Prospect Report:
More Bravos, Again, Revisited

David Cameron

I've seen quite a few different minor-league teams this year, and one thing I've come to realize is how thin the talent is spread across the leagues. There are very few minor-league franchises who can boast even three legitimate major-league prospects. Most times you'll only see one or two real interesting players at each game.

Last week, I saw what is likely the most loaded team of prospects in the minors this year. The Macon Braves boast no less than eight legitimate major-league prospects, not including a couple of fringe players who could become role players with a lot of hard work.

Easily the most impressive of the group, and perhaps the most impressive player I've seen this year, is third baseman Andy Marte. Marte's having a pretty solid season, hitting .281/.344/.492 in 417 at-bats. That line looks a lot better when you consider that Marte is listed at just 18 years of age. He is from the Dominican Republic, so there is cause for concern, but the consensus seems to be that his age is legit.

The South Atlantic League is a great pitcher's league. The fact that Marte has been able to hit 18 home runs (second in the league) so far this year is a testament to his raw power. He's not just longballs either, as his 48 extra-base hits rank third in the league. 41 percent of his hits are extra-base knocks, an astounding percentage for a kid his age.

Even so, his abilities easily transcend his numbers. Marte is not only performing, but has all the tools that an organization looks for in a major-league talent. His swing is a tailor-made, line-drive swing, but he obviously can generate power. He gets great extension and can make contact with pitches on either side of the plate. His bat speed is above average, quite unique for a teenager. He also has a pretty good grasp of the strike zone. He's walking in 11 percent of his at-bats, well above average for an 18-year-old in full-season ball. He does have some problems with breaking balls, but most of that is experience. As he sees more good curves and sliders, he'll make the adjustments.

More impressive than his offense was Marte's work with the glove. He showed good footwork and positioning and a solid arm. He won't win any velocity contests, but he's got no problem getting it across the diamond. His reactions were quick and he moved well from side to side. He also showed soft hands. He has the makings of a gold glove caliber third baseman. I haven't seen anyone play third base that well all year.

Marte reminds me of Adrian Beltre. He's probably not going to rise to the majors as quickly as Beltre did, but he's got all-star talent. The Braves should be very excited about his future. He's probably the best teenager I've seen this year.

Marte's throws were directed at Scott Thorman, the Braves' first-round pick in the 2000 draft. A former third baseman himself, he's been moved to first base. He missed the 2001 campaign with an injury but is making up for lost time. He leads the SAL in extra-base hits with 53 and is hitting .304/.370/.516 in 405 at-bats.

Thorman is a large man and was eerily reminiscent of Ryan Klesko. Both are bulky left-handed hitters with long, loopy swings that generate massive power. If you make a mistake to Thorman, he'll send the ball a mile. His stance makes him vulnerable to left-handers who can bust him inside, so he'll have to work on going the other way.

He doesn't strike out as much as you'd expect from a guy who swings as hard as he does. This is mainly because he doesn't chase many bad pitches. He makes every pitch count and won't help the pitcher out. This approach should help him succeed as he moves up the ladder.

Carlos Duran got the most preseason hype of the Macon players, but so far he hasn't lived up to expectations. He's the classic scouts' centerfielder. He's 6'2", is well cut, can run like the wind, and looks like a ballplayer. Defensively, he has similar skills to Carlos Beltran. He could become a center fielder with a solid arm.

At the plate, he needs some work. He really struggled with breaking pitches, and he wasn't seeing major-league curve balls. He's a free swinger who will get his hacks in before his at-bat is over, and this leads to him chasing pitches out of the strike zone and getting into pitcher's counts. He's vulnerable to pitches in, but can pound the ball when he gets extension with his hands.

Duran won't be the "next Andruw Jones" like some were predicting before the season, but he could be a valuable player at a defensive position who can hit a little bit. He needs some time and good coaching, but he does have potential.

Rightfielder Gregor Blanco is the anti-Duran. He's probably 5'9" and 160 pounds soaking wet. He isn't your prototypical outfielder, but he maximizes what he has. Mainly, that's speed. Blanco can absolutely fly, stealing both second and third base without a throw on successive pitches. He realizes his goal should be to reach base as often as possible, so he's willing to work the count. In the four at-bats I saw, he saw a remarkable 31 pitches.

Blanco probably won't hit for much power at the major-league level, and the small, speedy, patient types don't have a real good track record at the major-league level. Blanco bears a lot of similarity to Jason Tyner, which isn't something you generally want to say about a kid. However, with his speed, he should be able to catch on as a fourth outfielder and possibly wiggle his way into a starting role if he performs well.

Taking the hill for the Braves was left-hander Macay McBride. He pitched an easy game, not really being challenged at any time. He showed a good fastball, ranging between 89-91 most of the time and topping out at 93 MPH. His out pitch is a plus slider that is lethal on both left-handed and right-handed batters alike. He showed a 12-6 curveball that had potential, but didn't throw it more than a handful of times. He needs to tighten the spin and add velocity, but it has potential as a third pitch.

McBride has good command and can work his spots easily. He's one of the more polished pitchers I've seen this year. Just 19 years of age, the Braves should be thrilled with his development. If his arm can survive the workload, he could be pushing Atlanta by 2005.

When McBride's night was done, the Braves turned to Blaine Boyer, a 6'3" righthander who was a third-round pick back in that productive 2000 draft. Boyer threw absolute gas out of the bullpen, blowing Greensboro hitters away with consistent 95 MPH fastballs. He was overpowering with the heater and appeared to be a one-pitch pitcher. However, he broke off a big 12-6 curve to end the eighth inning that was absolutely unfair. With that combination of fastball/curveball, he'll be murder coming out of the bullpen. He reminded me an awful lot of Troy Percival.

My apologies for dedicating two consecutive columns to the Braves. It is a tribute to their player development staff that I can do so, however. There are a number of organizations that would give me a hard time filling one interesting column with words about their prospects. The Braves continue to do one of the best jobs of acquiring and developing young talent of any organization in the game.

about the author

David Cameron is the anti-Duran Duran. Ask whether he can't be the anti-98 Degrees too at dac@strikethree.com.