2028 West Indies Short League Stars And Disappointments
Sept 1, 2022 23:24:32 GMT -5
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Post by Commissioner Erick on Sept 1, 2022 23:24:32 GMT -5
The West Indies Short League was fairly depressed of offense this season, dominated by old hitters, and older pitchers. Here are the best and brightest, with a few of the strugglers from recent draft classes as well.
1B: Mark Luciani—Royals
The 26-year-old Luciani has played everywhere in his career. Rookie ball, Low-A, A-Ball, High-A, Triple-A, but ended up in Low-A Puerto Rico last year. He led the league in batting at age 26, clubbing 22 homers, drawing more walks than strikeouts, and batting .309. He’s an advanced veteran bat who had no reason to be in Short-A, and it showed.
Luciani looks the part of a Triple-A slugger. He has a good approach, a good hit tool, good power, and very good gap power. He likely doesn’t do one thing well enough to play in the majors, but could likely be serviceable in a pinch. He should be in Triple-A next year or cleaning up a foreign league—not Puerto Rico.
RF: Omar Almanza—Braves
Sparky Almanza has now spent the last three seasons in Barbados, but this last year was his best yet. He smashed a league-leading 29 home runs, drove in 64, and had a 1.032 OPS in a down year for offense. He was a powerful slugger in a league short on offense.
Both OSA and Bobby Evans see a PBA player here, with advanced power and a patient approach overcoming a slightly slower bat. Evans sees more patience than OSA, which could be key with a slightly underwhelming hit tool. Almanza is young and will spend most of next year at age 23, but a stop in Triple-A will likely be a good challenge for him.
RF: Willis Castro—Brewers
A fifth round pick in 2027, Castro didn’t see much playing time his first pro year on a stacked Parrots team. He got more playing time this season and led the league in OPS with a 1.075 number. Castro hit .303 with 19 long balls and struck out only 21 times in 208 times at the plate. He’ll be an MVP favorite after the year he had.
Castro definitely has a shot at a pro future. The power, hit tool, and approach are solid—important as he’ll provide little in the field and the bases. Bobby Evans sees a little more power and patience than OSA, which could make the difference in Castro being a first division or second division outfielder, or a passable DH. He should see time in the upper minors next year, probably even Triple-A.
SS: Willie Mesinas—Braves
Mesinas ran wild in Barbados, stealing 42 bases in 57 attempts, and scoring 52 runs as a result. He only hit .227 with 18 walks, so he wasn’t on base very often. In fact, he was only on 79 times via hit or walk, making his 52 runs look remarkable. Mesinas did club 11 doubles and three triples, so he wasn’t totally inept with the bat, but his value was with his glove and legs. He played mostly Third Base and had a strong season learning the position, even though he’s naturally a Shortstop.
Mesinas doesn’t have much of a future as his bat doesn’t even look advanced enough for A-Ball. Only 21, he should stick in Barbados for awhile and wreak havoc with short-season Catchers unless his hitting ability takes a bump.
SS: Phillip MacDonald—Braves
Mesinas had to play Third Base this year as a natural Shortstop, but so did Phillip MacDonald. The Braves middle infielder moved to Second Base to accommodate the great gloved, long-named Wolde-Selassie Lahsini. MacDonald simply moved to the other side of the bag and led the league in Zone Rating with a 13.6 Zone Rating at Second Base. The 23-year-old didn’t hit a lick with a .573 OPS, but was still worth 2.7 WAR.
MacDonald has a good glove and some gap pop that should get him to the upper minors. OSA sees a player topping out at Double-A, but Bobby Evans sees a Triple-A middle infielder. There’s still some development to go, but MacDonald should attempt his age 24 season in A-Ball.
CF: Luis Ornelas—Braves
Ornelas was coming off an injury-shortened 2027, repeating a third season in Barbados. He had an excellent season, with a .288 average, a league-leading 19 doubles, and 27 stolen bases in 29 attempts. He also played strong Center Field defense to boot.
Both OSA and Bobby Evans see a player with an approach too good for the low minors as Ornelas has a good approach, a decent bat, and gap power. OSA eventually sees a Double-A starter or a Triple-A backup with Ornelas putting up a decent approach, good gap power, and good defense. Evans sees a Triple-A starter as he sees Ornelas’ hit tool and contact skills as eventually developing farther than OSA.
SP: Joel Huertas—Brewers
Huertas had a dominant season in the West Indies with a 7-0 record and a 1.33 ERA. He produced 3.5 WAR, dominating opposing hitters. He was also a 32-year-old, wasting everybody’s time in the league.
