MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Action in the Majors

As the first week of major league action winds down, we're starting to see many of the prospects who made big league rosters take their turns on the field.

• Michael Pineda made his first major league start on Tuesday, and the Mariners were pleased with the results, says Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times.  Pineda was one of a number of surprise prospects to stay in the majors after the spring, notes Keith Law of ESPN.com, who questioned the M's decision to keep the young right-hander.
• The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have elevated hard-throwing rookie Jordan Walden into the closer's role at the back of the bullpen after incumbent Fernando Rodney's early season struggles, reports Kevin Baxter of The Los Angeles Times, who also notes the successful relationship rookie catcher Hank Conger has molded with team ace Jared Weaver.  Conger caught Weaver in two late-season starts in 2010 and Weaver praised the prospect's work behind the plate.  Conger made his first start on Tuesday, receiving another Weaver gem, and perhaps adding to the confidence manager Mike Scioscia has in him behind the plate.
• Brandon Belt has struggled at the plate to start the season, and Aubrey Huff has been an adventure in right field, where he's playing to accommodate Belt's arrival in the lineup, but despite these struggles, Giants manager Bruce Bochy says he has no intention of sitting Belt down anytime soon, says Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.
• Mike Minor will make his first start of the season for the Braves on Wednesday, taking the rotation spot of the injured Jair Jurrjens, says Doug Miller of MLB.com.  Minor will try to get the ball to Craig Kimbrel, the Braves closer who has continued his string of dominance from last season, notes Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
• Jeremy Hellickson will make his 2011 debut for the Rays, getting the start opposite Dan Haren against the Angels on Wednesday, says Spencer Fordin of MLB.com.
• The Washington Nationals plan to move rookie second baseman Danny Espinosa up to the leadoff spot in their batting order, reports Bill Ladson of MLB.com.

 

Prospect Potent Potables - Harper, Royals, Davidson

And now, for your daily Bryce Harper-hit-a-home-run update, Bryce Harper homered yesterday as part of a 3-for-4 day in the instructional league.  This is already getting repetitive.  It appears the guy does have power after all (whew knew?).  Sometimes, not often, but sometimes scouting is really easy.

Now on to the real information...

• The USA Pan-Am qualifier team is having no problem rolling through international competition like a hot knife through butter even though it seems at times like it's really just the Royals prospects vs. the world.  They're getting help both on the mound and at the plate from the likes of Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Danny Duffy, Tim Collins, and Mike Montgomery.  But it's not all Royals prospects.  the team has also had valuable contributions from Angels prospect Mike Trout, and Cubs prospects Brett Jackson and Chris Archer, the latter of whom pitched the team to victory earlier in the week.
• Brent Morel had a strong September audition with the White Sox and Phil Rogers of Baseball America discusses the third baseman's chances of making the team to start next season.
• Matt Davidson has separated himself from the rest of the Diamondbacks large 2009 draft class, and as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Diamondbacks explains, it's his work ethic that has helped him stand out.
• Jordan Walden is another prospect who had a strong major league debut this season, and he may have pitched himself into the Angels closer role at some point in 2010, according to Bill Shaikin of Baseball America.
• Speaking of young pitchers, John Sickles offers up his thoughts on the development of young arms and what teams should and shouldn't do.

 

Call-Up Update

• It looks like Freddie Freeman will get a call-up from the Braves, according to Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
• Unlike Freeman, it looks like Zach Britton will not get a call-up from the Orioles, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.  He's the odd-man out in an already crowded Orioles' rotation.
• Jeremy Jeffress should get a call-up from the Brewers, says Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.  The team might as well call him up, since they put him on the 40-man roster for no particular reason earlier this season.
• Hector Rondon isn't getting a call-up from the Indians.  He's getting Tommy John Surgery, reports Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
• Jordan Walden has already been called up by the Angels, and the heat he's bringing is as hard as any reliever in the majors, says R.J. Anderson of FanGraphs.com.
• Chris Sale has also already made it to the majors, and the experience, coupled with the transition to the bullpen, has helped to limit his workload in his first professional season while also getting him ready for what the White Sox expect to be a speedy assent to a permanent spot in the major leagues, says Scott Merkin of MLB.com.

Prospect Potent Potables - 8/23

• Be careful not to fall into the trap of writing off Dustin Ackley, who has rebounded from a horrible April to have a solid season overall, reminds Chris Jackson of MiLB.com.  Ackley has batted no less than .294 in any month after April, despite the Mariners virtually setting him up to fail by starting him in Double-A and having him learn a new (and difficult) position at the same time.  If anything, this season should re-affirm Ackley's status as one of the game's top prospects.
• Once one of the game's top prospects, Fernando Martinez is once again injured, this time with a right knee injury, according to Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com.
• Also injured, and in this case being officially shut down for the season, is Padres' pitching prospect Keyvius Sampson, reports Kevin Gemmell of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  Sampson has soreness in his pitching elbow and the Padres are electing to play it safe with the 19-year-old.
• Jordan Walden was promoted to the majors before Sunday night's game, and the 6-foot-5 righty joined the Angels' bullpen and made his first major league appearance, notes Lyle Spencer of MLB.com.

Best and Worst from 7/7

BEST

• Mike Stanton (FLA) - 3-5, 2B, HR, batting .221 in Double-A
• Michael Taylor (PHI) - 3-4, 2 2B, 3 SB, batting .345
• Chad Huffman (SD) - 3-4, 2 2B, HR, batting .250
• Buster Posey (SF) - 3-5, 2B, HR, batting .325
• Derek Norris (WAS) - 2-3, 2 HR, batting .320
• Zeke Spruill (ATL) - 8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 10 K/0 BB, 3.02 ERA
• Brian Matusz (BAL) - 8 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 11 K/0 BB, 0.34 ERA in Double-A
• Casey Kelly (BOS) - 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 5 K/1 BB, 3.09
• Jordan Lyles (HOU) - 7 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 10 K/1 BB, 2.92 ERA

WORST

• Jordan Walden (LAA) - 3 2/3 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 3 K/4 BB, 4.95 ERA
• Carlos Carrasco (PHI) - 4 IP, 3 H, 6 ER, 5 K/6 BB, 5.06 ERA

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

• Mike Moustakas (KC) - 3-4, batting .264
• Ben Revere (MIN) - 2-5, 3B, SB, batting .304
• Anthony Hewitt (PHI) - 2-4, HR, batting .186
• Pedro Alvarez (PIT) - 1-5, HR, batting .200
• Angel Villalona (SF) - 2-4, 2B, batting .267