Sissach Frogs Top Prospects: Post-Season 2021

[Frogs GM (Judge)]

Graduated From 2021 Pre-Season:
The Frogs saw eight players in their 2021 Pre-Season prospect rankings graduate to the majors this year, including six of their Top-10. With very little depth on the active roster, almost all saw meaningful playing time for the Frogs in 2021, and should be a major part of their 2022 plans. 

#1 Wander Franco, TB MI
#2 Randy Arozarena, TB OF
#3 Casey Mize, DET SP
#5 Leody Taveras, TEX OF
#8 Garrett Crochet, CWS P
#10 Dane Dunning, TEX SP
#12 Lewin Diaz, MIA CI
#43 Brandon Bielak, HOU P

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2021 Post-Season Top-10

#1 Tyler Soderstrom, OAK C (Previous Rank - #14)
With Franco, Arozarena & Mize all graduating, the #1 spot on this list was up for grabs. We feel that Tyler Soderstrom is our #1 prospect heading into the off-season. Soderstrom became the Frogs first ever FYPD selection earlier this year and has lived up to the expectations that came along with the high draft selection. Soderstrom he dominated Low A ball in his first pro season, slashing .306/.390/.558 while hitting 12 home runs across 57 games. If not for a foul ball breaking his collarbone in July, we could have seen him make the jump to High A. Soderstrom is a ways away from making an impact at the MLB level, but the Frogs feel like they have a potential star in the making.

#2 Joey Bart, SF C (Previous Rank - #6)
Joey Bart was the centerpiece of a trade last offseason with division rivals, the Diablos. While catcher prospects should be discounted to a certain degree, The Frogs management believe Bart has the makeup of a very special player, and have him locked in as the catcher of the future. Bart's major league debut came before he was ready, but with Buster Posey finding the fountain of youth, it reduced the urgency to bring Bart up to the majors this year, and allowed him to continue to develop at AAA. The Frogs are hopeful Bart can force his way into some playing time in San Francisco, but will face a cloudy timeline as long as Posey continues to play well. 

#3 Jarren Duran, BOS OF (Previous Rank - #9)
Jarren Duran joined The Frogs via a trade with the Blue Sox in return for shipping off star closer, Josh Hader. We got to see Duran in the majors for the first time in 2021, and the results were...disappointing. His stats took a bit hit making the jump from AAA and looked overmatched during his time with Boston. Never-the-less, The Frogs still have high hopes for Durran and hope he can develop into a potential starter or rotation piece within the next couple of years. 

#4 Asa Lacy, KC SP (Previous Rank - #4)
Lacy was selected as the #3 overall pick in the 2021 FYPD by the BlueWave, but came to The Frogs via a trade for Chris Paddack. Lacy was regarded as one of the best college pitchers in the draft behind a big fastball and a few off-speed pitches that have plus potential. Unfortunately, his first pro season was a bit of a mixed bag in which he struggled with command and couldn't seem to deliver the same types of performances start after start. There's still plenty to like about Lacy, which The Frogs obviously do, but management is hoping to see him take a step forward with his consistency next season

#5 Jordan Walker, STL CI (Previous Rank - #18)
The second of three second round picks in last year's FYPD, Jordan Walker was someone The Frogs were initially targeting at #29 until Soderstrom fell. Walker has major power, but there were questions entering his first pro season as to where his hit tool was in comparison. Well with stints at Low & High A, he slashed .317/.388/.548 wile hitting 14 home runs. Walker is still a number of years and levels away, but someone The Frogs have high hopes for.

#6 Miguel Vargas, LAD CI (Previous Rank - #25)
Vargas was one of eight players acquired in the 13 player trade with the Robots earlier this year. While he wasn't considered a key piece in the trade at the time, Vargas put together a very nice campaign in 2021 where he saw an uptick in his stats following a promotion from High A to AA. Vargas has shown the ability of an everyday hitter at every stop along the way. The Frogs hope that he can continue this trend when he reaches AAA in hopes to see him play in the majors within the next couple of years. 

#7 Jordan Westburg, BAL MI (Previous Rank - #23)
Jordan Westburg was the secondary piece in the Asa Lacy trade, but like Vargas, made big strides in 2021. Westburg started in Low A, and was promoted twice, finishing off the season in AA. While his stats did take a hit at every level, he showed an ability to raise his level of play each time. While The Frogs don't expect to see him promoted twice more to the majors in 2022, the expectations are that he develops into a player that can slide in beside Wander Franco at the MI position.

#8 Jake Eder, MIA SP (Previous Rank - NR)
How Eder joined The Frogs may have been under some contentious circumstances, but management was willing to fight to get someone they believe in. Eder was on the short list of players The Frogs were keeping an eye on, and decided they didn't want to lose out on him. Eder was one of the fastest rising prospects in 2021, but fell victim to a torn UCL requiring Tommy John surgery. We already know Eder is out for all of 2022, but hope he can regain his momentum in 2023/2024.

#9 Maximo Acosta, TEX MI (Previous Rank - #15)
The first Ranger makes his appearance at #9 with Maximo Acosta. Acosta was really the third piece in return for the 1.04 in last years FYPD, but is potentially the player with the highest upside from the deal. This season he made his pro debut in Rookie ball, and management knows it will take some time to develop before becoming an impact player for this club. With MI's like Franco, Perdomo & Westburg (amongst others) ahead of him, The Frogs can wait on his development for a while or move him when the team is in a place where they can compete.

