Even when he is a bit out front on off speed, Mervis has the swing malleability and strength to drive the ball out of the yard when he doesnt get his A swing off. Though theres plenty of reason to believe he can stick in center, there is a chance that Alcantara could slow down a step as he physically matures. Already making an impact at the big league level, we still havent seen the best of Carroll. At 94-97 miles-per-hour with a ton of life, Bradley is able to get a ton of swings and misses when he elevates the heater, but also freezes hitters weary of his slider with four-seamers at the knees. Batys swing is smooth and his barrel stays in the zone for a long time, helping him use the entire field well. He already understands how to use the count to dictate his approach, with most of his damage coming while hes ahead in the count and an innate ability to battle and spray the ball when hes behind. Long viewed as a candidate to be selected first overall in 2021s MLB Draft, Lawlar was the most well-rounded prep prospect in the class and has proved it by climbing all the way to Double-A in his first full professional season. He put up a 6.48 ERA in three 2022 spring training outings, mostly due to a tough day against the Philadelphia Phillies (2.2 innings, three home runs, five earned runs). He also posted a career-best .453 on-base percentage. Tagged: Hiroshima Carp, Seiya Suzuki, Suzuki, Seiya, Carp, NPB, Nippon Professional Baseball, MLB, Posting System, Posted, Japanese Baseball, Samurai Japan, Olympics, Premier 12, MLB Imports, 2024 MLB Draft - Top 100 College Prospects, 2024 MLB Draft - Top 50 High School Prospects, Seiya Suzuki: A Deep Dive On The Next Big Thing Out Of Japan. No wonder MLB fans were in awe. Hollidays barrel lives in the zone and even in the limited action we saw from him in his 2022 debut, the 18-year-old swung through few pitches. An above-average runner, Cowser covers plenty of ground in center field with long strides and solid closing speed. Lees swing is almost identical from both sides of the plate, utilizing a simple set up and quiet load while relying on his impressive bat speed and added strength to produce impact. The power does come with some swing-and-miss concerns, though it seems the strikeouts pile up due to Buschs willingness to get deep into counts. Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from JapanBall. A well-regarded prospect out of high school, Tiedemanns asking price was not met in 2020 and he opted to go the JuCo route with his eyes on the 2021 Draft. 2023 Regular Season 2023 Spring Training 2022 Regular Season 2022 Postseason Important Dates Team by Team Schedule National Broadcasts. As Ruiz continues to find more comfort in the outfield while maintaining his much improved approach, he could be an above average offensive force and one of baseballs biggest stolen base threats. Ohno didnt arrive on the scene this season. Alvarez has put his big time power on display this season, crushing home runs as far as 452 feet and as hard as 113 mph off of the bat. Its impressive how he is able to generate the rotational power and whippy bat speed he does with such little effort. His natural deception, solid pitch mix and gradually improving command make for a back end of the rotation starter at worst with No. Lucianos hands work as well as any Minor League hitter youll see, generating a ton of whip and violence. He's batted .292/.359/.457 with 1,886 hits, 223 home runs, and 152 stolen bases. Tom Mussa. Amador has steadily put on some strength since signing and has room for some more muscle as well. Elly De La Cruz is electric. Lawlars advanced feel to hit and developing power give him great upside in the batters box. Vargas has a silky smooth swing and a barrel that lives in the zone. But his ERAs for July, August, and September ballooned to 7.36, 6.32, and 6.21, respectively. He showed more feel with his slider and also has a big breaking curveball. Age: 20|Height/Weight: 62, 190|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $2.6M (2018)|ETA: 2023. Yamakawa is good for the latter, even if that's all he's good for on a baseball diamond. Hence has as much upside as any pitching prospect at the lower levels. That said, Greens swing is more line drive-oriented which is not necessarily a bad thing provided his elite speed. An absolute speedster with phenomenal baseball instincts and a veterans presence in the batters box, Carroll is a safe bet to be a solid big leaguer with All Star potential. One of the most polished hitters in the 2021 draft, some scouts wondered how much power would be in the tank for Cowser with a swing that is more geared for consistent contact. A switch hitter with pretty even production from both sides, Rodriguez has a really good feel for both of his swings that are geared for lift and carry. From 2018 to 2019, Hotaka Yamakawa blasted 90 bombs and slugged .565 as one of the biggest power threats in Japan. After his idol, Ichiro Suzuki, Japanese star, Shohei Ohtani has established his place at the top in Major League Baseball. After all, he remarkably has only 700 professional plate appearances under his belt. The most talented prep arm in the 2020 draft class, Abel has not disappointed thus far, reaching Double-A in 32 pro starts. He commands the pitch well, getting whiffs at the top of the zone while working east west effectively too. There is a host of other players, from rising stars to veterans, who could be a little bit further down the pipeline. Already on the 40 man roster, Valera could break into the big leagues next year, though another few hundred at bats in Triple-A would do him well. Once he returned in June, however, the 2019 Pacific League MVP got his year back on track and slashed .251/.328/.391 with 21 doubles and eight home runs across 102 games. #npbeng pic.twitter.com/JzLy9vTXEf. He is consistently clocked with sub-four second run times to first base. January 16, 2023. Just Baseball's end of season top 100 prospect update for 2022! Browns bender is easily plus, bordering a 70 grade. The Pacific League's reigning Most Valuable Player, Mori earned the hardware by hitting .329/.413/.547 with 23 home runs and catching for the best team in the league. Easy plus speed and projectable power give Ford plenty of upside even if he does not stick behind the dish. When the Twins drafted him first overall in the 2017 MLB Draft, they saw an uber-athletic position player with a high-floor coupled with a high-ceiling. Its probably his best pitch and has brought him a long way in Japan. There isnt much more Stone can achieve in the Minor Leagues. Possessing some of the most impressive raw power in the minors, Luciano defies his frame by flashing plus-plus raw pop despite weighing less than 200 pounds. If it all works out, we are looking at a potential Cy Young(s) winner. He already has a polished approach that led to a 15% walk rate in the upper minors this season. His plus wheels and athleticism allow him to move around the field with ease and his plus arm strength only strengthens his defensive profile. The exit velocities are slightly above average at best, but Volpe lifts the ball as much as any hitter in the minors while generating a ton of carry. A savvy base runner, Vargas will add some value on the base paths and a career high in stolen bases at the most challenging level hes played at leaves reason to believe that steals can be a small part of his game even in the big leagues. Sorry, but your browser needs Javascript to use this site. Climbing three levels in one season is impressive enough, but Norby has seen his production improve at each stop while his strikeout rate was dwindled. Athleticism and mobility is a big part of Hassells game from the batters box to center field and the base paths. He still struck out a lot, leading the Central League for the second straight year with 115only the Seibu Lions Cory Spangenberg struck out more. Height/Weight: 63, 200|Bat/Throw: R/R|2nd Round (55), 2018 (TEX)|ETA: 2023. Lagging behind the other three pitches is Millers changeup which has flashed above average but has the tendency to get firm on him. The Rays very likely have another homegrown stud pitcher on their hands. All teenage prospects are risky, but Colliers bloodlines, polish at the plate and elite makeup should have the Reds feeling good about the chances of converting their first round pick into an MLB piece. Volpe worked hard to tap into more power ahead of the 2021 season and has developed into a hitter who squeezes out every ounce of his raw power in games. Like a true catcher, OHoppe really gets into his legs with his stance and actually sinks even deeper into his lower half in his load. Despite pitching in some of the most hitter-friendly environments in the Minor Leagues as a fly ball pitcher, Pfaadt attacked hitters relentlessly. Since Rodriguez has arrived to professional baseball, he has done nothing shy of dominating. The pitchs perceived velocity is closer to the upper-90s thanks to Harrisons low release point and high spin rates. An overslot 11th round pick in 2018, the Pirates shelled out $500K to sign Burrows away from UCONN, betting on his upside. Height/Weight: 66, 225|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (23), 2021 (CLE)|ETA: 2023. BA Newsletter: Get Analysis, Rankings Delivered To Your Inbox! section: | slug: nippon-professional-baseball-10-players-to-watch-in-japan-including-some-potential-future-mlb-aces | sport: baseball | route: article_single.us | Unfortunately, things have not gone to plan for either Lewis or the Twins. 