Who is Redszone's #5 prospect? 2013

[klw]

Project, but one with better tools than anyone in the system.

Any closer to putting that potential together? Seemed like the reports were getting better during the 2nd half last year.

[Superdude]

I went Traveiso with Winker a close second. I always feel better about projecting arms just because you basically know what's there right out of the gate. Winker could probably change that if he keeps hitting at Dayton next year and shows off some more developed power.

[Kc61]

Just to stick up for Winker.

Here's a kid who in his age 18-19 year old season played in the Pioneer League, average age 21+. No previous professional experience. Line is .338/.443/.500/.943.

And the sample is fairly large for a short season league, 275 plate appearances.

While Travieso was a higher pick, Winker was the 49th selection in the draft, so he does have a high draft choice pedigree. BA rated him the fifth best prospect in the Pioneer league. (While a different pool of players, Travieso ranked 16th in the lower level Arizona League on BA's best prospect list.)

Winker's K/BB rate was excellent, 50 Ks and 40 BBs. Further, he's a left handed hitter who had a .913 OPS against lefties.

Maybe it's just me, but I think this young man is a very exciting prospect for the Reds. I wouldn't be shocked if the Reds have him penciled in as a possible left fielder for them after Ludwick's contract ends or maybe a year after that.

[dougdirt]

Any closer to putting that potential together? Seemed like the reports were getting better during the 2nd half last year.

Plate discipline is still a large issue for him. All of the tools in the world, but if you are swinging at bad pitches too often it won't matter how good your power and hit tools are.

[Brisco]

I assume that Jim Coombs is not on the list because he was such an obvious first choice that it would have been a waste of electrons?

BTW... Chuck Norris intentionally walks Jim Coombs.

[mth123]

This is where I had Didi. Going with Travieso. Winker is promising, but even though he's young for the league, hitting at Billings doesn't do much for me. It keeps a guy from being eliminated from consideration, that's about it. I give him props for hitting in an advanced league for his age, but its not enough to pass the guy who was just drafted ahead of him.

[Nathan]

I assume that Jim Coombs is not on the list because he was such an obvious first choice that it would have been a waste of electrons?

BTW... Chuck Norris intentionally walks Jim Coombs.

Did I miss something? What's with all the Jim Coombs references and who is he?

[camisadelgolf]

Did I miss something? What's with all the Jim Coombs references and who is he?

Long-running inside "joke". A man who supersedes fiction and is infinitely more real than Madrid.

[Steve4192]

Did I miss something? What's with all the Jim Coombs references and who is he?

He's Bill Brasky's younger, more talented, brother.

[Scrap Irony]

Winker, despite being young for the league, was arguably its second-best hitter.

In attempting to find comps for his performance at such a young age, you're looking at 22-year-olds. In order to find comparably aged performers with the added pedigree of first-round draftee, you're down to one or two guys.

They're studs.

Were Dayton not so close (and so in need of a good team this year, as last season's team was bad), Winker would be my pick to move through A ball this season and perhaps end the season with a cup of coffee in AA. As is, I think he'll be the top performer in the Red system, as he has power, patience, and bat control.

Travieso was a project the day they drafted him.

No Red farmhand has his offensive potential. Not even Sliding Billy.

Winker, in a landslide.

[Edd Roush]

I also went with Winker. Hard for anyone to do better than he did last year. Travieoso next.

[dougdirt]

Winker, despite being young for the league, was arguably its second-best hitter.

In attempting to find comps for his performance at such a young age, you're looking at 22-year-olds. In order to find comparably aged performers with the added pedigree of first-round draftee, you're down to one or two guys.

They're studs.

Were Dayton not so close (and so in need of a good team this year, as last season's team was bad), Winker would be my pick to move through A ball this season and perhaps end the season with a cup of coffee in AA. As is, I think he'll be the top performer in the Red system, as he has power, patience, and bat control.

Travieso was a project the day they drafted him.

No Red farmhand has his offensive potential. Not even Sliding Billy.

Winker, in a landslide.

Yorman has more offensive potential. Soto may. More likely to reach it? No, maybe not.

I am curious though, who were the comps you came up with? I went back through 1995 in the league and couldn't really find anyone who fit. The guys with the plate discipline had quite a bit more power at the time. There wasn't really a good one that I saw.

[REDREAD]

Just to stick up for Winker.

Here's a kid who in his age 18-19 year old season played in the Pioneer League, average age 21+. No previous professional experience. Line is .338/.443/.500/.943.

.

That's my logic too. At this point, you can't ask for much more out of Winker.

Travieso only had 21 IP in the AZ league. Small sample size. I think Doug said he had one bad outing which skewed his stats. I believe that.

At this point, I have to go with Winker, because he better early results. Next year, Travieso might leapfrog him.

[Scrap Irony]

Yorman has more offensive potential. Soto may. More likely to reach it? No, maybe not.

I am curious though, who were the comps you came up with? I went back through 1995 in the league and couldn't really find anyone who fit. The guys with the plate discipline had quite a bit more power at the time. There wasn't really a good one that I saw.

I had to go back much further than that. Gary Sheffield set the Pioneer League on fire in 1986, with a line of .365/.413/ .640/ 1.052 as a teenager and a 1st round draft pick. Obviously, Sheffield hit better than did Winker, but he was closer in the combination of age, production, and pedigree than any other player in the Pioneer League.

A much better comp (the closest one, IMO) showed up with our own Kalvoski Daniels (in 1982). Kal went .367/ .445/ .517/ .962 as an 18-year-old. He walked just more than he struck out in 276 ABs.

In 1978, Tom Brunansky's line looks kind of close. So do Mike Marshall's from the same year. Jack Clark's 1973 line is also kind of close. The problem with the latter two of those, however, are strike outs. Winker doesn't strike out as often nor at as high a rate.

Compare those guys' numbers to Winker's line of .338/ .443/ .500/ .943, and you should see why I'm really intrigued by the young slugger from Florida.

I should tell you that I looked at no one above the age of 18, anyone who had a BA below .325, or a BB rate below 12%. I also focused only on high draftees (first and second-rounders), but let my mind wander a bit on the Clark and Marshall comps.

[Kc61]

I had to go back much further than that. Gary Sheffield set the Pioneer League on fire in 1986, with a line of .365/.413/ .640/ 1.052 as a teenager and a 1st round draft pick. Obviously, Sheffield hit better than did Winker, but he was closer in the combination of age, production, and pedigree than any other player in the Pioneer League.

A much better comp (the closest one, IMO) showed up with our own Kalvoski Daniels (in 1982). Kal went .367/ .445/ .517/ .962 as an 18-year-old. He walked just more than he struck out in 276 ABs.

I should tell you that I looked at no one above the age of 18, anyone who had a BA below .325, or a BB rate below 12%. I also focused only on high draftees (first and second-rounders), but let my mind wander a bit on the Clark and Marshall comps.