MLB Prospect Watch

Link: Alvarez and Tabata to Get the Call in 2010?

In a chat with readers, Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette discusses the timetables of some of the Pirates top prospects.  At the top of any Pirate prospect discussion has to be Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata, both of whom Kovacevic says will likely be called up at some point in 2010, but implies that it is likely to be after the Pirates are comfortable that neither player's arbitration timetable will be pushed up by the promotion.

Link: Tigers to Give Wells a Chance in Center?

Now that Curtis Granderson has moved on to New York, the Detroit TIgers will look to possible options within their own system to fill the void, starting with CF Casper Wells, reports the Detroit Free Press.  Wells, who turned 25 this off-season, was a 14th round draft pick of the Tigers back in 2005, and has made it as high as Double-A, where he spent the second half of 2009, hitting .260/.369/.489 in 86 games.

The Tigers received CF Austin Jackson in return in the Granderson trade, and he is regarded as the CF of the future, but may not be ready for the major leagues by the start of 2010.  Wells' long-term future may be in a corner OF spot, but he is capable of playing CF in the major leagues at least for the time being.

Link: O's sign Aussie Southpaw

The Baltimore Orioles have signed 19-year old left-handed pitcher Chris Lamb out of Australia, reports Dean Jones, Jr. of the Baltimore Sun.  The 6' 1" 172-lb pound pitcher had an unimpressive 0-2 record and a 7.00 ERA this year in Australia, so the Orioles must have seen something in his repertoire of pitches to have signed him.

Link: Rockies Rosario Revamps Swing

Colorado Rockies catching prospect Wilin Rosario fixed his struggles in the Arizona Fall League by instituting a toe-tap trigger mechanism in his swing, reports Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies.  The new swing helped Rosario, the Rockies #3 prospect according to Baseball America, turn his fall season around.

The 20-year old Dominican native batted .266/.297/.404 in High-A this season.  He has shown the ability to hit for power in the past, but he must refine his plate discipline.  

Link: Seattle Gets Prospect Chavez From Toronto

As a completion to the Brandon Marrow-Brandon League swap, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times is reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays have sent OF prospect Yohermyn Chavez to the Seattle Mariners.  The 6'3" 220 lb right handed Venezuelan repeated Low-A ball this year as a 20-year-old to find the success that plagued him the first time around in 2008.  In his second full season in the Midwest League, Chavez raised his OPS from .595 to .821.  He has had success with the bat at every level before 2008, so hopefully the repeat of Low-A ball was what Chavez needed to get back on track.