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Top 50 Prospects: #17- Devin Mesoraco

#17 Devin Mesoraco

Cincinnati Reds

DOB: 6/19/1988

Previous Rank: 27

ETA: 2011

It’s hard to believe that a guy like Yasmani Grandal could somehow become dispensable (not to mention Yonder Alonso), but that is exactly what happened when the Reds sent both guys to San Diego for Mat Latos.  The primary reasons that deal makes sense for the Reds is No. 1: Joey Votto, and No: 2, Devin Mesoraco.

Mesoraco slashed .289/.371/.484 for Louisville and then was called up for 50 at-bats with Cincinnati.  He went deep 15 times in Triple-A, walks at a decent clip, and projects for way more power than he currently displays.  Perhaps even more important, though, is that Mesoraco possesses the tools to be an average catcher in the Show.  He is an average receiver as well as thrower, and should be the Opening Day starter for the Reds in 2012 , hitting in the middle of the order by 2014 alongside Jay Bruce and Votto.

Year Age Tm Lg Lev G PA AB 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BA
2007 19 Reds GULF Rk 40 155 137 4 0 1 8 2 0 .219
2008 20 Dayton MIDW A 83 334 306 13 1 9 42 2 3 .261
2009 21 Sarasota FLOR A+ 92 357 312 22 1 8 37 0 1 .228
2010 22 3 Teams 3 Lgs AA-A+-AAA 113 451 397 25 5 26 75 3 3 .302
2010 22 Lynchburg CARL A+ 43 181 158 11 2 10 31 2 2 .335
2010 22 Carolina SOUL AA 56 212 187 11 3 13 31 1 0 .294
2010 22 Louisville IL AAA 14 58 52 3 0 3 13 0 1 .231
2011 23 Louisville IL AAA 120 499 436 36 2 15 71 1 1 .289
5 Seasons 448 1796 1588 100 9 59 233 8 8 .269
AAA (2 seasons) AAA 134 557 488 39 2 18 84 1 2 .283
A+ (2 seasons) A+ 135 538 470 33 3 18 68 2 3 .264
A (1 season) A 83 334 306 13 1 9 42 2 3 .261
AA (1 season) AA 56 212 187 11 3 13 31 1 0 .294
Rk (1 season) Rk 40 155 137 4 0 1 8 2 0 .219
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/2/2012.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev G AB HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB
2007 19 Reds GULF Rk 40 137 1 8 15 26 .219 .310 .270 .580 37
2008 20 Dayton MIDW A 83 306 9 42 20 64 .261 .311 .399 .710 122
2009 21 Sarasota FLOR A+ 92 312 8 37 35 76 .228 .311 .381 .692 119
2010 22 3 Teams 3 Lgs AA-A+-AAA 113 397 26 75 43 80 .302 .377 .587 .964 233
2010 22 Lynchburg CARL A+ 43 158 10 31 19 29 .335 .414 .620 1.035 98
2010 22 Carolina SOUL AA 56 187 13 31 18 37 .294 .363 .594 .957 111
2010 22 Louisville IL AAA 14 52 3 13 6 14 .231 .310 .462 .772 24
2011 23 Louisville IL AAA 120 436 15 71 52 83 .289 .371 .484 .855 211
5 Seasons 448 1588 59 233 165 329 .269 .344 .455 .799 722
AAA (2 seasons) AAA 134 488 18 84 58 97 .283 .364 .482 .846 235
A+ (2 seasons) A+ 135 470 18 68 54 105 .264 .346 .462 .807 217
A (1 season) A 83 306 9 42 20 64 .261 .311 .399 .710 122
AA (1 season) AA 56 187 13 31 18 37 .294 .363 .594 .957 111
Rk (1 season) Rk 40 137 1 8 15 26 .219 .310 .270 .580 37
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/2/2012.
Year Age Tm G PA AB 2B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB
2007 19 CIN-min 40 155 137 4 1 8 15 26 .219 .310 .270 .580 37
2008 20 CIN-min 83 334 306 13 9 42 20 64 .261 .311 .399 .710 122
2009 21 CIN-min 92 357 312 22 8 37 35 76 .228 .311 .381 .692 119
2010 22 CIN-min 113 451 397 25 26 75 43 80 .302 .377 .587 .964 233
2011 23 CIN-min 120 499 436 36 15 71 52 83 .289 .371 .484 .855 211
2011 23 CIN 18 53 50 3 2 6 3 10 .180 .226 .360 .586 18
1 Season 18 53 50 3 2 6 3 10 .180 .226 .360 .586 18
162 Game Avg. 162 477 450 27 18 54 27 90 .180 .226 .360 .586 162
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/2/2012.

Grandal is built like a brick wall, so it’s tough for him to get his 220-pound frame moving.  That is just about the only knock on him, though. Devin Mesoraco is one of the finest hitting prospects in the game, and he does an average job on the other side of the ball at a premium position.


Top 50 Prospects: #42 – Yasmani Grandal

#42 Yasmani Grandal

Cincinnati Reds

DOB: 11/8/1988

Previous Rank: N/R

ETA: 2013

Grandal, a product of the Miami Hurricanes program, had a monstrous year behind the dish across three stops, culminating with four games in the International League to close the season out.  He even has collected 12 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League.  Grandal, a switch hitter, was selected 12th overall in 2010, and in his first full professional season in 2011 slashed .305/.401/.500 as a 22-year old.  He should start the year in the high Minors with a chance to break in at some point during 2012.  The more realistic scenario likely has him cracking the lineup in Cincinnati in 2013 or somewhere else via a trade since Grandal is behind Devin Mesoraco on the depth chart, a consensus top-20 prospect.

