2015 Player Previews: LF Yoenis Cespedes

What made Cespedes so desirable to the Tigers? After the trade to Boston, Cespedes didn’t have a great showing posting a 96 wRC+ with the Red Sox, not hitting for much power with just a 0.15 ISO and walking just 3% of the time. Overall though, it was still a good year for Cespedes, as he was worth more than three wins, his best single season showing in his young career, by fWAR. He had a career high in extra base hits, with 64, reached triple digits in runs driven in for the first time in his career, and posted the best defensive metrics of his career, thanks to his cannon arm and improved consistency on balls in play toward him. The 11 runs he saved in the outfield show how far he’s come in just a couple of years, when his first year he was relatively bad in the field, with a negative in defensive runs saved and UZR/150. As a player whose production is driven by his monster power, and that power has been rather consistent with an ISO right around 0.2 each of the last three seasons, it should not come as a huge surprise that the projections are very closely on Cespedes’s upcoming season – one with an average somewhere in between his .240-.290 range, with a limited walk rate, and plenty of power, resulting in a wOBA in the .340-range.

The TigsTown Take

The Tigers wanted to replace the production of Torii Hunter, and it’s hard to say they didn’t do that and then some with the addition of Cespedes. Hunter still made good contact and had some pop in his bat, making him a productive offensive player for the club. But, he doesn’t have the same sort of power that Cespedes does, because few do. In addition, while there are questions about whether or not Cespedes will be an above average outfielder or not, Hunter was among the worst fielders in all of baseball last season, so Cespedes shouldn’t have much of an issue surpassing that. When you add in the fact that Cespedes is entering a contract year and switched agents to Jay Z’s Roc Nation Sports, he’s clearly going to be looking to get a big payday this off-season, and a big catalyst to doing that will be to put up monster production for the Tigers in 2015. The projections suggest that Cespedes will hit for a good average with plenty of power and end up being worth about three wins. But at age 29 (peak time for many players’ offensive productivity) and a big contract waiting for him at the end of the year, it’s entirely possible Cespedes exceeds those expectations.

Rodon will take Sale's spot in Cactus rotation Pitching coach Cooper says top prospect should start vs. Padres

GLENDALE, Ariz.White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper paused for a moment when asked about the Cactus League rotation replacement for Chris Sale beginning this Friday against the Padres in Peoria. He originally listed the starter as to be determined, but then quickly changed his mind. "I'll tell you what," Cooper said. "Expect to see Carlos Rodon in that spot." Rodon, the top-rated White Sox prospect and 14th-rated overall in baseball per MLB.com, was not scheduled to start a Cactus League contest prior to Sale suffering an avulsion fracture in his right foot during an accident at his Arizona home Friday. The 22-year-old southpaw was going to be stretched out as a starter, but the only actual Rodon starts either would be in B games or on split-squad days coming March 12 and April 1. "Here's something else that happens when injuries occur or problems that Chris is having occur," Cooper said. "One guy's day is kind of shut down a little bit. The opportunity is knocking on other people's doors. Now the door is open for [Rodon] to go out there and start and show everybody what he can do."

[ I'm guessing that Rodon could follow the same career path as Sale. ]

Peralta comfortable after proving himself in 2014. Shortstop says 'it was tough for me' in beginning of first year with Cardinals

JUPITER, Fla. --

From an outsider's view, not much seems different about Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta this spring. He remains reserved inside the clubhouse but also mentors Spanish-speaking players. He goes about his work with a businesslike approach but also with a smile.

And yet, Peralta insists that so much has changed from last year to this one.

He employs the word "comfortable" to describe how he feels. Not just because he knows everybody now, but because he believes everybody now knows him, too.

"I tried to do a lot for the team and tried to let people see what I could do," said Peralta, readying for the second season in a four-year deal with the club. "I know what they thought about me. In the beginning, it was tough for me. But now I feel pretty good."

Unspoken, but certainly implied, was Peralta's 2013 connection to the Biogenesis clinic. He served a 50-game suspension as a result and felt the need to prove himself when it was over. Peralta may have felt that extra weight, but Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said he never sensed it.

"Most of us would," Matheny said. "He's been very consistent with getting himself ready and what he needs to do and who he needs to be. He came in here last year with a very workmanlike approach and went about it to build up for Opening Day."

Peralta listed that self-induced pressure as one of the factors behind his slow start with the Cardinals. Though he hit six home runs last April, Peralta batted .196/.305/.433 in the opening month. Adjusting to unfamiliar National League pitchers and dealing with cold temperatures also played a role in the subpar early start, Peralta said.

How he finished, however, put to rest any squabbles about his potential beyond the performance-enhancing-drug connection. Peralta led the Cardinals in home runs (21), doubles (38) and posted the highest WAR (5.4) of his career.

"I think what I did last year was pretty good for my first year in the National League," Peralta said. "I felt good about the home runs I hit. I know the average wasn't at .300, but I finished better than I started."

His defensive contributions were just as impactful. Credited with 17 Defensive Runs Saved, Peralta was statistically one of the best at his position. Over the last 12 seasons, the only Cardinals shortstop to have a higher DRS total in a single season was Brendan Ryan.

