Minor League Promotions: Alcantara, Nelson, Parrino

Jul 13, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman

(7) hits a two-run homer against the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. It was Alcantara

Two for five with a double and his first career home run, a towering fly ball to deep right field. Today was just the latest in a string of strong performances for Cubs rookie second baseman Arismendy Alcantara. After being called up and going 0 for 4 in his debut Wednesday, the 22 year old came a home run shy of the cycle in his second game, and went three for seven with a walk over his next two games, before his strong showing today. 

Alcantara just made the cut on baseball Americas top 100 prospect list, coming in at #100. He raked to a .307/.353/.537 with ten home runs this year for Triple-A Iowa, though, and came in at #33 on BA’s mid season rankings. He may have just been a fill-in while Darwin Barney was on paternity leave, but this could become a case of the Wally Pips, and Chicago may have found a new everyday second baseman.

Alcantara may have been have the top performing call up in recent weeks, but he was not the only minor league player to be promoted in the last few days. His was just the first in a flurry that caught up both prospect and journey man alike.

A day after Alcantara debut, the Brewers promoted top prospect Jimmy Nelson to replace Marco Estrada in their rotation. It was the 25 year old right hander’s second start of the year, after he threw 5.2 shutout innings in a victory over Miami on May 25th. This outing did not go as well as the first; he got hammered by St. Louis, giving up eight runs (six earned) as Milwaukee got romped by a score of 10-2. Nelson was tearing through Triple-A, though – 10-2, league leading 1.46 ERA, 9.2 K/9.  – while Marco Estrada has a 6.34 ERA since May 18th, and he will get more opportunities to prove himself. 

Meanwhile, Oakland welcomed a new utility infielder, naming Andy Parrino as the player to replace the injured Alberto Callaspo on the their roster. A 26th round draft pick in 2007, Parrino, 28, had limited playing time with San Diego in 2011 and 2012 before the Padres shipped him to Oakland in the Tyson Ross deal. He appeared in 14 games for the A’s last season but hit just .118, contributing to his unimpressive career line score of .185/.295/.245 across 95 games. He had been performing well in Triple-A hitting .302/.375/.432 while primarily playing shortstop.

San Diego made their own transaction, promoting infielder Jace Peterson to the big league club and rookie starter Jesse Hahn to Triple-A. Peterson, 24, appeared in 23 games for the Padres earlier this season but looked almost completely overmatched, hitting .100/.135/.100 in 53 plate appearancces. He showed much more offensive prowess in the minors, however, with an .896 OPS in Triple-A. The team’s seventh best prospect is one of the most patient players in the upper minors, with a walk rate of 15.3% (MLB average is approximately 9% and only four players have a rate above 15 this season).

While Peterson’s career is just beginning, Ryan Feieraband’s is being resurrected. The 28 year old lefthander has not tasted the majors since 2008, when he was a 22 year old pitcher on the Mariners. He had a 7.71 ERA over 8 starts for Seattle before being demoted, and just two years ago, he was pitching for an independent league club. But Texas has been ravaged by injuries and Ron Washington remembered Feieraband from his days in Seattle. The Rangers called him up Saturday and put him as a long man in their bullpen. In 113 innings for Triple-A Round Rock he went 5-3 with a 4.54 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.