Now that the DSL season is complete, here are 12 more players who made noise this year as prospects to follow. Some of these players are on the same level as the prospects mentioned in our first story, while others are deeper projections with more red flags they will have to address as they move up to higher levels. Within those reports, I also threw in some bonus names to know on players with intriguing traits to follow who could move up prospect lists next year.
Jhonny Level, SS, Giants
The Giants signed Level this year out of Venezuela for $997,500, and he got off to a slow start, batting .191/.295/.397 through 18 games in June. From there on, he hit .307/.425/.555 in his final 37 games of the season, finishing at .275/.393/.517 with 10 home runs (tied four fourth in the league), 30 walks and 36 strikeouts. Level, 17, is a 5-foot-10 switch-hitter who drew praise from scouts in Venezuela for his hitting ability and instinctive, savvy play that showed up both at the plate and in the field. Over the past year or so, he has bulked up significantly, with that added strength translating to some of the best power numbers in the DSL, both in terms of the home runs he hit and the hard contact he was able to consistently generate, with balls up to 108 mph off the bat. Level can get too aggressive with his approach at times, but his short, quick swing and ability to manipulate the barrel gives him good bat-to-ball skills. He’s an above-average runner with a well above-average arm from shortstop.
Argenis Cayama, RHP, Giants
Two years ago, Cayama was an outfielder in Venezuela without an agreement. He moved to the mound and started to draw more interest for his athleticism and a fastball that reached 91 mph by the time he signed with the Giants for $147,500 in January. By the spring, his velocity cranked up to reach 96 mph, and he has held that velocity, pitching at 90-94 mph and scraping 96 on a fastball that has good arm-side run. He gets a lot of swing-and-miss on his low-80s slider with short, tight break. Cayama shows feel for a changeup that he doesn’t throw often but mirrors his fastball well, though it comes in firm in the mid-to-upper 80s. He’s 6-foot-1, 180 pounds and is coming off a strong DSL season in which he posted a 2.59 ERA in 24.1 innings with 29 strikeouts and nine walks.
Edward Florentino, OF/1B, Pirates
The Pirates were drawn to the lefthanded power stroke with Florentino when they signed the 6-foot-4,…