zhangzk
Joined: 26 Jan 2019 Posts: 51
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Posted: Tue May 07, 2019 2:31 am Post subject: Here are a few prospects that are flying under the radar. |
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"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Houston Astros NewsGame ThreadsHouston Astros Minor LeaguesAstros Game DayPodcastsAstros Prospects That Might Be Underrated.....New Joey Gallo Jersey ,29commentsHere are a few prospects that are flying under the radar.CDTShareTweetShareShareAstros Prospects That Might Be Underrated.....Feb 27, 2019; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (72) warms up before a game against the Washington Nationals at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Steve MitchellSteve Mitchell-USA TODAY SportsDuring the lean years of the Astros, the minor league system gained a lot of attention, and rightfully so. Most fans were watching the progress of guys like George Springer, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman and many more. The system was well known. But with the Astros MLB club being extremely successful, less attention has been given to the minor league system. I believe this has led to a few guys being underrated by some of the fans. Here are a few guys I think should be receiving some more attention.Yordan AlvarezA lot of people know Alvarez, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t underrated. The Astros #3 prospect was acquired back in 2016 for reliever Josh Fields. This trade is looking like a steal. At the time, Alvarez was a big, raw lefty hitter with a lot of potential but little playing time professionally. He has made his way through the system and has posted back to back excellent seasons. In 2018 he started in AA and hit .325 with 12 HR, 46 RBI in 43 games for a 168 wRC+. He was promoted to AAA where he had a .801 OPS with 8 HR in 45 games and a 111 wRC+.He did this at just 21 years old. Coming into this season he played just 90 games stateside and has already made it up to AAA and performed at a level above his peers. In AAA he also had a very good 12.2 BB% and for a power guy, a solid K rate at 24.9 K%. Alvarez won’t be 22 until June but has 45 AAA games under his belt and has played in multiple big league spring training games. He is another prospect in the Astros system that should make an impact over the next year or two.J.J. MatijevicMatijevic was a second round pick by the Astros in 2017. He played in his first full season in 2018 and saw some success. After quickly destroyed the Midwest League (1.155 OPS in 13 games), he was promoted to High-A Buies Creek. He finished out the season there posting a 136 wRC+ in 88 games. While the overall numbers look solid, its the way he ended the season that should get more attention.Over the last 34 games of the season http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-moore-jersey , Matijevic slashed .287/.380/.612 with a 175 wRC+. This also came with a 13.3 BB% and a reasonable .333 BABIP. He showed tremendous power with a .326 ISO as well. Matijevic projects as a corner outfielder at this time, but no matter where he plays, his bat is going to be what carries him up the system. I will have more on Matijevic later this week.Peter SolomonLike Matijevic, Solomon was a relatively high pick, 4th round in 2017. Despite being selected high in the draft, I feel his 2018 season flew under the radar a bit. Solomon started the season with Quad Cities and was very good posting a 2.43 ERA and 2.63 FIP with 10.2 K/9. He was promoted to Buies Creek in July and was even better.He finished out the season in Buies Creek striking out 26 in 23 innings while posting a 1.96 ERA, 1.62 FIP and a 25.6 K-BB%. These numbers were good for a 2.32 ERA and 2.40 FIP with 114 K in 100.2 innings. Solomon was just 21 years old in 2018. Solomon will most likely start in High-A but if he pitches well he could find himself in AA shortly into the season.Chad DonatoYou won’t see his name on any top 30 lists, at least not yet, but that isn’t due to a lack of quality numbers. Donato was an 11th round pick in 2016 but missed some time due to injuries. He came back healthy in 2018 making his debut in June and showing what he had to offer.Donato pitched in 16 inning for Tri-City with 0.00 ERA before being promoted to Quad Cities. There he struck out 77 over 61.2 innings with a 2.04 ERA. For the season he had a 1.62 ERA with a 2.18 FIP and 25.4 K-BB%. Donato has a low 90s fastball and a solid curve. He will be 24 this June and will most likely be making a jump up to AA at some point. MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gio Gonzalez is getting comfortable with his new team.The left-hander pitched six smooth innings on his 33rd birthday and Jesus Aguilar hit a three-run homer in the Milwaukee Brewers‘ 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.Manny Pina also had a three-run shot and Aguilar finished with four RBIs as he reached 103 for the season. Gonzalez’s stellar showing helped the Brewers boost their lead for the top NL wild card to three games over St. Louis, which lost to Atlanta earlier.The Brewers also moved within 2½ games of the first-place Cubs in the NL Central. Chicago lost 9-0 at Arizona.Gonzalez (9-11) was acquired in a trade with Washington on Aug. 31 in an effort to bolster the Brewers’ starting rotation. He has picked up a victory in two of his three starts with Milwaukee, and the Brewers have won all three games.