I'm curious as to how good tools a college or minor league prospect has. I'm assuming a typical major league starting positio player would have at least 3 plus tools. So when a player is drafted or starting out in the minors, do they already have those plus tools? Say a lead-off prospect, does he already have a speed and contact grade of 60, and need to just take care of some little things in order to advance-such as plate coverage, plate discipline? Or do they have lower grades and need to make a ton of adjustments in every aspect?

What I'm bascially asking is-are prospects already good enough to play in the bigs but need a couple little adjustments? Or do they need to really up their tools in every sense?
What is it that is preventing them from already being in The Show? I'm aware that experience is a factor, but does experience improve their tools, or does it tweak and improve the little things? Thanks.

I think the movie "The Prospect" may address some of your questions.. IMHO most minor leaguers have talent and project to play in the bigs IF they continue to grow and develope as projected.
When they stop improving they stop being a prospect.
As for being ready to go right to the bigs few players do, but I believe Zimmerman that was drafted last yr by the Nationals was in MLB by the end of the year.

njbb, very nice summary. Think you have things analyzed very well. From the things I have read, it seems the biggest challenge and the place the largest percentage of players end up failing in the transition to AA. Might differ between organizations but AA ball seems to end a lot of careers.

Infielddad, Do you know where your son will be playing this season?

njbb, we are still hoping there will be a place for him. With his draft position, he does not have an agent. Seems almost impossible to get any information on your status without one.
Does Chris have any impressions? Based on his year in the Pioneer league, seems pretty sure he will be starting around April 7 and looking forward to that 144 game schedule!. Please keep me updated with how Spring training progresses for him. We will hope for the best...for both of them.

shoot, i have an agent, and still have no clue where im gonna end up this year. I'm hoping the mid-west league. But extended ST is a possibility too. Agents seem to be less helpful after the draft. But no matter where i end up im happy.

Nothing definite on where Chris will be sent this season. He is looking forward to the long season.

The following player was a senior during my son's sophomore year of high school varsity play in Texas class 4A. He went direct to the Houston Astros Rookie League straight out of high school. By choosing to do so, he missed out on spending his freshman year on Rice's College World Series Championship season. He cruised at 92mph, but could hit 94 in late innings. Below are his 2005 stats (team lead with innings pitched) with the Astro's Class A Affiliate Salem Avalanche.
Chance Douglass: Individual Stats (Pitching)
W: 12, L: 9
ERA 2.90
G 27, IP 167.2
It will be interesting to see if he makes the move up.

Do you have any other info on him such as what pitches he throws, how good his control and pitch movement?

And this brings me to another question. Do players move up through the minors based on that years performance, stats, or skill increase? Like what if a player was gaining a little more power and increasing his fielding skills towards the end of the season, but he didn't hit for as much average that year, would he start at the next level or stay at his current place?

quote:

Originally posted by Mr3000:
And this brings me to another question. Do players move up through the minors based on that years performance, stats, or skill increase? Like what if a player was gaining a little more power and increasing his fielding skills towards the end of the season, but he didn't hit for as much average that year, would he start at the next level or stay at his current place?

Unfortunately, someone inside professional baseball like bbscout would have to provide solid, legitimate information. Looking in from the outside, I have developed some observations.
First, the way minor leaguers progress is different within organizations for sure. For those who emphasize college players, they make decisions much differently than those which emphasize high schoolers in the draft.
Draft position also makes a difference. If you are a high pick out of college, you will get pushed to see where you begin to fail. As you have success at a level, you likely will get a promotion to continue to challenge.
For others, promotions seem to be less predictable. They seem to be based on performance, position, depth in the organization and, I assume, how the organization has you projected.
For those drafted out of high school, development, confidence and learning how to be a professional seem to be much more important. Organizations have much more patience and seem to leave players at levels much longer. For high schoolers, from what little I see and know, development rather that pure stats seems to be far more important in opportunities for promotion.

