Toolshed: Under-the-radar under review

Transparency is always good.
Back in April, MiLB.com staff members picked which prospects entering the season under the radar they expected to make their presences felt in the ensuing months. Now it's October. The Minor and Major League regular seasons have played themselves out, and it's time to revisit those selections to see which ones ended up looking good, just OK, bad and even incomplete now that the dust has settled.

Good 

Thomas Burrows, left-handed reliever, Braves: The Braves' No. 19 prospect (up from No. 28 to begin the season) might still be under the radar some, but so goes the life of a Minor League relief prospect. The 24-year-old southpaw pitched 67 2/3 innings across three Atlanta affiliates, finishing with a 2.66 ERA, 86 strikeouts and 36 walks over that span. He was most dominant at his highest level with Double-A Mississippi, where he sported a 1.42 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP, striking out 27 in 19 frames after a July 20 promotion from Class A Advanced Florida. With two plus pitches in his fastball and slider, Burrows remains on track to potentially give the National League East Division winners a plethora of intriguing southpaw options out of the bullpen alongside A.J. Minter, Jesse Biddle and potentially Max Fried in 2019. He's currently making his case for that in the Arizona Fall League.
Trevor Richards, right-handed starter, Marlins: The undrafted product out of Drury University entered the season with only 14 starts above Class A Advanced. He finished it as one of the most valuable pieces of Miami's Major League rotation. Richards made the big club out of Spring Training, and after a brief trip down to Triple-A New Orleans in the late spring, stuck in the Majors after his final recall on June 7. He finished with a 4.42 ERA over 126 1/3 innings but stood out more for his peripherals, like a 23.8 percent strikeout rate, a 4.05 FIP and a 1.4 WAR (per FanGraphs). That last stat was second on the Miami staff behind José Ureña's 1.8. Richards may not have been afforded such a long look if he were in an organization that wasn't so youth-focused in 2018, but given his chances, he should figure into some part of Miami's rotation for at least the immediate future. 
Cole Irvin, left-handed starter, Phillies: Irvin entered the season as Philadelphia's No. 26 prospect and exited at No. 10 as the Most Valuable Pitcher in the International League. The 24-year-old left-hander led qualified Triple-A pitchers with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, all while ranking second with 161 1/3 innings pitched. His four pitches may grade out as average, but his superior control (5.5 percent walk rate) helps the whole package play up. The contending Phils had a backlog at the end of their rotation in 2018, but there's no doubt Irvin at least played his way into a look next spring. 
Taylor Williams, right-handed reliever, Brewers: Williams didn't pitch at all in 2015 or 2016 because of Tommy John surgery but put himself on our radar by pushing his way to a September callup in 2017. He was even better this summer, making 56 appearances for the Brewers (fourth-most on the team) and only two in the Minors. Williams continued to pump his fastball in the mid-90s and flashed a good slider that allowed him to strike out 57 in 53 Major League innings, though his 4.25 ERA may not be inspiring. He hasn't made a postseason roster during Milwaukee's playoff run, but that shouldn't take away from Williams' year of healthy ascension.
Jason Martin, outfielder, Pirates: Last offseason, Martin went unprotected from the Rule 5 Draft, unselected by any team in that process and might have been the least heralded of the four players moving from Houston to Pittsburgh in the Gerrit Cole trade. He proceeded to make a great first impression at Double-A Altoona, hitting .325/.392/.522 with nine homers and a 152 wRC+ over 68 games. His Triple-A numbers (.211/.270/.319) weren't at all up to the same standard over a 59-game set, though a .261 BABIP might have played a role there. At the least, Martin has given himself a significantly better shot at cracking the 40-man roster this offseason or getting taken in the Rule 5 Draft in December.
