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ayaghmour2 · 04-12-2022, 12:40 PM

3B Jocko Pollard (299th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 95th Overall (1935)
Alma Mater: Grafton Indians

One of the most dangerous sluggers in our system, Jocko Pollard had a bit of a down year in his first taste of AAA, but hit well enough to secure a 40-man roster spot and September callup. He was 0-for-2 and appeared in 3 games, so he's still looking for his first big league hit, and will get a chance to earn a roster spot this Spring. It was his worst offensive season since his first, but he hit a bit above average .279/.333/.423 (109 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 3 triples, 11 homers, and 80 RBIs. He has yet to match his 1938 (25) and 1939 (21) homer totals in the past two seasons, but I'm hoping the Rhode Island can unlock some more of that power. Tom Weinstock is a big fan, thinking Pollard can force his way into the lineup due to his above average contact and eye. He likes his smooth swing and quick hands, as well as his pitch recognition, but he doesn't talk too much about his power anymore. Pollard does hit the ball in the air a lot, which will help the ball leave the yard in Chicago, but with John Lawson at first now and Otto Christian there in the future, Pollard's big league career might be bridging the gap between the two sluggers.

RF Dan Collins (302nd Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 109th Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Wisconsin State Brewers

One of our 7th Round selections in the most recent draft, the hardworking corner outfielder actually hit better in the farm then he did in college. Dan Collins hit an impressive .402/.462/.610 (182 OPS+) in San Jose before slashing ..306/.405/.444 (131 OPS+) up in Lincoln. The 22-year-old from Wisconsin combined for 19 doubles, 7 homers, and 58 RBIs in 269 trips to the plate. His bat is nice, but his makeup is what really brought me to him. He takes full advantage of practice time, looking to improve the fundamental side of the game, and he takes charge on the field and in the dugout. He's already a leader in the clubhouse, and he pushes his teammates to be better. He has a nice eye and hit tool, but if the power comes along, he can be a really dangerous hitter. He'll never be a good defender, but he more then held his own out in right this season, and if he continues to work out, he could be respectable in either corner. Collins is one of those low ceiling, high floor type players, and while he likely won't be an everyday player, his makeup could be enough to secure him a big league roster spot.

1B Hod Seagroves (321st Overall)
Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937)
Drafted: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1936)
Alma Mater: Lake Park Panthers

In terms of prospect ranks, Hod Seagroves had a rough year, as he's almost completely fallen out of our top 30. He just turned 24 and is Rule-5 Eligible, but I don't think the Chicagoan is going to get a 40 spot year. He did hit really well in Lincoln, however, slashing .351/.411/.497 (146 OPS+) with 30 doubles, 10 triples, 5 homers, and 55 RBIs. 1941 was the best season in his minor league career, and if he stays in our system, he'll be up in Mobile for next season, with the chance to move up the ladder if he continues to hit like this. We don't really have any first basemen ahead of him, and since he's also a solid second basemen, he will control his own destiny. The most impressive part about Seagroves is his discipline, with 46 walks and just 1 strikeout in 501 PAs. He struck out just 5 times last season, and his 89 strikeouts since 1937 is less then Leo Mitchell's 97 this year in Chicago. I had high hopes for Hod, thinking he could be an everyday player for us, but I think he's just a bench piece now who will give good at bats late in the game, and can fill in for an injured starter for a few weeks at a time. Anything more then that, and you might want to upgrade.

SS Joe Dackett (321st Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 93rd Overall (1941)
Alma Mater: Darnell State Legislators

I could have, and probably should have, started Joe Dackett in San Jose, but we needed a shortstop in La Crosse, and he was easily our best option. Taken in the 6th Round of our most recent draft, Dackett had an offensive explosion for the Lions, hitting a robust .368/.467/.495 (152 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 4 homers, and 32 RBIs. He also managed to draw 40 walks in 55 games, and owned an impressive 13.9 zone rating and 1.143 efficiency at short. These are all extremely impressive measures, and even if he was about 75% as good as he was, I'd still have moved him up to San Jose for the start of next season. An extremely athletic shortstop, Dackett has superb range and great hands, and he's one of those guys who makes the tough plays look easy. His future is definitely at short, and while there were a few concerns about his bat when I drafted him, they haven't materialized yet. He hits the ball hard and up the middle, but he'll hit a lot more groundballs then line drives. More importantly, he's a tough out, swinging at mostly strikes while taking more then his share of walks. His glove makes him the perfect utility player, and with his age he could move up our system rather quick. I'm still not sold on the bat, but he made huge strides forward with the Lions, and it'll be interesting how he adapts to tougher pitching next year.

