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ayaghmour2 · 11-27-2021, 01:16 PM

CF John Johnson (277th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 37th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Grange College Mustangs

A bit on the older side for a prospect, having just celebrated his 26th birthday, John Johnson received the gift that any minor league player would want; a 40-man roster spot. A former 3rd Round selection of ours, Johnson took a slow climb up the ladder, with this season being the only season he split between two levels. He spent 45 games in Mobile and 85 in Milwaukee, but he was vastly better in Milwaukee. With the Commodores he hit .277/.378/.405 (106 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 8 steals, and 22 RBIs. Then with the Blues he hit an improved .285/.389/.452 (114 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 6 triples, 10 homers, 14 steals, and 46 RBIs. The home run jump was huge, but other then the 1938 season, he has hit 9 or more homers each year. The athletic lefty is very strong, so home runs are something he may hit a lot of in Chicago, but he also has a great sense of the strike zone. He's a reliable defender out in center, and he can fill in at either corner or first, but his speed and range will allow him to stay in center. He's a pretty solid base stealer, something we lack (especially after trading Larry Robison), and that could be the deciding factor when dealing with roster cuts. With Rich Langton now firmly in the 4th outfielders role, there is really only room for one or two more outfielders, so unless MacDonald or Yates are moved, Johnson will likely spend next year back in Milwaukee. OSA and Weinstock actually both think he could be a decent starter in center, but considering he is three years older then Carlos Montes, the only shot he has of starting for us might be his inevitable injury.

SS Arnie Scurlock (305th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 87th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Cumberland University Explorers

I remember on draft day debating between Connie Wright and Arnie Scurlock for my 6th Round Pick, and it was really hard to pick between them. Both were switch hitters, both were extremely versatile, and both were likely perfect utility players. In the end, being an Oak Park Native gave Scurlock the edge, and I was still able to grab Wright a few rounds later. The most recent prospect ranking even has these guys back-to-back (25 and 26), and I really like both of these guys due to their defense and versatility. Scurlock can play all around the diamond, but he spent most of his time with us in Lincoln and most of it at short, hitting .346/.414/.447 (112 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 4 steals, and 29 RBIs across 245 trips to the plate. A bit on the older side, he turns 23 in March, but he does look well developed for his age, and he can easily work his way up the system. With his ability to play pretty much anywhere on the diamond, it will be very easy to not only promote him, but find at bats for him no matter who else is on the roster. Just like Wright, he'll always have the platoon advantage, so even if I don't want to commit him to one position, I can have him fill in around the diamond to keep guys fresh. His speed and range really help on the field, but at most he's a fringe .300 hitter at the plate. He has little to no power, something that may limit his overall value, but he sets a good example in the clubhouse and checks all the boxes for a valuable bench piece.

RHP George Sacchetti (306th Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Cleveland (1938)
Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Redwood University Mammoths

No one in our system took as big of a nosedive as George Sacchetti, and I'm not sure why the prospect prognosticators soured on him. Acquired with a 4th Round Pick last summer for Dave Rankin, OSA still believes the 23-year-old is a back of the rotation arm, and I think that's a more fair assessment. Sacchetti features a high 80s low 90s fastball and a solid change, but his slider and curve aren't the best offerings right now. I do believe they will improve, as does Tom, and he could end up with a passable four pitch mix. He gets a lot of movements on his pitches and does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, limiting hard contact and rolling up double plays. His command helps with the longballs, but he did have some struggles with walks this season. He split his time between Lincoln and San Jose, and while he struck out more then he walked with the Cougars, the walks were a problem in Lincoln. He made 14 starts and was 5-6 with a 5.80 ERA (92 ERA+), 1.94 WHIP, 45 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 94.2 innings pitched. That 2.5 K/9 was his lowest at any level, and he doubled that (5.5) in his 57 innings with San Jose. The issue with Sacchetti is he is underdeveloped for his age, likely not big league ready for at least another two seasons, and that might hurt him as the Jones brothers will be settling in Chicago as he's reaching Milwaukee.

