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#2821 · November 20, 2023, 3:05 pm
Quote from BoosterSD on November 20, 2023, 12:35 pmQuote from Randy Manese on November 20, 2023, 12:22 pmFangraphs reporting that Padres signed minor league free agents Mason McCoy, an infielder, and OF's Robert Perez, Jr. and Calvin Mitchell to minor league contracts with an invitation to spring training. Don't expect much out of any of them and may not even make it to the El Paso roster. Still think the AAA team will be filled out with our older prospects/non-prospects so wouldn't get too excited by any of these reported signings as being anything more than blindly throwing a dart at the dartboard and hoping to hit a bullseye.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I am a little intrigued with Cal Mitchell. Has had some good numbers in AAA, and a SD native. Not penciling him into a starting role in SD, but maybe he can regain his form from his 1st trip to AAA.
Remember the Padres actually need bodies to fill out a AAA roster ... hopefully ones that are qualified AAA players to support any real prospects that move up to AAA and, in case of an emergency, get call up to the ML and not embarrass the Padres.
Not expecting much from any of them.
#2822 · November 25, 2023, 9:22 am
Now we are talking about fringe players but wonder if having CA roots factors in signings?
This month:
11/3 … Wade signed MiL FA for EP … Murrietta Valley
11/6 … Espada claimed on waivers … Palm Desert
11/15 … Gillaspie claimed on waivers … Bakersfield
11/22 … Mitchell signed MiL FA for EP … San Diego
Maybe just a random oddity (and not an exclusive approach) but could the Padres see some PR value across CA having CA players in the system? So if a choice among close options for fringe players … why not go local?
#2823 · November 28, 2023, 6:59 pm
John Coniff believes the Padres will push some of their older top prospects to El Paso instead of San Antonio - this includes Merrill, Marsee and Pauley. I hope that is not true, especially if the reason for having Salas at San Antonio late in the year was to grow with some of the top prospects. While Merrill, Marsee and Pauley could be ready for El Paso, Martorella is not and Salas definitely is not; in fact, I'd rather have Salas start 2024 back in Ft. Wayne, but he's an unusual prospect so it may be what he shows in Spring Training will determine if he stays in AA. Moreover, hitting in El Paso may undo some of the gains in their hitting prowess our top prospects made in moving up our minors chain in 2023; I'm for having them hit in San Antonio, which is a more pitcher friendly venue, and learn from that experience. It's an artificial environment that won't be duplicated when they move to the big club - look at the guys they brought up from El Paso and what they did (or did not do despite having good numbers in El Paso!).
On the other hand, don't have any problem sending Castanon, Reyes, Cummings and others who are not top prospects up to El Paso to meet up with Ornelas, Rosario and others who were already on the 2023 roster plus the few free agents we've already signed. By no means do I want to see any of our top pitchers, including Iriarte, Mazur and Bergert in El Paso - it could ruin their confidence and growth. Let them work out their needed improvements in San Antonio - PLEASE!
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#2824 · December 7, 2023, 2:02 am
How quickly did Jairo Iriarte grow up this year? Did anyone notice? MLB.com currently has Jairo Iriarte listed as 6'2", 160lb and says "his FB has added velocity and now sits near the mid 90s". Yet according to BA he "has matured into an imposing figure at 6'5" and 200lb" and "Iriarte's growth spurt pushed his fastball to 95-97mph, and there's little doubt that it would touch triple-digits regularly in short bursts."
Has he gone from a possible #4 or #5 starter to a possible #1 - #3 starter? That's huge, isn't it?
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#2825 · December 7, 2023, 2:58 am
Quote from JasonE135 on December 7, 2023, 2:02 amHow quickly did Jairo Iriarte grow up this year? Did anyone notice? MLB.com currently has Jairo Iriarte listed as 6'2", 160lb and says "his FB has added velocity and now sits near the mid 90s". Yet according to BA he "has matured into an imposing figure at 6'5" and 200lb" and "Iriarte's growth spurt pushed his fastball to 95-97mph, and there's little doubt that it would touch triple-digits regularly in short bursts."
