MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Potent Potables - Royals, Belt, Dykstra, Tulsa

• Now that the dust has settled, it appears the Royals will support All-Star closer Joakim Soria with four rookie relievers, notes Michael Engel of KingsofKauffman.com.  Tim Collins, Jeremy Jeffress, Nathan Adcock and Aaron Crow will all begin the year in relief, with Crow being the only one of the quartet that may develop into a starter down the road.
• The Giants still have yet to make a decision regarding top prospect Brandon Belt, but are leaning toward making him their starting first baseman, says John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
• In a swap of disappointing former prospects, the Padres have sent former first round pick Allan Dykstra to the Mets for former first round pick Eddie Kunz, reports Don Norcross of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  Dykstra, a first baseman, has not performed up to his billing and has fallen on the depth chart behind Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Blanks, while Kunz, a reliever, has not progressed into the late-inning pitcher the Mets had hoped and has yet to stay in the major leagues.
• The Rockies will have a prospect-laden team taking the field in Tulsa this year, says Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies.  The season-opening roster will include Christian Friedrich, Casey Weathers, Wilin Rosario, Hector Gomez, and Tim Wheeler.
• Matt Harvey is ready to start the season, and the Mets prospect is throwing as hard as ever, says David Lennon of Newsday.com.
• The Diamondbacks plan to move Bobby Borchering along slowly, says Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, and also plan to give him some time at first base this season.
• Dayan Viciedo is progressing as planned in his recovery from a broken thumb suffered when he was hit by a spring training pitch, reports Scott Merkin of MLB.com.  The White Sox will keep Viciedo in extended spring training for a few extra days at the start of the season.

 

Link: A Look Back at the 2008 Corner INF Draftees

John Sickles takes a look at the corner-infield heavy 1st round of the 2008 draft and how Pedro Alvarez, Yonder Alonso, Brett Wallace, Justin Smoak, David Cooper, Ike Davis, Eric Hosmer and Allan Dykstra are fairing after their first full season.

Best and Worst from 6/17

BEST

• Aaron Cunningham (OAK) - 3-5, 2 HR, batting .289
• Jemile Weeks (OAK) - 2-3, HR, batting .403
• Allan Dykstra (SD) - 3-5, HR, batting .209
• Alex Liddi (SEA) - 3-4, HR, batting .344
• Desmond Jennings (TB) - 2-4, 2B, 2 SB, batting .329
• Brian Matusz (BAL) - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 10 K/1 BB, 0.00 ERA (Double-A debut)

WORST

• Jake Arrieta (BAL) - 4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 7 K/2 BB, 5.06 ERA in Triple-A
• Chris Withrow (LAD) - 4 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 6 K/2 BB, 5.08 ERA
• Deolis Guerra (NYM) - 4 IP, 10 H, 8 ER, 2 K/2 BB, 5.21 ERA

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

• Pedro Alvarez (PIT) - 2-5, 2B, batting .237
• Buster Posey (SF) - 3-4, batting .335

Best and Worst from 5/6

BEST

• Josh Vitters (CHC) - 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, batting .333
• Mike Moustakas (KC) - 3-4, 2B, batting .287
• Devaris Gordon (LAD) - 3-5, 2B, 2 SB, batting .343
• Fernando Martinez (NYM) - 2-4, 2B, 3B, batting .287
• Dominic Brown (PHI) - 2-4, 2B, 3B, batting .319
• Allan Dykstra (SD) - 2-2, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, batting .185
• Tyson Gilles (SEA) - 3-6, 2B, HR, batting .305
• Angel Villalona (SF) - 4-4, 2 2B, HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, batting .333
• Reid Brignac (TB) - 3-4, 2B, SB, batting .302
• Michael Burgess (WAS) - 3-3, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, batting .212
• Kris Medlen (ATL) - 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 10 K/1 BB, 1.17 ERA
• Brad Holt (NYM) - 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 K/2 BB, 4.38 ERA
• Dellin Betances (NYY) - 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 4 K/2 BB 3.90 ERA
• Kyle Drabek (PHI) - 6 1/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 9 K/1 BB, 2.27 ERA
• Christian Friedrich (COL) - 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 10 K/2 BB, 0.93 ERA

WORST

• Jake Arrieta (BAL) - 3 1/3 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 4 K/3 BB, 3.82 ERA
• Vin Mazzaro (OAK) - 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 6 K/1 BB, 4.34 ERA
• Michael Main (TEX) - 5 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 2 K/1 BB 8.39 ERA

Links: Catching up Around the League

After a busy weekend of baseball, let's take a look at the big newsmakers from around the prospect world:

• Boston Red Sox shortstop Jed Lowrie is heading to the DL thanks to a a sore left wrist, reports the Boston Herald.  With Julio Lugo already residing there, the Red Sox have called up prospect Gil Valazquez to take Lowrie's roster spot.
• With the injury to Dwayne Wise, Chicago White Sox rookie second baseman Chris Getz has been moved up to the leadoff spot, but, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, a hit-by-pitch might have Getz looking on from the dugout for a couple of days.
• Brett Anderson's first major league start for the Oakland A's might not have looked pretty in the box score, but as Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle notes, it actually went much better than it looks.
• We've all been thinking it, but Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette finally discusses the big "what if" that Pittsburgh Pirates fans hope don't haunt them for the next 15 years.
• The San Diego Padres need to get all the help they can from the draft every year, but last year's first round draft pick Allan Dykstra is still somewhat of a long shot.  As Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union Tribune reports, between the Padres spotty history of top draft picks and Dykstra's degenerative hip condition when they drafted, the pick may have been doomed from the start.
• Seattle Mariners IF prospect Carlos Triunfel broke his leg on Sunday sliding into a base, reports Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.  It remains to be seen if Triunfel will need surgery on the leg, putting his timetable at anywhere from 6 weeks to the entire season.
• Philadelphia Phillies catching prospect Lou Marson was called up this weekend to replace the injured Carlos Ruiz, reports Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Marson is considered a much more offensively minded catcher than Ruiz, so if he hits in his incumbent's absence and handles the pitching staff well, Marson may stick around.