We’ll use this post to catch up on some recent minor moves and track any more that pop up today:
- The Brewers announced that they’ve inked infielder Jake Hager to a minors pact that includes an invitation to MLB camp. With the news, Hager will again factor on the Milwaukee infield depth chart as camp gets underway. He had his most impressive showing at any level to open the 2018 season, slashing .292/.371/.521 with ten home runs in 257 plate appearances at Double-A Biloxi last year. But Hager’s output slowed after he was bumped up to Triple-A to finish out the year. The 25-year-old has spent most of his time in the minors at shortstop and also has experience at second and third base.
- First baseman Joey Meneses was released by the Phillies in order to pursue an opportunity in Japan, the club announced. He’ll be signing with the Orix Buffaloes. Meneses, 26, was not on the Philadelphia organization’s 40-man roster and obviously did not factor in its plans. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t shown some impressive skill. After joining the Phillies on a minors pact for the 2018 season, the long-time Braves farmhand picked up International League MVP honors for turning in a stellar campaign in which he slashed .311/.360/.510 with 23 home runs in 536 plate appearances at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Why would we just let Meneses go? Is there some reason??
To pursue an opportunity in Japan
The team often gets a reasonable financial return. And it progresses in that fashion.
Because being the MVP in the International League does not always translate to success in the majors. Look at it this way: Japanese teams generally know which players to pursue and which ones that MLB teams will not allow them to poach. If Japanese or Korean teams are even negotiating with a player, it’s because that player’s MLB franchise is aware of the interest and is willing to let that player go for the right price, and/or the player figures he isn’t going to get a legit shot at the majors soon.
He was a minor league free agent and was not on the 40 man roster. We also have a bit of a log jam at first (Hoskins, Santana, and Bour, I think).
What no middle infield signing jokes about the Brewers? Good minor league depth and you never know
Jake Hager was one of the many players picked by the Rays in the 2011 first round which I like to refer to as Blake Snell and the Busts. That year the Rays had 10 picks in the top 60, ranging from 24-60, and Snell is the only one to experience real major league success. Yes, the draft is a huge gamble, but a 10% success rate with top 60 picks in one year, there is just no way to make that sound good. These are some of the players picked from picks 24-65 that the Rays could have had.
Joe Panik
Jackie Bradley Jr.
Andrew Chafin
Michael Fulmer
Trevor Story
Joe Musgrove
Kyle Crick
Josh Bell
Brad Miller
The way the picks lined out, the Rays could have had all of them along with Snell. It would have taken a miracle for all of that to unfold, but it was an equally bad miracle that none of them went to the Rays. Just one of favorite draft stories and a reminder that just having a lot of picks does not equal success.
Well, it isn’t always as simple as looking back at a draft, seeing which players were available, and saying this team could have picked this player or that player..
Some players are demanding higher bonuses, etc. which would mean theyd have to sign less talented players elsewhere in the draft, and get them to sign underslot..
Also, some HS players let it be known, if a certain team drafts them, they’ll likely just go to college. It isn’t often reported, and doesn’t happen all that frequently, but it does happen..
Or a particular team, might already have several promising prospects at a particular position (say MI’s), and a lack of depth at other positions (say CI/CO). So, when they are chosen between two to three very comparable players, they might pass on the MI, and draft the prospect that plays the position they’re really lacking in talent and depth..
So yeah, in hindsight it sounds really easy to just say oh man, the Rays could have had this guy or that guy, that was available when they were drafting, but no, it isn’t always that simple…
However, even still with 10 picks in the top 60, you’d have to figure with that bonus pool it should have allow the Rays to draft, and go over slot on at least 3 extremely talented prospects..Or really, there’s a myriad of ways they could have gone..Either way though, to only walk away with one talented player, that’s some poor drafting…Although, that one player they received, was an awesome talent, and looks to be one of the best young pitchers in baseball today..
Still though, they should have at least walked away with one to two quality core pieces/starters, and a couple depth pieces…
Regardless, this is a franchise that’s typically gets the most out of the least amount of resources..It is truly amazing what the Rays are able to accomplish, against all odds, especially in a division where you have such financial juggernauts as NY and Boston..
Of course it isn’t as simple as that. You have to factor in development systems as well. There is no guarantee Trevor Story even becomes a major league player in the Rays system, let alone a star. Same with any of the other players. Plus if you put the Rays picks in other systems, they may have become stars.
You also have to remember that there were no bonus pools in 2011 to deal with. Teams were not constricted back then. The bonus pools started in the 2012 draft, so in the 2011 draft teams had no limit beyond their own finances.
But with even with all of those variables we both mentioned, it’s still the fairest way to look back and tell whether a draft was successful for a team or not.