What Is The Consensus On The Following Prospects?

[SJ24]

If you guys could add anything, I would be ecstatic.

What type of players do they project to be on the big league level?

Also, which teams are these guys most likely to be on this season? I'll have a chance to see the Danville Braves a few times this year.

Juan Yepez- hit .291 with 3 HRs in his time in Danville last year. He was just assigned to Rome yesterday.

Isranel Wilson- hit just .222 in 48 games but had 10 HRs in the GCL last year.

Randy Ventura- hit .329 in the DSL last year.

Cristian Pache- signed last summer

Derian Cruz- signed last summer


I know the big league club is awful right now, but the future looks awfully bright when you add up these guys + the next two drafts + the 2017 IFA class + guys like Albies, Swanson, Acuna, and all the pitching.

[rico43]

Ventura sounds like he was created by a bad fiction writer. Only 5-9, a switch-hitter, he stole 55 bases in 58 games last year, including five in just his third professional game. No power at all, but he apparently is a wild man in the outfield with 11 errors and 14 assists (again just 57 games).

$2 million to sign Cruz and $1.4 million to sign Pache should tell you plenty.

[Russ2dollas]

They are too far away to consider for most

[50PoundHead]

Here's an interview with Isranel Wilson: http://www.talkingchop.com/2016/2/24...isranel-wilson

It's not very informative, but it does provide some insight.

Here is Gondee's take on Wilson: Isranel Wilson, OF: One of the Braves top international signings last year from the Hart regime, Wilson has good size and athleticism and profiles as a five-tool center fielder who hits to all fields. He’s originally from St. Thomas, but trained in the D.R.

My two cents: Contact issues plagued Wilson last year, but when he hit the ball, it stayed hit. Started slow, but put up a .966 OPS in August. Skipped the DSL in his first year as a pro, so there's obviously something there that they like. He improves his contact rate and he may be one of the power hitters the system sorely needs.

[Knucksie]

Are any of these guys even prospects or just minor league players?

[striker42]

Isranel Wilson walked a good bit last year which led to a good OBP in spite of the low BA. Tons of power but also tons of Ks. If he can make better contact while maintaining that power, he'll be something special. I also think he should be able to add more muscle to that frame as he gets older.

[SJ24]

They are too far away to consider for most

Unfortunately, the relatively distant future is the only thing we have to look forward to. This team isn't winning in 2017 and I'd be surprised if we competed for a playoff spot in '18.

The 2020s should be good to us.

[zbhargrove]

Are any of these guys even prospects or just minor league players?

They are young but they are very much prospects... a few with a chance to end up being very high ceiling prospects.

[Preacher]

A couple of those guys have very high ceilings. We've known about Maitan and our upcoming intl. signing spree for years, so I think last year's international FA signing period kind of flew under the radar for Braves fans.

But make no mistake, Atlanta went big on Cruz/Pache and they signed Juan Morales for around $450k as well.

Cruz is one of the biggest international FA signings the Braves have ever made at 2 million and was considered probably the fastest prospect available last year with solid hit skills. I've seen him ranked as high as #5 for international prospects last year.......... so we are talking a potential MAJOR upside player added to the system and definitely somebody to get excited about even if there's obvious risk and he's a long ways away.

[nsacpi]

I believe that the bonus we gave Cruz is more than twice anything we've given to any other international signing.

[Preacher]

I believe that the bonus we gave Cruz is more than twice anything we've given to any other international signing.

Its close, Salcedo signed for $1.6 million, but regardless Cruz is one of the highest upside players we've ever bought in the international market. Can't wait to see him and Pache get started.

Its also possible a few of the lower level guys we signed last year develop into something.

[nsacpi]

Its close, Salcedo signed for $1.6 million, but regardless Cruz is one of the highest upside players we've ever bought in the international market. Can't wait to see him and Pache get started.

Its also possible a few of the lower level guys we signed last year develop into something.

Forgot about Salcedo. Yepez got 1M two years ago. Cruz 2M last year. Albies 350K three years ago. Best recent international signing has probably been Acuna for 100K.

[zbhargrove]

I would just like to completely forget Salcedo... I've never been more excited about an international signing that did absolutely NOTHING... but man I'm so excited to see what Cruz and Pache do in their first year.