showing Braves he could be Furcal’s replacement, Pena is instead becoming just another prospect.

13. Yunel Escobar – In the organization for less than a month, Escobar might replace Pena as an option to supplant Furcal.

14. Martin Prado – He’s hit since the day he put on a Braves’ uniform. He’s not going to be thought of as a star, but might turn out to be one anyway.

15. Elvis Andrus – He’s 16 and he’s going to be a star. He won’t be at 15 for long on this list. By the end of the year, he might be in the Top 10.

16. Luis Hernandez – His offensive struggles have him a bit low, but we’ve got to remember he’s only 20 years old in AA. The glove continues to sparkle.

17. Clint Sammons – Meet your backup catcher in 2008. Clint can handle pitchers with the best of them and provide a spark in the lineup.

18. Eric Campbell – Off to a great start in Danville. The Braves expected his power to come and Campbell is not disappointing so far.

19. Steve Doetsch – Started in Rome but an injury pushed him up to Myrtle Beach. Doetsch is having a nice developmental season.

20. Jonathan Schuerholz – Has anyone noticed the impressive season this guy is having? Not really. Don’t count him out.

[ATLien]

I hear Elvis is a ****ing phenom. Plus, how ****ing awesome will it be when everytime he hits a HR you can say Elvis has left the building.

[ATLien]

Link

1. Anthony Lerew – Richmond has not slowed him down one bit. With Davies up, Lerew takes over as the number one prospect.

2. Chuck James – Hate to label James as a #2, but maybe #1b would be more appropriate. He’s just been dominant since the day he put on a Braves’ uniform.

3. Joey Devine – Does he deserve to be this high? Absolutely. If he continues being perfect, he’ll be in Atlanta in mid-August.

4. Zach Miner – Having a solid season in Richmond. Zach has some of the best stuff in the organization and deserves a chance.

5. Matt Harrison – Of all the Rome pitchers, he’s having the best season. The lefty version of Millwood is their comparison – not bad.

6. Jake Stevens – While not as dominating as 2004, Stevens is still having a solid developmental season in Myrtle Beach. Still one of the best young lefties around.

7. Brady Endl – The surprise of the year opened eyes in spring training and has not stopped. He could wind up in Mississippi before it’s all over this year.

8. James Parr – The 2004 4th rounder has been the hottest pitcher in the organization for the last three weeks, including an 8-inning no-hitter.

9. Kevin Barry – While the numbers aren’t great, Barry is showing that he’s close to being ready to contribute at the big league level.

10. Macay McBride – Is he a starter or a reliever? Right now, he’s a lefty reliever with more development needed.

11. Chris Vines – The Rome staff has been very impressive, and Vines is having a very solid season. He’s got great size and great stuff.

12. Luis Atilano – See Vines’ comment and add Atilano’s name. Pretty much the same story. How good might Atilano and Vines be in two years?

13. Matt Wright – Wright has had some good appearances in AA this season. Wonder if he could develop into a Gryboski-type reliever?

14. Sean White – The benefactor of run support in Myrtle Beach, White has still pitched well this season. He and Endl are two solid college draft picks.

15. Glenn Tucker – Mississippi’s closer has really never struggled in his pro career. He’s a sidearmer that confuses hitters and gets people out.

16. Jairo Cuevas – The fast start in Danville gives him some attention. He’s a big righty with great control and is taking off this year.

17. Frank Brooks – Expect him to get a spring invite next year. He’s having a solid season in Richmond.

18. Matt Coenen – Inconsistent a bit in Mississippi, but the good games are outnumbering the bad ones.

19. Will Startup – He’s not been perfect like Devine, but he’s showing that Rome won’t be his last stop in 2004.

20. Chris Waters – Probably a surprise but he’s showing he’s healthy again and he’s left-handed. Never count out a lefty.

[General]

I'd say James is numero uno. He cannot be stopped. Good list otherwise, for the most part.

[General]

I've heard of Andrus, he looks to be a beast.

release Brian Jordan.

^^Best part of the article^^

[General]

Wait, where's McCann? We can deal Pena, we don't need him with McCann playing the way he is. Nothing against Pena, but McCann is the better player at this point for Atlanta.

[ATLien]

They only included players that are on the farm. McCann is in the majors.

Atlanta has some serious talent at Catcher, though. Look out for Jarrod Saltalamacchia. He's going to be a great power hitter for this organization, and will probably be moved to 1B once he's ready for the big show.

[ATLien]

I concur.

[General]

1. Jeff Francoeur, of
2. Andy Marte, 3b
3. Brian McCann, c
4. Kyle Davies, rhp
5. Anthony Lerew, rhp
6. Jake Stevens, lhp
7. Luis Hernandez, ss
8. Kelly Johnson, of
9. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c
10. Blaine Boyer, rhp

Best Hitter for Average Jeff Francoeur
Best Power Hitter Andy Marte
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Wes Timmons
Fastest Baserunner Gregor Blanco
Best Athlete Jeff Francoeur
Best Fastball Anthony Lerew
Best Curveball Charlie Morton
Best Slider Macay McBride
Best Changeup Kyle Davies
Best Control Jake Stevens
Best Defensive Catcher Brian McCann
Best Defensive Infielder Luis Hernandez
Best Infield Arm Wilson Betemit
Best Defensive Outfielder Ryan Langerhans
Best Outfield Arm Jeff Francoeur

In case you don't know these guys, here are some scouting tidbits on a few of them.

Francoeur is one of the purest five-tool players in the minor leagues. Scouts rave about the way he consistently gets the barrel of the bat on the ball. He uses his hands well in his swing and generates tremendous bat speed, which combined with his natural power should enable him to hit 30-plus home runs annually in the majors.

McCann is the best catching prospect in the minors (at least among catchers who figure to stick at the position long-term), mostly because of his tremendous power potential. Last season, McCann slugged .494 and posted an Isolated Slugging Percentage (which is slugging percentage minus batting average and is a good indicator of raw, projectable power) of .216 (more than .200 is good benchmark), all while playing at High-A Myrtle Beach, arguably the toughest hitter's park in pro ball. He hit 16 homers last season, but his 35 doubles in 385 at-bats point to further power down the road. Some scouts worry that his swing, which is long at times, will be exploited at the higher levels, but that's speculation at this point. McCann needs to increase his walk rates and refine his defense behind the plate, but his future is indeed bright.

A supplemental first-rounder in 2003, Saltalamacchia, besides having a surname that's a bane to those who sew names on the backs of uniform jerseys, is emerging as one of the best catching prospects in the game. He has excellent power potential from the left side (he's a switch-hitter), and he's shown solid patience at the plate. Last season in the Sally League, he averaged roughly an extra-base hit every ten at-bats despite being only 19 years of age. He needs to improve his arm behind the plate and consolidate his offensive skills, but there's lots of ability here.

The Braves love to draft suburban-Atlanta prep talents, and, as oddly circumscribed as such an approach might sound, it works for them. Davies, fourth-round choice in 2001, is another example of the organization's success in that regard. Davies makes hay with a low-90s fastball with good life, overhand curve and tremendous changeup. That his change is already so advanced bodes well for his future. With the departure of Dan Meyer in the Tim Hudson trade, Davies is now the best pitcher in a system that knows a thing or two about cultivating arms.

Here we have the next great Brave. Signed out of the Dominican in 2000 as a non-drafted free agent, Marte has shown excellent power and plate discipline at every level above rookie ball. He's also a strong defender at third. He could stand to make contact at a higher rate, which suggests he's occasionally prone to breaking balls, but otherwise he's without a weakness. He'll contend for the MVP award in about five or six years.

