For my first live look as a member of Prospects Live, it was a treat to cover the Double-A Texas League matchup between the Frisco Roughriders (Texas affiliate) and Arkansas Travelers (Seattle affiliate) in the last week of May. The pitching matchup was the main draw with Bryan Woo (PLive Mariners #11 prospect) and Jack Leiter (PLive Rangers #5 prospect). The game lived up to the billing as a pitcher’s duel with the visiting Roughriders winning 2-1. This game also featured some top hitting prospects including the Rangers’ #2 Evan Carter, #7 Dustin Harris, #9 Aaron Zavala and #12 Luisangel Acuna and others. Jonatan Clase (Mariners #18) was the highest rated Mariners hitting prospect that played in this game.
RHP Bryan Woo, Arkansas Travelers (#11 in Seattle)
Line: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Woo has had an excellent season coming in with a 1.85 ERA and .175 opponents BA against. He comes at hitters with a low three-quarters arm slot (think Max Scherzer) and has a repertoire of 4-Seam fastball (94-96 T-98, 70 grade), slider (55 grade) and changeup (40 grade).
It was very interesting to watch him mix his pitches in this game because he did not have a good handle on his slider. He battled a very strong Frisco lineup and tight strike zone through 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits striking out 4. As mentioned, he was basically a two-pitch pitcher all night as his slider was consistently missing arm-side; this was especially the case out of the stretch. He mixed his 4-seam and changeup effectively to get out of jams in the 2nd, 4th and 5th.
Unfortunately, there were no velocity readings posted in the park for this game so I wasn’t able to see the differential between his fastball and changeup or how he maintained his velocity later in the start. He did generate 6 whiffs (15.7 SwStr%), and posted a CSW of 26.1% and a 63.6 Str%. Overall, I was impressed with Woo’s ability to work through this outing without his best stuff and he leaned on his riding 4-Seam fastball and tailing changeup to help limit damage and keep his team in the game.
RHP Jack Leiter, Frisco Roughriders (#5 in Texas system)
Line: 4+ IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 7 BB, 4 K
Leiter came into this start on a bit of a roll. In his previous four starts, he put together a 31:6 K/BB ratio over 21 innings. Control has always been his Achilles heel and it showed in this game. Leiter, who also throws with a lower arm slot, comes at hitters with a traditional 4-pitch mix. His mid-90s 4-seam fastball is plus (70 grade) and is his bread and butter; the pitch has a terrific movement profile in both IVB and run. He also has an above average curveball (55 grade) and his slider (50 grade) and changeup (45 grade) are considered average at this point.
He started the game by walking the bases loaded, but was able to wiggle out of the jam, giving up just a sac fly and getting a double play ground out. He was clearly having trouble staying closed on his delivery as everything was running arm side and up or even above the zone. He wasn’t really able to harness a consistent delivery throughout this start, but he did show his potential dominance with a power 4-Seam and curveball that produced 8 whiffs combined in his 4 plus innings. He did mix in a few sliders and changeups as well getting one whiff combined.
Again, it would have been helpful to have some velocity readings, but with a 31.3 SwStr% over his 91 pitches, you can clearly see that he has great stuff. I think a fairly tight strike zone affected both Leiter and Woo in this game; when you don’t quite have your sharpest command, it’s rare an umpire will reward you. It was clearly a struggle from start to finish (48.3 Str%) for Leiter in this one, but he was able to limit the damage with traffic on the bases every inning allowing just one run.
RHP Prelander Berroa, Arkansas Travelers (#5 in Seattle System)
Line: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Recently converted starter Berroa recorded four outs in the 7th and 8th. His stuff looked very good, he had 5 whiffs on 7 swings in his 22 pitches (14 strikes, 63.6 Str%). He used his fastball and slider exclusively in relief. No gun readings for velocity. Hitters looked uncomfortable in their at bats, the pitches that missed in his two walks were close pitches; he was all around a tight strike zone.
CF Jonatan Clase, Arkansas Travelers (#18 in Seattle system)
Line: 0/3, R, 2 BB, 2 K SB, CS, 5 LOB
Clase is an extremely dynamic player with growing game power and double-plus speed. It’s been his hit tool that has lagged behind a little. What I really took from this live look was that despite the swing and miss in his game, he truly has a good recognition of the strike zone and works the count very well.
He shows the willingness to go deep into counts (26 pitches seen in his 5 plate appearances) which helps the rest of the lineup by wearing down the pitcher and giving everyone a look at his arsenal. He profiles well as a leadoff hitter. Clase stole a base and was caught once on a close play. His speed is truly game-changing, he is extremely aggressive on the bases. He covers the outfield very well, and takes charge in center. He didn’t have to sprint to any balls in this game or have his arm tested.
