AFL Update

Been extremely swamped this week with work and then moving into my new place of residence.

Now that I am settled, I hope to get back to daily posts.  For now, here is what I have seen from the Arizona Fall League:

1B Jonathan Singleton (Astros) - Saw him play in 2 straight games and he has a mdm, athletic build w/ some looseness to him, which is why I think the Phillies tried to play him in LF.  His bat will need to carry him, as he is still learning the 1B position defensively despite his above avg athleticism.  He has a tendency to attack too much and create problems with the angle for his flips to the pitcher.  Has the tools to be an above avg defender with more understanding of 1B.  Offensively, he features plus bat speed in a repeatable swing that will hit for avg.  He also shows above avg raw power and has a profile as a middle of the order hitter.  Right now, I think he is a .300-.355-.520 type player.

SS Javier Baez (Cubs) - I was at the game where Baez hit his 450+ foot HR and he generates the best bat speed I have seen out here.  He has a loose body with gd strength in his forearms and shouldn't outgrow SS.  It is a special bat for power, as he can be a 30+ HR guy in the majors.  His breaking ball recognition development in the next 2 years will determine what he offers in the other phases of the game.  The bat will play at any position, though he was incredibly raw at 3B in the 2nd game I saw.

3B Anthony Rendon (Nationals) - Seen Rendon play twice and he hasn't done much either game, but he appears to be healthy and just getting his timing back.  He has a deep hand load (though not as deep as Kaleb Cowart) and shows above avg bat speed with an up the middle approach.  While he doesn't have the look of a lineup cornerstone yet, he does profile as a 5 hole hitter to me and I am sure he will continue to look better as the AFL season continues.

OF Nick Castellanos (Tigers) - Castellanos is playing RF out here and he is still learning how to read flyballs and it is going to take time for him to be an avg OF.  I have seen a couple of times where he gets a very late jump, but is able to use his athleticism to make a diving catch.  He has the best barrel control of any hitter I have seen out here and just has a knack for lining the ball gap to gap.  He is going to hit for avg with 15-20 HR's and reminds me a bit of Hunter Pence with how unconventional the swing is.  I think he is going to comp very closely with Pence as his career unfolds.

2B Ryan Goins (Blue Jays) - Seen quite a bit of Goins and like what I have seen.  He has been playing SS, but I don't think he can play it as an everyday SS due to his lack of lateral mobility (teams usually want SS with better then solid avg range), but has the defensive chops to be a gold glove 2B.  He has a plus glove and does a great job of keeping his body under control and will make all the routine plays.  He also features an above avg arm.  Offensively, he has a line drive approach  and a little pull power.  He has struggled out here in L on L matchups and likely fits better as a valuable utility IF (can play SS) and platoon player.

RHP Mike Wright (Orioles) - Struggled in his 1st outing, but was working 92-95 w/ a CH at 80-82 and a SL at 82-86.  He lacks deception, so hitters see the ball real well against him.  He didn't show an avg secondary pitch and will be interested to see how his stuff looks in later dates.

RHP Chase Anderson (Diamondbacks) - Anderson is a slightly built righty who lives off an above avg CH at 80-82 that generated some swings and misses.  Outside of that pitch, he really doesn't bring anything else to the table, as he was 90-93 w/ sink in addition to a cutter at 86-87 and a CB at 77-78.  Could profile as a middle reliever or emergency starter.

RHP Nick Struck (Cubs) - Just another right handed reliever without an above avg pitch.  He featured 3 fringy to avg pitches in a FB at 90-92, CB at 79-82 and a CH at 80-82. 

LHP Alex Sogard (Astros) - I graded Sogard out as a 40, which is essentially a cup of coffee type player.  He hasn't quite developed as I saw based on the outing I saw, as he featured a FB at 88-91 w/ a CH at 77-79 and a CB at 74-75.  I thought the CB would be solid avg from the amateur report, but it wasn't on this day.  He creates a lot of deception and hides the ball well, so there is still hope he can be a 2nd lefty in a pen.

