Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 8-3-19

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Box Scores:

 

Iowa in progress Box Score

 

Tennessee lost 6-0 Box Score

 

Myrtle Beach won 4-3 Box Score

 

South Bend lost 11-6 Box Score

 

Eugene in progress Box Score

 

AZL Cubs 1 had the day off

 

AZL Cubs 2 had the day off

 

DSL Cubs 1 won 6-5 Box Score

 

DSL Cubs 2 lost 7-4 Box Score

[CubsWin]

Watched Abbott's start. He faced a talented Braves line-up that included MLB's #11 and #27 prospects in Christian Pache and Drew Waters as well as the Braves #8, #11 and #19 prospects (per MLB) in William Contreras, 2018 2nd round pick Grayson Jenista and 3B CJ Alexander. Those 5 went 0-for-14 against Abbott with 7 Ks and no walks. Abbott struck out Waters all 3 times he faced him.

 

Abbott has a mature mix of pitches. According to the Mississippi announcer, his FB sits 93 with a cutter at 88 and a really good curve at 84. Good movement and control of all his pitches last night. He was around the plate all night. Perfect through 3, he finished 7 innings on 86 pitches (61 strikes), 3 H, 1 R (earned), no walks and 9 Ks.

 

Those zero walks have been uncharacteristic for Abbott recently, walking 18 in 28.1 July innings, but he's been difficult to hit since June (his only bad month) allowing just 15 hits in 35.1 innings in July and August thus far.

 

His velocity isn't overpowering, but he's been throwing strikes with 125 Ks against 43 walks. As a result of not being overpowering and being consistently around the plate, he's given up 14 HRs in 117 innings. He leads the Southern League in that category. He's got a stocky build at 6'2", 220 lbs. and has been durable as a result throwing 115 innings last year as well.

 

Likely nothing more than a BOR or MIR at the major league level, but given his consistency, effective pitch mix, durability and age (23, appropriate for AA), it seems like he has a decent chance of reaching that.

[Cubswin11]

[Cubswin11]

2.1IP 1H 1R(not earned) 2BB And 3Ks for Adbert. Guessing he hit a pitch count, 47 pitches.

[CubsWin]

Pedro Martinez is listed at 5'11", 165 lbs. He hit a high chopper that Boise first baseman Michael Toglia fielded about 15 feet behind the bag. Toglia, who was the Rockies 1st round pick this year, is listed at 6'5", 225 lbs. Martinez is going full speed trying to beat Toglia to the bag, which he does fairly easily but they collide, hard. As you can imagine with the size disparity, Martinez got the worst of it.

 

 

At first, it didn't look good. Pedro's writhing in pain. Hands on his head. Concussion?

 

 

Toglia dropped to a knee for a bit. His sunglasses got knocked off, but he appeared fine. Martinez however was still on the ground being tended to by the trainer. He sits up and soon has his trainer laughing at something he said.

 

 

Turns out, if you look at the 1st pic, Martinez got hit right in the schnikies (and also smashed his nose into Toglia's chest). He got up, "adjusted his cup" a few times and stayed in the game.

 

 

He continued limping and "adjusting his cup" for the next few pitches, but then stole 2nd base. Easily.

 

 

He's a completely different hitter, but watching his games there's a been a couple of times now where he's reminded me of Javy. Aggressiveness. Smarts. Toughness. Misdirection. Even playfulness.

 

It's obviously way early yet, but there's something special about him.

[CubsWin]

Oh yeah, and then he did this a couple innings later for the second day in a row...

 

[tweet]

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[UK]

Oh yeah, and then he did this a couple innings later for the second day in a row...

 

[tweet]

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Not very often do you see triples on balls hit to left/center.

 

I can't wait to see him as a 19yo at SB.

[Bertz]

I don't think it's an amazing farm system given the lack of blue chippers and with how much of the really fun stuff is still only in A ball, but I think it's laughable that this is a bottom 5 farm. I fully expect it to "magically" move into the teens in November when outlets redo their rankings.

[Cubswin11]

I don't think it's an amazing farm system given the lack of blue chippers and with how much of the really fun stuff is still only in A ball, but I think it's laughable that this is a bottom 5 farm. I fully expect it to "magically" move into the teens in November when outlets redo their rankings.

Yeah that’s how I feel. Seems like it should be more a 16-21 ranked system right now and with some things breaking right by next year at this time closer to top 10 than top 20.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I don't think it's an amazing farm system given the lack of blue chippers and with how much of the really fun stuff is still only in A ball, but I think it's laughable that this is a bottom 5 farm. I fully expect it to "magically" move into the teens in November when outlets redo their rankings.

 

FG already has them at 22 or 23. Longenhagen has a good pulse on Arizona (and Kiley the GCL and Appy League) so that’s a really good sign.