MLB Prospect Watch

Blogs Track Teams - 5/6/11

• Sam Miller of the Orange County Register updates us on the Angels prospects in action, including a three-hit day for Mike Trout.
• RaysProspects.com recaps the events for the Rays prospects, including a rough start for Chris Archer and a grand slam by Derek Dietrich.
• PineTarPress.com has the Royals results, including two-hit days by Mike Moustakas and Christian Colon.
• MinorMatters.com has our Yankees prospect update, including a good start for Dellin Betances.
• TalkingChop.com chimes in with the Braves action, including good starts from Paul Clemens and David Filak.
• Orioles-Nation.com brings us your Birds updates, including a home run by Tyler Townsend.
• Steve Foster of InsidetheRockies.com fills us in on the Rockies organization, including the continued command issues of Tyler Matzek, who was able to get through just one inning.
• Jarred Massey of LAdodgertalk.com has our Dodgers update, including another solid outing by Zach Lee.

 

More Roster Cuts - Rays, Cubs, Kelly, Mejia

• The Tampa Bay Rays optioned Chris Archer, Desmond Jennings and Alex Cobb to Triple-A and re-assigned Tim Beckham to minor league camp, says RaysProspects.com.
• The Chicago Cubs optioned Rafael Dolis to Double-A and re-assigned Josh Vitters, Brett Jackson, Jay Jackson, Chris Carpenter, and Trey McNutt to minor league camp, reports Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.
• The Milwaukee Brewers optioned Mark Rogers to Triple-A, says Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, despite the fact that Rogers was a candidate to take the open starts in place of injured ace Zack Greinke.  The Brewers felt that Rogers would not have his pitch count up high enough by Opening Day to take the spot in the rotation.
• The Colorado Rockies optioned Chris Nelson to Triple-A, reports Steve Foster of InsidetheRockies.com.  Nelson was competing for a utility spot.
• The San Diego Padres optioned Cedric Hunter to Triple-A and re-assigned top pitching prospect Casey Kelly to minor league camp, says Corey Brock of MLB.com.
• The Mets have optioned Jenrry Mejia to Triple-A, says Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com.

 

Rays Acquire Archer, Lee, Additional Prospects for Garza

The Chicago Cubs have acquired RHP Matt Garza from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for a package consisting of many of the organization's top prospects, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.  The prospects acquired by the Rays include Chris Archer, considered among the Cubs top pitching prospects, Hak-Ju Lee, a 20-year-old shortstop, outfielder Brandon Guyer, catcher Robinson Chirinos, and outfielder San Fuld.

Archer and Lee are the biggest acquisitions for the Rays in this trade, while Guyer and Chirinos are potential starters down the road and Fuld could be a solid bench player.  Keith Law of ESPN.com shares his breakdown on all of the prospects involved.  Joe Pawlikowski of FanGraphs.com also gives his take and RaysProspects.com breaks down the Rays newest farmhands.  

 

 

Prospect Potent Potables - Harper, Royals, Davidson

And now, for your daily Bryce Harper-hit-a-home-run update, Bryce Harper homered yesterday as part of a 3-for-4 day in the instructional league.  This is already getting repetitive.  It appears the guy does have power after all (whew knew?).  Sometimes, not often, but sometimes scouting is really easy.

Now on to the real information...

• The USA Pan-Am qualifier team is having no problem rolling through international competition like a hot knife through butter even though it seems at times like it's really just the Royals prospects vs. the world.  They're getting help both on the mound and at the plate from the likes of Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Danny Duffy, Tim Collins, and Mike Montgomery.  But it's not all Royals prospects.  the team has also had valuable contributions from Angels prospect Mike Trout, and Cubs prospects Brett Jackson and Chris Archer, the latter of whom pitched the team to victory earlier in the week.
• Brent Morel had a strong September audition with the White Sox and Phil Rogers of Baseball America discusses the third baseman's chances of making the team to start next season.
• Matt Davidson has separated himself from the rest of the Diamondbacks large 2009 draft class, and as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Diamondbacks explains, it's his work ethic that has helped him stand out.
• Jordan Walden is another prospect who had a strong major league debut this season, and he may have pitched himself into the Angels closer role at some point in 2010, according to Bill Shaikin of Baseball America.
• Speaking of young pitchers, John Sickles offers up his thoughts on the development of young arms and what teams should and shouldn't do.

 

Baseball America Hot Sheet - 8/13

Baseball America has released their weekly Hot Sheet.  This week's list includes:

• Chris Archer
• Manny Banuelos
• Brody Colvin
• James Darnell
• Matt Dominguez
• Kyle Drabek
• Danny Duffy
• Jeurys Familia
• Todd Frazier
• Freddie Freeman
• Mat Gamel
• Johnny Giavotella
• Andrew Lambo
• J.D. Martinez
• Tyler Matzek
• Matt Moore
• Jesus Montero
• Thomas Neal
• Rubby de la Rosa
• Julio Teheran

This week's struggling performers include John Ely, Jemile Weeks, Henderson Alvarez, and Edward Salcedo.