Cold Brewed Baseball: Cold Brewed Light - mkilcNYR's Dynasty

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Cold Brewed Baseball: Cold Brewed Light

Posted on July 27, 2015 at 08:39 PM.

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Hey all and welcome to the first installment of Cold Brewed Light, a look inside the minor league system of the Colorado Rockies. I'll be doing this every 10 games and pretty much it will be to update everyone on the hottest players and coldest players at AAA and AA and the standings.

For the first post though I'll do a quick run down of the key players at each level (AAA/AA/A) and I'll be keeping tabs on them in each installment (if they're not already included as a hot or cold player).

Albuquerque Isotopes

The AAA farm team of the Colorado Rockies does not have that many players that can make a major impact on the parent club as it stands now. That being said there are some who will be able to develop into something hopefully down the road. Those are:

SP Jon Gray (23 years old, 71 overall, B ) 3-0, 1.21 ERA
RP Scott Oberg (25 years old, 59 overall, B ) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 IP
CP Jairo Diaz (23 years old, 58 overall, B ) 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 IP, 3 Saves in 3 Chances

Gray started the year in AAA to refine his craft and he has done wonders for the rotation winning all 3 of his starts so far in the PCL season. I'd rather he stay down there for a while to see how he develops over his next 5-6 starts before even considering bringing him up to the major league level if the starters continue to struggle at the major league level.

Oberg has done a good job out of the pen so far in the 4 innings that he's been called upon. He so far has a WHIP of 1.50 with 4 K's on the year. There is some concern that he has walked 3 and surrendered 3 hits but he has been working with the pitching coach for the Isotopes (Training) on reducing those

Diaz was somebody who was considered to begin the year at AA New Britain or even in A Modesto in the California League but he showed enough poise in Spring Training to warrant an assignment to Albuquerque. He so far has rewarded that faith through his first 5 innings he's pitched. he currently has a WHIP of only 0.80 allowing 3 hits (1 a home run) and 1 walk while being perfect and picking up the save in all 3 opportunities. He currently sits with a 1.80 ERA

Hot Players: 0

Cold Players:
SS Cristhian Adames (23 years old, 63 overall, C ) .152 Average, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .264 OBP
CF Roger Bernadina (30 years old, 63 overall, D ) .159 Average, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .224 OBP
RF Noel Cuevas (23 years old, 60 overall, C ) .158 Average, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .200 OBP
RF Tyler Massey (25 years old, 55 overall, D ) .187 Average, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .187 OBP

New Britain Rock Cats

The AA farm team for Colorado plays in the Eastern League and does have a few players to keep an eye on but I'll just do a rundown of the top three:

CF Raimel Tapia (21 years old, 62 overall, B ) .342 AVG, 0 HR, 5 RBI, .390 OBP
CF David Dahl (21 years old, 65 overall, B ) .241 AVG, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .313 OBP
SP Gus Schlosser (26 years old, 73 overall, C ) 2-1, 2.05 ERA

Ramiel Tapia has thrived at the AA level so far (he is one of the players on a hot streak for AA right now). His presence in the 2 hole and his ability to work the count and rip pitches into the gaps has translated well for his average and prospects in the farm system

Dahl is also a natural center fielder but is playing left right now and hits leadoff (due to his 77 speed). While not hitting for average at the same level as Tapia he is a home run threat and can work the occasional walk to get on for Tapia behind him. They form a good 1-2 punch at the top of the order.

Scholar has thrived at AA in the first 3 starts going 2-1 while striking out 19 and holding a respectable 2.05 ERA. His WHIP is 1.23 through the early parts of the season. He is being evaluated now for a possible promotion to AAA depending on the out comes of his next 2 starts.

Hot Players:

CF Raimel Tapia (stats above)
1B Jordan Ribera (26 years old, 53 overall, C ) .316 AVG, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .447 OBP

Ribera is underwhelming on the field but has produced consistently enough to make the list. Potentially he could be an unfolding asset moving through the year.

Cold Players:

SS Trevor Story (22 years old, 62 overall, C ) .105 AVG, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .244 OBP
2B Juan Ciriaco (24 years old, 57 overall, D ) ..140 AVG, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .229 OBP
SS Pat Valaika (22 years old, 57 overall, C ) .214 AVG, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .250 OBP

When you're cold you're cold and Story is cold. That combined with Valaika's cold streak at short as well could wind up having a SS or utility infielder promoted from Modesto if things don't improve by May

Modesto Nuts

Since MLB the Show does not have playable A these will just be the top 3 players assigned to the A level for now and what their training on

SS Brendan Rogers (19 years old, 63 overall, A ) Fielding Drills (Fielding and Reaction)
3B Ryan McMahon (20 years old, 54 overall, B ) Hitting Coach Session (Vision, Discipline, Clutch)
C Dom Nunez (20 years old, 54 overall, B ) Fielding Drills (Fielding, Reaction, and Blocking)

All 3 players at Modesto are considered big players in the future for this Colorado ball club and will no doubt be featured here at higher levels. Rogers could be a natural successor to Tulo when he either retires or is traded down the road (I signed Rogers to keep things consistent with this years draft)

McMahon is working hard with the hitting coach at Modesto to improve his vision and plate presence for a potential call up to AA at some point in the year

Nunez is already a better fielder and hitter than the backup catcher at AA and with a bit more training behind the plate there is no doubt that by next year at the latest he can be the starting catcher at AA