"He might not be as flashy as other shortstops in the league, but he's going to do some things very, very well," Matheny said. "I think he proved to a lot of people just how good he can be."

With the burden of proof now past, Peralta said he eyes improving upon that first impression by showcasing an ability to start stronger and to be more productive in run-scoring opportunities. Peralta points to his .239 average with runners in scoring position last season as one that can rise.

"I had a lot of chances last year to bring in more runs, but in the beginning, it was hard for me," Peralta said. "With the opportunity this year, I think I'll have more RBIs."

[ I've always liked Peralta. It was my feelings in days gone by that Peralta and Phillips would be our strength up the middle. ]

Cool, a non-White Sox, non-Cuban refugee post. This folder was getting a little overspecialized.

Some of us want to play baseball and some of us want to join the circus, but few of us are qualified to do both. Enter Murray State's John Lollar, a pitcher whose wind-up is also the finale of a Cirque du Soleil act.

[ Now that even looks like it hurts. Nice deceprion though ! ]

Think some guy named Nolan Ryan wound up almost like that.

Top 15 fantasy rookies led by pair of Cubs

Bryant, Soler have most potential for big league production in 2015

By Jim Callis / MLB.com | @JimCallisMLB | 4:14 PM ET

Good news, Cubs fans. The last three times your favorite team has featured the National League Rookie of the Year Award winner (Geovany Soto in 2008, Kerry Wood in 1998 and Jerome Walton in '89), it has advanced to the postseason. And Chicago has the top two rookie candidates for 2015.

Third baseman Kris Bryant and outfielder Jorge Soler have the power to help the Cubs back to the playoffs for the first time in seven years. They're not only the strongest candidates for Rookie of the Year Award honors, they're also the best fantasy prospects.

Unlike MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list, which is based on long-term potential, the rankings below are determined solely by expected big league production in 2015. There's a heavy Cuban flavor at the top of our fantasy list beyond Soler, including Red Sox outfielder Rusney Castillo, D-backs third baseman/outfielder Yasmany Tomas and as-yet-unsigned second baseman Hector Olivera. Reds right-hander Raisel Iglesias is another Cuban rookie who could deliver fantasy value. Much-hyped Red Sox infielder Yoan Moncada didn't make the cut, because he isn't expected to make it to Boston this season.

1. Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs (No. 2 on the Top 100)

The consensus Minor League Player of the Year in 2014, he led the Minors with 43 homers in his first full pro season. If Chicago cares only about contending, Bryant will be its Opening Day third baseman, though service-time considerations may dictate that he spends a few weeks with Triple-A Iowa.

2. Jorge Soler, OF, Cubs (No. 22)

Bryant may have the most usable power among prospects, but Soler is close behind him and has two advantages: He makes more consistent contact and already has claimed a spot in Chicago's lineup by hitting .292 with five homers in 24 games with the Cubs at the end of last season.

3. Rusney Castillo, OF, Red Sox (ineligible)

Boston gave him a $72.5 million contract last August with the expectation that he'd claim its center-field job this spring. Known mostly for his speed in Cuba, Castillo has added strength since defecting and could deliver 15 homers and 25 steals for the Red Sox.

4. Joc Pederson, OF, Dodgers (No. 13)

After he won the Pacific Coast League MVP Award and became the Triple-A circuit's first 30-30 player in 80 years, Los Angeles made room in its lineup by trading Matt Kemp to the Padres. If Pederson can solve big league hitters, he could be a 20-20 man for the Dodgers.

5. Dalton Pompey, OF, Blue Jays (No. 43)

He jumped from Class A Advanced to the Majors in 2014, hitting a second-deck homer off Felix Hernandez in September and tripling twice against Chris Tillman two days later. A switch-hitter with plus speed, Pompey could steal 30 bases and reach double digits in homers.

6. Yasmany Tomas, 3B/OF, D-backs (ineligible)

Arizona would like its $68.5 million man to take over at third base, though that may be unrealistic for a 6-foot-2, 230-pounder. He's more likely to play on an outfield corner and translate his well-above-average raw power into 20 or more homers.

7. Hector Olivera, 2B, TBA (ineligible)

In Cuba, Olivera was considered a better player than Castillo or Tomas. He's more of a risk after he missed the 2012-13 season with a blood clot and didn't hit for the same power when he returned, but if healthy, he could be a rare 20-homer middle infielder. MLB is expected to declare Olivera a free agent in the near future, and the Dodgers are the front-runners to sign him.

8. Steven Souza Jr., OF, Rays (unranked)

Tampa Bay is betting that he'll provide more offense than Wil Myers after essentially swapping one for the other in a three-team, 11-player trade with the Nationals and Padres in December. The Rays will give Souza every opportunity to do so after he led the Triple-A International League in hitting (.350), on-base percentage (.432) and slugging (.590).

9. Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Blue Jays (No. 44)

Developed as a starter, he might have a better repertoire than any of Toronto's starters, but the Blue Jays also have a glaring need at closer. Sanchez is the best candidate to fill it, thanks to his mid-90s fastball and power curveball, and he went 10-for-10 in save and hold opportunities in his big league debut last summer.

