Baseball America – July 02, 2019

24 JULY 2019 • BASEBALLAMERICA.COM

JORDAN BALAZOVIC

RHP, TWINS

RANK: 85. PRESEASON: NR.

When the Twins drafted

Balazovic out of Canada as a

high schooler in the fifth round

in 2016, they were betting that

there was much more to come

from a young righthander with

broad shoulders and room to

grow.

The summer before his draft

year, he sat 84-88 mph. By the

time he was drafted he could

touch 93.

Three years later, Balazovic

now sits 93-95 mph and can

touch 97. That fastball allows

him to dominate Class A hit-

ters, but his leap has come this

year because he’s proving he

can locate his average curve-

ball and changeup to the point

where hitters can’t sit on his

fastball.

At two Class A levels he had

gone 6-2, 2.54 through 11

starts with 82 strikeouts and 12

walks in 56.2 innings.

Balazovic fills the strike zone

with a plus fastball and can

manipulate his curveball in and

out of the zone. It gives him a

solid chance to start long term

thanks to his stuff, average

command and feel.

—J.J. Cooper

STOCK WATCH

STOCK IS

HEADED:

UP

PROSPECT GRADUATIONS CREATE

A TALENT LULL IN MINORS

by J.J. COOPER

Not all Top 100 Prospects lists are created equal. And this midseason

list is admittedly not as deep as the preseason ranking that appeared in

the March issue of Baseball America.

Top 10 prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Fernando Tatis Jr., Eloy

Jimenez and Nick Senzel have graduated, as have 25 total players from

the preseason Top 100 Prospects. Adley Rutschman, Bobby Witt Jr. and

the rest of the 2019 draft class won’t arrive until our next update. That

creates a natural downturn in talent.

But this list has less talent than recent lists for more than just

chronological reasons. After an amazing run of top prospects, the

minors are experiencing a lull.

Conversations with numerous scouts around the country finds

most of them lamenting the lack of low-risk impact talent around the

minors—we’ve been spoiled by a run of historically good hitting pros-

pects.

New No. 1 prospect Wander Franco very much compares with any of

the top prospects who have graduated, and there are scouts who say

they prefer him to Guerrero. But after him, the rest of the top 10 does

not match the Top 10s of recent years.

There are several reasons for that.

ZAC GALLEN

RHP, MARLINS

RANK: 84. PRESEASON: NR.

The Marlins reeled in Gallen

when they traded Marcell

Ozuna to the Cardinals fol-

lowing the 2017 season. After

a so-so effort in his organiza-

tional debut at Triple-A New

Orleans last year, Gallen posted

gaudy numbers while repeat-

ing the Pacific Coast League.

The 23-year-old went 9-1,

1.77 through his first 14 starts,

striking out 112 and walking

17 in 91.1 innings. Gallen had

four double-digit strikeout

games and had allowed more

than two earned runs in a start

just twice.

Gallen shows command of

all of his pitches. He tops out

at 94 mph and also throws a

slider with good depth and

a cutter, both of which are

above-average. Gallen has

been throwing his changeup

more often and shows a feel

for it, which enhances his over-

all repertoire.

The ability to execute and

throw strikes has vaulted

Gallen up the Marlins’ prospect

list, and his pitchability should

allow him to remain in the

majors as a starter.

—Justin Coleman

STOCK WATCH

STOCK IS

HEADED:

UP

MID

SEA

SON

TOP

1. The top players from the
   excellent 2015 international class
   have graduated.
   Baseball will be reaping the
   benefits of the 2015 international
   class for years to come. But Juan
   Soto, Guerrero and Tatis have
   all graduated, as has the Astros’
   Yordan Alvarez.
   The class is still one of the best
   in the minors, thanks to Top 100
   Prospects like Braves outfielder
   Cristian Pache and Pirates short-
   stop Oneil Cruz. But the class has
   graduated its biggest stars, which
   has led directly to a dip in the top
   talent in the minor leagues.


2. The 2016 draft and interna-
   tional class have been forgettable.
   Phillies outfielder Mickey
   Moniak, the No. 1 pick in 2016,
   appears to be one of the least
   impactful top picks of the decade.
   He has plenty of company. Top
   draft prospects like Riley Pint,
   Kyle Lewis and Corey Ray have
   struggled.
   Just three of the top 15 picks
   in the 2016 draft are currently
   ranked in the Top 100 Prospects.
   The top international prospect in
   2016 was Kevin Maitan, who is a
   career .230 hitter. Among the top
   50 international prospects in that

year’s class, only the Nationals’

Luis Garcia currently ranks in the

Top 100, compared with five 2015

international prospects.

3. The strength of the minors is
   pitching, which is more volatile
   Recent years have been dom-
   inated by excellent hitting
   prospects, the blue chip stocks
   of prospects. Recent history
   with top pitching prospects
   offers plenty of reminders that
   they often can be derailed or
   delayed by injuries—Alex Reyes,
   Anderson Espinoza, Julio Urias,
   Brent Honeywell, A.J. Puk and
   Michael Kopech all have missed
   significant time.
   Right now, there are fewer
   hitters starring and more of the
   best prospects are pitchers. That
   adds some volatility to the top
   of the rankings. While there are
   examples of pitchers like Braves
   righthander Mike Soroka making
   immediate major league impacts,
   pitchers also are more likely
   to be injured. For example, the
   Athletics’ Jesus Luzardo missed
   the first half with a shoul-
   der injury. The Astros’ Forrest
   Whitley was shut down with
   shoulder fatigue after a rough
   first half. n STEPHEN SMITH/FOUR SEAM IMAGES; DENNIS HUBBARD/FOUR SEAM IMAGES; DAVID SEELIG; CARL KLINE