60. Brandon Woodruff, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 2/10/1993 (25)
Likely 2018 opening level: MLB
Info: A late-developer in college, Woodruff was taken in the 11th round by the Brewers in 2014, and he struggled with consistency in his first two minor league seasons before breaking through in 2016 and leading all the minor leagues with 173 strikeouts, reaching AAA.
Woodruff made the major leagues in 2017, and he struggled some in his debut, but the Brewers were willing to have Woodruff start late in the season as they battled for the playoffs, so his likely 2018 rotation spot seems sure, barring a major spring meltdown.
Woodruff works with a fastball that works 93-95 with a mid-80s slider and a change. He struggles with consistent command and control of his offspeed stuff, but when he can both command and control all three pitches, he’s a very solid mid-rotation starter that could tally a ton of innings.
59. Jahmai Jones, OF, Los Angeles Angels
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 8/4/1987 (20)
Likely 2018 opening level: AA
Info: Coming from a family of athletes (though mostly football), Jones had a ton of raw athleticism when the Angels drafted him in the 2nd round in 2015, but he needed to work on his baseball polish. He’s been doing just that ever since.
In 2017, he worked well with his coaches to close up some issues in his approach and swing early on that allowed him to then cover the whole zone well and crush balls, finishing with 14 home runs and 27 stolen bases on the season.
Jones is probably best suited for left field, but a few have compared his offensive ability to that of a young Carl Crawford, and if he could find his way into a leadoff spot out of the left field spot, he would be quite valuable indeed.
58. Franklin Perez, RHP, Detroit Tigers
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 12/6/1997 (20)
Likely 2018 opening level: AA
Info: The Tigers have been railed on for their farm system’s overall strength in the past. However, when they chose to trade away pieces this past summer, they got plenty of depth in return, and Perez was the top end of the return they got, seeing him as the headline return for Justin Verlander.
Perez may not have a frontline starter future, but he’s a very sure starter, and a very high floor pitcher at this point, with a fastball that works up to 96 with more life there quite possibly. He also has a curve, change, and slider that he controls very well, allowing him to sequence hitters, getting weak contact and working deep into games often.
Perez missed time with a knee injury in 2017, and he needs to build up his innings, but he should open 2018 at AA and could finish the year with some time in AAA and spend a big part of 2019 in the Tigers rotation.
57. Fernando Romero, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 12/24/1994 (23)
Likely 2018 opening level: AAA
Info: After a 2016 season spent recovering from Tommy John surgery, Romero really spent much of 2017 getting feel back on his pitches, but his final statistics of 2017 were skewed by his final few starts after he had really run into a wall once he hit 100 innings on the season.
The Twins will work to build up that inning load this season as Romero has the opportunity to be a frontline starter, with a fastball reaching into the upper 90s with heavy weight to it along with a snapping slider that works in the upper 80s. In just those two pitches, Romero would have an impressive repertoire, but he also adds in a change that looked much better before those last few starts, showing excellent sink to match his fastball.
Romero’s ability to dominate with two pitches could allow for him to work as a multi-inning reliever if he’s unable to make it as a starter, but the Twins will certainly give him every opportunity in the rotation.
56. Max Fried, LHP, Atlanta Braves
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 1/18/1994 (24)
Likely 2018 opening level: AAA
Info: A top 10 pick out of high school, Fried has had a long road to where he’s at now, going through a change in organization along with missing nearly two full seasons due to Tommy John surgery.
Fried’s fastball/curve combo is as good as any two pitch pairing in the Braves organization when he’s on, but he’s struggled to find consistency on the mound, working through injury in 2017.
Fried’s fastball/curve combo is as good as any two pitch pairing in the Braves organization when he’s on
Fried uses a pair of curves, a looping low-70s curve and a tight-spin mid- to upper-70s pitch that is absolutely wicked. His knee issues hurt his ability to command and control in 2017, but when he was feeling good, he was absolutely dominant as his final start in the Arizona Fall League showed, when he went 6 strong innings, allowing 3 hits and a walk, striking out 5.
Fried will compete all spring for a spot in the Braves rotation, but with some other pitchers likely ahead of him, he could be in AAA to open the season.
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