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Growing up, some of the best players in baseball were legacies. Juniors, so to speak. Think Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Cal Ripken Jr., so on and so forth. Well, the Toronto Blue Jays have taken it upon themselves to bring the Jr.’s back to the game. It started unsuccessfully with Dwight Smith Jr., but has taken a turn for the better with the latest crop of Juniors. On yesterday’s podcast we briefly discussed Vlad Guerrero Jr. and his Lansing Lugnuts debut. Mostly because it was going on while we were recording, and I for one, love a good distraction. What I’m getting at is, we might have done you a disservice not listing this team as one to watch. With an exciting combination of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette (son of Dante), they’re definitely the best set of juniors out there. In fact the pair showed their oodles of upside Friday night, as each homered in the game. On Saturday they continued their assault on A ball, combining to go 3 for 8 with a run and an RBI. Some solid start for the duo, huh? Scouts rank Vlad Jr. amongst the top power prospects in the minors, and Bichette is viewed as a high upside middle infield prospect with 20+ homer upside. For our first Minor League Update of the season, it’s only right we go back to the future. Here’s what else is going on during opening weekend of Minor League Baseball.

 

  • In 12 career AAA games, Franklin Barreto is hitting .449 (22 for 49) with 12 RBIs, 12 runs, 4 HR, 4 3B, and 3 2B. He went 3 for 3 on Saturday with a homer and a hbp. He’s going to be one of the better waiver wire dash candidates when he’s called up. Middle infielder with power/speed, who won’t tank your average.
  • Port St. Lucie of the Florida State League had an interesting middle of the order last night. At least interesting as far as fantasy prospecting goes. It wasn’t interesting like the S-Town podcast, or the selfies Grey sends me. Any the hootie hoo, It was Wuilmer Becerra in the 3 hole, Peter Alonso batting cleanup, and Jhoan Urena hitting 5th. In the first inning the trio combined for 3 hits, a homer 2 RBIs, 2 runs, and a stolen base.
  • Keep doubting Rowdy, he’ll keep hitting bombs in his first at bat, and following it up with a second jack in his next. Not a bad AAA debut. I’m starting to feel like I wasn’t aggressive enough on Rowdy. Go buy his big lovable ass. I mean shoot, he had two jacks last night.
  • Cody Sedlock put on a show yesterday for Class A Advanced Fredrick. Sitting down 10 batters in a row at one point, on his way to 6 shutout innings. He’s a polished college arm, that could move quickly. My only hesitation is the curse of Baltimore pitching prospects.
  • Brandon Woodruff made his AAA debut Saturday, and picked up where he left off  in 2016. Going 6 1/3rd, striking out 5, and allowing only an unearned run. He also didn’t walk a batter in the effort. One of those off the radar prospects that many still don’t believe in. I almost feel there’s no middle ground on Woodruff, you’re either over the top, or don’t rate him at all.
  • Cleveland Indians Taiwanese shortstop prospect Yu-Cheng Chang, homered and drove in 5 Saturday afternoon. He’s not a super hyped up name, but a player who’s got sneaky value for fantasy as a middle infielder with power.
  • Chance Adams took a no hitter into the 6th inning yesterday afternoon for AA Trenton. He left after 85 pitches through 5 2/3rds, having still not allowed a hit. He struck out 5 while walking 4 during the effort.
  • Big first game for Jorge Alfaro, going 2/4 with 3 RBIs. Sometimes you just need to take your medicine.
  • Then again Rusney Castillo and Allen Craig combined for 5 hits, with 2 runs scored, and 2 RBIs in the same game, so there’s that.
  • Oh yeah, and former Top 100 prospect Jake Thompson was pitching for the Iron Pigs. He got rocked for 9 Ernies.
  • Former Vandy star, and 2015 first rounder Carson Fulmer looked locked in. Going six strong, allowing 2 runs, 6 hits, and 1 walk, while striking out 5 on Friday.
  • I hyped up 2016 Dodgers 2nd rounder Mitchell White over the past couple of months, and look what he did Friday night. White threw 4 no hit innings for Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga, walking 3 and striking out 5 in the process.
  • Yoan Moncada went 7 for 11 through his first two games, but was yet to record an extra base hit. That changed last night, when Moncada went yard in his third AAA game. He looks to be ready for the show, even if he’ll struggle to hit good off-speed pitches.
  • Lucas Giolito was not impressive what so ever. Allowing 5 runs, 4 of them earned, over 4 1/3rd innings for Charlotte. He allowed 6 hits, and 2 walks, striking out 4 in the process. The shine is way off Giolito at the moment. He may get his shot sooner rather than later, but I wouldn’t go anywhere near him until he proves something.
