It’s been a busy week for some of baseball’s brightest prospects. Three big names in particular have been promoted up the Minor League ladder inching their way closer to the Major Leagues. Just how long will it take them to make the transition?
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This week the New York Yankees promoted No. 1 prospect Luis Severino from Double-A Trenton to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Chicago Cubs followed suit and promoted top pitching prospect C.J. Edwards from Double-A Tennessee to Triple-A Iowa. The New York Mets boosted Michael Conforto to Double-A Binghamton.
What does it mean for these prospects? All three are top prospects in their respective farm systems and all three fill holes in which their big league clubs desperately need help. Are these three prospects making pitstops or are the staying there for the long haul.
Mar 7, 2015; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets Michael Conforto (39) drives in a run against the Atlanta Braves during the spring training baseball game at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports
MICHAEL CONFORTO
Conforto is young. Conforto is inexperienced. But Conforto should be fast tracked to the big leagues now.
Birmingham should be a mere pit stop for the 22-year old outfielder. He should see time with the Las Vegas 51s no later than August and should the Mets still manage to be in contention, he should be considered for a call up at the end of the year.
Everyone knows that the Mets are deep in pitching that they harvested on the farm over the past few years. Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard are showing that now and Steven Matz isn’t far behind. They can pitch the lights out while they keep racking up high strikeout rates and under-3.00 ERAs all they want… without legitimate hitting they won’t win.
That has been the Mets demise this season. Sure, Harvey has had a few stinkers of late, but don’t be fooled. Harvey is the real deal, and so is deGrom and Syndergaard. Their offense is struggling, and while two of the bigger bats are on the shelf in David Wright (isn’t he always?) and Travis d’Arnaud, there doesn’t seem to be much help in sight. Or does there?
Curtis Granderson’s best days are behind him. Seriously, people have been making excuses for him for four years. First, when his batting average dipped to the .230s, people thought it was ok because he was belting 40 home runs a year in Yankees Stadium, the same stadium that everyone makes fun of because EVERYONE hits home runs there. Then when he started batting .220 season it was because he wasn’t healthy. Here’s a thought: maybe he simply isn’t good anymore.
The same could be said for Michael Cuddyer. He seemed to be in a career decline, albeit a small one in Minnesota before going to Colorado and not only batting over .300 for the first time in his career, but winning a batting title. The Mets paid big for him this offseason and, although he is playing ok, he is showing that maybe he is an old man who was helped by Coors Field.
Conforto offers sound defense, a bat with a nice amount of pop and the ability to hit for good average. Many Mets fans want to call last year’s first round draft pick untouchable. If that is the case, then he should be seen as someone who can help the club now.
CJ EDWARDS
Carl Edwards, Jr. is built like Pedro Martinez and throws like him, too. Coming into 2015, Edwards was a rising young starting pitching prospect, never seeing his ERA go over 2.50, nor his WHIP rise above 1.06 in his first five seasons.
The problem Edwards had was his durability. His frail frame (only 170 pounds) and hard throwing saw him break down quite often. The Cubs put Edwards in the bullpen to start 2015, and now they may have their closer of their future.
Thus far at Double-A, the 23-year old righty has gone 2-2 and his 4-for-5 in save opportunites. Not too shabby of a learning curve, huh? Now as he heads to Triple-A, he should be fast tracked to get to Chicago to fill as the replacement for the inconsistent Hector Rondon.
Rondon has proven to be serviceable as the big league closer, but he isn’t the shut down stopper the Cubs seemed to think he could become. This year he is 3-0 with 9 saves, but has already blown three saves and has a rather unimpressive 3.43 ERA. Still only 27, Rondon is not out of the picture yet, but he and Edwards could combine to form a deadly duo at the backend of the bullpen. The Cubs have been building this youthful team for years now, and Joe Maddon will figure out how to get the most out of each one. You can expect to see Edwards by September, if not way sooner.
Mar 3, 2015; Clearwater, FL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino (91) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during a spring training baseball game at Bright House Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
LUIS SEVERINO
The Yankees rotation is a mess. Masahiro Tanaka returns this week, but is he enough to right the ship?
CC Sabathia appears to be done. He pitches batting practice and runs come across home plate like their is a revolving door awaiting opposing base runners. Chris Capuano? Really? This guy was never really good, and the Yankees eagerly awaited his return from the DL as the answer to their rotation problems.
Adam Warren has performed admirably, but his inconsistencies may prove that he is a better fit in the bullpen, yet due to his youth, he could be given a longer look. Ivan Nova is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is expected to return soon.
Pineda-Tanaka-Severino-Nova-Sabathia. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Much better than Tanaka-Pineda-Sabathia-Capuano-Warren, that’s for sure.
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It is uncharacteristic for the Yankees to rush a pitcher (isn’t that right, Joba Chamberlain?) but in Severino’s case, he may be the exception. He exploded last season, rising seemingly out of nowhere to become the Yankees top prospect and a Top 50 prospect in all of baseball. The 21-year old right hander should see his shot this season, and that shot shouldn’t be too far away.
Severino has impeccable control (1.05 career WHIP in 4 seasons) and he is a strike out machine with a blazing fastball. He has struck out 273 batters in 259.1 innings and he should be able to eat the International League up alive.
Severino spent a small stint on the DL recently and returned by throwing 5 innings of no-hit baseball, looking in mid-season form… fresh off the DL. This kid is good enough not only to succeed, but help the Yankees now.