myworldofbaseball

The top two prospects from last year’s list, Fernando Tatis and Victor Robles made significant contributions to their major league teams. Another Padre Francisco Mejia, the fourth rated Dominican prospect lost his rookie status. Number nine prospect Sandy Alcantara started 32 games for the Marlins. That leaves four new spots with injuries knocking Alex Reyes off the list, though with all his time on the major league disabled list he may have lost his rookie status. Below are myworld’s top ten Dominican prospects in the National League.

1. Cristian Pache OF (Atl) - Last year he was the 7th rated Dominican prospect in the National League. What a difference a year of accomplishment can make. His defense is at the gold glove level and his bat has been showing some increasing pop the last two years. Pache did not hit any homeruns his first two years but nine in 2018 and 12 last year show the kind of pop that is there. He also peppered the gaps for a career high 36 doubles. He has the speed to steal bases, but after his 32 in 2017 he has failed to reach double digits his last two years. The arm is a rocket but with his defense there would be no need to move him away from centerfield. The batting average may hover around .250 but his defense should make him an asset to the Braves for a long time. That should start with the 2020 season.

2. O’Neil Cruz SS/OF (PGH) - Cruz was number 10 on this list last year. While he currently plays shortstop, myworld believes his 6′6″ height will eventually move him to the outfield. If he can stay at shortstop there would be no shortstop that could equal his power. A little too much swing and miss could limit his batting average and lesson his power numbers. A fractured foot last year also limited him to just 73 games. He was able to reach AA but hit only one homerun in over 120 at bats. The Pirates have always been patient with their prospects, trying to squeeze out every last year of prospect eligibility to their club. The injury and the Pirates conservative approach will keep Cruz in the minor leagues until 2021 at the earliest.

3. Ronny Mauricio SS (NYM) - Amed Rosario struggled on defense at shortstop last year for the Mets and Andres Gimenez is another defensive option. The most complete shortstop could be Mauricio. At 6′3″ he may eventually have to move to third if his body fills out. His lack of speed limits his range and if he continues to fill out that range could be further impacted. He has the hands and arm to play short. His bat is what gets the Mets excited. The bat should eventually hit for 20 plus homeruns, though he has yet to hit in double figures for power. He does show a lack of patience at the plate with a 4/1 strikeout to walk ratio, which could limit his average. Still a teenager Mauricio should be ready for High A in 2020 with a possible promotion to AA. Don’t expect him to see the Mets infield until 2021.

4. Brailyn Marquez LHP (CHC) - Lefthanders who can dial their fastball into the mid-90s are valuable commodities on any club. At 6′4″ Brailyn has the height to be a durable starting pitcher. Last year was his first year eclipsing 100 innings of work. A solid curveball and improving change give him three pitches to fit in the rotation. Last year the opposition hit him at .224, which is twenty points below his career minor league average. He also continued to strike out more than one batter per inning. One area he needs to work on is improving his control. Last year he walked about a hitter per two innings. The Cubs have not had a lot of success developing pitching. Next year he should see AA and if the Cubs can exercise patience he will not appear on the Cubs pitching rotation until 2021.

5. Sixto Sanchez RHP (Mia) - The Phillies signed Sixto in 2014, then traded him to the Marlins in 2019 for J.T. Realmuto. The fastball is explosive, cracking triple digits on the radar gun. His 6′0″ height makes his durability a question. He missed much of 2018 due to injury but averted the disabled list in 2019 to throw over 100 innings for the first time in his minor league career. He and Sandy Alcantara should make for an intimidating mound duo. Plus command of his fastball, curve and change trifecta should result in more swings and misses but he generally averages less than a whiff per inning. His 18 starts in AA should make him ready for the major league rotation some time in 2020.

6. Jesus Sanchez OF (Mia) - No relation to Sixto. Jesus got his start with Tampa Bay and then was traded to the Marlins a couple years ago for pitching help. Jesus has the potential to be a five tool player. His speed is not burner’s speed but it is enough to play centerfield. His arm is strong enough for right field, but with J.J. Bleday on the roster left field could be his eventual position. His bat lacks patience (39/100 walk to whiff ratio) which could limit his average to the .250s. His power is not massive but it should be enough to hit 20 plus homeruns. Despite his above average speed Jesus does not steal bases, failing to reach double digits in any of his minor league seasons. He should be in the Marlins roster sometime mid season of 2020.

7. Marco Luciano SS (SF) - Don’t know if the Giants can wait for Marco to be ready to replace the aging Brandon Crawford. They shelled out $2.6 million to sign him in 2018. Last year was his first season state side where he hit .322 in rookie ball. His 10 homeruns gave him a .616 slugging. That kind of power will not continue, but his bat is one of his strengths. The arm is there to stay at short but if his 6′2″ frame fills out too much he may have to move to third. Marco has the bat to make multiple All Star appearances. He will debut in the full season league in 2020 but is probably still three of four years from making the Giants. That will probably mean four years on this list.

8. Luis Garcia SS/2B (Was) - Not to be confused with the Luis Garcia on the Phillies. Teams have inquired about Luis, but despite their playoff run the Nationals kept Garcia off the market. With Anthony Rendon gone and temporary veteran replacements to cover second and third, Garcia’s time to wear a Nationals uniform should be soon. He lacks the power to play third and he will not usurp Turner from short. So second base could be his ultimate position. His minor league numbers have not been impressive (.257 average and .617 OPS) until you realize he is only a 19 year old trying to solve AA pitching. His speed is not great so if Luis hopes to make an impact his bat has to be in the neighborhood of .300 with double digit homerun power less than 20. National fans should see his major league debut in 2020.

9. Edward Cabrera RHP (Mia) - Make that a threesome. With Alcantara, Sixto and Cabrera in the rotation the Marlins should be scary. Cabrera is another arm that can hit triple digits, but for the most part will sit in the mid-90s. If he can refine his change to make it a more swing and miss offering he will fit in the rotation. If not he could be the Marlins closer. Last year he limited the opposition to a .190 average and struck out more than a hitter an inning. His eight starts in AA make debuting in the Marlins rotation in 2020 a slight possibility. Because 100 innings pitched in 2018 has been his maximum innings level, the Marlins need to leave him in the minor leagues to control his innings.

