Archive for josh bell

With a massive first-pitch home run off Aaron Nola on Wednesday afternoon, Josh Bell broke an 0-for-14 slump. He went 3-for-4 in Game 2 of the NLCS, adding an RBI single in the fourth and another base hit in the seventh to go along with his second-inning home run. It was a major improvement over his performance in the first game of the series, when he went hitless in four at-bats and struck out swinging with two runners on to end the ballgame.

When Bell is hot, he can be a terrific offensive performer, and a lineup built around him, Juan Soto and Manny Machado has the potential to be one of the most powerful in baseball. That’s exactly what A.J. Preller was counting on when he pulled off the biggest summer blockbuster in recent memory. When Bell goes cold, however, he’s dead weight in the middle of the lineup.

Just take a look at his wRC+ by month:

More of his success came with the Nationals, but Bell did have a couple of strong stretches in San Diego. From August 20 to September 10, he hit for a 152 wRC+, and did so again from October 1 through the end of the season. The Padres went 14–9 during those two stretches, and Bell led the squad with 0.84 Win Probability Added. In the rest of their games post-deadline, the team went 17–18, and Bell’s -1.55 WPA ranked dead last. When their DH was hitting, the Friars had a more complete offense, and when he wasn’t, he dragged the team down with him. That trend has continued into the postseason; in Padres wins, he is batting .294/.294/.647 with three runs and four RBI (17 PA), and in losses, he’s hitting .100/.182/.100 with no runs or runs batted in (11 PA). Read the rest of this entry »

When I started researching the club, I underestimated just how good the Pirates system is right now. It has impressive high-ceiling talent at the top of the list and depth. I had five or six other players outside the Top 15 that I really wanted to write about, but ultimately they fell just short of the list.

#1 Gerrit Cole (P)

Cole was the first overall selection during the 2011 draft and he reached triple-A in his first season in pro ball, securing himself as one of the best pitching prospects in the game. The right-hander’s greatest strength is his heater, which can tickle triple digits and sits in the 93-96 mph range. His second best pitch is a dominating slider. He also has a curveball and a changeup.

Read the rest of this entry »

General Manager: Andy MacPhail
Farm Director: David Stockstill
Scouting Director: Joe Jordan

FanGraphs’ Top 10 Prospects:
(2009 Draft Picks/International Signees Not Included)

Even with the graduation of quite a few pitchers in ’09, the organization is top heavy in pitching prospects. There are some hitting prospects, but their ceilings are more modest for the most part. With that said, Josh Bell could displace veteran Garrett Atkins at the hot corner before the 2010 season is up.

1. Brian Matusz, LHP, Majors
DOB: February 1987 Bats: Left Throws: Left
Signed: 2008 1st round – University of San Diego
MLB ETA: Now 40-Man Roster: Yes Options: 2
Repertoire: 88-94 mph fastball, plus curveball, slider, change-up

Matusz reached the Majors in his first full pro season and showed that he belonged, thanks in part due to a 4.08 FIP and a walk rate of just 2.82 BB/9. He also struck out his fair share of batters with a rate of 7.66 K/9. Matusz struggled a bit with his command – especially with the fastball – and he allowed too many hits (52 in 44.2 innings), as well as a high home-run rate at 1.21 HR/9. The lefty needs to improve his ground-ball rate of 31.2% if he’s going to keep the ball in the yard. Batters made below-average contact against Matusz in ’09, which bodes well for his future. Once he improves the command of his pitches, he could develop into a No. 1 or 2 starter. He joins Chris Tillman at the top of a young, exciting starting rotation.

2. Josh Bell, 3B, Double-A
DOB: November 1986 Bats: Both Throws: Right
Signed: 2005 4th round – Florida HS (Los Angeles NL)
MLB ETA: mid-2010 40-Man Roster: Yes Options: 3

With the loss of incumbent third baseman Melvin Mora, Bell has an outside chance of breaking camp with the club in 2010. That likelihood diminished, though, with the club’s acquisition of long-time Rockie Garrett Atkins, who is expected to keep the hot corner warm until Bell is ready. After a solid showing in double-A this past season, it should not be long for the former Dodgers prospect. Bell hit .296/.386/.497 in 334 at-bats after coming over from LA. He also posted a solid .201 ISO (.281 in the LAD system), so he has the power that most teams covet at the position. With modest speed, Bell has produced rather high BABIPs in the minors, so he may not be a .280-.300 hitter in the Majors like he was in the minors. Despite that fact, Bell has an intriguing mix of power and patience (13.0% walk rate).

