2018 Prospect Mega Thread

[moonslav59]

Devers kicked the door down. He wasn't fast tracked as much as he made them fast track him. His AA numbers were bonkers for a 20 yr old then he went supernova in 9 games in Pawtucket right around the time the Pablo adventure ended. It was the perfect storm. I think, to a man, Dombrowski would have loved to have kept Devers down in the minors last yr and brought him up this year in May to set his clock back. I think the kid is going to be a star. I don't have the same feeling around Chavis. I wonder if Chavis' power is real, and with his skills, his new power is his only solid trait

It might not be as "new" as people think. Chavis was injured early in his pro career.

[moonslav59]

Kinda scary when out top competition in the AL this year also has so many more top and or better prospects...

NYY: 6, 38, 41, 59, 77, 81

HOU: 10, 15, 62, 76

CLE: 20, 33

BOS: 83, 85

(Also, 6 of the top 21 prospects are in the AL East- none with the Sox.)

[Bellhorn04]

Kinda scary when out top competition in the AL this year also has so many more top and or better prospects...

NYY: 6, 38, 41, 59, 77, 81

HOU: 10, 15, 62, 76

CLE: 20, 33

BOS: 83, 85

It's not the best situation, that's for sure. But think of it this way, if they didn't call Devers up he'd be one of the top prospects and the picture would look much different. This stuff changes rapidly.

[moonslav59]

It's not the best situation, that's for sure. But think of it this way, if they didn't call Devers up he'd be one of the top prospects and the picture would look much different. This stuff changes rapidly.

True, but if the Yanks did not call up Judge and Sanchez, and the Astros didn't call up Bregman and...

[moonslav59]

Players 25 and under

Boston:
Betts
Bogey
ERod
Beni
Devers

NYY
Judge
Sanchez
Montgmoery
Severino
Torreyes
Bird
Frazier

HOU
Bregman
Fisher
McCullers
Correa

CLE
Ramirez
Lindor
Meritt

[Bellhorn04]

True, but if the Yanks did not call up Judge and Sanchez, and the Astros didn't call up Bregman and...

The Yanks are in scary good shape for young talent right now, no question.

[Carpin]

Kinda scary when out top competition in the AL this year also has so many more top and or better prospects...

NYY: 6, 38, 41, 59, 77, 81

HOU: 10, 15, 62, 76

CLE: 20, 33

BOS: 83, 85

(Also, 6 of the top 21 prospects are in the AL East- none with the Sox.)

Also the Rays have 6: 14, 19, 39, 45, 49 & 96
Those guys have 5 prospects in the top 50, somehow they find a way to develop impact players.

[moonslav59]

Also the Rays have 6: 14, 19, 39, 45, 49 & 96
Those guys have 5 prospects in the top 50, somehow they find a way to develop impact players.

They've had a lot of top 100 misses, though.

[Carpin]

They've had a lot of top 100 misses, though.

yep, but it's hard to argue against their method, it's tough to be a low market team in the MLB

[Kimmi]

And Ben, for forcing Dave to trade so many prospects for pitching.

Yes, Dave could probably have traded less of them, but still, he had no choice but to make some trades for pitching.

Making some trades is one thing. Depleting the farm is another.

[Kimmi]

I'd rather have Sale, Kimbrel and Pom than the guys we gave up.

I'd rather have a team that is competitive now and beyond the 2 year window.

[Kimmi]

Devers kicked the door down. He wasn't fast tracked as much as he made them fast track him. His AA numbers were bonkers for a 20 yr old then he went supernova in 9 games in Pawtucket right around the time the Pablo adventure ended. It was the perfect storm. I think, to a man, Dombrowski would have loved to have kept Devers down in the minors last yr and brought him up this year in May to set his clock back. I think the kid is going to be a star. I don't have the same feeling around Chavis. I wonder if Chavis' power is real, and with his skills, his new power is his only solid trait

Yup. Dave panicked.

[moonslav59]

yep, but it's hard to argue against their method, it's tough to be a low market team in the MLB

I totally agree. They've been very competitive per dollar spent.

They were masters of the system of gaining supplemental picks. Here's an example of them at their best (but note how many of these picks have not produced):

2011 Draft--10 picks in the top 60!
1 (24) Taylor Guerrieri (for losing Carl Crawford)
1 (31) Mikie Mahtook (for Rafael Soriano)
1 (32) Jake Hager
1S (38) Brandon Martin (for Soriano)
1S (41) Tyler Goeddel (for Crawford)
1S (42) Jeff Ames (for Grant Balfour)
1S (52) Blake Snell (for Brad Hawpe)
1S (56) Kes Carter (for Joaquin Benoit)
1S (59) Grayson Garvin (for randy Choate)
1S (60) James Harris Jr (for Chad Qualls)
2 (75) Granden Goetzman (for Balfour)
2 (89) Lenny Linsky

This was shockingly unprecedented, but largely squandered.

[moonslav59]

The Rays biggest strength is choosing the right young players to extend early and getting them to agree. They are also very good at choosing the exact right time to let players go by trading them or getting comp picks. Many of their past players have career years with the Rays and then go elsewhere and suck. Another thing they often get right is signing cheap (sometimes even journeymen) free agents who go on to have career years.

They may do better with lower round picks, but I listed the many top picks chosen in the legendary 2011 draft, and here are others:

2017: Brendan McKay (4) [39th in BA 2018]
2016: Josh Lowe (10)
2015: Garrett Whitley (13)
2014: Casey Gillaspie (20)
2013: Nick Ciuffo (21) & Ryne Stanek (29)
2012: Ricjie Shaffer (25)

2010: Joshua Sale (17)
2009: LeVon Washington (30)
2008: Tim Beckham (1)
2007: David Price (1)
2006: Evan Longoria (3)
2005: Wade Townsend (8)
2004: Jeff Niemann (4)
2003: Delmon Young (1)
2002: BJ Upton (2)
2001: Dewon Brazelton (3)

They have struck gold on draft picks, mostly long ago, when they had top picks, but I would not say it is their strength.

[notin]

Sort of like how the Dodgers, while they always seem to have a good farm, have developed this new knack for taking utility infielders and turning them into All Stars...