RF Sammy Dillon (308th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 63rd Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Mississippi A&M Generals

A 4th Rounder of ours in the 1938 draft, what attracted me to the Indianapolis native was his power. He hit 32 homers in three seasons with the Generals, and I love corner bats with pop. He hasn't quite hit as many homers in the minors as I wanted, but he matched his junior year total of 11 this season, with 8 in San Jose and 3 in Lincoln. Unfortunately, he didn't hit a single homer in 20 games with Mobile, but it seems like most Commodore hitters tend to struggle with the longball. He didn't hit much at all in AA, but was very impressive in his first two stops. With San Jose he hit .272/.415/.462 (132 OPS+) and with Lincoln .316/.400/.544 (130 OPS+). Split between the three stops, he tallied 28 doubles, 3 triples, and 61 RBIs, but despite 85 college steals, he has yet to steal a base in our system. I thought we had a potential 20/20 player on our hands, but it looks like Dillon is more of a lumbering slugger then a powerful speedster. He is a very discipline hitter, which should help him hit a lot of homers, but my guess is he's a .270 hitter at best. He has tremendous raw power and excellent bat speed, but he will be prone to the strikeout as he takes huge cuts at the plate. Dillon needs more seasoning before he becomes a big league starter, but with the glut of corner outfielders in the league, it may be tough for him to get the chance his talent warrants.

SS Steve Jones (341st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 76th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: Topeka State Braves

Rounding out this year's top 30 is 22-year-old shortstop Steve Jones. A former 5th Round selection, Jones split time between Lincoln and San Jose, but he hit so poorly with the Legislators he ended up finishing his year down in Class B. He hit well with the Cougars, .276/.394/.384 (106 OPS+), but was awful in his 295 PAs with the Legislators. Jones hit a poor .254/.328/.348 (66 OPS+) and seemed rather overmatched throughout the year. His strikeouts jumped from 30 in 55 games to 54 in 78 games, while he managed to walk less (21) in Lincoln then he did in San Jose (26). HIs defense was good in both locations, and he started to get some time at second base as well, but he may have to start next season in San Jose as well. The glove is his best asset, but he has shown promise with his eye and he has the speed to stretch the occasional single into a double. Jones will need a big showing next season to work his way into the picture, potentially moving up a level or two, but for now I think he's more bench bat then big league regular.