10. Geraldo Perdomo SS (Ari) - The Diamondbacks only paid $70,000 for him back in 2016. Advance three years and Geraldo has turned himself into a top level prospect. His tools should be sufficient to stay at shortstop, but as with any 6′3″ Dominican this could change as he fills out. The bat makes good contact with more walks than whiffs last year (70/67). There is not a lot of power in his bat so if he can keep his average in the .300 neighborhood he could become a useful starter. His lack of speed does not project for high stolen base totals. Last year he got 26 games in High A so he is at least a couple years away from the Diamondbacks.

Myworld takes a look at the NL Central to see how they have done selecting with the 25th round pick or later. We start with 1998 when drafts were established at 50 picks, further reduced to 40 a few years later. Also, we did not include any player signed in the 25th round or later who did not sign but made the major leagues after a later draft. Myworld did not look at draft years 2015 or later since any late round picks making the major league roster in four years or less would be slim to none.

Chicago Cubs

Randy Wells C (2002/38th round) - 28-32, 4.08 in 98 games, 86 starts
Dallas Beeler RHP (2010/41st round) - 0-3, 6.05 in five games, all of them starts

Russ Canzler 3B (2004/30th round) - .269, 3, 11 in 26 games
Justin Bour 1B (2009/25th round) - .253, 92, 303 in 559 games

Cincinnati Reds

Todd Coffey RHP (1998/41st round) - 25-18, 4.10 in 46 games of relief - more than a cup of coffee
Mike Neu RHP (1998/29th round) - 0-0, 3.72 in 33 games of relief
Curtis Patch RHP (2007/26th round) - 1-1, 5.52 in 22 games of relief

Milwaukee Brewers

Manny Parra LHP (2001/26th round) - 29-41, 4.90 in 322 games, 74 starts
Craig Breslow LHP (2002/26th round) - 23-30, 3.45 in 516 games, two starts
Tim Dillard C (2002/34th round) - 1-4, 4.70 in 73 games of relief
Brent Sutter LHP (2012/31st round) - 65 games, 34 of them starts
Tyler Alexander LHP (2013/27th round) - 1-4, 4.86 in 13 games, 8 starts

Taylor Green 2B (2005/25th round) - .207, 3, 15 in 78 games of relief
Jason Rogers 1B (2010/32nd round) - .258, 4, 18 in 117 games

Pittsburgh Pirates

Ian Snell RHP (2000/26th round) - 152 games, 136 starts
Shane Youman LHP (2001/43rd round) - 3-7, 5.13, 21 games, 11 starts
Todd Redmond C (2004/39th round) - 5-8, 4.25 in 67 games, 16 starts
Casey Sadler RHP (2010/25th round) - 5-1, 3.55 in 42 games, two of them starts

Nate McLouth 2B (2000/25th round) - .247, 101, 333 in 1,045 games
Chris Shelton C (2001/33rd round) - .273, 37, 124 in 299 games
Rajai Davis 2B (2001/38th round) - .262, 62, 387, 415 stolen bases in 1,448 games
Nyjer Morgan OF (2002/33rd round) - .282, 12, 136, 120 stolen bases in 598 games

St. Louis Cardinals

Tyler Johnson 1B (2000/34th round) - 3-5, 4.32 in 116 games of relief
Blake Hawksworth RHP (2001/26th round) - 10-13, 4.07 in 124 games, 8 starts
Kyler McClellan RHP (2002/25th round) - 19-24, 3.79 in 268 games, 17 starts
Luke Gregerson RHP (2006/28th round) - 35-36, 3.15 in 646 games of relief
Michael Blazek RHP (2007/35th round) - 8-6, 4.50 in 113 games, only one start
Sam Freeman LHP (2008/32nd round) - 8-7, 3.62 in 264 games of relief
Kevin Siegrist LHP (2008/41st round) - 18-10, 3.04 in 276 games of relief

Bo Hart ss/2B (1999/33rd round) - .272, 4, 30 in 88 games
Mike McCoy 2B (2002/34th round) - .190, 3, 20 in 170 games
Tony Cruz 3B (2007/26th round) - .216, 6, 61 in 272 games
Adron Chambers OF (2007/38th round) - .216, 0, 9 in 84 games

Baseball America ranked the All Stars from each of the classifications. The NL West had the strongest representation of all the divisions. The NC Central will have the least represented, until we do the NL East tomorrow and then they will have the least. Chicago and Cincinnati became the second and third teams without any All Star representative.

Chicago Cubs

None

Cincinnati Reds

None

Milwaukee Brewers

Keston Hiura 2B/AAA - The inability of Travis Shaw to hit gave Keston an opportunity to get an early start to his major league career. The 2017 first round pick hit .329 with 19 homeruns in just 57 AAA games, then got called up to the majors and hit another 19 homeruns in 84 game with a .303 average to cement his status as a major leaguer. Next year he should be an All Star performer.

Max Lazar SP/Low A - The 11th round 2017 pick does not rely on velocity to retire hitters. Eventually it may come from the maturity of his 6′3″ frame but currently it straddles the low 90s or below. The reliance on command gave him a 2.33 ERA and .224 average with 119 whiffs in 85 innings. The 20 year old could end up filling the back end of a rotation.

Trent Grisham OF/AAA - The 2015 first round pick of the Brewers is more noted for his error in the playoff game that gave the Nationals an opportunity to advance in the wild card game and win the World Series. When the season ended the Brewers dealt Grisham to the Padres in the Eric Lauer trade. He hit .384 with 13 homeruns in just 34 AAA games and had an additional 13 homeruns in AA. The callup to the majors was not as dominating (.236 average) but six additional homeruns gave him 32 for the year. His defense is not as bad as his error in the wild card game would seem to indicate, an error he will leave as a memory permanently etched in the minds of Brewer and Nationals fans.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Mitch Keller SP/AAA - The Pirates do not like to spend money, so they have kept their 2014 second round pick down in the minors forever. In AAA his numbers were not dominating (7-5, 3.56). Once promoted to the major leagues his performances turned awful (1-5, 7.13 ERA). His upper level mid-90s fastball says he should be in the Pirates rotation in 2020, but he needs to perform.

Mason Martin 1B/Low A - The power hitting firstbaseman slugged 35 homeruns last year, very good for a player the Pirates waited for until the 17th round of the 2017 draft. The whiffs are just as prevalent (168). His defense is not stellar and his lack of speed prevents a move to the outfield. He will have to hit if he wants a major league career.

