Ronald Torreyes

[Benihana]

Originally Posted by redsof72

Torreyes is a middle infielder. They already have middle infielders in Dayton who have to play everyday. If you took the money out of the equation and just played your best team, you would call Torreyes up to Dayton, play him at short, and move Hamilton to second. But it doesn't work that way. If it did, Yorman would be in Goodyear right now.

When they agree to give a guy $365,000 or whatever they gave Lohman, you are making a commitment that you are going to play the player until he proves he can't play. You are making that commitment to your scouting department. That is the way the thing works.

Yes, at some point, Lohman has to start to show something. The scout who signed him is sure hoping so, too.

I didn't like the Lohman pick at the time, and it's not looking too good now.

72, you really think Torreyes plays SS over Hamilton? I always assumed it would be the other way around (with Torreyes at 2B).

[redsof72]

The comment that Torreyes would play short and Hamilton at second was based on what would be the best defensive infield on May 25, 2011. I am not ready to say that this would be the best in the long run, although it may be.

For those who have seen Hamilton defensively, you have seen what I have seen and written about. For those who have not, here are the basics:

He will make plays that virtually no other shortstop in pro ball will make. He made a play Thursday night on a fly ball to left that no shortstop ever makes, period, in which he caught a looper on a spot on the field that would be described as where the left fielder might play if he was playing shallow.

He has 18 errors in 42 games and a fielding percentage of under .900. His hands look iffy. He struggles to react to any kind of tricky hop. He has a tendency to drop his elbow on throws which leads to a submarine style throw to first and causes the ball to go high. Virtually all of his throwing errors (maybe 7 or 8 of his errors) are because of this mechanical problem. They are trying to get him to understand the importance of working on the correct throwing technique (see recent 3-day "break"). I do believe he can develop a good work ethic once he gains some maturity and figures out what it means to have to work to get better. He is a good kid who wants to do the right things.

[11larkin11]

Boy, I can't wait until Torreyes advances and we can see his swing-and-miss percentage. I haven't seen him in person, but his eye-poppingly low K numbers seems like he is Starlin Castro, without the backwards K's.

[membengal]

Perusing the comments ar redreporter to their minors wrap for the day, it was noted that ben badler from or affiliated with BA recently opined that torreyes is the best prospect in dayton. For what its worth.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by membengal

Perusing the comments ar redreporter to their minors wrap for the day, it was noted that ben badler from or affiliated with BA recently opined that torreyes is the best prospect in dayton. For what its worth.

He is certainly the best player on the team right now. I am positive that I wouldn't rank him ahead of Corcino or Yorman Rodriguez right now. Also about 95% sure that I wouldn't rank him above Billy Hamilton either.

[Brutus]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

He is certainly the best player on the team right now. I am positive that I wouldn't rank him ahead of Corcino or Yorman Rodriguez right now. Also about 95% sure that I wouldn't rank him above Billy Hamilton either.

In terms of a futures grade, that is completely logical. But in terms of current grade, yeah I'm having a hard time favoring any of them over Torreyes.

[mdccclxix]

Closest comp for young Midwest league players I could find:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...d=burrou001sea

Sean Burroughs

[mdccclxix]

I skipped 2010, but here's this one:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...d=trout-001mik

Mike Trout

Just going by 18 year olds in the Midwest League with averages above .340 or so.

[partisan]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

He is certainly the best player on the team right now. I am positive that I wouldn't rank him ahead of Corcino or Yorman Rodriguez right now. Also about 95% sure that I wouldn't rank him above Billy Hamilton either.

There's no way I'd put Hamilton above Torreyes. Billy clearly has a much higher ceiling but frankly he just looks silly way too often in the field and the plate for me.

If he learns some plate discipline and how to not throw the ball into the dugout, then he becomes a monster. But until then, Ronald is higher on my list.

[Scrap Irony]

Trout was among his closest comps in the Rookie Leagues as well.

Let's hope he continues to hit like that kid.

[The DARK]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

Trout was among his closest comps in the Rookie Leagues as well.

Let's hope he continues to hit like that kid.

Meanwhile, Torreyes brings his plus defense to a MI position. If he keeps up his production, he could be scary good.

[dougdirt]

The problem with comps to Trout or Burroughs is that those guys were much bigger people. Statistical comps are nice, but they only go so far.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by partisan

There's no way I'd put Hamilton above Torreyes. Billy clearly has a much higher ceiling but frankly he just looks silly way too often in the field and the plate for me.

If he learns some plate discipline and how to not throw the ball into the dugout, then he becomes a monster. But until then, Ronald is higher on my list.

I don't worry about his throwing. He will be fine in time. I just see more upside with Hamilton, enough that his current skillset being worse is offset. Hamilton is a special type of defender. He gets to baseball that good shortstops only dream about. I have seen enough flashes at the plate to know he is capable of being a solid offensive guy if he finds more consistency.

[Scrap Irony]

I understand what you're saying, doug. But, again, almost all males (98%, in fact) gaing both weight and muscle as they age. Unless he's an extreme outlier, Torryes will gain 20 lbs. or more before he hits the show. (If he hits the show.)

Add to that players like Rafael Furcal (who was smaller than Torreyes at the same age), Dustin Pedroia (who was the same size), and others-- all of whom have had success as major league players-- and your insistence that his size will somehow hold him back seems a bit... inflexible.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by Scrap Irony

I understand what you're saying, doug. But, again, almost all males (98%, in fact) gaing both weight and muscle as they age. Unless he's an extreme outlier, Torryes will gain 20 lbs. or more before he hits the show. (If he hits the show.)

Add to that players like Rafael Furcal (who was smaller than Torreyes at the same age), Dustin Pedroia (who was the same size), and others-- all of whom have had success as major league players-- and your insistence that his size will somehow hold him back seems a bit... inflexible.

Torreyes + 20 pounds is still 40-60 pounds lighter than the guys he was compared to. Still, I don't think he is gong to add 20 pounds or more in the next 4 years.

And I don't think I have ever said his size will hold him back. I am saying that others size may help them improve certain aspects of their game (power) moving forward.