March 21, 2013

Minor League Update

Games of Wednesday, March 20

by Zach Mortimer

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Prospect of the Day: Collin Cowgill, OF, Mets (competing for a starting outfield job): 2-3, HR, R, 2 RBI. Acquired from the Athletics earlier this offseason for Jefry Marte, Cowgill lacks outstanding physical tools and instead relies on his baseball instincts and abilities to provide value on both sides of the ball. His overall profile would fit better in a fourth-outfielder role, but since the Mets’ outfield is a wasteland, he could earn regular at-bats for at least part of the season; .293/.370/.512 with three doubles, two home runs, and three stolen bases in 41 at-bats. 

Other notable prospect performances from March 20:

• Trevor Bauer, RHP, Indians (expected to start the year in Triple-A Columbus): 3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 K. The third-overall pick the 2011 draft, Bauer has moved on to his second organization and is still working to improve his fastball command; four walks in 14 innings this spring. 
• Jackie Bradley Jr., CF, Red Sox (expected to start the year in Triple-A Pawtucket): 2-4, 2B. The 40^th-overall pick in 2011 is on a mission to prove everyone who passed on him wrong by using his superior bat-to-ball skills; .426/.526/.533 with eight walks in 45 at-bats this spring. 
   
• Rob Brantly, C, Marlins (expected to start the year as the Marlins’ primary catcher): 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 2B. Acquired in the Anibal Sanchez-and-Omar Infante deal with the Tigers, Brantly is a bat-first catcher who has the ability to drive the ball to all fields; .310/.370/.381 in 42 at-bats. 
   
• Gary Brown, CF, Giants (expected to start the year in Triple-A Fresno): 0-4, 2 R, BB, 2 K, SB. A first-round selection in 2010, Brown is still a plus-plus runner, and he improved in the second half of 2012 after making mechanical changes to his swing; .219/.265/.406 with three extra base-hits in 32 at-bats.
   
• Evan Gattis, C, Braves (expected to start the year in Triple-A Gwinnett): 1-5, K. The oft-discussed Braves prospect has impressive raw power, but limited defensive abilities and holes in his swing cloud his future potential; .357/.378/.619 with seven extra base-hits and 12 strikeouts in 42 spring at-bats. 
   
• Heath Hembree, RHP, Giants (expected to start the season in Triple-A Fresno): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, K. Hembree owns a devastating fastball-slider combination that makes him one of the top relief prospects in the minors; two saves and six strikeouts in seven spring appearances. 
   
• Travis Jankowski, OF, Padres (expected to start the season in High-A Lake Elsinore): 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K. A standout at Stony Brook, Jankowski is a plus runner and plays a really good center field, but he is still working on the other facets of his game; four hits in nine spring at-bats. 
   
• Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians (expected to start the season in High-A Carolina). 0-2. Lindor, the Tribe’s top pick in 2011, shows plus-plus defensive ability and could eventually have a plus hit tool; 3-for-14 this spring at the age of 19. 
   
• T.J. McFarland, LHP, Orioles (Rule Five pick pushing to stay on the big-league roster): 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. This lefty tries to induce ground balls by keeping his heavy fastball down in the zone; 1.9 ground out-to-air out ratio in 11 2/3 innings this spring. 
   
• Kyle McPherson, RHP, Pirates (competing for the fifth-starter job with the Pirates): 4.2 IP, 10 H, 8 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. A big-bodied righty, McPherson relies on impressive command to overcome his lack of elite stuff; 23 hits allowed in 17 1/3 innings.
   
• Mark Montgomery, RHP, Yankees (expected to start the year in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. Montgomery boasts one of the top off-speed pitches in the minors in his 70-grade slider, which will help him work meaningful innings in the back end of the Yankees' bullpen at some point in 2013; four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings this spring. 

Zach Mortimer is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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