BBRT MLB 2016 Prospect “Watch List”

As each baseball seasons approaches, BBRT always like to pick a few “prospects” to keep an eye on during Spring Training (and as the season progresses).  My one criteria for the selection process it that the chosen players must still have official “rookie” status for the upcoming season.   For the 2016 season, I have chosen a mix of prospects that include:

• Three players that have made their major league debuts, but are still rookies;
• Three players who have to make their major league debut; and
• Two “special circumstances” players.

Here, then is the 2016 BBRT Watch List.

Rookie Prospects Who Have Made Their MLB Debut

Corey Seager, SS, LA Dodgers

Seager, now 21-years-old, was a First Round pick in the 2012 MLB draft (out of Northwest Cabarrus High School in Concord, NH). Currently rated MLB’s number-one prospect by MLBPipeline.com, Seager showed his potential as an 18-year-old, hitting .309-9-33, with eight steals in 46 games with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League (Rookie level). The 6’4”, 215-lb. left-handed hitter made his way to the Dodgers last September – and put up a .337-4-17 stat line in 27 games.  (Up to that point of the season, Seager had hit .293-18-76 in 125 games at AA and AAA.)  Seager should be the Dodgers starting shortstop in 2016 – and it should be fun to see what he can do in a full season.

Corey Seager comes from a good baseball blood line. His is the younger brother of Seattle 3B Kyle Seager, going into his fifth MLB season. Kyle was an AL All Star and Gold Glover in 2014, the same year Corey was the California League MVP.

Steven Matz, LHP, New York Mets

The Mets know how to find young pitchers who can miss bats, and MLBPipeline.com’s  2016  number-15 prospect Steven Matz is a good example of that expertise – as well as of the Met’s patience. The 24-year-old, 6’2”, 200-lb. hurler was drafted by the Mets in the second round (number 72 overall) of the 2009 MLB draft (out of Ward Melville High School, East Setauket, NY).    The youngster had Tommy John surgery (2010) before he threw his first professional pitch, and in fact, didn’t make his professional (minor league) debut until 2012.  He’s clearly made up for lost time.  In 2012, he went 2-1, 1.55 ERA, with 34 K’s in 29 innings at Rookie-level Kingsport of the Appalachian League. By the time the Mets called him up in June of 2015, Matz had a 25-20 minor league record, with a miserly 2.25 ERA and 393 strikeouts in 380 2/3 innings. He also had a mid-90s fastball with movement, an effective change-up and an improving curveball.  The result?  In six 2016 starts for the Mets, Matz went 4-0, 2.27 with 34 strikeouts (10 walks) in 35 2/3 innings. (To top it off, he started three games in the post-season for NY and, while he was 0-1, pitched well (3.68 ERA). It will be fun (well, maybe not for hitters) to watch a full year of Matz in the Mets’ rotation.

Steven Matz put his name  in the record books in his very first start (June 28, 2015 versus the Reds), not only earning the win with 7 2/3 innings of 2-hit, 2-run ball, but also going three-for-three at the plate and driving in four runs – an MLB RBI record for pitchers making their debut. (Note: A good end, to a somewhat nerve-wracking start.  Matz’ first MLB pitch was a Wild Pitch and that first batter – Brandon Phillips – ended up hitting a home run.)

Byron Buxton, CF, Minnesota Twins

The number-two prospect on MLBPipeline.com’s 2016 list, Byron Buxton was the second overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft (out of Appling County High School in Baxley GA). The 22-year-old, 6’2”, 190 lb. Buxton is considered a five-tool player, combing speed, power and on-the-field discipline – and has held a place among MLB’s top-ten prospects since his signing. He was the 2013 Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, when he hit .334, with 19 doubles, 18 triples, 12 home runs, 109 runs scored, 77 RBI and 55 steals in 125 game at A and High A.  Buxton made his MLB debut for the Twins last June, but his playing time and performance suffered due to a thumb injury. His stat line for the Twins was .209-2-6, with two steals in 46 games. It will be interesting to see if Buxton can turn in at full season at his full potential for the Twins in 2016.

Twins’ prospect Byron Buxton has been followed by injury concerns. He opened the 2014 season on the Disabled List (wrist), re-injured the wrist just five games after being reactivated, then – later in the season – suffered a concussion in an outfield collision. In 2015, he lost time to a sprained thumb.