3. Brandon Erbe, RHP, Double-A
DOB: December 1987 Bats: Right Throws: Right
Signed: 2005 3rd round – Maryland HS
MLB ETA: Late-2010 40-Man Roster: Yes Options: 3
Repertoire: 88-94 mph fastball, slider, change-up

When he was healthy in ’09, Erbe produced some interesting numbers. In 73.0 double-A innings, he was almost un-hittable by allowing just 44 hits. Erbe was particularly tough against right-handed hitters, who managed a batting average of just .150. However, he did struggle with his control and posted a walk rate of 4.32 BB/9. His strikeout rate was OK, but not great, at 7.64 K/9. The young right-hander is still learning how to pitch and develop his secondary pitches, so he has yet to take full advantage of his stuff, which is electric at times. Some doubt whether or not Erbe will be able to refine his secondary pitches enough to remain in the starting rotation. If he does head to the bullpen, he could develop into a solid late-game option.

4. Jake Arrieta, RHP, Double-A
DOB: March 1986 Bats: Right Throws: Right
Signed: 2007 5th round – Texas Christian University
MLB ETA: Late-2010 40-Man Roster: No Options: 3
Repertoire: 87-93 mph fastball, slider, change-up

Arrieta split the ’09 season between double-A and triple-A and posted solid numbers overall. The right-hander posted a 3.08 FIP and strikeout rate of 10.68 K/9 in 11 starts in the junior league before moving up to triple-A, where he posted a 4.15 FIP and strikeout rate of 7.66 K/9. His control actually improved with the promotion and dropped from 3.51 to 3.24 BB/9. Arrieta also did a nice job of keeping the ball in the park, although it rose a bit upon his promotion (from 0.61 to 0.88 HR/9). The right-hander projects as a solid No. 3 starter.

5. Zach Britton, LHP, High-A
DOB: December 1987 Bats: Left Throws: Left
Signed: 2006 3rd round – Texas HS
MLB ETA: Mid-2011 40-Man Roster: No Options: 3
Repertoire: 88-93 mph fastball, slider, curveball, change-up

This left-hander is quietly developing into one of the best young pitchers in the minor leagues. Britton posted a solid 3.26 FIP in high-A in ’09 while also allowing just 123 hits in 140.0 innings. He also posted a solid strikeout rate of 8.42 K/9 and an OK walk rate of 3.54 BB/9. He allowed just four homers all season and posted a crazy ground-ball rate of 65%. Britton did a nice job of battling both right-handed (.229 average allowed) and left-hander (.232) batters, although he showed a better strikeout rate (10.98 K/9) against the latter. He could develop into a No. 2 starter if he can keep the ground balls coming and retain the fastball velocity.

6. Brandon Snyder, 1B, Triple-A
DOB: November 1986 Bats: Right Throws: Right
Signed: 2005 1st round – Virginia HS
MLB ETA: Mid-2010 40-Man Roster: Yes Options: 3

Losing their catching eligibility can be the kiss of death for a lot of prospects (Just ask Neil Walker), but Snyder has shown that he just might survive the move. The right-handed hitter has moved to first base, where his average projects to be below-average for the position, but he has shown solid gap power and the ability to hit for a solid average. He could develop into a solid Lyle Overbay-type of first baseman. Snyder got off to a great start in double-A in ’09 and hit .343/.421/.597 with an ISO of .254 in 201 at-bats. That momentum cooled after a promotion to triple-A and he hit just .248/.316/.355 with an ISO of .107 in 262 at-bats. His true value likely lies somewhere in the middle. He does a nice job of getting on base (almost 10% in ’09), as well, but it would be nice to see him trim the strikeout rate (24.4% in triple-A).

