Ranking by Position Group: Outfielders

[mace]

This is the last one. And for some reason, it feels like maybe the biggest crapshoot.

I also included Frazier with the corner infielders (No. 3). That seems like his best position, and this seems like the one he's ticketed to play. So I'm hedging.

Puckett is counted here as an outfielder, as well. Maybe I should have listed him with the middle infielders, since he played most of this season at second base, but the outfield just seems inevitable for him. (He did play 35 games there this year.) Could be wrong, of course. It's a fair assumption, after all, that most of this is wrong. But it's a shot.

1. Yorman Rodriguez, 17, R
2. Todd Frazier, 24, R
3. Dave Sappelt, 23, R
4. Ryan LaMarre, 21, R
5. Juan Duran, 18, R
6. Danny Dorn, 25, L
7. Cody Puckett, 23, R
8. Kyle Waldrop, 18, L
9. Sean Henry, 24, R
10. Felix Perez, 25, L
11. Theo Bowe, 19, L
12. Jaren Matthews, 21, L
13. Juan Silva, 19, L
14. Brayan Arias, 18, R
15. Josh Garton, 22, L
16. Denis Phipps, 24 R
17. Andrew Means, 23, R
18. Kurtis Muller, 20, R
19. Carter Morrison, 20, L
20. Josh Fellhauer, 22, L
21. Ricardo Quintero, 19, L
22. Jose Victor, 20, R
23. Dayne Read, 21, R
24. Stephen Hunt, 21, L
25. Drew Poulk, 22, R

[chicoruiz]

Wow...six of the top 14 still teenagers.

[mth123]

Felix Perez should be number 2, with Duran 3, Sappelt 4 and Frazier 5. JMO.

[mace]

Originally Posted by mth123

Felix Perez should be number 2, with Duran 3, Sappelt 4 and Frazier 5. JMO.

I saw Perez play a couple times and just wasn't that impressed. His swing seems too long for a guy who should probably be playing to his speed. And I thought there were a couple balls in the outfield that he could have played better. But it was, of course, a tiny sample. There's also the fact that he's 25 . . .

As for the youngsters, Chico: To me, that's probably more of a commentary on the lack of talent at the A and AA levels. There just aren't many guys in those classes who seem to project as big-leaguers. So you err on the side of the kids.

[cinreds21]

I agree with Perez placement. He is extremely raw. Despite his age, he is a year or two away from Cincy.

[mth123]

Beyond Yorman, these guys all seem like limited role players to me. If that's the case, the lefty is going to be more valuable. I may be selling Duran a little short though. He could be something more.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by mth123

Beyond Yorman, these guys all seem like limited role players to me. If that's the case, the lefty is going to be more valuable. I may be selling Duran a little short though. He could be something more.

I think you might be selling Sappelt short a little too. He has some starter potential, though it probably doesn't happen for the Reds because of Stubbs.

[corkedbat]

Originally Posted by mth123

Beyond Yorman, these guys all seem like limited role players to me. If that's the case, the lefty is going to be more valuable. I may be selling Duran a little short though. He could be something more.

I've been saying for three years that the draft has completely ignored cornet outfielders with solid power potential, We always made fund of the Pants and his five-tool fetish, but that's exactly what this system needs. They should be draft at least two solid corner OF prospects in the first 10 rounds every year instead of drafting middle infielders with utility ceilings in the 3rd & 4th rounds or a raft of 4th OFer types - take a flyer on a higher risk/reward guy with some pop.

YRod, Duran, and maybe Matthews and LaMarre are the only ones I see with much middle of the order potential and Yorman's a CF.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

I think you might be selling Sappelt short a little too. He has some starter potential, though it probably doesn't happen for the Reds because of Stubbs.

Yeah. Sappelt had double digit HR with 11 triples and 34 doubles, so I find that coupled with his range very encouraging. But his BABIP was way high and I wonder about him being able to repeat. In '09 when the BABIP was more normal (but still a little high) the average was lower and the OPS in the low 700s. His lack of arm strength may hold him back. I'd like to see him do it again. If he's the 2009 guy, he's a limited role player and his defensive range will be minimalized a bit by a poor arm. Hopefully the arm is stronger as time goes on. IIRC he had an injury and may be improving in that area. If he can repeat his high average and sustain that BABIP (I'm not a believer that its always all luck) he could be a big time top of the order guy, but if he drops back, Perez and his LH bat would fit better as a role player than Sappelt. He had a great year but I'm still a skeptic.

[camisadelgolf]

I don't like Danny Dorn and Sean Henry so high, but I'm kind of an outsider on that one. The player I think you really underrated was Josh Fellhauer. I see 2010 as just a down year for him.

[mace]

Originally Posted by camisadelgolf

I don't like Danny Dorn and Sean Henry so high, but I'm kind of an outsider on that one. The player I think you really underrated was Josh Fellhauer. I see 2010 as just a down year for him.

Yeah, I might have overreacted to Fellhauer's bad year, but it was a really bad year. He kind of fell off the map. Then again, the tumble was so dramatic that maybe it was an aberration. A similar thing happened this year with Juan Silva, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt--at least, more than Fellhauer. I suppose Fellhauer deserves the same; but I just wasn't feeling it.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by mth123

Yeah. Sappelt had double digit HR with 11 triples and 34 doubles, so I find that coupled with his range very encouraging. But his BABIP was way high and I wonder about him being able to repeat. In '09 when the BABIP was more normal (but still a little high) the average was lower and the OPS in the low 700s. His lack of arm strength may hold him back. I'd like to see him do it again. If he's the 2009 guy, he's a limited role player and his defensive range will be minimalized a bit by a poor arm. Hopefully the arm is stronger as time goes on. IIRC he had an injury and may be improving in that area. If he can repeat his high average and sustain that BABIP (I'm not a believer that its always all luck) he could be a big time top of the order guy, but if he drops back, Perez and his LH bat would fit better as a role player than Sappelt. He had a great year but I'm still a skeptic.

Eh, of course his BABIP was high, the guy hit .342 on the year. With his other skills, he doesn't need to come close to that to be valuable. If his BABIP goes down to .315, which could happen due to his speed, he is still pushing an .800 OPS as a center fielder with outstanding range assuming his walks/strikeouts/power stay the same as they were.

[OnBaseMachine]

From John Fay - Rick Sweet on Todd Frazier

“He started out real slow. He’s a guy quite frankly who is as good as left fielder as we have in the system. He can play left and third base. Offensively, very streaky.

Read the rest:
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/201...et-on-frazier/