Diamonds in the Rough: Two Foreign Draftees with Intriguing Backgrounds

During the MLB Draft, those who have played against international competition for Team USA have always been held in high regard. These platers are the ones considered to have great pedigree and a history of success, whether it be for the 18U Team (Mickey Moniak, Blake Rutherford, Forrest Whitley) or the Collegiate National Team (Corey Ray, A.J. Puk). Usually in the draft, the majority of the players hail from the United States, with a few scattered from Puerto Rico and Canada. There have been a few scattered players that were born in other nations as well and moved to the States for high school ball, but rarely, if at all, have they represented their home countries in global competition. In this year's draft, two players were selected with international tournament experience in a different country, Lyle Lin of Taiwan and Stjin van der Meer of the Netherlands.

C Lyle Lin (Taiwan), Seattle Mariners

Lin, 2011 with Chinese Taipei/ twbsball.org

Lin, a 6'2'' 200 pound catcher, was selected as a 16th rounder out of Junipero Serra Catholic High School in Southern California. Ranked as one of the top prep catchers in SoCal after moving stateside before his sophomore year, the Arizona State commit is a sold defensive catcher who has great bat speed to boot. A true two way catcher headed to ASU, Lin has drawn comparisons to former big-leaguer Paul Lo Duca. He is not expected to sign with the Mariners this year and will likely re-enter 3 years from now after some development in college, hopefully with a higher draft position. Back in 2011, Lin caught and batted 6th for the Chinese Taipei team that was the runner-up in the Pony World Series to Laredo, Texas. In the championship game, in which Chinese Taipei lost 10-9 despite a rally and runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh, Lin went 1-3 with a line drive single to left and reached twice on errors. Below is a video from Prospect Pipeline of his workout for the Area Code showcase.

SS Stijn van der Meer (the Netherlands), Houston Astros

van der Meer on Team Nederland, Honkballsite

Drafted out of Lamar University in the 34th round, van der Meer has the case to be the most interesting prospect in the entire draft class. Not only does he have the best, most exotic, and most consonant-excessive name, he also has the most unique background. Growing up in the Netherlands, which is not the most prospect-rich nation, van der Meer played baseball and was one of the top offensive producers in European tournaments, winning multiple awards along the way. Van der Meer was the MVP of the 2011 European Junior Championship, and the same year rated the #1 youth player in the nation. In 2012, at the age of just 19, he played in Netherlands top league, the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, against players 10-20 years older. (Some players get paid, some don't, which helped him retain NCAA eligibility.) He finished one shy for the league leader in hits, and started the All-Star Game as well. Following that season, he enrolled in college in the U.S, playing community college ball before transferring to Lamar, posting similar numbers as he did back home, usually with a batting average around .350 but with limited power. Every summer following college ball, he would return to his homeland and play Honkbal, and his gaudy stats are here on Baseball Reference. His career BB/K ratio is 38/20, and in college it is 57/28, so expect a patient hitter who will make contact as well. Also, because the Hoofdklasse is recognized as a major baseball organization, it is part of the baseball simulation game, OOTP 17, and with accurate rosters, the lanky shortstop even has his own profile! As seen on the OOTP Elite, Stijn is rated a 40 CON/25 POW, which is apparently good for a Honkbaler but non-prospect status for minor leaguers. But even if his incredible BB/K ratio doesn't hold up in pro ball, he can still strut his 4/1 consonant-to-vowel ratio in his first name, and as a Honkbaler named Stijn who played in a league called Hoofdklasse with his background, pedigree, and overall story, van der Meer should be a fun follow this summer and hopefully for years to come!

Scouting Notes: Bakersfield Blaze vs. San Jose Giants 6/7/2016

Last night, thanks to free tickets available at the local Trader Joe's, I was able to catch the Bakersfield Blaze in town to play against the local San Jose Giants, both High-A affiliates in the California League. While I didn't get to the game until the second inning (sigh... Silicon Valley post-workday traffic), I got to see most of the action and make observations on each player who got in the game. The Giants featured several college draft picks from last season, all of whom have performed well and are rising quickly, while the Blaze were relatively prospect-light outside of Mariners #3 prospect (per mlb.com) Drew Jackson, but there were other intriguing talents as well.

Tyler Pike

Starting for the Blaze was Tyler Pike, a lefty who was taken in the 3rd round out of high school in 2012 as a projectable lefty. He mostly sat around 87-89 with the fastball, reaching back to hit 91 several times. Despite the velocity, it seemed to have get good life on that pitch, and was able to hit his spots reasonably well. He mixed in a changeup clocked around 80, but it wasn't anything special. The most impressive pitch, however, was his slow curve, clocked in the high-60's, low 70's that fooled San Jose hitters and had them whiffing. Overall, he pitched well in his four innings of work, striking out 4 and walking none, but he ran his pitch count up to 94 pitches (62 strikes) and had to be pulled despite being in line for the win. His command was not bad in this game, but with a career 5.1 BB/9 he might not make it to the majors as a starter. Pike had a deceptive delivery and good arm speed that consistently fooled lefties, but righties were able to see him well, so his ceiling may be a LOOGY with a nice curveball.

