Notes from the Field: AFL Update

Eloy Jiménez, OF, Chicago Cubs

Physical Description: Physical specimen, tall, broad, strong frame, thick trunk, tapered waist, room for some added strength in the upper body.

What I liked: 70 raw power, high-leverage swing plane with plenty of strength to back it up, loud contact, ball sounds different off his bat; zone awareness, barrel control, simple path to the baseball, hit a few line drives to the opposite field. Loud bat.

What I disliked: Choppy runner, indecisive on the basepaths, had some issues with fastballs up in the zone.

Overall: Absurd upside with the bat, loud power potential, bat will play anywhere on the diamond, middle-of-the-lineup hitter.

Brent Honeywell, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

Physical Description: athletic frame, broad shoulders, tapered waist; true-three-quarters delivery, generates plenty of torque by finishing hard over a closed front side.

What I liked: Attacked hitters, repeatable mechanics, straight line to home, suggesting plus or better command; fastball ran up into the upper 90s and was blowing it by advanced hitters, commanded the fastball well; screwball had good 1-7 action and was very deceptive working off the fastball; mixed in a change that fooled batters as well. Missed plenty of bats.

What I disliked: Stiff landing, curve is a work in progress.

Overall: Honeywell has filled out well and added some velocity since I saw him in 2015. His fastball/screwball/changeup arsenal shows a ton of promise and he looks close to ready for a jump to the majors. Starter all the way; could be a good one.

Franklin Barreto, SS, Oakland Athletics

Physical Description: Thick frame, thick trunk, physically maxed.

What I liked: Leveraged swing, plus bat speed, made a few good picks at shortstop over my two viewings of him, strong arm from the left side.

What I disliked: Was trying to tap into raw power and overswinging.

Overall: Shows potential with the bat, has plus raw power, good bat-first prospect, profiles to hit in the middle of the lineup.

Michael Kopech, RHP, Boston Red Sox

Physical Description: Tall, starter’s frame, true three-quarters arm slot, effort in the delivery, headwhack.

What I liked: Premium velocity, 99-101 with some run; change maintains velocity separation despite running in the 90-92 mph range; slider shows two-plane movement; misses bats.

What I disliked: Effort in the delivery suggests reliever future, headwhack will make it difficult to consistently throw strikes, some batters were able to get some lift on his fastball.

Overall: Extreme pair of pitches in hard, firm fastball and a slider that can miss bats. Tons of effort and violence in the delivery, high-leverage reliever future.

Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Physical Description: Strong frame with room for added strength in the upper body.

What I liked: 70 raw power, high-leverage swing, plus bat speed, ball jumps right off the bat.

What I disliked: one-gear swing, didn’t make adjustments with two strikes, plenty of swing-and-miss potential in the profile.

Overall: Bellinger profiles as a middle-of-the order bat with 70 raw power and a ton of swing and miss. Could hit 40 homeruns, could hit .200, could do both at the same time.

Anthony Alford, CF, Toronto Blue Jays

Physical Description: Strong, athletic frame.

What I liked: 70 runner, covers a ton of ground in center field, plus bat-speed, likes the ball down in the zone, good coverage in the lower half of the zone.

What I disliked: Hitch in the swing, wasn’t able to reach much in the upper portion of the zone, loses the back foot on the swing; below-average arm strength.

Overall: Athletic CF/LF type; has the speed to hit at the top of a lineup.

Jacob Nottingham, C/1B, Milwaukee Brewers

Physical Description: Big, tall, strong like ox.

What I liked: Leveraged swing, plenty of lift and strength behind it, can drive the ball to the opposite field.

What I disliked: Limited athleticism shows up on defense behind the plate, average arm strength, slow up the chute on throws to second, secondary defensive home is limited to first.

Overall: Bat flashes promise, could be a middle-of-the-lineup hitter with power, I didn’t see much to convince me he can be a full-time catcher.

Francis Martes, RHP, Houston Astros

Physical Description: Thick, compact frame, soft midsection, plus torque, finishes hard over a closed front side, tilt in the delivery, plus arm speed.

What I liked: Fastball in the low-to-mid 90s with some run; power curveball with sharp 11-5 action.

What I disliked: Looked tired, mechanics got loose and hips became rotational in his delivery cutting the effectiveness of his stuff and creating command issues. Change didn’t do much in a limited viewing.

Overall: Martes showed two formidable pitches with a fastball that had hard run and a power curve. Changeup and command are key to the profile, trimming some weight might help with mechanics.

David Paulino, RHP, Houston Astros

Physical Description: Tall, all legs build; high-three-quarters arm action, with some spine tilt, soft landing on the front foot.

