11.8.2015 Winter League Results: Satterwhite Shuts Down the Dutch, Thornton Hangs On for Hold #11, Tough Day for Adrian Almeida

USA Premier12 Baseball

- Team USA 3 - 2 Team Netherlands

• C Dan Rohlfing: 1 for 2 
• RHP Cody Satterwhite: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K

Arizona Fall League

- No Games Scheduled

Mexican Pacific League

- Caneros de los Mochis 0 - 1 Mayos de Navojoa
- Caneros de los Mochis 6 - 2 Mayos de Navojoa

- Venados de Mazatlan 7 - 1 Tomateros de Culiacan
- Yaquis de Obregon 3 - 1 Naranjeros de Hermosillo

- Aguilas de Mexicali 6 - 0 Charros de Jalisco

• C Xorge Carrillo: 1 for 4, R, 2B, K  

Venezuela Professional Baseball League

- Caribes de Anzoategui 2 - 3 Aguilas del Zulia
- Navegantes del Magallanes 5 - 4 Tigres de Aragua

• CF Oswaldo Caraballo: 0 for 1 
• RHP Zach Thornton: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, Hold(11)

- Leones del Caracas 5 - 1 Tiburones de La Guaira

• C Albert Cordero: 0 for 4, K

- Cardenales de Lara 4 - 8 Bravos de Margarita

• LHP Adrian Almeida: 0.1 IP, 3 ER, 4 BB

Dominican Baseball League

- Gigantes del Cibao 6 - 2 Aguilas Cibaenas

Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League

- Gigantes de Carolina 1 - 5 Indios de Mayaguez
- Criollos de Caguas 2 - 7 Cangrejeros de Santurce

• LF Arnaldo Berrios: 0 for 4, BB, 2 K
• LHP Joel Huertas: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K 

11.4.2015 Winter League Results | McNeil Looking Good at SS, Carrillo and Perez Go Deep, Velasquez Records 2nd Save

USA Premier12 Baseball

Side Note: Tournament Play Begins Nov. 10th. Exhibition games scheduled vs Netherlands on 11/6 and Chinese Taipei 11/7.

Arizona Fall League

- Glendale Desert Dogs 8 - 9 Surprise Saguaros

- Scottsdale Scorpions 8 - 2 Peoria Javelinas

- Salt River Rafters 12 - 6 Mesa Solar Sox

• PH-2B L.J. Mazzilli: 0 for 2
• 2B-SS Jeff McNeil: 1 for 4, 3 R, 2 RBI(6, 7)  
• RHRP Mike Hepple: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB

Mexican Pacific League

- Naranjeros de Hermosillo 8 - 1 Caneros de los Mochis

- Tomateros de Culiacan 7 - 9 Yaquis de Obregon

- Charros de Jalisco 3 - 4 Venados de Mazatlan

- Mayos de Navojoa 5 - 3 Aguilas de Mexicali

• C Xorge Carrillo: 1 for 4, R, HR(2), RBI(11)  

Venezuela Professional Baseball League

- Bravos de Margarita 7 - 5 Navegantes del Magallanes

• LHRP Adrian Almeida: 0.1 IP, 1 H
• RHRP Zach Thornton: 0.1 IP

- Cardenales de Lara 2 - 1 Leones del Caracas 

• DH Jairo Perez: 3 for 4, R, HR(5), RBI(18)   
• C Albert Cordero: 0 for 3, K

Dominican Baseball League

- Tigres del Licey 2 - 1 Gigantes del Cibao
- Estrellas de Oriente 0 - 5 Leones del Escogido

- Aguilas Cibaenas 0 - 2 Toros del Este

• LHRP Dario Alvarez: 0.2 IP, 1 K

Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League

- Criollos de Caguas 4 - 1 Indios de Mayaguez

• PR-LF Arnaldo Berrios: 0 for 0, BB

- Cangrejeros de Santurce 6 - 5 Gigantes de Carolina

• RHRP Jon Velasquez: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 K, Save(2)

MMs Top 25: #23 LHP Adrian Almeida

#23 LHP Adrian Jose Almeida (LR: not ranked)

Bats: L Throws: L
Height: 6' 0" Weight: 150 lb

Age: 20
Acquired: 2011 International Signing, $170,000 bonus, Puerto Cabello, Venezuela

2014: (Rk)    3-2, 2.13 ERA, 38.0 IP, 9.5 K/9, 5.4 BB/9, 1.289 WHIP
2013: (DsL1) 3-3, 3.89 ERA, 41.2 IP, 9.3 K/9, 5.8 BB/9, 1.392 WHIP 
2012: (DsL1) 0-3, 2.50 ERA, 39.2 IP, 7.5 K/9, 5.4 BB/9, 1.487 WHIP

     Who is Adrian Almeida? Well......quite frankly, not many people know. So much so, that there's not even any pictures of him on Google! Almeida was part of the same 2011 international free agent class that brought the Mets Marcos Molina and Amed Rosario. Besides the obvious throwing hand comparison, the primary difference between Molina and Almeida is their physicality. Molina grew into his body almost immediately after his signing going 170 lbs to 190 lbs and growing an additional inch. Almeida has not seen that growth spurt yet. At 6 feet, 150 pounds, his arm speed and skinny build could add more velocity to his already 91 mph fastball.

     In the Dominican Summer Leagues, Almeida actually had more pure movement on his pitches than Molina did K'ing 7.5 per 9 innings in his 1st season. After an off-season of professional training, Almeida jumped that up to 9.3 K/9 and then again up to 9.5 K/9 after coming stateside in 2014. That same movement though is also currently his downfall as he struggles with control due to an inefficient motion and trouble repeating his delivery. 

     Despite the control problems though, the stuff is REALLY good. As we said earlier, he already brings a 89-91 mph fastball with good movement on it. However, his best pitch is actually his curveball which is extremely advanced for a foreign born player. Scouts believe it has the potential to be an MLB "60 grade" plus pitch if he can tighten up the spin a bit more and improve his control of it. He also has a fairly decent change-up in his arsenal too. Like his curveball, the spin on it is more advanced than most foreign born players as he is able to stay through it and keep in low in the zone instead of letting it run away from his arm and leaving it up. 

     Bonus Babies are extremely hard to project, especially, when they have not been seen much. However, when a left handed pitching prospect comes around and has two secondary pitches that are more advanced then his peers AND his fastball already has league average velocity...with room to grow....you have to put him on your prospect radar. Unfortunately, right now, I see more Oliver Perez in him than I do David Price, but, that can change very quickly. Outside of Steven Matz, Almeida could be the highest upside left handed arm in the Mets system right now. He'll spend some time in extended spring training with coaches to try to improve his control before heading out to fill the large shoes that Marcos Molina left for him in Brooklyn. We'll be very anxious to see him in person during the 2015 season.

Ceiling: Unknown. Has tools to at least be a LOOGY. (Oliver Perez)
Floor: Struggles to adjust to Full Season A ball
Anticipated Assignment: (SS-A) Brooklyn Cyclones starting rotation.