It’s Opening Day across Minor League baseball. We here at Grading on the Curve have been bringing you previews of divisions as opening week progresses. Yesterday, we brought you the International League North Division preview, with the heavily favorited Pawtucket Paw Sox stacked and ready to defend their Governor’s Cup title. Does the West have any answers? Take a look.
COLUMBUS CLIPPERS
Parent Club: Cleveland Indians
2014 record: 79-65 West Division Champs
Manager: Chris Tremie (3rd Season)
The Clippers roll into 2015 as the defending West Division Champs, but will have a tough time repeating. Their roster shows the biggest weakness in the Indians organization: lack of pitchers on the pipeline. Just one of their top ten prospects is a pitcher, and he (Justus Sheffield at No. 8) is way down in the minors.
The starting rotation doesn’t consist of prospects at all. It is mostly made of Major League vets either looking for one last chance or trying to work their way back from disappointing springs. Josh Tomlin, Danny Salazar, Bruce Chen and Shawn Marcum’s experience should keep the Clippers competitive, but don’t provide much hope for the future.
The line-up consists of a bevy of their offensive weapons ready to explode on the big league level. Shortstop Francisco Lindor, their top prospect and Grading on the Curve’s No. 8 overall, is not far away from his big league debut. Should Jose Ramirez falter or possibly be traded, Lindor would immediately become the face of Wahoo Nation.
The left side of the infield appears to be set for a long time as 23-year old Giovanny Urshela, the Tribe’s No. 4 prospect, has earned praise for both his solid bat and sound defense play. He may begin 2015 on the disabled list, but will be worth keeping an eye on in his first full season in Triple-A. No. 6 prospect, James Ramsey anchors the outfield. The speedy outfielder once known for his great contact rate has suddenly become a power threat, hitting 16 home runs in each of the past two seasons. If any injury in Cleveland’s outfield occurs, expect Ramsey to make his debut.
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
Parent Club: Pittsburgh Pirates
2014 record: 73-71
Manager: Dean Treanor (5th year as skipper)
While all world starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (Pirates’ No. 1 prospect and No. 12 on Grading on the Curve’s Top 50) will be in Double-A to start the season, all eyes of the Pirates’ universe will be on No. 2 prospect Jameson Taillon (No. 32 in the Grading on the Curve Top 50). He anchors what is undoubtedly the strength of the Pirates’ Triple-A organization: the pitching staff. Returning from Tommy John surgery, this will be an interesting bounce back season for Taillon and will determine just how far away he is from the big leagues.
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He is joined by 23-year old righty Nick Kingham who is the No. 6 prospect in the Pirates’ system. A veteran bullpen will close out a lot of games. Kingham is coming off a year in which he vastly improved once promoted from Double-A to Triple-A, so it will be interesting to see how he responds in his first full season.
The lineup consists of many veterans with big guns Josh Bell and Austin Meadows not quite ready for Triple-A just yet. 23-year old backstop Elias Diaz, the Pirates’ No. 11 prospect, takes the reigns from Tony Sanchez who finally gets his big league job in 2015. He is the offensive prospect to watch in Indy until the others make their 2015 debut.
LOUISVILLE BATS
Parent Club: Cincinnati Reds
2014 Record: 68-75
Manager: Delino DeShields (rookie season)
The Reds’ 17th ranked farm system has prided themselves on developing a young pitching arsenal over the past few seasons. Unfortunately for 2015, many of those young arms, like No. 1 prospect Robert Stephenson, won’t be featured in Triple-A. It could be another season hovering around the basement for the Bats.
The Bats’ rotation will be anchored by 23-year old lefty David Holmberg and 24-year old righty Daniel Corcino, the No. 23 and 24 prospects on the Reds’ pipeline respectively. Should both get off to fast starts, they could see time in the Majors this season. The rotation after that is composed of veterans keeping spots warm for the next wave of Reds’ pitching prospects in Double-A. The bullpen will be a weakness with little inspiring young arms.
Outfielder Kyle Waldrop, the Reds’ No. 14 prospect and 24-year old catcher Tucker Barnhart, the Reds’ No. 15 prospect highlight the offense. Both seemed destined to be organizational depth for a long time coming with Jesse Winker the future of the Reds’ outfield and Devin Mesoraco already the catcher of the Reds’ present and future. The Bats’ lack speed to play small ball, which will be interesting, since their rookie skipper was one of the fastest players in the game in his day.
TOLEDO MUD HENS
Parent Club: Detroit Tigers
2014 record: 69-74
Manager: Larry Parrish (10th season)
Skipper Larry Parrish, the longest tenured manager in the International League, will have his hands full in 2015. The Tigers are rated the worst farm system in baseball, and will have a tough time staying afloat in 2015.
Steven Moya is the prospect to keep an eye on in Toledo. Moya put together his first full healthy season in 2014 since Tommy John surgery in 2012. Moya showed off his raw power, bashing 35 home runs and driving in 105 Mud Hens while stealing 16 bases. His Eastern League Most Valuable Player Season earned him his first September call-up and impressed with a .375 batting average in his 11 game stint.
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The Tigers’ No. 3 prospect, 24-year old righty Buck Farmer is the most interesting prospect in the rotation to start 2015. He may now be considered the ace with No. 23 prospect Kyle Lobstein getting the call while Justin Verlander is on the mend. He had an impressive first full season in the minors in 2014, but his big league debut was not pretty. He allowed 12 runs in his 9.1 big league innings, so it will be interesting to see how he rebounds to start the year.
No. 15 prospect Drew VerHagen, another 24-year old righty is worth monitoring and will most likely see time in Detroit this season. The bullpen has not much to offer which is a huge downside for the Tigers. Detroit, who has been a perennial playoff power the past half of a decade, has struggled in the big leagues finding their identity at closer. Help, it seems, is not on the way in the near future.