Daily Callups
Baseball HQ's Call-Ups reports provide complete scouting information and impact analysis for every minor leaguer called up during the season. Published daily, it also includes FAAB bid recommendations for the current year and long-term, and where each player was ranked on each team's Top 15 and overall Top 100 lists.
Sample Callup Report
June 14
Lee Gronkiewicz (RHP, TOR)
The 28 year-old closer has averaged 26 saves per year since '02. He was originally an undrafted free agent signed by the Indians in '01 and later selected by the Blue Jays in the minor league portion of the December '04 Rule 5 draft. At 5'10" 200 pounds, Gronkiewicz doesn't have any plus pitches, but he's succeeded with a solid sinker/curveball combination that is tough on right-handed hitters. His fastball sits between 87-89 mph and has good movement. The sinker is complemented by an average curveball and changeup. He has outstanding command and can throw any pitch in any count. Gronkiewicz does a nice job of pitching down in the strike zone. There is little margin for error because of his lack of velocity and knockout pitch. He also is hittable, so throwing consistent strikes is of extreme importance. He has a career 2.50 ERA, 2.8 Ctl and 9.3 Dom.
STATS: New Hampshire (AA) - 24 g, 3-2 1.80 ERA, 11 sv, 30 IP, 9.3 Cmd, 1.2 Ctl, 11.1 Dom, 3 HR, .279 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Short reliever
POTENTIAL: Setup reliever
RATING: 6B
Clay Rapada (LHP, CHC)
Signed as an undrafted free agent in '02, the 26 year-old was being used as a closer for Triple-A Iowa prior to his recall. Rapada is extremely difficult on left-handed hitters - .083 oppBA in '07. The reason for that: a deceptive, sidearm delivery with varying arm angles. At 6'5" 180 pounds, his pitches can be tough to pick up. His fastball sits in the high-80s and can hit 91 mph and he'll mix in a sweeping slider. Rapada has bouts of wildness and inconsistent command, particularly when he pitches to right-handed hitters. He's not overpowering and he doesn't have an offering that fools righties. He has a career 2.79 ERA, 3.5 Ctl and 9.0 Dom and rarely allows HR. Rapada projects as a classic lefty specialist who could develop into a setup reliever if he improves against righties.
STATS: Iowa (AAA) - 29 g, 2-1 3.77 ERA, 9 sv, 28.2 IP, 2.4 Cmd, 3.5 Ctl, 8.2 Dom, 2 HR, .263 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Situational reliever
RATING: 6C
Fernando Cortez (INF, KC)
Acquired from the Devil Rays in June '06, the 25 year-old left-handed hitter's only big league experience was 13 AB with Tampa Bay in '05. Cortez is a groundball hitter who doesn't drive the ball enough to have much offensive value. He is, however, a high BA guy with good speed. His slap approach has resulted in very few HR - he hit a career-high 3 HR in '04 in Double-A. He also doesn't hit many doubles. He has above average speed, but is still somewhat of a raw baserunner. Cortez's best value comes defensively, where he offers versatility. He has played 2B, SS and 3B and he shows soft, quick hands and enough range to play any of those positions. He lacks the arm strength to play consistently on the left side of the diamond, so 2B is his best position. Cortez is a career .271/.322/.343 hitter.
STATS: Omaha (AAA) - 224 AB, .299/.355/.402, 12 2b, 3 HR, 0.61 Eye, 9 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Reserve infielder
POTENTIAL: Utility infielder
RATING: 5C
June 13
Kyle Kendrick (RHP, PHI)
Tall and projectable at 6'3" 185 pounds, the 22 year-old will make his Major League debut with a start on Wednesday, June 13. He was selected in the 7th round of the '03 draft and has progressed slowly. In fact, this season has been his only experience above High-A. Kendrick has a career 4.48 ERA, 2.9 Ctl and 6.4 Dom. He offers a nice mix of pitches and is able to throw strikes with all of them. His fastball sits between 88-92 mph and his loose arm action and clean mechanics offer some projection. Kendrick mixes in an improving slider and changeup. Though he lacks an out pitch, his slider is an effective offering against right-handed hitters. The ability to keep the ball down may be his best attribute at the moment. Because he doesn't dominate, Kendrick will need to command his pitches and polish his changeup. More velocity would help his prospect status immensely.
