Smurfy's Personal Prospect Picks
Three more hitters and pitchers I'm following this season...
There are many interesting, intriguing, and fun prospects in the minors. I have updated our 2023 Prospect Follow List with my personal selections. Some version of these selections were decided, reviewed, changed, updated, and reviewed again, etc, etc, etc and it’s a no lose situation when it comes down to it. Simply some personal favourites to watch play and develop this year. No special requirements like being Canadian born or the previous stat screens. Just fun prospects with loads of potential. Let’s get straight into it…
Hitters
Elly De La Cruz, SS, Cincinnati - dob 01/11/2002, Sabana Grande de Boya, Dominican Republic, 2018 IFA, #1 Prospect in the Reds Organization
If I had to pick my number one prospect to follow for 2023, I would select Elly. Coming in at a lean 6ft 5in/200lbs, De La Cruz is an elite athlete with an incredibly high ceiling. He would be listed as the best athlete, has the best power, is one of if not the fastest baserunners, and has the best infield arm in the Reds organization. The scouting grades and numbers reflect these attributes. Baseball America has put a 70 grade on the Power, Run, and Arm tools. From a numbers perspective, Elly had 28 HR, slugged .586, and stole 47 bases across two levels (High-A, AA) in 2022. He’s above average in the field at a premium position and could easily slide over to third if need be. Goes without saying that the profile is something to dream about the possible outcomes. For Elly to hit his absolute ceiling he would need to improve his hit tool. Evaluators currently grade it either 40 or 45. He put up a 31% K rate across 2 levels last season. You can say there’s a certain level of aggressiveness at the plate with some concerns about swing decisions and approach. Improvements there will unlock another level in an already very impressive profile. MLB ETA for Elly DLC would be late 2023/2024.
Gavin Cross, OF, Kansas City - dob 02/13/2001, Bristol TN, 2022 MLB Draft (rd. 1, pick 9, Virginia Tech), #1 Prospect in the Royals Organization
A physical frame standing in at 6ft 3in/210lbs, Gavin is a good athlete with average to above-average speed. As he continues to fill out we can expect a tick down here which will move Cross from CF to RF over the long term. When it comes to the bat, you can add above-average grades to the hit and power tools. Gavin shows a good knowledge of the strike zone but does have a rather aggressive approach at the plate, as you may imagine with a young hitter. When he makes contact, it is quality and to all fields. Even though Cross had a near 18% walk rate in Low-A, the K% of just over 25% does raise a bit of concern. We would want to see some advancement in approach especially as he reaches higher levels and more advanced pitching. We’re probably looking for an ETA of 2024/25 but once he’s patrolling the outfield at Kaufmann, he’ll be there for a long time.
Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay - dob 07/05/2003, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 2019 IFA (Cleveland), #4 Prospect in the Rays Organization
Junior was a name that I had heard a few times but didn’t know anything about. I’m sure glad I took a little deeper look into this profile and am looking forward to following this guy. If you peek at the video you have to think he’s heavier than his listed buck fifty-five and over 6ft rather than the listed 5ft 11. Regardless of that, he’s more physically advanced than a typical 19-year-old and he still has more room to develop. Evaluators have put Plus to Double-Plus on Caminero’s power with a 50 on the hit tool. I’ll give you a minute to daydream on 70 Power/ 50 Hit along on a physically advanced frame and the nukes that are possible………………………………………………………
I trust you had fun with that. Junior has the ingredients in his profile to be an absolute beast in the middle of the order. You hear 19 years old, huge power and you go he’s going to strike out…a lot. What if I said Junior’s K rate in Low-A was sub-20% and was sub-15% at the complex last year? Yeah, that’s good. Throw in better-than-average walk rates and you know that Junior is going to be a problem at the dish. He has played all over the infield, other than 1B, but likely ends up at 3B long term if I had to guess. He’s likely to outgrow SS and has the arm to play third. Playing the Keystone may fit as well but wouldn’t be shocked if he ends up in the OF for his long-term defensive home. His MLB ETA is likely 2025. You put this all together and it’s not hard to see why I’m excited about Junior and the upcoming season.
Junior Caminero 2022 highlights (video from Baseball is Everything)
Pitchers
Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Toronto - dob 08/18/2002, Long Beach CA, 2021 MLB Draft (rd. 3, pick 91, Golden West JC), #1 Prospect in the Blue Jays Organization
A tall drink of water (6ft 4in) comes at batters from a low 3/4 slot with an outstanding 3 pitch mix that includes FB/SL/CU. All three pitches project to be Plus and above and can be considered one of the best arsenals in MILB. Like Caminero above, there’s a lot to dream about on Tiedemann’s profile. The fastball sits mid-90’s (seen 98) with arm-side run. His slider comes with lots of break sitting in the low-80s. The change-up is well liked by Baseball America to say the least. They have put a 70 grade on it. It has great movement playing off his fastball while sitting in the mid-80s. Ricky is athletic and with a strong frame already, leading to a possible front of the rotation upside. Ricky is my favourite pitching prospect follow for 2023. MLB ETA for Tiedemann is 2024.
