Scouting reports on all 50 Futures Game players

Scouting reports on all 50 Futures Game players

July 7th, 2016

A collection of the best talent in the Minor Leagues has been assembled for the 18th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which will be broadcast live from San Diego on MLB Network on Sunday, July 10. Below is a snapshot of each of the 50 players, with links to scouting reports, tools and grades, stats and video on MLB Pipeline's Prospect Watch.
U.S TEAM
Pitchers
, RHP, Reno Aces (AAA)
No. 14 on D-backs' Top 30
Banda was part of the package that the D-backs got in return from Milwaukee for at the Trade Deadline in 2014, and his first year in the organization certainly made it clear why the D-backs have long been interested in him.
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Phil Bickford, RHP, San Jose Giants (A+)
No. 3 on Giants' Top 30
The 18th overall pick in the 2015 Draft, Bickford can hit 98 mph with a four-seam fastball and miss barrels with a low-90s two-seamer that features plenty of sink.
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J.T. Chargois, RHP, Rochester Red Wings (AAA)
No. 9 on Twins' Top 30
Chargois might have the best fastball in the Twins system. He touches 100 mph regularly, but he's more than just a thrower.
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, RHP, Birmingham Barons (AA)
No. 1 on White Sox Top 30
Fulmer could move through the Minors quickly. He can miss bats with both his 93-97 mph fastball and his power curveball. His changeup gives him at least an average third pitch.
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, LHP, Louisville Bats (AAA)
No. 4 on Reds' Top 30
The former St. John's high-flying hoopster pitched in the 2015 Futures Game in what he hopes will soon be his home ballpark. He uses his size well, coming at hitters with excellent extension, and is very physical.
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, LHP, Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA)
No. 4 on Brewers' Top 30
Hader was the talk of the Arizona Fall League, where he showcased electric stuff and led the circuit in ERA. He then posted a 0.95 ERA in 11 Double-A starts to begin the 2016 season, earning a quick promotion to Triple-A.
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, RHP, Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA)
No. 4 on Rockies' Top 30
Hoffman hit 99 mph with his fastball when he made his pro debut in May 2015, then went to the Rockies two months later as the key prospect in the trade. Colorado's top pitching prospect has struck out a batter an inning at Triple-A this year.
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, RHP, Fresno Grizzlies (AAA)
No. 7 on Astros' Top 30
Musgrove spent three years in Rookie ball while battling shoulder and elbow issues and didn't reach full-season ball until 2015. He broke out when he did, rising to Double-A while going 12-1, 1.88 with a 99/8 K/BB ratio in 100 2/3 innings.
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, LHP, Salt Lake Bees (AAA)
No. 3 on Angels' Top 30
While none of his pitches jump out at evaluators, Smith does have a four-pitch mix, and he can throw each pitch for strikes. He is a quiet competitor on the mound, one who pitches with a bit of an edge.
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, RHP, Montgomery Biscuits (AA)
No. 17 on Rays' Top 30
Stanek underwent hip surgery after being drafted in 2013, which kept him sidelined for nearly a year, but he's made up for lost time and proved that his arm is as strong as ever, with a consistent low-90s fastball that reaches 96 mph.
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Catchers
, C, Springfield Cardinals (AA)
No. 13 on Cardinals' Top 30
Originally drafted as a third baseman with power potential, Kelly moved behind the plate after his first full season. His development hasn't taken a typical path, as he's become more of a defensive-minded backstop, but he still has the chance to be a power-hitting regular.
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Chance Sisco, C, Bowie Baysox (AA)
No. 3 on Orioles' Top 30
Sisco hit .371 during his pro debut in the GCL and then claimed the South Atlantic League batting title the following year in his full-season debut, batting .340 as a 19-year-old. He hit .308 in the Carolina League last year, and is over .300 at Double-A this year, where he is more than three years younger than the average player in the Eastern League.
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Infielders
, SS, Corpus Christi Hooks (AA)
No. 1 on Astros' Top 30
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 Draft, Bregman has drawn comparisons to for years because he has similar size, tools and makeup. He is on the fast track to Houston and, with rooted at short, has been trying his hand at third base.
