Battery Power - Scouting the Atlanta Braves systemYour one stop shop for everything Atlanta Braveshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52890/favicon-32x32..png2015-08-04T14:00:02-04:00http://www.batterypower.com/rss/stream/87649502015-08-04T14:00:02-04:002015-08-04T14:00:02-04:00Scouting The Farm: Lucas Sims
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<figcaption>Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A former first rounder, Lucas Sims was quickly billed as a future ace in the rotation after a great first full season in Rome. Much of his shine has worn off, as he could not overcome him struggles in AAA. He has a rare type of arm talent, but will need to improve quickly to keep up with the arms the Braves had added through trades</p> <p><strong> </strong>With their first round pick in 2012, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/"><u><font color="#0066cc">Braves</font></u></a> selected Brookwood graduate <span><u><font color="#0066cc">Lucas Sims</font></u></span>. He paid quick dividends, jumping into top 100 lists after his first full season and remaining on many going into this season. He ran into some trouble with High A Lynchburg and Carolina, and was further set back by the Mudcats bus crash this spring. Soon after his return from the DL, the Braves pushed him to AA Mississippi. In turn he has lost much of his prospect status, holding on as a fringe top 10 in the system by many rankings. The Braves have been rightfully patient with the 21 year old, and have not been afraid to challenge him by moving him up to higher levels at a young age. There is still a belief in his stuff, and the Braves hope he can turn a corner in his development soon.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Lucas Sims</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Level:</b> Class AA- Mississippi Braves<br><br><b>Position:</b> Starting Pitcher<br><br><b>Height/Weight:</b> 6'2" 195 lbs<br><br><b>Born</b>: 5/10/1994 Lawrenceville, GA<br><br><b>Drafted:</b> 1st Round (21 overall) in 2012 by Atlanta</p>
<p><b>Acquired:</b> Draft</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Bats</b>: Right <b>Throws:</b> Right<br><br><b>2015 stats</b><br><br>14 G; 6-6; 6.19 ERA; 56.2 IP; 38 BB, 59 K; 1.68 WHIP; 1 CG; 6.0 BB/9; 9.4 K/9</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Sims raised concerns with a poor season in 2014, punctuated by a 6.2 K/9 rate. He has recovered his strikeout numbers, but has seen his walk rate jump nearly 3 walks per 9 innings. His ERA has followed suit, rising to a career high 6.19. He had struggled to start the season, and just as he began to turn it around was injured in the bus crash. He has shown flashes of his previous dominance, including striking out 8 over 6 innings in his final start in Carolina, but his wildness has been noticeable every time I have watched him. The general downward trajectory of his numbers has been concerning, however he has yet to show any drop off in stuff necessary</p>
<p>Lucas has a very easy, repeatable delivery and has shown ability to repeat it on a consistent basis in his young career. He puts low stress on his body and repeats his arm angle and release point well on all of his pitches. He has an athletic build, but can lose his landing point and release point at times and that is typically when he has his control problems. He seemed to tire late in games that I watched, and would lose command of his fastball. He's a strikeout pitcher, and his batted ball ratios are average across the board.</p>
<p>Sims throws a good fastball that he works 91-93 and can top out at 95. He generates good arm side bite and commands the pitch very well when he maintains his command. He also does a good job of getting swings and misses on the pitch and often can retire hitters with just his fastball working. There is not very much projection left in his frame, so the 91-93 should be seen as his top end stuff.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The changeup is a solid average to slightly above average pitch, one that he delivers very well. He repeats his mechanics well on the pitch, adding to his deception, and has the desired velocity difference. Command of his change is behind his other pitches, though he has worked to improve it. He works solid movement on the pitch and it should be effective to both left handed and right handed batters</p>
<p dir="ltr">His curveball is a true strikeout pitch, and he throws hit with a sharp, mostly downward break. It is an easy plus pitch,and he works it well low in the zone. He shows the ability to backdoor the pitch and get batters to chase, and is willing to throw it in any count. It is much more advanced that his changeup, and he has a good feel for the pitch. He throws it in the mid to upper 70's, and trusts the pitch even when he doesn't have his best stuff. It is an easy plus offering, that in combo with his plus fastball makes for a devastating 1-2 combo.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sims gets frustrated in himself easy, especially when he struggles with his command. He tends to overthrow the ball and further lose his mechanics, leading to big innings and high pitch counts. Sims does show the ability to bounce back from his own mental blocks, and sometimes channels his frustration into an even better performance. He has yet to learn how to completely control his emotions, though this should not be concerning as he is just 21 and will be so for the remainder of the season. Braves director of of player developments made comments about his makeup in an article about Sims with the Charlotte Observer on May 10 (which I will link to below. It is a nice read, and the chart at the bottom really puts Sims development in context.). He raves about Sims' toughness and work ethic, skills that the Braves new front office seems to target in their young players. According to the article Sims seems to be taking his lumps very well, and not lost confidence in himself or his pitches.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article20629770.html" style="background-color: #ffffff;"><u><font color="#0066cc">Charlotte Observer on Lucas Sims</font></u></a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article20629770.html"></a></p>
