LaMonte Wade - 2016

[Seth Stohs]

LaMonte Wade

1/1/94 (22)

Outfielder

Twins 9th round pick in 2014 out of the University of Maryland

 

2015 played with Elizabethton where he hit .312/.428/.506 (.934) with eight doubles, five triples and nine home runs. As impressive, he walked 46 times with just 34 strikeouts. He was also 12/13 in stolen base attempts.

 

When the E-Twins season ended 2015, he finished with Cedar Rapids and helped them in their playoff run.

 

He begins 2016 with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

[Seth Stohs]

As of 4/26 (16 games), he is hitting .344/.400/.547 (.947) with six doubles, two triples and a home run. He has walked and struck out equally, 7 times each. 

[Mike Sixel]

Huge fan.

[rghrbek]

Due to his age and the fact he has played college baseball (successfully obviously), how long will he stay at low A?

 

If he keeps this up maybe a promotion in mid may?

[Seth Stohs]

Needs to get healthy first... get a few more games under his belt, and it doesn't need to be real long.

[goulik]

After 76 at bats, his slash is now 342/418/513 with 6 doubles, 2 triples and a homer. He has 10 runs and 10 RBIs. He has the same number of walks as strikeouts, 11. He has committed 1 error.

[goulik]

Copied and pasted from Seths post MiLB hitter of the Month April 2016:

 

"And the Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month is:

 

Cedar Rapids – OF LaMonte Wade - .361/.430/.542 (.972). 26-72 with six doubles, two triples, one home run and ten RBI.

 

LaMonte Wade was the Twins ninth-round draft pick last June out of the University of Maryland. Many experts, including Twins Daily’s draft guru Jeremy Nygaard, believe he could have been drafted much higher if not for a broken hamate bone that cost him significant playing time in his junior season.

 

In 64 games at Elizabethton last year he hit .312/.428/.506 (.934) with eight doubles, five triples and nine home runs. As impressive, he walked 46 times while striking out just 34 times. That ability has continued into his 2015 season. In April, he walked ten times and struck out just eight times.

However, Wade doesn’t go to the plate looking to walk, and he isn’t just a contact-hitting slap hitter. Wade explained, “I’m always looking for a fastball elevated up over the plate to drive until I get two strikes. Then I just try to get the ball in play and do a job for the team.”

Following his E-Town season last year, Wade was promoted to Cedar Rapids where he played for the Kernels through their run to the Midwest League championship series. The half-dozen games helped prepare him for the league.

“Every game is hard-fought and filled with talented players. It comes down to which team can do the little things more consistently and play clean defense.”

What playing in Cedar Rapids in September couldn’t prepare him for was playing in Cedar Rapids in April. As you can tell, based on him being our choice for Twins Minor League Hitter of the Month, he handled the conditions just fine.

“The weather has been fine for the most part. Some days are better than others as far as the cold, but we don’t use that as an excuse because we know the other team has to compete in it as well.”

Wade may not have any one tool that is elite, but he also doesn’t really have a glaring weakness in his game. He can hit for average. He has a good approach at the plate. He isn’t a big home run hitter, but he does have gap-to-gap power. He has a little above average speed. He is a good defensive outfielder, capable of playing center field, though he profiles more in the corners. He also has an average-to-slightly above average arm.

Wade’s goals for the season include “to be more consistent at the plate and get back to the playoffs and win it all this time. I believe we have the team to do it.”

Wade is off to a fast start, which is great to see. What will be very interesting is to see how long he stays in Cedar Rapids, particularly if he continues at a similar offensive pace. It may not be real long before he joins the Miracle in Ft. Myers"

[goulik]

In the last couple of weeks LaMonte Wade's stats have "slid" to 331/429/483 in 118 at bats. He has walked 22 times to 17 strike outs showing some good patience at the plate. in 21 games in LF he has 1 error and 3 assists, in 10 games in CF he has one assist and no errors. He has been caught Stealing twice in 5 attempts.

I'm hoping to see him get his shot at Fort Meyers shortly after the draft.

[Vanimal46]

I'm jumping aboard the hype train. I've been very impressed reading about his success on the field. 

[goulik]

Welcome aboard!!

[rghrbek]

 

Due to his age and the fact he has played college baseball (successfully obviously), how long will he stay at low A?

 

If he keeps this up maybe a promotion in mid may?

 

I've never quoted myself, until now,k but he has kept it up and what I thought was a reasonable expectation for him to be up mid may, is now off.

 

Man, he played college and is 22 years old.   How is he not in FM?   It's not the biggest injustice in the world, but I do find it perplexing.

[goulik]

He will be there around the time they make cuts and moves to accommodate the new draftees

[goulik]

Still dominant over all numbers (302/426/427) but hitting merely 206 in the last 10 games and just 222/400/222 in June. That's right, no extra base hits in June so far but he has also only had 27 at bats in 8 games... Hey, SD Buhr, was he hurt? Why hasn't he been playing everyday?

[Guest]

 

Still dominant over all numbers (302/426/427) but hitting merely 206 in the last 10 games and just 222/400/222 in June. That's right, no extra base hits in June so far but he has also only had 27 at bats in 8 games... Hey, SD Buhr, was he hurt? Why hasn't he been playing everyday?

 

I had been wondering the same thing about Wade's health, but I never did hear anything about it. Whatever the situation was, it must be resolved since he played in the MWL ASG last night and was promoted to Ft Myers today.

[goulik]

Wade has played every day in July so far. In his first 8 games in Fort Meyers, (SSS warning) he is hitting 370/419/481 with 3 doubles.

[goulik]

FM Slash now 318/386/518 for a 904 OPS. This guy just contines to hit. In 110 at bats, he has struck out 17 times and walked 10. His GO/AO ratio is a nice 0.77. Pretty imressive. He goes up a level and gets even better.

Combined he is hitting 293/402/438 in 317 innings with 44 Ks and 54 BBs.

 

Wade has played 47 innings in LF in FM without an error. Combined with his CR numbers, Wade has 236 innings in Left having committed one error. In CF, he has 154 innings (430 Combined) without an error at either level.

 

I really hope Wade keeps getting pushed quickly and starts next year in AA.

[Shane Wahl]

2016 Summary

 

Wade posted an .806 OPS in his time in Cedar Rapids before being promoted to Fort Myers.

 

In 127 plate appearances, .318/.386/.518 (.904), eight doubles, one triple, four homers, 10 walks 17 strikeouts, one steal, one time caught stealing.

 

Wade is still spending most of his time in CF, and is good out there.

 

 

2017 Outlook

 

The Twins did with Wade what I would like to see them do more of with prospects, and that is promote guys up with about 1/3 of the season left. After a total of 277 plate appearances at Cedar Rapids, they promoted Wade and this sets him up nicely for a 150-200 plate appearance stint in Fort Myers before a mid-season promotion to AA. Wade turns 23 on New Year's Day. In 688 minor league plate appearances, Wade has an .868 OPS, 22 doubles, nine triples, 17 homers, 101 walks vs. 80 strikeouts, and 18 steals in 23 attempts. That BB/K rate is pretty enticing. Wade has cruised up into my top 10 prospects. 

[goulik]

I have been big on Wade since he was drafted. I am not sure what kind of MLB outfielder he will make but he has done nothing but exceed expectations so far. I hope to see him appear first at Target field late in the 2018 season.

[Vanimal46]

That's a hell of a season for Wade. Love that BB/K ratio. His plate discipline is going to carry him a long way as he progresses through the system.