Image credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
- Clarke Schmidt
- MacKenzie Gore
- Damon Casetta-Stubbs
- Tirso Ornelas
- Charles Leblanc
- Jordan Groshans
- Mariel Bautista
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| Born: 02/20/1996 (Age: 23) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6′ 1″ | Weight: 200 |
| Mechanics |
| Medium frame with a thick, strongly built body, large lower half, mature. Pitches from a semi-wind, compact arm action with a slight reach in the back but otherwise clean. Above-average arm speed to a high 3/4 slot. |
| Evaluator | Steven Givarz |
| Report Date | 04/30/2019 |
| Affiliate | Tampa Yankees (High A, Yankees) |
| Dates Seen | 4/30/19 |
| OFP/Risk | 50/Moderate |
| MLB ETA | 2020 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| Fastball | 55 | 94-95 | 96 | Mild run at bottom of zone, worked on FB command in viewing but often left it over heart of plate, struggled to command gloveside, more comfortable throwing armside on the inner half of RHH, above-average offering overall. |
| Slider | 60 | 83-84 | 85 | Firm with power depth and action, showed consistent feel for it and used in all counts, was primary K pitch to both sides, showed plus tilt and depth, future plus offering. |
| Changeup | 45 | 86-87 | 87 | Didn’t use much, has good separation from FB but struggled to repeat arm speed, often telegraphed, showed average sink and action but struggled to throw consistently, future fringe-average offering. |
| Overall |
| I see him as a mid-leverage relief arm. 23-year-old righty, had Tommy John surgery before signing in 2017. FB plays slightly down because of lack of life and below-avg command, but paired with plus SL and fringe CH should allow him to work the middle to late innings. |
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| Born: 02/24/1999 (Age: 20) | |
| Bats: Left | Throws: Left |
| Height: 6′ 3″ | Weight: 195 |
| Mechanics |
| Athletic, projectable frame, extremely fluid physicality, elasticity, excellent balance and body control; calm and composed, takes time between warm-up tosses, controls game tempo; flowing, elegant delivery, huge leg kick with hard but contained drive, channels energy efficiently, consistent down hill, extension and deception, lunging effect, perceived velocity plays up |
| Evaluator | Wilson Karaman |
| Report Date | 04/30/2019 |
| Affiliate | Lake Elsinore Storm (High A, Padres) |
| Dates Seen | Spring 2019 |
| OFP/Risk | 70/Moderate |
| MLB ETA | 2020 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| FB | 70 | 93-95 | 96 | Commands it well, shows ability to elevate, gets at hands and generates late swings, swing-and-miss in and above zone, will tease a cut on it and hold velo band, projection for another couple ticks at peak; plays above radar with life and explosion |
| CB | 60 | 75-79 | 79 | Advanced pitch, mostly works it ball-to-strike, consistently lands it into the zone, best flash tight two-plane action, will take a little off of it for a different look; plays well off fastball line, quality tunnel; arm angle will dip on some, casts it on occasion |
| SL | 55 | 82-83 | 85 | Short action, tight spinner, will flash depth, finishes well, will throw through the pack door or draw it out as a chaser, less consistent present feel, plenty of flashes; lacks ceiling of the curve, but a similarly advanced, quality pitch |
| CH | 55 | 80-83 | 85 | Tight fade with some bottom below the zone, can struggle to find release and sail it, competitive efforts flash late action, plus velo separation, plays well in arsenal, elements to grow into above-average pitch |
| Overall |
| Gore is an elite pitching prospect, with top-shelf athleticism and command of his physicality. The raw stuff is outstanding. It’s a deep arsenal of pitches that play well together. He’s balanced and consistent with his mechanics and pitch execution. This is what a front-of-the-rotation arm looks like. |
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| Born: 07/22/1999 (Age: 19) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6′ 4″ | Weight: 200 |
| Mechanics |
| Big, projectable kid throwing from a 3/4 arm angle. Rocks a bit in his delivery, but fairly compact and clean overall. Should be clean enough to stick in a rotation if the rest of the profile so warrants. |
| Evaluator | Jarrett Seidler |
| Report Date | 05/01/2019 |
| Affiliate | West Virginia Power (Low A, Mariners) |
| Dates Seen | 4/30/2019 |
| OFP/Risk | 50/High |
| MLB ETA | 2022 |
| Video | No |
| Pitch Type | Future Grade | Sitting Velocity | Peak Velocity | Report |
| Fastball | 55 | 90-92 | 93 | Heavy fastball. Suspect given projectable frame and height that there’s more velocity to come here, hence the slightly aggressive future grade given current velocity. Even if it doesn’t, he’s got some sink on it and commands the pitch well. |