<p><b>Fastball</b> 65/65</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Changeup</b> 40/50</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Curveball</b> 60/65</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Command</b> 45/55</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Overall</b> 45/55</p>
<p><b>Conclusion</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">Sims is the only homegrown pitcher the Braves have that is considered a top prospect at this point. He has turned in a disappointing last 2 seasons, but has shown the mentality and the stuff to work past those struggles. The days of him being considered a future number 2 starter are likely done, though hope is still abound that he will be a solid #3-4. His struggles in the minors should benefit him in the future if he can learn from them and learn how to handle failure and bounce back. There is some risk to Sims, though there is plenty of potential to make it all worth it. Whether he stays in rotation or moves to the bullpen is a question, as Sims could be an impact closer with his fastball-curve combination. For the moment Atlanta sees him as a solid rotation piece, and he should be given a chance late in 2017 barring setbacks</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Carolina Mudcats and announcer Greg Young run a series of sit down interviews called "In The Dugout" with various Mudcats players. This is their video with Lucas Sims</p>
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<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8VwMYAIQrQI" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><b><br></b></p>
https://www.batterypower.com/2015/8/4/9093319/lucas-sims-scouting-report-atlanta-bravesGarrett Spain2015-07-29T13:00:03-04:002015-07-29T13:00:03-04:00Scouting The Farm: Mallex Smith
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<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Not long after his season started Mallex Smith began to be billed as the lead off hitter and center fielder of the future for the Braves. His speed, short swing, and good eye make him an obvious choice for the role, and his early numbers indicate that he may have been a steal in the Justin Upton trade</p> <p><b> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-94fae80c-d262-7d32-a8a4-3d5d46a1191e">Mallex Smith was a bit of a throw-in in the Justin Upton deal this December, but in his short time with the Braves he has greatly outplayed expectations. He possesses the best speed in the Braves system, and that has allowed him to steal over 30 bases in 4 months of a Brave. He has quickly gone from a low ceiling outfielder to the potential center fielder of the future. He drew comparisons to Kenny Lofton in spring training, and he has lived up to that aggressive comparison so far.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" style="margin-right: 0px;"><a href="http://imgur.com/FRHpJ4l"><img title="source: imgur.com" width="627" height="1117" style="width: 289px; height: 491px;" src="http://i.imgur.com/FRHpJ4l.jpg"></a></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="margin-right: 0px;"><b>Mallex Smith<br><br>Level: </b>Class AAA - Gwinnett Braves<br><br><b>Position: </b>Center Field<br><br><b>Height/Weight: </b>5'9" 170lbs<br><br><b>Born: </b>5/6/1993 Tallahassee, Florida<br><br><b>Drafted: </b>5th Round in 2012 by San Diego<b><br></b></p>
<p dir="ltr" style="margin-right: 0px;"><b>Acquired: </b>Trade with San Diego in 2014<br><br><b>Bats: </b>Left<b> Throws: </b>Right</p>
<p><b>2015 stats</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b><br></b>85 G; .298/.366/.370; 2 HR; 7 2B; 5 3B; 51 R; 28 RBI; 35 SB; 34 BB; 60 K over AA/AAA</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Mallex's time in Mississippi was highly successful as he posted a .340/.418/.413 slash line with 23 stolen bases in 57 games before being promoted to Gwinnett on June 24. He has struggled in his time in AAA, posting a .221/.264/.292 slash line in 28 games. His BB rate has fallen from 11.2% in AA to 5.7% in AAA. He missed time with an injury from April 26 to May 1, and later missed a couple straight games in June, though the breaks may not be related. He has posted 3 8 game hit streaks this season, and just recently ended his best streak in AAA of 5 games. Despite his good play He has had a drop off in stolen bases this season, but still leads the system with 35.</p>
<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-94fae80c-d262-7d32-a8a4-3d5d46a1191e"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1GRUwGWzvAc" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
