Tag Archives: Mississippi Braves

23 Mar

prospecting

The sorting process likely isn’t completed in Atlanta’s minor league camp, home to a batch of prospects generally regarded as the best in baseball. When the rosters are set and the players break camp, don’t expect many of the Braves’ Top 10 to head to Mississippi. Most of the highest rated players are either past Double-A or a year or two away. Dansby Swanson, still classified as a rookie and rated Atlanta’s No. 1 by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, is already established in Atlanta. No. 2 prospect Ozzie Albies, who did two stints in Pearl in 2016, figures to start in Triple-A. Six of the seven pitchers in the top 12 (as rated by MLB Pipeline) pitched in low-A ball or rookie ball last season. No. 6 Sean Newcomb was an M-Braves mainstay (8-7, 3.86 ERA) in 2016 who probably will pitch at Gwinnett this season. Kolby Allard (No. 4), Mike Soroka (5), Max Fried (9) and Touki Toussaint (12) were on the Rome staff that won the South Atlantic League pennant. The standard progression puts them at high-A Florida. No. 3 Kevin Maitan is a 17-year-old shortstop just getting started, and No. 8 Ronald Acuna, a 19-year-old outfielder, played at Rome in an injury-interrupted season. Unlikely to open in Mississippi, he could make Double-A at some point this year. Infielder Travis Demeritte, acquired from Texas in midseason, is No. 10 on the Braves’ list and looks like the one sure thing in that bunch to be in Trustmark Park on April 6. He hit 28 homers at the high-A level in 2016. Former DeSoto Central High star Austin Riley, the No. 13 prospect, projects as the third baseman on the high-A club, at least to start the season. The M-Braves’ opening day roster won’t be thin on talent, however. Jacob Schrader, Carlos Franco, Joey Meneses, Connor Lien and Joe Odom were among the position players who helped last year’s club reach the Southern League Championship Series, and all could be back. Plus, top 30 prospects Braxton Davidson and Alex Jackson may land in Pearl next month. P.S. The M-Braves open on April 6, two weeks from today, at the TeePee against Jacksonville, a Miami affiliate that is now, unfortunately, nicknamed the Jumbo Shrimp.

06 Mar

future’s so bright …

Former DeSoto Central High standout Austin Riley got to rub elbows with the Atlanta big leaguers over the weekend and apparently did not look out of place. Riley, 19, a supplemental first-round pick by the Braves in 2015, went 2-for-2 in a Grapefruit League game on Saturday and 0-for-2 with a walk on Sunday. Braves manager Brian Snitker was impressed. “I’ve heard a lot about him, seen him in Instructional League. He’s a man. I mean, that’s real-deal right there,” Snitker, the former Mississippi Braves manager, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Riley, 6 feet 3, 220 pounds, is rated the No. 8 third base prospect in the minors by MLB Pipeline and is a consensus top 15 in the Braves’ stacked system, which is rated No. 1 overall by MLB Pipeline and Baseball America. Riley played at the low Class A level in 2016, batting .271 with 20 homers in his first full year in Atlanta’s system, and he has 32 homers in 189 pro games. He figures to start 2017 with the high-A Florida Fire Frogs in the Florida State League and arrive at Double-A Mississippi next season, though that timetable can certainly change. As highly regarded as he is, Riley isn’t one of the seven Braves players ranked among the top 100 prospects by MLB Pipeline. That list does include 2016 M-Braves Dansby Swanson, Ozzie Albies and Sean Newcomb. “It’s pretty neat what the future’s going to look like here,” Snitker told the AJC. P.S. Tyler Moore is making a strong bid to stick with Miami. The Mississippi State product from Brandon smacked his third homer of the spring on Sunday and is batting .462. Limited by injuries in 2016, the right-handed hitting first baseman hit three homers in 25 games for Triple-A Gwinnett in the Braves’ organization. He signed a minor league deal with the Marlins in the off-season. Moore has 24 MLB homers spread over four seasons, all with Washington.

