Texas Rangers Top-15 Prospects of 2010, No’s 6 – 15

ALSO SEE – Texas Ranger 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 2010 Prospect Primer for more information as it relates to prospect grading and philosophy.

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 for this list. Relief pitchers must have 25 or fewer Major League innings to qualify for this list. Ages are listed as of May 1st, 2010. Levels are based on the highest level in which a prospect played in 2009. All grades are subject to change based on any new information I receive before the season starts.

If you need to reach me in any way, please contact me via e-mail or post a comment at the bottom of the page and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. The first two prospects are available for everybody to read.

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Player Grades
Fastball – 55 Now | 60 Future
Curveball – 45 | 55
Change-Up – 40 | 50
Control – 40 | 55
Command – 40 | 50
Pitchability – 45 | 55
ETA – Late 2012 or Early 2013
Final Grade – B-

Body Type – An excellent athlete, but he’s on the small side

Stuff

Fastball – Usually sits between 92 – 96 with good life, but last year it was more often in the 90 – 92 range

Curveball – Inconsistent, but a power curve when on…comes from the same arm slot as the fastball and he’s shown an ability to back door the pitch to lefties. I’d like to see him throw it for strikes at a better rate

Change-Up – Shows a good feel for the pitch as it’s a potential average to above average offering

Scouting Report

It was a bizarre season for Michael Main who was diagnosed with some sort of virus though we never actually found out what he had. We just know he was sick and likely had been sick for a while before his body gave out on him.

The virus was likely a major factor in his struggles last year where he saw his stuff and command drop off dramatically.

However, Main is now said to be fully healthy and ready to make up for a lost year of development.

Mechanics

Main’s mechanics are pretty unique. Coming out of high school, Main would employ an extremely late hand break for his wind-up. I think some people may have misconstrued that I advocated that kind of hand break, but in reality I used that specific example of Main to emphasize what a late hand break looked like in the article I link to in the prior sentence.

In addition, my views have changed a little since I wrote that article. A late hand break can potentially speed up the arm, eliminating any hitches in one’s arm action, while making it tougher to pick up the ball out of a pitcher’s hand. However, an early hand break can have the same effect if employed correctly. Check out Tim Lincecum or CC Sabathia for an example.

Now, the big problem with Main’s mechanics in high school was how much energy and force he put into one tiny segment of his delivery. Ideally, you want that energy spread out over the course of your wind-up and that’s an adjustment he’s made as a pro. His wind-up is more smooth and rhythmic than it was before.

He still employs an extremely late hand break, so when the front foot lands, his arm is not even close to vertical. Some would classify that as a timing problem. I view a pitcher’s “timing” as subjective. Main is unique in that he has tremendous arm speed, which is able to make up for the lateness of his arm, while he’s still able to throw strikes. That being said, I do think his timing and ability to throw strikes could be improved.

Another thing Main has shored up are his front side mechanics. In high school, Main was prone to flying open, especially on his curveball. Since then, it seems he’s delayed the rotation of his shoulders and kept that glove more in front of his chest than by his side. He looks more together I think. The angles are different, but see what I mean in the video clips below. Main’s high school video is on the left, while Main in 2009 is on the right:

*Credit to the MLB Scouting Bureau and to projectprospect

Best Case Outcome – No. 2 starter…he has a higher upside than Robbie Ross, who ranks at No. 5, but I’d like to see him get back to his pre-2009 performance before I consider ranking him any higher

More Likely Outcome – No. 3 starter or a power arm out of the bullpen

Player Grades
Fastball – 55 Now | 55 Future
Curveball – 60 | 60
Change-Up – 40 | 45
Control – 40 | 55
Command – 40 | 50
Pitchability – 45 | 55
ETA – Late 2012 or Early 2013
Final Grade – B-

Body Type – Not a big guy, but he has a solid pitcher’s frame

Stuff

Fastball – Throws both a two and four-seam fastball. Gutierrez will sit anywhere between 89 – 94…two-seamer has some arm-side run and sink when down in the zone, while the four-seamer is straighter with good life up in the zone.

Gutierrez works in and out of the strike zone with his fastball and can command the pitch well to both sides of the plate. He likes to stay on the corners of the plate, sometimes to the point of nibbling. This is partly because he doesn’t have the kind of fastball that overpowers hitters.

