No. 18: Pitching prospect Wikelman Gonzalez
It was the tale of two halves for Wikelman Gonzalez. He struggled to start the campaign, but he's righted the ship after rough beginnings in the past. However, as the months changed, things weren't getting better. Even the biggest Gonzalez believers had to wonder what was going on.
Later, fans saw the best version of the Venezuelan talent. Gonzalez allowed just nine runs in 44 innings from July 4 to Sept. 10. He finished the year with a 4.73 ERA, .198 BAA, and 1.25 WHIP in 24 appearances (19 starts). The 22-year-old struck out 92 batters compared to 46 walks in 83 2/3 innings. Gonzalez has ace stuff, but command and inconsistencies have held him back.
The righty has a live mid-90s fastball that can reach the upper 90s. Gonzalez still suffers from the same issues he had last year. He tries to nibble sometimes, and his command of the pitch isn't good enough for that, leading to walks.
Gonzalez improved on his changeup this year. It still looks like his fastball out of his hand, but it works in the mid-to-high 80s. The speed difference and a significant drop lead to plenty of bad swings. Gonzalez throws it well against everyone. Sometimes doesn't have a feel for the pitch, which makes it a meatball.
Gonzalez has one of the best curveballs in the system, and it's neck-and-neck with someone who will be mentioned later. It works in the mid-to-high 70s and breaks heavily. The pitch gets a lot of whiffs and is already MLB-ready.
He also has a slider, but it's sort of just a bad version of his curveball. The pitch is mid-80s with a slightly different shape than the curve. It's not nearly as consistent, but it's flashed moments of being a useful pitch.
Gonzalez has the pitch mix to be special and plenty of time to grow. His 4.95 BB/9 wasn't great in 2024, but it was still better than his 5.66 BB/9 rate the year prior. Baby steps.
Changeup: 50
Curveball: 70
Slider: 40
Control: 40
Overall: 45
No. 17: Outfield prospect Allan Castro
Allan Castro enjoyed a breakout 2023 season. We saw many of the same positives in 2024, but we also saw some struggles.
The switch-hitting outfielder slashed .229/.343/.400 with 23 doubles, four triples, and 15 home runs between High-A and Double-A. He recorded 57 RBI, 80 runs, and 17 steals. Castro struck out 124 times in 530 plate appearances (23.4% strikeout rate) and walked 74 times (14% walk rate). He digs himself into holes sometimes, but the patience is great to see from a 21-year-old.
The biggest issue with Castro is a lack of consistency. From July 1 through August 7, he went 33-for-101 (.327) with seven doubles, two triples, and 10 home runs. Outside that stretch, Castro hit .201 with five home runs over 344 at-bats. A one-month stretch saved the season from disaster. That being said, Castro did get promoted to Double-A this year. He tends to have good plate appearances and is average, at worst, in most categories.
If he were in a less crowded farm system, Castro would definitely get more love as an intriguing raw prospect who has flashed enough talent to get to Double-A as a 21-year-old.
Castro's okay from both sides of the plate. He's shown more power from the left side (.409 slugging percentage) than the right side (.358 slugging percentage). However, neither side was miserable.
His hit tool gets a nice boost, thanks to his eye, and the raw power is intriguing. The home runs tend to look majestic. There are very few cheap shots.
Castro possesses decent speed, but at 6'1", 170 lbs, it's likely that he'll fill out his frame more. That should add power, but it risks losing some speed/athleticism. Castro should always be able to swipe a few bags, though.
He's a good enough defender, likely best suited for a corner outfield spot. A solid arm won't terrify anyone, but it's enough to keep runners honest.
Castro doesn't have a bad tool. Nothing is carrying him either, though. His raw power is the best chance at him finding one, but he might need to sacrifice some of his patience and get more aggressive at the plate for that to happen.
Hit: 50
Power: 50
Run: 45
Arm: 45
Field: 45
Overall: 45