Mr3000,
Saw Chance, his mom & little brother at dinner last Friday night which triggered me to respond to your post. I haven't seen him pitch since his junior & senior years (3 years now). During the senior season, he could spot the 90-92+ mph fastball & mostly low in the zone. He had confidence to pitch inside. He had a good change, but his curve was great. After throwing a fastball, he could follow with a curve at the head of right-hand batters and it would break late & in for a strike. Many batters, as you would expect, after seeing & hearing the pop of the fastball, couldn't stand firm in the box looking at what appears to be a fastball coming at your ear, only to hear a strike called after a curveball drops into the zone.

I bet the Houston Astro minor league coaches have since added to his arsenal as well as added movement to the fastball. I hope he moves up quickly so I can see him pitch, sooner than later. I did learn that Chance was introduced at a Houston Astro game following his minor league team's best pitcher stats.

Amarillo's Chance Douglass update.
Saw on our local news last week regarding Chance getting the call up to the AA Corpus Christi Hooks. Just checked tonight and I see where he made his first mound appearance vs San Antonio. Rough first outing, but look for great things from this Texas Panhandle gun-slinger. He had a slow start at the A level before finishing at the top as listed on my Jan 10 post.

Good luck to Chance. It is great to see players make it from the smaller cities & towns from around the nation.

Amarillo's Chance Douglass update.
Read in our local paper today, Friday March 30 the following:

Former Randall High pitching standout Chance Douglass received good news this week when he was assigned to open the minor league season with the Houston Astros Triple-A squad in Round Rock. Douglass is a 2002 graduate of Randall and spent last season in Double-A with Corpus Chrisit. Douglass spent his offseason in Amarillo, holding pitching camps for youth players.

Good luck Chance from fans in the Panhandle. The next level may now be in reach.

Amarillo's Chance Douglass looks to be on schedule to get the ball, Mon. 9th vs Omaha Royals.

If any posters make the game (if & when) Chance takes the rubber, please post your thoughts.

Here's another example but this time the pitcher was not throwing 90's in high school.

A good friend of mine's son threw 84 - 88 in high school and was drafted in the late rounds most likely attributed to his 6' 4 " lanky frame. In junior college he gained a few miles an hour and was drafted around round 20. He didn't sign and went to a 4 year school and started throwing a little harder. He continued to fill out and was a 12th round pick and signed.

Three years ago was his first year of pro ball and he was touching low 90's and continued improving his offspeed. Since then he has continued to fill out and is mentally tough. Some time during the past year, everything started clicking together due to his hard work and some coaches at the upper level who improved his mechanics. He was able to add a few miles more miles an hour and has a plus offspeed. Now he throws mid 90's and can get it near 100 (at least when the weather's above 55). The club has moved him to the pen.

After just 2 years in the minors and still just 24 he made his major league debut last week. So far he has 2 appearances and didn't give up a run. Although he led the bullpen in era during spring training, he was just optioned to AAA to make room for a player coming off the dl.

I guess one of the morals of the story is that you don't have to throw a blazing fastball in high school to get drafted, the scouts just need to think you eventually might. Many times this projectability doesn't pan out, this time it did.

I found it interesting to see that some of the big name pitchers from the college ranks were still in the minors to start the year. Miller is in High A, Pelfrey and Hochevar are in AA.

I was trying to think who was the last college starter to start the year after they were drafted in the majors? It may have been Prior.

Kinda sobering, ain't it, deldad?

signed in 05, but progressing well

D'Back's Owings MLB debut

wonder if the Cubs regret not signing him for a song in 04?

I heard something, not sure if it is true, maybe someone can expand.
Most ready for the big step to MLB don't go through AAA anymore, not sure why, but that seems to be the trend.
The discussion came about for the pitcher that was moved today or yesterday from , I think high A right to MLB, Marlins.
Another thing not sure if it is true, most who move from college to MLB the same year and back down again, do so for justification in their signing bonus package.

Deldad

Did Mike Pelfrey get promoted already?? I just saw him pitch this past Sat. night @ Tradition Field in Port St Lucie. He has several plus pitches and pitched like he was on a rehab assignment ready to move up, IMHO. peace shep

Mike Pelfrey-RHP(St Lucie Mets) April 7, of 2007

95MPH-Don't blink hitter!