The spring began with speculation that Jedd Gyorko could play his way into the Padres starting lineup via second base, a position he hadn't played regularly in the minors until playing there in about one-third of his games in 2012. I broke down the Padres second base situation in February, determining that:
Unless Logan Forsythe can turn things around against right-handed pitching, he's destined for a utility role, and Gyorko will be knocking on the door, taking advantage of the PCL to put up inflated numbers. With a good spring, he could be the Padres Opening Day second baseman, but either way, he should be up by the start of summer.
Well, Gyorko didn't knock anybody's socks off this spring, hitting .286/.308/.508 in regular playing time between second base and his more natural third base position, but thanks to a strong track record and injuries to two starters, it looks like Gyorko will crack the Padres starting lineup. The only question at this point, is at what position.
The first door opened for Gyorko when Headley fractured his thumb. Headley will be out until the middle of April, allowing Gyorko to slide back to his more familiar position at third base for the time being. But now, as Corey Brock of MLB.com reports, Forsythe is dealing with foot pain and could land on the disabled list as well, which opens a second door at second base.
For Gyorko, this means he is going to get at least two weeks of at-bats in the majors, likely at third base with Alexi Amarista getting the starts at second. Headley is due back a few weeks into the start of the season, but there's currently no timetable on Forsythe, who is dealing with plantar fasciitis.
Forsythe hadn't played in a spring training game since March 7th when he played three innings on Tuesday and left due to injury. That's not a good sign, especially when dealing with a foot injury that has a history of nagging and hanging around unless surgery is involved. It's possible that Forsythe misses substantial time (at least more time then Headley), opening up a door for additional at-bats for Gyorko even after Headley's return.
Gyorko's bat is needed in the Padres lineup, especially with the injury to Headley and Yasmani Grandal's suspension. He probably won't put up the crazy offensive numbers he's put up in the California and Pacific Coast Leagues, but he should hit enough to profile as an above-average offensive second baseman.
Seemingly, the biggest obstacle keeping Jedd Gyorko from being the San Diego Padres starting second baseman this season is not the presence of Logan Forsythe or anyone else blocking his path, but rather Gyorko's ability to handle the defensive responsibilities of the keystone position. Gyorko's bat should be ready for the majors whenever the Padres call on him, but as Pat Moroney of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports, his glove may be closer than was initially expected. If this holds true, it could allow the Padres to break camp with Gyorko in their starting lineup, allowing Forsythe to slide into the utility role for which he is better suited.
Matt Purke appeared in just three games last season and threw just 15 1/3 innings before being shut down with a shoulder injury, but the Nationals are hoping that the left-hander will get to somewhere around the 100-inning mark in the 2013 season, notes Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington. Purke had his shoulder cleaned up last summer and has been rehabbing since with the aim of returning to game action early this summer. Purke, who was drafted in the first round by the Texas Rangers in 2009 but elected to go to TCU instead, was given four-year, $4.15 million major league contract by the Nationals after being drafted in the 3rd round in 2011.
Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Gerrit Cole looked very good on Tuesday against Spain's WBC team, but no matter how much time he gets on the mound this spring or how good he looks, Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com reminds us that there is almost no chance of him making the major league roster this spring. Cole is almost certainly one of the five best starting pitching prospects in Pirates camp this spring, even with just one Triple-A start to his name, but a few more months of refinement will go a long way in Cole's development, and holding him off until June should give the Pirates another year of keeping Cole relatively cheap and under team control.
It's important to take all spring action in context, but we'll keep you posted on all of the prospect accomplishments nonetheless.
Wilmer Flores hit a three-run home run in the Mets inter-squad game on Friday, says MetsBlog.com, and even more importantly, it was off a breaking ball. As an aggressive hitter who needs to work on pitch recognition more than anything else, it's always a positive sign to see Flores hit a breaking pitch hard.
After a rough 2012 season, Joey Terdoslavich is off to a good start in the spring of 2013, homering in the Braves first spring game, notes Mark Bowman of MLB.com. After trying to play third base again last season, the Braves are now trying Terdoslavich out in the outfield this season in an attempt to increase his positional flexibility.
Tony Cingrani got the start for the Reds spring opener but allowed three runs in the outing, says John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Almost certainly a reliever in the majors, the Reds will continue to work Cingrani as a starter in the minors this season.
Despite being a second round pick out of a college program, the San Diego Padres have taken their time with the development of Jedd Gyorko. Despite a career .319/.385/.529 line in the minors and being 24-years-old, he's yet to appear in the majors for a team in desperate need of offensive pop.
