Minor League Barometer: Spring Has Sprung

Even as storms battered the northeast over the past couple of weeks, the smell of baseball remained on the horizon. I have vivid memories of Andy Pettitte pitching in snow flurries in Cleveland 20 some-odd years ago. As they say, the show must go on. The season of renewal is upon us, and every team (except for the Marlins) feels the hope of the 2018 campaign.

When will we see No. 1 prospect Ronald Acuna? The latest sensation sweeping the nation, Acuna slashed an absurd .432/.519/.727 with four home runs and four steals in 16 spring games before being sent down to the minors. He will only stay there for a short time, specifically until April 13, so that the Braves can gain an extra year of control. As a result, Acuna will likely be coming to a ballpark near you before Cinco de Mayo.

In the first edition of this year's Minor League Barometer, we'll take a look at some other players that could make an impact at the big league level to begin 2018.

UPGRADE

Lewis Brinson, OF, MIA – One of the worst kept secrets in baseball this spring was that Brinson would be the starting center fielder for the Marlins on Opening Day. After all, the Marlins traded their entire outfield from last year's team, jettisoning Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich in what new CEO Derek Jeter has termed a "build" (not rebuild). Sure, the Fish could have kept Brinson down in the minors a month or two and stalled his arbitration clock. But then who would have started in center — Billy the Marlin? Oh wait, that guy was fired by Jeter too. I digress. Brinson is an exciting young five-tool talent, and though the Marlins are going to lose a lot of games this year, Brinson will get all the plate appearances he can handle. He's viewed as the start of the new core for the "building" Marlins.

Scott Kingery, 2B, PHI – The Phillies appear to be on the rise, and the emergence of Kingery is yet another reason for the buzz around this squad. He hit .392 with four home runs and four steals during spring training, and the Phils thereafter gave him a six-year extension, giving him some financial security and taking him through his arbitration years (while the club gets a bargain if he performs at a high level). Kingery is expected to play multiple positions for Philadelphia, which currently has Cesar Hernandez at second and J.P. Crawford penciled in at shortstop. They'll be creative to get Kingery at-bats; the 23-year-old hit a combined .304 with 26 home runs and 29 stolen bases between Double-A and Triple-A in 2017.

Jack Flaherty, P, STL – Due to an injury to Adam Wainwright, Flaherty will break camp as a member of the starting rotation for the Cardinals. Though he scuffled in limited starts in September in 2017, Flaherty was sensational in the minors, posting a 2.15 ERA and 147:35 K:BB in 148.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. He has seen an uptick in fastball velocity, which has helped keep his strikeouts at about one per inning. It is unlikely Flaherty will ever become an ace, but if he continues to throw strikes and develops a third pitch in addition to his fastball and slider, he has the upside of a No. 3 starter for the Cards.

Tyler Mahle, P, CIN – Admittedly, I'm a bit higher on Mahle than others. For most pundits, he projects as a back-of-the-rotation innings-eater. In addition, he struggled with command in four starts last September. However, overall he throws strikes and has exceeded expectations at every level. That includes spring training, where he notched a 2.75 ERA and allowed just 13 baserunners in 19.1 innings. Though spring training stats certainly should be taken with a grain of salt, the Reds thought enough of Mahle to name him starter for the third game of the season. Opposing batters hit a putrid .208 against him in the minors in 2017, so even if he isn't a strikeout machine, Mahle induces plenty of weak contact. With the Reds' rotation already decimated by injuries, Mahle should get every opportunity to stick.

CHECK STATUS

Gleyber Torres, 2B/3B, NYY – The Bronx Bombers possess an embarrassment of riches in terms of hitting, both in the majors as well as in the minors. The signings of Neil Walker and Brandon Drury were expected to at least temporarily delay the debut of Torres, the top prospect for the Yankees and a possible future star. However, first baseman Greg Bird will miss 6-8 weeks after undergoing ankle surgery, leaving the Yankees infield with a game of musical chairs. Torres, a shortstop by trade, was already playing out of position at third, while also learning to play second base as well. Meanwhile, Drury is a super-utility type player who can play a multitude of positions. Does Bird's injury shift Drury to first and open a spot for Torres? Do the Yanks instead bring up a different slugging prospect in Miguel Andujar? Or maybe they simply try to tread water with the pieces they have at the big-league level until Bird returns, like Neil Walker or Tyler Wade? Bird's injury certainly adds some uncertainty (and intrigue) to the New York infield.

