Venerable prospect and draft-evaluator Jim Callis mentioned in a tweet Monday that White Sox heralded hurler Dylan Cease might be better served hanging in the minors until 2020.
If the @WhiteSox aren't contending, it probably makes more sense to wait until 2020 with Cease. Collins still has patience and power, but strikes out a lot and is shaky behind the plate. Not real close to #Top100Prospects for me. Thinking he'll be backup C/1B. @whitesox https://t.co/o48H1Q69Qm
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) January 28, 2019
Cease began the 2018 season in High-A moving up to Double-A halfway through the season, and he dominated at both levels. He completed the year with a 2.40 earned run average over 23 starts and a career-high 124 innings. His strikeout-to-walk ration also spiked at a career-high 3.20. Cease’s WHiP weighed in a little over one and after Rick Hahn stated at SoxFest last weekend that he is on the same trajectory as Michael Kopech last season, it’s safe to say Cease will start in Triple-A.
The question is whether Cease will move up to the big leagues in 2019 or 2020. The subtext of Callis position appears to be that the Sox should consider service time if they don’t expect to compete in 2019, a wise observation given the absence of Kopech for a full season after Tommy John surgery and the unknown shape of the roster as Eloy Jimenez and others continue developing in the majors.
(July 8, 2017 – Source: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images North America)
The other half of that tweet is much more concerning. Zack Collins‘s mission since being drafted in the first round of the 2016 draft was to maintain his offense while polishing his defense. While the defense took an ostensible step forward in 2017, it seems to have fallen off in 2018 while his bat has not impressed the way many hoped it would.
Hahn noted that Collins will likely start in Triple-A, and added that catchers have a non-linear development in most cases compared to other positions. Catching demands a psychological load from players as they learn how to handle pitching staffs, manage games and still produce at the plate. Collins’ advanced approach and patience at the plate will serve him well no matter where he plays defensively. The real concern is whether he will drain his offensive value with defensive miscues behind the plate.
Callis also provided a few other opinions on White Sox prospects that could excite and disappoint.
Robert was electric in the @MLBazFallLeague but hasn't played much in the minors because of a series of injuries and still has a lot to prove. I think he can move fast, but the end of 2020 is probably the quickest realistic ETA. @WhiteSox #Top100Prospects https://t.co/adDYoH3V9y
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) January 28, 2019
While we all clamor for Luis Robert to save us from Adam Engel (spoiler: Engel is not that bad) we’d better not hold our breath. Quite frankly, I’d like to see Robert survive a full season without injury before I put a due date on his arrival. I agree with Callis that 2020 would be the earliest I could see him on the Southside.
Good player and probably a big leaguer, but just not an impact profile. That could change with some added power, but right now the majority of his contact is on the ground. #WhiteSox #Top100Prospects https://t.co/VJ178xPcfv
— Mike Rosenbaum (@GoldenSombrero) January 28, 2019
Mike Rosenbaum threw some shade over Blake Rutherford‘s star in the latest Top-100 list. Something to remember with Rutherford is that he is still very young for his draft class and he took a big step last season after being traded from Yankees in 2017. He batted .293 with 78 runs batted in over 115 games in High-A, and posted 25 doubles, nine triples and 7 home runs, all career highs for the 21-year-old. If he doesn’t crank moonshots the rest of his career but drives the ball gap to gap, he’ll be a quality big-leaguer.
