On the bright side, Blue Jays righthander Fernando Perez earned a spot in this year’s Futures Game.
Go back two years, and the 2022 FCL group is thriving. It contains three Top 100 Prospects in Junior Caminero, Samuel Basallo and Bubba Chandler.
Now, let’s take a look at what the 2024 FCL had to offer.
1. STARLYN CABA SS, PHILLIES
Age: 18. B-T: B-R. HT: 5-9. WT: 160. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2023.
Caba signed with the Phillies in January 2023 and made a quick first impression in the Dominican Summer League before an injury ended his season. He moved stateside this year and continued to open evaluators’ eyes in Florida. The first thing that stands out is Caba’s glove, which has the potential to be a true 80 on the 20-to80 scouting scale. He’s a lithe athlete who can range quickly and smoothly to all directions and make every throw. At the plate, he’s more contact than impact and might be a little too passive at this point. He finished the FCL season with more walks (51) than strikeouts (34) and led the league with 37 stolen bases. His defense should give him the floor of an everyday shortstop with the potential to win multiple Gold Gloves, while his offense would fit nicely at the top of an order.
2. FRANKLIN ARIAS SS, RED SOX
Age: 18. B-T: R-R. HT: 5-11. WT: 170.
Signed: Venezuela, 2023.
This story is from the August/September 2024 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August/September 2024 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound
SUMMER STANDOUTS
The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.
IN WITH THE NEW
The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.
