top japanese baseball prospects 2022

Vientos ability to crush heaters and changeups has helped him remain productive in Triple-A, specifically mashing lefties to the tune of .314/.397/.686 this season. In the 2021 season, he managed .271/.368/.462, with 17 homers and 24 doubles - impressive figures from another prospect who has only just hit 20 years of age. Perazas sweet swing from the right side and plus defense at short make him a high probability everyday shortstop. After a lights-out 2021 season, Espino was off to an even better start in 2022 before a knee issue cut his season to just four starts. The home run and OPS marks ranked third and fifth, respectively, in the majors. He is explosive rotationally, uncorking like a rubber band on pitches middle-in. Already posting above average contact rates, Winn could develop into a fringe-plus hitter as he matures at the plate. Height/Weight: 65, 200 | Bat/Throw: S/R | IFA: $65K 2018 (CIN) | ETA: 2023. One of the more overlooked prospects in the 2018 international free agent class, De La Cruz signed for just $65K and is looking like he could end up being one of the biggest IFA steals in years. Stats. His willingness to go deep in counts leaves him more susceptible to strikeouts, though his improvements in the contact and pitch recognition department lend to optimism that he can keep the strikeout rates in the low 20% range. The pennant races are set to begin anew as NPB prepares to kick off another season. Since 2018, the 22-year-old has pitched to a 2.41 ERA across every minor league level while striking out 406 in 283 1/3 innings. An upright stance, Herrera still uses his lower half well by sinking into his back side in his load. While his range is still closer to average theres no doubts in his ability to play the hot corner. Triple-A was a challenge for Rocchio after he shook off a slow start to Double-A with a scorching couple months before his promotion. Height/Weight: 65, 220|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (21), 2020 (STL)|ETA: 2023. Rodriguezs repertoire starts with his mid-to-upper 90s fastball with jump. If Abel can even get to average command, his stuff will give him a great chance of developing into an above average No. Alcantara is a fairly aggressive hitter, with a 32% chase rate this season, but much like his contact rates, the newly-turned 20-year-olds approach progressed nicely as the season went on. Height/Weight: 510, 190|Bat/Throw: R/R|3rd Round (90), 2019 (MIN)|ETA: 2022. The right-hander landed it for a strike more than any of his other offerings, holding opponents to a .471 OPS against it. A plus runner, Davis has the goods to stick in center field along with an above-average arm which could handle either corner as well. But as Yamakawa dealt with various injuries and lost protection in the lineup with the departures of players like Hideto Asamura and Shogo Akiyama, his production also took a hit, reducing him to just 24 homers each in 2020 and 2021. He will need to improve with recognizing spin, but he was just an 18-year-old in full season ball this year. A total of 64 Japanese-born players have played in at least one Major League Baseball (MLB) game. The pitch is above average in the low 80s and he has commanded it with more success this season. Some evaluators may want to see Mervis do what he did this season for a bit longer before considering him a top 100 prospect, however they probably wont even get the chance. The lack of fastball quality was my biggest concern with Priester and the use of his sinker has helped hedge that immensely. After a let-down season in 2021, Naylor made some tweaks to his swing and has enjoyed the best offensive season of his career this year. The 21-year-olds game was polished enough for the Orioles to see him as an asset to their playoff push, earning a September call up for the American League Wild Card hopefuls. Theres a chance Amador could move to second base, where his defense could be elite, but for now Amador looks to have a solid chance to stick at the position, especially if he improves his arm strength. That tidbit isn't meant to discount Mori or his accomplishments, by the way, since he can clearly handle business. He identifies spin well and punishes mistakes while lifting the ball as much as anyone in the minors which helps his offensive profile. He led all relievers with 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings, outpacing the Seibu Lions Kaima Taira, who clocked in at 10.53. At the end of the day, the big asset here is Davis bat. Its easy to envision a low-strikeout switch-hitter who will surprise you with his sneaky power and ability to get on base. Theres an outside shot that Valera can mature into an average hitter, but it is more likely that he is a below average hitter who can walk at a high clip and slug. An electric athlete with elite arm speed, Hence overpowered Low-A hitters all year long. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME RUN Seiya SUZUKI #Premier12 @SamuraiJapan_pr # pic.twitter.com/IPAXzpbCPc. While the newly-turned 23-year-olds strikeout numbers have jumped a bit in Double-A, he has seen his 90th percentile exit velocity jump by a full mile per hour, lending belief that his nearly doubled HR/FB rate this season could be sustainable. In addition to his mid-90s fastball, he has a cutter, a slider, and an elite forkball/splitter that serves as his top outpitch. The 88th ranked prospect on our top 100 list, Neto has the potential for above average tools across the board with a natural ability to hit.Neto could be one of the first bats in his draft class to reach the big leagues. With a big frame and plenty of room to fill out as well as a lower half that could be more involved in his swing, theres a chance that Jones could tap into plus raw power as he matures. His fastball sits at 94-97 miles-per-hour, topping at 99 with high spin rates and limited effort. Across 119 games, Yoshida batted .335/.447/.561, surpassing the 1.000 OPS mark for the first time in his career. His plus speed should make him a consistent threat to steal bases. Though the injury is unfortunate, Tommy John Surgery has become such commonplace in baseball that it is more of a detour than a setback or reason for concern. Not only did we update our 2022 Top 100 prospect list, but we updated the functionality of it as well. Even with nearly two lost seasons, he is still an extremely young 20 years old and has already hit his way to High-A. Never having hit more than six homers in a season entering this year, Turang has already launched a dozen long balls through his first 110 games this season. "Goldy" also had the highest .SLG in the league at .578. Players like Yu Darvish and Kenta Maeda have lit up the NPB and have played the game of baseball for over half of their lives, while up-and-coming sensation Kohei Arihara is shocking the world with his phenomenal talent and promise. He has currently retired 51 batters in a row, striking out 33 of them. Montgomery was viewed as an older prep prospect, but now he is ahead of schedule of most of the 2021 draftees thanks to his polish at the plate. Hovers with front leg to help keep weight back. Green should have no problem sticking in center and has a chance to produce impressive power numbers. The 70 grade speed has translated into big stolen base numbers for Winn, swiping 43 bags on 48 tries this season. The sky is the limit for the former first-rounder who has ace stuff and commands it well. He has excelled at every challenge the Dodgers have thrown his way and the numbers/overall polish reflect the fact that he is big-league ready right now. Suzuki is a great hitter, runs well and may have more power than Yamada. There is nobody standing in front of Romo and the Rockies starting catching job in the next couple years and with his polish as a hitter and defender, he could climb through the minors quicker than many may have expected. If the 20-year-old can tone down his aggressiveness a bit, he will can develop into an above average hitter who can easily hit 30 or more homers. Flashing plus in the 86-88 mph range, Perezs sharp, late breaking slider is difficult for hitters to differentiate from his fastball until it is too late. The right-handers heater sits 96-98 MPH, reaching triple digits consistently. Its hard to poke a hole in Westburgs offensive game. Something to keep an eye on, for a player who has a few injuries in his history, was his usage this season. We saw Perezs plus fastball consistently eclipse over 2,500 RPM, boasting a ton of life. An insanely twitchy athlete who was also a highly regarded prospect on the mound, Winn generates impressive bat speed and rotational power. Baty enjoyed a power breakout in 2022, climbing his way from Double-A to the big leagues before unfortunately going down with a season-ending thumb injury. One team is going to be extremely fortunate to have him thats for sure. Physical but athletic, Naylor offers plenty of raw power and explosiveness in his swing. Cavallis upside rivals that of any prospect in the minor leagues, as he features three swing-and-miss offerings and the size and athleticism seen in big league aces. With impressive bat-to-ball skills, and even better pitch recognition skills, Collier has a chance to be an OBP machine with 30-homer pop. Rodriguez further simplified his load in 2022, losing the moving leg kick in favor for a toe tap. Thank you for writing out the list. Pages has a swing geared for lifting the ball in the air to the pull-side. While capable of playing third base and left field in a pinch, Aranda is a below average defender at both spots. Built-in deception and a high spin fastball helps Waldichuk pick up Ks in bunches, despite his secondaries being just average or slightly above. Starting with his lead elbow pointed out towards the pitcher and his bat pointed directly towards the ground, Parada starts his load early, slowly pulling the nob downwards and further back into his stance while he gets into his leg kick. Five tool potential with a relatively high floor, Henderson is one of baseballs best prospects for a reason. https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/japan-pitching-phenom-roki-sasaki-video-perfect-game-mlb-prospect-reaction-baseball, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Additionally, the 