MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Action - Gomez, Robles, Crosby

• Red Sox C prospect Ryan Lavarnway doubled and homered as part of his Pawtucket team's 4-1 victory, reports WPRI.com.
• Alex Colome picked up his 9th win of the Florida State League season, as the Rays prospect gave up just one run in six innings of work, according to ClawDigest.com.
• Rockies prospect Hector Gomez broke out of his season-long slump on Monday night, blasting two home runs as part of a 4-hit day, reports Ashley Marshall of MiLB.com.
• Mariners LHP Mauricio Robles returned to Triple-A after spending the on the DL with elbow problems by tossing six shutout innings, says Mike Curto of The Tacoma News Tribune.
• Casey Crosby turned in an inconsistent outing on Monday, as the Tigers pitching prospect allowed three earned runs in five innings, and striking out five, but walking five in the process and allowing ten hits, notes The Eire Times-News.
• Julio Teheran earned his International League-leading 10th win by tossing five innings and allowing just one unearned run, reports Andrew Pentis of MiLB.com, who also notes that the Braves pitching prospect recorded two hits in the game.

 

Prospect Potent Potables - Royals, Belt, Dykstra, Tulsa

• Now that the dust has settled, it appears the Royals will support All-Star closer Joakim Soria with four rookie relievers, notes Michael Engel of KingsofKauffman.com.  Tim Collins, Jeremy Jeffress, Nathan Adcock and Aaron Crow will all begin the year in relief, with Crow being the only one of the quartet that may develop into a starter down the road.
• The Giants still have yet to make a decision regarding top prospect Brandon Belt, but are leaning toward making him their starting first baseman, says John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
• In a swap of disappointing former prospects, the Padres have sent former first round pick Allan Dykstra to the Mets for former first round pick Eddie Kunz, reports Don Norcross of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  Dykstra, a first baseman, has not performed up to his billing and has fallen on the depth chart behind Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Blanks, while Kunz, a reliever, has not progressed into the late-inning pitcher the Mets had hoped and has yet to stay in the major leagues.
• The Rockies will have a prospect-laden team taking the field in Tulsa this year, says Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies.  The season-opening roster will include Christian Friedrich, Casey Weathers, Wilin Rosario, Hector Gomez, and Tim Wheeler.
• Matt Harvey is ready to start the season, and the Mets prospect is throwing as hard as ever, says David Lennon of Newsday.com.
• The Diamondbacks plan to move Bobby Borchering along slowly, says Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, and also plan to give him some time at first base this season.
• Dayan Viciedo is progressing as planned in his recovery from a broken thumb suffered when he was hit by a spring training pitch, reports Scott Merkin of MLB.com.  The White Sox will keep Viciedo in extended spring training for a few extra days at the start of the season.

 

More Roster Cuts - Blue Jays, Yankees, Rockies

• Adeiny Hechavarria was the only big name prospect among six players sent to minor league camp by the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, says Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
• The New York Yankees have optioned Hector Noesi to Double-A and re-assigned D.J. Mitchell to minor league camp, reports The Trentonian.
• The Colorado Rockies optioned Wilin Rosario, Hector Gomez, and Casey Weathers to Double-A and re-assigned Tim Wheeler and Christian Friedrich to minor league camp, reports Steve Foster of Inside the Rockies.com.

 

Making Moves - 4/15

MLB Prospect Watch would like to introduce a new segment that will be featuring periodically (whenever necessary) featuring prospects who are making a noteworthy change.  This could be a promotion or demotion between levels, coming off of or going on the disabled list, or changing positions, but regardless of the change, you'll read about it here!

• Tim Beckham is off the 7-day DL and will be making his 2010 debut for the Rays' Florida State League affiliate the Charlotte Stone Crabs, reports Jim Donten of Rays Prospects.com.
• Both of the Colorado Rockies' injury-plagued shortstops continue to live up (or down) to their reputation, as both Hector Gomez and Chris Nelson are once again out with injuries, reports Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies.  Gomez has been playing in Double-A and is only expected to miss a couple of games with back spasms.  Nelson, on the other hand, has yet to play this year because of a strained oblique, and now must head to extended spring training to play catch up.
• Marc Hulet of Fan Graphs.com suggests that the Orioles could soon make a move to bring Jake Arrieta to the majors to replace one of their struggling starts (Hulet suggests Brad Bergesen).  If you've been paying attention today, you already know that I agree.
• There's a unique trend that's beginning to form in the minor leagues whereby teams are taking players from other positions and converting them to second basemen, says Matt Eddy of Baseball America.  Most notable in this situation is Dustin Ackley of the Seattle Mariners, but the Mets are also trying this switch with Reese Havens and the Padres are converting Logan Forsythe.  Ackley has the biggest conversion to make (since he was a college 1B and was drafted as a CF), while Havens is only moving from the other side of the second base bag and Forsythe is shifting over from third.
• Wil Myers made his switch last year, immediately after being drafted, but the Royals' third-round pick from last year is taking to catching exactly the way the organization would have hoped, Matthew Lindner explains for MiLB.com.

Prospect Potent Potables - 3/9

Today's links are brought to you by Stephen Strasburg's first appearance...

• Max Stassi is drawing positive reviews from everyone in Oakland A's camp who knows anything about catching, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
• The Chicago White Sox still aren't sure how they're going to use Dan Hudson this year, reports Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun Times.
• Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies discusses the change in batting stance made by Rockies' prospect Hector Gomez, and raves about the progress he's made.
• The Red Sox had a day full of impressive performances by some of their top prospects.  Cuban short stop Jose Iglesias hit his first home run, reports Ron Borges of the Boston Herald. The Sox went on to win that game, and at one point displayed an outfield of Josh Reddick, Ryan Kalish, and Che-Hsuan Lin, which could be their outfield of the future, suggests Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald.