Leodalis De Vries, Robert Hassell III, Brock Wilken and FPAZ
Oct 31, 2024
Author: 3-1Count.com
It was back to Salt River Fields yesterday for the Peoria Javelinas v Salt River Rafters. Catching another game with Peoria was on my agenda as I am trying to get as many looks as possible at the San Diego Padres phenoms Ethan Salas and Leodalis De Vries. Both fascinate me to be so young and yet so poised playing at this level. While Salas had the day off De Vries was in the lineup playing SS and batting 5th. So we will get a chance to discuss De Vries further in a few minutes.
Here’s a few pregame pics to set the tone:
Before I get into prospect notes lets take a look at the check swing appeal process in action. The batter is Kala’i Rosario MIN and the first base umpire initially calls him out. Rosario then challenged the call and you can see how the process plays out in the video below. It’s pretty interesting and I’m all for getting calls right as long as it isn’t disruptive to game flow. Fortunately this process has been quick the couple of times I have seen it used. MLB tests potential changes like this one at the minor league levels as well as in the AFL.
On to the players:
I went from worried I wouldn’t catch Drake Baldwin ATL in-game to now having seen him many times. Team USA duties are looming but Baldwin was still rolling strong yesterday. I have a compilation video below of his at bats yesterday. Couple of things I want you to notice. One is that while he starts off with his hands high they move to a strong set position. The other is how willing Baldwin is to take what the pitcher is offering him. Baldwin has repeatedly delivered outside pitches to the left side and it’s a component driving his .377 average in the AFL. He also has 8 walks to 9 strikeouts across his 61 plate appearances.
Two things to share from Leodalis De Vries SD yesterday. The first is this clean single to RF. A small amount of bat wrap but otherwise pretty simple mechanics.
De Vries isn’t playing as much as some of the players in the AFL so I’ve been a bit fortunate to get these looks at him. Here’s one on defense where you can get a feel for his actions at SS, which was his primary position this past year at A ball.
I’ve spent extra time on De Vries as he’s such a compelling story. Literally just turned 18yo and he’s out here competing in the AFL against much older and more advanced players. De Vries doesn’t seem overwhelmed and the experience has probably been tremendous for him. Put De Vries on your short list of lower level players to absolutely keep an eye on in 2025.
I’ve mentioned that I’m struggling to figure out what kind of player I think Gino Groover ARI will become. The short reason is that he is athletic, has really good hands, and can clearly play…but I have just not seen him impact the baseball. And this can become a bigger and bigger concern as a player advances levels. Groover’s first hit yesterday showcases exactly what I am describing. He did a great job fighting this pitch and delivering it down the line for a double…but it was hit very softly.
Later in the game Groover turned on one and he hit it with impact. It’s the first ball I’ve seen him drive during the AFL. So far Groover is hitting .362 but only one of his 17 hits have been for extra bases…and it was the one he served down the RF line. If you watch the double video again you will see him celebrate at second base…that’s because he finally broke through!
Robert Hassell III WAS may be the player I have seen the most in the AFL this year. Not to mention looks in previous AFL’s as well as in A ball. This year it has felt like Hassell III has let a number of at bats just slip away from him ending in a strikeout after 4 or 5 pitches. Uncompetitive at bats. And then he will turn around and do something like he did here. Extend really well on a pitch up and away, driving it for an opposite field home run. Nice sound, nice swing, and more of this will certainly impact his career trajectory.
Garrett Martin NYY is a 24yo OF that spent last season at High A. It’s old for the level but Martin didn’t make his pro debut until 2023. He played above league average at High A with 12 HR and 17 SB despite a .216 average and 28% K’s. Martin has popped up a bit in the AFL hitting .279 with 3 HR, 2 SB, and 8 BB against 9 K’s. Here’s a look at Martin pulling a clean single in yesterdays game.
It was a season to forget for Brock Wilken MLW and the AFL has played out the same way. Wilken is legendary for his play at Wake Forest and has the ability to do big damage at the plate. I don’t know how much of this year has been driven by injury and / or aggressive assignments for Wilken but I was happy to see him get a couple of knocks yesterday. It would be great if he could close out the AFL on a positive note.
This will be my last AFL game I recap for a few days as First Pitch Arizona kicks off this afternoon. If you are unfamiliar with FPAZ you can check out the details here (https://www.baseballhq.com/articles/support/first-pitch-arizona-2024-program). It’s a conference for baseball geeks really, with the main focus on Fantasy Baseball. The 4 day agenda is loaded with interesting speakers and topics, live drafts, live podcasts, and AFL games. Baseball HQ (https://www.baseballhq.com) does a great job putting the conference on every year and I love attending!
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