San Jose starter D.J. Snelten has had good results so far in his career, but it isn't hard to see why the big lefty (standing in at 6'7'') is not considered much of a prospect. His mechanics were iffy at best as he struggled to control his large frame, and despite his size only threw 85-88 on the fastball, keeping his pitches low and away in fear of leaving it over the heart. He slowed down his arm significantly every time he threw his offspeed pitches, and Bakersfield hitters were all over him, with 6 runs on 8 hits in 4.1 innings before giving way to the bullpen.

Austin Wilson was one of the hitters who did damage against Snelten, slicing a line-drive into the right field corner for an easy triple and 2 RBIs. Wilson is a physical beast but has struggled to adjust to pro pitching so far, batting .213 on the year, but as he went 3-3 tonight we will see if he has turned a corner. Drew Jackson, the highest-ranked prospect on the field, went 0-5, but with some loud flyouts to the warning track and mostly made hard contact, and while I didn't have a stopwatch on me he had definite wheels from home-to-first. He did, however, look great defensively, making a quick relay throw from left field to almost nab a runner at home that seemed like had no chance of being caught. 

Steven Duggar loads to swing.

On the San Jose position player side of things, three players stood out: first baseman Chris Shaw from Boston College, outfielder Steven Duggar from Clemson, and shortstop C.J. Hinojosa out of Texas. Shaw is having himself a great season at the plate, batting .294 and already with 12 dingers, and he went 1-4 last night with a single. He hit the ball hard every time he made contact, and displayed some pretty good plate discipline. Duggar was one of my top outfielders from last year's draft class, but he had some concerning issues in his swing that limited power production for someone who struck out a bit too much. This year, however, he seems to have bulked up quite a bit, hitting his 9th homer of the season to go with a nice 40/44 BB/K. His swing was one of the nicest on display last night, and he covered plenty of ground in center field as well. If his great play keeps up, look for him to shoot through the Giants system. Hinojosa is having a great year at the plate, and last night he looked like an absolute stud defensively, making a diving play in the hole on a hard-hit ball by Jackson, and then alertly throwing to third to nab the runner trying to advance. He had a nice, compact swing as well, and that should play well as he moves up the organizational ladder. On the other hand, he didn't hustle out any his flyouts, and lackadaisically played a high chopper off the bat of Kyle Petty that turned into an infield single. You would expect someone who played three years of college baseball under Augie Garrido at Texas to play with a little more grit. He did however, win a $50 gift card for a fan by breaking the headlights of an old truck as part of a promotion for auto repair, while teammate Jonah Arenado's throw bounced off the bumper and onto the field of play. Gotta love minor league baseball.

Other players to note:

- C Daniel Torres (BAK) called a good game and handled the pitching staff well, but struggled with blocking pitches in the dirt.

- LF Robbie Garvey (SJ) was your typical #9 slap hitter with an awful bat, but he could play some defense and could really run.

- Cuban outfielder Daniel Carbonell (SJ) DH'd tonight, and he is an absolute beast of an athlete. Baseball skills have yet to develop though.

- Also DHing was Blaze catcher Tyler Marlette (BAK). Former top prospect whose development is stagnating, wasn't very impressive at the plate.

- C Ty Ross (SJ) has an absolute cannon of an arm. Defense looked great, swing not so much.

- 3B Jose Vizcaino Jr. (SJ), drafted out of Santa Clara University, took some giant cuts and could hit the ball hard.

- RHP Jeff Soptic (SJ) threw the hardest pitch of the night, up to 97 on his heater, but has command issues and is now in his fourth year of A-ball.

- 1B Kyle Petty (BAK) went 3-5 to raise his average up to .346. Is already 25 though, and nothing about his game was particularly impressive.

- 2B Gianfranco Wawoe (BAK), pronounced wah-WOO, hit a monster foul bomb on a first pitch fastball before being over eager and whiffing on two straight sliders. Has some physical tools and an 80-grade name, but needs some polish.

- 3B Jonah Arenado (SJ), Nolan's little brother, was a defensive replacement and made some nice plays in the field. Strong arm was a bit out of control and Shaw had to save him twice. Hit a long fly ball to deep left in his one AB, only to be caught at the warning track. Bloodlines, but not much of a prospect.

- Arenado wasn't even the least-appreciated sibling at the game. 1B Justin Seager (BAK) is the unfortunate middle brother between Kyle and Corey, and is batting just .206 on the year. Didn't get in the game though.

