This article is part of our Minor League Barometer series.
If Trevor Story turns out not to be the answer at shortstop for the Rockies, they certainly won't have to look too hard to find his eventual replacement. Fellow shortstop Brendan Rodgers, the top overall selection in the 2015 draft, has been scorching for High-A Lancaster thus far in 2017. The 20-year-old is slashing .389/.414/.687 with seven home runs and 31 RBI through 31 games. Rodgers has been even better over his last 10 outings, hitting a blistering .405 with four home runs and 13 RBI. Rodgers won't see the big leagues this season, but a debut in 2018 isn't out of the question.
Let's take a peek at the rest of the prospect map in this week's edition of the Minor League Barometer.
UPGRADE
Alec Hansen, P, CHW – Hanson got bumped down the organizational rankings for the White Sox in the offseason due to the acquisitions of Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech and Reynaldo Lopez. However, the second round pick from 2016 should not be overlooked. Hansen fanned a staggering 15 batters in his last start for High-A Kannapolis. Perhaps even more impressively, he did not walk a single batter. With 10 strikeouts in his previous start, that means Hansen fanned an absurd 25 batters in 12 innings. On the season, Hansen has a 2.96 ERA and 67:19 K:BB in 54.2 innings. With a high-90's heater, devastating slider and emerging changeup/curveball, Hansen could end up as a huge steal for the White Sox as long
If Trevor Story turns out not to be the answer at shortstop for the Rockies, they certainly won't have to look too hard to find his eventual replacement. Fellow shortstop Brendan Rodgers, the top overall selection in the 2015 draft, has been scorching for High-A Lancaster thus far in 2017. The 20-year-old is slashing .389/.414/.687 with seven home runs and 31 RBI through 31 games. Rodgers has been even better over his last 10 outings, hitting a blistering .405 with four home runs and 13 RBI. Rodgers won't see the big leagues this season, but a debut in 2018 isn't out of the question.
Let's take a peek at the rest of the prospect map in this week's edition of the Minor League Barometer.
UPGRADE
Alec Hansen, P, CHW – Hanson got bumped down the organizational rankings for the White Sox in the offseason due to the acquisitions of Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech and Reynaldo Lopez. However, the second round pick from 2016 should not be overlooked. Hansen fanned a staggering 15 batters in his last start for High-A Kannapolis. Perhaps even more impressively, he did not walk a single batter. With 10 strikeouts in his previous start, that means Hansen fanned an absurd 25 batters in 12 innings. On the season, Hansen has a 2.96 ERA and 67:19 K:BB in 54.2 innings. With a high-90's heater, devastating slider and emerging changeup/curveball, Hansen could end up as a huge steal for the White Sox as long as he continues to display control of his various offerings.
Nick Neidert, P, SEA – Neidert is having a breakout season in 2016, while pitching in the hitter-friendly confines of the California League no less. The 20-year-old righty has seen a huge uptick in strikeouts, punching out 65 batters in 56.2 innings. By contrast, Neidert managed just 69 strikeouts in 91 innings at Low-A in 2015. While he is neither overpowering nor a big physical presence on the mound, Neidert is an ultra competitor who knows how to pitch. His stellar control will only aid him as he ascends to the higher levels. If the strikeouts are for real, and the development if his offspeed pitches continues, Neidert could emerge as a top-flight arm for the M's.
Jordan Humphreys, P, NYM – Despite Tim Tebow-mania gripping Low-A Columbia this season, the real star thus far in 2017 has been Humphreys. An 18th round pick in the 2015 draft, Humphreys has been downright dominant. The 20-year-old hurler has a 1.57 ERA and 65:7 K:BB through 51.2 innings. The combination of control and strikeout stuff jumps off the page for the 6-foot-2, 225-lb righty. Opposing batters are hitting a putrid .159 against him. With two games of double-digit strikeouts already on his resume this season, Humphreys is making the Mets look smart for investing in him.
Austin Hays, OF, BAL – A third round pick out of Jacksonville University last season, the 21-year-old skipped Low-A all together and hasn't missed a beat. Hays is slashing .319/.356/.566 through 45 games for High-A Frederick. His power stroke has been on display; Hays has already bashed 10 home runs, which is fourth in the Carolina League. Hays is not the most patient hitter at the dish, but he also does not strike out a ton either. The Orioles system is one of the worst in baseball, so the fast start for Hays is certainly a welcome sign.
CHECK STATUS
Nick Williams, OF, PHI – Teammate Rhys Hoskins has been getting the pub, but perhaps nobody in the minors has been hotter than Williams of late. The 23-year-old sweet-swinging lefty has hit seven home runs in his last eight games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Over that span, Williams has raised his average from .259 to .282. He's accumulated a staggering 17 RBI during those last eight games. While Williams has been on an incredible home run binge, the fact remains that his strikeout-to-walk ratio is undesirable, and does not appear to be getting any better as he ages. Williams has 53 strikeouts as compared to just six walks in 47 games at Triple-A this season. In 2016, he fanned 136 times in 125 games, while drawing just 19 walks over that span. Williams is talented and powerful, but it remains to be seen if he will be able to overcome his impatience at the dish once he reaches the big leagues.
Corbin Burnes, P, MIL – The 22-year-old righty has allowed one earned run or fewer in nine of his 10 starts this season for High-A Carolina. That has resulted in a minuscule 1.05 ERA thus far in 2017. Burnes has the tendency to keep the ball down in the zone, most notably with his power sinker. This is evidenced by his 1.55 GO:AO, and the fact that he has only allowed one home run so far this year. He's also shown fairly solid strikeout stuff and control, as witnessed by his 56:16 K:BB. Burnes does not profile as a frontline rotation anchor for the Brewers, but he is most definitely turning some heads with this stellar beginning to the 2017 campaign.
Shed Long, 2B, CIN – A toolsy middle infielder who can handle the bat, Long tallied 15 home runs and 21 stolen bases in 132 games between Low-A and High-A in 2016. Long is back at it again in 2017, returning to High-A but maintaining success. The 21-year-old Long is hitting .324/.379/.524 with eight home runs, 29 RBI and three steals through 47 games. Long has been even better of late, batting .350 with three home runs, eight RBI and one stolen base over the last 10 games. If Long can cut down on his strikeouts and learn how to sue his exceptional speed to swipe more bags on the base paths, he could turn into an elite prospect for the Reds.
Jon Duplantier, P, AZ – The best ERA in the minors among qualified pitchers belongs to Duplantier, a 22-year-old right-handed hurler who was drafted in the third round in 2016 out of Rice University. Perhaps it is no surprise that a polished collegiate arm would dominate at this level, but with the recent injury history for Duplantier, it is surprising that he is the one who currently owns that mark. He missed all of 2015 with a shoulder issue, then was shut down after just one inning following being drafted due to elbow concerns. Apparently healthy in 2017, Duplantier has rewarded Arizona's faith with a 0.50 ERA and 62:11 K:BB in 54.1 innings at Low-A Kane County. Opposing batters are hitting a mere .139 against him. Duplantier has become a prospect to watch for the Diamondbacks.
DOWNGRADE
Anthony Alford, OF, TOR – May was quite the rollercoaster of a month for Alford, as the 22-year-old made his Major League debut, then subsequently went down with an injury and will miss the next 6-8 weeks. Alford suffered a left hamate bone fracture, a wrist/hand injury that will require an extended stay on the shelf. Alford saw some action in the big leagues due to Blue Jays' injuries, but had just one hit in eight at-bats before landing on the Disabled List. Alford had shown his promise at Double-A prior to being called up, though, slashing .325/.411/.455 with three home runs, 11 RBI and nine steals in 33 games. Arguably the top hitting prospect in the Toronto system other than Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Alford is not likely to be back with the big club before August.
Carter Kieboom, SS, WAS – A first round selection for the Nats last year, Kieboom was off to a hot start before succumbing to a hamstring injury. Kieboom was hitting .333/.398/.586 through 29 games for Low-A Hagerstown. The 19-year-old had already flashed his power potential, smacking six home runs over that span. Unfortunately, it will be at least a few more weeks before Kieboom returns to the field, and the Nationals will almost certainly proceed cautiously with one of their better phenoms. Kieboom has tremendous upside but remains several years away from making an impact in the big leagues.
Yusniel Diaz, OF, LAD – The 20-year-old Cuban has struggled a tad to adapt to pitching in the United States. Currently playing at High-A Rancho Cucamonga, Diaz is batting just .234/.316/.311 through 44 games in the hitter-friendly confines of the California League. Oddly enough, he performed better in 2016 at the same level despite battling shoulder issues and being a year younger. While not considered a home run hitter, Diaz's power has been virtually non-existent, and he's amassed just three steals thus far in 2017. Diaz is still young with loads of talent and potential, but it remains to be seen how his tools will develop as he matures.
Anderson Tejeda, SS/2B, TEX – One of the better prospects for the Rangers has looked a bit lost in 2017, though perhaps that is not big news considering Tejeda just turned 19 years of age and is already playing at Low-A. The Dominican product has been brought along slowly by the Rangers since being signed in 2014, though he is hitting just .216/.302/.378 through 44 games. Like many teenagers in full-season ball, Tejeda has had to make some plate discipline adjustments. He has struck out 59 times in those 44 contests. Tejeda has some pop from the middle infield positions, though his inability to make contact is a red flag, even despite his age and the small sample size. Still, maybe both he and Diaz mentioned above deserve a little bit of slack.
