Indians prospect Bobby Bradley (4-for-4 with two homers) is enjoying a strong start for the Columbus Clippers. Through 28 games, he’s hitting .299 with six home runs and 11 doubles. The average is inflated by an uncharacteristic and unsustainable .419 BABIP. The real Bradley is a low-average power hitter with the potential for 25+ dongs over a full season in the majors. That low-average is probably going to be pretty low though. Think .230s, maybe worse. Since his promotion to Triple-A last year, Bradley has seen his walk rate decrease by about 3% and his strikeout rate increase by about 7%, all the way to 33%. That approach doesn’t bode well for success in the majors, especially since he is already limited defensively to first base. We should find out soon enough though. I suspect Bradley will be with the Indians at some point this summer, where he’ll be a power flyer in AL-only formats, and maybe even some deeper mixed formats. Here’s what else is happening around the minor leagues…
Nate Pearson, RHP | TOR – The focus of Sunday’s roundup made his Double-A debut. He struck out eight over five scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and zero free passes. Keep your good eye on Pearson. He could barrel through Double-A and see some innings (if he has any left) with Toronto by the end of the summer.
Brent Honeywell, RHP | TBR – Started playing catch, only to be shut down again with a possible “nerve issue”. This is bad news for Bonzo. Honeywell and everybody who owns him is Bonzo. After Tommy John and now two recent setbacks, we may be looking at a lost year in terms of any meaningful MLB innings. If you’re stashing him for 2019 only, it’s probably safe to seek out other options.
Wander Franco, SS | TBR – He’s holding his own as an 18-year-old at Single-A Bowling Green, hitting .286 with three homers, six doubles, and three triples through his first 27 games. Equally impressive is his plate discipline, sporting a 12% walk rate compared to just a 9% strikeout rate. Those latter numbers, along with his age versus level, are what make him an elite prospect. He should be in High-A by the end of the summer.
Sean Murphy, C | OAK – Will require knee surgery for a tron meniscus, or if you’re not a dyslexic trapped inside my computer, a torn meniscus. A bad break, since Murphy was hitting well and was on track for a midsummer call to Oakland. The recovery could be about six weeks, which means we realistically won’t see Murphy in the bigs until late July/early August.
Jorge Mateo, SS | OAK – On the bright side for the A’s, Jorge Mateo is playing well in Triple-A (nine hits in his last six games, 11-for-14 in stolen base attempts). Mateo would be a nice addition to the big league roster as a utility player, especially with Profar’s inconsistency. He can handle short, second, and the outfield, and should be an add in most formats for SAGNOF once he’s up, which could be this month or next.
