Who Could Be Put on to the Prospects List? Dunedin Edition

by Tom Dakers on Nov 20, 2009 11:48 AM EST in Toronto Blue Jays Analysis

Was going to look for prospects from all the A teams but Dunedin had a number of players that could deserve consideration as to get one our list. So we'll look at the other A-ball teams next week.

Eric Thames: An 8^th round draft pick in 2008, he had a great season in Dunedin, cut short by injury. He hit .313/.386/.487. 22 years old this year, without the injury he likely would have moved up to Double-A, with luck he'll make it through next year without the injuries and end up in Triple-A by the end of the season.

Brian Van Kirk: Started the year at Lansing, moved up to Dunedin and then New Hampshire. Between the 3 stops he hit .265/.373/.434. But he is 24 now, so would have to move up quickly. Showed decent power with 15 homers.

Jonathan Jaspe: Catcher, played the season at Dunedin, hit decent (.271/.319/.416). Switch hitter that doesn't take walks and at 24 was too old for the level but looks to have a heck of an arm, throwing out 38% of base stealers. Not hitting much at winter ball in Venezuela (.235/.316/.294). Not much of a prospect unless he jumps a couple of levels next year.

Bradley McElroy: A late round draft pick from London, ON in 2008. Lefty hitting CFer with speed. Made it to Dunedin in his first full year of professional ball. Hit pretty good at Dunedin (.269/.390/.400), knows how to take a walk. 15 steals. 24 next year so a long shot as a prospect.

Adam Loewan: Maybe a better story than a prospect, but did ok in his first season as a hitter in the minors. Starting him in High-A Dunedin, hit .236/.340/.355. He is not doing much in winter ball (.200/.296/.300). 25 now, who knows what might happen.

Trystan Magnuson: A first round draft pick in 2007, didn't look great as a starter last year, looked better as a reliever this year. Had a 2.77 ERA in 38 games in Dunedin and then moved up to New Hampshire and didn't give up a run in 10 innings there.

Ryan Page: Picked up in the 20^th round of the 2008, not really a prospect yet but had a good year in Dunedin, going 11-13 with a 3.88 ERA in 28 starts. A big, 6'3", lefty who didn't strikeout many (only 4.8/9) but didn't give up many walks (1.6/9) or many homers (0.4/9). 24 next year and behind at least half a dozen other lefty starters in the organization but if he can bring up the strikeouts next year while keeping the walks and homers down, he could force his way on to the prospects lists.

Charles Huggins: Yet another lefty starter (do we just have lefty starters?), picked up in the 23^rd round of the 2008 draft, started the year in Lansing and was great for 7 starts, a 1.57 ERA. Then moved up to Dunedin and continued to pitch well, 5-3, 3.25 ERA. Knows how to strike batters out (8.3/9) and didn't walk many (2.8/9). Again, likely not yet a big prospect but just 23, if he continues like this then he's got a shot.

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24 next year so a long shot as a prospect.

London is an absolutely terrible place to try and launch from for a baseball career. Over ten years of decently high level ball there, I don’t know anyone that got scouted by any level in the area itself. It was always at cross border tournaments and things. I don’t know his history, but McElroy could have easily has been missed until post-secondary school and/or independent ball elsewhere. So age may not be reflective of slow development, but instead lack of attention.

One thing the London area does have a is handful of very good low level pitching coaches. To put up good numbers in most levels of those local leagues, you need a good eye and a solid approach to the plate.

…the lack of which explains why I’m writing about baseball instead of playing it these days.

by dexfarkin on Nov 20, 2009 12:13 PM EST reply actions

Only Thames

Should be in our top 15. Loewen can get on base but otherwise he strikes out too much with not enough power. He’s no Ankiel.

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by achengy on Nov 21, 2009 4:38 PM EST reply actions

i agree…though perhaps Huggins could be good.

by Woodman663 on Nov 22, 2009 12:22 PM EST up reply actions

24 next year so a long shot as a prospect

If a High School draft pick (aged 18-19): 24 is within the 5-7 years guidlines for high school picks.
If a College/University pick (aged 19-23): 24 can be just starting. 4 years of Post-secondary can leave a pick 22-23 years old. 24 is not old, nor a long shot.

by Richard S.S. on Nov 22, 2009 1:28 PM EST reply actions

he's have to move a long ways from A-ball to get to the majors...

I can’t see him as a top ten prospect. You can? College guys have to move in a hurry to be more than a long shot. Of course, since he was 25th round pick a year and a half ago, he’d never been anything but a long shot. If he was a high draft choice out of college then he wouldn’t be such a long shot, but then he’d have played some Double A last year.

by Tom Dakers on Nov 22, 2009 2:13 PM EST up reply actions