I’ve been awaiting this news for a while now: Tampa Bay SS Xavier Edwards has been added to the player pool party.
He’s not a redraft option, in case you think I’m trying to comb him into the stash list.
Even so, time is a factor here: by the time it’s cool in the chamber to buy Xavier Edwards in dynasty or deep keeper leagues, it’ll be too late to get any traction in trade talks.
The Rays have a history of helping hit tool guys add power, and I think Edwards is a prime candidate for the Tampa treatment.
It’s not rocket science, really. You need to clear your hips, swing as hard as you can control, and hunt for pitches in your happy zone.
Oh yeah you also need to make contact.
So okay I guess it might be on par with rocket science in the percentage of humanity capable of participating.
But the concept of trading contact for power and grounders for fly balls is fairly basic in theory. It’s the muscle memory where things go haywire, and this is where Tampa seems to excel. From Zobrist to Meadows to Lowe down and dirty, Rays smash baseballs. As do former Rays like Jake Cronenworth and Nick Solak. If you’ve got contact skills, Tampa’s got a spot for you. I mean until they don’t because they’re too good at developing bats to roster them all.
Perhaps you tracked Vidal Brujan’s assent, but if not, he’s a skinny kid who signed for upper crust lunch money (15K) and pushed his way up the prospect lists slowly but splashily until this off-season when he was welcomed into many top 25s with open arms. And he didn’t even really add consistent power—just had a few hot weeks in High A in 2018 and carried some of it over to AA in 2019.
Xavier Edwards is faster afoot than Brujan. He’s got better plate skill numbers, too, but I don’t feel comfortable comparing their hit tools because Xavier barely swings, while Vidal tries to Sassoon the hell out of a mistake when he sees it coming. That said, Weapon X never strikes out, walks a lot, and has been very young for his levels, so he’s got a lot of ground to give in trading contact for power. The second he starts employing his base to impact the baseball, his prospect stock will soar.
RHP Dane Dunning hasn’t pitched in a game since Uhtred was Ragnarson, but he gets the call tonight against Casey Mize, and I’m smiling for him. We have no idea what to expect, but I’d scan your wires and keep an eye on him. Worst case scenario, he changes his last name to Cook and goes on a joke-stealing tour.
LHP Kevin Smith has just 31.1 innings in AA and wasn’t even supposed to be here today, but with David sergeant Peterson hurt, it’s either Silent Bob or this next guy who’ll be chasing innings in New York.
RHP Franklyn Kilome might’ve started Tuesday for Peterson, but he’d pitched a yeoman’s few innings to close out Monday’s game and got optioned to extend the pitching staff. I suspect he’ll come back up for innings soon.
LHP Scott Moss figures to be in the running should Cleveland elect to roll the service clocks back for Mike Clevinger and Zach Pleasac. LHP Logan Allen is already in the bigs and looks lined up to get first crack after Adam Plutko.
Thanks for reading! I’m @theprospectitch on Twitter and Reddit.