Farm Futures: Scouting From the Seats in Appleton

This week I journeyed to Appleton, Wisc., where the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee's Low-A affiliate) were playing host to the Quad Cities River Bandits (Houston's Low-A affiliate). This was my first opportunity for in-person prospect viewing since the Arizona Fall League, and the trip did not disappoint. There were a couple of very impressive performances from prospects who started the year on the back half of the top-200 or just off the list, who will undoubtedly see their stock rise when I update the list in the coming days.

One thing that is worth noting: April viewings in the Midwest League typically offers a glimpse of most of these players at their worst, given the poor weather and the fact that many of them are still adjusting to full-season baseball and the league in general. This makes it even more impressive when a player gets off to a great start, but also less of a red flag when a player gets off to a bad start, within reason.

Isan Diaz, SS, Brewers

Diaz broke out last season in the Pioneer League as a member of the Diamondbacks' organization, and casual fans first heard his name (pronounced Ee-sahn) when he was the centerpiece of the Jean Segura trade, despite being the only returning player for Milwaukee who was not big league ready.

The first thing that stood out to me was his elite makeup. He is very confident while also recognizing areas of his game that need some work. Diaz clearly has a strong drive/work ethic while carrying himself with a certain swagger that I look for. He spoke openly about wanting to be a leader on the Timber Rattlers, something that wouldn't come naturally to most 19-year-olds who switched organizations less than three months ago. On Tuesday morning I was standing with Marcos Diplan, who pitched the previous night, in the dugout waiting for a translator so I could conduct an interview. Without being asked by me or anyone else with the team, Diaz volunteered to serve as translator -- an impressive inclination from the best player and one of the youngest players on a Low-A team.

The first question that outsiders posit regarding Diaz, and he has definitely heard the whispers, is whether or not he will be able to stick at shortstop. In fact, he was the one who brought it up. When asked what he has been working on, his first answer was, "defense." When asked what his goals are for the season, he simply said that he wants to prove that he's a shortstop, and that he believes he can handle the position long term. Obviously any player who has spent their entire life at the most revered position on the diamond isn't going to say anything to the contrary, but it was easy to pick up on the determination in Diaz's voice.

His play in the field was limited and mixed, as he was the DH on Monday, and only had a few opportunities Tuesday. He committed his first error of the season on a glove-side hopper that he failed to get in front of, a play that every starting big league shortstop makes, but he also sprinted back for an over-the-shoulder catch on a deep popup to left that he made look easy. Diaz also failed to get a glove on a grounder up the middle that shortstops with elite range would be able to reach. It was one look, and it's hard to hold any one play against him or get too carried away by one great play, as he will evolve immensely at the position over the next couple years.

My gut feeling is that he spends more time at second base than at shortstop in his big league career, and his path could follow that of the player he was traded for. Even when the Brewers traded for Segura, there were plenty within the game who thought he was a second baseman, and he finally ended up at the keystone this year in Arizona, but not before offering better-than-expected shortstop defense over three-plus years with the Brewers. Of course, if Diaz remains in the Brewers' system he will likely debut at second base, as Orlando Arcia figures to begin a long-term residence at shortstop for the Brewers sometime this season.

The thing is, for fantasy purposes, it doesn't matter a ton which middle infield position he ends up at. The bat will play. When the Brewers acquired him, they told him not to change anything about his approach, and it's easy to see why. When factoring in age, there's a legitimate argument that he's the best hitter in the Midwest League, as his .939 OPS leads all under-20 hitters, and ranks 12th overall among qualified hitters. He is also working with just a .310 BABIP, so if anything he's been a little unlucky in the early going. This, coming off a year in which he posted a 1.076 OPS with 13 homers and 12 steals in 68 games in the Pioneer League.

The Diamondbacks scout who signed him as a high schooler out of Massachusetts told Diaz his swing was reminiscent of Robinson Cano, and there is definitely a resemblance. His build, left-handedness and the way he carries himself on the field reminded me of Rougned Odor. Regardless of the physical comp, it doesn't take long to be impressed by his plate skills. He doesn't give away at-bats, and must have worked at least three full counts over the two games I saw. This is evident in the fact that he has nine strikeouts and nine walks in 13 games to start the season. He can hit the ball to all fields, and he gets to his above-average power without selling out to hit the ball over the fence.

Here are two clips:

An opposite field double:

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I see the potential for a plus-plus hit tool, with above-average power and average speed, which is a top-five fantasy option at either middle infield position. That's the ceiling, but considering how advanced he is at such a young age, it's easy to envision him making it as a first division starter.

Kyle Tucker, OF, Astros

I expected the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft to display the best hit tool of the series, but that honor belonged to Diaz. Still, it's easy to see what the Astros liked about Tucker at the plate. He struggled to impact the baseball in most of his at-bats, but he has excellent plate coverage for someone his size (6-4, 190).

He's kind of a throwback, in that he goes up there without batting gloves, and his swing has been compared to that of Ted Williams. He is not the Splendid Splinter, but it's a big-league quality hit tool, and as he grows into his frame there will be double-digit homer power. It's hard to say how much power will show up, as he reminds me a little of a guy like Christian Yelich, who is more than happy to hit the ball to all fields and sacrifice a little pop in the process.

