 |
|
| Born: 03/29/1991 (Age: 24) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 5" | Weight: 195 |
| Mechanics |
| High three-quarters slot; plus-plus arm speed; full extension; stretch delivery only; stands tall and slightly closed; hands at waist and hands break low at waist; upbeat, but fairly low effort delivery; repeats well; front shoulder tilt and deceptive front side with high glove hand; very tall and athletic frame; XXL; great downward plane. |
| Evaluator | Al Skorupa |
| Report Date | 06/15/2015 |
| Affiliate | Pawtucket Red Sox (AA, Red Sox) |
| Dates Seen | 05-15-2015 ; 06-11-2015 |
| OFP/Risk | 60/Low |
| Realistic | 60; Closer |
| MLB ETA | Mid 2015 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Present Grade | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| Fastball | 65 | 70 | 94-98 | 98 | Heavy, sinking action and some tail; more arm-side run when thrown high; misses bats up and down; throws with lots of natural downward plane and very difficult to elevate; double-plus movement; future average command; throws low to both sides of the plate; pounds bottom of the strike zone; can also elevate and generate swings and misses while climbing the ladder. |
| Splitter | 70 | 70 | 86-88 | Outstanding life and movement; spikes downward as it reaches the plate; appears to fall off a cliff; same arm speed and look as fastball; starts off throwing at bottom of zone; induces ugly swings and misses; very effective chase; major-league strikeout pitch. |
| Overall |
|
60; Closer. Light is a huge power reliever with two future 70 pitches. He misses bats up and down in the zone. His height and the plane of his fastball keeps the ball on the ground and in the park. With double-plus stuff and average command, Light profiles as a relief ace who can handle the ninth inning for a playoff team. |
 |
|
| Born: 04/06/1992 (Age: 23) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 5' 11" | Weight: 185 |
| Mechanics |
| Build: Strong, compact, athletic build; strong lower half; long arms for under 6-foot-0; has good mobility/flexibility; all-around athlete movements.
Mechanics: Fluid, repetitive, compact mechanics; starts with hands right above belt never going above shoulders; leg kick to top (knee above belt); hand separation and leg drive to home consistent with every pitch; drives off backside well maintaining contact with rubber; linear drive to target; glove thumb turned down with palm to target, elbow and shoulder in line; lands softly with slight shoulder tilt back maintaining backside strength; strong hip rotation bringing torso around; arm stays hidden behind body until release; short, quick, high three-quarters arm slot with consistent release point and extension; follows through maintaining head on target in very controlled manner; overall, very sound mechanically as well as deceptive. |
| Evaluator | Colin Young |
| Report Date | 06/20/2015 |
| Affiliate | Springfield Cardinals (AA, Cardinals) |
| Dates Seen | 5/28/15 |
| OFP/Risk | 55/Moderate |
| Realistic | No. 3/4 Starter |
| MLB ETA | 2016 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Present Grade | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| Fastball | 55 | 60 | 89-92 | 94 | Reyes' fastball command is his greatest asset; he works off the fastball being able to command around the strike zone; while not flashy with the velo, his deceptiveness has the quality of making it look faster than it is; hitters seemingly late picking up fastball; with the command, deceptiveness, and possibility of getting stronger, I see a possible 60 with the fastball. |
| Slider | 45 | 50 | 83-84 | 84 | Nice tight slider with command on and off the plate; has the ability to sweep it or get sharp bite as needed; while not your fall of the table slider, definitely one that gets the job done; throws it to the back foot of lefties well and can create depth and angle to righties. |
| Changeup | 45 | 50 | 82-84 | 84 | Maintains same fastball arm speed with changeup; an 8-10 mph difference off fastball creating the effect; not too much movement, minimal drop and bite at the end, but effective with his deceptive mechanics and arm action; able to throw early or late in counts and seems to be a confident pitch for him. |
| Overall |
|
The Cardinals have found a diamond in the rough with this 40th-round pick. Reyes looks as polished as a 10-year vet while on the mound. He maintains great composure with runners on and can make the pitches to get out of jams. His tempo and rhythm mechanically are fantastic and as of right now I don't see anything that gives me any worry about future mechanical/physical breakdowns. He has the mental capacity to carry his tools to the next level. He has a game plan and executes it very nicely working off the fastball and adjusting to the hitters well. The only worrisome aspect is his size at this point, but he overcomes that with deceptiveness and an overall great mental approach to the game. Reyes has a track record of consistency, and with logging more innings I only see that remaining the same. |
