MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Action - Trumbo, Parker, Nats, Cox, Scheppers

• The Angels had their prospects on display on Thursday, as Mark Trumbo homered for the second time this spring, but Garrett Richards gave up three runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief work, and Trevor Reckling gave up three more in his two innings.
• Jarrod Parker tossed two scoreless innings in his second appearance for the Diamondbacks, and showed much better command than he had in his first outing, notes Steve Gilbert of MLB.com.
• The Nationals have some depth at catcher in their farm system, and their top two backstop prospects, Wilson Ramos and Derek Norris, both had solid days at the plate, with Ramos collecting two hits, and Norris hitting a home run off of Cardinals pitching prospect Maikel Cleto, reports Danny Wild of MiLB.com.  Zack Cox collected two hits in the game for the Cardinals, including a double, notes Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
• Brad Lincoln retired all nine batters he faced for the Pirates on Thursday, reports John Parker of MiLB.com.
• Aroldis Chapman struck out two batters in his one inning of work for the Reds, needing only seven pitches to complete the feat, including getting Dodgers prospect Trayvon Robinson to ground out on one pitch.  On the Dodgers side, Jerry Sands knocked two more hits, and Rubby De La Rosa threw two shutout innings, striking out three, and continuing to impress new skipper Don Mattingly.
• Tanner Scheppers couldn't get through his scheduled inning of work for the Rangers, walking two batters and complaining of back stiffness afterward, reports Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

 

 

Spring Prospect Action - Harper, Yankees, Belt, and more

This is why there's nothing that's not awesome about Spring Training...

• Bryce Harper made his spring debut on Monday, entering the game for the Nationals as a pinch-runner and eventually striking out twice in two at-bats, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
• The Yankees got some impressive pitching performances from two of their young arms, as Ivan Nova threw two perfect innings on Sunday, says Erik Boland of Newsday, and Dellin Betances struck out the side in his one inning of work, touching 97-MPH on the radar gun, reports Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
• Mike Minor got off on the right foot towards claiming the Braves final rotation spot, says Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
• Phillies manager Charlie Manuel chalked up the poor performances of relief prospects Justin De Fratus and Michael Schwimer to trying to do too much in their first spring training performance, notes Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
• Jarrod Parker walked the bases loaded in his first appearance in a Diamondbacks spring training game, but he also was able to work out of the jam, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
• Brandon Belt got a start in the Giants split squad game on Monday and responded with three hits, notes Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
• Aroldis Champan hit triple-digits repeatedly, but struggled mightily with his command, reports Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.
• Bryan Morris threw a one-two-three inning for the Pirates, including retiring Johnny Damon and Evan Longoria, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.
• And the following prospects put their power on display, homering during spring training action:
  • Matt Dominguez dropped a two-run bomb in his effort to show the Marlins that his bat is as far along as his much-heralded glove, says Matthew Leach of MLB.com.
  • Tim Wheeler homered off of Rockies teammate Christian Friedrich in Sunday's intra-squad game, notes Thomas Harding of MLB.com.
  • A's OF prospect Michael Taylor displayed the power that abandoned him for much of last year, says Lyle Spencer of MLB.com.
  • A number of Mariners prospects have been going deep, including Carlos Peguero on Sunday and Johermyn Chavez and Greg Halman on Monday
  • The future of the Royals offense was on display on Monday, as Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas both homered.

   

  
  
  

   

Prospect Position Battles - Collins, McGee, Chapman

• Tim Collins was traded twice last season, but he appears to have found a home in Kansas City, and a chance to make the Royals bullpen, says manager Ned Yost in a video interview posted by KansasCity.com.
• Jake McGee, one of the Rays top pitching prospects and a career starter in the minor leagues, will be used exclusively as a relief pitcher this spring, according to Marc Topkin of Tampa Bay.com.  Also competing for a bullpen role is fellow prospect Alex Colome.
• We assumed he would, but John Fay of Cincinnati.com reports that the Reds have no intention of working Aroldis Chapman into their starting rotation at the beginning of the year, instead relying on him to fill a late-inning need in their bullpen thanks to the departure of Arthur Rhodes.

 

 

Chapman to Begin in Reds Bullpen

The potential saga entering Spring Training about whether Reds prospect Aroldis Champan will be used as a starter or reliever appears to have come to a conclusion before it ever began.  According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Chapman will begin the season in the Reds bullpen.

The move is dictated by the needed for a hard-throwing left-handed reliever capable of pitching the late innings, a role vacated by Authur Rhodes this off-season, and is further fueled by the presence of additional pitchers, such as Dontrelle Willis, who do not have the same flexibility to slide into a relief role as Chapman.  The Reds maintain, however, that Chapman's long-term future is as a starter. 

 

 

Prospect Potent Potables - Chapman, Erbe, Stoneburner

• The Reds may be leaning towards leaving Aroldis Chapman in the bullpen for the time being, reports Tom Groeschen of the Cincinnati Enquirer, this according to general manager Walk Jocketty.
• Once a highly-touted prospect within the Orioles system, injuries and inconsistency have jeopardized Brandon Erbe's status in the team's plans for the future.  His latest setback was surgery to repair a torn labrum, a procedure that ended his 2010 season, but should allow him enough recovery time to be ready to throw again by spring training, according to Roch Kubatko of Baseball America.
• The Indians are excited about second-round pick LeVon Washington, who they will play in center field and hope to get into full-season ball in 2011, says Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
• The Padres inked Dominican outfielder Edwin Moreno last week, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.  The 17-year-old lefty was delayed in signing after he failed a drug test as an amateur.
• The Yankees think that pitching prospect Graham Stoneburner compares favorably to current major leaguer Jake Westbrook, according to George King of Baseball America.