End of season review: Hitters

NOLA (AAA)

Cameron Maybin
August - 56 AB, .286/.328/.429 (.756), 4/11 BB/K, 1 SB
Season - 298 AB, .319/.399/.463 (.862), 3 HR, 26 2B/3B, 38/58 BB/K, 8/2 SB

Was banged up a little bit which explains the decreased ABs. He is now with the MLB club for the rest of the season. All and all, a pretty good year in AAA. If he hits 60+ extra base hits hits in the majors over 650 AB, he’s going to be one hell of a player. Hopefully more of them turn into homeruns, and those SB numbers go up as well, but this was an excellent year for Cam. He should be penned into center field in 2010.

Gaby Sanchez
August - 66 AB, .318/.458/.576 (1.034), 5 HR, 15/5 BB/K
Season - 298 AB, .292/.377/.470 (.847), 14 HR, 38/42 BB/K, 5/0 SB

Organization won’t let him play at the MLB level, but he continues to rake. The BB/K is pretty excellent, and this could be a .775-.825 OPSing player at the big league level. Which is a very solid starter. Morrison may have more upside, but it should be his job to lose in Spring training for 1B. He deserves the opportunity.

Jai Miller
August - 91 AB, .253/.346/.495 (.841), 6 HR, 11/35 BB/K
Season - 323 AB, .282/.353/.502 (.855), 15 HR, 35/99 BB/K, 6/3 SB

Nothing has changed report to report. Still too many strikeouts. This is the next in the Reggie Abercrombie-Charlton Jimerson line of AAAA toolsy outfielders who will get a few shots in the bigs, but probably aren’t good enough to hold down a backup job because lack of contact. Jai has to be on our 25 man roster in 2010, as he is out of options, so it’s likely he is back for Spring Training 2010 and he must win a job to stay in the organization.

Alejandro De Aza
August - 58 AB, .293/.379/.534 (.913), 2 HR, 6/15 BB/K, 0/2 SB
Season - 258 AB, .295/.359/.508 (.867), 8 HR, 23/51 BB/K, 8/5 SB

Impressive numbers. I still don't like him that much but he should get a shot at a roster spot in Spring '10.

John Raynor
August - 85 AB, .306/.388/.459 (.847), 2 HR, 10/19 BB/K, 4/2 SB
Season - 423 AB, .258/.327/.362 (.689), 6 HR, 39/114 BB/K, 18/8 SB

Ending strong which is nice to see. He’ll be more than likely placed on the 40 man roster before the Rule5 draft and sent back to NOLA in 2010. Those strikeouts are a bit worrisome though.

Brett Hayes
August - 68 AB, .176/.250/.235 (.485), 1 HR, 6/20 BB/K
Season - 322 AB, .239/.281/.323 (.604), 4 HR, 20/66 BB/K, 2/0 SB

Up with the club for September, back to NOLA in April as our 3rd catcher. After this year, he has no chance at the backup roll for 2010. The lack of bat is scary.

Brett Carroll
August - 76 AB, .276/.329/.539 (.869), 5 HR, 6/16 BB/K, 0/1 SB
Season - 103 AB, .233/.295/.427 (.722), 5 HR, 8/23 BB/K, 0/1 SB

BC is out of options after this season, so he will more than likely be the Marlins 4th or 5th outfielder for next year. Hopefully they give him more playing time, as he clearly is the best defensive outfielder in the organization and he has power potential. If he can OPS a mid 700 in a platoon role, that’s a very good player to have around.

JACKSONVILLE (AA)

Bryan Petersen
August - 98 AB, .337/.411/.510 (.921), 3 HR, 13/7 BB/K, 1/6 SB/CS
Season - 410 AB, .302/.375/.422 (.797), 7 HR, 49/66 BB/K, 12/12 SB/CS

He’s been on fire for three months, but the fact he is an outfielder, and pretty much a corner outfielder, makes that lack of HR pop a bit concerning for the longterm. The BB/K and average easily suggest he’ll hit MLB pitching, but even if it’s .290/.360/.440, we’re talking an average OF as the HIGH, with no real longterm potential to turn into an above average producer (which is the goal of every position). I think by 2011, he and Cousins will be in a platoon in LF/RF (depending on where Stanton and Morrison land), but I can only get excited in a “Matt Murton” kind of way, and not as a future starter kind of way.

Logan Morrison
August - 99 AB, .293/.393/.434 (.828), 1 HR, 16/17 BB/K, 3/2 SB/CS
Season - 257 AB, .280/.419/.459 (.878), 8 HR, 61/42 BB/K, 7/3 SB/CS

It’s pretty exciting that his “bad” month is “Chris Coghlan.” Because of the low quantity of ABs, I’d like to see him play winter ball somewhere in the DR, and then get 200 PA in NOLA before the inevitable callup. He will be placed on the 40 man roster by the Rule5 draft.

