https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/5-mlb-prospects-who-could-move-quickly-in-2019/

 

NICK MADRIGAL, 2B, WHITE SOX

One of the quirks of the last couple of draft classes is that almost no one from them reached the majors in the next season. Only Kyle Wright, the fifth pick by the Braves in 2017, played in the majors last year, and for just a few appearances. The Orioles’ Austin Hays was the only 2016 draftee to reach the majors in 2017.

The 2018 class has a chance to break that trend, with Mize, with college third basemen Alec Bohm and Jonathan India, and with the guy taken between those two by the White Sox. Madrigal showed the contact skills that made him the fourth pick in the draft by striking out just five times in 173 plate appearances across three levels. The White Sox have three young infielders who combined to strike out 500 times last year. Madrigal will seem like a breath of fresh air in that group, and could push any of Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson and Yolmer Sanchez for playing time by the all-star break.

These five guys are looking to follow in Soto’s footsteps. There’s no such thing as being blocked any more. There’s no such thing as too far away. If you can play, and your team is one that wants to win now, you can push yourself to the majors in a hurry.

Best content of the day so far.

Will Madrigal be starting in Winston Salem?

I think people put way too much stock in Madrigal's performance last year. It was post college world series, moving to new town, and he was pushed harder than every other player drafted. I expect to see major improvement this year.

49 minutes ago, bmags said:

I think people put way too much stock in Madrigal's performance last year. It was post college world series, moving to new town, and he was pushed harder than every other player drafted. I expect to see major improvement this year.

Also was still recovering from injury. Far too many people around here are down on Madrigal imo.

Edited January 8, 20197 yr by DirtySox

11 minutes ago, DirtySox said:

Also was still recovering from injury. Far too many people around here are down on Madigral imo.

It's a weird mix of being down on madrigal and also penciling madrigal in at second base already and moving the active roster around to accomodate. Kid just needs to play. I think he'll be great and be a weird player that succeeds in ways we can't anticipate now.

1 hour ago, bmags said:

It's a weird mix of being down on madrigal and also penciling madrigal in at second base already and moving the active roster around to accomodate. Kid just needs to play. I think he'll be great and be a weird player that succeeds in ways we can't anticipate now.

What exactly does succeeds in ways we can't anticipate now mean? He's going to become a closer?

7 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

What exactly does succeeds in ways we can't anticipate now mean? He's going to become a closer?

I think he's going to be someone like Javy Baez that finds value in something we don't even thinking about (tagging, slides). Obviously, since we need to beat the dead horse, he does not have the power of Javy Baez. But when people look at his profile and just assign a slashline to him, I don't think that will tell the whole story of him.

4 minutes ago, bmags said:

I think he's going to be someone like Javy Baez that finds value in something we don't even thinking about (tagging, slides). Obviously, since we need to beat the dead horse, he does not have the power of Javy Baez. But when people look at his profile and just assign a slashline to him, I don't think that will tell the whole story of him.

I think it's entirely possible that a lot of his value could be in defense, but he has to hit enough for that to matter, and as you say he needs to have some power. I'm one of the ones who looked at his profile and assigned a slash line to him - based on the idea that he was ready to take Moncada's role right now and we needed to move Moncada for him even though his numbers last year were incredibly punchless. All I really hate is the notion of racing the guy because of his draft spot. Let him prove that he's a capable hitter and then we can race him upwards is all I want.

I thought Tatis would be on that list.

5 hours ago, DirtySox said:

Also was still recovering from injury. Far too many people around here are down on Madrigal imo.

A few weren't pleased the Sox took him in the draft so continuing not to like him is just confirmation bias. Even if he were to hit .333 across his next 2 levels you will still read negative things about him. It's just the beauty of so many baseball "experts" here.

I sure hope he does. It would be great to feel some positional depth issues finally start pushing its way through to the majors. When's the last time that happened for the Sox?

24 minutes ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

I sure hope he does. It would be great to feel some positional depth issues finally start pushing its way through to the majors. When's the last time that happened for the Sox?

Center Field, 2004-2005 when we felt like we had Anderson ready, Sweeney a year away, and Chris Young was expendable and tradeable. 

16 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Center Field, 2004-2005 when we felt like we had Anderson ready, Sweeney a year away, and Chris Young was expendable and tradeable. 

Don't forget Anthony Webster and Jeremy Reed...

Or McCarthy not being able to break into the 2006 rotation after the way he pitched down the stretch...when they decided to add Javy V.

Edited January 9, 20197 yr by caulfield12

Up by July seems very aggressive. I would prefer mid April of 2020.

3 minutes ago, ChiliIrishHammock24 said:

Up by July seems very aggressive. I would prefer mid April of 2020.

Agreed. That’s why I asked where he would be starting. I don’t think anybody has answered yet, but will he start in Winston Salem? I can’t see a scenario where he is up in July. 

21 minutes ago, SoxBlanco said:

Agreed. That’s why I asked where he would be starting. I don’t think anybody has answered yet, but will he start in Winston Salem? I can’t see a scenario where he is up in July. 

I would guess W-S for a few weeks.

19 minutes ago, SoxBlanco said:

Agreed. That’s why I asked where he would be starting. I don’t think anybody has answered yet, but will he start in Winston Salem? I can’t see a scenario where he is up in July. 

I agree if he does start in WS which is likely , jumping up 4 levels in 6/7 months is very highly unlikely bordering on next to impossible.

The article doesnt make a lot of sense for Madrigal. Its premised on the team wanting to win now. Why would the Sox burn a year of Madrigal this year? No matter what happens they are giving Anderson/Moncada a full season of at bats.

It would have to be some sort of bizarro world where the Sox are doing amazing, and Moncada or Anderson is sucking so terribly that the Sox are giving up on them (or traded).

Beckham is the last position player to move THAT fast.

Craig Biggio might be a good comp.  796 career ops, 112 ops+, 291 homers in 20 career seasons, 414 sb, obp 363 is going to be the toughest....might be a tad light on the homers as well.  

4 Gold Gloves, 7 All Star teams, 5 Silver Sluggers.

Edited January 9, 20197 yr by caulfield12

3 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Beckham is the last position player to move THAT fast.

Craig Biggio might be a good comp.  796 career ops, 112 ops+, 291 homers in 20 career seasons, 414 sb, obp 363 is going to be the toughest....might be a tad light on the homers as well.  

4 Gold Gloves, 7 All Star teams, 5 Silver Sluggers.

So you're saying the key is to move Madrigal to C??

4 minutes ago, Sleepy Harold said:

So you're saying the key is to move Madrigal to C??

And eventually the outfield

16 minutes ago, bschmaranz said:

And eventually the outfield

Next stop, Hall of Fame!

I could realistically see a scenario where we see Madrigal late in the season. Start the year in Birmingham, then around June gets promoted to Charlotte, and then late August to September he gets the call.

If he THAT fast a mover...really puts the pressure on Timmy and Moncada to produce this year. I really like that tbh...but don't want another Beckham mirage.