Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Tyler Kolek

NL East Notes: Neshek, Kapler, Kolek, Harvey

By | at

The Phillies received good news after righty Pat Neshek underwent an MRI, as Todd Zolecki of MLB.com tweets. There’s some inflammation, as might have been expected given that he had identified an issue, but nothing more concerning than that. The expectation at this point, though, is that Neshek will remain on ice for “a couple more weeks” to allow things to calm down. Philadelphia has yet to receive a contribution from Neshek or fellow recent signee Tommy Hunter, though as Zolecki recently tweeted, it seems Hunter is nearing his return and perhaps Neshek won’t be far behind.

Here’s more from the NL East:

  • New Phillies skipper Gabe Kapler was again forced to defend his early-season decision-making, as Zolecki also writes. This time, the questions arose in relation to defensive positioning, yet another area in which the Philadelphia club is experimenting with unconventional methods. Interested readers will want to review the full post for the details. Generally, though, Kapler again emphasized that he believes the process will pay dividends in the long run, even if the short-term results have raised the ire of many Phillies fans.
  • Former top Marlins pick Tyler Kolek has been scratched from his first scheduled start of the new season, as Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com tweets. He’ll instead go on the minor-league DL. Details aren’t known at this point, but it’s hardly an auspicious start for the 22-year-old, who has thrown just 3 2/3 innings over the past two seasons in large part due to Tommy John surgery. Kolek, now 22 years of age, was the No. 2 overall selection in the 2014 draft.
  • Of course, things can change quickly — in either direction — for a pitcher, particularly when health issues are involved. The Mets and Matt Harvey know that as well as anyone. As James Wagner of the New York Times wrote after Harvey’s first start of the new season, the once-dominant, then dumped-on hurler has shown signs of reemerging as a new but potentially effective starter in his final season of team control. Wagner notes that the Mets fielded trade interest in Harvey this offseason but opted not to sell low on the right-hander — in part at the behest of newly hired manager Mickey Callaway and new pitching coach Dave Eiland. A free agent at season’s end, Harvey opened the year with five shutout innings, during which he yielded just one hit and one walk with five strikeouts.

East Notes: Kolek, Owens, Bautista, Gurriel

By | at

Righty Tyler Kolek, who the Marlins selected second overall in the 2014 draft, remains an important part of the club’s long-term plans — even though Tommy John surgery and performance questions cloud his outlook. As Tim Healey of the Sun Sentinel reports, Kolek is embarking upon the all-important ramp up back toward competitive pitching. He’s frustrated by the inevitably slow progress, but seems to be putting in all the work that has been demanded of him. Miami farm director Marco DelPiano says he still believes that Kolek has the talent to excel in the majors, though clearly there’s a long way to go to realizing that potential.

Here’s more from the game’s eastern divisions:

  • The Red Sox continue to see less-than-ideal results from lefty Henry Owens, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal writes. Once a highly regarded prospect, and still an important part of the organization’s rotation depth, Owens most recently coughed up four free passes in an inning of work. Though the 24-year-old got a head start on throwing over the offseason, in hopes of a smooth launch with his mechanics, he acknowledges that “it hasn’t carried over yet.” Manager John Farrell says it’s a continuation of a long-known issue. “It’s something we talked about before camp,” he said. “The improved command is a primary objective. Today it wasn’t there.”
  • Jose Bautista spurned a much bigger contract offer to return to the Blue Jays, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. The veteran outfielder could have scored a three-year deal with “well over $50MM in guaranteed money,” per the report, but chose to head back to Toronto for one year at a $18.5MM guarantee (combined with a mutual and then a vesting option). While it’s not clear from where it issued, the offer is said to have materialized in mid-January, which is particularly notable when considering the oft-discussed narrative that sluggers like Bautista weren’t able to generate much interest this winter. Bautista, 36, says he considered all relevant factors. Ultimately, he says, “this is here I’m happy and comfortable.”
  • Meanwhile, John Lott of The Athletic takes an interesting look at one of Bautista’s newest teammates in the Blue Jays organization, youngster Lourdes Gurriel. Though he’s not expected to factor at the MLB level this year — it’s still not even clear where he’ll end up in the field, though he’ll start out as a shortstop — the 23-year-old had a significant role in the club’s offseason approach. Gurriel ultimately turned down an offer from the Cardinals that was similar to the $22MM he got from Toronto. Of course, he’ll have to pay the people who brought him out of Cuba out of that contract; Gurriel says the cost is “in the millions.” Lott explores the interesting path taken by Gurriel (and older brother Yulieski) in a story that’s well worth a full read.

