Post by Commissioner Erick on Jul 6, 2024 8:48:55 GMT -5
The Canadian Rookie League didn’t have too much high end talent in the system, especially among pitchers, and the league’s BABIP was remarkably high. Some noted Canadian nationals struggled in the league, leading to theories that it’s too much pressure for Canadians to play in front of home fans.
1B: Hunter Whittle—Cardinals
A 17th round pick in 2029, Whittle tore up the Gulf Coast League for three-and-half years before being sent to St. John, where he hit .422 for the Whales to lead the league. Whittle only hit three homers, a surprise with the dimensions of The Whalatorium or Something, where it’s only .310 down the lines. Whittle did crack 24 doubles though, and he only whiffed 33 times in 208 plate appearances.
Eddy Rodriguez doesn’t think Whittle projects to have a future much past A-ball, though OSA, seems getting to High-A with a bit more of a hit tool. He’s torn up the rookie leagues though, so its time for a trip to Short-A.
RF: Ken Stroop—Padres
Stroop easily led Canada in homers with 19, five more than second place Sterling Tah, and a surprise with how Golden Sky Ballpark suppresses homers. Stroop also hit .408 and walked more than he struck out. He started the year with a small role in Short-A, but he only played 20 games with eight starts. After hitting for a .554 OPS, he got demoted back to Canada and terrorized the Yukon, with 19 homers in just 39 games.
Both OSA and Eddy Rodriguez see Stroop has a player with a fringe hit tool and good pop, the kind of player who gets to Triple-A and hopes for an opportunity. A Scouting Discovery out of Belgium in 2025, he’s had two consecutive big years in the Yukon, so it’s time to make Low-A stick.
RF: Ivan Zepeda—Indians
Cleveland’s fourth round pick this season, Zepeda had a weird year. He started his professional career with an aggressive assignment with Mahoning Valley in the New York Penn League, and he struggled, hitting for a .611 OPS. He then got promoted to full season ball for a week where he hit .519 with four doubles. He got demoted soon after, and spent the rest of the year in Rookie Ball where he crushed it with Blainville, hitting for a league leading .649 slugging percentage, and a league leading 1.111 OPS. Zepeda hit .404 with 22 doubles, and nine homers.
Scouts like Zepeda, seeing a strong hitter with an advanced approach for the low minors. The Spaniard should say goodbye to Rookie Ball, and may be ready for A-Ball next year.
CF: Miguel Salguero—Phillies
A scouting discovery back in 2026, Salguero spent his third consecutive year in Mascouche, this time leading the league in WAR. Salguero had a strong 2.6 WAR 2031, but he upped his average from .340 to .377, and hit 30 doubles instead of 14. With good defense at Shortstop, the WAR crown was his.
Salguero doesn’t have a PBA future ahead, but he’s a good defender with some versatility, plus he runs well. He should see time in Short-A, even as just a useful backup as he’s accomplished all he could accomplish in Rookie Ball.
2B: Alex Delgadillo—Cardinals
A scouting discovery out of Venezuela in 2027, had a horrid go of it in his first season in St. John in 2031 as he was forced to DH and had a .691 OPS. Last year, he had a huge turnaround. He stole 26 bases to lead the league, with a .450 OBP, a .394 average, more walks than strikeouts, six homers, and five triples. His defense still wasn’t good, but it was the only chink in the armor.
Delgadillo doesn’t have great upside, as his defense limits him to being a bad Second Baseman, and his hit tool won’t play in the upper minors. He could have a nice run in the Florida State League when he fully forms.
2B: Jesus Jimenez—Nationals
Jesus Jimenez was a scouting discovery in 2030 out of the Dominican Republic in 2030, who was promoted to rookie ball as an 18 year old last year. He didn’t hit in the Gulf Coast League last year, and he didn’t hit in Hudson Bay this year. The one thing he did do is field. Jimenez led the league in Zone Rating with excellent work at Second Base, and some good work in short stints at Shortstop as well. He also stole 13 bases. This is how he managed to only put up -0.1 WAR when he had an OPS+ of 38.
