MINORS FINAL 5/14: Another Day game in Miss.

[rico43]

CLASS AAA

Gwinnett @ Buffalo, ppd.


CLASS AA

Mississippi 5, Montgomery 2

WP: Hursh (3-2) 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K.
Simmons (Save, 10) 1 IP, 1 H.
Schlehuber 2-4, 3 RBIs.
Kleinknecht 2-4, 2B, R, RBI.
Carroll (PH) 1-1, SB.

ADVANCED CLASS A

Lynchburg 5, Carolina 3

WP: Ross (3-1) 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K.
Hyatt (Save, 2) 1 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 K.
Wren 3-5, 2B, 2 R.
Nick 3-5, 2B, R, 2 RBIs.
Skinner 2-4, 2B, R.
Sanchez 2-3, RBI.

CLASS A

Greensboro 8, Rome 3

LP: Salazar (1-5) 3.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER( 5R), 3 BB, 3 K.
Vail 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K.
V. Reyes 2-4, R. (.386)
Brown 1-3, HR (1st), 3 RBIs.
Schrader 2-4, R.

[The Chosen One]

Come on Hursh... get that control under control.

[50PoundHead]

Kubitza with a non-contact day. 2 Ws/2 Ks. He's been on fire lately and a lot of that is due to him making better contact. I don't know his ceiling and I am admittedly not as high on him as a lot of people are, but if he could play some 1B and a bit of OF along with his primary position of 3B, he may project as a decent bench option (and perhaps more).

I do have to laugh. My steel trap memory can recall being on the draft thread (on a message board that shall not be named) the day the Braves drafted Kubitza and some guy went ape crap when the Braves drafted Kubitza instead of University of Virginia 3B prospect Steve Proscia. Proscia came out of the gate smoking and put up a .887 OPS in the California League (High A) and it looked like the Cavalier fan may have been onto something. Three years (and one organization later), Proscia is still laboring in the California League. After devouring that league in the first half of 2012 and 2013, he was elevated to the Southern League for the second half of those seasons and really hit a wall. His performance this season--after moving from the Mariners' system to the Dodgers' system--is pedestrian with a .673 OPS.

I could go into my many theories of player development, but needless to say the lesson here may be slow and steady wins the race, provided Kubitza continues his ascent through the Braves' system.

[nsacpi]

In his last 10 games Victor Reyes has put up a slash line of .525/.571/.553. He has gotten a hit in all ten games, with eight multiple hit games.

[clvclv]

In his last 10 games Victor Reyes has put up a slash line of .525/.571/.553. He has gotten a hit in all ten games, with eight multiple hit games.

Personally think it's time to challenge both Reyes and Wren by bumping them up a level. Wren's numbers may not be nearly as eye-popping, but when you factor his age into the equation, it wouldn't hurt to see how he handles the bat at the next level. He's not likely to ever amount to anything more than a 4th OF, but I wouldn't mind seeing him show that he could become that kind of option within another year or two. Cunningham obviously replaces Schafer on the big club next season (if not before), so getting Wren's feet wet at the next level this year couldn't hurt.

If Reyes shows he can handle the challenge, he gives you the potential opportunity to fast track him if the organization eventually decides to try to move B. J. before his contract is up.

[thethe]

[thethe]

Nasty slider from Wes there. Kid has some legit stuff.

[Jay212033]

Nasty slider from Wes there. Kid has some legit stuff.

And he has shown an uptick in velocity ad well hitting 95 a few times this season.

[50PoundHead]

Personally think it's time to challenge both Reyes and Wren by bumping them up a level. Wren's numbers may not be nearly as eye-popping, but when you factor his age into the equation, it wouldn't hurt to see how he handles the bat at the next level. He's not likely to ever amount to anything more than a 4th OF, but I wouldn't mind seeing him show that he could become that kind of option within another year or two. Cunningham obviously replaces Schafer on the big club next season (if not before), so getting Wren's feet wet at the next level this year couldn't hurt.

If Reyes shows he can handle the challenge, he gives you the potential opportunity to fast track him if the organization eventually decides to try to move B. J. before his contract is up.

I absolutely disagree, especially at this stage of the season. If it were the last two weeks of August, maybe. Reyes is still maturing physically and I think it would be unwise for him to make adjustments to a higher level of competition while he's still filling out physically. The kid has time. Let him follow his development arc. Our OF is set for the next two years.

What has Wren done to merit a promotion? The 2 extra base hits?

[clvclv]

I absolutely disagree, especially at this stage of the season. If it were the last two weeks of August, maybe. Reyes is still maturing physically and I think it would be unwise for him to make adjustments to a higher level of competition while he's still filling out physically. The kid has time. Let him follow his development arc. Our OF is set for the next two years.

What has Wren done to merit a promotion? The 2 extra base hits?

The reason I think you've got to be somewhat aggressive with Wren is his age. Considering the competition he faced in the ACC while at GT, he's arguably been at this level for a while. If he's going to develop into a potential 4th OF at the MLB level (his likely ceiling), it's time he faced better pitching than he's seen for the last 3 years. If he can't handle that jump at this point, he's probably going to wind up another Constanza AAAA type. Absolutely nothing wrong with that given where he was picked, but if he can't be as successful at the AA level as he is in Lynchburg right now you've probably seen his best.

[50PoundHead]

The reason I think you've got to be somewhat aggressive with Wren is his age. Considering the competition he faced in the ACC while at GT, he's arguably been at this level for a while. If he's going to develop into a potential 4th OF at the MLB level (his likely ceiling), it's time he faced better pitching than he's seen for the last 3 years. If he can't handle that jump at this point, he's probably going to wind up another Constanza AAAA type. Absolutely nothing wrong with that given where he was picked, but if he can't be as successful at the AA level as he is in Lynchburg right now you've probably seen his best.

I didn't particularly like the Wren choice when he was drafted because I see him as pretty much everything you said. Has some nice baserunning skills and his on-base skills look good for his current level, which, as you say, is close to being equivalent to what he faced at Georgia Tech. My guess is they will think about moving him up in the second half of the season, especially if they draft someone equivalent to him for Lynchburg. I don't think there's anyone who plays CF in Rome who qualifies as being ready for Lynchburg at this point. Maybe Blake Brown.

[Julio3000]

I really enjoy these minor-league threads. I appreciate Rico's efforts for organizing them, and his and everybody else's—50, nsacpi, clv—analysis. I don't have time or space to keep up with the farm, or much of an opportunity to see these guys, so I really like being able to feel like I'm plugged in to what's going on down on the farm. Frankly, it's better than the much-ballyhooed premium content in, er, other places. So thanks, folks.