MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Potent Potables - 6/29

• Mets' GM Omar Minaya says Jenrry Mejia's shoulder injury won't affect his trade value, according to Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com.  Of course, what else would Minaya say?
• Andrew Lambo is back in Double-A after his 50-game suspension, reportedly for marijuana, says Guy Curtright of MLB.com.
• Oscar Tejada is re-establishing himself as a prospect within the Red Sox organization, reports Alex Speier of Baseball America.
• Phillippe Aumont has responded nicely to extended relief duty since the Phillies demoted him to the Florida State League, says Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.  The team would still like Aumont to be a starter down the road, but at the moment would like him to pitch more often in order to make adjustments between appearances more easily.
• The Reds need an extra starter this Thursday, and it will be either Travis Wood or Matt Maloney, says John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  Fay thinks it will be Wood.
• Dayan Viciedo hasn't seen much action since his promotion to Chicago, and given the White Sox succes lately, it's understandable, reports Samuel Zuma of MLB.com.  The question remains, however, if he's not going to play, wouldn't he be better served in the minors?

Making Moves - 6/17

• Reese Havens is missing games again for the Mets, reports Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com.  Havens is penciled in as the Mets' 2B of the future, but can't seem to stay on the field.
• In order to help the Reds' ailing bullpen, the team may promote one of their left-handed pitching prospects, either Matt Maloney or Travis Wood, to the majors and convert them to a reliever, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
• A number of minor league outfielders have had their chance with the Red Sox this season, and according to John Tomase of the Boston Herald, it's only a matter of time before Ryan Kalish gets his chance.
• The Phillies moved third base prospect Cody Overbeck to Double-A on Monday, reports Phuture Phillies.com.
• MLB Trade Rumors has a complete breakdown of all of the 1st and Supplemental round picks and whether or not they have signed.

Prospect Performances - 3/9

More and more prospects are seeing game action as Spring Training gets into full swing...

• Brian Matusz bounced back from a rough first inning to strike out 6 in 2 2/3 IP, reports Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com.  The 5th spot in the Orioles' rotation is Matusz's to lose.
• Casey Kelly threw two solid innings for the Red Sox in his last appearance, but as Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald notes, it's is poise as much as anything which is most impressive.
• J.P Arencibia is having a solid spring reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.  After a rough 2009 campaign that began with so much hype, the 24-year-old catcher is starting over and learning from the veterans in Blue Jays' camp, adds Jordan Bastain of MLB.com.
• When you think of left-handed pitchers competing for the 5th spot in the Cincinnati Reds' rotation, you don't immediately think of Matt Maloney, but he's pitching well too, says John Fay of the Cinncinnati Enquirer.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates expect to be led by young players, but they have to be pleased when they get performances like this from Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata, as noted by Bill Chastain of MLB.com.  Brad Lincoln also threw two innings in the game, and has an outside shot at making the Pirates rotation.
• The Detroit Tigers' leadoff spot is Austin Jackson's to lose, but as John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press reports, Jackson is doing nothing to lose it.

Chapman an Enigma, but Will Get a Chance

The Cincinnati Reds, like many teams, enter Spring Training not knowing who their fifth starter will be, but with a number of candidates in the running.  Unlike most teams, they have a 21-year-old left-handed Cuban defector who throws 100-mph competing for the job.

The Reds may not know what they have in Aroldis Chapman, and they certainly don't know what they'll get from him in 2010, but he will be given a chance to show them, and an opportunity to fill their 5th starter vacancy, reports Mark Sheldon for MLB.com.  The Reds will have a better feel for how much of a possibility this really is once Chapman begins throwing to major league hitters this spring, but there is no doubt Chapman is more talented than his competition, which consists of Micah Owings, Justin Lehr, Mike Lincoln, and fellow prospects Travis Wood and Matt Maloney.

Links: Callups and Updates

• Thanks to a rainout Thursday night in Atlanta, Tommy Hanson will now have to wait until Sunday to make his major league debut, reports David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
• The Cincinnati Reds will also have a pitcher making his major league debut this weekend.  John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Reds have called up left-handed pitcher Matt Maloney to start on Saturday against the Cubs.