Minor league thread, Part IV. The light at the end of the tunnel......

[Frater Perdurabo]

Originally Posted by ChiTownTrojan

If three OFs are moving up from W-S to Birmingham, I would imagine Robert and Gonzalez would be coming up to replace them. I'm curious what's going to happen at SS once Madrigal is in the fold. If they start him at A+, where does leave Yrizarri? And what about Laz Rivera, who has certainly earned a promotion with his performance so far? Rivera is a couple years older than Yrizarri, FWIW.

Yep, there will have to be a cascade of promotions - or position switches/platoons - to accommodate Madrigal’s appearance in the organization.

Also, at least half of the Kannnapolis outfield vacancy created by Robert and Gonzalez moving to Winston-Salem will be filled by Steele Walker.

[KyWhiSoxFan]

Pilkington, the 3rd round pick by the Sox, helped pitch Miss. St. within one win of the finals of the CWS by pitching 6 innings today, allowing 2 earned runs. If they can get his velocity back up -- or higher -- to where it was last year as a sophomore, he could be a steal. (He's likely headed to Great Falls since he's already pitched more than 100 innings this year.)

[GAsoxfan]

Originally Posted by Frater Perdurabo

Yep, there will have to be a cascade of promotions - or position switches/platoons - to accommodate Madrigal’s appearance in the organization.

Agreed. It will be interesting to see how they shuffle the deck. IMO, there are 7 guys in Kanny who have earned promotions:

Rivera
Blackman
Gonzalez
Robert (hard to "earn" it in two weeks, but he's been good and his prospect status will get him promoted)
Battenfield
Henzmen
Tyler Johnson (46 Ks in 27.0 IP!)

Since Rivera and Blackman are both MI, we'll see if either gets stuck behind Madrigal, or if they start Madrigal at Kanny.

[Hitmen77]

Several Sox prospects had good showings at their respective league's all-star game last night. Highlights include: Zack Collins won the Southern League's HR derby and then went 1 for 3 with a walk in the game. Dunning and Cease each pitched an inning with no hits, no walks and 2 Ks. Joel Booker won the Carolina League ASG MVP by going 3 for 4 with a HR. Laz Rivera went 2 for 3 with a 2B and a SB.
https://www.southsidesox.com/2018/6/...e-june-19-2018

[Mohoney]

Originally Posted by GAsoxfan

Robert (hard to "earn" it in two weeks, but he's been good and his prospect status will get him promoted).

I wouldn’t mind waiting until Robert’s power returns before promoting him. Let him tee off against some lower-level competition for a few more weeks to shake off the rust.

[ChiTownTrojan]

Originally Posted by Mohoney

I wouldn’t mind waiting until Robert’s power returns before promoting him. Let him tee off against some lower-level competition for a few more weeks to shake off the rust.

Hahn said last week that he expects Robert to be promoted within 7-10 days, which fits the timeline with this wave of promotions. The plan going into the season (pre-injury) was to start him at A+, he went to Kanny basically as a rehab stint, and because there wasn't any room in the W-S outfield and both teams were so close to finishing off their first halves anyway. Since this is a clear break point in the team's schedule, it makes sense to promote him now instead of disrupting things again in a week or two or whatever. He's a pretty advanced prospect, there's really no reason to baby him.

[ChiTownTrojan]

Originally Posted by GAsoxfan

Since Rivera and Blackman are both MI, we'll see if either gets stuck behind Madrigal, or if they start Madrigal at Kanny.

On top of that, neither of the MI at Winston Salem (Yrizarri and Roman) have done anything to warrant being moved either up or down. I wouldn't be surprised if Yrizarri ends up getting demoted, as he's only 21 (Rivera and Blackman are both 23, I believe). Still, that's five players for 4 starting spots at the two levels they are most appropriate for, so something has to give.

[EMachine10]

Originally Posted by ChiTownTrojan

On top of that, neither of the MI at Winston Salem (Yrizarri and Roman) have done anything to warrant being moved either up or down. I wouldn't be surprised if Yrizarri ends up getting demoted, as he's only 21 (Rivera and Blackman are both 23, I believe). Still, that's five players for 4 starting spots at the two levels they are most appropriate for, so something has to give.

They won't demote Yrizarri. If they wind up with a surplus, they'll rotate like they did with the OF consisting of Call, Booker, Basabe, Rutherford.

[JohnTucker0814]

Bleacher Report just published their post draft top 100 prospects.

Only Joey Bart made the top 50. Here are where they placed the Sox prospect. They only listed the top 50 then just the names in no particular order for the bottom 50.

3. Eloy
9. Kopech
33. Robert
41. Cease
50. Dunning

51+
Madrigal
Rutherford

[cws05champ]

Originally Posted by ChiTownTrojan

On top of that, neither of the MI at Winston Salem (Yrizarri and Roman) have done anything to warrant being moved either up or down. I wouldn't be surprised if Yrizarri ends up getting demoted, as he's only 21 (Rivera and Blackman are both 23, I believe). Still, that's five players for 4 starting spots at the two levels they are most appropriate for, so something has to give.

When have we ever had the chance to say..." Oh no, we have too many quality prospects, it's a problem!"

[GAsoxfan]

Originally Posted by EMachine10

They won't demote Yrizarri. If they wind up with a surplus, they'll rotate like they did with the OF consisting of Call, Booker, Basabe, Rutherford.

I say just put Yrizarri on the bench. I know he's only 21, but he hasn't shown anything that would make him a legit prospect.

[thomas35forever]

Kopech still a little wild with four walks, but he did strike out six and gave up only two earned runs over five innings. Call it a step back in the right direction.

[Frater Perdurabo]

For all those who were declaring Zack Collins a bust 60 days ago...

Collins (59) is second in all of organized professional baseball in walks, behind only Mike Trout (64). Trout has played 12 more games.

Also, pitchers have every incentive to pitch around Trout.

Do you really think AA pitchers are pitching around Collins, to face Eloy Jimenez?

Collins has an amazing eye and plate discipline. And he just won the Southern League Home Run Derby.

I’m not predicting that Collins is the next Mike Trout or the next Frank Thomas.

I’m predicting that he’ll hit .250, with a .380 OBP and 30 HRs, which is more than adequate for a starting catcher.

[DonnieDarko]

More than adequate? For a catcher, that's borderline superstar status.

I'll take it~

[Hitmen77]

Originally Posted by thomas35forever

Kopech still a little wild with four walks, but he did strike out six and gave up only two earned runs over five innings. Call it a step back in the right direction.

...and it sounds like his wildness was mostly in the 1st inning and then he settled down after that.