With the draft fast approaching, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com profiles Pennsylvania high school right-hander Nick Bitsko, who ranks among the highest-upside pitchers in this year’s class. Bitsko could go anywhere from the top 10 to the late 30s, per McDaniel, who reports that he has recently helped his stock with Zoom interviews and social media videos showcasing his enticing repertoire. While teams haven’t gotten an extensive look at Bitsko in person, McDaniel explains that the 17-year-old features a fastball that reached 98.5 mph last week and has so much spin that it could be near the top of the majors in that category already. Bitsko also has a pair of breaking balls that have the potential to turn into “above-average” offerings in the bigs, according to McDaniel, who goes into greater detail on those pitches in his piece. It’s worth a read for those interested in learning about an intriguing draft prospect.
More from around the game…
- There may not be any minor league season in 2020, but that could be made up for to an extent with an extended Arizona Fall League campaign. The AFL season usually runs from September to October, but a 2020 version could begin “within weeks” of a potential Opening Day in the majors, Josh Norris and J.J. Cooper of Baseball America report. The MLB and MLBPA would first have to agree to a season, and Norris and Cooper highlight other roadblocks (including financial issues). But if a longer AFL season does come to fruition, all 30 teams would send a roster of prospects to their spring training sites to play games. It’s possible each of those clubs would also have “a second lower level” prospect team, Norris and Cooper write.
- A few more teams have committed to paying their minor leaguers for at least the next handful of weeks. The Tigers’ farmhands will continue to earn $400 per week, and there’s “no end in sight,” Chris McCosky of the Detroit News tweets. The club’s also not planning to cut any minor leaguers as of now, McCosky adds. The Rockies, meanwhile will pay their minor leaguers through at least June, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The Yankees are taking the same approach as Colorado, James Wagner of the New York Times relays.
- Super-agent Scott Boras is taking action to make sure his released minor league clients still receive compensation, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Boras, who called those releases “completely unanticipated,” will personally pay all of those players their expected salaries for 2020.
Good move by the Tigers.
The Illitch family did nothing but behave like a class act. Chris & company do not get enough credit for this.
Gruß,
BSHH
Boras getting a golden cookie award. Too bad the average person in the street doesn’t have an advocate like that.
Relatively speaking, this won’t be huge dollars but he will gain some nice public relations credibility, as well as reinforce his status as a top agent, as a result.
I don’t consider myself a fan of him but this deserves respect, however self-serving an underlying motive may be.
Oh please. Everything Scott Boras does is for the benefit of Scott Boras. What looks to you like an act of altruism is simply another one of Boras’ marketing gimmicks. But you have to hand it to him, he’s one smart cookie!
lol what?
Scott…Gives him more leverage in recruiting clients. He can tell them he gives his players money. Kind of surprised the P.A. has not responded to this.
Could not agree more, only thing Scott Boras cares about is Scott Boras.
He seems to really care about lining his clients pockets because he’s damn good at it.
We do. There are called Democrats. A Stimulus payment, extra unemployment and they want to give us more.
Guess who is blocking it?
We pay it back with increased taxes.
Even though taxes were recently cut… try again Bob.
mc me anymore
Seriously, dude? Keep that political crap in Facebook.
the AFL is a perfect remedy for a lost MiLB season
Absolutely, DarkSide. And the mlb network (maybe espn) should jump all over it. With all the attention being paid these days to propsects, I would think they can make money here.
And it would be entertaining. I know I spend the whatever it is ($39?) to order milb.tv, just because sometimes I tire of watching guys on guarenteed contracts going through the motions.
An extended AFL (maybe a similar one in Florida) might be the perfect cure for what’s happened this year.
given the original plans for the big clubs, you have to wonder if you can just field 30 teams worth of prospects to achieve maximum development for the prospects. perhaps you can even get the games on a bigger TV network with less (or no) MLB games. the setup this year could be very appealing. perhaps the results of the AFL season make up the comparative rankings for eachn prospect system for next year.
Oh yes, more minor league baseball. That’s the answer.
More AFL Minor league baseball competing with NFL and college football for viewers will probably cost more than it generates, but a way to get minor leaguers ABs
Good for Boras to take care of his minor league clients this year,. One question, did he take care of his minor league clients in prior seasons when they all got cut prior to and right after the June draft? Looks good for the media and the readers this year but many minor league guys get cut this time of year every year.
A cut minor league player would normally have the opportunity to sign on with a different team thereby extending his ability to earn an income alternatively he could get a job or sign on to work in baseball in a different capacity. For the most part all of these options are off the table so Boras wouldn’t normally have to extend this kind of good will.