Jimenez’ bat is terrible and won’t get better, so he’s destined to spend a lot of time in the low minors. His pitchers will love him though, and he’ll help them develop, even if he is punchless at the bat.
SP: Dave Alvarado—Tigers
The CRL’s ERA leader, Alvarado’s 1.76 mark was a full run better than anyone else’s. He allowed just one homer and walked only 19 in 66.1 innings, helping offset a .322 BABIP. Striking out 74 hitters didn’t hurt either.
A scouting discovery out of Nicaragua in 2026, Alvarado’s had two solid seasons in rookie ball, first in the Dominican League, now Canada. He doesn’t have big upside, but he throws four pitches, and one of them is a screwball. Higher levels won’t be as befuddled by that pitch, so he won’t be as effective as he moves up the ladder. Short-A may be his ultimate destination.
RP: Alex Parada—Padres
A scouting discovery out of Brazil in 2027, Parada led Canada in wins—despite pitching entirely out of the pen. He went 11-1 with three saves for the defending champions in Yukon. He whiffed 65 in 56.2 innings, despite reverse splits as a lefty pitcher.
Parada has zero upside and will never leave rookie ball. He’s shown he’s effective though, so the next step may be to see if he can lead the league in wins as a starter?
RP Greg Martinez—Rockies
An 18th round pick of Colorado in 2028, Martinez did not take the Dominican League at all, but he had a nice stint in his second go in St. Lawrence. He put up a 1.77 ERA and led Canada with 16 saves. The ballpark helps keep the ERA down, but it was all Martinez who struck out 51 in 35.2 innings.
Martinez has a good curveball and changeup, but his fastball is straight, and leaving The Bloody River will mean leaving a park doing a lot of home run suppression for him. He’s probably destined to be St. Lawrence’s Closer for a few years until hitting minor league free agency.
SP: Chris Carmen—Rockies
A 15th round selection out of the University of Florida in 2030, Carmen has excelled in rookie ball. He had a good stint in Grand Junction in 2030, a good stint in St. Lawrence in 2031, and a great stint last year, leading Canada in WAR. He went 7-1 with a 3.28 ERA in 79.2 innings, using 92 strikeouts to offset a .390 BABIP.
Carmen throws four pitches, and a lot of smarts, which is all he really has going for him. He’d get hit hard in higher levels, so he should be sticking around to anchor Canada for a while.
RP: Orlando Taborda—Rangers
Taborda was drafted in the eighth round of the Cuban League in 2026, but caught on in the Rangers system in 2027. He’s bounced around various rookie leagues since then, plus a 15 game stint in Low-A Spokane in 2027, mostly putting up middling results. Last year was his best year, leading Canada in innings, and going 8-4 with a 2.99 ERA. His 1.9 WAR was third in the league.
Taborda doesn’t have much talent, surviving mostly on high adaptability and guts on the mound. He’s aged out of rookie ball and his next best move is honestly a trip back to the Cuban Leagues.
SP: Greg Fleisher—Tigers
A 12th round pick out of Georgia, Fleisher was one of the better arms in the league this year and showed it by leading the league in WHIP. The 22-year old posted a 1.07 mark on the bases of working 72.2 innings and issuing just four (!!!) walks. Fleisher only had a 4.21 ERA as he was relatively homer prone for Canada, but that confidence to throw strikes was exceptional.
Fleisher doesn’t throw hard, so he’ll likely always be homer prone if he can’t get to a place where he can set up his curveball out pitch. He’s probably destined for a career in the mid minors if he can’t iron out those movement issues. His command is too advanced for rookie ball though, he should at least see Low-A next year.
C: Keith Trudel—Phillies
Philadelphia’s third round pick last year, Trudel had a terrible go of it in Mascouche. The Canadian native let his countrymen down with a .297 OBP, as he walked just 11 times and struck out 50 times. He had just four homers and six doubles in 233 plate appearances, and for good measure was gunned down on all three attempts to steal.