Ricky Tiedemann's Perfect Spring Training Debut (video from Toronto Blue Jays)
Brandon Pfaadt, RHP, Arizona - dob 10/15/1998, Louisville KY, 2020 MLB Draft (rd. 5, pick 149, Bellarmine University), #4 Prospect in the Diamondbacks Organization
The Snakes selected Brandon from the Division II ranks in 2020 who was in competition in spring training to break camp with the big club this year to fill the 4/5 spot in the rotation. While he did get sent to minor league camp recently, I think it is safe to say he will be in AZ sooner rather than later. What you’ll see is a 4 pitch mix containing FB/CB/SL/CU boasting above average command. Pfaadt lead all of the minor leagues in strike outs with 218 last season with only 33 walks in 167 IP. From an arsenal perspective, it is lead by a mid-90s fastball and a low-80s slider with plenty of sweep. Evaluators have put grades between Above-Average to Plus in both cases. Next would be an average change-up, that has improved but still considered his 3rd pitch at the moment. Brandon has shown a curveball but is a below average offering and rarely used. It’s when, not if, Pfaadt debuts in 2023 with middle of the rotation potential.
Pfaadt with 3K's in PCL Championship
Tink Hence, RHP, St. Louis - dob 08/06/2002, Pine Bluff AR, 2020 MLB Draft (CB-B, pick 63, Watson Chapel HS, Pine Bluff, AR), #2 Prospect in the Cardinals Organization
An outstanding athlete with more projection remaining, Tink displays a 4 pitch mix (FB/CB/SL/CU) where his pitches have all been graded between Above Average and Plus. The mix is fastball dominant coming from a 3/4 arm slot while sitting in the mid to high-90s. The curve would be the 2nd ranked pitch if I happened to be ranking them. It has that great 11-5 shape coming at the batter in the high-70s, playing off his high-90s heater. Batting nightmares are built off of stuff like this. The change-up is graded above-average with arm side fade while sitting in the mid-80s. The slider has been described by evaluators as the curveball but flatter shaped but isn’t used often. This is a very exciting and impressive profile to follow along with. If Tink can start showing he can go extended innings and add workload, he can become a front of the rotation starter with his arsenal. MLB ETA will be 2024/25.
The 2023 Follow List has been completed! The Jays, as expected, lead the way with 3 players. Rangers, Mets, Brewers, A’s, Pirates, Astros, Reds, Royals, Rays, Guardians, Mariners, Diamondbacks and Cardinals round out the organizations with 1 each.
Prospect Follows Rundown
Canadian Contingent:
Mitch Bratt 🍁, LHP, Texas
Adam Macko🍁, LHP, Toronto
Calvin Ziegler 🍁, RHP, NY Mets
Tyler Black 🍁, 2B, Milwaukee
Damiano Palmegiani🍁 , 1B/3B, Toronto
Denzel Clarke 🍁, CF, Oakland
Players/Hitters:
Tsung-Che Cheng, SS, Pittsburgh
Kenedy Corona, RF, Houston
Elly De La Cruz, SS, Cincinnati
Gavin Cross, OF, Kansas City
Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay
Pitchers
Will Dion, LHP, Cleveland
Juan Mercedes, RHP, Seattle
Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Toronto
Brandon Pfaadt, RHP, Arizona
Tink Hence, RHP, St. Louis
Haven’t fully decided how I will cover the follows and share with you through the season yet. There may be a few different ways attempted to see what will work best for the 2023 MILB season.
An exciting time right now after the completion of an absolute banger of a WBC and MLB Opening Day under a week away. You can feel that new season energy and I’m going to credit the WBC with me having an increased level of excitement for this season. Opening Day is always great and in reality should be sort of stat holiday, but this year is different. Maybe because I have particular list of prospects to follow? Sure, that helps. Maybe that and seeing the WBC this year has really given my fandom an extra kick in the ass this year. The Ohtani/Trout at bat to finish the final may be the best at bat I have ever watched. No disrespect to the Gagne/Bonds at bat, which is fabulous, this one is my new favourite.
That’s a wrap for today. Thank you for checking in and I’ll be talking with you guys in a while. Until then, you know what to do…..Keep It 80 Grade.