2017 Minor League Spring Training

[kmc1019]

Sixto's ability demands that he be challenged by pitching at a higher level. Keeping him in Short Season won't improve his long-term development. Recent example of a young and advanced pitcher is LHP Julio Urias with the Dodgers. They kept promoting him but have been diligent in monitoring his innings. Expect the same with our young prodigy. I bet he finishes in Clearwater this year.

[andyb]

Sixto's ability demands that he be challenged by pitching at a higher level. Keeping him in Short Season won't improve his long-term development. Recent example of a young and advanced pitcher is LHP Julio Urias with the Dodgers. They kept promoting him but have been diligent in monitoring his innings. Expect the same with our young prodigy. I bet he finishes in Clearwater this year.

But starting him at the beginning of the year is not really monitoring his innings potentially. Urias first 4 seasons as a pro were: 54.1, 87.2, 80.1 (with a planned eye surgery in the middle of the year), 122.

A full season at Lakewood and/or Clearwater would put Sanchez well over 120. Maybe over 140. They are taking a slower route with Gowdy. They have not done anything bad yet, but they sure are setting themselves up for something bad that could have been avoided if they had started Sanchez in May and let someone like Llovera who is a little older get some starting opportunities.

[allentown]

I think it's good to start him in Lakewood and just plan to shut him down when he reaches his IP limit and replace him with a college draftee if necessary (although it probably won't be since they have a very adequate quantity of potential A-level starters). Pitching in short-season ball likely just a waste of IP.

[Squire]

I agree with Allentown. Stick to the IP restriction and replace him out when he hits the limit. We've got plenty of candidates and will be adding more in June.

[Austinfan]

Sixto has a more compact body, they may feel it puts less stress on his arm.
Different players have different developmental paths.
It's obvious that Sixto would be wasting his time in rookie ball, they might go six starters at Lakewood or give him a game off a month to limit his workload.

[schooldoc]

With a 6-man rotation, each starter is making no more than 5 starts a month. Over 5 months, that's 25 starts from April through August. At 5 innings per start, that's 125 innings. There may be a handful of Sixto's starts where he comes out after 4 hard innings, and there may be some where he cruises through 6 innings on 65 pitches. I do think a plan is in place to monitor Sixto's workload...and really, the workload of all the young starters.

[bkeich]

It is pretty easy to limit the guys innings in the low minors, as pointed out we will need some slots for higher / advanced draft picks anyway. Harder to do it at AAA, but in the low minors the system plays itself into the limitation fairly well.

[julio]

...and the Clearwater Threshers have released their opening lineup, as well:
https://www.milb.com/threshers/news/clearwater-threshers-announce-opening-day-roster/c-222044362/t-196097174

Pitchers:
Bergjans, Tommy
Davis, Austin
Dominguez, Seranthony
Garcia, Edgar
Gilbert, Tyler
Irvin, Cole
Kilome, Franklyn
Leftwich, Luke
Quinn, Blake
Singer, Jeff
Taveras, Jose
Tirado, Alberto
Waguespack, Jacob

Catchers:
Bossart, Austin
Grullon, Deivi

Infielders:
Cumana, Grenny
Garcia, Wilson
Hernandez, Jan
Marrero, Emmanuel
Stankiewicz, Drew
Tomscha, Damek

Outfielders:
Coppola, Zachary
Laird, Mark
Pujols, Jose
Randolph, Cornelius

One difference from the earlier, internal list procured by Baseball Betsy: Herlis Rodriguez was on that list, is not on this roster.

[phillychuck]

Pitchers:
Bergjans, Tommy
Davis, Austin
Dominguez, Seranthony
Garcia, Edgar
Gilbert, Tyler
Irvin, Cole
Kilome, Franklyn
Leftwich, Luke
Quinn, Blake
Singer, Jeff
Taveras, Jose
Tirado, Alberto
Waguespack, Jacob

Bergjians, Dominguez, Irvin, Kilome, Leftwich, Taveras, and Tirado are all listed as starters--that's 7. Will they do split games for some of them?

[Austinfan]

Bergjans, Tommy

I think Bergjans will be the odd man out, limited upside, 8th rd senior draft pick, basically a low bonus pick to save money.
Already 24 with a 89-91 MPH FB, change and curve.
Two years ago he'd be a featured starter, now he's on his way to the bullpen.

[andyb]

Matt Winkelman has moved over to Crashburn Alley in addition to his own site and is starting a series of articles on each minor league team. Today is Lehigh Valley:

Crashburn Alley – 2017 Lehigh Valley IronPigs Season Preview

[schooldoc]

The LHV-REA exhibition is in progress from Coca-Cola Park. It's 5-3 LHV, top 8th.

LHV lineup:
Quinn, Crawford, Alfaro, Hoskins, Cozens (RF), Williams (DH), Perkins (LF). Gomez, Valentin, Appel (P)

REA lineup: Kingery, Pullin, Tocci, Martin, Numata, Walding, Tromp (RF), A.Brown (DH), Canelo, Anderson (P)

Cozens has a HR off Brandon Leibrandt.

[andyb]

More Crashburn previews:

Reading:

Crashburn Alley – 2017 Reading Fightins Season Preview

Clearwater:

Crashburn Alley – 2017 Clearwater Threshers Season Preview

[andyb]

Lakewood:

Crashburn Alley – 2017 Lakewood BlueClaws Season Preview

[Austinfan]

This is the year where we see if the scouting has improved.
Reading and Lehigh have benefited, and will still benefit from the flurry of trades that brought in talent, but it's thinning at Reading and thin at Clearwater.
If the scouts have been doing their job, the organization should be deep from the GCL through Lakewood this year.

[Squire]

I'm sure whatever the Phillies decide will be the right decision.