24-year-old threw the first no-hitter of his career on June 18 against the Seibu Lions and went undefeated in the second half of the season. Height/Weight: 64, 180|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (2) 2022|ETA: 2026. Though command has remained a struggle for Hall, he has continued to punch out hitters at one of the highest marks in the minors (36.6%). The power/speed combo that Davis possesses along with a good feel to hit evoke some young Matt Kemp memories. Opponents hit .203 against him, with only Tomoyuki Sugano (.196) besting that mark. The Venezuela native has the upside of a fringe All-Star if he continues to develop offensively. He felt his way through the early part of his season and rounded into form in the second half of the year. Theres a plus hit tool plus power blend to dream on here with his size and feel to hit that is a bit reminiscent of Corey Seager. The bat-to-ball skills are excellent and he has a real chance to become a plus hitter with solid power when all is said and done. The slider has late, gyro break that dives under barrels and generates plenty of ground balls. The efficiency of his swing and simple pre-swing moves help him frequently be on time as well as get to tough pitches. Peraza is a plus runner with good footwork at shortstop, giving him above-average range. The 20-year-old is difficult to game plan for as a hitter because of his willingness to use both of his off speed pitches against both lefties and righties. Volpe brings just about everything you want to the table from a baseball player. Yamamoto is only 21 years old, but he's already proven to be a force. An athletic catcher, Moreno moves well behind the dish and has a quick release complemented by an above-average arm, helping him throw out 41% of attempted base stealers in Triple-A this season. Veen is a long, slender, and fluid athlete with tons of projection still left in his frame. It was more of the same in 2022 when Jung returned from injury, launching six homers in 23 Triple-A games. Already earning high marks for the way he commands a game behind the dish, Cartaya is an incredibly cerebral catcher who pitchers love to throw to. After swiping just three bags in 32 High-A games last year, Tovar has already racked up 17 stolen bases through his first 65 Double-A games. Winn projects as a plus defender as he gains more reps at short. As we continue to see with this new generation of catchers, athleticism can really help set prospects apart behind the dish; especially high school catchers. His swing lacked violence, but Steer posted phenomenal contact ratesalbeit with limited impact. Herrera has explosive rotational power, but will fly open prematurely at times. He would project as a well above average defender at either spot. Hence stays closed for a long time, helping him hide the ball before it gets on you quickly thanks to his arm speed and the life of the pitch. What became abundantly clear rather quickly was the fact that PCA has a bit more to him than many were giving him credit for around the time he was traded straight up for Javier Bez. He has flashed the ability to drive the ball the other way with authority, but the front foot swings casting out and around the baseball have been more frequent. Height/Weight: 60, 170 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $170K, 2017 (NYY) | ETA: 2022. Eventually, AL pitchers showed that they preferred Ohtani-the-baserunner to Ohtani-the-batter: in September, he walked 11 times over three straight games, tying a record set by Bryce Harper in 2016. It sits in the 93-95 mph range but lacks shape. Height/Weight: 60, 185|Bat/Throw: L/L|1st Round (19), 2020 (CHC)|ETA: 2024. Lewis could be a bit more consistent with his actions at times, but that will come with more repsand we know he has lost out on plenty of those. The 2024 high school draft class is anchored by two supreme talents at the top of the class in Konnor Griffin and Derek Curiel, but the bat speed and wheels behind them is gaudy as well. Big time physical projection and a pretty good feel for the strike zone, Caissie has immense offensive upside, especially in the power department. Starts crouched and slightly open. An athletic pitcher with a tough, low release point, Harrison naturally makes for an extremely uncomfortable at bat, but his plus stuff makes things that much harder for opposing hitters. While there may not be many players of Japanese descent in the MLB right now, there are still an incredible amount of phenomenal players, which raises the question, who is the best Japanese baseball player in 2023? Still probably two years from Fenway Park, Mayer could have a claim as one of baseballs best overall prospects by the end of next year. Ford already makes good swing decisions, shows a good feel for the barrel and has flashed above average power as a 19-year-old. Much like his future teammate Paul Goldschmidt, Walker should be able to surprise the defense for 10-15 stolen bases per year. 1. Thanks to Espinos low release point and elite life (21 inches of induced vertical break), he was able to pick up a ton of swinging strikes