Baseball America Top 10 List

[BuckeyeRedleg]

That might be the most spot-on report on a prospect that I have ever seen from Baseball America.

Maybe they've been reading your posts on this board.

[New Fever]

Baseball America just missed NL Top 10 list, 2 Reds made it.


Yorman Rodriguez, rf, Reds: Rodriguez has yet to live up to the then-Venezuelan-record $2.5 million bonus he got in 2008, mainly because he's immature as a hitter and as a person. Then again, he's still just 19 and it's easy to dream about his tools. His plus power, speed and arm strength could translate into something special once he grows up


J.C. Sulbaran, rhp, Reds: A mainstay on the Dutch national team that won the World Cup in October, Sulbaran signed out of U.S. high school for $500,000 as a 30th-rounder in 2008. He has averaged more than a strikeout per inning at three pro stops, and his K-BB ratio soared to a career-best 3.1 in high Class A last season. He ran his fastball up to 93-95 mph more frequently and flashed a plus curveball.

[Mario-Rijo]

IMO, putting too much emphasis on the maturity issues of an 18 year old kid doesn't make sense. Kids sometimes do things when they are kids because kids are generally immature. IMO, the much bigger issue with Y-Rod's value is the fact that the Reds no longer seem to view him as a CF. As a CF a .750 OPS would make him pretty darn valuable. As a corner guy, it makes him a 4th OF. There is a lot more pressure on his bat if he's relegated to a corner. Until he shows some .850+ OPS seasons in a full season league, its hard for me to put him in the top 10 as a corner. I know he has tools, but there are lots of guys with great tools who never do anything. His youth and the fact that he's playing in a full season league at all gives him a lot of extra credit and puts him on the list, but the Reds have a lot of pretty good prospects and I can't put him that high on youth and tools alone considering the competition.

I don't think so, I think you have to call it like you see it at this juncture. Some guys never grow out of that mindset/behavior and are worse (often much worse) for it. If you are willing to guarantee he grows out of it then sign me up for a top 5 (even top 3) prospect but until he shows some sign of caring beyond that 2.5 million dollars I smack him with the underachiever label. Lots of guys are immature, many are not but few let it show so obviously on the field as Yorman does. I seen it on and off the field last season and it was quite disheartening. I'm not done believing in him fully but I have seen it to many times with plenty of players to not ding him for it right now.

IMO a players attitude is extremely important in his development and his stinks right now.

[powersackers]

I don't think so, I think you have to call it like you see it at this juncture. Some guys never grow out of that mindset/behavior and are worse (often much worse) for it. If you are willing to guarantee he grows out of it then sign me up for a top 5 (even top 3) prospect but until he shows some sign of caring beyond that 2.5 million dollars I smack him with the underachiever label. Lots of guys are immature, many are not but few let it show so obviously on the field as Yorman does. I seen it on and off the field last season and it was quite disheartening. I'm not done believing in him fully but I have seen it to many times with plenty of players to not ding him for it right now.

IMO a players attitude is extremely important in his development and his stinks right now.

Is anyone playing hardball with him? Any coaches for scouting directors seeking intervention, counseling? Seems like letting 2.5 million bucks spoil is such a waste.

[dougdirt]

I don't think so, I think you have to call it like you see it at this juncture. Some guys never grow out of that mindset/behavior and are worse (often much worse) for it. If you are willing to guarantee he grows out of it then sign me up for a top 5 (even top 3) prospect but until he shows some sign of caring beyond that 2.5 million dollars I smack him with the underachiever label. Lots of guys are immature, many are not but few let it show so obviously on the field as Yorman does. I seen it on and off the field last season and it was quite disheartening. I'm not done believing in him fully but I have seen it to many times with plenty of players to not ding him for it right now.

IMO a players attitude is extremely important in his development and his stinks right now.

Here is my take on Yorman and his attitude issues....

For right now, it isn't something to penalize him for. For starters, this season was the first time we heard about anything like it. Secondly, he dealt with a ton of stuff this season. Right before the season, he found out he was going to be a father but was going to be 2800 miles away from that. He then lost both his best friend and grandma on the same day in separate incidents and was again 2800 miles away. At the age of 18. That is a lot to throw on a kid.

Keep an eye on it over the next few years and if it remains a problem, start worrying about it. But when it comes at the age of 18, when there are things off the field that are pretty life altering all going on, you give it a pass.

[Outlaw133]

Mesaraco may in time live up to his billing, but his 2011 wasn't all that impressive, especially defensively. "Rookie nerves"?

[Outlaw133]

Here is my take on Yorman and his attitude issues....

For right now, it isn't something to penalize him for. For starters, this season was the first time we heard about anything like it. Secondly, he dealt with a ton of stuff this season. Right before the season, he found out he was going to be a father but was going to be 2800 miles away from that. He then lost both his best friend and grandma on the same day in separate incidents and was again 2800 miles away. At the age of 18. That is a lot to throw on a kid.

Keep an eye on it over the next few years and if it remains a problem, start worrying about it. But when it comes at the age of 18, when there are things off the field that are pretty life altering all going on, you give it a pass.

I can agree with that. Teens are by definition lacking in experience to react in a mature manner. Playing baseball is one thing, learning that one isn't the center of the universe is hard on some kids. Yorman might benefit from a good "sargent". Push him on learning fundamentals of the game, then asking how things are going.

[dougdirt]

Mesaraco may in time live up to his billing, but his 2011 wasn't all that impressive, especially defensively. "Rookie nerves"?

Do you mean in the minors or in the Majors?

[AWA85]

Do we see Yorman going to Dayton again or up to High A ?

[Outlaw133]

I don't know why, but whenever I hear "Billy Hamilton", I think "Larry Lintz".

[camisadelgolf]

Do you mean in the minors or in the Majors?

Majors ldo

[Outlaw133]

Majors. I can't remember the last time I heard a catcher called for catcher's interference twice in a month.

[dougdirt]

Majors. I can't remember the last time I heard a catcher called for catcher's interference twice in a month.

So you are basing your opinion of him on a 13 game defensive sample?