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<p dir="ltr">From Day 1 Smith has put up good offensive numbers in the minor leagues. He has slashed .292/.379/.384 in 350 career games over 4 seasons. He has a short, line drive swing and patient approach that allows him to spray singles all over the field and draw a good number of walks and keep his OBP up. He is a willing bunter and hustles out of the box, allowing him to put up a high BABIP and compensate for his fairly high K rate. His swing seemed a bit stiff live, and he had trouble turning on fastballs. With the exception of a couple of pitches that he rolled over to the right side, every single fastball he made contact with was sprayed to the left side of the field-most of them foul. This seems to fall in line with his numbers this year-78 of his 103 balls hit to the outfield have been to center field or left field. He has a notably short swing, and will be lucky to hit home runs at the major league level. He will likely not bulk up, as that is not his game, and there is a good chance he may not even develop gap power. This of course limits his top end offensive potential, and will leave him relying on his speed to create hits and get him on base. I have rarely seen him hit the ball very hard, and it is a question whether he will have the strength to create offense at the major league level. While his speed and minor league numbers show him as a prototypical leadoff hitter he may better project as a speedy bottom of the order hitter that helps turn the lineup over.</p>
<p><b> <br><br> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Hit Tool: 40/50</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Raw Power: 30/30</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://imgur.com/oHJMiAM"><img title="source: imgur.com" src="http://i.imgur.com/oHJMiAM.gif"></a></p>
<p><b><br><br> </b><b><br> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr">Smith's speed is his carrying tool, and is quite simply astounding. I have clocked him at 3.7 seconds from home to first on a bunt attempt, 3.8 seconds on a swing, and at 3 seconds flat stealing 3rd base. He is an absolute force on the basepaths, and any ball he puts in play puts pressure on the defense. He has a good idea of his style, and plays to his speed by hitting 65% ground balls. He has improved his jumps at first base, and has stolen a career high 81.4% of bases this year. In the outfield he is able to track down nearly any ball hit, and closes well on balls in the gap. He has elite speed and could be a potential 80 base stealer in the majors</p>
<p><br><br><b> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Speed Tool: 80/80</b></p>
<p><b> <br> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://imgur.com/YlcLVKb"><img title="source: imgur.com" src="http://i.imgur.com/YlcLVKb.gif"></a></p>
<p><b> <br> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr">Mallex is without a doubt a pure center fielder, and his speed makes him a potential plus defender at the position. This is, however, his only above average defensive skill at this point. He plays a very shallow center field, but struggles to track balls behind him. He struggles with his reads and impacts his own defensive range with poor angles and reads. He often redirects himself multiple times tracking a fly ball, and tends to struggle to catch balls hit near the wall. This is due to a level of timidity once he hits the warning track, and he usually comes off of his read and tries to reach out and catch the ball away from his body. On balls hit to the gaps and in front of him he is a good defender, and does a much better job of getting to the ball without event. I'm not without hope though, as he has made strides in his defense since last year. He is a bit of a work in progress in the outfield but he makes up for it with his speed and should be at worst an average defender. His arm will prevent him from being able to play right field, but I think it is better than most reports say. There isn't a ton of strength there, but he makes accurate throws and gets rid of the ball quickly. He charges the ball well and positions his feet to get the ball to a good throwing position in a short motion. I have upgraded his arm grade 5 points because of this, and he should do a fair job of controlling the run game though he will never rack up impressive assist numbers.</p>
<p><b> <br> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Defense 50/60</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Arm:50/50</b></p>
<p><b> <br> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr">My personal view of Mallex was not very flattering, but he did not seem to have the same swing as his typical self. He has a much looser, more fluid swing, but he still has not been able to turn on pitches. This is a major point of concern, as a high BABIP will somewhat transfer to Atlanta, but he will need to put the ball in the outfied to be truly successful. He hustles hard on the field and has a generally positive attitude. He seems to gel well with the players on his team, even the ones much older than him, and makes a concerted effort to take time for the fans. He doesn't get home run happy and has a great understanding of his skillset as a player. He has made noticeable improvements defensively, which indicates that he puts in hard work on more tham just his offensive game. While I need to see much more to project him as a top player in the system, he has shown enough to project as a good major league starter. He will be given a shot to earn the starting role out of spring training in 2016, and his success will depend majorly on the work he puts in this offseason</p>
<p><br><b> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Overall Grade: 40/50</b></p>
