Carlos Asuaje

[jscola85]

Didn't see a thread dedicated to Carlos, who I think has earned the right to be considered a prospect after the season he's been having in Greenville and Salem
 
Full Name: Carlos Asuaje
Born: 11/2/1991
Birthplace: Barquismeto, Venezuela
Height: 5-9
Weight: 160
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Drafted: 11th round, 2013 out of Nova Southeastern
 
Asuaje posted some really impressive numbers coming out of Nova Southeastern, hitting .356 in his three years at the school.  However, given his size and the fact that Nova Southeastern is not exactly a powerhouse from what I know, he fell to the 11th round and signed for a measly $100k.
 
Carlos held his own in Lowell, posting a .269/.366/.368 line in Lowell, which for a guy projected to play 2B or 3B was good enough to get him a second look in Greenville this year.  I don't think anyone could have expected the progress he has shown in 2014, however.  For the year in Greenville and Salem, Carlos has posted a line of .311/.392/.539.  It would not have shocked me to see him hit .300 given his college performance, but to see the ISO power of over .200 for over 500 PAs, including 15 HRs, is a complete shock.
 
Along the lines of other somewhat undersized middle infielders who used to play shortstop (Pedroia, Coyle, Chavis, etc.), Asuaje seems to hit bigger than his shoe size.
 
In terms of scouting, here's what SoxProspects had to say after his year in Lowell:
 

 
Though his stat line doesn’t reflect it, Carlos Asuaje (pictured)has shown some solid tools during his time with Lowell this year. Asuaje doesn’t have great size and as a result he will never be much of a power hitter. He does, however, have good feel at the plate and plus speed. Asuaje has a short, compact swing and is very direct to the ball. He has good pitch recognition skills and knowledge of the strike zone. Content to take a walk if the pitcher doesn’t give him anything to hit, he doesn't try to do too much at the plate. He has only gap power, but has shown the ability to work to all fields.
 
 In the field, Asuaje is likely to eventually move fulltime to second base where his skills profile best, but he has shown the ability to play shortstop or third base if need be. With Lowell’s roster full of middle infielders, he has been playing primarily third base where he has shown enough arm to play and soft hands, fluid actions and plenty of range. With the ability to play three infield positions, plus a solid idea of what to do at the plate and the ability to make contact, Asuaje profiles best as a utility player and is someone to watch as an under-the-radar type from the 2013 draft class.

 
Right now, SP has him ranked 40th in the system, but given his age (22) and continued dominance since moving up to Salem (basically identical OBP/SLG as Greenville), it would seem more fair to Carlos to put him in the top 25 or so of the system.  He's out-performing compared to Garin Cecchini when Ceech was in Salem, though obviously pedigree between the two is quite different.
 
Seems fair to bet that Asuaje will either start 2015 in Portland or quickly rise there if he keeps hitting like he has in 2014.  There's nobody blocking him at 3B or 2B, unless you think Reed Gragnani has more upside than Asuaje.
 

 

[Plympton91]

This guy has to be a top 20 prospect at this point doesn't he? Very solid sample size and performance at Salem with positional flexibility.

 

[jscola85]

I would agree.  Not sure why, other than pedigree, he wouldn't be a top 20 guy.

 

[Cesar Crespo]

because the system is stacked, but I agree.

 

[Plympton91]

you
because the system is stacked, but I agree.

That's very true. Another way to think about the emergence of Asuaje (and Gragnani, actually) is whether you believe it is real enough that it makes you more willing to trade people above him currently on the depth chart. Asuaje certainly looks ready to start in AA next season, regardless of where he's ranked.

Second base depth would probably be Pedroia, Betts, Holt, Coyle, Asuaje right now; third base depth is probably Holt, Middlebrooks, Cecchini, Coyle, Asuaje. So, in the case of 2B, your first substitute is probably also in line to be a starting outfielder, whereas at 3B you have sub-optimal options as the starter and first depth role. I think I'd be more willing to trade Coyle as a result of Asuaje's success. Not sure that Coyle is a key piece of any trade, but he could be the 3rd guy in a deal for a soon-to-be free agent starter like Latos or Cuetto

 

[Cesar Crespo]

Rightly or wrongly, I view him the same way I view Travis Shaw,who will probably have a MLB career even if brief. A guy who hits well, lacks great pedigree and while he wasn't old for the league, he wasn't young. (for a prospect, average league age is a junk stat raised by flotsam like Ryan Dent)

We really won't know until next year, but hopefully he adjusts to Portland quicker than Shaw.

 

[Again2004]

His swing is really compact and he is good at lifting the ball with his strong wrist. If he improves his strength and pitch recognition skill he should be a very good big leaguer. Big sleeper to me.

 

[esaskysinnerear]

I'm a big Asuaje fan. I was able to talk to him in Salem last season, here's the interview: http://firebrandal.com/boston-red-sox/prospect-interview-carlos-asuaje.html

 

[jscola85]

An update on Asuaje in Portland: .256/.350/.371 triple slash in 455 PAs.  He's actually improved both his BB% and K% in AA vs. A+, but his power has totally dissipated and his BABIP is back to a normal .300 vs. .390 in Salem last year.  Still, he's posting a 112 wRC+ in AA at 23 years old, so Carlos seems to be at least worth monitoring.  The middle infield is a bit of a logjam in Pawtucket between Hernandez, Marrero and Coyle for 2016, but Asuaje seems to have earned some sort of everyday role in AAA next year.
 
Carlos has also improved a bit post-ASB, with a .795 OPS in 93 PAs, and a 17/13 K/BB.  He's got a noticeable L/R split, but as a lefty he at least struggles against the smaller portion of a platoon.