March 8, 2013

Minor League Update

Games of March 7, 2013

by Jason Martinez

Notable prospect performances from March 7, 2013

NL EAST

Atlanta Braves

• Julio Teheran, SP: 4 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 5 K. Continues to surge back onto the prospect radar and close in on solidifying rotation spot to start 2013.

Miami Marlins

• Jacob Realmuto, C: 1-for-2, HR (1). His homer against Mets reliever Greg Burke broke up a shutout with two outs in the 9^th inning during a 4-1 loss.

New York Mets

• Matthew den Dekker, CF: 2-for-3, HR (1). Making an impression defensively this spring, although the 25 year-old is just 5-for-19 with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Philadelphia Phillies

• Darin Ruf, DH: 2-for-4 2B, 3 RBI. Big day at the plate but his defensive struggles in the outfield early on pretty much rule him out for a starting job to begin the season.

 

NL CENTRAL

Chicago Cubs

• Christian Villanueva, 3B: 1-for-2, HR (2), 2 RBI, E. Good position to play in an organization without a good current option at third base but the 21 year-old is likely to start the season in Hi-A.
• Javier Baez, SS: 2-for-2, 2B. Huge offensive potential for the 20 year-old, who could help form a talented left side of the Cubs infield with Starlin Castro as early as the second half of 2014.

Milwaukee Brewers

• Khris Davis, OF: 2-for-3, HR (3), RBI, BB. Another big day for the 25 year-old left fielder, who had a nearly identical line on Wednesday (minus the walk).
• Michael Olmsted, RP: IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K, Sv (2).  Already making a strong push to secure a spot in the major league bullpen to start the season. The 25 year-old has allowed a run and two hits over six innings with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

St. Louis Cardinals

• Kolten Wong, 2B: 1-for-1, HR (1), 2 RBI. Only 3-for-15 coming in to Thursday's game but his pinch-hit homer should remind us that he probably shouldn’t be overlooked for the starting second base job.
• Seth Maness, SP: 3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, K. Just because it’s fun to do, I’ll figure out Maness’ ERA and tally up his walks and strikeouts since the 2012 season. OK, so that’s a 2.90 ERA with 10 walks and 116 strikeouts between Hi-A, Double-A, and his first two games of the spring. Not a big-time prospect, but appears to know what he’s doing out there.

 

NL WEST

Los Angeles Dodgers

• Yasiel Puig, OF: 2-for-3. Not showing much patience at the plate (0 BB, 7 K) but the 22 year-old is 11-for-26 this spring with three doubles and a homer.

 

AL EAST

Boston Red Sox

• Jackie Bradley, Jr., OF: 2-for-2, RBI. Manager John Farrell has acknowledged that Bradley is very likely to start the season in the minors but Bradley is doing his best to change his mind. The 22 year-old is now 10-for-20 with three walks and four strikeouts.
• Allen Webster, SP: 3 IP, ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K. His stock is rising quickly with three impressive outings this spring. The Sox saved a ton of money in the blockbuster trade with the Dodgers but they also received two very good young pitchers in Webster and Rubby De La Rosa.

Tampa Bay Rays

• Chris Archer, SP: 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K.  Alex Cobb and Jeff Niemann, the leading candidates for the last two rotation spots, are both pitching well but Archer is making a case with one-hit ball over seven shutout innings to start the spring. The 24 year-old was ranked the 29^th best prospect in baseball in the recently-released Top 101 at Baseball Prospectus.  

 

AL CENTRAL

Chicago White Sox

• Jared Mitchell, OF: 2-for-3. Seven hits in 16 at-bats with a double, triple, homer, and more importantly, only four strikeouts thus far for the athletically-gifted 24 year-old.

Cleveland Indians

• Francisco Lindor, SS: 1-for-2, SB (1), E. The 19 year-old “Shortstop of the Future” for the Indians has three hits and a walk in his last two games.

Detroit Tigers

• Jeff Kobernus, 2B: 2-for-4. Rule 5 pick trying to make the team as a utilityman is 9-for-31 with a pair of triples this spring.
• Nick Castellanos, OF: 1-for-1, 2B, 2 RBI. Hitless in his last seven at-bats after starting the spring on a tear (6-for-9, HR, 3 BB), the 21 year-old hit a two-run double off Braves reliever Anthony Varvaro in his lone at-bat on Thursday.
• Tyler Collins, OF: 2-for-2, RBI. Slowed down after a 6-for-11 start to the spring but he now has three consecutive hits to raise his spring average to .409. The 22 year-old will likely start the year with Double-A Erie.

Minnesota Twins

• Aaron Hicks, OF: 4-for-5, 3 HR (4), 6 RBI, SB (1). The talk of Spring Training, he’s still far from a lock to make the jump from Double-A to starting center fielder in Minnesota. I’m guessing it’s more likely than it was a week ago, though.
• Ryan Pressly, RP: 1.2 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 0 K. Hasn’t recorded a strikeout but this Rule 5 pick is making a strong case for a bullpen spot with three-hit ball over seven shutout innings in his first five spring appearances.

 

AL WEST

Houston Astros

• Paul Clemens, RP: IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 3 K, Sv (1). Disappointing 2012 season for Clemens (6.73 ERA in 20 Triple-A starts) but striking out the side (prospects Matt Skole, Anthony Rendon, and Sandy Leon) to close out the win on Thursday could get him consideration for a bullpen spot in 2013.

Oakland Athletics

• Hiroyuki Nakajima, SS: 2-for-3, RBI, SB (2). Technically a rookie so just checking in on the 30 year-old, who is 6-for-20 with a walk and nine strikeouts this spring.

Seattle Mariners

• Stefen Romero, 2B: 4-for-5, 2 HR (2), 2B, 7 RBI. Former 12^th Round draft pick continues to make a strong impression as he looks to build on a breakout 2012 season in which he combined to post a .991 OPS between Hi-A and Double-A.
• Brandon Maurer, SP: 3 IP, ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K. I’m sure you’ve heard of the big three starting pitching prospects -- Danny Hultzen, James Paxton, Taijuan Walker -- in the M’s farm system, right? Well, Maurer isn’t very far behind, at least not from Paxton, and might even beat the others to the majors.