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| MINOR LEAGUE STARS |
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| 1. Ben Fritz RHP/C A's Large, solid frame. Big-boned, durable, similar to Jaret Wright. As catcher, frames and blocks well, adequate right to left movement. Above average arm with on-line throws, acceleration with carry. Power with some loft. Intelligent, quiet leader. As pitcher, strong, fluid arm. Solid average fastball with occasional late life. Will pitch inside. Throws three- and four-finger change with sink and fade, OK deception. Other pitch is hard, late cutter. Slurve features late bite. Strong, durable two-way player with uncommon athletic ability. Northwest League� Vancouver Canadians 07/06 to 08/17 W L SV ERA G IP H R ER BB KO HR 1 4 0 2.95 9 39.2 29 16 13 14 33 1 2. Leslie Nacar RHP Giants Nacar distinguished himself as a closer, leading the league with nine saves while posting a 0.95 ERA. He also struck out 14.9 hitters per nine innings. That was a marked improvement from 2002, when Nacar tipped the scales at 150 pounds. His listed weight this year was 190, and the extra beef helped him add 4 mph to his fastball, which improved from 88 to 92. He also worked aggressively in the strike zone. "He dominated this league with two pitches," Hunter said. "His curveball was the best in the league and already is a major league quality pitch." Team W-L ERA G IP H R ER BB SO Giants 0-1 0.95 20 19.0 9 4 2 3 31 3. Chuck James, lhp, Danville Braves No pitcher received more praise for his performance than James. While many Rookie-league pitchers have raw skills, James stood out with his ability to hit spots and change speeds, producing numerous comparisons to Tom Glavine. A 20th-round pick in 2002 who didn't make his pro debut until this summer, James moves the ball around the strike zone with his fastball, changeup and slider. His heater resides around 90 mph, and he isn't afraid to throw inside or paint the outside corners. "He has the best changeup I've ever seen at this level," Odor said. "His changeup is amazing because his arm action is exactly the same as when he throws the fastball. Guys were completing their swings before the ball reached the plate." Team W-L ERA G IP H R ER BB SO Danville 2-1 1.25 11 50.1 26 9 7 19 68 4. Troy Cate RICKS COL LHP L/L 6'1" 195 10/21/1980 JR Tall frame. Lean, athletic build, resembling Anaheim's Jarrod Washburn. Big kick, long, loose arm action. Wide variances in fastball velocity, sink when down. Other pitch is splitter with late fade. Gets ground balls. Poised 21-year-old. Changes speeds effectively. Confidence in split as out pitch. Northwest League� Everett AquaSox 06/22 to 09/03 W L SV ERA G IP H R ER BB KO HR 6 1 0 2.00 16 85.1 62 21 19 11 95 6 5. Gary Galvez LHP CUBA BOS 19 yrs Had some visa problems after signing with the Sox so stayed in the Dominican to play in the summer league. 6-3 2 saves 14 games 71.1 IP 1.64 era .230 BAA 65k/10bb |
| 2002 ROOKIES |
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| Boston Red Sox Farm System The Sox dealt quite a lot during the 2003 season in a run at the world series including Gosling, Burnett, Horacio Ramirez and Joe Mauer. Several 02 draft picks didn't cut it through the end of the season, but for the most part the system has been replenished and bears 14 pitchers (7 lefties). |
| BA TOP 100 1. Mark Teixeira 15. Jason Stokes 19. Hanley Ramirez 25. Sean Burnett 59. Mike Gosling 61. Shin-Soo Choo 69. Bobby Basham 82. Todd Linden Rotoworld 100 1. Tex '03 3. Mauer '05 19. Stokes '05 27. H. Ramirez '06 33. Choo '06 60. Burnett '04 63. Youkilis '03 65. Gomes '05 96. Linden '03 100. Gosling '03 104. Basham '03 140. Munoz '03 141. F. Sanchez now Strikethree.com Positional Rankings C Mauer 2, Cash 10 1B Stokes 6 2B Sanchez 4 3B Tex 1, Youkilis 8 SS Ramirez LF Linden 2, Gomes 7 RF Choo 2 LHP Burnett 5 TSN Top 100 Pre-'02 Pena 5 Tex 18 Mauer 50 Burnett 95 BA Top 100 Pre-'02 Pena 5 Mauer 7 Tex 10 BA Positional C Mauer 1, Cash 6 1B Stokes 3 2B Sanchez 7 3B Texeira 1 SS Ramirez 3 OF Linden 16 LHP Burnett 2 theProspectReport.com Organizational Teixeira, #1 Texas Mauer, #1 Minn Burnett, #1 Pitt Basham, #1 Cin Stokes, #1 Fla Gomes, #7 TB Ramirez, #1 Bos Youkilis, #2 Bos Choo, #5, SEA Eli Ramirez, #8 Phi |
