REPORT FILED: DECEMBER 4
At the beginning of the Arizona Fall League, we looked at 12 players to track. They weren't necessarily the best prospects in the league, but rather were players that I found interesting for one reason or another. With the AFL season finished, let's see how the group fared.
Keep in mind that each Arizona Fall League team only plays about 40 games, and that many players leave early. That means the sample sizes are very small, so any conclusions we draw must be cautious.
Joaquin Benoit, RHP, Texas Rangers (Grand Canyon Rafters)
Benoit's goal was to show he was healthy, and get more experience against top competition. He was outstanding, posting a 1.81 ERA in eight games, with a terrific 28/6 K/BB ratio. Benoit has electric stuff and sharp command. If he stays healthy, he should be special.
Matt Kinney, RHP, Minnesota Twins (Grand Canyon Rafters)
Kinney's job in the AFL was to improve the consistency of his curve and slider, and sharpen his control. He was successful in both endeavors, posting a 1.67 ERA in six starts, with a 22/8 K/BB ratio. He goes to spring training with a lock on a rotation spot for the Twins.
Brad Lidge, RHP, Houston Astros (Maryvale Saguaros)
1998 first-rounder Brad Lidge has been limited by elbow trouble to few pro innings. He made three starts for Maryvale and fanned 11 guys in 10.1 innings, a sign of the good stuff that got him drafted in the first round. But his durability remains an issue.
Brad Wilkerson, OF, Montreal Expos (Maryvale Saguaros)
Wilkerson hit just .222 in 17 games, but the sample size is so small as to be meaningless. He did show good strike zone judgment, with 11 walks in 54 at-bats. That's been his best attribute in the minors, and it's good to see him maintain it against fellow top prospects. He remains on the cusp for 2001.
Mike Bynum, LHP, San Diego Padres (Peoria Javelinas)
Bynum made just three starts, but posted a nice 2.31 ERA. I wrote earlier that we should watch his K/BB mark in the AFL. The result? Seven strikeouts, six walks, 11.2 innings. That's a tiny sample, so we can't make too much of it, but I do worry about how he will do at the higher levels.
Bubba Crosby, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers (Peoria Javelinas)
Crosby has been a bit disappointing since being drafted in the first round in 1998. But he was anything but in Arizona, hitting .346 with a .510 slugging percentage. He was caught stealing seven times, but the Dodgers have to be happy with the bat he showed.
Nate Bump, RHP, Florida Marlins (Mesa Solar Sox)
Bump made just one AFL start, before leaving the league suffering from shoulder tendinitis. The same problem bothered him part of the year in Double-A, so this is not exactly a good sign for the future.
Kenny Kelly, OF, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (Mesa Solar Sox)
Kelly played in just eight games before going home, and struggled in those appearances, fanning 11 times and garnering just one extra-base hit. He has terrific tools, but is refining them slowly.
Zach Sorensen, SS, Cleveland Indians (Phoenix Desert Dogs)
Infield prospect Sorensen did well in the AFL, hitting .313 with seven doubles and three triples. He hasn't hit as well as scouts expected he would when he came out of Wichita State, so the Indians have to be happy with this performance.
Ryan Ludwick, OF, Oakland Athletics (Phoenix Desert Dogs)
Ludwick slammed 29 homers in the California League, so the Athletics were curious to see what he could do against better quality pitching. He hit .233 in 10 games, which doesn't mean much, but I'm sure that Oakland doesn't like his poor 2/15 walk/strikeout ratio. He may have to cut down on his swing and/or improve his pitch recognition.
Brad Cresse, C, Arizona Diamondbacks (Scottsdale Scorpions)
A 2000 draftee, College World Series hero Brad Cresse made it all the way to the AFL in his first pro season. He hit just .169 in 22 games, with a frightening 26 strikeouts. No one doubts his power, but contact may be an issue. Of course, he may have just been tired from a very, very long season.
Esix Snead, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (Scottsdale Scorpions)
Snead hit just .239 in the Carolina League, but improved on that with a .245 mark in Arizona. If he hits at all, his speed makes him special. He stole 11 bases in 27 games, and showed decent strike zone judgment. His ability to handle higher levels remains uncertain, but this is at least a positive step.
Special Bonus Player: Kevin Mench
We looked at Kevin Mench of the Rangers system in a prospect profile last week. The AFL was the best competition he's faced as a pro, and he ripped the league apart, hitting .354 with a .596 slugging percentage. He played in the Florida State League in 2000, but I think he can handle a jump all the way to Triple-A, and be ready for the majors quite soon.
John Sickels is working on the STATS 2001 Minor League Scouting Notebook. You can email your questions to him at JASickels@AOL.com. | |
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