LHP Ed Wilkinson (319th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 55th Overall (1938)
Alma Mater: CC Los Angeles Coyotes

When the season started, Ed Wilkinson probably did not expect to make his big league debut. He was just average in 9 outings with the Commodores last year, and he was set to return to Mobile to begin, and likely finish, his aged 24 season. Instead, Wilkinson dominated, going 9-3 with a 2.88 ERA (151 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 27 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 12 starts before a promotion to Milwaukee. Of course, it's very hard to maintain that level of performance, but the former 4th Rounder was effective in 11 starts with the Blues. The southpaw was 4-5, but with a 3.32 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 13 walks, and 47 strikeouts. Sure, the ERA and WHIP were higher, but unlike most pitchers making the jump from AA to AAA, his BB/9 (2.4 to 1.5) and K/9 (3.0 to 5.6) improved. This was enough for me to give him one final promotion, and he spent the last few weeks up in Chicago with the big league club. He pitched just one inning, but it was perfect 1-2-3 against Brooklyn, and the Ashland, PA native is officially an FABL player. A five pitch pitcher, Wilkinson has a nice low 90s fastball, and he mixes all his pitches well to keep hitters off balance. His stuff is average and he locates his pitches well, allowing him to keep walks low while striking out a few hitters as well. It will be tough for him to work his way into our rotation, but he could be counted on in the pen, and will have a shot to steal a spot this Spring. That being said, he may not get another inning in the big leagues, but he's interesting enough that I don't think he's a guy I could sneak through waivers if I wanted to give his spot to someone else.