“It’s been easy to play with these guys because they make you feel welcome,” Gonzalez said. “There’s no added pressure. Just go out there and play the best you can.”He allowed just two hits Wednesday — both singles — while striking out five and walking two.Reds right-hander Matt Harvey (7-9), a pitcher the Brewers nearly acquired a few weeks ago before a proposed deal fell through, gave up Aguilar’s game-changing home run.Aguilar, however, said his infield hit in the first inning for his 100th RBI set up his big night.“I was thinking about the RBI almost every night Ferguson Jenkins Jersey ,” he explained. “After that, I’m good. It was an unbelievable feeling. When I get that 100, I’m a new guy.”A leadoff walk to Gonzalez put Harvey in trouble in the third inning. Christian Yelich reached on a one-out infield hit when no one covered first base on a bouncer fielded by Harvey.Aguilar followed with a high drive into the right-field bleachers, his team-leading 33rd home run of the season, to give the Brewers a 4-0 lead.Milwaukee broke open the game in the sixth on a three-run homer by Pina, who worked a 13-pitch at-bat, finally belting a hanging slider from Harvey into the left-field bleachers. Domingo Santana tripled and Mike Moustakas was intentionally walked before Pina’s ninth homer of the season extended the lead to 7-0.The Reds had a conference on the mound during the long at-bat, but it didn’t bother Pina.“I was so focused, man,” he said. “After they gave an intentional walk to Moose, I was like, I need to do something this at-bat. He threw me pitches inside, outside, changeups, fastballs, sliders.“He’s kind of tight. I knew he was going to hang any pitch and that’s the pitch I hit for a homer.”Harvey was not happy with his outing http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-moore-jersey , which dropped him to 1-3 with a 6.39 ERA in six career starts against the Brewers. He allowed seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.“The whole start was not good,” he said. “I have to be better.”Corey Knebel, Junior Guerra and Freddy Peralta finished up for Milwaukee, each pitching one inning in the combined two-hitter.CHASE STILL ONBrewers manager Craig Counsell has not given up on catching the Cubs for a division title.“We’ve got nine games to go,” Counsell said. “We’ve got plenty of baseball left. There are going to be some great moments. There are going to be plenty of tough moments. That’s all still ahead of us.“We’re just ready for it to happen. We’ve put ourselves in a great position to enjoy the last 10 days of the season.”The Brewers have six road games remaining (three vs. Pittsburgh and three vs. St. Louis) and the final three at home (against Detroit).Milwaukee ended its homestand with a 3-3 record against the Pirates and Reds.TRAINER’S ROOMBrewers: CF Lorenzo Cain was not in the lineup after being taken out of Tuesday’s game with a right ribcage injury. Counsell said he wanted to be cautious with Cain, who ranks fourth in the NL in batting average (.308). The Brewers are off Thursday and Cain will be reassessed before Friday’s series opener in Pittsburgh. “I definitely don’t want to miss a game,” Cain said. “They told me that I’m not looking myself up there right now.” Santana got the start in right field — his first game as a starter since June 12 — and Yelich moved to center with Curtis Granderson in left. Infielder Travis Shaw was back in the lineup after being hit by a pitch Tuesday and leaving the game with a bruised right knee.UP NEXTReds: LHP Cody Reed (0-2, 4.32 ERA) will make his fifth consecutive appearance as a starter as Cincinnati opens a four-game series in Miami. He posted a career-high 10 strikeouts in five innings against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, allowing no runs and two hits in a game the Reds lost 1-0.Brewers: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (14-8, 3.54 ERA) opens a three-game set in Pittsburgh. He has lost his last three starts, including a 3-2 defeat (allowed three hits, two runs) against the Pirates on Sunday. He is 2-6 with a 4.04 ERA in 11 career starts vs. the Pirates. |
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