Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 5-23-17

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa lost 2-1 Box Score

 

CF J. Andreoli 0/4, K

3B J. Candelario 1/4, R, 2B (14), K

LF M. Zagunis 0/3, BB, K, outfield assist at home

C V. Caratini 0/4, 3 K

2B T. La Stella 0/3

SP S. Frankoff 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 10-2 GO-FO, 96-64 pitches-strikes

RP D. Rollins 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3-1 GO-FO

 

Tennessee had the day off

 

Myrtle Beach PPD - Rain

 

South Bend won 4-1 (10 innings) Box Score

 

SS Z. Short 0/2, 3 BB, K, E (13, fielding)

2B Y. Peguero 0/4, BB, K

DH A. Mineo 1/5, R, 2B (7), K

1B W. Galindo 2/4, R, 2B (8), BB, 2 K

C M. Cruz 1/5

SP D. Robinson 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 10-4 GO-FO, 89-60 pitches-strikes

RP T. Peyton 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 4-0 GO-FO

RP D. Mekkes 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-0 GO-FO

[davell]

https://twitter.com/billazbbphotog/status/867098663410999296

[toonsterwu]

I really don't have any expectations or high hopes on Duncan Robinson. He's the type of arm that, to me, has to prove it each step up the ladder, however fair or unfair that may be, as it was with Kyle Hendricks for me. That said ... a strike-throwing older college arm who, if the old reports still hold, is in the low 90's and has a solid curveball? Enough for me to feel that

 

a) Would like to see him stay in the rotation ahead of a couple of the guys in South Bend (he's getting regular work, but would still prefer a guy starting)

b) If he keeps performing, wouldn't mind seeing him pushed up during the summer

 

Again, don't have any high expectations (he's doing what he should do so far ... beating up on young kids because of his command and polish, but at his age (23) ... would like to see if the strike-throwing capability holds and if he can get outs at a higher level.

 

Maybe he's more Jeremy Null in the end, but I'd rather find out sooner than later.

[davell]

Eh, I don't think you have to push him at this point(or even soon necessarily) If he's still pitching well in MB next year, you can move him to Tennessee at the midway point and still be in good position with him. He's also a guy, based on his age, that you could conceivably just start him off in Tennessee next year. Just let the higher(even if its slightly) profile guys get their innings. If he pushes his way into being relevant, then let him move quick. But, at this exact point, there's no one in MB to bump out of innings. Same with Tennessee. That's obviously subject to change, but not as of now.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Frankoff's HR rate is a little high but otherwise he has been pretty darn good.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I really don't have any expectations or high hopes on Duncan Robinson. He's the type of arm that, to me, has to prove it each step up the ladder, however fair or unfair that may be, as it was with Kyle Hendricks for me. That said ... a strike-throwing older college arm who, if the old reports still hold, is in the low 90's and has a solid curveball? Enough for me to feel that

 

a) Would like to see him stay in the rotation ahead of a couple of the guys in South Bend (he's getting regular work, but would still prefer a guy starting)

b) If he keeps performing, wouldn't mind seeing him pushed up during the summer

 

Again, don't have any high expectations (he's doing what he should do so far ... beating up on young kids because of his command and polish, but at his age (23) ... would like to see if the strike-throwing capability holds and if he can get outs at a higher level.

 

Maybe he's more Jeremy Null in the end, but I'd rather find out sooner than later.

 

I saw Robinson pitch in Burlington. They don't have a gun there. But he definitely wasn't bringing much heat. I assumed it was high 80s-low 90s. But his curve did look good. He had hitters looking foolish against it the whole game.

[CubsWin]

Frankoff's HR rate is a little high but otherwise he has been pretty darn good.

Yeah, he's been pretty consistently good with just 1 bad start (his 2nd) out of 7. I wish I knew what his stuff was like and how well it would play up at the big league level. Obviously, it's not overpowering in any way. With Butler already up and Mills still dealing with an ankle, Frankoff looks like he's first in line for the Iowa shuttle right now should the need arise.

 

42.2 IP, 29 H, 7 HR, 13 BB, 46 K, 3.16 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, .186 BAA, 1.68 G0/AO. 6'5", 210 lbs. 28 years old.

[CubsWin]

I really don't have any expectations or high hopes on Duncan Robinson. He's the type of arm that, to me, has to prove it each step up the ladder, however fair or unfair that may be, as it was with Kyle Hendricks for me.

Totally agree, toonster.

 

Obviously, we all know it's harder to get guys out as you face better, more experienced hitters at each level as a player moves up. But as I've watched games on MiLB.com this year, this has come into an even clearer focus. There are just so many either young inexperienced hitters or guys who aren't very talented in Low-A that being a 23-year-old college arm is a big advantage. The physical maturity and experience alone will have you get guys out even if the stuff is middling.

