Carolina Clubs: Lynchburg Hillcats (CLE)
By Myrtle Beach Pelicans Media
by John Vittas
With three teams under our belts (Wilmington Blue Rocks (KC), Frederick Keys (BAL), Potomac Nationals (WSH)), we wrap up the Carolina League Northern Division in the hills of rural Virginia. Here’s a full preview of the 2016 Lynchburg Hillcats:
Season Meetings:
May 20–23 @ Myrtle Beach (4)
June 9–12 @ Lynchburg (4)
August 19–21 @ Myrtle Beach (3)
August 30-Sept. 1 @ Myrtle Beach (3)
Coaching Staff:
Mark Budzinski — Manager
(2015 — same position)
Rigo Beltran — Pitching Coach
(2015 — same position)
Larry Day — Hitting Coach
(2015 — hitting coach, Mahoning Valley Scrappers — CLE)
2015 In Review:
It was all about offense for the 2015 Lynchburg Hillcats. They led the league in runs scored by 79 and hit at least 26 more home runs than everyone else. Uber-prospects Clint Frazier (.842 OPS) and Bradley Zimmer (.403 OBP) led the way to the Northern Division regular season championship, capped by a 39–31 second half. League MVP Nellie Rodriguez led the league in home runs (17), RBI (84) and slugging (.495), while Joe Seaver and Luigi Rodriguez also reached double-digit home runs.
Unfortunately for Lynchburg, their season came to a screeching halt when they were upset by the Wilmington Blue Rocks in two straight games in the Northern Division Championship Series. After being shut down by the Blue Rocks’ pitching in Game 1, their season was sunk on a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning of Game 2. The players who return to the Hillcats in 2016 will have a little extra motivation to get the bitter taste out of their mouths from last season.
Indians Organizational Rankings (#17 System by Baseball America):
Hitting: B-
Pitching: C+
Top-End Talent: B
Depth: B-
Overall: B-
State of the Cleveland Indians
The Indians are on the verge of matching their Rays and A’s counterparts as masters of the small budget. Despite having one of the lowest payrolls in the game, Cleveland remained competitive in 2015 and should be at least .500 again this year. Anchored by a strong rotation, the front office has pieced together a cheap, yet competitive lineup and bullpen. Their farm system is considered middle-of-the-pack, but their top-end talent should pay dividends this season.
Prospects to Watch:
(Scouting Grades on 20–80 Scale according to MLB.com)
Bobby Bradley, 1B, #3 MLB.com (#93 Overall), #5 Baseball America
Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 20 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 55
Age — 19, 6–1, 225–3rd Round Pick in 2014 (MS HS)
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Bradley is a classic left-handed all-or-nothing first baseman. He slugged a league-best 27 home runs in 2015 and also struck out 148 times. He possesses power in droves and has shown a knack for working the count and getting on base. He’ll have to work on shortening his swing in order to limit the strikeouts with Lynchburg this season.
Justus Sheffield, LHP, #5 MLB.com, #4 Baseball America
Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50
Age — 19, 5–10, 196–1st Round Pick (31st Overall) in 2014 (TN HS)
Sheffield is as complete as a 19-year old pitching prospect can be. He fills the strike zone with all three pitches, two of which are already considered plus. The Tennessee native finished second in the Midwest League in strikeouts in his first full professional season and has a chance to be one of the best pitcher in the Carolina League in 2016.
Francisco Mejia, C, #8 MLB.com, #10 Baseball America
Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Arm: 70 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50
Age — 20, 5–10, 175 — Signed in 2012 (Dominican Republic)
Mejia has always been one of the youngest players in his league but has answered the call nicely. He’s equally as effective from both sides of the plate, and has shown the ability to consistently make hard contact. He hit nine home runs in 2015 and his bat speed indicated he could continue to improve in that category. His arm is outstanding, but other parts of his catching game could still use improvement.
Yu-Cheng Chang, SS, #13 MLB.com, #16 Baseball America
Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45
Age — 20, 6–1, 175 — Signed in 2013 (Taiwan)
Chang is looking to bounce back from an up-and-down first full season in the Minors. He has a strong all-around skill set and an innate ability to barrel up pitches. Scouts think he has more power projection than his body indicates, but has some work to do to prove he can stick at shortstop. Expect a heavy dose of the former Taiwanese standout in the Hillcats lineup.
Mark Mathias, 2B, #17 MLB.com, #13 Baseball America
Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45
Age — 21, 6–0, 200–3rd Round Pick in 2015 (Cal Poly)
Mathias is a pure hitter. Winning the Big West batting title in 2014, he almost never strikes out and has a consistent right-handed stroke. His other tools are average and may not improve that much, but his bat could carry him all the way up. 2016 will be his first full season as a pro, and if his reputation is any indication, Mathias should end up at the top of the Lynchburg order before long.
Tyler Krieger, SS, #22 MLB.com, #20 Baseball America
Hit: 50 | Power: 30 | Run: 50 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45
Age — 22, 6–2, 170–4th Round Pick in 2014 (Clemson)
Coincidently, Mathias and Tyler Krieger both missed much of their 2015 college seasons with torn labrums, but were drafted back-to-back by the Indians anyway. Krieger started 101 straight games to start his Clemson career before suffering the injury. He profiles more as a line-drive oriented middle infielder who hits for a good average. Krieger goes to all fields well and displays good plate discipline and baseball instincts.
Greg Allen, OF, #23 MLB.com, #28 Baseball America
Hit: 45 | Power: 30 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45
Age — 23, 6–0, 175–6th Round Pick in 2014 (San Diego State)
Allen is the definition of a catalyst. He led the Indians farm system with 46 stolen bases last season and his entire game is predicated on his plus speed. He’ll never hit for much power but is comfortable in his own skin, making an impact in centerfield and on the bases. His mature approach and ability to draw walks without striking out makes him an intriguing prospect.
Dorssys Paulino, OF, #29 MLB.com, #29 Baseball America
Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45
Age — 21, 6–0, 175 — Signed in 2011 (Dominican Republic)
It took him three years to graduate from Low-A Lake County, but Dorssys Paulino finally showed why he earned a signing bonus north of a million dollars in 2011. He earned the long-awaited promotion to Lynchburg late in the summer, and he’ll look to make the most of it this year. The converted shortstop shows a sound, compact swing and some intriguing raw tools.
Season Outlook:
The Hillcats should be full of pop yet again in 2016. They may not match their 2015 total, but this year’s Hillcats roster should be more balanced and as deep as ever. With the rest of the division full of question marks, consider Lynchburg the favorites in the Carolina League North.
