Minor League Games - Sunday, July 30, 2017

[zambonir]

So how good is Harold Arauz?

[phillychuck]

Arauz...He's sort of a mystery. You have to be decent to be included in a major-league trade, which he was, but he was moved to relief this year by the Phils, which is usually a bad sign in A-ball if you're not closing, which he isn't. He gives up a pretty high % of HR on fly balls. He's been solid this year in A+ and AA, mostly out of the pen in longer stints. At 22 he's about where he should be age-wise, but he's rule 5 eligible after this season. Throws a low-90's cutter, change-up, and curve. Since the trade he's been projected as a #4/5 starter if he refines the change-up, mid bull-pen arm if not.

Probably not in our top 50 prospects at this time.

[gmwannabe]

kyle cody...one of the ones that got away. should be a good duel between he and sixto.
gm

[rkeden]

Should be a good day today on the farm---lots of good pitchers going. However, not one of our top 4 farm teams has a record over .500 in their last ten games. We have all noticed a drop in hitting and in wins but this shouldn't be the case if we, in fact, have a top farm system.

I don't want to get Red Sox fans apoplectic ( I live in New England) but the Yankees teams lead just about every league they play in. They must be loaded with talent.

[gmwannabe]

perusing (that's you CD) the 2 Latin rosters, i don't see any of the new signings around. do they just start in the instructs or will they get some time yet this summer?
Gm

[Squire]

Testament to how deep our system that Cole Irvin, a college pitcher in AA a year after his draft year with a 2.7 ERA and we barely mention him. Right now rounds 4 and 5 are propping up last years draft IMO.

[Squire]

Lakewood with 16 strikeouts today.

[allentown]

Lakewood with 16 strikeouts today

Not an acceptable performance by hitters and too bad we lost, but great start for Sixto with 6 SO innings on only 2 hits and no walks.

Allentown loses with 14 Ks, 4 of them by Alfaro in 4 AB

Reading wins with an offensive explosion from a very unimpressive lineup.

[Austinfan]

Grullon with a double and a HR at Reading. Alfaro is hearing footsteps.

[gmwannabe]

two things here. am i missing something? no mention of a no-no in clearwater, or am i looking at it wrong. also, don't look now, but i think julian garcia wants to throw his hat in the ring for starting pitching prospects discussion.
gm

[Austinfan]

Arauz is being underrated, he's been dominant in Clearwater and has obviously earned a shot as a starter.
And Garcia is another to add to the long list of decent pitching prospects.
This kind of depth has real value if they keep performing, not just as insurance against injury, but serious trade bait.
Any pitcher who can throw 91+, two solid secondary pitches, one of which is plus, and has good command is a potential #3 starter.

[allentown]

am i missing something? no mention of a no-no in clearwater

It happened. Seven inning no-hit shutout for Arauz with only 1 BB to go against 10 K.

[bkox]

Arauz is being underrated, he's been dominant in Clearwater and has obviously earned a shot as a starter.
And Garcia is another to add to the long list of decent pitching prospects.
This kind of depth has real value if they keep performing, not just as insurance against injury, but serious trade bait.
Any pitcher who can throw 91+, two solid secondary pitches, one of which is plus, and has good command is a potential #3 starter.

Does Arauz throw 91+? Winkleman says high 80s

Matt Winkelman (Matt_Winkelman)

[zambonir]

I'll expect a thank you note from Arauz.

I was just wondering because of the recent Derek Fisher talk.

[Austinfan]

He throws a cutter as a FB, so his times may be off if people are working off his cutter instead of a 4 seamer.
We'll get a better read in a year when he gets promoted to Reading.
But a 22 year old (as of May 29) who puts this kind of numbers up in Clearwater deserves the benefit of the doubt, if he was a 24 year old college pitcher (Liebrandt, Leiter) I'd be more skeptical.
56 IP 36 H 61K.

[bigegypt0417]

He throws a cutter as a FB, so his times may be off if people are working off his cutter instead of a 4 seamer.
We'll get a better read in a year when he gets promoted to Reading.
But a 22 year old (as of May 29) who puts this kind of numbers up in Clearwater deserves the benefit of the doubt, if he was a 24 year old college pitcher (Liebrandt, Leiter) I'd be more skeptical.
56 IP 36 H 61K.

if his FB is in the 80s it won't be long before he's exposed.

[Austinfan]

Well, you're not protected in Clearwater like Lakewood, so he's holding his own so far.

[bigegypt0417]

Well, you're not protected in Clearwater like Lakewood, so he's holding his own so far.

again...so far he doesn't profile the way you described him.

[phillychuck]

Arauz had a perfect game until he walked a batter with one out in the 7th. Interestingly, his no hitter followed what was easily his worst outing of the year last time on the mound, where he yielded 6 runs on 10 hits in only 4 IP. Again, interestingly, he threw only 76 pitches in the 7-inning gem, 57 of which were strikes.

I've read two scouting reports on him from when he was acquired from Houston, both of which put his velocity in the low 90s. He could throw only 88/89 and the scouts could have fast guns, or he could top in the low 90s, but if he legitimately throws a cutter with good movement over 90 mph he could be successful moving up the ladder, especially if his change-up has improved.

[Austinfan]

He's also not a finished product, he just turned 22. Which means he'll probably add some velocity the next couple years.

I doubt a pitcher that inexperienced is "fooling" A+ hitters unless he has exceptional command, in which case he can be effective even if he's 88-89.

The low velocity pitchers who are successful in the minors tend to older, polished college pitchers with good secondary stuff who know how to set up inexperienced hitters.