All right, we're going to get a little interactive today. With each minor league team I'm going to put up a fringe name and ask for your up or down vote as to whether they'll make a contribution (major or minor, but something noticeable) to a winning MLB squad, each will have played some part in yesterday's results for their respective clubs. I realize with almost all of these the real answer is "too soon to tell," but I just want your gut opinion. In the comments just let me know yea or nea and what you think said prospect will end up doing:
Colorado Springs: Jayson Nix
Marc Gustafson gave Nix a vote of confidence a week or so ago. Yesterday Jayson went zero for five.
Rox Girl's Take: We know he has the glove, but I really don't see his bat developing any further. Was Nick Pereira really that afraid of Jeff Salazar that he would walk him four times to get to Josh Wilson, while going directly at Nix to avoid Mike Esposito (who went two for two by the way). No, I get the feeling that certain Sky Sox couldn't hold back against the less than effective Pereira, Nix included. I know he's knocking at the door, but I just don't see it happening at all right now.
Tulsa: Christian Colonel
Colonel went two for five yesterday and scored two runs in a losing effort.
Rox Girl's Take: I'll go yes. Colonel sometimes just seems to be riding the coattails of his more touted and talented teammates, but he's not so far behind them to be irrelevant. I could see him having 400 AB's for a contending team some season, and a starting role for a rebuilding one.
Modesto: Jonathan Herrera
I'm going to ask about the three pack that led off yesterday for the Nuts in their eight to six win. Herrera played shortstop, led off and went two for five with two runs and two stolen bases.
Rox Girl's Take: I'm feeling no, right now, actually. I've been expecting more of a breakout performance from Herrera and he's just sort of been there. Like Nix, I think he's AAAA material at this point.
Chris Frey
Went one for three with a single and stolen base, was also hit by a pitch, scored once and drove one run in.
Rox Girl's Take: Frey and the next guy have done a lot with the opportunities they've been given this season. Because of Frey's defensive capabilities in center, I definitely think he has a shot. He's also showing some decent plate discipline. I'll put a cautious yes, but I think he'll provide most of his value to the Rockies in a trade in the next season or two.
Jeff Dragicevich
Got on base three out of four times with a single, walk and HBP. He scored once.
Rox Girl's Take: In 193 AB's this season, Dragicevich has a lot of walks (37) and a lot of K's(50). I think that .410 OBP could be a little misleading, as further up the system, more pitchers will throw strikes with more consistency, and that's where the trouble of those fifty K's comes in. Okay. Gut decision time. Jeff's contact rates have gone up every month this season, culminating in his very spiffy 6/45 K/AB ratio thus far in July. I'm going to go yes here. Jeff's the super utility guy we're dreaming Luis Gonzalez would be.
Asheville: Daniel Carte
Hit his tenth homerun yesterday in another Tourists' loss.
Rox Girl's Take: I'm going to split my vote among Asheville's two raw corner outfielders. I see more a better chance for Carte to get over his contact woes than I see for Garner...
Cole Garner:
Went one for four with a double and two K's.
Rox Girl's Take: Cole's got more raw power than Daniel, but he also seems a little more headstrong when it comes to making adjustments. My unfinal verdict: Carte makes the show and ends up being a fairly productive outfielder that won't start on contending teams, or if he does will be constantly traded ala Todd Hollandsworth, while Garner hits a wall by AA.
Tri-City: Daniel Mayora
Mayora hit his fourth homerun of the season yesterday (on the road) for the Dust Devils. He leads the team which plays in the most homer suppressing league in the minors and in one of that league's worst for homering home stadiums. He also committed his eleventh error.
Rox Girl's Take: I'm going to go thumbs up on Mayora. He's obviously not destined to stay at shortstop, but he's been solid enough this season thus far to make me think he'll be useful in some capacity. The Rockies already have several of his ilk in the system, Jason van Kooten at Asheville and Herrera and Dragicevich at Modesto. I see Mayora getting moved as part of a package for some relief help by us three years from now.
Casper: Logan Wiens
The twenty year old first baseman hit two homeruns yesterday.
Rox Girl's Take: Whew! At least Wiens isn't another of these utility infielders where we have so much depth. Oh wait. Yeah, another 1B. I really have no idea, so I'll just say no since percentages will be on my side.