Minor league thread

In an earlier era when teams carried 10 pitchers and had really long benches, Waters would have had some value as a 5th/6th OF who could provide late-inning defense and base running. Those guys didn't have to provide anything in terms of consistency with the bat, but that type of player is pretty much extinct.

Players moving to new teams or up levels often have a performance spike. I've always thought that was partially due to a shot of mental adrenaline. This could be a wake-up call for Waters, but he just can't strike out this much unless his power profile improves. There's always going to be a debate as to whether strike outs are worse than other outs, but for a guy like Waters who has good speed and little power (at least at this juncture), I see them as a stumbling block.

Question for the Braves is whether Waters is a better player than Heredia. With Duvall going down, Waters might have contributed as his RHH splits are better than his LHH splits. But I've always thought the Braves had this schizophrenic approach with Waters is that they promoted him aggressively and then appeared to sour on him. The minor league staff watches these guys daily, so I'm in no position to question their decisions, but it seems that his lukewarm performance in High A in 2018 would have had him starting the 2019 season at the same stop. Braves promoted him to Mississippi (and all the way to Gwinnett later in 2019) and he played well there, but that's when strikeout rate started to increase. Can't prove the negative, but I see the Braves handling someone like Vaughn Grissom much differently and I wonder if Waters should have been handled similarly.
 
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50PoundHead said:
In an earlier era when teams carried 10 pitchers and had really long benches, Waters would have had some value as a 5th/6th OF who could provide late-inning defense and base running. Those guys didn't have to provide anything in terms of consistency with the bat, but that type of player is pretty much extinct.

Players moving to new teams or up levels often have a performance spike. I've always thought that was partially due to a shot of mental adrenaline. This could be a wake-up call for Waters, but he just can't strike out this much unless his power profile improves. There's always going to be a debate as to whether strike outs are worse than other outs, but for a guy like Waters who has good speed and little power (at least at this juncture), I see them as a stumbling block.

Question for the Braves is whether Waters is a better player than Heredia. With Duvall going down, Waters might have contributed as his RHH splits are better than his LHH splits. But I've always thought the Braves had this schizophrenic approach with Waters is that they promoted him aggressively and then appeared to sour on him. The minor league staff watches these guys daily, so I'm in no position to question their decisions, but it seems that his lukewarm performance in High A in 2018 would have had him starting the 2019 season at the same stop. Braves promoted him to Mississippi (and all the way to Gwinnett later in 2019) and he played well there, but that's when strikeout rate started to increase. Can't prove the negative, but I see the Braves handling someone like Vaughn Grissom much differently and I wonder if Waters should have been handled similarly.
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Wasn't there whispers that Waters had an attitude issue? The Braves have seemingly been able to hone in on their guys who are teachable/coachable and keep and develop those guys.
 
NYCBrave said:
Wasn't there whispers that Waters had an attitude issue? The Braves have seemingly been able to hone in on their guys who are teachable/coachable and keep and develop those guys.
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I read that somewhere but I don't think it's ever been confirmed (of course, teams don't usually broadcast those types of issues unless it becomes something egregious either on- or off-field). I do remember the staff really started talking more about Harris and less about Waters during the COVID season when both were participating in the "extras" camp. They were lauding Harris' approach and I took that (and I could be wrong) to be a comparison with what Waters may or may not have been doing.
 
Some interesting stuff with the FCL team today.

Most notably - Ambioris Tavarez is making his pro debut. He's been on the restricted list this whole year and no one seemed to know why. He did make a few PAs late in spring training games this year but that was it. He was our big January international signing in 2021. He's 1-3 with a double around halfway through the game.

Also, draft pick debuts. Finally. Fifth rounder Ignacio Alvarez is hitting second and playing third today. Also debuting: OF Andrew Keck (10th rounder), 1B Justin Janas (12th round), 2B Cory Acton (9th round), SS EJ Exposito (16th rounder), OF Kevin Kilpatrick (17th rounder).

