2080 Prospect Video Highlights – 2016 AFL Edition (Vol. 2)

Eloy Jimenez - Chicago Cubs 2016 spring training (Bill Mitchell)

Feature Photo:  Eloy Jimenez, OF, Cubs

Alec Dopp continues his coverage of the Arizona Fall League with updates and new video highlights of 10 more prospects, who are all part of a fresh update of 15 new players entered into our prospect video library today.

2016 Arizona Fall League Prospect Video Highlights

 

LogoMLBTORAnthony Alford, OF, Blue Jays (Mesa Solar Sox, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’1” / 215     B/T: R/R     Age: 22 yrs, 3m

Making up for lost time after suffering an on-field concussion in June, Alford’s first taste of the AFL has started in underwhelming fashion, slashing .231/.286/.462 with one home run in 13 plate trips after the first weekend. The power/speed tandem that pushed him to nine HRs and 18 stolen bases in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League this season has been evident early in Arizona, showing loud backspin gap pop in batting practice while registering a double-plus run time of 4.07 seconds to first base October 13 in Salt River. Alford has displayed good barrel control as well as patience early in the count, suggesting the above-average walk rates he has posted as a pro should carry to the next level.

 

LogoMLBBOSYoan Moncada, 2B/3B, Red Sox (Surprise Saguaros, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’2” / 205     B/T: S/R      Age: 21 yrs, 5m

Despite an uneven debut with the big club in September (.211/.250/.263, 1 BB/12 K in 20 PA), Moncada finds himself primarily working on his defensive chops at third base in Arizona in preparation for 2017. The experiment has gone well thus far, showing quick reactions and range to both sides, and a 70-grade arm from the hot corner, though he still needs some work on the balls hit right at him, which has been the focus of his pre-game infield work with Surprise (and the Red Sox’ Double-A Portland) manager Carlos Febles. Offensively, the 21-year-old has a .429/.467/.714 line with a home run and double to his name through three games for Surprise, with the only potential downside being some swing-and-miss to his game in the early action (1 BB/4 K in 14 PA). From the left side, I have clocked him as low as 4.11 seconds to first, which grades as plus.

 

500px-Texas_Rangers.svgBrett Martin, LHP, Rangers (Surprise Saguaros, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’4” / 190     B/T: L/L     Age: 21 yrs, 6m

Martin’s first AFL start was tough sledding against a talented Mesa lineup last Thursday, ceding four hits, four runs (though just one earned), while walking one and K’ing one across his 1.1 IP. The tall southpaw, who missed two months with an oblique injury earlier this season, struggled to command his above-average 91-to-94 mph fastball in the outing, typically leaving it up and to his arm-side, as well as his 82-to-83 mph curveball that showed fringy break on a 12-to-6 plane. Martin’s tumbling 86-to-88 mph changeup was masked well out of hand early, and thrown low in the zone for a few weak groundouts, though hitters started to pick up on the pitch later in the outing as things began to unravel.

 

LogoMLBCHCEloy Jimenez, OF, Cubs (Mesa Solar Sox, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’4” / 205 B/T: R/R Age: 19yrs, 11m

One of the youngest hitters in the AFL also happens to be the owner of one of the most productive bats thus far, as Jimenez has garnered a slash line of .364/.500/.636 with one home run and a 3:1 BB/K ratio across 14 PAs. The 19-year-old has flaunted plus raw power in multiple BP viewings, generating loud contact to his pull side with what appears to be a subtle flick of the wrists. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Jimenez has been his patience and selectivity, as the video package shows him swinging at just 40% of pitches seen across three games (major league average is typically around 45-to-47%). Despite only fringy speed, Jimenez has the look of an above-average corner-outfield bat with future 21-to-25 home-run potential.

 

LogoMLBMILJacob Nottingham, C, Brewers (Salt River Rafters, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’2” / 230 B/T: R/R Age: 21yrs, 7m

One of the more productive offensive backstops in the minors last year (17 HR, .877 OPS in 119 games between Class A and High A), Nottingham’s first Double-A campaign left a lot to be desired, slashing just .234/.295/.347 with 11 home runs in 112 contests. The tall, thick 21-year-old leads Salt River in hits (five) and owns a .357/.357/.429 line through 14 plate trips.  His swing is generating serious loft in batting practice and and he’s getting frequent hard, topspinned line drives to his pull side when he connects. Nottingham’s large frame can pose a challenge for him getting in front of balls in the dirt, and his overall receiving skills still require polish. The alternative would most likely be a switch to first base if they don’t develop.

