Watchlist Player Reports Are Finished
With the 2012 editions of the Baseball Ameria and John Sickels prospect books received, read, and reviewed, I’ve completed the player reports for the the 2012 NationalsProspects.com Watchlist.
For the newcomers, a reminder: It’s not a depth chart, it’s based on 2011 usage, and it’s not a prediction of 2012 placement. Players are ordered by the highest level they’ve played, with some educated guesses regarding the 2011 draft picks. With the deadline to sign moved up from mid-August to mid-July, we’re unlikely to see this many guys not play at all the same year as they were drafted anytime soon.
Don’t worry, I’ll take a swag at who might end up where with the position players for the Suns and the P-Nats like I did last February (and I’ll point out my mistakes). But I tried to make fewer predictions in the capsules than in last year’s watchlist, especially with the pitchers. Generally speaking, it’s a level a year until AA under the Rizzo FO, but there’s an always an outlier or two.
As always, have at it in the comments as we wait for the calendar to match the weather…
Interesting comments about the players, Luke. Thanks for all your work. Is Bobby Hanson going to be healthy this year. Do you have any info on him–pitches, fast ball velocity, etc. ?
“Spoke” with him via Twitter and he said that the recovery has gone well and he’s been able to throw a few bullpens already. As for the repertoire, he told me 2- and 4-seam FB, curve, and circle-change. Sounds to me like he’s on track to pick up where he left off last summer in Hagerstown.
Good news regarding Hansen; A path of XST/HAG/POT wouldn’t be the worst thing for him this year, imo.
Many thanks to you, Luke, for beefing up the player watchlist profiles. The extra info on guys like Goodwin & some of the DSL guys give us more info on the system, and more relevant info is never a bad thing.
Twitter interviews….now there’s an idea to get to know some of the players in the minors a little better. Just a suggestion.
I would add Carlos Rivero to the third baseman purely on a statistical basis: he is still young and the percentage improvement in 2011 was significantly higher than at any time in the past.. He may be a “sleeper”. We’ll see how he does in AA/AAA, and I expect he’ll spend the majority of time in AAA.
Did Josh Wilkie retire?
Doubt it: He was pitching in the Venzeulan Winter League this past (’11-’12) season.
Manny Rodriguez was traded or released?
Released.
Thanks, Luke.
Surprising given the draft day coverage Sickels gave him. One try and say good bye? Were there any unusual circumstances?
Not that I know of. Numbers in Auburn were pedestrian, but at 23 and as a 10th-Rd. pick, he’d have gotten a second chance.
Sure you’re not confusing him with Manual Rivera? Don’t see anything on Big Board for him and they seem up to date . . .
The problem with being a one-man operation is you can only blame your bulldog so many times. That’s it. I did confuse the two. Fixing it now.
Still think its interesting they realesed Manuel Rivera, I had him at Hagerstown next year untill he was let go.
I’m hearing rumbles that Steven Souza was let go, or at least not welcomed back. Have you heard anything? Did he play any winter ball anywhere?
I asked Souza directly via Twitter whether or not he was going to accelerated minicamp (no, regular camp) but according to his Twitter feed he’s in California currently, training with Danny Espinosa. He didn’t play winter ball this year.