Farm System Update: Lansing Lugnuts(A)

By: Marshall Henson

Lansing Lugnuts (Class A) - Midwest League – 11-22

As a whole, the team has a few prospects that have become less desirable, like Chris Hawkins and Chris Sweeney, whose bats have never truly translated to the pro level. As well as full of many different types of prospects, and a couple high ceiling arms in Roberto Osuna and Daniel Norris. This team has struggled in all facets of the game this year, and the prospects have not been performing.

Christian Lopes – 20 years old – 2B - (Active)

Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
LAN	MID	.323	33	133	13	43	6	0	2	25	55	4	21	1	0	.338	.414	.752

Lopes is probably the best hitting prospect in Lansing. He’s off to a brilliant start in low-A, but is bound to regress due to a .376 BABIP, but I could see him sustaining the .300/.330/.400 slash. The 6 doubles, and 2 HRs are promising, showing that he’s finding the grapping power he’ll need to make himself an everyday major league starter in years to come. Lopes is arguably the best middle infield prospect for the Jays, as his ceiling is higher than Ryan Goins’, but he isn’t nearly as close to the major leagues.

Dwight Smith Jr. – 20 years old – OF - (Active)

Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
LAN	MID	.275	14	51	6	14	2	1	1	2	21	5	12	2	0	.339	.412	.751

Smith Jr. has a ceiling to beware of, but the odds of reaching it continuously decrease. He has been great since the call up from extended spring training, and we can all hope he continues this success. Tools can be scary, and Smith is full of them.

Dalton Pompey – 20 years old – OF – (Active)

Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
LAN	MID	.274	31	117	22	32	8	3	0	9	46	14	33	8	1	.351	.393	.744

Pompey, a Canadian (*drools*), has had good success thus far this year in Lansing, playing to a .347 wOBA, while having 8 stolen bases. He’s a toolsy outfielder, who can run, field, and slap the ball around the field (with over a third of his hits being XBH). Pompey doesn’t have as of a ceiling as Smith Jr., but could still find himself has a tier two starter, or a 4^th OF, especially on a team that values speed off the bench.

Santiago Nessy – 20 years old – C – (7 day DL)

Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
LAN	MID	.250	12	40	2	10	4	0	0	7	14	2	8	0	0	.302	.350	.652

Nessy is a decent to above average defensive catcher, with raw power, but he strikes out a ton, with minimal walks, and below average ability to get on base. Nessy has struck out over 20% of the time at every level, which isn’t something you want to hear, but the raw power with an ability to field always leaves scouts wanting more.

Chris Hawkins – 21 years old – RF – (Active)

Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
LAN	MID	.239	29	109	7	26	2	2	1	5	35	6	19	2	2	.278	.321	.599

Hawkins was taken in the third round in 2010, a round after Sweeney, which hasn’t particularly been a good draft for Blue jay hitting prospects. Hawkins seemed promising in 2010 and 2011, but has been average at best in the last two years. Off to a very lackluster offensive start to 2013, with 76 wRC+, which isn’t impressive whatsoever. Hawkins, like Sweeney(read on), has faded away when it comes to his prospect status.

Kellen Sweeney – 21 years old – 3B – (Active)

Team	League	AVG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	TB	BB	SO	SB	CS	OBP	SLG	OPS
LAN	MID	.185	29	92	10	17	4	1	2	8	29	13	26	0	0	.290	.315	.605

Sweeney was a high profile bat taken in the second round of the 2010 June draft, and has yet to really live up to any certain hype. He’s been really bad thus far in his career, with a complete inability to hit for average or power. Still has the potential, just needs to find a groove.

Roberto Osuna – 18 years old – SP – (7 day DL – possible TJ surgery)

Team	League	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GO/AO	AVG
LAN	MID	1	2	3.63	5	5	0	0	0	22.1	15	10	9	4	4	31	1.24	.179

Osuna was off to another dazzling start at a tantalizing age, striking out 35.2%(!) of the batters he had faced, until injury struck. He hasn’t started since April 30^th, and may not anytime soon, with possible Tommy John surgery looming. Hopefully the Jays decide to operate sooner rather than later.

Daniel Norris – 20 years old – SP – (Active)

Team	League	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GO/AO	AVG
LAN	MID	0	3	10.07	7	6	0	0	0	22.1	34	28	25	2	13	16	1.78	.343

Norris isn’t a 10 ERA pitching in low-A, but he’s striking out less, while walking more batters, which isn’t helping his cause. This all equates to a 5.08, which is horrendous. Norris remains a high ceiling arm, but if he continues to walk and strike guys out at a similar rate (13.8 K% - 11.2 BB%), he won’t ever reach that ceiling. Norris simply needs to harness his control, and he’ll be just fine. He did have a relatively good start the other night, but he still had 3 walks in 4 IP, so his control is still an issue.

Javier Avendano – 22 years old – SP – (Active)

Team	League	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GO/AO	AVG
LAN	MID	2	2	5.13	7	7	0	0	0	33.1	32	24	19	1	20	31	1.13	.246

Avendano, along with Cole,(continue to read on) dominated in Vancouver last year, but has been on an adjustment period thus far. His ERA seems to be inflated, along with Cole’s, because of minor league defense, as seen by a lower FIP (3.62). He doesn’t have the ceiling of the likes of Osuna or Norris, but if everything goes just right he could be a back end starter, but profiles best in the bullpen, and probably never makes it.

Taylor Cole – 23 years old – SP – (Active)

Team	League	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GO/AO	AVG
LAN	MID	1	2	4.50	7	7	0	0	0	34.0	36	22	17	1	17	29	1.61	.271

Cole is the oldest of the pitching prospects, and also projects as a bullpen pitcher, like Avendano. Cole is striking out as many batters as last year, but walking almost twice as many, which makes you wonder about his control as he progresses.

Griffin Murphy – 22 years old – RP – (Active)

Team	League	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	GO/AO	AVG
LAN	MID	0	1	4.50	7	0	0	0	0	12.0	12	8	6	0	5	8	1.23	.245

Murphy is a lefty reliever, and could move up the rankings quickly with success, but isn’t off to a great nor bad start, albeit a small sample size. Not necessarily a top prospect, but he could have a future in Toronto, because if you’re a lefty and can breathe, you’re valuable (see Evan Crawford).

*Note: I would’ve included Justin Jackson in the report due to his uniqueness, but the sample size (4.1 innings) is insufficient.

All stats from Monday May 13th

Back to the top next week, when Gideon takes a look at Buffalo for the second time this year.