| Basham, Bobby rhp Age: 22. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 200. Drafted: Richmond, 2001 (7th round). Signed by: Perry Smith. Background: A former backup quarterback at Richmond, Basham posted an ugly 0-7, 6.39 record as a Spiders junior but showed enough the previous summer in the Cape Cod League to intrigue the Reds. They�ve allowed him to attend spring classes in each of the last two years, so he didn�t report to Dayton until late May last year. He hurled three consecutive shutouts at Dayton�including two 78-pitch outings�and finished the year with a dominating performance in the high Class A California League championship game. Strengths: Basham made a rapid transition from raw thrower to pitcher. He had a short spring training but showed aptitude by incorporating mechanical adjustments on the fly. He fills the zone with a lively 90-93 mph fastball, two-plane slider, plus knuckle-curve and fosh changeup. Weaknesses: He has a complex delivery, so Basham will have to work to maintain consistency. He worked to correct his flaws, and judging by his strikeout-walk ratio, he won�t have much trouble. The Future: Basham will start the year at Double-A Chattanooga. After an encouraging trip to the Arizona Fall League and considering the Reds� need for pitching, he could get through the upper levels in a hurry. Bruney, Brian rhp Age: 21. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 220. Drafted: HS�Warrenton, Ore., 2000 (12th round). Signed by: Jason Goligoski. Background: Bruney signed as a raw talent from a town of 2,200 on the tip of northwest Oregon. Credit the scouting department for finding him and the development staff for refining him into a closer prospect. He dominated in the Arizona Fall League after a strong 2002 season, not allowing a run in 16 appearances. Strengths: Bruney hit 99 mph with his fastball in his first two years in the organization. He now works in the mid-90s, and the pitch has natural cutting action, making it tougher to hit. His slider has improved, and his most important achievement has been refining a consistent delivery. Weaknesses: Control has been a problem at times for Bruney, though as he has grown he has learned he doesn�t have to throw 99 mph every pitch to be successful. His average of 3.1 walks per nine innings last year was by far the best ratio of his career. He doesn�t have much of an offspeed pitch, but he rarely needs one. The Future: If Matt Mantei can�t stay healthy and Byung-Hyun Kim becomes a starter, Bruney could become Arizona�s closer soon. He needs at least one more year of minor league apprenticeship first. Cash, Kevin C HT: 6-0 WT: 185 Bats:R Throws:R 2003 AGE: 26 on 12/06/03 The Skinny: Kevin Cash is a great story. Undrafted after finishing his college career at Flordia State by striking out to end the 1999 College World Series, Cash was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Blue Jays and converted from 1B/3B to catcher based on Toronto personnel seeing him play behind the plate as an emergency backup in the Cape Cod League. Needless to say, it was a good hunch. Cash is an outstanding defensive catcher with an offensive game that is rapidly developing. Cash set career highs in nearly every offensive category in 2002, and projects to hit 20+ homers annually. He went into a nasty slump after a promotion to AAA, which was rectified once he stopped trying to hit everything out of the park. He has a solid understanding of the strike zone and draws a fair numbers a walks. Defensively he has average hands and blocking skills but features one of the best catcher arms in the minor leagues. After throwing out an incredible 56% of base stealers in the Florida State League in 2001, He nailed over 40% at both AA Tennessee and AAA Syracuse. 