1. Vallejo Admirals, 95-67
Key Losses: LF Melky Cabrera
Key Additions: SP Gio Gonzalez, SP Cliff Lee, SP James Paxton, MR Huston Street, C Max Pentecost, 3B Xander Bogaerts,
Prospect To Watch: CF Joe Donaldson
Outlook:
Vallejo narrowly missed out on winning the division last year, but won the games that really mattered as they took home the Premier Cup. The defending champs didn’t just sit on their hands either, as they went out and acquired Xander Bogaerts in a huge blockbuster trade. Because Vallejo was willing to part with Tyler Kolek, they didn’t need to include anyone valuable from their major league roster. Bogaerts makes an already dangerous team that much better.
Cliff Lee is a sneaky good signing for the money ($1,000,000), and should be a solid contributor in any role. Gio Gonzalez has had a solid run, but seemed to decline each and every start with Frisco after the trade last season. That said, he should be at least average over the next few seasons, and maybe even better. In a weak market, beggars can’t be choosers. Paxton and Pentecost are nice bounce back candidates after struggling last season, and look for both to play a key role at some point this season.
Joe Donaldson, nicknamed Golden, looks like the next great hitter in this league. He projects to be a 50+ steal, 200+ hit player, and at 6’2 he has the frame to gain muscle as he ages. His defense isn’t great despite top end speed, and he’ll likely be a corner outfielder by the time he’s a big leaguer. Watching this kid run the bases for the next decade is going to be a lot of fun for the Admirals, but I think they’ll enjoy winning the division more this year.