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Atlanta Braves Minor League Review: Gulf Coast League

By Benjamin Chase

Apr 4, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; The teams lineup and the flag is pulled across the outfield prior to the game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; The teams lineup and the flag is pulled across the outfield prior to the game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 16, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Florida Spring Training logo on the field during the seventh inning at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; The Florida Spring Training logo on the field during the seventh inning at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Braves Minor League Season Review: Gulf Coast League

The Gulf Coast League Braves saw a lot of talent come through the team over the course of the year, but the inconsistency of the makeup of the team led to difficulty finding a rhythm in the lineup or bullpen, leading to a 28-28 record. That was still good enough to win the Northeast division and make the playoffs as the 4th seed in a 4-team playoff. They faced the top-seeded Phillies squad, and they took that team to the brink, losing 4-3 in the one-game playoff. Let’s take a look at their season. For the “players to watch”, just a reminder that these are the players that finished their season with the Atlanta Braves’ GCL team, so you may see some guys in the statistical leaders that aren’t mentioned, and that is no slight to those players.

Stat Leaders (no AB/IP limits on rate categories)

Ben’s Award Winners

More from Tomahawk Take

Player of the Year

–

Anthony Concepcion.

He was a guy signed “late” when the Braves signed him just before his 20th birthday out of Venezuela, but he has simply produced each season since coming into the system as he was excellent in the DSL in 2015 and continued that same production in 2016. A first baseman and corner outfielder that will need to produce power as he climbs the chain in order to be productive, Concepcion has shown an ability to come up with a big hit over and over, flashing big power at times as well. He led the team in doubles, home runs, and RBI.

Pitcher of the Year – Some very good candidates here, but hard to argue with the one of the three early high school pitchers the Braves drafted in June that stayed with the GCL team all year, Kyle Muller. The lefty put up a ridiculous 12.36 K/9 over 27 2/3 innings, not allowing a single ball to leave the park and giving up an astonishing 0.65 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.

Guys To Watch


Alex Aquino, IF, .274/.329/.378, 11 doubles, 5 SB, 9/25 BB/K, 135 AB – Played more third than short this season, and definitely has the arm strength and a 6’2 frame to work at third base, though he may be more of a gap power guy primarily than a home run guy, but he’s currently only about 170 pounds on that frame, so there’s room to build muscle for sure.

Sander Boeldak, OF, .250/.288/.411, 5 XBH, 3/15 BB/K, 56 AB – Curacao product injured much of the season, but flashed increased power that came from a reported increase in strength from the offseason. Not a huge guy, but very well-built into his 5’10 frame, yet he maintains the ability to play center field passably on defense.

Anthony Concepcion, 1B/OF, .272/.358/.439, 12 doubles, 4 HR, 5 SB, 22/35 BB/K, 180 AB – See Player of the Year Write-Up

William Contreras, C, .264/.346/.375, 7/15 BB/K, 72 AB – Tough to get into a rhythm with a crazy four- and sometimes five-headed catching monster for GCL on the season, but showed his excellent eye and flashed his excellent power. A personal favorite for sure for what he does behind the plate, and continues to make waves at the plate.

Alan Crowley, C, .327/.375/.385, 4/9 BB/K, 52 AB – 26th round selection in 2016 draft flashed incredible defensive ability and also had big time contact ability in his first flash of pro ball, but the lug of catchers at GCL made it tough to really get a good idea of how he’d hand more of the grind of a season. One to watch going forward for sure.

Tucker Davidson, LHP, 11 G, 29 2/3 IP, 1.52 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 4/32 BB/K – Picked in the 19th round out of a small college in Texas, the Braves found that they may have an excellent reliever on their hands from the left side in Davidson with his excellent walk rate working around the zone to create weak contact.

Jasseel De La Cruz, RHP, 6 G, 15 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 1/12 BB/K – De La Cruz made such an impression in the DSL this season that he was promoted, and then he simply pitched even better after the promotion. His total line on the season was 18 G, 41 1/3 IP, 2.18 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 15/32 BB/K. Keep an eye on this guy!

Anthony Guardado, RHP, 8 G, 7 2/3 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 6/5 BB/K – 2015 3rd round selection missed most of 2015 after injury and barely pitched in 2016. He showed a very heavy fastball that induced a ton of grounders – when he could actually get it in the zone. Likely going to return to the GCL in 2017 and a project going forward.