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Willie Calhoun, 2B, Tulsa Drillers (AA)
No. 11 on Dodgers' Top 30
Though he's just 5-foot-8, Calhoun is a legitimate power hitter. He led all junior college players with 31 longballs at Yavapai (Ariz.) last year and then hit 11 in 73 games in his pro debut. He has 14 in 74 games at Double-A Tulsa.
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, 2B, High Desert Mavericks (A+)
No. 20 on Rangers' Top 30
Demeritte has much more power than the typical second baseman and has shown it frequently in 2016, tying for the Minor League lead in roundtrippers with 20 in his first 72 games. He also led the Sally League with 25 homers as a 19-year-old in his first full season, in 2014.
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, 3B, Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA)
No. 14 on Royals' Top 30
Dozier's strength and leverage give him enough raw pop to potentially produce 20 homers without swinging for the fences. He moves well for his size and has the tools to be an asset at third base, starting with an arm that delivered low-90s fastballs when he moonlighted as a reliever in college.
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, 3B/1B, Nashville Sounds (AAA)
No. 16 on A's Top 30
At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Healy is a large human with big-time strength. His impressive raw power has translated mostly to doubles, but scouts believe he could develop at least average-over-the-fence power.
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Dominic Smith, 1B, Binghamton Mets (AA)
No. 1 on Mets' Top 30
When Smith was taken in the first round of the 2013 Draft, he was thought to be perhaps the best pure high school hitter in the class. He started living up to that billing in 2015, when he won the Florida State League MVP Award.
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, SS, Mississippi Braves (AA)
No. 1 on Braves' Top 30
For now, Swanson is known as the first No. 1 overall pick to be traded the year he was drafted, getting sent from Arizona to Atlanta in the trade. Soon, he should be known as the Braves' starting shortstop and perhaps perennial All-Star.
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Outfielders
, OF, Portland Sea Dogs (AA)
No. 3 on Red Sox's Top 30
Benintendi's a pure hitter with a pretty left-handed stroke, a keen sense of the strike zone and impressive patience. He's not physically imposing at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, but he has a quick left-handed swing and deceptive strength, and he projects as a possible .300 hitter with 20 or more homers per year.
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, OF, Reading Fightin Phils (AA)
No. 22 on Phillies' Top 30
Cozens' raw power is legitimate, and a refined approach has helped him use it more consistently this year, as he's tied for the Minor League lead in home runs with 20. He runs very well for his size and can steal a base.
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, OF, Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA)
No. 2 on Rockies' Top 30
Dahl, who replaced Pittsburgh's Austin Meadows on the roster, has the potential to make an impact offensively and defensively. The 2012 10th overall pick has the upside of a .300 hitter with 20 or more homers per season, and he could do a lot of damage and run down a lot of fly balls at Coors Field.
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, OF, Akron RubberDucks (AA)
No. 2 on Indians' Top 30
Frazier's bat speed and raw power are among the best in the Minor Leagues and suggest the ceiling of an All-Star. He has above-average speed and will continue to develop in center field, though he may eventually have to slide over to right field.
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, El Paso Chihuahuas (AAA)
No. 3 on Padres' Top 30
Renfroe has plus-plus raw power to his pull side, a product of his bat speed and physical strength and an upper-cut swing. He strikes out quite a bit because the approach is aggressive and he has some length to his swing, but he's shown the ability to make adjustments at the plate at each level.
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Christin Stewart, OF, Lakeland Flying Tigers (A+)
No. 3 on Tigers' Top 30
It will be Stewart's bat that carries him up the Tigers' ladder. The left-handed hitter has above-average power thanks to excellent bat speed. He's among the Minor League leaders in home runs with 18.
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WORLD TEAM
Pitchers
, LHP, Oklahoma City Dodgers (AAA)
No. 8 on Dodgers' Top 30
Seeking to become the second U.S. Virgin Island-born pitcher to reach the big leagues, Cotton began to take off when his fastball velocity spiked from 88-91 mph to 92-96. He gives hitters fits by mixing four-seamers up in the zone with plus changeups in the lower half.
