2024 Minor League Thread

Baumann is pitching today at Augusta… Murphy at Rome. Baumann could be another one to get excited about. Wasn’t he an overslot HS sign in the 4th round? Seem to remember he had a bit of helium and he’s been great so far.
 
The Chosen One said:
Worst case, AJSS can be a power arm in the bullpen. I'm sure we'd all love for him to be a starter. But at least the talent is there to either use as tradebait or use as a power reliever.
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Keith Law's assessment has been that the Braves do have a collection of very good arms in the system, but there is considerable what he calls "reliever risk" with most of them. I don't see that as necessarily a bad thing given how pitching use patterns have changed in this era.

I never understood the reasons behind rushing Smith-Shawver in 2023. He's getting the instruction/innings necessary to round out his development this year in Gwinnett. I don't know how much stats matter for him this year as it's been reported his working on a couple of new pitches. The thing I've noticed reading his box scores is that his strike-to-ball ratio is dicier than in the past, which follows if he is indeed working on adding to his repertoire. In retrospect, this stage of his development probably should have taken place in AA last year.
 
50PoundHead said:
Keith Law's assessment has been that the Braves do have a collection of very good arms in the system, but there is considerable what he calls "reliever risk" with most of them. I don't see that as necessarily a bad thing given how pitching use patterns have changed in this era.

I never understood the reasons behind rushing Smith-Shawver in 2023. He's getting the instruction/innings necessary to round out his development this year in Gwinnett. I don't know how much stats matter for him this year as it's been reported his working on a couple of new pitches. The thing I've noticed reading his box scores is that his strike-to-ball ratio is dicier than in the past, which follows if he is indeed working on adding to his repertoire. In retrospect, this stage of his development probably should have taken place in AA last year.
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That honestly seems like a throw away line. How many minor league arms aren't labeled as 'reliever risks?" Any prospect ranked outside the top 50 is almost always considered to have "reliever risk."
 
Carp said:
That honestly seems like a throw away line. How many minor league arms aren't labeled as 'reliever risks?" Any prospect ranked outside the top 50 is almost always considered to have "reliever risk."
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This is a good point... becoming a successful MLB starter is a fairly low probability outcome for most pitching prospects.
 
How many minor leaguers are not working on something. Why do people excuse failure as ‘working’ on something yet applaud success as if the pitcher/hitter that they faced were also not working on something. I am not saying SS won’t figure things out. But to just dismiss his failure is blind homerism. He isn’t getting guys out like he should and that is a concern. End of story.
 
Looking at the big club and some aging relievers. I would probably give AJSS the rest of year and then convert him to pen with a shot at the big club. He is young enough that he can be converted back to starter if he figures some things out in the pen. Especially if there are other starters in the depth of the system that are doing better.
 
bravesfanMatt said:
How many minor leaguers are not working on something. Why do people excuse failure as ‘working’ on something yet applaud success as if the pitcher/hitter that they faced were also not working on something. I am not saying SS won’t figure things out. But to just dismiss his failure is blind homerism. He isn’t getting guys out like he should and that is a concern. End of story.
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AJSS isnt throwing his slider. Which is his out pitch to RH hitters. He threw 1 in his last start. He gave up 3 HR to RH batters which his slider, his best pitch, works best against. I think the gauge for AJSS right now is what he does in the majors. He has already proven he can get the job done in the minors. When he gets his next shot in Atlanta and fails then I will start to get a little worried about him. I am a fan of working pitchers into the majors as relievers though. Its a lost art.
 
cajunrevenge said:
AJSS isnt throwing his slider. Which is his out pitch to RH hitters. He threw 1 in his last start. He gave up 3 HR to RH batters which his slider, his best pitch, works best against. I think the gauge for AJSS right now is what he does in the majors. He has already proven he can get the job done in the minors. When he gets his next shot in Atlanta and fails then I will start to get a little worried about him. I am a fan of working pitchers into the majors as relievers though. Its a lost art.
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Good call looking into the slider usage... I certainly didn't look that close. The one thing I will push back on though is your statement "he has already proven he can get the job done in the minors."

No he hasn't... he had 14 innings of success in A+ ball and 7 innings in AA ball. The rest of the time he's been awful in the minors. He's been averaging like 5 walks per 9 in AAA since last year.
 
zbhargrove said:
Baumann is pitching today at Augusta… Murphy at Rome. Baumann could be another one to get excited about. Wasn’t he an overslot HS sign in the 4th round? Seem to remember he had a bit of helium and he’s been great so far.
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Baumann: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

Wish the Ks were a little higher, but a great first pro season for him so far.
 
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