26 Feb

one fine day

On the first full day of spring training games, the names of Mississippians were all over Saturday’s box scores. Ex-Mississippi State star Tyler Moore, trying to make the Miami club as a non-roster invitee, hit what proved to be the game-winning home run for the Marlins against St. Louis. The blast came in the seventh inning against former Mississippi Braves pitcher John Gant and it made a winner of Southern Miss alum Scott Copeland, who had yielded the tying run in the top of the inning. Appearing in center field in that game for the Cardinals was ex-M-Braves standout Jordan Schafer, who is getting a look as both an outfielder and pitcher. … Southwest Mississippi Community College alum Jarrod Dyson, in his first game with Seattle, played left field, batted leadoff and went 1-for-2 with a run and a stolen base. Former State star Hunter Renfroe, batting cleanup and playing right field, had an RBI double in that game for San Diego. … Ex-Richton High standout JaCoby Jones went 2-for-2 with a run and Ole Miss product Alex Presley 1-for-1 with an RBI and a run for Detroit. Both are in the mix for the Tigers’ center field job, though Presley is in camp on a minor league contract. … MSU alum Adam Frazier hit leadoff and played shortstop for Pittsburgh, going 2-for-3 with a run. Frazier is likely to be the Pirates’ super-utility player this season. … Jonathan Holder, the ex-State standout, pitched a perfect inning for the New York Yankees, fanning two. … Ole Miss product Bobby Wahl, now on Oakland’s 40-man roster, struck out two in a scoreless inning of work for the A’s. … East Central CC alum Tim Anderson went 1-for-3 for the Chicago White Sox, batting leadoff and playing shortstop. … Ex-Itawamba CC star Desmond Jennings, trying to stick as a non-roster invitee with Cincinnati, started in right field and went 1-for-2. … Former State standout Mitch Moreland picked up his first official RBI for Boston; he hit a three-run homer on Thursday in an exhibition against a college team. … Petal High product Anthony Alford, batting fifth and playing right field for Toronto, was 1-for-3 with an RBI double against Atlanta. Seven former M-Braves played for the Braves; Dustin Peterson went 2-for-3 with a run and Johan Camargo 1-for-2 with two runs.

23 Feb

that’s the ticket

In his first game in a Boston uniform, Mitch Moreland hit a three-run homer today during an exhibition game in Fort Myers, Fla. The Amory native and former Mississippi State star, signed as a free agent in the off-season, went deep against a pitcher for Northeastern (the school swept by Southern Miss in Hattiesburg last weekend). Moreland is one of the players the Red Sox are counting on to fill the void left by retired slugger David Ortiz. Lefty-hitting first baseman Moreland smacked 22 homers for Texas in 2016 and has 110 in his seven years in The Show. He also won a Gold Glove last year. P.S. On a disheartening note, former Terry High star Van Pope, once a highly rated Atlanta prospect, is wanted for burglary in two Mississippi counties, according to a Mississippi News Now report. Pope was a power-hitting third baseman with a big arm who played two seasons for the Double-A Mississippi Braves, including the 2008 Southern League championship year. He was released by Atlanta in 2010 and played independent league baseball for a time thereafter.

16 Feb

spring flings

Mississippi State product Chad Girodo was outrighted off Toronto’s 40-man roster on Wednesday but reportedly will remain in spring camp as a non-roster invitee. The Blue Jays were clearing roster space for veteran relievers J.P. Howell and Joe Smith. Lefty Girodo made his big league debut in 2016 and worked in 14 games with a 4.35 ERA. He put up a 3.79 at Triple-A Buffalo, where he’ll likely begin this season. … Former Holmes Community College star Roy Oswalt, who led Houston to the 2005 World Series, will serve as a guest instructor in the Astros’ camp. “The ability to match quantity and quality during his time as an Astro was incredible,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch told mlb.com. Oswalt won 163 games in the big leagues. … Former Mississippi Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt is going to get work as a pitcher while continuing to catch in San Diego’s camp. Bethancourt, known for his strong arm, made a couple of mop-up appearances for the Padres last season and then pitched seven relief innings in the Panamanian Winter League. … Atlanta has endured three straight losing seasons, but ex-M-Braves star Freddie Freeman offered some encouraging words for fans as camp began for the Braves, telling mlb.com, “A lot of people aren’t picking us, but I think we’ll be right there in September, playing meaningful baseball.” Braves manager Brian Snitker, the former M-Braves skipper, called the optimism “legit.”