Huertas is a Double-A pitcher who should be pitching in a Double-A league. He’s pitched in 34 PBA games in his career, but will likely be in A-Ball for Milwaukee next season.
SP: Brock Burke—Brewers
Burke had nine Wins to lead the West Indies, going 9-1 with a 1.73 ERA, He put up 3.1 WAR, teaming with Huertas to form a dominant rotation. They were dominant on the strength of being 32-year-old, as Burke turned 32 in early August.
Burke once led the KBO in Wins, so he’s clearly an arm who knows how to succeed professionally. Milwaukee wasted his talents in the low minors. Expect him to waste more time in A-Ball next year.
SP: Juan V. Gonzalez—Brewers
Gonzalez led the league in WAR as a 28-year old, relying on command, control, and being half a decade older than the league to put hitters away. Gonzalez only went 6-3, but his 1.94 ERA was terrific, and he walked just six hitters while fanning 96.
Gonzalez has an advanced approach that would serve him in Double-A. Knowing Milwaukee, he’ll pitch in their lowest eligible level next season.
SP: Rob Corcoran—Reds
Six shutouts were thrown in the West Indies last year, and Cincinnati’s 2027 fourth rounder had one of them. Corcoran had a strong year with a 3.15 ERA, allowing just five home runs in 97 innings.
Corcoran doesn’t have great potential, and both OSA and Bobby Evans see a High-A type arm. Corcoran only went 7-7 and only whiffed 63, so he still has room to improve. He may repeat the level or move to A-ball next season.
CL: Ignacio Resendez—Dodgers
Resendez was in the right league last year, as a sinking air mass in the Caribbean allowed Resendez to issue only two long balls in 35.1 innings. Despite scouts saying Resendez throws a very straight ball, he led the league with 10 holds, working very well out of the pen.
The 2022 scouting discovery from the Dominican has pitched well in Jamaica the last two seasons. He doesn’t have much of a future, but was solid as a starter in 2027 and has the stamina to open games. He’ll likely repeat his stay in Jamaica next season.
SP: Jeff Beers—Royals
The appropriately named Beers led the league with 17 Saves last year, leaving many happy fans and teammates heading to the bars for celebratory—merlots. Beers had a 1.64 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 44 innings.
The ninth rounder was a college grad at Michigan State, and likely isn’t long for the low minors. Evans and the OSA see a Double-A reliever in Beers’ future, but his 2028 shows that he gets results. Expect a trip to A-ball next season.
RF: Nick McInnis —Reds
A Canadian college Junior, McInnis was expected to dominate Short-Season ball as a fourth round pick, but really struggled. The Right Fielder hit just .212, drove in nine, and scored 15 times in 63 Games. His base running was only adequate, and he was sub-par defensively. All-in-all, it was a very disappointing season.
McInnis is a bit underdeveloped for a college bat, so it’s a near certainty he repeats the level. Both OSA and Evans are aligned on his future as a decent bat, with a decent approach, and a defensive versatility that may allow him to play as a fifth outfielder. He’ll need to show more than he did last year to indicate he can get to that level though.
RF: Chris Williams—Brewers
Williams was a fourth round pick in 2026, who hasn’t put things together yet. The outfielder had a solid year in the Arizona League in 2027, but regressed last year, hitting .203 with two home runs. Williams got on base at a .323 clip, but his .297 Slugging indicated that he didn’t do much when the ball was over the plate.
Williams has a good approach and can hit some doubles, so the hope is that he suffered from some bad BABIP luck last year. He profiles as a patient player, without much power, or even a great bat. He has some speed and a good arm in Right Field, but with his struggles, may top out at Triple-A.
SP: Lance Milliken—Reds
In an environment where home runs were depressed, Milliken found a way to allow 16 of them in 87 innings, good for a 1.7 HR/9. The third round Miami graduate had great strikeout numbers and solid control, but was still worth just 0.3 WAR thanks to the homers.
Unfortunately for the Reds, Milliken looks like he’ll always be homer prone. He throws five pitches and has good command, so he should strike out a good share of hitters, especially lefties with his sidearm approach. He doesn’t throw hard though, and his mistakes get crushed, even by lefties. He may only be a Triple-A pitcher.
CL: Steve Jellison—Reds
Cuba’s closer this year, Jellison had decent surface stats—16 Saves, and a decent 4.88 ERA—but like Milliken, he allowed a ton of long balls. Jellison allowed five in 27.2 innings, plus 12 walks too. As a result, in 28 Games, he was worth -0.9 WAR.
