TALENT GULF EVIDENT IN GCL
While the talent was stacked at the complexes in Arizona for the Rookie-level Arizona League, that wasn’t the case this year in the Gulf Coast League.
Several top draft picks just missed qualifying due to their limited playing time. Tigers outfielder Riley Greene (the fifth overall pick) made a strong impression in his brief time in the GCL before being promoted. Righthanders J.J. Goss (Rays), Kendall Williams (Blue Jays), Josh Wolf (Mets) and Matthew Allan (Mets) and outfielder Shane Sasaki (Rays) were all top 100 draft picks who missed the playing time cutoffs to be eligible for this list.
Many of the top draft picks and high-profile international signings who did participate in the GCL struggled to perform. The main exception was Blue Jays shortstop Orelvis Martinez, who signed for $3.51 million out of the Dominican Republic last year and mashed as a 17-year-old in his first pro season.
Otherwise, the players on this list are mostly more raw than usual compared to typical years.
1. Orelvis Martinez, SS/3B
Blue Jays
AGE: 17. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-1. WT: 190. SIGNED: Dominican Republic, 2018.
The Blue Jays signed Martinez out of the Dominican Republic last year on July 2 for $3.51 million, the
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