STATS: Reading (AA) - 12 gs, 4-7 3.21 ERA, 81.1 IP, 2.8 Cmd, 2.0 Ctl, 5.5 Dom, 3 HR, .265 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Starter
POTENTIAL: #4 starter
RATING: 7D
June 12
Jason Hammel (RHP, TAM)
The 24 year-old made 9 starts with the Devil Rays in '06 and went 0-6 with a 7.77 ERA. Hammel has a career 3.47 ERA, 2.7 Ctl and 7.8 Dom. At 6'6", he uses his height well and pitches on a downward plane. His fastball sits between 89-93 mph and can touch 94 on occasion. Hammel also mixes in a sinking changeup and a hard curveball. Command and control have been his staples since signing in '02, though he has experienced command problems at times over the past two seasons. Hammel's curve can be effective but is inconsistent. It needs to be tightened up to be more of a weapon. He does change speeds well which keeps hitters off-guard. There is still some projection with Hammel's delivery and loose arm. It's possible he could add more velocity, but he'll need to locate his fastball better due to the inconsistency of his offspeed pitches. He could also be more aggressive.
STATS: Durham (AAA) - 13 gs, 4-5 3.42 ERA, 76.1 IP, 2.7 Cmd, 3.3 Ctl, 8.8 Dom, 3 HR, .216 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: #4 starter
RATING: 7C
Nate Schierholtz (OF, SF)
Blessed with outstanding raw power, the 23 year-old has focused more on making contact than swinging for the fences in '07. Schierholtz has good bat speed and tremendous strength, which results in 30+ HR potential. However, he's experienced high strikeout totals, mostly as a result of a long swing and an overly aggressive approach. Despite his .347 BA in '07, the left-handed hitter doesn't project as a high BA hitter, but he is working hard to overcome his deficiencies. He's not striking out nearly as much as he has in the past and he's using the entire field more. Schierholtz needs to become more selective, especially in laying off breaking balls out of the strike zone. He's an average defender in RF with a strong arm and he'll need to improve his routes. Because he hits lefties, Schierholtz could become more than a platoon OF, particularly if he lives up to his power potential.
STATS: Fresno (AAA) - 222 AB, .347/.374/.518, 20 2b, 4 HR, 0.35 Eye, 5 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Reserve OF
POTENTIAL: Starting LF/RF
RATING: 8C
June 11
Kurt Suzuki (C, OAK)
Despite a line-drive, contact-oriented approach and a career 1.01 Eye, the 23 year-old right-handed hitter hasn't been as patient nor made as much consistent contact in '07. Nevertheless, he still projects to an average to slightly above average big league backstop. Suzuki is a career .283/.386/.430 hitter with doubles power from a short, level swing. He has experienced great success against left-handed pitching - .382 BA in '06 and .328 in '07 - and could be a platoon catcher at worst. He'll get into ruts where he becomes too pull-conscious and his average bat speed doesn't translate to much long ball power. Suzuki has become a solid defensive catcher. He's agile behind the plate with sufficient arm strength and a quick release. He could improve his receiving and framing, but he's on his way to a starting role.
STATS: Sacramento (AAA) - 211 AB, .280/.351/.365, 9 2b, 3 HR, 0.51 Eye, 0 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Backup C
POTENTIAL: Starting C
RATING: 7C
James Loney (1B, LAD)
The 23 year-old left-handed hitter has the bat to play in the Majors - there just hasn't been a starting role for him. Frustrated by his option to Triple-A to begin '07, Loney got off to a slow start. His normally patient approach was shelved in favor of a more aggressive one, and with poorer results. He led the minors in BA in '06 and hit .284/.342/.559 with 4 HR in 102 AB with the Dodgers. His smooth swing, coupled with his ability to use the whole field, should result in a consistently high BA. Loney has line-drive doubles power and normally makes consistent, hard contact. The knock on him has always been his lack of power projection - he hit a career-high 12 HR in '06, but only 1 HR thus far in '07. Defensively, he has soft hands and plus arm strength. He has Gold Glove potential at 1B. Loney has played RF as well to add to his versatility, but he's very raw there. If given the opportunity, he could be a solid regular.
STATS: Las Vegas (AAA) - 229 AB, .275/.342/.371, 17 2b, 1 HR, 0.52 Eye, 2 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Reserve 1B/OF
POTENTIAL: Starting 1B
RATING: 8C
June 10
Masumi Kuwata (RHP, PIT)
Signed to a minor league contract in December '06, the 39 year-old pitched 21 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan. He once was a top pitcher, but hasn't been any better than average since '02. While in Japan, Kuwata was 173-141 with a 3.55 ERA, 2.5 Ctl and 6.5 Dom. He debuted in Triple-A on June 3 after missing the start of the regular season with a sprained ankle. Because he now has below average velocity - 82-87 mph fastball - Kuwata relies on precision and changing speeds. He is a consistent strike-thrower with superb command of his offerings. He offers a nice curveball and changeup. Kuwata will vary the velocity on his fastball and keep hitters guessing. He pitches up in the zone which is dangerous for a pitcher without a plus fastball. Due to his age, this may be his only shot at the big leagues.
