Notes from the Field: June 21, 2016

P.J. Conlon, LHP, New York Mets (Low-A Columbia)
If you want to see what a true major-league-quality out pitch looks like, sit behind home plate for Conlon’s starts and wait for the cambio. Conlon’s changeup consistently hits plus with huge depth on the arm-side fade, excellent deception and feel. It eats South Atlantic League hitters alive and will probably munch on upper-level competition. The rest of his arsenal is less certain for the upper levels. His fastball sits 87-89 and touches 90 with minimal movement and life above the thighs. It shows some sink and plane when spotted around the knees, and he’s able to command it to that spot fairly well, which is something he’ll need to do consistently at higher levels. He mixes in a cutter at 86-88 with moderate cut and slight depth. He also tosses in a slider at 76-80 with fringe-average ability when spun tight with decent tilt, and a show-me curveball in the low-70s that gets telegraphed. Conlon has a severe head whack and spine tilt in his delivery, yet he repeats his quirky motion and arm slot, and it feeds the deception on his changeup. He projects for above-average command despite the delivery. He lacks arsenal punch and depth outside his changeup that could limit him to relief in the future, but that changeup is going to play. —David Lee

Derek Hill, CF, Detroit Tigers (Low-A West Michigan)

Hill is a definite center fielder with double-plus speed. Given that, a clear floor of a fourth outfielder begins to come into frame. The Tigers' first-round draft pick in 2014 would like to be more than that, but has battled injuries in his young career (93 games in full-season affiliate ball). Having dealt with a quad injury and a back injury, Hill looks to let his speed play on the basepaths and in the outfield. Speed is a sexy tool, but how often a player can wield it depends on the ability to reach base. Hill's approach is up the middle with the projection for gap power. Bat speed does not appear to be an issue, as Hill routinely displayed above-average bat speed, and strong, quick hands. I saw evidence of Hill's push to better his plate discipline, as he worked counts and fended off close pitches with a two-strike approach. Hill does not seem to get much loft or leverage in his swing, and I did not see him drive the ball much, with the exception of a sharp grounder up the middle. Given the context of the player—a 20-year-old, high-school pick with a noted injury history—the development of his swing and (gap) power should come given his bat speed and linear swing approach. In the outfield, Hill displays all the instincts of a center fielder with elite closing speed, while taking good routes to the ball. Hill seemed to be a well-liked, outgoing teammate who was engaged and interacting with his teammates before and during the game. I'll bet on the defensive profile, bat speed and the makeup, with the hope of better health to come. —Will Siskel

David Hill, RHP, Colorado Rockies (Low-A Asheville)
Hill works fast, fills the zone and knows what he’s doing on the mound. He shows feel for three pitches, but his arsenal lacks punch and may not have a 50 pitch. His fastball sits 88-92 and is straight. It’s hittable up and on the plate, though he does flash some life when changing eye levels up. He commands the arm side at an average rate, but his delivery cuts short his glove-side command. It’s a pitch that needs all four quadrants with sequencing and command, but Hill’s delivery may limit how often that happens. His changeup flashes average but settles below at 85-87 with some sink and fade. The main factor holding the grade back is a slowed motion. He mixes in a curveball in the mid 70s with 11/5 break and average depth, but it’s more of a change-of-pace pitch that lacks the bite to miss bats. Hill has a smallish frame and requires some effort in the motion with a rotational upper half that leaves his arm to do much of the work. It affects his command and arm slot consistency. He shows pitchability and throws strikes, but the arsenal limits his projection. —David Lee

Isan Diaz, SS, Milwaukee Brewers (Low-A Wisconsin)

Diaz's present batting average does not represent his profile well. He can hit, and he put on a display at Kane County. There is some pre-swing noise, but he locks in with his timing, allowing for his plus bat speed, and strong wrists and hands to flourish. Diaz keeps his hands level and throws them at the ball in level, balanced fashion. He sprayed balls to all fields, all the while intently tracking pitches—shaking his head at times at pitches he deemed outside the strike zone. You don't see that very often in A-ball. He didn't swing and miss much either, and I doubt that will be part of his game—he has the bat speed and hitting mechanics to turn on inside pitches. Where he plays in the field is in question. While a shortstop in his current form, evaluators question his range given his size and mobility. From a stature perspective, Diaz looks like a prototypical second baseman. In pre-game actions, Diaz transferred smoothly and showed an arm that would be fine at shortstop. It's a potential plus bat, and if he is passable at short, that's a really valuable piece. —Will Siskel

John Andreoli, OF, Chicago Cubs (Triple-A Iowa)
A successful age-25 season in Iowa last year put Andreoli on some fringe prospect lists coming into the year. Unfortunatley, he looked like more of an organizational type player in my viewing. Andreloi, a righty, hits from a closed stance, which helps him reach and drive pitches on the outer half (including one he bashed for a homer over the right field wall). He's a max-effort swinger, but unlike the controlled fury you'll find in an elite bat, Andreoli's cut compromises his ability to adjust to offspeed pitches and leads to a ton of swings and misses. The length of his swing and his lack of balance at the plate also inhibits his inability to regularly hit the ball hard. He's an easy plus runner and can handle center (although I didn't see him there in the series), so if he can cut down on his whiffs, he could feature as an extra outfielder at the highest level. —Brendan Gawlowski

Jake Cosart, RHP, Boston Red Sox (Low-A Greenville)
Cosart is a classic case of a raw arm slowly gaining a feel for pitching. He’s more of a thrower than pitcher and took more than a year to get out of short-season ball, but a move to the bullpen this season (where he should’ve been to begin with) has helped tremendously. Cosart’s fastball is 96-98 with downhill plane and explosive life from a high arm slot. His hard curveball sits 76-78 with 11/5 downward action that flashes above-average bite and depth when spun tightly. Cosart is a high-effort reliever with an arm-heavy motion, and he has a narrow waist and average build. Yet, he’s been blessed with plus-plus arm speed and a fastball that could flirt with triple digits. The potential is a late-innings reliever with a 70/55 combo of pitches. The Red Sox should consider moving him quickly to avoid wasting bullets. —David Lee