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Freicer Perez

Born: 03/14/1996 (Age: 21)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 8" Weight: 190
Mechanics
Physical: Athletic for height, projectable, lanky.

Moderate leg kick, easy delivery, Fluctuates between mid-low three-quarters arm slot, clean arm action, some crossfire, loose arm, plus arm speed, 1.40 to home.

Control: 40/50
Command: 30/45

Evaluator Greg Goldstein
Report Date 07/20/2017
Affiliate Charleston RiverDogs (Low A, Yankees)
Dates Seen 7/14/2017
OFP/Risk 45/Moderate
Realistic 40; Middle Reliever
MLB ETA 2020
Video Yes
Pitch Type Present Grade Future Grade Sitting Velocity Peak Velocity Report
Fastball 70 70 94-96 97 Velo ticked down to 93-94 late into start, plays pretty flat, hitters were still late due to velo, unafraid to attack hitters up, inconsistent mechanics led to some command issues, controlled the zone fairly well overall given height
Changeup 30 40 86-87 Lacks tumble/fade, replicated arm speed well, wasn’t getting any chases, spiked on occasion, projects as a “show-me” pitch
Curveball 30 40 80-81 Below-average depth, shorter bite, little late break, made for easy takes, won’t get swings and misses, poor control
Slider 30 45 84-87 Lacks bite, below-average depth, flashed some tight late action, works better in-out, frequently didn’t give a chance, missed badly gloveside on a few offerings, uneven mechanics limit command.
Overall

Perez is a taller pitcher who establishes his fastball for strikes better than his height would indicate. His fastball is plus-plus and can rack up a fair share of swings and misses, although it doesn’t flash a ton of movement. His lack of effective secondaries make him more of a project, but he shows enough looseness and athleticism in his arm action to make you think that one offering will get to at least fringe. He should remain as a starter through the minors, but his eventual home probably lies in the bullpen because there’s just too much that has to go right to project him as a potential starter. His big fastball does give him the ceiling of an above-average reliever.


Dustin May

Born: 09/06/1997 (Age: 19)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 6" Weight: 180
Mechanics
Lanky, long levers, very skinny, extremely projectable, surprisingly athletic; high leg kick, plus arm speed, low-three-quarters arm slot, slings it in at times; deceptive, poor extension, can have trouble getting over his front side at times; streamlines leg kick out of stretch, 1.4-1.5 to home.
Evaluator Emmett Rosenbaum
Report Date 07/25/2017
Affiliate Great Lakes Loons (Low A, Dodgers)
Dates Seen 05/10/17, 07/23/07
OFP/Risk 60/Moderate
Realistic 50; No. 4 Starter
MLB ETA 2020
Video Yes
Pitch Type Present Grade Future Grade Sitting Velocity Peak Velocity Report
FB 60 60 92-94 95 Features late life, explodes through the top of the zone, likes to work it inside to hitters, locates well on the corners, will use it to climb the ladder with two strikes.
2FB 50 60 88-91 92 Average arm-side run, good feel for the pitch, mixed usage with four-seam; flashes plus sinking action, commands it well to the arm side, generates weak contact and ground balls.
SL 50 60 79-82 83 Long, sweeping action out of the zone, hard tilt, good bite, will back door it for strikes or bury it for whiffs, will backfoot LHBs, can throw it in any count, will hang it up in the zone on occasion, misses bats, potential out pitch.
CH 40 45 84-86 88 Hard pitch, possesses firm fade, will flash average on occasion, replicates arm speed well, lacks feel for the pitch, doesn't throw it in high-leverage situations.
Overall

May is an interesting pitching prospect who possesses solid present stuff and impressive pitchability for his age. However, his incredibly projectable frame makes him a profile you can dream on. While he does have high-maintenance mechanics, he repeats them well and isn't prone to the wildness as one would expect from a 6-foot-6 19-year-old. The changeup still lags behind his other offerings, but his advanced approach and control indicates that he can stick in a rotation. If his body fills out and the fastball gains a few ticks, his ceiling could climb a lot higher.

