Prospect Preview: Salem-Keizer

I’m still on the road– stopped in beautiful Moab for the night– and will be driving for two more days. But like any Giants prospect junkie worth his salt as they say here in Utah (they don’t), I had to find a motel with WiFi to check up on Salem-Keizer’s opening night boxscore (they pleasingly whomped Yakima 10-2).

Of course it’s still early at the party and the cooler kids haven’t arrived yet, but here are a couple lookers on at the scene who I’ve got my eye on:

OF Wendell Fairley: Did not play in yesterday’s game but will play soon.

OF Jeremiah Luster: Toolsy player who has not yet hit at the professional level. Will turn 22 in August.

IF Jose Flores: From Venezuala. Hit well last year for the Volcanoes. Is back again this year. He will turn 21 in August.

P Wilber Bucardo: Has spent the last two years in the DSL and the AZL, and has done very well at both levels. Will turn 21 in November. I considered him for my top 30 list. Definitely someone to keep an eye on.

P Kelvin Marte: Put up VERY good numbers in the Dominican last year. Another pitcher who may pop the top prospect list by the end of the season

P Morgan Brinson: Has put up crazy strikeout numbers with alarming number of walks, the kind of pitcher the Giants seem to be good at fixing.

P Edwin Quirarte: Giants 5th round pick from this year’s draft. The highest pick to sign thus far.

P Mike Loree: Mr. Irrelevant of last years draft, he did well in the AZL. He will turn 22 in September. Also the name reminds me of the Lorax.

For short season prospects, I place more importance on scouting than statistics. Performance is important of course, but the results in these leagues are often skewed by small sample size, uneven competition, and for many of these players, the emotional toll of being on the road and away from family and friends for the first time. But still, I am irrationally excited by the short season leagues, as by the end of the season, a couple of players will always come out of nowhere and put up good numbers. Most of them will probably flame out at the upper levels. Some won’t even make it past Augusta, with Salem-Keizer being their lone moment in the sun. But that’s the nature of prospecting and professional baseball, the appeal of the unknown, of what could be.