Post by Commissioner Erick on Jul 22, 2023 8:48:32 GMT -5
Most elite talent missed the Canadian Rookie League this year. However, with the lower talent level being evenly split among hitting and pitching, the league had stable results for the second straight year. Continue reading to see who dominated the environment and who needs more development time.
CF: Logan Poe—Padres
2029’s Padres 15th rounder, Logan Poe has thrived in Rookie ball. Poe thrived in 2029, hitting for an .837 OPS in the Dominican League. He improved in the cold weather of the Yukon territories, leading the league by far with a .397 average. He hit 15 doubles and played well in Left Field.
Poe is pretty well developed, but doesn’t have a lot of upside. He has no power, won’t steal bases, and doesn’t have a standout skill aside from hitting doubles. He should move up to Short-Season ball next year, but that may be where he tops out.
3B: Alex Guerra—Giants
Mr. Magnificent, Guerra earned his nickname with a magnificent, league-leading 18 home runs this year. He struggled defensively in Short-A last year, so he was sent back to the rookie leagues this year—where he’s played as the DH all year. The bat has been too advanced for rookie ball though. He hit .316, his third straight year hitting above .300 in the Canadian Rookie League. He also had 18 homers, 15 doubles, and 60 RBIs.
Traded for Simon Ferguson, Guerra has a good eye, a good bat, and good power—though OSA thinks he has more power than Eddy Rodriguez. He doesn’t bring anything else to the table, but at least he works hard. He’s likely ready for full season ball already, and has a chance at a PBA career if OSA is more accurate than Eddy Rodriguez. At worst, he’s a Triple-A bat worth keeping an eye on.
1B: Salvador Moreno—Padres
A 23-year-old slugger who had spent the prior three years in the rookie leagues. He never had a huge sample of games, but he hit all three years. This year, Moreno had 311 plate appearances and dominated. He hit .324 with 34 walks against 36 strikeouts. He clubbed 15 homers and drove in 69. He even stole a couple of bases and played good defense at First Base.
Moreno is too good for the rookie leagues, but doesn’t have much room to grow. He’s basically at his max capability and will be 24 years old. He should advance to Short-A next year, but he’ll likely end his career at that level.
SS: Clarros Ferraz—Padres
Ferraz had a sensational season, leading Canada in WAR with 3.8. He did it on the back of a 16 zone rating, leading the league. He hit .307, and had a little bit of power with four homers, four triples, and 10 doubles. He’s always been an excellent fielder, but this was his first year where he had solid offense.
Scouts don’t expect Ferraz to repeat the performance. Offensively, this was likely his ceiling. He played for the Brazilian National Team for the WBC and hit 2-29 with 17 strikeouts as well. He’ll be 25 next year and will probably be a backup in Short-A next year—or cut.
CF: Alfredo Perez—Giants
Perez had a second straight exceptional year for the Octopi. He hit .285 last year and .294 this season. He had seven doubles and 16 homers last year. That flipped to 15 doubles and eight homers this season. He increased his steals though, with 38 thefts, 12 more than the 26 he led the league with last year.
Perez is still a player without a huge future. His defense and speed make him valuable in the low minors, and his patience will help his offense, but he has no power, and a limited bat. He should see Short-A next year.
RF: Angel Campos—Rockies
Campos led the St. Lawrence Sea Fish of Death to the title in his second pro season. He hit .307 with 11 homers, five triples, and a league-leading 26 doubles. This is after a great year in 2029 as well.
Campos is fairly well advanced and will likely move to full season ball next year. He projects to be solid all around, with a decent bat, a decent glove, decent pop, and decent wheels, who should hit a bunch of doubles. OSA sees a bit worse of an average than Eddy Rodriguez, but with a slightly better eye. He should be a Triple-A terror who Erick Blasco will keep an eye on.
SP: Dave Cortez—Padres
Cortez had a splendid year for the Gold Mining Grey Birds, going 9-0 and leading the league with a 1.98 ERA. He allowed only a pair of homers, walked just 23, and whiffed 92 in 91 innings. His 2.9 WAR was second in the league. It was his second year in the league, and while he was good as a reliever in 2029, his performance this year showed he could dominate the lower levels.
Unfortunately for Cortez, a lack of command should prevent him from dominating other levels. He gets good movement and life on his fastball and slider, but they don’t always go where he wants them to. Probably too advanced for rookie ball, both OSA, and Eddy Rodriguez see him topping out in the low minors.
SP: Jose Gallegos—Rockies
Gallegos went 11-1 with a 2.63 ERA, leading the league in WAR and wins. The Panama native did on the back of a mid-90s fastball and filthy changeup, striking out 134 hitters in just 89 innings. Gallegos continues to make steady progress, after a solid 2028 professional debut in Grand Junction, followed by a 1.6 WAR campaign as a starter in 2029.
Gallegos throws hard and has excellent life on his changeup. It devastates young hitters, but it’s doubtful that success will translate as he goes up to higher levels. Gallegos is very wild, and more advanced hitters should be able to catch up to his fastball. He’ll be in short-season ball next year, but likely won’t make it past A-Ball.
SP: Orlando Bojorquez—Padres
Bojorquez has played all three of his professional seasons in Yukon, as a reliever in 2028, and as a strong starter in 2029. He followed that up with a slightly better 2022, leading the league in innings with 101 and carrying a 2.76 ERA and a 10-2 record. He only struck out 70 hitters, but he had a sparkling 0.88 WHIP.
Bojorquez throws strikes and has a nice fastball/forkball combination that works in the low-levels. His curveball and changeup don’t impress, so he may be a reliever long term. Eddy Rodriguez doesn’t see someone likely to progress past High-A or perhaps Double-A, but OSA comfortable projects a Double-A arm. Bojorquez will need some development to advance higher.
CL: Adam Wilson—Rockies
On a very good Sea Fish of Death squad, the former Gator Adam Wilson was able to lead the league in saves. He nailed down 21 contests with a 2.63 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP, striking out 36 in 27.1 innings.
Wilson throws a high 90s cutter and a good curveball, but those are his only two pitches. Without great control, scouts see him topping out in A-ball. Expect him to be in short-A next year for Boise.
RP: Jorge Vasquez—Phillies
Vasquez started 14 games, pitched 68 innings, and led Canada in FIP with a 2.12 mark. It was the second straight good year for Vasquez in Canada, working a 2.8 WAR campaign a season after putting up 2.7 WAR. He keeps the ball in the park and has the repertoire to rack up a ton of strikeouts. If he pitched deeper into games, he’d rack up a ton of counting stats.
Vasquez has four solid pitches, making him an advanced 22-year-old. Scouts don’t see stardom for him as his mistakes are hittable, probably resulting in an A-ball ceiling. After his last two years though, he should see how suited he is to Short-A.
RP: Brian Weidner—Rockies
A last round pick in 2027, Weidner led Canada in holds last year and did so with a 1.55 ERA to boot. He didn’t allow a homer and struck out a healthy 45 hitters in 40.2 innings. He struggled in Grand Junction in 2028, and was homer prone in St. Lawrence last year, so repeating the level did him good.
Weidner has a couple of pitches that miss bats in a low-90’s fastball and 10-4 curveball, but his stuff is straight and less forgiving offensive environments will punish him. He’ll be 26 so he’ll pitch for Boise next year, but that may be the last stop at the station.
C: Adrian de la Cruz—Giants
A second round pick this year, Cruz did not have a good season. His offense was fine—he hit .300 with some walks, but he had almost no power. The bigger culprit was his defense. He committed eight passed balls and was worth -5.0 framing runs, leading to a negative defensive campaign despite throwing out over 40% of runners. Gunning down 41.7% of base stealers and hitting .300 as a Catcher only led to 0.3 WAR.
De la Cruz is a raw, a high-school draft pick out of Pinole Valley. He’ll need time to develop and should repeat the level next year. Scouts see a high-average hitter down the line thanks to an excellent ability to make contact, and enough pop to run into the occasional extra base hit. He could be a major league backup, but the defense will likely be a concern.
