Matthew Pouliot presents features on Jeremy Hermida, Justin Verlander and Edwin Encarnacion and reviews the week's callups.

 

17 callups to cover means no More Prospects section this week. Features on Jeremy Hermida, Justin Verlander and Edwin Encarnacion are included, however.

 

Prospects

 

Jeremy Hermida - OF Marlins - He?s not quite such an outstanding prospect, but if Hermida gets the opportunity this year, he could make the same kind of impact that Miguel Cabrera did in 2003. First, some room needs to open up in the Florida outfield. The Marlins have had trade discussions involving Juan Encarnacion, but even if they move him, they?d still have Jeff Conine to play right field. Hermida would have to remain awfully impressive to leapfrog Mr. Marlin. A .311/.453/.548 line with 12 steals in 13 attempts for Double-A Carolina makes his case for him.

 

Hermida was drafted 11th overall out of a Georgia high school in 2002. The Marlins bought him away from a Clemson scholarship and assigned him to the Gulf Coast League, where he struggled initially. In 2003, Hermida hit .284/.387/.393 in the South Atlantic League. The power started to come last year. He hit .297/.377/.441 for Single-A Jupiter and then finished tied for third in the Arizona Fall League with seven homers. With the big ballparks of the Florida State League behind him, Hermida has hit balls out with increasing regularity this year, going deep 12 times in 63 games.

 

Compared frequently to Paul O?Neill, Hermida displays a sweet line-drive stroke from the left side of the plate. He also possesses O?Neill?s deceptive quickness on the basepaths, enabling him to steal 15-20 bases per year. His on-base ability should be his biggest asset; he has 54 walks to go along with his very good batting average this year. Hermida currently projects as a 20-25 homer guy. If he adds more bulk as he ages, he might be good for 30 per year in his prime.

 

There?s little chance Hermida would be overmatched if the Marlins had need to promote him to the majors today. Maybe he won?t be ready to be an above average corner outfielder until 2007, but he?s probably about as good of a player as Encarnacion or Conine right now. If Encarnacion is moved for pitching help, it?s likely Hermida would get a chance to replace him after the All-Star break. The Marlins already know exactly what they have in Conine, and they could use a left-handed bat in the sixth or seventh spot in the lineup.

 

 

Justin Verlander - RHP Tigers - I was skeptical, but it?s now clear the Tigers did just fine when they made Verlander, a right-hander from Old Dominion, the second overall pick in the 2004 draft. There was never any doubting his arm, but Verlander regressed during his college career, getting a little worse each season. Command was the main issue; he did have a 151/43 K/BB ratio in 105 2/3 IP as a junior, but he threw 20 wild pitches. The Tigers were clearly looking long-term when they took Verlander over some of the more polished college pitchers available. Now it seems that Verlander might reach the majors as quickly as any of his peers. He?s 8-2 with a 1.71 ERA, 63 H and 95/18 K/BB in 79 IP for Single-A Lakeland.

 

A lot of the progress Verlander has made this year can be attributed to the adjustments the Tigers made to his delivery this spring. A cleaner motion means Verlander no longer touches 99 mph, but he?s still regularly working in the mid-90s. His hard curve should be nearly as effective of a swing-and-miss pitch in the majors as it has been in the Florida State League. His changeup has a ways to go, but it?s not bad as is and he?ll keep working on it. Command remains the main issue here, and more advanced hitters won?t help him out by going outside the strike zone as often. Still, he?s clearly made progress since his days in college and there?s every reason to believe he?ll keep getting better.

 

The Tigers are taking things very slowly with Verlander, who probably would have been moved up to Double-A by most organizations by now. An in-season promotion still figures to come, and it?s not outside the realm of possibility that he?ll get a chance to make a couple of starts in the majors during September. That will depend on what his innings count looks like, however. The team would likely prefer to have Verlander spend the first couple of months of next season in the minors, with a June or July callup on the horizon. Verlander could be anything from a No. 3 starter to a true ace, depending on how his control progresses.

 

 

Edwin Encarnacion - 3B Reds - With Joe Randa a leading candidate to be moved next month, Encarnacion?s major league debut may not be far away. A ninth-round pick of the Rangers in 2000, Encarnacion was acquired along with Ruben Mateo in a 2001 trade that sent Rob Bell to Texas. The native of Puerto Rico established himself as a quality prospect in 2002 and then had a disappointing 2003 after being jumped from the Midwest League to Double-A. Encarnacion ended that year in the Carolina League, which is where he belonged all along, and then made a smoother adjustment to Double-A last year, hitting .281/.352/.443 for Chattanooga. The 22-year-old is batting .295/.364/.498 with 10 HR, 41 RBI and 44/25 K/BB in 227 AB for Triple-A Louisville this season.

