Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s get to it.
Five Big Hype Prospects
Ceddanne Rafaela, 22, OF, BOS (MLB)
(AA/AAA) 485 PA, 20 HR, 36 SB, .302/.349/.520
Rafaela is the latest top prospect to earn a promotion. The defensive wunderkind has posted impressive hitting stats, albeit without much support under the surface. For instance, Rafaela has 14 home runs in 219 Triple-A plate appearances, an impressive power display by any measure. However, he’s done this with a 25.9 percent HR/FB ratio and below-average exit velocities. The guys who maintain high HR/FB ratios do it by crushing baseballs on the regular. Rafaela also has both poor discipline and serious swing-and-miss issues. That he succeeds despite these flaws indicates a path forward in the coming years. For now, consider him a glove-first option with an explosive but exploitable bat.
Adael Amador, 20, SS, COL AA)
(A+) 259 PA, 9 HR, 12 SB, .302/.391/.514
Though he’s no Ethan Salas, Amador is still one of the youngest players in Double-A. As yet, he only has two games at the level. He’s gone 2-for-8 with a walk and two steals. Amador is a switch-hitting middle infielder with a Kwan-like feel for the strike zone and contact. He still sells out for contact a little too much, and too many of his balls in play are on the ground. Even so, he’s trending toward a 2024 debut for a Rockies club in desperate need of a viable leadoff hitter. And that’s exactly what he looks like – a long-term up-the-middle leadoff guy.
Wyatt Langford, 21, OF, TEX (A+)
(A+) 88 PA, 3 HR, 6 SB, .314/.455/.586
A candidate to go first overall in the 2023 draft, Langford “fell” to the Rangers at fourth overall. He tore through the complex in 14 plate appearances before landing in High-A. The right-handed outfielder has more walks than strikeouts and as many extra-base hits as singles – indicating High-A isn’t much of a challenge. The main knock against him is defense. He’s fast enough to be a plus fielder, but he reportedly gets poor reads off the bat. His speed helps him to make up ground. I like to give players with his athleticism a pass on their poor defensive reputations in college. A professional environment without the pesky distractions of college sometimes unlocks an extra hunger to improve.
Ty Madden, 23, SP, DET (AA)
(AA) 103 IP, 10.92 K/9, 3.93 BB/9, 3.84 ERA
Dating back to last season, Madden now has 30 starts at Double-A. He features a classic four-pitch repertoire of roughly average offerings complemented by average or better command. Variety and command have allowed him to miss bats at a high rate. One glaring issue is a hefty home run rate. I don’t have the data necessary to diagnose if those dingers are the result of a simple or complicated issue. Presumably, they’re at least of moderate concern since he remains in Double-A.
Owen Caissie, 21, OF, CHC (AA)
458 PA, 21 HR, 6 SB, .282/.387/.525
Caissie has the Joey Gallo starter kit –plus discipline, 80-grade power, and a 32.8 percent strikeout rate. There’s some cause for hope. Caissie’s 13.9 percent swinging strike rate is well-below even Gallo’s best seasons. Both sluggers spent their age-20 campaign in Double-A. Gallo had a 23 percent swinging strike rate at the time – though he also hit 42 home runs that season. Teams have grown increasingly adept at using players in the situations for which they’re best suited. Caissie appears destined for a highly managed role, one in which he might shine as brightly as baseball’s top stars.
Three More
Robby Snelling, SDP (19): A bat-missing southpaw, Snelling was somehow only the second-youngest player the Padres promoted to Double-A last week (yep, I’m going to keep bringing up Salas). Despite strong results overall, reports indicate Snelling is a long way from a Major League debut. His fastball lacks special traits. Success will depend on his slider, an impressive offering for which he currently lacks command.
Yu-Min Lin, ARI (20): Min earned a promotion to Double-A right around Snelling’s age. He perhaps serves as a cautionary tale since they both feature unimpressive fastballs. Unlike Snelling, Lin has solid command and his primary weapon is a changeup. He’s struggled to a 5.19 ERA in Double-A.
Colton Cowser, BAL (23): One of the hottest first-half hitters in the minors, Cowser struggled to drink from his jumbo-sized cup of coffee. His MLB-hangover has followed him back to Triple-A. Since demotion, he’s batting .250/.348/.500 with a 34 percent strikeout rate in 47 plate appearances.
Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.
It’s been roughly 6 minutes… will you please provide an Ethan Salas update?
An .848 OPS for Cowser back in AAA is bad? Not as good as before, but I’m figuring a few AAA hitters might swap their numbers for his.
Agreed, love this column but mentioning Cowser in a negative light here in that SSS isn’t a good fit. Cowser made a highlight reel, gold glove caliber, HR robbing play at Norfolk in CF the other day. No mention of that, though.
So I guess a single play is a large enough sample for you, but 47 PA is too small to use to pass judgment? Got it.
@rare – Nice, I see what you did there.
