It’s just about All Star time in Minor League Baseball. While fans aren’t out there stuffing ballot boxes with Kansas City Royals, there are some prominent names heading for their respective leagues Mid-Summer Classics.
While many of the familiar names most are acquainted with are at Double or Triple-A, Advanced-A ball still features some of baseball’s best and brightest. Both the Carolina and California Leagues are chock full of stars. The Florida State League is showcasing some of baseball’s best.
The Florida State League recently released their rosters for their June 20 All Star Game from Tradition Field in St. Lucie Florida. The rosters are full of budding prospects, but several standout as the elite of the FSL.
Next: Meadows and the Marauders
Jun 28, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates manager
Clint Hurdle(left) poses for a photograph with 2013 first round draft selection Austin Meadows (right) before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Meadows and the Marauders
Austin Meadows, who came in at No. 45 on the preseason Grading on the Curve Top 50, highlights the field as perhaps the best known prospect in the FSL All Star Game. The Pittsburgh Pirates No. 4 overall prospect, behind big names like Jameson Taillon, Tyler Glasnow and Josh Bell, is quietly having a solid year.
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The 20-year old centerfielder had a big 38-game debut last year in his first action above Rookie Ball since being drafted in the first round by the Pirates in 2013. He was plagued by a bum hamstring for most of 2014, so this will be the first look the Pirates have gotten at Meadows for a full season.
The Pirates must be happy with what they see thus far, as Meadows gets his second All Star nod (after earning 2013 Gulf Coast League Post Season All Star honors) Meadows is currently slashing .280/.356/.369. He has 2 home runs and 19 RBI, but has done his job getting on base and scoring runs, crossing the plate 31 times this year.
The Pirates outfield is already somewhat crowded with some of the MLB’s youngest stars, which allows the Pirates time to develop his talents and decide whether he will pan out as a left fielder or the heir apparent to Andrew McCutchen.
Next: The Brewers have some pop!
Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The Brewers Baby Bash Brothers
Sitting atop the Florida State League 2014 home run leader board are two members of the heart of the Brevard County Manatees. The Milwaukee Brewers No. 13 prospect, Victor Roache, leads the FSL with 10 home runs, while his teammate Clint Coulter, the Brewers No. 4 prospect, sits in second with 9 home runs.
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Roache — selected 28th overall by the Brewers in the first round of the 2012 draft — has been known for his power stroke since putting on a baseball uniform. The 23-year old left fielder belted 22 home runs in his first professional season and has continued to rake every year. He is currently batting .270 with those FSL leading 10 homer runs and 35 RBI.
The Brewers are waiting to see if Roache’s plate discipline develops (90 strikeouts and just 20 walks over 226 2015 at bats. Should he become more patient and aware at the plate, Roache could be fast tracked as a starter. If not, they can take their time and allow him to develop as the utility outfielder, being able to play both corners.
Coulter broke out in a big way last season. The 21-year old slugged 22 home runs while slashing an impressive .287/.410/.520 line. He has continued to mash this season, showing that although a bit unorthodox, that his swing is just fine.
Coulter is being held back as he transitions from catcher to outfield. As soon as his defense catches up with this being his first full season in the outfield, you can be sure Coulter will be Milwaukee bound.
Next: Cardinals newest ace?
Another Cardinals Arm on the Farm
Don’t look at his 2-4 record, because it doesn’t do him any justice. Alex Reyes, the St. Louis Cardinals No. 3 prospect and the No. 90 overall in baseball, is the best fireballer the Cardinals system has to offer and he should be considered MLB-bound by sometime next year.
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The 20-year old right hander is off to his best start yet, which speaks volumes considering his first two professional season were solid. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, Reyes has slowly worked his way up the Cardinals ladder behind the strength of two Major League ready pitches: a mid-90s fastball that touches 100, and a low-70s curve that keeps batters confused and causes a lot of swings and misses.
This season, Reyes sits at 2-4, but his peripherals are pretty sharp. He has a 1.98 ERA so his losses have come on the hands of bad luck, having not allowed more than 3 runs in any performance since his first outing of the year 10 starts ago when he was tagged for 4 runs. He had a string of 3 starts without allowing a run earlier in the year, and currently has allowed just 2 runs over his past 3 starts and only has one win to show for it.
His strikeout rate is huge, having struck out 77 batters over his first 54.2 innings, and opponents are batting just .218 against him. He walks a bit too much right now, but that is not uncommon amongst young arms learning third and fourth pitches. Reyes is for real, and he will be St. Louis bound before too long.
Next: The Yankees farm is growing
Who is Jonathan Holder?
The 2014 MLB Draft for the New York Yankees was highlighted by the young fireballer Jacob Lindgren. Many felt he could have been like Brandon Finnegan and made his MLB debut the very same year. Not much was made when they selected Lindgren’s teammate Jonathan Holder in the 6th round out of Mississippi State.
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Thus far in 2015, Holder has been one of the best pitching prospects on the Yankees pipeline. The 22-year old right hander has been on an absolute tear over the past month. Looking at his past five starts, you can see that he may be ready to be Double-A bound, but not before a quick stop at the FSL All Star Game.
Holder is 3-0 over his past five starts. He has gone at least 6 innings in each start, and as allowed just three runs over those 31 combined innings, lowering his ERA to 2.15 on the season. While Holder may never be known as a strikeout pitcher (striking out 50 over his first 62.2 innings of 2015) he rarely walks batters either, having a three start stretch without issuing a walk at all. His WHIP reflects that sitting at 1.04.
While the Yankees next big thing is clearly Luis Severino, they have some interesting later round draft picks up and down the pipeline. Jaron Long has already surpassed expectations, and the same can be said of Holder. It will be fun for the Yankees to see how he progresses.