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2020 Minor League Thread

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I know I'm in the minority on this, but I don't think our wins and losses will be impacted much if Lindor departs. So, retooling isn't something I really see as necessary.

As far as I'm concerned we should just keep doing what we're doing, and that doesn't include trading away guys in their prime that can't sign elsewhere until 2024.

I mean i would base it off of how our younger guys progress, but if the organization feels we aren't making the playoff in 22, then you trade Ramirez to make the team the best long term.

Now if we are contending/have a legit shot to make the playoffs, you keep Ramirez (unless we get an offer we cannot refuse). I just dont see how we are going to have an equal/better team than Chicago in 22 without Lindor and not having a projected replacement at the moment at 2B/3B at the moment.

I am not saying make a trade to make a trade, but i just project 20 and 21 we are contenders, but not by much and losing Santana, Lindor, Hand etc for 22, really makes it rough to project anything for 22 at the current moment. I'd rather not spend in free agency for a couple more wins, while not developing our guys. So its hard to say at the end of the day, but i don't see us in the playoffs in 22 with Ramirez and Clev, so if we can upgrade the roster long term, I think those two get traded.
 
I mean i would base it off of how our younger guys progress, but if the organization feels we aren't making the playoff in 22, then you trade Ramirez to make the team the best long term.

Now if we are contending/have a legit shot to make the playoffs, you keep Ramirez (unless we get an offer we cannot refuse). I just dont see how we are going to have an equal/better team than Chicago in 22 without Lindor and not having a projected replacement at the moment at 2B/3B at the moment.

I am not saying make a trade to make a trade, but i just project 20 and 21 we are contenders, but not by much and losing Santana, Lindor, Hand etc for 22, really makes it rough to project anything for 22 at the current moment. I'd rather not spend in free agency for a couple more wins, while not developing our guys. So its hard to say at the end of the day, but i don't see us in the playoffs in 22 with Ramirez and Clev, so if we can upgrade the roster long term, I think those two get traded.
I'm not sure why we're penciling in Chicago to be good in 2022. Seems like our thoughts are in two different universes, so I guess we'll just agree to disagree.
 
I'm not sure why we're penciling in Chicago to be good in 2022. Seems like our thoughts are in two different universes, so I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

I personally see the Twins going backwards by that time and Chicago is up and coming now with an owner who is willing to spend money. I just cannot see them not being strong in 22 since they will be buying for that season.

We shall see in due time of course, but thats what I project. So we shall agree to disagree since its impossible to predict correctly in baseball
 
I just wanted to follow up on an earlier post in made...

Here are all the Tribe Prospects listed in the 2020 Minor League Baseball Analyst book. There were 34 prospects listed in total.
Kinda surprised that some prospects like Adam Scott/ Robert Broom didn't get listed & the rating given to Nick Sandlin. Enjoy.

Player: PositionPotential RatingsPotential Job (for the majority of his career)MiLB Analyst rank of Tribe prospects
Nolan Jones9CStarting 3B1
George Valera9DStarting OF2
Ethan Hankins9DRHP #2 Starter4
Daniel Espino9ERHP #2 Starter6
Tyler Freeman8BStarting MIF3
Noah ‘Bo” Naylor8CStarting C5
Aaron Bracho8CStarting 2B7
Brayan Rocchio8DStarting SS8
Triston McKenzie8DRHP #3 Starter9
Emmanunel Clase8DRHP Setup reliever
Gabriel Rodriguez8EStarting SS10
Lenny Torres8ERHP #3 Starter12
Luis Oviedo8ERHP #3 Starter15
Alexfri Planez8EStarting OF
Junior Sanquintin8EStarting 3B
Jean Carlos Mejia8ERHP #3 Starter
Daniel Johnson7CStarting OF11
Bobby Bradley7CStarting 1B13
Logan Allen7CLHP #4 Starter14
James Karinchek7CRHP Setup reliever
Will Benson 7DStarting OF
Richard Palacios7DUtility Player
Hunter Gaddis7DRHP #4 Starter
Sam Hentges7DLHP #4 Starter
Scott Moss7DLHP #4 Starter
Carlos Vargas7DRHP Setup reliever
Jhonkensey Noel7EStarting 1B
Johnathan Rodriguez7EStarting OF
Jose Tena7EStarting MIF
Nick Sandlin6ARHP Middle reliever
Yu Chang6BUtility Player
Ernie Clement6CReserve INF
Raynel Delgado6CReserve 3B
Oscar Gonzalez6CReserve OF
 
surprising... no eli morgan..?
 
surprising... no eli morgan..?

Doesn't surprise me actually. I mean there wasn't Plesac on almost anyone's radar until he actually got to the pros. Morgan doesn't have a dominating fastball speed wise since he only reaches 90. To me he fits the mold of a Tomlin like pitcher coming up. Has great command of multiple pitches and knows how to pitch, just doesn't have a velocity. Guys like him will never be ranked high in scouting reports because the upside is very limited. He won't get any better on paper, but still I think he is going to be a legit spot starter/long man out of the pen like Tomlin was for us.
 
Doesn't surprise me actually. I mean there wasn't Plesac on almost anyone's radar until he actually got to the pros. Morgan doesn't have a dominating fastball speed wise since he only reaches 90. To me he fits the mold of a Tomlin like pitcher coming up. Has great command of multiple pitches and knows how to pitch, just doesn't have a velocity. Guys like him will never be ranked high in scouting reports because the upside is very limited. He won't get any better on paper, but still I think he is going to be a legit spot starter/long man out of the pen like Tomlin was for us.
Tomlin never came close to matching the success Morgan has had in the minors and missed way fewer bats along the way.