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, RHP, Montgomery Biscuits (AA)
No. 12 on Rays' Top 30
Signed out of Taiwan in 2012, Hu's advanced feel for pitching was on display last season as he excelled against older hitters at age 21. His fastball will be plus at times, but typically sits in the low 90s with good life. He throws both a changeup and a palmball that project to be at least average.
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, RHP, Earie SeaWolves (AA)
No. 8 on Tigers' Top 30
While the Tigers don't label relievers as such in the Minor Leagues, it's clear Jimenez relishes getting the ball at the end of games. Jimenez's stuff has jumped forward as a pro and he has dominated at the lower levels with his electric stuff.
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, RHP, Harrisburg Senators (AA)
No. 5 on Nationals' Top 30
In a few short years, Lopez has transformed into arguably the hardest thrower in the system. His fastball sits in the mid 90s with excellent life and can scrape triple digits.
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, LHP, Sacramento River Cats (AAA)
No. 10 on Giants' Top 30
Mejia received the highest bonus in the Giants' 2011 international crop, signing for $350,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He posted a 2.45 ERA and .204 opponents average last year and has a 2.18 ERA and .206 average against through 13 starts this year.
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, RHP, Indianapolis Indians (AAA) The power right-hander works in the mid 90s and can reach 98 mph. He has methodically climbed his way through the Pirates organization since being signed out of Lithuania in 2009 and has acquitted himself well between Double-A and Triple-A this year, holding opponents to a .165 average.
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Angel Perdomo, LHP, Lansing Lugnuts (A)
No. 23 on Blue Jays' Top 30
After spending his first four years in Rookie ball, Perdomo has dominated in his first year in a full-season league, posting a 2.48 ERA and .170 average against in 14 games (12 starts) at Class A Lansing. The 6-foot-6 lefty, who was added to the roster to take the place of the injured Dylan Unsworth, has a fastball that reaches 94 mph and features nice life.
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, RHP, Reading Fightin Phils (AA)
No. 10 on Phillies' Top 30
Pinto stood out immediately as a 20-year-old in the Short Season New York-Penn League in 2014, then really took off in 2015 pitching across two levels of Class A ball and earning the organization's Minor League pitcher of the year honors.
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, RHP, Memphis Red Birds (AAA)
No. 1 on Cardinals' Top 30
Ever since Reyes joined the Cardinals organization, he's had future frontline starter written all over him. The big right-hander has serious swing-and-miss stuff, with a fastball that touches the mid 90s consistently and can hit triple digits to complement a devastating power curveball.
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Francisco Rios, RHP, Dunedin Blue Jays (A+) Rios has advanced quickly through the Blue Jays system since signing out of Monclova, Mexico in 2012. The 6-foot-1 righty has excelled in 2016, jumping to Class A Advanced Dunedin after going 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA, .193 average against and 0.97 WHIP in six starts for Class A Lansing.
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Catchers
, C, Lake County Captains No. 8 on Indians' Top 30
The Indians signed Mejia out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, and then sent him stateside for his pro debut the following year. He's continued to progress in the face of aggressive assignments and has held his own as one of the youngest players at each level to begin his career. Mejia moved up to the full-season Midwest League last year and made developmental strides on both sides of the ball as Class A Lake County's everyday catcher.
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, C, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA)
No. 3 on Yankees' Top 30
Sanchez's combination of bat speed, strength and loft in his right-handed swing allow him to drive balls great distances. Sanchez still can get overly aggressive at the plate, which hampers his ability to hit for average, and his receiving and blocking still need more polish. But he did show improvement in those facets of his game and played with more passion in 2015.
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Infielders
, SS, Montgomery Biscuits (AA)
No. 3 on Rays' Top 30
Adames became the key return for the Rays in the Trade Deadline deal that sent to Detroit. Adames moved up to the Class A Advanced Charlotte in 2015, where he got off to a strong start before a bone bruise in his elbow limited him during the second half.
