MLB Prospect Watch

Prospects in the Majors 4/8

• Brett Gardner (NYY) - 0-4, R, batting .143
• Ryan Perry (DET) - 1 IP, K
• Travis Snider (TOR) - 0-3, 2 K, batting .200
• Jordan Schafer (ATL) - 1-4, HR, R, BB, batting .300 with 2 HR
• J.A. Happ (PHI) - 2 IP, 2 ER, H, 2 K/1 BB, HR (Schafer)
• Dexter Fowler (COL) - 1-4, HR (off D. Davis), 2 R, BB, K, started in CF and led off
• Chris Dickerson (CIN) - 0-3, R, RBI, BB, K
• Elvis Andrus (TEX) - 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K, E, batting .375
• Taylor Teagarden (TEX) - 0-1
• Chris Getz (CWS) - 0-4, batting .250
• Colby Rasums (STL) - 0-3, 2 BB, started in LF and led off
• Nick Adenhart (LAA) - 6 IP, 0 ER, 7 H, 5 K/3 BB
• Travis Ishikawa (SF) - 1-4, R, batting .333

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

Link: Is Rockies Rookie Ready?

Rockies prospect Dexter Fowler was considered a long shot, but according to Tracy Ringolsby of Inside the Rockies (who knows the Rockies better than anybody), Fowler's recent adjustments at the plate may have changed the minds of Rockies brass.

Ringolsby lays out a possible scenario where Fowler could make the team and play 4-5 nights a week.

Prospect Ranking: Leadoff/Speed Players

Chicks may dig the long ball, but someone has to do the dirty work.  After all, without a good leadoff hitter, power hitters could only drive in themselves.  These players offer little in the way of power, but their best tools are plus speed and the ability to get on base.  They must be able to play the toughest defensive positions (CF, SS, 2B) and they must do the little things right to make up for what they can not do.

Here the top-20 potential future lead-off men currently in the minor leagues:

1	COL	Dexter Fowler	CF
2	PIT	Andrew McCutchen	CF
3	ATL	Gorkys Hernandez	CF
4	TB	Desmond Jennings	CF
5	NYY	Brett Gerdner	CF
6	LAD	Ivan DeJesus, Jr.	SS
7	OAK	Jemile Weeks	2B
8	COL	Eric Young, Jr.	2B
9	SEA	Tyson Gillies	CF
10	CHC	Tony Thomas	2B
11	ARI	Evan Frey	CF
12	MIL	Cutter Dykstra	CF
13	LAA	Clay Fuller	CF
14	BAL	L.J. Hoes	2B
15	PHI	Quintin Berry	CF
16	PIT	Brian Friday	SS
17	SD	Blake Tekotte	CF
18	BOS	Derrik Gibson	3B
19	CLE	Delvi Cid	CF
20	BAL	Matthew Angle	CF

Lots of Sunday Links

• Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports on top-prospect Colby Rasmus' off-season workout, and makes comments towards what many are thinking, suggesting that the Cardinals are ready to begin seeing some production from the super-talented Rasums.
• The Blue Jays don't have a solution at shortstop for 2009 yet, but Justin Jackson is not one of the options, reports Morgan Campbell of the Toronto Star, not that anyone really considered him as one.  The Blue Jays, however, do still have faith in Jackson as their shortstop of the future, despite his struggles at the plate so far in his career.
• Reporting from a baseball fundamentals standpoint, Tracy Ringolsby of Inside the Rockies tells us that Dexter Fowler has abandoned his "split-grip" at the plate.  The grip, reminiscent of the days of Ty Cobb, has been mixed in support by the Rockies organization, but they were willing to let him use it as long as he continued to succeed.
• Fresh off his WBC appearance for Canada, Mariners pitching prospect Phillippe Aumont comments to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times about the experience and what it means for his career.
• Past his 6-years of organizational protection, safe through the Rule-5 draft, and back on a minor-league deal, former Royals prospect Chris Lubanski is finally demonstrating why he was selected 5th overall back in 2003, reports Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.