NL East Notes: Wheeler, Teheran, Kolek, Phillies

By | at

Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler, who is recovering from 2015 Tommy John surgery, will have a minor surgical procedure to remove an undissolved stitch that remains in his elbow, reports Adam Rubin of ESPN New York. The minor surgery will slow Wheeler’s recovery by about two weeks, Rubin notes, but it is not considered serious in nature. The lingering stitch was the lone issue that appeared on a recent MRI that Wheeler underwent as a checkup, and the test was otherwise “super clean,” per Rubin’s source. Wheeler’s target date for a big league return is July 1.

Here’s more from the division…

  • The Braves have sought a pre-arbitration bat that they can insert into the middle portion of their lineup in trade talks for right-hander Julio Teheran, writes ESPN’s Jim Bowden in an early rundown of some potential 2016 trade candidates. The Cubs were an oft-cited potential trade partner for the Braves this offseason, and Bowden again lists them as a speculative fit, noting that either Jorge Soler or Javier Baez could hold appear. Of course, in addition to the fact that it’s extremely rare for trades of that magnitude to occur in April, the Cubs are also still waiting to learn the full extent of Kyle Schwarber’s left leg injury. (A prolonged absence for Schwarber would make it more difficult for Chicago to part with Soler.) Nonetheless, it’s worth keeping in mind as the season wears on; Teheran is controlled through 2019 for a total of $29.6MM, and his contract includes a $12MM club option for the 2020 season.
  • Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill confirmed top prospect Tyler Kolek’s Tommy John surgery and elaborated on the injury a bit, as MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro reports. “It was a complete tear of the [ulnar collateral] ligament,” Hill said. “They said there were no issues, that surgery went well, and now he’s on the road to recovery.” Kolek had been tabbed to open the season at Class-A Greensboro before eventually moving up to the Class-A Advanced Florida State League, but he’ll now be on the shelf for 12 to 18 months as he recovers, Frisaro writes.
  • After David Hernandez and Dalier Hinojosa each blew their first save opportunities of the season for the Phillies, manager Pete Mackanin tells reporters, including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, that fellow righty Jeanmar Gomez is next in line for a save opportunity. “We’re auditioning,” said Mackanin, who is in his first full season as Philadelphia’s skipper. “We’ve got to find out. It’s a daily question. Why not Gomez? Let’s see what he can do.” Hernandez was signed with the idea that he could potentially fill the ninth-inning role for the Phils, and it’s worth noting that his second appearance was a clean inning with much-improved velocity. However, for the time being, there’s little clarity in the Phillies’ ninth-inning scene. (On a related note: fantasy players looking to monitor the situation and other ninth-inning scenarios around the league can follow MLBTR’s @closernews Twitter account for daily updates on saves-related news.)

Marlins’ Tyler Kolek Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

By | at

Marlins top prospect Tyler Kolek underwent Tommy John surgery today, MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo reports (via Twitter). Kolek was said in late March to have been sidelined with an elbow issue after a strong Spring Training. Miami made the big right-hander the second pick in the 2014 draft (behind Brady Aiken and directly ahead of Carlos Rodon and Kyle Schwarber), but his career hasn’t taken off as the Marlins had hoped.

Kolek wasn’t considered a reach by any means when the Marlins took him, as the high school righty drew rave reviews for his 100 mph fastball and landed among the top three on the pre-draft rankings of Baseball America, ESPN and MLB.com. Miami gave Kolek a hefty $6MM signing bonus — the third-largest ever for a high school pitcher.

Now 20 years of age, Kolek has battled his control in his pro career so far; he’s pitched for the Marlins Gulf Coast League and Class-A affiliates, working to a combined 4.55 ERA with a 99-to-74 K/BB ratio in 130 2/3 innings. Kolek rated firmly within the game’s Top 100 prospects prior to the 2015 season, but he lost that distinction in the eyes of BA, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus this year. ESPN’s Keith Law slipped him just inside the Top 100 prospects on his list, rating Kolek 97th.

Widely regarded as the organization’s top prospect, Kolek was three years younger than the average competition he faced at Class-A last season, so he’s certainly young enough to bounce back and restore his prospect status if he makes a full recovery. However, a season on the shelf will clearly slow his development, and his injury further depletes a Marlins farm system that both Law and BA rated 29th in all of Major League Baseball.

