MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Action - 4/14/13

Triple-A

• Angels prospect Orangel Arenas out-pitched Mariners lefty Danny Hultzen on Sunday, as Arenas recorded five shutout innings for the victory.  Hultzen didn't pitch poorly, writes John McGrath of The Tacoma News-Tribune, but the two runs he allowed in 5 2/3 innings was too much on this day.
• Zack Wheeler allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings, but was more impressive than his stat line would indicate, according to Michael Baron of MetsBlog.com.  The Mets top prospect has been effective but erratic in his first three starts, but part of that can be attributed to missing time in spring training and part can be blamed on the extreme hitting environment in Las Vegas.
• Oakland A's outfield prospect Michael Choice is taking advantage of hitting in the Pacific Coast League, hitting a pair of home runs on Sunday to give him three on the season, notes Jonathan Raymond of MiLB.com.

Double-A

• Matt Barnes ran into trouble on Sunday, allowing four runs while failing to make it out of the third inning, reports The Portland Press Herald.  The Red Sox first round pick from 2011 is off to a rough start in his first taste of Double-A, posting a 18.90 ERA through his first two starts.
• Yordano Ventura struck out seven batters over five innings of work, writes Robert Emrich of MiLB.com.  The diminutive Royals right-hander is off to another strong start, posting a 1.80 ERA over his first two starts.
• The Trenton Thunder got a pair of three-hit games from Yankees prospects Tyler Austin and J.R. Murphy, notes Josh Norris of The Trentonian.  For Murphy, the game raises his batting average to .344 after struggling in Double-A last season.

High-A

• Miguel Sano went 3-for-4 on a day that included a go-ahead three-run homer by the Twins top prospect, writes Jake Seiner of MiLB.com.  It was the third home run of the year for the young slugger, who is hitting .400 through his first ten games.
• Courtney Hawkins homered again, giving the White Sox 2012 first-rounder four on the season.  It's been feast-or-famine for Hawkins in the early-going this season with the four bombs, but just a .200 batting average and 18 strikeouts to just two walks in eight games.
• Angel Villalona hit his first home run in the U.S. since 2009, as part of a two-hit day to get his batting average up to .091 on the season.  The Giants prospect was allowed back in the country this season for the first time in three years after a murder charge in the Dominican Republic.

Low-A

• Despite great stuff, Robert Stephenson is getting roughed-up in the Midwest League.  The Reds 2011 first-rounder had his worst outing of the year, allowing eight runs (six earned) without getting out of the third inning on Sunday, raising his ERA to 7.11 on the season.
• Tyrell Jenkins took his first loss of the season, allowing three runs in five innings of work, walking three and striking out just one batter in the outing.  It's the second straight outing for the Cardinals right-hander in which he's given up three runs in five innings.

Prospect Potent Potables - Austin, Taillon, Blair

• The Yankees promoted outfield prospect Tyler Austin all the way up to Double-A to play for Trenton in the Eastern League playoffs over the weekend, but an ankle injury injury kept him from participating, brought his season to an end, notes Josh Norris of Minor Matters.  Austin got off to an incredibly hot start at Low-A Charleston this season, hitting .320/.405/.598 in a half-season before a promotion to High-A Tampa.  His home run power didn't completely follow him to Tampa, but he still hit .321 at the level, earning a late-promotion to Double-A for the playoffs.  It's likely that Austin will return to Tampa to begin the 2013 season, however.
• Jameson Taillon progressed nicely this year, making it all the way to Double-A Altoona, and the Pirates prospects answers questions about his development in an interview with Davd Laurlia of FanGraphs.com.
• Seth Blair missed the first part of the season due to a tumor in his finger, but the Cardinals pitching prospect battled all the way back and managed to throw 19 2/3 innings towards the end of the season, notes Derrick Gould of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Blair, a former first-rounder, has not pitched well since being drafted out of Arizona State University in 2010, but with this season being virtually a lost cause, he essentially enters his first full professional season next year.

 

Prospect Action - 8/30/12

Triple-A

• Both of the Braves top pitching prospects, Julio Teheran and Randall Delgado, took losses on Thursday despite both pitching well.  Teheran allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings while striking out six.  Delgado allowed just one run in seven innings while striking out five.
• Jeurys Familia turned in a solid outing as the Mets right-hander struck out nine over seven innings to earn his ninth win of the season.
• White Sox prospect Charlie Leesman took his 10th loss of the season despite striking out 11 batters in seven innings.

Double-A

• Mike Zunino drove in three runs to help lead his fellow Mariners prospects to a 7-3 victory on Thursday, says The Jacksonville Times-Union.  Shortstop prospect Brad Miller scored three of those runs after collecting three hits inthe victory, while Marlins outfield prospect Kyle Jensen knocked two doubles in the loss.  James Paxton threw six strong innings to earn his 9th win of the season.
• Drake Britton gave up three runs in six innings but took a loss in the last start of the season for the Red Sox prospect, reports Kevin Thomas of The Portland Press Herald.

