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LHP Genesis Cabrera (6’1 170, 21 in 2018)
2017 statistics with Class A-Advanced Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery: 134 1/3 IP, 3.22 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 9.1 BB%, 19.5 K%
Cabrera pitched very well again in 2017, even reaching Double A with Montgomery. Only three pitchers were younger than him in the Southern League. He has good stuff, led by his 92-93 mph fastball that can touch 97. He complements his heater with a good slider that has made him tough on lefties. He needs to develop a third pitch and improve his command.
2018 Community prospect list
Rank | Player | Votes | Total | Percentage | Last season |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Player | Votes | Total | Percentage | Last season |
1 | RHP Brent Honeywell | 24 | 33 | 72.7% | 2 |
2 | SS Willy Adames | 23 | 24 | 95.8% | 1 |
3 | 1B/LHP Brendan McKay | 16 | 34 | 47.1% | N/A |
4 | OF Jesus Sanchez | 26 | 35 | 74.3% | 9 |
5 | 1B/OF Jake Bauers | 29 | 39 | 74.4% | 4 |
6 | OF Justin Williams | 24 | 35 | 68.6% | 17 |
7 | IF Christian Arroyo | 19 | 38 | 50.0% | N/A |
8 | OF Garrett Whitley | 15 | 36 | 41.7% | 15 |
9 | LHP Anthony Banda | Special | election | N/A | |
10 | RHP Jose De Leon | 15 | 33 | 45.5% | 3 |
11 | OF Joshua Lowe | 13 | 30 | 43.3% | 7 |
12 | SS Lucius Fox | 16 | 36 | 44.4% | 13 |
13 | SS Wander Franco | 13 | 35 | 37.1% | N/A |
14 | RHP Austin Franklin | 17 | 33 | 51.5% | 22 |
15 | RHP Tobias Myers | 11 | 32 | 34.4% | N/A |
16 | 2B Nick Solak | Special | election | N/A | |
17 | RHP Michael Mercado | 7 | 27 | 25.9% | N/A |
18 | 1B/OF Joe McCarthy | 9 | 33 | 27.3% | 25 |
19 | 2B Brandon Lowe | 7 | 31 | 22.6% | N/R |
20 | RHP Chih-Wei Hu | 8 | 28 | 28.6% | 6 |
21 | RHP Jaime Schultz | 9 | 32 | 28.1% | 12 |
22 | C Ronaldo Hernandez | 11 | 30 | 36.7% | N/R |
23 | RHP Diego Castillo | 9 | 25 | 36.0% | 50 |
24 | RHP Yonny Chirinos | 12 | 28 | 42.9% | 41 |
25 | 2B Vidal Brujan | 10 | 28 | 35.7% | N/R |
26 | RHP Ryne Stanek | 8 | 25 | 32.0% | 20 |
27 | LHP Resly Linares | 7 | 26 | 26.9% | 47 |
28 | LHP Genesis Cabrera | 12 | 27 | 44.4% | 23 |
29 | 3B Kevin Padlo | 9 | 27 | 33.3% | 14 |
30 | LHP Ryan Yarbrough | 13 | 29 | 44.8% | 19 |
31 | LHP Brock Burke | N/R | |||
32 | RHP Drew Strotman | N/A | |||
33 | SS Jermaine Palacios | N/A | |||
34 | C Brett Sullivan | 26 | |||
35 | C Nick Ciuffo | 24 | |||
36 | OF Ryan Boldt | 38 | |||
37 | IF Carlos Vargas | 27 | |||
38 | 3B Adrian Rondon | 11 | |||
39 | LHP Travis Ott | 40 | |||
40 | RHP Curtis Taylor | N/A |
I wouldn’t mind if this annual event ended sooner than it did, but I like starting it after the Winter Meetings because I figure that gives the organization a chance to make trades and get new prospects who might get ranked. Clearly, those trades happened a little later than that this offseason.
The two newly acquired prospects, Anthony Banda and Nick Solak, are the only players up for consideration now. There will be a comment for each player, and I’m going to ask you where each should place on the list. If you say No. 1, that player goes above Brent Honeywell. If you say No. 2, that players goes between Honeywell and Willy Adames. If you say No. 17, that player goes between Joe McCarthy and Brandon Lowe. If you don’t think they belong on the list at all, be sure to say that.
LHP Anthony Banda (6’2 190, 24 in 2018)
2017 statistics with Arizona: 252⁄3 IP, 5.96 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 8.7 BB%, 21.7 K%
2017 statistics with Triple-A Reno: 122 IP, 5.39 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 9.6 BB%, 21.8 K%
Despite his struggles in 2017, Banda reached the majors and was still Arizona’s No. 2 prospect, according to Baseball America. Although he didn’t pitch well, he maintained the stuff that made him a potential No. 3 starter, including a plus fastball that can touch 96 mph. His breaking ball and changeup are both inconsistent but have potential to be above-average pitches. His command has to improve. At the very least, he’ll start the season as a member of Durham’s deep pitching staff and get a shot with the Rays later.
2B Nick Solak (R/R, 5’11 175, 23 in 2018)
2017 statistics with Class A-Advanced Tampa and Double-A Trenton: 538 PA, .297/.384/.452, 12 HR, 43 XBH, 14-for-19 SB, 11.7 BB%, 18.6 K%
For two seasons, Solak was a teammate of Rays No. 1 pick Brendan McKay at Louisville. He kind of fits the frequently seen second base profile. He’s not big, but he makes a lot of contact and knows the strike zone. He can spray the ball all over the field and has gap power, and he’s not a bad baserunner. However, he has to improve defensively. Because of the organization’s infield depth, a return to Double A to start 2018 isn’t out of the question.