Trudel’s defense was good and projectable, and scouts can imagine a PBA future on the back of it. OSA likes his power and patience more than Eddy Rodriguez, so he may not be a plus with the bat though. Only 19, it may be a good idea for Trudel to try again next year and see if he can have more success for the Steamwheelers.
LF: Pierce Laviolette—Indians
Laviolette, embarrassingly, appeared on this list as a disappointment for the second year in a row. Cleveland’s second rounder in 2031, the outfielder—also a Canadian national—had his second straight year with negative WAR. He didn’t have as bad a WAR this year as last year—because he played less, going from 52 starts to 12. He had a .524 OPS and mostly played DH as he can’t move.
Eddy Rodriguez still holds out hope there’s a three-true-outcomes slugger there, but he’s less sanguine than he was last year. OSA has given up on a chance at the PBA. Only 19, he’s still young, but it feels like he’s running out of time.
SP: Chase McCormick—Blue Jays
Old Fashioned Chase McCormick thinks playing in games is too modern. He preferred the old fashioned route of missing most of your rookie season with a torn labrum. Toronto’s third rounder last year, McCormick was wild with nine walks in 15.1 innings before going under the knife.
OSA sees a four pitch pitcher with good offspeed offerings, enough to dream of a PBA career. Eddy Rodriguez likes McCormick more than OSA, believing his command and movement will make him a mid-rotation arm. Old Fashioned will need to survive rehab to fulfill his potential.
SP: Todd Howard—Blue Jays
Nicknamed gunslinger for his quick release, Howard lost too many duels. A third rounder in 2029, Howard hasn’t made it out of rookie ball and posted a negative WAR last year, giving up three homers in 15 innings. He split time with another rookie league in Bluefield, but he also went 0-4 with a 6.46 ERA.
Scouts don’t see more than an A-ball caliber arm, as Howard doesn’t have the stuff to not give up homers, nor the work ethic to do something about it. Toronto’s third round pick next year should be a hitter.
1B: Hunter Whittle—Cardinals
A 17th round pick in 2029, Whittle tore up the Gulf Coast League for three-and-half years before being sent to St. John, where he hit .422 for the Whales to lead the league. Whittle only hit three homers, a surprise with the dimensions of The Whalatorium or Something, where it’s only .310 down the lines. Whittle did crack 24 doubles though, and he only whiffed 33 times in 208 plate appearances.
Eddy Rodriguez doesn’t think Whittle projects to have a future much past A-ball, though OSA, seems getting to High-A with a bit more of a hit tool. He’s torn up the rookie leagues though, so its time for a trip to Short-A.
RF: Ken Stroop—Padres
Stroop easily led Canada in homers with 19, five more than second place Sterling Tah, and a surprise with how Golden Sky Ballpark suppresses homers. Stroop also hit .408 and walked more than he struck out. He started the year with a small role in Short-A, but he only played 20 games with eight starts. After hitting for a .554 OPS, he got demoted back to Canada and terrorized the Yukon, with 19 homers in just 39 games.
Both OSA and Eddy Rodriguez see Stroop has a player with a fringe hit tool and good pop, the kind of player who gets to Triple-A and hopes for an opportunity. A Scouting Discovery out of Belgium in 2025, he’s had two consecutive big years in the Yukon, so it’s time to make Low-A stick.
RF: Ivan Zepeda—Indians
Cleveland’s fourth round pick this season, Zepeda had a weird year. He started his professional career with an aggressive assignment with Mahoning Valley in the New York Penn League, and he struggled, hitting for a .611 OPS. He then got promoted to full season ball for a week where he hit .519 with four doubles. He got demoted soon after, and spent the rest of the year in Rookie Ball where he crushed it with Blainville, hitting for a league leading .649 slugging percentage, and a league leading 1.111 OPS. Zepeda hit .404 with 22 doubles, and nine homers.
