Printer-friendly

Contact Author

July 5, 2012

Future Shock

Don't You Forget About Me

by Kevin Goldstein

With the short-season leagues beginning in June, it's a nice reminder that not every prospect is a Bryce Harper or a Mike Trout who will get to the big leagues in no time. For most, it's a slow and steady process with any number of bumps in the road along the way. For many 2011 draftees, the short-season leagues represent their first chance to show up in box scores, so here's an all Don't You Forget About Me team comprised of some high picks from last June who are just now getting their careers going.

Catcher: Tyler Marlette, Mariners
Marlette was a fifth-round selection in 2011, but he fell due to signability rather than talent concerns before ultimately coming to terms on a $650,000 bonus. While Marlette is a touch on the small side, he earns high grades for his defense, and in particular his plus arm, and he's shown the potential for plus power down the road. He's hit .267/.313/.356 in his first 12 games for Pulaski in the Appalachian League while gunning down 42% of opposing base stealers.

First Base: Dan Vogelbach, Cubs
A second-round pick last year who signed for first-round money with a $1.6 million bonus, Vogelbach drew some Prince Fielder comparisons during his high school career in Florida, both for his monstrous power, as well has his physique. At just six feet tall and somewhere around 250 pounds, Vogelbach is the definition of a bat-only prospect, as he's a 20 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale and a poor defender. While it's early, he's hit .432/.368/.773 in 10 Arizona League games, and he wouldn't have gotten that kind of bonus without scouts believing that the bat can play.

Second Base: Mookie Betts, Red Sox
Second base is the toughest position to fill, as nearly every high school middle infielder begins as a shortstop, but Betts is generally seen as moving to second base down the road, if not center field. A fifth-round pick who received a $750,000 bonus, Betts is small at five-foot-nine, and does not project to add power to his game, but he's a plus runner with a line-drive bat and some work to do defensively. Hitting .268/.293/.286 in 14 games for Lowell in the New York-Penn League, Betts could add to what is some impressive depth for the Red Sox at the lower levels.

Third Base: Travis Harrison, Twins
Normally seen as conservative drafters, the Twins broke the mold when they selected Harrison with the 50^th overall pick and signed him to a seven-figure bonus. They have a history of taking it slow with prospects, and Harrison has begin his career with Elizabethton in the Appalachian League and hit .354/.436/.479 in his first 12 games. There are questions as to his ability to stay at third base, but he's a plus hitter with power potential in a system desperate for high-ceiling offensive prospects.

Shortstop: Brandon Martin, Rays
With so many early picks in 2011, the Rays got a small discount on some, including Martin, who signed for $860,000 as the 38^th overall selection out of a California high school. While Martin's plus defense has always appealed to scouts, his offense has been a pleasant surprise, including a .275/.327/.549 line in 12 games for Princeton in the Appalachian League this year. Despite a small frame, he has some leverage in his swing for at least gap power, and is starting to be seen as a bit of a sleeper.