04-12-2022, 12:40 PM	#780
ayaghmour2 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 3,078	Top Prospects: 26-30 3B Jocko Pollard (299th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 95th Overall (1935) Alma Mater: Grafton Indians One of the most dangerous sluggers in our system, Jocko Pollard had a bit of a down year in his first taste of AAA, but hit well enough to secure a 40-man roster spot and September callup. He was 0-for-2 and appeared in 3 games, so he's still looking for his first big league hit, and will get a chance to earn a roster spot this Spring. It was his worst offensive season since his first, but he hit a bit above average .279/.333/.423 (109 OPS+) with 29 doubles, 3 triples, 11 homers, and 80 RBIs. He has yet to match his 1938 (25) and 1939 (21) homer totals in the past two seasons, but I'm hoping the Rhode Island can unlock some more of that power. Tom Weinstock is a big fan, thinking Pollard can force his way into the lineup due to his above average contact and eye. He likes his smooth swing and quick hands, as well as his pitch recognition, but he doesn't talk too much about his power anymore. Pollard does hit the ball in the air a lot, which will help the ball leave the yard in Chicago, but with John Lawson at first now and Otto Christian there in the future, Pollard's big league career might be bridging the gap between the two sluggers. RF Dan Collins (302nd Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 109th Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Wisconsin State Brewers One of our 7th Round selections in the most recent draft, the hardworking corner outfielder actually hit better in the farm then he did in college. Dan Collins hit an impressive .402/.462/.610 (182 OPS+) in San Jose before slashing ..306/.405/.444 (131 OPS+) up in Lincoln. The 22-year-old from Wisconsin combined for 19 doubles, 7 homers, and 58 RBIs in 269 trips to the plate. His bat is nice, but his makeup is what really brought me to him. He takes full advantage of practice time, looking to improve the fundamental side of the game, and he takes charge on the field and in the dugout. He's already a leader in the clubhouse, and he pushes his teammates to be better. He has a nice eye and hit tool, but if the power comes along, he can be a really dangerous hitter. He'll never be a good defender, but he more then held his own out in right this season, and if he continues to work out, he could be respectable in either corner. Collins is one of those low ceiling, high floor type players, and while he likely won't be an everyday player, his makeup could be enough to secure him a big league roster spot. 1B Hod Seagroves (321st Overall) Acquired: Via Trade with Detroit (1937) Drafted: 3rd Round, 45th Overall (1936) Alma Mater: Lake Park Panthers In terms of prospect ranks, Hod Seagroves had a rough year, as he's almost completely fallen out of our top 30. He just turned 24 and is Rule-5 Eligible, but I don't think the Chicagoan is going to get a 40 spot year. He did hit really well in Lincoln, however, slashing .351/.411/.497 (146 OPS+) with 30 doubles, 10 triples, 5 homers, and 55 RBIs. 1941 was the best season in his minor league career, and if he stays in our system, he'll be up in Mobile for next season, with the chance to move up the ladder if he continues to hit like this. We don't really have any first basemen ahead of him, and since he's also a solid second basemen, he will control his own destiny. The most impressive part about Seagroves is his discipline, with 46 walks and just 1 strikeout in 501 PAs. He struck out just 5 times last season, and his 89 strikeouts since 1937 is less then Leo Mitchell's 97 this year in Chicago. I had high hopes for Hod, thinking he could be an everyday player for us, but I think he's just a bench piece now who will give good at bats late in the game, and can fill in for an injured starter for a few weeks at a time. Anything more then that, and you might want to upgrade. SS Joe Dackett (321st Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 6th Round, 93rd Overall (1941) Alma Mater: Darnell State Legislators I could have, and probably should have, started Joe Dackett in San Jose, but we needed a shortstop in La Crosse, and he was easily our best option. Taken in the 6th Round of our most recent draft, Dackett had an offensive explosion for the Lions, hitting a robust .368/.467/.495 (152 OPS+) with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 4 homers, and 32 RBIs. He also managed to draw 40 walks in 55 games, and owned an impressive 13.9 zone rating and 1.143 efficiency at short. These are all extremely impressive measures, and even if he was about 75% as good as he was, I'd still have moved him up to San Jose for the start of next season. An extremely athletic shortstop, Dackett has superb range and great hands, and he's one of those guys who makes the tough plays look easy. His future is definitely at short, and while there were a few concerns about his bat when I drafted him, they haven't materialized yet. He hits the ball hard and up the middle, but he'll hit a lot more groundballs then line drives. More importantly, he's a tough out, swinging at mostly strikes while taking more then his share of walks. His glove makes him the perfect utility player, and with his age he could move up our system rather quick. I'm still not sold on the bat, but he made huge strides forward with the Lions, and it'll be interesting how he adapts to tougher pitching next year. LHP Ed Wilkinson (319th Overall) Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 55th Overall (1938) Alma Mater: CC Los Angeles Coyotes When the season started, Ed Wilkinson probably did not expect to make his big league debut. He was just average in 9 outings with the Commodores last year, and he was set to return to Mobile to begin, and likely finish, his aged 24 season. Instead, Wilkinson dominated, going 9-3 with a 2.88 ERA (151 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 27 walks, and 34 strikeouts in 12 starts before a promotion to Milwaukee. Of course, it's very hard to maintain that level of performance, but the former 4th Rounder was effective in 11 starts with the Blues. The southpaw was 4-5, but with a 3.32 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 13 walks, and 47 strikeouts. Sure, the ERA and WHIP were higher, but unlike most pitchers making the jump from AA to AAA, his BB/9 (2.4 to 1.5) and K/9 (3.0 to 5.6) improved. This was enough for me to give him one final promotion, and he spent the last few weeks up in Chicago with the big league club. He pitched just one inning, but it was perfect 1-2-3 against Brooklyn, and the Ashland, PA native is officially an FABL player. A five pitch pitcher, Wilkinson has a nice low 90s fastball, and he mixes all his pitches well to keep hitters off balance. His stuff is average and he locates his pitches well, allowing him to keep walks low while striking out a few hitters as well. It will be tough for him to work his way into our rotation, but he could be counted on in the pen, and will have a shot to steal a spot this Spring. That being said, he may not get another inning in the big leagues, but he's interesting enough that I don't think he's a guy I could sneak through waivers if I wanted to give his spot to someone else.