Michell Ojeda has up and down debut season Stateside
Ojeda showed flashes sandwiched in between rough stretches
Michell Ojeda was a late addition to the Florida Complex League team, having been initially assigned to the Dominican Republic before being sent stateside.
It’s not often we see a move like this, but after a solid season last year in the DSL, the Pirates decided to make the move.
Overall, the numbers didn’t look great for Ojeda, who won’t turn 19 until next year. In 32 games, he hit .185/.279/.306 with three home runs and four stolen bases. Not really the kind of season that you are going to look at and toss him on a prospect list.
Sandwiched in between some rough stretches, however, Ojeda put together some interesting results that did make him stand out.
Things got off to a rough start, as Ojeda went 0-15 with six strikeouts (-42 wRC+) in his first five games.
Then, he hit another stretch at the end of the season, going 0-22 with 10 strikeouts in his final seven games. That’s a combined 0-37 with 16 strikeouts at the beginning and end of the season.
In the middle of that was a stretch where he hit .282/.363/.465 with a 134 wRC+, two doubles, a triple, and three home runs while also stealing four bases.
For someone who didn’t hit for much power in the DSL, he drove the ball well this season.
Ojeda was thrust stateside and had the definition of an up-and-down season. There was enough good there to keep an eye on any progress that he makes next year, especially if he takes another step forward with the power.
I mentioned in the previous 10 Observations on how, if I wanted to nitpick, it would be nice to see Edward Florentino be a little more aggressive at the plate.
He swung at a first-pitch twice Friday night, one was a single, the other over the fence for his fifth home run as a Marauder, 11th overall. He’s struggling against lefties, and the strikeouts are starting to be more prevalent, but the talent is there.
And it’s always good to point out he is still just 18.
Yordany De Los Santos remains one of the most curious players in the system. He’s among the league leaders in hits and home runs, but also has over 100 strikeouts.
Despite the home run ‘surge’, he doesn’t profile as someone who is going to hit for much power in the upper levels, which could help you live with some of the strikeouts.
He’s getting things done, right now, but until the chase and swing and miss come down, it’s hard to imagine him taking the step forward you want him to take.
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Pitching notes: Bubba Chandler bounce-back not surprising, Khristian Curtis pitching deeper, Johan Oviedo
To say it’s been an eventful season for Bubba Chandler may be a bit of an overstatement. He’s emerged as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, and remains knocking on the door of the majors, awaiting his opportunity.
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Not sure what they see in him but it must be something or else he would stay in the DSL for two or three more years.