The fourth rounder out of Cal State Fullerton will likely need to repeat the level to show he’s ready for more advanced assignments. Only 21 though, he has time. The lefty throws in the mid 90s with three offspeed pitches with vertical drops. It should allow him to rack up some strikeouts, but the similar planes will likely always leave him homer prone. He should make it to the upper minors and be on the fringe of the majors.
1B: Mark Luciani—Royals
The 26-year-old Luciani has played everywhere in his career. Rookie ball, Low-A, A-Ball, High-A, Triple-A, but ended up in Low-A Puerto Rico last year. He led the league in batting at age 26, clubbing 22 homers, drawing more walks than strikeouts, and batting .309. He’s an advanced veteran bat who had no reason to be in Short-A, and it showed.
Luciani looks the part of a Triple-A slugger. He has a good approach, a good hit tool, good power, and very good gap power. He likely doesn’t do one thing well enough to play in the majors, but could likely be serviceable in a pinch. He should be in Triple-A next year or cleaning up a foreign league—not Puerto Rico.
RF: Omar Almanza—Braves
Sparky Almanza has now spent the last three seasons in Barbados, but this last year was his best yet. He smashed a league-leading 29 home runs, drove in 64, and had a 1.032 OPS in a down year for offense. He was a powerful slugger in a league short on offense.
Both OSA and Bobby Evans see a PBA player here, with advanced power and a patient approach overcoming a slightly slower bat. Evans sees more patience than OSA, which could be key with a slightly underwhelming hit tool. Almanza is young and will spend most of next year at age 23, but a stop in Triple-A will likely be a good challenge for him.
RF: Willis Castro—Brewers
A fifth round pick in 2027, Castro didn’t see much playing time his first pro year on a stacked Parrots team. He got more playing time this season and led the league in OPS with a 1.075 number. Castro hit .303 with 19 long balls and struck out only 21 times in 208 times at the plate. He’ll be an MVP favorite after the year he had.
Castro definitely has a shot at a pro future. The power, hit tool, and approach are solid—important as he’ll provide little in the field and the bases. Bobby Evans sees a little more power and patience than OSA, which could make the difference in Castro being a first division or second division outfielder, or a passable DH. He should see time in the upper minors next year, probably even Triple-A.
SS: Willie Mesinas—Braves
Mesinas ran wild in Barbados, stealing 42 bases in 57 attempts, and scoring 52 runs as a result. He only hit .227 with 18 walks, so he wasn’t on base very often. In fact, he was only on 79 times via hit or walk, making his 52 runs look remarkable. Mesinas did club 11 doubles and three triples, so he wasn’t totally inept with the bat, but his value was with his glove and legs. He played mostly Third Base and had a strong season learning the position, even though he’s naturally a Shortstop.
Mesinas doesn’t have much of a future as his bat doesn’t even look advanced enough for A-Ball. Only 21, he should stick in Barbados for awhile and wreak havoc with short-season Catchers unless his hitting ability takes a bump.
SS: Phillip MacDonald—Braves
Mesinas had to play Third Base this year as a natural Shortstop, but so did Phillip MacDonald. The Braves middle infielder moved to Second Base to accommodate the great gloved, long-named Wolde-Selassie Lahsini. MacDonald simply moved to the other side of the bag and led the league in Zone Rating with a 13.6 Zone Rating at Second Base. The 23-year-old didn’t hit a lick with a .573 OPS, but was still worth 2.7 WAR.
MacDonald has a good glove and some gap pop that should get him to the upper minors. OSA sees a player topping out at Double-A, but Bobby Evans sees a Triple-A middle infielder. There’s still some development to go, but MacDonald should attempt his age 24 season in A-Ball.
CF: Luis Ornelas—Braves
Ornelas was coming off an injury-shortened 2027, repeating a third season in Barbados. He had an excellent season, with a .288 average, a league-leading 19 doubles, and 27 stolen bases in 29 attempts. He also played strong Center Field defense to boot.
Both OSA and Bobby Evans see a player with an approach too good for the low minors as Ornelas has a good approach, a decent bat, and gap power. OSA eventually sees a Double-A starter or a Triple-A backup with Ornelas putting up a decent approach, good gap power, and good defense. Evans sees a Triple-A starter as he sees Ornelas’ hit tool and contact skills as eventually developing farther than OSA.
SP: Joel Huertas—Brewers
Huertas had a dominant season in the West Indies with a 7-0 record and a 1.33 ERA. He produced 3.5 WAR, dominating opposing hitters. He was also a 32-year-old, wasting everybody’s time in the league.
Huertas is a Double-A pitcher who should be pitching in a Double-A league. He’s pitched in 34 PBA games in his career, but will likely be in A-Ball for Milwaukee next season.