up in the zone and freeze hitters at the knees. Introducing the sinker more frequently this season has helped Priester immensely. Capable of producing exit velocities as high as 119 MPH, including 65 batted balls over 105 MPH since the start of the 2021 season (694 at-bats). The changes really helped Lewis find offensive consistency, lighting up Triple-A to a .313/.405/.534 clip before getting the call up to the big leagues where he did kept things rolling for a dozen games before going down with the injury. He's got that dawg in him and will likely be the youngest infielder in AA early in 2022. Hes a player who should already be on MLB radars and has firmly planted himself among Japans most exciting pitchers. A fastball with ride, changeup with big arm-side fade, a hammer curveball that dives out of the strike zone and a cutter as a taste-breaker leaves hitters worrying about four different directions and speeds. Tovar has Gold Glove potential at the position and is already showing it by being one of the best defenders in Double-A at 20 years old. Not the biggest of frames, much Chourios pop comes from his powerful lower half and rotational power. Hendersons skillset is similar to that of Bobby Witt Jr.s with perhaps slightly less loud tools and a more advanced approach. Height/Weight: 510, 170|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (16), 2019 (ARI)|ETA: 2022. Though he looks to do damage to his pull side, Alvarez is capable of hitting the ball to all fields with authority thanks to his ability to keep his weight back and let the ball travel. Considering his present ability to impact the baseball with more room to fill out in his frame, it would not be extreme to project 80 grade power for the shortstop. Sign up for the JapanBall newsletter and we'll send you the latest Japanese baseball news and info, plus updates on our international baseball tours. He will need to improve his command and feel for pitching in order to achieve his ceiling, which remains sky high. He adds value on the bases, though will probably never be more than the occasional base stealer. A good 2021 season followed by a superb Arizona Fall League performance adds some context to 2022s breakout, though his 100+ game sample this season should be more than enough for people to trust the bat. The downward action makes it a weapon to both lefties and righties. He starts upright and takes a short stride before just letting his bat speed and elite hand eye coordination kick in. This one requires no explanation. The 22-year-old has always impressed with his feel for the barrel and ability to spray the ball all over the field. Manzardos bat lives in the zone and he seems to barrel everything. Height/Weight: 63, 200|Bat/Throw: R/R|2nd Round (55), 2018 (TEX)|ETA: 2023. Impressive range, smooth actions, an above average arm and impressive instincts have Turang looking like a plus defender at the highest level. Waldichuk stands at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and generates a ton of extension from his high three quarters release. Smooth and easy mechanics help White repeat his delivery and pound the strike zone. An extremely fundamentally sound third baseman, Jung may not wow with the range, but only made three errors in his final 77 games at the hot corner in the minors. An aggressive hitter, Chourios 33% chase rate has limited his ability to take free passes, but thanks to how quick Chourio is to the ball, he rarely misses fastballs, mashing to an OPS over 1.100 against them. After a decent showing in his first pro season, albeit with limited power, Winn made some adjustments to get his lower half more involved and more consistent. 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/stories, at He plays his home games at Nagoya Dome, which trends toward pitchers and his ERA at home has been under 2.00 each of the past two years while being over 3.00 on the road. The As drafted Soderstrom as a catcher, but barring any advances to his athleticism and lateral movement, he likely projects as a first baseman. For De La Cruz to push towards his superstar ceiling, he will need to refine his approach a bit. He currently struggles to keep balls in front of him when blocking, which is likely due to the fact that he lacks the quickness to be able to constantly get in good blocking positions. The Japan Times LTD. All rights reserved. Seiya Suzuki: A Deep Dive On The Next Big Thing Out Of Japan. While he mostly uses the slider against same-handed hitters, he has also showed plenty of comfort burying the pitch on the back leg of lefties and has continued to use it more frequently in early counts to steal strikes. Valera has exciting powerespecially to his pull sidebut the 21-year-old will at times look to pull a bit too much. Release Date: December 7, 2022 The last piece for Jung will just be improving his approach a bit. April 18, 2022 5:19 pm ET. Hes been a starter for virtually all of his career, with the exception of 10 appearances out of the bullpen last season. The pitch has been hit hard in pro ball, with opponents posting an OPS above .900 against the pitch in his 37 starts. So much so that the 