There are a lot of guys that when they get cut, they are done. Not everyone can get picked up by another affiliated team or by an indy team. Not that many open spots for a very young pro player in baseball not on the field. This was a good PR move. What happens next year when MLB contracts the number of affiliated minor league teams and a lot of guys will be out of jobs again and no where to go? Will he pick up their salaries again?
Why would he? Are you implying that agents should pay pensions for players once they can no longer get jobs?
It is definitely a PR move but it has a real world positive impact on a lot of minor league players. If you have issues with contraction of minor league affiliates and the way minor leaguers are treated then take it up with MLB/the union
It’s not just that they won’t get another opportunity in baseball this year, it’s that they may not have an opportunity for employment for months on end.
Who’s hiring right now and has interest in former minor league players with little or no experience with typical employment functions?
It’s a unique situation. I don’t really care what the incentive for Boras is, it isn’t bad of him to do this no matter how anyone tries to spin it.
Most minor league players work part time jobs in the off season…
Stevil you are a laugh to read because you are wrong nearly 100 percent of the time ……. lol
Stevil is the resident comic…without even trying.
I don’t generally like they guy, but that’s a decent deed. Have to give his agency credit.
also i know Boras is doing everything he has been doing lately for money, but everything he is doing would serve to be beneficial to those who need some help.
Good for Boras!
Agreed.
Boras is a smart guy. It’s not a huge amount of money (especially for him) and if this gets him one additional MLB regular out of it, present or future, he will make it back many times over. Along with a non-so-subtle dig at those teams who look first to slash their minor leaguers as soon as they can. You don’t have to like Boras to recognize his business talent.
Wow Boras paying his minor league players salaries. I know it’s probably not too many players nor much $ but for a guy who is always being ripped (and usually rightfully so) for being obnoxious and heartless — this is a pretty nice gesture. And who knows maybe some other agents will follow and more players will be able to benefit from his actions.
If Boras wants to help minor leaguers why not donate that money to “Advocates for Minor Leaguers,” who actually try to assist all minor leaguers.
Yeah, and why doesn’t the PA pick up those salaries for their guys! And for the year (any year) a guy gets cut and not picked up.
Where’s the PA then!
because he can do what he wants with his money instead of sending money to a non-profit that may take some of the money to pay for operating costs or what not. doesnt need a middle man when he’s paying them directly.
He’s helping “HIS” minor leaguers. AKA come sign with Scottie B and he’ll take care of you. Great marketing strategy and it’s wonderful for his clients. Any of the other agencies in baseball could’ve done this exact same thing for their clients. They didn’t—Boras did. The intentions behind it are really irrevelant.
Boras has been giving his players money for years…as well as players who he recruits (both professional and amateur) so it’s already in his annual budget.
any sources to back up your statement? if he gave money to amateurs ncaa should start investigation on him.
the NCAA is BS, only cares about athletes not gwtting paid so they can squeeze every dollar for themself
and investigating anyone for anything beacuse they are hypocrites
I really don’t understand why you all have such hate for Boras. He’s the best at what he does and earns every penny for his players. He provides exactly the level of service you would expect if any of you were talented enough to be a professional athlete. Why do you think that is such an evil and nefarious thing to do?
Agreed. Some of these clowns don’t understand that Boras also takes care of his clients needs outside of baseball. Moves, investments, etc.
He charges for his services.
Hi, this is America. Have you two met?
So do I. What’s your point? My point was most people think sports agents just negotiate contracts. That’s not the case.
Is this really America? It’s starting to look like a Socialist country and will be in about 7 months if the Don Lemon’s of the world get their wish.
the happiest people of the world reside in countries with democratic socialists government. the democratic socialism is not communism as you might think. our social security, hoover dam and mississippi levees are all results of socialist elements from our past!
Then go move to a socialist country if you think it’s adequate.
i live in the safest city in u.s. with electricity from hoover dam generators and soon to benefit from my social security that i have accrued from my working days. why would i go anywhere? our job as a nation is to improve lives of those willing.
Start helping by writing properly. We see that has not improved. You are the shining example of an education system gone wrong.
No it won’t. Quit selling fear like the Republican lemmings. Idiots!
That’s rich! Republicans selling fear?? This is why we are a country in turmoil. Dems are delusional, hypocritical and carry the double standard motto in their back pockets.
His comment was readable enough. Your comment was pure misdirection.
Sometimes I want to dislike Boras, but how can you really? He’s great at what he does. Heck, if I was a top-flight MLB talent, I’m fairly certain that he’d be my agent.
There is a very simple way to find out whether all the Boras detractors are wrong: If his payments to his clients are indeed a clever PR investment, then many other agents (who are not stupid either) will do the same. If Boras’ colleagues all follow suit, we still do not know if the detractors were right. But if the other agents do not, we know for sure how wrong those detractors were!
Gruß,
BSHH