But that could all change this season, and it could be led by a change of scenery for Gyorko in the field.
Gyorko was drafted without a position, having played shortstop at West Virginia but knowing he wouldn't play there as a pro. The Padres have used him primarily at third base throughout his minor league career, but the emergence of Chase Headley as a legitimate star in the majors has effectively blocked that path to Petco, at least for the time being.
But Gyorko has also seen time at second base, playing 48 games there over the past three seasons, 30 of which came in 2012. Given the lack of offensive production that the Padres have gotten out of their second basemen over the past few years, that now appears to be his best path to the major leagues.
Gyorko is getting a strong look at the keystone this spring, reports Bill Center of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Having played 92 games in Triple-A last season, Gyorko has little left to prove in the minors, so he'll be out to prove this spring that he can handle the defensive responsibilities at second base. He may never be great at the position - he lacks the lateral range to really be proficient there - but if he can provide above-average offensive production compared to other National League second basemen, the Padres will tolerate him simply making the plays he can get to.
Gyorko has proved himself as a strong hitter in the minors, with the only question being what kind of power production he will provide. With back-to-back seasons of 25 and 30 homers respectively, it's easy to get excited about Gyorko's power potential, but it's just as important to remember where that power has taken place. Gyorko has slugged .638 in the California League and .588 in the Pacific Coast League - two leagues notorious for inflating power numbers - but just .429 during his time in between in Double-A. The fences may be coming in at Petco, but it still won't play like the California League or the PCL.
Gyorko should hit for a little bit of power, but likely not the 25-30 homer range that he's done in the minors. Still, 15-20 home runs with an average near .300 and a decent eye at the plate, Gyorko would be better than most NL second basemen and certainly better than any of the Padres other options.
In his way are the likes of Logan Forsythe and Alexi Amarista, both of whom Gyorko should be able to out-hit immediately. Amarista would be a far superior defensive player but can't hit while Forsythe crushes lefties but is best suited for a platoon/utility role. Assuming the Padres believe that Gyorko can handle the defensive responsibilities of being an everyday second baseman, there's little reason to believe he won't outhit that duo.
The Padres may elect to send Gyorko back to the minors, but if they do, he won't be there for long. The only thing truly blocking Gyorko is that he's not yet on the 40-man roster and the Padres would have to subject a player to waivers in order to add him, but that's a problem they're going to have to deal with sooner or later, so it shouldn't be too much of an obstacle if they decide that he's their man.
Unless Forsythe can turn things around against right-handed pitching, he's destined for a utility role, and Gyorko will be knocking on the door, taking advantage of the PCL to put up inflated numbers. With a good spring, he could be the Padres Opening Day second baseman, but either way, he should be up by the start of summer.
Calling someone a utility-man used to be the prospect equivelent of a death sentence. Essentially it meant that they weren't good enough to be an everyday player.
To a certain extent that's still the case. But in the past few years, we've coined the term "super-utility" player to essentially mean a player who has the defensive ability to play multiple positions regularly based on his team's needs, but the bat to play every day.
Ben Zobrist took this role to a new level over the past 3-4 seasons, playing at an all-star level for the Tampa Bay Rays while receiving significant playing time at two or three positions per season. His versatility has allowed the Rays to mix and match other players on their roster, giving manager Joe Maddon incredible flexibility when it comes to making lineups.
Zobrist's versatility is a tool almost as valuable as his on-field abilities themselves, and teams have begun to covet players who are able to play multiple positions.
This is a list of those players. Below are the ten best prospects in the minors who could fill that type of role on their team - one where they play everyday or almost every day but likely at a number of different positions.
In order to be considered for this list, a player must either play two positions regularly, one of which has to be an up-the-middle position (C, 2B, SS, CF) or if he is limited to the corners, he must be able to play at least three (1B, 3B, LF/RF).
When you think utility-man you don't typically think of a catcher, but having a player who can catch a few days a week and play another position can be a handy tool to have, especially in the National League with double switches. Gattis can be that guy for the Braves. A late-arrival to the prospect party, Gattis has come on with reckless abondon, hitting 22 home runs in 2011 and 18 in 2012 despite only playing about half the season. At 25, he's on the fast track through the minors and should start the season in Triple-A. The Braves left field situation is unsettled and Gattis played there a lot this winter. He could be up in the majors by mid-season, playing some left field and spelling Brian McCann behind the plate.
