Wednesday, October 31, 2012

2013 Houston Astros 15 Prospects


                                                                 Houston Astros
Preview                                              

1.) Jonathan Singleton 1B                       Prospect Rating: 675
Singleton is one of the best pure bats in the minor leagues and he possesses plus power that he is just beginning to tap into.. For Corpus Christi (AA) he posted a .284/.396/.497 slash line and launched 21 home runs in 2012. There is not a lot of value that lies in his glove, but he projects as a middle of the order bat with his ability to hit for both average and power. Singleton could make his debut sometime in 2013, however their is no need to rush Singleton as the Astros are far from contention. He could benefit from an extra season in the minors to work on his defensive game and to cut down on his strike out rate.
2.) Carlos Correa SS                                Prospect Rating: 675
The Astros shocked the industry when they passed up Mark Appel to take Correa with the first overall pick last June. However the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy product  may have more upside than any player in the 2011 class. Correa is graceful for his size and has an excellent arm that should enable him to stay at short. Worst case scenario would be that he would be forced to the hot corner as he fills out. He easily draws comparisons to Orioles shortstop Manny Machado, who possesses a similar stature and upside with the bat. He is young for his class and will likely need a lot of minor league seasoning before he gets his call to the show.
3.) George Springer CF                            Prospect Rating: 600
No player in the Astros' system is as toolsy as George Springer. He possesses a rare power-speed combination that could enable him to be a huge impact player down the road. In 2012 he split time between Lancaster and Corpus Christi, where he connected for 24 homers and swiped 32 bags. The knock on Springer is that he has wholes in his swing and in 2012 he stuck out a a 31% clip. With his outstanding athleticism Springer's ceiling is sky-high but is also a very risky prospect.
4.) Lance McCullers RHP                      Prospect Rating 575
Houston stole McCullers, one of 2012's elite high school arms, in the supplemental round of the draft. McCullers throws an electric fastball that grades out at least a 70 on the scouting scale. Some scouts also grade his slider that high when he manages to stay on top of it. The major question mark on McCullers coming out of high school was whether or not he could remain a starter because of his smaller frame. However, the Astros should give him every chance to prove himself before they attempt to convert him to reliever.
5.) Delino DeShields 2B                        Prospect Rating 575
Overshadowed by the heroics of Billy Hamilton, Delino DeShields also reeked havoc on the base pads in 2012. Rebounding from a poor 2011 campaign, Deshileds stole 101 bases last season. To go along with his prestigious speed, DeShields also put up decent power numbers. The son of former major league second baseman, Delino DeShields Sr., connected for 44 extra-base-hits in 2012.
6.) Jarred Cosart RHP                            Prospect Rating 525
Cosart is another big-time arm in the Astros system. His fastball is plus pitch that he can dial up to 98  MPH, and he mixes in a nasty power curve and solid change up. Unfortunately, at this stage in his career Cosart is still more of a thrower than a pitcher. He frequently struggles to repeat his mechanics and his command can be inconsistent at times. Since being drafted by the Phillies in 2008, he has been hampered by shoulder injuries and blisters that have slowed his development.
7.) Mike Foltynewicz RHP                   Prospect Rating 525
Foltynewicz suffered growing pains in his first full season in the pros, and Sally League hitters touched him in 2011 for an ERA just south of 5.00. In his second go around for Lancaster, Foltynewicz made huge strides. He posted a 14-4 record with an greatly improved ERA of just 3.14. Foltynewicz has a projectable frame and should be able to eat up a lot of innings. His fastball sits in the mid to upper 90s and he is continuing to develop his off-speed offerings.
8.) Domingo Santana OF                      Prospect Rating 500
As a 19-year old in the California League, Santana had a breakout season where he hit .302 and slugged at a .536 rate. At 6' 5" and 230 lbs., Santana is a physical player who has tremendous raw power. He projects best as a rightfielder in the big leagues.
9.) Rio Ruiz 3B    500                          Prospect Rating 500
A blood clot in Ruiz's shoulder cut his senior season short so scouts had to evaluate Ruiz's game based on what he had done before the injury. Ruiz was considered one of the batter high school bats in the country before the 2012 season, and the Astros took a gamble by handing him a lofty $1.85 million bonus. Ruiz has very quick hands and bat control that should enable him to hit for a high average. As he fills out, he shows the potential to develop plus power.
10.) Nick Tropeano RHP                    Prospect  Rating 500
Tropeano was a fifth-round pick out of Stony Brooke with a great feel for pitching. Tropeano's best pitch is his change-up, which he loves to throw. His fastball sits in the lows 90's and he also throws an improving slider.
11.) Joe Musgrove RHP                     Prospect Rating 500
Musgrove has everything you would look for in a future middle of the rotation. He has a big body that should allow him to handle a lot of innings, throws hard, and has solid command. His fastball has good sink that should induce a lot of groundballs.
12.) Asher Wojciechowski RHP          Prospect Rating 500
Wojciechowki is another big bodied righthander that projects best as a 3-4 stater. He is an aggressive pitcher that often attacks batters with a fastball that sits between 92-94 fastball. However, his mechanics are a little rough and need so improvement.

13.) Nolan Fontana 2B/SS                  Prospect Rating 450
Fontana is a low-ceiling, high-floor player who is almost a lock to be a big league middle infielder. At the dish he grinds out at bats and waits for his pitch. He has decent pop for his position too.

14.) Robbie Grossman OF                 Prospect Rating 425
Grossman does not have a standout tool but he does a lot of little things well. He is a very selective switchitter and probably close to big league ready.
15.) Bobby Borchering OF                Prospect Rating 425
Borchering is a big time power hitter,  who has crushed 24 home runs in each of his last two seasons. Unfortunately he does not make a lot of contact. He hit well under the Mendoza-line after being promoted to AA and fanned 159 times on the year.



Next 5: Kevin Comer RHP, Vincet Velasquez RHP, Jonathan Villar SS, Carlos Perez SS, Ariel Ovando OF







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