MLB Analyst Jonathan Mayo On Aaron Nola: 'Going To Contribute In 2015'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The Phillies have three players on MLB.com's recently released 2015 top-100 prospect list: SS J.P. Crawford (No. 21), RHP Aaron Nola (No. 37), and 1B/3B Maikel Franco (No. 55).
Franco, who played in 16 games for the Phillies at the end of last season, is the most Major-League ready of the bunch. However, the Phillies No. 7 overall pick in last year's draft---right-handed pitcher Aaron Nola---is also likely to don red pin stripes at some point in 2015.
"Aaron Nola is really not very far behind [Franco], even though he was just drafted last year," MLB.com's draft analyst Jonathan Mayo told CBSPhilly.com on Thursday. "He was the most polished pitcher in last year's draft class and probably one of the most polished college pitchers we've seen in quite some time. I think he could have stepped from college into the Phillies rotation last year and gotten some outs. You know, maybe you give him some time to pitch in the upper levels and the minors just from a development stand point, but he's going to contribute at some point in 2015."
Listen to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo with 94WIP's Andrew Porter
Mayo continued his heavy praise for Nola and even went as far as to mention Greg Maddux, while speaking of the Phillies' 21-year-old arm.
"It's not going to take him long," Mayo said of Nola. "He throws all of his pitches for strikes. And he's got good stuff and I'm talking about a guy who throws 88 miles an hour. Not to make the comparison to Greg Maddux because that's one, it's not fair and two, they're slightly different pitchers.
"Yes, [Maddux] had unbelievable command and could throw any pitch at any point in the count, to any part of the plate, but the stuff was really really good. Nola is the same, with a slightly unorthodox arm angle. The delivery is a little bit funky and that adds deception. The good stuff plays up to really, really good stuff. He's gonna make a very smooth transition in his first full season."
Crawford, the fifth best shortstop prospect on MLB.com's top-100 list, has been deemed the heir-apparent to Jimmy Rollins. With Rollins now in Los Angeles, could we see Crawford at Citizens Bank Park this season?
"I think 2016 is more likely, but he's already surpassed what I think a lot of people thought he'd be developmentally," Mayo said. "I think that he's hit better than some people have thought he might, at least initially. He's shown some pretty good pop, he's shown a very good approach at the plate. The defense, we all knew was there.
"He's gonna start the year in Double-A and then who knows?"
Lastly, is Franco, a power-hitting corner infielder. Despite struggling in 58 plate appearances with the Phillies last season (.179/.190/.214), Franco has been scorching hot this Winter.
"He has been ridiculous," Mayo said of Franco during Winter ball. "He may be the best hitter in Winter ball, anywhere. So I think that's gonna help him in terms of his confidence going into the year."
The question for Franco is where will he fit with the Phillies---first or third base?
"He's a natural third baseman," Mayo said. "He's got good hands. He's got a really strong arm. He just---because he's got below average speed his range is really limited. The fear is, as he continues to mature, he might get even slower. So I think long-term he's gonna end up at first base."