<p><b> <br></b></p>
https://www.batterypower.com/2015/7/29/9053797/mallex-smith-scouting-report-atlanta-bravesGarrett Spain2015-07-19T13:00:02-04:002015-07-19T13:00:02-04:00Scouting The Farm: Dustin Peterson
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<figcaption>Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>After being acquired from the Padres, Dustin Peterson went on a tear. He has been a great addition to a system devoid of power bats. I sat down to take a look at him over the past few days, and have come away with a pretty good idea of just the type of player we traded for</p> <p><b> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-94fae80c-a3fd-03d6-1150-09d4bad6c6dd"><span>Dustin Peterson</span> impressed soon after coming over in the <span>Justin Upton</span> trade, and was hitting .314/.392/.448 on May 11. Those good feelings did not last long, as he fell victim to the Mudcats bus crash the next day. This certainly was a disappointment, as Peterson had shown signs of an offensive breakout after putting up a sub-.700 OPS in each of his first two seasons, and since his return from action on June 2 he has hit .204/.265/.312</p>
<p><b>Dustin Peterson</b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b><br>Level: </b>Class High A - Carolina Mudcats<br><br><b>Position: </b>Left Field<br><br><b>Height/Weight: </b>6'2" 180lbs<br><br><b>Born: </b>9/10/1994 Phoenix, Arizona<br><br><b>Drafted: </b>2nd Round in 2013 by San Diego<br><b></b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Acquired: </b>Trade with San Diego in 2014<br><br><b>Bats: </b>Right<b> Throws: </b>Right<br><br><br><b>2015 stats<br><br></b>71 G; .263/.330/.382; 6 HR; 9 2B; 2 3B; 34 R; 35 RBI; 5 SB; 27 BB; 54 K</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Dustin has a projectable 6'2" 180lbs frame, and is a very young player-2.6 years below league average age. He was drafted soon After his older brother,<a href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mariners</a> farmhand DJ Peterson, going 1 round later. After entering the minor leagues as a third baseman the <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Braves</a> moved him to left field due to defensive problems at the hot corner, a position he has worked to adjust to this season.</p>
<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-94fae80c-a3fd-03d6-1150-09d4bad6c6dd"><iframe width="400" height="224" frameborder="0" src="http://m.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=47942983&topic_id=18765768&width=400&height=224&property=mlb">Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe><b><br></b></p>
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<p dir="ltr">Scouts have raved about his hit tool since his high school days at Gilbert HS in Arizona, but it has yet to translate to much success in the minor leagues. He was poised to break out this year, but the Mudcats' bus crash set him back. He has a short, smooth swing from the right side, and has quick hands that generate above average bat speed. His swing can get long at times, and when it does many of his fly balls and line drives turn into pop ups and choppers to the left side of the infield. When he is hitting well he takes advantage of mistake pitches, driving them into the gaps or over the wall with above average raw power. He has made strides in recognizing off speed pitches, and in my looks did a good job of staying on curveballs. The biggest knock on his bat has been his lack of discipline, but he has made improvements and has gotten more patient early in at bats. Once he falls behind he tends to chase out of the zone, as evidenced by his slash line of .172/.172/.208 when he is behind in the count. When he is making contact the ball jumps off of his bat, and he can go to all fields with authority and projects to hit for more power as he matures. His above average bat speed allows him to drive off speed pitches, and he can turn on inside fastballs and shoot them into the power alley. He does a good job of taking advantage of pitcher's mistakes, frequently ambushing fastballs left over the plate. When he is on his game he is a formidable presence in the middle of a lineup.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Hit Tool: 20/50</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Raw Power: 50/55</b></p>
<p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-94fae80c-a3fd-03d6-1150-09d4bad6c6dd"><iframe width="400" height="224" frameborder="0" src="http://www.milb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=265523983&width=400&height=224&property=milb">Your browser does not support iframes.</iframe></p>
<p dir="ltr">I managed to get some looks at him recently, and in those games he actually showed better than advertised speed-somewhere around average. He made good jumps on a couple of stolen bases and showed workable range in left field. He was able to show average base running skills and shouldn't be a detriment when he gets on base. He will likely slow down as he matures and adds bulk, and it remains to be seen how much foot speed he will lose. At maturity he will be a below average runner, but hopefully he can retain enough speed to handle the outfield</p>
