Cleveland Sports Forum

Joe's hope for the next Jose Ramirez, Dayan Frias, has been showing some more power lately 2b #12 today; he has 8 homes. OPS 828. Just turned 21. So he may not be developing as fast as Jose but he's looking good.
Unsurprisingly Delauter who's been hitting like mad since he finally recovered from his foot injury is now out with a foot injury

A pitcher perhaps to follow: Steve Hajjar 6-5 Lefty acquired in the Will Benson deal. a 2nd round draft pick. Far from perfect, he has walked far too many since returning from injury, but he doesn't allow many hits or runs. Would be nice to see his K exceed his BB. 4 shutout innings so far today with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts.

in 2022 he was rated NO. 13 in the Twins system with the following report but missed on the top 30 for the Reds his team this season

Track Record: Hajjar was a talented draft prospect dating back to his prep days, and a bump in fastball velocity during the summer prior to his draft year at Michigan helped raise his draft stock significantly. That stuff didn’t hold during the spring, but Hajjar still showed a solid pitch mix and control—enough for the Twins to sign him for $1,129,700 in the second round.

Scouting Report: Where Hajjar’s velocity settles into is probably one of the bigger questions for the big lefthander now. He pitched in the low 90s for the most part with Michigan, and while he didn’t get into an official pro game this summer, he reportedly touched 97 and was sitting comfortably above 93 mph in bullpens with the Twins. Hajjar threw a curveball, slider and changeup in college, though he will likely use the slider and changeup the most at the pro level. His slider has been up to 87 and flashes hard, biting action at its best, while he’s made tremendous progress over the last three years with a low-80s changeup that has impressive tumble. There’s a bit of funk in Hajjar’s delivery that could add some deception to his overall operation, and for the most part he’s done a good job throwing strikes.

The Future: Hajjar has starter traits and back-end stuff now, though the quality of his fastball could tick his ceiling up.

Lynchburg in a 6-6 tie. A rare homer, a 3 run job, by their far too old first baseman is 1/2 the offense.
There's virtually no one of interest on this team
Perhaps IF Angel Genoa. less likely but possible IF Jose Devers and Juan Benjamin. OF's of course have zero power

For comparison, Will Brennan has 9 walks in 270 at bats. At .290 on base percentage.

I hadn't noticed Brennan's walkless totals. Why do they like him better? Better defense, I guess. Doesn't walk but more selective at what he swings at, maybe? More adlt walkup music?

Keith Law update has Rocchio at #8!!

8. Brayan Rocchio, SS, Cleveland Guardians

Previous ranking: No. 22

Rocchio made his major-league debut this year, but just briefly. Around his stints with the Guardians, he’s hit .294/.382/.419 as a 22-year-old in Triple A, posting his lowest strikeout rate since rookie ball at just 12.6 percent with less over-the-fence power than he showed last year (2 homers in 2023 after he hit 18 in 2022). He’s a true switch-hitter who could always run but had a terrible track record as a base stealer, with a 64 precent career success rate, which he’s boosted this year by going 18 for 21 on the bases (86 percent). Rocchio is an above-average shortstop with excellent hands and good instincts, which makes it all the more baffling that the Guardians, who’ve gotten nothing from shortstop this year, haven’t called him up and given him a shot at the job.

Keith Law
Jul 21, 2023

This is my midpoint check-in on the best baseball prospects still in the minor leagues, including players drafted two weeks ago who have signed by now but have not debuted in pro ball. As with my offseason list, I’m focused more on ceiling than floor, but I do consider the player’s probability of reaching his ceiling or something close to it. Please keep in mind that my offseason top-100 ranking is a month-long process, while this ranking is more of a week-plus process, and has more built-in recency bias than the rankings I run every February.

Note that this list only includes players currently in the minor leagues who retain rookie eligibility. These are not the same criteria I use for offseason lists, where I only go by rookie eligibility regardless of roster status, since there is no active 26-man roster in the winter. Endy Rodriguez isn’t here because he’s on the major-league roster, while Elly de la Cruz isn’t here because he’s exhausted his rookie eligibility.

THE WORST CLEVELAND TRADE SINCE PEDRO GUERRERO FOR BRUCE ELLINGSEN, PROBABLY
5. Junior Caminero, 3B/SS, Tampa Bay Rays

Previous ranking: No. 99

Caminero came into 2023 with just 27 games of full-season experience, and he’s already in Double A, joining Holliday and Chourio as teenagers at that level this year. (The fourth, Houston’s Hector Nieves, played a handful of games in Double A earlier this year, going 4 for 40 before the Astros returned him to the Florida Complex League.) Caminero’s already at 16 homers for the season, with a .286/.348/.452 line since he got to Double-A Montgomery and just a 21.2 percent strikeout rate that’s well below the league average of 26.4 percent, consistent with his history of excellent contact rates thanks to his excellent hand-eye coordination. He’s definitely still adjusting to the better quality of offspeed stuff he’s seeing at the higher level, and the Rays continue to move him around the infield to find the ideal home for his glove, so there’s still some variability here. I see a future third baseman who hits for a high average with 25-30 homers a year and a modest walk rate.

