Thursday, February 23, 2017

Fantasy Focus: Impact Rookies- Austin Meadows

First a few bits of news out of Giants spring training camp:

LHP Will Smith is on the shelf for at least 7 days due to a sore elbow.  MRI is reportedly negative for any structural damage.

Jae-Gyun Hwang reportedly hit a long HR of RHP Jose Dominguez during live batting practice on a minor league complex field.

Hunter Pence seems ready to go after an oblique scare.  He hit a dinger over the berm in LF off a coach.

Madison Bumgarner is set to pitch 1 inning of the first exhibition game on Friday.  Matt Cain will get his first spring look too.  The early rotation is Bumgarner, Blach, Moore, Samardzija with Johnny Cueto taking Blach's place as #2 when he's ready to go.

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Austin Meadows, OF, Pirates.  DOB:  5/3/1995.  B-L, T-L.  6'2", 195 lbs.  Drafted 2013 Round 1, #9 overall.

2016 AA:  .311/.365/.611, 16 2B, 8 3B, 6 HR, 9 SB, 8.4 BB%, 16.8 K%, 190 PA.
2016 AAA:  .214/.297/.460, 7 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 8 SB, 10.3 BB%, 23.4 K%, 145 PA.

If you are wondering why the Pirates seemed so anxious to trade Andrew McCutchen over the winter, look no further than this guy who looks like he's almost ready to go.  He'll probably start the season in AAA where judging from his AAA stats, he could use a bit more salt.  He should definitely be ready by midseason.  The challenge for the Pirates is finding a place for him to play as they already have an OF of Marte, McCutchen and Polanco with Josh Bell set to take over 1B.  The main rap on Meadows is a history of nagging injuries.  He's not a lock to stay healthy for a full season.

Meadows should already be rostered in deep keeper leagues.  He'll be worth adding when he's called up in 12 team leagues or larger.

2 comments:

  1. I think it may have as much to do with McCutchen's defensive collapse. He was pretty bad last year with a -28 DRS (worst in MLB) and has been in a fairly steady defensive decline: McCutchen was worth +5 DRS in 2013, -13 in 2014, -8 in 2015 and -28 last season. About like Pagan in 2015.

    So as much the young guy is coming up, McCutchen is falling apart.

    And speaking of falling apart players, Sandoval has reported dropped 40lbs. I saw a picture of him in a Bleacher Report article. He's looking pretty good. Of course, I remember all the other times he 40 (or more) pounds...

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  2. I hope Will Smith was just a little over zealous with his start up routine which may have caused his sore elbow.

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