Everson Pereira Shows Advanced Baseball Instincts

BEST PLAYER

Outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams seemed like just another minor leaguer last year, when he finished his second pro season in the short-season New York-Penn League.

But the 23-year-old took a leap forward this season, spending most of the year at high Class A Tampa. The 2016 fifth-rounder out of South Carolina hit .299/.363/.546 with 22 home runs and 20 stolen bases through 100 games.

“He has been impressive at the plate with power to all directions,’’ vice president of baseball operations Tim Naehring said. “He started at (low Class A Charleston) and hit .378 with a (1.236 OPS) and moved to Florida State League, where he averaged a homer every 20 at-bats.’’

Thompson-Williams is a 6-foot, 190-pound lefthanded batter who, like many young hitters with power, needs to rein in his strikeout rate after it touched 26 percent in the FSL.

BEST PITCHER

When the Yankees sent first baseman Garrett Cooper and lefty Caleb Smith to the Marlins following the 2017 season for righthander Michael King plus international bonus pool money, a person familiar with the Marlins’ system had high praise for the now-23-year-old King.

“He was the best pitcher in (Miami’s) system,’’ the scout said of King, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound Boston College product who was drafted in the 12th round in 2016.

“(King) works the bottom of the zone good and has a very good feel for his changeup,’’ Naehring said of King. “Just look at the success he has had and how he has moved through three levels.’’

King advanced from Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, going 11-5, 1.79 in 25 games (24 starts) while striking out 152 in 161.1 innings. He doesn’t push radar guns into the high 90s but walked 1.6 batters per nine innings and surrendered just eight home runs.

KEEP AN EYE ON

In his first pro season, Rookie-level Pulaski center fielder Everson Pereira has grabbed the organization’s attention quickly with his performance as a 17-year-old in the Appalachian League.

“He is interesting. He hits third in the lineup and is 17 in a league where the average age is (20),’’ Naehring said of the righthanded-hitting Venezuelan who signed for $1.5 million in July 2017. He hit .263/.322/.389 with three home runs in 41 games before an elbow issue interrupted his season on Aug. 16.

“What makes him interesting is that a lot of young players have tools, but (in his case) it is fun to watch his baseball IQ. His routes and angles in the outfield are very good. He looks like he is 20 instead of 17.’’