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OTM Prospect Rankings: Who's No. 13?

Yup! We're revisiting this. I'm trying to tie up some loose ends and this is one. Luis Exposito was voted in at No. 12, so we move on to No. 13. Here are your options (and remember, we're going to 15 and that's it):

YAMAICO NAVARRO (More info)
21 y.o. / Shortstop / B: R, T: R
SP: 10 / BA: 9 / MLB: 9

LVL	AB	2B	HR	RBI	BA/OBP/SLG
A 325 14 7 54 .280/.341/.412
A+ 181 13 4 23 .348/.393/.508
HWB 13 0 0 0 .231/.286/.231

SoxProspects:
Not initially signed as a big name, Navarro has thoroughly impressed the Sox brass during his rise through the organization. He has an athletic build for a shortstop, with a little bit of bulk. At the plate, he makes good contact and generates good loft off his bat, resulting in a lot of liners. Hits fastballs better than breaking balls. A little too aggressive at the plate, could stand to take some more pitches. Average speed and good power for a middle infielder. In the field, he plays 2B, 3B, and SS more than adequately, with a sure glove and an average to above average arm, but he still needs to improve footwork. He also has real problems with fluidly executing double plays. Regardless, he's always entertaining to watch, and turns a lot of big league gems with his glove. He has an Ozzie Smith-like electricity in the field.


CHE-HSUAN LIN (More info)
20 y.o. / Outfield / B: R, T: R
SP: 9 / BA: -- / MLB: 17

LVL	AB	2B	HR	RBI	BA/OBP/SLG
A 362 13 5 37 .249/.342/.359

SoxProspects.com:
Spectacularly athletic centerfielder likely would have been a supplemental first round pick in the 2007 draft had he been eligible. Quick, strong wrists. Makes use of a leg kick as a timing step. Contact rates are below average. Decent gap power, hits well to all fields when he gets the bat on the ball. He's struggled with off-speed pitches early on. Plus speed and good intelligence on the basepaths. Exceptional glove and range in CF to go along with elite arm strength and accuracy. One teammate commented positively on Lin's range, stating that it looks like Lin is "gliding on roller skates" in the outfield. The Red Sox outbid several teams for Lin's services. Also, at least one team significantly outbid Boston, but Lin preferred to play for the Red Sox organization.


KYLE WEILAND (More info)
22 y.o. / Pitcher / B: L, T: R
SP: 14 / BA: -- / MLB: 13

LVL	IP	BB	SO	HR	ERA	WHIP
A- 60 10 68 1 1.50 0.77

SoxProspects.com:
90-95 mph fastball complemented by a plus low 80s curve and a decent 79-83 mph change. Attacks the zone with very good command - doesn't throw a lot of mistake pitches. Control of his secondary pitches could use some improvement. Fastball has great late downward life. Consistent. Delivery is somewhat unconventional - a little long on the back end, but his motion is smooth coming to the plate. But he's shown great success, so the organization may let him go with it. In college, Weiland struggled recovering from a broken collarbone sustained prior to the 2007 season, after demonstrating flashes of dominance during his freshman campaign at Notre Dame. The Sox will attempt to develop Weiland as a starter down the line.


OSCAR TEJEDA (More info)
19 y.o. / Shortstop / B: R, T: R
SP: 17 / BA: -- / MLB: 10

LVL	AB	2B	HR	RBI	BA/OBP/SLG
A 372 18 4 38 .261/.301/.347

SoxProspects.com:
Top-notch athlete, lots of tools. Ahead of the fold in terms of age-advancement, but still needs a lot of refinement. Excellent bat speed with a smooth swing. Below average present power, but he's still very young and he could fill out. Plate discipline could definitely use some improvement. Also struggles with off-speed stuff. Above average speed, but has yet to translate that into many stolen bases. Average glove at SS, decent range, and a strong arm that's accurate but inconsistent. He makes most of his errors on off balance throws. Got some time at 3B in 2008. Has impressed with his intellect for his age.


ARGENIS DIAZ (More info)
22 y.o. / Shortstop / B: R, T: R
SP: 13 / BA: -- / MLB: 16

LVL	AB	2B	HR	RBI	BA/OBP/SLG
A+ 256 9 0 29 .281/.330/.363
AA 139 8 2 23 .288/.336/.417

SoxProspects.com:
Diaz is an elite defensive shortstop, and could compete for a gold glove in the bigs right now. He has plus range, excellent footing, an impressive glove, and an outstanding arm. Makes impossible plays in the field. An inordinate amount of errors in 2008 have largely been attributed to off-the-mark long throws off of grounders that Diaz had no business getting to in the first place. The key for Diaz is how much he will hit. He's a slap hitter with average on base ability and without much power, but he's swung the bat very well during a few prolonged stints here and there. Hits lefties significantly better than righties. Excellent at laying down bunts. Speed on the basepaths isn't much to speak of.