  • A night after going 3/3 with 2 doubles and a walk on Opening Day, Cody Bellinger went 1/4 with 2 strikeouts on Friday night. Then Saturday, Bellinger mixed the two, as he slugged his first homer of the season, while going 2 for 5 with three more strikeouts. So he’s still swinging and missing A LOT. I can look past it if you can.
  • On the other side of the ball, the Dodgers opened against the Cubs, Ian Happ and Jeimer Candelario have been mashing. Each homering in consecutive games, with Candelario driving in 5 last night.
  • Travis Lakins, Red Sox righty struck out 9 batters over 5 2/3rds for Class A advanced Salem Thursday night. He’s got some strikeout upside, could end up in the pen.
  • Brent Honeywell goes ham for AA Montgomery Thursday. Striking out 12 batters over 6 innings of 3 hit, 2 run ball.
  • After receiving a great deal of attention going into 2016, Jack Flaherty was far less doted over this offseason. He however, threw a stiff middle to the haters, and went 6 2/3rds scoreless with 6 k’s on opening night.
  • Cal Quantrill the 8th overall pick in last season’s draft went 5 on Friday night striking out 7 and allowing 1 run. Healthy entering a season for the first time in two years, Quantrill looks to prove he’s the same player that dominated as a Freshman.
  • Jordan Montgomery had 9 k’s in a Thursday start at advanced A Tampa. He was obviously pretty “advanced” for the competition, as he’s more or less a back end MLB starter now. I wouldn’t get too excited based on this performance.
  • An underrated pitching prospect, the Mariners Andrew Moore had the performance of the season thus far Thursday night. Bringing a no hitter into the 6th before allowing one hit, and striking out 7. He’s a pitchability over stuff guy, but could be useful in deeper formats.
  • Max Fried was pulled from his start Thursday night because of a back issue. Not great from a player who’s already had a great deal of injury woes. He’s billed as one of the highest upside arms in the minors, and admittedly I’m in on the hype. This however is a bad development.
  • Zack Burdi comes on in 7th, throws an inning and 2/3rds, hits 100 on the gun 5 times, strikes out 3, while allowing one base runner.
  • Personal cause, and potential superhero Tyler O’Neill hit his first homer at the AAA level last night. It was a three run job to left.
  • In his first official start as a member of the Braves, Luiz Gohara dazzled, as he worked mid to high 90’s with his fastball, touching 99. Mixing in a plus slider to both sides of the plate, and inducing weak contact. He struck out Nick Senzel on a 1-2 slider in the dirt. In fact 21 of the 29 offspeed pitches he threw went for strikes. If he can stay healthy and log some innings, Gohara’s stock could explode. I mean whats not to like? A lefty with a nasty breaking pitch and an upper 90’s fastball. Sure he’s a little soft, and has been injury prone, but that’s why the price is discounted. Worth the risk of acquiring IMO.
  • My number 19 overall Prospect, and top rated pitcher Josh Hader went 5 scoreless innings,striking out 6, but allowed FIVE FREAKING WALKS. Halp watched the start, and assures me it was less a control issue as much as it was command, and getting fouled to death. Not great but I can deal with it.
  • Jairo Beras, Rangers power hitting prospect, has 2 homers and 8 steaks through 2 games. He’s an intriguing high upside prospect looking to build off a breakout 2016 at High Desert.
  • While on the topic of Rangers prospects, Leody Taveras hit a homer and Baseball America wrote an entire post about it. Seriously, must have been some shot, huh?
  • Astros Wunderkind Kyle Tucker launched his first Carolina League homer last night. Expecting big things from Tucker this season. He ranked 32nd on my preseason Top 100, and I can easily see him jumping into the top 20 come midseason.
  • At 17 years old Eguy Rosario is the youngest player on a full season roster.
  • Tim Tebow 1-4 2k’s and an oppo taco shot in his first game. So there I spoke about him. Honestly it’s a fun story, and I wish him the best.
  • File under players looking to get the Cal League value bump, one Matt Thaiss. He homered in his first first Cal League game, and hasn’t done much since.
  • Bryan Reynolds the Giants second rounder out of Vandy had consecutive 3 hit nights Thursday and Friday. As of writing this he’s 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts.
  • Diamondbacks prospect Kevin Cron hit 3 homers last night for AA Jackson. Cron’s a 24 year old first baseman who hit .222 last season with 26 homers. One of the homers was off Michael Kopech, who struck out 10 in his White Sox debut.
  • The top overall pick in last June’s draft Mickey Moniak capped a 3 hit night with a go ahead RBI double, his second of the game. He drove in three as well. Pretty impressive that Moniak is already in full season ball, and on top of that hitting.

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