Post by Commissioner Erick on Jul 5, 2024 12:06:55 GMT -5
The West Indies was a good pitching league, but not a good defense league with sky high BABIPs the second year running. Top prospects mostly avoided the league, and some promising arms actually had some tough years. See below for the good and the bad.
2B: Tom Richard—Royals
Richard had a huge year for Puerto Rico, hitting a league leading .414/.501/.644 with 35 doubles in an absolutely massive season. The .501 OBP is the best mark in West Indies history. He did this all without being able to hear—he’s a product of the well-renowned California School of the Deaf, migrating from Arkansas to California to attend.
Richard is a terrible defensive player and may be a First Baseman ultimately. He didn’t play an inning in the field in Puerto Rico. He was in rookie ball for four years before this season, so he’s fairly developed. He doesn’t have a PBA future head of him, but he has real gap power and a good eye, which should make him a god hitter as high up as Double-A. Expect him in full season ball next year.
LF: Antonio Vance—Brewers
Despite Richard’s star season, Vance led the league in WAR with 4.9. He did so on the back of 18 homers and 62 RBIs to lead the league, plus 76 runs scored and 17 steals, both of which also led the league. He also finished second in average, slugging, and OPS, and was third in OBP.
Vance was a fifth round pick in 2032, but is fairly advanced as a college bat. He’s on the borderline as a PBA-caliber player with a decent hit tool, some power, good speed, and okay defense. Eddie Rodriguez sees a bit more gap power, at the expense of some patience, but has a similar evaluation. He’s been called up to A-Ball, but may be ready for High-A.
SS: Phillip MacDonald—Braves
MacDonald is a staple of these lists thanks to his defense. Routinely one of the best defenders in the league, he just won his fourth Gold Glove award for Barbados. He’s hit okay and draws a lot of walks, making him a good offensive player in the lower minors as well.
MacDonald, however, doesn’t have a quick bat and scouts don’t project him to do well in full season ball. He’s aged out of Short-Season play, so next year will have to be a full season campaign. He should continue to field well, but the offensive output will likely suffer with the step up.
CF: Humberto Medrano—Twins
An eighth round pick in 2029, Medrano led the West Indies in triples. He hit .327 with 18 doubles, in easily his best go in four cracks at Short-A. He didn’t play great defense, but can hold his own in the outfield and Second Base.
He was a very young draftee, so he’s only entering his age 22 season. His ultimate output doesn’t look like much more than a Double-A player, but he needs time to get there. He has good gap power and patience, but still has swing and a miss in his game that needs to be refined. He may spend another year in Short-A next year.
C: Josh Bennett—Brewers
A ninth round pick out of Stanford in 2031, Bennett was third in WAR as a result of a great offensive year. After a solid first pro year in Dominica in 2031, he exploded in 2032 with a .368 average and a 1.013 OPS.
He looks like a Triple-A Catcher, as Eddy Rodriguez sees a player with a solid, balanced offensive and defensive profile, with OSA seeing a bit more patience, and a bit more strikeouts. Rodriguez sees a much more developed player than OSA, believing Bennett should be in High-A, maybe Double-A. OSA is a bit slower to see that, and puts Bennett on the fringe of full season play.
1B: Joe Modisette—Brewers
Milwaukee’s third round pick last year, Modisette was drafted for his bat and showed off why. His first go in pro ball saw him place a .357 average and a .444 OBP. The power wasn’t huge, but nine homers and 13 doubles were very healthy.
Modisette projects to have a solid bat, which is important because he has no defensive skills to speak of. He’ll make it to Triple-A, but the final step may be a problem. Both scouts see enough for Modisette to move to full-time ball, but Rodriguez sees him more as a middle-order hitter with a step up.
SP: Tony Gordon—Brewers
The West Indies’ best arm, Gordon had a historic year. His 1.10 ERA was the second best in league history, and he had a triple crown, leading the league in ERA, wins, and strikeouts, plus WHIP, WAR, and a BABIP. He didn’t allow a single homer, and had 97 strikeouts versus 15 walks.
Scouts don’t think Gordon is great shakes, and he should be only okay in A-ball. However, Eddy Rodiguez really likes his stuff for the low minors, which combined with five offerings, is too much for rookie minor leaguers to handle. He should be in A-ball next year, but 2032 should be his peak.
