With Spring Training just a week or so away, it’s time to take another look at some prospects in the Baltimore organization. If you follow the system, these names are everyday names that you’ve heard of. After spending extensive time reviewing the players below, I’ll give a brief overview of the player and their outlook for the 2016 season and forward. You can find previous notes on David Hess, Chris Lee, Chance Sisco and others by clicking here.
(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)
Jonah Heim – C
Perhaps overlooked due to Chance Sisco’s “prospect ranking” – the Orioles have another solid option behind the plate with Jonah Heim. Heim makes his presence known with his defense over his offense at this point. However, Heim is just 20 years old, and the offense will continue to develop – making him a potential every day catcher who is solid defensively, with an average bat.
Heim does a good job working to the pitcher’s strengths and communicating. His blocking and receiving skills are advanced for someone his age and he shows nice, soft hands, which will always play-up in any organization. As far as his arm strength and pop, I’ve clocked him with times between 1.89-1.94.
Offensively, he hasn’t developed a solid game-plan at the plate, but does present a nice smooth swing and quick enough hands while hitting as a lefty and righty. He appears to have an understanding at identifying secondary pitches, but sometimes fails to either lay off, or put solid swings together. His power may develop as he continues to fill out his frame, but as it stands currently, it simply doesn’t exist. He looks more comfortable hitting from the left side of the plate.
Going Forward:
Heim earned a spot to big-league camp for Spring Training this year, and that doesn’t come as a surprise, given how coaches and scouts rave about his ability to work with pitchers. Once camp breaks, Heim will be the everyday catcher in Frederick (A+) with a focus of improving his offense. Obviously defense can always be improved, but the focus for Heim will be barreling up pitches and making solid contact. He may struggle hitting in the Carolina League early on, but hopefully with time, he can develop into an all-round serviceable catcher on both sides of the ball. The Orioles are in a good position with their catching prospects.
Ashur Tolliver – LHP
Although Tolliver isn’t considered a top-prospect, he was recently invited to 2016 Spring Training as a non-roster invite. He’s spent the past two seasons in Bowie (AA) and was also invited to the Arizona Fall League in 2014. Tolliver, 28, has a career 23% strike out percentage, but a 8.1% walk percentage in ~250 innings pitched.
The lefty reliever has a fastball (89-93 mph), a change-up (80-84 mph) and a slider (79-82 mph). Out of the secondary pitches, his change-up is more advanced than the slider. During outings, he’s typically fastball and change-up heavy. His fastball does have some movement, but his command become an issue in Double-A. The change-up is firm with some fade and he does a good job using it versus both right and left-handed hitters. It’s a very effective pitch against lefties when he keeps it on the outside of the plate. He doesn’t have a very good feel for the slider, as it lacks sweeping action and is an overall fringy pitch. With his pitches having a downward movement, he’s able to generate a lot of ground balls.
Going Forward:
Tolliver will get a shot to pitch in big-league camp this season, and depending on the results, could make a good impression. However, he’s organizational depth at this point and could be used as an extra arm in the bullpen due to an injury. He’ll begin the season in Norfolk (AAA).
Josh Hart – OF
Hart, a former first rounder in the 2013 MLB Draft, hasn’t produced to the level that many have thought. While his speed and ability to play centerfield have been on display, his offensive numbers have been mediocre due to approach and injuries. In 2015, while mostly batting from the leadoff spot, Hart had a total of 11 walks and a .282 on-base percentage.
His stance is quiet, but he’s able to generate speed through the zone and does a good job at slapping balls to the opposite field. One of Hart’s biggest problems is his approach at the plate, as he was constantly swinging at the first pitch – even if it was a pitch that he couldn’t put a solid swing on. This would sometimes result in base hits, but mostly just resulted in poor contact or falling behind in the at-bat.
On the base paths, Hart was able to steal 30 bags in 2015, despite not always getting the best of jumps. He definitely has athleticism, but if his reads don’t improve, he could have trouble with higher levels of play. The speed also allows him to play a solid centerfield, despite having a below-average arm.
Going Forward:
The walks and low on-base percentage are a concern, especially from a player who typically hits leadoff. However, I did notice during the last month of play in 2015, that Hart was working on his approach in order to see more and a better quality of pitches. Hopefully this is task he carries into the new season. He won’t hit for power, and that’s fine, as he’s a speedy guy who makes contact. Maybe slotting him in the 6th or 7th spot of the lineup would allow him a better chance to relax, but that’s just a theory. He will likely be back in Frederick (A+) to open the 2016 season, with a shot at Bowie (AA+) later on.
Adrian Marin – SS
After another underwhelming offensive season in Frederick (A+) – it’s time to re-evaluate Adrian Marin. Although he will be 22 years old when the 2016 season opens, he has yet to show any real improvement in the offensive department. Approach wise, he’s thinking about jumping on first pitches instead of setting himself up for good hitter’s counts. He’s tapped out as far as power goes and needs to focus on making solid contact and hitting the ball gap-to-gap, and letting his speed come into play.
On defense, his arm strength is average at best. He has trouble getting the ball to first base in the air on balls hit in the hole. However, despite the lack of arm strength, he does make accurate throws. The footwork at the position is average and he has good speed, but due to the arm, he doesn’t project as an every day shortstop.
Going Forward:
Marin has above-average speed and stole a career high 25 bases in 2015. However, with a poor approach at the plate, these numbers become lost in the mix. Sure, he’s been younger than the median age of most of the leagues he’s appeared in, but has yet to produce numbers that stand out. Even though he attended the Arizona Fall League during the 2015 off-season, prospecting improvement or talent on 20-30 games at the end of a full MiLB season is foolish.
With an underwhelming arm at SS, little improvement at the plate, he projects more as a utility player rather than a prospect at this point. Playing shortstop does add marginal value to his game, but it will be on part-time basis. Additionally, effort issues may reduce his ability to develop into the player everyone was hoping for when he was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2012 MLB Draft. He will more than likely start the 2016 season in Bowie (AA).
Reggie Yinger has spent the parts of five seasons as a Player Development Coordinator for the Baltimore Orioles. He has extensive experience in computer programming and baseball.