MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Roster Moves

• The Orioles made some expected roster cuts on Friday, sending their corner infield of the future to the minor leagues, reports Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com.  The team optioned both Josh Bell and Brandon Snyder to Triple-A.
• Daniel Schlereth will begin the season in the minors, reports John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press.  Schlereth, acquired by the Tigers during the off-season in the three-way deal that sent Curtis Granderson to the Yankees and Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks, was a bullpen candidate entering the spring.
• Thanks to a numbers crunch and a potentially short bench to begin the season, Matt Tuiasosopo could make the Mariners' roster, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.

Position Battles in Camp

• Blake Wood is making a strong case for a spot near the back of the Kansas City Royals' bullpen, says Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star.
• Gaby Sanchez is in the lead over Logan Morrison for the Marlins' first base job, reports Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald, and the decision is based solely on performance.
• Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com expects the Pirates to hold Pedro Alvarez in the minors to start the season because of service time.
• Matt Tuiasosopo is making his case for a spot on the Mariners' bench, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, and he's doing it by showing off his versatility with the glove.

Links: Carpenter, Sano, Detwiler, Tuiasosopo

• Andrew Carpenter got a shaky win in his first major league start for the Phillies, but as expected, he was sent back to Triple-A after the game, reports Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette gives us a nice breakdown the pros and cons for the Pirates signing the consensus top international prospect, Miguel Angel Sano, for upwards of $4 million.
• Adding to the number of rookies in their starting rotation, the Washington Nationals have announced that they will be calling up pitcher Ross Detwiler to start on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, report Chico Harlan and Zach Berman of the Washington Post.
• 3B prospect Matt Tuiasosopo of the Seattle Mariners will miss 3-6 weeks due to elbow surgery, reports Bud Withers of the Seattle Times.

Weekend Wrap-Up

After our first week of Spring Training games, let's take a look back at the role many prospects are playing throughout both the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues:

• The leaderboard for playing time this spring is littered with prospects getting every chance to prove they're ready for the big leagues, but the results have been mixed:
  •  Colby Rasmus (STL) - Leading all players with 19 AB's (.211/.318/.263) 
  • Freddie Freeman (ATL) - 13 AB's, (.154/.154/.385, 1 HR)  
  • John Mayberry, Jr (PHI) - 13 AB's (.385/.467/.692, 1 HR) 
  • Travis Ishikawa (SF) - 12 AB's (.500/.500/1.083, 2 HR's)
  • John Jay (STL) - 12 AB's (.417/.462/.667) 
  • Josh Outman (OAK) - 4 IP (4.50 ERA) 
  • Billy Buckner (ARI) - 4 IP (4.50 ERA)
•   Some prospects are going to make it very difficult if their managers want to cut them: 
  
  • Brett Gardner (NYY) - .500/.545/.1.300, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 SB in 10 AB's
  • Matt Tuiasosopo (SEA) - .500/.500/1.000, 2 2B, HR in 10 AB's
  • Mike Carp (SEA) - .444/.444/.889, 2B, HR in 9 AB's
  • Matt LaPorta (CLE) - .500/.500/1.000, 2B, HR in 8 AB's
• Some prospects aren't having the same luck, especially on the mound:
  • Michael Bowden (BOS) - 1 2/3 IP, 4 ER (21.60 ERA) 
  • Drew Carpenter (PHI) - 0 IP, 4 ER (INF ERA)

  

Venezuelan Winter League Update

Here is an update on some prospects playing in Venezuela in a league scattered with former and current MLB players:

• Seattle Mariners 3B prospect Matt Tuiasosopo struggled during a brief call-up at the end of the season, it appears he carried those struggles with him to Venezuela, where he's sporting a .607 OPS.
• Pittsburgh Pirates OF prospect Jose Tabata, one of the centerpieces Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte trade deadline deal with the Yankees, caught fire soon after switching organizations, and has brought his hot bat to Venezuela.  He's still not displaying much power, but he also just turned 20.
• Alcides Escobar, the Milwaukee Brewers SS prospect who is close to making JJ Hardy expendible, is currently sporting an OPS of .625 while playing for the Cardenales de Lara in the VWL.
• OF Matt LaPorta, the Cleveland Indians OF prospect (and the main return on investment for parting with CC Sabathia), has struggled since switching organizations, and has continued to look lost at the plate in the VWL.