MLB Prospect Watch

Cardenas Claimed by Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have claimed INF Adrian Cardenas off of waivers from the Oakland A's, reports Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.

Drafted 37th overall by the Phillies in the 2006 draft out of a South Florida high school, Cardenas has always been able to hit.  In fact, he holds a career .303 batting average in over 2800 minor league at-bats.  The problem with Cardenas is that he's always been a "tweener."

Drafted as a shortstop, he never profiled to stay at the position.  Some scouts envisioned a second baseman, while some saw him as a third baseman and some thought he'd have to end up in left field.  The Phillies shifted him to second base in 2007 before trading him to Oakland in the Joe Blanton deal in 2008.  

Cardenas continued to hit for average, but unfortunately never developed any power, making him a less than ideal fit for corner positions like third base and left field.  His defense at second base was average at best, and his plate discipline remained below average, making him a less than desirable top-of-the-order hitter.

With hitting for average becoming his only plus tool, Cardenas has developed into something of a Placido Polanco-type player, but with below average defense, which means a player without a ton of value.  In fact, in a search of players who played either second base, third base of left field and hit above .300 with an OBP below .370 and less than 10 home runs, Baseball-Reference.com came up with Polanco and Bobby Richardson as the players with the most similar seasons (8), but both of them were good defenders.  After that it was Mark Grudzieanek (6), who played more SS than Cardenas ever will, but is the best example of what he could be once he moved to second base - a solid average hitter with good doubles power that doesn't walk enough or have quite enough power to be completely effective.

Cardenas could profile now as a versatile bench player, who could enter a game late as a pinch hitter and play a number of defensive positions, giving a team versatility, as long as none of those positions need to be played well.

It's not a great role, but if he continues to hit for average, teams will continue to give him a chance.

Prospect Potent Potables - Munoz, Mitchell, Adrianza, Rays, Royals

• The Oakland A's have signed 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Yairo Munoz, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.
• Jared Mitchell is trying to put a lost season and another disappointing one behind him, says Scott Merkin of MLB.com.  Mitchell will be in White Sox camp this spring as a non-roster invitee.
• Giants SS prospect Ehrie Adrianza will always be a better defender than a hitter, but as Andy Baggerly points out for Baseball America, his bat closed the gap between the two last season.
• The Rays have announced their non-roster invites to Spring Training, including a pair of shortstops Tim Beckham and Hak-Ju Lee, reports Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times.
• The Royals have also announced their Spring Training invites, which include a quartet of pitchers - Mike Montgomery, Will Smith, Chris Dwyer, and Jake Odorizzi - and outfielder Wil Myers, according to Dick Kaegel of MLB.com.

 

A's Aquire Parker, Cowgill for Cahill

The Oakland A's sent established pitcher Trevor Cahill and reliever Craig Breslow to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for top pitching prospect Jarrod Parker, OF prospect Collin Cowgill and relief prospect Ryan Cook, according to the league.  Matt Eddy of Baseball America has a full scouting report on all the players involved.  Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic profiles the trade from the Diamondbacks side.

Parker is the key to this trade, immediately becoming the top prospect in the A's farm system.  A potential ace, Parker is a full season removed from Tommy John surgery and is still regaining his command, especially with his slider.

Reactions to the trade have varied.  Kevin Goldstein thinks it's a "really good trade for the A's," while Keith Law of ESPN.com doesn't think the A's got enough in return.  Zach Sanders of FanGraphs.com likes the deal for the Diamondbacks as well, and Athletics Nation thinks the A's got back "roughly 60%" of Cahill's value.

Prospect Potent Potables - Miller, Mets, Westmoreland, Pimentel

• Everyone in St. Louis wants to know when top prospect Shelby Miller will make it to the majors, and the writers from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch do their best to answer that question.
• The Mets have been in numerous talks during the winter meetings, which puts their top prospects on alert, but Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog.com wonders what the value really is of Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia, and Jenrry Mejia.
• Excellent news for Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland, who has finally been cleared for game action after a full year away, and is slated to face live pitching soon, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com.
• The Oakland A's have signed 17-year-old OF Sanber Pimentel, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.
• Padres SS prospect Drew Cumberland, whose career was thought to be over after sitting out all of 2011, is going to try to play again this season, says Corey Brock of MLB.com.

Prospect Potent Potables - Pirates, Lagares, Ynoa,

• Starling Marte, Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon are undoubtedly a part of the Pirates future, and Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com has some quotes from GM Neal Huntington that indicate when that future might be for each player.  In other Pirates news, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports that OF prospect Robbie Grossman, who had a standout AFL season this fall, is to undergo hand surgery, but should be ready for spring training.
• Every team has their fall standout performers, and for the Mets, it's Juan Lagares, says MetsBlog.com.
• After 3+ years, the Oakland A's are finally getting some good reports from top international signee Michael Ynoa, according to Jane Lee of MLB.com.