MInors report 825: Final look at DSL Braves by the numbers

The DSL Braves season is over. Below are their stat leaders:

Average: Azuaje (.299), Chin (.290), Grullon (.269).
Hits: Estevez (51), Chin (46), Grullon (45).
Doubles: Estevez, Castro (8), Cortes, Chin (7).
Triples: Chin (4), Tejada (3).
Home runs: Castro, Cortes (3), Tejada (2).
Runs: Didder (34), Estevez, Chin (31).
RBIs: Castro (31), Flores (28), Tejada (22).
Stolen bases: DIdder (8), Estevez (6), Grullon (5).
OPS: Chin (.783), Azuaje (.729), Didder (.708).
Wins: Falcon (9), Matos (4), Santana (3).
Games: Miranda, Jones (19).
Saves: Miranda (5), SIlva, Orozco (2).
ERA: Silva (1.74), Falcon (1.90), Jones (2.06).
Strikeouts: Santiago (60), Falcon (54), Torres (48).
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SUNDAY'S SCORES

CLASS AAA

Columbus 2, Gwinnett (57-79) 1 (11)

SP: Loe 7.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
LP: Bisenius (1-2) 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K.
Mejia 1-5, RBI; Constanza 2-5, R; Leonard 1-4.

CLASS AA

Missisippi (72-60) 6, Huntsville 2

WP: Northcraft (8-8) 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K.
Simmons 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.
Golson 2-4, 2 2B, 3 R, SB; La Stella 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI (.333); Schlehuber 1-4, 2B, R; Luna 1-3, 2 R,

ADVANCED CLASS A

Lynchburg (66-63) 4, Frederick 2

WP: Miller (9-7) 5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K.
Cornely (Save, 11) 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.
Kubitza 2-4, 2 RBI; Moses 2-3, 2 2B, R, RBI; Hyams 1-3, 2B, R; Landoni 1-4, 2B, RBI.

CLASS A

Kannapolis 9, Rome (69-63) 0

LP: Briceno (5-8) 5 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K.
Wren 1-3, SB (30); Franco 1-3; Tewell 1-2.

SHORT-SEASON

Johnson City 4, Danville (26-34) 1

LP: Gil (1-4) 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER,. 1 BB, 6 K.
Vail (debut) 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K..
Livesay 1-2, R, 2 BB; Caratini 1-3, 2B, RBI; Piloto 1-4.

Saturday Result
DSL Brewers 10, DSL Braves (27-42) 1

LP: Heredia (1-5) 4 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K.
Flores 1-4; Azuaje 1-2 (.299).
End of Season.

so where does falcon go next?

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Originally Posted by Bdawg2309

so where does falcon go next?

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At his age, I'd go instructional league over winter ball, but national pride can be strong. He's Mexican, so keep your eyes open.

Falcon could go to Danville next year. The Braves sent Camargo and Flores there this year in their first stateside season.

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Originally Posted by Bdawg2309

so where does falcon go next?

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Falconcrest.

I don't put much stock is DSL numbers, especially in some of the offensive categories. Estevez and Didder drew a ton of walks, but I believe that drawing walks in a league where the pitching is so inconsistent is no big deal. I still think that batting average is a useful measure when grading prospects in the lower minor leagues because it shows what a guy can do with a pitch in the strike zone. We didn't have a ton of that in the DSL this past season.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 50PoundHead

Falconcrest.

I don't put much stock is DSL numbers, especially in some of the offensive categories. Estevez and Didder drew a ton of walks, but I believe that drawing walks in a league where the pitching is so inconsistent is no big deal. I still think that batting average is a useful measure when grading prospects in the lower minor leagues because it shows what a guy can do with a pitch in the strike zone. We didn't have a ton of that in the DSL this past season.

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There wasn't a hitter this year that produced the batting average Camargo did last year. So I wouldn't expect any of the hitters to be jumped to Danville. This year's group of hitters in the DSL doesn't seem to be as good as last year's, which had Camargo and Victor Reyes. Hard to tell with the pitchers, but Falcon seems to be the best of the lot. Several of our better international pitching prospects in recent years have needed TJ surgery (Otero, Caicedo, Leon, Merejo). Hope Falcon isn't next.

I was just looking at every pitcher's numbers we have in AAA and AA and there are a ton of guys who have some really good numbers. I don't pay attention as much to ERA as I do to k's, BB,BAA, IP and HR but it is just unbelievable how many we have that have some really good numbers and were talking about guys that are 22-26 who could contribute very soon. Our scouts and minor league coaches are top notch. Just remarkable how we not only have so many homegrown pitchers on our staff but around baseball in general. It seems like almost every team has at least one former Braves pitching farm hand on their big league staff. Hell the Pirates starting staff is 40% Braves farm hands (Locke has finally shown that potential that scouts talked about).

Don't forget about Ober who is doing really well for the Astros. Braves just churn out pitching like nobody else. Can't wait to see the new installment in Rome progress through the system.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nsacpi

There wasn't a hitter this year that produced the batting average Camargo did last year. So I wouldn't expect any of the hitters to be jumped to Danville. This year's group of hitters in the DSL doesn't seem to be as good as last year's, which had Camargo and Victor Reyes. Hard to tell with the pitchers, but Falcon seems to be the best of the lot. Several of our better international pitching prospects in recent years have needed TJ surgery (Otero, Caicedo, Leon, Merejo). Hope Falcon isn't next.

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One has to wonder what is going on there. Could be just serendipity, but I hope the instruction isn't contributing to the issue.

