This is not a ranking of the best under-18 DSL bats, just listing out the best performers and breaking down each one.
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1. Axial Plaz, C, Pirates
5’11 165 R/R
Plaz has been both the strongest sub-18 DSL performer and one of the youngest, playing most of the season at 16 years old. Plaz is an athletic backstop out of Venezuela who sticks out for his defense as much as his bat. More athletic than fast, Plaz moves gracefully for a catcher with a solid arm and plus receiving skills. He swings hard but has limited swing and miss while hitting an exactly even ratio of LD/FB/GB contact with plus hard hit data. Plaz’s $350,000 signing bonus looks an absolute steal at the moment and he could quickly emerge as yet another must-know catcher in the Pirates system.
2. Josue De Paula, CF, Dodgers
6’3 185 L/L
Signed for $500,000 out of El Niche Academy in the DR, De Paula is a cousin to NY basketball royalties Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair with athleticism that matches the bloodline. Built like an NBA guard, De Paula blends natural athleticism with frame projection and an athletic swing with barrel manipulation that belies his natural length. While athletic, De Paula projects to a corner outfield role at maturity. With his approach, athletic and adjustable swing, and strength projection, De Paula figures to hit plenty enough for the position. This is the kind of player who could skyrocket in a dev situation like Los Angeles. He makes this list for pure performance, but he is every bit the prospect as well.
3. Michael Arroyo, SS, Mariners
5’10 165 R/R
The slightly more rare seven-figure Colombian prospect, the Mariners signed Arroyo for $1,375,000 and he has been every part of the advanced bat he was billed as. Arroyo has some of the best barrel feel in the class, if not the best, and backs it up with a sound approach at the plate. What’s been the most impressive about Arroyo’s performance has been his ability to leverage his plus bat-to-ball skills to consistently lift the ball without creating soft contact. With a muscled, but shorter and stockier build, Arroyo projects more towards 2B/3B than SS and likely will be capped around 50 raw power, but his feel for contact/barrel manipulation could see him outproducing that power projection in games. Expect Arroyo to be a quick mover who analytic models will be high on.
4. Oswaldo Osorio, 3B/SS, Dodgers
6’1 175 L/R
Signed for a low bonus out of Pablo Sandoval’s new academy in VZ, Osorio began turning heads in the tricky league post-signing and continued to do so before an injury cut his season short. Osorio is loved by analytical models already, showcasing eye-popping top-end exit velocities with plus swing decision metrics and shows the arm and footspeed to play just about every position. Assuming health, Osorio should be a buzzy name in deep dynasty leagues next year, if not earlier.
5. Esmith Pineda, RF, Reds
5’10 185 R/R
Another in the recent chain of Panamian prospects who stood out in LLWS events, Pineda has been an offensive force this year when healthy. The corner OF prospect has an arm strength/power combo that belies his 5’10 frame. We knew that when he signed, but Pineda has been more polished than expected at the plate, showing a more advanced approach than expected and producing high-level hard contact, while limiting soft contact. Pineda is not a fast man and there is a bit of natural swing and miss, but he looks every bit of the 50 hitter to make use of his future plus raw power and his arm plays well in RF.
6. Enamnuel Tejeda, SS, NYY
5’11 160 R/R
Tejeda was a bit of a sleeper signing for the Yanks, but one that appears to be paying big-time dividends early on. Tejeda has a simple but violent swing from the right side with plus bat speed and some natural loft. His hip move really well and it’s easy to project continued power gains as he fills out. Athletic, with a MIF, build, Tejeda looks like he will be a super utility who can play SS long-term if needed with enough arm for 3B. Tejeda has one of the best eyes at the level and has showcased a phenomenal pitch selection. It’s easy to see similarities to a young Oswald Peraza in his game, albeit with a long way to go. I think Tejeda is a dude.
7. Lazaro Montes, RF, Mariners
6’3 210 L/R
Signed for $2,500,000 out of the DR by way of Cuba, Montes may be the most famous player in the DSL right now. Everyone knows of Montes’s top-of-the-scale raw power with a swing path that allows him to get to every bit of it. While Montes has a patient approach, there is some legitimate swing and miss given his natural length and lofted path. The potential 80-grade raw power will make Montes a dude, but how his hit tool and defense come along will determine if he’s just a must-see BP or a star.
8. Jose Gomez, CF, Guardians
5’9 145 L/L
Signed for a lower-end bonus out of Marmolejos academy in the DR, Gomez has been a pleasant surprise for the Guardians. Short and athletic with a muscled lower half and a frame that looks like it will pack on muscle, Gomez has a profile you may not expect from his listed 5’9 145. Gomez has a hard, lofted, left-handed swing with good barrel feel but some swing and miss. Gomez makes hard contact when he connects and does a great job limiting soft contact. There is some legitimate power/speed here and while his shorter frame may limit the power upside, it should be at least average raw that plays up given his bat path. If Gomez can make enough contact, his power/speed combo in CF could make him a relevant name for a Guardians system that could use an influx of outfield talent.
9. Reylin Perez, SS, Tigers
5’11 160 S/R
The Tigers spent $4.2 Million on three SS in this J15 class, so naturally, their best SS in the class has been Perez, who signed for $60,000. Perez has a broad-shouldered 5’11 frame that helps him create big-time hip-shoulder separation and adds plenty of physical projection to his profile. Perez has a simple, pull/launch approach at the plate that does lead to heavy swing and miss with more soft contact than is ideal, but when he makes good connection, it is very very loud. While Perez isn’t a burner, he moves well and has a chance to stick up the middle. Given the hit tool questions, Perez is a bit of a risky proposition, but there are reasons to buy into the player and there is absolutely no denying his performance this year. He’s a name to watch next year.
10. Yasser Mercedes, CF, Twins
6’2 175 R/R
Mercedes, who signed for $1,700,000 has a balls-to-walls playstyle with a toolsy profile that makes him extremely fun to watch play the game. Mercedes has an aggressive approach and is willing to chase pitches outside the zone with some natural swing and miss in his long levers. That said, he is a plus runner who milks that speed for everything that it’s worth and projects to grow into plus raw power down the line. Mercedes has a bigger frame and will likely slow down a tick or two as he matures, but should maintain average or better speed, with an aggressive baserunning style that should lead to SB attempts and a chance to stick in CF. It’s a high-risk, high-reward profile that reminds me a lot of Kristian Robinson around the same age.
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