For the first time in several years, this is just a single column… and just a handful of guys – thanks to the pandemic (and table structure, natch).
Like the “Aged Out?” or the “DSL Bats/Arms,” it didn’t seem fair to drop them from the watchlist because they had no opportunity to play themselves into a positional or pitching category.
Obviously, the “no repeats” rule goes out the door…
Michael Cuevas
Somehow Michael Cuevas hasn’t been traded yet, which is a Mike Rizzo tendency with HS arms (see: Giolito, Lucas; Luzardo, Jesus). The 23rd Rd. pick from 2019 made just eight appearances in the 2019 GCL, including one start and two games finished. Given that he’ll still be too young to drink legally (turns 20 in June), it’s quite possible he’ll still be in Florida for part, if not all, of 2021.
José Sanchez
Sanchez was promoted to Low-A in 2019 despite lackluster numbers in SS-A in 2018 and held his own for the month of April. But the league figured him out by May and by mid-June he was striking out like Leisure Suit Larry. He returned to Auburn and was even worse than he was in 2018 (.479 OPS vs. 592). His errors jumped from 17 to 27, which is not good for a player who’s supposed to be a defensive stalwart.
Reid Schaller
Ignore his “other” pro experience at Vanderbilt and his draft status as Washington’s 3rd Rd. pick in 2018, and you’ll wonder why someone with a 4.22/3.79/1.26 line and just 63K in 81 IP north of Florida gets so much press. Injuries reportedly cut 2019 short so with an entire year off to get healthy, much will be expected in 2021.
Jackson Tetreault
The Billy Rowell defense (“But he’s still young”) took a hit in 2020 as the now-24-y.o (25 in July) returns to action in 2021. Tetreault pitched in April and August 2019 in the Carolina League, where he was dominant (1.91/3.04/1.12 in 7GS), but spent most of the year pitching in the Eastern League, where he was not (4.73/4.38/1.61 in 18GS). Might be a candidate to switch to the bullpen, where his 93-95 FB could hit the 96-97 range that the front office covets.