Fangraphs Evaluating the 2016 Prospects: Atlanta Braves

[smootness]

So he basically ranked prospects based on their minor league stats and not talent? Well, that's super helpful, since I can't just find each player's stats myself.

Good grief, what a joke. Guess I won't be using Fangraphs for anything but pure stats now.

[Deester11]

So he basically ranked prospects based on their minor league stats and not talent? Well, that's super helpful, since I can't just find each player's stats myself.

Good grief, what a joke. Guess I won't be using Fangraphs for anything but pure stats now.

And to think, Coppy absolutely fleeced the Mets when he obtained Gant. Coppy knows more than we give him credit for?

[UNCBlue012]

And to think, Coppy absolutely fleeced the Mets when he obtained Gant. Coppy knows more than we give him credit for?

Gant becomes our number one starter of the Kershaw mold over the next few years and we all bow down. hahah

[striker42]

If you were offered Gant for Allard or Fried would you take it? I didn't think so. The idea that Gant should be higher on the list is ridiculous.

[Oklahomabrave]

I don't agree with Gants placement but that's not my biggest issue.Maybe hes way higher on a guy that's stuff has recently improved and is just aggressively ranking him. Whatever. But to put Webber as a top five prospect, or really a prospect at all, is laughable.

[rico43]

I am reluctant to throw stones at anyone else's list, since I know how that feels, but to me the most useful part of this article is the revelation of minor league free agent catcher Willians Astudillo. Not having seen his signing, and certainly not knowing his hitting record, makes him intriguing as hell to watch.

FYI:

No qualified batter in affiliated baseball recorded a lower strikeout rate (2.4%) than 24-year-old Willians Astudillo in 2015. In 2014, no qualified batter in affiliated baseball recorded a lower strikeout rate (4.3%) than Willians Astudillo. Willians Astudillo conceded the entire 2013 season to injury and didn’t qualify in 2012 (although, if he had, he’d have recorded the lowest strikeout rate in affiliated baseball). Do you remember 2011? Not everyone does. If you do, however, you might also remember how Willians Astudillo recorded the lowest strikeout rate (0.9%) in affiliated baseball. And it would have reminded you, that distinction, of the previous year, by the conclusion of which Willians Astudillo had recorded the lowest strikeout rate (1.8%) in affiliated baseball.

[UNCBlue012]

I am reluctant to throw stones at anyone else's list, since I know how that feels, but to me the most useful part of this article is the revelation of minor league free agent catcher Willians Astudillo. Not having seen his signing, and certainly not knowing his hitting record, makes him intriguing as hell to watch.

FYI:

No qualified batter in affiliated baseball recorded a lower strikeout rate (2.4%) than 24-year-old Willians Astudillo in 2015. In 2014, no qualified batter in affiliated baseball recorded a lower strikeout rate (4.3%) than Willians Astudillo. Willians Astudillo conceded the entire 2013 season to injury and didn’t qualify in 2012 (although, if he had, he’d have recorded the lowest strikeout rate in affiliated baseball). Do you remember 2011? Not everyone does. If you do, however, you might also remember how Willians Astudillo recorded the lowest strikeout rate (0.9%) in affiliated baseball. And it would have reminded you, that distinction, of the previous year, by the conclusion of which Willians Astudillo had recorded the lowest strikeout rate (1.8%) in affiliated baseball.

That's cool! The anti-Bethancourt. lol

[smootness]

Astudillo is intriguing, but apparently he basically has no position he can play effectively, including C.

[ramadon101]

Astudillo is intriguing, but apparently he basically has no position he can play effectively, including C.

Potential bench piece/pinch hitter. He's basically the best in baseball at putting the bat on the ball and putting it into play (measured over a long period of time-- no sample size issues in that statement). That doesn't mean he's very good once he puts it into play (no power), but it's definitely a distinguishing characteristic on his offensive profile.

[rico43]

Potential bench piece/pinch hitter. He's basically the best in baseball at putting the bat on the ball and putting it into play (measured over a long period of time-- no sample size issues in that statement). That doesn't mean he's very good once he puts it into play (no power), but it's definitely a distinguishing characteristic on his offensive profile.

