Feature Photo: Trevor Story, SS, Rockies
Today, 2080’s Lisa Winston continues her coverage of players making their major league debuts, profiling players from the National League. We all know the Trevor Story…story…by now – but what about the other guys?
(Click here to see Lisa’s coverage of the American League debuts)
JOHN GANT, RHP, BRAVES
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’5”/205 BORN: August 6, 1992
ACQUIRED: Traded from the New York Mets on July 25, 2015, along with RHP Rob Whalen for INFs Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson. Originally drafted by the Mets in the 21st round of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Wiregrass Ranch H.S., Wesley Chapel, FL).
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined to go 10-5 with a 3.08 ERA in 24 starts at three stops — St. Lucie (High A/Mets), Binghamton (Double-A/Mets) and Mississippi (Double-A), striking out 134 while walking 50 in 140.1 IP and limiting opposing hitters to a .234 BA. He finished up with a 1.99 ERA in seven starts at Mississippi post-trade.
PROMOTED: Already on the club’s 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training. He was optioned to Gwinnett (Triple-A) on April 10 when RHP Chris Withrow was recalled.
DEBUT: April 6, in a 3-1 loss to the Nationals. The last of three pitchers, he came on in the ninth inning to throw one inning of one-hit shutout ball, striking out one batter, Wilson Ramos. He also allowed a two-out single to Danny Espinosa. Of 14 pitches thrown, 10 were for strikes.
PLAYER NOTES: Originally signed by long-time scout Les Parker out of high school in Florida, Gant was one of six Braves players to find themselves on an Opening Day roster for the first time, but the only one to be making his big league debut. One of the pleasant surprises for the team this spring, he allowed just four earned runs over 15 innings. A starting pitcher for most of his pro career, he’ll be working out of the pen for the time being. In 2014, his first full season, Gant was 11-5 with a 2.56 ERA for Savannah (Class A, Mets), fanning 114 in 123 IP while posting a pair of shutouts.
COLIN WALSH, 2B, BREWERS
B/T: S/R H/W: 6’0”/200 BORN: September 26, 1989
ACQUIRED: Selected with the fifth pick in the 2015 MLB Rule 5 Draft from Oakland. Originally drafted in the 13th round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft by St. Louis (Stanford).
2015 SEASON STATS: Hit .302 at Midland (Double-A/Athletics) with 13 HRs, 49 RBIs, 17 SBs and 39 doubles, posting a .447 OBP and .470 SLG.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 4, in a 12-3 loss to the Giants. A late-game insertion into left field to replace starter Ryan Braun, he batted ninth in the lineup and went 0-for-1, lining out to short.
PLAYER NOTES: A versatile athlete, Walsh put up solid numbers across the board in 2015 and ranked among the minor league leaders in runs (T5 with 97), walks (1st with 124) and OBP (2nd at .447) to earn a Rule 5 nod. He saw more limited time due to a few stints on the DL in 2014 as he moved up through three levels, playing at Stockton (High A), Midland and Sacramento (Triple-A), but only appeared in 78 games, combining to hit .290 with four HRs and 32 RBIs. Walsh had been released by the Cardinals at the end of 2014 spring training and signed with Oakland a few weeks later.
MATT BOWMAN, RHP, CARDINALS
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’0”/165 BORN: May 31, 1991
ACQUIRED: Selected with the 11th pick in the 2015 MLB Rule 5 Draft from the New York Mets. Originally drafted in the 13th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Mets (Princeton University).
2015 SEASON STATS: Went 7-16 with a 5.53 ERA in 28 games with Las Vegas (Triple-A/Mets) including two complete games and a shutout, striking out 77 while walking 51 and giving up 181 hits in 140 IP.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 6, in a 5-1 loss to the Pirates. The last of four pitchers on the night, he pitched the seventh and eighth innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two. He faced eight batters, inducing four groundouts, and started a double play on defense.
PLAYER NOTES: Bowman, who finished second in the minors in losses in 2015, has some interesting MLB connections, as he is the nephew of Bob Bowman, the President and CEO of MLB Advanced Media. An Ivy Leaguer from the suburbs of Washington, D.C., he moved up quickly when he signed, seeing time at two levels of Single A in his first two seasons when he went a combined 10-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 21 starts, and then going 10-8 with a 4.02 ERA in 24 games between Binghamton (Double-A) and Las Vegas in 2014, with 124 strikeouts in 134.1 IP, walking just 36. The Cards rarely participate in the Rule 5 Draft, but they were willing to take a shot on Bowman.
