MLB Prospect Watch

Potent Potables - Mariners, Angels, Gillies, Cole

• Mariners 3B Alex Liddi is apparently done for the winter after being released by teams in Venezuelan and the Dominican, reports Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times.  After a long season, that was extended by a major league call-up in September, fatigue is being cited for Liddi's winter struggles.  On a more positive note for the Mariners is the positive end to the 2011 season for Nick Franklin, who's regular season was riddled with injuries, notes Robert Emrich of MLB.com.
• Another prospect who's winter league struggles are being blamed on fatigue is Mike Trout of the Angels, who had a poor offensive showing in the hitter-friendly Arizona Fall League.  Sam Miller of The Orange County Register is the one doing the blaming here, and he also cited Jean Segura's progress in the AFL as well.
• Phillies OF Tyson Gillies is getting in extra at-bats in the AFL to make up for the significant time he's missed the past two years due to injury, notes Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Daily News.
• Gerrit Cole had no problem adjusting to his first taste of professional baseball, as the Pirates top prospect saw success in the AFL, says Dejan Kovacevic for Baseball America.

 

 

Potent Potables - Mariners, Padres, Harper

• Mariners RHP Erasmo Ramirez is having a great winter in the Venezuelan Winter League, notes Greg Johns of MLB.com.  Not having such a good winter, however, is 3B Alex Liddi, who has been sent home from Venezuela due to his struggles, reports Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times.
• The San Diego Padres have come to terms with 16-year-old OF Franmil Reyes, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.  Reyes is a power-hitting prospect from the Dominican Republic.
• After starting out the AFL season ice-cold, Bryce Harper has completely turned his fall around, homering for the fifth time in his past six games, with the latest one coming off of the Braves Sean Gilmartin.  Harper, the Nationals top prospect, is now batting .323 with six home runs this fall.

 

 

Prospect Action - 10/19/11

Arizona Fall League

• After going homerless until Tuesday in the AFL, Twins OF Aaron Hicks homered for the second straight game, helping his Solor Sox to a 6-5 victory.  Cubs P Trey McNutt, perhaps distracted by the rumors that he might be heading to Boston as compensation for new GM Theo Epstein, pitched poorly, allowing four runs in an inning and two-thirds.
• Brewers 2B Scooter Gennett had three of the Javelinas 13 hits and scored two of their six runs on Wednesday.  Mariners P Danny Hultzen threw four no-hit innings, allowing just one baserunner, notes Andrew Pentis of MLB.com.
• The Saguaros hammered out 13 hits, including a home run by Rangers OF Leonys Martin, and held the Rafters to just two in their 6-0 victory.

Dominican Winter League

• Pirates OF Starling Marte went 3-for-4 and scored three runs in his Leones del Escogido's 13-3 victory.  Rockies C Wilin Rosario went 0-for-2 with an error and a passed ball in the loss.
• Giants OF Francisco Peguero went 0-for-4 in his Gigantes del Ciabo 6-5 victory.

Mexican Pacific League

• Yankees P Pat Venditte threw another scoreless relief inning for Aguilas de Mexicali, keeping his winter ERA at 0.00.

Venezuelan Winter League

• Mariners 3B Francisco Martinez went 4-for-5 and scored three runs in his Navegantes del Magallanes 13-4 drubbing.
• Fellow Mariners 3B, Alex Liddi, hit a two-run homer for the Cardenales de Lara in their 7-3 victory, while Padres P Adys Portillo threw two scoreless innings in the loss.
• Caleb Gindl's 3-for-5 day helped propel the Leones del Caracas to a 12-3 victory.

 

 

Prospect Action - 10/13/11

Arizona Fall League

• In a prospect match-up that featured Trey McNutt of the Cubs facing off against Danny Hultzen of the Mariners, the Solar Sox came out victorious despite a better start from Hultzen.  The second overall pick in this year's draft threw three innings, giving up just one run despite scattering six hits.  McNutt gave up two runs in as many innings (only one was earned) while walking three batters.
  • Pirates OF Robbie Grossman went 3-for-5 in the game for the Solar Sox, notes Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com.
• A rough day at the plate for Rangers 3B Mike Olt (0-5 with four K's) didn't hold back the Saguaros, as they took care of the Desert Dogs 6-2.
  • Rays OF Mike Mahtook went 2-for-4 with two RBI's in the victory, notes David Heck of MLB.com, making up for teammate Tim Beckham's 0-for-4 day at the plate.
• Diamondbacks OF Adam Eaton went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI's to lead his Rafters to a 3-1 victory over the Scorpions.  Nationals OF Bryce Harper went 1-for-4, raising his batting average for the AFL season to .087.

 

Venezuelan Winter League

• The Tiburones de La Guaira held squeaked out a 4-3 victory over the Caribes de Anzoategui, thanks in part to an RBi single by Giants SS Ehire Adrianza.  Pirates OF Gorkys Hernandez went 1-for-4 with a double in the loss.
  • Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com has more on Hernandez's performance.
• Mariners 3B Alex Liddi went 1-for-3 with two strikeouts in his Cardenales de Lara's 4-3 loss to Leones del Caracas.  Brewers OF Caleb Gindl went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts in the victory.
• Padres P Adys Portillo gave up 2 of the Aguilad de Zuila's 13 earned runs in their loss to the Navegantes del Magallanes.  Phillies SS Freddy Galvis went 0-for-2 in the loss, while Twins P Deolis Guerra threw two innings in the win, giving up an earned run.
• Joe Benson's RBI double helped his Tigres de Aragua to a 5-1 victory over the Bravos de Margarita.  Red Sox C Ryan Lavarnway went 1-for-2 with two walks in the loss.

 

USA Baseball

• Tigers pitching prospect Drew Smyly threw five scoreless innings, fanning six in the process, leading Team USA over Canada in the IBAF Baseball World Cup, reports David heck of MiLB.com.

 

The Dominican Winter League starts play today.  MLB Prospect Watch will keep you covered.

 

 

Prospect Action - 10/12/11

Arizona Fall League

• Rangers P Neil Ramirez threw four strong innings, allowing just one earned run, but his Saguaros teammates didn't score enough runs until he was out of the game, costing him the win.  When the offense did arrive, it was from Braves 1B Joey Terdoslavich, who had a double, triple, and four RBI's.
  • Rays OF Mike Mahtook went 1-for-3 with an RBI, RaysProspects.com points out.
• The Javelinas 6-2 victory over the Solar Sox was spurred on by Mariners SS Nick Franklin's two-run homer, and three more hits for Brewers 2B Scooter Gennett.
• The Rafters were led to a 10-2 victory by a 5-RBI day by Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado, with most of the Rafters damage coming off of Nationals P Sammy Solis, who gave up four earned runs in as many innings.

 

Venezuelan Winter League

• Red Sox C Ryan Lavarnway went 2-for-3, but it wasn't enough offense as his Bravos de Margarita were blanked 6-0 by the Leones de Caracas.  Brewers OF Caleb Gindl doubled and scored a run in the victory.
• Rangers RP Tanner Scheppers threw a scoreless inning of relief, despite walking two, in the Navegantes del Magallanes 14-8 victory over the Aguilas de Zulia.  Phillies SS Freddy Galvis went 1-for-3 with a walk in the loss while Wilfredo Boscan threw 1 2/3 innings in relief and was one of the few Zuila pitchers not to give up a run.
• The Tigres de Aragua won a 2-1 pitchers duel over the Cardenales de Lara.  Twins OF Joe Benson went 0-3 with a K in the win while Mariners 3B Alex Liddi went 0-4 with 2 K's in the loss.

 

Mexican Pacific League

• The Aguilas de Mexicali took down the Naranjeros de Hermosillo 5-1.  Yankees switch-pitcher Pat Venditte threw a scoreless inning of relief in the win, while Diamondbacks OF Evan Frey singled and stole a base in the loss.