Before we dive into the reports, I’d like to briefly introduce myself. I’m a former college pitcher who’s written about baseball for a few years now on a semi-successful but woefully neglected blog called The Dugout Report. I’ve enjoyed the work that Adam and Project Prospect have been doing for awhile now, and I am looking forward to contributing on a regular basis going forward.
Tim Wheeler
Wheeler is your classic tweener outfielder. He has average power, decent speed and an ability to hit for some contact. A scout that I spoke to said that he didn’t have enough speed for center and didn’t have enough power to fill an outfield corner. He’s a solid all around player who probably profiles best as a fourth outfielder. He’s a major leaguer for me, maybe even an everyday regular if he can improve his approach, but not a star.
Jason Castro
Castro was part of a small contingent of major league players at the Fall League. He tore up his knee in Spring Training and missed the entire 2011 season. He has a solid approach and average tools. Like many catchers, he’s painfully slow. It was clear from watching him that he has the maturity and mindset of a major leaguer. He was adept at taking what pitchers gave him and making solid contact. I don’t expect him to hit for any power at the big leagues, but if his recovery keeps up, he should start 2012 with the big league club.
Jake Lemmerman
Lemmerman, a shortstop, showed some contact skills and the ability to work a count. He doesn’t have any power and is just okay on defense. He’s at best a homeless man’s Jamey Carroll and isn’t really a prospect. If everything goes right, he’s a utility man who hits ninth.
Jean Segura
Adam loves, and talked quite a bit about Segura already, so I’ll keep this one short. Segura is a short, stocky shortstop. His build reminds me of Ray Durham, which isn’t a bad comparison given his good contact skills. He’s a front foot hitter who takes monster hacks despite not having much power. He has good, but not elite speed. Most everybody I talked to sees him as a second baseman, although he does have a good arm and I could see him fitting at third on a team that didn’t need power from the position. He’s a flashy defender who should be an exciting addition to the Angels in late 2013.
Joe Panik
Panik, the Giants' 2011 1st round pick, played second base in Arizona. He showed a compact swing and better speed than I expected. He projects as a gap-hitting second baseman who could be an above average hitter with average power. He’s solid defensively with soft, quick hands that enable him to turn the double play well despite just an average arm. He’s a college guy who has the maturity to move quickly.
Follow Wes on Twitter @WesYee.