Luiz Gohara, P, ATL – The Braves have a plethora of pitching coming through the pipeline, including but not limited to Kyle Wright, Mike Soroka and Kolby Allard. Gohara was considered closest to winning a slot in the MLB rotation, though, having pitched 29.1 innings in September for the big club. However, a nasty ankle injury suffered in spring training will leave him sidelined for the beginning of the 2018 campaign. His recovery appears to be going extremely well, though, and he could be back in a month's time. Gohara is perhaps the hardest throwing left-hander in baseball right now; his changeup hovers around 89 mph. Yes, you read that correctly. His slider is above average, but the cheese is what will make him special. As long as he maintains his control and shows he is healthy, Gohara has the chance to be a frontline starter for the Braves.

Steven Duggar, OF, SF – Duggar impressed with his on-base skills and glove work during the Arizona Fall League, and with Denard Span leaving via free agency, he could slot into center field on Opening Day for the Giants. Even if he splits time with Austin Jackson, Duggar will steal some bases, score some runs, and profiles as a leadoff hitter and center fielder of the future. He started off the spring hot with his bat, though his hitting waned as spring training ended. Still, the 24-year-old has shown enough to make his presence felt. Questions remain, though, including how much work he will get, where he will hit in the lineup, and if he will produce enough across the board to be worthy of fantasy consideration.

Carson Fulmer, P, CHW – The jury is still out on Fulmer as a starter, but the White Sox are willing to give him a chance to open the season. He sputtered in the spring, had a 5.79 ERA at Triple-A last season, and saw a precipitous dip in his strikeouts at that level. Still, he had some success in a small sample size with Chicago last season, sporting a 3.86 ERA and 19:13 K:BB in 23.1 innings. The control is a big problem, though; Fulmer has four pitches but often has little idea as to where they are headed. He doesn't possess prototypical size either. Most scouts feel he is ticketed for a career in the bullpen, but he will begin the 2018 campaign as the No. 5 starter for the White Sox. Before Alec Hansen and Michael Kopech arrive, it looks like Fulmer will get a look.

DOWNGRADE

Austin Hays, OF, BAL – Hays was supposed to have the inside track to a starting outfield job for the Orioles when spring training began. Instead, he got off to a slow start with the bat, then battled a shoulder injury which all but took him out of the running. Perhaps more of a surprise is that Hays will start the year in Double-A, despite skipping Triple-A all together last season and getting a cup of coffee with the big club. The future remains bright for the 22-year-old, though, as Colby Rasmus is not exactly considered a long-term solution in right field. That being said, the fact that Hayes will begin the season in the minors is still a disappointment.

Forrest Whitley, P, HOU – Nothing has changed physically with Whitley, or in terms of his future projection. He remains arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball. The only thing that has changed is his timeline in reaching the majors. That's because he was suspended 50 games after testing positive for a "drug of abuse." To clarify, this is not a performance-enhancing substance. He will not take the field until the end of May, and that will be either at Double-A or Triple-A. He could still reach the big leagues in 2018, but will almost certainly be held to an innings limit, as he only tossed 92.1 innings last year. In other words, Whitley should not be counted on for much contribution at the big league level before the All-Star Break, at the very least.

Willie Calhoun, OF, TEX – Like Hays above, Calhoun was the favorite to start at one of the outfield spots heading into spring training, but his defense leaves much to be desired. His transition from second base has been anything but smooth. Add in a mediocre showing at the dish during spring, and Calhoun ended up being optioned to Triple-A. Don't let the subpar hitting statistics in the spring fool you, though; Calhoun can rake. He hit .300 with 31 home runs and 93 RBI between Double-A and Triple-A in 2017. Perhaps even more impressive, he fanned just 61 times in 128 games. Calhoun's bat will eventually force the Rangers to find a place for him, but for now he will work on his defense in the minors.

Jake Bauers, 1B, TB – The rebuilding Rays got rid of mainstay Evan Longoria at third, and decided not to re-sign Logan Morrison despite the latter having a career year. As such, all was apparently set for Bauers to assume the first base position. However, the Rays acquired C.J. Cron and instead decided to send Bauers back to Triple-A to work on his launch angle and power stroke. Bauers has never hit more than 14 home runs in a single season, though he does possess an excellent eye at the dish. He even swiped 20 bags last season. Nevertheless, a first baseman with average power at best will tend to not get the benefit of the doubt. It also remains to be seen what the Rays will eventually decide to do with Brendan McKay. In other words, whether McKay will focus on pitching or hitting, his natural position in the field is first base. Bauers should get a crack at the bigs this season, but his place as first baseman of the future for the Rays is anything but a given.