Luis Hernandez is one of the most interesting players in the Atlanta Braves system. First of all, he's pure and simply the best defensive player to wear a Braves uniform in years, and perhaps ever. When Rafael Belliard tells you the kid is the best he's ever seen, you have to know it might be true. To watch Hernandez play defense it truly a pleasure. He's got everything: arm, accuracy, and range. He's acrobatic and then he makes the routine plays. His defense has never been a question mark. Two years ago, after he had just finished in the Gulf Coast League, the Braves minor league coaches were talking about how he was ready for the big leagues defensively right then - at 18. The only question was his offense, and you can tell by his numbers he continues to improve. While facing a huge offensive challenge at Myrtle Beach, Hernandez showed power with six home runs and the ability to drive the ball into the gaps. He realizes he must improve his plate discipline, and if he can do that he could be extremely dangerous with the bat. Luis is an excellent bunter, and it sure would be neat if he could develop into a solid number two hitter. But with the questions on offense, he's more than likely going to end up hitting eighth in the lineup. However, if he could put up the numbers he had last season in Myrtle Beach in the big leagues, the Braves might have an All-Star shortstop for many years to come. He's simply so good defensively that whatever you can get offensively will be a plus, and if he can avoid being a liability, he'll increase his value even more. Luis will head to AA Mississippi this season, and if he does well with the bat, the talk with start about him taking over should Furcal leave via free agency. In fact, if Luis has a good season with the bat, Furcal's future may be sealed anyway. Please look forward to watching Luis play; you'll really love watching someone with his ability to catch the ball. Hernandez has a chance to be very special.

Ryan langerhans is ready for the major leagues after a tremendous season in AAA last year. You can’t really play much better in the minor leagues as Ryan did last season. The Braves wanted to see if he could hit for power, and he delivered 20 home runs. He was consistent all season, and his numbers across the board were superb. Out of options, he must make the 25-man roster or be lost through waivers, and the Braves have no intention of losing him. Again, the likely scenario is Langerhans and Jordan settling into a platoon, similar to the one Charles Thomas and Eli Marrero made so effective last season. Ryan is going to provide tremendous defense with a great arm. If he produces anything close to what he did last season in Richmond, Langerhans could be around for a long time.

Kelly Johnson often gets lost in the shuffle in all this outfield talk, but all the left-handed hitter did last season was show once again why he’s such a great prospect. The Braves moved him to the outfield, and he played like he had been there all his life. It was incredible how comfortable he looked in the outfield; Johnson was either acting or he’s just that good. Offensively, a return to AA usually means the organization wants to see some progress, and that’s exactly what Kelly showed. His numbers were impressive across the board, and there are still many in the organization that believes Kelly will become a solid starting outfielder in the big leagues. His ability to play short and third base won’t hurt, but what will impress more than anything will be if Kelly goes to AAA and shows he’s close to being ready for the major leagues.

[ATLien]

Chuck James has been dominating this year. I put him as our #2 pitcher, after Davies, but ahead of Lerew and Devine.

[General]

Devine is getting up there though. I fully expect him to be at the ML level by September and even fight for the Closer's job with Reitsma next year (pending any trades).

[ATLien]

Devine is getting up there though. I fully expect him to be at the ML level by September and even fight for the Closer's job with Reitsma next year (pending any trades).

Devine will be hear by September, maybe before then. The closers job is his, IMO. He's got the goods. 95MPH fastball, 81MPH slider. Damn. Braves like him a ton.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld...s/12046048.htm

[General]

And he pitches sidearm. That's just sexy.

[ATLien]

Atlanta almost has enough rookies on their major league team, to field an all-rookie team.

C: McCann
1B: ???
2B: Orr
3B: Marte (is in AAA now, but has already been in the majors this year)
SS: Betemit
LF: Johnson
CF: Francoeur
RF: Langerhans
SP: Davies

[General]

Saltamacchia can play 1B. He hasn't played at the MLB level, but he can.