St. Louis Cardinals

Randy Arozarena OF/AAA - He doesn’t have the tools of some of the other prospects in the Cardinals minor league system. The Cuban hit .358 with 12 homeruns in AAA. That led to a major league promotion and success (.300) in limited action. The bat does not carry big time power but the speed and defense will allow him to stay in centerfield.

Dylan Carlson OF/AA - The 2016 first round pick is possibly the Cardinals top prospect. He has five tools that are all just above average. Last year in AA he hit 21 homeruns. He outdid himself when promoted to AAA, hitting .361 with five additional homeruns. He should find himself patrolling the Cardinals outfield next year.

Ivan Herrera C/Low A - At some point in his career Yadier Molina will have to yield his catching position. This Panamanian who signed for $200,000 is next on the list. He is more noted for his defense but his bat showed promise with a .289 average and eight homeruns.

Jhon Torres OF/Rookie - The Indians signed this Colombian for $150,000 in 2016. They traded him to the Cardinals for Oscar Mercado. Torres hit six homeruns with a .242 average. His defense is good enough for centerfield but a powerful arm makes him a better fit in right.

Below are myworld’s top ten lefthanded pitching prospects in the minor leagues. In the past lefthanders were not noted for their blazing fastball, but this group has a couple arms that can throw heat. Three teams account for six of the ten lefthanders.

1. MacKenzie Gore (Padres) - He may be the best minor league pitching prospect in baseball, not just the best lefthander. The Padres made him the third pick of the 2017 draft. He dominated that year in seven starts, limiting opponents to a .184 average with 14.3 whiffs per nine innings. The 2018 season was plagued by blister problems which prevented him from gripping the ball. That did not seem to be a problem last year as he dominated the California League (1.02 ERA and .137 average). A promotion to AA saw a few more struggles (4.15 ERA) but he is ready to tackle that level again in 2020. Gore is not a flame thrower with a fastball that sits on the upper edges of the low 90s. It is his ability to throw three above average secondary pitches with excellent command that sets him apart from the other pitchers. He could see some time with the Padres next year if the Padres feel they need him to fuel a playoff appearance. If no playoffs are in sight there is no incentive for the team to promote Gore too early.

2. Jesus Luzardo (Athletics) - The Nationals made Jesus their third round pick in 2016. They traded him and Blake Treinen to the Athletics in a desperate call for bullpen help, acquiring Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle. Ironic that Treinen became one of the best relievers in baseball in 2018. Jesus was also a student from Parkland High, which was subject to a mass shooting a year after he left. A left shoulder strain delayed the start of his 2019 season and limited him to just 11 minor league appearances. He did well enough that he got to appear in relief in six major league games, limiting hitters to a .119 average. Luzardo throws heat, hitting the high 90s with his fastball but sitting in the mid-90s. His secondary stuff is not as strong as Gore, but he does have command of his pitches, which sometimes is half the battle. He could compete for a spot in the starting rotation in 2020 but if he fails to make it expect to see him before mid-season. He did have Tommy John surgery prior to the draft back in 2016, which was one of the reasons he dropped to the third round. He also became the first player born in Peru to play in the major leagues.

3. A.J. Puk (Athletics) - The Athletics have two of the best lefthanded pitchers in baseball. Puk was drafted by the Athletics in the first round of the 2016 draft. A good spring in 2018 appeared to win him a spot in the Athletics rotation but a torn UCL in spring resulted in Tommy John surgery and an absence from the 2018 season. He got a late start to the 2019 season and the Athletics used him mostly out of the bullpen. Control issues left his minor league ERA high (4.97) but the Athletics saw enough to promote him to the major league club where it dropped to 3.18. Puk may be best in the bullpen with a fastball that easily hits the high 90s and a nasty slider. He is still working on a consistent third pitch and his command is spotty, which leaves a starting rotation spot up in the air unless he can improve those skills. Expect him to make the Athletics in 2020, either in their rotation or as a setup part time closer.

4. Brendan McKay (Rays) - The Rays drafted McKay with the fourth pick in the 2017 draft with the intent of making him a two way player. In college he was primarily a hitter that was used as a starter, winning the Golden Spikes award because of his bat (.341, 18, 57), but also showing some promise with the arm (11-3, 2.56). When he got to the Rays his arm soon surpassed his bat, resulting in a quick promotion to the majors. While they may use him as a DH it appears McKay will be needed most in the starting rotation. He dominated in the minor leagues in 13 starts (1.10 ERA) last year but not so much in the majors in 11 starts (5.14 ERA). His bat was absent most of the year (.200, .629 OPS). McKay has excellent command of his pitches, with a fastball that sits just below 95 and quality secondary pitches that should get better the more he pitches. Expect him to be in the starting rotation for the Rays in 2020.

5. D.L. Hall (Orioles) - The Orioles had a number of exceptional performances from their starting pitchers last year in the minor leagues. Hall was at the top of that list. The 2017 first round pick was a strikeout machine, whiffing 116 hitters in just 80.2 innings in High A. The opposition only hit .189 off him. The fastball screams across the plate with a combination of heat and movement, making it a tough pitch to make solid contact. He can supplement that heat with a solid changeup that could still use some improvement in consistency. The big issue is finding the plate. Last year he walked 54 batters in 80.2 innings. This left his ERA at a high 3.46 and kept his innings count low. Next year Hall should see AA Bowie with an opportunity to pitch for the Orioles in 2021.

6. Brailyn Marquez (Cubs) - The Cubs are always in search of pitching, but they may have found an arm they signed out of the Dominican Republic back in 2015 for $600,000. He stands at 6′4″ and his fastball was clocked at 99 last year. Last year was his first season in full season ball and he finished the season with lots of whiffs (128 in 103.2 innings) and a low opposition batting averages (.224). His secondary pitches need improvement and he needs to find the plate more, last year walking almost one hitter every two innings. Next year he should repeat high A with a late season promotion to AA. His debut with Cubs should be sometime late in 2021.

7. Tarik Skubal (Tigers) - The Tigers traded for Franklin Perez and have three starting pitchers who were first round picks that they hope will eventually see the rotation. Tarik was a ninth round pick in 2018 that has come out of nowhere to put his name in the hat. Myworld would be surprised if anyone put him on a top 30 prospect list after he was drafted. Last year he was one of the Tigers best pitchers, striking out 179 hitters in 122.2 innings and limiting the opposition to a .196 average. This now puts him ahead in the depth chart of a few number one draft picks. His fastball can go north of 95 but it generally sits at the southern range with lots of late life that makes him difficult to hit. His curveball is his swing and miss pitch, but his change needs to gain more consistency if he wants to continue to fool hitters as he climbs the minor league ladder. Last year he pitched well in AA so that could portend a major league opportunity in 2020. The Tigers have a couple pitchers who could get an opportunity to pitch before Tarik so he may have to wait until 2021.

8. Adrian Morejon (Padres) - Adrian was the ace of the Cuban Under 15 rotation when they won the gold medal back in 2014. It netted him the MVP award. Two years later, as a 16 year old, he had already defected to the United States. The Padres whipped out a $11 million bonus to sign him. Adrian has not dominated at the minor league level, despite having a fastball that registers between 93-97. He is only 20 years old and pitching in AA so maturing is still an issue. His large body frame (6′1″, 210) has struggled to stay healthy, which has prevented him from pitching the innings he needs to refine his pitches. Despite his young age, the Padres promoted him to the major leagues, but he had little success (10.13 ERA and .385 opposition average in 8 innings). The Padres should start him at AAA next year, watch his innings count and if he stays healthy and has success promote him mid-season. He won’t be the ace of a rotation like he was for his 15 and under team, but he will make a solid mid-rotation starter.

9. Justus Sheffield (Mariners) - Justus has bounced around. The Indians drafted him in the first round in 2014, traded him to the Yankees for Andrew Miller in 2016. The Yankees had him packing his bags again after the 2018 season, trading him to Seattle for James Paxton. Sheffield had a good minor league season in 2018 resulting in a promotion to the Yankees in September. Last year he struggled to throw strikes, which resulted in a number of homerun balls (12) and walks (41) in his 55 innings of work in AAA. A demotion to AA saw his numbers improve and gave the Mariners a reason to promote him to their big league club. Justus throws in the mid -90s and gets swings and misses with his slider. Throwing strikes has been his biggest challenge. Expect him to compete for a starting rotation spot in 2020.

10. Matthew Liberatore (Rays) - The 2018 first round pick of the Rays does not have a heater that spits fire as it crosses the plate. He sits in the low 90s but can touch the mid-90s if he reaches back and slings it. He stands at 6′5″ so he has an intimidating plane when he stands on the mound. His curveball is his best pitch, garnering most of his swings and misses. He also shows a quality changeup that seems to make his fastball show more carry as it crosses the plate. In his first full season Matthew pitched well in low A, putting together a 3.10 ERA in 15 starts. He generates a lot of ground balls, coughing up only two long balls in his 78.1 innings of work. Next year the Rays will start him at High A with a promotion to AA more likely in 2021. Rays fans may see him as a September callup in 2021,

Myworld attempts to identify the top ten catching prospects in the minor leagues. This is my opinion based on numbers since we have not seen all of these players play. For the next couple weeks we’ll try to go around the diamond.

1. Adley Rutschman (Orioles) - The first pick in the 2019 draft. The last time the Orioles drafted a catcher in the first round (2007 fifth overall pick) his name was Matt Wieters. Matt has had a good career in the major leagues but when he was in college his bat was going to make him special. That bat never really showed up. Like Matt, Adley is a switch hitter and comes with the same two way press clippings, a powerful bat who can play the defensive game. He makes good contact, walking more than he struck out in college and has the potential to hit for power. He also has a strong arm that can control the running game. At 6′2″ he is solidly built but still agile enough behind the plate. In his professional debut he has walked (5) more than he has struck out (4), but his batting average is less than desired (.176). It is a small sample size of only 34 at bats and it comes after a heavy college season. Adley should get enough experience that he should play in the full season league next year.

2. Joey Bart (Giants) - A similar story for Bart who will eventually be called upon to replace Buster Posey, who has had a good career with the Giants. Like Wieters, Posey was a fifth overall pick (2008) but his offensive game has been better. At 32 years of age his catching shelf life is about to expire and Bart is poised to replace him. Joey was a first round pick in 2018 and was the second overall pick, coming out of the same college as Wieters (Georgia Tech). His first season in rookie ball he shined with 13 homeruns and a .364 average. Those are the kind of numbers we expected from Adley. Joey is also a two way player with a powerful arm to control the running game and a good bat to hit in the middle of the lineup. At 6′3″ he is also a big catcher but very agile behind the plate. For the 2019 season the Giants started him in the California League where his bat continues to shine (.270, 12 homeruns) with a .815 OPS. His speed and ability to make contact is not as strong as Adley but he should make an impact with the Giants by 2021.

3. Will Smith (Dodgers) - Will was a first round pick of the Dodgers in 2016. At the start of the season he wasn’t even considered the best catcher in the Dodgers system. After the way he has handled major league pitching this year (.326, 6 homeruns, 1.199 OPS) he may not be eligible as a rookie next year since he is now the Dodgers starting catcher in the middle of a playoff race. Based on his career minor league numbers (.236 average) the batting average should not stay at that level, but his power is real. He also has a strong arm and is showing good maturity with a veteran Dodger pitching staff in a playoff race. Keibert Ruiz will find it tough to wrest the catching job from Smith, but the Dodgers appear to be set at catching for the long term. This year Will did hit .269 with 20 homeruns in just 60 games at AAA, where the baseballs may have been a little juiced. For a power hitter he makes good contact.

4. Miguel Amaya (Cubs) - With Wilson Contreras behind the plate the Cubs are not in an immediate need to find a catcher. They found Miguel in Panama, where they signed him for $1.25 million in 2015. His defensive game at this point is above his offensive game, but his power began to show last year with 12 homeruns in his first exposure to the full season leagues. A promotion to the Carolina League for 2019 has seen some offensive struggles (.232) but he has shown some patience at the plate (.347 OBA) and continues to display his power (8 homeruns). His defensive game has improved to such a point that he may be one of the best defensive catchers in the minor leagues. Despite his offensive struggles Miguel should see AA next year and Wilson should start looking in the rear view mirror at his next replacement.