 

Ergo, the "prove it at every level" label.

 

Now if you have a plus-plus pitch and good FB command (like Hendricks), your chances of "proving it" get a lot higher. I haven't heard that Robinson has any such pitch, but the command is at least decent. What I learned from following Hendricks is you don't need a mid-90s FB for your stuff to play as you move up. That was always the scouts knock on him in reports. But his extreme K/BB ratio coupled with low BAA told a different story. When that ratio and BAA were still good in AA and AAA, I got excited. Unfortunately, the only similarity between Robinson and Hendricks appears to be that they both went to Dartmouth.

[CubsWin]

Piggybacking on the Robinson discussion, another player who's emerging as a "prove it at every level" guy Is Tyler Peyton.

 

He's a 23-year-old, 6'3" 200 lbs., righty who was drafted in the 29th round out of Iowa. He was a two-way player in college and was named a 3rd-team All-American in Div. 1 baseball his junior year as a utility player so he's got some athleticism. That good body control seemingly helps him repeat his mechanics and thus have solid command/control. He was solid as a starter in Iowa posting ERAs in the mid-3s his junior and senior years.

 

He didn't pitch professionally last year, so the first I'd heard of him was a report by Arguello from fall instructs where he said he was throwing in the mid-90s. He pitched well in ExST games this spring:

 

6 GAMES (3 GS)

0.69 ERA - 0.85 WHIP - .209 OppBA

13.0 IP, 9 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 14 K, 1 WP, 4 GIDP, 12/8 GO/AO

Add on his 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K, 10/0 GO/AO from his first 2 appearances in South Bend and he's got a season line of:

 

8 G, 18.2 IP, 12 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 22 K, 0.48 ERA, 0.75 WHIP with 22 GO to 8 AO.

 

As has been discussed, don't make too much of those gaudy numbers. He's 23 and facing Low-A ball hitters. But he did strike out Vlad Jr. I watched his 1st appearance in South Bend, and he was always around the plate. When he missed, he missed low. Good command of a sinker at 92-94 consistently according to the South Bend play-by-play announcer that would run in on right-handed batters.

 

The stuff is nothing special, but he's not a crafty mid-to-high 80s guy like Pugliese as he can hit his spots pretty well at 92-94. The sinker leads the way, but he is sporadically mixing in a change, curve and slider. They all need improvement but aren't terrible at this point. If he can improve his secondaries, he may be able to "prove it at every level".

 

Just another name to follow at this point.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Would somebody kindly refresh my memory regarding Dakota Mekkes? I remember some degree of buzz when drafted, but was he viewed as a late round gem or simply a decent pick?

[We Got The Whole 9]

Zack Short has drawn 36 walks while the next closest competitor in his league has drawn 31. This guy's out-of-nowhere success reminds me a little of Tim Saunders. I'm sure that's a name that hasn't floated around here in a while. He exploded on the scene and hit 380 in his first pro season, blowing through R, skipping A-, and reaching Class-A advanced ball. He was way less disciplined than Short at the plate but his bat seemed to have plenty of potential. Unfortunately he had a hip injury and then tore his UCL and was never able to get back on track.

 

But that first year, despite all the Ks, was pretty damn great.

[CubsWin]

Would somebody kindly refresh my memory regarding Dakota Mekkes? I remember some degree of buzz when drafted, but was he viewed as a late round gem or simply a decent pick?

Very high K rate as a reliever in college (Michigan State I believe). Not a late round gem in my mind, but an intriguing pick in that he seemed to be a guy who could get swings and misses as a pro. So far that's held true in Low A, but that's not saying much. He's more deceptive than powerful (FB usually around 92), but I don't really care how you get guys out, just that you do and Ks are valuable especially in relief when you may be entering with runners on base.

[craig]

Thanks for Peyton notes. Had assumed as an old 29th rounder, that he had no moe than roster-fill velocity. If he's got good command of 92-94 sinker, that's not inadequate. Love to see Midwest guys do well, so would be fun to see him extend success and build a career.

[CubsWin]

Thanks for Peyton notes. Had assumed as an old 29th rounder, that he had no moe than roster-fill velocity. If he's got good command of 92-94 sinker, that's not inadequate. Love to see Midwest guys do well, so would be fun to see him extend success and build a career.

You're welcome, craig. One change I should've made to what I wrote is using the word control instead of command. I would say he shows good control of his 92-94 sinker. He was consistently around the plate, threw it often for strikes and painted the edges of the zone several times but he wasn't spotting it at will.

 

If he continues to get ground balls and Ks while putting together good 2-3 inning relief appearances for the next month or two, perhaps we'll get a chance to see what he can do against a higher level of competition.