<p><b>Speed Tool: 50/45</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">The main problem with Peterson is his lack of a true defensive position. In 132 games at 3rd base in the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Padres</a> system he made 52 errors, and when the Braves acquired him they converted him to the outfield. He has enough speed and range to handle the outfield, though he may lose some of that as he matures. His reads and jumps are raw, and he is uncertain of his own angles in the outfield. He has shown better abilities in left field than 3rd base and if he can improve should be good enough to allow the Braves to put his bat in the lineup. He has below average arm strength, but enough to play left field. He has a fairly accurate arm and has thrown out 8 runners on the bases this year.</p>
<p><b>Defense: 25/40</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p dir="ltr"><b>Arm: 45/45</b></p>
<p>Dustin has made noticeable effort to improve, and had hustled hard in the games I've watched. Reports have raved about his mental toughness, and that toughness will be put to the test this year. He is a major boom or bust prospect that the Braves were eager to add to the system this offseason. He has shown tools to be above average as a hitter both for average and power, but he will need to improve his plate discipline and defense to ever allow those abilities to shine at the major league level. He will likely be a slow mover and may have to repeat High A next year if he can't turn things around. An aggressive estimate would place his arrival in Atlanta for late 2017, though it will more than likely be 2018 before he gets a shot in the major leagues. Peterson is still a very young player so it isn't necessary to rush him, and patience could pay huge dividends down the road.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><br><b>Overall Grade: 25/50<br></b></p>
https://www.batterypower.com/2015/7/19/8999397/atlanta-braves-scouting-report-dustin-petersonGarrett Spain2015-07-14T08:08:00-04:002015-07-14T08:08:00-04:00Ricardo Sanchez Scouting Report
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<figcaption>Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Fresh off his own scouting report on Ozhaino Albies, Garrett Spain aka @BravesMiLB continues his good work as we review one of the Braves' youngest pitching prospects, Ricardo Sanchez</p> <p>To continue our look at some of the <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Braves</a>' prospects in the minors, new Talking Chop contributor Garrett Spain (you may know him better as Braves Farm Updates @BravesMiLB on Twitter) shares more intel and video that he gathered on young LHP <span>Ricardo Sanchez</span> during his start on June 27th. Ricardo just turned 18 years old and was acquired from the <a href="https://www.halosheaven.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Angels</a> in the trade that sent <span>Kyle Kubitza</span> to the Angels. Ricardo has since been considered a top 20 prospect in the Braves system (if you want to find out where Talking Chop has him on our list, you may want to keep an eye on the page Wednesday and Thursday...) despite his limited experience and scouts are clamoring to get a better understanding of him. His final line in the game was 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K and if you want to see the box score from the game, you can just <a href="http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2015_06_27_augafx_romafx_1&t=g_box&sid=t432">click right here</a>. With that out of the way, lets take a look at Ricardo Sanchez.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Ricardo Sanchez Scouting Interview</h3>
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<p dir="ltr"><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jwP8z8CW37Y" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><i>Thanks for your time again, Garrett. I believe I speak for all of us when I say we are excited to get some really in-depth looks at some of these young guys. First, give us your first impressions of Ricardo. How did he look on the mound to you?</i></p>
<p dir="ltr">Thanks, I'm glad to help spread some word on the minor league system and I hope I can get some good information out there. Ricardo had a rough outing Saturday night. From the outset, it was obvious that he didn't have his command and the rain delay only furthered his issues with his control. One positive take on the outing was the velocity on his fastball. There was concern with he had lost some zip on his fastball due to a calf injury earlier this year. It is nice to see it up to his pre-injury levels</p>
<p> </p>
<p dir="ltr"><i>What can you tell us about his fastball? Existing reports say that it usually sat at between 90-95 with some projectability....is that in line with what you saw?</i></p>
<p dir="ltr">It definitely looked good. He struggled with command as the game went on, but showed no fear to go inside or up with the pitch. There's some development that needs to happen but I'm excited about his future. A problem I have noticed is that when he tries to go up with his fastball he tends to not get it there and it gets left in the batter's wheelhouse. The command is a major issue he needs to work on, but it's really quite advanced for his age. He likely will not even face a batter younger than him this year as he is the youngest player at the level. He has that clean, athletic delivery that should become repeatable so the early lack of command is not a major problem, especially when you consider the improvements he has already made (25% fewer walks this year). As for projectability, one would think that due to his size he may have topped out. However, given his age he could add a tick or two on the top end especially if he can add some muscle to his frame. At this point, the only thing that could help his velocity would be a random growth spurt, which isn't necessarily out of the question given his age</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><i>As a young pitcher, one always has to wonder about whether their delivery is repeatable to deliver consistent results and how much effort is in the delivery to try to mitigate the risk of injury down the road. What can you tell us about how he looked in the game in terms of his throwing motion?</i></p>
