Minors thread 807: Braves System Light On Tools, Say BBA Polls

[rico43]

The thinning of the Braves farm system, not surprisingly, is reflected in Baseball America's annual tools survey.

While Class AAA Gwinnett generated nary a mention, the Class AA Misssissippi club had one honoree, career minor leaguer Christian Marrero as the league's best defensive first baseman. Dealt to Arizona, Nick Ahmed earned the votes as the best defensive shortstop.

Lynchburg's Advanced Class A club lilkewise had one superlative, as Kyle Kubitza was named best defensive third baseman. Steady and maturing, he has had the heaviest workload of any position player in the system since signing on and it shows.

In Rome, red-hot pitching prospect Lucas Sims, last year's No. 1, was tabbed the league's best breaking ball.

As for the major league tools survey, Craig Kimbrel was voted (shockingly) as having the third-best fastball behind Aroldis Chapman (for sure) and Matt Harvey (NY hype). But Kimbrel was also voted as having the best slider -- all a closer needs, which is why he was also voted Best Reliver.

Recent days have highlighted this, but it's nice to have it confirmed, but NL managers believe Julio Teheran has the best pickoff move (rare for a right-hander).

As in the positional battle that I want to see head-to-head more often, Andrelton Simmons was rated the third-best defensive SS in the NL behind Troy Tulowitzki and Ian Desmond, while Desmond also rates as having the better arm!
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Tommy La Stella's second-best 23-game hitting streak came to an end on Tuesday, but began anew Wednesday with a pair of hits.
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WEDNESDAY'S SCORES

CLASS AAA

Gwinnett (50-69) 1, Norfolk 0

WP: Buchter (1-0) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K.
SP: Poveda 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 K.
Obispo (Save, 5) 1IP, 0 H, 0 R, .0 BB. 3 K.
Mejia 1-4, 2B, RBI; Carrithers 2-4, R, SB; Schafer (CF) 1-5, 2B; Gartrell 1-1, 3 BB.

CLASS AA

Mississippi (62-52) 6, Jackson 5 (10) Walk-off RBI 1B for Hefflinger!

SP: Northcraft 7 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K.
WP: Keeling (1-3) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.
Hefflinger 2-4, HR (6th), 2 RBI; Jones 2-3, 2 R. HR (3rd), 3 RBI; Brewer 2-4, 2 R; La Stella 2-4, RBI (.340).

ADVANCED CLASS A

Lynchburg (53-57) 5, Winston-Salem 3

WP: Hinson (2-2) 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 K.
Hyatt (Save, 10) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.
Rohm 3-4, 2B, 2 R; Elander 2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI; E. Reyes 1-4, HR (4th), 3 RBI; Castro (debut) 0-4.

CLASS A

Augusta 7, Rome (56-59) 6

LP: Hursh (1-1) 4 IP, 7 H, 2 ER(6R), 2 BB, 1 K, HBP, WP. (0.82).
Scoggin 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K.
Peraza 2-4, R; Heffley 3-4, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI; Carroll 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Sanchez 1-4, RBI; Marte 2-4, 3B, R, SB.

SHORT-SEASON

GCL Braves (18-22) 4, GCL Pirates 3

SP: Caicedo 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. (1.86).
WP: Vail (BS, 1-2) 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
Reed Harper 1-5, RBI; Oliver 1-4, 2B; McKenzie 2-5, RBI; Sanchez 1-4; Morel 0-4, R, SB.

Danville (21-23) 9, Burlinglton 2

WP: Ubiera (3-1) 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K.
Camargo 3-6, 2B, 3 RBI; Piloto 2-4, 2B, R, RBI; Laumann 2-5; Odom 2-5, R, RBI; Caratini 1-3, 2B, 3 R, RBI (.307); V. Reyes 3-6, 2B, 2 R (.364).

DSL Cubs 6, DSL Braves 2

LP: J. Martinez (1-3) 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K.
Chin 1-4, 2B, RBI; Mendez 1-4, 2B; Castro 1-3, R, RBI.

[thethe]

I had no clue Kubitza was that kind of defensive player. Even at his age (23) that still makes him a prospect because he has shown he can hit but if he can combine that with above average dfefense he has a chance.

[50PoundHead]

I've read mixed reviews on Kubitza's defense. Strong arm and good technique/instincts, but he makes a ton of errors. A lot of folks like him because of his walk rate, but he K's a lot with marginal power. I think his power numbers are the thing that have to improve for him to make it.

[nsacpi]

Wasn't Leonard voted the best defensive third baseman in the minors last year? I guess his defense has declined this year.

[ChadWC]

I see Hursh finally gave up runs. He, Salazar, Caratini, and Wren aren't big factors in our farm system grade right now but I suspect they will be this winter when the farms are graded again.

[chipchildress]

Medlen, Teheran, Minor, Beachy, and Wood. All home grown studs. unreal.

[The Chosen One]

Medlen, Teheran, Minor, Beachy, and Wood. All home grown studs. unreal.

Venters, Kimbrel, Avilan...

[thethe]

At this point its silly to not give the Braves system the benefit of the doubt.

Would anyone really be surprised if one of Martin/Northcraft/Hale/Gilmartin/Schlosser become more than a back end starter? I personally think two of those will end up middle of the rotation starters with another as a back end.

Braves have pitching for days. Guys like Sims/Cabrera/Hursh are going to have plenty of time to develop.

[50PoundHead]

BBA's tools survey has always kind of tickled me. I used to get perturbed, but now I just sit back and wonder how the guys mentioned got their rankings. I'll use Nick Ahmed as a case in point. When the Braves drafted him, the word was that he probably couldn't stick at SS. Three years later, he's ranked the best fielding SS in the Southern League by whoever is doing the ranking. Nice to see some of our guys get noticed, but I don't put a lot of stock in the enterprise.

I agree that it does show that, at least on the position player side of the equation, we lack some pizzazz in the physicality department. Doesn't mean the world is coming to an end, but it does put stress on us to lock up guys like Freeman, Heyward, and J. Upton for the long-term because there aren't easily-identified replacements coming up through the farm system.

PS--Just looked at the rankings again and as an example of their utter ridiculousness, I get that Carlos Gonzalez is a great hitter, but I don't know in what universe he has more power than Giancarlo Stanton. I suppose one can argue that in order to hit for power, you have to hit the ball and Gonzalez is much better at that than Stanton. But I've seen Stanton hit check-swing dingers.

[Braves1976]

It's good to see Poveda and Obispo still doing well in AAA. They both deserve a call-up by Sept. Poveda can take a spot in the rotation temporarily to rest someone in Sept. once we wrap things up.

[JohnAdcox]

I take it BBA doesn't know about the between-innings tool race?

[rico43]

Wasn't Leonard voted the best defensive third baseman in the minors last year? I guess his defense has declined this year.

Not sure where I saw it, but I think Leonard has all of two errors this year.

[Braves1976]

Not sure where I saw it, but I think Leonard has all of two errors this year.

According to MILB.com and Baseball Reference he only has one error this year. Regardless, your point still stands that defense isn't his problem. It's his bat that's held him back thus far. He's hit like a really light hitting shortstop rather than a third baseman. He doesn't even have a single homerun this year.