Jake Adams & The Woodpeckers

[JG10Hawk]

Update on Jake Adams - Plays for class A Advanced (Astros) Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Last night was the team's inaugural game and Jake went 4-6 with 7 RBIs which included a grand slam.

Last season was his first as a full time minor leaguer and he slashed .247/.322/.430 with 15 HRs in 393 ABs. He split time between class A Full and class A Advanced. He was invited to Spring Training this year but only had 2 ABs going 1-2 with a SO.

https://www.milb.com/milb/news/hous...peckers/c-305963756?tcid=tw_article_305963756

 

[ssckelley]

It's nice to see Jake get off to a good start. Pretty much a make or break year for Jake, last season was not a good one for him at all. If he's not in AA by the end of the season he may as well move on.

 

[RobHowe]

 

[JG10Hawk]

Jake is not listed as one of the Astros' top 30 prospects. There are a handful of his current teammates listed, most are pitchers. One guy to keep an eye on for organizational comparison would be #10 Seth Beer (2018 1st round pick) that plays corner outfield and 1B. He was DH in the 3 hole on opening day while Jake played 1B at the 4 hole. If Jake can match or exceed Seth's production this season, that would bode well for his future with the Astros

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019?list=hou

 

[ssckelley]

Jake is not listed as one of the Astros' top 30 prospects. There are a handful of his current teammates listed, most are pitchers. One guy to keep an eye on for organizational comparison would be #10 Seth Beer (2018 1st round pick) that plays corner outfield and 1B. He was DH in the 3 hole on opening day while Jake played 1B at the 4 hole. If Jake can match or exceed Seth's production this season, that would bode well for his future with the Astros

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2019?list=hou

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer but a 1st baseman that is coming off a season where he hit .752 OPS in A ball wouldn't sniff a top 30 prospect list even in the worst farm systems. Jake needs a big year, if he can keep up with Seth Beer (their 1st round pick last year) that would go a long ways.

 

[JG10Hawk]

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer but a 1st baseman that is coming off a season where he hit .752 OPS in A ball wouldn't sniff a top 30 prospect list even in the worst farm systems. Jake needs a big year, if he can keep up with Seth Beer (their 1st round pick last year) that would go a long ways.

That's not being a Debbie downer, that's being realistic. I wasn't suggesting Jake should be on the top 30 prospect list for the Astros, just pointing out someone to follow and compare him to as they play the same position and are on the same team at the moment.

 

[koralakers]

Thx for update. Keep em coming.

 

[Fryowa]

Sorry to be a Debbie Downer but a 1st baseman that is coming off a season where he hit .752 OPS in A ball wouldn't sniff a top 30 prospect list even in the worst farm systems. Jake needs a big year, if he can keep up with Seth Beer (their 1st round pick last year) that would go a long ways.

That's not being a Debbie downer, that's being realistic. I wasn't suggesting Jake should be on the top 30 prospect list for the Astros, just pointing out someone to follow and compare him to as they play the same position and are on the same team at the moment.

Jake Adams' minor league career, as short as it is so far, is the perfect illustration for non-baseball people as to how far below the talent "bar" Big Ten baseball is compared to even many D-3 programs. And that's not including the huge majority of players who go minors straight out of high school or the Dominican/PR.

Adams completely wrecked Big Ten pitchers but .752 OPS won't even keep you in A ball for more than a year. Not trying to say that Adams isn't a good player or that Big Ten baseball completely sucks, but more so emphasizing just how astronomically good even the very lowest level of minor league pitching is. Then you still have a full league of AA and AAA to go yet before you get to MLB pitchers. I don't think people understand how crazy it is to get a job pitching or hitting in the MLB.

For some perspective, there are a total of 256 baseball teams in the MiLB system, and you have to be better than every one of those players at your position before you even get a glance from an MLB team.

 

[ssckelley]

Jake Adams' minor league career, as short as it is so far, is the perfect illustration for non-baseball people as to how far below the talent "bar" Big Ten baseball is compared to even many D-3 programs. And that's not including the huge majority of players who go minors straight out of high school or the Dominican/PR.

Adams completely wrecked Big Ten pitchers but .752 OPS won't even keep you in A ball for more than a year. Not trying to say that Adams isn't a good player or that Big Ten baseball completely sucks, but more so emphasizing just how astronomically good even the very lowest level of minor league pitching is. Then you still have a full league of AA and AAA to go yet before you get to MLB pitchers. I don't think people understand how crazy it is to get a job pitching or hitting in the MLB.

For some perspective, there are a total of 256 baseball teams in the MiLB system, and you have to be better than every one of those players at your position before you even get a glance from an MLB team.

I get what you are saying and I agree that the level of competition is much better in some of the other conferences. But just to use Jake as an example isn't fair, perhaps he was dealing with some injuries or maybe they had made adjustments. I've heard that low A ball is comparable to college, even if the Big Ten is slightly below that it was still odd to see Jake go from crushing college pitching to struggling in A ball. Schwarber went from playing at Indiana to playing for the Cubs, and has done well. Jake hit for more power in college over Schwarber.

 

[DDThompson]

Adams is only 23 and 1 1/2 seasons of pro ball with a half season at lower leagues.

Joel Booker is in his 3rd pro season and is starting off in 2A after finishing in 2A last season. He’s 25.

As a college kid, You just don’t want to get stuck at one level, especially the lower levels at more than a year and a half.

