Daily Prospect Notes: 7/10

Daily notes on prospects from lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen. Read previous installments here.

Alex Jackson, C, Atlanta (Profile)
Level: Hi-A   Age: 21   Org Rank: 24   Top 100: NR
Line: 4-for-5, 2B, 2 HR

Notes
Jackson missed a month with a left wrist contusion and has struggled since his return in mid-June, stroking just two extra-base hits (before last night) in 16 games since coming off the disabled list. With hand/wrist injuries, though, a downturn in power is not only acceptable but almost expected for at least a little while after returning. Jackson’s plus raw power, which manifests almost exclusively to his pull side in games, is his best tool and it’s good to see a some indication that it might be returning.

Troy Stokes, Jr., OF, Milwaukee (Profile)
Level: Hi-A   Age: 21   Org Rank: HM   Top 100: NR
Line: 2-for-4, HR, 2 BB, 2 SB

Notes
A muscular 5-foot-8, Stokes packs quite a punch and has above-average pull power. Because of his size, his swing is equally as compact as it is lofty and he’s able to be short to the baseball while also lifting it into the air. Stokes lacks bat control and doesn’t square balls up as frequently as scouts like to see, leading to many pop ups, and his pull-heavy approach to contact means he might be solved at upper levels, but he’s got an interesting power/patience combination and some speed, too.

Mitch Garver, C, Minnesota (Profile)
Level: Triple-A   Age: 26   Org Rank: 10   Top 100: NR
Line: 3-for-5, 3 HR

Notes
It was a splashy day for Garver whose skillset is anything but. He’s a solid defensive catcher with average raw-power and hit-tool projection. He’s either a high-end backup or fringey regular but, with Jason Castro signed through 2019, he might get his feet wet in a platoon.

Starling Heredia, OF, Los Angeles NL (Profile)
Level: Short Season   Age: 18   Org Rank: 16   Top 100: NR
Line: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2B, BB

Notes
Heredia is built like Juan Uribe — not 18-year-old Juan Uribe, but rather late-career Juan Uribe — and yet somehow still hauls ass down the line and posts plus run times while torching fastballs up in the zone. He looked too comfortable at the plate in the AZL to stay down there for very long and was moved to Odgen. He has star-level tools, a chance for average to above hit, plus raw power, and early-career speed.

Trevor Richards, RHP, Miami (Profile)
Level: Double-A   Age: 24   Org Rank: NR   Top 100: NR
Line: 7 IP, 3 H, BB, HBP, 0 R, 10 K

Notes
Richards went undrafted out of Drury University (Springfield, Missouri, which has a lovely little downtown area) and then pitched in independent ball before signing with the Marlins. He’s pitched his way up to Double-A with a fringey, downhill fastball, above-average changeup, and lots of deception and strike-throwing. He’s still a fringe prospect — perhaps a solid deception/changeup relief prospect, if you like — but that he has even come this far after being passed over in the draft is a win for the Marlins development staff and also says a great deal about this young man.





Eric Longenhagen is from Catasauqua, PA and currently lives in Tempe, AZ. He spent four years working for the Phillies Triple-A affiliate, two with Baseball Info Solutions and two contributing to prospect coverage at ESPN.com. Previous work can also be found at Sports On Earth, CrashburnAlley and Prospect Insider.

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SenorGato
6 years ago

Not enough Isaac Paredes!