Who Could Be Put On Our Prospects List? Lansing Edition

by Tom Dakers on Nov 23, 2009 8:15 AM EST in Toronto Blue Jays Analysis

Continuing our look through our minor league system to see who could be put on our prospect list. This time it's guys who played in Lansing for the Lugnuts and who weren't already on our list. We had some good players there.

Michael McDade: 6^th round draft choice in 2007, found power this year in Lansing, hitting .277/.336/.466, with 16 homers in 408 at bats. Big guy 6'1" and 270 lb at just 20 years old, he's going to have to show a lot of power, he's not going to be stealing bases. Hit the same number of homers as Travis Snider did at Lansing, Snider was a year younger though. He could be good.

Mark Sobolewski: 4^th round pick in 2008 so first full year of pro ball. A third baseman, he didn't hit great in Lansing, .249/.311/.355, but then, first year. Turning 23 next month, next year will be important for him to prove he belongs on the list.

Henderson Alvarez: Anthopoulos called him ‘arguably' our best prospect. There is a lot to like: he was just 19 last season at Lansing and went 9-6 with a 3.47 ERA, 92 k's and 19 walks in 124.1 innings. He gave up just 1 homer. An almost 5 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio will get attention. In 3 minor league seasons he's thrown 196.1 innings and only allowed 4 homers and 33 walks. It is hard to imagine that there is a Jay with more upside, but there are a few steps between Lansing and the majors.

John Anderson: 3-6, 4.52 ERA in Lansing, 30 walks, 76 strikeouts in 99.2 innings. Big lefty, 6'3", just 20. Not really a prospect yet but could get there.

Frank Gailey: A late round draft pick in 2007. He's a left-handed reliever who had his first season at Lansing this year and did very well, 1.93 ERA, a 1.087 WHIP, 8.3 SO/9 and gave up just 2 homers in 65.1 innings. This was his 3^rd year of pro-ball and his ERA over those 3 years is 1.88. He was 23 last year so a little old for the level, he'd have to get moving up the levels but he's done well so far.

Matthew Daly: A 13^th round pick in 2008, right-handed reliever, he had a 1.65 ERA between Dunedin and Lansing with a 1.050 WHIP, 65 K in 60 innings, 22 saves and no home runs allowed. Just 22 and tough to call a A-Ball reliever a prospect, but he could be one.

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other possibilities...

Jimenez, Goins and Antolin

by ayjackson on Nov 23, 2009 11:31 AM EST reply actions

Yeah they are possibles in the future...

Goins spent more time at Auburn so will look at him there. Antolin has been a reliever his first two pro years and hasn’t been amazing, 4.47 ERA and a 12th round pick so wouldn’t be in our top 30 this year. Jimenez didn’t hit great and was a 9th round pick in 2008, he’s have to show a bit more to get on the list, I’d think.

by Tom Dakers on Nov 23, 2009 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

truth be told

they’re probably better prospects than Gailey, Daly and Sobelewski. They’re young and raw, but have upside. Antolin apparently throws hard, but only really had one pitch in high school. He’s a project.

by ayjackson on Nov 23, 2009 8:44 PM EST up reply actions

Young is good..

but I think those older guys deserve a lot more respect then what they get (especially those three).

by BallScout on Nov 28, 2009 9:31 PM EST up reply actions

On McDade...

His 2009 season was quite nice but his 2008 season was not great – BUT – in the winter after the 08 season Scott at one point when asked about “other guys” on the team he was on and he said – and I paraphrase – “McDade’s a guy we are real high on.”

by Mylegacy on Nov 23, 2009 1:25 PM EST reply actions

Great guy; great ballplayer.

by BallScout on Nov 28, 2009 9:30 PM EST up reply actions

in regards to alvarez

dont potential “ace” prospects usually have a lot more strikeouts when they’re coming through the minors? 92ks in 124 innings seems a bit low… although i guess he is young.

Onions Baby Onions

by ohmybosh on Nov 23, 2009 2:43 PM EST reply actions

92 isn't low, it's pretty good.

by Tom Dakers on Nov 23, 2009 3:23 PM EST up reply actions

i figured if youre going to be a potential ace

you’d strike out at least a batter an inning in A ball.

Onions Baby Onions

by ohmybosh on Nov 23, 2009 6:11 PM EST up reply actions

The guy's 19....playing against mostly guys that are older than him

he’s got almost a 5 to 1 strikeout to walk rate. There are a lot of steps on the way but I’d bet you won’t find many 19 year olds with a better rate than that in A-ball.

by Tom Dakers on Nov 23, 2009 6:16 PM EST up reply actions

here's a good link for K progession

First Inning

By August, he was striking out 23% of batters face, which is about one per inning if you’re WHIP is 1.00. Which would be very good.

by ayjackson on Nov 23, 2009 8:48 PM EST up reply actions

Gailey

I remember reading a scouting report that Gailey needed to get out leftys more, and was working on a changeup which was thought might be the key to him moving up. I can’t find any splits between RH/LH batting though. Anyone confirm that, or have an idea of his pitching tool kit?

by dexfarkin on Nov 23, 2009 3:58 PM EST reply actions

Gailey's 2009 Season

Gailey’s 2009 season consisted of an overall 1.93 ERA as a reliever. The split: 1.09 ERA vs Left, and a 2.43 ERA vs Right. His changeup is his go to pitch, which he rotates with a fast and curve. Batters rarely get a hit/run on his changeup. More of his stats can be found on the Lansing Lugnuts website.

by BallScout on Nov 28, 2009 9:32 PM EST up reply actions