 

Although he?s never put up particularly strong numbers at any level, it?s easy to see why Encarnacion is viewed as one of the game?s top third-base prospects. Very good bat speed has allowed him to hit .280-.290 at each level despite being quite young for his leagues. That he?s averaged more than 30 doubles per year promised that more home runs were on the way, and he does have 10 this season. He?s displayed better strike-zone judgment each year, although he is striking out more this year than he did last season. Defensively, the talent is certainly there for him to be above average at the hot corner. He is error-prone now, but he?ll grow out of that.

 

Encarnacion may not be a major league All-Star, but he should hit .280 with 20+ homers per year. Mike Lowell would seem to be the best-case scenario. Most likely, he?ll be a similar but somewhat inferior player. It?d be a big surprise if the Reds didn?t open next year with him at third base, and there?s a pretty good chance that he?ll have the job for the final two months of this season. Since Encarnacion does like to steal on occasion -- he?s been successful six times this year and he has 53 steals since the start of 2002 -- he could be a $15 fantasy third baseman right away.

 

 

Callups

 

Blaine Boyer & Jorge Vasquez - RHPs Braves - The Braves added two Double-A right-handers to their pen on Sunday. Boyer, a 23-year-old who switched from the rotation this year, has the better future of the two. His hard sinker and curveball could make him a potential setup man. Vasquez, acquired from the Royals for Eli Marrero in the offseason, is more ready to help now, although he?s probably not going to be more than an 11th or 12th pitcher. Braves relievers tend to produce fantasy value, so both pitchers are worth watching in NL-only leagues. Most likely, neither will be worth owning this year. One of the two figures to be sent down as a result of the Jim Brower signing on Wednesday. Grade D

 

Kevin Cash - C Devil Rays - After deciding Charles Johnson was a waste of at-bats after all, the Rays brought up Cash from Triple-A Durham on Monday. The former Blue Jay was hitting .350/.381/.750 in 17 games since returning from a sore shoulder. Cash won?t come close to putting up that kind of a line in the majors, so the Rays shouldn?t give him playing time above and beyond what Johnson was getting. Cash will have a career as a long-term backup, but that?s about all he?ll be. Grade D

 

Juan Dominguez - RHP Rangers - A lack of maturity got Dominguez sent from Triple-A to Double-A back in April and the lack of a third pitch resulted in a switch to the pen later that month. Now he?s in Texas after posting a 2.63 ERA in two starts and 13 relief appearances for Frisco. Dominguez has a good fastball and a great changeup. He never has picked up a quality slider, so it might be that he?ll remain a reliever. If so, he?ll probably be a long-term setup man in front of Francisco Cordero. He doesn?t figure to have fantasy value this season. Grade D

 

Prince Fielder - 1B Brewers - Fielder, Colorado?s Ryan Shealy and the Mets? Brian Daubach were added for the week, with all three becoming DHs in American League parks. Fielder was on a tear at Triple-A Nashville, hitting his 14th and 15th homers the day before his contract was purchased. Overall, he was batting .253/.366/.507 in 229 AB. The Brewers will want to see more consistency before opening up first base for him. It?s not guaranteed that the job will be his at the start of next year. Grade D

 

Jesse Foppert - RHP Giants - Foppert didn?t dominate in the minors, but his 3.78 ERA and 49/28 K/BB ratio in 50 IP were decent enough to get him another opportunity at the back of the San Francisco rotation. More than any performance issues, the fact that he was having blister troubles at Triple-A Fresno had to be the biggest concern for the Giants. Foppert?s command isn?t where it was before Tommy John surgery, so he?s not a great short-term bet in NL-only leagues. I expect him to be up-and-down initially before settling in as a decent fantasy starter after the All-Star break. Grade C

 

Jonny Gomes - OF Devil Rays - He needs to be up for good this time. With Josh Phelps sent away, the 24-year-old Gomes is clearly Tampa Bay?s best choice at DH. He can still be viewed as an option in the outfield, too, but the Rays are making it obvious they have no interest in moving Carl Crawford over to center. Gomes may not be much more than a .260 hitter in the majors, but he can hit 25-30 homers per year and keep his OBP up with walks and HBPs. While his future probably isn?t in Tampa Bay, he still could have a fair amount of value over the rest of the season. Grade C+

 

Alexis Gomez - OF Tigers - With Marcus Thames slumping, Gomez was brought up Tuesday to take over as the Tigers? fifth outfielder. The one-time Royals prospect has only Nook Logan ahead of him in center field, so he?s a bit of a sleeper. Still, even if he gains some playing time over the next couple of weeks, he will soon have Magglio Ordonez?s comeback to contend with. Gomez, who was hitting .293/.341/.409 with 11 steals for Triple-A Toledo, doesn?t figure to be much of an offensive upgrade in center, and Logan is clearly the better defender. Little should be expected. Grade D

