Phil Goyette

A recent Twitter discussion we were in revolved around just how much weight an owner can put on Rookie or Short-Season statistical performances. Any scout will tell you that you cannot rely on stat lines to evaluate a player's performance. There are many pitfalls in the stats. Small sample size mirages. Wide gaps in run-scoring environments, official scoring decisions, and even playing surfaces within leagues. And even bigger gaps in talent, especially in the Rookie leagues …Read More »

The following list is the culmination of my work on my personal hitter rankings. Who? I've only ranked hitters, and I've only ranked hitters who have not made their MLB debut. How does it work? It's a heuristic ranking. Each hitter gets an overall score from 0-15. Points are awarded for:Read More »

KC's other pitcher selected out of U of F, Kowar possesses a fringe-plus fastball/changeup combo that works together well. Needs the curveball to develop into a viable plus offering. Command and control are lagging so far in his professional debut, but workload (112.0 college innings this year) could be a factor. A risky profile, but the changeup is a real weapon.Read More »

Mariners have loved Gilbert since his stellar 2017 Cape Cod League performance, but his fastball velocity was down a few ticks since then. Will need to sharpen and have more confidence in his secondary offerings as he moves up the ladder. Feel for pitching and repeatable mechanics give him a shot as a big-league rotation piece, but right now it's hard to see Gilbert as more than a backend starter. However, if the velocity comes …Read More »

Fiery starter with a big time FB (touches 99) which he struggles to control. Looks like a boom-or-bust type of starter at this point in his career. Needs to improve command and both secondary offerings to have a shot to stick in the rotation. There is a wide variance of outcomes here. He could lock everything down, improve his secondaries, and have SP2 upside. Or, he could just be LOOGY who walks too many guys …Read More »

KC’s first-round pick out of UofF. He’s a big-time competitor with an attitude. Stock dropped on draft day, where he surprisingly slid down to #18 overall. 2S with lots of movement, SL with good break but inconsistent. Strange delivery, not smooth or fluid. Command isn’t there yet. Has trouble locating his stuff down in the zone. Use caution on draft day: the risk that he winds up in the bullpen is very real.Read More »

MVP of 2017 UA All-American game. Surprisingly dropped to TB at #16 in the draft. He's going to need time to develop a starters mentality. He’s tall with an athletic frame that can add more muscle. The curveball is a major weapon already. Fastball control and consistency needs work. Will need to polish one of his other secondaries to stick in the bullpen. At 18, he’s still a long way from the Majors, but he …Read More »

In anticipation of the upcoming first-year player drafts in dynasty and keeper leagues, the Baseball Farm team is compiling a First-Year Player Draft Guide. Here is the running list of Pitchers and Hitters who have received our 'Bottom Line' treatment so far, with links to complete scouting reports. For now, the players are separated into 'Tiers'. They will be ranked within their tiers later in the offseason (when all the Bottom Line reports are completed):Read More »

Cuban OF signed by the Dodgers on March 1 for the new maximum deal of $300k. Video nonexistent, info is scant, so I'm basically scouting the stat lines for now, with the very big caveat that the stats are primarily from the DSL and are therefore quite unreliable. Listed at 6'1", 180 lbs. He's got a nice patience, power, and speed profile. Led the DSL in HR (9) at the time of his promotion. He …Read More »

Electric bat speed makes Gorman the most exciting prep bat taken in this year’s draft. Should generate plenty of pop with his swing. Hit tool needs work, but the pieces are definitely there. There were questions surrounding his defense, but he’s looked more than capable at 3B so far. Lots of variance: he could be a fantasy stud or he could be a Quad-A 1B. But, he might have more upside than anyone else in …Read More »