5. Francisco Alvarez (Mets) - The Mets have had a number of promising catchers that have performed less than their expectation once they reached the major leagues. Francisco comes from the catching haven of Venezuela and signed in 2018 for $2.7 million. He did not play last year. At 17 years of age he still has some work to do on his defensive game. He has been pretty impressive with the bat in his first year hitting .462 with two homeruns in just 26 at bats. The Mets promoted him to Kingsport where he continues to rake with a .355 average with two more homeruns. His OPS sits at an impressive 1.073. At 5′11″ and 220 pounds Francisco is a bulky catcher. To stay agile behind the plate he will have to watch his weight. A promotion to the full season league next year is expected.

6. Keibert Ruiz (Dodgers) - Keibert was signed out of Venezuela in 2014 for $140,000. Will Smith has been a step ahead of him on the catching ladder. Keibert was signed for his defense, but his bat has been pretty impressive as well, with a .309 career average entering the 2019 season. The power may not be as great as Smith but he has a better ability to make contact and hit for a higher average. Both players have a strong defensive game. This year Keibert struggled a bit in AA, where he played last year (.254) but a promotion to AAA has seen him increase that average (.324). The Dodgers could leave Ruiz in AAA next year as insurance to an injury to Smith but at some point they will have to make a decision who their starting catcher is.

7. Ronaldo Hernandez (Rays) - Ronaldo was signed out of Colombia in 2014 for a bargain price of $225,000. No catcher on this list has a stronger arm than Hernandez. The other parts of his game still need some work. The Rays converted him to catcher after signing him so his experience is still limited behind the plate. Last year Ronaldo played his first year in a full season league and clubbed 21 homeruns. His career average entering the 2019 season is .306. Playing in the pitcher friendly Florida State League he is hitting .274 with 7 homeruns. His .413 slugging is about 70 points under his career minor league average. The Rays will show patience with him but he could be the Rays first home grown catcher in more than a decade.

8. Shea Langeliers (Braves) - Shea was a first round pick of the Braves in 2019, the ninth player selected in the draft. His defensive tools are supreme with an arm equal to Hernandez. He was considered the best defensive catcher in college baseball. His bat could be a question mark, but he did break an NCAA tournament record with 11 RBIs in one game. The Braves debuted him in Low A where he has struggled with the bat (.211). When you consider the Orioles have started Adley in the rookie leagues the immediate promotion of Shea to full season was an aggressive move. They may start him in Low A to begin the 2020 season but he could be up with the Braves very quickly.

9. Sam Huff (Rangers) - Sam was a seventh round pick in 2016 out of high school. Catchers drafted out of high school usually do not have the same success as catchers drafted out of college. At 6′4″ Sam is large for a catcher but his athleticism and strong arm keep him behind the plate. His large frame gives him exceptional power. Last year he hit 18 homeruns at Low A. The downside was a troubling 23/140 walk to whiff ratio. This could hurt him average wise as he sees more advanced pitching. The Rangers repeated him at Low A this year and after hitting .333 with 15 homeruns in just 30 games they quickly promoted him to High A. The homerun numbers have slowed (10 in 70 games) but the average still remains high (.278). He still continues to struggle to make contact (23/116 walk/whiff ratio in 101 games) so that will have to be monitored. His defense is strong enough that if he hits below .250 with 20 plus homeruns he should make it as a starter.

10. William Contreras (Braves) - The younger brother of Wilson. His offensive game is probably just above his defensive game at this point. He has a strong arm behind the plate, good athleticism and with more experience should be an upper level defender like his older brother. His offensive game has the same potential for power as his brother. Last year he hit 11 homeruns at Low A but failed to hit a homerun in his 83 at bats in the Florida State League. That is where he started his 2019 season and though his offensive numbers were not great (.263, 3 homeruns) he was still promoted to AA. William makes good contact and his power should improve as he matures. Expect him to be with the Braves sometime late next year as a September callup.

Last year we included the top prospects in the “Best Prospects from South America” List. Five Colombian players were named on that list. One of them graduated to major league baseball (Jorge Alfaro) and is no longer considered a prospect. The four remaining reappear on the top prospects from Colombia list. Myworld was able to find ten players who we felt had enough skills to make it to the major leagues. Below are the top ten prospects from Colombia.

1. Ronaldo Hernandez C (Rays) - The Rays signed the infielder for $225,000 and then converted him to catcher. His biggest asset is his arm and the ability to hit for power. While the arm can control a running game he is still learning the other aspects of the game such as blocking the ball and framing the pitch that will get him to the major leagues. His defensive mechanics other than his arm would fall below average. On the offensive side, the bat showed it can hit for some power, crashing 21 homeruns last year and slugging .494 at Low A. This year he is trying to tackle High A in the Florida State League which is more of a pitcher’s park. He has five homeruns, but a much worse walk to whiff ratio (6/32), which could be a cause for concern. His batting average is still high (.287) but his OBA has dropped 20 points (.313). He is still a couple years from the major leagues.

2. Luis Patino RHP (Padres) - The Padres signed Patino back in 2016 for $130,000. At the time he was still a teenager lacking meat on his bones. He has picked up 40 pounds since that signing and his fastball velocity has gone up ten miles per hour, hitting the high 90s but sitting in the mid-90s. He also has an excellent slider that crosses the plate in the mid-80s. Finding an off speed pitch (curve or change) would make him effective as a starter. The one concern is his smallish frame, which at 6′0″ is death for right handed starters. Last year he dominated at Low A (2.16 ERA). This year a promotion to High A has not impacted his pitching, his ERA (2.92) and opposition average (.194) still showing he can dominate at that level. The Padres are flush with pitching prospects so there will be no rush to move him up the system. Expect him to make the major leagues sometime in 2020.

3. Luis Escobar (Pirates) - Luis signed back in 2013 for $150,000. He was signed as a third baseman but the Pirates moved him to the mound. He has bulked up another 60 pounds since his signing and his fastball now hits 97, but sits in the 93-95 mile per hour range. He has the secondary pitches to make it as a starter (curve and change) but he lacks the command to get them over the plate with any regularity. Last year he walked 59 hitters in 129 innings. That is almost a walk every other inning. This year he has walked 18 in 40 innings. Last year he got seven starts in AA (4.54 ERA). This year the Pirates have tried him out in the bullpen in High A, then skipping him to AAA where he has been used as a starter and reliever. His career opposition batting average entering the 2019 season was a pretty impressive .216. This year he has gotten it down to .150. The Pirates have had dome frustration as they have promoted their younger pitchers to the major leagues and achieved very little success. With every failure comes a greater opportunity for Escobar to show what he can do. Before the 2019 season ends he could start his career in the Pirates bullpen.

