Down on the Farm: Dominican Summer League 2014 Season Review

The DSL produces the first statistical data on most international prospects.  These kids generally start out a year or 2 younger than American high school draftees where 18 is the standard signing age.  International signees must have passed their 16'th birthday and must wait until the following summer league season to begin playing in games.  While you will occasionally run into a kid who is playing at age 16, most top DSL prospects are 17 years old  and get promoted to the states the following season, so any prospect over age 18 is very suspect in this league.  Since age vs level is so critical in the DSL, I have divided them into age groups.  

This year's class has several interesting 17 year and 18 year olds with a few older prospects possibly worth mentioning:

Age 17:

Mikey Edie(CF)- .298/.424/.383, 2 HR, 14 SB, 22 BB, 30 K, 188 AB.  Edie started the season at age 16, turning 17 on July 3.  He was on the national prospect radar screen before the signing period and got a 6 figure bonus.  Very toolsy with promising numbers in his first season.  I would note here that you will see a lot of high walk rates in this list.  DSL pitchers tend to be very wild, so I would take those numbers with a grain of salt.  K rates below 20% are worth noting because K rates also tend to be high in the league.

Mecky Coronado(Catcher)- .289/.393/.413, 15 BB, 21 K, 121 AB.  Coronado is listed as a catcher, but mostly DH'd.  

Manuel Geraldo(SS)- .251/.323/.338, 6 3B, 16 SB, 14 BB, 54 K, 231 AB.  Switch-hitter with terrific size for a SS at 6'1", 170 lbs.  Came on strong in the second half of the season batting .308.  There is some rawness in his BB and K rate, but I love his size, apparent speed and the progression of his performance in-season.

Kelvin Beltre(SS)- .235/.430/.441, 3 HR, 7 SB, 22 BB, 11 K, 68 AB's.  Beltre, along with Edie, was the most heralded of the 2013 Giants international signees.  He put up great numbers to start the season showing serious pop in his bat, some speed and plate discipline.  Disappeared from the boxscores about a third of the way through the season never to return, presumably due to an injury.

Victor Concepcion(RHP)- 6-1, 3.18, 65 IP, 15 BB, 75 K.  A bit smallish at 6'0", 170 lbs.  Maybe a bit too much polish in those numbers which could indicate a limited ceiling, or it could mean that he is really good!

Age 18:

Robinson Medrano(OF)- .268/.368/.373, 5 3B, 2 HR, 27 BB, 50 K, 209 AB.  Second go-around the DSL for Medrano.  Improved on his 2013 BA of .225.  Intriguing size at 6'3", 180 lbs.  If we see him in Arizona next year, consider him a prospect.  If not, he's probably not.

Prebito Reyes(LHP)- 3-3, 3.11, 66.2 IP, 16 BB, 48 K's.  A bit bigger than Bolivar, but numbers not nearly as good.

Deiyerbert Bolivar(LHP)- 7-1, 1.27, 64 IP, 20 BB, 67 K's.  Smallish LHP signed for a 6 figure bonus and put up nice numbers here.

Weilly Yan(RHP)- 1-2, 3.81, 26 IP, 8 BB, 18 K's.  Put up a 1-1, 1.93, 18.2 IP, 4 BB, 15 K's line over his last 10 appearances.

Eduin Villa(RHP)- 1-2, 9.90, 20 IP, 14 BB, 22 K's.  6'2", 170 lbs.  I'm envisioning a hard thrower with no command.  Giants seem to think they can tame these types and make useful pitchers out of them, usually on the relief side.

Age 19:  

Jean Angomas(OF)- .298/.374/.394, 7 3B, 8 SB, 25 BB, 24 K's, 218 AB.   Second DSL tour.  May be a tweener with not enough power and not enough speed, but has put up decent numbers in both his DSL seasons.  Again, big test will be whether he gets an invite to Arizona.

Julio Benitez(RHP)- 2-1, 0.84, 43 IP, 16 BB, 42 K's.  Nice size at 6'3", 185 lbs.  Got some Save Opportunities near the end of the season.  A bit old, but between size and numbers I think he might be a prospect.

Age 21:

Jose Morel(RHP)- 7-1, 1.73, 52 IP, 15 BB, 55 K's.  Put up dominant numbers last year too.  May be too old to be considered a prospect, but it seems to me you have to give those numbers a chance at a higher level until he proves he can't cut it.