 |
|
| Born: 08/21/1993 (Age: 21) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 2" | Weight: 170 |
| Mechanics |
| Thin frame, but not overly long or tall; needs to add weight to lower half but hasn't filled out much since high school; above-average athleticism allows him to repeat well; plus arm speed, lands softly, clean, loose arm action; gathers well at top of leg lift; easy velocity; good, strong drive off back leg. |
| Evaluator | Jeff Moore |
| Report Date | 06/23/2015 |
| Affiliate | Palm Beach Cardinals (High-A, Cardinals) |
| Dates Seen | 06/15/15 |
| OFP/Risk | 60/Low |
| Realistic | 55, No. 3/4 starter |
| MLB ETA | 2016 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Present Grade | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| Fastball | 60 | 65 | 92-94 | 95 | Velocity: 60/60 Movement: 55/55 Command: 50/60 Plus command for level, would be major-league average right now; moderate arm-side run, not enough to miss bats but enough to induce ground balls; repeats arm slot well; willing to pitch inside, attacks hitters. |
| Curveball | 40 | 45 | 75-78 | 78 | Velocity: 50/50 Movement: 40/50 Command: 50/50 12-6 action, sharp downward movement; added and subtracted speeds, 75-76 range had bigger break but not as sharp, pitch operated better when thrown 77-78, break not as big but sharper; must operate down in zone; not likely an effective pitch against left-handed hitters. |
| Changeup | 55 | 60 | 83-84 | Velocity: 50/50 Movement: 50/60 Command: 60/60 Commands the pitch well; similar moderate arm-side run to fastball, adding to deception; strong velocity differential from fastball; lacks vertical break but keeps in same pitch plane with fastball; replicates arm speed extremely well; difficult to identify; showed a willingness to throw to hitters of either handedness. |
| Overall |
|
Weaver is quite polished for a player in High-A ball, as is to be expected from a former first-rounder out of a major college program. He doesn't have an ideal starter's frame that appears to be built to eat innings, but his velocity comes out easy and his mechanics are sound enough to prevent any concern. The fastball/change-up combination will be his calling card, and the pitches look identical with similar arm action, release point, and movement. The curveball is currently inconsistent, but it could become a third average pitch, especially against right-handed hitters. With a three-pitch arsenal, including two that could be plus pitches, Weaver should be able to remain a starter. There are some durability concerns just because of the slender frame, but nothing in his mechanics suggest that it will be an issue. Weaver is polished and poised to move quickly. |
 |
|
| Born: 09/26/1993 (Age: 21) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 1" | Weight: 170 |
| Mechanics |
| Immature frame; shoulders indicate upper body can handle some good weight; narrow hips; some room for projection; step-back delivery with a pause; above-average arm speed; high three-quarters arm action; moderate stab; crossfire; drop-and-drive delivery; clean foot strike; low-effort delivery; up-tempo worker; delivery times in the 1.1-1.15 range. |
| Evaluator | Mauricio Rubio Jr. |
| Report Date | 06/23/2015 |
| Affiliate | Kane County Cougars (Low-A, Diamondbacks) |
| Dates Seen | 06/18/2015 |
| OFP/Risk | 55/Moderate |
| Realistic | 45, No. 5 Starter, Swingman |
| MLB ETA | 2016 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Present Grade | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| Fastball | 55 | 60 | 89-92 | 55/60 Command 40/50 Movement Maintained velocity deep into the eighth inning; mild arm-side run; plus command, can throw the pitch to all quadrants of the zone. |
|
| Curveball | 40 | 50 | 72-75 | 45/55 Command 40/50 Movement Soft, loopy 11-5 movement; below-average deception; replicated arm speed; pitch has a hump coming out of the hand; average command, displayed an ability to hit the lower quadrant of the zone. |
|
| Changeup | 55 | 60 | 81-83 | 55/60 Command 50/60 Movement Plus deception, replicates fastball arm speed; flashed plus movement with fade and tumble; used it against right-handed and left-handed hitters; advanced feel for the offering. |
| Overall |
|
Signed in July of 2014 for an undisclosed amount as an international free agent. Note: Threw two sliders in the 82-83 mph range. 10-4 movement, flashed solid-average movement and deception. The underpinning of Huang's profile is the command which allows all of his pitches to play up. Huang showed an ability to throw all of his pitches for quality strikes or as chase offerings as the situation dictated. The pitchability was on display in a big way for the Taiwanese pitcher. He was able to change speeds, elevate the fastball effectively, and vary his pitch mix throughout his start. Huang is a polished pitcher with not much left to prove at the Low-A level. The only question is how well the body will develop. There's room for some projection, but he's always going to be seen as a bit undersized.