3 upside. Lawlar shows an advanced ability to use the whole field with authority while being able to just throw his hands at a pitch with two strikes and use his speed to leg one out when he is fooled. Lewis has shown he can handle shortstop throughout the Minor Leagues. 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. Much like his father, Holliday is a patient hitter who does not strike out much and will work plenty of free passes. His mechanics rarely break down due to his lower halfs immense strength and athleticism. Once viewed as a bench utility type, Rafaela looks more like an every day player with super-utility versatility in a similar manner to Chris Taylor of the Dodgers. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2022 Extra Innings, Inc. | All Right Reserved | Privacy Policy. A blend of power, defense and intangibles have Cartaya reminding many of Salvador Perez. Height/Weight: 64, 220|Bat/Throw: R/R|5th Round (165) 2019 (NYY)|ETA: 2022. Meyer went to the pitch around 15% of the time in his 15 starts this season as a weak contact weapon even when it is not located perfectly. Even after a huge 2022 season, it feels like Carter is not getting the notoriety he deserves. Mori, who turns 25 in August, is a smaller backstop than what Americans are accustomed to seeing behind the dish. Shiomi finished third in the Central League with 24 stolen bases, including a particularly impressive June in which he swiped ten bases and had a 1.079 OPS. Chourio has wasted no time getting acclimated to baseball stateside. There are stars like Kohei Arihara and Tomoyuki Sugano who might be on the move either this year or possibly next year. Tall with long levers, Carter stays short to the ball with a flat swing geared for plenty of line drive contact. His quiet load helps him stay on time, producing an impressive zone contact rate of 89% in 2022. Meads advanced approach and swing give him a chance at becoming a plus hitter at the highest level with 20+ homers and plenty of doubles. Its hard to argue with a hitter who posts an OPS above .900 from both sides of the plate and while Rodriguezs exit velocities are above average at best, his swing is designed to drive the ball in the air. The combination of hit-tool and power makes it easier to buy what Mervis is selling this season, but his numbers left-on-left really solidify how safe his offensive profile is. There are few hitters in the minors who hit fastballs harder than Wiemer and his stacked setup helps him stay back on off speed. Bob Fontaine Jr., Legendary Scout and "Baseball "Chatter Up!" A patient hitter, Henderson has maintained a chase rate below 20% all season and should consistently get on base at an impressive clip. While theres definitely some whiff in Walkers game at this point, he only struck out 21.6% of the time this season because of his ability to punish fastballs while rarely missing mistakes of any pitch type. On top of that, 2022 Topps Baseball Japan Edition includes base Autographs for 42 subjects (including Ohtani), averaging 1:61 packs. He is currently a plus runner who utilizes long strides to cover tons of ground in the outfield along with a plus arm. Built-in deception and a high spin fastball helps Waldichuk pick up Ks in bunches, despite his secondaries being just average or slightly above. As the stuff has jumped, Bibees command has remained fantastic, walking just 5% of hitters this season. His hands and wrists contain immense strength that allow him to manipulate the barrel at a high level. Players. Height/Weight: 65, 220|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (29), 2020 (LAD)|ETA: 2023. Moreno has flashed pull side power, posting exit velocities as high as 111 mph and a respectable 90th percentile EV of 102.2 mph. Height/Weight: 62, 195 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round (8) 2020 | ETA: 2024. Suzuki, 25, has a well-rounded game. Injuries cut Merrills season to just 45 games this year, though that was all the 19-year-old needed to show that he has a lot more upside than he was given credit for. Carroll made up for lost time by reaching the Major Leagues in just 142 Minor League games. The 2021 performance of Kikuchi, who used to pitch for NPBs Saitama Seibu Lions, was also a tale of two seasons. Again, Cowser is too good of a hitter to have gaping splits longterm. Volpe has the goods to blend a plus hit tool with plus game power. The 21-year-old has all of the physical goods and the instincts to be a big league average shortstop now, but also offers the ability to move all over the infield. It is difficult to project power for a prospect like Winn. Regardless, Johnson is big upside, bat-first second baseman whose ceiling is one of the best hitters at his position at the highest level. He has an above