Posted March 30, 200520 yr from baseballamerica.com Chad Bentz, lhp, Marlins Born: May 5, 1980. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 210. Bats: R. Throws: L. School: Long Beach State University. Career Transactions: Selected by Expos in seventh round of 2001 draft; signed June 10, 2001 . . . Released by Nationals, Dec. 15, 2004 . . . Signed by Marlins, Dec. 18, 2005. Signed by: Robby Corsaro (Expos). Like Jim Abbott, Bentz didn't let being born without a complete right hand stop him from reaching the major leagues. He didn't pitch well for the Expos last year, in part because he wasn't used regularly. After returning to the minors, he was shut down in August with a nerve problem in his right foot that required surgery. The newly transplanted Nationals released him in mid-December, but the Marlins quickly snapped him up and reunited him with roving minor league pitching coordinator Wayne Rosenthal, one of Bentz' first coaches as a pro. He relies heavily upon his 91-93 mph fastball and his curveball can be an out pitch, though he struggled with it in the majors. He's a very aggressive pitcher with a tough demeanor, but he needs to tighten his breaking ball and work on his slider. That should make him more effective against lefthanders, who batted .411 against him in his first taste of the majors. His lack of command also gets him in trouble at times. Farmed out in mid-March, Bentz will open 2005 at Triple-A Albuquerque. His ceiling is as a lefthanded specialist. Brad Davis, c, Marlins Born: Dec. 29, 1982. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 185. Bats: R. Throws: R. School: Long Beach State University. Career Transactions: Selected by Marlins in fifth round of 2004 draft; signed July 9, 2004. Signed by: Robby Corsaro. Just 42 games into his pro career, Davis already has made an impression as an intense on-field presence with obvious leadership qualities. He has strong hands and good receiving and throwing skills, but he needs to add 10-15 pounds of muscle to do more damage with the bat. He's very athletic and runs better than the typical catcher. He projects to have slightly above-average power, and if that comes he could be an everyday catcher in the majors. Marlins area scout Robby Corsaro and West Coast supervisor Scott Goldby liked Davis early on stayed on him through draft day. He signed for $165,000 after going three rounds after Florida took fellow Long Beach State product Jason Vargas. Davis reminds some of a young Dan Wilson in the way he can handle a staff, and he showed that ability in college with the way he caught Vargas and celebrated staff ace Jered Weaver. In 2003, Davis spent most of his time at first base and right field for the 49ers in deference to Todd Jennings, who became a Giants second-round pick that June. But there's no question Davis' future lies behind the plate. I didnt realize he caught Jason Vargas in college David Marchbanks, lhp, Marlins Born: Feb. 3, 1982. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 205. Bats: L. Throws: L. School: University of South Carolina. Career Transactions: Selected by Marlins in seventh round of 2003 draft; signed July 6, 2003. Signed by: Joel Smith. An All-America lefthander at South Carolina, Marchbanks seemed an unlikely candidate for Steve Blass Disease. But that's exactly what befell him near the end of his first pro spring camp in 2004. Instead of moving onto the fast track at Double-A Carolina, he stayed behind in extended spring training and tried to work through his control problems. For no apparent reason, he could hardly play catch, much less hit a target from the mound. After two months of trial and mostly error, he returned home to Mauldin, S.C., and threw for hours each day against the wall of his high school gym. Eventually, Marchbanks was able to reclaim most of the extension and control he had lost. He showed solid signs of progress over the final two months in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, though Florida was careful not to rush him. Signed for $144,000 as a seventh-rounder, he pitches at 87-89 mph. His slider needs work but his changeup projects as a plus pitch. He has some deception in his delivery because of a high leg kick. His makeup already was considered strong, and he gained even more admirers in the Marlins system with the way he handled his control problems. He credits minor league pitching coordinator Dean Treanor as well as minor league coaches Gary Buckels and Reid Cornelius with helping him emerge from the fog. Sports psychologists John Fishbein (Marlins) and Ron Kasper (University of Southern California) also played a key role. Reid Cornelius is one of our minor league coaches?.... sweet Pablo Sosa, 3b/of, Marlins Born: Aug. 11, 1982. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 180. Bats: R. Throws: R. Career Transactions: Signed by Marlins out of Dominican Republic, Aug. 15, 2001. Signed by: Louie Eljaua. Perhaps no one in the Marlins system, Jason Stokes included, puts on the batting-practice exhibitions Sosa does. He has bat speed that rates a 75 on the 20-80 scouting scale and tremendous raw power, but that has yet to translate into game situations. His pitch recognition is lacking and he's too aggressive at the plate. Hoping to calm him down and unlock that power, Florida moved Sosa from third base to left field at their year-end minicamp. He has a strong arm and quick feet, so he could return to the hot corner, but the Marlins want him to focus on his hitting. Sosa is a below-average runner, and his speed wasn't helped by a mildly sprained knee that led to three stints on the disabled list last year. A hard worker, he spent long hours with roving hitting instructor John Mallee trying to stay back on balls and stop beating them into the ground. Sosa probably will return to low Class A Greensboro in 2005. *drools*
March 30, 200520 yr I watched a couple NCAA Super Regional games last season with Vargas and Davis in it last year, and I must say Davis is a terrific defensive catcher, he just lacks power at this point, he's a pretty skinny guy, and if he puts on some muscle he could be very good. He seemed to be a good contact guy, but was basically just a singles hitter. Definitely someone I'll be keeping my eye on.
March 30, 200520 yr I watched a couple NCAA Super Regional games last season with Vargas and Davis in it last year, and I must say Davis is a terrific defensive catcher, he just lacks power at this point, he's a pretty skinny guy, and if he puts on some muscle he could be very good. He seemed to be a good contact guy, but was basically just a singles hitter. Definitely someone I'll be keeping my eye on. 723975[/snapback] Hitters take time to mature. Im sure he hits his share of doubles because hes projected to develop above avg power. As he grows older those doubles should start becoming homers.
March 30, 200520 yr I watched a couple NCAA Super Regional games last season with Vargas and Davis in it last year, and I must say Davis is a terrific defensive catcher, he just lacks power at this point, he's a pretty skinny guy, and if he puts on some muscle he could be very good. He seemed to be a good contact guy, but was basically just a singles hitter. Definitely someone I'll be keeping my eye on. 723975[/snapback] I'll take a Jason Kendall anyday...
March 30, 200520 yr Author I watched a couple NCAA Super Regional games last season with Vargas and Davis in it last year, and I must say Davis is a terrific defensive catcher, he just lacks power at this point, he's a pretty skinny guy, and if he puts on some muscle he could be very good. He seemed to be a good contact guy, but was basically just a singles hitter. Definitely someone I'll be keeping my eye on. 723975[/snapback] I'll take a Jason Kendall anyday... 723978[/snapback] :blink: where did that come from?
March 30, 200520 yr I watched a couple NCAA Super Regional games last season with Vargas and Davis in it last year, and I must say Davis is a terrific defensive catcher, he just lacks power at this point, he's a pretty skinny guy, and if he puts on some muscle he could be very good.? He seemed to be a good contact guy, but was basically just a singles hitter. Definitely someone I'll be keeping my eye on. 723975[/snapback] I'll take a Jason Kendall anyday... 723978[/snapback] :blink: where did that come from? 723990[/snapback] Singles hitting catcher with limited power and good speed? Doesn't remind you of anyone?
March 30, 200520 yr Author I watched a couple NCAA Super Regional games last season with Vargas and Davis in it last year, and I must say Davis is a terrific defensive catcher, he just lacks power at this point, he's a pretty skinny guy, and if he puts on some muscle he could be very good. He seemed to be a good contact guy, but was basically just a singles hitter. Definitely someone I'll be keeping my eye on. 723975[/snapback] I'll take a Jason Kendall anyday... 723978[/snapback] :blink: where did that come from? 723990[/snapback] Singles hitting catcher with limited power and good speed? Doesn't remind you of anyone? 724012[/snapback] Sorry, I misread that..... I thought you said "Ill take Jason Kendall over him anyday" no, im not drunk.
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