ALEDMYS DIAZ, SS, CARDINALS
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’1”/195 BORN: August 1, 1990
ACQUIRED: Signed as an international free agent (Cuba) on March 9, 2014.
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined to hit .278 with 13 HRs and 52 RBIs in 116 games between Springfield (Double-A) and Memphis (Triple-A).
PROMOTED: Recalled from Memphis on April 4 when OF Tommy Pham went on the DL.
DEBUT: April 5, in an 11-inning 6-5 loss to the Pirates. The starting shortstop, he batted eighth and went 1-for-3 with a run scored, singling in his first at-bat, and also struck out once. On defense, he started a double play but also made an error in the fifth inning when he bobbled a one-out grounder by Francisco Cervelli while trying to rush a double play.
PLAYER NOTES: Diaz made his stateside pro debut in 2014 but recurring shoulder woes cut his season short. He was taken off the club’s 40-man roster that summer but re-added in November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. His timetable to the big leagues may have been a bit rushed when shortstop Jhonny Peralta got hurt, as the Cardinals probably would have liked to have seen him get at least a few more months of seasoning at Triple-A Memphis. During his time in Cuba, he was known more as a contact hitter than a power prospect.
2080 NOTES: 2080’s scouting report on Diaz said: “Diaz lacks any standout tools but plays an average shortstop and is ready for the majors now. His ability to play multiple positions also increases his versatility to a club. Diaz profiles as a solid regular that can hold his own up the middle.”
You can read 2080’s full report on Aledmys Diaz here.
JEREMY HAZELBAKER, OF, CARDINALS
B/T: L/R H/W: 6’3”/200 BORN: August 14, 1987
ACQUIRED: Re-signed as a minor league free agent December 4, 2015. Originally drafted by Boston in the fourth round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Ball State University).
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined to hit .313 between Tulsa (Double-A/Dodgers), Springfield (Double-A/Cardinals) and Memphis (Triple-A/Cardinals) with 13 HRs, 68 RBIs, 24 SBs, 25 doubles and 12 triples for a .531 SLG.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 3, in a 4-1 loss to the Pirates. Pinch-hitting for RHP Adam Wainwright in the seventh inning, he was called out on strikes.
PLAYER NOTES: Hazelbaker led the Cardinals system in 2015 in BA, OBP and SLG after signing with the club in May, He holds the honor of officially being the first player to make his MLB debut in 2016, beating out teammate and relief pitcher Seung Hwan Oh by just a few minutes as Oh came on in the bottom of the inning. He didn’t have to wait too long for his first hit, doubling the next night as a pinch-hitter for RHP Jonathan Broxton. Hazelbaker made the most of starts in the two ensuing games on April 6th and 8th, with solo HRs in each contest. After coming up through the Red Sox’ farm system, Hazelbaker was dealt to the Dodgers in October 2013 and he spent just over a full season with them before being released May 1, 2015. He declared for minor league free agency this past November, but re-upped with St. Louis in December. His 2015 numbers are a vast improvement over his 2014 performance when he hit just .244 between Chattanooga (Double-A/Dodgers) and Albuquerque (Triple-A/Dodgers) with 8 HRs, 44 RBIs and 21 SBs.
SEUNG-HWAN OH, RHP, CARDINALS
B/T: R/R H/W: 5’10”/205 BORN: July 15, 1982
ACQUIRED: Signed as an international free agent (South Korea) on January 11, 2016.
2015 SEASON STATS: Went 2-3 with a 2.73 ERA and 41 saves in 63 games for Hanshin (Japan PCL), striking out 66 in 69.1 IP while walking 16 and allowing 64 hits.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 3, in a 4-1 loss to the Pirates. The second of three pitchers on the night, he came on in the bottom of the seventh and tossed two innings of hitless ball, walking two and fanning two.
PLAYER NOTES: Oh spent the last two seasons with Hanshin in the Japanese Central League, always working out of the back end of the bullpen. In 2014, he posted a 1.76 ERA in 64 games with 39 saves, fanning 81 while walking just 13 and scattering 41 hits in 66.2 IP. He’d spent 2005-13 with Samsung in his country’s KBO and topped the 40 save mark four times over 10 healthy seasons, with a 1.81 career ERA and 772 strikeouts in 646.1 IP.
