Minor League Update

Games of Thursday, May 23

Lefty Daniel Norris is beginning to put together the pieces that could eventually help him make good on the Blue Jays' $2 million investment.

Pitching Prospect of the Day: Daniel Norris, LHP, Blue Jays (Low-A Lansing): 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K. Well, well, well, this is the Daniel Norris we all expected to see after he received a $2 million bonus after the 2011 draft. I saw him for a three-inning miniature stint this spring, the smallest of sample sizes. The fastball can touch plus velocities; curveball flashes plus; changeup can flash plus. The problem was that everything could just leave him in one pitch. He would go from “oh man” (in a good way) to “oh man” (in an awful way) in a spam of three pitches. I am still a believer. The stuff is still there, and I believe he can put it together; 34.1 IP, 41 H, 26 ER, 21 BB, 38 K in 10 outings.

Position Prospect of the Day: Eugenio Suarez, SS, Tigers (Double-A Erie): 4-5, 2 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI, K; potential solid-average hit tool; potential plus glove; solid-average runner; minimal power; wait-and-see type of prospect.

Other notable prospect performances on May 23:

“The Good”

• Albert Almora, CF, Cubs (Low-A Kane County): 4-7, 2 2B, R, RBI; plus hit tool; plus potential power; just returning from injury.
• Charlie Culberson, 2B/SS, Rockies (Triple-A Colorado Springs): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI; average power potential; average hit tool; average runner; what does that sound like? You guessed it—utility-man ceiling; .278/.309/.475 with 11 2B, 1 3B, and 6 HR in 158 at-bats.
• Kelly Dugan, OF, Phillies (High-A Clearwater): 4-6, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI; I’ve always liked him. Potential solid-average power; solid-average runner; upper-cut swing; has potential; needs to stay healthy; .333/.394/.535 with 7 2B, 2 3B, and 3 HR in 99 at-bats.
• Zach Eflin, RHP, Padres (Low-A Fort Wayne): 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K; plus fastball; solid-average changeup; developing curveball; projectable; 32.1 IP, 30 H, 17 ER, 13 BB, 23 K in seven starts.
• Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia):5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 12 K; plus fastball; easy plus curveball; developing changeup; jump on board before it’s too late; 34.0 IP, 14 H, 8 ER, 21 BB, 50 K in eight starts.
• John Lamb, LHP, Royals (High-A Wilmington): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K; fastball sitting 84-89; lost command at higher velocity; curveball at 66-69 is messy; changeup at 71-72 has parachute action and lacks necessary arm speed.
• Jake Marisnick, CF, Marlins (Double-A Jacksonville): 3-3, HR, R, 2 RBI; flashes all the tools; good bat speed; can make loud contact; I believe in the dream; plenty of risk involved; .300/.378/.525 in last 40 at-bats.
• Carlos Pimentel, RHP, Rangers (Double-A Frisco): 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K; heavy fastball can touch 94; slider flashes plus and he has improved his command of it; having a very good season at Double-A thus far; 46.0 IP, 34 H, 15 ER, 12 BB, 57 K in nine outings.
• Victor Roache, OF, Brewers (Low-A Wisconsin): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K; plus-plus raw power; hit tool needs development; solid-average arm; a lot of question marks. I’ve never seen him in person, but all the write-ups I’ve read make me just a bit nervous about Roache.

“The Bad”

• Joey Gallo, 3B, Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 0-5, 4 K; Oh, Joey, how you love to swing and miss. Of course, you showed me all I needed to see when you sent that ball sailing out of the ballpark in the final game I attended.
• Brett Marshall, RHP, Yankees (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre): 4.0 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; sinkerballer will have to keep the ball down in the zone or else things could get a bit dicey.
• Christian Walker, 1B, Orioles (High-A Frederick): 0-5, 4 K; he must have had the South Carolina loss to Vanderbilt, to knock them out of the SEC tournament, on his mind when he stepped in the box tonight.

The Call-Up

Sean Nolin

Desperate for a starter, the Jays call up their no. 2 pitching prospect from Double-A.

The Situation: After an active offseason that included the acquisition of starting pitchers Mark Buehrle, R.A. Dickey, and Josh Johnson, the Blue Jays are now prepared to send their 10th starting pitcher of the season to the mound. In addition to Johnson’s injuries, J.A. Happ has been dealing with injuries of his own and Ricky Romero has been struggling through the first two months of the season. As if that weren’t enough, Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison are still several months away from returning to the mound and the club was forced to send Ramon Ortiz to the hill this week. All of that leads to the call-up of left-hander Sean Nolin, the team’s no. 2-rated pitching prospect.

Background: A sixth-round pick by the Blue Jays in 2010, Nolin has had little trouble motoring through the minor leagues. After a 6.05 ERA in six New York-Penn League starts during his professional debut, Nolin has improved at every stop. With Low-A Lansing in 2011 he posted a 3.49 ERA in 108-1/3 innings, allowing just 102 hits and 31 walks while fanning 113 batters. He followed up that strong performance with a dazzling 2.19 ERA in 17 games (15 starts) for High-A Dunedin in 2012 before being promoted to Double-A New Hampshire. In just three starts with New Hampshire, Nolin notched a 1.20 ERA and better than a strikeout per inning. After some missed time early this season due to a pulled groin, Nolin has continued his Double-A dominance with a 1.17 ERA in three more starts.

Scouting Report: Physically, Nolin fits the bill of a quality major league workhorse. He has a sturdy 6’5” frame with plenty of strength and decent athleticism. He works downhill very well and generates good leverage with his pitches because of the steep angle created by his height. Nolin’s velocity typically sits in the 89-92 mph range, but he can touch the plus range when he needs a little extra. He has some arm-side life on his fastball, and he pounds the strike zone with ease. His best pitch is a plus changeup with excellent deception thanks to very good arm speed and some sink. He is willing to throw his changeup in any count to both left-handed and right-handed hitters.

Nolin features two breaking balls, including both a slider and a curveball that can earn average marks at their best. Nolin’s four-pitch mix allows him to work through lineups multiple times, particularly as he develops his ability to sequence effectively. He has yet to master the art of leading hitters out of the strike zone and he will have to take that step to have sustained success against major league batters. If Nolin’s sequence and location continue to improve, he could max out as a no. 3 starter on a good club. Even without continued progress, Nolin projects as a fourth starter capable of devouring innings.

Immediate Big-League Future: Given the Blue Jays’ rampant rotation injuries and the ineffectiveness of several other starters they have tried, Nolin will have a chance to lock down a rotation spot over the next couple of weeks. Even modest success could represent an upgrade for a club desperate to get back on track, and that type of window could allow Nolin to stick in the big leagues despite having made only starts above High-A. —Mark Anderson

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