27 Jan

spring flings

If you saw the Mississippi Braves play last year, you probably noticed Johan Camargo. He was hard to miss, even though he seemed always to be moving. He might’ve been playing third base, or second base, or shortstop. At the plate, he could’ve been batting from either side. He was hard to miss because of the energy he brought to the field. Zestful would be an apt description. Camargo, 23, a Panama native, isn’t a hot-shot prospect, but he is a very good player. Atlanta thought enough of him to protect him on its 40-man roster last fall. He’s a longshot to make the big club this spring, but considering his versatility — and energy — he could be a valuable reserve down the road. Camargo hit .267 with four homers, 43 RBIs and 46 runs in his first Double-A campaign in 2016. He is one of 10 M-Braves alums on Atlanta’s current 40-man. … Another nine M-Braves were among the group issued non-roster invitations on Thursday to next month’s big league camp. That list includes another intriguing player, catcher Kade Scivicque. The former Southwest Mississippi Community College star made it to Mississippi late last summer after coming over from the Detroit organization in a trade. Scivicque looks like a catcher: 6 feet, 225 pounds. He isn’t on the prospect charts, either, but don’t sell him short. He was an All-Stater at SWCC and All-SEC at LSU before the Tigers plucked him in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. And he made Double-A in his first full pro season. In 168 minor league games, Scivicque has hit .272 with 11 homers and 61 RBIs. After his time in the big camp, Scivicque likely will return to the M-Braves this season. … Among the other M-Braves alums on Atlanta’s NRI list are Ozzie Albies, Dustin Peterson, Sean Newcomb, Patrick Weigel and – blast from the past – Blaine Boyer, one of the four members of the original M-Braves roster (2005) still in the majors in 2016. The others: Brian McCann, Jeff Francoeur and Gregor Blanco.

24 Jan

ramblings

It now appears that Brian Dozier will be staying in Minnesota. For sure he won’t be traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have acquired Logan Forsythe from Tampa Bay to play second base in 2017. Dozier, the former Southern Miss standout, has said all along that he wants to stay with the Twins, though the team, which won only 59 games in 2016, isn’t likely to be a contender anytime soon. Dozier hit 42 homers – an American League record for second basemen — in 2016, to go with a .268 average, 99 RBIs and 104 runs. He is under contract for two more years. … Ole Miss product Drew Pomeranz has pronounced himself fit for 2017 and eager to win a job in Boston’s rotation. The left-hander’s ERA was 4.59 last year for the Red Sox after they acquired him from San Diego, where he had a 2.47 and was an All-Star. Pomeranz recently told reporters that he had elbow pain late last year, an ailment that has been treated with a stem cell shot. The Red Sox’s rotation is stacked at the top with Rick Porcello, David Price and Chris Sale. Competition for the other two jobs will be stiff. “In my head, I always feel like I’m competing for something,” Pomeranz said in an mlb.com article. The well-traveled Pomeranz also has experience as a reliever. … Expectations are that Jarrod Dyson will play regularly in left field and bat leadoff for Seattle, which traded for the Southwest Mississippi Community College product earlier this month. Regular time was hard to come by for Dyson in Kansas City, where, over seven seasons, he batted .260 with 176 steals and played excellent defense, something Seattle was seeking. … DeSoto Central High alum Austin Riley was rated the No. 8 third base prospect in the minors by MLB Pipeline. Riley played at the low Class A level in 2016, batting .271 with 20 homers in his first full year in Atlanta’s system. Ex-Mississippi Braves star Ozzie Albies was rated the No. 2 second base prospect and Travis Demeritte, expected to play in Pearl this year, was pegged at No. 5. Demeritte may be shifted to third base.

13 Jan

the madding crowd

A week ago, Corey Dickerson was penciled in as Tampa Bay’s starting left fielder. Today, the former Meridian Community College star from McComb may not be so sure where he stands. With spring training camps opening in about a month, the Rays appear overrun with outfielders. Mallex Smith, the ex-Mississippi Braves star who arrived in a Wednesday trade, and reported free agent signee Colby Rasmus join a crowd that includes Dickerson, Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza Jr., Mikie Mahtook and Nick Franklin. Kiermaier is the likely starter in center. Otherwise, who knows? The Rays may be planning to move someone, though it would be a surprise if they dealt Dickerson, who is only 27 and entering just his fifth MLB season. He delivered power (24 home runs, 36 doubles) in his first year in Tampa after coming over in a trade from Colorado. Though he hit just .245, that could at least partly be attributed to changing home parks and leagues. Dickerson, a .279 career hitter, has always drawn raves for his abilities with the bat, and he has said that he wants to win a batting title. Because defense is not his strong suit, Dickerson figures to get a lot of at-bats at DH, as he did in 2016. Then again, he does have trade value. It’s a situation that bears watching in the coming weeks.

02 Dec

winds of change

So, former Ole Miss standout Chris Ellis is off to a third organization in three years, traded on Thursday by Atlanta to St. Louis in the Jaime Garcia deal. Ellis, who starred for the Mississippi Braves in 2016, his only year in the Braves system, started his pro career with the Los Angeles Angels. A bunch of other Mississippians could be changing teams this off-season. The current list of free agents (at both the major and minor league levels) includes position players Joey Butler, Chris Coghlan, Desmond Jennings, Tyler Moore, Mitch Moreland and Alex Presley and pitchers Aaron Barrett, Scott Copeland, David Goforth (designated for assignment by Milwaukee on Nov. 23), T.J. House and Jonathan Papelbon. D.J. Davis and Zack Bird have been mentioned as possible Rule 5 draft picks, and there are trade rumors swirling around Zack Cozart. P.S. Among the players feeling a little more secure is Ole Miss product Bobby Wahl, recently added to Oakland’s 40-man roster. Wahl is on a list – longer than you might think – of pitchers who hit 100 mph or better in the minors this past season, when he notched 14 saves between Double-A and Triple-A. Over his four pro years, the right-hander has a 3.90 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 161 2/3 innings. He is viewed as a potential big league closer.

30 Nov

an honorable mention

Austin Riley, the former DeSoto Central High star, can add another line to his resume. The Rome Braves, for which Riley was arguably the best player this past season, were named Baseball America’s minor league team of the year. Riley was a young player (19) on a young team that brushed off a weak first half to roll to the South Atlantic League championship. “That team is a microcosm of the rebuild within our entire farm system,” Atlanta general manager John Coppolella told BA. Riley, a third baseman, is one of the jewels of that system. In just his second pro season, he batted .271 with 20 homers, 80 RBIs, 39 doubles and 68 runs in 129 games for the low Class A R-Braves. He also belted two homers in the SAL Championship Series. There’s a chance he reaches Double-A Mississippi sometime next summer. Right-hander Patrick Weigel, who made it to Double-A last summer, went 10-4 with a 2.51 ERA as part of a loaded Rome rotation. Weigel put up a 2.18 ERA in three starts for the M-Braves and also pitched a gem in the Southern League playoffs. P.S. Former Murrah standout Zack Bird, who pitched for the M-Braves in 2015, is an unprotected prospect in Atlanta’s system who might be plucked in the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Bird had a rough 2016 at high-A Carolina (8.87 ERA in 28 games).