<p dir="ltr">He has very clean mechanics from what I can tell. It's a repeatable delivery that should play well in the future. Because of this, his size really is not a concern for me. Unfortunately as the game progressed, his mechanics and command seemed to deteriorate as he got more and more frustrated. I'm not sure whether he was upset over his own lack of consistency or whether he had an issue with the strike zone, but it will be important to keep an eye on his composure going forward</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><i>How did the curveball look today? How were batters typically reacting to it?</i></p>
<p>His curveball looked sharp to me, but he did leave it up on a few occasions. There was a good 1 to 7 break on the pitch and he got some swings and misses. However, for a large part of the game it was an ineffective pitch. His lack of command over the pitch allowed hitters to sit on his fastball for a much of the day which, in turn, led to it being less effective as well. Many of those balls were hit hard and the other team seemed to see the ball very well out of his hand.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><i>We've known about the existence of his changeup as a work in progress, so one would assume that that is something he is working on in Rome. Did he throw the pitch often and when he did throw it, was it effective?</i></p>
<p>He showed some positives with the changeup today, though he wasn't using it a lot. He got a few swings and misses (and on at least one occasion a strikeout) but he also had some issues with leaving it up or in. When he did make mistakes with the pitch, it got hit hard. He definitely shows some promise with the change as it is deceptive pitch due to his delivery, but he'll need to work on the pitch to bring it up to par with his fastball and curveball</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><i>How well was he locating his pitches in the game? Did he seem to have more trouble with one pitch than others?</i></p>
<p>As I've been saying he was having pretty bad control issues, and that really affected his off speed stuff more than anything. His pitches weren't very effective at all, and none more so than the others. He was missing towards the right hand side of the plate, and with the right hand heavy Augusta lineup some of those pitches were pulled hard. His pitches had enough life on them to get outs, but for the most part he struggled the entire day</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><i>How did he change over the course of the game? Did he appear to be gassing at any point? Any notable changes in velocity? I know that the rain delay in the game sort of messed things up a bit, but did you see any changes?</i></p>
<p>He just seemed off from the get go, as even a couple of his warm up pitches skittered past <span>Tanner Murphy</span> and to the backstop. He actually had seemed to be settling in to the flow of the game, but right around that time the nearly 50 minute rain effectively ended his chances of settling in. After the delay, he seemed very uncomfortable with his landing spot, and on occasion had to take a walk around the mound to settle himself. He showed a lot of grit (even though I hate that term) battling through his issues and the weather, but all in all it just was not his game throughout. As the game wore on, he seemed to lose his focus a bit and after a couple of walks in the 4th he was pulled for the night.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><i>Anything else you want folks to know about Ricardo Sanchez and what you saw in the game?</i></p>
<p dir="ltr">Despite his command issues I was fairly impressed by his play. His pitches have a lot of movement, and I really like the fearlessness he shows. He wasn't afraid to go after hitters up or in even when he didn't have his best stuff. He's clearly got work to do and may need to work to keep his frustration at bay but he went out there and battled. It was a rough outing and I hope to see him on a good day next time I see him pitch</p>
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<h3>Whats next?</h3>
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<p>That is all we have for now. Please check back at Talking Chop over the next couple of days as we reveal our Top 25 Braves Prospects for the midpoint of the season and enjoy the All-Star break with lots of talk about prospects, call-ups, and the like. Garrett and I have also reached the end of the "planned" scouting reports, but Garrett still has a bunch of video and we will be getting more scouting done in the coming weeks or so. With that in mind, who would you like to see a scouting report on? Answer the poll question below and/or tweet at myself (@leprekhan) or Garrett (@BravesMiLB) to let us know who you want to see a scouting report written about and why.</p>
https://www.batterypower.com/2015/7/14/8956029/ricardo-sanchez-scouting-report-atlanta-braves-romeEric Cole2015-07-12T11:00:02-04:002015-07-12T11:00:02-04:00Is Ozzie Albies the next great shortstop?