Doesn’t mean Morgan will turn into anything, but Tomlin isn’t the comp.
 
Tomlin never came close to matching the success Morgan has had in the minors and missed way fewer bats along the way.

Doesn’t mean Morgan will turn into anything, but Tomlin isn’t the comp.
It's a natural comparison since they're both smallish RHP starters with a below average fastball. How about Paul Byrd who fits that profile? Byrd had a 14-year major league career that ended with a 109-96 record and a 4.41 ERA. He averaged only 4.9 K's per 9. He broke in at 24 and became a regular starter at 27, making his only All-Star appearance at 28 when he won 15 games. In the minors he was 48-45, 3.50, with a 6.8 K/9.

Morgan is 3" shorter than Byrd and weighs 5 pounds more. At 24 he's the age Byrd was when Byrd got his first brief exposure to the bigs. Morgan's career record is 21-15, 3.08, and a 10.2 K/9. He definitely misses more bats than Byrd and has a lower ERA.

On the surface it appears Morgan is a better minor league pitcher than Byrd was, especially in missing bats. However, his WHIP at AA last year was 1.30 and he gave up one hit per inning to AA batters. Not real impressive for a 23-year-old.

What I didn't realize was Byrd came up in the Indians' system and pitched at Akron at age 23 just like Morgan, compiling a 3.81 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP with 6.8 K's per 9. Morgan had the same ERA and WHIP as a 23-year-old at Akron, but had 9.2 K's to 6.8. Hopefully Morgan is on the same career track as Byrd. I'd be happy if he wins 15 games for the Indians four years from now.

Tomlin pitched 79 innings for Atlanta last year at age 34. I thought he'd be done way before now but he had a 3.97 ERA and pitched for them in spring training this year. He had a 7.9 K/9 number in the minors, higher than Byrd but well below Morgan's 10.2.
 
It's a natural comparison since they're both smallish RHP starters with a below average fastball. How about Paul Byrd who fits that profile? Byrd had a 14-year major league career that ended with a 109-96 record and a 4.41 ERA. He averaged only 4.9 K's per 9. He broke in at 24 and became a regular starter at 27, making his only All-Star appearance at 28 when he won 15 games. In the minors he was 48-45, 3.50, with a 6.8 K/9.

Morgan is 3" shorter than Byrd and weighs 5 pounds more. At 24 he's the age Byrd was when Byrd got his first brief exposure to the bigs. Morgan's career record is 21-15, 3.08, and a 10.2 K/9. He definitely misses more bats than Byrd and has a lower ERA.

On the surface it appears Morgan is a better minor league pitcher than Byrd was, especially in missing bats. However, his WHIP at AA last year was 1.30 and he gave up one hit per inning to AA batters. Not real impressive for a 23-year-old.

What I didn't realize was Byrd came up in the Indians' system and pitched at Akron at age 23 just like Morgan, compiling a 3.81 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP with 6.8 K's per 9. Morgan had the same ERA and WHIP as a 23-year-old at Akron, but had 9.2 K's to 6.8. Hopefully Morgan is on the same career track as Byrd. I'd be happy if he wins 15 games for the Indians four years from now.

Tomlin pitched 79 innings for Atlanta last year at age 34. I thought he'd be done way before now but he had a 3.97 ERA and pitched for them in spring training this year. He had a 7.9 K/9 number in the minors, higher than Byrd but well below Morgan's 10.2.
The minor league system is much different now than it was 30 years ago. So, it's very difficult to compare their successes at each level. Morgan has moved quickly through the system, and last year was his first taste of AA, so I'd argue his performance was quite impressive.

I just don't think the soft-tossers are what we should be looking at. He just doesn't fit that mold.

I'd also be quite pleased if he put together a career on par with Byrd's (ecstatic actually), but Morgan has a legit swing and miss pitch. He really needs to build up another pitch though if he wants to be an MLB starter. I'm not sure what mold he fits into, and I'm not sure the scouts know either which is why he flies under the radar.
 
If we're looking for an under 6 foot comparison, and it sounds egregious to compare him to a pitcher of his statue, but maybe later years (post 2012) Tim Lincecum? Morgan with theoretically better control and less velocity

It's tough to find a comp with his ability to miss bats with his size and velocity, of "lack there of". Let's just hope it continues as he progresses.
 
If we're looking for an under 6 foot comparison, and it sounds egregious to compare him to a pitcher of his statue, but maybe later years (post 2012) Tim Lincecum? Morgan with theoretically better control and less velocity

It's tough to find a comp with his ability to miss bats with his size and velocity, of "lack there of". Let's just hope it continues as he progresses.
Not bad. I think most would be surprised that Lincecum sat at 91-92 during most of his prime (he came into the league throwing a little harder)

Like Morgan, his change was his out pitch. Morgan will need to develop secondary offerings though as Lincecum also had a decent slider and curve.
 
Tomlin never came close to matching the success Morgan has had in the minors and missed way fewer bats along the way.

Doesn’t mean Morgan will turn into anything, but Tomlin isn’t the comp.

I think he is more a comp than you believe at the end of the day. Tomlin wasn't even suppose to be a starter, they wanted him as a reliever in the minors and yet he still ended up, achieving way more than they thought he would.

I guess i see him not being Tomlin ability wise, but a 5th starter/long man like he is. From the fact they both don't throw hard, but they just know how to pitch and know what to do when they take that mound.

Is there anyone you would compare him too outside of Linecum? I dont think thats a right comparison either.
 

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