Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Next in the Minor League Previews series is the Southern League’s Southern Division. Thanks to a recent move, I will have the opportunity to watch a lot of Southern League baseball this season, specifically members of the Southern Division. In doing so, I should be able to get a good look at some of the most talented pitchers in the minor leagues. Headlined by the magnificent pitching staffs in Jacksonville and Pensacola, it will be difficult for Double-A hitters in 2014.
Jacksonville Suns
Parent Club: Miami Marlins
Simply put, the pitching staff for the Miami Marlins Double-A affiliate may be the best of any in the minor leagues. All five starters rank among the top 20 prospects in the system and are joined by a solid group of relievers. In all, four pitchers are listed on the 40-man roster, and at least that many have an opportunity to pitch in the Major Leagues this season.
Pitchers
The biggest name for the Suns, and in the entire Marlins system, is left-handed starter Andrew Heaney. The 2012 first rounder is widely considered the top prospect among all Miami minor leaguers, and it is easy to see why. In 13 appearances and 12 starts at High Class-A Jupiter in 2013, the 22-year old went 5-2 with an eye-popping 0.88 ERA while holding hitters to a .193 batting average. Heaney received a promotion to Double-A late in the year, and started six games in August for the Suns, compiling a 4-1 record and 2.94 ERA. If he had not allowed five earned runs in three innings in his second start, Heaney’s line would have been even more impressive. Suns fans: don’t get too used to seeing Heaney in Jacksonville. As he is one of the game’s top left-handed pitching prospects, Heaney will be on the move soon: if not to New Orleans, to the big league club.
Joining Heaney in Jacksonville is a remarkable collection of pitchers. Fellow lefty Justin Nicolino will return to the Suns rotation after making his final nine starts of 2013 with the club. A member of the blockbuster Marlins-Blue Jays trade from the 2013 offseason, the 22-year old went 5-2 with a 2.23 ERA in Jupiter before posting a 4.96 ERA with the Suns. Fellow former Blue Jays farmhand, right-hander Anthony DeSclafani will join the Jacksonville rotation in 2014. DeSclafani, 24, spent the second half of the season with the Suns after posting a 1.67 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 54 innings across 12 starts for Jupiter. He has a big fastball and pinpoint control and will likely be the first of the group to move on to Triple-A New Orleans, given his age.
Jose Urena, also ranked among the top ten prospects in the system, is the hardest thrower of the group. Urena (10-7, 3.73) moves up to Double-A after a full season in Jupiter. The 22-year old from the Dominican Republic is a member of the 40-man roster, and started 26 games for the Hammerheads in 2013. Fellow 40-man roster mate Angel Sanchez rounds out the Suns rotation. Ranked among the Marlins’ top 20 prospects, Sanchez started ten games for Jupiter last season following a trade from the Dodgers.
Right-hander Nick Wittgren, who owns a 0.91 ERA and 39 saves in 89 career innings, leads the bullpen. Colby Suggs may see time in Jacksonville as well after pitching at three levels in 2013. He was selected in the second round of last June’s draft. Lefties Edgar Olmos and Grant Drayton spent a lot of time in Double-A last season, with Olmos making his big league debut. The pair could be slated for Triple-A, but are currently listed on the Suns roster.
Hitters
There is far less star power among the Jacksonville regulars, but 40-man roster players Brent Keys, an outfielder, and catcher J.T. Realmuto will likely start the season with the Suns. Realmuto may share time behind the plate with Austin Barnes before moving up to New Orleans.
Mandatory Credit:
David Manning-USA TODAY Sports
Mississippi Braves
Parent Club: Atlanta Braves
Thanks to a move to the area in early 2014, I will have an opportunity to see plenty of Mississippi Braves games this season. It appears that the most talented club in the Braves system will be High Class-A Lynchburg to begin the year, which could bode well for the Double-A club later this summer.