Scouts like Zepeda, seeing a strong hitter with an advanced approach for the low minors. The Spaniard should say goodbye to Rookie Ball, and may be ready for A-Ball next year.
CF: Miguel Salguero—Phillies
A scouting discovery back in 2026, Salguero spent his third consecutive year in Mascouche, this time leading the league in WAR. Salguero had a strong 2.6 WAR 2031, but he upped his average from .340 to .377, and hit 30 doubles instead of 14. With good defense at Shortstop, the WAR crown was his.
Salguero doesn’t have a PBA future ahead, but he’s a good defender with some versatility, plus he runs well. He should see time in Short-A, even as just a useful backup as he’s accomplished all he could accomplish in Rookie Ball.
2B: Alex Delgadillo—Cardinals
A scouting discovery out of Venezuela in 2027, had a horrid go of it in his first season in St. John in 2031 as he was forced to DH and had a .691 OPS. Last year, he had a huge turnaround. He stole 26 bases to lead the league, with a .450 OBP, a .394 average, more walks than strikeouts, six homers, and five triples. His defense still wasn’t good, but it was the only chink in the armor.
Delgadillo doesn’t have great upside, as his defense limits him to being a bad Second Baseman, and his hit tool won’t play in the upper minors. He could have a nice run in the Florida State League when he fully forms.
2B: Jesus Jimenez—Nationals
Jesus Jimenez was a scouting discovery in 2030 out of the Dominican Republic in 2030, who was promoted to rookie ball as an 18 year old last year. He didn’t hit in the Gulf Coast League last year, and he didn’t hit in Hudson Bay this year. The one thing he did do is field. Jimenez led the league in Zone Rating with excellent work at Second Base, and some good work in short stints at Shortstop as well. He also stole 13 bases. This is how he managed to only put up -0.1 WAR when he had an OPS+ of 38.
Jimenez’ bat is terrible and won’t get better, so he’s destined to spend a lot of time in the low minors. His pitchers will love him though, and he’ll help them develop, even if he is punchless at the bat.
SP: Dave Alvarado—Tigers
The CRL’s ERA leader, Alvarado’s 1.76 mark was a full run better than anyone else’s. He allowed just one homer and walked only 19 in 66.1 innings, helping offset a .322 BABIP. Striking out 74 hitters didn’t hurt either.
A scouting discovery out of Nicaragua in 2026, Alvarado’s had two solid seasons in rookie ball, first in the Dominican League, now Canada. He doesn’t have big upside, but he throws four pitches, and one of them is a screwball. Higher levels won’t be as befuddled by that pitch, so he won’t be as effective as he moves up the ladder. Short-A may be his ultimate destination.
RP: Alex Parada—Padres
A scouting discovery out of Brazil in 2027, Parada led Canada in wins—despite pitching entirely out of the pen. He went 11-1 with three saves for the defending champions in Yukon. He whiffed 65 in 56.2 innings, despite reverse splits as a lefty pitcher.
Parada has zero upside and will never leave rookie ball. He’s shown he’s effective though, so the next step may be to see if he can lead the league in wins as a starter?
RP Greg Martinez—Rockies
An 18th round pick of Colorado in 2028, Martinez did not take the Dominican League at all, but he had a nice stint in his second go in St. Lawrence. He put up a 1.77 ERA and led Canada with 16 saves. The ballpark helps keep the ERA down, but it was all Martinez who struck out 51 in 35.2 innings.
Martinez has a good curveball and changeup, but his fastball is straight, and leaving The Bloody River will mean leaving a park doing a lot of home run suppression for him. He’s probably destined to be St. Lawrence’s Closer for a few years until hitting minor league free agency.
