BBTiA's Affiliate Roster Speculation: Frisco Roughriders
Jason Parks
The Rangers' AA-ball affiliate will not only start the season with a prospect laden roster, but thanks to the train of talent in the lower minors, the team will be stacked with prospects from April to August. The bulk of the talent lies in the star-studded rotation, but with position players like Justin Smoak, Jose Vallejo, Marcus Lemon, and Greg Golson, the future looks bright in the field and on the mound.
The Frisco rotation will initially feature four of the team's top 25 prospects, led by flamethrowing superstar Neftali Feliz. Former first-round selection Kasey Kiker will be making the jump from Bakersfield, as will Venezuelan righty Omar Poveda, who boasts the system's best change-up. Rounding out the rotation is recent addition Guillermo Moscoso, who has a knack for missing bats and keeping runners off base, and hard throwing Evan Reed, who might eventually end up in the bullpen.
The rotation might be get the glory, but the Frisco bullpen will be one to watch in '09. Featuring such hard throwers as Andrew Laughter, John Bannister, and Josh Lueke, as well as lefties Beau Jones and Ryan Falcon, the Frisco pen will no doubt produce several major league arms.
While often forced into the shadows thanks to the focus on the pitchers, the Frisco position players are out to prove the system is more than just players on a mound. Leading the charge will be switch-hitting first-baseman Justin Smoak. Smoak, who unexpectedly fell to the Rangers in the 2008 draft, is a no-doubt major leaguer in-waiting whose stay in the minors will be very brief. Fellow infielders Marcus Lemon, Jose Vallejo, and John Whittleman are also considered legit major league prospects and should eventually join Smoak at the major league level.
The outfield, while not as prospect laden as the infield, features the system's best athlete in Greg Golson. I'm speculating that Tim Smith will make the huge leap from Low-A Clinton to AA, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him start in High-A Bakersfield. I'm also speculating that right fielder Grant Gerrard will move up to Frisco and that Craig Gentry will move back down to AA after a shaky run in the Pacific Coast League.
This roster speculation was just a means to spark conversation and to get the crowd thirsty for the upcoming minor league season. The list was produced without influence from the Texas Rangers organization and is purely for entertainment purposes. We will soon find out which players will make up the Frisco Roughriders' roster. Until then, all we can do is speculate. Who is on your Frisco roster?
● ● ● ● ●
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes: As you probably noticed, this roster speculation exceeds the number of roster spots available. Some players currently listed will start the season in High-A Bakersfield, some will start at Triple-A Oklahoma City, and some might even receive their outright release.
Reader Comments (21)
JP: On your Frisco roster I count 14 of the 26 players as being drafted by the Rangers. !2 of them since 2006. Is this a typical number for AA teams?
Rob: The Rangers have drafted very well in the past few years. I'd have to do some research to accurately answer your question, but most AA rosters contain a fair amount of homegrown talent. I'm not sure how many can boast 12 players since the 2006 draft, though.
Whats so amazing is that they have so many talented players that Pina didn't even get a mention in the artlicle. Do you think the Rangers may give Holland a month at Frisco to start the Season if he has a rough Spring?
Sean: I think Holland starts in AAA.
Great stuff as always, but I kind of see Lueke in the rotation over Evan Reed. What is the thought on Reed being the 5th starter?
Edit - I just realized Schlact is slotted for AAA in this scenario also. I see him in AA for another year, I think the AAA rotation will be pretty full if the major league rotation stays reasonably healthy. I think AAA will be full of guys like Diamond, Holland, Hunter, Ballard/Murray and a Jennings/Benson type (who could be at Frisco also).
Kaiser: Lueke has never started a game as a minor leaguer, so I don't see the Rangers moving him into an already crowded rotation. I think Schlact's days in a rotation are nearing an end. I see him becoming a swingman type.
Richard Durrett thinks Golson starts in AAA and I think that makes sense. I was speculating that the Rangers wanted to keep him in CF, and with Julio slated for AAA, I figured Golson would get assigned to Frisco.
