Interesting that Corey Lee is listed as a 1B. Or is that a typo Walt?
Typo – fixed.
Korey Lee; Corey Julks.
Rehab status on a pair of players…
From a couple of days ago, BA’s weekly prospect hot sheet included Miguel Ullola, Korey Lee and Yainer Diaz. In addition to Ullola’s stats for the week (8 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 19 K) they noted his 60 whiffs in 33.2 innings over the last 2 months.
Baseball America is rolling out its end of season lists. These are all based on polls of league managers…
PCL
- Best strikezone judgement: David Hensley
- Best pitching prospect: Hunter Brown
- Best FB: Hunter Brown
- Best breaking ball: Hunter Brown
- Best reliever: Enoli Paredes
- Best defensive catcher: Korey Lee
- Best outfield arm: Pedro Leon
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Continuing with the end of season best tools lists from Baseball America based on polls of league managers…
Texas League
- No Hooks made the list
South Atlantic League
- No Tourists made the list
Carolina League
- Best pitching prospect: Miguel Ullola
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Listmania continues at Baseball America. The latest is “10 Upper Level Breakout Prospects to Watch”. BA compiles this list because they say non-heralded players who break out in the upper minors are often overlooked (by folks like BA haha at least until they started putting together this particular list last year) largely because they’ve already been around for a while. But they go on to say those breakouts in the upper minors go on to have vastly higher success rates than more highly-touted prospects. Examples they cite include Jeff McNeil, Ty France, Randy Arozarena, Jake Cronenworth, Jared Walsh, Steven Kwan and Jose Miranda.
Anyway, Justin Dirden is one of the ten guys on the list. Besides the lefty hitter’s gaudy numbers this year (.322 with 23 homers, 96 RBIs and a 1.003 OPS and 2nd in the minors with 66 extra-base hits and tied for 3rd with 253 total bases), they describe him as a “capable defender at all three outfield spots with impressive arm strength”.
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The Astros have some exciting OF prospects. I hope Gilbert doesn’t have any complications from that injury because he could come pretty fast. And there is opportunity in CF.
Jacob Melton made the MLB Pipeline Team of the Week.
As did former Astros and now Red Sox Prospect Enmanuel Valdez.
Should we be worried that, after AAA, minor league managers just don’t seem to think the Astros have much coming? Or is this just more of the same “Astros prospects being underrated” we’ve seen in recent years?
I see plenty of outfield depth and pitching depth in the system. What’s readily apparent (just by scanning the prospect lists if nothing else) is the lack of infield depth. Is that an issue? Given the healthy state of the two other areas plus not being a huge area of need at the major league level I’d say not. Plus one or two more draft classes and that could be quickly remedied.
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And Kenny also with the rehab status on OF Jordan Brewer…
https://twitter.com/thevandalorian/status/1576272266148876288?s=20&t=r-lbn1aMxEIiA_GQVLwE1A
Jim Callis says based on their AFL performance both Will Wagner and Scott Schreiber will be added to the MLB Pipeline Top 30 Astros prospects list (Wagner is already on the BA list). Says one scout gave a Joey Wendle comp for Wagner.
Apparently no Astros prospects were picked in MLB phase of Rule 5.
Astros lost RH pitchers Layne Henderson and Ernesto Jaquez in the MiLB portion.
Great news
Lost a catcher in minor league phase as well. But Astros also poached 2-3 pitchers in the same phase. Stros poaching young pitchers from other teams gets me excited.
See Martinez, Seth
Astros lost:
RHP Layne Henderson - DET
RHP Ernesto Jaquez - CHW
C José Álvarez - STL
SS Yander Martínez - MIN
Alvarez had some chatter as a possible breakout prospect, but none of these guys seem like anything other organizational depth - i.e. I’m not gnashing my teeth that another Johan Santana is walking out the door.
Astros picked:
LHP Max Roberts - SEA
LHP Bryan King - CHC
RHP Manuel Urias - PHI
LHP Luis Rodriguez - CHC
Urias is one to keep an eye on. Big kid (6’6”) signed out of Mexico as a 16 year old (he’s 21 now). Still has some projection, but also hasn’t pitched above A Ball.
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