MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Potent Potables - 4/5

Happy Opening Day!

• The two-time defending National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies will feature three rookies in their bullpen, Matt Gelb points out in the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Antonio Bastardo, Andrew Carpenter, and Rule V draft pick David Herndon all made the team, due in large part to injuries to Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero.
• The Colorado Rockies are having four of their prospects skip a level, reports Jack Etkin of Inside the Rockies, with the biggest name of the bunch being Tim Wheeler.  The Rockies' second of two first round picks in 2009, Wheeler will jump to High-A Modesto after having played in rookie level Tri-City last year after signing.
• Prospects will be on the forefront for the Detroit Tigers this year, as the team will feature two in their ever-day lineup to start the season.  Austin Jackson will be in the lead-off spot, and as Jason Beck reports, the former Yankee farmhand is excited about the challenge.  Joining Jackson in the lineup will be 2B Scott Sizemore, and the team recently announced that the former VCU Ram will be batting in the 8th spot.
• Tommy Manzella says he feels a little behind at the plate after having missed a week of spring games with a quadriceps injury, reports the Houston Chronicle, but given that the rookie was given the starting job primarily for his defensive abilities, the Astros should be satisfied as long as he can effectively field his position.  Also of note in the article were the assignments of the team's top two prospects - C Jason Castro (Triple-A Round Rock) and SS Jiovanni Mier (Low-A Lexington).

Prospect Potent Potables - 4/2

Can you smell that?  It's in the air.  It's, it's...baseball season.

• The New York Mets have not yet made final roster cuts, and according to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, Jenrry Mejia has a "60/40 chance" of making the club.  Ruben also adds (in Baseball America) that the Mets are very high on 1B Ike Davis and that INF prospect Ruben Tejada, who is only 20-years-old, could be with the team on Opening Day thanks to the Jose Reyes injury situation.
• With rookies Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore set at the top of their order, John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press likes the speed the Detroit Tigers will have this season.
• Carlos Carrasco may have lost the [roster] battle, but his strong spring left a strong impression on the Indians, and assured him of a spot with the Indians at some point this year, says Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• With their pitching staff looking like a M*A*S*H unit and a payroll at its maximum, the Philadelphia Phillies will have to look to internal solutions to round out their bullpen.  They have already brought Andrew Carpenter back to the big leagues to be the long-reliever in the bullpen, reports David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News, and a strong spring from B.J. Rosenberg has made him an arm to watch should the need arise for more reinforcements.
• Tommy Manzella returned for the Astros yesterday, says Brian McTaggart for MLB.com, and resumed his place in the starting lineup.
• Mike Trout, only 18-years-old, shined in a split-squad game for the Angels yesterday, reports Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.  The Angels have been thrilled so far with the play of Trout, their first round pick from last year.

Prospect Injury Update 3/10

• The only thing that can keep Scott Sizemore out of the Tigers' Opening Day lineup is the same thing that ended his 2009 fall season - his left ankle.  Sizemore, who broke the ankle in the Arizona Fall League, is considered the front-runner for the team's 2B job, but he asked out of the lineup on Tuesday because of discomfort in the surgically repaired ankle, reports John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press.  Of course, it also could have been because he was scheduled to face Stephen Strasburg.  Lowe later reported that Sizemore wasn't worried about the ankle, saying "It just felt weak (today) -- it felt a little unstable, a little muscular. Maybe just a little overworked. I’d rather not take a chance at this point -- I’ve still got three weeks of spring training to go. I’m just trying to be smart -- not get hurt again.
• Mat Gamel is taking a few more days off due to his sore right (throwing) shoulder, reports Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, and may have come back to soon from the initial injury.  Gamel is attempting to overtake Casey McGehee as the Brewers' starting third baseman, but needs this time in Spring Training to show the team he has improved his defense and can handle toe role defensively.

Prospect Results in Early Spring Games

Despite the fact that a lot of these performances came off guys who will be bagging groceries in a couple of weeks (and some off of guys who are still in college), it's still nice to get a chance to see prospects in action during the early parts of Spring Training.

• Fernando Martinez, who already seems like he's been around forever, had an RBI Triple, notes Mark Bowman of MLB.com.  Brandon Hicks homered for the Braves, and Jason Heyward drew another walk (his third in 2 games) and hit an RBI double off of Eddie Kunz, whom the Mets are still waiting on, according to Marty Noble of MLB.com.  Mike Minor also appeared for the Braves and threw a scoreless inning, Bowman reports.
• Koby Clemens hit a home run off Matt Lindsrtom in an Astros' intrasquad game while playing first base, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
• Not only did Josh Bell hit two home runs against the Rays on Wednesday, but one was off of Matt Garza and the other he hit right handed, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.  The display impressed Orioles' manager Dave Trembley, notes Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com.
• Scott Sizemore turned a double play in the Tigers' latest spring contest without any flashbacks to his gruesome Arizona Fall League injury, notes Jason Beck of MLB.com.
• Lonnie Chisenhall homered off of Fausto Carmona in an Indians' intrasquad game, reports Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• They may have been playing against Boston College, but it was still promising to see Red Sox short stop Jose Iglesias clear the bases with a double, reports Ian Browne of MLB.com.  He may be a professional, but the 20-year-old Iglesias is the same age (or younger) than many of the BC players he was facing.  The day before, Casey Kelly got his chance to face college hitters, mowing down 3 Northeastern hitters en route to a perfect inning.

Prospect Potent Potables - 2/27

Some links for your weekend enjoyment...

• Casey Kelly continues to impress Boston Red Sox officials, even in the most routine exercises, writes John Tomase of the Boston Herald.  But as Ian Browne of MLB.com reports, Kelly is just soaking it all in.
• The Phillies bullpen is almost set, but David Herndon is a Rule V pick, so he's getting an extended look, notes David Murphy of Philly.com.  He also reports on Domonic Brown's education in camp.
• The Detroit Tigers are set to have not one, but two rookies in their starting lineup, and as John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press reports, Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore are learning the ropes together.
• Aroldis Chapman may have to overcome a language barrier now that he's in Reds' camp, but he's getting a lot of help from former major leaguer Tony Fassas, says John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
• C'mon guys, let's not get carried away.  Isn't pithcing in New York going to be enough pressure on Jenrry Mejia?
• Freedie Freeman is in Braves camp showing everyone why the team was comfortable with Troy Glaus as a one-year stop-gap at first base, notes Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
• Dustin Ackley and Josh Fields have taken very different paths to get where they are now, but both are major parts of the Seattle Mariners' future, reports Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.