| Slider | 55 | 79-83 | 84 | About half of these, mostly in the higher end of the velocity band, showed true tight slider tilt; if he had only thrown those I’d have this as a future plus pitch for him. Grading the pitch overall a half-grade lower because much of the lower end of the velocity band was really slurvy and hung too much. Has the potential to develop into an out pitch for him with greater consistency. |
| Changeup | 40 | 78-80 | 83 | Flashed as an average pitch a few times. Was far too often too firm and left high and in the hitting zone. Threw a few pitches even harder than this that were difficult to classify but probably best fit as a hard change. That type of fuzziness is not atypical for teenage pitchers. |
| Overall |
| Local prep arm that the Mariners signed for $325,000 out of last year’s draft in the 11th round. Better command profile and polish than I expected for a 19-year-old 2018 draftee making his second full-season start, which makes sense given aggressive jump to full-season ball. Still pretty raw overall, of course. Things could go in many, many different directions depending on where his stuff settles in, his ability to handle a full-season workload, and so on. For now, he’s a good live arm worth tracking, with potential to turn into more in a variety of different roles, but extreme variance. Keep an eye on him. |
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| Born: 03/11/2000 (Age: 19) | |
| Bats: Left | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6′ 3″ | Weight: 200 |
| Primary Position: RF | |
| Secondary Position: LF | |
| Physical/Health |
| Surprisingly agile and athletic, Ornelas is sure to add strength to his large frame with natural maturity and development. |
| Evaluator | <!– –> Brandon Williams |
| Report Date | 04/24/2019 |
| Dates Seen | 4/4 – 4/7; 4/15 – 4/17/2019 |
| Affiliate | Lake Elsinore Storm (High A, Padres) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Video |
| 2021 | Low | 60 | No |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 60 | Patience/good pitch selectivity generate consistent quality at-bats and hard contact line-to-line. |
| Power | 60 | Large physical frame with natural strength. Will add leverage and power with maturity. |
| Baserunning/Speed | 50 | Average speed with athleticism/agility. Good instincts and quality baserunner. Won’t steal many bases, but he won’t clog them either. |
| Glove | 50 | Good routes and instincts maximize limited/average range. |
| Arm | 50 | Solid arm-strength with accuracy. Playable in LF or RF. |
| Overall |
| The high baseball IQ and athleticism could enable Ornelas’ middle-of-the-order, run-producing bat to advance quickly through the Padres farm system. |
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| Born: 06/03/1996 (Age: 22) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6′ 3″ | Weight: 195 |
| Primary Position: 3B | |
| Secondary Position: | |
| Physical/Health |
| Long and lean with average build, broad shoulders, and average levers. Mature build with muscle on legs, but could potentially fill out upper body more given his position. Moves well in short quick bursts, good body control, above average athlete. |
| Evaluator | <!– –> Kevin Carter |
| Report Date | 04/30/2019 |
| Dates Seen | 4/4/2019, 4/18/2019, 4/19/2019 |
| Affiliate | Frisco RoughRiders (AA, Rangers) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Video |
| 2020 | Medium | 50 | No |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 60 | Quick twitch and plus feel for barrel. Very little load with a small timing step. hips fire then decelerates well to point of contact. Gets back elbow into slot and adjust lead arm to ball location. Plus bat speed. Generates hard line drive contact often. Has quality vision at the plate and won’t chase far out of zone. Aggressive within the zone. |
| Power | 40 | Average raw power. Swing is flat with very limited core collapse to get on plane. Can turn on low and inside pitches where he can elevate. As is, should provide doubles power to all fields with occasional pull-side home run. Small adjustments to core during swing could provide more home run power. |
| Baserunning/Speed | 45 | Average runner now and will likely slow down a bit as he continues to put on weight. Good instincts on basepaths, but not a threat to steal. |
| Glove | 50 | Good hands and quick first step, but inconsistent footwork and questionable instincts at 3B. Currently below average at the position, but repetition should clean up major problems. |
| Arm | 50 | Average arm for 3B, with a consistent quick release. |
| Overall |
| Leblanc is an above average athlete with advanced body control and quick twitch which allows him to generate plus bat speed with quality feel for barrel. Leblanc has average raw power, but doesn’t tap into it due to a flat swing. He plays 3B/1B well with quality hands, a quick first step, and a strong quick release and can fill in at 2B in a pinch, which gives him a versatile enough skillset to play well on an MLB bench.