Control 50/55
Command 45/50


Michel Baez

Born: 01/21/1996 (Age: 21)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 8" Weight: 220
Mechanics
Tall, broad shoulders with slope, long legs and an athletic build, physically mature; average arm speed into a 3/4 arm slot, mild effort, inverted foot on landing with mild recoil, falls off to 1st base side; 1.31-1.35 from stretch
Evaluator Nathan Graham
Report Date 07/28/2017
Affiliate Fort Wayne TinCaps (Low A, Padres)
Dates Seen 7/24/17
OFP/Risk 60/High
Realistic 50; Set-Up Reliever
MLB ETA 2019
Video Yes
Pitch Type Present Grade Future Grade Sitting Velocity Peak Velocity Report
FB 60 65 92-94 95 Heavy with moderate arm-side run, good plane with late life, will elevate and miss bats, held velocity well; above-average control projection.
SL 45 50 80-81 82 Strike-to-ball sweep, showed utility against righties, struggled to consistently bury, would leave over the plate.
CB 40 50 74-75 75 12-6 shape, lacked feel, inconsistent depth; continued to work throughout the game, improvement as game went on, tried to bury on pitchers counts; froze batters when he got it right.
Overall

Signed for $3 million out of Cuba last year, Baez is an imposing figure on the mound. He knows how to use the fastball to miss bats and the slider is close to being a major league-average pitch. In my look, a lot of work was being done on the curveball. It was very inconsistent, but the few times he got it right, hitters looked uncomfortable. If it develops there is potential for a mid-rotation starter that can eat innings. Without, there is still a scenario where Baez becomes a big arm out of the bullpen.


Bo Bichette

Born: 03/05/1998 (Age: 19)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 200
Primary Position: SS
Secondary Position: 2B
Physical/Health
Well-proportioned, athletic body, versatile build, terrific core strength, will likely add bulk as he ages.
Evaluator Emmett Rosenbaum
Report Date 07/10/2017
Dates Seen 3x May-June 2017
Affiliate Lansing Lugnuts (Low A, Blue Jays)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
Late-2019 Moderate 60 55: Above-average regular Yes
Makeup

Fiery, competitor, passionate, goes all out

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 55 Big leg kick and load, major bat wrap, electric bat speed, fast hands offset swing length, outstanding rotational strength; solid bat-to-ball ability, good feel for the barrel, impressive plate coverage, recognizes spin early; force of swings leads to some whiffs, can get over-aggressive, will over-swing on occasion; consistently generates hard contact on pitches in all parts of the zone.
Power 60 Plus raw, present strength with projection, highly leveraged swing, tries to get the ball in the air; game power to all fields, bat-to-ball ability helps power play in games.
Baserunning/Speed 50 Above-average present runner, 4.26 average on four clocks, likely to lose a step as he adds mass, should settle in as average utility.
Glove 45 Choppy footwork, can rush plays at times, solid lateral movement, lacks a ton of range to his right, capable hands, fringe utility at short.
Arm 50 Arm can play at short, makes throws across the diamond on a line, showed the ability to throw well on the run, not a standout tool but playable for left side.
Overall

Bichette possesses a terrific bat, with fast hands and bat speed that combines to allow him to drive the ball with authority. He boasts leverage and plane to impact the ball. The defensive questions ding the profile, as it'll be a stretch for him to stick at short, but a final home at the keystone seems within reach. Given his age and uncertain home in the field, Bichette has risk, but the bat and athleticism project him to be a above-average starter wherever he ends up.


Victor Robles

Born: 05/19/1997 (Age: 20)
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 185
Primary Position: CF
Secondary Position:
Physical/Health
Superb athleticism, muscular frame for his size, he's fantastic condition, some projection remaining.
Evaluator Greg Goldstein
Report Date 07/20/2017
Dates Seen 5x in June
Affiliate Potomac Nationals (High A, Nationals)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2019 Moderate 70 60; First Division Player No
Makeup

Plays very hard when he’s on the diamond, makes some mistakes due to aggressiveness.

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 60 Plus bat speed; flashes plus bat control; quick to ball; ball jumps off bat; attacks pitches; can turn on high heat; see-ball, hit-ball type of player; doesn't get cheated; showed ability to keep weight back on breaking ball; flashed patience, but was often aggressive; approach should improve as he matures; projects to plus utility at maturity.
Power 50 Above-average raw; considerable load and quick hands make for a powerful stroke; leverage and frame limits power tool; can still drive with above-average loft; premium doubles hitter; mid-teens game power a possibility.
Baserunning/Speed 70 Clocked 4:07; outstanding burst; keeps plus-plus speed around bases; potential elite base stealer.
Glove 70 Outstanding burst; elite athleticism allows for frequent flash plays; aggressive fielder, overshoots routes at times; should improve to elite levels as his feel matures.
Arm 60 Plus arm strength; has considerable carry; maintains arm strength on the move.
Overall

Robles is a five-tool center fielder that can impact the game in a variety of ways. His electric stroke will play against plus major-league stuff and he has speed that will make pitchers stay awake at night. He has the potential to be a top-five defensive center fielder in the bigs if he can settle down his approach. This doesn’t even mention his sneaky-average game pop given his frame. Robles is a future multi-time all star and a player you can build your team around.


