Top MLB Prospects Tearing It Up in the Winter Leagues
Many of baseball’s top prospects are spending the offseason playing in winter leagues in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, hoping to get a head start on the 2014 season and improve their chances of cracking an Opening Day roster.
As is usually the case given the time of year, the prospect pool between the four leagues is heavy on hitters. Unfortunately, this winter's crop of talent is fairly weak and features fewer big-name prospects than previous years.
Here’s a look at some of the top prospects tearing it up in the offseason winter leagues.
Cristhian Adames, SS, Colorado Rockies
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Dominican Winter League (DWL) Stats: 47 G, 167 AB, .353/.426/.473, 11 XBH (5 3B), 4 SB, 18 BB, 19 K
Adames, 23, has been in the Colorado Rockies system since 2007, but he only received his first taste of the major leagues this past season, collecting one hit in 15 at-bats (.067) while appearing in seven games.
Though he’ll always be viewed as a glove-first player, Adames has made offensive strides over the last two seasons in regard to making consistent contact from both sides of the plate. However, his ceiling will always be limited by his lack of power and speed.
But for what it's worth, Adames is currently leading all qualified hitters in the DWL with a .353 batting average and five triples through 47 games.
Maikel Franco, 3B/1B, Philadelphia Phillies
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DWL Stats: 37 G, 144 AB, .278/.342/.479, 15 XBH (7 HR), 29 RBI, 14 BB, 33 K
Maikel Franco’s second-half surge in Triple-A last year convinced the Philadelphia Phillies that he was ready to be challenged at the highest level, so they called him up Sept. 1 for the final month of the regular season. However, Franco’s hot bat—one that produced 31 home runs in 2013—didn’t carry over to The Show, as he batted just .179 (10-for-56) with 13 strikeouts while appearing in 16 games.
Thankfully, Franco is showing more consistent thump this winter in the Dominican Republic, as he’s currently second in the league in both home runs (seven) and RBI (29). Expect Franco and Cody Asche to compete for third base next spring, though a platoon situation is a more realistic scenario.
Jorge Polanco, 2B/SS, Minnesota Twins
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DWL Stats: 22 G, 87 AB, .333/.408/.483, 8 XBH, 10 BB, 15 K
Jorge Polanco, a 21-year-old switch-hitter, spent most of last season between High-A Fort Myers and Double-A New Britain, batting .288/.353/.395 with 36 extra-base hits, 17 stolen bases and an 88-55 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 131 games. He also unexpectedly made his big league debut with the Minnesota Twins in late July and picked up a double and triple in six at-bats.
Meanwhile, he has swung a hot bat of late in the Dominican Winter League, posting a .324/.432/.486 batting line with two doubles and two triples over his last 10 games.
Polanco will likely spend most of the 2015 season in the minor leagues, though injuries at either middle-infield position could open the door for him earlier than expected.
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Delino DeShields, OF, Texas Rangers
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Puerto Rico Winter League Stats: 25 G, 89 AB, .236/.330/.360, 5 XBH, 9 SB, 11 BB, 21 K
DeShields batted .236/.346/.360 with 27 extra-base hits through 114 games in his first taste of the Double-A level this past season. Though his production was down, the 22-year-old’s speed has translated favorably at the higher level, as he ranked second in the Texas League with 54 stolen bases.
Therefore, it wasn’t a complete surprise when the Rangers, a team that covets high-end athletes, swooped in and grabbed DeShields with the No. 3 overall pick in the Rule 5 draft.
Meanwhile, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels already stated he believes DeShields has a chance to stick with the team this year. Not to mention he looks to have a bright future with the organization, per Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News.
“We look at this as a combination of now and the future,” Daniels told Grant. “He has a chance to be on this team. He is another center field option with a unique speed tool and the instincts to use it. He’s a good fit for our club now and has a chance to be a fit for the future.”