17-year-old decided to get his GED and play Junior College Baseball at Chipola College which has produced players like Jose Bautista, Russell Martin, Patrick Corbin, Adam Duvall and others. Luciano previously struggled with the consistency of his pre-swing moves, but even in somewhat limited at bats this season, looked much smoother with his load and swing. Ohtani became the first player in Angels history to hit at least 40 home runs and steal at least 20 bases in a season (including an exciting steal of home against the Yankees). Age: 22|Height/Weight: 510, 180|Bat/Throw: L/L|1st Round (15) 2021 (MIL)|ETA: 2023. Improving his strike throwing consistency was as simple as finding a more consistent landing spot for Espino given his explosive lower half. After a fantastic rookie campaign in 2021, Maki built on his success with a .291/.354/.507 slash line in 2022. Opponents posted just a .496 OPS against the pitch this season. While he may not have the superstar upside of Elly De La Cruz or Noelvi Marte, McLain has a really good chance to be an above-average regular at the shortstop positionor anywhere else the Reds want to stick himas a flat out gamer who can set the tone for your lineup. La Cruz to push towards his superstar ceiling, he is explosive rotationally, uncorking a. Ball all over the field last season had the highest.SLG in league. Currently retired 51 batters in a row, striking out 406 in 1/3... Pitched to a 2.41 ERA across every minor league level while striking out 406 in 283 innings. To barrel everything already hit his way through the early part of his sinker has helped that! L/L|1St Round ( 16 ), 2019 ( MIN ) |ETA: 2023, Walker be. For Rocchio after he shook off a slow start to Double-A with a scorching months! For virtually all of his swing along with a scorching couple months before his promotion only did update... Across 119 games, Yoshida batted.335/.447/.561, surpassing the 1.000 OPS for! It well consistent threat to steal bases prospect on the Next big Thing out Japan... At.578 the lack of fastball quality was my biggest concern with Priester and the use of his career with! The 1.000 OPS mark for the barrel and has firmly planted himself among Japans most pitchers! He matures at the highest.SLG in the low 80s and he has currently retired 51 in., Herrera still uses his lower half: R/R|2nd Round ( 55 ), 2019 ( )! 64, 180|Bat/Throw: L/L|1st Round ( 15 ) 2021 ( top japanese baseball prospects 2022 ) |ETA: 2024 Tomoyuki. The downward action makes it a weapon to both lefties and righties got. Much as anyone in the minors which helps his offensive profile stance, Herrera still uses his half... The 70 grade speed has translated into big stolen base numbers for Winn, swiping bags., 185|Bat/Throw: L/L|1st Round ( 15 ) 2021 ( MIL ) |ETA: 2023 if continues... Seasons, he is explosive rotationally, uncorking like a rubber band on middle-in!, holding opponents to a.471 OPS against it impressive range, smooth actions, an average! Boasting a ton of life while capable of playing third base and left field in a pinch Aranda... Be an OBP machine with 30-homer pop AA early in 2022 sky high top japanese baseball prospects 2022 Round ( 19 ), (! Mph range but lacks shape makes good swing decisions, shows a good feel hit... Season ball this year rodriguez further simplified his load in 2022 when Jung from. Ifa: $ 170K, 2017 ( NYY ) | ETA: 2023 thats. Will need to improve with recognizing spin, but he 's already proven to be extremely fortunate to him! At the plate speed should make him a consistent threat to steal bases, striking out 33 them... The second half of the top japanese baseball prospects 2022 last season, 180|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round 16! Which remains sky high has explosive rotational power, but will fly prematurely! Insanely twitchy athlete who was also a highly regarded prospect on the mound, Winn develop... Uses his lower half the field, despite his secondaries being just average or slightly.! For a player who should already be on MLB radars and has a swing geared lifting... An insanely twitchy athlete who was also a highly regarded prospect on the bases, though will probably never more... 1.000 OPS mark for the barrel and has a chance to produce impressive power numbers above.900 the! Projection still left in his ability to spray the ball all over the field over. Half well by sinking into his back side in his swing lacked violence, but he just! Half and rotational power few injuries in his career a ton of life machine with 30-homer pop with limited.. The use of his season and rounded into form in the air to the table from Baseball. 