2080 NOTES: 2080’s Dave DeFreitas on Oh: “He has had big K numbers in Asia, but I’m not sold that will translate here. He has some drop/drive and tends to work uphill. Fastball is up in the zone often. Secondary is average. He did not look good in the 2013 WBC, but no one on the Korea team did that year. Overall, probably a reasonable sign for St. Louis, and not a big guarantee based on what relievers are worth nowadays. With Jordan Walden now on the DL, Oh will get his opportunities.”
JAKE BARRETT, RHP, DIAMONDBACKS
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’3”/220 BORN: July 21, 1991
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the third round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Arizona State).
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined for a 4.58 ERA between Mobile (Double-A) and Reno (Triple-A), collecting 15 saves and striking out 53 in 51 IP.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, made club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 4, in a 10-5 loss to the Rockies. The second of five pitchers, he came on in relief of starter Zack Greinke to start the fifth inning, and tossed one inning of one-hit, shutout ball. He threw 13 pitches, nine for strikes.
PLAYER NOTES: One of the last official additions to the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster, Barrett brings with him a large local fan base. Drafted out of ASU as a junior, he was the AZ High School Player of the Year in 2009, when he set all sorts of state records at Desert Ridge H.S. (Mesa), including homers (19) and RBIs (65). Drafted by the Blue Jays that year, he opted instead to go to ASU. Working out of the bullpen in the minors for the Diamondbacks, he collected 29 saves and combined for a 1.21 ERA between Visalia (High A) and Mobile in 2013 (his first full season) and then earned Southern League All-Star honors in 2014 with 12 saves and a 2.39 ERA at Mobile, which earned him a late-season promotion to Reno.
MATT BUSCHMANN, RHP, DIAMONDBACKS
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’3”/195 BORN: February 13, 1984
ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent on Dec. 11, 2015. Originally drafted by San Diego in the 15th round of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Vanderbilt).
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined for an 8-10 record and 4.08 ERA in 23 starts across Durham (Rays), Louisville (Reds) and Norfolk (Orioles), walking 47 while striking out 109 in 134.2 IP.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Reno (Triple-A) on April 8, when RHP Kyle Drabek was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: April 10, in a 7-3 loss to the Cubs. The last of four pitchers, he allowed one hit and one walk in one scoreless inning. He threw 19 pitches, 10 for strikes. He was removed for PH Rickie Weeks Jr. in the bottom of the ninth inning.
PLAYER NOTES: One of the feel-good stories of the early 2016 MLB debut class is the arrival of the well-traveled 32-year-old veteran to the big leagues. A 10-year veteran with a career 4.09 ERA, he achieved Texas League All-Star status with San Antonio in 2008 with a 2.98 ERA. He has put up some big numbers over the years, including a 2013 season with the Rays organization where, between Montgomery (Double-A) and Durham (Triple-A), he went 14-5 with a 2.86 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 160.2 IP. He came into the 2016 campaign with 1,098 strikeouts in 10 seasons. (Also of note? He’s married to ESPN SportsCenter anchor Sara Walsh. They were introduced by Buschmann’s Vandy roommate David Price, who’s now with the Red Sox.)
KENTA MAEDA, RHP, DODGERS
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’0”/160 BORN: April 11, 1988
ACQUIRED: Signed as an international free agent (Japan) on January 7, 2016.
2015 SEASON STATS: Went 15-8 with a 2.09 ERA in 29 starts for the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Central League, including five complete games, striking out 175 and walking 41 in 206.1 IP and allowing 168 hits.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 6, in a 7-0 win over the Padres. The starting pitcher, he tossed six innings of five-hit shutout ball, striking four without walking a batter and inducing 12 groundouts. He was also 1-for-3 at the plate, hitting his first major league home run in the fourth inning off Andrew Cashner.
PLAYER NOTES: One of the most high-profile international signings of the 2015 offseason, Maeda was a star during his eight seasons with Hiroshima, posting a career 2.64 ERA with an ERA below 3.00 in each of the last six seasons. He tossed over 200 IP four times. His best campaign was in 2012, when he went 14-7 with a 1.53 ERA, fanning 171 while walking just 44 in 206.1 IP.
2080 NOTES: 2080’s Dave DeFreitas on Maeda: “So far in his spring starts he has looked unfazed. I think he probably has a little more to prove than, say, (Masahiro) Tanaka did when he arrived in the U.S., but he has looked very comfortable. He should help the Dodgers a lot this year.
You can read DeFreitas’ full scouting report on Maeda here.
ROSS STRIPLING, RHP, DODGERS
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’3”/210 BORN: November 23, 1989
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Texas A&M).
