Future plans 2020-2022

[Austinfan]

Why does everyone assume Haseley is going to be a "light hitter."
Was he overdrafted after a mediocre college career?
Did he fail to progress in the minors? Was his 2018/2019 Reading wRC+ > 140 a fluke?
2018: H .909/R .804
2017: H .998/R .714
Did he fail to show any progress in his ML cameo?

His CF defense was slightly above average, his LF defense was elite.

Now I don't think he's the next Yelich, but Haseley has a pretty solid track record of a guy with a good eye, good stroke, solid alley power.
.280-.300 BA, .330-370 OBP, .410-.450 SA, .740-.820 OPS are reasonable projections.

This is a guy who put up .720 OPS as a rookie, and his defense was good enough for 0.9/1.7 WAR (FG/BR) in 2/5ths of a season (2.2/4.2 full season). Get his OPS > .750 with similar defense and he's easily a 3 WAR player.

[andyb]

Why does everyone assume Haseley is going to be a "light hitter."

Because he has never had that much power. He projects as a 15-20 HR guy which is less than one would want in a corner. Note his other minor league stops were all in the 100-122 wRC+ range outside of the Reading you mention. We also do not know if his defense in CF is "above average". The statistics are divided from 2019 and also very small sample. The scouting reports suggest he would be below average.

We just don't know a lot about Haseley. It was a decent debut for him. There is still development and improvement ahead for him (like with other young players you look down upon like Crawford and Alfaro). We just don't know if he will exceed his scouting report which is a tweener (not ideal offense for a corner, not ideal defense for CF). All this to say is that I like Haseley too. I just don't know if he is more than a below average regular at either LF or CF. When surrounded by above average regulars that can play, especially when he is paid very little.

You just assume the guys you like will get better and assume the guys you don't like will get worse. Reality is usually more variable than that. And tools matter.

[Austinfan]

45 LF/RF starters who qualified, 20 had 30+ HRs.
4 of the 20 were less than 2 WAR.
12 of the 20 with 3+ WAR had 30+ HRs.
So it's nice, but not necessary.

[andyb]

So it's nice, but not necessary

Necessary if he doesn't have a 350+ OBP though. And you set the bar at 30 HRs with 20 of 45 having that. I am guessing many more had 20+. You seem to get incensed when someone puts up probabilities with young player development. Haseley has some plusses defensively and with contact at the plate. He also has minuses on power and speed compared to many OF. Why can't one point out both sides? There are many ways to be a good player. We actually agree on that. Haseley could be a good LF. We just don't know that at this point and the chances of it are 50-50 at best when looking at either the scouting reports or the stats. His better path is likely in CF if he can prove his defense is good over the long term.

[allentown]

How good Haseley turns out to be depends upon how closely his MLB stats can approach his minor league stats. His ISO and BB rate are both significantly lower. Get back to the walk rates he had at Reading and Allentown this season (and fairly consistently throughout his MiLB career, and he looks like a plus leadoff hitter. Up the ISO to closer to what it was in the minors and that will be quite adequate. I think both improvements are wholly possible. He did all he needed to do in the Phillies home games. He was bad on the road.

[Austinfan]

Haseley was also promoted a half season before he should have been due to injuries.

He would have been better prepared had he stayed in AAA, but bounced back after struggling in August, mental toughness is important for young players.

He has good but not great speed, but showed good instincts breaking on balls and has a solid arm (ex pitcher).
Haseley has a nice stroke and the ability to hit to all fields and 400+ foot power straight away (HRs to the alleys).
He was overanxious when he first came up but calmed down and learned to work counts consistently.