Post by AztecBill on Aug 17, 2012 9:42:38 GMT -8
Followers of the Padres minor leagues may have looked at a recent Fort Wayne box score and wondered who is Yeison Asencio? Astute Padre fans know he was never drafted, acquired in a trade, and no one named Yeison Asencio was ever signed as a foriegn free agent.
And yet, he is leading the Midwest League (16 teams), in batting average and is is 4th in SLG (.328 .358 .502 .859). His batting average and SLG are above Rymer Lariano's 2011 Midwest League results. Lariano's 2011 Midwest League results earned him the #1 Padres prospect tag, the Midwest Player of the year, and Midwest Prospect of the Year awards.
So who is Yeison Asencio?
He signed a as a foriegn free agent July 2, 2009 as Yoan Alcatara. Yoan Alcatara is 2 years younger than Asencio.
In 2011, "Yoan Alcatara" hit .348 .367 .586 .953 in the Arizona League. Baseball America took notice of this "19 year old" who tore up the Arizona Leauge and named him the Arizona League Prospect of the year. If they knew he was really 21, no such recognition would have been awarded.
Why does age make such a difference?
It can be seen best using an example in another "sport". Suppose, at a drag race, cars left the starting line at different times and you had a radar gun that would give their speed at some point on the track. The car going fastest at that point would probably be the best car. What if you slipped up and measured one car 10 yards further down the track. That car would be going much faster and you would assume that is the best car. Baseball America was looking at numbers two years down the track.
Yeison Asencio will turn 23 this November. To regain that top prospect luster, he needs to start 2013 at Lake Elsinore and, by his play, demand a promotion to San Antonio and excel there. If he was still thought to be 20, he would be a top rated player in the Padres system. But age makes a huge difference.
And yet, he is leading the Midwest League (16 teams), in batting average and is is 4th in SLG (.328 .358 .502 .859). His batting average and SLG are above Rymer Lariano's 2011 Midwest League results. Lariano's 2011 Midwest League results earned him the #1 Padres prospect tag, the Midwest Player of the year, and Midwest Prospect of the Year awards.
So who is Yeison Asencio?
He signed a as a foriegn free agent July 2, 2009 as Yoan Alcatara. Yoan Alcatara is 2 years younger than Asencio.
In 2011, "Yoan Alcatara" hit .348 .367 .586 .953 in the Arizona League. Baseball America took notice of this "19 year old" who tore up the Arizona Leauge and named him the Arizona League Prospect of the year. If they knew he was really 21, no such recognition would have been awarded.
Why does age make such a difference?
It can be seen best using an example in another "sport". Suppose, at a drag race, cars left the starting line at different times and you had a radar gun that would give their speed at some point on the track. The car going fastest at that point would probably be the best car. What if you slipped up and measured one car 10 yards further down the track. That car would be going much faster and you would assume that is the best car. Baseball America was looking at numbers two years down the track.
Yeison Asencio will turn 23 this November. To regain that top prospect luster, he needs to start 2013 at Lake Elsinore and, by his play, demand a promotion to San Antonio and excel there. If he was still thought to be 20, he would be a top rated player in the Padres system. But age makes a huge difference.