Apologies for dropping off the grid since last week but it takes a few days to reboot after a migraine. Couple that with a head cold the last couple days and I'm sure I've been a bear to be around. Anyhow, down to business. The three players this week are Emilio Bonifacio, Mike Aviles and Jose Altuve.
Bonifacio was one of three burners I started following in the minors a few years ago along with Eugenio Velez and Eric Young Jr. All three have been on the verge with Young sidetracked at the end of last season with a broken leg and Velez put down with a pitch to the head. What all three shared was the ability to steal bases in bunches in the minors. Bonifacio went over 40 five times and showed that promise two seasons ago with 21. I had him on my roster for a couple years and had initially drafted him before his rookie season in Arizona which he finished with the Nationals after that trade. That was the season he busted out of the gates batting over .500 and stole 4 bases that first week. Luckily I started him on a whim but his production hit a wall and he was a bust after that. Now two years later he is with Florida and in line for more playing time with Logan Morrison out. He is seeing the ball well batting .333 so far this season and he has four multi hit games in his last 10. With his super utility role he should stay in the line up as he keeps hitting. The more comfortable he gets at the plate the more comfortable he will get on the base paths and I expect the stolen bases to start raking up.
Mike Aviles is a good infielder for the Royals able to play second, third and short. He has shown the ability to hit for average with occasional pop capable of reaching double digits in both home runs and stolen bases. This is his season to shine before the calvary starts to arrive from the minors. After an early season slump that sent him to the bench he has been on fire since his return to the line up raising his average 50 points the last ten games. I think his future will be at second but this season most of his time will be at third. Aviles has been referred to as a sleeper before and I think this is the season he awakens.
Honestly I had never heard of Jose Altuve before last week. I was checking over the minors stats leaders and noticed him among the hits leaders. The thing that caught my eye was that he is listed at 5-foot-5 and 148 and hit 15 home runs last season. Couple that with 42 stolen bases and I'm thinking Dustin Pedroia may have found a teammate on the lollipop guild's all star team. Kidding aside I think that Altuve might be one to keep an eye on as he advances through the Astros farm system.
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