He's had plenty of work outside of just catching:

The numbers (good point, too):
5-9, 182, 24 years old

2015: 16-40 CS (40 %), 3 errors, 4 PB; caught 33 games, 1B 39 games, 2 3B, 1 OF
2014: 5-36 CS (14 %), 4 errors, 8 PB; caught 33 games, 1B 51 games, OF 4 games
2012: 18-38 CS (47 %)

The (really) good:
All in Phillies farm system
2015: 385 AB, 121 hits (.314), 10 K (FSL) Note: 18 2B, 3 HR, 49 RBI
2014: 436 AB, 145 hits (.333), 20 K (SAL) Note: 30 2B, 4 HR, 61 RBI
2013: DNP
2012: 148 AB, 47 hits (.318), 5 K (GCL)
2011: 194 AB, 70 hits (.361), 2 K! (VSL) That's Venezuelan Summer League
2010: 186 AB, 58 hits (.312), 4 K (VSL)

Career: 1,537 AB, career .318 average, 9 HR, 51 K

Career: caught 122 games, 1B 107 games, 3B 83 games

[Tapate50]

He's had plenty of work outside of just catching:

The numbers (good point, too):
5-9, 182, 24 years old

2015: 16-40 CS (40 %), 3 errors, 4 PB; caught 33 games, 1B 39 games, 2 3B, 1 OF
2014: 5-36 CS (14 %), 4 errors, 8 PB; caught 33 games, 1B 51 games, OF 4 games
2012: 18-38 CS (47 %)

The (really) good:
All in Phillies farm system
2015: 385 AB, 121 hits (.314), 10 K (FSL) Note: 18 2B, 3 HR, 49 RBI
2014: 436 AB, 145 hits (.333), 20 K (SAL) Note: 30 2B, 4 HR, 61 RBI
2013: DNP
2012: 148 AB, 47 hits (.318), 5 K (GCL)
2011: 194 AB, 70 hits (.361), 2 K! (VSL) That's Venezuelan Summer League
2010: 186 AB, 58 hits (.312), 4 K (VSL)

Career: 1,537 AB, career .318 average, 9 HR, 51 K

Career: caught 122 games, 1B 107 games, 3B 83 games

6k in two years. GOOD GRACIOUS

[KB21]

His rankings are odd to say the least, but the scouting information within the body of the write ups is very good.

[clvclv]

Potential bench piece/pinch hitter. He's basically the best in baseball at putting the bat on the ball and putting it into play (measured over a long period of time-- no sample size issues in that statement). That doesn't mean he's very good once he puts it into play (no power), but it's definitely a distinguishing characteristic on his offensive profile.

Potentially great piece actually. As a pure pinch-hitter that could be a 3rd Catcher, he'd be pretty nice to have. As rico points out, he's a better defensive Gattis without the power or strikeouts that isn't nearly as likely to hurt you with his glove if you double-switch and use him in the 8th or 9th inning in the event you wind up having to get through several innings.

[CJ9]

He edited his rankings after the backlash and added this, "I don’t think there’s much separating Weber from a guy like Dallas Keuchel."

I don't even have a response to that quote.

[cajunrevenge]

He edited his rankings after the backlash and added this, "I don’t think there’s much separating Weber from a guy like Dallas Keuchel."

I don't even have a response to that quote.

Yeah you totally would have believed Dallas was going to be a cy young winner when he was a prospect. I don't think he cracked anyone's top 100 list as a prospect.

[rico43]

He edited his rankings after the backlash and added this, "I don’t think there’s much separating Weber from a guy like Dallas Keuchel."

I don't even have a response to that quote.

I agree. If Weber grows a ridiculous House of David beard, you won't be able to tell them apart.

[striker42]

He edited his rankings after the backlash and added this, "I don’t think there’s much separating Weber from a guy like Dallas Keuchel."

I don't even have a response to that quote.

My response is that I sincerely hope he's right