Monday, June 13, 2011

The Braves Blog: Roster Guide Update Part IV

Roster Guide Update Part IV: The Pitching Prospects

This edition will update the pitching prospects. Confusingly, even though this is update part IV, these players were previewed in roster guide part III back in April. Perhaps I didn’t plan this out as best I could, but it’s all very touch and go these days in terms of having enough time to finish these entries. Oh well, nobody reads this anyway.

Arodys Vizcaino (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 20

Experience: 4th season

Current Level: AA

Update: Vizcaino began the season at advanced-A, making 9 starts and going 2-2 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.017 WHIP with 37 K over 40.1 innings. It seems like the Braves are being very careful not to push the young pitcher too hard and protect him from arm problems. He had great numbers in his 9 starts at Lynchburg, and yet he averaged just 4.48 innings per start.

He moved up to AA at the end of May and he is 1-1 in 3 starts for Mississippi so far, posting a 4.50 ERA, a 1.167 WHIP, and 18 K over 18 innings. Those are all positive numbers. For the year he is now 3-3 in 12 starts between advanced-A and AA, with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.063 WHIP, and 55 K over 58.1 innings.

Trend: Steady rising.


Randall Delgado (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 21

Experience: 5th season

Current Level: AA

Update: The Braves’ other very highly touted pitching prospect has spent the year at AA. Delgado is 4-4 in 13 starts, including 1 complete game, with a 3.54 ERA, a 1.290 WHIP, and 64 K over 73.2 innings. Those numbers may not knock anyone’s socks off but with young pitchers you just want them to stay healthy and keep up with the competition. Delgado finished the year at AA last season and he has shown improvement in that league this season. It’s nice to see him pitching deep into games, as some had questioned his durability and stamina as well.

Trend: Steady rising.


Carlos Perez (Starter)

Pitches: Left Handed

Age: 19

Experience: 3rd season

Current Level: Low-A

Update: The Braves young lefty has spent the season struggling at low-A Rome. Perez is just 3-6 in 13 starts with a 5.53 ERA and a 1.586 WHIP. The one positive is that he has fanned 68 over 70 innings. However, he is clearly having some problems in his first full season at Rome, as he’s thrown 28 BB, hit 3 batters, committed 5 balks, and thrown 12 wild pitches. His hefty 5.53 ERA doesn’t even take into account the 10 unearned runs he has allowed.

Trend: A setback but still lots of promise.


JJ Hoover (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 23

Experience: 4th season

Current Level: AA

Update: Hoover has been with the Mississippi Braves for most of the season, making 11 starts and 1 relief appearance. Despite a 2.92 ERA, a 1.103 WHIP, and 58 K over 61.2 innings, Hoover’s record in those 12 games is just 2-5. Hoover made a couple of starts at AAA in May and things did not go well. He was 0-1, pitching only 5 total innings, while allowing 8 runs (7 earned) on 8 hits and 6 BB with 5 K. He is 2-6 overall in 14 appearances (13 starts) with a 3.64 ERA, a 1.230 WHIP, and 63 K in 66.2 innings.

Trend: Steady rising.


Brett Oberholtzer (Starter)

Pitches: Left Handed

Age: 22 (on 7/1)

Experience: 4th season

Current Level: AA

Update: The young southpaw had never pitched above advanced-A prior to this year and he has struggled a bit at AA. In 13 starts he is just 3-7 with a 4.80 ERA, a 1.320 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts in 75 innings.

Trend: In a holding pattern.


Stephen Marek (Reliever)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 27

Experience: 7th season

Current Level: AAA

Update: Marek seemed likely to appear in the bigs at some point this season, and the Braves certainly could have used him. He had finally found his niche as a reliever, and not a moment too soon, as he was already 27 this season. Unfortunately, Marek was hit by injury at the worst moment. He pitched in 10 games for Gwinnett, going 0-1 with 2 saves while posting a 3.38 ERA, a 1.125 WHIP, and 16 K over just 10.2 innings. However, he blew out his elbow in early May and required Tommy John Surgery.

Trend: From imminent MLB debut to perhaps the end of his career.


Benino Pruneda (Reliever)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 23 (on 8/8)

Experience: 5th season

Current Level: AA

Update: Pruneda has pitched for AA Mississippi all year. He continues to throw lots of strikeouts and lots of walks. In 23 appearances he is 1-2 with 4 saves, a 2.63 ERA, and a 1.354 WHIP. He has 26 K and 17 BB in just 27.1 innings.

