Many of the top prospects in the minor leagues never had a legitimate chance to make a big league roster out of camp.
With the extra year of control teams can gain by sending their top guys back to the developmental ranks for a few weeks, it makes sense why an organization would be patient in promoting a highly touted prospect. That means baseball fans will have to wait to see the likes of Kris Bryant, Carlos Rodon, Luis Severino and other top-tier talents.
But a handful of young players entered the spring with a chance to win a starting job out of camp. While names like Joc Pederson, Jon Gray and Daniel Norris seem headed for an Opening Day roster spot, guys like Jose Peraza, Yoan Lopez and Mike Foltynewicz have spoiled their chances to crack the majors with poor showings this spring.
Read on to find out which big-name prospects have dug themselves a hole this spring and what to expect next from those particular talents.
Jose Peraza, Atlanta Braves
Jose Peraza is the best second base prospect in the minor leagues, according to MLB.com, and he's also the top young player in the entire Atlanta Braves system.
Peraza hit .339 in the minors last season, swiping 60 bags in the process. The 20-year-old struck out just 47 times in 469 at-bats in 2014, proving he puts the ball in play at a high rate.
High average, speed, low strikeouts? That description pretty much sums up Atlanta's new hitting philosophy under new president of baseball operations John Hart. Gone are the feast-or-famine swings of Justin Upton, Jason Heyward and Evan Gattis. Although the Braves will miss their offensive production, the club is trying to build a different type of ball club moving forward.
Peraza fits in perfectly with that school of thought, and with an opening at second base, he had an opportunity to start the season with the big club directly out of camp. His main competition was fellow rookie Jace Peterson and journeyman Alberto Callaspo, leading many to believe Peraza would vault all the way to the majors without stopping in Triple-A.
But after a 1-for-16 start to his spring, the Braves decided to send Peraza back to Triple-A for a little more seasoning. It's not the end of the world, as Atlanta will get to keep that coveted extra year of control. But it's still disappointing for a player with so much promise.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB.com's Mark Bowman that Peraza may have been feeling the pressure that comes with being a club's top prospect, and that it ultimately affected his play.
Bowman also notes that Peraza will get some work in center field at Triple-A Gwinnett, and that added versatility could expedite his arrival in Atlanta some time this season.
Mike Foltynewicz, Atlanta Braves
Staying with the Braves' theme, right-handed hurler Mike Foltynewicz has failed to cement his spot in a pretty wide-open race for the final two positions in the rotation.
The 23-year-old is in the top 100 prospects, according to MLB.com, and the second-rated prospect in the Braves' system. Foltynewicz came over in the Evan Gattis deal, and he figured to be given every opportunity to earn a spot on the staff this spring.
But Foltynewicz hasn't been able to put together an extended outing, as the right-hander has logged only 2.1 innings. He's been shelled in that span of work, as opposing batters are mashing with an average of .467 against him.
Foltynewicz's biggest strength is his velocity. In his cup of coffee with the Houston Astros last season, he consistently sat in the upper-90s with his heater. Yet despite that elite stuff. Foltynewicz has only fanned two hitters this spring. To make matters worse, his control has evaded him at times, and he's allowed four free passes.
The former first-round pick mentioned to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he might be "overdoing it a little bit" in hopes of impressing his new team. While that may be the case, Foltynewicz is pitching himself back to the minor leagues.
With Mike Minor beginning the season on the disabled list, Foltynewicz's path to an Opening Day roster spot should have been unimpeded. But instead, aging veterans like Wandy Rodriguez and Eric Stults are bettering his production.
He's still got some time to right the ship and make a push for a starting spot with the Braves, but Foltynewicz has put himself behind the eight ball in his first two starts.
Yoan Lopez, Arizona Diamondbacks
According to a report from Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale has narrowed the competition for the club's final three rotation spots to eight contenders. Only Josh Collmenter and Jeremy Hellickson have assured jobs taking the ball every fifth day for the Snakes.
Gilbert goes on to dub Cuban import Yoan Lopez as a "long shot" to crack the rotation after a rough start to his professional career. Lopez has given up four runs and six hits in his 3.2 innings in two outings. Opponents are hitting .333 against the right-hander so far this spring.
At only 22, Lopez has plenty of time to acclimate himself with American baseball. But he's not going to start the season in Arizona without an extreme turnaround, despite plenty of glowing scouting reports.
Here's what MLB's Jesse Sanchez had to say about Lopez's repertoire back in December of last year:
Lopez throws a cut-fastball, a change, a curve and a slider, but he is best known for a fastball that hovers in the 93-to-95 mph range. His fastball has been clocked at 100 mph three times since he began working out for teams. Back in Cuba, Lopez played three seasons for Isla de la Juventud in Cuba's Serie Nacional, the island's top league.
Similarly to Foltynewicz, that elite stuff has yet to produce appropriate strikeout numbers. Sure he's only thrown a handful of innings in a small sample size, but he's not missing bats either. That's definitely cause for concern for a hurler whose game is centered around the swing-and-miss.
The Diamondbacks shelled out the highest-ever signing bonus to Lopez at the time, and he's likely to be worth every penny. But for now, the youngster looks out of his element facing major league hitters.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments