The Prospect Pulse: Monday April 23rd, 2012

The Prospect Pulse is a review of prospect performances, good or bad, from the day before. Prospects are sorted by the league in which they play; their parent club is listed in parentheses.

Pacific Coast League

• OF Adam Eaton, Reno (Arizona): 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI, BB, HBP
• RHP Brad Peacock, Sacramento (Oakland): 4 1/3 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Brad Peacock (Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE)

Slow day in the PCL today. Adam Eaton is not the former Padres/Phillies/Rangers/Orioles/Rockies pitcher, instead he is a 23 year old outfielder from Miami (OH). Eaton is in Reno because of the promotion of A.J. Pollock. Eaton has plus speed and an above average hit tool and a tick below average power. Peacock allowed more runs tonight than he had in his first 19 innings combined.

International League

• 3B Will Middlebrooks, Pawtucket (Boston): 1-2, HR, 3 RBI, BB

Will Middlebrooks (Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE)

• RHP Chris Archer, Durham (Tampa Bay): 5 1/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Middlebrooks leads all players in appearances on The Pulse. Middle brooks clubbed his 8th home run in the second half of a double header. On the season Middlebrooks has 25 RBI and has a .371 batting average. Unfortunately for Middlebrooks he has no spot to play in Boston at the moment. Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, and Adrian Gonzalez fill the spots that  Middlebrooks could in theory play. It looks like a full year in AAA ahead, so he is an early front runner for minor league player of the year. Archer lowered is ERA to 8.00 and he still has more walks (16) than strikeouts (15).

Eastern League

2 games were played in the Eastern League, but no prospect performances turned The Pulse’s head.

Southern League

• RHP Kyle Heckathorn, Huntsville (Milwaukee): 5 2/3 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Kyle Heckathorn (Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-US PRESSWIRE)

• RHP Chase Anderson, Mobile (Arizona): 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K
• SS Didi Gregorius, Pensacola (Cincinnati): 2-3, 2 R, 2 BB

Heckathorn was a sandwich pick in 2009 and has never shown the ability to miss bats at the rate he is this season (23 K in 23 1/3 IP). His K/BB ratio sits at 5.75  and opponents are hitting just .253 against him. Chase Anderson has been plauged by elbow injuries, but tonight he showed what he can do when healthy. Just when you thought Mobile’s rotation couldn’t get any better. Gregorius is hitting .403 on the season, while that is phenomenal, there is one problem; all 27 of his hits have been singles. Also Gregorius has 0 stolen bases on the season.

Texas League

• RHP Keyvius Sampson, San Antonio (San Diego): 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
• RHP Jake Odorizzi, Northwest Arkansas (Kansas City): 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 11 K
• 3B Nolan Arenado, Tulsa (Colorado): 1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB

Nolan Arenado (Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE)

• 1B Jonathan Singleton, Corpus Christi (Houston): 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB, SB
• OF Brandon Barnes, Corpus Christi (Houston): 1-2, HR, 4 RBI, BB

Jake Odorizzi has had four starts this year, two have been awful, two have been outstanding. Arenado hasn’t made The Pulse’s list in awhile, but not for a lack of performance. Arenado is hitting .349/.446/.525 in the 2012 campaign. Jonathan Singleton showed off some more power potential, his stolen base was of home on a double steal. Brandon Barnes was a major prospect after his breakout 2010 season, but struggled mightily in 2011. He has started off 2012 in a major way, hitting .419/.448/.823.

California League

• LHP Andrew Chafin, Visalia (Arizona): 5 1/3, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
• 1B Telvin Nash, Lancaster (Houston): 1-2, HR, RBI, 3 BB
• 2B Cory Spangenberg, Lake Elsinore (San Diego): 3-5, RBI, BB, 2 SB, CS
• 3B David Vidal, Bakersfield (Cincinnati): 2-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI

Andrew Chafin had his first start where he didn’t strikeout 9 hitters in the game. Despite not getting to 9 strikeouts tonight, Chafin’s K/9 sits at 14.37. Telvin Nash hit his 8th big fly of the season, his OPS sits at 1.o74. Spangenberg hopes his big day will help him find his way out of the slump he has started the year with. Vidal is hoping to show off his above average power in the hitter-rich Cal League

Carolina League

• RHP Cody Buckel, Myrtle Beach (Texas): 6 1/3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
• RHP Andre Rienzo, Winston-Salen (Chicago White Sox): 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
• 3B Christian Villanueva, Myrtle Beach (Texas): 2-5, HR, 3 RBI
• 3B Cheslor Cuthbert, Wilmington (Kansas City): 4-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI
• RHP Jason Adam, Wilmington (Kansas City): 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K

Cody Buckel has a 12.25 K/9 this season hasn’t allowed more than 2 hits in any of his four starts. Rienzo has always showed ability to miss bats, in 2012 he has added that to his .193 batting average against to have a WHIP less than 1.00 and a K/BB ratio just shy of 4.50. Cuthbert continues his recovery from his opening slump, he is 9-22 with 8 RBI in his past five games. Adam hasn’t allowed an earned run since his first start of the season.

Florida St. League

• LHP Colton Cain, Bradenton (Pittsburgh): 5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• LHP Jed Bradley, Brevard County (Milwaukee): 5 IP, 8 H, 7 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 5 K
• LHP Sean Nolin, Dunedin (Toronto): 5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• RHP Jacob Turner, Lakeland (Detroit): 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K

Jacob Turner (Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-US PRESSWIRE)

Jed Bradley allowed his first earned runs of the season, but he still has a K/BB ratio of 5.75. Colton Cain is one of the lesser known pitchers in the Bradenton, but the 6’3” lefty has potential to be an impact starter in the majors. Sean Nolin is the oldest of these 4 prospects, yet he is still just 22. Nolin has 23 strikeouts in 21 innings and hitters are hitting just .235 against him. Turner’s start was his first of the season because of a ‘dead arm’ during spring training.

South Atlantic League

No games played today in the South Atlantic League

Midwest League

• OF Luigi Rodriguez, Lake County (Cleveland): 3-5, HR, 3 RBI, 3B, 2 R, BB, SB, Error
• SS Francisco Lindor, Lake County (Cleveland): 1-5, HR, RBI, 2 R, BB, SB
• RHP Joseph Ross, Fort Wayne (San Diego): 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 7 K
• OF Kevin Pillar, Lansing (Toronto): 3-5, R, SB
• RHP Tyrell Jenkins, Quad Cities (St. Louis): 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

The Indians’ pair of prospects both hit their first home runs of the season. Rodruguez has had an excellent start to his season hitting .314/.380/.500 and swiping six bases. Lindor has taken most, if not all, of the publicity of the Lake County Captains. The 18 year old Lindor has six stolen bases just like his Captains teammate. Jenkins has yet to show a serious ability to miss bats. Kevin Pillar has the potential to be an above average hitter with average power and above average speed.

Prospect of the Day: RHP Jake Odorizzi, Northwest Arkansas, Kansas City Royals

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