Minor League Review: New Hampshire Fisher Cats
We're still early in the minor league season so there isn't a whole lot we can gather from player's statistics. However, strikeout and walk numbers tend to normalize fairly quickly, so we can see if any players are showing positive signs in those areas.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr won Eastern League player of the week and it's easy to see why. He is hitting .361/..419/.639 in the early going. Last season he struck out less than he walked and he is continuing that trend in AA. His 11.4% walk rate and 9.1% strikeout rate are both fantastic numbers. He is also hitting for plenty of power and sports a .278 ISO. The really exciting part is that his numbers appear mostly sustainable because his .344 BABIP isn't outrageously high. Everything we're seeing from Guerrero Jr so far suggests he could be MLB ready at some point this season.
Bo Bichette is also off to a scorching start with a .350/.422/.450 slash line. Bichette's stats aren't as flawless as Guerrero's though. His 20% strikeout rate is not bad at all, it's just higher than we're used to seeing from Bichette. Early in his career there were detractors who thought he may struggle with strikeouts due to his high leg kick, so it will be interesting to see what his strikeout numbers look like against upper level pitching. He has a very nice 2 strike approach so I think he should be just fine. A .452 BABIP is propping his numbers up right now. He is hitting for less power than usual with just a .100 ISO. He is fairly slight of frame, but has elite bat speed so he should have at least average power when he reaches the majors.
Lourdes Gurriel had a disappointing professional debut last season and dealt with injuries most of the year. He had a solid spring training and has continued to hit in AA. His .324/.372/.459 slash line looks mostly sustainable due to his 11.6% strikeout rate. His 7.0% walk rate is below average. He has yet to produce a strong walk rate in the minors so most of his offensive production will likely have to come from making consistent contact. Keep an eye on how his power develops. If he has below average power he'll have limited upside at the plate. Still, with his ability to play multiple positions he should be able t provide value in the majors even if his bat doesn't end up above average.
Cavan Biggio has a 144 wrc+ despite just a .222 AVG. His 12.9% walk rate and .259 ISO have ensured he is still producing at the plate despite a low .250 BABIP. He hits a lot of fly balls so we can't assume his BABIP will rise significantly, but it should come up somewhat. What is most promising is that he is starting to see more of his fly balls go for extra bases with only 1 of his 6 hits being a single. He has also managed to keep his strikeout rate at a respectable 19.4%. If he continues to hit for power he has the walk rate to be a solid hitter despite a low batting average.
Sean Reid-Foley has been excellent in the early going. I have seen reports that his changeup has looked good, which is very promising for his ability to remain a starter. In 2 starts he has gone 12.1 innings and struck out 10 while walking 4, allowing just 2 runs. It's only been 2 starts, but he's starting to show why he was seen as having mid-rotation potential at his point a year ago.
It's hard not to be encouraged by the performances of the team's top AA prospects so far.
