Friday, March 24, 2006

Links to stats of minor league free agents signed this year

Here are the 2006 minor league free agent signees in groups #1 and #2 who were not included on the NRI list I published below.

Links are to their stats on baseball cube.



Joey Hammond
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/H/joey-hammond.shtml
28 yr old 2B has been a good OBP guy with very little power during his minor league career with the O's. Hit for a bit of power last season in AA, but at the expense of some of his OBP. Looks like a younger version of Brian Hitchcox, though maybe not as good.


Brennan King
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/K/brennan-king.shtml
25 yr old 3B who was formerly a second round draft pick of the Dodgers. Has topped out at AA where he's an impatient .280 hitter with a little power. Played for KC lat year, who didn't resign him. Not as good as Travis Chapman, but better than Josh Phelps.


Evan Fahrner
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/F/evan-fahrner.shtml
Minor league middle reliever with good peripheral stats, 28 yrs old. Walks a few too many, but gets more than a K/IP. Previously topped out at AA, played for the D'Backs, Cubs, and A's.


Nick Mattioni (though I think I read about him this spring being local-from Reading)
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/nick-mattioni.shtml
Another minor league middle reliever who has decent peripheral stats, 27 yrs old. Gets a little less than a K/IP and walks too many. Topped out at AA prior to last year where he got a cup of AAA coffee. Played for the Mets and A's.


Tim McClaskey
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/tim-mcclaskey.shtml
30 yr old minor league starter who's never been successful beyond AA. Good control, gets about 7Ks/9IP, played for Florida, Seattle, Oakland, and Houston.


Ben Shaffar
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/ben-shaffar.shtml
29 yr old minor league middle reliever with decent peripheral stats. A little less than a K/IP (more recently), he's played for the Cubs and Pirates, mostly at AA. He's a little wild.


John VanDen Berg (although I heard about him this spring)
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/V/john-vanden-berg.shtml
26 yr old minor league catcher from the Milwaukee organization with good on-base skills but little power. Topped out at AA, OPS on a downward trend.


Peeter Ramos
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/R/peeter-ramos.shtml
24 yr old 2B from the Padres' organization has never succeeded beyond high A ball (had a cup of coffee in AA last year and didn't hit). No power or patience, all his value is in his BA.


Brian Burgamy
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/B/brian-burgamy.shtml
25 yr old 2B from the Padres' organization showed power for the first time since short-season ball in high-A last year.


Branden Florence
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/F/branden-florence.shtml
28 year old minor league OF who can hit a little--career minor league BA over .300 with an .840 OPS. Never played consistently above high-A ball, though. UDFA signed by the Giants, last season with Baltimore.


Jonathan (J.J.) Johnson (recently signed--I think I remember a post or two about him)
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/J/jj-johnson.shtml
24 yr old minor league OF from the Cubs organization, doesn't do anything real well with the stick. 6th round HS draftee so he probably has tools. Topped out at high-A.


Ben King
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/K/ben-king.shtml
25 yr old middle reliever signed out of the Northern League, was originally drafted by the Yankees. Good K numbers in Northern League last season, although he gave up quite a few runs.


Steve Langone
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/L/steve-langone.shtml
28 yr old middle reliever drafted by the Dodgers, spent last season with Boston. Good K numbers and good control. Topped out in AAA with the Dodgers, took a year off (injury?) then played high-A with Boston last year. He posted some seriously low ERAs for the Dodgers' farm teams in the early 2000's.


Brian Mazone
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/M/brian-mazone.shtml
30-year old minor league control pitcher who has bounced around from AA/AAA ball to the independent leagues. Mostly a starter, his K numbers have seriously declined over the last two years as his WHIPs have gone up.

Minor League ST Workout Lists

Courtesy of Laura (aka Phanatic's Girl at philliesphans.com) here are the Spring Training minor league "workout groups" as of March 23rd, 2006.

