Which former prospect will have the best season (2018)?

[Jace]

Littell (could pitch 190-200IP)

I know this is a side point, but I'd take the way under on that. He'd basically have to break camp with the Twins and/or start multiple games in the MLB (not milb) playoffs. It's basically impossible to get to 190+ if you pitch in the minors at all in a year, even healthy full-year MLB guys don't really get there anymore

[ClownPickle]

I know this is a side point, but I'd take the way under on that. He'd basically have to break camp with the Twins and/or start multiple games in the MLB (not milb) playoffs. It's basically impossible to get to 190+ if you pitch in the minors at all in a year, even healthy full-year MLB guys don't really get there anymore

The point is that he's capable of pitching that many innings.

How many guys in the minors threw back to back 160 IP seasons at his age?

[Jace]

The point is that he's capable of pitching that many innings.

How many guys in the minors threw back to back 160 IP seasons at his age?

Clippard. More guys would do it except they get promoted to the majors

[ClownPickle]

Clippard. More guys would do it except they get promoted to the majors

More guys DON'T do it. It's extremely rare to throw those types of innings at 20 and 21. The point made by you naming seasons 12 and 13 years ago.

[Jace]

More guys DON'T do it. It's extremely rare to throw those types of innings at 20 and 21. The point made by you naming seasons 12 and 13 years ago.

It was off the top of my head (meaning there are more) and Clippard was allowed to throw all of those innings in the minors because he was a fringy SP prospect.

The relative rarity doesn't mean its super impressive on it's own. Pitchers with big potential get protected like crazy these days IP-total-wise or get promoted to the pros, throwing 160IP at AA is nice, but it's not a priority for teams

[ClownPickle]

It was off the top of my head (meaning there are more) and Clippard was allowed to throw all of those innings in the minors because he was a fringy SP prospect. The relative rarity doesn't mean its super impressive on it's own.

Disagree. It is impressive on it's own. The ability to pitch deep into games is rare and valuable.

Clippard wasn't fringy. BA had Clippard ranked tenth-best prospect in the Eastern League

[Jace]

Disagree. It is impressive on it's own. The ability to pitch deep into games is rare and valuable.

Clippard wasn't fringy. BA had Clippard ranked tenth-best prospect in the Eastern League

Clippard looked like a high floor #4/5 starter at the time (which did not really pan out), just like Littell. You keep making this claim that pitching 160IP in AA at age 21 is an important indicator, so maybe you should back that up instead of asking everyone else to disprove you

[Snatch Catch]

It's not commonplace, but it exists.

A quick glance at Fangraphs shows Spencer Adams and Thaddius Lowry of the White Sox, and Ryan Castellani of the Rockies in the same ballpark in the past few years like Littell. In fact, it seems like the Rockies lean that way as an organization, as they let both German Marquez and Zach Jemiola take similar paths recently.

I agree that it's a very good sign for any pitcher if he's able to log innings and prove durable, especially at such a young age. I also agree that it doesn't necessarily provide any predictable information other than there not being the question of if he can handle an innings load if he's ever good enough to be given them at the ML level.

[ClownPickle]

Clippard looked like a high floor #4/5 starter at the time (which did not really pan out), just like Littell. You keep making this claim that pitching 160IP in AA at age 21 is an important indicator, so maybe you should back that up instead of asking everyone else to disprove you

You keep moving the field posts. What I said was throwing back to back 160IP in the minors at his age was rare and impressive. Even moreso considering he WAS capped at times, sometimes as little as 30 pitches. So yes, they did protect him, and he still threw a ton of innings.

It's a skill. A very valuable one. There's a million things that can go wrong with Littell, however staying healthy and going deep into games hasn't been one of them. It's something a plethora of minor leaguers struggle with. :cough: Chance :cough: :cough: Kap cough: :cough:

[MrFortune3]

I'm surprised. I think ya'll are overrating Guzman.

This was Keith Law's take:

http://www.espn.com/blog/keith-law/insider/post?id=7918

Now....Keith hasn't exactly been money on Yankee pitching prospects, however he brings up some good points. For starters, Guzman is about to turn 22, and just finished Staten Island. His max IP he's thrown in a season is 67 innings. If he has fringe offspeed, throwing 98-100 might work in the lower levels, but that's not going to play as he moves up. Not saying he can't develop but I think he has a significant amount of hurdles to overcome that some of those guys listed are already past.

It's not so much overrating him, guys with his type of arm and potential tend to have a high trade value as they move up levels because teams will see things they can fix and they don't have to attempt to get an uptick in velocity.

[mbn007]

I'm surprised. I think ya'll are overrating Guzman.

This was Keith Law's take:

http://www.espn.com/blog/keith-law/insider/post?id=7918

Now....Keith hasn't exactly been money on Yankee pitching prospects, however he brings up some good points. For starters, Guzman is about to turn 22, and just finished Staten Island. His max IP he's thrown in a season is 67 innings. If he has fringe offspeed, throwing 98-100 might work in the lower levels, but that's not going to play as he moves up. Not saying he can't develop but I think he has a significant amount of hurdles to overcome that some of those guys listed are already past.

Your poll was for 2018. For 2018, I think Guzman shines - well above the other folks listed. I am not as sold on Mateo as I was 2 years ago.


Personally, I was close to picking Polo. He can run, hit a bit, and has some pop. Health may be his issue, but that is the same for a lot of guys on this list.


By the way, Littell was my 3rd choice from your list.

[Buzah!]

Clippard threw a no-hitter in AA. He wasn't a bad prospect at all. He just never filled out like they thought he might.