Bernie on the Scene: A Deeper Dive into Organizational Prospects

This week I begin a three-week series of articles about prospect players who don't get the headlines but could see their roles increase in the 2021 season.

Each of these players is among the organizations' better prospects.

Given salary issues and the potential roster vacancies if veterans aren't retained, these players should be thoroughly considered for the near future.

Scout Grades:

45 = utility, part-time player with a platoon possible
50 = a regular player in the lineup daily with less probability of being platooned
55 = an above average player with multiple skills

National League West

Corbin Martin, RHP, Diamondbacks

Martin was a 2017 second-round draft pick of the Astros out of Texas A&M. He was traded to the Dbacks with 1B/OF Seth Beer, infielder Josh Rojas and P J.B. Bukauskas for Zack Greinke in 2019, during his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery. The trade may have helped both clubs. 

Martin was always a high-velocity pitcher, but since he was still recovering from surgery, he did not pitch at all in 2020. He has to prove he can still bring the heat. 

Martin has a wide range of velocity on his fastball and should hit 98 mph if he returns healthy. But he normally sits in the 94-95 range. He also throws quality breaking balls including a slider and curve. His changeup is a work in progress, but given his high velocity, that pitch could be a winner.

Most scouts feel Martin has to improve his command and stamina to land a spot in the Dbacks rotation. Most like him best in a set-up role. I still think he has a shot at starting for a Dbacks club that will always need pitching.

I say proceed with caution, but give Martin a look in spring. If he's healthy, he should make a contribution to the big league club.

 GRADE: 50

Yonathan Daza, CF, BR, Rockies

Daza is on the Rockies' outfield radar because of his solid contact rate. He has an above average hit tool, but like many centerfielders, he doesn't bring much power to his game.

He feasts on fastballs.

Daza is an outstanding defensive outfielder with a cannon for an arm. if he ends up making the Rockies, it would be as a defensive specialist or as a platoon player in general.

A line-drive hitter, Daza is patient at the plate and uses the entire field with a measured line-drive stroke. He has enough speed to be dangerous on the bases

Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela, Daza hid not make the 2020 big league roster, and as such, he didn't play this past season. He did, however, get a brief look in 2019, but it wasn't much to write home about. But remember, this is a guy who hit .364 at Triple-A.

Now 26, Daza will have to dazzle in spring training to earn a role on the club.

Proceed with caution, but he could be a late flier in a National League Only league.

GRADE: 45

Mitch White, RHP, Dodgers

Mitchell White did get to pitch a bit for the parent Dodgers this past season. He worked in two games, both in relief. He didn't yield a run in his three innings.

White was a second-round draft pick out of Santa Clara University in 2016. He has long been on the Dodgers' top prospect list, but he has been forgotten a bit due to their pitching depth.
He had Tommy John surgery after high school. That remains important in the equation about White.

While he isn't in the category of a Walker Buehler or Tony Gonsolin, White has had setbacks due to injuries.

I mention Buehler, because like Buehler, White has suffered from extensive blister problems that have held him back.

He doesn't have great velocity, pitching at about 92-93 mph, but his slider and curve are quality. He will have to improve his command, repeat his delivery and regroup a bit in his approach to remain a top-drawer Dodgers pitching option.

In his 2019 season, he began well, but really struggled after a promotion to Triple-A. 

I scouted White in the 2019 Fall League, and I came away unimpressed with what I saw. His command and control left a great deal of work ahead. 

I'm not sure White will break through, but you should know about his availability for your roster.

GRADE: 50

Luis Campusano, C, BR, Padres

Campusano was drafted by the Padres in the second round in 2017 out of Cross Creek (Georgia) High School. He signed for $1.3M, a hefty sum.

Campusano saw action in one 2020 game, getting four plate appearances and hitting a home run.

We often hear about the Padres pitching prospects, but Campusano should get as much love.

He's a solid hitter with above average power. 

An average defender, Campusano's arm strength is superb. His strength is in his bat, which is what we want from fantasy catchers.

Think of the prototypical catcher's frame, and that's Campusano. He has a thick frame with strength and power throughout his body. He has slimmed down recently, but his strength cannot be denied. He is an aggressive hitter capable of punishing the ball by finding the barrel and hitting the ball hard.

I think we can draft Campusano in keeper leagues for sure. Watch the catching corps for the Padres this spring. They may want more defense than he provides for their young pitchers. But I really think he has a chance to contribute. GRADE: 55

Jaylin Davis,OF, BR, Giants

The Minnesota Twins drafted Davis in the  24th round out of Appalachian State in 2015. The Twins traded him to the Giants for Sam Dyson in 2019.

The fact that he has seen major league playing time in 2019 and again in 2020 is admirable for his draft position.

The Giants really need outfielders. Davis is not a polished hitter. He's a long shot, and the Giants are hoping some of his power and speed can help them. So far, however, neither of those tools have surfaced.

I include him in this article because he could still surprise.  Davis could be a late bloomer that we wish we would have known about. Keep him in your back pocket. Watch his progress (or lack, thereof). He has to perform now, as he will enter 2021 at age 26.

