BREAKING…Vlad Guerrero Jr. went 0-4 on May 30^th.  It doesn’t happen very often but the best prospect in baseball who is still batting nearly .450 for the month of May can have an off-night.  Since he didn’t make our list, so many of our readers love seeing his name, I thought I would oblige.

So with Vlad in a one-game funk, I turned to Fernando Tatis as our lead player this week.  While he’s not Vlad, he’s very good and a .342 batting average with a .632 SLG in the month of May reminded the baseball world what he can do on a baseball diamond.  There are a ton of good names on the list this week, including a Buddy, a Daz, and a Cionel.

Enjoy the list and please click on the baseball card to visit our partner amazon.com to explore additional information on each player. 

Fernando Tatis (SS, SD, Double-A) – After batting a lonely .177 in April, Fernando Tatis has turned things around nicely in May, hitting .342 with a .632 SLG.  He also hit six home runs during the month of May for a total of nine and added five stolen bases.  While it’s easy to be a little disappointed in Tatis production to-date, given what Vlad Jr. and Juan Soto have done this year, remember he’s only 19 and is already playing in Double-A.  The future continues to be very bright with a chance to hit for power with above-average speed on the base paths.

Eloy Jimenez (OF, CHW, Double-A) – Eloy Jimenez continued to rake and finished up the month of May with a .379 batting average and a .650 SLG.  He still doesn’t walk a ton but his power is for real and he makes enough contact to put him into a Khris Davis type of category.  That should be translated as a 40-home run bat with a .250 to .260 batting average and a low .300 OBP.

Daz Cameron (OF, DET, High-A) – Daz Cameron had a nice month of May where he slashed .324/.418/.544 in 68 games.  The most important aspect is he cut down on his strikeouts, something that has plagued him since the Astros drafted him 37^th overall in 2015.  He has plus speed and enough power to be a regular performer at the highest level.  If he can learn to control the strike zone better, his tools give him the upside of an all-star performer.

Buddy Reed (OF, SD, High-A) – In a stacked Padres system, Buddy Reed is having a very nice season playing for Lake Elsinore in the California League.  He’s batting .348 with a .587 SLG and eight home runs.  He is already 23-years-old and is coming off a poor season in Low-A, but he has plus speed (23 stolen bases) and some pop.  He has altered his swing to try and find a more consistent swing path; so far, it seems to be working.

Seuly Matias (OF, KC, Low-A) – At the ripe age of 19, Seuly Matias leads the Sally League in home runs at 14.  The approach is aggressive and there is length in his swing, but clearly, the raw power is for real.  But, the 36% strikeout rate will have to improve in order for that power to play as he moves through the minor leagues.  As stated, he’s only 19 and will play the entire season at that age so he has time on his side.

Evan White (1B, Sea, High-A) – When I wrote about Evan White last fall, I wasn’t sure what to make of him.  After two months this season, I’m still perplexed.  There is a lot to like.  He’s a double-plus defender at first, runs well enough to steal double-digit bases, has always been able to hit but his swing doesn’t project a ton of power.  The problem is he’s a first baseman or perhaps a corner outfielder – usually positions in which you want to see power.  He could develop 15 to 18 home run power but I don’t see much more unless he changes his swing.  He was on fire last week, going 9 for 24.

Andres Gimenez (SS, NYM, High-A) – At 19 and playing in the Florida State League, Andres Gimenez has more than held his own.  He’s hitting .270 with a .344 OBP and a .401 SLG.  He also has 14 stolen bases.  With his plus speed, he’s got the profile of a top-of-the-order bat.  While he’s blocked by Amed Rosario at short, he could move to second and be just fine.  Then again, Rosario has not been very good, much to my chagrin, so perhaps he could become the future shortstop for the Mets.

Cionel Perez (RHP, Hou, Double-A) – Cuban émigré, Cionel Perez is having an impressive season at Corpus Christi for the Astros.  He’s striking out over 11 batters per nine which have led to a microscopic 1.88 ERA.  He doesn’t have premium stuff but relies on extreme command and control.  That said, he can run his fastball to 93 to 94 when he needs something extra.  Another mark against him is his size.  He’s 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds.  The Astros believe they have something here and given the success, they’ve had in developing pitchers, it’s hard to argue with them.

Ryan Helsley (RHP, STL, Triple-A) – As I write this article, the news of Alex Reyes having a “significant” lat injury is crossing the wires.  As an owner, I’m bummed as I missed the call-up this week and of course, I’ll miss him for what, 4-6 more weeks?  Gotta love this game.  Anyway, Ryan Helsley could be a candidate down the road to fill-in for the Reyes.  He’s had three excellent starts at Triple-A, including seven shutout innings, 10 strikeouts against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox this past week.

Logan Allen (LHP, SD, Double-A) – I invested heavily in Logan Allen in the off-season and was dismayed when he got off to such a rough start to the season.  At the end of May, he’s shown flashes of being the guy I thought he was when he struck out 12 batters over six innings two weeks ago but then followed up that gem with a five earned runs in 5.1 performance last week.  He’s got very good stuff with above-average control.  If you are an owner, hang in there.  If he’s on your waiver wire, you might want to consider adding him to your roster.

Liked it? Take a second to support Rich Wilson on Patreon!