SP: Chad Martin—Royals
A 29th rounder in 2030, Martin led the league in innings with 99.1 strong ones. He had a 2.61 ERA, with 91 strikeouts versus 17 walks. He’s tough to square up, resulting in just five homers hit off him all year.
29th rounders tend to not have PBA careers—and Martin looks like no exception. He may not even be good enough for A-ball. Still, if he’s a Short-A workhorse for a few more seasons until he ages out, that will help lead to playoff games and more experience for the rest of Puerto Rico’s prospects.
SP: Steve Tate—Royals
A starter by trade, Tate took to the bullpen to lead the West Indies in saves this year. He locked down 14 games in 15 tries, and went 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA. He allowed just a couple of homers and walked six hitters versus 34 strikeouts. Despite being left-handed, righties had a .543 OPS against him.
A 22nd round pick in 2030, Tate has really good stuff for the low minors, and throws strikes, a combination which is too much for young hitters to handle. He throws a very straight ball, however, which will get gobbled up by better hitters. Cotton may be able to do okay as a reliever in A-ball, but likely won’t progress any higher.
RP: Jonathan Rojas—Brewers
A sixth round pick last year, Rojas was named a setup man in Dominica’s pen and excelled, easily leading the league in holds with 12. He didn’t allow a single homer, and whiffed 32 in 27.1 innings.
Essentially a two-pitch pitcher, Rojas’ sinker/splitter combo will miss bats, and the downward action will induce grounders. He still has to work on his control, but scouts see a fringe PBA arm as long as the control comes around.
SP: Steve Janvier—Royals
Janvier was one of two players to pitch shutouts in the West Indies, and went 11-1 with a 2.28 ERA. He allowed just one homer, using that ability to keep the ball in the park to succeed. After a strong run in rookie ball for four years, he was prepared for Short-A and unsurprisingly had success.
Janvier has five pitches and he has the stamina to pitch deep into games, the main reasons for his dominance. The stuff should carry over to full-season ball, but the command won’t. He’ll likely be just another arm once he graduates to full season A-ball.
C: Rob Miranda—Braves
A third round pick last year, Miranda had a terrible rookie season. A teenager out of Puerto Rico, he wasn’t prepared for Short-A. His .246 average was okay, but he had just three extra base hits and five RBIs in 135 plate appearances, leading to a .598 OPS. His Catcher defense was pretty good, but he played most of his time at First Base.
Mirando is 6-4, 200 pounds and projects to have power, but he’s extremely raw. Repeating the level may not do him justice—he may need a trip to rookie ball to learn the fundamentals of his swing before moving up the latter.
1B: Hugo Gomez—Dodgers
Gomez was a third round pick of the Dodgers back in 2029, but he has not developed. He played sparingly in 2029 and 2030 in either the Arizona League or Jamaica, and though he hit well in 2031, he mostly played DH, and didn’t hit well enough for what that position needed. Last year, he hit for a .723 OPS, and 88 OPS+. He had a .320 OBP, and just six homers. He also was caught stealing on all three of his attempts.
He's still young and has enough pop to be a decent hitter in High-A someday, but the PBA dream is gone as the bat isn’t good enough. He’s still young and has potential to hit, so he should repeat Short-A next year.
RP: Nazeeh Ghazi—White Sox
A fourth round pick in 2031, Ghazi had a strong 2031 in a pair of rookie leagues, but didn’t take to Short-A as easily. He went 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA and just 0.3 WAR. He struck out 41 hitters in 38 innings, but he walked 22 and had a .343 BABIP, leading to a 1.55 WHIP.
Ghazi throws hard, but still has a lot of work needed on his command, and he should repeat the level. Both OSA and Eddy Rodriguez see a fringe PBA reliever, but he’ll probably need a lot of time to reach his full potential.
RP: Carlos Moreno—White Sox
A scouting discovery out of Venezuela in 2029, Moreno could have a PBA future—but had a negative WAR in Haiti last year. Moreno only pitched in 15 games thanks to a foot injury keeping him out of action. When he did take the mound, he walked 10 batters in 17 innings, and had a .363 BABIP. It was a lost year for a decent looking prospect.
OSA sees Moreno has a fringe PBA reliever, though Eddy Rodriguez sees him as more of a Triple-A arm. The swing decider is OSA is rosier on Moreno’s control than Rodriguez. After so few innings at the level, Moreno should get another crack at West Indies Short League hitters in 2033.
2B: Tom Richard—Royals
Richard had a huge year for Puerto Rico, hitting a league leading .414/.501/.644 with 35 doubles in an absolutely massive season. The .501 OBP is the best mark in West Indies history. He did this all without being able to hear—he’s a product of the well-renowned California School of the Deaf, migrating from Arkansas to California to attend.
Richard is a terrible defensive player and may be a First Baseman ultimately. He didn’t play an inning in the field in Puerto Rico. He was in rookie ball for four years before this season, so he’s fairly developed. He doesn’t have a PBA future head of him, but he has real gap power and a good eye, which should make him a god hitter as high up as Double-A. Expect him in full season ball next year.
LF: Antonio Vance—Brewers
Despite Richard’s star season, Vance led the league in WAR with 4.9. He did so on the back of 18 homers and 62 RBIs to lead the league, plus 76 runs scored and 17 steals, both of which also led the league. He also finished second in average, slugging, and OPS, and was third in OBP.
Vance was a fifth round pick in 2032, but is fairly advanced as a college bat. He’s on the borderline as a PBA-caliber player with a decent hit tool, some power, good speed, and okay defense. Eddie Rodriguez sees a bit more gap power, at the expense of some patience, but has a similar evaluation. He’s been called up to A-Ball, but may be ready for High-A.
SS: Phillip MacDonald—Braves
MacDonald is a staple of these lists thanks to his defense. Routinely one of the best defenders in the league, he just won his fourth Gold Glove award for Barbados. He’s hit okay and draws a lot of walks, making him a good offensive player in the lower minors as well.
MacDonald, however, doesn’t have a quick bat and scouts don’t project him to do well in full season ball. He’s aged out of Short-Season play, so next year will have to be a full season campaign. He should continue to field well, but the offensive output will likely suffer with the step up.
CF: Humberto Medrano—Twins
An eighth round pick in 2029, Medrano led the West Indies in triples. He hit .327 with 18 doubles, in easily his best go in four cracks at Short-A. He didn’t play great defense, but can hold his own in the outfield and Second Base.
He was a very young draftee, so he’s only entering his age 22 season. His ultimate output doesn’t look like much more than a Double-A player, but he needs time to get there. He has good gap power and patience, but still has swing and a miss in his game that needs to be refined. He may spend another year in Short-A next year.
C: Josh Bennett—Brewers
A ninth round pick out of Stanford in 2031, Bennett was third in WAR as a result of a great offensive year. After a solid first pro year in Dominica in 2031, he exploded in 2032 with a .368 average and a 1.013 OPS.
He looks like a Triple-A Catcher, as Eddy Rodriguez sees a player with a solid, balanced offensive and defensive profile, with OSA seeing a bit more patience, and a bit more strikeouts. Rodriguez sees a much more developed player than OSA, believing Bennett should be in High-A, maybe Double-A. OSA is a bit slower to see that, and puts Bennett on the fringe of full season play.
1B: Joe Modisette—Brewers
Milwaukee’s third round pick last year, Modisette was drafted for his bat and showed off why. His first go in pro ball saw him place a .357 average and a .444 OBP. The power wasn’t huge, but nine homers and 13 doubles were very healthy.
Modisette projects to have a solid bat, which is important because he has no defensive skills to speak of. He’ll make it to Triple-A, but the final step may be a problem. Both scouts see enough for Modisette to move to full-time ball, but Rodriguez sees him more as a middle-order hitter with a step up.
SP: Tony Gordon—Brewers
The West Indies’ best arm, Gordon had a historic year. His 1.10 ERA was the second best in league history, and he had a triple crown, leading the league in ERA, wins, and strikeouts, plus WHIP, WAR, and a BABIP. He didn’t allow a single homer, and had 97 strikeouts versus 15 walks.
Scouts don’t think Gordon is great shakes, and he should be only okay in A-ball. However, Eddy Rodiguez really likes his stuff for the low minors, which combined with five offerings, is too much for rookie minor leaguers to handle. He should be in A-ball next year, but 2032 should be his peak.