Prospects Who Haven’t Played Their First MLB Game

Jose Berrios, RHP, Minnesota Twins

The Twins signed RHP Jose Berrios (out of Papa Juan XXIII High School in Bayamon, Puerto Rico) in the Supplemental portion of the First Round of the 2012 draft.  Currently rated MLB’s number-10 prospect by MLBPipleine.com, Berrios – a shortstop until his senior season in high school – has developed fast. In four minor league seasons, Berrios has gone 36-20, 2.98, with 464 strikeouts in 440 1/3 innings. The 6’, 185-lb. 21-year-old sports a mid-90’s fastball, solid change and a breaking ball that is progressing well.  In 2015, he may have punched his ticket to a 2016 spot on the Twins’ roster by leading all minor league pitchers in K’s (175 in 166 1/3 innings, versus only 38 walks), while going 14-5, 2.87 at AA and AAA.  As a Twins’ fan, I am looking forward to seeing Berrios at Target Field in the near future.

Blake Snell, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays

Well, no “Watch List” would be complete without the previous season’s (Baseball America) Minor League Player of the Year.  That would be MLBPipeline.com’s number-14 prospect Blake Snell, a southpaw hurler in the Tampa Bay system. The Rays used the 52nd pick (Supplemental First Round) to draft Snell out of Shorewood High School in Shoreline, WA.  After four minor league seasons, the 6’4”, 180-lb. hurler has a 33-24 record, with a 2.75 ERA and 467 strikeouts in 422 innings.  He earned Player of the Year honors with a 2015 season (at High A, AA and AAA) that featured a 14-5 won-lost record, minor league-best 1.41 ERA and 163 K’s in 134 innings pitched. This past season opponents hit a minor league-low .182 against Snell.  Hopefully, we’ll be able to watch him twirl his low 90’s fastball, change and slider in the majors in 2016.

Orlando Arcia SS, Brewers

MLBPipeline.com’s number-six prospect, Orlando Arcia has been recognized as one of the top defenders in the minor leagues –a future Gold Glover with good hands, a strong and accurate arm and exceptional range. Signed as an International Free Agent (Venezuela) in 2010, the 6’, 165-pounder is also showing skill and discipline at the plate.  Last season, the Brewers’ 2015 Minor League Player of the Year hit  .307-8-69, with 25 steals at AA.  And, in 1,838 minor league plate appearances, he has a .285 averages and only 198 strikeouts – remarkable for a player entering his fifth pro season at age 21. Arcia may not start the season in the majors, but BBRT is going to keep an eye on him.  We may see him in Milwaukee by mid-summer.

Special Circumstances Watch List

Byung Ho Park, 1B/DH, Minnesota Twins

The MinnesotaTwins won the rights to – and successfully signed – ten-year Korean Baseball Organization veteran 1B Byung Ho Park. The 29-year-old right-handed hitter has crunched 210 home runs (with a .281 batting average) in his ten KBO seasons (868 games), but that’s not what makes him worth a watch.  First, by MLB, rules – despite his ten pro campaigns – he is still officially a major league rookie.  Second, the Twins are looking for a power bat and he has it. Third, and this is the big one, over the past TWO seasons (268 games), Park has hit .324, with 105 home runs and 270 RBI.  The 6’1”, 194-pounder, by the way, is also a Korean Gold Glove winner.  Worth a watch, don’t you think?

Raul Adalberto Mondesi, SS/2B, Royals

Only-20-years-old, Raul Adalberto Mondesi, began his pro career at age 16 and has hit .246-24-143 in four minor league seasons.  Rated MLB’s 37th-best prospect by MPBPipeline.com, Mondesi is seen as having a significant offensive upside as he matures. That’s not why BBRT is watching however.  It’s because the Royals thought enough of young Mondesi to make him an emergency call up for the 2015 World Series.  Mondesi struck out in his only World Series at bat – but he did become the only player to make his major league debut in the Fall Classic.  Couple that with the fact that Mondesi’s father – Raul Ramon Mondesi – a former NL Rookie of the Year (Dodgers 1994) – played 13 seasons as a major league outfielder and never took the field in the World Series, and the youngster’s progress is worth watching.  Already been to the World Series? Where do you go from there?

More Detail? For BBRT’S 2016 National League Predictions (Division Races and Awards), click here.  For 2016 AL Predictions, click here. 

For a different look at 2016’s new Hall of Famers – Griffey,  Jr. & Piazza, click here. 

Fan of baseball trivia?  BBRT has two 99 question (Ballpark Tours tested) trivia quizzes.  For BBRT’s 99 favorite questions, click here.   For a second 99, click here.

Ballpark Tours great 2016 excursion (10 days, 10 games, 7 cities), outlined here. 

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

Member:  Society for Americana Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; Baseball Bloggers Alliance.