It’s Saturday, you have things to do, you don’t need to read this. We have told you this how many times? Yet you refuse to follow directions. Sheesh! Anyway, you should know the drill Geoff has Triple-A and Double-A, Rhys White has High-A, and Matt Thompson has Low-A. Proceed to the blurbs!
All the College Baseball Probable starting pitchers for April 16th to April 18th, 2021. All starters subject to change due to weather and COVID-19 factors.
College Pitching Probables Starters for Week Five of 2021 College Baseball, March 19th to March 22nd.
The top starters to watch for week two of 2021 NCAA Baseball.
It’s Saturday afternoon, you don’t have much to do but chill out, roll a few julus, listen to some Andre Nickatina, and relax. We got your entertainment for the next thirty minutes as we run down all the top performers in the minor leagues on May 14th in the year of our lord 2021. Read on playa! Or Beach if you no hablo espanol.
The Minnesota Twins are next on our Players Likely to Debut series. In case you missed it, we have already rolled out the AL and NL East.
AL East: Red Sox — Yankees — Orioles — Blue Jays — Rays
NL East: Marlins — Braves — Phillies — Mets—Nationals
AL Central: Tigers — Royals — White Sox
Below, you will find a list of three prospects from the respective organization. Each prospect will have a number score next to their name — this number will represent the estimated amount of time we anticipate that player seeing at the big-league level. Players that have already made their big-league debut will not be included on this list.
1 — September call-ups / guys that are likely to see less than 20-25 games on the roster
2 — 1/4 of the season (roughly 40 games on roster)
3 — 1/2 of the season (roughly 80 games on roster)
4 — 3/4 of the season (roughly 120 games on roster)
5 — Full season on the MLB roster
Position — Name (Time on Roster Score)
SS — Nick Gordon (1)
This is the year that we finally get a glimpse at the fifth overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. Unfortunately, it’s likely just that — a glimpse. Gordon is no longer a highly-regarded prospect in this organization as he’s seen his stock plummet year after year. Middle infield is a strength of this team in 2021 so there won’t be much run for him, however a late season call-up would allow the Twins to see what exactly he has at the big league level.
If the club found themselves in a position where they were out of contention, they might look to trade away players like Jorge Polanco and Andrelton Simmons, the later of which signed a one-year deal this year. If that scenario were to happen, consider Gordon a lock to be the stop-gap for the remainder of 2021.
RHP — Jhoan Duran (1)
In recent years, names like Randy Dobnak and Jordan Balazovic have been the often-discussed prospects when it comes to arms. However, Duran could turn into the best option of that bunch. Since coming over in the trade that sent Eduardo Escobar to Arizona, the 23-year-old hurler has posted a 10.71 K/9 while flashing a plus fastball and plus splitter — a combination that will also help him keep the ball on the ground.
2019-06-01, vs. Lakeland Flying Tigers
RHP — Bailey Ober (2)
Having shown signs of development during the 2019 campaign, Ober was certainly impacted by the lack of a season last year. Over his 78.2 innings pitched two years ago, the now-25-year-old posted an 8-0 record, allowed just six earned runs, walked a half-dozen batters, and struck out 100 batters. A case could have been made that he would have been up in 2020 had there been a full season.
Currently on the 40-man roster, the Twins may call on him to provide innings out of the bullpen in 2021. He could also see a few spots starts throughout the year given his ability to command the strike-zone and keep hitters off base. A 6-foot-9 frame does not often translate into above-average command and control, however, that’s exactly what the Twins have seen so far from Ober. If he is able to continue that trend, you may see a lot of him over the next few years.
This might sound contrary to what the consensus is around baseball, but it doesn’t seem like there is much playing time available to Royce Lewis in 2021. Many outlets might provide a path for the former No. 1 overall pick, however it doesn’t seem likely given the recent moves to bolster the MLB club. Alex Kirilloff was not included on this list for one reason — technically he already made his debut, despite his playoff appearance last season not counting toward service time.
I like to think of AAA more like a waiting room than a level per se, not every player even stops through AAA these days, and many are there for just a matter of weeks. It’s often rosters cluttered with failed prospects, long shots, and fringe MLB regulars that need a little seasoning. The International League, at least on paper far exceeds those expectations. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. technically highlighting, there’s a strong crop behind him in Bo Bichette, Nick Senzel, Touki Toussaint, Dylan Cease, Nate Lowe, and others. The first half of the year should be deep with prospect showdowns particularly those games in which Gwinnett is involved. The Braves affiliate boasts the most loaded rotation and staff in the minors with three Top 100 arms on the roster. Should be a fun group to follow as many of these future stars debut on the big stage.
