June 4, 2009

Future Shock Blog

June 4

by Kevin Goldstein

the archives are now free. All Baseball Prospectus Premium and Fantasy articles more than a year old are now free as a thank you to the entire Internet for making our work possible. Not a subscriber? Get exclusive content like this delivered hot to your inbox every weekday. Click here for more information on Baseball Prospectus subscriptions or use the buttons to the right to subscribe and get instant access to the best baseball content on the web.

Subscribe for $4.95 per month Recurring subscription - cancel anytime. Subscribe for $39.95 for one year a 33% savings over the monthly price! Purchase a $39.95 gift subscription a 33% savings over the monthly price! Already a subscriber? Click here and use the blue login bar to log in.

Here Come The Prospects!

Gordon Beckham, 3B, White Sox (Triple-A Charlotte)
Wednesday's stats: 3-for-5, 2 2B
Beckham has a quality swan song on Wednesday, possibly finishing his International League career with a .464 batting average (13-for-28) while the White Sox were distributing a press release about his ascension to the big leagues while Wilson Betemit was designated for assignment. But that was really just part of what was a borderline historic day potentially, as three elite-level prospects got the call on the same day, as Nate McClouth's departure meant an opportunity in Pittsburgh for Andrew McCutchen, and the release of Tom Glavine means Tommy Hanson makes his big league debut for the Braves on Saturday. Big day for fantasy players, maybe even bigger for the fans of the respective teams. .

New level, same results

Kyle Drabek, RHP, Phillies (Double-A Reading)
Wednesday's stats: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K
It was moving day in the minors as well, as the top pitching prospect in the Phillies system needing no time adjusting to Double-A in his first start for the R-Phils, as his fastball sat at 92-94 mph all night and touched 96. If anything, Doug's kid is getting better and better as the season rolls on, and could be ready for a big league job some time next year.

Continuing with our moving theme . . .

Jesus Montero, C, Yankees (Double-A Trenton)
Wednesday's stats: 1-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, K
The youngest position player in the Eastern League is now Montero, who was clearly wasting his time in Tampa, mashing at the rate of .356/.406/.583 despite the fact that he's just 19 years old. More importantly, this move ends the year-plus sharing system with Austin Romine, and lets them both play the position full time. For Romine, it's to see just how good he can become back there, and for Montero, it's just to see if he has any chance to even stay behind the plate. .

Deserving of more attention

Ryan Strieby, 1B/LF, Tigers (Double-A Eric)
Wednesday's stats: 2-for-4, HR (14), 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K
I don't understand why this guy doesn't get run up the pole more as a fine prospect. Guy is only 23 years old, leads the Eastern League in home runs, RBIs and slugging, draws a ton of walks, and has a track record to back it up, coming off a year when he lead the Florida State League in home runs and needing just 112 games to do so. The Tigers are experimenting with him in left field, and as a not-very-athletic six-foot-five and 235 pounds it's a longshot, but the fact that they're trying anything knowing that he's blocked by Miguel Cabrera tells you how much they respect the bat.

This guy is basically the pitching version of Strieby

Esmil Rogers, RHP, Rockies (Double-A Tulsa)
Wednesday's stats: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K
One of these days, we're gonna put together a Rodney Dangerfield prospect team. So far Strieby is batting cleanup while Rogers takes the mound. Wednesday was really just another day at the office for Rogers, who in 10 Texas League starts has pitched six or more innings without allowing an earned run in half of them. A converted shortstop with surprising polish in his overall game, Rogers could be part of his own moving day not to far down the road.

Sleeper Alert!

Brian Friday, SS, Pirates (Double-A Altoona)
Wednesday's stats: 3-for-6, 2 2B, RBI, K
A third-round pick out of Rice in 2007, Friday is one of those college grinder types who doesn't blow you away on a tools level, but gives you maximum effort time out and does everything right fundamentally, both offensively and defensively. This year, however, he's really starting to hit, as last night's effort raised his averages to .330/.411/.560. He's not a future stud, but he's the kind of guy that makes you feel better about trading Jack Wilson, which is likely coming in the next two months.

Kevin Goldstein is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
Click here to see Kevin's other articles. You can contact Kevin by clicking here