Roster Guide Update Part V: The Position Player Prospects
Obviously, this edition will update the position player prospects. By the way, even though this is roster guide update part V, these players were previewed in roster guide part III back in April.
Matt Lipka (Shortstop/Second Base)
Bats: Right Handed
Age: 19
Experience: 2nd season
Current Level: Low-A
Update: The Braves 2010 1st round draft pick is struggling with the bat at Rome, hitting just .247/.298/.280/.578 with no homers, 17 BB, and 32 K in 243 at bats. He is just 12 for 21 in stolen base attempts.
It looks like Lipka is still learning how to play pro ball, but he’ll obviously have to gain some strength over the next few years in order to be any kind of hitter. He has just 1 homer in over 450 career minor league at bats.
The good news is that he’s done better in the field, committing just 4 errors. He’s been playing at second base and short stop (all 4 errors have come at short).
Trend: Still early but struggling.
Edward Salcedo (Shortstop/Third Base)
Bats: Right Handed
Age: 20 (on 7/30)
Experience: 2nd season
Current Level: Low-A
Update: The other 2nd year middle infielder at Rome is tearing it up at the plate and struggling in the field. A product of the DR, Salcedo is hitting .278/.362/.441/.802 with 10 doubles, 3 triples, and 7 homers in 227 at bats. He has 40 runs and 30 RBI. His plate discipline is still a work in progress, but 24 walks and 52 strikeouts aren’t that bad. He’s just 12 of 19 in stolen base attempts.
The bad news is that Salcedo has been a mess in the field this season. He’s played 3rd and short and has made a total of 21 errors already (15 at 3rd, 7 at short).
Trend: Off to a good start.
Christhian Betancourt (Catcher)
Bats: Right Handed
Age: 19
Experience: 4th season
Current Level: Low-A
Update: Betancourt is starting to come around at the plate but it’s still hard to tell if he’s going to be good enough. He’s batting .291/.311/.432/.743 with 10 doubles, 3 triples, and 4 homers in 199 AB at Rome this season. He’s scored 23 runs and driven in 32. Betancourt has only fanned 26 times, but that number is basically negated by the fact that he’s drawn just 7 walks all year. He is 5 of 8 on stolen base attempts.
Betancourt has had some problems behind the plate this year, making 8 errors and allowing 8 passed balls. He’s also slipped in terms of throwing out runners (32% so far this year, down from 38% at low-A last year).
Trend: Still young.
Mycal Jones (Center Field)
Bats: Right Handed
Age: 24
Experience: 3rd season
Current Level: AA
Update: Jones’ 2011 season—his first full season at AA—has been a tough one. He began the season on the DL with a stress fracture in his foot and didn’t make his debut until May 5th. Just 8 days later he was arrested for DUI and suspended. Jones was not reinstated until May 24th.
When on the field Jones has struggled in 92 at bats, hitting just .228/.363/.315/.678 with 2 homers. His 19 walks against 16 strikeouts have been a positive, but he is just 1 for 4 in SB attempts. However, the biggest positive has been in the field. Jones had played exclusively at shortstop during his first two years in pro ball but he was moved to center field fulltime this season. He has yet to make an error in 25 games.
Trend: Running out of time.
Tyler Pastornicky (Shortstop)
Bats: Right Handed
Age: 21
Experience: 4th season
Current Level: AA
Update: The former Blue Jays prospect has looked very good offensively at Mississippi, but he continues to have problems in the field. He has already been charged with 16 errors at shortstop.
At the plate, Pastornicky is batting .303/.351/.429/.780 with 9 doubles, 3 triples, and 5 homers in 238 AB’s. He has 33 runs and 33 RBI. Pastornicky has drawn 17 walks against 25 K, and he is 14 of 19 in SB tries. He also has 9 SH and 2 SF.
Pastornicky is making more contact and hitting the ball with more authority. He may not be that far off.
Trend: Steady rising.
Andrelton Simmons (Shortstop)
Bats: Right Handed
Age: 21
Experience: 2nd season
Current Level: Advanced-A
Update: The former pitching prospect is hitting .301/.339/.367/.706 with no homers, 12 BB, and 22 K in 229 at bats at Lynchburg. He is just 9 out of 17 in SB tries. In the field, the rocket armed Simmons has committed 12 errors in 58 games at short.
It remains to be seen whether Simmons will hit enough to be any kind of player. It’s not looking that good at the moment. The .301 average is nice, but the .367 slugging percentage at advanced-A is not so encouraging.
Trend: Looks like a long shot.
Todd Cunningham (Left Field/Center Field)
Bats: Switch
Age: 22
Experience: 2nd season
Current Level: Advanced-A
Update: Cunningham has had a solid year at Lynchburg. He looks like a decent top of the order prospect. Cunningham is hitting .273/.365/.368/.733 with 6 doubles, 3 triples, and 3 homers in 220 at bats. He has scored 38 runs and driven in 13. He has 21 walks and 30 K. Cunningham is 11 of 15 in SB tries.
Cunningham’s .365 OBP is obviously encouraging, but he has been helped by 11 HBP. In the field, Cunningham has 4 assists and 2 errors from the outfield.
Trend: Progressing.
Adam Milligan (Left Field/Right Field)
Bats: Left Handed
Age: 23
Experience: 3rd season
Current Level: Advanced-A
Update: Milligan has stayed healthy and his power has returned this season at Lynchburg. In 178 at bats, Milligan has hit .275/.337/.552/.859 with 13 doubles, 2 triples, and 9 homers. He has scored 26 and driven in 30.
Milligan’s power is obvious, but he’s got minimal discipline at the plate, drawing just 13 walks and fanning 60 times already. At 23, he should be beyond this. He has 2 assists and 2 errors in the outfield.
Trend: Running out of time.
Joe Leonard (Third Base)
Bats: Right Handed
Age: 23 (on 8/26)
Experience: 2nd season
Current Level: Advanced-A
Update: Leonard is really struggling at the plate. He is hitting just .230/.312/.339/.651 with 10 doubles, a triple, and 2 homers in 165 AB. He has scored 17 and driven in 18. Leonard has drawn 19 walks, but he has also struck out 36 times, which is a lot for a slugger who isn’t slugging. He has made 6 errors at 3rd.
Trend: It doesn’t look good.
Cory Harrilchak (Center Field/Right Field)
Bats: Left Handed
Age: 23
Experience: 3rd
Current Level: AA
Update: Harrilchak has struggled to adapt in his first season at AA. He’s hitting just .226/.303/.352/.655 with 12 doubles, 2 triples, and 3 homers in 199 at bats. He has 19 runs, 15 RBI, 19 BB, and 32 K.
Harrilchak is just 6 for 11 in SB attempts. He’s had some problems in the outfield as well. He does have 3 assists, but he’s committed 4 errors.
Trend: Stalled.
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