Daily Notes: SCOUT Leaderboards for Triple-A

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of the Daily Notes.

1. SCOUT Leaderboards for Triple-A
2. Today’s MLB.TV Free Game
3. Today’s Complete Schedule

SCOUT Leaderboards for Triple-A
A Brief Introduction
Featured in this edition of the Notes are the SCOUT leaderboards for Triple-A. Briefly stated, SCOUT represents an attempt to use our knowledge of certain metrics, and at what sample sizes they become reliable, to measure run production/prevention in instances where small samples are all that’s available. Stated less briefly, is the explanation available here.

SCOUT Leaderboard: Triple-A Hitters (Overall)
Below is the current SCOUT batting leaderboard for all Triple-A hitters. SCOUT+ combines regressed home-run, walk, and strikeout rates in a FIP-like equation to produce a result not unlike wRC+, where 100 is league average and above 100 is above average. Note that players are compared not to all Triple-A hitters, but to those in their respective league, and then combined afterward for the sake of this leaderboard. Note also that xHR%, xBB%, and xK% stand for expected home run, walk, and strikeout rate, respectively.

Player Team League Age PA HR BB K xHR% xBB% xK% SCOUT+
Kila Ka’aihue D-backs (AAA) PCL 29 235 16 38 41 5.9% 16.2% 17.4% 166
Matt McBride Rockies (AAA) PCL 28 195 15 11 21 5.8% 5.7% 10.8% 148
Daric Barton Athletics (AAA) PCL 27 252 4 53 26 1.7% 21.0% 10.3% 146
Mauro Gomez Blue Jays (AAA) Intl. 28 258 21 25 77 7.3% 9.7% 29.8% 143
Luis Jimenez Blue Jays (AAA) Intl. 31 279 13 31 43 4.5% 11.1% 15.4% 142
Chris Colabello Twins (AAA) Intl. 29 277 16 29 57 5.5% 10.5% 20.6% 142
Jordan Lennerton Tigers (AAA) Intl. 27 331 12 52 59 3.6% 15.7% 17.8% 140
Jeremy Hermida Indians (AAA) Intl. 29 299 13 52 77 4.3% 17.4% 25.8% 138
Leslie Anderson Rays (AAA) Intl. 31 274 10 27 27 3.5% 9.9% 9.9% 138
Mike Jacobs D-backs (AAA) PCL 32 80 8 11 10 4.4% 11.2% 15.8% 137

SCOUT Leaderboard: Triple-A Hitters (Age 24 and Under)
Here are the top-10 batters from Triple-A who might still, because of their age, be considered prospects — again, as determined by the methodology explained above.

Player Team League Age PA HR BB K xHR% xBB% xK% SCOUT+
Nick Franklin Mariners (AAA) PCL 22 177 4 30 20 2.3% 16.1% 11.3% 136
Joey Terdoslavich Braves (AAA) Intl. 24 312 17 18 57 5.4% 5.8% 18.3% 132
Hunter Morris Brewers (AAA) PCL 24 272 13 31 55 4.6% 11.4% 20.2% 131
Wil Myers Rays (AAA) Intl. 22 289 14 29 71 4.7% 10.0% 24.6% 123
Nick Castellanos Tigers (AAA) Intl. 21 342 10 38 57 2.9% 11.1% 16.7% 121
Chris Marrero Nationals (AAA) Intl. 24 228 10 14 34 3.9% 6.1% 14.9% 121
Zach Walters Nationals (AAA) Intl. 23 282 18 9 68 6.1% 3.2% 24.1% 120
Jurickson Profar Rangers (AAA) PCL 20 166 4 21 24 2.4% 12.1% 14.5% 119
Brad Miller Mariners (AAA) PCL 23 105 4 14 16 2.9% 11.5% 16.5% 118
Michael Choice Athletics (AAA) PCL 23 324 10 41 65 3.1% 12.7% 20.1% 117

SCOUT Leaderboard: Triple-A Pitchers (Overall)
Below is the current SCOUT pitching leaderboard for Triple-A. SCOUT- combines regressed strikeout and walk rates in a kwERA-like equation to produce a number not unlike ERA-, where 100 is league average and below 100 is better than average. Note that players are compared not to all Triple-A hitters, but to those in their respective league, and then combined afterward for the sake of this leaderboard. Note also that xK% and xBB% stand for expected strikeout and walk rate, respectively.

Player Team League Age G GS IP TBF K BB xK% xBB% SCOUT-
Tony Cingrani Reds (AAA) Intl. 23 6 6 31.1 117 49 11 37.1% 9.4% 53
Kirby Yates Rays (AAA) Intl. 26 29 0 34.0 136 52 12 36.6% 9.3% 54
Neal Cotts Rangers (AAA) PCL 33 15 0 23.0 82 42 5 36.9% 9.0% 55
Brian Moran Mariners (AAA) PCL 24 27 0 36.2 151 53 10 35.1% 8.7% 58
Jeff Beliveau Rays (AAA) Intl. 26 21 0 21.1 98 41 14 34.3% 10.3% 64
Ryan Buchter Braves (AAA) Intl. 26 28 0 32.1 146 53 30 35.9% 12.4% 65
Brad Boxberger Padres (AAA) PCL 25 21 0 28.1 125 45 12 33.3% 9.5% 65
Josh Lueke Rays (AAA) Intl. 28 19 0 27.0 104 39 6 32.2% 8.8% 65
Jim Miller Yankees (AAA) Intl. 31 21 0 34.0 153 50 14 32.7% 9.4% 66
Mike Zagurski – – – Intl. 30 20 0 22.0 96 38 9 32.6% 9.4% 66

SCOUT Leaderboard: Triple-A Pitchers (Starters Only)
Here are the top-10 pitchers in Triple-A who have made at least half of their appearances as starts — again, as determined by the methodology explained above.