Odalvi Javier, RHP, 12 G, 44 2/3 IP, 2.62 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 12/34 BB/K – Took big strides forward in 2016 in repeating GCL level from 2015, but not sure what there is for long-term projection with a weird arm angle and quirky delivery giving him a good bit of his success thus far.

Dilmer Mejia, LHP, 11 G, 35 1/3 IP, 3.06 ERA, 1.39 BB/K, 10/29 BB/K – Elite talent for sure in his third season after being a highly touted signing from Nicaragua. Flashed very good stuff this year and could be in line for a breakout in 2017.

Shean Michel, OF, .195/.255/.207, 3 SB, 7/18 BB/K, 87 AB – GCL numbers won’t turn heads, but he was promoted from the DSL due to his excellent play there, and the 18 year-old from Curacao flashed elite defensive skills in the outfield along with very good speed and gap power. Total line of .272/.336/.339 with 5 triples, 12 SB, 22/35 BB/K.

Kyle Muller, LHP, 10 G, 27 2/3 IP, 0.65 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 12/38 BB/K – See Pitcher of the Year write-up.

Luis Ovando, IF, .306/.324/.333, 1/8 BB/K, 36 AB – Promoted from DSL after a solid season there. Played only second base with GCL, and he could be a very high-end defender at 2B long-term. Overall line was .270/.335/.360 with 5 triples and 8 SB for the 17 year-old.

Alan Rangel, RHP, 12 G, 46 2/3 IP, 3.28 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 10/47 BB/K – Most consistent member of the GCL rotation throughout the season. Took some big steps forward in his second year since being signed out of Mexico. Not dominant raw stuff, but used excellent command in 2016 to lead the team in strikeouts.

Alberto Rodriguez, LHP, 13 G, 18 1/3 IP, 2.95 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 8/15 BB/K – Big (6’5, 205) 20 year-old lefty reliever went from a guy walking everyone in the stadium in 2015 to a guy making guys really work in 2016. Could have a future in the bullpen from the left side.

Ricardo Rodriguez, C, .225/.284/.275, 4 doubles, 5/10 BB/K, 80 AB – Fed the most at bats at the position by GCL squad this year after acquiring him in the Christian Bethancourt deal, but despite his high pedigree, his bat never flashed big, and multiple guys on his own team were more impressive defensively with the tools of ignorance.

Ryan Schlosser, RHP, 17 G, 17 1/3 IP, 6 SV, 1.04 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 1/12 BB/K – Schlosser was selected out of a small college in Minnesota in the 32nd round this June and came in with a rough introduction at Danville, but once he was brought back down to the GCL squad, he took over as the closer and never looked back, showing a very sure hand in the back of the pen.

Nicholas Shumpert, IF, .189/.238/.297, 5 doubles, 3 SB, 4/25 BB/K, 74 AB – Son of former big leaguer Terry, Shumpert was a late sign after being drafted in the 28th round in June. He flashed very impressive skills, but his overall line wasn’t pretty. I’ll be intrigued to see how things show next year with him.

Gilbert Suarez, RHP, 13 G, 23 2/3 IP, 0.76 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 5/16 BB/K – Suarez was an 18th round pick out of a small school in California in 2015, but the team tried him as a starter last year. He has good stuff, but the team found it played much better in the bullpen this year. Could move quickly with his stuff, but also note that his ERA was a bit of a mirage as he had 2 earned runs in his 7 runs allowed.

Randy Ventura, OF, .284/.358/.351, 4 triples, 15 SB, 25/31 BB/K, 194 AB – So it wasn’t his steal-per-game season of 2015, but Ventura showed some excellent leadoff skills at the plate. He will not be a center fielder going forward, and while he has a solid arm, he doesn’t compare with some of the guns in the outfield in the system, so he’s likely to fit in left field going forward. He has a tiny frame (5’9, 165), but unlike Ozzie Albies, who has a strong swing that can generate solid power from a similar frame, Ventura will struggle to generate power from his frame.

Next: Braves Minor League Database

Bryse Wilson, RHP, 9 G, 26 2/3 IP, 0.68 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 8/29 BB/K – 2016 4th round pick signed for a solid bonus and then pitched like he was worth every nickel. Interesting arm angle that could make him more of a relief prospect, but the sink he gets from that angle and repeatability of his motion could portend a future sinker baller in the middle of a rotation.

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