|
 |
|
| Born: 10/12/1993 (Age: 21) | |
| Bats: Switch | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6' 1" | Weight: 165 |
| Primary Position: SS | |
| Secondary Position: 2B | |
| Physical/Health |
| Skinny frame, room to add weight without sacrificing speed; nimble and athletic body; should add a few pounds at maturation; currently has a broken left thumb. |
| Evaluator | Brendan Gawlowski |
| Report Date | 06/22/2015 |
| Dates Seen | 5/1-5/3; 5/29-5/31 |
| Affiliate | Tacoma Rainiers (AAA, Mariners) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Realistic Role | Video |
| 2015 | Low | 55 | 50; Second-Division Starter | Yes |
| Makeup |
|
Hard worker who loves to play; good teammate; passionate; understands his limitations as a player. |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 55 | Impressive bat-to-ball skills; natural feel for the barrel from both sides of the plate; short, compact swing tailored for line drives; hits lefties better than righties; shortens swing for elite velocity; smooth trigger, simple load; good feel for the strike zone; starts with elevated elbows, drops hands as part of a timing mechanism; prone to pulling head; likes to swing early in counts; often shows immature approach; will not walk much; likely will not have a pronounced platoon split at the highest level. |
| Power | 35 | Short swing limits power potential; could hit five-plus homers per season as he adds weight, although current frame and approach are more conducive to contact than power; speed will allow him to stretch singles into doubles, doubles into triples. |
| Baserunning/Speed | 60 | 4.16-4.25 home to first as a righty, 4.09-4.12 as a lefty; rounds bases efficiently; still developing instincts as a base stealer—saw him take off too early when trying to time a pitcher. |
| Glove | 55 | Quick-twitch athlete; breaks well to right and left; comfortable charging the ball; average range for a shortstop; choppy footwork when fielding balls laterally, particularly to his right; fundamentally sound approach to fielding a ground ball at him; quick release on double plays; skills fit better at second than short, where he'll be able to set his feet and have more time to throw. |
| Arm | 45 | Arm is below average for a shortstop; throws from the six-hole loop to first base; accurate when he gets his feet set; arm will play at second base. |
| Overall |
|
Marte's speed, line-drive stroke, and ability to hit quality pitching from both sides of the plate gives him the chance to exceed hit tool expectations and carve out a career as an above-average infielder. His lack of power, tendency to swing at the first strike he sees, and weak throwing arm lead me to believe that he'll fall short of that projection, however. He's just about ready for the major leagues—had he not broken his thumb at the end of May, he could have conceivably been called up as early as June—and he has the right skills to transition smoothly to the highest level. Ultimately though, he's a tweener in the middle infield and will likely be most useful as a utility player who can cover multiple positions for extended periods of time if the need arises. |
Thank you for reading
This is a free article. If you enjoyed it, consider subscribing to Baseball Prospectus. Subscriptions support ongoing public baseball research and analysis in an increasingly proprietary environment.
Subscribe now