4. Meibrys Viloria C (Royals) - The Royals signed him back in 2013 for $460,000. In his first year stateside he shocked the minor league world in 2016 with a .376 average in rookie ball. The last two years he has been stuck at .260. Last year with the injury to Salvador Perez he got his major league opportunity, appearing in 10 games and hitting .259. That first year batting average appears to be a bit of an outlier. After getting off to a slow start in 2019 he has gotten his average up to .254. He is more noted for his defense and his strong arm that can control the running game than his bat. The Royals appear to have a top flight catcher (M.J. Melendez) ahead of him on the depth chart, which could cause a move to another organization if he wants to get playing time. He is currently in AA and should see some time in September, or earlier if an injury results in a promotion. At worst his solid defense would make him an excellent backup catcher.

5. Oscar Mercado OF (Indians) - Oscar was a second round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013, signing for $1.5 million. He was traded to the Indians last year for two lower level outfielders. Mercado moved from Colombia to the United States when he was eight years old, growing up in Florida and gaining a reputation as an excellent shortstop. He was moved to the outfield in 2017. There is not a lot of power in his game. Playing good defense and stealing bases will be his specialities. Last year he stole 37 bases in AAA, scoring 85 runs. The Indians are very weak in the outfield and that weakness led to a promotion to the major leagues this year. After hitting .294 in AAA Mercado continues to hit for the Indians with a .306 average. He has also shown some surprising pop with three homeruns in just 26 games. If this kind of production continues with the Indians he will graduate from prospect status and not appear on this list next year.

6. Harold Ramirez OF (Marlins) - With the Pirates he was once a big time prospect. Signed way back in 2011 he got a bit heavy and out of shape and his prospect status suffered. The Pirates traded him in 2016 to the Blue Jays and the Blue Jays did not see anything in him and outrighted him last year. That is where the Marlins picked him up as a minor league free agent. He has resurrected his career, killing it in AAA with a .355 average and a .999 OPS. The Marlins promoted him and have been using him in centerfield, where they had hoped Luis Brinson would have been the answer. His success in the major leagues (.325) appears to indicate that he will be another player to graduate from the prospect list.

7. Jhon Torres OF (Cardinals) - Jhon was signed by the Indians in 2016 for $150,000. Ironic that he was one of the two outfielders the Indians traded to the Cardinals for Oscar Mercado. Could be the first trade where two Colombians were traded for each other. He did not make his state side debut until last year when he hit .397 in 17 games at the Gulf Coast League. At 6′4″ he can generate some power in his swing, hitting 8 homeruns last year in just 44 rookie league games. His arm is built to play right field. The Indians may be getting some good use out of Mercado now, but in the future they may regret trading Torres. The Cardinals have him playing Low A, where he has struggled in his 21 games (.167 average). When the rookie leagues begin he will probably be demoted there to get his bat working.

8. Jordan Diaz 3B (Athletics) - Jordan signed in 2016 for $275,000. Last year he played in the Arizona Rookie League where he showed a good ability to get on base (.371). He has the defensive tools to play third base. His power is currently restricted to the gaps. Whether his 5′10″ frame can generate more pop is open to question. Last year he hit his first and only professional homerun. In the New York Penn League he went deep early where in three games he is hitting .364. He is still a long way from the major leagues. A lot of developing needs to be done.

9. Santiago Florez RHP (Pirates) - Signed in 2016 for $150,000 Santiago has the height (6′5″) and the fastball (mid-90s) to get the Pirates excited. His curveball has some promise but there is no real third pitch yet and his command is suspect. Last year he walked 23 hitters in 43 innings and saw his innings limited because of a barking elbow. There is a lot of development to do. He will work on that in the 2019 season when the rookie level leagues begin.

10. Danis Correa RHP (Cubs) - We needed a tenth player but don’t know a lot about Danis other than his fastball has hit triple digits, but sits at the mid-90s. At 5′11″ his height goes against him as a right handed pitcher. Last year he only was able to pitch in two games of relief at the rookie level. The year before he pitched 40.2 innings. At 19 years of age the Cubs are possibly waiting for the rookie leagues to begin before they put Correa on the mound.

This month Londoners will see the Yankees and Red Sox in a two game series (June 29-30). About this time next year (June 13-14) Londoners will see one of the top National League rivalries, the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs in a short two game series. This is the completion of the two year commitment major league baseball made to London to play two series there.

The Cubs took advantage of the wildness of Jeremy Hellickson, who walked the first three hitters he faced and failed to find the plate in his three innings of work, putting the Nationals in a big hole in their 6-5 loss. The Cubs did not have to do too much to win this game, with Hellickson facing three ball counts on seven of the 16 hitters he faced and hitting a batter on an 0-2 count.

This was the eighth start for Hellickson. In his first start he threw six innings of shutout baseball. After that he has failed to finish six full innings. In his last three starts he has given up 14 runs in 12 innings. He has also walked 10 batters during that time. Too much nibbling with his curveball and changeup missing the strike zone. His pedestrian fastball does not make pitching behind in the count successful.

In the first inning he threw two strikes to the first three hitters. The Nationals were fortunate the Cubs only scored one run. Daniel Descalso grounded into a double play with the bases loaded. Anthony Rendon made a diving stop of a Javier Baez grounder to prevent the Cubs from having a big inning to get the first out.

In the second inning Hellickson did not walk a batter but he got behind in the count consistently. Jayson Heyward led off the inning with a single and Albert Almora Jr. started a perfect 3 for 3 day with a double down the left field line. Kyle Schwarber drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

Anthony Rizzo led off the third inning with a homerun. It was the only run they got, though Wilson Contreras doubled off the right field wall. Even though Hellickson batted in the bottom of the third he did not come out to pitch in the top of the fourth.

Kyle McGowin came on to make his first appearance as a National in the 2019 season. Almora started the inning with double down the third base line. He moved to third on a passed ball and scored on another Schwarber fly out. That put the Cubs ahead 4-0.

Kyle Hendricks was cruising. He had a perfect game after three and a no hitter after four. Kurt Suzuki blooped one into center for the first hit. Gerrardo Parra rammed a double down the right field line, but in his slide at second he went past the bag and was tagged out. The Nationals scored their first run on a grounder to second by Brian Dozier.