7. Caleb Joseph, C, High-A
DOB: June 1986 Bats: Right Throws: Right
Signed: 2008 7th round – Lipscomb University
MLB ETA: Late-2011 40-Man Roster: No Options: 3

Joseph has an up-hill climb to acquiring the starting catcher gig in Baltimore thanks to the presence of Matt Wieters, but he could develop into an above-average backup – if he’s not used as trade bait. The backstop had a solid first full year in the minors and hit .284/.337/.450 in 380 at-bats. His ISO of .166 suggests that there could be some more power to come as the 6’3” hitter adds more muscle to his 180 lbs frame. Joseph’s strikeout rate was impressive at 16.8%, but he could stand to show some more patience after posting a walk rate of just 6.4%. Defensively, he has some work to do in throwing out runners after his caught-stealing rate dropped from 43% in his debut to just 27% in ’09.

8. Kam Mickolio, RHP, Majors
DOB: May 1984 Bats: Right Throws: Right
Signed: 2006 18th round – Utah Valley State College (Seattle)
MLB ETA: Now 40-Man Roster: Yes Options: 2
Repertoire: 89-95 mph fastball, slider, change-up

Mickolio has come a long way in a short period of time, but the 6’9” monster is still far from a finished product. His control is mainly to blame and he posted a walk rate of 4.61 BB/9 in the Majors in ’09. He also relies heavily on one pitch (his fastball at 80.3% of the time) but his slider also has a lot of promise. Mickolio’s ground-ball rate has been all over the map. It dropped heavily in the minors from ’08 to ’09 when it went from an outstanding 58.6% to a scary 28.6%. If everything clicks – and he can get his ground ball numbers back to a reasonable rate – then Mickolio could develop into the O’s closer.

9. Troy Patton, LHP, Triple-A
DOB: September 1985 Bats: Both Throws: Left
Signed: 2004 9th round – Texas HS (Houston)
MLB ETA: Mid-2010 40-Man Roster: Yes Options: 2
Repertoire: 87-91 mph fastball, slider, change-up

Patton has had some tough times and he no longer projects to be a top-of-the-rotation star like in his early Astros days. The southpaw has lost velocity thanks to injuries and he now projects as a solid back-of-the-rotation starter, if he can remain healthy. Now 24, Patton made 11 solid starts in double-A this past season and posted a 3.53 FIP. He moved up to triple-A, though, and got hit around and posted a 6.80 FIP. He allowed 62 hits in 44.2 innings and tossed up a home-run rate of 2.42 HR/9. If he cannot recover, Patton could be headed to the bullpen as a middle reliever, but he shouldn’t be written off quite yet.

10. Brandon Waring, 3B, Double-A
DOB: January 1986 Bats: Right Throws: Right
Signed: 2007 7th round – Wofford College (Cincinnati)
MLB ETA: Late-2010 40-Man Roster: No Options: 3

Waring is a slugger. He’s hit 20 or more home runs in each of his three pro seasons. He’s not higher on this list because of a lot of people doubt his ability to hit for average at the MLB level. The right-handed hitter had a solid year in ’09 and batted .273/.354/.520 in 473 high-A at-bats. The 23-year-old third baseman posted an ISO rate of .247 and slugged 26 homers, as well as 35 doubles. His walk rate was OK at 9.7% but his strikeout rate was high – but not unexpected for a slugger – at 25.6%. Waring’s defense at third base is shaky so he split the ’09 season between the hot corner and first base. At either position, the right-handed hitter will have to balance other prospects (Bell and Snyder) for playing time.

Up Next: The Atlanta Braves

The Arizona Fall League rosters were announced by Major League Baseball last week. The league allows up-and-coming prospects (usually from high-A and double-A levels, as well as recent high draft picks) to continue honing their skills away from the fall instructional leagues held by each organization. Play will begin in early October and run until late November with the six teams – each one made up of five organizations’ players – continually facing each other.

Over the next week, we’ll take a look at some of the more interesting names on each team. The rosters that were recently released are preliminary rosters and some players will be added, while others could be removed. Today, we’re kicking things off with the Phoenix Desert Dogs, a team that has won the AFL championship title for each of the past five seasons. The club is still waiting for the Toronto and Oakland organizations to assign multiple pitchers to the club.

