Saturday, June 29, 2019
Scouting MLB Prospects in Triple A
The major league baseball being juiced may not be breaking news for most fans but the change has made the ability to scout prospects difficult. Triple A teams have starting using the ball this season and now home run totals have spiked. With these changes I suggest taking Double A stats more seriously when it comes to measuring power potential as home runs in the majors and Triple A have been devalued.
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Chicago White Sox 2B Nick Madrigal - Spray Chart Analysis
Nick Madrigal was recently promoted to Double AA Birmingham and it seems he has bounced back from the wrist injury he suffered his last year in college. Nick did not hit for much power in his pro debut and I think this was due to the injury. As you can see he was not able to pull the ball to left field his first year. In 2019 he has done what the White Sox have asked and is pulling the ball to left field. We all know that Nick is an excellent contact hitter. His ISO this year is only .105 but for some reason I think he will add some power to his game as he regains strength in his wrist.
*Spray charts were used from Baseball Savant.
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| Madrigal showed little to no power in his first season and only hit to the opposite field. |
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| Nick Madrigal's 2019 Spray Chart | Madrigal is finally pulling the ball to left field and showing a little more extra base hit power. |
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Adapt or Die - MLB Prospecting Tactics
At Prospects for Cash, it is always a good thing to look at the state of prospecting and the overall health of the market. Tactics change all the time and philosophies evolve. It is clear that the market is trending up. I explain this in my previous article.
Due to the changes, here are a few thoughts on how I feel about prospecting as we move forward in 2019.
1.Group Breaks and Case Breaks - It may be a good time to consider participating in these breaks as buying a slot on the front end for a prospect could mean big money on the back end as prices rise.
2. Timing - I am still sticking to the 20% rule. If I can make a profit I am OK moving on. Timing is everything now. Your choice will all depend on your investment. You can still make money on a player before they make the Majors.
3. Player Positions - Positions still matter but not as much anymore. We know the risks with pitchers but I used to avoid buying catchers or second baseman. Catchers do take time to develop but lately there have been good ones to invest in. If a player can play the price will show it.
4. Age - Age still matters. A 19 yr old prospect still has the room for potential while a 24 year old prospect has reached his ceiling.
5. Power and Contact - It seems with the new baseballs flying out the park the power numbers are tricky to analyze. Contact is still king. Walk rates matter.
6. State of the Hobby - Overall the hobby is heating up and prospecting will continue to pick up steam. Keep an eye on the trends. Or just follow me for the best info on the web. Could supply increase? Is a correction in play down the line. Stay tuned.
7. Buying Retail over Hobby - Another emerging subject. Buying retail blaster boxes of Bowman is a good play. I am still surprised boxes sell for $20.You could easily resale for double the price! The tough part is that you have to really know when they hit your local stores. People know the vendors so sometimes the boxes never hit the shelves.
Due to the changes, here are a few thoughts on how I feel about prospecting as we move forward in 2019.
1.Group Breaks and Case Breaks - It may be a good time to consider participating in these breaks as buying a slot on the front end for a prospect could mean big money on the back end as prices rise.
2. Timing - I am still sticking to the 20% rule. If I can make a profit I am OK moving on. Timing is everything now. Your choice will all depend on your investment. You can still make money on a player before they make the Majors.
3. Player Positions - Positions still matter but not as much anymore. We know the risks with pitchers but I used to avoid buying catchers or second baseman. Catchers do take time to develop but lately there have been good ones to invest in. If a player can play the price will show it.
4. Age - Age still matters. A 19 yr old prospect still has the room for potential while a 24 year old prospect has reached his ceiling.
5. Power and Contact - It seems with the new baseballs flying out the park the power numbers are tricky to analyze. Contact is still king. Walk rates matter.
6. State of the Hobby - Overall the hobby is heating up and prospecting will continue to pick up steam. Keep an eye on the trends. Or just follow me for the best info on the web. Could supply increase? Is a correction in play down the line. Stay tuned.
7. Buying Retail over Hobby - Another emerging subject. Buying retail blaster boxes of Bowman is a good play. I am still surprised boxes sell for $20.You could easily resale for double the price! The tough part is that you have to really know when they hit your local stores. People know the vendors so sometimes the boxes never hit the shelves.
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