MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Potent Potables - Nieuwenhuis, Perez, Vizcaino, d'Arnaud

• Mets OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis doesn't have much of a shot to make the Mets big-league roster this spring after missing a significant portion of last season with a torn labrum, notes Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, but once he re-establishes his health, he could work his way to the majors this season.  Nieuwenhuis could take over in center field if Andres Torres doesn't regain his 2010 offensive form, or he could take over in one of the corners, where he would be an above-average defender.
• Mike Newman of FanGraphs.com breaks down the struggles of Braves lefty Carlos Perez, attributing at least some part of it to a change in body type that Perez went thorugh bewteen 2010 and 2011.  While Perez is still far from the majors, Arodys Vizcaino is a large part of the Braves future, possibly as soon as next season.  Whether that is in the rotation or out of the bullpen is still up in the air, but Ben Duronio of CapitalAvenueClub.com offers his take on Vizcaino and a response to Keith Law's evaluation of him.
• MinorLeagueBall.com has an in-depth breakdown of Blue Jays catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud and how he stacks up against other prospects and other catching prospects throughout the game of baseball.

Prospect Potent Potables - Tigers, Spruill, Yankees

• Jacob Turner may be the front-runner for the last spot in the Tigers rotation this spring, but Jason Beck of MLB.com reports that there are "five or six" others that will be competing for that same spot, including fellow prospects, Drew Smyly, Casey Crosby, and Andy Oliver.
• Zeke Spruill doesn't have a chance to make the Braves rotation this spring despite a strong bounce back season in 2011, but TalkingChop.com points out that Spruill seems to have put his maturity issues behind him, and should start the season just a step away from the majors.
• The Yankees have announced their non-roster invites to spring training, reports Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.  Prospects include pitchers Manny Banuelos and Graham Stoneburner and catcher Gary Sanchez, among others.

Prospect Potent Potables - Reckling, Pastornicky, Flores

• With his prospect status being a fraction of what it once was, it's easy to overlook the strong half-season Trevor Reckling had in Double-A in 2011 before going on the shelf with a sore elbow.  But as Andrew Pentis of MiLB.com points out, Reckling did show improvement, and is spending this off-season working with former Angels lefty Mark Langston, in hopes of fully re-gaining his status as a top prospect.
• Tyler Pastornicky is the front-runner to win the Braves starting shortstop job this spring, and as Bill Ballew points out for Baseball America, the Braves tend to have no fear of letting a rookie start on Opening Day.
• Wilmer Flores' bat has become something of a disappointment, and his prospect stock will only drop further when he makes his eventual move off of shortstop, but Michael Baron of MetsBlog.com discusses the posibility of Flores moving to second base, as well as the immense pressure that has been put on him since the Mets signed him and the borderline ridiculous comparisons to Miguel Cabrera that Flores has had to endure.

Prospect Potent Potables - Trout, Harper, Cubs, Braves Invites

• We know Mike Trout is one of the Angels best three outfielders heading into the 2012 season, but Chris Cwik of FanGraphs.com outlines why that may not matter when it comes down to whether or not Trout makes the Opening Day roster.
• Another top-5 prospect battling for a potential starting outfield gig is Bryce Harper in Washington, and while unlike Trout, an argument could be made for Harper getting a little more seasoning in the minors, Nats manager has already come out and said he wants Harper to make the team, points out Dave Cameron of FanGraphs.com, who lays out the potential costs of making such a move.
• The Cubs have announced that they will be opening up a new facility in the Dominican Republic, reports Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.  It will be the largest facility in the D.R.  Despite current contributions from players like Starlin Castro and Carlos Marmol, the Cubs have not been huge players in Latin America in the past decade, choosing to spend the majority of their international budget in the Pacific Rim, especially Taiwan.
• The Atlanta Braves have announced the rest of their spring training non-roster invites, with Sean Gilmartin and Zeke Spruill leading the way for the pitchers, and catcher Christian Bethancourt, third baseman Joey Terdoslavich, and shortstop Andrelton Simmons rounding out the hitters, reports TalkingChop.com.

Prospect Potent Potables - Montero, Hutchison, White Sox, Pastornicky

• Newly acquired Seattle Mariners C Jesus Montero is going to be given "every opportunity to catch," reports Larry Stone of The Seattle Times, quoting Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik.
• Drew Hutchison, who made great strides in the Blue Jays organization last season splitting time between Low and High-A, should start this season in Double-A, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
• The White Sox have announced their non-roster Spring Training invites, reports Scott Merkin of MLB.com, a list that includes Jared Mitchell, Trayce Thompson, and Jordan Danks.
• Mark Bowman of MLB.com suggests that the Braves would have preferred to allow Tyler Pastornicky a few more months in the minors to develop, but says that the team's finances have likely forced them to go with the rookie as their starting short stop.