I have a bit of an off season shopping, or trading list, that I am trying to finish off over the next two months before the start of the 2017 season. A few of the cards I have been trying to find belong to players that I saw last year in the Minors. Whether they played for the Durham Bulls, or against them, several players from the International League stood out along the way.
This last weekend three of these cards arrived in the mail, adding one Braves player who has moved on to the Reds this off-season, and two Durham Bulls players.
Reds player first......
I actually have a bunch of different Tyrell Jenkins cards from his time as a Cardinals prospect back in the day. He was in the Jason Heyward deal with the Braves, was traded again this off-season to the Rangers, and was then released and claimed by the Reds. He had some decent numbers in the Minors, but struggled in his dozen or so appearances with the Braves. Even though I have a handful of his Cardinals autographs, and the Heyward trade ended up being sort of painful, I am happy to have a card of Jenkins in a Braves uni. Never saw him in person with a Cardinals minor league team.
Two Durham Bulls....
First up is Jacob Faria who spent the last half of the 2016 season in Durham. I actually got to see his debut with the Bulls against the Syracuse Chiefs (Nationals). Really impressive pitcher who should have a bright future in the Majors. He's basically at a strikeout per inning with a good K/BB ratio. Throughout his first half a season in the Appy League, with Princeton who plays at elevation, and he keeps the ball in the yard too.
Considering the upside here, the Faria autograph in Bowman Chrome is a bargain. Buy a few, put them in a box, and wait a year or two. No need to thank me later on....
Last....
First off, Schultz went to college locally at High Point University. I haven't ever really run into High Point's baseball team, but I know they have played some of the local ACC competition over the years. I saw their basketball team once, they almost beat NC State. Love Cat Barber.
Schultz strikes a lot of batters out, which is sort of his claim to fame as a prospect. His numbers are decent, but the 11 strikeouts per 9 innings just kind of jumps off the page at you. He could be a starter still in the future, but reminds me a lot of some of the other pitchers the Rays have converted into relievers in the high minors like Enny Romero or Colome.
This is another inexpensive card and very easy to find. Glad to have it in the collection along with the other two cards of Faria and Jenkins.