Tag Archives: MLB

Basbeall, MLB

Almost Mock Draft Revisited: Mickey Moniak

Leave a comment

Earlier in May, Today’s Knuckleball ran its first Almost Mock Draft, where I attempted to make some clarity of a wide open pool of players that made sense going in the top ten. Between talent, experience and bonus slot signing, no one player jumped into the spotlight as the clear cut overall number one pick in this past draft, making it one of the harder crops to choose from.

Today, let’s begin to revisit that Almost Mock Draft. Just how are those players doing thus far in their 2016 professional debuts?

MICKEY MONIAK
Almost Mock: No. 8 – San Diego Padres | Actual MLB Draft: No. 1 overall – Philadelphia Phillies

Moniak has arrived in a big way for the Phillies, quickly showing that they invested that first overall pick wisely. Despite being just 18 years old, he has quickly adjusted to the Gulf Coast League and should be nearing a trip to the New York-Penn League to take some licks with the Williamsport Crosscutters before the season ends.

Keep reading for more on Moniak.

Basbeall, MLB

Time to pay attention to New York Yankees Jordan Montgomery

Leave a comment

The New York Yankees pipeline has made a lot of noise lately. Between the long-awaited full-time debut of Gary Sanchez, and the elite prospects acquired at the trade deadline, suddenly a once-barren farm system is now considered top notch, making big jumps up the organizational rankings.

Keep reading for more on Jordan Montgomery

Basbeall, MLB

Get to know the Atlanta Braves Touki Toussaint [Interview]

1 Comment

ROME, GA — The Rome Braves are stacked in the pitching department. Some have been acquired through the drafts, like 2015’s haul of Kolby Allard, Mike Soroka and Patrick Weigel. Others — like Max Fried and Touki Toussaint — were brought to Atlanta via trade. After a slow start to his Braves career, Toussaint is now finding his way for the Rome Braves.

Keep reading for my interview with Touki!

Basbeall, MLB

The Atlanta Braves Ricardo Sanchez adding to pitching depth in Rome

Leave a comment

I get somewhat spoiled by getting to see the Rome Braves this season. Nearly every time I go, one of baseball’s exciting young pitching prospects takes the mound. Whether it is Max Fried or Mike Soroka, the Rome Braves rotation is stacked with big names like Kolby Allard, Touki Toussaint and Patrick Weigel.

Last night, I didn’t see any of those names, but walked away impressed with the pitcher I saw. It says a lot about the depth on the Braves pipeline.

Keep reading for more on yet another exciting Braves prospect.

Basbeall, MLB

The Son of Nails: Luke Dykstra continues to hit for the Braves

1 Comment

ROME, GA — Luke Dykstra can flat out hit a baseball. Since the day he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves, that’s what Dykstra has done, and he has done it extremely well. In an Atlanta Braves system that is flowered with some of the finest middle infield prospects in the game like Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Kevin Maitan, and now Travis Demeritte, Dykstra is making people take notice another fine season in Rome.

Keep reading for my interview with Luke Dykstra.

Basbeall, MLB

Philadelphia Phillies David Buchanan back on track in Lehigh Valley [Interview]

Leave a comment

David Buchanan has had quite the interesting ride over his short career. He came from seemingly nowhere to post an impressive 2014 rookie campaign. The Phillies’ rewarded his work, and he earned the three-slot in the 2015 Philadelphia Phillies rotation. The start to his 2015 was tough for the righty, but he finished with a final four starts that left no doubt that he still could do it.

He has spent 2016 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley and seems to have found that old magic that led to his breakout 2014.

Continue on to catch up with the Phillies David Buchanan.

Basbeall, MLB

Get to know Dodgers prospect Willie Calhoun [Interview]

Leave a comment

When you look at the Double-A home run leaders, it probably is not a tremendous surprise that big 6-foot-4 Rhys Hoskins or monstrous 6-foot-6 Dylan Cozens are atop the charts. What may come as a surprise is that Willie Calhoun has become one of the bigger power threats in all three leagues on the Double-A level. All 5-foot-8 of him.

Keep reading for more on one of the premier second base prospects in baseball.

Basbeall, MLB

The Dawn of Justus: Sheffield arrives in the Bronx as part of the Miller trade

Leave a comment

Even with the departure of catching prospect Francisco Mejia in last night’s late Jonathan Lucroy deal, the Cleveland Indians boasted a very talented top-ten prospects in their system. The New York Yankees seemed to think so as well, swooping in and snagging top prospect Clint Frazier and left-hander Justus Sheffield for Andrew Miller a few hours later.

Continue onward to find out more about the Yanks newest prospect!

Basbeall, MLB

Why I woke up happy to be a New York Yankees fan

2 Comments

It sure has been a long time, hasn’t it? I mean the last few years haven’t been all that bad, and hey, the Bronx Bombers won the wild card spot last year. Of course, there was that feeling of hopelessness going in with a lack luster offense against the American League Cy Young Award winner, but it was a playoff appearance that had been missing since 2012.

The problem was it was a lot of the same. Everyday you woke up and it was the same old story. Mark Teixeira was hurt. Ivan Nova struggled. Jacoby Ellsbury was hurt. Michael Pineda struggled. Alex Rodriguez got hurt. Nathan Eovaldi struggled.

Today, though. Today is the first day of a new beginning for the Yankees.

Keep reading why today is a good day.