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined to go 3-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 14 starts between Great Lakes (Class A) and Tulsa (Double-A), striking out 59 and walking 21 while allowing 62 hits in 71.1 IP.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Oklahoma City (Triple-A) on April 3 and made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 8, in a 3-2 loss to the Giants. The starting pitcher, he tossed 7.1 innings of no-hit ball before reaching his 100-pitch limit and being removed for reliever Chris Hatcher. Stripling allowed one earned run, walking four and fanning four. The Giants went on to win the game in extra innings. At the plate, Stripling was 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
PLAYER NOTES: Despite the boos that rained down when Stripling was removed in the eighth inning, there were no hard feelings on his side. He himself said afterwards “It was the right decision.” Still on a pitch limit after having undergone Tommy John surgery, which cost him all of the 2014 season and much of 2015, Stripling was not really on the Dodgers’ 2016 Opening Day radar when camp began. In fact, he was technically among the first players reassigned on March 17, but pitched his way not only back onto the active roster, but into the No. 5 starter’s role, beating out prospects Zach Lee and Carlos Frias for the job.
JABARI BLASH, OF, PADRES
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-5/225 BORN: July 4, 1989
ACQUIRED: Selected by Oakland from Seattle with the sixth pick in the 2015 MLB Rule 5 Draft and then immediately traded to San Diego to complete the December 2, 2015 trade which sent 1B Yonder Alonso and LHP Marc Rzepczynski from the Padres to the Athletics in exchange for LHPs Drew Pomeranz and Jose Torres. Originally drafted by Seattle in the eighth round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Miami-Dade College, FL).
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined to hit .271 between Jackson (Double-A/Mariners) and Tacoma (Triple-A/Mariners) with 32 HRs, 81 RBIs, 8 SBs and 24 doubles for a .576 SLG.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 4, in a 15-0 loss to the Dodgers. A late-game defensive insertion in right field in a double switch that was made when fellow “debutante,” RHP Luis Perdomo, came out of the game in the eighth inning, he drew a full-count two-out walk.
PLAYER NOTES: Already blessed with perhaps the best baseball name of any player making his debut this week, Blash is also among the most intriguing and exciting players in the lot. A native of the Virgin Islands, already a rarity in the game, he was drafted three times before he signed with the Mariners: First in the 29th round of 2007 by the White Sox out of high school in the VI, and then in the ninth round of 2009 by Texas out of Miami-Dade. He has big-time power to all fields but is a free swinger, something he’ll need to work on to harness his potential. He’s been something of a late bloomer but his 32 HRs tied him for 2nd in the minors and his .576 SLG ranked fifth. In 2014 between Jackson and Tacoma he batted .221 with 18 HRs and 59 RBIs so he’s already shown how much he can improve in one season.
LUIS PERDOMO, RHP, PADRES
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’2”/160 BORN: May 9, 1993
ACQUIRED: Selected by Colorado from St. Louis with the 4th pick in the 2015 MLB Rule 5 Draft and then sold to San Diego. Originally signed by St. Louis as an international free agent (Dominican Republic) in 2010.
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined to go 6-12 with a 3.98 ERA in 23 games between Peoria (Class A/Cardinals) and Palm Beach (High A/Cardinals), striking out 118 while walking 37 and allowing 134 hits in 126.2 IP.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 4, in a 15-0 loss to the Dodgers. The third of five pitchers on the night, he came on in the seventh inning and allowed six runs, all earned, on six hits in one IP, walking two and fanning two while also uncorking a wild pitch. He then allowed three more runs in the eighth inning without getting an out before being replaced.
PLAYER NOTES: Not to be confused with the other pitcher of the same name who pitched for the Padres from 2009-10, this Perdomo pitched in the 2015 Futures Game, representing his native Dominican Republic. He has been brought along slowly, pitching sparingly in his first two years stateside, making 13 starts in 2014, most of them at Peoria (Class A), with a 4.25 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 72 IP after going 1-6 with a 5.40 in 12 games at Johnson City (Short-season A) in 2013.
TYLER GOEDDEL, 3B/OF, PHILLIES
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’4”/185 BORN: October 20, 1992
ACQUIRED: Selected with the first overall pick of the 2015 MLB Rule 5 Draft from Tampa Bay. Originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the first round (41st overall) of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft (St. Francis H.S., Mountain View, CA).
2015 SEASON STATS: Hit .279 with 12 HRs, 79 RBIs, 28 SBs, 17 doubles and 10 triples, posting a .350 OBP and .433 SLG at Montgomery (Double-A/Rays).