They're being two-hit through five innings, so the draft is a total failure.
 
NYCBrave said:
Wasn't there whispers that Waters had an attitude issue? The Braves have seemingly been able to hone in on their guys who are teachable/coachable and keep and develop those guys.
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I've never been a huge Waters fan and will try not to pile on because he had a few good qualities. However, he always seemed to be Jordan Schafer 2.0 before the suspension brought him back to earth. Perhaps the trade benefits Waters. For those who wish on him....I hope so really.
 
CJ9 said:
Some interesting stuff with the FCL team today.

Most notably - Ambioris Tavarez is making his pro debut. He's been on the restricted list this whole year and no one seemed to know why. He did make a few PAs late in spring training games this year but that was it. He was our big January international signing in 2021. He's 1-3 with a double around halfway through the game.

Also, draft pick debuts. Finally. Fifth rounder Ignacio Alvarez is hitting second and playing third today. Also debuting: OF Andrew Keck (10th rounder), 1B Justin Janas (12th round), 2B Cory Acton (9th round), SS EJ Exposito (16th rounder), OF Kevin Kilpatrick (17th rounder).

They're being two-hit through five innings, so the draft is a total failure.
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Yeah the draft is really blowing up in their faces. Lol

Good to finally see some Tavarez action. You wonder if he was having passport/visa problems.
 
CJ9 said:
Some interesting stuff with the FCL team today.

Most notably - Ambioris Tavarez is making his pro debut. He's been on the restricted list this whole year and no one seemed to know why. He did make a few PAs late in spring training games this year but that was it. He was our big January international signing in 2021. He's 1-3 with a double around halfway through the game.

Also, draft pick debuts. Finally. Fifth rounder Ignacio Alvarez is hitting second and playing third today. Also debuting: OF Andrew Keck (10th rounder), 1B Justin Janas (12th round), 2B Cory Acton (9th round), SS EJ Exposito (16th rounder), OF Kevin Kilpatrick (17th rounder).

They're being two-hit through five innings, so the draft is a total failure.
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Williams and Jackson got in the game later. Free agent signee and East Carolina fifth-year senior Bryon Worrell also debuted.

FCL team has been pretty much bereft of notable prospects, so I'm guessing we'll see a lot of the 2022 draftees seeing considerable action. I don't know what it means in terms of player development, but not having a second short-season league means some guys aren't going to get a lot of ABs.
 
50PoundHead said:
Williams and Jackson got in the game later. Free agent signee and East Carolina fifth-year senior Bryon Worrell also debuted.

FCL team has been pretty much bereft of notable prospects, so I'm guessing we'll see a lot of the 2022 draftees seeing considerable action. I don't know what it means in terms of player development, but not having a second short-season league means some guys aren't going to get a lot of ABs.
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I wish the Braves had either 2 FCL teams or still was in Daville or had some Appy League team.
 
Ambioris Tavarez playing SS today, he's currently 2-2. Ignacio Benitez playing 3B again and is also 2-2. Our third round pick C Drake Baldwin also started 2-2 with a single and a double.
 
Jay212033 said:
I wish the Braves had either 2 FCL teams or still was in Daville or had some Appy League team.
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Appy League was closed by milb and is now a college wood bat summer league.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Braves go the route of a lot of other franchises and add a second FCL team. A number of franchises have two teams in both the Dominican Summer League and their complex league.
 
CJ9 said:
Ambioris Tavarez playing SS today, he's currently 2-2. Ignacio Benitez playing 3B again and is also 2-2. Our third round pick C Drake Baldwin also started 2-2 with a single and a double.
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Hellz yes... bring on the new wave
 
Nerfherders said:
When is the International signing window?
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This cycle ends on December 15, 2022. Next cycle begins on January 15, 2023. Signing periods used to start in July, but I think it makes more sense to move it to January so that signed players can more easily participate in the season in the same year they signed.
 
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Interesting - Should we now project Grissom to be the American Acuna?
 
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