Detailed piece on Rangel Ravelo

[NorthSideSox72]

Nathaniel Stoltz with another very detailed piece, this one on potential sleeper prospect Rangel Ravelo.

 

High contact rates, lots of walks, lots of doubles, hints of emerging power, playing young for level. Plays 1B though, and so far at least, few homers. Anyone else have this guy on their radar?

 

To add a little color to the piece, he went on the Restricted List for personal/family reasons when he missed a half season. We have some information as to the cause, but aren't publishing it. Suffice to say it wasn't baseball-related, in case people were wondering.

[ShandyMan]

I kept my eye on him last year, I think he has the chance to become a great player if he can add a little bit more power.

 

 

I did not know he was that young though.

[witesoxfan]

Nathaniel Stoltz with another very detailed piece, this one on potential sleeper prospect Rangel Ravelo.

 

High contact rates, lots of walks, lots of doubles, hints of emerging power, playing young for level. Plays 1B though, and so far at least, few homers. Anyone else have this guy on their radar?

 

To add a little color to the piece, he went on the Restricted List for personal/family reasons when he missed a half season. We have some information as to the cause, but aren't publishing it. Suffice to say it wasn't baseball-related, in case people were wondering.

 

Ravelo is a player very much on my radar. While Barnum has the highest ceiling of all 1B prospects, I honestly think Ravelo is the most likely to be a regular.

[harfman77]

Ravelo is a player very much on my radar. While Barnum has the highest ceiling of all 1B prospects, I honestly think Ravelo is the most likely to be a regular.

 

Its too bad he could not hang at 3B, where he would be a top 10 prospect at that position, his lack of power will hold him back at 1B. He has the makings of a great hitter, but without a true defensive position he may never get a shot.

[NorthSideSox72]

Its too bad he could not hang at 3B, where he would be a top 10 prospect at that position, his lack of power will hold him back at 1B. He has the makings of a great hitter, but without a true defensive position he may never get a shot.

That's the key factor, power. He's needs to hit a lot more long balls. The good news, in addition to the videos from that article showing just how hard he CAN hit it... is the doubles. Despite having very little speed, he hit 31 doubles in 413 PA. Or look at it from this perspective - he hit 27 doubles in 84 games with Winston-Salem. Only about 15 guys had more in the Carolina League, and they all had at least 100 games played, most more like 120-130. If he had 125 games at a similar rate, he'd have hit about 41 doubles, good for a tie for leading the entire league (and the guy he'd be tied with had 133 games).

 

Given those doubles are likely not speed-aided (many of the guys above him have double digit SB's), he's hitting the ball hard, a lot. That's sometimes a positive future indicator of home run power.

 

[witesoxfan]

That's the key factor, power. He's needs to hit a lot more long balls. The good news, in addition to the videos from that article showing just how hard he CAN hit it... is the doubles. Despite having very little speed, he hit 31 doubles in 413 PA. Or look at it from this perspective - he hit 27 doubles in 84 games with Winston-Salem. Only about 15 guys had more in the Carolina League, and they all had at least 100 games played, most more like 120-130. If he had 125 games at a similar rate, he'd have hit about 41 doubles, good for a tie for leading the entire league (and the guy he'd be tied with had 133 games).

 

Given those doubles are likely not speed-aided (many of the guys above him have double digit SB's), he's hitting the ball hard, a lot. That's sometimes a positive future indicator of home run power.

 

Guys who hit .300 with 20 homers and 40 doubles typically do well in this league.

[harfman77]

Stoltz absolutely loves Ravelo and he claims he can stick at 3B because of his athleticism. Other scouts have said the contrary. Stoltz only follows the prospects that are in his proximity and he falls in love with a few of them and Ravelo is one of those. Either way, his stats don't lie and he was fun to follow last year. I just hate the fact that he plays 1B.

 

It only matters though if Buddy and co will move him back across the diamond. Perhaps Barnum will come up and push him over as that would be a best case scenario. Maybe they moved him over after missing time so that he would get at bats while his defense may have fallen behind in his time off. Are there any indications where he is playing in ST?

[royoung]

Stoltz absolutely loves Ravelo and he claims he can stick at 3B because of his athleticism. Other scouts have said the contrary. Stoltz only follows the prospects that are in his proximity and he falls in love with a few of them and Ravelo is one of those. Either way, his stats don't lie and he was fun to follow last year. I just hate the fact that he plays 1B.

 

I would be interested to know the rationale for the move to 1B. If they truly believe he can't play anywhere but 1B, it would be disappointing, but not as bad as Stoltz seems to think. Black and Wilkins are basically non-prospects, Barnum is a huge question mark and Abreu could easily move to DH by the time Ravelo is ready.

[witesoxfan]

It only matters though if Buddy and co will move him back across the diamond. Perhaps Barnum will come up and push him over as that would be a best case scenario. Maybe they moved him over after missing time so that he would get at bats while his defense may have fallen behind in his time off. Are there any indications where he is playing in ST?

 

I'd like to see them play him there as long as they can, but it may be that he's not comfortable at 3B. The article alludes to it, but he wasn't blocked by prospects at 3B last year, so the fact that he is playing 1B is an indication of their confidence level in his defense at 3B, which is to say they have very little to none.

 

Maybe they could get him some work in the outfield too. Anything to increase his versatility.

[southsider2k5]

Guys who hit .300 with 20 homers and 40 doubles typically do well in this league.

 

You are talking about Michael Young in his prime.

[ILMOU]

Ravelo is a player very much on my radar. While Barnum has the highest ceiling of all 1B prospects, I honestly think Ravelo is the most likely to be a regular.

 

He has the essential hit tool, it would appear. Needs to HR more at 1B, obviously, but they say power develops last, sometimes.