RF: Dave Maturino—Phillies
A third round pick in 2029, Maturino has had a rough start to his career. A high school pick, Maturino only started 14 games and got in 34 as a rookie—and hit .157/.155/.171 in the Dominica Rookie League, good for a -10 OPS+. This year, he did improve. His average is up to .214 in Canada, and his OBP was .294. However, in 180 plate appearances, he hit just two doubles and three triples. He didn’t steal any bases, his zone rating was negative, and he committed two errors.
OSA sees a little bit of pop when Maturino fills out, but he wouldn’t have the hit tool to take advantage. Eddy Rodriguez is a little higher on the hit tool, grading it as adequate for the PBA, but the patience and the contact wouldn’t be there. Maturino has no speed or defensive range. He may top out at Double-A, which would be a disappointing outcome for a third round pick.
SP: Hector Linares—Nationals
Linares suited up for the Polar Twins this year after being drafted eighth overall. Nicknamed Blink, if you blinked, you wouldn’t catch his terrible pro debut. He ran a 6.93 ERA allowing nine home runs in 37.2 innings. With 20 walks and a .359 BABIP, his WHIP was 1.88. This despite the cold weather of The Ice Box suppressing offense.
A high school pick out of Ballard in Seattle, Linares is extremely raw. His mechanics are wild, and he’s trying to piece together five pitches, and only his low 90s fastball is respectable at this point. OSA eventually sees an arm with four good pitches that can be thrown for strikes. That’s a major leaguer. Eddy Rodriguez also projects Linares will throw strikes when the mechanics come around, but is a little less bullish about the stuff. Linares doesn’t have the best personality so it’s no sure thing he’ll eventually get there as a prospect.
RP: Jean Bouet—Orioles
A Canadian native born in Vancouver, Bouet travelled across Canada to pitch for the Quebec City Happy Dude Guys and was often not happy with his performance. He pitched in relief with a 4.50 ERA, four homered allowed in 30 innings, and underwhelming strikeout totals leading to -0.2 WAR.
Bouet has two good pitches, but his knucklecurve doesn’t look like it will be enough of a weapon to start. OSA sees an arm with a live mid-90s fastball that gets good downward bite and can be thrown in the zone. It’s a not a traditional relief profile, but it could work. Eddy Rodriguez doesn’t quite see the elite movement, but still sees a solid command and control reliever. He should repeat the level as it will take him time to learn how to perfect his approach.
CF: Logan Poe—Padres
2029’s Padres 15th rounder, Logan Poe has thrived in Rookie ball. Poe thrived in 2029, hitting for an .837 OPS in the Dominican League. He improved in the cold weather of the Yukon territories, leading the league by far with a .397 average. He hit 15 doubles and played well in Left Field.
Poe is pretty well developed, but doesn’t have a lot of upside. He has no power, won’t steal bases, and doesn’t have a standout skill aside from hitting doubles. He should move up to Short-Season ball next year, but that may be where he tops out.
3B: Alex Guerra—Giants
Mr. Magnificent, Guerra earned his nickname with a magnificent, league-leading 18 home runs this year. He struggled defensively in Short-A last year, so he was sent back to the rookie leagues this year—where he’s played as the DH all year. The bat has been too advanced for rookie ball though. He hit .316, his third straight year hitting above .300 in the Canadian Rookie League. He also had 18 homers, 15 doubles, and 60 RBIs.
Traded for Simon Ferguson, Guerra has a good eye, a good bat, and good power—though OSA thinks he has more power than Eddy Rodriguez. He doesn’t bring anything else to the table, but at least he works hard. He’s likely ready for full season ball already, and has a chance at a PBA career if OSA is more accurate than Eddy Rodriguez. At worst, he’s a Triple-A bat worth keeping an eye on.
1B: Salvador Moreno—Padres
A 23-year-old slugger who had spent the prior three years in the rookie leagues. He never had a huge sample of games, but he hit all three years. This year, Moreno had 311 plate appearances and dominated. He hit .324 with 34 walks against 36 strikeouts. He clubbed 15 homers and drove in 69. He even stole a couple of bases and played good defense at First Base.
Moreno is too good for the rookie leagues, but doesn’t have much room to grow. He’s basically at his max capability and will be 24 years old. He should advance to Short-A next year, but he’ll likely end his career at that level.
