MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Potent Potables - Hamilton, Story, Catricala

• Billy Hamilton broke his hand sliding into second base early into his winter ball season, but he's fully healed now and is already at full strength to prepare for this season, notes John Fay of Baseball America, who adds that the Reds will likely start Hamilton at High-A Bakersfield this season.  It remains to be seen if Hamilton will have the same freedom to run next season in the offensive-friendly California League where home runs are much easier to come by, but as a huge part of Hamilton's game, the Reds would be foolish to hold him back.
• MinorLeagueBall.com has a write-up on Rockies shortstop prospect Trevor Story, discussing a possible position switch and projecting his eventual offensive output.  Story is expected to outgrow shortstop defensively as he fills out, which should warrant a move to either second or third base, or a possible shift to the outfield.
• Mariners 3B prospect Vinnie Catricala had a monster offensive season in 2011, but his defense lagged behind his bat.  But as Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times reports, Catricala went to college as a strong defender at the hot corner, and admits that he "got lazy" playing on turf at Hawaii.

Position Battles - Iglesias, Hultzen, Braves

• Jose Iglesias could play short stop in the big leagues right now, but he's not going to make the Red Sox roster this spring, predicts Alex Speier of Baseball America.  The Red Sox may have traded away incumbent short stop Marco Scutaro, but based on what we saw from Iglesias' bat last season, he's not ready to face major league pitching.
• It's a long shot for certain, but that's not stopping Mariners officials from raving about Danny Hultzen so far in camp, notes Greg Johns of MLB.com.  Hultzen hasn't appeared in a minor league game yet, so his odds of making the Mariners out of spring training are limited, but the Reds did make a similar move with Mike Leake a few years back, so it's not completely unheard of.
• Bill Ballew of Baseball America discusses the major league readiness of the Braves big three pitching prospects, Julio Teheran, Arodys Vizcaino and Randall Delgado.  Despite being the most talented of the three, Teheran probably has the least chance of making the team out of spring training because the Braves won't want to use him in a relief role and don't have any available starting rotation spots.  Delgado has already proven his merit in the bullpen last year in the majors, and Vizcaino could grab a bullpen spot as well this March.

Prospect Potent Potables - Tolleson, den Dekker, LaMarre, Astros Invites

• Shawn Tolleson has taken a long and winding road to the top of the minor leagues, but as Ken Gurnick of MLB.com points out, he might have never become a Dodger if it wasn't for the team's current ace, Clayton Kershaw.  Now, Tolleson profiles as a potential future closer.
• Mets OF Matt den Dekker discusses his development as a player with Michael Baron of MetsBlog.com, including how he is working to cut down his strikeouts and how he plans to steal more bases next season.
• Mark Sheldon of MLB.com discussesz the progression of Reds CF prospect Ryan LaMarre, including what LaMarre is doing to try to add a little more power to his game.
• The Houston Astros have announced their non-roster invites to spring training, says Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, a list that includes 1B Jonathan Singleton, 2B Delino DeShields, Jr., SS Jonathan VIllar, and OF's George Springer and Jake Goebbert.

Prospect Potent Potables - Orioles, Montero, Frazier

• The Orioles have been linked as possible trade candidates with just about every low-end veteran that's reportedly on the trading block, but as Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun points out, they don't have a lot to trade that they're willing to part with.  Connolly mentions Xavier Avery and L.J. Hoes as the only realistic trade pieces among the Orioles top prospects.  If the team can't get significant return or significant improvement in an area of need (which, for those prospects they probably can't), then I don't see how a trade makes sense.  The Orioles aren't close to competing in the AL East, and giving up a prospect with any kind of upside for a marginal starter or middle reliever isn't the way to build long-term.
• Jesus Montero's power potential is even more valuable now than it would have been a decade ago, which is why the Mariners were willing to part with such a young, talented pitcher in order to get him, says Larry Stone of The Seattle Times.  Stone quotes scouts that even say that young position players are becoming more difficult to develop than young pitching, which, if true, and given the Mariners staple of young pitchers, makes the move a good fit for the Mariners even more.
• Todd Frazier's best chance to make the Reds roster this spring is his versatility, but the team has signed other versatile players Wilson Valdez and Willie Harris, potentially bocking Frazier's path, notes Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.  While Valdez and Harris have veteran experience, Frazier can duplicate all of their versatility in one player, and has more power potential than either one.  At 26, if Frazier isn't ready for the majors, he may never be.
• I wrote a piece for MLB Depth Charts discussing which of the top prospects in the game will make their team's Opening Day roster, including Montero, Matt Moore, Bryce Harper, Jacob Turner, Shelby Miller, Mike Trout, and Trevor Bauer.

Padres Get Three Prospects From Reds For Latos

The Cincinnati Reds acquired pitcher Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Edison Volquez and a trio of prospects - 1B Yonder Alonso, C Yasmani Grandal, and relief pitcher Brad Boxberger, announced the Reds.  The deal is a steep price for the Reds to pay, but greatly upgrades their pitching staff.

Doug Gray of RedsMinorLeauges.com likes the trade for the Reds, while Mike Axisa of FanGraphs.com thinks the Padres did a nice job getting long-term solutions back at first base and catcher.

Alonso is the Reds top hitting prospect, but was blocked in Cincinnati by Joey Votto.  His role in San Diego remains to be seen, as the Padres traded for 1B prospect Anthony Rizzo last off-season, and this deal could mean Rizzo spends more time in Triple-A this season than originally expected.

Grandal is a fellow first-round pick (along with Alonso), taken in 2010, and split last season between High-A and Double-A, having success at both levels.  He could start back at Double-A this season, or could begin in Triple-A, and either way could see some time in the majors towards the end of the season.

Boxberger was a supplemental first-round pick in 2009.  Taken 43rd overall, he's the lowest drafted of the three prospects traded in this deal.  Boxberger has pitched primarily in relief and saw time in Triple-A last season.  He should compete for a bullpen spot with the Padres this spring.

The real question in this deal is what the Padres are going to do with Alonso.  Rizzo was the centerpiece of last year's big trade and was clearly the Padres first baseman of the future.  Given his struggles in the majors last year, that future could be a year later than expected, but the possibility of Alsonso and Rizzo playing together is slim.  The Reds have already explored the idea of moving Alonso to the outfield, and that switch would be even more difficult at the spacious Petco Park.  It remains to be seen if the Padres will follow this deal up with another deal, moving one of its first baseman for additional pieces.