Chicago White Sox Top-15 Prospects of 2011, No’s 6 – 15
White Sox Top-15 Prospects of 2011
1. Chris Sale | LHP | Age – 22 | Grade – A-/B+
2. Brent Morel | 3b | Age – 24 | Grade – B-
3. Jared Mitchell | OF | Age – 22 | Grade – B-
4. Jacob Petricka | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – B-
5. Trayce Thompson | OF | Age – 20 | Grade – C+
6. Addison Reed | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
7. Eduardo Escobar | SS | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
8. Tyler Flowers | C/1b | Age – 25 | Grade – C+
9. Greg Infante | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
10. Thomas Royse | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
11. Andre Rienzo | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
12. Tyler Saladino | SS | Age – 21 | Grade – C+
13. Brandon Short | OF | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
14. Anthony Carter | RHP | Age – 25 | Grade – C
15. Matt Heidenreich | RHP | Age – 20 | Grade – C
Key Links
› Prospect Primer (Grading Criteria Explained)
› Team Page Listings
› Index of 2011 Top Prospect Lists
› Index of Last Year’s Top Prospect Lists
White Sox Links
› White Sox Team Page
› 2010 White Sox Top Prospects
ALSO SEE – White Sox Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5
Grades are based on a prospect’s projected value over the course of his career and how likely it is that prospect will fulfill his projected value. Various factors are accounted for including upside, red flags, actual performance, and closeness to the majors. See the 2011 Top Prospect List Primer for more information as it relates to prospect grading and philosophy.
TO QUALIFY
Hitters must have 100 or fewer Major League ABs to qualify for this list. Starting pitchers must have 50 or fewer Major League innings to qualify. Relief pitchers must have 25 or fewer Major League innings to qualify. Ages are listed as of May 1st, 2011. Levels are based on the highest level in which a prospect played in 2010. All grades are subject to change based on any new information I receive before the season starts.
Prospects 1 and 6 are available for everyone to read. All other scouting reports can be accessed by Premium Members only.
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Quick Rundown on Prospects 6 – 15
- 6. Addison Reed | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+ … See his in-depth report below…my intial feeling is that I’m underrating him and I’m thinking about moving him ahead of Trayce Thompson…
- 7. Eduardo Escobar | SS | Age – 22 | Grade – C+ … Came on strong in the AFL, but concerns remain about his plate discipline and future power production
- 8. Tyler Flowers | C/1b | Age – 25 | Grade – C+ … Big drop off from a year ago…I try not to give up on hitters after just one down year, but he has adjustments to make if he’s going to hit good pitching.
- 9. Greg Infante | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+ … Very good stuff, but has little idea over how to command it.
- 10. Thomas Royse | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+ … Your basic potential back of the rotation starter…upside is limited.
- 11. Andre Rienzo | RHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+ … Intriguing sleeper…report contains a breakdown of his mechanics, which are pretty Tim Lincecum-esque
- 12. Tyler Saladino | SS | Age – 21 | Grade – C+ … This time a sleeper on the offensive side of the ball…does a bunch of things well, but contact rate is a concern
- 13. Brandon Short | OF | Age – 22 | Grade – C+ … A breakout 2010 for Short, but he’s a tweener and his plate discipline is poor. Projects to be a fourth outfielder…
- 14. Anthony Carter | RHP | Age – 25 | Grade – C … Converted reliever saw an uptick in his fastball and his strikeout after a move to the bullpen
- 15. Matt Heidenreich | RHP | Age – 20 | Grade – C … Interesting guy to keep an eye on…control artist with some projection remaining. Could see a jump in velocity with a couple of mechanical adjustments.
- HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) – Santos Rodriguez (LHP) | Miguel Gonzalez (C) | Mike Blanke (C) | Ross Wilson (2b) | Dan Remenowski (LHP) | Rangel Ravelo (3b) | Nick Ciolli (OF) | Nathan Jones (RHP) | Brady Shoemaker (OF) | Hector Santiago (LHP) | Andy Wilkins (1b) | John Shelby Jr. (CF) | Christian Marrero (LF) | Brad Salgado (SS) | Brett Bruening (RHP) | Kevin Moran (RHP) | Stephen Sauer (LHP) | Brandon Hynick (RHP) | Josh Phegley (C) | Jordan Danks (CF) | Carlos Torres (RHP) | Jhonny Nunez (RHP) | Charles Leesman (LHP) | Justin Collop (RHP) | Lucas Harrell (RHP) | Nevin Griffith (RHP) | Kyle Bellamy (RHP) | Ryan Buch (RHP) | Jon Gilmore (3b) | Taylor Thompson (RHP) | Kyle Cofield (RHP) | Seth Loman (1b) | Juan Silverio (3b)
- *Dayan Viciedo is no longer considered a prospect based on the criteria set forth for these lists.
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Player Grades
Fastball – 55 Now | 55 Future
Slider – 55 | 55
Change-Up – 45 | 50
Control – 55 | 60
Command – 55 | 60
Pitchability – 55 | 60
ETA – 2013
Final Grade – C+
Body Type – Very solid, durable frame.
Stuff
Fastball – Will range anywhere from 90 – 93, touching 94. The pitch has pretty good life and a lot of tailing action, making it difficult for hitters to square up on.
Slider – A low 80′s pitch with a sharp and late lateral break. Depth on the pitch will vary at times, and it can also get a little too slurvy, but it’s a nice complement to his fastball when it’s on. Below you see Reed’s fastball on the left and slider on the right:
*Credit to the MLB Scouting Bureau
Change-Up – An average pitch that darts down like a splitter. Showed a lot of improvement last year, likely due to him throwing it more as a starter.
Scouting Report
Addison Reed replaced Stephen Strasburg as San Diego State’s team Ace last year. He moved into the role after serving as the team’s closer the prior year, and really didn’t miss a beat.
Reed pounds the strike zone. He walked under two batters per nine innings in his last year of college. But it’s not just his control that’s a strength. He’s also able to command the pitches he throws. Many strike throwers have the problem of getting hit around because they can’t locate their pitches within the strike zone…Reed doesn’t have that problem.
Reed’s greatest strength is arguably his ability to manipulate his fastball into all quadrants of the strike zone. He moves his fastball up-and-down, in-and-out, working both corners of the plate, and keeping hitters off balance by being unpredictable in his pitch sequences.
Reed also commands is slider well, showing an ability to throw it for strikes or bouncing it in an effort to induce swings-and-misses.
Reed is a fly ball pitcher and because of this, his home run rate is going to naturally be a little higher than those pitchers who are better at keeping the ball on the ground. The obvious way for him to limit damage: limit the number of hanging sliders he throws because those will go far and those are the pitches that tend to get Reed into the most trouble.
Mechanically, Reed reminds me of two pitchers. The first is Lance Lynn, in his post-adjustment period. You’ll see what I’m talking about when I compile my report on Lynn, who is a pitching prospect in the Cardinals organization.
The other pitcher he reminds me of is Louis Coleman, a pitching prospect in the Royals organization who the club drafted in 2009 out of LSU. The arm action is similar — and it seems to correlate with a little more life and movement on one’s fastball. Both Coleman and Lynn’s fastball have the same type of life and movement as Reed’s fastball. But in addition to the arm action, Reed throws across his body. Coleman does the same thing, though to a much greater extent. The front side mechanics are also similar.
However, it’s not just the mechanics that remind me of Coleman, but it’s the profile as well. Like Reed, Coleman is somebody who would move back and forth from the bullpen to the rotation in college. And their numbers…also very similar.
The Royals immediately placed Coleman in the bullpen and he’s on the fast track to the Majors. The White Sox, on the other hand, will use Reed as a starter. This makes sense since the White Sox as an organization lack legit starting pitching prospects.
But it also makes sense because Reed profiles better as a starter than Coleman did. He’s got a build that is better able to handle the load of starting, his breaking ball is better, and Coleman is seen as somebody who will be much more effective against right handers based on just how much he throws across his body. Reed lands closed — and lefties do see him better than right handed pitchers — but the difference in landing points between the two is pretty substantial.
Expect Reed to start next season in Single-A Kannapolis. He could earn a promotion quickly with a strong start to the season.
Best Case Outcome – No. 4 starter
More Likely Outcome – Quality set up man out of the bullpen.
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