Jump to content

Sebastian Valle just got DFA'd


Eminor3rd

Recommended Posts

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/12/phil...assignment.html

 

He was just dropped for a reason -- he's had a couple disappointing seasons. But he's got a high pedigree and we have so little in the system that this is the most obvious fit of the offseason.

 

When Rick Hahn acquires him soon, this will be the thread of discussion :D

 

Have faith in the Hahn!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Eminor3rd @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 07:50 AM)
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/12/phil...assignment.html

 

He was just dropped for a reason -- he's had a couple disappointing seasons. But he's got a high pedigree and we have so little in the system that this is the most obvious fit of the offseason.

 

When Rick Hahn acquires him soon, this will be the thread of discussion :D

 

Have faith in the Hahn!

Hit his peak in A ball. What a find ! :P And he's righthanded.

Edited by CaliSoxFanViaSWside
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, I'll take him. We have a bunch of question marks and ifs and buts behind the plate already. I have read a few scouting reports and from what I can see this guy was set to be the Phillies long time catcher this year or the next and his development has halted. Sometimes a guy needs a change, a move to a different organization with new coaches trying to improve you. I think if we picked this guy up and he clicked, we're looking at that LH catcher we desperately need. Plus he supposedly is great defensively throwing runners out and working with pitchers.

 

Scouting report for 2012:

 

Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF): Good defensive catcher with plus power potential and surprising athleticism; potential All-Star backstop.

 

The Player: Sebastian Valle (C, Philadelphia Phillies) – The Phillies signed Valle out of Mexico as a 16-year old in 2007 and immediately sent him to the DSL to start his career. He hit well there and then immediately hit well in the GCL in 2008. The 2009 season was his breakout campaign with a monster .307/.335/.531 line as an 18-year old in the NYPL. He struggled some in 2010 with Lakewood but got back on track with a .284/.312/.394 line in 91 games at High-A Clearwater in 2011.

 

Scouting Report

 

Body: Strong, well-proportioned body with good strength throughout. Lower half has thickened some as he has matured but he is still extremely athletic and moves well. May bulk up a little more as he reaches his physical peak but he has room on his frame to add mass without issue.

Makeup: Diligent worker with a good grasp of how to take criticism and make himself a better player. His pitchers like working with him and he has improved his ability to command the game from behind the plate.  

Hit: Tremendous strength in wrists and forearms gives him plus-plus bat speed. His bat gets to the zone quickly and with good loft stays in the zone for a long time. His timing can get off and he can get behind on good fastballs when his high leg kick isn’t timed properly. Gets pull happy and works much better when he uses the opposite field. Won’t ever be a standout hitter but will be enough to let his power play. Grade – 30/40

Power: Plus-plus bat speed and elevation on the back half of his swing gives him ability to drive the ball over the fence to all fields. Truly impressive pull power that he falls in love with at times, letting his swing get long. Could still add additional strength giving him additional power projection beyond his present state. Grade (raw power) – 40/60

Arm: Quick release and natural arm strength but the ball doesn’t always come out clean. Drops arm at times allowing throws to sail. When his arm stays up he has more than enough strength to help control the running game, and with more consistency he be an average thrower. Grade – 40/50

Fielding: Highly athletic for a catcher. Moves very well behind the plate and has advanced blocking skills for a player his age. He catches the ball cleanly and has begun to develop a feel for framing borderline pitches. Has good footwork on throws and has improved his glove-to-hand transfer. Still needs to improve game calling ability and consistency on throws. Grade – 40/60

Speed: Below-average home to first times despite good overall athleticism. Has slowed as his lower half has thickened and could slow even more in the coming years, but not too much. Has good instincts and shouldn’t be a complete hindrance on the bases. Grade – 30/30

 

Summation:  Bat speed and power potential gives him above-average offensive potential behind the plate. Could be a .260 hitter with 20-25 home runs annually. Won’t offer much on-base ability outside of batting average thanks to aggressive approach. Defense should also be a plus both with his handling of the pitching staff and his catch-and-throw skills. If both offense and defense reach their ceiling he has the potential to be an All-Star level catcher that hits sixth in the lineup.

 

Relative Risk: High. He’s still very young and his ultra-aggressive, swing-at-everything approach could ultimately hold him back.

 

Future: He wore down in the second half of the hot Florida summer but showed enough that the Phillies are prepared to send him to Double-A Reading to start the 2012 season. He could require two years to polish his game but he is the catcher of the future in Philadelphia and could be a key piece for the Phillies to build around as the current crop of stars continues to age.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 10:11 AM)
While it certainly appears he can't hit, catchers usually do take longer to find their way. It wouldn't kill the Sox to stash him in Charlotte.

 

 

I agree Dick, it's not like we have the next best thing there he would be taking at bats from. Personally I rather take a flyer on this kid and let him develope than give up something for Jose Labaton.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 10:17 AM)
Well, he's Mexican so I'll give him that much... (I'm half BTW, so that's what I was implying that I like)

Is he any relation to Dave Valle, he of the ridiculous hair plugs? I also think Dave Valle was playing for the Mariners when Bo Jackson hit a home run which clinched the division for the Sox in 1993.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 10:21 AM)
Is he any relation to Dave Valle, he of the ridiculous hair plugs? I also think Dave Valle was playing for the Mariners when Bo Jackson hit a home run which clinched the division for the Sox in 1993.

 

None. That Valle is an American.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Frank_Thomas35 @ Dec 18, 2013 -> 08:12 AM)
Nope left handed and the dudes only 23, has plenty of time to develope. He clearly wouldn't start at MLB level but work his way through the minors.

B-R says right handed as does fangraphs and baseball prospectus.

Edited by CaliSoxFanViaSWside
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...