High-A

• Kevin Guasman threw three shutout innings, as the Orioles 2012 first-rounder allowed just one hit in what will likely be his last start of the season, notes Tucker Blair of Orioles-Nation.com.
• Tyler Austin hit a grand slam to cap a comeback victory for the Tampa Yankees on Thursday, notes David Yates of The Lakeland Ledger.
• Jose Fernandez was stellar once again, throwing five shutout innings for his seventh win since being promtoed to the Florida State League, although he did walk four batters in the game.

Low-A

• Rangers pitching prospect Will Lamb earned a victory after throwing five innings of two-hit ball, thanks to run support from a Zach Cone home run, notes The Hickory Daily Record.
• Archie Bradley finished up his first full season on a strong note, earned his 12th win after striking out seven over six innings.  The Diamondbacks 2011 first-rounder finishes up the season with a 3.84 ERA.

Rookie

• Bubba Starling hit a two-run home run to keep his season alive, reports Ashley Marshall of MiLB.com.  The Royals outfield prospect hit .275/.371/.485 during the regular season this year, with 10 home runs, but 70 strikeouts in 53 games.

 

 

 

Making Moves - Mahoney, Yankees, Tropeano, Wacha, Skole

• The Orioles have called up prospect Joe Mahoney, reports Eduarco Encina of The Baltimore Sun.  The move is likely a temporary one for Mahoney, who replaced Chris Tillman on the roster, who the team sent back down after his stellar start on Wednesday so that he won't be idle during the major league all-star break.  Tillman is expected to rejoin the major league team after the break, meaning Mahoney's time with the big league club could be just a week or so.  Mahoney is primarily a first baseman, but has also seen some time in left field, and was hitting just .256/.312/.355 at Triple-A this season, but has posted an OPS over .860 each of the past two seasons.
• The Yankees made a number of internal promotions this week, bumping three of their top hitting prospects, outfielders Tyler Austin and Mason Williams and catcher Gary Sanchez, up from Charleston to Tampa, according to Josh Norris of Minor Matters.
• Having seen him dominate inferior competition for long enough, the Astros promoted Nick Tropeano to High-A Lancaster earlier this week, says FarmStros.com.  Tropeano used his plus-changeup to tear up the South Atlantic League, going 6-4 with a 2.78 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 87 1/3 innings.  In his first start in the hitter-dominated California League, Tropeano didn't miss a beat, throwing eight strong innings and allowing just one unearned run while striking out nine.
• Michael Wacha, the Cardinals first-round pick (19th overall) in this year's draft, has been working out with the organization's Gulf Coast League team since signing, but once the Cardinals decide he's back in game shape, he should jump directly up to the Florida State League, writes Derrick Gould of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  The Cardinals are simply monitoring his innings this season after he threw 113 1/3 innings during his college season.
• Jake Skole has been suspended for 50 games due to amphetamine use, reports T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.  The Rangers former 2010 draftee has struggled this season, hitting just .185 this season, and has yet to live up to his first-round billing during his professional career.

 

Prospect Action - 6/5/12

Triple-A

• Tom Koehler took a loss despite six strong innings from the Marlins prospect during which he allowed just one run on one hit, reports Tim Grubbs of The New Orleans Times-Picayune.  Koehler was out-pitched by Brewers prospect Mark Rogers, who allowed just one run in seven innings to pick up the win.
• Ryan Lavarnway went 4-for-5 with a home run, says Robert Emrich of MiLB.com, the fourth of the season for the catching prospect.
• Royals prospect Wil Myers hit his seventh home run of the season, this one coming off of Cardinals top prospect Shelby Miller, who continues to struggle this season, allowing four runs over five innings, bringing his ERA up to 5.18 on the season.

Double-A

• In his first game at the Double-A level after the Tigers promoted him yesterday, Nick Castellanos continued his hot hitting, going 2-for-3 with a double, reports Victor Fernandes of The Erie Times-News.
• Also making his Double-A debut on Tuesday was Red Sox lefty Drake Britton, who threw five hitless innings while striking out two, writes Kevin Thomas of The Portland Press Herald. 
• Diamondbacks third baseman Matt Davidson hit a solo homer, says Mobile Press-Register.  It was the 12th of the season for the former first-rounder, who is having the best season of his professional career. 

High-A

• White Sox outfielder Trayce Thompson hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to break open his game in Winston-Salem on Tuesday, reports The Winston-Salem Journal.  It was the seventh homer of the season for Thompson, but he's still hitting just .213 and has struck out 69 times 54 games.
• Jed Bradley got hit hard on Tuesday, giving up seven runs (six earned) over five innings.

Low-A

• Clayton Blackburn threw 8 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out six, and extending the scoreless innings streak to 22 consecutive innings for the Giants right-hander, notes Ashley Marshall of MiLB.com.  Blackburn stole a win from Adam Conley, who allowed just an unearned run over six innings, striking out eight but getting stuck with a loss in the outing.
• The Yankees got a good night of offensive performances from their Low-A affiliate in Charleston, getting a 3-for-5 day from Dante Bichette, Jr. and a two-run double from Tyler Austin, according to The Hickory Daily Record.