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What to Expect
At this point in the organization, players at Low-A Charleston are so far away from the majors that it gets hard to call out promising prospects outside of the vaunted favorites. Unfortunately, the RiverDogs don’t have many big-time prospect on the roster to start the year, but there are a few guys to keep an eye on.
Given the organization’s expansion into the Advanced Rookie level, players who may have been in Charleston, even before they are ready, now have another place to go. The team will have to wait until after the draft to get some marketable talent.
Position Players to Watch
Wilkerman Garcia (SS) isn’t exactly on many prospect lists despite his status as a prized international signing. The problem is that he hasn’t hit at all outside the Gulf Coast League. Two years in a row with sub-.600 OPS is not going to get you much attention. That being said, he’s now 20 and finally in A-ball, so he’s going to have to show some promise soon.
Brayan Emery (OF) is currently on the disabled list, but he needs to get healthy and show he can hit. He’s 20 years old and hitting A-ball for the first time, so this should be a big year for him.
Leonardo Molina (OF) was given the aggressive assignment of Low-A Charleston at 18...back in 2016. It was a move that never really worked out, resulting in his demotion. This is now his third time at the same level, so he’s going to have to show some progress eventually.
Pitchers to Watch
Glenn Otto (RHP) is a former 2017 fifth-rounder and is worth keeping an eye on this year. He only pitched a handful of innings last year, but the organization seemingly saw enough to bump him up to A-ball. Since he’s already 22, he doesn’t have much time for setbacks.
JP Sears (LHP) has already hit the disabled list this early in the year, but he was an interesting addition to the organization over the winter. Sears has shown an uncanny ability to strike out his opponents and it would be great to see that talent on a grander scale.