8. Brayan Rocchio, SS, Cleveland Guardians

Previous ranking: No. 22
[HAVE NOT SEEN HIM THIS HIGH ON ANY OTHER LIST; IF HE'S RIGHT WE MAY SURVIVE THE DEPARTURE OF AMED ROSARIO PRETTY WELL]
Rocchio made his major-league debut this year, but just briefly. Around his stints with the Guardians, he’s hit .294/.382/.419 as a 22-year-old in Triple A, posting his lowest strikeout rate since rookie ball at just 12.6 percent with less over-the-fence power than he showed last year (2 homers in 2023 after he hit 18 in 2022). He’s a true switch-hitter who could always run but had a terrible track record as a base stealer, with a 64 precent career success rate, which he’s boosted this year by going 18 for 21 on the bases (86 percent). Rocchio is an above-average shortstop with excellent hands and good instincts, which makes it all the more baffling that the Guardians, who’ve gotten nothing from shortstop this year, haven’t called him up and given him a shot at the job.


No one else from the depleted farm system on this list; although his supplemental Honorable Mention group of 20 include George Valera who has fallen off the BA top 100 entirely

In recent years it's pretty hard to top the crap trade of Yandy Diaz since he is having a banner season and would be the perfect addition to our lineup.

We can't afford to trade hitters - find a position for them because we have too many non hitters

As a reminder the trade getting Josh Naylor etc was a steal...you win some you lose some but the Yandy one....ouch!

civ ollilavad wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2023 10:40 am I hadn't noticed Brennan's walkless totals. Why do they like him better? Better defense, I guess. Doesn't walk but more selective at what he swings at, maybe? More adlt walkup music?

He is a grinder !

In recent years it's pretty hard to top the crap trade of Yandy Diaz since he is having a banner season and would be the perfect addition to our lineup.

Something about Cuban ballplayers that these guys don't like. There's been quite a few Cubans that I was hoping we would sign. I've been following Cuban baseball for many years now and I've given up any hopes of them signing with Cleveland. Jose Abreu recruited a bunch of Cubans that signed with Chicago. I'd like to have a few of those guys. I I guess the cost of signing a lot of these guys was out of reach.

t's pretty hard to top the crap trade of Yandy Diaz

super prospect Junior Caminero flying up the Tampa farm system and rated now among Top 10 prospects in all of baseball;
we gave him up for Tobias Myers.
Potentially far worse.

BA updates the Cleveland top 30; some of the rookies are just on here as they have not yet reached the number of AB or IP at which they lose prospect status.

1 Williams not for long
2 Rocchio
3 Naylor not for long
4 Espino if he is ever able to pitch
5 DeLauter who was hitting 488 and hurt his foot yet again; perhaps he'll be back this summer, don't count on it
6 Juan Brito a very good offensive 2nd baseman. Something we;re well stocked with
7. Joey Cantillo very good and very bad in his AAA starts since promotion
8 George Valera steadily retreating down the list. currently neither hurt nor suspended and has hit his first 2 homers of the year
9 Angel Martinez slow start steady ascent SS in AA
0 Jaison Chourio OF in Rookie Ball with a great brother to follow
11 Jake Fox CF-2b another slow start coming along a bit in High A
12 Cody Morris chronically misses 1/2 of each season with injury
13 Jose Tena guess what an IF who started slowly and is coming along well but this is his second year in Akron
14 Justin Campbell RHP drafted last year, has not been physically able to compete in a game yet
15 Angel Genoa another highly regarded middle IF not doing much but he's very young for full season A
16 Petey Halpin an OF of all things a leadoff type hitter with minor power and not enough steals
17 Jetc Noel hitting lots of HRs as an underage AAA 1B-3B-LF-RF probably really a DH
18 Hunter Gaddis probably would fit better in the bullpen although his 6+ ERA wouldn't help anywhere
19 Tanner Burns RHP a high draft pick making no real headway in AA
20 Jackson Humphries a talented high school RHP drafted last summer getting his pro start this summer; has not failed to succeed
21 Parker Messicck 3rd pick in last year's lousy draft group; 1/2 season in Low A which is not where college kids usually debut; one game, several very bad games in High A
22 W Antunez a young OF not hitting with any power in Low A
23 W Francisca another well regarded very young IF in rookie ball, hitting well
24. Rafael Ramirez another kid IF in rookie ball
25 Dayan Frias JoeZ favorite IF has some power at age 21 unlike most of our kids
26 Cade Smith RHP 6-5 reliever could help out as soon as this summer has moved up from Akron to Columbus
27 Joe Lampe OF drafted last summer has underwhelmed
28 Doug NIkhazy LHP high draft pick with iffy command
29 Justin Boyd OF we got for Benson has not done anything of note
30 Bryan Lavastida C opening day 2022 major league backup fell back to AA then started hitting and he's back in Columbus looknig pretty good again

BA daily prospect report, among the featured players is

Jaison Chourio, OF, Guardians: Years from now, games between the Brewers and the Guardians might come to be known as the Chourio Series. By this point, you’re well aware of Jackson Chourio’s exploits. If you’ve been paying attention to box scores in the Arizona Complex League, you’re surely starting to realize that this could become a Jackson and Ethan Holliday situation. On Monday, the younger Chourio slammed his first home run of the season. On Tuesday, he added four more hits and stole his 10th base of the season. It also marked his 10th multi-hit game of the season. He’s been held hitless just four times.

No longer able to locate the full list of player performances on the updated improved BA web page

Thought earlier today if Rosario being rested meant he was being traded. Should have posted.

So i also thought that Rodriquez being promoted to Columbus may mean that Gonzalez might be included in a trade or promoted. Since Fry is hitting I doubt promoted.