The Best (and Worst) Minor League Defenders

by Russ on Nov 30, 2006 9:36 AM MST in Rockpile Comment 15 comments

Jeff Sackmann of Brew Crew Ball and columnist for a few other sites has this article on Baseball Analysts today discussing who the best Minor League Defenders were this year.

According to his work, Jayson Nix is a decent defensive 2B, Ian Stewart and Phil Cuadrado are roughly the same defensively per 150 games(though Ian logged more innings) and Troy Tulowitzki needs to improve his D in order to stick at short. But remember Jeff's warning: It's only one complete year of data and he's still working this out.

Update [2006-11-30 21:10:32 by Russ in NY]: The Rockies announced the 24 players who will attend their winter development program. Chaz Roe, Josh Sullivan and Michael McKenry are the most interesting names on that list to me. Yeah, the Rockies are taking it nice and slowly with Frankie Morales during the off-season as well.

Update [2006-12-1 10:24:10 by Rox Girl]:

Today Sackmann put up his "worst defender" lists. Rockies prospects making this dubious distinction include Chris Nelson, Corey Wimberly, Daniel Carte and surprisingly given his reputation, Jeff Salazar. All players' defensive stats are now available at MinorLeagueSplits.com.

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I'm curious about Jonathan Herrera

Who is heralded defensively but didn't show up in the top rated shortstops. It will be interesting to see how he fares when the site is updated.

by Rox Girl on Nov 30, 2006 10:04 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

It could be a difference between

tools and performance at the moment. No prospect is a finished product, especially in High A. I wouldn't read too much into these numbers until the system's had a few years to set standards, compare projections with Dewan's plus/minus, etc.

It is good to see Stewart up high on that third base list, matching what I saw from him in Tulsa this year. If there's any way he could just stay at third and move Atkins across the diamond...I know, not the place...

This is a good start to evaluating prospects' defense, but this might be the most raw area of a player's tools, and these numbers could mean little as they've spent a few seasons in the majors.

by David "ohno" on Nov 30, 2006 12:04 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Rockies sign Rivera

This isn't really important, but the Rockies have signed Mexican lefty phenom Óscar Rivera (author of an AAA playoff perfect game and a regular season no/no) to a minor league contract with a ST invite.

Rivera, 24, works with a low nineties/high eighties fastball, a rainbow curve and a plus-plus changeup, with an average slider and a mediocre cutter as his side pitches.

He was 9-7 with a 3.73 ERA in 120.2 IP for the Yucatan Lions, with seven homeruns allowed, thirty eight BBs and 112 strikeouts. The Mexican League is a very hitter-friendly (thus the high ERA) AAA league and rates just below the Japanese league. He has drawn comparisons to former Mexican standout Fernando Valenzuela.

Rivera was told by Rockies scouts that he had a decent shot at winning the fifth spot in the rotation, but that he would need to impress the big guys in the organization.(Article in Spanish)

Why am I posting this? Because I was at both the perfect game and the no-no in past years, and because he's the star of my hometown Lions.

The Rockies also signed C Geronimo Gil to a minor league deal with an invite to ST.

I love Garrett Atkins. Seriously. Man-crush. I traded Morgan Ensberg to get him in my fantasy league.

by Carlos on Nov 30, 2006 1:19 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Given his competition,

I like him already. Seriously. I like offering Josh Fogg arbitration for insurance, but it sounds like Rivera might have the better profile at this point. Only three BB's/9IP is really nice, particularly when he adds all those K's. I think this has the potential to turn out to be the find of the offseason for the Rockies, and a better project than going after a bunch of tired arms that haven't worked anywhere they've been.

Oh, and yeay! We finally signed my anti-hero. I've been waiting for that Gil deal for some time now.

by Rox Girl on Nov 30, 2006 1:39 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep, he's good

He makes up for the lack of velocity on his fastball with nasty movement and a textbook windup. Also, he has never missed a start in his five years on the league, a Zito-like workhorse that hasn't exceeded 180 innings in his career because of the careful handling the Lions have given him.

