45. Chance Adams, RHP, New York Yankees
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 5/13/1996 (21)
Likely 2018 opening level: AAA
Info: Adams is a great example of just what the Yankees system can do for a live arm. He came out of Dallas Baptist in 2015 with a relief profile, but the Yankees worked with him as a starter, and he has blossomed in their system, knocking on the door of the majors.
Adams works with a four-pitch mix headlined by a plus fastball and a plus slider. His change and curve play up when he locates well, and his changeup’s movement took a step forward in 2018.
Adams needs to push himself to challenge hitters at times, but he certainly has the stuff to do it, and if he can get in that mindset, he could find himself in the Yankee rotation in 2018 and see his stuff play up behind a mid-rotation starter to a potential #2.
44. Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 8/3/1997 (20)
Likely 2018 opening level: high-A
Info: Robert was highly regarded coming from Cuba, with an impressive blend of offensive and defensive skills. The White Sox signed him for $26 million in May, which smashed the team’s previous record for an international signing.
Robert only played in the Dominican Summer League for tax reasons, but his abilities were on full display, in spite of battling through nagging injuries. He showed better speed on field than in pre-signing workouts and his defense in center was also better than advertised, leading many to believe he could stay there long term.
Robert offers plus speed (although some work is needed on his instincts on the basepaths) with plus raw power and the ability to stay in center field, which is an incredible combination. He does have some swing and miss to work out, which will likely determine which A-ball level he’ll end up at, either low-A or high-A.
43. Nick Gordon, SS, Minnesota Twins
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 10/24/1995 (22)
Likely 2018 opening level: AAA
Info: Gordon has a father with a blazing fastball, nicknamed “Flash”. He has a brother most well-known for his blazing speed. Therefore, it is understandable that many have fallen victim to being underwhelmed at the lack of a “blow you away” tool in Gordon’s tool shed.
Gordon is a steady player with above-average tools across the board
Gordon is a steady player with above-average tools across the board, really not having a single plus tool (outside of perhaps his plus baseball instincts). Gordon has average range at shortstop, but he uses his instincts to put himself into good position at the position and give himself a fighting chance at playing the position at the big league level, though he has also seen time at second base and shown well there as well.
The Twins will bump Gordon up to Rochester in 2018, but with a deep shortstop crop behind him in the system, it would not surprise if he ends up working some time at second base.
42. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP, Minnesota Twins
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 7/8/1994 (23)
Likely 2018 opening level: AAA
Info: Gonsalves is the seeming “engine that could” in the Twins system, often overlooked for someone who has a bigger fastball or a sharper breaking pitch, but the 6’5″ lefty from San Diego simply keeps putting up incredibly impressive numbers as he climbs level by level due to his ability to get great movement on all of his pitches and sequence hitters.
Gonsalves doesn’t blow the digits off of a radar gun, topping out at 94-95 and sitting around 90 MPH with his fastball. However, his ability to locate, sequence, and add movement to the pitch allows his fastball to play up, and then he adds in a curve, slider, and change that all work well due to location and consistent arm action across all of his pitches.
He has a middle of the rotation upside, but Gonsalves has shown along the way not to overlook the chance that he could be more than meets the eye.
41. Alex Verdugo, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 5/15/1996 (21)
Likely 2018 opening level: AAA
Info: Verdugo had an incredible arm coming out of high school such that many teams liked him off the mound more than in the field, but the Dodgers chose to select Verdugo to play the outfield, where his double-plus arm has shown to be a game-changing weapon.
Verdugo has a laid-back attitude that sometimes gets him a knock for being “lazy” or “immature”. However, he has shown an ability to turn it up for big moments and focus in the biggest moments, so it’s hard to truly explain that reputation.
Verdugo offers a very balanced approach at the plate with a focus on contact and a low strikeout rate along with plus defense. He’ll get an opportunity to earn a role in 2018 out of spring, but most likely he’ll end up back to AAA waiting for the first chance due to injury or ineffectiveness to show his worth.
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