July 7, 2011

Future Shock Blog

Minor League Update: Games of July 6

by Kevin Goldstein

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Lisalberto Bonilla, RHP, Phillies (Low-A Lakewood): 9 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 12 K.

Your pitching line of the night might have come from a name you haven't heard before, but he's quickly becoming a big pop-up guy in the Sally League that has scouts lining up for another look. Moved to the rotation in early June, Bonilla features an average-to-plus fastball with natural sink, but his changeup is his best pitch, as a true plus offering with plenty of depth and fade. Limiting Sally League hitters to a .179 batting average, with an improved breaking ball, he'll continue to climb Phillies prospect lists.

Others Of Note:

• Stetson Allie, RHP, Pirates (Short-season State College): 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K. Best outing as pro; 13 IP, 13 H, 9 BB, 16 K in four starts.
• Adrian Cardenas, UT, Athletics (Triple-A Sacramento): 4-for-4, 2B, 3B, R. Hitting .320/.394/.427 in 76 games; has played 2B, 3B and LF, which might be what he does in the future as multi-positional bench player.
• Michael Choice, OF, Stockton (High-A Stockton): 3-for-5, HR (22), R, 3 RBI, BB, 2 K. Home runs in five straight games have lifted slugging percentage 51 points; .272/.372/.551 overall.
• Tony Cingrani, LHP, Reds (Rookie-level Billings): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K. Third-round pick has eight whiffs over four shutout innings in first two pro games; pro body and big velocity from the left side.
• Pat Corbin, LHP, Diamondbacks (Double-A Mobile): 9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K. First career complete game and shutout; Lefty with plus command projects as back-end starter.
• C.J. Cron, DH, Angels (Short-season Orem): 2-for-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB, K. First-round pick is too good for this level; on base 16 times in five games with .400/.516/.720 line.
• Derek Deitrich, SS, Rays (Low-A Bowling Green): 1-for-3, HR (10), R, 2 RBI, BB, K. Three home runs in last two games and up to .275/.343/.468; dings are that he's old for the level and not really a shortstop.
• Scooter Gennett, 2B, Brewers (Low-A Brevard County): 3-for-5, 2B, HR (5), 2 R, RBI, K. Hitting .317 in last 30 games and up to .281/.322/.373 overall.
• Brandon Guyer, OF, Rays (Triple-A Durham): 4-for-4, 2 2B, 4 R, R, BB, SB. Has been slumping of late, but still hitting .316/.390/.513 overall in 76 games.
• Bryce Harper, OF, Nationals (Double-A Harrisburg): 3-for-3, RBI, SB. 5-for-10 in first three Eastern League games; still three-plus months away from turning 19.
• Braulio Lara, LHP, Rays (Low-A Bowling Green): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 12 K. Career-high in strikeouts for big-armed lefty with control issues (usually); 4.54 ERA in 16 starts.
• Alex Liddi, 3B, Mariners (Triple-A Tacoma): 3-for-5, 2B, 2 HR (17), 3 R, 4 RBI, BB. Hitting .260/.331/.487 on the season; has played shortstop primarily of late, but won't play there in the big leagues.
• Taylor Lindsey, 2B, Angels (Short-season Orem): 10-for-16 in last three games and .357/.392/.543 in 15 games; profiles as offense-first second baseman.
• Chris Martin, RHP, Red Sox (High-A Salem): 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K. Sleeper Alert! Six-foot-seven, 175 pound beanpole was signed out of indy leagues after years of shoulder problems; 92-94 mph fastball with good mid-to-upper 80s slider.
• Matt Moore, LHP, Rays (Double-A Montgomery): 7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 10 K. Lost no-hitter on home run in the seventh inning; 2.14 ERA on the season and 28 IP, 9 H, 5 BB, 33 K in last four starts.
• Adrian Nieto, C, Nationals (Short-season Auburn): 2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB, K. Over slot 2008 pick was all but off the radar but is having nice comeback year; .333/.397/.574 in 15 games.
• Justin O'Conner, C, Rays (Rookie-level Princeton): 0-for-4, BB, 3 K. Biggest question about last year's first-rounder revolved around the bat; 7-for-50 (.140) with 23 Ks adding to the concerns.
• Rafael Ortega, OF, Rockies (Low-A Asheville): 2-for-4, 2B, HR (3), 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K. Hitting .333 in last ten games to up season line to .287/.322/.416; 20-year-old Venezuelan is small, but has tools.
• Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Indians (High-A Kinston): 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K. Arguably best outing of the year could be final Carolina League start; 1.87 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 77 innings.
• Mel Rojas, OF, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia): 4-for-5, 3B, HR (3), 2 R, 2 RBI, K. Has made slow and steady progress throughout the year; still at just .260/.302/.341 in 78 games.
• Jerry Sands, OF, Dodgers (Triple-A Albuquerque): 3-for-4, 2B, HR (13), 2 R, 5 RBI. 7-for-13 with 17 total bases in last three games; .404/.457/.831 line in home games at very friendly park.
• Miguel Sano, SS/3B, Twins (Rookie-level Elizabethon): 3-for-5, 2B, 3B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 K. Has been horrendous defensively with 11 errors in 16 games, but bat looks awfully good at .303/.338/.576.
• Hayden Simpson, RHP, Cubs (Rookie-level AZL): 2.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 0 K. Just going backwards, and it's hard not to feel bad for him.
• Cory Spangenberg, 2B, Padres (Short-season Eugene): 1-for-2, 2 BB, SB. Stats remains wacky, as he's not 27-for-69 with 25 walks for a .391/.557/.565 line.

Kevin Goldstein is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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