SP: Chad Martin—Royals
A 29th rounder in 2030, Martin led the league in innings with 99.1 strong ones. He had a 2.61 ERA, with 91 strikeouts versus 17 walks. He’s tough to square up, resulting in just five homers hit off him all year.
29th rounders tend to not have PBA careers—and Martin looks like no exception. He may not even be good enough for A-ball. Still, if he’s a Short-A workhorse for a few more seasons until he ages out, that will help lead to playoff games and more experience for the rest of Puerto Rico’s prospects.
SP: Steve Tate—Royals
A starter by trade, Tate took to the bullpen to lead the West Indies in saves this year. He locked down 14 games in 15 tries, and went 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA. He allowed just a couple of homers and walked six hitters versus 34 strikeouts. Despite being left-handed, righties had a .543 OPS against him.
A 22nd round pick in 2030, Tate has really good stuff for the low minors, and throws strikes, a combination which is too much for young hitters to handle. He throws a very straight ball, however, which will get gobbled up by better hitters. Cotton may be able to do okay as a reliever in A-ball, but likely won’t progress any higher.
RP: Jonathan Rojas—Brewers
A sixth round pick last year, Rojas was named a setup man in Dominica’s pen and excelled, easily leading the league in holds with 12. He didn’t allow a single homer, and whiffed 32 in 27.1 innings.
Essentially a two-pitch pitcher, Rojas’ sinker/splitter combo will miss bats, and the downward action will induce grounders. He still has to work on his control, but scouts see a fringe PBA arm as long as the control comes around.
SP: Steve Janvier—Royals
Janvier was one of two players to pitch shutouts in the West Indies, and went 11-1 with a 2.28 ERA. He allowed just one homer, using that ability to keep the ball in the park to succeed. After a strong run in rookie ball for four years, he was prepared for Short-A and unsurprisingly had success.
Janvier has five pitches and he has the stamina to pitch deep into games, the main reasons for his dominance. The stuff should carry over to full-season ball, but the command won’t. He’ll likely be just another arm once he graduates to full season A-ball.
C: Rob Miranda—Braves
A third round pick last year, Miranda had a terrible rookie season. A teenager out of Puerto Rico, he wasn’t prepared for Short-A. His .246 average was okay, but he had just three extra base hits and five RBIs in 135 plate appearances, leading to a .598 OPS. His Catcher defense was pretty good, but he played most of his time at First Base.
Mirando is 6-4, 200 pounds and projects to have power, but he’s extremely raw. Repeating the level may not do him justice—he may need a trip to rookie ball to learn the fundamentals of his swing before moving up the latter.
1B: Hugo Gomez—Dodgers
Gomez was a third round pick of the Dodgers back in 2029, but he has not developed. He played sparingly in 2029 and 2030 in either the Arizona League or Jamaica, and though he hit well in 2031, he mostly played DH, and didn’t hit well enough for what that position needed. Last year, he hit for a .723 OPS, and 88 OPS+. He had a .320 OBP, and just six homers. He also was caught stealing on all three of his attempts.
He's still young and has enough pop to be a decent hitter in High-A someday, but the PBA dream is gone as the bat isn’t good enough. He’s still young and has potential to hit, so he should repeat Short-A next year.
RP: Nazeeh Ghazi—White Sox
A fourth round pick in 2031, Ghazi had a strong 2031 in a pair of rookie leagues, but didn’t take to Short-A as easily. He went 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA and just 0.3 WAR. He struck out 41 hitters in 38 innings, but he walked 22 and had a .343 BABIP, leading to a 1.55 WHIP.
Ghazi throws hard, but still has a lot of work needed on his command, and he should repeat the level. Both OSA and Eddy Rodriguez see a fringe PBA reliever, but he’ll probably need a lot of time to reach his full potential.
RP: Carlos Moreno—White Sox
A scouting discovery out of Venezuela in 2029, Moreno could have a PBA future—but had a negative WAR in Haiti last year. Moreno only pitched in 15 games thanks to a foot injury keeping him out of action. When he did take the mound, he walked 10 batters in 17 innings, and had a .363 BABIP. It was a lost year for a decent looking prospect.
OSA sees Moreno has a fringe PBA reliever, though Eddy Rodriguez sees him as more of a Triple-A arm. The swing decider is OSA is rosier on Moreno’s control than Rodriguez. After so few innings at the level, Moreno should get another crack at West Indies Short League hitters in 2033.