2003 Wrapups: Montreal Expos
With the 2003 season coming to a close, we will be providing a brief wrapup of the season for all 30 minor league teams. In each report, we will take a look at how the team's Top 10 Prospects performed, identify some emerging prospects and organizational leaders, and report on the performance of their top draft pick.
Complete index of Team Wrapups 2003 League Wrapups
By Kevin Goldstein
October 24, 2003
Season Results
Performance of Top 10 Prospects
Here's how our top 10 prospects entering this season performed in 2003.
| 1. Clint Everts, rhp
Age: 19 |
The fifth overall pick in the 2002 draft and a high school teammate of Mets prospect Scott Kazmir, Everts spent the first half of the season in extended spring training and made his pro debut in the New York-Penn League. Struck out eight over six shutout innings in his second start, and finished the season with five solid starts in the Sally League. Has one of the best curveballs in the minors, but he needs to learn how to control it, as it often breaks so hard it ends up out of the strikezone.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Vermont (Short-Season) |
2-4 |
0 |
4.17 |
10 |
54.0 |
49 |
26 |
25 |
35 |
50 |
| Savannah (Low Class A) |
0-3 |
0 |
3.46 |
5 |
26.0 |
23 |
13 |
10 |
10 |
21 |
|
| 2. Mike Hinckley, lhp
Age: 21 |
Last season's New York-Penn League ERA champ started slowly (5.64 ERA in his first 12 starts), but put up a 1.64 ERA in his final 11 outings for Savannah, and was absolutely lights-out in a late-season stint in the Florida State League. Quietly sneaking up as a top-flight prospect.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Savannah (Low Class A) |
9-5 |
0 |
3.64 |
23 |
121.0 |
124 |
54 |
49 |
41 |
111 |
| Brevard County (High Class A) |
4-0 |
0 |
0.72 |
4 |
25.0 |
14 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
23 |
|
| 3. Josh Karp, rhp
Age: 24 |
Karp missed much of spring training and the first two weeks of the season with a case of strep throat, and then suffered through a tough season at Double-A, at one time going 15 starts between victories. Posted a 5.83 ERA in the final two months of the season during which he missed a pair of starts with a tired arm. A step backward by any measurement.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Harrisburg (Double-A) |
4-10 |
0 |
4.99 |
23 |
122.2 |
126 |
76 |
68 |
49 |
77 |
|
Made the Expos rotation out of spring training and tossed seven shutout innings against the Braves in his first game of the season. Had a 3.44 ERA before going on the disabled list with a sore shoulder, and his ERA was 4.91 after his return. Induces plenty of groundballs, but needs to miss more bats outright.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Expos (MLB) |
9-8 |
0 |
4.18 |
23 |
131.1 |
132 |
64 |
61 |
59 |
61 |
| GCL Expos (Rookie) |
0-0 |
0 |
3.86 |
1 |
2.1 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| Brevard County (High Class A) |
0-0 |
0 |
1.69 |
1 |
5.1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
| 5. Seung Song, rhp
Age: 23 |
A former Red Sox No. 1 prospect who was acquired in the Cliff Floyd deal at the 2002 trading deadline, Song did not disappoint in his first full season with the Expos. Threw a no-hitter vs. Erie on April 28, and earned a promotion to Triple-A by limiting Eastern League hitters to a .208 average. Went 6-0 in his first nine starts at Edmonton, and finished the season with a four-hit shutout. Should help the Expos in 2004.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Harrisburg (Double-A) |
5-2 |
0 |
2.35 |
13 |
72.2 |
55 |
26 |
19 |
24 |
44 |
| Edmonton (Triple-A) |
7-2 |
0 |
3.79 |
13 |
73.2 |
69 |
34 |
31 |
33 |
40 |
|
| 6. Darrell Rasner, rhp
Age: 22 |
The Expos second-round pick in 2002, Rasner suffered through an inconsistent campaign, often struggling in the early innings. Just 10 quality starts in 22 outings.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Savannah (Low Class A) |
7-7 |
0 |
4.19 |
22 |
105.1 |
106 |
53 |
49 |
36 |
90 |
|
| 7. Claudio Vargas
Age: 24 |