Speed is also clearly a part of his game, at least for now, as he is 23-for-29 on stolen base attempts in 75 games as a pro. I would expect the speed to trend down and the power to tick up as he works his way up the organizational ladder, but the potential for a couple of double-double seasons when he first reaches the big leagues is certainly possible.

He started in right field in the first game and was in center field in the second game, and it wasn't always pretty. Tucker misplayed a ball on the ground and sailed a ball from right field to home in the first game, although he showed with that throw that he has the arm for right and just needs to work on his precision. I don't think he is as good a fit in center field, but I understand why Houston would give him looks out there at his age and with his present speed.

All told, I wasn't more or less impressed with Tucker after my first look. He's not a player who should be expected to fly through the Astros' system, but he's definitely a future big leaguer, and possibly one who could be a fit near the top of a lineup.

Daz Cameron, OF, Astros

As with Tucker, I saw pretty much what I expected to see from Cameron. He's going to need a lot of time in the minor leagues to round into form, but there's definitely something here. Unlike Tucker, Cameron belongs in center field. Honestly, if he didn't project to be a plus defender in center, I would say there is a 50/50 shot he even makes it to the majors. In Tuesday's game he was manning right field while Tucker patrolled center, and Cameron made a fantastic sliding catch in traffic as his path converged with Tucker.

The defense is the good news. At the plate, however, he's still a major work in progress. There was a lot of teaching going on during his batting practice sessions, and with 20 strikeouts in 12 games to start his full-season career, it would not be surprising if he was sent back to rookie ball at some point in the near future. There's no shame in that, but it speaks to where he is right now at the plate. He had a triple Monday and a double Tuesday for his only hits of the two games, but he pulls everything and really struggles with spin. Anyone who drafted Cameron in dynasty leagues this spring should have been well aware on the lead time here, and right now a 2020 MLB debut seems the most likely scenario.

Marcos Diplan, RHP, Brewers

The 19-year-old Dominican stole the show Monday, fanning six while allowing one hit and zero walks in four innings. Of course, he needed 76 pitches (50 strikes) to get there, thanks to what seemed to be at least five or six full counts, but the fact remains that the Quad Cities hitters couldn't square him up at all.

He went to his bread and butter fastball early and often in his third start of the season, sitting at 92-93 mph and touching 94. He was a tad higher than that at times last year, and it's possible he will be sitting in the mid-90s this summer. Here he is striking out Cameron on a fastball in the first inning:

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Then getting Tucker on one in the dirt in the very next at-bat:

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The big takeaway from this early-season viewing, however, was the hierarchy of his secondary pitches. The reports I had seen going into the start suggested that Diplan's slider was his second-best pitch and, more notably, his changeup was his worst pitch, an offering that had a long way to go for him to profile comfortably in a big league rotation. That was not the case at all, however, as he recorded two swinging strikeouts via the changeup, which paired with his fastball was quite the deadly offering. Diplan said he is a lot more comfortable with the changeup this year than he was a year ago, and he prefers it over the slider as an out pitch.

At 6-0, 160 pounds, there are those who wonder if his frame will be able to handle a starter's workload, but at this point it is clear that Diplan was the top prize in last year's Yovani Gallardo trade that also netted the Brewers infielder Luis Sardinas, who is now with Seattle. Diplan will be capped at 75 innings this year, so it will be a slow climb for him up the organizational ladder, but he has the potential to be a mid-rotation arm in time and should join the next rendition of the top-200 prospect list.

Others Of Note

Monte Harrison, OF, Brewers - A three-sport standout with a commitment to play football and baseball at the University of Nebraska before signing with Milwaukee, Harrison is getting a second taste of the Midwest League after getting sent back to rookie ball in June of last year due to some major issues with his approach. He can handle all three outfield positions, but there are some holes in his swing. Owning him in dynasty leagues will require a lot of patience, but there's a first-division ceiling here.

Carlos Belonis, OF, Brewers - Like Harrison, Belonis can play all three outfield positions, but he's a bit more advanced at the plate, although he does not have Harrison's raw tools. He missed most of 2013 with a fractured thumb, so at 21 he's old for Low-A, but this is about where he should be developmentally. His speed is his top tool, but there's some sneaky pop here too.

Freddy Peralta, RHP, Brewers - One of the pieces to come over from Seattle in the Adam Lind trade, Peralta came in after Diplan and pitched a mini-gem of his own Monday, tossing 3.2 scoreless frames while striking out four and walking three. He has great makeup, and is thick as thieves with Diplan, but unlike his teammate I would project Peralta to end up in the bullpen. He has a very live arm, but has some release point issues, and can get wild out of his three-quarters slot. The Brewers should continue to work on building up his innings, but it would still be a developmental success if he turns out to be a mid-to-late inning reliever in the big leagues, which is entirely possible.

Jake Gatewood, 3B, Brewers - He's still just 20 years old, but Gatewood's contact/approach issues are pretty glaring. Last year he had a 33.7 percent K-rate at Low-A before being demoted to rookie ball, and he's on pace to do even worse this year in the Midwest League, sitting at a 37.0 percent K-rate through 12 games. He's a very impressive physical specimen, and it's easy to fall in love with the raw power, but the onus is on him now to make adjustments. Until he does, dynasty league owners can look elsewhere.