LF Robert Perez Jr. Arkansas Travelers (#23 in Seattle system)
Line: 0/4, 2 K, 4 LOB
Perez has a strong frame with loads of power. He is an aggressive hitter; he swung at 8 of the 13 pitches he saw in this game (4 whiffs). Leiter attacked him with 4-seamers and changeups middle-away, getting a double play on a changeup in the first and a swing and miss strikeout in the third. His speed is below average and will probably be destined for first base.
RF Spencer Packard, Arkansas Travelers (#27 in Seattle System)
Line: 0/2, 2 BB, 2 K, 3 LOB
Packard has a very good understanding of the strike zone, he swings at strikes and does not chase. This approach makes him look very comfortable at the plate, although in his last at bat, he seemed a bit stuck in between against Kelly, tough left-on-left matchup.
DH Evan Carter, Frisco Roughriders (#2 in Texas system)
Line: 1/4 Single, K, 2 LOB
Carter was the designated hitter in this game and while it wasn’t a standout game in the box score, I was impressed with an in-game adjustment he made. In his first at bat Woo got him out with three fastballs up in the zone, three pitches, two of them whiffs. In his second at bat Woo threw four more fastballs and Carter grounded out to second. In his third at bat Woo threw a first-pitch fastball and Carter went with it and hit a solid single to left field. He’s very calm with little movement in the box other than his load and stride to the baseball; His swing is short and compact.
Worth noting that at the time of publishing, Carter is on the Development List. Writer Kenni Landry reports it’s to give his hand some rest from an early season injury.
RF Aaron Zavala, Frisco Roughriders (#9 in Texas system)
Line: 0/4 BB, 3 K, 0 LOB
Aaron Zavala was the leadoff hitter for Frisco and saw 29 pitches in his 5 plate appearances; he swung at just 7 (24% swing percentage). His passiveness at the plate ended up hurting him as he ended the night with three strikeouts including one caught looking. He was on the defensive at the plate and the pitcher often dictated the at bat against him. It’s possible it was a night where he wasn’t thrown much to hit, I’d have to get another look to see if his approach changes.
LF Dustin Harris, Frisco Roughriders (#7 in Texas system)
Line: 0/4, K, 5 LOB
This was my second time seeing Harris play , the first was when he had just been called up to Double-A late last season. He impressed me last season with how he controlled the zone and didn’t chase. This game was more of the same. Woo, and Berroa after him, attacked Harris inside with almost exclusively fastballs. Harris popped out three times and struck out the other at bat. They seemed to be exploiting a deficiency in his swing as he was unable to turn on any of the fastballs. Something to monitor going forward.
SS Luisangel Acuña, Frisco Roughriders (#12 in Texas system)
Line: 1/3 Single, BB, K, SB, 1 LOB
Acuna showed good speed in this game stealing a base and beating out an infield grounder for a hit. Woo and Berroa attacked him away, mixing fastballs and sliders. He did not seem overmatched facing two pitchers with good fastballs. His hit was an infield single near second base. His stolen base in the 8th was off the pitcher Berroa, even a good throw would not have been in time. He covers the plate well and layed off some close pitches for a walk in the 7th, he did not chase in any of his at bats. In the field, he started a nice double play in the first inning, good feed to the second baseman.
2B Thomas Saggese, Frisco Roughriders (#15 in Texas system)
Line: 1/2, Double, R, BB, 2 LOB
Saggese looks like he has a plan at the plate, he waits for a certain pitch and when he gets it he puts a good swing on it. If he doesn’t get that pitch he waits and will take a walk if he has to. He showed a quick bat by turning around a Woo fastball for a double in the 4th inning. He looks like an adequate defender at second base.
LHP Antoine Kelly, Frisco Roughriders (#20 in Texas system)
Line: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, SV, BB, 3 K
Kelly was given the save opportunity with two lefties, a righty and a couple of switch hitters. He slings the ball low three quarters which is difficult to pick up, especially for a LHH. Velocity also plays up with the way he throws across his body. Was mostly fastball/slider in this game, he also mixed in a changeup. Hitters were guessing at times.
1B Trevor Hauver, Frisco Roughriders (#27 in Texas system)
Line: 1/4, Single, 2 RBI, K, 3 LOB
Hauver had the biggest hit of the game in the top of the fourth. with runners on second and third. He fell behind 0-2 in the at-bat and Woo executed a beautiful changeup on the outside corner; the umpire missed the call. On the next pitch he grounded a hard single through the 5.5 hole and both runners scored. He hit the ball hard right at the second baseman in his at-bat in the ninth inning. Hauver plays a solid first base.