MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Potent Potables - Aumont, Harvey, Swagerty, Peguero

• Phillippe Aumont bounced back from a horrendous 2010 season to regain his status as an elite bullpen prospect, and as Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer points out, could complete his reclamation this spring by winning a spot in the Phillies bullpen.
• Mets pitching prospect Matt Harvey has added a two-seam fastball, reports MetsBlog.com.
• After moving to the bullpen last season to limit his innings, and having been a reliever in college, the Cardinals are planning to give Jordan Swagerty a chance to start this season, says Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.
• Want to see the swing that was worth trading Michael Pineda for?  Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times has video of Jesus Montero taking cuts at Mariners spring training.
• Francisco Peguero should start the season in Triple-A, where he'll be manning right field instead of center, notes Andy Baggerly for Baseball America.  Peguero still needs to drastically improve his plate discipline and the Giants are still waiting for him to tap into his power in games.

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.

 

Prospect Potent Potables - Lavarnway, Borchering, Mets, Giants

• Ryan Lavarnway is trying to win a roster spot in Red Sox camp this spring despite the presence of Kelly Shoppach and Jared Saltalamacchia on the roster, and despite losing 20 pounds this off-season after contracting a virus while playing winter ball, notes Ian Browne of MLB.com.
• Former third base prospect Bobby Borchering is now an outfield prospect, as the Diamondbacks moved the former first round pick to left field during the instructional season this fall in order to fit third basemen Matt Davidson and Ryan Wheeler and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt all into their future plans, says Jack Magruder for Baseball America.
• The New York Mets have invited P Matt Harvey and OF Matt den Dekker to Spring Training, according to MetsBlog.com, but have not invited Zack Wheeler, who was acquired this past season in exchange for Carlos Beltran.
• The San Francisco Giants announced a number of prospect invites to Spring Training, including their last two first-round picks, OF Gary Brown and SS Joe Panik, and many more, reports Chris Haft of MLB.com.

Prospect Action - 10/24/11

Arizona Fall League

• An RBI Double by A's OF Michael Choice helped lead his Desert Dogs to a 4-1 victory.
• Angels OF Mike Trout had two hits and Giants SS Joe Panik hit his first home run of the AFL season, but it wasn't enough offense, despite a solid start from Nationals P Sammy Solis, to defeat the Javelinas.
• Royals OF Wil Myers had three of the Saguaros ten hits and drove in three of their eight runs en route to an 8-3 victory.

No other winter league action on Monday.

 

 

Prospect Action - Weekend Wrap-Up

Saturday, October 22nd

Arizona Fall League

• The Solar Sox recorded a 9-2 victory behind the bat of Cubs SS Junior Lake, who's 4-for-5 day improved his AFL batting average to .379.
• A strong start for Braves P Sean Gilmartin (1 ER in 5 IP) and the first AFL home run for Royals 2B Christian Colon both went to waste as the Saguaros fell 10-3 to the Javelinas.
• Multi-hit days by Giants prospects Gary Brown and Brandon Crawford were enough to overcome A's OF Michael Choice's 5th home run of the AFl season.

Dominican Winter League

• Pirates OF Starling Marte led a 12-hit attack for the Leones del Escogido with three of his own, while Nationals OF Eury Perez added two RBI's and a stolen base in their 6-2 victory.
• A three-run homer by Rockies C Wilin Rosario helped lead his Aguilas Cibaenas to a 14-2 victory.
• Yankees P Pat Vinditte allowed his first runs of the winter, giving up two solo home runs in his one inning of work.

Venezuelan Winter League

• Two doubles by Twins OF Joe Benson helped lead his Tigres de Aragua to a 6-1 victory.
• The Navegantes del Magallanes were led to their 5-4 victory behind the three-hit performance of Mariners 3B Francisco Martinez, as well as a scoreless inning and a third of relief by Rangers P Tanner Scheppers and a scoreless 11th inning by Twins P Deolis Guerra.
• Rangers P Wilfredo Boscan got his first loss of the winter season, allowing four earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of work.

 

Sunday, October 23rd

Dominican Winter League

• Wilin Rosario hit his second homer in as many nights, but his Aguilas Cibaenas fell 11-6 nonetheless.
• Rays P Alex Colome threw a scoreless inning to finish off the Toros del Este.

Venezuelan Winter League

• Brewers OF Caleb Gindl hit a three-run homer to help lead his Leones del Caracas to a 10-5 victory.