Beane: "For a catcher to be potentially a middle-of-the-order hitter, that’s pretty unusual," Beane said. "He’s really taken off this year." BA http://www.baseballamerica.com/majors/trade-central-astros-bring-kazmir-home/ http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/astros_acquire_scott_kazmir_from_oakland_for_two_prospects/ Jacob Nottingham, c Age: 20 Nottingham was a bat-first catcher in an organization known to love catch-and- throw receivers and he’s headed to an organization that has employed similarly talented players such as Stephen Vogt and Derek Norris. A physical righthanded hitter at 6-foot-3, 227 pounds, Nottingham’s raw power has begun to show up this season in Class A ball. Scouts say his defensive ability behind the plate, which has trailed his bat, has improved this season, thanks to the work of organizational catching instructor Mark Bailey, and evaluators now believe there’s a better than average chance he can stick back there. He ranked No. 9 on the Astros’ Midseason Prospect Update An off-the-bus physical specimen whom the Astros paid for his offensive skills, Nottingham’s had one of the best offensive seasons in the system. But thanks to the work of roving catching instructor Mark Bailey, the former California high school linebacker has made huge strides behind the plate as well to the point where scouts believe he can stick. Daniel Mengden, rhp Age: 22 The righthander grew up an Astros fan in Houston and says Lance Berkman was his favorite player. A former two-way player, Mengden also caught at A&M his first two seasons at College Station but saw his draft stock fall a bit as a junior thanks to a stress fracture in one of the vertebrae in his back. His fastball has average to tick above velocity at 88-94 and three other offerings that flash average: a changeup that’s probably his second-strongest offering, a slider at 82-85 and a curve that can be flat. With a bulldog mentality and solid command, Mengden projects as a No. 4-5 starter whose stuff could play up in a relief role. KL http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?p=9936599 Astros gave up a lot for two-plus months of Kazmir The Oakland Athletics had to be holding their breath with every Scott Kazmir start this season, knowing his shoulder could go at any time, potentially costing them a shot at a return, well, like the one they got in this deal with the Houston Astros. The Astros paid dearly for two months, maybe a dozen starts in the remainder of the regular season, of Kazmir, giving up a top young catching prospect and a quality right-handed starter prospect who was buried in the team's surfeit of right-handed arms. Jacob Nottingham checks in at 6-foot-3, 227 pounds. Cliff Welch/Icon SMI The gem of the deal for Oakland is catcher Jacob Nottingham, a 20-year-old catcher with a chance to stay at the position and the potential upside of 20-25 homers a year. A raw two-sport athlete in high school who turned down a chance to play linebacker for Alabama, Nottingham has 70 raw power thanks to his strength and a high-leverage swing that even produces above-average power to the opposite field. He is power before hit, but his approach at the plate has improved substantially since high school and he projects as a solid-average bat with above-average to plus power. His arm is a tick above average but is very accurate, while his receiving is fringy and might never get to average. He could be a star if he remains at catcher, and he could end up as a middle-of- the-order bat if he hits his realistic ceiling on offense. Mengden was extremely unlikely to see the majors with Houston, given how many other right-handed arms they have in their system, most of whom throw a bit -- or a lot -- harder than Mengden does. He'll pitch with a solid-average fastball and above-average cutter, pitching aggressively with plus control and I think future-plus command. The Astros have altered his arm slot this year, but he's at his best from a higher slot. I think he's a fourth or fifth starter, although I know some scouts have him as a likely reliever. Other scouting reports http://www.scout.com/mlb/athletics/story/1566227-trade-analysis-oakland-a-s-deal-scott-kazmir http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/breaking-down-the-prospects-in-the-scott-kazmir-trade/ http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/as-astros-open-market-with-scott-kazmir-trade/ http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/7/23/9026285/evaluating-oaklands-newest-prospects-from-the-scott-kazmir-trade http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-fringe-five-baseballs-most-compelling-fringe-prospects-53/ --

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