Year Age Tm Lg Lev Aff G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA
2010 21 Reds ARIZ Rk CIN 8 33 28 4 8 1 0 0 1 4 4 .286
2011 22 3 Teams 3 Lgs A+-AA-AAA CIN 105 441 374 69 114 31 0 14 68 59 97 .305
2011 22 Bakersfield CALL A+ CIN 56 251 206 47 61 14 0 10 40 41 57 .296
2011 22 Carolina SOUL AA CIN 45 172 156 20 47 15 0 4 26 13 39 .301
2011 22 Louisville IL AAA CIN 4 18 12 2 6 2 0 0 2 5 1 .500
2 Seasons 113 474 402 73 122 32 0 14 69 63 101 .303
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/15/2011.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev Aff G PA AB HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS TB
2010 21 Reds ARIZ Rk CIN 8 33 28 0 1 .286 .394 .321 .715 9
2011 22 3 Teams 3 Lgs A+-AA-AAA CIN 105 441 374 14 68 .305 .401 .500 .901 187
2011 22 Bakersfield CALL A+ CIN 56 251 206 10 40 .296 .410 .510 .920 105
2011 22 Carolina SOUL AA CIN 45 172 156 4 26 .301 .360 .474 .835 74
2011 22 Louisville IL AAA CIN 4 18 12 0 2 .500 .667 .667 1.333 8
2 Seasons 113 474 402 14 69 .303 .401 .488 .888 196
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/15/2011.
Year Age Tm Lg Lev Aff G Ch PO A E DP Fld% RF/G PB SB CS CS%
2010 21 Reds ARIZ Rk CIN C 4 37 34 3 0 0 1.000 9.25 0 3 1 25%
2011 22 3 Teams 3 Lgs A+-AA-AAA CIN C 90 789 704 72 13 7 .984 8.62 19 75 39 34%
2011 22 Bakersfield CALL A+ CIN C 44 430 389 35 6 4 .986 9.64 14 37 19 34%
2011 22 Bakersfield CALL A+ CIN DH 12 0.00
2011 22 Carolina SOUL AA CIN C 42 316 273 36 7 3 .978 7.36 5 36 20 36%
2011 22 Louisville IL AAA CIN C 4 43 42 1 0 0 1.000 10.75 0 2 0 0%
2 Seasons 106 826 738 75 13 7 .984 7.67 19 78 40 34%
C (2 seasons) C 94 826 738 75 13 7 .984 8.65 19 78 40 34%
DH (1 season) DH 12 0.00
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/15/2011.

Still, Grandal’s glove typically receives better grades as does his arm than Mesoraco’s.  Scouts prefer Grandal’s ability from the left side of the dish a little better than from the right, but he’s plus from both sides.  With a full season behind the dish in the Show, Grandal could amass 20 bombs and approach a .300 average with good on-base skills and above average defense.  That sounds a lot like Victor Martinez to me, especially when considering that he hits from both sides.  Grandal is the kind of big-upside backstop that every club would like to see in the high Minors.


Video: Juan Francisco’s 502-foot bomb out of Great American Ball Park

Of all people, Juan Francisco clubbed one of 2011’s more impressive home runs in the second inning of Monday night’s game against the Cubs.  Francisco unloaded on a 1-0 “fastball” from Rodrigo Lopez, blasting it out out of Great American Ball Park to right field at an estimated 502-feet.  ESPN Home Run Tracker (formerly Hit Tracker Online) estimated it’s true distance at 482-feet, which is still pretty remarkable. The video also features Brandon Phillips’ upper-deck, tape-measure shot off Lopez, which traveled 422-feet.

Golden Sombrero: Danny Espinosa

Top 1: Danny Espinosa hit RBI single to center against Johnny Cueto

Top 3: Espinosa struck out swinging against Cueto

Top 5: Espinosa called out on strikes against Cueto

Top 8: Espinosa drew a walk against Aroldis Chapman

Top 9: Espinosa struck out swinging against Nick Masset

Top 11: Espinosa struck out on a foul tip against Jose Arrendondo

Top 13: Espinosa grounded out to first against Arrendondo

Final Line: 1-for-6, RBI, BB, 4 K

Notes: In a game that lasted 14-innings and featured 34 total strikeouts, Espinosa was miraculously the only player to register a sombrero.  Despite the low batting average (.230) and frequent strikeouts (24% K%), the Nats’ rookie has turned in a solid rookie campaign—18 home runs, 13 stolen bases, 59 RBI and 2.9 fWAR—and could receive some third, fourth and fifth place votes for Rookie of the Year.

Total 2011 Sombreros: 101

Golden Sombrero: Jay Bruce (again)

Bottom 2: Jay Bruce struck out swinging against Jon Niese

Bottom 4: Bruce struck out swinging against Niese

Bottom 5: Bruce grounded out to first against Niese

Bottom 7: Bruce struck out swinging against Ryota Igarashi

Bottom 9: Bruce struck out swinging against Tim Byrdak

Final Line: 0-for-5, 4 K

Notes: Bruce’s golden sombrero against the Mets on Tuesday night was his second of the season.  On a night where the Reds pounded out 12 hits and six runs, Bruce was one of two starters not to record a hit.  After Bruce hit a walk-off home run off Byrdak to clinch the N.L. Central last season, the left-handed reliever definitely got his revenge, as he fanned Bruce to end the game.

Total 2011 Sombreros: 76