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 2011 season as an 'under the radar' player.
Under the Radar Minor League NL Hitting Performance of the Week
OF Alfredo Silverio, Double-A Chattanooga (PIT)
season stats: .306 BA, 15 HR, 79 RBI, 38 2B, 16 3B, 25 BB, 84 K, 10 SB in 120 games
August 17-August 23: 18-for-34, HR, 7 RBI, 5 2B, 2 3B, 5 BB
My first order of business this week is to congratulate the Mid-Atlantic Little Leaguers of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. Having once been a resident of Lock Haven, Keystone's success is very well-deserved for a community extremely proud of its history, heritage and even more of its many local sports teams. So hats off to all of the players, coaches and most of all, the parents who have dedicated their time and endless energy into these kids who are very worthy of such great success.
With approximately six weeks remaining in the major league season, the majority of teams are starting to go through their 'evaluation' stage. Teams staring up at the eventual division winners are examining their payroll while starting to decide on who may or may not return in 2012. The Dodgers currently sit alone in last place with the San Diego Padres a 0.001 percentage point ahead of them in the NL West. For a club with a payroll well over $100 million in 2011, the Dodgers find themselves sitting beneath the weight of unsettled ownership. Even with several high profile contracts set to come off the books in 2012, pinching pennies may be top priority. The Dodgers, however, have always been regarded as having a farm system deep with talent and a history of scouting/draft success. While pitching has always being the signature of the system, several hitters are trying to sway that focus away from the mound. Silverio, an international signee out of the Dominican Republic at 16 yrs old back in 2003, is at the top of that list.
After posting a .950 OPS in his first pro season in the states (Gulf Coast League) back in 2007, Silverio struggled in his transition to full-season ball. His 33 BB and 187 K in two seasons with Lo-A Great Lakes showed he had a long ways to go. While his plate discipline still needs some work, his 69 extra-base hits make it much more tolerable in 2011. The 24 year-old appears to have turned a corner and is on pace to shatter personal bests in every statistical category. He showed off his power by crushing a 2-run homer on a 93 mph fastball off of top pitching prospect Drew Pomeranz in the Futures Game and recently hit for the cycle in an extra-inning game on August 18th. Silverio displays a great arm and plays all three outfield positions but projects as a left fielder due to his lack of range. With the trade of prospect Trayvon Robinson to Seattle, the Dodgers are void of any true outfield prospects at the higher levels of their system. At this point, it looks like Silverio will begin 2012 in Triple-A and will be first in line for a big league call-up if the Dodgers are in need.
Honorable Mentions
OF Corey Dickerson, Lo-A Asheville (COL): .282 BA, 27 HR, 73 RBI, 26 2B, 5 3B, 36 BB, 88 K, 8 SB in 97 games; 12-for-30, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 2 2B, 3B in last week
OF Kyle Jensen, Double-A Jacksonville (FLA): .309 BA, 26 HR, 72 RBI, 21 2B, 2 3B, 48 BB, 126 K, 4 SB in 119 games (AA/HiA); 9-for-27, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 2B, 3B in last week
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UTR Minor League NL Pitching Performance of the Week
Under the Radar 2011 Archive
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