My biggest issue with Whitley is he does not appear to be coach able. Talented know-it-alls who refuse to listen end up stocking shelves. I was going to say "bagging groceries" but those are called "customers" now.
Man I had been thinking about Jairo Solis recently. I remember being so disappointed when he had to have the 2nd TJ. Is he ready to start the season on time or is his recovery gonna have him miss some more time this upcoming season. Always thought he would be great starter.
I’m still holding hope that Whitley relents and accepts the coaching advise and direction of this pitching coaching staff. I get the feeling he believes that he’s figured how to succeed via his way, but he’s staying years behind because he’s not moving at the neck break speed before he’s relegated to not worth the effort by anyone. Whitley should be entering his 2 or 3 full MLB season, being a candidate to make an impact with his talent. But here we are even wondering if he will make the MLB at all?
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/board-update-2023-international-amateur-prospects/ Astros projected to sign 2 of the top 25 international prospects next cycle.
Oh yeah, that too, but whether you're "coachable" or not, it doesn't matter if you're always injured.
Every MLB team has a Forrest Whitely-type in their current system or recent history. Million dollar arm/10 cent head talents are fairly redundant.
I might be wrong but ... I suspect that Whitley found a pitching coach in high school that he really likes. A coach that turned him into his HS team's ace and that got him drafted into the first round. A coach that he trusts. A coach that perchance has taken him as far as he can. My son played baseball from little league to high school, with travel teams as well. He had some reasonable hitting instruction along the way (and a baseball "academy" that emphasized launch angle that messed up most of the hitters that they instructed). WRT pitching, the vast majority of the instruction that my son got was "throw strikes". We did find a good private pitching coach. My son went from a below average thrower to the ace of his HS team. In the imaginary world of my son getting drafted into the MLB, I can see where he would "dance with the girl who got him there".
At least he’s alive… anyone know how to look up his current stats? Very difficult to find... Edit: Found it: https://www-ligapr-com.translate.go..._sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp - batting .202, .631 OPS, 36% SO rate, sigh
A few releases were finalized on Saturday... OF Omar Diaz signed out of the Dominican Republic at the start of the 2018-19 IFA period. He spent 2022 with the FCL Blue team, hitting .210/.329/.303 with a homer and 7 RBI in 46 games (140 PA). 2B Dexter Jordan was a 19th-round pick out of Pearl River Community College in Mississippi. After missing all of 2021 due to an injury, Jordan spent 2022 with the FCL Blue team and hit .200/.353/.364 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in 22 games (68 PA). OF Adonis Giron came to the Astros in a trade that also brought LHP Brayan De Paula over from the Marlins. With the exception of a 29-game stint in Fayetteville last season, all of Giron's action has come in the complex leagues. Giron hit .198/.263/.244 with 9 RBI in 22 games (95 PA) for the FCL Blue team. RHP Daniel Pacheco signed out of Venezuela at the start of the 2018-19 IFA period. He only got into four games (2 starts, 3 IP) for the FCL Orange team, and... it didn't go well. RHP Jayson Schroeder is definitely the most notable name on this list as he was a 2nd-round pick in 2018. Schroeder never really found any semblance of control or command during his time in the system. At 23, some other organization could take a flyer on him, but to say the least, his 2022 (and pro career to this point) was an absolute disaster.
Fangraphs dropped their first list this year (Milwaukee), hopefully Houston's will come before July this year. In the write up for Jackson Churio, they pointed out that Churio was one of three 18 year olds who averaged >88 mph exit velocity, joined by the Astros Luis Baez.
Yeah, Baez is an interesting prospect. Astros had competition from the Dodgers and a few other teams for him. He is a little older, so he ideally does well this year and can get on the fast track. He is a bigger kid, and I expect his frame to continue to fill out. He has really broad shoulders and wrists, and usually that body type adds a lot of weight. He has to be like 6'3'' to 6'4" and could add another inch or two. He has a lot of power to all fields and a plus arm with decent athleticism. I think he can still as a corner outfielder because he gets solid jumps. Some thought he had the most power in his class, while that is possible, the "most power" doesn't mean much to me, exit velocity and consistent contact matter at the lower levels. He has potential to be a solid all-around hitter with plus power. I don't like him as much as Kenni Gomez, who has a really strong ball to bat skill set and plus speed.... but Baez is someone that has a lot of upside and could be a top 100 prospect in a year if he plays well.
The Brewers have an above average system and their list featured 6 1st round picks and 7 2nd round picks. For comparison, Houston’s list will likely feature 3 1st round picks (Gilbert, Whitley, Lee) and 5 2nd round picks (Melton, Perez, Santos, Taylor, and Kessinger).
Curious what those questions are? Gilbert slashed .362/.455/.673 with a 1.128 OPS his last year at Tennessee. 33 BB to 32 SO ratio. A contact hitter that can slug and hit for power, with the bat speed and plate discipline to go with it. He reminds me of the lefty version of Bregman.
College players use aluminum bats. Hardly any college hitters are proven with wooden bats and without some doubts. He could simply have warning track power and become a singles/doubles hitter.
He only hit 11 home runs in his junior college season, he may have 70 raw power but only 55 in game power thanks to an inefficient weight transfer from his hips. Even with aluminum bats, he nearly had any fly balls hit harder than 95 MPH off the bat. He could easily average 50+ doubles a year, but it will take some mechanical tweaks to get him above 20-ish homers.
Roster prediction. SP 1) Framber 2) McCullers 3) Javier 4) Brown 5) Urquidy swing) Garcia: 1/2 starts 1/2 bullpen depending on need for 6 man rotation. Pressly Abreu Montero Neris Stanek Maton Mushinski C) Maldonado Jorge Alfaro ( really - who else is left?) 1B) Abreu 2B) Altuve 3B) Alex SS) Pena LF) Alvarez/McCormick CF) Meyers RF) Tucker DH) Brantley/Alvarez Dubon Hensley
That’s fair. And he’s already pretty jacked being 185lbs at 5’9. Hard to imagine he has much room left to fill out. But I would think skills such as plate discipline, bat speed, ability to make contact, putting the ball in play, athleticism, etc. would translate regardless. Also factor in his intangibles (confidence, work ethic) and the strong arm. Altuve is a great example, as he was already a 3x all-star before his first season of hitting 20+ HR. If power is Gilbert’s only question, with all the tools he has, he at minimum projects as an athletic lead-off hitter who can bring speed on the bases, smack 50 doubles, and gives you a high OBP to go with it. The kid has a pretty damn high floor.
I agree with that. I see a very high floor but also hopeful that he gets close to his ceiling. 2026 outfield: Barber- Gilbert- Leon, DH: Yordan