Of course neither are big enough worth mentioning in this article. But if you are going to take the time to call out one SSS, you should call out others too.
Colton Cowser … Didn’t he have a pretty young daughter, over in Wolverton Mountain?
Ha! That was his uncle, Clifton Clowers. #GoodMemory
AAA offensive numbers are through the roof this season.
Yes, especially in the leagues with the automated strike zone. It’s hitter friendly, pitcher unfriendly. A hitter getting called to the majors might find it more difficult than usual, while pitchers might welcome the promotion.
We need less Gallo clones.
But, Gallo put up historic numbers in the minors. Look at his OPS, batting average (yes, that too), BB to K ratio, and him being like the 2nd teenager ever to hit 40+ homeruns back to back seasons. Gallo did have a hard time adjusting, but man, that guy had/has potential.
In Langford We Trust? Yes or no? I first created this account when deGrom signed with Texas after being a fan since 2010. A few weeks ago or so, I changed my handle to Seager. Langford 2024 MVP?
Bohannon
Harris picks Max Clark over Wyatt Langford… ROTFLMAO!!!!!
Clark has also been promoted to A ball, plus he is a true CF. Both are solid prospects. I am still miffed at HARRIS for taking a high-schooler, who should arrive just as the current players leave as FAs. Just waiting to see if he actually spends the Miggy money this off season. Its an ugly group of players to spend it on.
This is the make or break offseason for Harris. He is collecting on the dividends of Avila’s great pitching prospects while paying the interest on a sunk Baez investment.
I bet Harris spends the Miggy money on an ill advised extension for ERod and an overpay for Matt Chapman. I am holding out hope they’ll find someone to take Baez’s contract and Casey Mize’s closing prospect window so we can really make a splash by signing some bulldog, winning culture vets.
It’s his first season. Of course he’s relying on players from Avila’s days, he wasnt going to release everyone and go sign all new players. It’s not like Al didn’t have some success drafting and developing on the pitching side. Pump the brakes!
No way they sign someone like Chapman. Go throw some money at a starting pitcher with the cash because beyond Chapman (who has his flaws) the FA market is pretty thin. I would more expect them to go younger and trade for a bat to fill a hole at 2B or 3B. There are not many available spots when you think about it, with current players and pending promotions who should fill spots next year. They have some good SPs right now with more in the pipeline. A couple good bats or more development from current ones and they are right there with the Twins. As soon as Baez has a hot streak next year they should market him as cured like Bellinger and sell, sell, sell!
You make it sound like Clark is bad. He’s played really well too in A ball. I was pissed when they took him too, but I read up on him and watched clips and now I think they made the right choice. Time will tell.
HARRIS first job after the season has to be hiring a GM. The trade deadline exposed that he needs help. There was still an hour left when E-Rod declined. Something needed to be done, but it seems he was unable to reopen talks.
Now if HARRIS is able to move Baez contract, eating whatever money is needed, or in a swap of bad contracts, he will change my opinion drastically. I would even accept Zack Short as his replacement next year.
Good point about getting a GM in.
Clark might have been the right pick not only for his defense: Langford’s value is mainly based on his slugging, but Comerica Park in Detroit saps power due to its dimensions (Kauffman Stadium in KC is even worse). Fortunately, Clark has acquitted himself very well after turning pro and – unlike Langford – does not project to be a similar player to Greene and Carpenter.
Not to forget that Clark signed for a much lower bonus than Langford, which helped the Tigers to sign McGonigle. So the Tigers may indeed be laughing eventually, just like Melchez17 alluded to…
Gruß,
BSHH
Is there a mandate to never talk Mariners prospects?
It doesn’t really matter what Caissie is anymore. Right now he’s blocked for the next 3 plus years by Suzuki ( erratic) and Happ ( Not really worth it). He’s now the equivalent of a 3 lb. solid gold paperweight on your desk. Nice to look at but a luxury when a rock will do.
I suppose Caissie could always DH, or perhaps Happ or Suzuki traded if a log jam scenario occurs.
Except they both have full No trade contracts, Yeah.
Wow, I didn’t realize that. Ugh
WY-ATT! LANG-FORD!
**Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap**
Remember the name folks. Longest HR in Omaha Ballpark history in the CWS by the FL Gator.
Special player. Needs to get better with reads, as the article says. His build is a combination of Bergman and Trout. Watch out.
“His build is a combination of Bergman and Trout.”
Ingrid or Ingmar? Brown, speckled, or rainbow?
“…the pesky distractions of college…”
For me, those pesky distractions were: attending class, taking tests, doing homework, etc., which distracted me from parties and a healthy social life.
Brad,
I understand the concern for Rafaela going up against big league pitching but he’s outperformed the critics at every level
That opening line seems a bit…..aggressive.
Amadora had wrist surgury in July. He has two HRs since his return, so maybe his power will be ok, but usually with wrists it’s a long recovery.