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<img alt="Ozhaino Albies has been impressive so far in his career, enough to earn time in spring training in 2015" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ge9fS1mG4iufYq9PsKGctllqHSo=/63x0:2761x1799/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46716070/usa-today-8450963.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ozhaino Albies has been impressive so far in his career, enough to earn time in spring training in 2015 | Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Ozhaino Albies has been one of the quickest rising prospects in baseball, going from a complete unknown to a consensus Top 100 prospect in just 12 months. His combination of stand out defense, hitting, and baserunning makes him a tantalizing player. He just may be the future for the Braves</p> <p><b> </b> This will be the first in a series of articles about various prospects. The series will focus on spreading information on top prospects while at the same time attempting to bring light to lesser known players. It will combine knowledge and statistics gathered from various sources including first hand viewing. This first installment will focus on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> it-prospect right now: diminutive shortstop <span>Ozhaino Albies</span>. He's lighting the lower minor leagues up in a way that has fans and scouts alike daydreaming about his future in the organization.</p>
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<img alt="Albies" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iAaYIBZD42RLX_vaCidmvACuYdE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3864406/albies.0.jpg">
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<p dir="ltr">Ozhaino Albies</p>
<p dir="ltr">Level: Class A - Rome Braves</p>
<p dir="ltr">Position: Shortstop</p>
<p dir="ltr">5'9" 150lbs</p>
<p dir="ltr">Born: 1/7/1997 Willemstad, Curacao</p>
<p dir="ltr">Signed: 2013</p>
<p dir="ltr">Bats: Switch Throws: Right</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>2015 stats</b></p>
<p dir="ltr">80 G; .331/.387/.426; 0 HR; 15 2B; 8 3B; 55 R; 33 RBI; 25 SB; 29 BB; 44 K</p>
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<p dir="ltr">In one of the biggest steals of the 2013 J2 prospect class, the Braves signed 16 year old Curacaoan Shortstop Ozhaino Albies for just $350,000. Since his debut a year ago, he has lit the lower minor leagues on fire, posting a .342 batting average over 3 levels. While his 5'9" frame doesn't scream must-watch prospect, Albies has quickly separated himself as the best shortstop prospect in the Braves system. He has a mature, aggressive approach at the plate and when he gets on base, he can wreak havoc on opposing catchers. His defense is a bit of a work in progress, but he has shown the instincts and athleticism to be a plus defender in the future</p>
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<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MIukUwxZIaI" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
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<p dir="ltr">Ozhaino Albies has been on my prospect radar since the mid point of his season in 2014. At that point, he had just gotten called up to Danville and was hitting about .440 at that level. I have vigorously followed him since, looking through every article I could find on him. He quickly became a favorite of mine and some publications had already begun to rank him as the top prospect in the system. I finally got an opportunity to watch him play late in June and he showed me why he was so hyped this winter.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Ozzie has a very advanced approach from both sides of the plate and combines that with a feel for the bat head that is almost uncanny. He makes solid contact from both sides of the plate with a smooth, short swing and will hit the ball to any part of the field. He has a bit of a high leg kick, but he gets his foot down quickly and is able to get the barrel through the hitting zone. He can barrel up any pitch and does a very good job of staying on curveballs. He has made strides at the plate in his first year in full season ball, improving his Line Drive % to 22.8% from 14.7%. He leads all of minor league baseball in hits despite being the 4th youngest player in the minors. I got the opportunity to watch him hit from both sides of the plate and he showed ability from both sides with a consistent swing, though he is a bit more aggressive from the right side. While the swing is consistent there has been a huge dichotomy in his results. From the right side he hits half the amount of line drives (26.5% to 13.1% as LH) and many more fly balls (11.4% OFB to 27.1% OFB as LH). His walk rate is 9% as a righty and 2.7% as a lefty, and he strikes out slightly more as a right hander. He hits for more power from the right side (.052 ISO difference) but gets on base less (.064 OBP difference). That's a huge difference between what we saw last year, when his numbers were almost symmetrical. I would expect his future numbers to reflect more of what he did in 2014 due to his swing but it's something that has to be paid attention to.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">With his style of play I would expect his walk rate to hover between 7-12% (he currently has a 7.8% walk rate, and had an 11.6% in 2014) in the future seems likely. He won't strike out much and has the ability to bunt and reach on infield singles. He is a prototypical leadoff hitter who would move through the system quickly if it weren't for the log jam of middle infielders. With his build and short swing, I don't think he'll generate anything more than marginal power. He has good gap power and will get a lot of doubles and triples, but it would surprise me if he ever reached double digit home runs.