2003 Outlook: Cash has made the Blue Jays more comfortable with leaving the defensively inadequate Josh Phelps at DH, while moving the ultra-athletic Jayson Werth from behind the plate to the outfield. Cash may start 2003 at Syracuse for some offensive seasoning, but could see significant time with the Blue Jays. Cotts, Neal LHP Blake Hawksworth, rhp, Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals) The parent Cardinals always seem to be desperate for pitching, and Hawksworth may be able to help them soon. Signed for $1.475 million as a draft-and-follow in 2002, he needed just 10 starts to earn a promotion to high Class A. The only glitch in his first full season came when he injured his right ankle in late July. He has the highest ceiling of any St. Louis pitching prospect since Rick Ankiel. Hawksworth has a 92-93 mph fastball that was clocked at 96 in the seventh inning of one start, and he backs it with a sharp curveball and good changeup. He can locate his pitches in all four quadrants of the strike zone, and his arm action and delivery are flawless. "He's the best pitcher in the league for me," Cedar Rapids manager Todd Claus said. "He has three plus pitches. Two years max, and he's in St. Louis�and I said the same thing with Dontrelle Willis last year." Team W-L ERA G IP H R ER BB SO Peoria 5-1 2.30 10 54.2 37 16 14 12 57 Gomes, Jonny OF HT: 6-1 WT: 205 Bats: R Throws: R 2003 AGE: 23 on 11/22/03 The Skinny: After winning the Appy league MVP in his 2001 debut, Gomes, an 18th round pick, continued to shine by leading the California League in runs, slugging and extra base hits, while falling one behind in the home run race in the final week and also finishing second with a .432 OBP. Gomes doesn't like to make the defense work, with an unbelievable 325 plate appearances ending with a walk to 1st (91 walks and an incredible 31 HBP), a walk to the dugout (a disturbing 173 whiffs), or a trot around the bases (30 HRs). When he made contact, he batted .451 -- as impressive as that is, it also points to some holes in his swing that were exploited in the 2nd half of the season, as he batted .247 with 82 Ks in his final 58 games. He's an adequate LF and an average runner despite a stocky frame. 2003 Outlook: Undrafted out of high school, Gomes will take a huge step to AA in 2003, where he will continue to establish himself as an offensive force, or become the second coming of Rob Deer. Anthony Lerew, rhp, Rome Braves Rome finished second to Lake County with a 2.95 ERA, as righthanders Lerew and Kyle Davies and lefty Dan Meyer led the staff. After Meyer earned a midseason promotion to high Class A, righties Matt Wright and Blaine Boyer emerged with dominant second halves. Lerew had the most impressive arm on the Rome staff. He works ahead in the count with his 90-93 mph fastball and plus changeup. His slider improved during the season. "He's able to command both sides of the plate," Beasley said. "It's rare at this level. He has a good change and then comes back with 92-93, and after a good changeup it makes it look like 98." Team W-L ERA G IP H R ER BB SO Rome 7-6 2.38 25 143.2 112 45 38 43 127 Linden, Todd of Age: 22. B-T: B-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 210. Drafted: Louisiana State, 2001 (1st round supplemental). Signed by: Tom Koronek. Background: The Giants had given up on signing Linden as a supplemental first-round pick in 2001, but then he overruled agent Tommy Tanzer and cut a deal for a $750,000 bonus on his own. Though his pro debut was delayed until 2002, he made up for it by tearing up Double-A and reaching Triple-A. Strengths: Linden is a switch-hitter with 30-homer potential. Guys like that tend to move quickly, and he has. He sprays the ball around the field and is willing to draw walks, so he�ll probably hit for average as well. He has a strong arm suited for right field. He runs well enough to get to balls in the oufield and steal bases if he�s left unattended. Weaknesses: Linden�s stroke can get long, and he occasionally overswings and gets herky-jerky with his mechanics. He needs work on his routes to fly balls. The Future: Linden finished 2002 in Triple-A and he�ll probably start there this year. The Giants don�t have a clear-cut right fielder, so it�s possible Linden could break camp with them if he has a big spring. Realistically, he�s another year away. Ching-Lung "Dragon" Lo, rhp, Tri-City Dust Devils (Rockies) The youngest player in the league at 17, Lo held his own against advanced hitters. He showed the potential for three above-average pitches: a lively 88-92 fastball, a