MLB Prospect Watch

Mexican and Venezuelan Leagues Begin Today

In addition to the Arizona Fall League beginning league play today, the Mexican and Venezuelan Leagues both begin action today in their respective nations.  While both leagues feature players of all ages and affiliations, the Mexican League typically has more retired major leaguers and veteran players while the Venezuelan League is typically more prospect-laden.  As usual, you can follow all of the fall and winter league action here at MLB Prospect Watch.

Here are some of the notable prospects who will see time in the international winter leagues this off-season:

Mexican League

• Caneros de los Mochis - Sebastian Valle (PHI)

 

Venezuelan League

• Augilas de Zulia
  • Austin Bibens-Dirkx (CHC)
  • Harold Garcia (PHI)
• Bravos de Margarita
  • Cesar Hernandez (PHI)
  • Joe Mahoney (BAL)
• Cardenales de Lara
  • Mauricio Robles (SEA)
  • Alex Liddi (SEA)
• Caribes de Anzoategui
  • Gorkys Hernandez (PIT)
• Leones de Caracas
  • Carlos Carrasco (CLE)
  • Nick Weglarz (CLE)
• Navegartes del Magallanes
  • Deolis Guerra (MIN)
  • Jesus Montero (NYY)
  • Freddy Galvis (PHI)
  • Mark Trumbo (LAA)
  • Johermyn Chavez (SEA)
• Tiburones de La Guaira
  • Ehire Adrianza (SF)
• Tigres de Aragua
  • Wilson Ramos (WAS)

 

Call-Ups and Other Prospect Movement

Notable prospects promoted today...

• Jenrry Mejia (NYM)
• Carlos Carrasco (CLE)
• Yonder Alonso (CIN)
• Jeremy Jeffress (MIL)
• Mat Gamel (MIL)
• J.P. Arencibia (TOR)
• Brandon Snyder (BAL)
• Freddie Freeman (ATL)
• Desmond Jennings (TB)
• Jeremy Hellickson (TB)
• Tyler Flowers (CWS)
• Brandon Allen (ARI)
• Cory Luebke (SD)
• Chris Nelson (COL)

In other news...

• Pat Vindette, the Yankees switch-pitching prospect, has been promoted to Triple-A, reports Mike Ashmore of The Trentonian.
• Dillon Gee should be joining the Mets this week, says Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com.
• Mike Moustakas will not be called up by the Royals this month, says Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star, as the team is choosing to keep its prospects where they will be playing every day rather than have them sit the bench in the majors.
• No one is doubting Aroldis Chapman's abilities at this point, but Jack Moore of FanGraphs.com examines what his stint in the Reds bullpen this fall could do to his contract, and the amount of money he's owed, in the future.

And finally, MLB Prospect Watch would like to welcome Ryan Westmoreland back to the baseball diamond, as the Red Sox top prospect, who has missed the entire 2010 season due to brain surgery this spring.  Westmoreland is going to join the Red Sox Rookie-level affiliate in Lowell to re-acclimate himself to baseball life, says Pete Kerzel of MLB.com.  

More Call-up Fun

Aroldis Chapman is coming to Cincinnati.  And he's bringing his 105-mph fastball with him.

• The Reds have in fact announced that Chapman will be joining the team and could pitch out of the Cincinnati bullpen as early as tonight, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  This gives the team one month to see if the young Cuban is reliable enough to make their post-season roster.
• Cory Luebke should be among the first Padres prospects called up tomorrow, says Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
• Braves fans may think they're ready for Freddie Freeman's arrival, but David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a primer on Freeman, just to be sure.
• Carlos Carrasco will be heading to Cleveland tomorrow and should make a start some time this week, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• The White Sox have a few options in the minors but a crowded 40-man roster, notes Future Sox.com as they speculate which Sox prospects might get the call.  Their guesses include Tyler Flowers, Stefan Gartrell and Dayan Viciedo, who already spent some time with the big league club, but not Brent Morel, who is not on the 40-man roster.

Prospect Potent Potables - 8/25

• Mike Trout has already received the first of what should end up being numerous awards after the end of this season, grabbing the Midwest League MVP award despite being promoted from the League in July, reports Daren Smith of MLB.com.
• The Phillies hope that OF prospect Jiwan James is on the same type of development path as current rookie Domonic Brown, notes Matthew Stucko of the Philadelphia Daily News.  James is similar to Brown in stature and tools, but is actually more athletic and is faster, enabling him to play centerfield.  James lacks only Brown's power, and power potential.
• Aroldis Chapman should get his big-league call-up on September 1st, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com who quotes Reds' GM Walt Jocketty.
• Manny Machado is scheduled to make his pro debut on Friday for the Gulf Coast League Orioles, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
• The Yankees will give Ivan Nova another start, as the rookie will take Javier Vazquez's turn in the rotation on Sunday, reports The Yankee U.
• Brewers' pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi threw the first 8 innings of an eventual no-hitter on Tuesday night, fanning 10 batters in the process, reports Robert Emrich of MLB.com.
• Nick Franklin, the Mariners' other first-round draft pick in 2009, has had a great season, and Jason Churchill of ProspectInsider.com breaks down his performance thus far and projects (albiet optimistically) when he could be seen in Seattle.
• Carlos Carrasco should be in Cleveland soon, and will likely pick up a spot in the Indians' rotation upon arrival, says Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.

Making Moves - 8/19

• The Blue Jays have sent J.P. Arencibia back to Triple-A due to the pending return of John Buck, reports Alex Espinoza of MLB.com.  Arencibia should return to the majors when the rosters expand on September 1.
• Rockies' prospect Christian Friedrich left his latest start with a strained lat muscle, according to Steve Foster of InsidetheRockies.com.
• Also dealing with a lat injury is Boston prospect Casey Kelly, who has been shut down for the season.
• The Nationals have recalled WIlson Ramos to the majors, but only for a few days, says Bill Ladson of MLB.com.  Ramos has been promised a September call-up once the rosters expand as well.
• Kelvin Duran has been playing centerfield for the Staten Island Yankees after having spent most of the season in the Gulf Coast League, reports Matt Ehat of the New York Daily News.
• Carlos Carrasco should be in line for a few starts for the Indians, perhaps even before September, says Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
• Recently signed Pirates prospects' Jameson Taillon and Stetson Allie will not pitch in regular-season ball this year, but will pitch in the Florida Instructional League this October, report Chuck Finder and Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.