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Future Hit Grade: 70</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Future Power Grade: 30</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr">Ozzie makes very good use of his plus to plus speed on both the base paths and the field. He has struggled some with getting jumps early on, but is starting to improve and should get better at that as he climbs the ladder. He has 44 stolen bases in 130 career minor league games, and has a stolen base percentage above 80%. He has easy plus speed, and with his work ethic and athleticism should maintain that into maturity. He hustles hard out of the box and uses his legs to put pressure on the defense, a skill that will prove to be very useful in the majors where he won't always be able to square up against good pitching. The speed obviously helps in the field as he has very good range at the shortstop position and is quick to react to balls hit to his side of the field.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Future Run Grade: 70</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr">There have been conflicting reports about Albies' arm. Many have called it below average, which would necessitate a move to second base in the future. Others have him graded with plus arm strength, plenty enough to stick at shortstop. I only got the opportunity to see him make 6 throws and I got a bit of both. One throw he came up about 15 feet short on, but on another he short-hopped 1B Matt Tellor from deep in the hole. I would grade his arm strength as above average at present with a chance to mature to plus. His arm accuracy is roughly average, but at 18 he has a long time to improve that skill. He is a full effort thrower and needs to recognize when he can take his time and let off a bit on his throws. He has a good feel for making throws to second base, putting the two throws I saw right in the chest of Omar Obregon</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Future Arm Grade: 55</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr">I went into Rome with little expectation that I would get a clear view of Albies defensive talent, but what I saw really impressed me. He displayed plus range and ability to make a play on any ball that came his way. He didn't have to range far on many balls as he always seemed to be positioned properly for the ball. He managed to scoop up a couple of tricky hops and on one occasion (which you can see in the video) he was able to quickly and accurately get and throw to second base despite getting handcuffed by the hop. He has quick hands and good footwork around the base and made accurate throws to first base on double plays. He's a heady defender that knows all the nuances of the game as evidenced by him covering third base when a runner tried to advance to third and Erison Mendez had vacated his position. He has improved defensively, shown by a jump in range factor from 3.89 to 4.48 and an improvement in fielding percentage from .941 to .957. He does make a few too many errors, but most of them have been throwing errors. His consistency should improve as he advances so as long as he keeps making strides it is nothing to worry about. I think he has all of the tools to stick at shortstop and is an overall plus defender</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Future Defensive Grade: 65</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://imgur.com/yDvMogD"><img title="source: imgur.com" width="267" style="width: 367px; height: 215px;" height="156" src="http://i.imgur.com/yDvMogD.gif"></a></p>
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<p dir="ltr">One of the most impressive things about Albies was his all-around make up. He hustles on every ground ball and always finds his position. The resources I use say he is a hard worker and shows up to every game ready to play. He is a good clubhouse presence and always seems to be having fun with his teammates. He really seems to enjoy being a part of the Braves organization, and he is a humble guy who doesn't take his abilities for granted. As much as his talent impressed me I was even more impressed by him personally.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><b>Overall Future Grade: 65</b></p>
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<p dir="ltr">The Scouting community is quickly becoming aware of Ozhaino Albies. He pops up on Top 100 lists all across baseball, and checks in at 89 on MLB's prospect list. He has the makeup and tools to overcome his size deficiencies and projects to be a future All Star at the shortstop position. Despite this he will likely have to move to 2B due to the presence of Andrelton Simmons. He has the athleticism and instincts to adjust to the position, and if Simmons leaves Atlanta in 2021 (his first year of free agency) Albies would be heir to the starting role at shortstop. He could be a top of the lineup force that can steal 50 bases a season with excellent on-base skills. He is a young prospect, but really projects well for the future and will lead to a major decision for the Braves to make as to their future in the middle infield. If the Braves keep him around, it could very well prove to be the right decision as he has the potential to be a mainstay at the top of the lineup for years to come</p>
https://www.batterypower.com/2015/7/12/8934129/atlanta-braves-prospects-ozhaino-albiesGarrett Spain