Esteury Ruiz, second baseman/third baseman, Padres: The 19-year-old infielder absolutely mashed at the lowest levels of the Royals and Padres systems, but needed to show he could do so over a longer term. The hit tool might be trending down slightly after he batted .253 and struck out 141 times in 117 games with Class A Fort Wayne, but Ruiz did show other promising skills. His 49 stolen bases ranked second among all Padres farmhands, and he added 12 homers to show more over-the-fence pop than he had before. Sure, his ranking dropped from No. 12 to 17, but this comes in one of the most loaded farms in the game. Most systems would love a player of Ruiz's caliber and age, and after a full season, he's still showing promise.
Génesis Cabrera, left-handed starter, Rays/Cardinals: This comes down to whiffs. Cabrera had been mostly a contact pitcher during his first five seasons in the Rays system, but he struck out 26.2 percent of the Southern League batters he faced in 113 2/3 innings with Double-A Montgomery -- his highest K rate with a full-season club -- en route to an All-Star spot on the circuit. Others apparently took notice as he was one of three prospects dealt to the Cardinals at the deadline for outfielder Tommy Pham. Cabrera shows an above-average fastball and slider and might have a future in the bullpen because of rough control. But because of the gains he made in the K department, his path to the Majors is much clearer now than it was in the spring.
Jonathan Davis, outfielder, Blue Jays: Davis' initial Under-the-Radar blurb read: "The club's No. 28 prospect is on track to reach Rogers Centre this summer." Now ranked as Toronto's No. 21 prospect, he got that first look in September as part of roster expansion. The 26-year-old outfielder continued to show top-of-the-line speed in the Minors, finishing with 26 steals in 30 chances, and a .302/.388/.443 line with Double-A New Hampshire helped him earn his first career All-Star spot. Davis's future is likely in a fourth outfielder/pinch-runner role, but he made the right strides to get closer in 2018.
Luis Arraez, infielder, Twins: Arraez hadn't hit below .309 in any of his first four seasons with the Twins, but he was a question mark coming off a torn ACL the year before. Those questions were pretty much answered. The 21-year-old, who saw time at second, shortstop and third base this season, hit .310 in 108 games between Class A Advanced Fort Myers and Double-A Chattanooga. The left-handed hitter's offensive value is almost exclusively tied to his hit tool as he parked just three homers, produced a .397 slugging percentage and stole only four bases in his return from the injury. But what a hit tool it is. Arraez rarely strikes out, fanning in only 9.7 percent of his plate appearances while walking in 7.1. Given the success of Willians Astudillo, the Twins know the value of a contact freak, and they may have another here in Arraez.
Ramón Laureano, outfielder, Athletics: By now, Laureano's outfield arm is the stuff of legend, but he proved to be more than just a single highlight. Having been dealt from the Astros to the A's last November after a down year at Double-A, Laureano earned his Major League look by batting .297/.380/.524 with 14 homers and 11 steals in 64 games at Triple-A Nashville. Oakland summoned him to The Show on Aug. 3 and never looked back with the 2104 16th-rounder hitting .288/.358/.474 with five homers in 48 games the rest of the way. Thanks to his arm and stellar baserunning ability, Laureano was worth 2.4 WAR in just those two months alone, and there's little doubt he'll be playing on the grass in Oakland come Opening Day next spring. That's coming from a guy who Houston traded because they couldn't fit him on the 40-man roster.
A.J. Alexy, right-handed starter, Rangers: There's no doubting the stuff here. Alexy -- a 2016 11th-rounder dealt from the Dodgers to the Rangers for Yu Darvish in 2017 -- has earned plus grades on his fastball and curveball, and that helped him rank second among South Atlantic League pitchers hurling at least 100 innings with a 30.5 percent strikeout rate. But he has struggled at times with control, despite repeating Class A, having walked 11.5 percent of the batters he faced. What's keeping Alexy from the OK category is the way he finished the season with Hickory. The Rangers' No. 18 prospect posted a 1.59 ERA with 44 strikeouts and eight walks in 28 1/3 innings over his five starts in August. There are a lot more causes for optimism now than there were in June or July.

OK

Ryder Ryan, right-handed reliever, Mets: Again, it can be tough for a reliever to stand out in a system, and Ryan didn't quite find his way to ranked-prospect status in 2018. The 23-year-old right-hander got off to a stellar start with a 1.77 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings at Class A Advanced St. Lucie, but was humbled severely at Double-A Binghamton, where he posted a 4.13 ERA, a 4.31 FIP and a 1.13 WHIP in 32 2/3 frames. Picked up from the Indians for Jay Bruce in August 2017, Ryan has shown an upper-90s fastball that'll get him places, but he'll need more than velocity to do well at the upper levels.
Aldrem Corredor, first baseman/outfielder, Nationals: Don't get us wrong. Corredor enjoyed a solid season between Class A A Hagerstown and Class A Advanced Potomac while producing a .300 average between the spots and a wRC+ above 120 at both. But the 22-year-old left-handed slugger still didn't quite get his power to show up with nine homers and a .436 slugging percentage between the two stops -- at least in the way he'll need it to if he's going to be a valuable first baseman up the ladder. 
Jose Garcia, shortstop/second baseman, Reds: After signing for almost $5 million out of Cuba in June 2017, Garcia had his moments in 2018, especially late. Four of his six homers on the season with Class A Dayton came in August, when he also produced a monthly OPS above .700 at .780. But with a .245/.290/.344 line on the season, there was too much inconsistency in the 20-year-old middle infielder's game to help him break out in his first stateside season. Unlike those above, Garcia remains a ranked prospect though, checking in at No. 14 on MLB.com's list of Reds farmhands.
Mason McCoy, shortstop, Orioles: A 2017 sixth-round pick out of Iowa, McCoy was an under-the-radar pick because of the hit tool he'd shown in college, summer ball and his first year of the pros. Unfortunately, that didn't quite carry over to his first full campaign in the Minors. McCoy hit .266/.331/.369 over 124 games at age 23 with Class A Delmarva. That basically worked out to being a league-average bat, though he does earn some points for tying for the Sally League lead with 10 triples and going 13-for-15 on the basepaths. He'll need more than that to rise back to prominence during Baltimore's coming rebuild. 
Pedro Castellanos, first baseman/left fielder, Red Sox: Castellanos earned his initial spot after being one of the standout bats in the Gulf Coast League, but it was noted he'd need to start tapping into his power if he was going to get onto anyone's radar in a major way. He again topped .300 by two points and struck out only 13.7 percent of the time in 88 games for Class A Greenville. But he managed only one homer in 365 plate appearances. It's worth noting Castellanos was limited by a back injury, so it's possible that may have sapped his power potential. But the 20-year-old has fallen to the No. 28 spot in the Sox system, and he'll enter 2019 facing many of the same questions he did in the spring.
Dermis Garcia, first baseman/third baseman, Yankees: Power remains absolutely no issue for Garcia. The Yankees' No. 29 prospect belted 15 homers in 88 games with Class A Charleston and produced a .202 isolated slugging percentage that was one of the highest produced in the Sally League outside those who called Asheville home. But the 6-foot-3, 200-pound slugger also struck out in 30.6 percent of his plate appearances, and that held him to a .241 average and 117 wRC+. The thunder in the bat keeps him in the top 30 in a system that obviously values power, but it's not enough to overcome the holes in his swing just yet.
Conner Capel, outfielder, Indians/Cardinals: Coming off a 22-homer season at Class A Lake County, Capel looked like he could have been the next big thing in the Indians system, if he showed that power at an upper level and even grew his hit tool. Unfortunately, that didn't fully happen. Capel lofted only six homers in 89 games with Class A Advanced Lynchburg. However, he made some gains overall offensively, especially in the patience department as he finished his time in the Carolina League with a .355 OBP. The Cardinals liked enough of what they saw to ask for him in return for outfield prospect Oscar Mercado, and after a trip to Class A Advanced Palm Beach, he finished the season with a slash line of .257/.341/.376, seven homers and 15 steals. Capel still provides a good arm (as evidenced by eight assists) and good range in the outfield, where he played all three spots in both organizations. If he can get all five tools to show up at the same time, he could provide even more promise on the grass for St. Louis. As it stands, he's his new system's No. 9 prospect.
Alfred Gutierrez, right-handed starter, Tigers: It's Gutierrez's Florida State League numbers that move him into the OK category. The 23-year-old right-hander posted a 2.42 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP with 78 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings at Class A Advanced Lakeland to push his way to Double-A Erie by July. He suffered there and in a brief look at Triple-A Toledo, giving up 31 earned runs in 35 innings at the upper levels. Gutierrez normally has good control and throws in the low-90s, but without a plus off-speed pitch, he's found it difficult to navigate the top two rungs of Detroit's system. Perhaps the experience will prepare him for 2019 in the ways we thought it might in 2018.
Chuckie Robinson, catcher, Astros: Robinson stood out for two things coming into the season -- his solid power and his impressive arm. The latter remains elite; Robinson threw out 28 of 52 attempted basestealers with Class A Advanced Buies Creek this season. The former is much closer to average as he belted only seven homers and produced a .365 slugging percentage in 75 games. A backup role was always his likely ceiling, and that remains the case. But it's more likely his defensive work will get him there.
Ian Miller, outfielder, Mariners: The Mariners' No. 20 prospect was the organization's Hitter of the Year in 2017, but couldn't quite live up to those expectations in his return to Triple-A Tacoma, where he produced a .261/.333/.327 line with six homers in 114 games. The good news: He's still a plus-plus runner and it showed. His 33 steals were second-most in the Pacific Coast League behind only Myles Straw (35), and his defense on the grass remains above-average. But after going unpicked in last year's Rule 5 Draft, he didn't improve his chances of a 40-man roster addition or a selection in this year's edition with his play at the plate in 2018.

Bad

Bryan Hudson, left-handed starter, Cubs: In order to succeed at the upper levels, ground-ball pitchers like Hudson have to be really good at generating soft contact. That wasn't the case for the southpaw, who struck out only 15.6 percent of the batters he faced with Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach and finished with a 4.70 ERA over 113 innings. Hudson's ground-ball rate dropped from 66.2 percent in 2017 to 54.9 percent this season as well. He was ranked as the Cubs' No. 25 prospect but has since dropped out of the top 30.
Delvin Perez, shortstop, Cardinals: It looks like it's time to give up the goose on the 2016 23rd overall pick. Perez struggled at the plate each of the past two seasons and produced just a .213/.301/.272 line with one homer in 64 games with Class A Short Season State College this summer. That worked out to just a 76 wRC+ in the New York-Penn League. Perez still earns solid marks for his speed and glove at short, but in his third year in the Minors, Perez still isn't even an average bat in short-season circuits.
Charlie Tilson, outfielder, White Sox: Tilson was traded from the Cardinals to the White Sox on July 31, 2016, got in one game with the big club three days later and then missed all of 2017 with separate stress fractures in his right foot and ankle. That's why he entered 2018 under the radar. Well, White Sox fans certainly know who he is now, but they may not be overly enthused. Tilson got in 25 games with the rebuilding club this past season, but batted just .264/.331/.292 with only two extra-base hits. With a -0.6 FanGraphs WAR, he was a below replacement-level player, and a 63 wRC+ over 292 plate appearances at Triple-A Charlotte did little to help his case.
Romer Cuadrado, outfielder, Dodgers: Cuadrado was a Dodgers Organization All-Star in 2017 after hitting .335/.413/.523 with Rookie-level Ogden but proceeded to fall off the cliff in his first move to a full-season club. The 21-year-old outfielder batted just .210/.273/.299 with five homers in 123 games for Class A Great Lakes. His 63 wRC+ was lowest among the Midwest League's 77 qualifiers. 
Ryan Kirby, first baseman, Giants: Kirby was the Northwest League MVP in 2017, and all involved hoped he could carry that type of production back to Class A Augusta, where he struggled in a brief stint previously. The 2016 12th-rounder was serviceable this time around in the South Atlantic League, hitting .232/.331/.403 with 14 homers and a 113 wRC+. But at 23, he needed to do more than that, given his age and the offensive demands of his position.
Chris DeVito, first baseman, Royals: DeVito, who launched 21 homers between Class A and Class A Advanced last season, managed to hit only one while producing a .181/.280/.226 line through 65 games back with Wilmington. The Royals released him on July 5.

Incomplete

Jose Almonte, right-handed starter, D-backs: Almonte did not pitch in a Minor League game this season due to an oblique injury.
Breiling Eusebio, left-handed starter, Rockies: Eusebio made three appearances for Class A Asheville in April. but missed the rest of the season due to Tommy John surgery.
Stiward Aquino, right-handed starter, Angels: Aquino underwent the same elbow procedure as Eusebio and was out for the entire season.