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 6, in a 3-2 loss to the Reds. The starting left fielder, he batted eighth and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. He was replaced in seventh inning by pinch-hitter Cedric Hunter.
PLAYER NOTES: The former 2011 first rounder has a lot going for him, which helps explain why he was snapped up with the first pick in the 2015 Rule 5 Draft. He can play all three outfield positions, and this versatility may prove to work in his benefit, especially with the Phillies’ loss of Aaron Altherr to a wrist injury for what may be the entire season. Goeddel, who moved to the outfield from third base, hit .269 in 2014 with 6 HRs, 61 RBIs and 20 SBs along with 25 doubles at Charlotte (High A). Neat personal note: While both Goeddel and his older brother, Erik, are pro baseball players (Erik pitches for the Mets), their dad David is the most accomplished professional of all of them, a pioneer in the area of biotechnology.
DANIEL STUMPF, LHP, PHILLIES
B/T: L/L H/W: 6’2”/200 BORN: January 4, 1991
ACQUIRED: Selected with the 12th pick of the 2015 MLB Rule 5 Draft from Kansas City. Originally drafted by Kansas City in the ninth round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft (San Jacinto College North Campus, Houston, TX).
2015 SEASON STATS: Went 5-4 with a 3.95 ERA in 42 games for Northwest Arkansas (Double-A/Royals), collecting three saves and striking out 76 batters in 70.2 IP, walking 31 and allowing 55 hits.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 7, in a 10-6 loss to the Reds. The second of four pitchers, he came on with two outs and two on in the fourth inning and did not record an out. He gave up three runs, all earned, allowing one hit and walking two. Stumpf walked the first batter he faced, Scott Schleber, before giving up a grand slam to Eugenio Suarez. The next batter, Joey Votto, also drew a walk, leading to Stumpf being pulled in favor of reliever Brett Oberholtzer. Votto would score as well on an RBI single by Jay Bruce to close the book on Stumpf, who threw 16 pitches, just five of them for strikes.
PLAYER NOTES: The second of the Phillies’ Rule 5 picks in 2015, Stumpf put up solid numbers as a starter and reliever during his career with the Royals, he did not make it onto the defending World Series champions’ 40-man roster. In 2014 at Wilmington (High A) he was 3-8 with a 3.77 ERA in 32 games, eight of them starts, fanning 79 in 74 IP while walking 19 but allowing 82 hits. He went 10-10 with a 3.07 ERA in 25 starts, including four complete games, in 2013 at Lexington (Class A), striking out 117 while walking 50 and allowing 103 hits in 137.2 IP.
TIM MELVILLE, RHP, REDS
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’4”/225 BORN: October 9, 1989
ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent on November 25, 2015. Originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Kansas City (Holt H.S., Wentzville, MO).
2015 SEASON STATS: Went 7-10 with a 4.63 ERA in 27 starts at Toledo (Triple-A/Tigers) including one complete game, striking out 102 while walking 68 and allowing 141 hits in 151.2 IP.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Louisville (Triple-A) April 10 when INF Brandon Allen was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: April 10, in a 2-1 win over the Pirates. The starting pitcher, he got a ND, tossing four innings of five-hit ball and allowing one run, a solo homer to Chris Stewart. He walked four and fanned five and also threw one wild pitch. Of 92 pitches, 55 were for strikes. At the plate, he struck out in his lone at-bat.
PLAYER NOTES: A non-roster invitee to Reds spring training in February, Melville emerged as an early sleeper for a bullpen spot before being one of the last pitchers reassigned to minor league camp. A mid-level prospect with the Royals after signing out of high school in 2008, he posted a career 4.75 ERA over his pro career thus far (including a one-year stint in the Tigers system) but has been hampered by inconsistent control, as well as injuries that cuased him to mis most of 2012 and 2013.
ROBERT STEPHENSON, RHP, REDS
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’2”/200 BORN: February 24, 1993
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the first round (27th overall) of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Alhambra H.S., Martinez, CA).
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined to go 8-11 with a 3.83 ERA in 25 starts between Pensacola (Double-A) and Louisville (Triple-A), striking out 140 over 134 IP while walking 70 and allowing 104 hits.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Louisville (Triple-A) April 4 when RHP Homer Bailey went on the DL.
DEBUT: April 7, in a 10-6 win over the Phillies. The starting pitcher, he got the win, going five innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits, walking two while striking out one. He also hit Andres Blanco with a pitch and gave up a pair of homers, to Cedric Hunter and Ryan Howard. Stephenson threw 87 pitches, 57 of them for strikes, before being removed for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning with the Reds up 9-4. At the plate, he was 0-for-1, striking out on a missed bunt. He successfully laid down a sac bunt in his other plate appearance.
