MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Potent Potables - Munoz, Mitchell, Adrianza, Rays, Royals

• The Oakland A's have signed 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Yairo Munoz, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.
• Jared Mitchell is trying to put a lost season and another disappointing one behind him, says Scott Merkin of MLB.com.  Mitchell will be in White Sox camp this spring as a non-roster invitee.
• Giants SS prospect Ehrie Adrianza will always be a better defender than a hitter, but as Andy Baggerly points out for Baseball America, his bat closed the gap between the two last season.
• The Rays have announced their non-roster invites to Spring Training, including a pair of shortstops Tim Beckham and Hak-Ju Lee, reports Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times.
• The Royals have also announced their Spring Training invites, which include a quartet of pitchers - Mike Montgomery, Will Smith, Chris Dwyer, and Jake Odorizzi - and outfielder Wil Myers, according to Dick Kaegel of MLB.com.

 

Prospect Action - Giavotella, Allie, Lee

• Royals 2B prospect Johnny Giavotella had a monster day at the plate, blasting two home runs as part of a four-hit day, reports Tim Grubbs of NOLA.com.  It wasn't as plesent of a day for Jake Odorizzi, who gave up five runs in four innings in his worst start since being promoted to Double-A.
• Stephen Fife turned in his shortest outing of the season, as the Red Sox prospect failed at his attempt to tie for the Eastern League lead in wins, getting shelled for five runs in 3 2/3 innings, says The Hartford Courant.
• Stetson Allie is improving his command, as the Pirates prospect walked just two in three scoreless innings of work on Sunday, fanning three in the process, notes Ashley Marshall of MiLB.com.
• Hak-Ju Lee recorded two more hits on Sunday, as the Rays SS prospect crossed the 100-hit mark for the season, according to ClawDigest.com.
• Dodgers SS prospect Jake Lemmerman recorded a four-hit day, with a double and two RBI's.
• It was one of those super-offensive California League days in San Jose on Sunday, as Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez got lit up in a rehab start, then usual starter Michael Main, pitching in relief later in the game, suffered the loss, allowing five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings of work.  On the other side, Angels prospect Ryan Chaffee didn't fair much better, giving up six earned runs in five innings.

 

Prospect Action - Walker, Odorizzi, Parker

• Taijuan Walker turned in his most dominating performance as a professional, as the Mariners RHP prospect fanned 11 batters over six innings of shutout ball, reports John Parker of MiLB.com.
• Catching prospect Gary Sanchez blasted a home run to help ignite his fellow Yankee prospects to victory, says Corbin Ensminger of The Post and Courier.
• Jake Odorizzi battled himself in his first Double-A start, but the Royals prospect gave his team a chance to win, and earned his first victory at his new level, notes Andrew Pentis of MiLB.com.
• Marlins 3B prospect Matt Dominguez hit a walk-off homer on Thrusday night, reports Bob Fortus of the Times-Picayune.
• Jarrod Parker threw five scoreless innings as the Diamondbacks top prospect picked up the victory, according to Daniel Paulling of The Birmingham News.  Marc Krauss provided Parker with all the offense he would need, driving in three runs on the night.

 

 

Prospect Performances - Biddle, Wheeler, Loux, Petricka

• Jesse Biddle made his full-season debut for the Phillies affiliate in Lakewood on Sunday, throwing four innings and giving up two runs, but got the loss, reports Joe Berkery of the Philadelphia Daily News.
• Royals prospect Mike Moustakas hit his first home run of the season on Sunday.
• Zack Wheeler threw five hitless innings in his first start in the hitter-friendly California League, says Ashley Marshall of MiLB.com.  The Giants are hoping Wheeler can stay healthy and pitch an entire season for the first time in his short career.
• Fans in Myrtle Beach were treated to a prospect showdown on Sunday, as Barret Loux made his professional debut for the Rangers new Carolina League affiliate against Jake Odorizzi, making his first start since joining the Royals organization, notes David Heck of MiLB.com.
• White Sox prospect Jake Petricka threw six no-hit innings in his first start in full-season ball, notes Josh Jackson of MiLB.com.
• Bryce Harper ended his 0-for-9 slide with two singles on Sunday, says John Parker of MiLB.com.
• Other notable performances...
  • Indians 2B prospect Cord Phelps had a 2-HR day.
  • Yankees CF prospect Slade Heathcott had three more hits to get his batting average back up to .500 on the season.
  • Twins P prospect Adrian Salcedo struck out 10 batters in six innings of work.

 

Royals Get Odorizzi, Jeffress in Return for Greinke

The Kansas City Royals have finally played their ace, trading Zack Greinke to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for prospects Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress and former prospects Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar.  John Maunel of Baseball America has the complete breakdown of the deal.

Views on the trade thus far have differed, but the general consensus is that the Brewers are going all-in for the 2011 season while the Royals have added depth to an already impressive farm system.  Frankie Piliere of FanHouse.com loves the deal for the Royals, while Keith Law of ESPN.com questions their ability to land at least one "impact guy," comparing this deal to the one they made for Carlos Beltran, based more abound organizational need than value.  Rob Neyer of ESPN.com, who in addition to being an analyst is also a Royals fan, appears to be reserving judgement until down the road, but admits that this pushes the rebuilding timetable back yet another year.  Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star also shares his thoughts.

The Royals likely could have held out for a prospect with a higher-ceiling, but that would have cost them in terms of the number of players in return.  What they may have lost in quality, they made up for in quantity, and in the cases of Cain, Escobar, and Jeffress, players whose impact could be seen as soon as this season.