[ayaghmour2]

Something new is coming to the Figment baseball world, as there will be a Cuban Winter League for our prospects starting next week. The official rosters are yet to be announced, as teams can make minor adjustments, and tomorrow I will announce the prospects representing us. Each CA team is paired with an FA team, so us and the Washington Eagles will supply the 24 players for the Santa Clara Stallions. Games tend to be every other day, with the occasional back-to-back, to make things easier on the staff. This will be a nice way for us to see how our youngsters do against the rest of the league, and I think our prospects will fair quite well.

SS Tony Scuccinello (356th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 51st Overall (1946)
Alma Mater: Redding Hornets

Better known as "Scooch", Tony Succinello was a late addition to the organization, as he was demanding around slot, and I thought I'd be able to get him to sign for it. That didn't work, so I instead had to meet the $1,800 demand for the 4th Rounder, and he appeared in just 35 games for the Lions. A natural shortstop, Scooch spent more time at third (20, 125) then at short (14, 89), and he did not fair too well at short. His -1.4 zone rating and .876 efficiency left a lot to be desired, but he did hit a respectable .265/.354/.382 (94 OPS+) in 79 trips to the plate. His 109 WRC+ was above average, and he hit 2 homers with 12 RBIs and 8 walks. He didn't have a double, but did pick up a triple, and the Cali kid swiped six bases in ten attempts. He's quick, has a strong eye, and an above average contact tool, so if he can put the ball in play, he's going to be a very good big league hitter. He won't ever hit many home runs, but he rarely chases and should manage to keep his strike outs under control. We'll keep giving him reps at short, but we may need to find a new position for him. Already a leader in the clubhouse, Scooch has the makeup you want for a shortstop, but without improvement in making plays that aren't right at him, he may end up a third instead.

SS John Price (317th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 9th Round, 140th Overall (1946)
Alma Mater: Holy Cross Tigers

Another shortstop from our recent draft class, John Price was taken in the 9th Round, and signed a larger $2,100 bonus and made starts at first, second, and short. Most of his time came in La Crosse, where he hit .298/.339/.544 (128 OPS+) with 5 doubles, 3 homers, and 13 RBIs in 62 trips to the plate. These were very impressive numbers for an 18-year-old, and he even spent a little time up in San Jose. Price then went just 2-for-17, but with no down arrow, Price may start the season in San Jose next year. A rather interesting prospect, Price is a bat first guy who showed decent pop and a strong hit tool. He could hit around .300 with 10 or so homers, but he doesn't draw many walks and could end up striking out more then his share. He's still young and has plenty of time to improve, but I think he'll have to move off of short, potentially to second or third. At six foot, even first base is an option, and if he can maintain the power it may not be a bad spot for him. He's a shortstop for now, but with guys like Scooch, Jim Mako, and Rupert Heinbaugh, we have plenty of depth their in the lower minors, so he may move off if he keeps hitting.

SS Rupert Heinbaugh (356th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 107th Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Weedsport Warriors

See, plenty of shortstop depth! Another shortstop, Rupert Heinbaugh was a 7th Rounder the draft before Scooch and Price were taken, so he made a lot more appearances then the two guys ranked above him. 67 of his 74 appearances came in La Crosse, where he hit a modest .274/.350/.447 (108 OPS+) with 17 doubles, 4 homers, and 30 RBIs. Pair that with a 3.1 zone rating and 1.080 efficiency at short, and the 19-year-old had a very productive first full season. Known more for his glove, he has plus speed and range on the infield, and he uses his athleticism in his favor. He can make some of the spectacular plays, while snapping up most of the routine ones. The bat shows some promise as well, as he's a line drive hitter who can barrel up the ball with consistency. OSA sees him as no more then a bench player, but with his bat, speed, and defense, I can see him developing into a second division starter. I'd rank him above both Price and Scooch myself, and I think the New York native will open some eyes this coming season.

RHP Jim N Smith (364th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 7th Round, 107th Overall (1945)
Alma Mater: Georgia Baptist Gators

After ranking outside of our top 40 last year, "Noodles" checks in at 34th this season. The Georgia Baptist alum started the season with the Legislators, and was one of their best pitchers, going 6-3 with a 2.66 ERA (135 ERA+) in 14 starts. While those were solid numbers, his WHIP was a bit high at 1.57 as he walked (56) about as many hitters as he struck out (59) in 88 innings pitched. The walk issues took shape after a promotion to Mobile, as he allowed 43 free passes in 67 innings. This saw Smith finish just 3-4 with a 4.57 ERA (76 ERA+) and 1.87 WHIP, both very poor marks as his K/9 plummeted from an even 6 to 2.4 in his 9 starts. He'll get another go with the Commodores next season, as the 23-year-old is one of our more advanced prospects, and he should look better in the coming season. A five pitch pitcher, Smith has pretty good stuff, but his command needs a lot of work. OSA thinks the slider is the best pitch, Dixie Marsh views the change, and his mid 80s cutter is a third solid pitch. The curve and splitter could be good if he can locate them, as all his pitches have plenty of movement. He'll keep the ball in the park, even if its not on the ground, but for now too many pitches find themselves in the dirt or over the heart of the plate. If he can be more consistent, he'll pitch his way into a rotation, but for now most of his starts seem likely to come in the upper minors, not the majors.

RHP Lee Parker (368th Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 15th Round, 236th Overall (1946)
Alma Mater: Marysville Monarchs

I almost didn't sign Lee Parker, who was our 15th Round pick this year, but I freed up just enough money to offer him $450 right before the deadline to forego his commitment to Central Kentucky. He then worked some high leverage innings out of the Lions pen, but Parker allowed 9 hits, 5 runs, and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts in 6 innings pitched. Due to this performance, you'd think he'd be an unranked prospect, but instead Parker was a surprise entrant into the top 500 at 368th. The 18-year-old did have a good senior season, going 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 133 strikeouts for the Marysville Monarchs. Part of the struggles this year could be fatigue from a long season, the layoff between his senior year and minor league innings, or even the fact he's never pitched out of the pen. Next year I'll look to give him some starts, but while he does have a lot of pitches, they aren't necessarily good enough to fool FABL hitters. He's a projectable pitcher, standing 6'3'' on the mound with an interesting five pitch mix. He has a solid mid 80s fastball and a decent curve, but none of his offerings are expected to be plus pitches. He's shown strikeout potential, but like a lot of our other young pitchers, he has issues with command. Young pitchers are always interesting, and with his height, he could end up throwing consistently in the 90s. He's a project pitcher for sure, but I'd like to get a longer look at him before declaring him to be nothing more then pen fodder.