What I liked: Pitches tall, generates plus plane with low-to-mid-90s fastball.

What I disliked: Looked tired, delivery got rotational through the hips, secondaries weren’t crisp, curve came in at 11-5, change had soft fading action.

Overall: Good action on the fastball, would like to see the secondaries again next year.

Brett Phillips, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Physical Description: Thick athletic frame, thick lower half, tapered waist, broad shoulders.

What I liked: Leveraged swing with bat speed, double-plus arm strength in the outfield.

What I disliked: Was pulling off fastballs on the outer half, swinging and missing through velocity, didn’t show much extension.

Overall: Good defensive skills, bat didn’t impress much in a limited look.

Gleyber Torres, SS, New York Yankees

Physical Description: Thick lower half, tapered waist, average upper body.

What I liked: Plus bat speed, showed some barrel control, plus arm strength.

What I disliked: 4.43 on a dig to first, limited foot speed, average first step at best defensively, jawed about called strikes; linear swing.

Overall: Profiles as an ideal no. 2 hitter with contact skills with limited power. Limited range likely moves him to third or second. Bat profiles much better at second.

Bradley Zimmer, OF, Cleveland Indians

Physical Description: Athletic frame.

What I liked: Plus bat speed, leveraged swing, 4.25 to first on a dig; plus arm strength in the outfield.

What I disliked: Didn’t make much hard contact in limited viewing.

Overall: Solid no. 2 hitter with good defensive skills and a strong arm.

Ryan McMahon, 3B/1B, Colorado Rockies

Physical Description: Athletic, ideal baseball body, tapered waist.

What I liked: Easy power, leveraged swing with plus bat speed and effortless lift, projectable body could add mass and strength in the upper body.

What I disliked: One-gear swing with swing-and-miss potential.

Overall: Didn’t see him defensively at third, worked 1B just fine, bat profiles to hit in the middle of the lineup, power with some swing and miss.

Nick Gordon, SS, Minnesota Twins

Physical Description: Thin, lithe body, wiry strength.

What I liked: Good plate coverage, makes contact all over the zone, didn’t swing through much; solid defender at short.

What I disliked: Below average raw, linear swing path, average speed, slow out of the box.

Overall: Bottom of the order bat profile, average defensive skills, average player profile.

Tyler O’Neill, 1B, Seattle Mariners

Physical Description: Jacked, physically maxed out, chiseled upper body.

What I liked: Strong, leveraged swing, plus bat speed.

What I disliked: Fringy athleticism, strong amounts of swing-and-miss in his game due to swing plane, didn’t see a two-strike approach.

Overall: Strong, yoked and physically maxed player. Swings hard every time, ball jumps off the bat when he connects. Swing and miss concerns, looked like a hitter who hits in the five- or six- spot.

Harrison Bader, OF, St. Louis Cardinals

Physical Description: Strong frame, broad shoulders, room for added strength in the upper body still.

What I liked: Plus raw power, leveraged swing, plus bat speed, average speed, makes hard contact.

What I disliked: Difficulty laying off strike-to-ball spin and was out in front of offspeed stuff; considerable amount of swing and miss in profile.

Overall: Showed off some things to like including plus raw power but contact issues will mitigate his homer totals in game and he doesn’t have the pure speed nor instincts to play center. Down the lineup hitter with a broad array of tools.

Carson Kelly, C, St. Louis Cardinals

Physical Description: Thick frame, broad shoulders, athletic lower half.

What I liked: Solid defensive skills, sets a good target and has plus arm strength, quick up the chute on throws; plus raw power.

What I disliked: Swing looked stiff, potential hole in the upper parts of the strike zone will have difficulty covering the hole.

Overall: Kelly profiles as a down the lineup hitter with power and solid defensive skills behind the plate. Bat will produce strikeouts and homeruns.

Willie Calhoun, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers

Physical Description: Small frame, compact tank of a player with thickness throughout the body.

What I liked: Fun-sized player with big time raw power, leveraged swing with plus bat speed and the ability to go deep in game.

What I disliked: Swing plane creates swing-and-miss concerns; physically thick frame but still only 5-foot-8; below-average speed.

Overall: Bat profiles as a 5 or 6 hitter as he’ll produce power with some contact.

Michael Gettys, OF, San Diego Padres

Physical Description: Physically yoked body, broad shoulders, athletic lower half, room to add strength.

What I liked: Plus bat speed, leveraged swing, plus raw power; double-plus athleticism; great outfield reads, double-plus arm strength.

What I disliked: Swing-and-miss present in game, below-average contact skills in limited look.

Overall: Fun player, profiles as a middle of the lineup bat with power. Absolute asset defensively.