The Peoria Javelinas might be the team most will sleep on. They lack the prominent big name bats but make up for it with raw athleticism and depth in the pitching staff. Brent Honeywell is the team’s ace, and he is just as good as anyone in the minors.
The batters coming into the outfield are all under scouted prospects like Tyler O’Neill who broke onto the scene as early as this year. With a big fall, Franchy Cordero and Michael Gettys could rank inside the top 250. The strength of the Javelinas is a balanced roster. Even if the other teams have more star power, the Javelinas should get the job done this fall.
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Team Rankings
- Glendale Desert Dogs
- Mesa Solar Sox
- Surprise Saguaros
- Peoria Javelinas
- Salt River Rafters
- Scottsdale Scorpions
Four Players To Watch
Brent Honeywell – SP – Tampa Bay Rays
Brent Honeywell is a fantastic pitcher who continues to show enormous growth. His 6’2” 180 frame generates a low 90s fastball that he can already locate. His simple release and effortless delivery likely lead the way to more ticks on the gun if he ever decides it’s a necessity. His best offering is a screwball that can dazzle even the best hitters. He has a great arsenal at his disposal which keeps batters guessing. He projects to be an SP2-3, If he does decide to make his fastball more dominant, he could have a higher ceiling.
On the year, Honeywell has posted a 2.34 ERA through 115 innings. Over that span, he struck out 117 (22.5% in AA) and walked 25 (5.9% in AA). He also limits home runs, allowing 0.61 HR/9 in Double-A.
This 21-year old has a bright future ahead of him and is currently ranked 27th overall.
Tyler O’Neill – OF – Seattle Mariners
The first word that comes to mind when you think of Tyler O'Neill is 'strong.' The high school catcher turned outfielder has a plus arm and hits towering flies. Many scouts doubted his ability to have both an above average contact rate and power stroke, but O'Neill looks like he has advanced at both while still maturing. He has an excellent understanding of the strike zone but feels like he can still chase pitches out of the zone as demonstrated by his walk rate and pitch selection.
On the year, O'Neill hit 24 home runs with a .293 average while striking out 26.1% of the time and walking 10.8%. Though O'Neill understands the strike zone, he will need to stay under a 20% strikeout rate to have a big league impact. I consider him to be the 44th overall prospect.
Michael Gettys – OF – San Diego Padres
Michael Gettys is one of the players you have to scratch your head at while analyzing. He has some of the best overall skills in the minor league and is getting solid results. But he often struggles against better pitchers. This fight means that when he reaches the major leagues, he likely won't produce much at all. Though Gettys has made tremendous advancements in the last year, we need to see him continue putting hard contact on well above average pitches.
Gettys has phenomenal bat speed and is alarmingly athletic when he gets moving. He is built like a linebacker and can run much faster than most prospects. When you combine his power potential to his speed, you truly have a spectacular player. That's why the AFL is such an excellent opportunity for Gettys to continue producing against the highest level of pitching.
If Gettys succeeds, he could quickly move to a major league roster where he has more than enough tools to succeed. For now, the faults seem to be mental. He is currently ranked the 240th overall prospect. With good AFL results, he has the raw skills to skyrocket into the top 100.
Franchy Cordero – OF – San Diego Padres
Franchy Cordero is a fighter. He typically requires an adjustment period whenever he reaches a new level. After some time, his raw skills emerge. He has above average speed and power with a growing understanding of the strike zone.
When Franchy figures out his real skill set, he could be a freak athlete. The slender 6'3" center fielder transitioned from the infield, and it showed instant results regarding his overall production. He has the range and the arm to stay at center and the counting stats continue to improve over time. When I see Cordero, I see a future baseball player, even if other scouts don't.
On the year Cordero is batting .290 with eleven home runs and 23 stolen bases. His 154 strikeouts in 555 at-bats is an alarming number that needs to drop, but he has improved on that metric at every level.
Six More to Watch
Emilio Pagan – RP – Seattle Mariners
Drew Jackson – SS – Seattle Mariners
Guillermo Heredia – OF – Seattle Mariners
Justin Williams – OF – Tampa Bay Rays
D.J. Stewart – OF – Baltimore Orioles
Luiz Gohara – SP – Seattle Mariners
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