 

Rich Hill - LHP Cubs - Hill joined the Cubs yesterday after going 5-4 with a 3.54 ERA, 54 H and 119/27 K/BB in 76 1/3 IP between Double- and Triple-A and may get a start or two before Kerry Wood returns. The southpaw?s low-90s fastball and excellent curve give him plenty of potential, but he?s probably not ready to help just yet. Command isn?t his strong suit, and he?s only starting to become more of a pitcher than a thrower. Think of him as a sleeper for 2006. Grade D+

 

J.P. Howell - LHP Royals - Howell, who was taken out of the University of Texas with the 31st pick, became the fourth player from the 2004 draft to reach the majors when he turned in an impressive debut Saturday against the Diamondbacks. Working in his high-80s and showing good command of a varied arsenal that includes a plus curve, Howell may have No. 3-starter potential. The Royals will give him every opportunity to stay in the rotation for the rest of the season, and there?s a chance he could have some value in AL-only leagues. However, he doesn?t have a great deal of upside, and the Royals are still a bad team, even if they?re playing better lately. It?s best to stay away for now. Grade D+

 

Kenny Kelly - OF Reds - Kelly, who got one at-bat in two games with the Rays in 2000, finally made it back to the majors as a result of Austin Kearns being sent down. The 26-year-old had never showed much ability at the Triple-A level until this year, and he still had a modest 822 OPS to go along with his .327 average in 220 AB for Louisville. While he?s never lacked tools, Kelly is probably going to end up as a career minor leaguer. Grade D

 

Todd Linden - OF Giants - Linden will get at least a few weeks to show what he can do after hitting .326/.446/.692 for Triple-A Fresno. The 41st pick in the 2001 draft was a disappointment in his first two years in the PCL, finishing with OPSs of 768 in 2003 and 815 last year. He has major league power, but the jury is out on whether he?ll make enough contact to be a solid regular in a corner-outfield spot. Since he?s likely to be an everyday player for a while, he?s a short-term fine pickup in NL-only leagues. The return of Edgardo Alfonzo or Barry Bonds could push him back to Triple-A. Grade C+

 

Jorge Piedra - OF Rockies - I prefer Piedra to Cory Sullivan as Matt Holliday?s replacement in left field, but that?s probably not something the Rockies will consider until Sullivan?s empty .308 average drops further. Piedra was at .312/.372/.527 in 186 AB with Triple-A Colorado Springs. Since the 26-year-old can handle center but isn?t a full-time possibility there, he figures to have a career as a fourth outfielder. Coors Field makes him someone to watch. Grade D+

 

Chris Ray - RHP Orioles - The Orioles will likely try to re-sign B.J. Ryan and hope that Ray blossoms into the next great setup man. A legitimate prospect as a starter, Ray was moved to the pen this year and now touches 97 mph with his fastball. The 23-year-old also has a slider and a splitter, giving him definite closer potential. The Orioles hope he?s ready after amassing a 1.10 ERA in 32 2/3 IP in his introduction to Double-A. It?s possible he?ll be the team?s Jesse Crain, giving him some fantasy value in AL-only leagues. Grade C

 

Ricardo Rodriguez - RHP Rangers - Rodriguez needed to be in the Texas rotation after going 7-3 with a 2.91 ERA for Triple-A Oklahoma. The Rangers inserted him into Ryan Drese?s spot, and he should be a fixture for the rest of the season. Rodriguez doesn?t have the same kind of potential it looked like he might a few years ago, but he?ll be a fine fourth or fifth starter for several years. Because he?s due to face the Nationals and Astros in his next two starts, he?s worthy of at least a short-term pickup in AL-only leagues. Grade C

 

Ervin Santana - RHP Angels - With Kelvim Escobar out, Santana likely will stay in the rotation through the All-Star break. He?s been very impressive in two of his three starts for the Angels, and the ability is certainly there for him to keep it up. There will be times when his command is lacking, but AL-only leaguers should keep playing him until there?s a good reason not to. Mixed leaguers can probably do better. Grade B

 

Rickie Weeks - 2B Brewers - Weeks should be long gone in NL-only leagues by now. The bigger question is whether he?ll have value in mixed leagues as the Brewers? starting second baseman. Since he?s batting second, there is a chance. I don?t see Weeks helping in batting average, but he could finish with 8-10 homers and a dozen steals. He should also score plenty of runs if he can stay high in the lineup. Mixed leaguers with a hole in the middle infield should go ahead and grab him. Tadahito Iguchi-type numbers are a possibility. Grade B+

 

rotoworld.com

good find

I can't wait to see him on this team!

