Players like Dom Sackett are household names even before they get drafted in today’s game. Prospects are revered as the saviors of a floundering franchise years before they arrive. And as we all know, sometimes these hyped up future stars fail to live up to expectations.
Today, we’ll take a look at the opposite; three under-the-radar prospects who had very good minor league seasons this past year but don’t seem to be getting the proper notice.
3. 2B Branden Kaupe, San Diego Surf Dawgs Organization
This little spark plug stands at a tiny 5’6″ and was a bit old for the rookie league he was playing in, but his numbers speak for themselves. Kaupe hit .500/.567/.800 across 45 games, adding 37 extra base-hits, 17 steals and a 3:2 K to BB ratio.
Scouts remain unimpressed, as Kaupe is unlikely to come anywhere near a top-1oo prospect list this off-season despite his gaudy numbers.
“He’s fast, and a real good athlete. But he has no plate discipline, he chases a lot of bad pitches, and that doesn’t mesh well with no power. He’s too small to be anything more than a minor league filler, he’ll struggle at the higher levels,” said one former big league scouting director.
2. SP Taylor Guerrieri, Vancouver Canadiens Organization
All Taylor Guerrieri has done in his minor league career is pitch extremely well, but he can’t seem to get any love from the scouting community. The 22-year-old followed up a fantastic 2014 season in A ball by dominating in the Winter League, throwing a total of 176 innings as a 21-year-old, and he didn’t miss a beat this year, going 7-1 in AA while posting a 1.86 ERA.
Scouts aren’t in love with any of his four pitches, and they insist he’ll get hit harder at the higher levels, but dominating as a 22-year-old in AA is something worth taking a look at. If he can continue to keep runs off the board as he rises through the Canadien organization, he’ll almost certainly be a top prospect at this time next season.
1. 1B Dominic Smith, Traverse City Beach Bums Organization
As a 19-year-old in his first full pro season, Dominic Smith was about as impressive as it gets. In 98 games across A and AA, Smith hit .363/.449/.555 with 54 extra base hits, all the while being among the younger players in each league.
“His bat speed isn’t where you want it to be for the higher levels,” OSA scouting director Modd TcShay told me. “His approach at the plate is advanced for his age, and he’s a good athlete for his size. He’s likely going to have a good Winter Ball showing, but I think he’ll struggle with better pitching.”
Three under the radar players for everyone to keep their eyes on this coming season, as these sleepers could emerge as the stars of tomorrow. They’ll need to build upon their successful 2015 seasons to do so.
