Brief notes on Amarillo Sod Poodles’ hitters of interest from 6/13 game against Frisco.

OF AJ Vukovich: Well-built righty bat with limited path to ML value. Strong, muscular body with solid bat speed — this combination likely creates meaningful raw power. Hit multiple doubles in this game — that said, has a pull-oriented, stiff path and don’t see the barrel control requisite to succeed at the ML level. Additionally, struggles squaring the ball in the air (confirmed by high GB-rate), and believe a swing change is necessary to tap into his raw power. Played CF in this look, didn’t get sufficient information on the defense to evaluate but size and fringe body control make it difficult to believe he plays up the middle at the ML level — he has primarily played LF this year. Arm strength should be playable in either corner.

Tough to see path to ML value based on this brief look — RHH-only corner OF bat with lack of feel to hit or ability to actualize power in-game. Raw power and still only in his age-22 season at AA portend greater upside than his present in-game look indicates.

1B/3B Ivan Melendez: Powerful corner INF with questionable feel to hit. Wide, mature frame with a very thick lower 1/2, carrying some bad weight and some concern the body could go south. Huge strength-driven raw power, but length and stiffness to the path severely impedes his ability to hit, with significant in-zone swing-and-miss. Decent bat speed but not enough to overcome the swing’s length, and coupled with lack of plate discipline hard to see the bat playing at the ML level as a RHH 1B. Primarily playing 3B, can’t imagine he sticks there long-term given body and lack of range (played 1B in this game).

Short-side of the platoon with no defensive versatility make it hard to project him finding a home on an ML roster given present look — don’t see him hitting enough to actualize his raw power in-game. Appealing high-end outcomes, but very unlikely he reaches them. 

UTIL Tim Tawa: Primary second baseman with significant experience playing throughout the infield and outfield. Average, mature build with a thick lower 1/2. Simple, short bat path oriented to the pull-side with a fairly patient approach, but has shown considerable swing-and-miss throughout his minor league career. Based on this look, see this as likely driven by his fringe bat speed along with his limited ability to adjust the barrel (particularly to breaking stuff). Performing fairly well this year as a 25-year-old in AA and demonstrating some strength-driven power, but hard to see this translating to significant ML production given visual look. Limited defensive opportunities, but showed mature, controlled actions at 2B with fringe range and mediocre fluidity — certainly not able to play SS or CF at the big league level.

Based on this brief look alone, view as an upper-level depth piece who can spell players at all positions at the AAA-level as required. Below average value at the plate and lack of any other standout tool hinder projection — however, ability to play multiple positions and overall polish should enable him to provide emergency ML relief. Upper-end outcome as an ML bench piece buoyed by his versatility, but hit tool would need to exceed what I saw in this 1-game evaluation.