Player Team League Age G GS IP TBF K BB xK% xBB% SCOUT-
Tony Cingrani Reds (AAA) Intl. 23 6 6 31.1 117 49 11 37.1% 9.4% 53
Alex Torres Rays (AAA) Intl. 25 9 9 46.0 197 61 21 31.0% 9.9% 72
Yusmeiro Petit Giants (AAA) PCL 28 7 7 36.1 163 46 9 28.2% 8.3% 75
Danny Salazar Indians (AAA) Intl. 23 7 7 29.1 124 38 9 28.8% 9.0% 75
Vidal Nuno Yankees (AAA) Intl. 25 5 5 25.0 91 30 2 28.0% 8.3% 76
Jose Alvarez Tigers (AAA) Intl. 24 13 13 81.0 323 84 16 26.0% 6.8% 77
Will Smith Royals (AAA) PCL 23 16 10 67.2 276 74 20 26.8% 8.3% 79
Francisco Liriano Pirates (AAA) Intl. 29 3 3 16.0 66 23 1 26.7% 8.5% 80
Jake Odorizzi Rays (AAA) Intl. 23 10 10 55.1 224 60 20 26.8% 9.2% 82
Drew Pomeranz Rockies (AAA) PCL 24 15 15 85.2 366 96 33 26.2% 9.2% 83

Briefest Notes
• By the methodology presented here, former Kansas City prospect Kila Ka’aihue has out-hit his Triple-A peers by a considerable margin, recording 16 home runs and a 38:41 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 235 plate appearances thus far this season for Diamondbacks affiliate Reno.

• Seattle prospect Nick Franklin, despite having been promoted to the majors, still leads all prospect-age Triple-A batters by SCOUT. He’s been excellent for the Mariners, as well, having recorded (as of Sunday) a 151 wRC+ and 1.1 WAR (with a not absurd .319 BABIP) in 99 plate appearances.

• With both Wil Myers and Jurickson Profar currently in the majors, the most productive hitting prospects at Triple-A — accounting loosely both for age and position — would appear to be Detroit outfielder Nick Castellanos, Washington shortstop Zach Walters, and Seattle shortstop Brad Miller. A pair of 21-year-olds, Mets infielder Wilmer Flores (106 SCOUT+ in 314 PA) and St. Louis outfielder Oscar Taveras (105 SCOUT+ in 184 PA), have also posted above-average figures.

• Among pitchers, Cincinnati left-hander Tony Cingrani has been entirely the most successful, per SCOUT. He’s also been exemplary as an actual major-leaguer, having now recorded a 79 xFIP- and 0.6 WAR in 42.1 innings. Now in the bullpen, Cingrani has struck out six of nine batters faced in that capacity.

• After posting a 51:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 33.2 innings at Double-A Akron, right-handed Cleveland prospect Danny Salazar has been nearly as impressive in the Triple-A International League, now with a 38:9 strikeout-to-walk mark in 29.1 innings for Columbus. Salazar’s line over his last two starts is particularly impressive. To wit: 10.0 IP, 38 TBF, 17 K, 0 BB.

Today’s MLB.TV Free Game
Toronto at Tampa Bay | 19:10 ET
Esmil Rogers (48.2 IP, 107 xFIP-, 0.6 WAR) faces Jeremy Hellickson (91.2 IP, 98 xFIP-, 1.1 WAR). Wil Myers Status Update: 30 PA, 0.0% BB, 23.3% K, .267/.267/.400 (.318 BABIP), 84 wRC+, 0.0 WAR.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Tampa Bay Radio, Perhaps.

Today’s Complete Schedule
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.8.

Note: the following table is entirely sortable.

Away SP Tm. Gm. Tm. SP   Home Time
Ubaldo Jimenez CLE 5 7 6 9 5 BAL Zach Britton* 19:05
Esmil Rogers TOR 4 6 5 10 5 TB Jer. Hellickson 19:10
Cliff Lee PHI 8 2 6 9 4 SD Eric Stults 22:10
M. Bumgarner SF 7 6 6 3 7 LAN Hyun-Jin Ryu 22:10

To learn how Pitcher and Team NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.





Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.

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Mike Green
10 years ago

Toronto with a team NERD of 6? I thought that hotness was a key component of the score. The nerd is definitely a 6, but the NERD is 11, baby.

Never mind. I see that NERD is really nerd, notwithstanding the handsomeness of the author.