http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-white-so...re-time-develop

 

Great article from Hayes

 

Given 2017 was expected to be the third year of their contention window, Collins potentially gave the White Sox another left-handed hitting option.

 

But now that they're focused on the future and only the future, Hahn said the White Sox will take their time and try to develop Collins' catching skills. He's likely to start 2017 at Single-A Winston-Salem.

http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-white-so...re-time-develop

 

Great article from Hayes

 

Good. Keep him there unless he shows he can't catch.

Push for it the next 2 years. I don't see any reason for him to be up before 2019.

There is also a lot more in there, they are going to work on development for all pitchers and not move them up until ready. Acknowledged in a way that Fulmer going up as a reliever was not good for his development.

Push for it the next 2 years. I don't see any reason for him to be up before 2019.

 

I see Collins' bat raking in the minors this season. He was aggressively put in A+ Winston Salem after getting drafted and put up .258 avg - .418 OBP - .885 OPS all after playing an entire college season. Small sample size, but impressive

 

Let him work on his defense for at least the next two seasons, and then unleash him in 2019

Good plan on Collins. Give the guy every shot to catch.

 

There is also a lot more in there, they are going to work on development for all pitchers and not move them up until ready. Acknowledged in a way that Fulmer going up as a reliever was not good for his development.

 

Hostetler said as much in the recent interview. Nice to see.

 

Good plan on Collins. Give the guy every shot to catch.

 

 

 

Hostetler said as much in the recent interview. Nice to see.

 

Do you know if any of the coach shakeups would be good fit for working on a catchers defense?

Do you know if any of the coach shakeups would be good fit for working on a catchers defense?

Catching coordinator is the same guy - John Orton. He gets high marks for his development of defensive improvements for Tyler Flowers (who blossomed into a very good receiver), Josh Phegley (who went from awful to serviceable) and others.

 

Also maybe worth a side note, Cole Armstrong - a former catcher - will be the hitting coach in Birmingham, where I suspect Collins will spend much of his 2017.

 

Catching coordinator is the same guy - John Orton. He gets high marks for his development of defensive improvements for Tyler Flowers (who blossomed into a very good receiver), Josh Phegley (who went from awful to serviceable) and others.

 

Also maybe worth a side note, Cole Armstrong - a former catcher - will be the hitting coach in Birmingham, where I suspect Collins will spend much of his 2017.

 

Collins will start in A+ Winston Salem, but I do see him making the jump to AA at some point mid-late season

Catching coordinator is the same guy - John Orton. He gets high marks for his development of defensive improvements for Tyler Flowers (who blossomed into a very good receiver), Josh Phegley (who went from awful to serviceable) and others.

 

Also maybe worth a side note, Cole Armstrong - a former catcher - will be the hitting coach in Birmingham, where I suspect Collins will spend much of his 2017.

 

Excellent thanks.

Collins will start in A+ Winston Salem, but I do see him making the jump to AA at some point mid-late season

Hayes said that was likely, but I haven't seen official word yet. Either way, yeah, I think he spends the bulk of 2017 in AA.

 

If his catching was up too par is his bat far enough along to actually be in the bigs now? Just curious.

He'll hit his way out of W-S pretty quickly. I'm with NSS, Birmingham is where he belongs. I still dont think AA pitchers will challenge him much but at least he'll get a taste of breaking stuff while still being able to work on his game. His bat is probably ready for Charlotte, but its not all about his bat anymore.

If his catching was up too par is his bat far enough along to actually be in the bigs now? Just curious.

 

He hit .258 with an .885 OPS in A+, which was, an aggressive assignment for him. That he was 1.5 years younger than average competition and had a 21.6% BB rate and over .200 ISO are both highly encouraging signs, while a 25.5% K rate is a cause for concern and makes his bat nowhere near ML ready. A 25% K rate in A+ would likely be much higher in MLB, not to mention the huge jump would likely destroy his development and turn him into a bad player. Right now, 2018 is an optimistic projection of him (unless it's late 2018), and 2019 is much more realistic. That said, a 21.6% BB rate and .200+ ISO as a 21 year old C in A+ are definitely signs to be excited about. If he can maintain anything close to those numbers while he cuts the K rate and improves his defense, he's going to provide the White Sox a huge leg up on this rebuild, as he would be a middle of the order bat at C, something that is nearly unheard of these days.

I could see the benefit in starting Collins in A+. That is likely where Kopech starts and having those two develop a rapport now would probably behoove the Sox. They will both destroy at WS and move up to Birmingham around June is my guess. As for Moncada, I dont know if you're doing him any favors starting him at AA. Wasnt a huge sample size, but he did have a .910 OPS there last season. If you start him there, I hope they dont plan on keeping him there for long. I would rather him work on his approach with pitchers that are going to throw more junk in AAA.

If his catching was up too par is his bat far enough along to actually be in the bigs now? Just curious.

If his catching was up to par with his bat he'd have gone #1 overall.

Excellent thanks.

 

By the way, in case you want the full picture, here is a write-up on all the coach/manager/coordinator roles on the farm for 2017, including some of the new names.

 

If his catching was up to par with his bat he'd have gone #1 overall.

 

If Collins was a 50 grade arm and 50 grade catcher he arguably would have gone #1 overall I agree

Yeah, hopefully we don't see Collins for a few years, because that means he stuck defensively at Catcher.

Catching coordinator is the same guy - John Orton. He gets high marks for his development of defensive improvements for Tyler Flowers (who blossomed into a very good receiver), Josh Phegley (who went from awful to serviceable) and others.

 

Kevan Smith looked solid defensively in what little I saw of him.

I'd love to roll with Smith/Narvaez next year.

I'd love to roll with Smith/Narvaez next year.

I get it, but with as young of a rotation as we'll be running the next 2 years I think there's a solid case for spending money on a veteran at that position too.

I get it, but with as young of a rotation as we'll be running the next 2 years I think there's a solid case for spending money on a veteran at that position too.

Very true. How are the receiving skills for these two top 500 prospect catchers? I don't remember Narvaez pissing me off much

Edited December 29, 20169 yr by Jerksticks

I've suggested Nate Jones for Yan Gomes a few times.

I've suggested Nate Jones for Yan Gomes a few times.

Gomes had a negative WAR and can't hit a lick. No way I trade

Jones for that. But I would love to get a good defensive catcher for the younger pitchers.