MLB top prospects show off in winter leagues

Some of the MLB top prospects are showing very well this winter in various winter leagues

Each winter, a number of MLB top prospects head to winter ball, whether to play in their home country, get in some extra work, learn a new position, or a host of other reasons, these winter league performances are often interesting to note as they can indicate a breakout to come for a player or help advertise a player for a potential trade.

Arizona Fall League

The Arizona Fall League is completed, but a few players definitely improved their perceived value in the fall showcase league.

The “home” team Diamondbacks had one of the best performers in the entire AFL in infielder Jazz Chisholm, who hit .442/.489/.767 with 3 home runs and 7 steals over 10 games and 43 at-bats.

After struggling after his promotion to AA, Ryan McKenna showed no problems in the AFL, showing an ability to work at the top of the order that could expedite his path to Baltimore, as he hit .344/.474/.590 with 6 doubles, 3 triples, a home run, and 2 steals, walking 14 times.

Whether he ends up in the bullpen or back in the starting rotation, Red Sox lefty Darwinzon Hernandez put his arm among MLB top prospects with a 1.59 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 11 1/3 innings in the AFL with an impressive 6/24 BB/K ratio.

As the Cleveland Indians look to figure out their infield for 2019, Yu Chang made a big statement about his readiness to handle the big leagues, as he hit .337/.396/.523 in the AFL with 4 doubles and 4 homers.

As he has seemingly been passed over by a number of other players in the Rockies organization, Tyler Nevin needed to make a big impression to turn some heads, and he definitely did that in the AFL, hitting .426/.535/.593 with 3 doubles, 3 triples, and a crazy 15/5 BB/K ratio.

Though many noted the excellent play of outfielder Ronnie Dawson, who had a .417 OBP and stole 10 bases in the AFL or two of the MLB top prospects on the mound, Forrest Whitley and J.B. Bukauskas, who put up impressive lines each in the AFL, but the Astros prospect who really upped his value the most was easily Abraham Toro, the third baseman who hit .348/.463/.561 in the AFL with 6 doubles, a triple, and a pair of home runs, along with a 12/12 BB/K over 66 at-bats.

After Nicky Lopez established himself last season as a future major leaguer, Nick Heath and Meibrys Viloria did the same thing for the Royals this year in the AFL. Heath established a future as at least a 4th outfielder with a .427 OBP and 13 steals while Viloria displayed excellent skills behind the plate and posted a .415 OBP, showing a definite future as at least a backup catcher (possibly as soon as this spring for KC).

Already among MLB top prospects, Keston Hiura was the best performer in the AFL in 2018, hitting .323/.371/.563 with 6 doubles, a triple, 5 home runs, and 7 stolen bases.

Since being drafted in the first round, Will Craig has been debated by scouts for not just his place among MLB top prospects, but even among just Pirates prospects as he’s struggled to hit the way his hulking size would portend. He finally produced that in the AFL, hitting .304/.378/.570, tying for the AFL lead with 6 home runs and even stealing 3 bases as well. He did this while fellow Pirates prospect Cole Tucker was also putting on a show, hitting .370/.442/.457 with 6 stolen bases.

While the Giants may still keep Melvin Adon in the rotation in the minor leagues for one more season, he gave baseball a glimpse of just how dominant he could be in the bullpen with a 102 MPH fastball and control, as he posted a 2.92 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and a 3/21 BB/K over 12 1/3 relief innings. Fellow Giants prospect Sam Wolff did not allow an earned run during the entire AFL, tossing 10 innings with a 0.00 ERA and 0.40 WHIP, posting a 2/14 BB/K.

After hitting full season leagues this year, Julio Pablo Martinez struggled in his debut year in pro ball from Cuba for the Rangers system. Among MLB top prospects even with the struggles, his impressive showing at the AFL definitely picks things back up, with a .327/.397/.519 line over 13 games.

At the top of MLB top prospects is the son of a Hall of Famer. Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. hit .351/.409/.442 in the AFL with 7 doubles, posting an impressive 8/6 BB/K ratio over 77 at-bats.

Now let’s take a look at the leagues overseas…

Australian Baseball League

The 2018 National League Rookie of the Year Ronald Acuna used a dominant 2016-2017 season in the ABL to launch him into his dominant 2017 season that established him among MLB top prospects. After a number of fits and starts, Michael Gettys of the Padres organization is hoping to do the same, hitting .357/.367/.821 with 4 home runs in his first 8 games.

Part of the package that brought Corey Dickerson from Tampa Bay to Pittsburgh, Tristan Gray struggled in his first year in the Rays organization, with a .719 OPS in his first full season after being a 13th round pick of the Pirates in 2017. He’s been hitting very well in the early going in the ABL, posting a slash of .417/.571/.875 with 3 doubles, a triple, 2 home runs, and 2 steals over 8 games.

Dominican Winter League

Part of the rules of the Rule 5 deadline that recently passed that is underrated is that if a player is not protected, he is not able to be traded until the Rule 5 draft occurs. Jacob Webb of the Atlanta Braves could be a guy whose Dominican Winter League performance allows him to be a solid second or third piece of a trade. A power reliever, Webb has tossed 10 innings thus far in the DWL, with a 0.90 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 2/14 BB/K, while converting all 4 of his save chances.

Even though he’s no longer among MLB top prospects as he has too much major league time, Detroit Tigers lefty Daniel Norris missed a lot of 2018 due to injury, so he’s getting innings in the DWL. He has made 3 starts thus far, tossing 14 2/3 innings, with a 1.84 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 4/12 BB/K ratio.

Williams Ramirez may not be a headline member of MLB top prospects, but after spending the year in the AA bullpen for the Twins, he is having a dominating performance in the DWL. He has not given up a single run yet in 8 2/3 innings, allowing only a single hit, with a 4/13 BB/K ratio.

The Baltimore Orioles selected Nestor Cortes in the Rule 5 draft in 2017, but he couldn’t stick on the 2018 roster, and he was returned to the New York Yankees. After a season spent mostly in AAA, Cortes is pitching in the DWL, and he’s been dominant, posting a 1.71 ERA and 0.86 WHIP over 42 innings thus far, with a 10/45 BB/K ratio.

Struggling to establish himself thus far in his minor league career, Pirates righty Tyler Eppler has found something special in the DWL. Typically fairly homer-prone, he’s allowed just one in 28 1/3 innings, posting a 3.18 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 4/25 BB/K ratio.

Needing to turn heads to earn a role in the crowded Padres outfield, Franmil Reyes is crushing the ball in the DWL, hitting .444/.510/.689 with 3 home runs in his first 13 games. His Padres org-mate Fernando Tatis, Jr. is already among MLB top prospects, and he could be showing he’s ready for big league at-bats in 2019 as he’s hitting .286/.412/.643 with 3 homers and 3 steals over his first 8 games.

Acquired as part of the Tommy Pham deal with the Rays, lefty Genesis Cabrera has wicked raw stuff that could be impactful for the Cardinals out of the bullpen, but he’s spent most of his minor league time in the rotation. He’s working in the bullpen in the DWL, making 14 appearances, tossing 9 2/3 innings, with a 1.86 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and a 2/13 BB/K ratio.