Three players have been called up to the Major Leagues and will make their Major League debut tonight -- Alex Bregman, David Dahl and Braden Shipley.
Bregman was the No. 2 overall pick by the Houston Astros in last year's draft, and was often overshadowed by Dansby Swanson and Brendan Rodgers. Bregman has begun to make a name for himself this year, posting a .306 average with 20 homers and 61 RBIs between Triple-A Fresno and Double-A Corpus Christi. He is ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 18 overall prospect, and his best tool is his hit tool. With Correa at short, Bregman, being the athlete he is, should be seen all around the diamond, including third base and possibly left field.
Dahl, the Rockies' first round pick in 2012, was hitting .314 with 18 homers, 61 RBIs and 17 stolen bases between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque before his promotion to the Majors. The 22-year-old outfielder will play left field in his debut, and could make an impact immediately with Gerardo Parra still on the disabled list. He has solid tools all around, and can impact a game in many ways. Dahl's health has been an issue in the past, but if healthy, he can be a terrific player for the Rockies.
The 24-year-old Shipley was the Diamondbacks' first selection in 2013 out of the University of Nevada. He features a good fastball with an above average changeup and a power curveball. At Triple-A Reno, Shipley was 8-5 with a 3.70 ERA in 119 1/3 innings pitched. Ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 58 overall prospect, Shipley projects as a future No. 3 starter, and if healthy can be even better. He will take the mound tonight against a Brewers team that has gone 3-7 in their last 10 games.
Monday, July 25, 2016
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Why Jose Altuve is one of the best overall players in the Majors
When you think of Jose Altuve, you might think of a man in a kid's body. It is no secret that Altuve doesn't possess the size we typically equate with success in baseball. Listed at a mere five foot, six inches, Altuve gets the most out of his frame. This year, Altuve is fourth in WAR (5.2) according to FanGraphs, and is establishing himself as one of the best players in baseball.
Altuve has taken off in a new dimension this year -- hitting for power. Prior to the 2016 season, he had 36 career home runs, and only reached the double-digit plateau with 15 homers in 2015. Altuve has already matched his 2015 total in 261 fewer at-bats. He is also hitting third on an Astros team that features sluggers such as Carlos Correa and George Springer.
While the power has gone up, the other aspects of his game have not diminished. Altuve currently leads the Majors in batting average (.358), hits (135) and OBP (.427). He is still the stolen base threat of years past, swiping 25 bags in 29 attempts. Even with the power surge, Altuve has kept his strikeout numbers down, and has more walks (44) than strikeouts (40).
On the defensive side, Altuve is second among AL second baseman with a .992 fielding percentage. He has committed only three errors this season, and has totaled only eight since the start of the 2015 season.
Altuve is more than just a contact hitter, he is the whole package as a player. He plays the game with a refreshing energy, and proves that size doesn't matter. He is on pace to have a career year, and with 66 games left in the season, only time will tell if Altuve will emerge as the 2016 American League MVP award winner.
Altuve has taken off in a new dimension this year -- hitting for power. Prior to the 2016 season, he had 36 career home runs, and only reached the double-digit plateau with 15 homers in 2015. Altuve has already matched his 2015 total in 261 fewer at-bats. He is also hitting third on an Astros team that features sluggers such as Carlos Correa and George Springer.
While the power has gone up, the other aspects of his game have not diminished. Altuve currently leads the Majors in batting average (.358), hits (135) and OBP (.427). He is still the stolen base threat of years past, swiping 25 bags in 29 attempts. Even with the power surge, Altuve has kept his strikeout numbers down, and has more walks (44) than strikeouts (40).
On the defensive side, Altuve is second among AL second baseman with a .992 fielding percentage. He has committed only three errors this season, and has totaled only eight since the start of the 2015 season.
Altuve is more than just a contact hitter, he is the whole package as a player. He plays the game with a refreshing energy, and proves that size doesn't matter. He is on pace to have a career year, and with 66 games left in the season, only time will tell if Altuve will emerge as the 2016 American League MVP award winner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)