Has he gone from a possible #4 or #5 starter to a possible #1 - #3 starter? That's huge, isn't it?
I would put money on him ending up in the pen as a high leverage reliever.
#2826 · December 8, 2023, 11:04 am
I'm targeting Blake Dickerson as one to keep an eye on the next two years.
Just out of high school---6'6" lefty who sits at 92-93 but has plenty of strengthening to do...if he can add 5-6 MPH in the next two years watch out.
His best pitch is his Slider....so adding a 97-99 mph fastball along with some maturity/coaching could turn him into a beast.
Could end up the steal of the draft after being taken by AJ in the 12th round but a long way to go to get to that point but will be fun to keep an eye on his progress.
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#2827 · December 8, 2023, 11:19 am
MadFriars reported Iriarte at 6:03 and 211 pounds when they went down to see him in Fort Wayne. It's possible he got a little taller but put on some additional muscle but wouldn't want that to affect the fluidity of his pitching motion. He's definitely the 6:02, 160 lb guy that signed back in July 2018 when the Padres were still very limited in the amount of bonus they could give international free agents. In fact, I don't believe Iriarte got a bonus and if he did it was likely under $10,000.
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#2828 · December 8, 2023, 11:21 pm
About 5 weeks away from the Padres signing their next big international target, Leodalis de Vries, switch hitting shortstop out of the Dominican. Although not unanimously ranked #1 in his class like Salas was, de Vries is either #1 or #2 for 2024. Just hope that Padres have enough money left in their international bonus slot money pool to close the deal!
#2829 · December 9, 2023, 4:05 pm
Quote from Notmyopic on December 7, 2023, 2:58 amQuote from JasonE135 on December 7, 2023, 2:02 amHow quickly did Jairo Iriarte grow up this year? Did anyone notice? MLB.com currently has Jairo Iriarte listed as 6'2", 160lb and says "his FB has added velocity and now sits near the mid 90s". Yet according to BA he "has matured into an imposing figure at 6'5" and 200lb" and "Iriarte's growth spurt pushed his fastball to 95-97mph, and there's little doubt that it would touch triple-digits regularly in short bursts."
Has he gone from a possible #4 or #5 starter to a possible #1 - #3 starter? That's huge, isn't it?
I would put money on him ending up in the pen as a high leverage reliever.
Probably will start in the bullpen, but with what now looks like 3 plus pitches he is eventually destined for the rotation if he has any command. Added 3 mph since last year? All of a sudden I am interested. He looks likely to join the Top 100 prospects lists at the next re-ranking.
#2830 · December 10, 2023, 4:06 am
Quote from JasonE135 on December 9, 2023, 4:05 pmQuote from Notmyopic on December 7, 2023, 2:58 amQuote from JasonE135 on December 7, 2023, 2:02 amHow quickly did Jairo Iriarte grow up this year? Did anyone notice? MLB.com currently has Jairo Iriarte listed as 6'2", 160lb and says "his FB has added velocity and now sits near the mid 90s". Yet according to BA he "has matured into an imposing figure at 6'5" and 200lb" and "Iriarte's growth spurt pushed his fastball to 95-97mph, and there's little doubt that it would touch triple-digits regularly in short bursts."
Has he gone from a possible #4 or #5 starter to a possible #1 - #3 starter? That's huge, isn't it?
I would put money on him ending up in the pen as a high leverage reliever.
Probably will start in the bullpen, but with what now looks like 3 plus pitches he is eventually destined for the rotation if he has any command. Added 3 mph since last year? All of a sudden I am interested. He looks likely to join the Top 100 prospects lists at the next re-ranking.
Command is an issue, stuff isnt. You don’t pitch in the backend of a BP if stuff is an issue. I could be wrong and he suddenly develops better command and holds results deeper into games, but I bet I am not wrong.