seattlesportsinsider.com/news/baseball-america-3-years-4-6">#4-6 Prospects 2007
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=== #7 Mark Lowe ===
In 2006, had nuked AA till it glowed, and come up to Seattle, fanning 20 men in 19 innings.
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Baseball America: Always projected as a reliever ... stuff jumped when he changed to his proper role...
Fastball is 94-96 with "quality life" ... Hard slider has late, quick break and "chews up righthanders" ... changeup is also plus-plus at times.
Tons and tons of health questions... no cartilage in the elbow joint... future is uncertain...
If he regains health and stuff, will close in the majors.
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Three Years On: You don't need any help with this one. :- ) Lowe was one of the most dazzling pitchers we'd ever seen, but also has some of the weirdest health issues we'd seen, too...
At the time, I was wondering about Lowe as a starter. The Mariners didn't hesitate to call Lowe a reliever with a Capital R, and they were absolutely right.
I wonder if G-Money would project further arm-recovery and stuff from this milestone forward?
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=== #8 Chris Tillman ===
Had thrown just a few, wild, innings in the Arizona and rookie leagues after the draft -- like 45 strikeouts and 20 walks in 31 innings.
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Baseball America: Had projected as "an early first-rounder" but an inconsistent senior season dropped him to the 2nd...
Two plus pitches, a lively fastball and slider....
Easy velocity, loose arm, clean delivery... upwardly projectable, will fill out...
Immature, not mentally tough... if he develops as hoped, the M's will have landed three 1st-round talents (Morrow, Butler, Tillman) in the 2006 draft...
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Three Years On: SSI readers are familiar with Tillman's career, and the accuracy of the above report and prediction. The "loose arm and easy velocity" has helped Tillman move from age 18 to age 21 with no injuries. Good show.
In 2009, Butler was very effective in AAA at the age of 21, with 9.2 strikeouts, 2.5 walks, and 0.5 homers.
Called up to Baltimore, got hit for 5.4 / 3.3 / 2.1 (!) and a 5.40 ERA. Fangraphs had him at 92.0 average velo on his fastball, comparable to Billingsley, John Lackey and Jeremy Guthrie.
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=== #9 Yung-Chi Chen, 2B ===
In 2006, had gotten 40 games in AA at the age of 24, where he hit .295/.365/.443. Chen was popular with us locals, though D-O-V was never much of a fan.
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Baseball America: Sterling international career, very, ahem, young...
Has an innate feel for getting the barrel of the bat to the ball... Easy swing, makes hard contact at will, buggy-whip motion generates gap power...
Adjusts not only game-to-game, but pitch-to-pitch...
Adequate defender at best.
Will make AAA easily, but is blocked by Jose Lopez in Seattle.
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Three Years On: was blocked by Jose Lopez. Was waived and picked up by the A's, but OPS'ed only 690 at the age of 25 in AAA.
Never seemed like a good age-arc spect to me. Of course he was going to adjust well, being a grizzled international player competing against younger guys.
At long last, slot #9, Dr. D scores E on his card, Baseball America putting Chen above Carlos Triunfel in a decision that should have been easy even at the time.
Hey, 8-for-9 is .889? Ray Allen at the free-throw line, baby.
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