STATS: Indianapolis (AAA) - 3 g, 0-0 0.00 ERA, 4.1 IP, 0 BB, 3 K, .200 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Middle reliever
RATING: 5D
Guillermo Rodriguez (C, SF)
The 29 year-old right-handed hitter has spent his entire pro career - other than a year with the Tigers organization in '04 - with the Giants. This will be his first Major League promotion. Rodriguez is short and stocky and is a solid defensive backstop. He has outstanding catch-and-throw skills and he makes accurate throws. Rodriguez is a good receiver and blocker and calls an efficient game. Outside of that, there isn't much going in his favor. His offensive skills are well below average and he offers no speed. He's a career .253/.315/.404 hitter with high strikeout totals and an approach that isn't conducive to taking walks. Rodriguez can hit the ball hard and has moderate power, but he simply isn't a very good hitter. His defense is good enough to stick, but his bat isn't playable at the Major League level.
STATS: Fresno (AAA) - 103 AB, .243/.319/.330, 6 2b, 1 HR, 1.38 Eye, 1 SB
CURRENT ROLE: Backup C
POTENTIAL: Backup C
RATING: 4D
June 9
Jailen Peguero (RHP, ARI)
The Diamondbacks inked the 26 year-old after the '06 season from the Astros organization. Peguero signed with Houston in '00 and spent his entire career there, mostly as a reliever. His status rose after a sterling '06 when he posted a .144 oppBA at Double-A Corpus Christi before a promotion to Triple-A. He's a hard-thrower with pure arm strength. Peguero is mostly a fastball/slider guy with an ability to get strikeouts with either offering. His fastball sits in the low 90s and his hard slider is a plus pitch at times. Undersized at 5'11", Peguero experiences command problems, particularly with his fastball. His career Ctl is 3.8, and he'll need to throw more strikes in order to be used in crucial situations. The stuff is good enough to succeed, but he needs to be more consistent in his approach.
STATS: Tucson (AAA) - 26 g, 3-2 1.69 ERA, 2 sv, 32 IP, 2.9 Cmd, 3.9 Ctl, 11.5 Dom, 4 HR, .193 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Setup reliever
RATING: 6C
June 8
Yorman Bazardo (RHP, DET)
Acquired from the Mariners in February '07, the 22 year-old has above average raw stuff. Bazardo was originally in the Marlins organization and pitched 1.2 innings with them in '05. He was then dealt to Seattle in July '05. He is an extreme groundball pitcher with a plus 89-95 mph fastball, hard slider, and outstanding changeup. He's aggressive with his pitches and he works inside effectively. He has the following career numbers: 3.47 ERA, 2.3 Ctl and 5.5 Dom. Despite his power repertoire, he hasn't achieved much success in the Dom department. He's content with pitching to contact and letting his defense work for him. Thus far in '07, his 3.6 Ctl is a career-worst. Bazardo may eventually find himself in the bullpen where his stuff may work best. He's experienced stamina issues and might be dominant in short stints.
STATS: Toledo (AAA) - 11 gs, 4-3 3.77 ERA, 62 IP, 1.4 Cmd, 3.6 Ctl, 4.9 Dom, 1 HR, .258 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: #4 starter or setup reliever
RATING: 7D
Andy Cavazos (RHP, STL)
The 26 year-old was originally selected by the Rangers in the fifth round of the '99 draft before he was chosen by the Cardinals in the '02 Rule 5 draft (minor league portion). At 6'3" 225 pounds, Cavazos is an outstanding athlete with pure arm strength. He can fire his fastball up to 94 mph though he generally sits between 88-92. He complements it with a slider and changeup. Cavazos was converted to a reliever in mid-'03 and has posted higher Dom rates. For his career, he has a 4.36 ERA, 4.1 Ctl and 7.1 Dom. He is most effective against right-handed hitters. He's not a consistent strike-thrower and his command is below average. Cavazos's stuff is average at best. If he can fine-tune his breaking ball, he could become a solid option in the middle innings.
STATS: Memphis (AAA) - 23 g, 1-2 3.96 ERA, 25 IP, 2.0 Cmd, 5.0 Ctl, 10.1 Dom, 3 HR, .253 oppBA
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Middle reliever
RATING: 5C
PLAYER POTENTIAL RATING
Scale of (1-10) representing a player's upside potential
10 – Hall of Fame-type player
9 – Elite player
8 – Solid regular
7 – Average regular
6 – Platoon player
5 – Major League reserve player
4 - Top minor league player
3 - Average minor league player
2 - Minor league reserve player
1 - Minor league roster filler
PROBABILITY RATING
Scale of (A-E) representing the player's realistic chances of achieving their potential
A - 90% probability of reaching potential
B - 70% probability of reaching potential
C - 50% probability of reaching potential
D - 30% probability of reaching potential
E - 10% probability of reaching potential
