December 2, 2013

Minor League Update

International Winter League Games of November 28-30

by Jeff Moore

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Thursday, November 28th

• Elvis Araujo, LHP, Indians (Aguilas del Zuila, VWL): 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. Araujo finally missed a few bats, as giant left-handers with good fastballs should do more often than Araujo does at present. Still, his three strikeouts on Thanksgiving give him just six in 16 2/3 winter innings. His control has been better than it was in 2012, his last full minor-league season.
• Wilmer Flores, 2B/3B, Mets (Bravos de Margarita, VWL): 2-2, 2 BB. Flores joined the Bravos just last week and has been red-hot since, hitting safely in his first six games and finishing the weekend 10-for-20. He’s been splitting his time defensively between second and third base, showing that the Mets haven’t given up on that possibility just yet.

Friday, November 29th

• Jonathan Singleton, 1B, Astros (Cangrejeros de Santurce, PRWL): 2-4, R, HR, K. The power that disappeared during Singleton’s 2013 campaign appears to have come back, with four home runs in his past 10 games including another one over the weekend. The best sign, however, is the return of his plate discipline this winter, with a 20-to-15 K:BB ratio in 20 games.
• Joey Terdoslavich, LF, Braves (Toros del Este, DWL): 2-4, R, 2B. A two-hit day on Friday was followed up with a three-hit day on Saturday for Terdoslavich, giving him a solid holiday weekend. Terdoslavich has shown good power since joining the Dominican Winter League last week, something he’s done in the minors (especially doubles power) but did not show in the majors last season.
• Chris Reed, LHP, Dodgers (Tiburones de La Guaira, VWL): 1 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, BB, 0 K. Reed continued his inconsistent winter with a terrible start and continues to display inconsistencies on his ability to miss bats from start to start.
• Adys Portillo, RHP, Padres (Aguilas del Zuila, VWL): 1 2/3 IP, H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K. After a poor Arizona Fall League in which he battled wildness (13 walks in 11 1/3 IP), Portillo has been much better in three VWL outings. The vast difference between his terrible AFL and thus-far-good VWL shows just how far off he is from becoming a consistent pitcher.

Saturday, November 30th

• Christian Bethancourt, C, Braves (Tigres del Licey, DWL): 3-5, 2 2B, HR, K. The Braves need catching help this year with the departure of Brian McCann, and Evan Gattis is going to be a liability behind the plate if he plays there every day. Bethancourt is a plus defender who needs time in Triple-A, but could work his way into regular playing time if he continues to hit for moderate power, as he did in 2013.
• Gregory Polanco, CF, Pirates (Leones del Escogido, DWL): 3-4, R, K. Polanco will be the Pirates right-fielder by mid-summer and is a contender for NL Rookie of the Year if he gets to the majors in time.
• Eddie Rosario, 2B, Twins (Indios de Mayaguez, PRWL): 3-6, 2 R, BB, K. No one needed a three-hit day more than Rosario, who finished the weekend hitting just .136 despite his efforts on Saturday, and broke an 0-for-19 streak at the plate.
• Jesus Aguilar, 1B, Indians (Leones del Caracas, VWL): 3-5, 2 R, HR, K. Aguilar just continues to show off his power this winter, hitting his 12^th home run on Saturday. There are questions about his hit tool and whether or not it will let his power play, but he’s more than held his own this winter against more experienced pitching.