MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Potent Potables - 6/26

I know us baseball fans cringe at sharing time during our season with soccer (must be something about all those youth soccer leagues stealing kids away from little league), but it's tough to argue with a good reason to head to a bar on a Saturday afternoon and cheer for your country.

• Mike Stanton is struggling in the majors thus far (as should have been initially expected) and has been dropped from 7th to 8th in the Marlins batting order, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com.
• The Red Sox have sent OF Josh Reddick back to the minors, reports Alden Gonzales of MLB.com.  The team needed another pitcher and was forced to demote Reddick to create a roster spot.
• Andrew Brackman was promoted to Double-A, reports Josh Norris of The Trentonian, and made his first start on Friday, pitching well but getting the loss.  Despite his ugly numbers from the Florida State League, Brackman had been pitching better of late and was showing more of the consistency the Yankees had been looking for from their former first-round draft pick.
• Brian McTaggart of MLB.com has a couple of Astros' updates for us, including Jason Castro's continued hard work on the defensive end of his game despite being in the majors, and the team's signing of 2nd round pick, RHP Vincent Velasquez.
• Jesse Biddle's professional career got started under the Florida heat on Friday afternoon, as the Phillies' first-round pick from this year threw 3 no-hit innings in the Gulf Coast League, reports Scott Purks of the Philadelphia Daily News.
• Carlos Santana left Friday's game early with pain in his thumb, but x-rays were negative, reports Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
• The Capital Avenue Club takes a look at the Braves' most noteworthy prospects currently on their GCL team, including their top selection in this year's draft (#35 overall), high school SS Matt Lipka, who is off to a 3-for-20 start to his professional career.
• Mark Trumbo still needs to show he can make more consistent contact before the Angels will believe he's ready for the majors, but as Martin Renzhofer of the Salt Lake Tribune notes, it's his tantalizing power that makes him the prospect he is.

Prospect Hot Sheet - 5/14

Baseball America is back with their weekly Hot Sheet, with one huge name leading the way.  This week's list includes:

• Tanner Bushue
• Koby Clemens
• Randall Delgado
• Wilmer Flores
• Jose Iglesias
• Roger Kieschnick
• Marc Krauss
• Lance Lynn
• Devin Mesoraco
• Mike Minor
• Buster Posey
• Garrett Richards
• Mauricio Robles
• Jerry Sands
• Brandon Short
• Kyle Skipworth
• Stephen Strasburg
• Mike Trout
• Neil Walker
• Brett Wallace

Reporting in with less-than-stellar news are Aaron Crow, Josh Reddick, Gustavo Nunez, Rymer Liriano.

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.

Prospect Potent Potables - 2/28

Some prospect links to check out after the gold medal hockey game...

• Kila Ka'aihue' stock may be lower than it was at this point last year, but his chances of making it to Kansas City may be higher, notes Dick Kaegel of MLB.com.
• Joe Savery has a new found confidence in his control, thanks to a late-season adjustment, reports Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  The Phillies hope the former first round pick is finally ready to turn the corner after a disappointing pro career thus far.
• After years of barren farm systems when it comes to producing position players, the San Francisco Giants finally have some outfielders on the horizon, says Chris Haft of MLB.com.  In particular, he discusses Francisco Peguero, Thomas Neal, Darren Ford, and Roger Kieschnick.
• While this probably isn't the Indians' main intention, Tony Lastoria from Indians Prospect Insider discusses the effect on service time clocks of sending Michael Brantley back down to Triple-A to start the season.
• Mike Newman of Scouting the Sally has organizational breakdowns for the Mets, Yankees, and Red Sox, taking a look at the players in each organization that saw time in the South Atlantic League in 2009.
• The Pirates, always desperate for starting pitching, are attempting to move Donnie Veal back to the rotation, reports Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.  Veal spent 2009 as a reliever (when he wasn't injured) after being selected in the Rule V draft.
• Still no news on the Marlins first base battle between fellow prospects Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez, says Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald.
• Josh Reddick knows that the Red Sox have a lot of outfielders blocking his path, notes Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald.

Best and Worst from 7/13

BEST

• Josh Reddick (BOS) - 2-4, 2 HR, batting .271
• Mike Moustakas (KC) - 2-6, 2B, HR, batting .270
• Adrian Cardenas (OAK) - 3-5, 2B, HR, batting .355
• Neal Thomas (SF) - 3-5, 2B, 3B, HR, batting .344
• Christian Friedrich (COL) - 5 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 K/1 BB, 2.45 ERA
• Brad Holt (NYM) - 7 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 7 K/1 BB, 5.73 ERA

WORST

• Deolis Guerra (MIN) - 4 2/3 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 4 K/2 BB, 5.59 ERA
• Nathan Adcock (SEA) - 5 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 2 K/4 BB, 4.62 ERA

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

• Yorman Rodriguez (CIN) - 3-5, batting .295
• Pedro Alvarez (PIT) - 1-1, HR, batting .228
• Alex Liddi (SEA) - 3-4, 2B, batting .355