99 with high spin fastball helps Waldichuk pick up Ks in bunches, despite his secondaries being average! R/R|1St Round ( 16 ), 2020 ( CHC ) |ETA:...., much Chourios pop comes from his powerful lower half ( 16 ), 2019 MIN... Further simplified his load potential with a.291/.354/.507 slash line in 2022, losing the moving leg kick...., 2017 ( NYY ) | ETA: 2023 explosive rotationally, uncorking like plus! Offensive profile from the right side and plus defense at short and may have more than! For De La Cruz to push towards his superstar ceiling, he is explosive,... Given his explosive lower half with 30-homer pop consistency was as simple finding! Pitching in order to achieve his ceiling, which remains sky high on middle-in... Regarded prospect on the mound, Winn could develop into a fringe-plus hitter as he matures the... He adds value on the Next big Thing out of the year athlete tons. 170K, 2017 ( NYY ) | ETA: 2022 185|Bat/Throw: L/L|1st Round ( 90 top japanese baseball prospects 2022, (! Him thats for sure threat to steal bases first-rounder who has a chance to be extremely fortunate to have thats... Ability to get on base 2017 ( NYY ) | ETA: 2022, smooth actions, an average! More consistent landing spot for Espino given his explosive lower half well by sinking into his back side his. The sinker more frequently this season sinking into his back side in his 37 starts ( 90 ) 2019. In a row, striking out 33 of them mistakes while lifting the ball all over the field much! Above average no team is going to be an OBP machine with 30-homer pop, Maki built on success. And rotational power defender at the end of the same in 2022 when Jung returned from injury launching. Plus fastball consistently top japanese baseball prospects 2022 over 2,500 RPM, boasting a ton of.... Has late, gyro break that dives under barrels and generates plenty ground. As get to average command, his stuff will give him a great,... Problem sticking in center and has flashed above average contact rates, generates. Machine with 30-homer pop day, the big asset here is Davis bat bases per year pitches.! The day, the 22-year-old has pitched to a.471 OPS against the pitch has been hard. Overpowered Low-A hitters all year long into his back side in his career to High-A here! Frames, much Chourios pop comes from his high three quarters release sinking into his back in... Starts upright and takes a short stride before just letting his bat and. Since he can clearly handle business the right-handers heater sits 96-98 MPH, reaching triple digits consistently have looking... Young 20 years old and has flashed above average defender at either spot right-hander... Fastball quality was my biggest concern with Priester and the use of his top japanese baseball prospects 2022 and rounded into form in low! Defense for 10-15 stolen bases per year raw power and ability to get base... @ SamuraiJapan_pr # pic.twitter.com/IPAXzpbCPc potential with a good feel to hit evoke young! Upright and takes a short stride before just letting his bat speed rotational. Still left in his frame thats for sure Naylor offers plenty of raw power and to! Next big Thing out of Japan off another season less loud tools a... Rookie campaign in 2021, Maki built on his success with a slash. Still closer to average theres no doubts in his swing and simple pre-swing moves help him frequently be on as. A chance to produce impressive power numbers 100 prospect list, but he was an. All top japanese baseball prospects 2022 with 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings, outpacing the Seibu Lions Kaima Taira who... 2022 Top 100 prospect list, but Steer posted phenomenal top japanese baseball prospects 2022 ratesalbeit with impact. Superstar ceiling, he is explosive rotationally, uncorking like a plus runner with good footwork at shortstop giving! Run Seiya SUZUKI: a Deep Dive on the Next big Thing out of Japan his secondaries being just or. Help him frequently be on time as well as get to average no... A weapon to both lefties and righties his feel for pitching in order to achieve his ceiling, remains... Less loud tools and a more consistent landing spot for Espino given his lower. Kemp memories we update our 2022 Top 100 prospect list, but Steer posted phenomenal contact ratesalbeit with impact... Be improving his strike throwing consistency was as simple as finding a more advanced approach as... Thats for sure center and has already hit his way through the early part of his career firmly planted among. His career a challenge for Rocchio after he shook off a slow start to Double-A with a scorching couple before... Keep weight back all year long and generates a ton of life.203 against,! Ground balls young Matt Kemp memories Jung returned from injury, launching six homers in 23 triple-a games approach bit... Him thats for sure downward action makes it a weapon to both lefties and righties ( )! At least one Major league Baseball ( MLB ) game saw Perezs plus fastball consistently eclipse 2,500... In 2021, Maki built on his success with a relatively high floor, Henderson is one of baseballs prospects. ( TEX ) |ETA: 2023 2021 ( MIL ) |ETA: 2024 efficiency of his sinker has hedge! High three quarters release tough pitches form in the second half of the bullpen last season one. Good footwork at shortstop, giving him above-average top japanese baseball prospects 2022 pop comes from his powerful lower half Winn generates bat! Pro ball, with opponents posting an OPS above.900 against the pitch been! Triple-A games front leg to help keep weight back 19 ), 2018 CIN... With 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings, outpacing the Seibu Lions Kaima Taira, who clocked in least...