December 9, 2013

Minor League Update

International Winter League Games of December 6-8

by Jeff Moore

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You may have spent the last three days enjoying historically good college football games or a crazy day of the professional version. But while you were dodging snow on the east coast or watching a first place battle out west, there was plenty of winter league action taking place around the Caribbean.

The Good

• Daniel Corcino, RHP, Reds (Leones del Escogido, DWL): 3 IP, H, 0 BB, 4 K (Friday). Corcino is a talented prospect who struggled badly in 2013 in his first taste of Triple-A, so it’s good to see him getting some extra work in this winter. It was poor command and control that got him in trouble this year, but at least for the time being, he’s throwing strikes in the Dominican.
• Jordan Lennerton, 1B, Tigers (Leones de Ponce, PRWL): 1-4, R, HR, 3 K (Saturday). Lennerton has turned in some serious production in the upper minors the past few years despite being old for each level, and has 12 extra-base hits in 25 games this winter. He’s not going to be a regular at this point, especially as a first baseman in the Tigers organization, but good pop and plate discipline could help him land a spot as a late-blooming bench player.
• Jesus Aguilar, 1B, Indians (Leones del Caracas, VWL): 1-3, R, HR, K (Saturday). Aguilar has continued to prove that he deserves some consideration for 2014 playing time in the majors with his performance this winter, although with at-bats going to Nick Swisher and Carlos Santana at 1B/DH, they’ll be tough to find for Aguilar. His home run over the weekend gives him 14 and one every 12 at-bats.

The Bad

• Rymer Liriano, RF, Padres (Tigres del Licey, DWL): 0-3, K (Friday). After homering in his first start, Liriano has gone 0-for-4 in limited playing time since. Working his way back from a missed season, it’s going to take some time for Liriano, who always had some contact issues, to get his timing back.
• Wilmer Flores, 2B, Mets (Bravos de Margarita, VWL): 0-8, BB, K (Friday and Saturday). While it wasn’t a good weekend for Flores, he was 11-for-25 coming into it so he’s been seeing it well this winter. Flores will enter camp fighting for a major league roster spot, something we will know the chances of a lot better after the winter meetings this week.
• Orangel Arenas, RHP, Angels (Navegantes del Magallanes, VWL): 2 2/3 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB 3 K (Saturday). Arenas has always been more talent than production, but his production hit a new low this season in Triple-A, to the point where he was demoted all the way back to the California League. This was the first start for Arenas with the Navegantes, but it didn’t go any better. The Angels are still using him as a starter, but those days may be running out.

Don’t Call it a Comeback

Adam Loewen may be almost 30, but as a hitting prospect he’s closer to the equivalent of 25 or 26, having converted from being a pitcher back in 2009. He’s beginning to produce, including a 3-for-3 effort in his VWL debut over the weekend, and there’s still hope that he can hang on as a fourth or fifth outfielder with some pop in the majors if someone will give him a chance.