Estevan Florial

Born: 11/25/1997 (Age: 19)
Bats: Left Throws: Right
Height: 6' 1" Weight: 185
Primary Position: LF
Secondary Position: CF
Physical/Health
Very projectable body, plus athlete.
Evaluator Greg Goldstein
Report Date 07/20/2017
Dates Seen 3x in July
Affiliate Charleston RiverDogs (Low A, Yankees)
MLB ETA Risk Factor OFP Realistic Role Video
2019 Moderate 60 55; Above-average regular No
Makeup

Energetic player, wears emotions on his sleeve at times, maturity should improve with age.

Tool Future Grade Report
Hit 55 Plus bat speed, potential for more; ball jumps off bat, frequent loud contact; loose through the zone; flashed all fields approach; quick to ball; showed nascent spin recognition; aggressiveness will lead him to get under some driveable pitches, extend strike zone at times; gets a little pull happy when trying for power; question whether plus tools will translate due to aggressive swing/approach, won’t limit him from projecting to above-average utility.
Power 60 Plus raw, will grow into more; flashes moderate leverage to drive with high launch angles; gap-power potential all fields; has more than enough bat speed to send balls a long way, inability to stay within his power stroke hurts game projection; game power should project to plus utility at maturity.
Baserunning/Speed 55 Clocked 4.07, picks up speed around bases, could fall back a grade as body matures.
Glove 55 Quick to ball in the gap, aggressive in center field, speed creates plus range, profiles better long-term in the corners due to expected body changes, should remain athletic enough to project above-average in LF or RF.
Arm 60 Plus arm strength, velo to make it from outfield to home quickly, threat throwing runners out on the bases, hits cutoff men with carry.
Overall

Florial has tools galore and is a potential five-tool player with the amount of bat speed, strength projection, and athleticism that he brings to the table. His ability to make loud contact is exactly what you’re looking for in a potential all-star. Florial does have his weaknesses adjusting to pitches in the zone at times, but he’s still real young and flashes enough bat control and spray ability to project that these areas will improve as he gains experience. Florial is a rare breed because of his hit, power and speed capabilities, which makes him a potential first-division starter as he continues to progress.


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bluejaysplus
8/03
Do you think Bichette's major bat wrap will lead to problems at higher levels?
emdem55
8/03
I think it's mitigated to a certain extent by the bat speed and natural bat-to-ball ability, but I do have some concerns. I wavered for a long time between a 55 and 60 on the hit tool, and ended up on the cautious side in part due to the bat wrap.
hyprvypr
8/06
Is bat wrap simply a hitters attempt to get more bat speed from having a longer swing, and if so, doesn't this make for a relatively easy correction, or would that correction also entail a loss of some bat speed/power?

Thanks fellas,
emdem55
8/08
I can't really comment on why different guys possess bat wraps in their swings, but it likely comes down to what feels natural a lot of the time. The issue is that it adds length to the swing which can make plate coverage and catching up to velocity more difficult. Often, one would like to tone down a bat wrap in order to create a more direct approach to the ball. When you head noisy or quiet pre-swing, it's often referring to what the hands are doing before the swing. A wrap wouldn't really add bat speed, as that is in large part generated by rotational torque and hand/forearm strength. It's often a byproduct of the load. In the case of Bichette, the bat speed is fast enough that it more than makes up for the deficiency. In that kind of a case, you don't really mess with the swing because it is so effective.
newsense
8/03
How would you contrast Robles with Byron Buxton?
GregGoldstein
8/03
Both are elite defensive CF's and have similar upside. Buxton's body gives him more power projection, while Robles plays more to contact with sneaky HR pop. Buxton also plays a bit more smooth given his height and lankiness, while Robles is a little more of an energizer bunny. Both have elite talent though.