MInor League Preview: Carolina League Northern
Mar 9, 2012; Fort Myers, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Adrian Marin (80) scores during the game against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park. The Orioles defeated the Red Sox 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Just because the season has begun, doesn’t mean we can’t continue our division previews. In fact, now that rosters have been established, it is a bit easier to give an educated preview of a given league, and so the Carolina League preview begins.
Frederick Keys
Parent Club: Baltimore Orioles
Pitching
Hometown boy, Branden Kline, was born and raised in Frederick, MD, and begins the season with the team whose games he attended as a kid. Despite being a closer at Virginia, he has worked exclusively as a starter thus far in his minor league career, but his future is most likely back in the bullpen. He has a three pitch mix, with his best pitch being a solid slider. His fastball plays best in short outings, as it can touch 95 MPH rather than the high-80s or low-90s when he goes deeper into games.
Mychal Givens spent three full seasons in the Orioles organization as a shortstop, but his bat never developed, so in 2013 he transitioned to the mound. He is still incredibly raw on the hill, but he shows some potential. He has a heavy sinking fastball and good slider that should earn him a promotion to Double-A before too long, but will serve as the closer in Frederick first.
Batting
Adrian Marin is currently a light hitting shortstop, but his bat needs to advance as his arm and natural defensive skills likely won’t allow him to stick long-term at short. The Orioles have a painful lack of depth in the middle infield in their system, so Marin will get the chance to try and prove scouts wrong about his future at short.
The Keys will also roll out Glynn Davis in center field, who was a rare undrafted player who has landed on some prospect lists. He plays solid defense in center, but his bat has not produced the power he was once expected to develop. His approach at the plate needs improving as does his recognition of breaking balls, but he is an interesting talent worth tracking.
Mar 3, 2014; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves executive vice president and general manager Frank Wren before a spring training exhibition game against the New York Mets at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports
Lynchburg Hillcats
Parent Club: Atlanta Braves
Pitching
Lucas Sims is universally considered the top prospect in the Braves organization, and he will likely spend the entire season with the Hillcats as he begins the year at just 19-years old. His fastball routinely works as high as 95 MPH with movement, and has an above-average overhand curve already and a solid feel for a change. He has solid control of all three pitches and could be a future number two stater.
Teaming with Sims in the rotation is Mauricio Cabrera. Cabrera is a hard throwing right-hander with a decent slider. In the rotation he also features a change that needs a lot of work, as does his command. He could someday become a solid starter should the command and change improve, but with the fastball and slider mix he currently relies heavily on, he probably projects more as a late-inning reliever.
Wes Parsons is also in the rotation as an undrafted guy. His best sport was once thought to be golf, he is now back on a pitcher’s mound with a mid-90s fastball and a solid slider.
Batting
Jose Peraza has flashed plus speed, glove, and arm at short, and is not quite 20-years old. His bat has the potential to also be a plus tool, but will never hit for any power. He has more steals in his minor league career than he has strikeouts (no real scouting value there, just an oddity) and has shown an advanced eye at the plate.
The outfield will feature Kyle Wren and Josh Elander. Wren is the son of Braves GM Frank Wren, but if proving his own worth regardless of his name. he has plus-plus speed and may be able to stick in center field. He has shown a good eye at the plate and put up an impressive .335 average in 53 games after being drafted in the 8th round last June. Elander is a former catcher who has quickly improved his defense in left field since moving there last spring. He has a good eye at the plate and has flashed some home run potential.
June 10, 2012; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Stanford Cardinal pitcher Brett Mooneyham (34) pitches the ball in the first inning of game two of the Tallahassee super regional against the Florida State Seminoles at Dick Howser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Potomac Nationals
Parent Club: Washington Nationals
Pitching
The Potomac pitching staff if far from loaded with talent. The trio of Brett Mooneyham, Nick Lee, and Robert Benincasa are the best three arms on the team, with Mooneyham holding the most impressive resume. He was a third round pick out of Stanford in 2012 and has an ERA just a hair over 3 in 147 pro innings. His control has been an issue as he is averaging more than four walks per nine innings pitched. If he can control his pitches, he may be a back of the rotation guy, but projects most likely as a middle-reliever.
Batting
Pedro Severino has a cannon arm from behind the plate and a true plus glove. He has the chops to become a solid backup catcher in the big leagues, but it is a question if he will ever hit enough to be a starter. His triple slash line coming into the season was .223/.277/.308, but he has already had a good start to the 2014 season. There is hope he can become a .270 hitter, but he is most likely a future back-up rather than a real impact player.
Apr 14, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore during batting practice before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Wilmington Blue Rocks
Parent Club: Kansas City Royals
Pitching
There was no player this spring that impressed me more than Sean Manaea. His fastball was heavy and had some late run, and his slider seemed downright unhittable. He is a presence and has the body of a guy that can eat up innings year after year. A hip issue that caused him to drop in the draft and prevented him from making his pro debut in 2013, but he could be a quick mover. He throws across his body some, which leaves some concern, but his stuff should land him high on prospect lists next year.
Miguel Almonte and Christian Binford also open the season with Wilmington. I only got one look at Almonte this spring, and he looked solid, while I did see plenty of Binford and was unimpressed. Binford’s fastball seemed flat all spring and found the barrel of a bat far too often. His secondary stuff seemed average, so it will be interesting to see if what I saw was simply him getting into form, or a sign of things to come.
Batting
Hunter Dozier was drafted much higher than many expected in last June’s draft, but he signed for under-slot, allowing the Royals to snag Manaea later on. Despite being a surprise pick, Dozier looked good this spring. His bat has some real potential in it, and he looks like an above-average defender at third.
Next to Dozier in the infield is Raul Mondesi, and Mondesi is a joy to watch. He is still a teenager, and you can see it at times in his game, but he has the potential to be special. He has plus speed and is very smooth in the field. His pitch recognition needs work, but the swing is pretty from both sides of the plate.
In the outfield, Bubba Starling is the big name. He shows very good defensive skills in center, but he is painful to watch at the plate. He strikes out far too often and just looks lost. Watching him take batting practice it is easy to see the raw tools, but he has yet to get those tools to turn into production in games.
The outfielder on this team that I enjoyed watching most this spring was Terrance Gore. Gore is tiny, 5’7″ and 165 lbs., but he has big speed. He gets down the line as fast as anyone I saw this spring not named Billy Hamilton, but also plays a good defensive outfield and has a smooth swing.