Pitchers
J.R. Graham, 24, made eight starts for Mississippi in 2013, but none occurred after May 13. A shoulder injury slowed the hard throwing righty last year, which could mean a repeat trip to Double-A. While some see Graham as a reliever in the future, the 6-foot, 185-pounder has four quality pitches. Expect his stay in Double-A to be short lived, if he returns in 2014. Though he allowed a .353 BAA in five Major League spring training appearances, Graham could help the big league club this season.
Hard throwing right-handed reliever Shae Simmons pitched in 11 games for the M-Braves last season. In two professional seasons, the 22nd round pick owns a 1.62 ERA with 118 strikeouts in 78 innings. If he does open the season in Mississippi, don’t expect him to last long. Potential bullpen mate James Hoyt owns the most interesting story in the system. The 27-year old traveled through independent ball and the Mexican League before making his affiliated-baseball debut in 2013. He tossed 33 innings for the M-Braves last season and could see time in Gwinnett and possibly even Atlanta this summer.
Top prospect Lucas Sims is likely to spend the majority of the season in Lynchburg, but could prove worthy of a second half promotion with a strong start. The same can be said about fellow right-handers Jason Hursh and Mauricio Cabrera.
Hitters
Infield prospects Edward Salcedo and Tommy La Stella could begin the season as Mississippi repeats, but may see the bulk of their time in Triple-A. La Stella is a candidate to make his Major League debut this season, and could be the big league club’s second baseman of the future. Third baseman Kyle Kubitza appears headed to Mississippi after a strong season in the Carolina League in 2013. Shortstop Jose Peraza could see time in Double-A with a strong start in Lynchburg.
The outfield will be talented in 2014. Robby Hefflinger played in 53 games in Double-A last season, and though he struggled mightily at the plate after a mid-season promotion, the 23-year old has big time power. Playing at two levels, the right-handed hitter belted 27 total home runs last season.
Likely to join the M-Braves’ outfield are Josh Elander, who split time in 2013 between Rome and Lynchburg, and Matt Lipka, the 2010 first round supplemental pick. Lipka has dropped on experts’ prospect lists after posting a .251/.305/.362 slash in his second season in High Class-A, but should have an opportunity to bounce back this year in Mississippi.
Kyle Wren, the son of GM Frank Wren, was more than a nepotistic pick in the eighth round of the 2013 draft. Slated to start the season in Lynchburg, the outfielder with big league leadoff potential could be in Double-A during the second half of 2014.
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mobile BayBears
Parent Club: Arizona Diamondbacks
Coming off a playoff appearance in 2013, the Mobile BayBears do not appear to be as talented, at least on paper, to start this season. I will have an opportunity to see the club this Thursday against the Mississippi Braves on Opening Day.
Pitchers
Lefty Andrew Chafin (10-7, 2.85) returns to lead the Mobile pitching staff after starting 21 games in Double-A last year. The 23-year old was a first round supplemental pick in 2011.
A couple of hard-throwing right-handed relievers, Matt Stites (2-2, 2.08) and Jake Barrett (1-1, 0.36) were unhittable at times in Double-A last season. Stites joins the Diamondbacks after spending last year with San Antonio in the Padres organization and Barrett started in High Class-A Visalia before joining the BayBears in the second half. Lefty Daniel Gibson put together a strong performance last season for short-season Hillsboro and Low Class-A South Bend (1-1, 0.64 in 20 appearances) and could rise quickly to Mobile later this year.
The BayBears lost an ace from last year’s squad, as Archie Bradley will open the year in Reno before potentially making a run at the National League Rookie of the Year award. He came to Mobile part way through the 2013 season and put together a dominant performance on the way to the playoffs. Fellow righties, and 2013 first round picks, Braden Shipley and Aaron Blair could follow a similar path this season. With both slated to start the season in Class-A, they could be in Mobile by the end of the year.
Hitters
Third baseman Jake Lamb will headline the position players for Mobile in 2014. The left-handed hitter put together a strong season at the plate for Visalia, with a .303/.424/.558 slash and 13 home runs in 231 at-bats. Corner infielder Brandon Drury will start in Visalia, but could play his way to Double-A.
Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Montgomery Biscuits
Parent Club: Tampa Bay Rays
With the Rays on cruise control at the Major League level, the minor league system has taken a dip in recent seasons. The brunt of the gap will be felt in Montgomery in 2014, as the club must wait for another wave of pitching prospects and outfielders to graduate from High Class-A Charlotte.
Pitchers
Unfortunately for the fans in Montgomery, there will not be many, if any, pitching prospects that start the season with the Biscuits. High-end prospect Taylor Guerrieri will open the season in High Class-A, but could find his way to Montgomery before 2014 comes to a close. Expect the same for Jesse Hahn, who posted a 2.15 ERA in 15 starts in the FSL last season, and lefties Grayson Garvin and Felipe Rivero.
Hitters
The infield will be solid for the Biscuits in 2014. Second baseman Ryan Brett played 25 games for Montgomery last season after a .340/.396/.490 start to the season in the Florida State League. He also endured a 50-game suspension. The 22-year old showed some pop with seven homers on the season, as well as speed with five triples and 26 stolen bases.
Fellow infielder Richie Shaffer, who will see time at both corners, will make his Double-A debut after a full season with Charlotte. Jake Hager will be the everyday shortstop, and Curt Casali will handle the bulk of the catching duties.
While not a member of the Opening Day roster, expect outfielder Drew Vettleson to see time in Double-A this season. Fellow outfield prospect Andrew Toles, 21, could work play his way up a level as well after starting the season in Charlotte.
The Reds won 5-1. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Parent Club: Cincinnati Reds
The Reds Double-A affiliate had hoped to show its talent to the big league club with an exhibition game on the Bayfront Friday, but heavy rains forced a cancellation. That’s okay though, because several members of the Pensacola squad may make their case for Cincinnati before the year is out. With five players on the 40-man roster, plus the top two pitching prospects in the system, the Blue Wahoos will be one of the most talented teams in the Southern League in 2014.
Pitchers
Top prospect Robert Stephenson will return to Pensacola after making three minor league stops in 2013. The flame-throwing right-hander was 5-3 with a 2.57 ERA in Low-Class Dayton before earning his first promotion. After four quick starts for Bakersfield in the California League, the 21-year old made his final four starts in Double-A. In two professional seasons, the consensus Top 50 prospect with the 100mph fastball has 208 strikeouts in 179 innings over 37 starts. He could be on the move quickly and could make a push for the big leagues before the end of the season.
Joining Stephenson in the Blue Wahoos rotation is Carlos Contreras, a member of the 40-man roster. Contreras (3-2, 2.76) put together a strong season with 26 starts in 2013 split between Bakersfield and Pensacola. Jon Moscot (2-1, 3.19) also ended the 2013 season in Double-A and is slated to return. One of the game’s top relief prospects, right-hander Michael Lorenzen, is on the Opening Day roster for the Blue Wahoos. Considered a potential closing prospect, there have been rumblings that Lorenzen may spend time in the rotation. Also listed on the roster is right-handed starter Daniel Corcino. After spending all of 2013 in Triple-A, where he compiled a 7-14 record and 5.86 ERA, Corcino may not be with the club for very long.
Hitters
A trio of 40-man roster outfielders leads the position players. Donald Lutz appeared in 34 games for the big league club in 2013, but the powerful German citizen (58 career minor league home runs) spent most of the year in Double-A, and is projected to return to begin 2014. The 25-year old is expected to also see time at first base, as is fellow power-hitter Juan Duran, 22, who had 20 home runs for High Class-A Bakersfield last season.
Rounding out the group will be Yorman Rodriguez. Rodriguez, 22, split the season between Bakersfield and Pensacola last year and posted a .267/.329/.385 line over 67 games in Double-A. 2013 first round pick Phillip Ervin could also see time in the Pensacola outfield before the end of the year, as could speedster Junior Arias.