RHP Salvador Sanchez (White Sox) - Sanchez attacks from a 3/4 release w/ a FB at 90-93 and a SL at 82-86.  Just another right handed reliever who doesn't generate the sink from the FB or much of a SL. 

RHP Clay Schrader (Orioles) - The 5'11" reliever is a pure thrower who showed little ability to command his stuff (FB at 91-94, CB at 79-81 and a CH at 82), though the FB has solid sink and the CB is a power pitch.  Has the stuff to pitch in a big league pen if he can develop a semblance of command.

RHP Sam Dyson (Blue Jays) - I was really high on him coming out of South Carolina and was excited to see him in person.  He features a plus pitch in his power sinker at 94-96 that explodes out of his hand.  That is all he really has to use however, as his SL is very inconsistent and will flash avg on occasion and his CH is usable, but not really an out pitch.  Probably more of a solid avg middle reliever now.

LHP Isaiah Froneberger (Rockies) - Froneberger looks exactly like Ray King, but didn't show much feel for his stuff in the 2 games I saw and worked 90-93 w/ a power CB and power CH.  High effort pitcher needs to learn to slow down and stay under control in his delivery.

LHP Matt Hoffman (Tigers) - Hoffman has dropped down to try and become a 2nd lefty in a pen, but has maintained his power stuff (91-94 w/ SL at 82-85).  SL is still below avg, but is getting closer to being a weapon for him in a big league pen.

RHP Taylor Thompson (White Sox) - Thompson is your typical right handed reliever featuring a FB at 90-92 and a SL at 81-83.  The SL is a late breaker that should be able to play in a middle relief role if he can continue to refine his command.

RHP Kevin Munson (Diamondbacks) - Surprised Munson struggled so much in the Southern League this year after seeing him in the fall last year.  Stuff is still electric, with a hard FB at 93-95 and a SL at 86 that has tight 3/4 tilt and is a plus pitch.  Command has also taken a step forward.  Still profiles as a high leverage reliever.

OF Brian Goodwin (Nationals) - Goodwin has jumped out with his quality approach, bat speed and pull power.  Very advanced offensive player profiles as a special top of the order hitter with the ability to work walks and line the ball gap to gap.  Is also a plus defender in CF with good routes and reactions.  Profiles as an above avg CF w/ .290-.370-.430 line.

RHP Andre Rienzo (White Sox) - Rienzo was pretty electric and looked to me like a better version of Carlos Torres.  He was 93-94 w/ inconsistent life on a fairly true FB to go with 2 plus pitches in his hard 86-88 cutter that he used as an out pitch and his power CB at 78-80 that has late break.  Also threw a CH at 84-85 that was below average.  Not sure if he is a starter, but he definitely has a big league future.

RHP Robert Cassevah (Angels) - Cassevah attacked with a sinker at 89-92 and a tight SL at 84-85.  Also worked in a splitter at 82-84.  Doesn't do much for me.

RHP Dellin Betances (Yankees) - The XL tall pitcher showed a better delivery then I expected (though it is a violent throw).  He is never going to have avg command of his stuff, but he was 91-95 w/ an explosive FB with late life to pair with a plus SL at 82-85 that generated all sorts of bad swings.  He even showed a fringy CH at 82.  If he can ever miss down as opposed to up, he can help a big league squad. 

LHP Santos Rodriguez (White Sox) - Rodriguez is a big arm, working 93-96 w/ a slurve at 80 and a CH at 84-86.  He doesn't have any idea where the ball is going when he releases it and will need to continue to develop his command and work on staying on his backside.  Has the tools to be a primary lefty in the pen, similar to Matt Thornton, but may also need a lot of time.

RHP Cole Kimball (Nationals) - Kimball was nowhere near what he used to be.  When I left the Nats, he was 93-95 w/ a hammer CB and an above avg SF.  Now, he was 89-91 w/ a mdm downer CB at 78-81 that broke early and his SF had minimal life at 82.

RHP Paul Demny (Nationals) - Demny was 89-91 w/ a CH at 83-85 and a SL at 77-79.  Doesn't have an avg pitch, but worked the fringes very well.  That being said, there isn't much there.

