We are hours away from the start of the 2021 season and the Roger Dorn Baseball League Commissioner's Office couldn't be more thrilled. After navigating through the 2020 off-season to making the decision to shut down for a year, the RDBL can't wait to open back up the live scoring on CBS Sports tomorrow and watch the first competitive pitch in almost 19 months for our Front Offices.
Here is the latest 3 Up, 3 Down on the eve of Opening Day.
RHP Corbin Burnes (2R/$3), Heads
For many, Burnes popped on the scene last year as he quietly dominated his way to a 6th place finish in the NL Cy Young race. But naturally, many are wondering if he can back it up in a full season. So far, so good for the right-hander. Burnes appears set to back up his breakout 2020 campaign, posting a 1.59 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 17:4 K:BB in 11.1 innings over four Cactus League starts. He is a part of what could be a dominant Heads rotation with Jacob deGrom, Kenta Maeda and Ian Anderson.
OF Garrett Mitchell (Minors), Aristocrats
Few prospects saw their status grow as much as new Aristocrats outfielder Garrett Mitchell who had an eye-opening Spring Training. A first rounder from UCLA in 2020, Mitchell hit .367 (11-for-30) with a .973 OPS, a homer and three steals while earning rave reviews from scouts across baseball. Concern over his diabetes dropped him to 24th overall in the MLB Draft, a move that likely has multiple MLB teams kicking themselves today.
OF? Andrew Vaughn (1R/$1), Hops
Putting outfielder next to Andrew Vaughn's name just doesn't seem right, and he will likely prove that to be the case early this season on defense, but the former Cal slugger is ready to compete for the AL Rookie of the Year this season. Vaughn might have made the White Sox Opening Day roster regardless, but the injury to Eloy Jimenez opened the door for the club to be aggressive with his promotion. The Hops quickly took advantage of the new "Tatis, Jr. Rule", using their 24-hour window to activate Vaughn onto their Active Roster.
IF/OF Scott Kingery, Free Agent
The Maulers looked to have made a smart move on Draft Day, scooping up former hot prospect Scott Kingery for just $1. That move veered downward just a few days later as the Phillies announced a set of roster moves Sunday, including the news that Kingery had been optioned to Triple-A. Though Kingery has had a tough time at the plate in Spring Training, it still counts as something of a surprise to see the 26-year-old not break camp with the team. While he could be recalled in relatively short order, Sunday's move underlines how the former top prospect has struggled since the start of the 2020 yseason, a year that saw him suffer through a positive COVID-19 diagnosis during the summer and then hit just .159/.228/.283 in 124 plate appearances once he got onto the field. The Maulers cut Kingert from their roster on Wednesday afternoon.
RHP Michel Baez (Minors), Devils
The Devils were hit with some Opening Day-eve news on Wednesday as their pitching prospect Michel Baez is slated to undergo Tommy John surgery. Báez is a former top prospect but he has yet to carve out a consistent MLB role. Working almost exclusively out of the bullpen, the hard-throwing righty has picked up 34.1 innings at the major league level over the past two seasons. He has a 3.67 ERA/4.53 SIERA with slightly worse than average strikeout and walk rates (22.7% and 10.4%, respectively) over that time. Set to see time in the Padres bullpen this year, Baez now is more than likely a mid-season cut for GM Jason Watson.
Stacks 2021 Outlook
The Alamo Short Stacks took a big hit to their 2021 outlook as star outfielder Eloy Jimenez was ruled out for the season following a torn pectoral. Jimenez will miss a vital and valuable 2R/$3 season but is expected to make a full recovery for the 2022 season. The club also took a hit as the Diamondbacks unexpectedly demoted catcher Daulton Varsho who was expected to get at-bats in the outfield as a replacement for Kole Calhoun. An additional DL trip for Trent Grisham had the Stacks Front Office reeling as they hope to avoid being a seller this season.