Godley came to the Diamondbacks’ organization via the Cubs in the Miguel Montero trade while Weller was drafted by the Twins back in 2008 (14 th round). Each has proven tough to hit and both have done a nice job of striking out a batter per inning or more while keeping their walk totals reasonable. Visalia’s rotation is led by two 25-year old right-handed starters in Zach Godley and Blayne Weller. Each has a chance to be a major league infielder with utility roles most likely and big league regular futures not unforeseen. These guys are younger than the bulk of the pitchers they’re facing and both profile as second basemen long term. Westbook is in a similar boat, although he’s hit a bit better and is also just 19. At just 19, however, there’s lots of time for him to adjust to this higher level of pitching.
#RAWHIDE THE LONG COUNT RUN TIME PLUS#
With a plus hit tool, it’s a bit surprising to see that he’s struggled to hit for average. Leyba was part of the haul from the Tigers for Didi Gregorius. In the middle infield, the Rawhide have two good young players in Domingo Leyba and Jamie Westbrook. Both have an outside chance to be a major league slugger. Palka’s plate discipline and ability to make contact have been superior to Cron thus far, but he’s also a year older. Both guys are bat-first corner players with first base being the best fit for each player. Cron has racked up seven homers and 13 doubles while Palka has seven home runs and 17 doubles. As you could reasonably predict (especially if you’ve researched Trumbo, Mark), a first baseman moving to right field may not play well in the field, but it’s a temporary solution to a crowded situation. Cron has taken over first base duties, pushing Palka, a former first baseman, to right field where the results have less than stellar defensively.
The team’s power has been largely supplied by two big sluggers in Kevin Cron and Daniel Palka. Still, let’s take a look at some of the team’s top prospects and how they’re performing, even if some of them are a little long in the tooth. High-A is geared for 20 and 21-year old prospects, not 26-year old organizational players. So while the record is impressive and the pitching is incredible compared to the league, it’s important to keep context in the forefront of our minds. There are some strikeout-heavy relievers who help balance things out, but some of them are old, too. The team’s three starters with the most innings are 25, 25 and 26-years old. So how is are they doing this without big name pitchers? They’re older than the bulk of their competition, across the board. Oddly, the team is devoid of any major pitching prospects. Add that they’ve allowed the second-fewest homers in the league and it’s clear where the production has come from. There is a little staying power, however, in the fact that they lead the league in strikeouts, have allowed the fewest walks and have the best WHIP. 70 runs, a wide margin and something that shouldn’t be expected to hold, especially in the hitter-friendly CAL League. The Rawhide lead the league in ERA by nearly. Pitching is where the team has made it count, though. They’re a middle-of-the-road team in both walks and strike outs, but they lead the league in stolen bases, making the most of their on-base opportunities. They lead the league in doubles and rank third in home runs. This is pretty much always the case on every roster in baseball, because, well, baseball.Īnyways, the team ranks third in the California League in OPS, thanks in large part to hitting for power. But here we’re most interested in player development, and there appear to be some booming starts mixed with some disappointing ones on the Visalia roster. There’s nothing wrong with winning, even when wins aren’t the most important thing. Not just High-A baseball, but ALL of baseball, every affiliate level, including the majors. The Visalia Rawhide are off to a great start, and by great, I mean the highest winning percentage in baseball (.689, 31-14).
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