Opening Day is coming up fast and, in this post, I’d like to introduce ten rookies that BBRT expects to be on their team’s Opening Day rosters. It’s BBRT’s annual “watch” list. This list is made up of (not necessarily the best long-term prospects) rookies BBRT expects to make an impact at the major league level this season. Not surprising – given what we’ve seen from the likes of Yasiel Puig, Yeonis Cespedes and Jose Abreu – there is a strong Cuban contingent on the list, as well as one Korean Baseball Organization import. There are four (and possibly a fifth) outfielders on the Watch List, as well as four pitchers (including one currently living in a Volkswagen van behind a Florida Wal-Mart).
With that introduction, here’s BBRT’s Rookie/\Prospect Watch List.
Jorge Soler, OF, Cubs
Jorge Soler tops the BBRT 2015 Rookie Watch List.
Jorge Soler makes the top of BBRT’s 2015 Rookie Watch List based on his play after a late-September 2015 call-up. In 24 games for the Cubs, Soler hit .292, with five home runs (14 extra base hits) and 20 RBI. There are a host of high-potential prospects as we go into the 2015 season, but Soler is one who has already shown an ability to handle big-league pitching.
The 6’ 4”, 215-pound, 23-year-old played for the Cuban National Team in the World Junior Baseball Championship and in the Cuban National Series before defecting in 2011. In June 2012, he signed a nine-year deal with the Cubs for a reported $30 million. It’s looking like a very wise investment.
In 2012, at the Rookie level, Soler hit .299, with five home runs, 25 RBI, 12 steals and 12 walks – in just 34 games. In 2013, he put up a .281-8-35 stat line in 55 games at the High A level (and hit .271 in the Fall League). Last season, Soler played at the Rookie League, AA and AAA levels before making his late-season MLB debut with the Cubs. In his three 2014 minor league stops, Soler hit .340-15-57. He has reasonable speed, a strong arm and a powerful bat. Soler is expected to man right field right from Opening Day, batting in the five- or six-spot in the order.
BBRT note: Those who choose to watch Soler’s progression with the Cubs may get the opportunity to observe a couple of other rising prospects in 3B/OF Kris Bryant (who hit .325 with a minor-league high 43 home runs at AA and AAA a year ago) and SS Addison Russell, who, at just 21, has three minor league seasons (a .300 average, 37 home runs and 150 RBI in 233 games) under his belt. Soler, however, is likely to have the most immediate impact.
Rusney Castillo, OF – Red Sox
Number-two on the BBRT Watch List is another Cuban import – Rusney Castillo, who signed a $72.5 million, seven-year contract with the Red Sox in August of 2014. Castillo, who defected from Cuba in late 2013, played in the Cuban National Series, as well as with the Cuban national team. In five seasons in the Cuban National Series, Castillo hit .315, with 42 home runs, 192 RBI and 68 steals in 323 games.
A speedy 5’ 8”, 186-poud outfielder, Castillo made his major league debut less than a month after his signing, and hit .333 with two home runs, six RBI and three steals in ten games for Boston, The 27-year-old rookie is expected to man centerfield for the Red Sox – and is an early favorite for AL Rookie of the Year.
Steven Souza, OF, Rays
BBRT really likes the 25-year-old Souza – acquired by the Rays in an off-season trade with the Nationals. Souza was a 2007 third-round draft pick (Nationals) as an 18-year-old. It took the 6’ 4”, 225-pound right-handed hitter a few seasons to adjust (he hit just .227 over his first five minor league seasons). In 2012, Souza began to turn it on – hitting .297-23-85, with 14 steals in 97 games at A and High A. In 2013, he proved 2012 was no fluke, going .297-15-46 with 22 steals at two levels (Rookie and AA) and then hitting .357 in the Fall League. Last season, Souza hit .345-18-99 with 28 steals, while working has way from A to AA to AAA. He was selected the International League Rookie of the Year and MVP. Souza hit only .130 in a couple of major league call-ups (21 games), but he looks ready to take a spot on the Rays roster – and in the day-to-day lineup – for 2015.
Joc Pederson OF – Dodgers
Joc Pederson – topped 30 home runs and 30 steals in the Pacific Coast League last season.
Joc Pederson has power, speed and a pretty good pedigree (his father Stu put up a .292 average over a dozen minor league seasons and got into eight MLB games for the Dodgers in 1985). The younger Pederson was the Dodgers’ 2012 Minor League Player of the Year, hit .278 with 22 home runs and 31 steals in two 2013 minor league stops and, in 2014, was the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable player – hitting .303 with 33 home runs, 106 runs, 78 RBI, 30 steals and, importantly, 100 walks (in 121 games). The 6’ 1”, 185-pound left-handed hitter has nothing left to prove in the minor leagues, but does need to cut down his strikeouts (149 at AAA last season). Pederson hit .143, with 11 whiffs in 28 at bats for the Dodgers last September. The Dodgers felt strongly enough about Pederson’s potential to trade Matt Kemp in the off-season and pencil the rookie into the starting outfield (center).
Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Blue Jays
There’s little doubt that Aaron Sanchez has what it takes to get major league hitters out. Although he still qualifies as a rookie, Sanchez made 24 relief appearances for the Blue Jays last season – going 2-2, with a 1.09 ERA and 27 strikeouts (versus just nine walks) in 33 innings. So, what is BBRT watching for? The question surrounding the 6’ 4”, 200-pound, 22-year-old seems to be whether the Blue Jays will use him as a starter or a closer. In five minor league seasons, Sanchez went 18-23, 3.51, striking out 349 in 356 1/3 innings. Sanchez, a 2010 first-round pick, has a lively, mid-90s fastball, a good change-up and a better than average curve.
Daniel Norris, LHP, Blue Jays
Norris makes it to the BBRT watch list for a couple of reasons:
- First, in 2014, Norris moved from High A to Double A to Triple A to the Blue Jays – striking out 167 hitters in 131 innings along the way. In his three minor league stops, Norris went 12-2 with a 2.53 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 124 1/3 innings. (He made five appearances for the Blue Jays last season, going 0-0, 5.40 with five walks and four whiffs in 6 2/3 innings.)
- Second, Norris is truly his own man. Despite signing for a $2 million bonus, the 21-year-old, 6’ 2”, 195-pound lefthander’s Spring Training home is a 1978 Volkswagen van parked behind a Florida Wal-Mart. (Figures he’d be a lefty.) Norris’ take on the situation, as reported by CBS News, “I’m not going to change who I am just because people thinks it’s weird. The only way I’m going to have a great season is by starting out happy and balanced and continuing to be me.”
Now, how can you not follow that rookie? Norris not only brings his unconventional attitude to the mound, he also has a mid-90s fastball, slider, curve and circle change. His opportunity to go north may very well depend on whether another BBRT prospect to watch – Aaron Sanchez – sticks with the Jays as a reliever or starter. Regardless, BBRT expects to see Norris’ free-spirit in the Blue Jays’ rotation sometime in 2015.
Yasmany Tomas, 3B/OF, Diamondbacks
Yasmany Tomas earned a reputation as one of Cuba’s top power hitters before defecting and eventually signing a six-year, $68.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks this past December. In five seasons in the Cuban National Series, Tomas hit .290 with 39 home runs and 151 RBI in 272 games. The 24-year-old has the look of a power hitter – 6’2”, 230 pounds. The question in Spring Training seems to be whether Tomas has the skills to handle third base, or will find a corner outfield spot.
Andrew Heaney, LHP, Angels
Andrew Heaney – a Marlins’ first-round draft pick in 2012 (ninth overall) – came to the Angels in a trade for second baseman Howie Kendrick (after spending approximately five hours as a Dodger as part of a trade that involved Dan Haren and Dee Gordon). Heaney went 0-3, 5.83 with the Marlins (seven appearances, five starts), but that is not an indicator of his talent. In three minor league seasons, the 23-yerar-old southpaw went 19-11, 2.53 – striking out 262 batters (only 68 walks) in 259 2/3 innings (and we all know how MLB teams covet power-pitching southpaws). The 6’ 2”, 185-pound hurler has a low- to mid-90s fastball, a devastating slider (his best pitch) and a good change up – as well as excellent control. (In twenty-four 2014 appearances at AA and AAA, Heaney struck out 143, while walking only 36, in 137 1/3 innings.)
BBRT note: If you are monitoring Heaney, you might also keep an eye on his likely competition for a spot in the rotation, another rookie prospect, Nick Tropeano. The 23-year-old right-hander – picked up in an off-season trade with the Astros – has put up a 31-24, 3.26 record in four minor league seasons. Tropeano went 1-3, 4.57 in four starts for the Astros after a September 2014 call-up.
Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Mets
Noah Syndergaard – should be coming soon to a big league park near you.
Noah Syndergaard – 6’6”, 240 pounds – is an imposing presence on the mound. Just 22-years-old, he has already translated that presence into 31 minor league wins (19 losses), with a 3.25 ERA and 474 strikeouts in 426 2/3 innings. He has a 95-mph fastball, a slow-breaking curve and a circle change. While the Mets have a solid rotation, BBRT can’t see them keeping Syndergaard down at AAA much longer. If he doesn’t make the big league squad out of Spring Training, BBRT expects to see Syndergaard in the Big Apple sooner rather than later.
Jung-ho Kang, SS, Pirates
The 27-year-old Kang has eight seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization – and last season hit .356 with 40 home runs and 117 RBI in 117 games. How Kang – a four-time KBO All Star and four-time KBO Gold Glove winner – performs for the Pirates may tell us as much about the state of South Korean baseball is as it does about Kang himself. Kang signed a four-year, $11 million contract with the Pirates in January.
A few others you might want to put on your watch list: Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs; Dylan Bundy, RHP, Orioles; Byron Buxton, OF, Twins; Carlos Correa, SS, Astros; Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Braves; Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians; Alex Meyer, RHP, Twins; Carlso Rondon, LHP, White Sox; Addison Russell, SS, Cubs.
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