Neftali Soto

[Dan]

Originally Posted by Blitz Dorsey

Actually, now that I think about it Doug, Yonder has put up a few impressive ABs with the Reds already in his short stint this year. He worked a walk the other night after being down in the count where he fouled off a few good pitches. It's just that he swings so damn hard (which I love) that at times it looks like he doesn't have good plate discipline because he goes flailing. But I see what you're saying and it's easy for me to believe that, overall, Yonder does have good plate discipline.

Discipline is exactly what you're seeing. Discipline doesn't mean walking. It means waiting for what you think is your pitch, and swinging aggressively at it. Won't always hit it, and when you do hit it, it is sometimes going to wind up an out. But you still have to take that hard, aggressive swing every time you get your pitch.

What you can't do is what a player like Juan Fransisco does, which is swing wildly, without having first selected the pitch.

[partisan]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

Eh, Soto has much better plate discipline than Francisco does, which says a whole lot about Francisco.

Soto has a K/BB this season of 3.73 and his career is 3.63.
Francisco has a K/BB this season of 6.00 and his career is 5.91.

That isn't slightly better, that is incredibly better.

But as for a tools comparison at the plate, I think that game power wise, they are pretty equal. Francisco has Raw power that hardly anyone has, but he can't use it as often because he swings at too many crappy pitches because at times he can hit those pitches for singles. The hit tool probably plays the same as well, though Francisco's hit tool is better on the Raw side, it plays down because he swings at so much crap at times.

I stand corrected. I thought I was looking at career numbers when I clearly wasn't.

[Baseball]

Really interested in Soto's next two years to see where/how he is in the system. Great power.

[Blitz Dorsey]

Originally Posted by Baseball

Really interested in Soto's next two years to see where/how he is in the system. Great power.

Well, if he's not with the Reds in 2013, I would be very disappointed. I expect him to spend all of 2012 at Louisville (and hopefully get 500 ABs there) and then be called up some point in '13. I see what you're saying though. This year has been a resounding success for him no matter what transpires from this point. But can he build on it next year? Then can he reach the Show in 2013? Gonna be fun to watch.

[powersackers]

Originally Posted by Blitz Dorsey

Well, if he's not with the Reds in 2013, I would be very disappointed. I expect him to spend all of 2012 at Louisville (and hopefully get 500 ABs there) and then be called up some point in '13. I see what you're saying though. This year has been a resounding success for him no matter what transpires from this point. But can he build on it next year? Then can he reach the Show in 2013? Gonna be fun to watch.

I think a Sept. call up this year would be a good call. As would be the AFL in the fall. 7 HR is last 10 games. That's really cool.

[bubbachunk]

Originally Posted by powersackers

I think a Sept. call up this year would be a good call. As would be the AFL in the fall. 7 HR is last 10 games. That's really cool.

There we be no ABs for him baring an injury to Votto or Alonso, even then he would be lucky to get 5 a week. Next year will be his shot at a sept call up if he keeps mashing

[TRF]

Did anyone pick Soto as their minor league breakout player for redszone for 2011?

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by JKam

Didn't Soto start off as a SS? Then he moved to 3B. Then he moved to catcher. Now he's 1B. He pretty much ran the gamut there. All that is left is DH.

They're going to try him at pitcher next year.

[muddie]

Should be no surprise that Neftali Soto has been selected as the Southern League's Hitter of the Week for August 1-7, 2011.