Prospect Preview: IL West

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION PREVIEW: TOP PROSPECTS

IL West:

Columbus Clippers (Cleveland Indians)

Top Two Prospects Who May Reach Columbus in 2020:

Last Season:

Jones: Hi-A (77 games) + Double-A (49 games) | 126 games: .272 AVG, 15 HR, 63 RBI, .409 OBP

Allen: Triple-A (18 games/18 starts) | 5-4 record, 5.85 ERA, 80.0 IP, 81SO/34BB, 1.58 WHIP
**Also went 2-3, 6.18 ERA over 9 games (4 starts) with Cleveland

What Scouts Say:

Jones: Utilizes a patient approach at the plate, waiting for pitches he can punish and using the entire field. His bat speed and strength could translate into 30 homers per season, especially since he started to add more loft to his left-handed stroke in 2019. Jones has worked hard to transition from high school shortstop to pro third baseman. He has the strong arm required at the hot corner and he has improved his footwork and agility.

Allen: Had advanced pitchability for a youngster, providing regular strikes while mixing four pitches. He hasn't missed a start since elbow soreness cost him a couple of months during his first full pro season and can be an efficient innings-eater in the middle of a rotation. Allen's best pitch is a Vulcan changeup that grades as plus and tumbles at the plate when it's on...He sets it up with a four-seam fastball that sits at 91-94 mph and tops out at 96.

Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh Pirates)

Top Two Prospects Who May Reach Indianapolis in 2020:

Last Season:

Hayes: Triple-A (110 games) | 110 games: .265 AVG, 10 HR, 30 2B, .336 OBP
**Also went 1-for-12 in three games with Low-A West Virginia

Oliva: Double-A (108 games) | 108 games: .277 AVG, 36 XBH, 70 R, 36 SB, .352 OBP

What Scouts Say:

Hayes: There's no doubt Hayes is ready to play the hot corner defensively at the highest level. He's consistently brought up in conversations about the best defensive prospects in the game at any position, and he's clearly the best third baseman in the Minors...has tremendous range, great footwork, plus hands and a plus arm to make him the complete package. His bat had been catching up to his glove, though that part of his game regressed for much of his 2019 season in Triple-A. He still has a solid overall approach...and there is more power for him to tap into.

Oliva: Much of Oliva’s slow start to the 2019 season can be attributed to a concussion he suffered early in the year. Once he righted the ship, he got back to impacting the baseball on a consistent basis, regularly registering exit velocities above 100 mph. He still hits the ball on the ground too much and if he can focus on more of a high line drive mentality, he should get balls to carry more with more power showing up as a result...Oliva is looking more and more like someone who will be an everyday big leaguer in center or left field.

Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers)

Top Two Prospects Who May Reach Toledo in 2020:

Last Season:

Mize: Hi-A (6 starts) + Double-A (15 starts) | 21 starts: 8-3 record, 2.72 ERA, 109.1 IP, 106SO/23BB, 0.94 WHIP

Paredes: Double-A (127 games) | 127 games: .282 AVG, 37 XBH, 66 RBI, .368 OBP

What Scouts Say:

Mize: Mize's bread and butter is his splitter, a nearly elite pitch that registers in the mid-80s with outstanding late tumbling action that causes it to bottom out as it nears the plate, netting the right-hander plenty of whiffs and weak contact. He sets up his splitter with a 93-95 mph fastball that can touch 97, and his heater consistently plays up because he commands it with ease to both sides of the plate. Mize demonstrates exemplary command of his entire arsenal when he's at his best, issuing few walks while generating swinging strikes both inside and out of the zone...A combination of injuries has caused some evaluators to temper their expectations and projections, though the overall consensus continues to be that Mize is as good as any right-hander when healthy.

Paredes: Paredes’ plate judgment and pitch tracking are very advanced for his age. He rarely gets himself out by chasing pitches, and he usually makes solid contact on pitches in the strike zone. While Tigers officials believe home-run power will emerge with time and maturity, his doubles power could make him a valuable high-order hitter regardless...Realistically, he seems destined to be a full-time third baseman given his growing body. Having split last season between third base and short, he consistently makes plays on the balls he reaches with soft hands and a strong arm, but his thick frame takes a toll on his range.