[ayaghmour2]

CF Don Lee (159th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 28th Overall (1940)
Alma Mater: Lincoln High School Lions

Few hitters in our system hit better then Don Lee, who raked at two levels in his first full minor league season. The former second rounder started the season in La Crosse, and hit an astronomical .360/.483/.596 (182 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 6 triples, 7 homers, 10 steals, and 34 RBIs in 205 trips to the plate. His discipline is advanced for a teen, walking 41 times with just 13 strikeouts. Lee showed no signs of slowing down up in San Jose, hitting an impressive .303/.384/.545 (145 OPS+) in 372 PAs for the Cougars. He added 25 more doubles, 7 triples, 13 homers, and 10 steals with 65 RBIs and again, more walks (42) then strikeouts (18). His defense was much better in La Crosse (6.0, 1.063) then San Jose (-7.7, .948), but I do have faith in his defense out in center. He can flat out fly on the bases and in the outfield, he took huge strides this season. He has plenty of bat speed and is hitting the ball hard and far, with a lot more power then I expected. He's a frustrating hitter who can work the count deep without striking out, and he's always looking to take the extra base. Add on his outstanding work ethic, and the sky truly is the limit for the Jersey native. I continue to say it, but he has the most upside of any of our outfielders, and while it may take him a while to reach the show, Lee could eventually supplant Carlos Montes as the every day center fielder, or at least move to left when Leo Mitchell's range makes him best suited for first base. I'm really excited for Lee, who may get to start next season in Lincoln, but with all the outfielders in our system, he may be stuck in San Jose until his offense is just too good to keep down.

2B Ossie Grogan (132nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Philadelphia (1941)
Drafted: 15th Round, 232nd Overall (1934)
Alma Mater: Wilson Tigers

Technically a Rule-5 Pick of ours, when the Sailors put veteran first basemen Dick Walker on the block, I looked to trade for Ossie Grogan's rights as well. I sent them a pair of corner outfielders in Jim McCarthy and Vince Conforti, and sent Ossie down to Milwaukee to get some time at short. It wasn't pretty, and he eventually got more time at second, but considering how good he is at the keystone, I thought short would be manageable. Of course, he is passable there, and with his bat, he could play short in a pinch. The switch hitting 25-year-old hit a strong .325/.379/.431 (125 OPS+) in Milwaukee with 18 doubles, 10 triples, 7 steals, and 45 RBIs. He's got elite plate discipline, owning a 33-to-4 walk-to-strikeout ratio in exactly 400 trips to the plate. He got some time in Chicago, most of it in September after Ollie Page got hurt, but he was just 5-for-26. He did walk and score four times, with 5 RBIs, 2 doubles, and a triple, but the offensive output he showed in AAA didn't quite translate to big league success. Being able to hit from both sides of the plate makes him valuable, and he's got a great contact tool which allows him to consistently put the ball in play. Not much power from him, but he's got good speed and can be a late inning replacement as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. Second base is a crowded position, but with the injury issues of Billy Hunter, Freddie Jones, and Ollie Page, Grogan may get a shot to stick in Chicago.

LHP Leo Hayden (133rd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 2nd Round, 29th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Benicia Panthers

Our second round selection this Spring, Leo Hayden as everything you look for in a big league pitcher. The lefty is an imposing 6'6'' with great stuff and potentially above average command. The 19-year-old sits in the upper 80s, but with his height, I'd be surprised if he doesn't add any velocity as he rises through our system. As most teens do, he started his Cougar career in La Crosse, but he didn't not pitch like a teen. He was 8-1 in 11 starts with a 2.62 ERA (195 ERA+), 1.42 WHIP, 27 walks, and 30 strikeouts. He tossed three shutouts and had another two scoreless start through 8, throwing 101 or more pitches in each of his starts. He even reached 136 in a 5-hit shutout, and has shown no issues going as deep as he needs. I love this kids stuff, as he has a sweeping curve and a really good change, and his slider and fastball are solid pitches as well. When he's on he can dominate, and if he can find the strike zone a little more often, he could develop into one of the most dependable arms we have. I haven't decided where he'll start next season, but since we have a lot of young arms I'd like to give starts to, it might be worth pushing the towering lefty up to San Jose, and see if he can work his way up to Lincoln before the season ends.

RHP Ira Hawker (136th Overall)
Acquired: Via Minor League Free Agency (1938)
Drafted: 26th Round, 252nd Overall (1937)
Alma Mater: Glasgow Greyhounds

Ira Hawker has put us in a tough spot, as the 22-year-old is Rule-5 eligible and has yet to pitch in AA. The outfield convert has been slightly below average in most of his innings, but he was really good with the Legislators this year. Hawker went 8-4 with a 2.75 ERA (154 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 27 walks, and 41 strikeouts, before a promotion up to Lincoln. He had some struggles, but managed to go 5-3 with a 4.22 EAR (95 ERA+), 1.57 WHIP, 40 walks, and 27 strikeouts. He got 12 starts at both stops, but he has only 50 minor league starts in his pro career. It's tough to use up a 40-man roster spot on someone like that, but with his upside and the military draft looming, it's not too crazy to think that a team would be willing to commit a big league roster spot to him. He's a talented groundballer with a nice four pitch mix, headlined by a nice curve and 88-90 mile per hour fastball. Neither pitch is dominant, but he mixes his offerings well, and they're all big league quality pitches. He's able to get a lot of movement on his pitches, keeping the ball in the park while generating a lot of easy outs. I only have two open 40-man spots at this time, but I imagine Hawker will eventually grab one once the dust settles.

RHP Jack Huston (154th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 5th Round, 77th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Bay State Bulldogs

Taken in the 5th Round this Summer out of Bay State, Jack Huston seemed to be underdeveloped for a college arm, but despite him not having three big league quality pitches (something I look for in college arms), I thought it would be worth the risk. They early returns look good, as he's already ranked inside the top 200, and he's looked solid so far. He made 4 starts in La Crosse and 7 in San Jose, going 7-3 with 32 walks and 46 strikeouts across 83.2 innings pitched. As expected, he was much better with the Lions, but his 4.62 ERA (92 ERA+) and 1.56 WHIP in San Jose were respectable. A three pitch pitcher, Huston is a sidearmer who sits in the mid-to-high 80s, with a slider that is much better then his fastball and curve. As with most sidearmers, he's deceptive and gets a ton of movement, and when he locates the slider well, he's able to rack up the strikeouts. Command issues may by limit his effectiveness a bit, and depending on how quickly he masters it, he could be a back end or just spot starter. The real test will be the development of his secondary pitches, but with a slider as good as his, he could fallback as a late inning reliever who you can count on for multiple innings. I'd like to see him finish the season in Lincoln, but I can't see him advancing up our system very quickly.