Scott Cousins
August - 93 AB, .269/.340/.495 (.834), 3 HR, 10/19 BB/K, 5/4 SB/CS
Season - 463 AB, .259/.322/.443 (.765), 39 2B/3B, 12 HR, 42/99 BB/K, 26/9 SB/CS

Ending strong. The strikeouts are a big concern, and you’d like to have seen an extra 15-20 BB on the year, but this was an OK year. Not the breakout we hoped, but he still holds his own and shows enough promise to potentially turn into a longterm starter. Look at the huge quantity of XBH, the speed, and remember he is the second best defensive outfielder we have next to BC. He will be going to the AFL, and probably promoted to AAA next year. He will have to go on the 40 man roster before the Rule5 draft too.

Mike Stanton
August - 100 AB, .210/.281/.390 (.671), 4 HR, 11/34 BB/K
Season AA - 278 AB, .234/.310/.453 (.763), 14 HR, 27/93 BB/K, 1/1 SB
Season A+ - 180 AB, .294/.390/.578 (.968), 12 HR, 28/45 BB/K, 2/2 SB

I’m going to say a .763 OPS as a 19 year old in AA is pretty impressive. Obviously need to see the whiffs go down, walks go up, and add at least 50 points in average, but he held his own which is all you can ask for. He will probably start 2010 in AA again, and if he comes out like he did in Jupiter this year, see a summer promotion to AAA. I still think the first we see him is a September callup in 2010, and maybe become a starting option if everything goes perfect summer 2011. I think it’s likely he’ll be a top 5 overall prospect in MLB when Baseball America releases their new list in the fall.

Matt Dominguez
August/Season AA - 82 AB, .183/.280/.280 (.560), 1 HR, 11/19 BB/K
Season A+ - 381 AB, .262/.333/.420 (.753), 11 HR, 38/68 BB/K, 1/0 SB

Brutal promotion, but he was tearing up A+ (had a horrible start, awesome end of his team in Jupiter which explains the low overall line. Also remember park factors). He will begin in AA next year, and probably stay there the entire season.

JUPITER (A+)

Literally no one of interest.

GREENSBORO (A)

Thomas Hickman
August/Season - 76 AB, .355/.473/.750 (1.223), 7 HR, 16/22 BB/K, 2/2 SB

Blast from the past is killing baseballs. Very old for this level, I’m guessing they move him to Jacksonville to start 2010 and maybe he can reclaim some of his prospect status. If you don’t know who Hickman is, he was considered a “Hermida Lite” when drafted because he walks a ton. But Hickman also likes to strikeout every 3rd AB which really hurts his prospect status.

Jake Smolinski
August - 44 AB, .409/.458/.545 (1.004), 2/8 BB/K
Season - .285/.380/.449 (.829), 7 HR, 36/44 BB/K, 2/5 SB

Got banged up a little, but was ending the year really strong before he did. I hope this is not a trend where he is injury prone, because when he plays he produces pretty well. Very solid season in GBO coming back from a major arm injury. He will probably open in Jupiter and start comparing comparisons to Coghlan if he relatively repeats the success of this season.

Isaac Galloway
August - 95 AB, .263/.283/.368 (.651), 1 HR, 6/28 BB/K, 7/2 SB
Season - 313 AB, .265/.293/.380 (.673), 3 HR, 12//83 BB/K, 14/8 SB

All tools. Way too many Ks. He probably repeats Greensboro. It’s to early to tell, but this may be the next Greg Burns who everyone loves athletically, but just doesn’t put it together as a player. But he’s very young so this could turn around real quick.

Kyle Skipworth
August - 17 AB, .235/.316/.647 (.963), 2 HR, 2/4 BB/K
Season - 264 AB, .208/.263/.348 (.612), 7 HR, 18/91 BB/K, 1/2 SB

Got hurt, but he hit some HR. Anything positive. He will start again in Greensboro, and it just has to be better. He’s the biggest bust of the 2008 draft as of right now.

JAMESTOWN (A-)

No one of interest.

GCL Marlins (R)

Marcell Ozuna
August - 91 AB, .264/.349/.396 (.744), 2 HR, 13/26 BB/K
Season - 214 AB, .313/.377/.486 (.863), 5 HR, 22/52 BB/K, 4/2 SB

Slowed down a bit, but looking OK. That’s a lot of strikeouts, but he’s extremely young. He’ll probably get some time in Jamestown and Greensboro next year where the real talent evaluation will begin.