Quote from Randy Manese on June 30, 2024, 7:24 pm

On Lizarraga, scouts are not high on him because he doesn't have great velocity and none of his breaking stuff really stands out.  They might have to re-assess after this year, however, as it seems he's gotten better in both areas.  Have to remember he was injured and ill a lot of 2023 which probably greatly affected both his effectiveness and his development.  Because he is still very young for the league, there is a chance he could add good weight and strength and move up the prospect rankings next year.

In the meantime, my two favorite pitchers to follow in the second half of the season that are coming back from injury are now both at Ft. Wayne - RHP Braden Nett and LHP Jackson Smeltz.  In the game today, both pitched and were lights out.   I had a third, Cole Paplham, but it now looks like he's injured again and will not pitch further in 2024.  Nett and Paplham were signed as undrafted free agents while Smeltz was drafted in that incredible   2022 draft class in the 10th Round but hadn't pitched in 2-3 years because of injury - much like the career path of Jagger Haynes.  Look for Smeltz to be brought along very slowly but he has nasty stuff!

Quote from Randy Manese on July 2, 2024, 11:03 pm

As we enter July, there have been ups and downs with many of our top prospects but many of them are very young for their league and have very little or no experience prior to this year.  Surprised that Snelling and Salas are our representatives in the Futures game since neither has done well, however, a growth year doesn't preclude the overall assessment that they will succeed in the future.  What I have been impressed with are our pitchers who are coming back from injury and now starting to dominate; also way down in the Dominican are a couple of early standouts but it is such a small sample size (less than 20 IP ) that we should not be surprised if they have a much different second half.  Here are some pitchers to follow, some are already well know but others are emerging:

LHP: Jagger Haynes and *Jackson Smeltz (FtW); *Snelling and *Krob (SA); and Ibrahnyn Jimenez (Dominican Padres Gold)

RHP: *Lesko, #Braden Nett, Henry Baez, Enmanuel Pinales and Samuel Whiting (FtW); *Isaiah Lowe (LE); #Kollar and Lizarraga (SA); and Manuel Davila (Dominican Padres Brown)

RP: #David Morgan, Francis Pena and Omar Cruz (SA); Bradgley Rodriguez (FtW); and Xavier Ruiz (LE) - all are RH  except Omar Cruz

• Highlighted pitchers who were part of the amazing 2022 draft class and don't forget we also traded our #3 pick in that class (Henry Williams) as a key person in the trade that got us Scott Barlow, who kept us in the hunt for a 2023  playoff spot
• #Indicates undrafted free agents signed in 2022; another who we won't see for the remainder of the because of injury is Cole Paplham, who could become an excellent RP

Quote from Stergios on July 3, 2024, 8:35 am

Snelling with a solid start last night going 5 IP with only 1 ER.

Salas went 2-5 with a double.

And Pinales with another good start.

Quote from Stergios on July 4, 2024, 6:34 am

Haynes with a solid start last night

Salas 1-3

DeVries 2-5

Lizaragga was removed after 3 IP even though he was pitching well.  Injury?

Quote from Stergios on July 6, 2024, 10:14 am

Henry Baez with a terrific start last night, going 5 innings no ER with 10 K’s.

DeVries : 3-4 with a BB - 2 HRs, a 2B and a SB.  He’s raised his OPS to .709 for the season.

Very nice!

Quote from MrPadre19 on July 8, 2024, 5:04 pm

Jacob Wilson,A’s SS prospect has 77 hits in 42 games across 3 levels this year.

😳😳😳😳

 

Quote from Stergios on July 11, 2024, 6:44 am

Devriez has increased his ops to .754.  Not bad at all…

i suspect that they’ll keep him in low-A all season, unlike Salas whom they promoted super aggressively.

Lizarraga was having a good night last night until the 6th when he collapsed, giving up three HRs

Quote from Jeremy Hill on July 11, 2024, 2:36 pm

Between the draft coming up and the end of the ACL season in 2 weeks we should see a little bit of movement. I could see De Vries and a handful of others ending the year with the Tincaps while guys from the draft or desert replace them. I don't think that Salas's struggles will change anything from an aggression standpoint when it comes to our other prospects. You could make a case for letting them stick with the Storm to experience a playoff run though.

Quote from fenn68 on July 11, 2024, 3:40 pm

Quote from Jeremy Hill on July 11, 2024, 2:36 pm

Between the draft coming up and the end of the ACL season in 2 weeks we should see a little bit of movement. I could see De Vries and a handful of others ending the year with the Tincaps while guys from the draft or desert replace them. I don't think that Salas's struggles will change anything from an aggression standpoint when it comes to our other prospects. You could make a case for letting them stick with the Storm to experience a playoff run though.

Sounds as though … even when the ACL shuts down … the organizations will continue to do a late version of “extended spring training” with informal workouts and games … basically to indoctrinate / evaluate the incoming draft picks while continuing to work with the remaining ACL players. This approach skirts the 165 player limit by not “adding” officially the draft picks.

Might see some pitchers move around but not seeing much movement in position players … not much in ACL pushing to move up and if Preller goes his normal HS with top picks … likely no direct draftee to A ball picks.