10. Micah Johnson, 2B, White Sox (unranked)

He dethroned Billy Hamilton as the Minor League stolen-base champ by swiping 84 bases in 2013, though hamstring injuries marred his encore. Chicago's second-base job is Johnson's to lose provided he can handle the defensive responsibilities, and he could challenge for the American League steals title.

11. Daniel Norris, LHP, Blue Jays (No. 17)

The third Blue Jays prospect on this list and the second to soar from Class A Advanced to Toronto a year ago, he faced David Ortiz as his first big league batter and fanned him on a slider. Rookie starting pitchers are a volatile investment, but Norris is a strikeout pitcher who could wind up in the middle of a contender's rotation.

12. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Angels (No. 25)

He made his Major League debut two years after the Marlins drafted him ninth overall in 2012, then got traded twice for All-Star second basemen (Dee Gordon, Howie Kendrick) on the same day during the Winter Meetings. While Norris has a higher ceiling, Heaney has more polish and a better bet of cracking his Opening Day rotation.

13. Maikel Franco, 3B/1B, Phillies (No. 55)

Philadelphia is in full rebuilding mode, and its best position prospect has little left to prove in Triple-A, so it's a necessity to give Franco at-bats. He's coming off an impressive offseason in the Dominican Winter League, and he could top the Phillies in homers and RBIs if he gets the opportunity via a Cody Asche move to the outfield or a Ryan Howard trade.

14. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Mets (No. 10)

Among baseball's upper-level pitching prospects, he offers the best combination of stuff and command. Syndergaard is too talented to spend much more time in Triple-A after leading the PCL in strikeouts a year ago, and he has more upside than reigning NL Rookie of the Year Award winner Jacob DeGrom.

15. Carlos Rodon, LHP, White Sox (No. 14)

Asking someone to jump into a Major League rotation 10 months after getting drafted might be a bit much to ask, yet Chicago may do so with Rodon after Chris Sale fractured his foot. The No. 3 overall pick last June may be up to the task, because he has a pair of strikeout pitches in a knockout slider and a 92-97-mph fastball.

Rodon sharp in first taste of Cactus League

PEORIA, Ariz. -- White Sox top prospect Carlos Rodon was dominant in his Cactus League debut, striking out four in two scoreless innings. Rodon, the third overall pick in the 2014 Draft, walked one and made good use of his fastball and slider in a start that covered 31 pitches, including 21 strikes. The only hit he allowed was a first-inning single to Kemp. Up next for the White Sox: Hector Noesi, who moved quickly from reliever to fifth starter after being added by the White Sox during the 2014 season, makes his Cactus League debut Saturday. Noesi is being counted on once again to fill out the starting rotation, behind Chris Sale, Jeff Samardzija, Jose Quintana and John Danks.

[ Going out on the limb here, but, if Rodon and Noesi win rotation jobs behind Sale, Samardzja, and Quintana, The sox will be the team to beat in 2015. I think Danks is the odd man out of that rotation. If Avisail Garcia can stay healthy, the sox will have one heck of a lineup. ]

Could Jose Quintana get Opening Day nod for White Sox?

CSN Chicago "Jose Quintana would love a shot at an Opening Day start. The White Sox starter admitted earlier this week he was pretty geeked for Wednesday’s Cactus League opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He proceeded to throw strikes on 20 of 26 pitches and retire all six batters he faced in the first two innings of a 6-4 White Sox win at Camelback Ranch. With Chris Sale expected out for another 2 1/ 2 weeks, Quintana has a shot.

SI.com "The Chicago Cubs say they considered playing their entire home schedule in Milwaukee because of delays to the renovation of Wrigley Field.

CSN Chicago Cubs waiting for Welington Castillo situation to play itself out. "Anyone need a catcher? The Cubs will be open for business when their Cactus League schedule begins on Thursday with two split-squad games. Some of the scouts sitting behind home plate will have to be watching Welington Castillo this spring.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic writes that Yasmany Tomas has looked comfortable in early auditions at third base. He hasn’t been perfect, particularly with his throws, but if Tomas can iron out the kinks at the hot corner, it would keep the D-Backs‘ outfield logjam from getting out of hand.

Olivera declared a free agent; signing could come soon

Cuban second baseman Hector Olivera was declared a free agent by Major League Baseball on Friday, and he could come to an agreement with a team as early as Sunday, according to industry sources. Olivera will be 30 on April 5, and some scouts have expressed concerns about offering him a long-term deal because of his age. He also overcame a blood disorder that sidelined him from play in Cuba's top league, Serie Nacional. A recent report by Yahoo Sports claims there is serious concern that Olivera has a damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm. One thing is certain: Scouts rave about Olivera's tools and international experience, and agree that he can help a Major League club immediately. One of the most prolific offensive players in Cuba when healthy, Olivera wowed scouts in open showcases and private workouts in the Dominican Republic last month, underscoring the notion that he can hit at least 15 to 20 home runs and drive in 75 runs from the middle of a lineup in what would be his rookie year. Olivera can play second and third base on the Major League level, which is also appealing to clubs.

I wonder if on the White Sox forum they post articles about the Indians ?