Pruneda has had slightly better control this season but his K-rate is also way down. This is his first full year at AA, but in 25 appearances at AA last year he averaged 12.7 K/9. In his 23 appearances this season he has averaged 8.6 K/9.

Trend: Hitting the wall.


Paul Clemens (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 23

Experience: 4th season

Current Level: AA

Update: The hard throwing righty has had a solid year at AA and has had flashes of dominance. He is 4-3 in 12 starts with a 3.36 ERA, a 1.278 WHIP, and 63 K over 69.2 innings. On April 25th he had a no-hitter through 5.2 innings before allowing a single and being pulled. Unfortunately, he ended up with a no-decision in a game the Mississippi Braves ended up losing.

Trend: Steady rising.


Zeke Spruill (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 21

Experience: 4th season

Current Level: Advanced-A

Update: Spruill has pitched well in his first full season at advanced-A, going 4-7 in 13 starts, including 3 complete games and a shutout. He has posted a 3.73 ERA and a 1.012 WHIP with 57 K over 82 innings. This is very good news, as the former 2nd round pick looked very hittable last season, and that was at low-A.

Trend: Steady rising.


Tyler Stovall (Reliever)

Pitches: Left Handed

Age: 21

Experience: 4th season

Current Level: Low-A

Update: The 2008 2nd round pick is struggling as a fulltime reliever at low-A ball. In 16 games, Stovall is 0-2 with a save, a 5.68 ERA, and a 1.776 WHIP. Stovall has struck out just 18 and walked 23 over 25.1 innings. He has also given up 4 dingers.

Trend: Not progressing very well.


Erik Cordier (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 25

Experience: 6th season (missed 2005 and 2007)

Current Level: AAA

Update: Cordier had arthroscopic surgery on his elbow in mid-January and got off to a late start. He has made 1 start at AA and 4 starts at AAA, going 1-3 with a 3.33 ERA, a 1.148 WHIP, and 15 K over 27 innings. Cordier has walked 7, hit 4 batters, thrown 3 WP, and allowed 3 bombs.

Trend: The off-injured right hander is pitching okay but running out of time.


Cory Rasmus (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 23

Experience: 7th season (missed 2007)

Current Level: Advanced-A

Update: The 2006 1st round draft pick has had another season waylaid by injury. He missed 2 years after surgery on his shoulder and has been DL’d twice this season, the last time on May 30th with right shoulder bursitis. He has made 7 starts at advanced-A and is 1-5 with a 7.09 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP. He has 40 K over 26.2 innings but he has walked 12, hit 4 batters, thrown 5 WP, allowed 5 homers, and given up 7 unearned runs.

Trend: It’s not looking good. Injuries have wrecked his career.


Steven Kent (Starter/Reliever)

Pitches: Left Handed

Age: 22

Experience: 5th season (missed 2009)

Current Level: Low-A

Update: The Australian’s transition from BP to the rotation has not gone smoothly. He has made 12 appearances at low-A, including 8 starts, and is 1-4 with a 7.77 ERA and a 1.705 WHIP. Kent has fanned 37 and given up 74 hits over just 48.2 innings.

Trend: Stalled.


David Filak (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 21

Experience: 2nd season

Current Level: Low-A

Update: The 2nd year right hander was impressive in rookie ball last season but has been hammered so far at low-A. He is 2-5 in 11 starts with a 7.54 ERA and a 1.963 WHIP. He has struck out 32 while walking 33 in just 45.1 innings. Filak’s control problems extend beyond walks. He has hit 3 batters, uncorked 9 wild pitches, and committed 3 errors in the field. Filak has also allowed 8 unearned runs and 6 homers.

Trend: Stalled.


Abraham Espinosa (Starter)

Pitches: Right Handed

Age: 18

Experience: 2nd season

Current Level: Rookie (Dominican Summer League)

Update: Espinosa is currently pitching in the Dominican Summer League. He just turned 18 on June 3rd. He is 0-1 in 4 appearances, including 3 starts. Espinosa has allowed 7 runs (6 earned) on 17 hits and 3 walks with 10 K over 17 innings. He’s clearly still trying to harness his control, as he has thrown 4 HBP and a WP already.

Trend: Just getting started.

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