11-27-2021, 01:16 PM	#670
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,010	Top Prospects: 26-30 CF John Johnson (277th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 3rd Round, 37th Overall (1935) Alma Mater: Grange College Mustangs A bit on the older side for a prospect, having just celebrated his 26th birthday, John Johnson received the gift that any minor league player would want; a 40-man roster spot. A former 3rd Round selection of ours, Johnson took a slow climb up the ladder, with this season being the only season he split between two levels. He spent 45 games in Mobile and 85 in Milwaukee, but he was vastly better in Milwaukee. With the Commodores he hit .277/.378/.405 (106 OPS+) with 8 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 8 steals, and 22 RBIs. Then with the Blues he hit an improved .285/.389/.452 (114 OPS+) with 9 doubles, 6 triples, 10 homers, 14 steals, and 46 RBIs. The home run jump was huge, but other then the 1938 season, he has hit 9 or more homers each year. The athletic lefty is very strong, so home runs are something he may hit a lot of in Chicago, but he also has a great sense of the strike zone. He's a reliable defender out in center, and he can fill in at either corner or first, but his speed and range will allow him to stay in center. He's a pretty solid base stealer, something we lack (especially after trading Larry Robison), and that could be the deciding factor when dealing with roster cuts. With Rich Langton now firmly in the 4th outfielders role, there is really only room for one or two more outfielders, so unless MacDonald or Yates are moved, Johnson will likely spend next year back in Milwaukee. OSA and Weinstock actually both think he could be a decent starter in center, but considering he is three years older then Carlos Montes, the only shot he has of starting for us might be his inevitable injury. SS Arnie Scurlock (305th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 87th Overall (1935) Alma Mater: Cumberland University Explorers I remember on draft day debating between Connie Wright and Arnie Scurlock for my 6th Round Pick, and it was really hard to pick between them. Both were switch hitters, both were extremely versatile, and both were likely perfect utility players. In the end, being an Oak Park Native gave Scurlock the edge, and I was still able to grab Wright a few rounds later. The most recent prospect ranking even has these guys back-to-back (25 and 26), and I really like both of these guys due to their defense and versatility. Scurlock can play all around the diamond, but he spent most of his time with us in Lincoln and most of it at short, hitting .346/.414/.447 (112 OPS+) with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 4 steals, and 29 RBIs across 245 trips to the plate. A bit on the older side, he turns 23 in March, but he does look well developed for his age, and he can easily work his way up the system. With his ability to play pretty much anywhere on the diamond, it will be very easy to not only promote him, but find at bats for him no matter who else is on the roster. Just like Wright, he'll always have the platoon advantage, so even if I don't want to commit him to one position, I can have him fill in around the diamond to keep guys fresh. His speed and range really help on the field, but at most he's a fringe .300 hitter at the plate. He has little to no power, something that may limit his overall value, but he sets a good example in the clubhouse and checks all the boxes for a valuable bench piece. RHP George Sacchetti (306th Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Cleveland (1938) Draft: 4th Round, 58th Overall (1938) Alma Mater: Redwood University Mammoths No one in our system took as big of a nosedive as George Sacchetti, and I'm not sure why the prospect prognosticators soured on him. Acquired with a 4th Round Pick last summer for Dave Rankin, OSA still believes the 23-year-old is a back of the rotation arm, and I think that's a more fair assessment. Sacchetti features a high 80s low 90s fastball and a solid change, but his slider and curve aren't the best offerings right now. I do believe they will improve, as does Tom, and he could end up with a passable four pitch mix. He gets a lot of movements on his pitches and does a good job keeping the ball on the ground, limiting hard contact and rolling up double plays. His command helps with the longballs, but he did have some struggles with walks this season. He split his time between Lincoln and San Jose, and while he struck out more then he walked with the Cougars, the walks were a problem in Lincoln. He made 14 starts and was 5-6 with a 5.80 ERA (92 ERA+), 1.94 WHIP, 45 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 94.2 innings pitched. That 2.5 K/9 was his lowest at any level, and he doubled that (5.5) in his 57 innings with San Jose. The issue with Sacchetti is he is underdeveloped for his age, likely not big league ready for at least another two seasons, and that might hurt him as the Jones brothers will be settling in Chicago as he's reaching Milwaukee. RF Sammy Dillon (308th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 63rd Overall (1938) Alma Mater: Mississippi A&M Generals A 4th Rounder of ours in the 1938 draft, what attracted me to the Indianapolis native was his power. He hit 32 homers in three seasons with the Generals, and I love corner bats with pop. He hasn't quite hit as many homers in the minors as I wanted, but he matched his junior year total of 11 this season, with 8 in San Jose and 3 in Lincoln. Unfortunately, he didn't hit a single homer in 20 games with Mobile, but it seems like most Commodore hitters tend to struggle with the longball. He didn't hit much at all in AA, but was very impressive in his first two stops. With San Jose he hit .272/.415/.462 (132 OPS+) and with Lincoln .316/.400/.544 (130 OPS+). Split between the three stops, he tallied 28 doubles, 3 triples, and 61 RBIs, but despite 85 college steals, he has yet to steal a base in our system. I thought we had a potential 20/20 player on our hands, but it looks like Dillon is more of a lumbering slugger then a powerful speedster. He is a very discipline hitter, which should help him hit a lot of homers, but my guess is he's a .270 hitter at best. He has tremendous raw power and excellent bat speed, but he will be prone to the strikeout as he takes huge cuts at the plate. Dillon needs more seasoning before he becomes a big league starter, but with the glut of corner outfielders in the league, it may be tough for him to get the chance his talent warrants. SS Steve Jones (341st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 76th Overall (1938) Alma Mater: Topeka State Braves Rounding out this year's top 30 is 22-year-old shortstop Steve Jones. A former 5th Round selection, Jones split time between Lincoln and San Jose, but he hit so poorly with the Legislators he ended up finishing his year down in Class B. He hit well with the Cougars, .276/.394/.384 (106 OPS+), but was awful in his 295 PAs with the Legislators. Jones hit a poor .254/.328/.348 (66 OPS+) and seemed rather overmatched throughout the year. His strikeouts jumped from 30 in 55 games to 54 in 78 games, while he managed to walk less (21) in Lincoln then he did in San Jose (26). HIs defense was good in both locations, and he started to get some time at second base as well, but he may have to start next season in San Jose as well. The glove is his best asset, but he has shown promise with his eye and he has the speed to stretch the occasional single into a double. Jones will need a big showing next season to work his way into the picture, potentially moving up a level or two, but for now I think he's more bench bat then big league regular.