Mack's spin -
Binelas started this mock season in the first round, slumped, and now he's back.
He finished the regular season for Louisville with a .256 batting average, but also belted out 19 home runs and 63 runs batted in.
Like Jud Fabian, he too has a swing and miss problem (51-K, 195-AB), but you can't turn your back on this power.
3B 6-3 200 Louisville
5-25-21 - Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB)
Alex Binelas has three homers today (18) and Henry Davis has two homer today (14).
For Davis, he's got 14 homers and 10 stolen bases this season.
Would be interested to learn the last catcher-primary to go 15/10 in a single season if anyone has that sort of big data
4-30-21 - Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB
A couple guys who really struggled out the gates are finding their footing here the last couple weeks.
Alex Binelas last 6 G: 12 for 27, 5 HRs, 3 2Bs, 17 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K
Jud Fabian last 7 G: 11 for 26, 3 HR, 4 2B, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K
4-19-21 - TTF - Mock 2.0 -
21. Chicago Cubs: Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville
Binelas started the year slow but is starting to find his game again. He’s hitting around .231 with 58 total bases. While this season has done him no favors, his makeup still is intriguing. I predict a drop out of the first round eventually. If he can keep hitting and make little mistakes in the field, he might be able to salvage his first round bid.
4-6-21 - BA - doing bad this season -
Alex Binelas, 1B/3B, Louisville
Over the first eight games of the season before conference play began, Binelas was hitting .065/.189/.097 (2-for-31). Binelas was striking out a little more than would be ideal (24.3%), but it was more a case of him rarely doing anything with pitches when he did connect.
Binelas played in just two games in the abbreviated 2020 season because of a hand injury, so the slow start follows a year where he didn’t get to show what he could do.
SInce then, he’s shown signs that it was a slow start more than a lasting problem. Over the last three weeks, Binelas is hitting .353/.429/.735 and since conference play began in early March, he’s hitting .279/.373/.574. There’s enough time for him to put a brutal start behind him. But he’s going to have to have a furious finish to meet the statistical standards of what is expected from a first-round college bat.
Roughly halfway through the season, Binelas is hitting .212/.317/.424 overall in 99 at-bats over 26 games. There are 24 games left on the regular season schedule, plus the postseason. If he hits .350 (35-for-100) over the rest of the season, he’d still be hitting only .281 overall, which would rank among the lowest batting averages of a first-round pick in the past decade.
4-2-21 - Through The Fence -
7. Kansas City Royals: Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville
Hitting .143 with just seven hits in 49 plate appearances, Binelas is very likely to see a drop out of the top-10. Missing 2020 might be to blame with the rust he still carries. If he can flaunt that beautiful left-handed power he showcased in 2019 again, teams will fall in love again with the Wisconsin native. Otherwise, KC might look to Brady House here.
3-30-21 - Prospects Worldwide -
97. 1B/LF Alex Binelas | School: Louisville | B / T: L / R | Ht: 6’3 | Wt: 205lbs | Age: 21.1
Lightning quick hands and keeps them close to the body, although not the prettiest of swings has made it work. Easy Plus Power to all fields and stays compact through the entire swing, no question the power can play at the next level, however if the hit tool can’t materialize, that may drop to just Above-average Power. There is likely always going to be a high amount of swing and miss in Binelas’ game, especially on secondaries, but he will offset it will fairly well with solid BB rates. Improved contact rates will allow that impressive power to play more consistently. Defensively, below average at 3B, glove and footwork at the position are pretty choppy and likely pushing him to 1B or LF duties, which seems to have already started taking place in College. Shows a strong Arm across the diamond, but struggles on double play feeds and the accuracy in general could see some major improvements. If Binelas can prove himself capable of handling the hot corner with just league average marks, his value takes a big jump. If not, it’s going to be tough to see himself get back into 1st Round territory the way he has performed thus far.
3-13-21 - Dan Zielinski III - @DanZielinski3
Wisconsin native Alex Binelas with his first home run of the season. Binelas has struggled early this season but maybe this will be the turning point. He is a top 2021 draft prospect.
3-12-21 - top hitters in draft -
#9. Alex Binelas, 3B
Your prototypical left-handed, corner power-bat, Binelas hit the college scene with a bang during his freshman season at Louisville in 2019, slugging 14 home runs and 59 RBI to go along with a .291 AVG (the first Cardinals batter to belt 10 or more homers as a freshman since 2007). We know there should be plenty of pop in his bat once a pro, but it’s Binelas’ defense that evaluators are still unsure of, with many predicting a move to first base if he’s not able to make some improvements. Unfortunately, Binelas only logged two games last season due to an injury, and so far he’s struggled out of the gate in 2021, hitting just .143 with a bump in strikeout rate.
2-18-21 - Joe @JoeDoyleMiLB
It's a top-heavy third base class this year, but there's some serious talent here. Alex Binelas leads the way, but Zack Gelof isn't too far off. Trey Sweeney may be my biggest draft sleeper, while Damiano Palmegiani and Riley Tirotta have big helium on their names.
2-15-21 - CBS - Top 50 -
13. Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville
Binelas was limited to two games last season by a combination of the pandemic and a hand injury. Provided he shows no ill effects from the layoff, he could become the fourth (or fifth, depending on Harry Davis) Cardinal in five years to go within the top 10, joining Reid Detmers (Angels), Brendan McKay (Rays), and Corey Ray (Brewers). Binelas has hit .286/.376/.596 with 14 home runs as a collegiate, leveraging a line-drive approach and an ability to make consistent hard contact. He doesn't offer as much value with the leather because of lower-half stiffness, and he seems likely to end up at first base before he reaches arbitration. Still, Binelas' bat gives him a high floor.
1-26-21 - BA -
9. Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville
Areas To Improve: Prove third base defense/arm strength, stay healthy
Binelas is one of the better hit/power bats in the 2021 class, which is why he’s featured among the top 10 players. College third basemen who are selected among the first 10 picks have a strong track record given the offensive bar players have to clear to go this high as a corner profile. Still, some teams wonder if he’s not a better fit for first base in the long term, so improving his defense and showing better arm strength this spring could help that projection. Binelas was limited to just two games in 2020 due to a hamate injury, so staying healthy and developing more of a track record will be especially crucial for him.
1-20-21 - D1 Baseball's top 100 College Prospects -
11 Alex Binelas 3B H Louisville ACC
1-20-21 - prospect live -
#18
St. Louis Cardinals
Alex Binelas
3B, Louisville
Binelas to the Cardinals would be an absolute steal at this point in the first round. Binelas had a hamate bone injury in 2020, though that doesn't take away from a monster freshman campaign in 2019. He's got some of the best usable power in this class and strong plate recognition with an impressive 11.4% walk rate at Louisville. He's a better athlete than he's given credit for. The run, defense and arm tools all grade out at least average.
Binelas sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteTrue... but how many third base prospects do we need?
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