Who's an under the radar prospect you're rooting for?

[Z]

I think a lot of us have someone.

A player, maybe a mid- or late-round draft pick.

Not someone who looks like a great prospect by any standard.

But maybe he's an outlier in some way. There's something you really like about him.

You want him to be a player.

I thought it might be fun to share names and keep track of them together.

In Maine, that player is Matt Groskopf.

Here's his story.

Drafted in the 7th round in 2012 out of UNC. A college shortstop, though the Tar Heels used him exclusively in the DH role. He didn't hit particularly well in college, producing a .284 average and a .794 OPS in one season.

OSA and my scout thought his outfield fielding ratings looked better than his shaky infield ones. So a left fielder he became at single-A.

Important note about Groskopf. He has outstanding leadership ability and intelligence. The intangibles grabbed me from the beginning.

He took to left field right away. Unlike most players, who struggle at the plate while distracted with the challenges of a new position, Groskopf came right in and batted .315 with a 148 OPS+ his first year in single-A.

He continued to hit. He learned left field.

His outfield range improved, according to my scouting staff, to the point where I'm trying him out in center field for the final three weeks of the double-A season.

My scouts think he can hit okay. The stats suggest he can hit okay. OSA doesn't think he'll ever hit well enough.

Who's right? And can he play center field?

I'm watching.

[BDub]

3rd round pick TJ Armstrong is a guy im watching. Quietly productive at AAA. He wont be a superstar but I think he wull be solid.

[Z]

3rd round pick TJ Armstrong is a guy im watching. Quietly productive at AAA. He wont be a superstar but I think he wull be solid.

He looks good! Solid bat and a rocket arm.

[bparks1987]

LF Trevon Dickens. Got him in the 3rd round last year. My scout says he won't be a big league hitter but in his last 2 years in college and sat year in A he hit above .300. Moved him to AA to start the season and he's hitting .271 with 11 HRs. And his power potential has increased since he's been drafted.

[Pat]

Alex Vallejos.

[Matt]

Jaheim Ridgel

http://www.simgamingnetwork.com/blb/...ayer_3551.html

Got picked by HAL in the 10th round this year and looks like a decent player. Great speed, decent field ratings for the IF and OF. Dumb as a rock and zero work ethic but I just like the fact he's a 10th round pick.

[Delandis]

In Baltimore, that guy's name is JJ Carver (3B).

Carver was selected in the 4th round this year by the Bulldogs. In the Cape Cod League in 2014, he managed to string together an impressive, 23 game hit streak, as well as a couple of monster games against the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. (I think he was upset they ended his hit streak.)

Carver was "fast-tracked" to AA after one week in Orlando (A), and looks like he is STILL playing against Cape Cod pitchers posting an amazing 172 OPS+ to date. Carver will likely finish out the year in Camden (AA) and move to Annapolis (AAA) in 2015.

[Ryan]

Love these threads...

CL Dave McCullough went undrafted in the 2011 draft, but we scooped him up six days later. My scout had him at 5-5-5, while OSA saw him as 4-5-4. He threw 94 MPH. Honestly picked him up as depth for the minor leagues, and we didn't expect much after a 6+ ERA as a 19 year old in college.

Dave surprised with a 2.55 ERA in 17.2 innings to close out the 2011 season, though I still didn't expect much. And he proved me right, posting ERA's of 4.31 in 2012 and 5.06 in 2013 while toiling away in Single-A, his 2013 cut short with a torn rotator cuff.

I nearly cut him, but my scout now saw him as a solid reliever, with potential ratings of 6-5-6 and a velocity spike to 97 MPH.

So of course I moved him to Double-A. Time to sink or swim. And swim he did, posting an ERA of 2.29 while picking up 26 saves. His peripheral stats aren't all that great, but now my scout sees him as a dominant bullpen arm. He's wrong, of course, but he could be a nice piece out of the pen in a couple years. Or maybe he'll continue to pick up talent spikes. Time will tell.

[Z]

Love these threads...

CL Dave McCullough went undrafted in the 2011 draft, but we scooped him up six days later. My scout had him at 5-5-5, while OSA saw him as 4-5-4. He threw 94 MPH. Honestly picked him up as depth for the minor leagues, and we didn't expect much after a 6+ ERA as a 19 year old in college.

Dave surprised with a 2.55 ERA in 17.2 innings to close out the 2011 season, though I still didn't expect much. And he proved me right, posting ERA's of 4.31 in 2012 and 5.06 in 2013 while toiling away in Single-A, his 2013 cut short with a torn rotator cuff.

I nearly cut him, but my scout now saw him as a solid reliever, with potential ratings of 6-5-6 and a velocity spike to 97 MPH.

So of course I moved him to Double-A. Time to sink or swim. And swim he did, posting an ERA of 2.29 while picking up 26 saves. His peripheral stats aren't all that great, but now my scout sees him as a dominant bullpen arm. He's wrong, of course, but he could be a nice piece out of the pen in a couple years. Or maybe he'll continue to pick up talent spikes. Time will tell.

Nice one!!

[Ryan]

Nice one!!

Thanks Z. I saw this thread today at lunch and couldn't wait to come home and write about someone, hoping I'd have time. I have another one or two I could write about. Maybe later.

[Sharkn20]

CL Danny Trujillo

Originally drafted by Batavia in the 2nd Round of 2007, Trujillo won 2 tittles in A and AA in back to back years but he was stuck in the AA team of the Muckdogs until in 2013 he became a FA.

I signed him for depth but his ratings are creeping and my scout sees him as a back of the rotation guy for a few years. This year he's posting fantastic numbers in half a year on AAA with 14 saves and 1.80 ERA. He will get his opportunity during September within the Sharks relievers group, see if he becomes a serviciable guy for the foreseable future :)

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Matt]

CL Danny Trujillo

Originally drafted by Batavia in the 2nd Round of 2007, Trujillo won 2 tittles in A and AA in back to back years but he was stuck in the AA team of the Muckdogs until in 2013 he became a FA.

I signed him for depth but his ratings are creeping and my scout sees him as a back of the rotation guy for a few years. This year he's posting fantastic numbers in half a year on AAA with 14 saves and 1.80 ERA. He will get his opportunity during September within the Sharks relievers group, see if he becomes a serviciable guy for the foreseable future :)

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Danny never progressed like we hoped. I'll be pulling for him!

[liquidcrash]

Alex Vallejos.

Pretty good pick. I've been watching him pretty closely since I took over. He doesn't rate too highly on the Organization Top Prospects (17th), but his ratings seem pretty solid. Certainly has had success at every stop so far, including this season at AAA.

[mike]

but I just like the fact he's a 10th round pick.

That, my friend, is supreme value

[Lintyfresh85]

3B - Zach Muehlbauer

Glove has been DWI quality from day one... but his bat struggled for a long time. He's clawed his way to AAA and I could see him being a solid regular in the BLB for years to come.