Top Prospects
Justin Crawford – There are valid critiques and worries about Crawford’s long term future, especially when it comes to his swing and contact quality. He needs to elevate the ball more and chase less. He also is a has plus plus speed, is a plus defensive centerfielder, and despite the other swing worries, does have a knack for getting the bat to the ball. He was able to put up great stats despite his issues last year, and if he starts to make improvements he has the underlying talent and athleticism to put together a big season.
William Bergolla – Bergolla is likely to be the youngest or one of the youngest players on the BlueClaws all year. He is an ok shortstop, but is probably destined for second base and will likely spend more time there with Rincon on the roster. Despite his age, he has elite swing decisions and contact abilities. Against A-ball competition he is likely to have very good walk and strikeout numbers. The big problem is around how hard he hits the ball, or really how not hard he hits the ball. He needs to add strength, but he might not have the bat speed or frame to get his exit velocities to where they need to be. When he does make contact, he will hit line drives and square the ball up, it just doesn’t go as far as you would want.
Bryan Rincon – Rincon is a plus defensive shortstop, who switch hits with some pop, and has an excellent approach. Like Bergolla, he needs to add strength with not a lot of physical projection remaining. His swings already maximize his contact type pretty well, though he does have some swing and miss concerns. He got a first taste of Jersey Shore late last year and should be a top of the lineup staple this year.
Samuel Aldegheri – Finally healthy, Aldegheri put himself on the prospect map last season. His ERA may not have been sparkling, but he showed improved velocity and a 4 pitch mix, including a pretty good slider. He came out in the Spring Breakout throwing 93-95, and if he can hold that velocity he might start trending more toward mid rotation than back end starter.
Jean Cabrera – Cabrera won the Paul Owens Award back in 2021, had a forgettable 2022, and then was the ace down the stretch for the Threshers last year. He is sort of lean and lanky and still growing into velocity. He was more 91-96 last season and was 96-97 in his short burst at the breakout. He will throw a 4 seamer with good ride and a sinker to go with a good changeup and sweepy slider. He can put the ball in the strike zone, but he hasn’t really gotten to really locating his pitches and can get a bit predictable.
Under the Radar
Estibenzon Jimenez – Jimenez ranked right next to Jean Cabrera on my offseason list, but is definitely less well known and regarded nationally. He is a shorter right handed pitcher with what looks like a rather ordinary arsenal. His 4-seam fastball averages about 92, and he will mix in a sinker in the same range. He has a vertically oriented slider and changeup. He does get a low flat plane on his fastball and has solid ride on it, which pairs well with the offspeed pitches. He sells his changeup well and can throw the slider in the zone instead of relying purely on chases. It is a deceptively effective arsenal, and he flashed a bit more velocity in the postseason. He needs to have better control, but he should give BlueClaws solid innings and put himself on prospect lists.
Felix Reyes – Reyes is one of the most intriguing bats in the system. His high end exit velocities were some of the best in the system last year and really over the last 3 seasons of tracked minor league data. He does not swing and miss in the zone either, which is different than most of the other power bats in the system.
Andrew Walling – Walling was a NDFA for the Phillies in 2022, and looked ordinary in his debut. With the Threshers in 2023 he flashed an improved arsenal featuring a 4-seam fastball that averaged 94.4 and peaked up to 97.6. Off of that, the lefty reliever threw a high 80s cutter and low 80s sweeper. His sweeper was a big chase pitch and he was able to throw the cutter in the zone. After his promotion to the BlueClaws he struck out 27 in 16.2 innings with just 3 walks. If he picks up where he left off, he might not be at the shore very long and could be a 7th inning type reliever for a MLB team.
Offensive Expectations
The BlueClaws offense looks a lot like various versions of a 2023 Threshers team that dominated the Florida State League for much of the season. Outside the top prospects, Emaarion Boyd will see much of his time in a corner with Crawford on the team, but he has speed and defense. Leandro Pineda will play a corner and was on a tear to end the 2023 season. Hendry Mendez, has a lot of the same problems as Crawford at the plate, but also has interesting underlying skills if he can make improvements. The supporting cast has some interesting help as Cade Fergus can field, run, and hit for power (but not contact), Zach Arnold was a college performer, Erick Brito can pick it defensively with some of the same skills and problems as Bergolla, and Jordan Dissin and Andrick Nava are interesting catchers.
As a whole, this team is not going to hit for much power, even before accounting for how pitcher friendly their home park is. If they repeat what they did last year, they are going to hit, walk, and steal bases. They were a havoc and comeback machine as the Threshers last year, and that could continue this year.
Pitching Expectations
Unlike most levels of the system, the BlueClaws start with an actual rotation and bullpen. The rotation will be headed by Aldegheri, Cabrera, and Jimenez, but they will be followed by Gunner Mayer, a Jersey Shore veteran at this point, Eiberson Castellano, who has interesting stuff, and probably Starlyn Castillo who is a former big signing who has an interesting breaking ball.
The bullpen is where this team’s strength will be. Walling will be joined in the late innings by Wesley Moore, a funky fastball-changeup lefty, Jack Dallas a small righty with a large array of high spin fastball types and a good slider. Danny Wilkinson does not have great velocity, but no pitch in the system was better than his sweeping slider last year. Alex Rao has some velocity and a good splitter and will look to get back on track. Daniel Harper flashed a bit more velocity, and Jonathan Petit is reportedly throwing a little harder in relief. Mason Ronan is back in the system after taking a stuff jump post release, and Charles King is an interesting story. Rounding it out will be Nate Karrafa, a sinker baller, and Braeden Fausnaught a light throwing lefty that can give them some length.
Injuries
The BlueClaws have one of the few injured players with a timeline to be back who will help them this season. Wen-Hui Pan has broken bones in his pitching hand, but should be back and stretched back out by the time he is eligible to return at the end of May. He can get his fastball up to 100 with good ride, and his splitter will flash. He is likely to work in sort of a hybrid role, but was a dominant arm at stretches for the Threshers.
Looking Ahead and Overall Thoughts
The BlueClaws aren’t a loaded team, and they will be fairly young. They are unlikely to run away with the division, but they should be highly competitive. The thing to watch, will be in the second half if they send some of their top performers up to Reading and get a load of reinforcements from the Threshers. I won’t go into all the players who could come up (see the upcoming Threshers preview), but they could get an infusion of talent that could match what talent they might lose to promotion.