PLAYER NOTES: Stephenson, who was sent back down to Louisville after the game to make room for INF Brandon Allen, ranks as one of the top pitching prospects in the system and the club is taking its time with him. In 2015, he led the organization in strikeouts (140) and BAA (.218) but also in losses (11) and walks (70). Armed with a fastball in the high 90s, a plus-plus curveball and a changeup considered tops in the organization, he spent all of 2014 at Pensacola, where he was 7-10 with a 4.74 ERA in 26 starts, fanning 140 in 136.2 innings, scattering 114 hits and allowing 74 walks. He had pitched at three levels in 2013, combining for a 2.99 ERA in 22 starts between Dayton (Class A), Bakersfield (High A) and Pensacola, fanning 136 in 114.1 innings and walking just 35.
2080 NOTES: Ranked at No. 78 in 2080 Baseball’s Preseason Top 125 Prospects Ranking List. 2080’s C.J. Wittman said: “He’s had a tumultuous career to this point, but Stephenson still has the top-line stuff that can tease into a frontline-starter profile.”
See Witmann’s profile of Stephenson here.
TREVOR STORY, SS, ROCKIES
B/T: R/R H/W: 6’1″/180 BORN: November 15, 1992
ACQUIRED: Drafted in the first round (45th overall) of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Irving (TX) H.S.)
2015 SEASON STATS: Combined to hit .279 between New Britain (Double-A) and Albuquerque (Triple-A) with 20 HRs, 80 RBIs and 22 SBs — he was caught just three times — along with 40 doubles, 10 triples, 143 hits and 83 runs scored. He posted a .350 OBP and .514 SLG.
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 4, in a 10-5 win over the Diamondbacks. The starting shortstop, he batted second and went 2-for-6 with a pair of HRs, collecting four RBIs and striking out twice. Both HRs came off Arizona SP Zack Greinke – a three-run shot to right field in the third inning and a solo blast to left-center field in the fourth inning. He grounded out in his first big-league at-bat.
PLAYER NOTES: Pardon the pun, but Story was certainly one of the big stories in the first week of play. That will happen when you hit a pair of homers in your first big league game, blast solo homers in each of your next two games, and then tack on a second two-homer game in your fourth outing. That was pretty much the pace he’d been at during spring training when he won the club’s Spring Training MVP award after hitting .340 with 6 HRs and 13 RBIs in 20 games. Story’s 70 extra-base hits tied him for third in the minors in 2015 as he led the system in HRs and RBIs. Veteran shortstop Jose Reyes’ stint on the restricted list opened the spot up for Story. Before putting up big numbers at two levels in 2015, Story cruised through three stops in 2014, combining to hit .263 with 14 HRs, 48 RBIs and 26 doubles between Tri-City (Short-Season A), Modesto (High A) and Tulsa (Double-A).
2080 NOTES: Ranked No. 86 in 2080 Baseball’s Preseason Top 125 Prospect Ranking List, 2080’s C.J. Wittmann said: “Story has plus raw power, plus arm strength and good baserunning instincts that make his speed to play up to average.”
Read Wittmann’s profile of Story here.
TONY WOLTERS, C, ROCKIES
B/T: L/R H/W: 5’10”/200 BORN: June 9, 1992
ACQUIRED: Claimed off of waivers from the Indians on February 18, 2016. Originally drafted in the third round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Cleveland (Rancho Buena Vista H.S. (CA)).
2015 SEASON STATS: Hit .209 with 2 HRs and 17 RBIs in 65 games at Akron (Double-A).
PROMOTED: Already on the 40-man roster, he made the club out of spring training.
DEBUT: April 5, in an 11-6 loss to the Diamondbacks. In as a late-game defensive replacement for starting C Nick Hundley, he entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning and batted sixth, grounding out in his lone at-bat.
PLAYER NOTES: A top high school catching prospect out of southern California who signed for a well-above slot of $1.3 million, his defense has outshone his offense, which has shifted his value. A career .258 hitter in six seasons, he had never played above the Double-A level until making his big league debut.
Special thanks to 2080 Baseball contributors Dave DeFreitas (Rangers, international players), Michael Tepid (Rangers), and C.J. Wittmann (2080 Top 125 Preseason Ranking List player reports) for their extra insight into the debuts this week!