average arm and overall good footwork which should help his chances of sticking at short. Veen is one of the more tantalizing talents in the minor leagues. Despite being one of the youngest players at each level he reaches, Walker seems to get better each time hes promoted. Theres no minor league pitcher with bag of pitches as deep and as nasty as G-Rod. After tearing up High-A, Manzardo was promoted to Double-A and picked up right where he left off. Even with command issues, Harrison gets enough whiffs to be a high strikeout middle of the rotation arm who may struggle with consistency. After almost never throwing it in high school, Jobe showed a pretty good feel for the pitch which boasts 14 inches of arm side fade. Harper and Barry Bonds are the only other players in the last 50 years to have had at least ten walks in three consecutive games. 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. Jung has a chance to post a batting average in the high 200s, along with 25+ homers and average or better defense at third. De La Cruz absolutely flies. Volpe brings just about everything you want to the table from a baseball player. His plus speed should make him a consistent threat to steal bases. Though the new moves are louder, Naylor is extremely athletic and controls his body really well. Assuming he makes a 100% recovery, theres 30 home run power in the tank with a well above average hit tool and a newfound ability to draw free passes. Halls repertoire is as impressive as anyones and he is clearly the second-best pitching prospect in the Orioles farm system. Here's Sasaki's last strikeout from the day. Even with quieting his pre-swing moves down, Lewis still produced big time exit velocities in his limited action including a max EV of 114 MPH and near elite 107.9 MPH 90th percentile EV. He threw a career-high 143 innings, finished with a 3.58 ERA and struck out 135. Put simply, Colas just hits the ball hard and keeps getting better with more at bats. Astonishingly, the 20-year-old finished second in NPB with 6.8 WAR, despite a very underwhelming ISO (Isolated Power) of just .081. You can read the transcript here. Arroyo is a natural up the middle, with clean actions, impressive footwork and a rocket for an arm. Age: 21|Height/Weight: 510, 170|Bat/Throw: S/R|IFA: $1.3M (2017) CLE|ETA: 2023. Marte has a pretty simple swing and doesnt require much effort to generate his above-average bat speed. The 2022 Nippon Professional Baseball season is over, and while there wont be any games to watch during the off-season, that wont stop us from evaluating the best performers from this past year. The inclusion of an internal brace to the elbow, a newer development to the surgery, can cut Maedas recovery time down to 9-12 months. 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. A plus arm, soft hands, good footwork and clean actions give Mayer a great chance to stick at the position even if he fills out a little bit. A sweet left-handed swing with a ton of whip, Mayer hit the ball hard and can spray it all over. He will likely begin next season in Double-A with a chance to jump up to Triple-A relatively quickly after already looking strong in his cameo with New Hampshire at the end of the season. In Triple-A this season, Mervis crushed lefties to a .978 OPS. Perhaps overlooked is his baserunning, as he became the first player since Makoto Kozuru in 1950 to steal 10+ bases while hitting 50+ home runs in a season. Rodriguez is an extremely fun prospect. Height/Weight: 66, 200|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $1M 2018 (NYY)|ETA: 2024. Hall is a very athletic and whippy athlete who gets great extension and features big time arm speed. #npbeng #HotakaYamakawa pic.twitter.com/R2hNyk6bd1. If Graceffo can develop a bit more of a feel for his changeup, he could be an average No. 2 starter, however it will be important to see if he can maintain his velocity deep into starts once we see the Cardinals take the training wheels off. Filmmaker/Director Ema Ryan Yamazaki of "Koshien: Japan's View of Mt. Much like his future teammate Paul Goldschmidt, Walker should be able to surprise the defense for 10-15 stolen bases per year. Hands and wrists contain immense strength and athleticism allow him to manipulate the barrel at high... League games as any pitching prospect in the zone while working east effectively. Get better each time hes promoted 20-year-old finished second in NPB with 6.8 WAR, despite his secondaries just. Halfs immense strength and athleticism allow him to move around the field with ease and stacked. Theres No Minor League pitcher with bag of pitches as deep and as nasty G-Rod! Free passes 143 innings, finished with a ton of whip and violence little further... 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