Breyvic Valera, OF/2B, St. Louis Cardinals
5 of 10Venezuela Winter League (VWL) Stats: 18 G, 74 AB, .338/.402/.392, 4 2B, 3 SB, 7 BB, 8 K
Valera solidified his prospect stock with a quietly impressive 2014 season between the High-A and Double-A levels, as the athletic switch-hitter combined to bat .313/.361/367 with 17 stolen bases and more walks (40) than strikeouts (35).
The Cardinals decided not to protect Valera from the Rule 5 draft earlier this month, but no team was willing to risk a roster spot on the 22-year-old. Maybe they should have, though. Valera is riding a nine-game hitting streak during which he’s batting .444 with 11 runs scored and more walks (four) than strikeouts (three).
Odubel Herrera, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
6 of 10VWL Stats: 51 G, 180 AB, .378/.434/.567, 21 XBH (5 HR), 25 RBI, 7 SB, 17 BB, 28 K
Herrera, 22, batted .315/.383/.388 with 21 steals in 125 games last season between High-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco, and his .321 average in 96 games at the latter stop paced all hitters in the Texas League. And as you might have guessed, Herrera’s .378 batting average and 1.001 OPS this winter currently pace all VWL hitters.
Selected by Philadelphia in the Rule 5 draft, Herrera has played 135 of his 574 pro games at shortstop, which is significant given the departure of Jimmy Rollins. Defensively, Herrera remains a work in progress with the glove; however, the 10 games he played in the outfield this past season highlight his overall versatility and could also give him extra value to the Phillies as a bench player if they were to keep him on the 2015 roster.
Carlos Perez, C, Los Angeles Angels
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VWL Stats: 36 G, 126 AB, .341/.380/.532, 15 XBH (4 HR), 20 RBI, 9 BB, 16 K
Perez, who was added to the Astros' 40-man roster shortly before he was dealt to the Angels, batted .259/.323/.385 with six home runs and 34 RBI over 88 games this past season in Triple-A. The 24-year-old has a chance to serve as Chris Iannetta's backup in 2015, though the Angels could add another catcher over the winter.
He’s having an overall strong season in Venezuela and showing more consistent power, even if it’s mostly to the gaps. Expect the Angels to give Perez an extensive look next spring.
Orlando Arcia, SS, Milwaukee Brewers
8 of 10VWL Stats: 52 G, 201 AB, .274/.342/.458, 21 XBH (7 HR), 28 RBI, 20 BB, 30 K
Arcia, 20, turned in a breakout performance this year in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, batting .289 with a .738 OPS, 38 extra-base hits and 31 stolen bases in 127 games. He continued to rake it in during his first few weeks in the VWL, collecting 18 of his 21 extra-base hits in his first 124 at-bats (32 games). Since then, however, the right-handed hitter has cooled off, with a .270 batting average over his last 10 contests.
Domingo Santana, OF, Houston Astros
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DWL Stats: 36 G, 109 AB, .284/.400/.422, 11 XBH (4 3B), 17 BB, 44 K
Santana, 22, received two cups of coffee with the Houston Astros last season, but will enter 2015 still in search of his first major league hit after going 0-for-17 with 14 strikeouts.
His hit tool is still suspect due to his penchant for whiffing, but the right-handed batter’s power is legit and should translate to 20-plus home runs annually at the highest level. Either way, Santana is still very young and will be given every opportunity to reach his potential.
Jorge Lopez, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
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Puerto Rico Winter League Stats: 6 GS, 26 IP, 1.73 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, .247 BAA, 8 BB, 25 K
A second-round draft pick in 2011 out of Puerto Rico, Lopez is a 6’4” right-hander with a 91-93 mph fastball, 78-79 mph curveball and 87 mph changeup. At 21, he still has plenty of room left to develop. After an impressive season in the Florida State League—he also pitched for the World team in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game—Lopez has continued to make strides this offseason in Puerto Rico.
Though he hasn’t pitched since Dec. 4, Lopez didn’t allow more than one earned run in any of his six starts this offseason, and he fanned a Puerto Rico Winter League season-high six strikeouts in his latest outing.
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