Young and Controllable Talent: Breaking Down the Karns for Miller Trade

On Thursday, November 6th, the Tampa Bay Rays dealt Nate Karns, along with C.J. Riefenhauser and Boog Powell, to the Seattle Mariners for Brad Miller, Danny Farquhar, and Logan Morrison. Aside from being the first trade in what will sure be an exciting 2015-2016 offseason, this trade holds significance as an exchange of young, controllable talent. Karns is coming off his rookie season and will not be free agent eligible until 2021, and Miller, a shortstop/outfielder, is under contract through 2020. Rarely are two solid, young players who have yet to hit their peak dealt for each other, but this trade falls under special circumstances. As a right handed starting pitcher with above average stuff, Karns was an extra arm in a Tampa Bay rotation that features Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, and Alex Cobb once he returns from Tommy John surgery on his elbow. Brad Miller is a solid player in his own right, although he has been passed on the depth chart and in favor of the Seattle front office by up-and-coming shortstop Ketel Marte, and would be an expendable piece in a fairly solid lineup. Both players were replaceable yet talented pieces that did not fit in future plans for their original organizations.

Brad Miller has long been considered a breakout candidate for both fans and front office personnel alike. He possesses tremendous bat speed that translates to very high exit velocities off the bat. The hard contact leads to 15-20 home run pop now, and as he hits his prime could become even more than that. His walk rate, at 9.5%, has improved in each of his years in the big leagues and was consistently over 11% in the minors. The combination of patience, power, and touch of speed (13 stolen bases in 2015) make him a potential offensive threat. While Seattle has seemingly given up on Miller at shortstop due to excess of errors, Tampa Bay is willing to give him another shot to play at a premium position, and advanced metrics like UZR still think of him as a slightly above average defender at short. The Mariners have also had him play outfield to increase versatility and usefulness, although he struggled mightily defensively. The Rays received a talented bat primed for breakout that they will need to figure out defensively, but as a lefty, offensively skilled middle infielder, the rewards could be huge. Even in 2014, his worst season so far in his young career, he has been able to change the game with his bat, speed, and glove with plays like these: 

Danny Farquhar and Logan Morrison are two other pieces that fell out of Seattle's favor following mediocre 2015 campaigns. Farquhar was brilliant in 2014, with 10.3 K/9 and just 2.8 BB/9 for a strong 2.66 ERA that solidified the back end of the Mariners bullpen. However, he struggled to replicate that success. His fastball velocity dropped, and along with it his strikeout rate and effectiveness. His walks rose and so did the fly balls, leading to a career high in home runs given up. His ERA and FIP both went up, at 5.12 and 4.60, respectively. However, if there is any team that can reinvent relievers and make them good again, it's the Tampa Bay Rays and renowned pitching coach Jim Hickey. Morrison, a former top Marlins prospect, has yet to fully tap into the potential he once had, but now at age 28 he has settled in as a decent hitter who can provide some left handed power. Against right-handers, he hit well, with a .244/.323/.444 slash line and all 17 of his home runs, but he was abysmal against lefties, hitting just .190 with nonexistent power. He struggled defensively as well, but will likely provide the Rays with some pop to replace or play alongside incumbent James Loney.

Nate Karns, a big right hander with top-notch stuff, should slot in nicely in the Seattle rotation behind the likes of Felix Hernandez and James Paxton. He has a hard, 92-96 mph fastball that has good movement as well as a filthy knucke-curve and usable changeup. A big part of his success this season was mixing in all three of his pitches effectively instead of relying on the hard fastball, and it showed with his 3.67 ERA and an 8.9 K/9 that, if qualified, would rank 7th in the American League behind David Price. He had injury issues as a prospect in the Nationals system, but has semingly moved past that and his 6'3'' 230 lbs. frame should be durable for the Mariners this season. Here is a video of his first start as a Ray, using his fastball effectively to the tune of eight strikeouts.

C.J. Riefenhauser and Boog Powell are two prospects that could make an impact in Seattle in 2016. Powell is an on-base machine, drawing walks and spraying hits all around the field. After putting up very impressive numbers in the A's system in 2014, they dealt him to Tampa Bay, and he hit well in AA and AAA combined. Powell slashed .295/.385/.392, putting his elite on-base skills on display adding on to his solid defense. His biggest weakness however, is that despite his speed, he is not a very successful base-stealer. In 2014, he had a success rate of just 51.6% before improving ever so slightly to a 56.3%. He must tighten up his efficiency to become a base-running threat that will be respected by pitchers and catchers in the major leagues, but at the very least his bat and glove will carry him there. Riefenhauser is a left handed reliever who has struggled in his brief big league trials, but is deserving of a larger role going into next season. He has consistently posted strong strikeout rates in the minors, a testament to his above average slider that can put hitters away. His fastball only sits in the high 80's however, so expect him to be a solid LOOGY at best.
Here is a video of Boog Powell taking batting practice, courtesy of FanGraphs:

Overall, this was a balanced deal that filled holes on both rosters with young talent that were blocked in their original organizations. Trades like these are rare but could pay giant dividends for both teams if these players reach their full potentials.