RHP Shawn Armstrong (Indians) - I am a huge Armstrong fan, as he was 94-96 (up to 97) w/ ride, although he had little life in the zone.  Offspeed wise, he featured a true SL at 88-91 w/ tight 3/4 tilt and a power CB at 82-85 with mdm depth.  He didn't generate the swings and misses expected from the stuff he had, but you can see it coming eventually.  Also was able to flash the ability to locate the ball to both corners.  Guy to watch.

RHP Mark Montgomery (Yankees) - Montgomery was 91-93 w/ a little run and sink and a SL at 82-85.  He throws a ton of SL's and really isolates his elbow in his delivery, which means he is going to blow out at some point.  Would like to see him establish the FB early (plays up due to gd deception) and then go to the SL.

RHP Deck McGuire (Blue Jays) - He is coming out of the pen here and the stuff is what it used to be as a starter at Georgia Tech, as he was 88-90 w/ a CH at 80 and a SL at 84.  Both pitches looked to be fringy to solid avg.

RHP Heath Hembree (Giants) - Hembree was 92-95 w/ a sweepy SL at 84.  He located the pitch and it jumps out of his hand and appeared to be harder then that velo (more 96-97ish).  Profiles as a high leverage reliever and potentially a setup man.

LHP Kevin Siegrist (Cardinals)- Siegrist throws across his body and generates excellent deception and was unhittable in his first start.  He worked 91-93 w/ late run in on lefties and paired it with a CH at 83 and a SL at 80-81.  Want to see him again, as he may have also been throwing a CB and I want to focus more on if the delivery can work as a starter.

RHP Ryan Tepera (Blue Jays) - Tepera is just another righty, working 90-92 w/ a little sink and paired it with 2 below avg secondary offerings in his SL (81-83) and CH (84-86).  CH is the better secondary and was generating some swings and misses.

RHP Brock Huntzinger (Red Sox) - Huntzinger worked w/ 3 below avg to fringy pitches in his FB at 89-92, SL at 83 and CH at 78-82.  CH was his go to pitch and loved to throw it R on R.

RHP Ian Kadish (Blue Jays) - Kadish struggled in his AFL debut, working 90-92 w/ a CH at 83.  He lacked command and really struggled.

LHP Jimmy Reyes (Rangers) - Reyes was intriguing, working 90-91 w/ a little ride and appeared to be more 93-94 with the deception he generated.  He didn't show much feel for a SL at 80-83 that was a bit sweepy and short and paired it with a CH at 79-81 that was a solid avg pitch.  He will need to develop the SL to be more then a 2nd lefty in a pen.

RHP Aaron Barrett (Nationals) - I thought Barrett was a solid middle reliever coming out of college and I still maintain that after seeing him.  He was 91-93 w/ a late breaking SL at 84-86 that was a plus pitch.

RHP Chris Martin (Red Sox) - The 6'7" reliever was 93-95 w/ a SL at 83-86.  The FB was true, but the SL had late break and avg depth.  Features 2 above avg pitches and was locating the ball well on this day.

LHP Sam Freeman (Cardinals) - Freeman was 94-95 w/ a tight mdm downer CB at 80 and made quick work in his inning.  Profiles as a potential setup man.

Also took in a Cubs instructs game last week and the Cubs bats did nothing as many of the players appear to be tiring.

On the mound, we saw:

Jose Arias - 90-94 w/ CH at 84-88, CB at 71-75 and a SL at 77-81.  He was big and physical and was better then the previous time I saw him.  Not sure if there is anything there, but he could profile as a middle reliever.

Stephen Perakslis - Maine's Friday night starter came out of the pen and was 92-94 w/ a sinker at 86-88, a CB at 72-79 and a CH at 76-79.  He would add and subtract from his pitches, but didn't show much in the way of command, constantly elevating the FB and not generating as many swings and misses with his CB.

Nathan Dorris - The finesse lefty was 86-88 w/ a CH at 79-83 and a CB at 73-79.  I think he is tired, as I know his velo was better during the AZL season.

Carlos Martinez-Pumarino - 89-93 w/ a CH at 83-85 and a CB at 75-77.  Not really a guy.