**=major league prospect (my analysis)
+=signed as minor league free agent

Group #1:
CATCHERS
Tim Gradoville
Jason Jaramillo**
Carlos Ruiz**

INFIELDERS
Ryan Barthelemy
Nate Grindell+
Joey Hammond+
Brennan King+
Bobby Scales+
Jose Sosa+
Joe Thurston+

OUTFIELDERS
Jake Blalock**
Peter Bergeron+
Michael Bourn**
Ryan Fleming+
Shawn Garrett+
Josh Kroeger+

PITCHERS
Ryan Cameron+
Clay Condrey+
Jeremy Cummings+
Allen Davis+
Evan Fahrner+
Dan Giese
Dan Haigwood**
Seung Lee
Nick Mattioni+
Tim McClaskey+
Travis Minix*+
Aaron Myette+
Brian Sanches+
Ben Shaffar+
Matt White+

Group #2:
CATCHERS
Zach Norman
Marc Tugwell**
John VanDen Berg+

INFIELDERS
Mike Costanzo**
Bryan Hansen
Brad Harman**
Carlos Leon
Jesus Marchan+
Tim Moss**
Peeter Ramos+

OUTFIELDERS
Brian Burgamy+
Brenden Florence+
Greg Golson**
Jeff Inglin+
Jonathan Johnson+
BJ Littleton+
Brian Sellier+

PITCHERS
Gio Gonzalez**
JA Happ**
Ben King+
Steve Langone+
Scott Mathieson**
Brian Mazone+
Matt Parris+
Zach Segovia**
Adam Shafer+
Matt Squires**
Matt Sweeney
CJ Woodrow**

Group #3:
CATCHERS
Aaron Cheesman**
Jose Cortez
James Gosewich
Mike Lombardi

INFIELDERS
Avelino Asprilla+
Omar Bramasco
Mike Dzurilla+
Anton Gray+
John Hardy
Terry Jones(DL)
Sam Orr

OUTFIELDERS
Sean Gamble
Chris Klemm
Timi Moni
Ryan Frith**
Julian Williams**

PITCHERS
Andy Baldwin**
Jacob Barrack
Joe Bisenius
Clary Carlsen
Zach Cline
Julio De La Cruz**
Cory Dueitt
Derek Griffith**
Brett Harker
Ronald Hill
Chris Honsa
Nate Johnson
Kyle Kendrick**
Matt Maloney**
Pat Overholt**

Group #4:
CATCHERS
Derek Brant
Orlando Guevara
Louis Marson**

INFIELDERS
PJ Antoniato
Welinson Baez**
Clay Harris
Fidel Hernandez
Greg Issacson
Cooper Osteen

OUTFIELDERS
Dennis Diaz**
Joe Frazee
Doug Morales
Robert Moron
Jeremy Slayden
Jordan Szabo

PITCHERS
Erick Arteaga
Andy Barb**
Justin Blaine
Carlos Carrasco**
Tom Cochran
Max De La Cruz**
Tyler Gooch
Peter Henyan
Mark Kelly
Bill Kirk
Scott Mitchinson**
Joshua Outman**
Aaron Rawl
Kevin Shepard
Clayton Stewart
Michael Zagurski

Group #5:
CATCHERS
Tim Kennelly** (formerly a 3B)
Joel Naughton

INFIELDERS
John Blanton
Alberto Cambero
Phillip Cuevas
Brett Dalton
Michael Durant**
Matt Edwards
Mitchell Graham**
Derrick Mitchell
Agustin Montanez

OUTFIELDERS
Steve Alexander
Tim Auty
Curt Miaso**
Enmanuel Osorio
Thomas Paterson
Jermaine Williams**

PITCHERS
Juan Alvarez
Antonio Bastardo
Darren Byrd
Alexander Concepcion
Reymond Cruz
Edgar Garcia**
Lenin Gazo**
Yen Lin
Matt Linder
Alex McEnaney
Jose Mejias
Drew Naylor
Matt Olson
Carlos Pena
Gimar Pereira
Nick Regan
Walter Tejeda

Comments:

• Tim Kennelley, a guy who many of us liked from his performance at GCL last year, seems to have changed positions, moving from 3B to catcher.
• Jorge Padilla is nowhere to be found
• I'm surprised Mitchinson isn't with a higher group
• I'm surprised that Kendrick isn't with a higher group--I think this year is Kendrick's final "put up or shut up" chance.
• The free agent signings in group 3 (Asprilla and Gray) seem to indicate the Phils aren't too thrilled about the Lakewood/Clearwater infielders