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, 2B/3B, El Paso Chihuahuas (AAA)
No. 14 on Padres' Top 30
Asuaje has outstanding hand-eye coordination, plus bat-to-ball skills and a short but impactful stroke from the left side of the plate that produces line drives from gap to gap. Originally drafted by the Red Sox in 2013, he was part of the trade between Boston and San Diego.
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, 3B, Columbus Clippers (AAA)
No. 13 on Indians' Top 30
In his two seasons since signing for $300,000 as a Cuban defector, Diaz has proven to be one of the best and most disciplined hitters in the Indians system, and he's reaching at a .400 clip again this year. The 24-year-old replaced Chicago's on the World Team roster.
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, 1B, Frisco RoughRiders (AA)
No. 22 on Rangers' Top 30
When the Rangers signed Guzman for $3.45 million and for $4.95 million on the same day, the consensus was that Guzman was the superior prospect. It hasn't played out that way, though 2015 was the best of his three years in full-season ball as he hit .283/.324/.434 with a system-leading 87 RBI between two Class A stops.
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, R/R, Las Vegas 51s (AAA) Originally signed by the Pirates out of Colombia in 2010, Herrera was sent to the Mets in the August 2013 deal that netted Pittsburgh and John Buck. An offensive-minded second baseman with gap power, Herrera posted averages of .323 and .331 in his first two seasons in the Mets organization.
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Yoan Moncanda, 2B, Portland Sea Dogs (AA)
No. 1 on Red Sox's Top 30
The most-hyped teenaged prospect to come out of Cuba since , Moncada signed last March for $31.5 million, nearly doubling the previous record bonus for an amateur player (Aroldis Chapman's $16.25 million in 2010). Few middle infielders can match Moncada's huge offensive ceiling, which earns him comparisons to with more speed.
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, 1B, Greensboro Grasshoppers (A)
No. 2 on Marlins' Top 30
Naylor's bat has the potential to be special. His calling card is his plus-plus raw power from the left side of the plate, but it's his natural feel for hitting which has allowed him to apply it in games as a teenager. The Ontario native makes hard contact to all fields thanks to his plus bat speed and excellent hand-eye coordination.
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, SS, Binghamton (AA)
No. 2 on Mets' Top 30
Since Rosario made his pro debut in 2013, the Dominican shortstop has been at least three years younger than the average position player at his level. He's held his own at every step and was hitting a combined .325 across two levels this year when selected as a Futures Game replacement for Yankees shortstop .
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Outfielders
, OF, Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA)
No. 15 on Royals' Top 30
Bonifacio has a strong arm and decent range in right field. He has lost a little speed as he has developed physically but isn't a liability on the bases. Kansas City lacks a clear-cut right fielder for the long term, and Bonifacio could fill that void if he can find some equilibrium at the plate.
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Eloy Jimenez, OF, South Bend Cubs (A)
No. 10 on Cubs' Top 30
The top-rated prospect on the 2013 international amateur market, Jimenez signed for $2.8 million as part of an $8.2 million spending spree by the Cubs. Compared to Jorge Soler by a club official when he signed, Jimenez has huge raw power and right-field arm strength.
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, OF, El Paso Chihuahuas (AAA)
No. 1 on Padres' Top 30
One of the top athletes in the 2011 international class, Margot is an all-around talent, possessing a high-end blend of athleticism, physical tools and baseball savvy. His quick bat and outstanding hand-eye coordination help him generate hard contact to all fields from the right side of the plate. He was part of the Craig Kimbrel trade between the Padres and Red Sox.
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Tyler O'Neill, OF, Jackson Generals (AA)
No. 4 on Mariners' Top 30
O'Neill has been up to the challenge of his move up to Double-A this year, slashing .310/.371/.532 with 13 homers and 59 RBIs in his first 73 games. He still has sizable gains to make on both sides of the ball, but the potential exists for O'Neill to develop into a middle-of-the-order run producer at the highest level.
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, OF, Hartford Yard Goats (AA)
No. 6 on Rockies' Top 30
No one questions Tapia's ability to barrel the ball or his bat speed. Those who believe in him the most see a potential .300 hitter with 15-20 homers per year.
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