Travis d’Arnaud Is The Best Catching Prospect In The Minors

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• Mitch Petanick January 23, 2013 at 4:10 pm

  Who cares what league they came in…Those stats are sick
• Mr North Jersey January 23, 2013 at 4:15 pm

  Looking forward to Spring Training 2013. Off Topic: Joe D will Tim B be back covering the Binghamton Mets?
• Hank January 23, 2013 at 4:56 pm

  This is a great accomplishment for d’Arnaud. Some might not think it’s that much of an honor, but this list is based on feedback from MLB insiders, scouts, and front offices. I am still leery of the inability to stay healthy so far. However, you cannot deny that this kid represents a great part of the foundation going forward.
• Hitman January 23, 2013 at 5:04 pm

  Spring Training can’t come fast enough. I’m sick of the offseason and I wanna see what this kid can do.
• srt January 23, 2013 at 5:24 pm

  I hope this kid reaches his potential in the MLs. We’re due for some change of luck.
  • Hotstreak January 23, 2013 at 5:39 pm

    Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity’

    Elmer Letterman
    • Mr North Jersey January 23, 2013 at 5:48 pm

      Here is a “luck” phrase that Clayton I am sure is very proud of.

      “All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck — who keeps right on going — is the man who is there when the good luck comes — and is ready to receive it.” – Robert Collier
• tlagee January 23, 2013 at 7:13 pm

  “Luck is the residue of design”

  Branch Rickey is attributed with the famous quotation: “Luck is the residue of opportunity and design.” (Quoted by Larry King 7/12/2006.), although 17th century writer John Milton initially coined the phrase.
• kevin January 23, 2013 at 8:19 pm

  “Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.”
  - Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Connor O'Brien January 23, 2013 at 8:33 pm

  d’Arnduad actually hit significantly better on the road last year than at home, which I think is interesting. A lot of people have been knocking his numbers saying they are a result of Vegas. The whole league is typically a hitters league if I’m not mistaken but anytime you can put up those numbers, it’s really impressive.
  • Vinny B January 23, 2013 at 9:26 pm

    The point people are making about his numbers is just to simply not get carried away with them. That statement holds true for all minor league numbers, but it’s especially true with numbers from the PCL. It is a notorious hitters league, so hitting .333 in the PCL isn’t the same as hitting .333 in the IL.

    Think of players like Adam Loewen or Brad Eamus of examples of guys who put up very good numbers in the PCL, but fail to do anything in the major leagues. Even Collin Cowgill was able to hit over .350 in the PCL for one season. If you want example of a prospect like Travis, look at Travis Snider for example. He also hit .333 for his career n the PCL, but also failed to have any success in the majors.

    I’m not saying Travis D’Aranuad isn’t a great prospect, but what I’m saying is to just be cautious about his numbers.
• taskmaster4450 January 23, 2013 at 9:03 pm

  .333 for a catcher is a good BA no matter what level of professional baseball it is in.
  • Boomer January 23, 2013 at 9:22 pm

    No. .333 is fantastic for a catcher no matter what level. It’s hard to overestimate how much wear and tear catching takes on a player as opposed to a guy standing in right or left.

    You get a guy who can QB a pitching staff and hit for a very high average with some power and you have the backbone of your team for years to come.
• tlagee January 23, 2013 at 10:09 pm

  We got a recovering (tore his posterior cruciate knee ligament) minor league catching prospect who has yet to make the show for a Cy Young winner.

  Hell, he better be good.
• Pat Cashman January 24, 2013 at 7:40 am

  The only problem with his stats is that you take off 80 points from batting average for MLB average. His PCL tear could cost him years as a catcher as it could lead to problems with constant crouching. May end up as first baseman in years to come but was an excellent prospect until he got hurt. PCL is only ligament a brace can’t fix. I have a detached PCL.
• Kay January 24, 2013 at 7:49 am

  Buster Posey had torn ligaments on both sides of his ankle, as well a broken bone, surgery and missed nearly a year.

  He returned pretty good I’d say.

  Lets hope for the best, and stop assuming the worst before the guy hits the ML level.