Curveball – His best pitch, Gutierrez commands it well and knows how to use it effectively. He can change speeds and vary the amount of break on the pitch. I guess the only problem with it is that his curveball comes from a slightly higher arm slot than his fastball, which is something advanced hitters may pick up though it hasn’t hurt him much thus far. Below his fastball is on the top and his curveball is on the bottom:

*Credit to MLB Advanced Media and to Kinslerhomer

Change-Up – It’s said that he has some feel for the change-up, but it’s still in development. Doesn’t seem to have the ambition to develop the pitch into a quality offering…

Issues Off the Field and On

The biggest red flags for Gutierrez are the state of his health and mental make-up.

Gutierrez has been arrested on three different occasions and the Royals ultimatelydecided they had enough and shipped him off to Texas for basically next to nothing.

Gutierrez has also been sidelined with various arm ailments to both his shoulder and elbow, which is too bad because Gutierrez really does have good stuff when he stays healthy.

Best Case Outcome – No. 3 starter, but to truly maximize his potential he needs to develop that change-up

More Likely Outcome – No. 4 starter or a potential set up man

Brief Rundown on Prospects 8 – 15

8. Wilmer Font | RHP | Grade – B- – Big time stuff, but can he put it all together and command his stuff…I have some worries about him form a mechanics standpoint as well. See more on Font by clicking here

9. Mitch Moreland | 1b/OF | Grade – B- – Solid, but unspectacular hitter with a good approach, solid power, and contact skills…doesn’t do anything great, but does a lot of things average or better

10. Kasey Kiker | LHP | Grade – B-/C+ – Undersized lefty has good stuff, but needs to work on commanding his pitches…could be a starter, but will likely end up in the bullpen

11. Miguel Velazquez | OF | Grade – C+ – Intriguing outfielder has been troubled by off the field issues, but put up a big season a year ago

12. Jurickson Profar | RHP/SS | Grade – C+ – I don’t know what to make of Profar, but scouts have apparently been glowing about of this guy

13. Robbie Erlin | LHP | Grade – C+ – A sleeper with limited experience…lefty with solid fastball, good curve, promising change-up, and command of all his pitch…biggest knock on him seems to be that he’s short

14. Max Ramirez | C/1b | Grade – C+ – Struggled with injuries to his wrists all of last year, but that should be behind heading into next season

15. Braden Tullis | RHP | Grade – C+ – Muscular pitcher has good stuff that he commands well…mechanics are a bit stiff

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Other C+ Prospects

16. Guillermo Moscoso, RHP – MLB ready right hander misses bats because he’s deceptive, but I’m not sure how well his fly ball tendencies play in the long term

17. Tomas Telis, C – Young switch hitter makes hard and consistent contact, but I’d like to his walks go up and for him to drive the ball more

18. Carlos Pimentel, RHP – Solid season for the young starting pitcher…throws strikes, but he needs to command his stuff better because he was bit by the long ball last year

19. Engel Beltre, CF – Poor year in 2009 for Beltre who seems to be all tools at the moment…looks to bounce back in 2010

20. Blake Beavan, RHP – Hasn’t regained the velocity he showed in high school, but he throws strikes and keeps the ball down

21. Edwin Escobar, LHP – Was hit around a bit, but showed good peripherals in the AZL…very projectable

22. Tommy Mendonca, 3b – Abysmal plate discipline, but he’s a great defender at third and showed big time power…more on Mendonca here

23. Wil Boscan, RHP – Wasn’t too impressed with his stuff, but he’s young and the projection is there…more on Boscan here

HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) – Jose Monegro (RHP) | Marcus Lemon (2b) | Luis Sardinas (SS) | Kennil Gomez (RHP) | Zach Phillips (LHP) | Corey Young (LHP) | Neil Ramirez (RHP) | Pedro Strop (RHP) | Andrew Doyle (RHP) | Omar Poveda (RHP) | Richard Bleir (LHP) | Vincent DiFazio (C) | Fabio Castillo (RHP) | Joe Weiland (RHP) | Ben Snyder (LHP) | Jason Ogata (LF) | Richard Alvarez (RHP) | Michael Bianucci (LF) | Chad Bell (LHP) | Michael Kirkman (LHP) | Matt Thompson (RHP) | Sean Blackwell (RHP)

ALSO SEE – Texas Ranger Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

UP NEXT – Atlanta Braves Top Prospects, No’s 1 – 5

Other References and Resources Used for This Article – First Inning and Minor League Splits