70. Dylan Cease, RHP, Chicago White Sox
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 12/28/1995 (22)
Likely 2018 opening level: high-A
Info: Cease was a 6th round selection by the Cubs in 2014 after he had Tommy John surgery in his senior year in high school. He made his debut in 2015 in the Cubs system and was working to build up his arm strength that season and 2016.
Finally cut loose to some degree in 2017, Cease threw 93 1/3 innings in the Midwest League. His impressive stuff allowed him to dominate hitters to a 32.5% strikeout rate, though he struggled with his command and control of that stuff, walking batters at an 11.3% rate.
With a fastball that can flirt with triple digits and heavy sink along with a hard curve, Cease has a number of future paths. Developing just a change and a modicum of control/command could lead to a mid-rotation starter future, not developing his offspeed stuff could lead to a future as a dominant reliever, and adding another pitch with wiggle (whether a cutter, split-finger, or slider) could have him down the path toward a frontline starter.
Until he gets the command/control under wraps, Cease’s future is simply too varied to nail down and rank accurately. He’ll open at high-A most likely in 2018.
69. Albert Abreu, RHP, New York Yankees
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 9/25/1995 (22)
Likely 2018 opening level: AA
Info: Abreu was signed by the Astros about of the Dominican in 2013 hoping he could develop his loose arm into big-time velocity, and he’s done just that. Traded to the Yankees in the deal that brought Brian McCann to Houston, Abreu has certainly found that velocity, clearing triple digits.
Abreu’s more than just pure velocity, however, as he has a curve and a change, and while he was inconsistent in 2017, when he was on, both secondaries looked like at least above-average pitches, if not a plus pitch in the case of his curve, which could give him a big boost.
Abreu struggles as many hard throwers do with his command, but he has enough stuff that he should be ready for the move up to AA quickly in the season if he doesn’t open the season there.
68. Leody Taveras, OF, Texas Rangers
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 9/8/1998 (19)
Likely 2018 opening level: high-A
Info: Signed out of the Dominican for $2.1 million in 2015, Taveras is certainly the highest-upside player in the Rangers system, and one of the highest upside players in the minor leagues, but that upside still has plenty of floor as well.
Taveras is (…) one of the highest upside players in the minor leagues
In his first season, Taveras made a huge impression. In 2017, Taveras was able to play in his first full season in the South Atlantic League at 18. While his batting line wasn’t pretty (.672 OPS), Taveras made a big impression.
Taveras is certainly a center fielder with excellent instincts up the middle and even better routes, giving him a chance to be a plus center fielder at the big league level if he can maintain health along the way.
Taveras will need to keep working on his plate discipline in high-A this season as he works his way up the system with above-average power and plus speed.
67. Justus Sheffield, LHP, New York Yankees
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 5/13/1996 (21)
Likely 2018 opening level: AAA
Info: The Indians selected Justus out of high school in Tennessee and utilized him as a key component in their trade with the Yankees to acquire Andrew Miller in July 2016. He’s seen his stuff take a step forward in the Yankees system.
Sheffield works from a 5’10” frame, but he’s filled in, and can generate upper 90s heat from that shorter frame. He also has a change and slider that work well, the slider better than the change.
Sheffield made a big impression in the Arizona Fall League, striking out 22 in 20 innings, setting him up to move up to AAA this season. He could be ready for a rotation spot as soon as mid-season and certainly for 2019.
66. Dustin Fowler, OF, Oakland Athletics
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 12/29/1994 (23)
Likely 2018 opening level: MLB
Info: The story seemed straight out of a Kevin Costner movie. An 18th round high school pick makes it finally to the major leagues with arguably the most storied franchise in baseball history, the New York Yankees, and before he can take a major league swing, he tears up his knee and misses the rest of the season with his career in doubt.
That was essentially the path of Dustin Fowler before a fateful major league debut that ruptured his patellar tendon. Fowler was coming off a season where he put up an incredible stat line in AA, and he was hoping to build on it in AAA and the majors in 2017, and he was doing just that with 13 home runs and 13 stolen bases over less than 300 at bats before his call-up.
Fowler has worked hard to return to the field for spring training, and if he can show in spring that he’s fully recovered, he could take his plus defensive skills to Oakland to patrol center field. If he’s still working out the kinks from his injury, he could open in AAA, but he should be up in a hurry to the big show.
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