McGowin struggled in the sixth. Hayward lined a single into center and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Almora walked. Hendriks laid down a bunt. McGowin tried to do a glove flip to home, but the ball went nowhere and Heyward scored. Kris Bryant blooped a single just over the head of Dozier to score Almora to up the score to 6-1.

The Nationals failed to quit. In the home frame Anthony Rendon mashed a ball into the right field bleachers for a three run homer to close the lead to 6-4. Juan Soto followed with a double off the right field wall. A Parra single moved Soto to third and Parra advanced to second after Amora air mailed his throw over the catcher’s head and into the back stop. Brandon Kintzler got some revenge on the Nationals after his release last year, coming on to replace Hendricks and getting Brian Dozier to fly to left.

Howie Kendrick led off the seventh with a homerun off Kintzler. That closed the game to 6-5. Steve Cishek came on to get the last out of the seventh inning and shut out the Nationals the final two to close out the 6-5 win to pick up his fourth save.

Game Notes: Interesting strategy to bat Hellickson in the third and then not pitch him in the fourth. The Nationals bench is extremely shallow, as evidence by Adrian Sanchez pinch hitting in the eighth with the Nationals down by one. He struck out…Javier Baez hurt his heel in the third inning after fielding a grounder. He was later taken out of the game. He hopes to play Monday…Juan Soto struck out swinging in the second and struck out looking in the eighth. That gives him 43 whiffs in just 36 games. Last year he only struck out 99 times in 116 games. His exit velocity when he makes contact is similar to what it was last year so my world is not worried…My world loves grilled cheese sandwiches. We also have a fondness for crab. So the grilled cheese crab sandwich seemed perfect. It was not. The bread was too crunchy and the crab appeared tasteless. Not something I would repeat…Maddon dropped his protest on the delivery of Sean Doolittle.

His fastball was not blistering, sitting in the low 90s, but where Stephen Strasburg excels is when his curveball and change are working. He also stayed ahead of the hitters, walking none and getting to a three ball count to just one hitter. Strasburg worked eight innings, retired the first nine in the order and pitched the Nationals to a 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.

It was a late arriving crowd. The attendance was announced at 37,582. It was a peppery blue and red mix with most of the blue sitting along the third base side and much of the red occupying the first base side. The Nationals dugout is along the first base side. In many areas of the stands the blue seemed to drown out the red.

The Nationals struck first in the second inning when Brian Dozier lifted a high fly ball into center field that eventually settled into the bleachers. When the weather gets warm the bat starts clicking for Dozier, at least that was true during his Minnesota Twins tenure.

The Nationals poured it on off Jon Lester in the third. Trea Turner led the inning off with a single. Adam Eaton laid a bunt down the third base line. David Bote barehanded it but threw it past Anthony Rizzo at first. Turner advanced to third but Eaton stayed at first. Eaton tried to steal second but the throw from Wilson Contreras got there way ahead of Eaton. He got into a run down before being tagged out, Turner wisely staying planted on third.

Anthony Rendon walked on a 3-2 pitch. Howie Kendrick lined a pitch down the third base line for a double to score Turner. Juan Soto followed grounding a double down the first base line scoring Rendon and Kendrick. Brian Dozier blooped a single into centerfield but Soto had to wait halfway and only advanced to third. The Nationals could not add any more damage as Yan Gomes flied to shallow left and Michael Taylor struck out to end the inning.

The Cubs scored a run in the fifth when Strasburg and Gomes appeared to get confused with their signals. Singles by Wilson Contreras and Addison Russell put runners on first and second with two out. Gomes had a ball pop out of his glove and trickle behind him to allow the runners to move up a base. The next pitch glanced off his glove and hit him in the face mask, ricocheting toward the Cubs dugout. Jayson Heyward scored but Russell was thrown out at home when Rendon was able to retrieve the ball and threw to a back pedaling Gomes, who tagged him out. It appeared Gomes was expecting a fastball and got a curve ball on the first pitch and the second pitch he was expecting a curve ball and got a fastball.

The Nationals got the run back in the bottom of the fifth. Anthony Rendon drove a pitch that nailed the centerfield fence for a double. Juan Soto drove him in lining a single past the second baseman into right field. That ended the day for Jon Lester.

The only big hit of the day Strasburg allowed was in the sixth when David Bote took his first pitch of that inning into the left field bullpen. It was the fourth and last hit Strasburg would allow in the game. He struck out seven and walked none. Five of the eight innings he retired the side in order and in one of the innings the baserunner was eliminated on a double play ground out.

The Nationals could have broken the game open in the eighth when they loaded the bases. Brad Brach came in and struck out Anthony Rendon to end the threat. That created the situation for the Nationals to bring in Sean Doolittle.

Joe Madden put on some theatrics, objecting to the toe tap in the delivery of Doolittle after his first pitch. He claimed the delivery of Doolittle was no different than Carl Edwards, who major league baseball had forced to revamp his toe tap. The Cubs claim this change in delivery has resulted in the Edward’s struggles this year (9.45 ERA). The umpires disagreed and Maddon protested the game. Doolittle was able to retire the side in order to seal the victory, not bothered by Madden’s attempt at getting in his head.

Game Notes: For most of the day Strasburg sat in the low 90s, hitting as high as 94. Normally he reaches 95/96 with his fastball but myworld did not see that. He struck out the side in the third and struck out three consecutive hitters between the seventh and eighth. So six of his seven whiffs came consecutively. He threw just 93 pitches in his eight innings and if not pinch hit for in the eighth may have completed the game. Strasburg has now pitched six or more innings in nine of his ten starts. He also only had one three ball count to a batter, the next to last hitter he faced in the eighth…Jon Lester came into this game with a 1.16 ERA. He could not last past the fifth, coming out of the game with more pitches thrown (98) than Strasburg threw in his eight innings. It was his first start this season where he gave up more than two runs…Myworld did not notice a lot of called third strikes on the National hitters. Trea Turner looked at a third strike in the fourth, one of the seven Nat whiffs…The Nationals have put Justin Miller on the disabled list and recalled Tanner Rainey. Tanner was acquired in the Tanner Roark trade with the Reds. He throws hard but has trouble finding the plate, though in his last seven relief appearances in the minor leagues he has struck out 18 and walked just one. Not finding the plate seems endemic to the Nationals bullpen. Tanner pitched briefly in the majors for the Reds last year and gave up 19 earned runs in seven innings for a 24.43 ERA. That appears to be the typical bullpen fodder the Nationals present.