NL East Notes: Kolek, Nats, Arroyo, Phils

By | at

Marlins prospect Tyler Kolek is heading for a medical check-up after suffering an elbow injury and experiencing continued discomfort, MiLB.com’s Michael Leboff reports. That’s a disappointing turn of events for the 20-year-old, who scuffled in his first full professional season last year and was hoping to make strides in 2016. It’s important to note that it’s not yet clear whether Kolek will need any kind of surgery. The righty is still working to harness his high-powered fastball, and is obviously a long-term asset, but as things stand it certainly stings that Miami bypassed the promising Carlos Rodon — who’s already entrenched in a major league rotation — to take a shot on Kolek.

Here’s more from the NL East:

  • The Nationals made a variety of roster moves today, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com was among those to report. Top infield prospect Trea Turner was sent down, thus ending any speculation that he might crack the Opening Day roster. Likewise, a series of veterans were moved to minor league camp, including infielder Scott Sizemore and bullpen candidates Aaron Laffey and Nick Masset. As Zuckerman explains, that appears to clarify the remaining battles in those areas, though there are still multiple possibilities for the remaining bench and pen spots.
  • Nationals righty Bronson Arroyo is planning to rehab his ailing shoulder and could return to the hill as soon as June, according to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson (via TwitLonger). That’s certainly a better outlook than once had been feared, and it seems possible that Arroyo could provide rotation depth down the line if he can get back to full health.
  • The Phillies appear to have stopped their search for outfield depth after adding Will Venable, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Philadelphia had been inquiring about a number of possibilities, but rival executives tell Stark that the sense is those efforts have been halted.
  • Meanwhile, the Phillies appear to be leaning toward keeping Rule 5 pick Daniel Stumpf in the major league pen, manager Pete Mackanin tells Stark (Twitter link). The newly-extended skipper adds that Edward Mujica is “still in the mix,” but seemingly did not commit to handing him an Opening Day roster spot.

Amateur Notes: Draft, Fulmer, Kolek, Martinez

By | at

The game of baseball is struggling to maintain youth participation, writes Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal, who says that the trend poses real concerns for an otherwise thriving sport. Newly-minted commissioner Rob Manfred has honed in on the issue since taking office, saying that “the biggest predictor of fan avidity as an adult is whether you played the game.” It’s a fascinating read that’s well worth your time.

Let’s check in on some amateur notes from around the game:

  • ESPN.com’s Keith Law (Insider link) posts his first mock draft as June 8th draws near. While acknowledging that it is still early, Law predicts that the Diamondbacks will take Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson with the first overall pick while the Astros will add LSU shortstop Alex Bregman and high school outfielder Kyle Tucker with the second and fifth picks. Law adds that he does not expect Vandy righty Carson Fulmer to make it past the White Sox with the eighth pick.
  • Speaking of Fulmer, Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs suggests that he represents a relatively rare “Black Swan” option in this year’s draft. You’ll need to read the piece to understand the concept, but McDaniel uses that classification for a subset of players that have been somewhat underappreciated by traditional player assessment tools: “small, right-handed, major-college starting pitchers with little to no injury history and a good performance record.”
  • The antithesis of the Black Swan pitcher, perhaps, is the high school power arm, and the Marlins took an enticing one last year in Tyler Kolek. Josh Norris of Baseball America checks in on the 2014 second overall selection, who the club chose over Carlos Rodon. Now featuring an increasingly promising curve, the 19-year-old is said to be showing signs of developing into the top-of-the-rotation starter that Miami dreamed of when it chose him. Of course, his stat line has yet to reflect that promise, and he has a long way to go.
  • The White Sox join a growing list of clubs with “serious interest” in Cuban outfielder Eddy Julio Martinez, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez tweets. The 20-year-old is free to sign at any time, though it’s possible he could wait until the next July 2 period kicks off this summer.
  • Agent Joshua Kusnick discussed the draft from an advisor’s perspective in a podcast with Ryan Sullivan (draft talk begins around the 24:00 mark), sharing his thoughts on the slotting system and the possibility of a worldwide draft, among other issues.

Draft Notes: Rodon, Kolek, Conforto, Megill

By | at

After the Reds’ agreement with Alex Blandino yesterday, 25 of this year’s 34 first-round picks have signed or at least agreed to terms on their signing bonus. Here are some of the latest draft-related (non-signing) news items from around the league…

  • As noted by Baseball America earlier this week, the White Sox have $6.58MM that they can spend on top pick Carlos Rodon without losing future draft picks (Twitter link). Chicago’s situation with Rodon is somewhat similar to the one the Mariners faced with Alex Jackson, with whom they agreed to terms earlier this week. Both Rodon and Jackson are advised by Scott Boras, and both teams signed picks 2-10 prior to dealing with their first-rounder. Because picks beyond the 10th round don’t count against a team’s bonus pool (unless a team gives a bonus of more than $100K in rounds 11-40), that basically places a firm limit on what type of bonus they can offer. If anything, Jackson may have had more leverage as a high school player. MLB.com’s Jim Callis recently noted that he fully expects Chicago to sign Rodon, though he added that the Sox haven’t inked a notable Boras draftee since Alex Fernandez back in 1990 (Twitter links).
  • MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro writes that the Marlins considered Tyler Kolek the top player in this year’s draft, even over No. 1 overall pick Brady Aiken. Had Miami selected first overall, they’d still have taken Kolek, Frisaro reports. Had Houston taken Kolek, however, Aiken was No. 2 on their board.
  • While the Mets and top pick Michael Conforto are in agreement on a signing bonus in the range of $2.987MM, as reported earlier in the week, there does appear to be a bit of work left to do before the deal becomes official, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. It isn’t clear exactly what the holdup is at this time, he adds, stating that it could be an issue of language within the contract. Whatever the issue, his signing bonus doesn’t appear to be a factor anymore.
  • Cardinals third-rounder Trevor Megill has decided to return to college for his senior season rather than sign with St. Louis, reports Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish. Megill’s draft stock plummeted after he required Tommy John prior to his junior season at Loyola Marymount. MLB.com’s Jen Langosch noted recently that Megill would likely require an over-slot bonus or would return for his senior year.

Marlins Sign Tyler Kolek

By | at

The Marlins have signed Tyler Kolek, the second overall pick of the 2014 draft, and will officially introduce their newest prospect later today.  Kolek will sign for a $6MM bonus, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reported over the weekend, which is the third-highest bonus ever given to a high school pitcher taken in the draft.

It is still, however, significantly below the approximate $6.822MM slot price for the No. 2 overall selection.  Miami has already freed some savings by locking up Blake Anderson to a bonus of about $400K less than his slot value, so the Marlins have quite a bit of extra money available in its draft pool to reach agreement with several of its purportedly hard-to-sign, later-round picks.

Kolek was a consensus top-three talent heading into the draft. The 6’5, 250lb Texas high school righty has been said to have perhaps the most powerful prep fastball ever, regularly hitting and even surpassing the 100mph plateau. ESPN.com’s Keith Law notes that he will need to develop a third offering to complement his heater and slider, but obviously his upside is tantalizing.

Joe Frisaro of MLB.com first reported that Kolek and the Marlins were “in advanced negotiations,” while Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported that the two sides had reached an agreement pending a physical.

MLBTR’s Charlie Wilmoth and Mark Polishuk contributed to this post.

Draft Links: Astros, Gordon, Howard, Top 5

By | at

Brady Aiken and Carlos Rodon have been mentioned the most frequently as potential options for the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, but CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman expands on a rumor that has been picking up steam that could have the Astros cutting a deal with high school shortstop Nick Gordon (brother of Dee Gordon and son of Tom Gordon) in order to spend more heavily elsewhere. Heyman notes that it could very well be just a rumor, but it’s “stirring intrigue in baseball circles.” It wouldn’t be the first time that Houston cut a deal at 1-1, as just two years ago they elected to select Carlos Correa in order to later sign Lance McCullers Jr. and Rio Ruiz to over-slot deals. One agent tells Heyman that he thinks Houston will look to cut a deal, with a second agent telling him the Astros are “all about the deal” and rival executives expressing that they simply can’t even guess what the Astros and GM Jeff Luhnow will do.

Here are several more draft-related links with the draft less than one week away…