GRADE: 45

American League West

Bryan Abreu, RHP, Astros

Bryan Abreu was signed out of the Dominican Republic and got his first look at the big leagues in 2019 when he posted a 1.04 ERA in 8.2 relief innings in seven games.

This year, Abreu pitched well in relief once again, working 3.1 innings in four Astros games.

Used mostly in middle relief, Abreu has a solid fastball//curveball/slider mix that can change the eye level of the hitter and keep the hitter off balance. If only he could command his pitches.

This is a guy with a highly effective, tough to hit breaking ball. That pitch could carry him.

It is that fastball/curveball combination that will lead Abreu to his ultimate success or failure as a big-league pitcher. The pitches both work, but he has to throw more strikes. For example, he walked seven hitters in his 3.1 innings this past season.

If you draft Abreu, you are betting totally on a great arm with upside. However, throwing strike one is the most crucial goal of any pitcher. He has trouble doing that. Bet on the curveball.

GRADE: 50

Jahmai Jones, 2B, BR, Angels

A 2015 second-round draft pick out of Wesleyan School in Norcross, Ga., Jahmai Jones really flew through the Angles organization. He landed on the Angles big-league roster for seven plate appearances in three games this past season. He finished those brief moments hitting .429 with three hits.

The Angels need middle-infield help, and Jones could be on their radar.

He has toyed with his hitting mechanics, changing his stance and re-working his hands. His inconsistency has become a stumbling block for his future. 

I scouted Jones when he played for Mesa in the 2019 Fall League. He hit .321 with an approach that placed a value on making contact, hitting the ball up the middle and taking what the pitcher offered. Jones is not a power hitter. He never has been and likely won't morph into a slugger. He does, however, have some speed.

A good athlete with a solid frame, Jones played football in high school.

What I like most about the Jones I have scouted is his patience at the plate, his solid plate discipline and his better than average pitch recognition. He is open to taking a walk.

I think he'll be a factor for the Angels in the future, as he just turned 23 in August.

I'll be looking to stash Jones in keeper leagues and roll him out when needed. 

GRADE: 45

Luis Barrera, OF, BL, Athletics

The Athletics signed left-handed hitting Luis Barrera out of the Dominican Republic. 

I first saw him play in the Arizona Fall League last year. He hit .263 in 64 plate appearances. His 15 hits included a double, a triple and a home run. He drove in 12.

Barrera did not make the Athletics major league roster this past season, so he has at-bats to make up. But he does have upside.

He will be 25 in the new season, so his clock is ticking. In seven minor league seasons, Barrera has hit .280/.337/.412/.749.

A good contact hitter, Barrera has little to no power. He does have some speed, and he might steal some bases—if he can get on base. His hit tool is average, and his defense is adequate enough.

A shoulder sprain slowed his progress, but he is likely healthy going into 2021.

In reality, Barrera may be nothing more than a defense-first replacement level outfielder with speed enough to track down balls hit in the air. But this is the type of player who can sneak up and add some offense to his game. He's worth keeping an eye on.

In an organization that mixes and matches players in and out of lineups and rosters, Barrera may be useful. 

GRADE: 45

Jake Fraley, OF, BL, Mariners

At 6-foot, 195, Jake Fraley is not the biggest outfielder in the game. 

I have talked to Mariners people who feel he has some sneaky power that could develop with his newly created upper-cut swing. That's why I include him. The Mariners need all the offense they can get to cover very mediocre pitching.

Injuries have stalled him a bit, but he appears to be healthy at this point.

Fraley was drafted by the Rays in 2016 out of LSU. He was traded to Seattle in 2018 in a deal that sent catcher Mike Zunino to Tampa Bay.

Fraley has some speed. He can steal bases and drive the ball as a pure gap hitter. He does, however, have to improve his contact rate and stop trying to power the ball over the fence. That's where I haven't caught up with scouts who think  Fraley is a secret weapon. I just don't see it yet. 

GRADE: 45

Sherten Apostel, 1B/3B, BR, Rangers

Tall and lanky at 6-4, 235, Sherten Apostel signed with the Pirates out of Curacao. A former pitcher, Apostel preferred to be a position player, and that's how the Pirates agreed to develop him when he signed. 

Apostel never played for Pittsburgh, as he was traded to the Rangers in 2018 for Keone Kela.

This season, Apostel played seven games for Texas in 2020, hitting .100/.143/.150/.293

Make no mistake, Apostel is still very raw as a hitter. But he has those long arms and legs that he deploys to his advantage, showing power and using speed (with long strides) in his game.

If he remains at third base, he will be a big, lanky guy at that position. He may fit better physically at first base.

The problem has been a lack of plate discipline and virtually no pitch recognition. Pitchers can dispatch him with ease as he chases their pitches with his impatience.

He has a strong arm and is not a clank on defense. I think he can project at either corner position. And how can you not love his name? 

GRADE: 50

Heading Home

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