Monday not Quickie - everyone else in the minors

A couple weeks ago I posted some updates on players from last year's deals who's minor league seasons had ended (this year's deals fell into teams still playing at the time). The news was fairly grim.  In short

Aldo Ramirez - Hurt

Richard Guasch - Bad finish

Drew Millas - Meh

Seth Shuman - Hurt

Jordy Barley - Bad

The AAA season just ended this weekend (Go Bulls! Champs!) It's time to go over the rest of the non-major leaguers. 

Last Year Guys 

Gerardo Carillo 24 - I keep going back and forth whether he or Aldo is more interesting. Carillo is better but at 24 Aldo is much younger than the 21 year old Aldo. Cariilo started poorly then got hurt and missed May and June. He seemed fairly well in control in A+ throwing to a 3.60 ERA (.627 OPS) so he got moved up to AA.  It was a different breed of hitter there so while he was able to dial up the Ks (11 in 5.1 IP) they crushed him to the tune of .292 / .414 / .542 and a 10.13 ERA. He did not pitch in the playoffs from what I can tell. Next year he'll have to do something in AA or he starts to get passed by

Donovan Casey 26 - Good old K-see spent the year in Rochester and put up a .216 / .279 / .623 line, closing down his year when AA prospects came up to finish the season. His issue is his strike outs and he struck out 97 times in 317 PA for a rate of 31%.  That'd be death in the majors and you'd only try him if he showed immense power. While he might have in the past he hit 7 homers this year. Wouldn't be surprised if he was released, but as it's his first AAA year maybe he gets an "acclimation" pass and is back at least for the start of next year.

This Year Guys

Trey Harris 26 - From the BIG deal at the deadline when Ehire Adrianza went back to the Braves and I guess his spirit pushed them to an NL East crown? Double A all year Harris hit .245 / . 294 / .336.  Unless he's an A+ fielder I'd expect him to be released. If you talk about guys that got screwed by the pandemic it'd be someone like Trey who in a normal world might have used a good 2019 to springboard into 2020 and get a terrible cup of coffee in the majors. Still though it's making the majors.  I'm not saying he would have but it's this type of guy. 

Mackenzie Gore 23 - Never got out of rehab.  Just looked tired early in his starts and was getting rocked by what little competition they put out there. Closed down for the year and hopefully he'll be ready in the Spring

James Wood 20 - Wowed fans with a 4-6 night with a homer in his first game as a Nats minor leaguer, but would only hit one more homer the rest of the way. Was sitting at .338 / .403 / 544 in late August before a dreadful .046 finish left him with a .293/ .366 / .463 line and a K-rate for the Nats of 28%.  That's too high and took a little shine off the initial excitement. Still expect to see him in all the Top 100 lists and in High A Wilmington next year.

Jarlin Susana 18 - Wilder than with the Padres but impossible to square up for the Nats, Susana was quickly moved up to A ball. He looked as he should - a tinge worse (gave up a run in each of his short starts) but just a tinge (gave up A run in each of his short starts). At this age I don't see the reason to rush him so he starts in Fredericksburg but don't expect him to stay there. No one can say where his level is but it's higher than A. 

Robert Hassell 21 - played a few games in High A then moved up to AA because... well probably because that's where they want him next year and figure he could get used to things. He looked a little overmatched putting up a .222 / .312 / .296 line but was definitely better in September than August.  The Ks are a high 27%  so we'll watch that but it's to be expected with the move up to AA. The lower rate in High A was fine. That's what you see... a jump.

This batch is much better... well at least the Padres set.  Hassell looks on target, neither blowing up expectations or crashing out of them. He'd be 2024 guy likely right now.  After getting some fans overly excited Wood came back to Earth and that K rate in a low league he was in all year is questionable. That's kind of what kept him from being high on lists going into 2022. But he has time to get it right and has shown he can hit around it. I'd just be worried with a move up it'll go up well over 30% and into places he can't hit past. Jarlin Susana, everything looks great. No flags yet. He could be a very fast riser. 

Expect Hassell in the Top 20ish. Wood who broke into every mid season Top 100, will stay there but with pretty wild variation, maybe a 15 in one place and a 65 in another. Depends how much you deal in hype trying to nail the next superstar (which Wood could be if he controls those Ks), or you deal with the facts in front of you (which say watch out for a kid swinging and missing this much).  Susana... low level pitchers get a little shafted, maybe someone will have the guts to put him in a Top 100 but trust me their eyes will be on him.