solid changeup and a slider that has shown flashes. His breaking ball has improved from a year ago, when he rarely used it. Lo should continue to grow stronger (and possibly taller), and adding bulk to his legs and hips could help push his fastball into the mid-90s. He struggles with his mechanics because he's growing so fast that at times he's awkward. "He's got a high ceiling," McFarland said. "He has an overpowering fastball when he wants to, but his offspeed stuff isn't near Hernandez. But with his arm strength, he has the ability to have a dominating fastball." Team W-L ERA G IP H R ER BB SO Tri-City 3-7 2.85 14 75.2 66 27 24 27 48 Neu, Mike RHP Hanley Ramirez, ss, Augusta GreenJackets (Red Sox) Ramirez came out of spring training as the talk of the Red Sox system, but he quickly found himself in the organization's doghouse. He was suspended and demoted to extended spring training in May for repeated conduct violations. He was sent home from instructional league last fall for a similar reason. Most of Ramirez' issues can be attributed to immaturity, and managers noticed a change in attitude later in the season. "I saw a very good improvement of mental makeup in this kid," South Georgia manager Dann Bilardello said. "He has learned how to conduct himself and be a professional, which is part of our jobs. I saw a more mature player in the field." The 19-year-old Ramirez showed impressive tools in his full-season debut, though his performance wasn't overwhelming. He has plus raw power, but needs to learn to keep his stroke short and quick instead of swinging for the fences. In the field, he has natural shortstop actions and a big-time arm. TEAM G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB AVG OBP SLG Augusta 111 422 69 116 24 3 8 50 32 73 36 .275 .327 .403 Ramos, Mario LHP Sanchez, Freddy ss/2b Age: 24. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 185. Drafted: Oklahoma City, 2000 (11th round). Signed by: Ernie Jacobs. Background: After leading all minor league shortstops with a .334 average in 2001, Sanchez proved that performance was no fluke. He made the Double-A Eastern League all-star team, was Triple-A Pawtucket�s player of the year and drilled a two-run single in his first big league at-bat. Strengths: Sanchez has excellent hand-eye coordination and the ability to make consistent line-drive contact and hit for gap power. His instincts enhance his physical skills at the plate, on the bases and in the field. He has a solid average arm at shortstop and reads balls well off the bat. Weaknesses: The knock on Sanchez always has been that he lacks pure shortstop range, though that�s a moot point with Garciaparra in Boston. The Red Sox believe Sanchez could play short if needed. After making strides with his selectivity in Double-A, he regressed in Triple-A and the majors. The Future: A longshot to win Boston�s second-base job in spring training 2002, Sanchez is a frontrunner to become the starter in 2003. He�s playing second base in Mexico this offseason to help his cause. Youkilis, Kevin 3B Age: 24. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 220. Drafted: Cincinnati, 2001 (8th round). Signed by: Matt Haas. Background: Undrafted as a Cincinnati junior in 2000, Youkilis impressed scouts in the Cape Cod League that summer and went in the eighth round a year later. He has turned out to be more than just a senior sign, compiling a .457 on-base percentage and reaching Double-A in his first 11?2 seasons as a pro. Strengths: Youkilis has an extraordinary eye at the plate and consistently produces hits and walks. Though he doesn�t have a live body, he�s more athletic than he looks. His feet, hands and work ethic will allow him to be a solid average third baseman. Weaknesses: Though he started to lift pitches more frequently in Double-A, Youkilis may not hit more than 15-20 homers annually. While he moves better than expected, he�s still not fast. His arm is more notable for its accuracy than its strength. The Future: Youkilis� on-base abilities fit Boston�s approach more than all-star Shea Hillenbrand�s do. Youkilis will spend the year in Triple-A, and may move to first base or left field in the majors unless Hillenbrand is traded. |