Woooo, you think they're going to call him up this year? Imagine if he could do what Cabs did in '03. :mischief

Look for Hermida to be a September call up. With other possibilities, namely Willingham, I wouldn't expect the FO to be that anxious to get Hermida into the lineup.

 

I can't see both Encarnacion and Willingham being traded, so Hermida is blocked right now.

Hermida is my fav player in the system. Just ask LCastillo.

 

 

Good read. I see him in right field next year as well.

Nice but in the future, no need to post the whole article since only a paragraph or two deals with the player we all actually care about.

even though we only have 2 big time hitters in the system right now, it's nice to know they are both putting up ridiculously good numbers

hopefully they will be like mggy and not some busts

"Nice but in the future, no need to post the whole article since only a paragraph or two deals with the player we all actually care about. "

 

I thought the other part was interesting too and people might want to read it. Didn't know it was a big deal.

yea, i read the whole thing, just cause its a marlins forum doesnt mean we cant post about other teams

yea, i read the whole thing, just cause its a marlins forum doesnt mean we cant post about other teams

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there is a forum for other teams

true, but might as well post the whole article intead of cutting it out for those like me who wanna know bout the other prospects

"true, but might as well post the whole article intead of cutting it out for those like me who wanna know bout the other prospects "

 

Thats what I thought. Lets forget about this and lets talk about Hermida some more.

Good to see that he's progressing well in the minors--I'll be excited to see him out there. Hopefully we can get him a few AB's late in the year so he'll know what he's up against when starting in RF next year...

willigham should be called up before him, and he also diserves it way more than him

Nice to see the other teams' talent, after all, the Fish saw Rich Hall this week

willigham should be called up before him, and he also diserves it way more than him

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It isn't about who "deserves" it way more than the other guy, it's about who best meets the needs of the team at that moment.

 

The above statement shouldn't be read to suggest Hermida should be called up over Willingham or viceversa.

farmer fran posted this on the minorleagueboard its a very good read about Hermida

 

Scout's View: Jeremy Hermida, of, Marlins

 

The Marlins affiliate at Double-A Carolina is attracting a lot of attention, and not just for its recent six-game losing streak or its prospect-laden pitching staff. While two Mudcats already have been to Florida this season on the mound--Yorman Bazardo and Logan Kensing--and one maybe soon in lefthander Scott Olsen, the team's top prospect is clear.

 

Scouts will poke holes in any one of the Mudcats pitchers. Finding holes in outfielder Jeremy Hermida's game, on the other hand, is becoming harder to do. The 2002 first-round pick was called the best high school hitter since 1996 first-rounder Eric Chavez when he came out of Atlanta's Wheller High, and he has lived up to that billing, batting .311/.450/.545 in 222 at-bats this year for the Mudcats. A veteran pro scout in to cover the Mudcats had plenty to see but said the consensus among his peers is Hermida is one of the minors' true elite prospects.

 

"He's real, real good. It's very difficult to compare him to Chavez because Chavez was stronger physically coming out of high school, but people said that because Hermida has such a good swing and such a polished approach.

 

"He still runs pretty well and he's got a true right field arm. He's a good defender. He's going to be a good right fielder. And he should hit for the position, definitely.

 

"The way I give present grades is how I think he'd do if he were in the big leagues right now. Right now, he might struggle to hit .240 with 12 home runs. That's below-average. But give him another month, more experience, and those grades might be better. He's going to hit--he's a .285-.300 hitter in the major leagues.

 

"And his power will continue to develop; he should hit for well-above-average power because he hits the ball hard so consistently. It's just a very pretty swing. There's still a tendency for him to overswing at times and go out of the strike zone too much; that's why I think he'd struggle if he were in the big leagues right now.

 

"There were questions about his power before, but power is the hardest tool to project. If you could have found me one scout back in 1999 who would have thought Brian Roberts would hit 11 home runs by the All-Star Game, I'd like to meet him. This guy can hit, and now you're seeing the power."

 

JEREMY HERMIDA SCOUTING REPORT

 

(All grades on the 20-80 scale, with 20 the worst, 80 the best, and 50 major league average)

 

 

Present

Future

 

Hitting

40

65

 

Power

40

65

 

Speed

50

50

 

Defense

60

60

 

Arm

65

65

 

 

--JOHN MANUEL

why is the scale 20-80??? :confused

why is the scale 20-80??? :confused

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That's just the scale scouts have always used.

why is the scale 20-80??? :confused

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it's funny... I know the reason why but I cant remember and I cant find my scouting book

well, when you remember why, post it