Mack’s Apples - Cole Winn, Amed Rosario, Jeremiah Jackson, Marlin Chips, Two-Seamer

Baseball America’s  Top 500 Prospects –

        

   10 – (Last: 19):  Cole Winn   HS RHP  School: Orange (Calif.) Lutheran HS

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R | Committed/Drafted: Mississippi State

Scouting Report: In a down year in Southern California from a draft perspective, Winn made the decision to transfer from Colorado to Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High and play in the Trinity League—one of the nation’s best high school baseball conferences. The move has paid off, as Winn has separated himself from other Southern California arms and been one of the most consistent prep righthanders in the country, while also giving himself the opportunity to play at densely scouted events like the National High School Invitational and the Boras Classic South. Winn was on scouting directors’ radars long before his time with Orange Lutheran, however, after impressing at numerous events on the summer showcase circuit with three pitches, including a fastball reaching the 93-94 mph range and one of the more consistent curveballs in the class. This spring, Winn has been up to 96 mph with his fastball, which he can spot effectively to both sides of the plate. His best breaking ball is a plus, 12-to-6 curveball in the mid-70s that has powerful downward action, which he can spot in the zone or use to expand and create swings and misses. Winn also added a low-80s slider, seemingly out of nowhere, and while it’s behind the curveball, it has the makings of another average pitch. Winn is competing with a deep high school class, but he’s one of the few prep arms who has gotten better each time out and has had very few looks that raised questions.

Brooks Baseball on Amed Rosario –

       

    Amed Rosario has seen 1,142 pitches that have been tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2017 and 2018.

In 2018, compared to how other hitters perform with similar pitches:

Against Fastballs (306 seen), he has had a very aggressive approach at the plate (-0.16 c) with an exceptionally high likelihood to swing and miss (28% whiff/swing).

Against Breaking Pitches (156 seen), he has had a steady approach at the plate (0.04 c) with an above average likelihood to swing and miss (36% whiff/swing).

Against Offspeed Pitches (39 seen), he has had a steady approach at the plate (-0.24 c) with an exceptionally low likelihood to swing and miss (14% whiff/swing).

Jonathan Mayo’s top 200 Prospects – Biggest risers:

       

    No. 58 -- Jeremiah Jackson, SS, St. Luke's Episcopal HS, Waco, Tex. (+20)

Jackson has one of the better offensive profiles of any prep middle infielder in this year's class, with the ability to hit for average and perhaps 15 homers annually. He's solid defensively at short, though some see a move to second base eventually. Either way, his bat should have him come off the board in the top three rounds.

          We talk about the Mets selling off Jake deGrom and Noah Syndergard and starting over by obtaining multiple chips for their services.

          The latest team to do this was Miami and I thought we should take a look at the boat load of minor leaguers they got for some real good talent with real big contracts:

          6-26-17:       Traded Adeiny Hechavarria to the Tampa Bay Rays. Received Ethan Clark (minors) and Braxton Lee.

             2018:      Ethan Clark:            A+:     2-G, 0.00, 0.80

                                                          Braxton Lee:            MLB:              .176

7-20-17:       Traded David Phelps to the Seattle Mariners. Received Brayan Hernandez (minors), Pablo Lopez (minors), Brandon Miller (minors) and Lukas Schiraldi (minors).

                                    2018:         Brayan Hernandez:  A-:   On DL

                                                      Pablo Lopez:            AA:     7-ST, 0.24

                                                      Brandon Miller:     A:        9-ST, 6.11

                                                      Lukas Schiraldi:      A+:     16-G, .046   

7-28-17:        Traded AJ Ramos to the New York Mets. Received Ricardo Cespedes (minors) and Merandy Gonzalez.

                                    2018:        Ricardo Cespedes:             Extended Camp

                                                     Merandy Gonzalez:  MLB:  6-G, 4.85

12-7-17:        Traded Dee Gordon and international bonus slot money to the Seattle Mariners. Received Robert Dugger (minors), Nick Neidert (minors) and Chris Torres (minors).

                                    2018:         Robert Dugger:      A+/AA:  9-ST, 2.98

                                                      Nick Neidert:          AA:     9-ST, 3.11

                                                      Chris Torres:            Extended Camp

12-17-17:     Traded Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees. Received Jose Devers (minors), Jorge Guzman (minors) and Starlin Castro.

                                    2018:       Jose Devers:            A:        .254

                                                    Jorge Guzman:       A+:     6-ST, 2.19

                                                    Starlin Castro:        MLB:    .295

12-14-17:     Traded Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals. Received Daniel Castano (minors), Zac Gallen (minors), Sandy Alcantara and Magneuris Sierra.

                                    2018:      Daniel Castano:     A+:     9-ST, 6.04

                                                   Zac Gallen:              AAA:  9-ST, 2.94 (PCL)

                                                   Sandy Alcantara:  AAA:    9-ST, 3.71 (PCL)

                                                   Magneuris Siera:   AAA:      .244

1-25-18:       Traded Christian Yelich to the Milwaukee Brewers. Received Isan Diaz (minors), Monte Harrison (minors), Jordan Yamamoto (minors) and Lewis Brinson.

                                    2018:     Isan Diaz:                 AA:        .201

                                                  Monte Harrison:    AA:       .242

                                                  Jordan Yamamoto:   A+:    2.51

                                                  Lewis Brinson:        MLB:    .159

So far, there are nine nice chips, all that are under team control, and an established young star in Castro.

See how this works?      

Go See the Two-Seamer Before It’s Gone –

       

    In 2010, two-seam/sinker usage was at its peak of 22.5%, according to Pitch Info data. Four-seam fastball usage was at a pitch-tracking-era low of 34.8%. This season, two-seam/sinker usage is at a pitch-tracking-era low of 17.8%, its sixth consecutive year of decline. Four-seam usage is up to 37.6%.

Additionally, more teams — teams like the Astros, Blue Jays, and Yankees — seem interested in adding spin instead of subtracting it. The Pirates represent an outlier for their efforts in targeting and teaching low spin.

Over the past three years, no team has exceeded a 50% ground-ball rate, after the Pirates averaged a mark about 50% from 2013 to -15 — the product of a two-seam-heavy philosophy intended to induce grounders into defensive shifts. While shifts are still popular, teams seem less focused on trying to create ground balls off the mound.