2024-2025 Winter Ball - Arizona, Latin America, Australia, etc

[andyb]

As anticipated, Painter is Pitcher of the Year in Arizona.

https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/andrew-painter-named-2024-arizona-fall-league-pitcher-of-the-year

[andyb]

Looks like Rojas was back in there yesterday so no injury issues. Crawford's next round in the Premiere 13 tournament starts tomorrow (but no idea when that is on the East coast).

11/19/24 : Winter League Roundup

Rojas 4-6 yesterday in an extra inning game so clearly healthy again.

Crawford's HR from last week here:

JUSTIN CRAWFORD’S TURN #Premier12 pic.twitter.com/NZhVTRBu4R

— USA Baseball ( @USABaseball ) November 15, 2024

[fish]

Interesting that BA’s AFL “pitchers of intrigue” write up they included Jason Ruffcorn with Painter. He got hit around as a 25 year old but maybe he found something striking out 21 in 13 innings. He certainly was complimentary for the things the Mariners have done for his development.

[andyb]

Rojas has had a pretty good stretch. He is now hitting .306 for the season (15-49) with 3 BBs and 14 Ks. 7 SBs. Modest power for a 787 OPS.

Panama has also started their league and Eduardo Tait is playing for Aguilas Metropolitanas. Team is 2-0 so far. Their webpage is here (without too much in the way of stats). Sosa is listed on the reserve roster and is on the video introduction on their website but doubt he will play much.

https://www.aguilasmetropolitanas.com/

[andyb]

Steve Potter has found more winter leagues in Nicaragua and Colombia. Jhailyn Ortiz is playing in Colombia though the more interesting current prospect down there is Nolan Beltran (735 OPS in FCL last year at age 19).

12/5/24 : Winter League Roundup

[fish]

The elusive decent video of Painter in the AFL. A thing of beauty.

https://x.com/PhilsPlayerDev/status/1860057704288678218

[phillychuck]

First comment below the video is speculating his release is such that it puts his arm health in danger. ("another TJ in 2 years") I'm not good enough to see any danger signs there...anyone agree with the poster?

[fish]

First comment below the video is speculating his release is such that it puts his arm health in danger. ("another TJ in 2 years") I'm not good enough to see any danger signs there...anyone agree with the poster?

Nah. His delivery/arm stroke is very similar to Verlander, but with what looks like less of a shoulder tilt (which is a little more efficient). I don’t love the long arm stroke behind him but verlander does the same and he seems to hide the ball well with what he’s doing.

He falls off to his glove side after he throws. Once he tightens that up his delivery should look a little smoother, but if it was really bad he’d have control problems. again Verlander does this too, just a little less.

At the end of the day, he’s 6’7” and throws 100 mph. If he will last will depend more on god-given gift than anything minor in his delivery.

[Austinfan]

I'm sure they've analyzed his delivery to the nth degree and will make tweaks if needed.
He doesn't look like a max effort guy, what he probably just needs is to fill out and have a stronger lower body to take stress off the arm. Which he is already doing.

[andyb]

From Steve Potter's winter notes it looks like Eduardo Tait is leading the Panamanian league in hitting. 21-44 so far. Not as much power but he might be the best player in that league (quality unknown) at age 18.

[Austinfan]

Wonder where they'll start him next year, should be FCL in Clearwater, but if he flashes in ST after a good winter campaign, they might get aggressive.

[andyb]

He already played in Clearwater A ball. That is almost certainly where he will start in 2025.

[Matt_Winkelman]

He will start with the Threshers. The question on catchers will be where do Rosario, Shojinaga, and Ferrebus play.

[andyb]

The rule is typically that the best prospects play at the level that is best for their development. Some of the other catchers will be a bit older, but Tait's placement and playing time is first (though I imagine he'll only start at catcher 50% of the time and play DH or 1B other games).

Maybe they push Shojinaga to Jersey Shore because he is older. Rosario was a bit ahead of Ferrebus last year so he probably has a better shot at the Clearwater 2nd catcher spot to start assuming everyone is healthy. I do wonder if Ferrebus is the better prospect between him and Rosario though (thinking of the dominating offense in the DSL and then getting hurt before he had much of a chance stateside).

[andyb]

Eduardo Tait - batting champion.

Eduardo Tait es el campeón bate de Probeis

[Austinfan]

If Taits tears it up in Clearwater, say .900 OPS through June, they like to push young players, so good bet he gets promoted to JS,

[phillychuck]

Don't you think there is a chance he starts at JS?

Es una gran noticia. He beat out some pretty good players.

[andyb]

I think a year split between Clearwater and Jersey Shore would be good for him. He is still young enough that the catching instruction at Clearwater with all the resources there would be helpful. And we know those April mornings in Jersey Shore can be frustrating for a young power hitter.

It is just easier for a position player to blow through levels more quickly than a young catcher. Ethan Salas could probably have used a full year in Low A but they promoted him too early to the point where he had a disappointing age 18 season last year in High A (599 OPS). And Salas is a better prospect than Tait though perhaps close in the age/level thing.