The former first overall pick as a shortstop, Beckham has been projected as a second baseman and third baseman by those who thoguht he'd eventually outgrown his original position. After struggling with his bat and a 50-game suspension for drugs, he's no longer the Rays anything of the future, but his ability to play a few different positions could turn him into a regular utility player. He has a few things going against him - being right-handed for one - but he should be able to play all three infield positions and could probably handle both corner outfield spots if given a chance to learn them. He does enough things well and will still be just 23 next season so there's still time to carve out a role in the majors.
Borchering has gone from a power-hitting third baseman taken in the first round to a first-baseman only with contact issues, and has somehow come back around back where he started. A trade from the Diamondbacks to the Astros helped that, as his new team has given him another opportunity to play the hot corner. He'll never be very good at it, and the Diamondbacks had enough other 3B prospects that it wasn't worth working with him on it, but the Astros want to give him a chance to stick there. Even if he can't play there every day, he's now had experience at first base and both corner outfield spots. He doesn't get on base enough, but he still has plus power as a switch-hitter, so he could be a good fit as a 3-4 day per week player at a number of positions.
Just 20 and only through A-ball, Rodriguez has already seen significant time at both shortstop and second base, and even has a game at third under his belt. He has good power but an ultra-aggressive approach at the plate that may be better suited for sporadic play in the majors. His power (30 homers in two seasons) will get him chances, but expect him to bounce around the infield before finding a home defensively, if he ever does.
Rosario gets overlooked in a Twins system that is being quickly rebuilt, but his versatility could be a significant portion of their future plans. Rosario has played both second base and center field regularly, giving him a unique and valuable set of skills. With Aaron Hicks and Byron Buxton in the mold, Rosario likely won't be needed too often in center, but he should have no problem sliding over to a corner and handling it quite well. At the plate, he posted an .835 OPS in his first taste of full-season ball. The Twins should try to keep Rosario at second base as long as he can stay there given that it's a much weaker position within their system than the outfield, and because the more experience he has there the more valuable he will be.
The Padres are always on the lookout for more offense, and no one in their farm system has provided more than Gyorko over the past two seasons. Gyorko has posted OPS's of .952 and .921 in back-to-back years, making it seem like he's a star in the making, and he is a good prospect in his own right. He's also seen time at both second and third base as he works his way through the minors and could settle at either or both, depending on what happens with Chase Headley. The only question about Gyorko is how he'll hit in more neutral hitting environments. The majority of his offensive damage has come in the California and Pacific Coast Leagues, both extreme hitter-friendly leagues. He has a career 1.068 OPS in High-A and a .968 mark in Triple-A. In between, he posted just a .786 OPS in Double-A - okay, but not great. If he continues to be a 30-homer player, he'll likely settle in at a position, but he has shown the ability to play both third and second and could bounce back and forth depending on the needs of the Padres.
No one on this list has played more positions than Green, who played five last season alone. Drafted as a shortstop, he's had throwing issues there, and the A's have tried him at second base, third base and left and center field. Green struggled in the outfield, but looked comfortable at second base, where the A's have a need. He could win that job this spring, but depending on the A's needs over the next few years, he could spend time at third base or left field.
Schoop's defensive landing spot is up in their air for two reasons - he can handle all three infield positions, and Manny Machado's future is still up in the air and Schoop will likely move around in difference to him. Machado is playing third in the majors now and could stay there. If so, Schoop can handle shortstop just fine. He would be above average at second base and could also handle third if Machado moves back to short at some point. Schoop took a step back with his bat last season but still projects to be enough hitter to get regular at-bats.
Unlike many of the players on this list, Castellanos doesn't project as a utility player. He projects as a regular. Most people are higher on Castellanos than I am but that doesn't mean I don't think he'll be a regular. Until the Tigers signed Prince Fielder and shifted Miguel Cabrera over to third base, Castellanos was seen as a third baseman. Not everyone thought he could stay there, but the Tigers had no plan to move him. Now that he's shown he can play right field, he has the potential to fill in at either position for either the Tigers, or whatever team he ends up being traded to.
Much like Castellanos, Rendon's utility-ness is a product of circumstance. If it weren't for Ryan Zimmerman's presence in Washington, he'd simply be the Nationals third baseman of the future. Instead, he's going to have to learn a new position, which could be second base, first base or left field. The Nats don't really have openings at any of them at the moment, which makes it hard to predict, but second base is the position he'll likely be able to handle best. If he takes to second, he will still be able to fill in at third base to spell the injury-prone Zimmerman, giving the Nats added versatility.
