TOP 5 PROSPECTS
Excerpted from BaseballHQ.com’s 2020 Minor League Baseball Analyst. To order: https://www.baseballhq.com/mlba2020
Royce Lewis, SS: A former first overall pick, Lewis started slow due to an oblique injury. He’s a plus runner with above-average power at maturity, but the moving parts in his swing have caused struggles against right-handed pitching. Lewis will return to AA, where he hit .231 in 148 at-bats last season.
Alex Kirilloff, OF: Kirilloff, 22, had a forgettable season at AA as a wrist injury affected his natural hitting stroke. He still has 25+ home run projection, as the power showed up in batting practice and in an August run, but he might shift to first base defensively.
Trevor Larnach, OF: A polished firstround pick, Larnach made it to Class AA in his first full season, where he hit .295 with seven home runs in 156 at-bats. He has an above-average hit tool with a compact swing, and there’s plus power (20-25 home runs at projection) in his frame. The 23-year-old will rejoin Lewis and Kirilloff at AA.
Brusdar Graterol, RHP: Graterol, 21, posted a 1.71 ERA in 522⁄3 innings at Class AA before his major league debut last September. His two-seam fastball sits in the high 90s with heavy arm-side run. A tight slider is his second elite pitch.
Jordan Balazovic, RHP: A quick mover through the system, Balazovic, 21, posted a sub-3.00 ERA across both levels of Class A in 2019. He repeats his threequarters delivery well with a four-seamer that plays up and a potentially plus slider, though his change-up is stiff and lacks movement.