As for the hitters, I wonder if any of them are prospects. Estevez was supposed to be the guy to watch, but he slugged all of .302. In fact, there wasn't a guy on the team with a SLG > .400. I realize these guys are young and still developing physically, but I was astounded to see that number.

On the pitching side of the equation, who would have thought Jordany Santana was the guy the Braves would have moved to the GCL when other guys are performing better statistically. The scouts must see something.

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Originally Posted by thethe

Don't forget about Ober who is doing really well for the Astros. Braves just churn out pitching like nobody else. Can't wait to see the new installment in Rome progress through the system.

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Nice to see Oberholtzer doing well. He probably has the most upside of all the guys we traded to the Astros in the Bourn deal. I'm not lamenting his loss; I make the Bourn trade 100 out of 100 times, but I think both Oberholtzer and Clemens will be decent major league pitchers when all is said and done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Teheran_49

I was just looking at every pitcher's numbers we have in AAA and AA and there are a ton of guys who have some really good numbers. I don't pay attention as much to ERA as I do to k's, BB,BAA, IP and HR but it is just unbelievable how many we have that have some really good numbers and were talking about guys that are 22-26 who could contribute very soon. Our scouts and minor league coaches are top notch. Just remarkable how we not only have so many homegrown pitchers on our staff but around baseball in general. It seems like almost every team has at least one former Braves pitching farm hand on their big league staff. Hell the Pirates starting staff is 40% Braves farm hands (Locke has finally shown that potential that scouts talked about).

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We have an interesting group of low draft picks and free agent pickups who have turned in good performances in AAA, AA and High A. Not all will pan out, but it is a big enough group to be confident some will be good major league performers.

The Braves seem to feel they have uncovered an area where they are good at identifying the talent or there is some sort of market inefficiency. I'm talking about college arms they have drafted after the tenth round. They have really stepped up the drafting of those types of players in the past three drafts and the results look really impressive, including this year's group.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thethe

Don't forget about Ober who is doing really well for the Astros. Braves just churn out pitching like nobody else. Can't wait to see the new installment in Rome progress through the system.

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and Hoover.

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Originally Posted by thethe

Don't forget about Ober who is doing really well for the Astros. Braves just churn out pitching like nobody else. Can't wait to see the new installment in Rome progress through the system.

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He has been really solid. I forgot about him since he's with the Astros but he is pitching well. Just turned 24 as well.

Absolutely. JJ is killing it out of the bullpen. Imagine how useful he could be to us right now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nsacpi

We have an interesting group of low draft picks and free agent pickups who have turned in good performances in AAA, AA and High A. Not all will pan out, but it is a big enough group to be confident some will be good major league performers.

The Braves seem to feel they have uncovered an area where they are good at identifying the talent or there is some sort of market inefficiency. I'm talking about college arms they have drafted after the tenth round. They have really stepped up the drafting of those types of players in the past three drafts and the results look really impressive, including this year's group.

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I think it's more "Willie Kempf Syndrome." A lot of these later college pitching draftees get sent to Danville and devour the competition, but have rapidly diminishing returns as they move up. They are older and far more experienced than the hitters they are facing, which creates a bit of a mismatch. I'm watching Waszak--having a good season in Danville--but I worry that he'll meet the same end as Kempf. We'll see. The rest of the Danville college pitching group has done well and it will be interesting to see how they do as they move up the ladder. Brosius has moved the quickest.

I agree that the Braves hit the independent leagues fairly hard, but it looks like the formula is "find big guys with big fastballs and try to teach them how to pitch." Pretty good formula.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 50PoundHead

I think it's more "Willie Kempf Syndrome." A lot of these later college pitching draftees get sent to Danville and devour the competition, but have rapidly diminishing returns as they move up. They are older and far more experienced than the hitters they are facing, which creates a bit of a mismatch. I'm watching Waszak--having a good season in Danville--but I worry that he'll meet the same end as Kempf. We'll see. The rest of the Danville college pitching group has done well and it will be interesting to see how they do as they move up the ladder. Brosius has moved the quickest.

I agree that the Braves hit the independent leagues fairly hard, but it looks like the formula is "find big guys with big fastballs and try to teach them how to pitch." Pretty good formula.

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Yeah, with a guy like Waszak we have to wait until next year when he will face more age-appropriate competition to see what we have. But a lot of these kind of draft picks struggle even against younger competition. So we did relatively well with this year's draft. None of the ten college arms we drafted and signed after the tenth round has already washed out, though one has already gone under the knife for TJ surgery.

From last year's draft, we have Simmons, Hyatt and Wilson as three college arms taken after the tenth round who have shown varying levels of promise.

From the 2011 draft, we have Harper, Cornely, Schlosser, Ross, Miller (and maybe Moore depending on his injury situation) who were all taken after the tenth round and are still having some success as they move up the ladder.

Anyone taken after the tenth round is a very long shot. But it looks like we have identified a niche where we can improve those odds a bit.

Among the free agent signings Thomas and Parsons are the most interesting. Thomas doesn't have a big fastball (tops out around 90). But he is a lefty who is effective against both right-handed and left-handed hitting. So he is more than a potential LOOGY and it was smart to see what he could do as a starter. Parsons is much younger and it is pretty baffling how he fell through the cracks. His main sport in high school was golf. He did play baseball for his high school. Maybe he had a strong college commitment that dissuaded teams from drafting him. My understanding is that after a year in college, he decided that baseball was the sport he really loved. I wonder if any other teams had him on their radar.