These guys have moved up a level sometime during the season so their clubs see the potential in them.

Most baseball guys aren’t Trout or Bryant and ready for MLB at the age of 22.

Oh, by the way, Adams was crushing everybody; not just Big10 pitchers.

 

[Fryowa]

These guys have moved up a level sometime during the season so their clubs see the potential in them...Most baseball guys aren’t Trout or Bryant and ready for MLB at the age of 22.

Never once did I say Adams wasn't a good player. But it's not debatable that he was a big fish in a very small pond.

Oh, by the way, Adams was crushing everybody; not just Big10 pitchers.

The only really good team that Iowa played in 2017 was Houston and that didn't go well. And as far as the B1G, no teams even came close to even making it out of regionals. Nebraska was by far the best Big Ten team and they got smoked by Yale and Holy Cross right out of the gate.

Look, I get that you think I'm bashing Jake Adams and I'm not. But let's not pretend for a second that the Big Ten is any sort of proving ground for baseball players.

 

[Robowe]

Never once did I say Adams wasn't a good player. But it's not debatable that he was a big fish in a very small pond.


The only really good team that Iowa played in 2017 was Houston and that didn't go well. And as far as the B1G, no teams even came close to even making it out of regionals. Nebraska was by far the best Big Ten team and they got smoked by Yale and Holy Cross right out of the gate.

Look, I get that you think I'm bashing Jake Adams and I'm not. But let's not pretend for a second that the Big Ten is any sort of proving ground for baseball players.

And, once in a while, there's a Kyle Schwarber ...

 

[Fryowa]

And, once in a while, there's a Kyle Schwarber ...

Once in a great while

As of today, out of 750 players on active rosters there are 4 former B1G.

Schwarber (Indiana, Cubs)

Plawecki (Purdue, Indians)

Phegley (Indiana, A's)

Schuck (OSU, Pirates)

Again, I'm not knocking players or programs, just saying that Big Ten performance isn't a good yard stick for future success.

 

[Knight78]

I get what you are saying and I agree that the level of competition is much better in some of the other conferences. But just to use Jake as an example isn't fair, perhaps he was dealing with some injuries or maybe they had made adjustments. I've heard that low A ball is comparable to college, even if the Big Ten is slightly below that it was still odd to see Jake go from crushing college pitching to struggling in A ball. Schwarber went from playing at Indiana to playing for the Cubs, and has done well. Jake hit for more power in college over Schwarber.

And lets not forget the biggest difference between HS/college baseball and all levels of professional baseball: wood bats. If you try to muscle the inside belt-high pitch into the outfield with a metal bat, your hands are stinging but you get a single. If you try to muscle the same pitch with a wood bat, you end up with a toothpick in your hands and a weak ground out. Hitting with wood bats is so different that it is the single toughest thing for hitters to change.

 

[ssckelley]

Once in a great while

As of today, out of 750 players on active rosters there are 4 former B1G.

Schwarber (Indiana, Cubs)

Plawecki (Purdue, Indians)

Phegley (Indiana, A's)

Schuck (OSU, Pirates)

Again, I'm not knocking players or programs, just saying that Big Ten performance isn't a good yard stick for future success.

DAMN! I didn't think it was THAT bad, only 4?

 

[Fryowa]

DAMN! I didn't think it was THAT bad, only 4?

Yep. If you look, about half of MLBers (probably a little more) came straight out of high school, and the rest are split somewhat evenly between Latinos who came straight from Venezuela, Cuba, PR and the Dominican, and guys who went to college. And most of the college guys are from D-3 schools you never heard of or one of about 5 or 6 D-1 colleges in the south.

Baseball is a super weird sport with respect to how guys get to the pros. Exact opposite of NBA and NFL

 

[Fryowa]

And lets not forget the biggest difference between HS/college baseball and all levels of professional baseball: wood bats. If you try to muscle the inside belt-high pitch into the outfield with a metal bat, your hands are stinging but you get a single. If you try to muscle the same pitch with a wood bat, you end up with a toothpick in your hands and a weak ground out. Hitting with wood bats is so different that it is the single toughest thing for hitters to change.

I’ve always felt the transition from aluminum/composite to wood should happen in college, not the minors. It’s just too expensive for a high school to buy 50 or 100 bats in a year, but a college could do it.

That said, they have reeeaaallly deadened aluminum bats in the past few years to where the launch speeds are comparable. Still a bigger sweet spot though.

 

[Robowe]

Once in a great while

As of today, out of 750 players on active rosters there are 4 former B1G.

Schwarber (Indiana, Cubs)

Plawecki (Purdue, Indians)

Phegley (Indiana, A's)

Schuck (OSU, Pirates)

Again, I'm not knocking players or programs, just saying that Big Ten performance isn't a good yard stick for future success.

You are missing a couple of players - examples like Rich Hill (Michigan), JA Happ (Northwestern) - but your point still stands. Well said.

 

[Fryowa]

You are missing a couple of players - examples like Rich Hill (Michigan), JA Happ (Northwestern) - but your point still stands. Well said.

Happ I forgot about; good catch. Hill’s on the DL and hasn’t played this year so he didn’t show up on the active roster list.

 

[Robowe]

Happ I forgot about; good catch. Hill’s on the DL and hasn’t played this year so he didn’t show up on the active roster list.

Rich Hill on the DL, I mean IL? Never.

And, I didn't include Alex Gordon or Tony Watson (Nebraska). They were there before they joined the B1G.