STEPHEN FIFE (More info)
22 y.o. / Relief Pitcher / B: R, T: R
SP: -- / BA: -- / MLB: 15

LVL	IP	BB	SO	HR	ERA	WHIP
A- 38.2 11 41 1 2.33 1.01

SoxProspects.com:
Great pitcher's frame. At Utah, Fife worked middle relief in 2007 and earned a rotation spot for 2008. Four-seam fastball gets up to 95 mph, but generally sits between 90-93 mph. Great movement on his fastball, tailing down and in on righties. Two seamer sits around 90 mph and has a nice sink. Also works in a low 80s sharp slider and a biting 76-89 mph curve, both have excellent potential. Curveball is his out pitch. His changeup sits around 81-84 mph. Good command, pounds the zone. Extreme groundball pitcher. Workhorse, went deep into games in college, maintaining velocity well. Somewhat jerky delivery with a lot of torque - snaps the ball as it comes out of his hand. Really came on as a draft prospect late in the 2008 season.

Poll
Who's No. 13?
Yamaico Navarro
23 votes
Che-Hsuan Lin
27 votes
Kyle Weiland
8 votes
Oscar Tejeda
14 votes
Argenis Diaz
16 votes
Stephen Fife
10 votes

98 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs  |  Comment 20 comments

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Comments

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As things stand, who is most likely to get major league time? Diaz. Therefore, he’s my number 13. We’re in a group that’s much of a muchness.

"no1 has time to read your long comments, are you writing a book?"

by britsoxfan on Mar 20, 2009 9:30 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

i voted Diaz as well, but I like the looks of guys like Lin and Weiland as well.

by Randy Booth on Mar 20, 2009 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Diaz is behind Navarro on Sox Prospects' list.

See here. I don’t get the appeal. It sounds like Diaz is Alex Cora but without the hitting skills (a term I use very loosely). Navarro’s footwork may be in question, but he can hit and play 2nd, SS, and 3B. If he continues to improve, he could be a power-hitting middle-infielder. Diaz’s ceiling is a slap hitter with good defense; Lin’s ceiling is Jacoby Ellsbury (although Ellsbury had better minor league numbers).

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Mar 20, 2009 10:35 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Except

WAYYYYY better defensively then Alex Cora ever was. His defense is amazing. He has hit well in AA ball where as Navarro has floundered until the end of last year in single A ball.

The way I look at it. If all of our SS except Navarro and Diaz were on a bus that got lost for the next Red Sox game. Which of the two would your rather have play during the next Red Sox game. That to me is an easy answer, Diaz is much farther along then Navarro.

by drabidea on Mar 20, 2009 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Further along does not mean better prospect.

As 0157 said above, it is very much about a player’s “ceiling.” If Diaz cannot hit, then we could just go sign Adam Everett (or whomever else) for a million dollars. With Navarro we have a chance at developing an impact player.

by BTLove on Mar 20, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

If

If Diaz cannot hit?? He has shown he can hit better then Navarro has so far. Right now Diaz has better numbers and is in a more advanced league?? I understand a high ceiling is great, but there are alot of prospects with huge ceilings that never pan out.

Right now to me, Diaz seems like he is more likely to be a future MLB SS then Navarro.

by drabidea on Mar 22, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

"More likely to be a future MLB shortstop" is not always the point.

Our team can sign very cheaply any number of major league caliber shortstops. We need our farm system to produce players that are better than that. Simply making the majors is not necessarily how we should judge our system. Especially with the financial advantage on our side. We need to produce guys that are much better than replacement level, or they will never actually play for the Sox.

Is Diaz’s ceiling higher than replacement level? With the glove it appears it definitely is. And of course there is great value in an elite fielding shortstop. However, if he can’t hit, he’s just another guy. According to SoxProspects, “he’s a slap hitter with average on base ability and without much power…” That does not sound too promising.

This is not to say Navarro is a lock to be a good player. But I would rather take the long shot that he can be above average than the sure-thing who is replacement level.

by BTLove on Mar 22, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Restatement

When I said future MLB SS, I meant future Red Sox SS. A future Red Sox SS will be above average, just like every player on our roster.

by drabidea on Mar 22, 2009 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

If our number 13 prospect turns into Adam Everett,

then our cup runneth over.

"no1 has time to read your long comments, are you writing a book?"

by britsoxfan on Mar 22, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

And if he turns into Hanley Ramirez?

Or even Jed Lowrie?

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Mar 22, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

We’re gonna need a bigger cup.

"no1 has time to read your long comments, are you writing a book?"

by britsoxfan on Mar 22, 2009 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

We could have had Everett for a one year deal at $1 mil this year.

by BTLove on Mar 22, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

For what?

"Hey we got a lot in common here... I'm gonna rape you"

by MerryGoByeBye on Mar 23, 2009 2:33 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Not that we would. My point was that our system should not be striving to create players that could be had for almost nothing on the free agent market.

by BTLove on Mar 23, 2009 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

There’s no ‘appeal’ other than the relative likelihood of his ever seeing time for the parent club.

"no1 has time to read your long comments, are you writing a book?"

by britsoxfan on Mar 20, 2009 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Fife

"Hey we got a lot in common here... I'm gonna rape you"

by MerryGoByeBye on Mar 20, 2009 2:46 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Navarro.

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Mar 20, 2009 6:41 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Second

Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.

by sox-inda-south on Mar 21, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

AND LIN FORMS THE HEAD!!!!

[screamed in Japanese]

"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.

by 0157H7 on Mar 20, 2009 6:42 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

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