Vargas quickly found himself in the Expos rotation in late April after four solid starts in the minors, and won his major league debut by limiting Houston to one run over six innings. Like Day, he needs to increase his strikeout rate to find consistent success in the majors.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Harrisburg (Double-A) |
1-0 |
0 |
0.75 |
2 |
12.0 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
13 |
| Edmonton (Triple-A) |
0-0 |
0 |
2.79 |
2 |
9.2 |
7 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
12 |
| Expos (MLB) |
6-8 |
0 |
4.34 |
23 |
114.0 |
111 |
59 |
55 |
41 |
62 |
|
| 8. Chris Young, rhp
Age: 24 |
Acquired from the Pirates in the Matt Herges deal over the offseason, Young missed the first month of the season with tendinitis, but was absolutely untouchable in the Florida State League once healthy. He had three starts of 7+ innings while allowing just one hit, and opposing batters managed just a paltry .150 average when facing him over eight starts. Failed to duplicate the success at Double-A, where scouts' concerns over his lack of a true out pitch came to fruition.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Brevard County (High Class A) |
5-2 |
0 |
1.62 |
8 |
50.0 |
26 |
9 |
9 |
5 |
39 |
| Harrisburg (Double-A) |
4-4 |
0 |
4.01 |
15 |
83.0 |
83 |
39 |
37 |
22 |
64 |
|
| 9. Scott Hodges, 3b
Age: 24 |
In his seventh season since being a supplemental first round selection in 1997, Hodges hit .337-8-33 in June/July, but just .256-4-33 in the 64 games before and after the hot streak. Plate discipline fell of the table, and he lacks the power generally expected from a corner infielder.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Edmonton (Triple-A) |
126 |
482 |
67 |
139 |
23 |
1 |
12 |
66 |
29 |
93 |
5 |
.288 |
.327 |
.419 |
|
| 10. Larry Broadway, 1b
Age: 22 |
A third-round pick out of Duke in 2002, Broadway quickly established himself as the top power prospect in the system, shooting through three levels in his first full season. Hit .421 in his final 10 games for Harrisburg, and was equally productive when facing lefties or righties.
| TEAM | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Savannah (Low Class A) |
83 |
290 |
56 |
89 |
25 |
4 |
14 |
51 |
44 |
70 |
3 |
.307 |
.400 |
.566 |
| Brevard County (High Class A) |
25 |
76 |
8 |
17 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
18 |
20 |
0 |
.224 |
.367 |
.382 |
| Harrisburg (Double-A) |
21 |
78 |
13 |
25 |
3 |
0 |
5 |
18 |
7 |
15 |
0 |
.321 |
.371 |
.551 |
|
Top Draft Pick:
| Chad Cordero
Cal State Fullerton Bonus: $1.35M |
Projected as a late-second/early-third round pick, Cordero was seen as a signability-based selection when the Expos popped him with the 20th overall pick. Made his professional debut after just two months in the Florida State League, and limited major league hitters to just four hits in 11 innings.
| Team |
W-L |
SV |
ERA |
G |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Brevard County (High Class A) |
1-1 |
6 |
2.05 |
19 |
26.1 |
17 |
8 |
6 |
10 |
17 |
| Expos (MLB) |
1-0 |
1 |
1.64 |
12 |
11.0 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
12 |
|
Emerging Prospects:
Shawn Hill, rhp: Canadian righty who played in this year's Futures Game, Hill had a 1.44 ERA in his final 11 starts for Brevard County, and finished the season a combined 12-5, 2.64 after spending the final month in Double-A.
Terrmel Sledge, of: A career .302 hitter entering the year, Sledge hit .324-22-92 at Edmonton, leading the organization in all three triple crown categories while pacing the PCL in runs scored (95) and finishing second in slugging percentage (.545). Will be 27 when the 2004 season begins, but he deserves a look.
Brandon Watson, of: After suffering through a disappointing 2002 season, Watson finished at .319 for Harrisburg after hitting .377 with 44 runs scored in his final 50 games. Still needs to learn how to work the count and utilize his speed better.
Statistical Leaders
| Batting Average |
Terrmel Sledge |
.324 |
| Home Runs |
Terrmel Sledge |
22 |
| Runs Batted In |
Terrmel Sledge |
92 |
| Stolen Bases |
Reggie Fitzpatrick |
36 |
| Earned Run Average |
David Maust |
2.12 |
| Wins |
Mike Hinckley |
13 |
| Strikeouts |
Mike Hinckley |
134 |
| Saves |
Chad Bentz |
16 |