 

Too bad he couldn't stick at 3B. Hope they try him there again.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Stan Bahnsen

[NorthSideSox72]

I really disagree with Stoltz about him maybe moving back to 3B. As he pointed out in the article, he had NO competition there. None. And he's young. The only reason he gets moved to 1B is if they are damn sure he can't handle 3B. He's not moving back, much as we'd all like it if he could handle the hot corner.

 

[southsider2k5]

I really disagree with Stoltz about him maybe moving back to 3B. As he pointed out in the article, he had NO competition there. None. And he's young. The only reason he gets moved to 1B is if they are damn sure he can't handle 3B. He's not moving back, much as we'd all like it if he could handle the hot corner.

 

This is an organization that put Dayan Viciedo out there at 3B. That should tell you all you need to know about this kid at 3b.

[Eminor3rd]

I think the need for power at first is overblown in this offensive environment. There were exactly six 1B in the Majors last year that hit 30 or more homers, for example, and that includes DH Adam Dunn. The low offensive environment is perfect for the Loney school of first basemen to thrive, because you can't just fling a dook against the wall and expect it to splatter on a 25 homer 1B like you could in the steroid era. The entire league, us included, is starving enough for OBP that anyone who can avoid outs has a place on a team. They just aren't making replacement-level first basemen like they used to.

[ILMOU]

Just looked at some videos. The hard swing is Pedroia-like, though he's obviously a much bigger guy. This guy and Micah need to find a position.

[oldsox]

That's the key factor, power. He's needs to hit a lot more long balls. The good news, in addition to the videos from that article showing just how hard he CAN hit it... is the doubles. Despite having very little speed, he hit 31 doubles in 413 PA. Or look at it from this perspective - he hit 27 doubles in 84 games with Winston-Salem. Only about 15 guys had more in the Carolina League, and they all had at least 100 games played, most more like 120-130. If he had 125 games at a similar rate, he'd have hit about 41 doubles, good for a tie for leading the entire league (and the guy he'd be tied with had 133 games).

 

Given those doubles are likely not speed-aided (many of the guys above him have double digit SB's), he's hitting the ball hard, a lot. That's sometimes a positive future indicator of home run power.

Mark Grace hit a ton of doubles, not many homers. not much speed. Great career. If RR hits over .300 again this year with a bunch of two baggers, he should pass a lot of players on the White Sox prospect list.

[ILMOU]

I think the need for power at first is overblown in this offensive environment. There were exactly six 1B in the Majors last year that hit 30 or more homers, for example, and that includes DH Adam Dunn. The low offensive environment is perfect for the Loney school of first basemen to thrive, because you can't just fling a dook against the wall and expect it to splatter on a 25 homer 1B like you could in the steroid era. The entire league, us included, is starving enough for OBP that anyone who can avoid outs has a place on a team. They just aren't making replacement-level first basemen like they used to.

 

Mark Grace hit a ton of doubles, not many homers. not much speed. Great career. If RR hits over .300 again this year with a bunch of two baggers, he should pass a lot of players on the White Sox prospect list.

^

Edited March 10, 2014 by Stan Bahnsen

[NorthSideSox72]

Mark Grace hit a ton of doubles, not many homers. not much speed. Great career. If RR hits over .300 again this year with a bunch of two baggers, he should pass a lot of players on the White Sox prospect list.

Could be. We may see a re-emergence of the Mark Grace, Wally Joyner, Don Mattingly types at 1B in the current era of baseball. Would be an interesting shift.

 

[BlackSox13]

^

Let's throw Sean Casey into the mix while were at it.

[southsider2k5]

Could be. We may see a re-emergence of the Mark Grace, Wally Joyner, Don Mattingly types at 1B in the current era of baseball. Would be an interesting shift.

 

With the death of steroids in baseball, it makes sense that we will see more of those type of players again.

[Balta1701]

Could be. We may see a re-emergence of the Mark Grace, Wally Joyner, Don Mattingly types at 1B in the current era of baseball. Would be an interesting shift.

Worth stressing that a couple of those guys were considered elite defenders.

[NorthSideSox72]

Worth stressing that a couple of those guys were considered elite defenders.

And being a converted 3B, it is possible Ravelo could become that. There just isn't enough data available to really evaluate his defense at first base yet, and he's still relatively new to the position.

 

[Eminor3rd]

And being a converted 3B, it is possible Ravelo could become that. There just isn't enough data available to really evaluate his defense at first base yet, and he's still relatively new to the position.

 

Also, he wouldn't need to be as good as those guys to be a very solid player.

[NorthSideSox72]

Also, he wouldn't need to be as good as those guys to be a very solid player.

Well yeah, I certainly wasn't saying Ravelo would have a career like any of those three. Those were All Star level players for numerous years. Was more just coming up with top-of-my-head examples of high-average, so-so power 1B's of a different era.

 

Ravelo could perform significantly below that level, even as a 1B, and still have at least some value to a major league club.

 

[Balta1701]

Well yeah, I certainly wasn't saying Ravelo would have a career like any of those three. Those were All Star level players for numerous years. Was more just coming up with top-of-my-head examples of high-average, so-so power 1B's of a different era.

 

Ravelo could perform significantly below that level, even as a 1B, and still have at least some value to a major league club.

Unfortunately though, if he's a step below those guys both with the bat and with the defense...he might be able to hold down the starting 1b job on a club that just needs a cheap 1b, but he's not going to carry a team to the playoffs and he's not going to have a lot of trade value either. It's plausible the Chisox could wind up in the mode of needing a cheap 1b at the end of their lineup in a few years if Abreu moves to DH, but even in that case they'd probably be keeping their eyes open for an upgrade.