SS: Clarros Ferraz—Padres
Ferraz had a sensational season, leading Canada in WAR with 3.8. He did it on the back of a 16 zone rating, leading the league. He hit .307, and had a little bit of power with four homers, four triples, and 10 doubles. He’s always been an excellent fielder, but this was his first year where he had solid offense.
Scouts don’t expect Ferraz to repeat the performance. Offensively, this was likely his ceiling. He played for the Brazilian National Team for the WBC and hit 2-29 with 17 strikeouts as well. He’ll be 25 next year and will probably be a backup in Short-A next year—or cut.
CF: Alfredo Perez—Giants
Perez had a second straight exceptional year for the Octopi. He hit .285 last year and .294 this season. He had seven doubles and 16 homers last year. That flipped to 15 doubles and eight homers this season. He increased his steals though, with 38 thefts, 12 more than the 26 he led the league with last year.
Perez is still a player without a huge future. His defense and speed make him valuable in the low minors, and his patience will help his offense, but he has no power, and a limited bat. He should see Short-A next year.
RF: Angel Campos—Rockies
Campos led the St. Lawrence Sea Fish of Death to the title in his second pro season. He hit .307 with 11 homers, five triples, and a league-leading 26 doubles. This is after a great year in 2029 as well.
Campos is fairly well advanced and will likely move to full season ball next year. He projects to be solid all around, with a decent bat, a decent glove, decent pop, and decent wheels, who should hit a bunch of doubles. OSA sees a bit worse of an average than Eddy Rodriguez, but with a slightly better eye. He should be a Triple-A terror who Erick Blasco will keep an eye on.
SP: Dave Cortez—Padres
Cortez had a splendid year for the Gold Mining Grey Birds, going 9-0 and leading the league with a 1.98 ERA. He allowed only a pair of homers, walked just 23, and whiffed 92 in 91 innings. His 2.9 WAR was second in the league. It was his second year in the league, and while he was good as a reliever in 2029, his performance this year showed he could dominate the lower levels.
Unfortunately for Cortez, a lack of command should prevent him from dominating other levels. He gets good movement and life on his fastball and slider, but they don’t always go where he wants them to. Probably too advanced for rookie ball, both OSA, and Eddy Rodriguez see him topping out in the low minors.
SP: Jose Gallegos—Rockies
Gallegos went 11-1 with a 2.63 ERA, leading the league in WAR and wins. The Panama native did on the back of a mid-90s fastball and filthy changeup, striking out 134 hitters in just 89 innings. Gallegos continues to make steady progress, after a solid 2028 professional debut in Grand Junction, followed by a 1.6 WAR campaign as a starter in 2029.
Gallegos throws hard and has excellent life on his changeup. It devastates young hitters, but it’s doubtful that success will translate as he goes up to higher levels. Gallegos is very wild, and more advanced hitters should be able to catch up to his fastball. He’ll be in short-season ball next year, but likely won’t make it past A-Ball.
SP: Orlando Bojorquez—Padres
Bojorquez has played all three of his professional seasons in Yukon, as a reliever in 2028, and as a strong starter in 2029. He followed that up with a slightly better 2022, leading the league in innings with 101 and carrying a 2.76 ERA and a 10-2 record. He only struck out 70 hitters, but he had a sparkling 0.88 WHIP.
Bojorquez throws strikes and has a nice fastball/forkball combination that works in the low-levels. His curveball and changeup don’t impress, so he may be a reliever long term. Eddy Rodriguez doesn’t see someone likely to progress past High-A or perhaps Double-A, but OSA comfortable projects a Double-A arm. Bojorquez will need some development to advance higher.
CL: Adam Wilson—Rockies
On a very good Sea Fish of Death squad, the former Gator Adam Wilson was able to lead the league in saves. He nailed down 21 contests with a 2.63 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP, striking out 36 in 27.1 innings.
Wilson throws a high 90s cutter and a good curveball, but those are his only two pitches. Without great control, scouts see him topping out in A-ball. Expect him to be in short-A next year for Boise.
