MLB Prospect Watch

Links: Golson, Feliz, Maybin, Coghlan, Samardzija

• Due to some necessary roster changes, OF Greg Golson's stay in the majors was a short one, notes Anthony Andro of the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
• Andro's blog also discusses some shoulder discomfort that Rangers' top prospect Neftali Feliz has been experiencing. 
• Cameron Maybin was a popular pre-season pick for National League Rookie of the Year, but the super talented 22-year old has struggled so far this season, and as Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports, could be sent down as a result of some roster shuffling for the Marlins.
• One of the roster additions that could move Maybin down to the minors was the call up of fellow prospect Chris Coghlan.  Naturally an infielder, Coghlan has been seeing time in the outfield for the Marlins, Spencer notes.
• Staying with the topic of top prospects disappointing in the majors, the Cubs have send down Jeff Samardzija in order to work on his secondary pitchers, notes Chris De Luca of the Chicago Sun Times.
• Baseball America's Ben Badler names some sleeper prospects hiding out in the lower parts of the minor leagues.

Prospects in the Majors 4/7

This is MLBPW's daily look at prospects in the majors for Tuesday 4/7:

• Chris Getz (CWS) 2-4, 2B, R
• Travis Ishikawa (SF) - 2-5, 3B, 3 RBI, R
• Joe Martinez (SF) - 2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB/1 K, Win
• Jordan Schafer (ATL) - 0-3, BB, K
• Travis Snider (TOR) - 0-3, R
• Cameron Maybin (FLA) - 1-5, R, K 4 LOB
• Jose Morales (MIN) - 0-3, 3 K
• Colby Rasmus (STL) - 2-4, 2 R, BB
• Donald Veal (PIT) - 1 IP, 1 ER, H, 3 BB/3 K, HR (Y. Molina)
• David Freese (STL) - 0-0, BB
• Dexter Fowler (COL) - 0-0, BB
• Edwin Morano (SD) - 1 IP, 2 BB/1 K
• Trevor Cahill (OAK) - GS, 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 5 BB/1 K, ND

Prospects Shine on Opening Day

Even though these prospects made their organizations' big league clubs, they are still technically prospects (we use the MLB rookie standards) so we at MLBPW will still keep you up to date on them.  Here's how they fared on Opening Day:

• Elvis Andrus (TEX) - 1-4, R, K
• Brett Gardner (NYY) - 1-3, R
• Phil Coke (NYY) - 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 K/1 BB, HR (Izturis, C)
• Cameron Maybin (FLA) - 1-4, R, 2 K 
• Jason Motte (STL) - 1 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, K, BS 
• David Freese (STL) - 0-1, RBI (did not start) 
• Travis Snider (TOR) - 2-4, HR (off Verlander), RBI, R, K 

An Opportunity for Maybin?

The Sun-Sentinel is reporting that Florida Marlins super-utility man Alfredo Amezaga will miss 4-6 weeks with a knee injury.

In 2008, Cody Ross held down centerfield for the majority of the Marlins' season, starting 101 games there.  But Amezaga also made 48 (of his 125) starts in centerfield, and Ross was slated to move to left field with the departure of Josh Willingham this off-season with Amezaga possibly taking over the centerfield role full-time.  Ross could slide back over to centerfield in Amezaga's absence, but Cameron Maybin, one of the top outfield prospects in the game, is making quite a case for starting the season in Miami batting .318/.423/.500 during spring action.  The job appears to be Maybin's to lose, at least until Amezaga returns from injury, and if Maybin starts the season hot, don't expect him to give his starting spot back for years to come.

Big Names - Thursday 2/26

Here are the names to know (that haven't yet been covered here on MLBPW) and their performances from Thursday, 2/26:

• Jason Heyward (ATL) RF - 0-0. BB, R
• Colby Rasmus (STL) CF - 0-2, BB, R, Started in CF, Batted 2nd
• Brett Wallace (STL) DH - 0-2
• Matt Wieters (BAL) C - 0-2
• Andrew McCutchen (PIT) CF - 0-2, BB, 2 K, Started in CF, Batted 2nd
• Pedro Alverez (PIT) DH - 1-1, 2B, RBI, Has yet to play the field in spring games
• Lars Anderson (BOS) 1B - 0-2, K
• David Cooper (TOR) 1B - 0-2
• J.A. Happ (PHI) P - 2 IP, 1 H, 1 K/0 BB
• Cameron Maybin (FLA) CF - 1-2, BB, Started in CF, Batted 2nd
• Logan Morrison (FLA) PH - 0-1
• Mike Stanton (FLA) RF - 1-3, K, Started in RF, Batted 6th
• Kyle Skipworth (FLA) PH - 0-1, K
• Reid Brignac (TB) 2B - 0-2
• Brett Gardner (NYY) LF - 0-2
• Gerardo Parra (ARI) RF - 1-3, R, RBI
• Beau Mills (CLE) 1B - 1-3, RBI, Started at 1B, Batted 4th
• Alcides Escobar (MIL) SS - 1-2
• Aaron Cunningham (OAK) LF - 1-1
• Greg Halman (SEA) LF - 1-3, 2K, Started in LF, Batted 5th
• Kyle Blanks (SD) 1B - 1-3, R, Started at 1B, Batted 6th
• Taylor Teagarden (TEX) C - 1-2, K, Started at C, Batted 8th
• Elvis Andrus (TEX) SS - 0-2, BB, Started at SS, Batted 9th
• Justin Smoak (TEX) 1B - 0-1, K
• Dayan Viciedo (CWS) 3B - 1-3, Started at 3B, Batted 6th
• Dexter Fowler (COL) CF - 1-2, K
• Chris Marrerro (WAS) 1B - 1-2, RBI