Only one player graduated from last year’s top ten. Victor Arano was myworld’s number 5 prospect from Mexico and he appeared in 60 games of relief for Philadelphia last year. We expect a couple players to graduate from this year’s list. A number of new faces to keep this list fresh.

1. Alex Verdugo OF (Dodgers) - Alex was born in Tucson but his dad is from south of the border. That was enough to qualify Alex for the Mexican national team. He probably should have made the list last year. A second round pick of the Dodgers in 2014 Alex is more of a gap hitter than over the fence power. The arm is strong enough for right field but he lacks the speed for center. He will hit for average but the homerun numbers could fall shy of 20. This could put him in the fourth outfielder category. The trade of Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig opened up some outfield room for Verdugo this year. The average is there (.345) and his .635 slugging comes with three homeruns. That will be enough to graduate from this list after this year. The Dodgers outfield is crowded so playing time will be dependent on a productive bat.

2. Florencio Serrano RHP (Rangers) - The Cubs had originally signed him for $1.2 million but major league baseball voided the contract after a dispute with Mexico over the distribution of the bonus money. When major league baseball and Mexico came to an agreement the Rangers swooped in and signed Serrano for $850,000. Serrano was born in Texas but moved to Mexico after his freshman year in high school. He signed with the Mexican League team the Tijuana Toros. His fastball sits in the low 90s but has reached the mid-90s in try outs. He also has a decent slider and developing change. At 19 years of age he has time to develop his pitches. After pitching in extended spring training he will join one of the short season leagues.

3. Luis Urias 2B/SS (Padres) - He was supposed to start the season as the Padres shortstop but Fernando Tatis impressed so much in spring training that Urias was sent down while Tatis was kept to play shortstop. Luis was later called up to play second but struggled with the bat and was sent down. In the minor leagues Luis has no problem hitting for a high average. His struggles have come in the major leagues where hitting for an average above .200 has been a struggle. He has the defensive tools to play short but will probably fit better at second base, deferring to Tatis at short. The power is lacking and his legs do not carry enough speed to steal bases, so he needs to hit for average to make an impact. Expect him to be called up again by mid-season and at some point figure out major league pitching.

4. Isaac Paredes 2B/3B (Tigers) - The hit tool is impressive. Isaac was originally a shortstop but his lower half is a bit thick to have the range to play that position. This year the Tigers have moved him to third base where the power could be there to play the position. Last year he hit 15 homeruns. He tends to be a pull heavy hitter where most of his power is and as he rises up the minors the pitchers could become more savvy to that approach. How he responds to being pitched away could have an impact on his major league development. At worst he will become a solid utility player with the Tigers. At best he could be an offensive oriented second baseman or solid third baseman. He is currently playing in AA where last year he hit .321 in 150 at bats last year. He should hit for a high enough average and decent power to be a good major league contributor.

5. Luis Verdugo SS (Cubs) - The Cubs seem to do a pretty good job of mining prospects down in Mexico. They lost Serrano but they have three other prospects in the minor leagues who were discovered in Mexico. Verdugo may be the best, signed in 2017 for $1.2 million. He played on the Mexican National team as a 15 year old. The arm is there to play short but a lack of speed could limit his range for the position. His bat is solid with some potential for power, which could allow for a move to third base if his range is found lacking. Last year he struggled with a .193 average in the Arizona Rookie League. At 18 years old he is young enough to repeat at that level.

6. Andres Munoz RHP (Padres) - The Padres are the closest team to take advantage of the south of the border talent. Andres was signed by the Padres in 2015 for a $700,000 bonus. His fastball has gone from the low 90s as a 16 year old to touching triple digits now that he is 20. Last year he pitched 25 games in relief for the Padres and averaged 100 miles per hour with his fastball. Over his three year minor league career he has only had one start, but his whiffs per nine innings sit at 11.8. Command and the improvement on his slider would make him closer material. It is unusual to find a hard thrower out of Mexico, but Munoz fits the bill.

7. Jose Albertos RHP (Cubs) - The Cubs shelled out $1.5 million in 2015 to sign Jose. There is a lot of talent in his arm, with a fastball that can rise to the mid-90s but often falls to the low 90s. This resulted in a horrible year last year where he could not get anyone out. His ERA was in double digits, hitters whacked him at an over .300 average and his walks to whiff ratio hit an ugly 65/38 in just 30 innings. That is usually not the numbers for a prospect but he has shown the Cubs some good seasons. The 2019 season will be key to determine whether he stays a prospect or becomes a journeyman. Some time in extended spring to work on his delivery is best and perhaps a callup to Low A or wait until the short seasons starts before making his 2019 debut. At 20 years old he needs to start showing more consistency on the mound.

8. Reivaj Garcia SS (Cubs) - Garcia was signed in 2017 for $500,000. He doesn’t have the tools of Verdugo and lacks the power bat to fit at third base. The ability to make contact is there so if he can hit for a high average he could eventually move to second base. Last year in his minor league debut he hit .302, but only nine of his 52 hits went for extra bases. At 18 years of age coming into this season he will probably see another year of short season. As he matures the Cubs hope enough power develops to give him a shot at making it as a utility player.

9. Gerardo Carrillo RHP (Dodgers) - The Dodgers got a bargain with Carrillo, signing him for just $75,000 in 2016. Despite his lack of size (6′0″, 155) he throws the ball hard, hitting the mid 90s with his fastball. He also has the ability to find the plate and as pitchers in Mexico learn, uses a multitude of pitches to retire hitters. His change is probably his best pitch. Last year when promoted to Low A he put together a 1.65 ERA in nine starts, limiting hitters to a .200 average. He relies more on soft contact than swings and misses to retire hitters, but as he bulks up that could change.

10. Tirso Ornelas OF (Padres) - Tirso signed for $1.5 million in 2016. At 6′3″ he has the potential to hit for some pop, last year hitting eight homeruns in Low A. The speed is lacking but the arm is enough to allow him to play either corner. Once he learns to pull the ball more effectively the power numbers should improve. He makes good contact for a power hitter. As he grows he will have to watch his weight. A move to first base would lesson his value and require that he fulfill his power potential to make it to the major leagues. The big advantage he has is he hits lefthanded.