Notice: Trying to get property 'display_name' of non-object in /var/www/html/wp-content/plugins/wordpress-seo/src/generators/schema/article.php on line 52
keyboard_arrow_uptop

Maybe he will pitch this year after all

Jake Peavy, RHP, White Sox (Triple-A Charlotte)
Thursday’s stats: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
The biggest name to move, and the biggest surprise at the trade deadline, the big question about the White Sox acquisition of Jake Peavy revolved around whether or not he’d even pitch again this year. With seven weeks left to go in the season, things are looking more positive than ever after three dominant innings in his first rehab start. He got his fastball up to 93 mph and complemented it with a sharp breaking ball.

I hear Lynchburg is lovely this time of year

Tony Sanchez, C, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia)
Thursday’s stats: 3-for-5, 2B, HR (5), 3 R, 4 RBI

One of the appeals of drafting Sanchez with the fourth overall pick this June was the prospect that he could move quickly. He certainly seems like he’s ready for the second promotion of his young career, as he’s now 10-for-22 with four doubles, three home runs, and 12 RBIs in his last five games and is batting .358/.465/.613 in 27 games for the Power.

Meanwhile, with the pick after Sanchez . . .

Matt Hobgood, RHP, Orioles (Rookie-level Bluefield)
Thursday’s stats: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

The fifth overall pick two months ago, Hobgood signed quickly for a slightly under-slot deal. He easily delivered the best start of his pro career on Thursday, retiring 15 of the 17 batters he faced with three strikeouts and nine groundball outs. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, Hobgood certainly looks the part, and with a fastball and curve that both rate as plus, he pitches the part as well.

Beginning to roll

Randall Delgado, RHP, Braves (Low-A Rome)
Thursday’s stats: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K

A highly regarded 19-year-old from Panama, Delgado struggled early in his full-season debut, as occasional command troubles led to inconsistent results. The stuff on the other hand, has impressed all year, and he’s put together an impressive run of late, giving up just three earned runs over 24 innings in his last four outing with 35 whiffs. With a plus-plus fastball that sits at 92-95 mph and features heavy sink, as well as a curve and changeup with the potential to be above-average big league offerings, his ceiling is right there with any of the impressive group of arms in the Sally League this year.

On-base machine

Tim Fedroff, OF, Indians (High-A Kinston)
Thursday’s stats: 2-for-4, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K
A seventh-round pick last year who signed for second-round money ($725,000), Fedroff’s overall line of .289/.387/.395 is brought down by a miserable June. However, he has been the hottest hitter in the Carolina League of late, reaching base in a league-high 32 straight games while batting an even .500 (21-for-42) in June. He has gone back and forth between left and center field this year, and where he ends up long-term will almost certainly determine his value down the road.

Sleeper alert!

Sean Black, RHP, Yankees (Short-season Staten Island)

Thursday’s stats: 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K

Three years ago, Black was a second-round pick by the Nationals out of a New Jersey high school, but he turned down an offer approaching a million dollars in order to attend Seton Hall. Three years of middling results later, and he settled for $150,000 as a seventh-round selection. With six no-hit innings on Thursday, Black lowered his pro ERA to 1.52 in six starts. His stuff doesn’t blown anyone away, as his fastball is average at 89-91, but his curveball is a quality pitch. So far that’s been enough to limit New-York Penn League batters to a .178 batting average.

Thank you for reading

This is a free article. If you enjoyed it, consider subscribing to Baseball Prospectus. Subscriptions support ongoing public baseball research and analysis in an increasingly proprietary environment.

Subscribe now
You need to be logged in to comment. Login or Subscribe
Thejaeti
8/14
Kevin, this is off topic from today's update, but I was wondering how Bumgarner's velocity has been since you reported him topping out at 89 a couple weeks ago. Has it come back at all?
BaseballNUT2009
8/14
IGNORING PEDRO !!!!!
Alvarez`s average is up to .338 and he is 11 for his last 18. He was 3 for 4 last night including two 2B of a lefty pitcher.
stevedorsch
8/14
Oh my God, it's part of the vast BP anti-Pirates conspiracy!
kgoldstein
8/14
Pedro has made the MLU SEVEN times. Yesterday was a big big day -- lot's of good performances didn't make it and sometimes you wanna get new blood in here.
gwguest
8/14
Can we email the first three lines of Black's capsule to every first rounder and get this silly deadline thing finished?

It's nice to read progress of this year's early signings.
sde1015
8/14
Is it obvious in Black's case that it was a purely money thing, rather than a wanting to go to college thing? Maybe if he had known he would have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because of that decision, he would have made a different one, but I don't begrudge the kids who choose college over pro, even when it's my team who loses the pick as a result. (I also don't begrudge the kids who are trying to make a few more dollars on their signing bonus, but that's a different matter.)

Kevin, do you remember the reports on Black from three years ago? Did he have a better fastball back then or was he "projectable" but then didn't develop once in college? Was it well known he wanted to play college ball and the Nats took him anyway?
gwguest
8/14
Fair comment. Since going to college is a 2 year commitment (or is it three?), it seems likely that he just wanted to go to school.

All the same, a bunch of kids could still stand to read those lines.
sde1015
8/14
You're right: hopefully all of the players are aware that there are risks to not signing and that while they may think going to college, going back for their senior year, or going to the Indy leagues will improve their draft position and lead to more money, this does not always happen. A scrupulous and competent agent will make the risks clear, but I imagine, as in any profession, not all are scrupulous or competent.
buffum
8/14
How does Fedroff compare to other powerless on-base machines like Mike Brantley or Trev Crowe or Jay Kipnis? We seem to be collecting them.

(BTW, you have a typo: "Indinas")
Ophidian
8/14
Kevin, who would you take in a faceoff of young Braves starters with live arms: Randall Delgado vs Julio Teheran
dzzard
8/14
As I recall it, back in the day (three years ago), there was a highly anticipated show down in South Jersey high school baseball between Sean Black and Billy Rowell. Obviously, both survived the experience to be highly rated in that draft. But those two have certainly taken divergent paths since then.