SP: Chris Carmen—Rockies
A 15th round selection out of the University of Florida in 2030, Carmen has excelled in rookie ball. He had a good stint in Grand Junction in 2030, a good stint in St. Lawrence in 2031, and a great stint last year, leading Canada in WAR. He went 7-1 with a 3.28 ERA in 79.2 innings, using 92 strikeouts to offset a .390 BABIP.
Carmen throws four pitches, and a lot of smarts, which is all he really has going for him. He’d get hit hard in higher levels, so he should be sticking around to anchor Canada for a while.
RP: Orlando Taborda—Rangers
Taborda was drafted in the eighth round of the Cuban League in 2026, but caught on in the Rangers system in 2027. He’s bounced around various rookie leagues since then, plus a 15 game stint in Low-A Spokane in 2027, mostly putting up middling results. Last year was his best year, leading Canada in innings, and going 8-4 with a 2.99 ERA. His 1.9 WAR was third in the league.
Taborda doesn’t have much talent, surviving mostly on high adaptability and guts on the mound. He’s aged out of rookie ball and his next best move is honestly a trip back to the Cuban Leagues.
SP: Greg Fleisher—Tigers
A 12th round pick out of Georgia, Fleisher was one of the better arms in the league this year and showed it by leading the league in WHIP. The 22-year old posted a 1.07 mark on the bases of working 72.2 innings and issuing just four (!!!) walks. Fleisher only had a 4.21 ERA as he was relatively homer prone for Canada, but that confidence to throw strikes was exceptional.
Fleisher doesn’t throw hard, so he’ll likely always be homer prone if he can’t get to a place where he can set up his curveball out pitch. He’s probably destined for a career in the mid minors if he can’t iron out those movement issues. His command is too advanced for rookie ball though, he should at least see Low-A next year.
C: Keith Trudel—Phillies
Philadelphia’s third round pick last year, Trudel had a terrible go of it in Mascouche. The Canadian native let his countrymen down with a .297 OBP, as he walked just 11 times and struck out 50 times. He had just four homers and six doubles in 233 plate appearances, and for good measure was gunned down on all three attempts to steal.
Trudel’s defense was good and projectable, and scouts can imagine a PBA future on the back of it. OSA likes his power and patience more than Eddy Rodriguez, so he may not be a plus with the bat though. Only 19, it may be a good idea for Trudel to try again next year and see if he can have more success for the Steamwheelers.
LF: Pierce Laviolette—Indians
Laviolette, embarrassingly, appeared on this list as a disappointment for the second year in a row. Cleveland’s second rounder in 2031, the outfielder—also a Canadian national—had his second straight year with negative WAR. He didn’t have as bad a WAR this year as last year—because he played less, going from 52 starts to 12. He had a .524 OPS and mostly played DH as he can’t move.
Eddy Rodriguez still holds out hope there’s a three-true-outcomes slugger there, but he’s less sanguine than he was last year. OSA has given up on a chance at the PBA. Only 19, he’s still young, but it feels like he’s running out of time.
SP: Chase McCormick—Blue Jays
Old Fashioned Chase McCormick thinks playing in games is too modern. He preferred the old fashioned route of missing most of your rookie season with a torn labrum. Toronto’s third rounder last year, McCormick was wild with nine walks in 15.1 innings before going under the knife.
OSA sees a four pitch pitcher with good offspeed offerings, enough to dream of a PBA career. Eddy Rodriguez likes McCormick more than OSA, believing his command and movement will make him a mid-rotation arm. Old Fashioned will need to survive rehab to fulfill his potential.
SP: Todd Howard—Blue Jays
Nicknamed gunslinger for his quick release, Howard lost too many duels. A third rounder in 2029, Howard hasn’t made it out of rookie ball and posted a negative WAR last year, giving up three homers in 15 innings. He split time with another rookie league in Bluefield, but he also went 0-4 with a 6.46 ERA.
Scouts don’t see more than an A-ball caliber arm, as Howard doesn’t have the stuff to not give up homers, nor the work ethic to do something about it. Toronto’s third round pick next year should be a hitter.