Atlanta Braves News: The Morning Chop
Evaluating the Prospects: Atlanta Braves
KILEY McDANIEL / FANGRAPHS.COM
[ Ed. note: I do commend the entire post over at fangraphs for your reading… we’re about to launch our own prospects’ series here on this site, but as usual, fangraphs has a unique take on the Braves’ prospects… it will be worth your time. ]
1. Ozhaino Albies, SS
Current Level/Age: RK/18.1, 5’9/150, B/R
Signed: IFA at age 16 on July 2, 2013 out of Curacao by ATL for $350,000 bonus
Hit: 20/55, Raw Power: 30/40, Game Power: 20/35, Run: 65/65, Field: 50/60, Throw: 60/60
Scouting Report: This is probably the most aggressive ranking you’ll see on Albies. Actually, it’s definitely the most aggressive ranking you’ll see on Albies. I broke his signing last year but didn’t know much about him as a prospect at that time, just knowing he was small, for Curaçao and had a lot of energy and speed. Curaçao has a great recent group of quick-twitch infielders with Andrelton Simmons, Jonathan Schoop and Jurickson Profar, while nearby Aruba has recently produced Xander Bogaerts. Albies is next in line, with some scouts comparing him to a smaller Francisco Lindor or Rafael Furcal with less arm strength.
Some scouts are already throwing 60′s on Albies hit tool after a huge pro debut, where he hit .364/.446/.444 in 239 plate appearances over two Rookie ball levels with 22 stolen bases and more walks than strikeouts. He continued his assault by impressing the more heavily-scouted instructional league and every scout that has seen him told me they can’t argue with this ranking.
2. Rio Ruiz, 3B
3. Max Fried, LHP
4. Jose Peraza, 2B/SS
5. Mike Foltynewicz, RHP
6. Lucas Sims, RHP
7. Christian Bethancourt, C
8. Ricardo Sanchez, LHP (“Some scouts were surprised to hear Sanchez was available to the Braves this off-season for a trade headlined by 3B Kyle Kubitza)
9. Braxton Davidson, RF.
10. Tyrell Jenkins, RHP
11. Manny Banuelos, LHP
12. Arodys Vizcaino, RHP
13. Mallex Smith, CF
14. Jason Hursh, RHP
15. Shae Simmons, RHP
16. Mauricio Cabrera, RHP
17. Garret Fulenchek, RHP
18. Alex Grosser, RHP
19. Jace Peterson, 2B
20. Dian Toscano, OF
(Many more names – down to #32 – at the fangraphs link above)
Marlins sign an interesting fourth OF
The Miami Marlins are on such a roll this offseason, even their complementary acquisitions have cachet.
Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich make up what might be the best outfield in the majors, and they can expect to play a lot this season (barring injury), so the Marlins could have gone with a nice, serviceable, under-the-radar addition to plug into the fourth spot. Something like a Nate Schierholtz, perhaps, or an Endy Chavez or Eric Young. Or maybe they could have just rolled with Don Kelly or Tyler Colvin, two lefty hitters signed to minor-league deals with invitations to big-league camp.
Instead, the Marlins have filled their bench void with Ichiro Suzuki, a 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner who is 156 hits short of the 3,000 hit club and 134 hits shy of Pete Rose‘s professional record of 4,256. Suzuki is 41 years old, so this signing is roughly equivalent to bringing in Mick Jagger for a stint as tambourine shaker and backup vocalist.
[ Ed. note: the official announcement of Ichiro’s signing was actually held in Japan – the Marlins’ brass headed there to show him off. ]
Winter Report Card: Atlanta Braves
CLIFF CORCORAN / SI.COM
2014 results: 79-83 (.488), tied 2nd place NL East (Hot Stove Preview)
Key departures: RHP Brandon Beachy*, UT Emilio Bonifacio, RHP David D. Carpenter, OF/C Ryan Doumit*, RHP Gavin Floyd, C Evan Gattis, RHP Aaron Harang, RF Jason Heyward, C Gerald Laird*, 2B Tommy La Stella, RHP Kris Medlen, IF Ramiro Peña*, RHP Ervin Santana, LHP Chasen Shreve, LF Justin Upton, RHP Anthony Varvaro, RHP Jordan Walden (*free agent, still unsigned)
Key arrivals: RHP Manny Banuelos, IF Alberto Callaspo, RHP Mike Fotynewicz, RHP Jason Grilli, OF Jonny Gomes, RHP Jim Johnson, RF Nick Markakis, RHP Shelby Miller, LHP Josh Outman, IF Jace Peterson, C A.J. Pierzynski, OF Dian Toscano
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Unfinished business: Firing Fredi Gonzalez
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More from Tomahawk Take
- Atlanta Braves 2012 Prospect Review: Joey Terdoslavich
- Braves News: Braves sign Fuentes, Andruw’s HOF candidacy, more
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- Atlanta Braves Sign Joshua Fuentes to Minor League Deal
- Braves News: New Year’s Eve comes with several questions about the 2023 Braves
Gonzalez, however, has twice failed to pull his team out of playoff-erasing nose-dives in his four years on the job. Even when they have reached the postseason under Gonzalez, the Braves have gone just 1-4. He was reportedly due to be fired with Wren but was saved by his predecessor, Bobby Cox, who continues to have influence in the front office despite the lack of an official position. After last September’s collapse and a 17-game decline in the team’s record compared to 2013, it will be a surprise if Gonzalez is still steering the ship when it arrives at SunTrust Park in 2017.
Preliminary Grade: C+
If this grade were solely for the Braves’ 2015 outlook, it would be difficult not to flunk them outright. Coming off a season in which they scored the second-fewest runs in baseball, they traded three of their only four regulars who posted an OPS+ above league average in 2014, and the best hitter they added is Markakis, whose 107 OPS+ would have ranked fifth on the 2014 team.
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However, the grade above reflects not how well Atlanta has prepared itself for the coming season but rather our perception of the quality of the team’s multi-year plan and the success with which it has executed the first part of it. Still not a rave review, to be sure, but better than some might have expected given appearances. The major issue with what the Braves have done is the Markakis deal. That would be a poor signing in any context, but it is particularly weak for team in their position, lacking significant run producers other than Freeman both in the majors and minors and looking to build a contender for 2017 and beyond.
MLB Winter Winners and Losers: All is Well in Chicago
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Jury’s Out
5. Braves. There’s no question they stepped out of the stalking role in the NL East and look like an also-ran for 2015, and the $44 million on Markakis will only be well spent if he makes a speedy recovery. But Shelby Miller was a nice return for Jason Heyward and Fried-plus is fine work for Upton. I get it more than most, it seems.