If Golson is indeed OKC bound, the RedHawks will eventual field an OF of Boggs, Borbon, and Golson. Best defensive OF in the minors?
JP: Who gets the first shot at being the closer in Frisco?
hmm, i was under the impression that Vallejo was gonna be in AAA? It would seem like this would make a whole heck of a lot more sense seeing how we have Lemon and Osuna lined up to play the MiF spots at AA. That team is gonna be really good offensively as is. Maybe not as good as it was at the begining of last season with Davis, Ramirez, and Harrison to start, but still really could be good if Tracy can step it up like i think he can.
that AAA OF would be sick, i think the BABIP would be alot lower on Fly balls. It would be a nice little boost for our pitchers confidence, although you dont want them trying to induce fly balls haha.
Rob: Good question. I think Lueke or Bannister could handle the closer role. Pedro Strop, when he is finally 100% healthy, could as well.
Jason,
I was curious to know if there's any reason to keep an eye on J.B. Diaz. If your roster predictions ring true, Diaz is the old man of Frisco. The thing that I've heard about him is that he's very athletic. Do you know much about his pitches and/or their velocity? Do you have any idea why Diaz, a native of the Dominican Republic, didn't sign with a major league team until he was in his early twenties?
Jason - Mehh, I meant Hyatt and typed Lueke for some reason. Its my first day with the new hands.
And disagree on Schlact, I think he is in the rotation this year, he still has upside.
Jason,
In previous roster speculation posts you've answered questions that didn't necessarily pertain to the affiliate in question. Hopefully you'll allow me to do this once again. I was curious if you'd heard anything about the immediate futures of several of the guys from the Dominican Summer League in 2008. From Carlos Melo, Anyenil Mendoza, Juan Grullon, Kelvin De Leon, and Ezequiel Rijo, who's going to reach the States in 2009? Any idea about Miguel Munoz, who's about to start a 50 game suspension? I also haven't seen hard-throwing right-hander Reinier Bermudez is any of your lists. Does he start at Extended Spring Training?
Kaiser: It's very possible that Schlact gets more time in a rotation. However, I just don't see the upside. I think he's a 5th starter/swingman at best. He just doesn't have the stuff. Mike Hindman would probably disagree. I know that he really believes in Schlact. Perhaps I'm missing something.
YourNameHere: You know your DSL! I haven't heard anything specific about the players you mentioned, but I'll be out in Surprise picking AJ Preller's brain in a few days, so hopefully I can better answer your question then.
I think Reiner Bermudez has a chance to start in full season ball, but if the line is too long to ride the full-season ride, I think he will start off in EST before heading to a short-season squad or perhaps to a full-season affiliate once a spot opens up. I've heard really good things about Bermudez's fastball, but I'm not sure how to project him. I need to see him in pitch more.
Thanks Jason. Hopefully you'll fill us in when you get to talk with AJ Preller. I've read that Reinier Bermudez's fastball was frequently at 97-98 MPH last season. Since Bermudez is listed at 5'11 and 175 lbs. (according to milb.com), I was very impressed to hear that.
I was also curious to know about J.B. Diaz. The questions on him are back a few comments.
YourNameHere: Sorry, I didn't see the question about Ol' John Billy Diaz. Honestly, I don't know the backstory on Diaz except for the fact that he was a low-key signing and was older. He is a very good athlete and his stuff played pretty well in the pen last season, but I'm really not that familiar with his arsenal. I'll ask around and find out more.
Jason - you didn't address my question on Hyatt either. You know what that is?? FEAR!! And fans can smell it! FEAR !!
Kasier: Yes. It was fear. Total fear. I have Hyatt on my AAA roster, but he could easily start in AA. Reed is definitely a candidate to return to the pen, but I still like his chances in a rotation.
Hey, who is the youngest player on this team? Cause being the youngest guy on your team is good when it comes to being a prospect, right? I was just wondering who it could be. I have no idea who it is, but whoever it is definitely deserves mad crazy respect as a prospect and should be treated as the dreamy man-god he so obviously is.