MLB Prospect Watch

Transactions: 5/17-5/23

Baseball America breaks down all the transactions from the past week by organization.  Some of the highlights include:

• Anthony Swarzak (MIN), Gio Gonzalez (OAK), John Mayberry, Jr. (PHI), Reid Brignac (TB), and Ross Detwiler (WAS) being recalled by their big league clubs.
• Gordon Beckham (CWS), Jordan Walden (LAA), and Logan Schafer (MIL) coming off the 7-day DL.
• Alex Buchholz (CIN) and Dellin Betances (NYY) going on the 7-day DL.
• And Brett Cecil (TOR) being optioned back to Triple-A.

Best and Worst from 4/23

BEST

• Tony Thomas (CHC) - 3-5, HR, SB, batting .375
• Chris Valaika (CIN) - 2-5, HR, batting .184
• Collin DeLome (HOU) - 3-5, HR, 3 RBI, SB
• Cutter Dykstra (MIL) - 3-3 ,3 R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 SB, batting .250
• Brett Lawrie (MIL) - 3-4, HR, 3B, batting .256
• Dominic Brown (PHI) - 2-4, HR, 3 RBI, SB, batting .277
• Anthony Gose (PHI) - 3-4, 2 R SB, batting .281
• Tim Beckham (TB) - 2-4, 2B, batting .320
• Justin Smoak (TEX) - 2-5, HR, batting .265
• Aaron Poreda (CWS) - 7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 11 K/1 BB, 1.69 ERA
• Gio Gonzalez (OAK) - 4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 8 K/1 BB, 1.54 ERA

WORST

• Jeff Samardzija (CHC) - 1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, K, 18.00 ERA
• Brett Cecil (TOR) - 4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 K/3 BB, 10.32 ERA
• Cesar Carrillo (SD) - 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 K/3 BB, 5.28 ERA

Chances for A's Pitching Prospects

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle discusses the possibility of the A's top pitching prospects, Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, and Vin Mazzaro, making the big-league rotation out of Spring Training.  THe A's currently have two open spots in their rotation, with fellow prospects Gio Gonzalez and Josh Outman also competing.

Cahill, Anderson, and Mazzaro are clearly the future of the A's rotation, and for at least one of them, the future could be this April.

Best and Worst: Day 1

Each day, MLBPW will take a look at the best and worst performances from the previous day of Spring Training, focusing (of course) on prospects trying to make their name in big-league camp.

THE BEST

• Adam Rosales - CIN (2B) - 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (off of Mitch Talbot)
• Nick Evans - NYM (1B) - 3-4, 3 R, (Started at 1B)
• Jeremy Slayden - PHI (LF) - 2-2, R, 2B
• Hainley Statia - LAA (SS) - 2-3, R, RBI, 2 2B (Started at SS)
• Micah Hoffpauir - CHC (DH) - 1-4, Grand Slam
• Travis Ishikawa - SF (1B) - 3-3. 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI

THE WORST

• Gaby Sanchez - FLA (1B) - 0-3, K
• Francisco Samuel - STL (P) - 1 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB, HR (to Hanley Ramirez)
• Ricky Romero - TOR (P) - 1 2/3 IP, H, 3 ER, HR (Alex Rodriguez), 2K/1BB
• Gio Gonzalez - OAK (P) 2 IP, 2 H, 1 K, HR (Corey Hart)