by Marc Hefferan
*MLBDepthCharts.com considers any player not on a team's 40-man roster, in AAA, or ranked as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America or top 11 prospect by Baseball Prospectus before the 2010 season as an 'under the radar' player.
Under the Radar Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
OF Matt Den Dekker, Hi-A St. Lucie (NYM)
season stats: .373 BA, HR, 17 RBI, 13 2B, 4 3B, 5 BB, 21 K, 3 SB in 24 games
April 27-May 3: 10-for-25, HR, 6 RBI, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 BB, SB
For the faithful followers of the “Under the Radar” feature, you know and understand the credo Jim Brown and I stand behind: Work to help put kids on the prospect map that many people aren’t talking about without dipping into even the lowest depths of touted prospect lists. We strive to provide fresh, thorough and non-repetitive content for our readers. It’s normal for the stat lines of 'our kids' to fluctuate from week to week. While I am basking in the glory of enormous blown up stat lines in the middle of a UTR week, I know that Jim is really struggling to find a pitcher worthy of his list. This week for NL hitters, the reciprocal was true. My low level NL hitters still gave me food to chew on. Numbers don’t lie, however, and a ‘true’ UTR didn’t exist. I had to look towards the brighter glow of prospects to nab my hitter of the week. Den Dekker, the Mets' fifth round pick from 2010, couldn’t be ignored.
A prototype centerfielder with plus-plus speed and superior glove and arm strength, his knack for using the whole field was on display in a four-game home/away back-to-back series vs Bradenton this week. Including the April 26th matchup, the 23 year-old was 11-for-17 with four multi-hit games including a home run, triple, and five doubles. Currently leading the Florida State League in runs (25), doubles (13), triples (4), and total bases (62), the Mets will keep a long leash with Den Dekker and promotion to Double-A is virtually certain before the end of 2011 with Binghamton's entire outfield batting a combined .192 .
Honorable Mentions
1B Justin Bour, Hi-Daytona (CHC): .258 BA, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 7 2B, 13 BB, 15 K in 25 games; 10-for-28, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 2 2B, 5 BB in last week
OF Josh Fellhauer, Hi-A Bakersfield (CIN): .376 BA, 3 HR, 21 RBI, 10 2B, 11 BB, 14 K, 2 SB in 25 games; 11-for-32, HR, 5 RBI, 2B, BB in last week
Click HERE to follow Marc Hefferan on Twitter.
UTR Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
UTR Minor League AL Performances of the Week
Under the Radar 2011 Archive
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment