The 22-year-old utilityman batted just .157 in June, his first month in Double-A. So I mentally moved him to the “non-prospect” category. Big mistake.
Since then he’s hit .318/.450/.389 across 251 plate appearances, with a tremendous 43-to-26 walk-to-whiff ratio. Yep, .450.
The former Georgia State And College student looks like a cross between a punchless Brendan Donovan and a miniature Dave Magadan. And that would make him an elite MLB bench player. There are no absolutes, but generally minor league plate discipline translates more consistently to similar major league performance than minor league batting average, power, steals, anything. Top 10-15 Redbird prospect for me.
Bob, none of which matters. The OBP exceeds the SLG which means he will spend the winter sent off somewhere to get his swing optimized a la Brendan Donovan last winter. Launch angle, exit velo, barrels, biometrics, etc. You need to think like a wonk not like somebody who knows a player when he sees one.
I really like Nick Dunn. His obp is .418. He walk more than he strikes out. Maybe he is a career minor leaguer? But as a Cardinal developed player, I would have added him over Motter, Querecuto, and Fermin.
Dunn and Mendlinger both hit lefty, have comparable OBPs and walk more than they strike out, but Dunn has more pop in his bat. However, Mendlinger is 3 1/2 years younger, can play both IF and OF and is just a level behind Dunn.
I don’t see Mendlinger as a top 10-15 player in the system (in the range of Saggese and Scott), but he does deserve top 50 consideration. Thanks for bringing him up as an under the radar kind of prospect.
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