Minor League Prospect Guru Wilbur Miller has updated his site with the stats and analysis of each of the new Bucs acquired in the recent trades. Here are some interesting tidbits:
He was considered to have five tool potential, with good speed, a very good bat with the potential to hit for power, and a slightly above average arm for right field. His showing in low A was very impressive for a 17-year-old and left him high up on most prospect lists. Since then, however, doubts have started to accumulate...He finally had the hamate bone removed in August [2007]...hamate surgery can sap a hitter's power for half a year or more...His speed has decreased, too, as his lower body has gotten heavier, which also happened with Jose Castillo.Brandon Moss
Moss has generally been a good but not outstanding hitter in the minors. He's had good walk totals, but strikes out a lot, especially for a guy who's shown gap more than HR power. Moss has below average speed but plays well enough in the corners and has a strong arm.Andy LaRoche
For the last five years, Baseball America has ranked him in the top ten prospects in a strong Dodgers' system, including either first or second in each of the last three years. His stock seems to have slipped, however, although it's not entirely clear why...His lack of power this year almost certainly is the result of a thumb injury he suffered in spring training, which required surgery to repair a ligament...there remain concerns that he won't hit for power...Although he was originally a middle infielder, he's probably average or below defensively at third now.Craig Hansen
When the Red Sox drafted Hansen, he featured a mid-90s fastball and a great slider. The slider deserted him immediately upon his turning pro. He's also had significant problems commanding his fastball. Hansen may have contributed to the problems himself by tinkering often with his mechanics...After coming up to the majors, though, he resumed the control problems. If there's a good sign, it's that the walks have been most of the problem. He's been hard to hit and his K rate has been decent.Jeff Karstens
Karstens is a finesse pitcher whose velocity doesn't get much above the mid-80s...He profiles as a 5th starter or long reliever.Ross Ohlendorf
Once he started pitching in relief, his velocity improved to 94 and occasionally better. He's always struggled with LH hitters due to the lack of a useful changeup...history suggests he's most likely to end up as a middle reliever.Daniel McCutchen
McCutchen started his pro career with a 50-game banned-substance suspension. He blamed it on a prescription drug he took for Attention Deficit Disorder in college and the Yankees reportedly believed him...a very aggressive pitcher who throws a four-seam fastball in the low 90s and a two-seamer slightly slower than that, with his best pitch being a curve. He also throws an improving changeup...BA ranked him the 14th best prospect in a pitching-rich system going into 2008 and he probably hasn't hurt his stock any...he's likely to appear in the Pirates' rotation in the near future.Bryan Morris
the youngest of the four players they got in the deal and may have the highest ceiling. Morris had Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss all of 2007. He had pitched well in 2008 up through the time of the trade, though, with his fastball reaching as high as 95. He has an above-average curve and is working on a changeup. Baseball America projects him to be a potential 3rd starter.