The Phoenix Desert Dogs (Click HERE for the entire roster)
Oakland, Toronto, Baltimore, Washington, Tampa Bay

Brandon Erbe | RHP | Baltimore
Lost behind the big three of Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, and Jake Arrieta in Baltimore, Erbe has the raw stuff to match up with them. Still only 21 years of age, Erbe battled through injuries this year and missed two month of the ’09 season. Even so, he has allowed just 38 hits in 60 innings of work in double-A.

Heath Rollins | RHP | Tampa Bay
Another pitcher who gets lost amongst the “big names,” Rollins has put up some solid pro numbers. He slipped a bit this year in double-A and has been too hittable: 147 hits in 134 innings of work. The right-hander has also lost 2.7 K/9 off of his strikeout rate, although he’s maintained a solid walk rate at 2.23 BB/9. He looks like a middle reliever.

Stephen Strasburg | RHP | Washington
The man everyone wants to see will be making his pro debut with the desert dogs and you can pretty much guarantee that there will be a lot of eyes on his first start. Despite his inexperience, Strasburg could dominate the league… but he’ll also be under a lot of pressure.

Drew Storen | RHP | Washington
The Nationals’ other first-round pick in 2009, Storen has already made 26 appearances in pro ball. Hopefully he won’t see too many innings in the league as he’s already thrown 77.1 innings (college+minors), which is a higher workload than he’s ever had in any other season. His control has been off a bit in eight double-A appearances but Storen is almost MLB ready.

J.P. Arencibia | C | Toronto
Arencibia ended the 2008 season as one of the Jays’ brightest young stars, but things have gone horribly for him in 2009 despite playing in a park (and league) that favors hitters immensely. At fault is Arencibia’s terrible walk rate and hack-tastic approach (2.6 BB% in ’08, 5.3 BB% in ’09), as well as his unwillingness to change. On the plus side, he’s made himself into a very good defensive player, which was a knock against him coming out of college.

Derek Norris | C | Washington
While Arencibia’s star is down, Norris’ is way up. Only 20, he’s shown a nice well-rounded approach with a solid average (.288), good power (23 homers in 423 at-bats, .229 ISO) and a walk rate of 16.1 BB%. The strikeouts are there too (26.8 K%) but the power is a fair trade off. The sky is the limit for Norris, although he may be tired for the AFL after hitting just .169 in August, which is by far his worst month of the year.

Josh Bell | 3B | Baltimore
Acquired earlier this season from the Dodgers, Bell has had a breakout season and could be manning the hot corner for Baltimore everyday by mid-2010. He has a solid understanding of the strike zone, as well as raw power (.250 ISO). Defensively, he has a strong arm, but a slow first step.

Jemile Weeks | 2B | Oakland
Rickie Weeks‘ brother is looking to make a name for himself. The second baseman missed the beginning of the year with an injury but he caught on fire as soon as he was able to take the field. His numbers have been down significantly since a promotion to double-A, but it only spans 72 at-bats. Weeks has yet to utilize his plus speed, but he’s shown more power than expected.

Grant Desme | OF | Oakland
Speaking of power, Desme has made the most of his opportunity to play this year after injuries limited him to just two games in 2008. The former second round draft pick has really opened some eyes by hitting 31 homers and stealing 40 bases between low-A and high-A. The 23-year-old outfielder also swings and misses a lot (30 K%).

At the expiration of the Major League Baseball trading deadline, 35 prospects had changed hands (beginning July 19 with Milwaukee’s acquisition of Felipe Lopez). Over the next week, FanGraphs will take a look at each prospect, while also ranking them individually in value from 35 down to one. Players such as Justin Masterson, Clayton Richard, Kevin Hart, and Jeff Clement were not considered in this list because they have expired their rookie eligibility. However, they can still technically be considered “prospects” because they are young and have yet to establish themselves at the MLB level.

The week-long series wraps up today with the top seven prospects who moved at the trade deadline. We’ve already taken a look at 28 prospects:
35-29 on Monday
28-22 on Tuesday
21-15 on Wednesday
14-8 on Thursday

So let’s get to it and see who the biggest prospect names were.