Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 5-13-22

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scheduled Game (All Times Central):

Iowa vs Omaha, 7:08 pm
Tennessee vs Montgomery, 7:00 pm
South Bend vs Ft Wayne, 6:05 pm
Myrtle Beach vs Charleston, 6:05 pm

South Bend: LHP Jordan Wicks
Myrtle Beach: RHP Tyler Schlaffer

[Bertz]

Reggie Preciado is finally adjusting. In May:

.296/.310/.444, 3.4% BB, 27.6% K, 107 wRC+

The walk and K numbers still need work obviously, but like the Caissie numbers I posted a few days ago finally holding his head above water. Still doesn't turn 19 for another few days, he's the baby of the MB crew. I also wish we had good split data (Minorleaguesplits is now defunct again) because with his switch hitting it's especially important context.

[grassbass]

Reggie Preciado is finally adjusting. In May:

.296/.310/.444, 3.4% BB, 27.6% K, 107 wRC+

The walk and K numbers still need work obviously, but like the Caissie numbers I posted a few days ago finally holding his head above water. Still doesn't turn 19 for another few days, he's the baby of the MB crew. I also wish we had good split data (Minorleaguesplits is now defunct again) because with his switch hitting it's especially important context.

If you're just looking for the right/left breakdown, he's currently 0-for-7 with 4 Ks against lefties this season, according to baseball-reference.

[Bertz]

Reggie Preciado is finally adjusting. In May:

.296/.310/.444, 3.4% BB, 27.6% K, 107 wRC+

The walk and K numbers still need work obviously, but like the Caissie numbers I posted a few days ago finally holding his head above water. Still doesn't turn 19 for another few days, he's the baby of the MB crew. I also wish we had good split data (Minorleaguesplits is now defunct again) because with his switch hitting it's especially important context.

If you're just looking for the right/left breakdown, he's currently 0-for-7 with 4 Ks against lefties this season, according to baseball-reference.

That's awesome, I had no idea BR had minor league splits. I'll have to keep this in mind moving forward.

Another guy I looked at is Pinango. He's been in a slump so I haven't been paying a ton of attention to him lately, but his groundball rate is starting to trend in the right direction. It's 48.6% right now, after being in the upper 50's a couple weeks ago. You generally want power guys in the low 40's or lower (FG doesn't have game-by-game batted ball data for minor leaguers, but he's probably been there during this recent stretch).

He's swinging and missing a lot more than last year now though. I'm curious to see if that's a temporary bump while his swing gets reworked, or if it's a permanent tradeoff for the increased launch angle. I think either way it's an exchange worth making, but if he can keep this new launch angle with last year's contact rates he'll be kind of a unicorn.

[CubinNY]

Lol, at the SB cubs game. There is easily 10K people here, but only about 500 in the stands.

Wicks Kd the first guy who got on b/c apparently the catcher isn’t very good. The next dude who is huge took him deep. The third batter who was also huge like linebacker got plunked. Not a good start.

He got out of it with a k and a pickoff.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Lol, at the SB cubs game. There is easily 10K people here, but only about 500 in the stands.

Wicks Kd the first guy who got on b/c apparently the catcher isn’t very good. The next dude who is huge took him deep. The third batter who was also huge like linebacker got plunked. Not a good start.

He got out of it with a k and a pickoff.

The homer was hit by Padres top prospect Robert Hassell.

[CubinNY]

The SB Cubs catcher is very bad.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Kilian today for Iowa. Cam Sanders makes his AAA debut tomorrow.

[CubinNY]

Lol, at the SB cubs game. There is easily 10K people here, but only about 500 in the stands.

Wicks Kd the first guy who got on b/c apparently the catcher isn’t very good. The next dude who is huge took him deep. The third batter who was also huge like linebacker got plunked. Not a good start.

He got out of it with a k and a pickoff.

The homer was hit by Padres top prospect Robert Hassell.

He’s hitting.360

[Bertz]

Bryan Smith called out something really interesting today. Owen Caissie is hitting the ball the other way a horsefeathers-load. Coming into today's game he was hitting the other way 38.1% of the time. That would have led MLB last year. DJ Lemahieu, notorious for spraying the ball, has a 35% rate for his career.

[CubinNY]

Pinaugo (sp?) is having a game. 2 HR, one of them a grand slam.

[Bertz]

[UK]

I hope the Cubs put Horn back in the rotation.

[muntjack]

Kilian came out for the 5th and gave up a run before getting pulled. 4.0IP 4H 2BB 1ER 6K

Also, LHP Brandon Hughes' #'s are ridiculous; they basically always have been. Probably has a place in the ML bullpen.

[Gilby]

Was at the Iowa game. Killian was 92-94 with some 95-96 early in the game on two strike counts. It felt like he got a lot of swings and misses on everything. Command wasn't perfect and his velocity wasnt quite at his best but he did seem a little too good for AAA. Also the one guy who scored on him reached on a strikeout, wild pitch.

Velazquez was also impressive

[Tim]

I really wish we had done something like a Happ for Hosmer and Hassell trade

[CubinNY]

General impressions from SB

That was the most well attended minor league game I’ve ever been to.

Wicks was not overpowering but very good. Aside from the HR and a pull double down the line, lots of ground balls and soft contact. He was 91-93 on his fastball but his off speed pitches were outstanding. He got no help from the catcher.

Their lead off batter Beasley went 3-3 with a walk. He might not be a prospect, but he looked good.

Cassie was not impressive at all. I don’t know if it’s the uniform, but he was kind bowling pen shaped. He Stands upright in the box and does the Rizzo hip thing.

Pinango has a quick bat, both his HRs were pulled.

The Cubs team was clearly a better overall team than Fort Wayne. The HR in the first inning was their offense. Hassell went HR, ground out, walk, K.

[TomtheBombadil]

I really wish we had done something like a Happ for Hosmer and Hassell trade

Tbf I don't think that was ever a real, true option so much as Twitter gone wild

[Bertz]

Kilian came out for the 5th and gave up a run before getting pulled. 4.0IP 4H 2BB 1ER 6K

Also, LHP Brandon Hughes' #'s are ridiculous; they basically always have been. Probably has a place in the ML bullpen.

Yeah I'd call up Hughes essentially as soon as this wave of injuries subsides. They called up e.g. Menez because they knew they were gonna have to turn right around and DFA him. But when the roster is less tight I'd make the call.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I really wish we had done something like a Happ for Hosmer and Hassell trade

Tbf I don't think that was ever a real, true option so much as Twitter gone wild

Agreed. The Hosmer trade with the Mets that fell through was Hosmer, Emilio Pagán, Chris Paddack and cash for Dom Smith. Don’t think the Padres were going to part with Hassell, bet they were discussing James Wood and at best, Campusano.