  • ESPN’s Keith Law tweets that he didn’t buy the Gordon/Astros rumor when he first heard it, and he’s still not a believer.
  • Scout.com’s Kiley McDaniel tweets that the Gordon rumor is still alive and adds another to the mix, noting that the Blue Jays could reach and select Virginia righty Nick Howard as high as No. 11, while several other teams in the teens are kicking the tires on Howard. That would be quite the reach in comparison to the rankings of Howard by MLB.com (No. 75) and Law (No. 59). Baseball America is more bullish on Howard, ranking him 25th among draft prospects.
  • Law appeared with ESPN’s Buster Olney on today’s Baseball Tonight Podcast to discuss a host of draft-related topics (Law appears from the 23:00 mark to the 45:00 mark). Law began by sharing a great deal from his experience with the Blue Jays’ front office, including the inner workings of a draft room, the unheralded successes of some area scouts and the change in decision-making processes as the draft progresses into the later rounds.
  • Law also broke down the top of his most recent mock draft. In discussing the No. 5 pick (he has Gordon going to the Twins), he notes that Minnesota seems to be down to Gordon or LSU right-hander Aaron Nola. Law adds that he was on-hand for Nola’s most recent SEC start and saw executives from teams “from No. 2 on down,” including Marlins GM Dan Jennings, White Sox VP Kenny Williams and Cubs GM Jed Hoyer. Law says the Twins have been targeting Gordon “all spring.”
  • Law feels that if Aiken, Rodon and Kolek are all off the board, the Cubs will cut a deal at No. 4 and turn around to “crush pitching” with their next several picks. He currently has them selecting Oregon State outfielder Michael Conforto, who brings an element of plate discipline that their current top prospects lack. He adds that he could also see them cutting a deal with Nola, though he sees Nola as more of a mid-rotation starter (that could be in the bigs in a year’s time) than an ace.
  • The White Sox selection of Kolek is “the lock” of the top five picks, says Law. He also adds that Marlins ownership has pushed strongly for Rodon due to his proximity to the Majors and marketability as a Cuban-American left-hander. Law calls his slider the best overall pitch in the draft. (Note that these bullets are a very brief summary, and those with heavy interest in the MLB draft will consider the Olney/Law segment time well spent upon listening to it in its entirety.)

Quick Hits: TJ, Martinez, Dodgers, Cubs, Amateur

By | at

Pitching injuries are the big topic around the league, so let’s catch up on some of the latest commentary. Writing for GammonsDaily.com, Neil Weinberg offers a hypothesis (which, as he notes, may not really be testable) on the seeming Tommy John epidemic: what if the reason that more high-end professional pitchers are experiencing UCL tears is simply because better management at younger ages has actually prevented them from blowing their arms out at an earlier age? Meanwhile, pointing to the contractual effects of the injury bug, a GM tells Peter Gammons (Twitter link) that, “with all these injuries, I think pitchers will be reluctant to turn down extensions.” At Fangraphs, Wendy Thurm explores the costs to pitchers who lose time to TJ recovery, providing a bevy of salary information on past and current pitchers who have experienced the career-saving procedure.

Here are more notes from around the game:

  • One player coming off of surger (on his shoulder) is righty Cristhian Martinez, who Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com says (Twitter link) is expected to throw for teams by the end of May. The 31-year-old, who was non-tendered by the Braves, was good for a 3.63 ERA in 151 1/3 innings over 2011-12.
  • The Dodgers need to make some moves if they want to get back on trajectory, opines Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com. While the team is among the most well-rounded in baseball, that does not mean it is without its faults; one scout tells Castrovince that “the bench is awful, the bullpen is fringy at best, maybe below average, and there’s no situational hitting.” Though Castrovince says that the stats don’t really bear out the latter concern, he says the team should take the much-discussed step of shipping out one of its highly-paid outfielders.
  • Trading away players is an expectation for the Cubs, of course, and Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com discusses the team’s most likely pieces (after ace Jeff Samardzija). Though Jason Hammel just suffered his worst start of the year, Rogers says he still looks to be on track to bring back a strong prospect return. Nate Schierholtz and Jose Veras still look like trade chips to Rogers, though both will need to improve rather substantially to maximize their trade value to their current club.
  • The latest amateur draft mocks are out, with MLB.com offering a first-round projection and Baseball America putting out its second version. The BA staff now sees a shake-up in the early portion: their board has the Marlins going with catcher/outfielder Alex Jackson at second overall, the Cubs choosing lefty collegiate Kyle Freeland in the fourth slot, and big-armed high schooler Tyler Kolek falling to the Phillies at number seven. Both MLB.com and BA like the Jays to take N.C. State shortstop Trea Turner and prep righty Touki Toussaint. Meanwhile, the Twins have interest in Jackson with their fifth-overall pick — if he lasts that long — tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN, though he notes that there is still no consensus as to whether he can stick behind the dish.
  • Turning to the international market, there has of course been much discussion over whether — and, if so, how — a draft might be implemented. Writing for the Hardball Times, Alex Remington argues against a draft. Among his reasons are the concern that less young international players would have a chance to play professionally; various deleterious consequences that could occur in Latin America (without solving the issues that currently persist); and that implementation could pose a “logistical nightmare.”
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top