 

LogoMLBNYYGreg Bird, 1B, Yankees (Scottsdale Scorpions, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’4” / 200 B/T: L/R Age: 23yrs, 11m

Missing the entire 2016 campaign after undergoing surgery to repair a right shoulder labrum tear, Bird’s initial AFL action can only be taken as a positive, slashing .308/.357/.516 with a league-high four extra base hits (all doubles) through three games for Scottsdale. The 23-year-old has appeared as comfortable at the plate as he did in 2015 when he slugged .529 with 11 HR in 46 games with the Yankees, working the count well and showing selectivity (one strikeout in 14 PA). The bat speed he displayed at the major league level has also been readily noticeable in Arizona, which is a promising sign that the reps he’s getting here in the desert will help him be 100% for spring training competition in March.

 

LogoMLBOAKDylan Covey, RHP, Athletics (Mesa Solar Sox, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’2” / 195 B/T: R/R Age: 25yrs, 2m

Covey’s season with Double-A Midland was cut short due to an oblique injury suffered in early May, limiting him to just six starts over which he posted a 1.84 ERA, 8.0 SO/9 rate and 5.2 BB/9 mark. The former fourth-round pick touched 95 mph once and sat 92-to-94 mph with his fastball in his first AFL outing, which featured minimal arm-side tail from a high 3/4s arm slot. Feel for his 80-to-82 mph curveball improved with time in the start, and the 12-to-6 pitch showed above-average shape. Covey also mixed in an 86-to-88 mph slider that generated two weak groundouts, and a mid-80s changeup with some late drop, culminating in five strikeouts, one walk and two runs allowed over four frames.

 

LogoMLBPHIMitch Walding, 1B/3B, Phillies (Scottsdale Scorpions, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’3” / 190 B/T: L/R Age: 24yrs, 1m

A former fifth-round pick, Walding’s AFL debut comes on the heels of setting career-high marks in AVG (.269), home runs (13) and OPS (.795) across 123 games split between High A and Double-A. The 24-year-old has made a pedestrian first impression against quality pitching in Arizona, however, going 2-for-9 with a triple, one walk and three strikeouts in an abbreviated three-game, 10 PA stretch. Walding looked comfortable dropping the barrel down in the zone on his triple last Friday night in Scottsdale (see his first PA in the video package), which traveled an estimated 425 feet to dead center with backspin carry.

 

LogoMLBLADCody Bellinger, 1B, Dodgers (Glendale Desert Dogs, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 6’4” / 210 B/T: L/L Age: 21yrs, 3m

Owner of one of the most violent hacks at any level of pro ball, Bellinger’s fence-clearing power has not been showcased early in fall league action, going 3-for-10 with a double, two walks and four strikeouts through his first four games with Glendale. Despite the lack of dingers, though, Bellinger’s double-plus bat speed has generated hard line-drive contact to the pull side on a few occasions, and it seems only a matter of time before his leveraged swing has him rounding the bases out here. Despite what a career 80% stolen base success rate as a pro might suggest (29-for-37), Bellinger registered a run time of 4.38 seconds from HP-to-1B from the left side of the plate and has not been a threat thus far.

 

LogoMLBOAKFranklin Barreto, SS, Athletics (Mesa Solar Sox, Arizona Fall League)
Ht/Wt: 5’10” / 190 B/T: R/R Age: 20yrs, 8m

Oakland’s consensus top position prospect has scuffled early on after a stellar campaign between Double-A and Triple-A (11 HR, 30 SB, .284 avg.), striking out in seven of his 14 plate trips in route to a 2-for-14 line (both hits singles) through Mesa’s first three contests. Barreto’s swing is compact and quick, generating mostly line drive and gap power at present, though there is some eagerness to chase pitches in the dirt, which has been the culprit of his early strikeouts. Short and stout, Barreto has some jail break out of the box and gets down the line quickly, a trait that was on display Saturday night in Mesa, registering a 4.02 HP-to-1B time.