Leblanc’s plus hit tool, quality vision, approach, and defensive versatility gives him a likely outcome of a RH bench player able to play three infield positions, with a realistic upside as MLB regular at 3B if he’s able to add more of his raw power into his swing. If you’re going to bet on guys to do that, it’s the quality athletes with good hit tools, and Leblanc fits that bill. |
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| Born: 11/10/1999 (Age: 19) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6′ 3″ | Weight: 205 |
| Primary Position: SS | |
| Secondary Position: 3B | |
| Physical/Health |
| Large frame with a thin build and high waist. Plenty of projection remaining with the ability to add good weight. |
| Evaluator | <!– –> Nathan Graham |
| Report Date | 04/30/2019 |
| Dates Seen | 2X April 2019 |
| Affiliate | Lansing Lugnuts (Low A, Blue Jays) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Video |
| 2022 | High | 60 | No |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 55 | Quiet pre-swing, mild load with a leg kick used for timing. Above-average bat speed and plus barrel control. Stays balanced through swing. Has a quick trigger that can catch up to velocity. |
| Power | 60 | Plus raw power, ball jumps off of the bat. Has the ability to hit with power to all fields. Power will play more in game with physical maturity. |
| Baserunning/Speed | 40 | Current average foot speed, will play down to fringe-average with maturity. Possesses a choppy, upright running style. Athletic and with good instincts, can be a decent base runner in the future but speed will not be part of his game. 4.33 clock on home to first. |
| Glove | 50 | Jays will keep him at shortstop as long as they can but will eventually find a home at third base. Lacks lateral quickness to excel at the six. Good instincts and soft hands, will be a capable defender at the hot corner. |
| Arm | 55 | Plenty of arm strength for either position on the left side. |
| Overall |
| Groshans has the look of an older, more polished college bat not a teenager playing in his first full season assignment. He’s big and strong with plenty of projection left in the tank. The bat has potential to be a middle of the lineup type that is a rare mix of contact and power. That offensive potential will allow for an eventual move off the six. Profiles as a plus starter at the major league level that is an occasional All-Star. |
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| Born: 10/15/1997 (Age: 21) | |
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
| Height: 6′ 3″ | Weight: 194 |
| Primary Position: CF | |
| Secondary Position: LF | |
| Physical/Health |
| Tall and lanky with plenty of room to add good weight, projectable frame with high and thin waist, expect a Gary Matthews Jr. body comp as he physically matures, walks with a slouch and his head tilted forward, much more athletic than he appears at first glance, quick twitch speedster who should age well. |
| Evaluator | <!– –> Keith Rader |
| Report Date | 04/30/2019 |
| Dates Seen | 4/4-4/5, 4/25-4/28 |
| Affiliate | Dayton Dragons (Low A, Reds) |
| MLB ETA | Risk Factor | OFP | Video |
| 2022 | High | 60 | No |
| Tool | Future Grade | Report |
| Hit | 60 | Makes a lot of contact; has a plan at the plate; aggressive hitter, but shows a solid awareness of the strike zone; will walk enough, but not a lot; hits off front foot and ends up off balance more than I’d like; susceptible to breaking stuff down; really handles pitches up well, and is short to the ball there; swing lengthens on pitches down in zone; does a good job spoiling pitches when fooled; bat stays in the zone a long time without much loft in bat path; mechanical and swing adjustments will be needed to reach his potential and patch holes in the swing; if he can solve the bottom part of the zone, its an easy plus hit tool |
| Power | 60 | Plus bat speed; long arms create plus leverage when extended; ball really jumps off the bat when he gets a pitch he can handle; can hit the ball out to any part of the yard; quick hands on balls up; has the speed/aggressiveness to turn some singles into doubles; balance issues reduce power on pitches down in zone; will hit some really long homers |
| Baserunning/Speed | 70 | Gets out of the box as fast as any RHH and with near elite speed; reaches top speed early; clocked sub-4 once and another 4.00; wants the extra base; eye-catching wheels on the offensive side of the game, but runs a bit more upright with a glove on his hand; will put loads of pressure on opposing infields, and make an impact in the run game |
| Glove | 50 | Currently being moved around the outfield, but has the skill set to play anywhere in the grass; takes good routes; gets good reads on balls off the bat, but isn’t as explosive in the field as he is running the bases; good closing speed; should improve as a defender with reps and a consistent outfield home; has the speed to make up for a lot of missteps |
| Arm | 50 | Easily the weakest part of his game; arm strength may be above average but has struggles to put throws on line; doesn’t get great extension; the strength is there, but he has some mechanical work ahead to reach a 5; below average arm for right, but will work well in left or center |
| Overall |
| Bautista is a five-tool contributor, and has a lot of potential with the bat. He has a nice combination of speed and power, and is eye catching on the diamond. He will have to make a swing adjustment at some point if he’s going to cover the bottom part of the zone and reach that potential. It’s never a good thing to need a revamped swing to succeed, but Bautista is athletic enough that he should be able to handle it. He’s more raw than I’d like from a 21-year-old making his first foray into full-season baseball, but with some patience you don’t need to squint to see an impactful everyday player who is a serious threat at the dish. |
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