#10 Evan Carter, TEX OF (Previous Rank - NR)
Evan Carter comes to The Frogs in the most recent trade the club has made, sending Patrick Wisdom to the Diablos. Carter was a surprise 2nd round pick by the Rangers in 2020, but has the potential to be a five tool player. Like Acosta, Carter has a long way to go in his development, but showed well in Low A, walking more than he struck out and almost half of his hits went for extra bases. Carter is a bit of a shot in the dark for The Frogs, but you need a handful of these high celling/low floor guys in the prospect pool. 

[Frogs GM (Judge)]

2021 Post-Season #11-20

#11 Geraldo Perdomo, ARI MI (Previous Rank - #7)
Geraldo Perdomo was acquired in the 2021 offseason as the main piece in return for Mike Moustakas. Initially it was the hope that Perdomo would slide in next to Wander as The Frogs #2 MI, but could end up being depth at the position or used in the utility role depending on how far his offensive tools progress. Perdomo got his first taste of the majors in 2021 and saw mixed results, but The Frogs don't anticipate him being a major contributor until 2023 or 2024.

#12 Kody Hoese, LAD CI (Previous Rank - #11)
Hose was a piece from the Burnes/DSmith trade with the Diablos, and is one of the best corner infielders in The Frogs farm system. Management believes Hoese can develop into a starting CI for The Frogs, but at worst he'll be someone that can earn time in the utility role. His timing will be dependent upon how quickly he moves through the Dodgers farm system and what players block his path.

#13 Brayan Bello, BOS SP (Previous Rank - NR)
Bello was another mid-season pick up in which The Frogs went above the $1M MiLB threshold to sign him. Bello dominated AA ball, opening the season 5-0 with an ERA of 2.27 and strong BB:K Rates earning a quick promotion to AA. At AA, we saw a bit of a mixed bag from Bello in which he turned in some strong starts and some real bad ones too. Bello was one of the biggest rising prospects in 2021 and will look to build upon his momentum in 2022. 

#14 Brice Turang, MIL MI (Previous Rank - #16)
A key piece in the Rosario/Knebel, Brice Turang is a personal favorite for this ownership group with a strong hit tool and patience at the plate. 2021 saw him start and play well enough in AA to earn a promotion to AAA. Turang may need a full season at AAA before getting called up to the majors, but The Frogs expect him to be an on-base machine when he reaches the major leagues. Though his power leaves much to be desired, if he can develop even average power, he could develop into a major contributor for this team.

#15 Sam Huff, TEX C/CI (Previous Rank - #21)
The second prospect included in the package from the Blue Sox for Josh Hader, Sam Huff has some of the best power in the whole system. In general, The Frogs value hitting over power, but Huff has the potential to be a star if he can improve his pitch recognition. Huff's offense would give him massive upside if he sticks at catcher, but a move to 1st Base wouldn't be totally surprising. His 2021 was slowed a bit due to injuries, but saw stints at both AA and AAA, and could push for a major league roster spot this coming spring. 

#16 Tanner Burns, CLE SP (Previous Rank - #20)
The final second round pick by The Frogs in the 2021 FYPD, Tanner Burnes fits the mold The Frogs look for in FYPD starting pitchers - college pitcher with solid offerings and a high aptitude. That, along with Cleveland's track record for developing pitchers, give The Frogs a lot of optimism that Burns could develop into a rotational piece for them down the road. Burns played well in his first taste of pro ball this season, and the hope is he starts 2022 in AA. 

#17 Ian Seymour, TB P (Previous Rank - #33)
Seymour was a player The Frogs were targeting at the end of the 2021 FYPD, but were still able to sign him after going undrafted. Seymour excelled at every level in his first pro season, making stops at Low A, High A and AAA. The sample size in 2021 was small, but the stats are eye popping. 

#18 Drew Romo, COL C (Previous Rank - #40)
High School Catchers selected in the 1st round rarely pan out, but The Frogs didn't mind throwing a flyer on Romo after he went undrafted in our FYPD. The expectations were low on Romo, but he was one of the pleasant surprises in the Frogs system. Starting at Low A in his first pro season, Romo hit over .300 while showing plenty of ability to drive the ball to all parts of the field. Romo still has a long way to go, but would be a nice surprise if he's able to become a relevant major leaguer. 

#18 Dax Fulton, MIA P (Previous Rank - #29)
Fulton joined The Frogs via the 2021 FYPD and has rewarded management with strong play in his first season as a pro. Tommy John surgery his senior year of High School allowed a player of Fulton's talent to fall to the Frogs in the third round. Fulton is a player with massive upside, but will need to focus on continuing to build innings and durability over the next few seasons. 

#20 Jackson Rutledge, WAS SP (Previous Rank - #17)
When The Frogs traded away Corbin Burnes, it was important to try to get a top pitching prospect back in return, and they felt like they got that in Jackson Rutledge. But with injuries plaguing him all season, and some really poor performances when he did play (at A ball for that matter), his future is up in the air. Management hasn't given up on his just yet, but Rutledge will need to show he can reach his potential if he's going to be a part of this team's long term plan.