His current statistics in the Mexican Winter League:

Rivera, Oscar
(team) NAV (w/l) 5-2 (ERA) 2.32 (IP) 50.1 (H) 39 (BB) 17 (SO) 42.

The Mexican Winter League, another hitter-friendly league (most games are played in Arizona-like altitudes), has a league ERA of 4.54, so Rivera has a an ERA more than two runs below the norm. He's second in the league in ERA.

Enough pimpin' :) Thanks for replying!

I love Garrett Atkins. Seriously. Man-crush. I traded Morgan Ensberg to get him in my fantasy league.

by Carlos on Nov 30, 2006 1:52 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Rivera

Hello Carlos, thanks for the rundown on your local guy. I was totally intrigued when I read this, and the comparisons to Oliver Perez and Fernando are exciting.

One question: I looked on a web site called thebaseballcube.com, and they show stats for an Oscar Rivera in the Mexican Leagues, but before 2004, they are all relief pitcher stats. It looks like he was worse as a reliever than he's done as a starter. Can you give us any insight on this? It is the same guy isn't it?

Also, they have some stats on there from his time with Saltillo that don't look that good. Do you what happened to him there?

thanks

by Thomas on Dec 2, 2006 11:38 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Upcoming top 30 prospects polling

I think Rivera should definitely be included.

A 24 year-old left-hander with a 1.26 WHIP in Triple-A deserves to make the top 30.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_pit&lid=125&sid=l125
Stat-wise, Rivera was basically the best pitcher in the entire Mexican League last season.

R you in?

by malakian on Nov 30, 2006 4:57 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm in agreement there

I'm probably slotting him into the 15-20 range because I'm unfamiliar with him still and haven't seen tape yet, but his polish puts him ahead of guys like Hynick and Durden although behind the higher upsides of Sullivan and Roe.

by Rox Girl on Nov 30, 2006 5:06 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Rivera in ST

I think this definitely adds another tier of intrigue to Spring Training. If this guy shows up with solid control of 3 pitches, and he can keep the ball down in the zone, I would think the Rocks would be in a position to give him a spot in the rotation and dangle one of their other starters.

by Thomas on Dec 2, 2006 11:44 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Cool

Thanks for the info.

Rivera looks like an intriguing prospect. I hope I get to see him pitch with the Rockies or Sky Sox next year.

R you in?

by malakian on Nov 30, 2006 1:39 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

You're welcome!

My guess is that he'll spend some time in Colorado Springs before getting a mid-season callup. He's really ready for the major leagues.

I love Garrett Atkins. Seriously. Man-crush. I traded Morgan Ensberg to get him in my fantasy league.

by Carlos on Nov 30, 2006 1:53 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Good signing

I'm liking the numbers I see from Rivera. Glad to see he has an invite to ST and a chance at winning the fifth starter's spot.

As for Gil - bleh.

Colorado Rockies Offseason: Re-signed Kaz Matsui, 1 yr/$1.5 million

by avsfan4ever33 on Nov 30, 2006 7:25 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

AAA backup

Gil will likely spend the season as Al Colina's backup at AAA, so what's the problem? It's not like he's going to threaten to take PT away from anyone.

I've got a bad habit of picking losers... Rockies, Vanderbilt, Grizzlies...

by Rox Fan in TN on Nov 30, 2006 9:00 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

That list for the WDP

also listed Young and Wimberly as outfielders, which is curious...or a typo...

by David "ohno" on Nov 30, 2006 9:29 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Minor league transactions update.

Rockies farm director Marc Gustafson told MLB.com the club has signed former Royals right-hander Bobby Keppel and former Dodgers catching prospect Edwin Bellorin to Minor League contracts.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061201&content_id=1748789&vkey=hotstove 2006&fext=.jsp

R you in?

by malakian on Dec 1, 2006 2:41 PM MST reply actions 0 recs