SP: Brock Burke—Brewers
Burke had nine Wins to lead the West Indies, going 9-1 with a 1.73 ERA, He put up 3.1 WAR, teaming with Huertas to form a dominant rotation. They were dominant on the strength of being 32-year-old, as Burke turned 32 in early August.
Burke once led the KBO in Wins, so he’s clearly an arm who knows how to succeed professionally. Milwaukee wasted his talents in the low minors. Expect him to waste more time in A-Ball next year.
SP: Juan V. Gonzalez—Brewers
Gonzalez led the league in WAR as a 28-year old, relying on command, control, and being half a decade older than the league to put hitters away. Gonzalez only went 6-3, but his 1.94 ERA was terrific, and he walked just six hitters while fanning 96.
Gonzalez has an advanced approach that would serve him in Double-A. Knowing Milwaukee, he’ll pitch in their lowest eligible level next season.
SP: Rob Corcoran—Reds
Six shutouts were thrown in the West Indies last year, and Cincinnati’s 2027 fourth rounder had one of them. Corcoran had a strong year with a 3.15 ERA, allowing just five home runs in 97 innings.
Corcoran doesn’t have great potential, and both OSA and Bobby Evans see a High-A type arm. Corcoran only went 7-7 and only whiffed 63, so he still has room to improve. He may repeat the level or move to A-ball next season.
CL: Ignacio Resendez—Dodgers
Resendez was in the right league last year, as a sinking air mass in the Caribbean allowed Resendez to issue only two long balls in 35.1 innings. Despite scouts saying Resendez throws a very straight ball, he led the league with 10 holds, working very well out of the pen.
The 2022 scouting discovery from the Dominican has pitched well in Jamaica the last two seasons. He doesn’t have much of a future, but was solid as a starter in 2027 and has the stamina to open games. He’ll likely repeat his stay in Jamaica next season.
SP: Jeff Beers—Royals
The appropriately named Beers led the league with 17 Saves last year, leaving many happy fans and teammates heading to the bars for celebratory—merlots. Beers had a 1.64 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 44 innings.
The ninth rounder was a college grad at Michigan State, and likely isn’t long for the low minors. Evans and the OSA see a Double-A reliever in Beers’ future, but his 2028 shows that he gets results. Expect a trip to A-ball next season.
RF: Nick McInnis —Reds
A Canadian college Junior, McInnis was expected to dominate Short-Season ball as a fourth round pick, but really struggled. The Right Fielder hit just .212, drove in nine, and scored 15 times in 63 Games. His base running was only adequate, and he was sub-par defensively. All-in-all, it was a very disappointing season.
McInnis is a bit underdeveloped for a college bat, so it’s a near certainty he repeats the level. Both OSA and Evans are aligned on his future as a decent bat, with a decent approach, and a defensive versatility that may allow him to play as a fifth outfielder. He’ll need to show more than he did last year to indicate he can get to that level though.
RF: Chris Williams—Brewers
Williams was a fourth round pick in 2026, who hasn’t put things together yet. The outfielder had a solid year in the Arizona League in 2027, but regressed last year, hitting .203 with two home runs. Williams got on base at a .323 clip, but his .297 Slugging indicated that he didn’t do much when the ball was over the plate.
Williams has a good approach and can hit some doubles, so the hope is that he suffered from some bad BABIP luck last year. He profiles as a patient player, without much power, or even a great bat. He has some speed and a good arm in Right Field, but with his struggles, may top out at Triple-A.
SP: Lance Milliken—Reds
In an environment where home runs were depressed, Milliken found a way to allow 16 of them in 87 innings, good for a 1.7 HR/9. The third round Miami graduate had great strikeout numbers and solid control, but was still worth just 0.3 WAR thanks to the homers.
Unfortunately for the Reds, Milliken looks like he’ll always be homer prone. He throws five pitches and has good command, so he should strike out a good share of hitters, especially lefties with his sidearm approach. He doesn’t throw hard though, and his mistakes get crushed, even by lefties. He may only be a Triple-A pitcher.
CL: Steve Jellison—Reds
Cuba’s closer this year, Jellison had decent surface stats—16 Saves, and a decent 4.88 ERA—but like Milliken, he allowed a ton of long balls. Jellison allowed five in 27.2 innings, plus 12 walks too. As a result, in 28 Games, he was worth -0.9 WAR.
The fourth rounder out of Cal State Fullerton will likely need to repeat the level to show he’s ready for more advanced assignments. Only 21 though, he has time. The lefty throws in the mid 90s with three offspeed pitches with vertical drops. It should allow him to rack up some strikeouts, but the similar planes will likely always leave him homer prone. He should make it to the upper minors and be on the fringe of the majors.