RP: Jorge Vasquez—Phillies
Vasquez started 14 games, pitched 68 innings, and led Canada in FIP with a 2.12 mark. It was the second straight good year for Vasquez in Canada, working a 2.8 WAR campaign a season after putting up 2.7 WAR. He keeps the ball in the park and has the repertoire to rack up a ton of strikeouts. If he pitched deeper into games, he’d rack up a ton of counting stats.
Vasquez has four solid pitches, making him an advanced 22-year-old. Scouts don’t see stardom for him as his mistakes are hittable, probably resulting in an A-ball ceiling. After his last two years though, he should see how suited he is to Short-A.
RP: Brian Weidner—Rockies
A last round pick in 2027, Weidner led Canada in holds last year and did so with a 1.55 ERA to boot. He didn’t allow a homer and struck out a healthy 45 hitters in 40.2 innings. He struggled in Grand Junction in 2028, and was homer prone in St. Lawrence last year, so repeating the level did him good.
Weidner has a couple of pitches that miss bats in a low-90’s fastball and 10-4 curveball, but his stuff is straight and less forgiving offensive environments will punish him. He’ll be 26 so he’ll pitch for Boise next year, but that may be the last stop at the station.
C: Adrian de la Cruz—Giants
A second round pick this year, Cruz did not have a good season. His offense was fine—he hit .300 with some walks, but he had almost no power. The bigger culprit was his defense. He committed eight passed balls and was worth -5.0 framing runs, leading to a negative defensive campaign despite throwing out over 40% of runners. Gunning down 41.7% of base stealers and hitting .300 as a Catcher only led to 0.3 WAR.
De la Cruz is a raw, a high-school draft pick out of Pinole Valley. He’ll need time to develop and should repeat the level next year. Scouts see a high-average hitter down the line thanks to an excellent ability to make contact, and enough pop to run into the occasional extra base hit. He could be a major league backup, but the defense will likely be a concern.
RF: Dave Maturino—Phillies
A third round pick in 2029, Maturino has had a rough start to his career. A high school pick, Maturino only started 14 games and got in 34 as a rookie—and hit .157/.155/.171 in the Dominica Rookie League, good for a -10 OPS+. This year, he did improve. His average is up to .214 in Canada, and his OBP was .294. However, in 180 plate appearances, he hit just two doubles and three triples. He didn’t steal any bases, his zone rating was negative, and he committed two errors.
OSA sees a little bit of pop when Maturino fills out, but he wouldn’t have the hit tool to take advantage. Eddy Rodriguez is a little higher on the hit tool, grading it as adequate for the PBA, but the patience and the contact wouldn’t be there. Maturino has no speed or defensive range. He may top out at Double-A, which would be a disappointing outcome for a third round pick.
SP: Hector Linares—Nationals
Linares suited up for the Polar Twins this year after being drafted eighth overall. Nicknamed Blink, if you blinked, you wouldn’t catch his terrible pro debut. He ran a 6.93 ERA allowing nine home runs in 37.2 innings. With 20 walks and a .359 BABIP, his WHIP was 1.88. This despite the cold weather of The Ice Box suppressing offense.
A high school pick out of Ballard in Seattle, Linares is extremely raw. His mechanics are wild, and he’s trying to piece together five pitches, and only his low 90s fastball is respectable at this point. OSA eventually sees an arm with four good pitches that can be thrown for strikes. That’s a major leaguer. Eddy Rodriguez also projects Linares will throw strikes when the mechanics come around, but is a little less bullish about the stuff. Linares doesn’t have the best personality so it’s no sure thing he’ll eventually get there as a prospect.
RP: Jean Bouet—Orioles
A Canadian native born in Vancouver, Bouet travelled across Canada to pitch for the Quebec City Happy Dude Guys and was often not happy with his performance. He pitched in relief with a 4.50 ERA, four homered allowed in 30 innings, and underwhelming strikeout totals leading to -0.2 WAR.
Bouet has two good pitches, but his knucklecurve doesn’t look like it will be enough of a weapon to start. OSA sees an arm with a live mid-90s fastball that gets good downward bite and can be thrown in the zone. It’s a not a traditional relief profile, but it could work. Eddy Rodriguez doesn’t quite see the elite movement, but still sees a solid command and control reliever. He should repeat the level as it will take him time to learn how to perfect his approach.