MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Action - 10/17/11

Arizona Fall League

• The Desert Dogs were led to a 7-4 victory by A's OF Grant Green, who went 3-for-5 and scored two runs, as well as Blue Jays SS Adeiny Hechavarria, who was 4-for-4 with three triples, notes John Parker of MLB.com.
• The Mesa Solar Sox exploded offensively with a 13 run performance, hitting four home runs, including one by Orioles 1B Joe Mahoney, and the rest by Pirates players - one by OF Robbie Grossman and two by 2B Jarek Cunningham.
  • Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com has more on the performance by Grossman and Cunningham.
• Braves P Sean Gilmartin picked up his second AFL win, tossing four scoreless innings and striking out four.  His Saguaros were paced offensively by Marlins 3B Matt Dominguez, who went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run, notes Robert Emrich of MLB.com.

 

Dominican Winter League

• Cubs P Rafael Dolis took the loss for the Estrellas de Oriente, allowing two runs in an inning of work.  New White Sox P Jhan Marinez was able to record just one out for the Toros del Este in the victory, giving up an earned run of his own in the process.
  • Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com has more on the game, including an 0-for-3 day at the plate for Pirates SS Chase d'Arnaud.

 

Venezuelan Winter League

• No games scheduled

 

Mexican Pacific League

• No games scheduled

 

 

Making Moves - de la Rosa, Furbush, Oliver, Lincoln, Hoes

• The Los Angeles Dodgers are considering promoting Rubby de la Rosa to the majors and would use him in their bullpen, tweets Ken Gurnick.
• One day after Charlie Furbush picked up his first major league win, the Tigers have announced that they will put Andy Oliver in their major league rotation, taking the place of the DL-bound Phil Coke, reports Jason Beck of MLB.com.
• The Pirates are thrilled with how Brad Lincoln is pitching in Triple-A, but simply don't have a spot for him in their major league rotation, reports Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  The Pirates did make a move, placing shortstop Chase d'Arnaud on the DL with groin tightness, reports Tim WIlliams of PiratesProspects.com.
• The Orioles have promoted second baseman L.J. Hoes from High-A to Double-A, reports Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun.

 

 

Trout, Chisenhall, Turner Among Victims on Roster Cutdown Day

• The Pirates sent ten players away from major league camp on Monday, including prospects Daniel Moskos and Gorkys Hernandez who were optioned to Triple-A, prospect Jeff Locke who was optioned to Double-A, and Andrew Lambo and Chase D'Arnaud who were not on the 40-man roster and were re-assigned to minor league camp, but both of whom will also begin the season in Triple-A, according to Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com.
• The Angels made a round of cuts on Monday that included top prospect Mike Trout and pitchers Trevor Reckling and Loek Van Mil, reports Owen Perkins of MLB.com.
• Greg Halman was optioned to Triple-A by the Mariners on Monday, notes Greg Johns of MLB.com.
• The Royals optioned both second base prospect Jeff Bianchi and outfield prospect Derrick Robinson to Double-A, says Dick Kaegel of MLB.com.
• The Indians re-assigned Lonnie Chisenhall, Alex White, and Jason Kipnis to minor league camp, as well as optioned Nick Weglarz and Zach McAllister to Triple-A, reports Jordan Bastain of MLB.com.
• The Astros re-assigned Koby Clemens, Jiovanni Mier, Doug Arguello, Jon Gaston and J.D. Martinez, to minor league camp on Monday, says Farmstros.com.
• The Tigers have re-assigned catchers Patrick Leyland and Bryan Holaday to minor league camp, and have optioned Cale Iorg, Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner to Double-A, says DetroitTigerTales.com.
• The Orioles optioned first base prospect Joe Mahoney to Triple-A, says Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com.

 

Prospect Potent Potables - Dodgers, Drabek, Myers

• Some of the Dodgers top talent spent 2010 in the low minors, particularly in A-ball, between Great Lakes and Inland Empire, says Jared Massey of DodgerTalk.com.  Particularly of note are Aaron Miller and Ethan Martin.
• For every prospect that's rushed, there's another who was allowed to take their time, and as Jessica Quiroli points out, just because Kyle Drabek falls into the latter category, doesn't mean the Blue Jays should have promoted him sooner.
• Wil Myers had been struggling in fall instructs, but the Royals catching prospect broke out in a big way on Tuesday night, with a opposite field double and a homer.
• The Padres fell to two games out of the NL West lead on Tuesday night, but if they do manage to climb back into the post-season, rookie Cory Lubeke wants to be a part of it, and will fill any role necessary to make it happen, says Corey Brock of MLB.com.
• Chase D'Arnaud has been added to the Team USA roster, in place of fellow Pirates farmhand Andrew Romaine, who was promoted to the majors instead, reports John Manuel of Baseball America.

 

Prospect Potent Potables - 8/11

• Jordan Lyles is slated to make his Triple-A debut tonight, but as Bryan Smith of FanGraphs.com argues, this should be his last promotion for the season.  Meanwhile, J.D. Martinez has been a nice surprise for the Astros after they selected the OF in the 20th round in 2009, and he continues to succeed in his first test against advanced pitching, batting .326/.404/.489 in 92 AB's in Double-A, reports Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.
• The Braves have demoted OF prospect Cody Johnson back to High-A after 233 AB's and a .613 OPS in Double-A, reports TalkingChop.com.
• The Mariners are having a disappointing season at the major league level, but they have seen some positive performances at the lower levels of the minors from Latin American players like George Mieses, Richard Vargas, and Ramon Morla, says Conor Glassey of Baseball America (subscription required).
• Tim Alderson still has a long road ahead of him in trying to work out his mechanical flaws before the Pirates can even consider him as a part of their future, says Dejan Kovacevic for Baseball America.  Meanwhile, Tim WIlliams of PiratesProspects.com asks whether or not Chase D'Arnaud is the team's shortstop of the future.
• Vance Worley may have been sent down by the Phillies, but he was only sent to Triple-A rather than back to Double-A where he was promoted from, so the final result felt like a promotion, says Jim Salisbury for Baseball America.
• Ray Parrillo of the Philadelphia Inquirer breaks down the long journey of Angels' prospect Mike Trout, from South Jersey high school star to top prospect in all of baseball.