Baseball America – July 02, 2019

23

Mariners

outfielder

Julio

Rodriguez

(top) and

Twins

outfielder

Trevor

Larnach were

showing

budding

corner out-

fielder tools.

MID

SEA

SON

TOP

No. Player Pos Team

76. Kyle Muller LHP Braves


77. Anthony Kay LHP Mets


78. William Contreras C Braves


79. Julio Rodriguez OF Mariners


80. Justus Sheffield LHP Mariners


81. Daniel Lynch LHP Royals


82. Deivi Garcia RHP Yankees


83. Trevor Larnach OF Twins


84. Zac Gallen RHP Marlins


85. Jordan Balazovic RHP Twins


86. Brice Turang SS Brewers


87. Triston Casas 1B Red Sox


88. Spencer Howard RHP Phillies


89. Logan Gilbert RHP Mariners


90. Jarren Duran OF Red Sox


91. Heliot Ramos OF Giants


92. Nate Lowe 1B Rays


93. Ryan Rolison LHP Rockies


94. Eric Pardinho RHP Blue Jays


95. Bobby Dalbec 3B Red Sox


96. Isaac Paredes 3B/SS Tigers


97. Daulton Varsho C D-backs


98. George Valera OF Indians


99. Shane Baz RHP Rays


100. Evan White 1B Mariners

THE LIST

Cont.

YUSNIEL DIAZ
OF, ORIOLES

RANK: 69. PRESEASON: 37.

Diaz was hitting
.314/.428/.477 through 59
games last year for Double-A
Tulsa when the Dodgers trad-
ed him to the Orioles as the
centerpiece prospect of the
Manny Machado deal.
After the trade, Diaz’s num-
bers sagged when he joined
Double-A Bowie, and it’s been
more of the same this season
while repeating the league.
Through 37 games in the
Eastern League, sandwiched
around a stint on the injured
list, Diaz had hit .248/.333/.401
with four home runs.
The 22-year-old Diaz, whom
the Dodgers signed out of
Cuba in November 2015, has
good hand-eye coordination,
so despite not having the
most conventional swing, he
has shown a knack for putting
the ball in play. There hasn’t
been much damage upon
contact, though, which has
caused his performance to
suffer and created more ques-
tions about his overall profile.
Diaz has split time between
center field and right field, but
scouts have concerns about
whether he’s good enough
defensively to handle center
on an everyday basis and
whether he has the raw power
to project in right field.
Diaz is still young, but the
reports this year haven’t been
as encouraging as they were
last summer.
—Ben Badler

STOCK WATCH

STOCK IS

HEADED:

DOWN

VICTOR VICTOR

MESA, OF, MARLINS

RANK: 74. PRESEASON: 60.

It’s not all that uncommon

for Cuban players to struggle

as they get their first taste of

pro ball in the United States.

That certainly had applied

to the 22-year-old Mesa at

high Class A Jupiter as he

makes his U.S. debut.

Yoan Moncada had a .576

OPS at the all-star break in

his U.S. debut in the South

Atlantic League. Luis Robert

struggled last year as he bat-

tled injuries at Class A.

Mesa has definitely

struggled this year, but the

concerning fact is that while

Moncada and Robert both

showed impressive tools

during their struggles, Mesa

isn’t showing any ability to

drive the ball.

“He was pretty disappoint-

ing offensively. I don’t see any

impact or power. He can really

defend and play center field,”

said one pro scout.

Through 52 games in the

Florida State League, Mesa

had hit .220/.272/.254 with

eight stolen bases but was

without a home run.

The Marlins forked over

$5.25 million to sign Mesa

last offseason, when he was

the No. 1 international pros-

pect and received the largest

bonus. He still has time to

develop into the charismatic,

dynamic top-of-the-order

hitter that Miami envisioned

when it signed him.

—J.J. Cooper

STOCK WATCH

STOCK IS

HEADED:

DOWN

PROSPECT

GRADUATIONS

The following players ranked

as preseason Top 100 Prospects

but had either exhausted their

prospects eligibility (130 at-bats

or 50 innings) or were in the

major leagues as of June 10.

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
   3B, Blue Jays


2. Fernando Tatis Jr.
   SS, Padres


3. Eloy Jimenez
   OF, White Sox


4. Nick Senzel
   OF, Reds


5. Victor Robles
   OF, Nationals


6. Brendan Rodgers
   2B/SS, Rockies


7. Alex Reyes
   RHP, Cardinals


8. Austin Riley
   OF/3B, Braves


9. Mike Soroka
   RHP, Braves


10. Yordan Alvarez
    OF, Astros


11. Alex Verdugo
    OF, Dodgers


12. Tyler O’Neill
    OF, Cardinals


13. Danny Jansen
    C, Blue Jays


14. Yusei Kikuchi
    LHP, Mariners


15. Corbin Burnes
    RHP, Brewers


16. Pete Alonso
    1B, Mets


17. Touki Toussaint
    RHP, Braves


18. Griffin Canning
    RHP, Angels


19. Chris Paddack
    RHP, Padres


20. Dakota Hudson
    RHP, Cardinals


21. Josh James
    RHP, Astros


22. Jon Duplantier
    RHP, D-backs


23. Garrett Hampson
    2B/OF, Rockies


24. Brandon Lowe
    2B/OF, Rays


25. Josh Naylor
    OF, Padres

Yordan Alvarez

TOP 100 PROSPECTS