May 15, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Avisail Garcia (34) hits a three run home run in the third inning against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Now that we’re more than a month in to the 2013 minor league season, it’s a good time to check in on how the top prospects in each of the organizations are faring. It is way too early to get overly excited or overly depressed about anyone’s performance thus far, but it’s never too early to dig into the data and results that each prospect has added to their resume. For the purposes of these check-ins we will be using Baseball America’s rankings unless otherwise noted. (The Tigers list below is my own; consider this otherwise noted.) The Detroit Tigers have very few holes on their major league roster thanks, in part, to some shrewd moves involving some of their bigger name prospects. No, Detroit didn’t suddenly start developing their own talent (at least not often), but they have used some of the more highly-regarded players in their system as trade fodder, and done so effectively. GM Dave Dombrowski has never been one to over-value prospects like some other GMs and isn’t afraid to deal away potential stars to add established big leaguers. It’s a formula that landed Doug Fister from Seattle, Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante, and Miguel Cabrera, for whom the Tigers parted with their top two prospects, and a package of others, at the time. Detroit’s system has seemingly never been deep in elite talent, and the forfeiture of three consecutive first-round picks didn’t do anything to help that problem. A strong group of toolsy international signees make the organization more interesting, but there is a lot of boom-or-bust in this talent pool. 1. OF/3B- Nick Castellanos(21)

Toledo (AAA) .253/.319/.419 14 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 1 SB, 19 BB, 41 K in 207 plate appearances

The Tigers have a history of aggressively pushing their top prospects and that’s no different from how they’ve handled Castellanos.  Opening the season at Triple-A having just turned 21-years-old, the slow start at Toledo probably shouldn’t be a surprise, but Castellanos is coming around quite nicely. Over his past 15 games he has produced a .310/.412/.500 line with 10 walks against 13 strikeouts.

With Cabrera anchored at third base, the Tigers moved Castellanos to the outfield full time this year and he’s made a smooth transition. At the plate, Castellanos is the best pure hitter that the Tigers have developed in recent memory and while his home run power has yet to fully develop, he’s expected to be a guy who can routinely post 25-30 home runs per season as he matures.

2. OF- Avisail Garcia(21)

Lakeland (A+) .417/.500/.708 2 3B, 1 HR, 2 SB, 4 BB, 1 K in 28 plate appearances

Toledo (AAA) .432/.447/.541 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 10 K in 38 plate appearances

Detroit (MLB) .220/.200/.500 1 HR, 4 K in 10 plate appearances

Garcia began the season on the disabled list but since his return has done nothing but hit. A massive player at 6’4″ and 240 lbs, Garcia has yet to grow into his raw power, though he has had success finding the gaps at times. Garcia possesses an elite arm in the outfield and profiles as the prototypical right fielder, though he covers enough ground to play center.

Like many young hitters, Garcia can struggle with strikeouts, but he’s also worked to develop as a hitter who used the whole field, Taken under the wing of countryman Cabrera, Garcia not only resembles the AL MVP in appearance, but ever more so in approach at the plate. He’s still a bit raw, but Garcia has come a long way already from the player he was just a couple seasons ago.

3. RHP- Bruce Rondon(22)

Toledo (AAA) 0.54 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 7 HA, 0 HRA, 6 BB, 19 K in 16.2 innings pitched

Detroit (MLB) 11.57 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 5 HA, 0 HRA, 2 BB, 1 K in 2.1 innings pitched

By now, everyone is familiar with the story. Rondon was all but handed the closer’s job for the Tigers in the off-season, only to lose it during the Spring thanks to wildness. He started the year inn Toledo and pitched very well, which earned him a trip to the big club for a stint in late-April. As soon as he saw the bright lights, however, the command issues returned and Rondon found himself pitching from behind and paying for it. Since his return to Triple-A, Rondon has allowed one earned run with 10 strikeouts and four walks in nine innings of work.

Rondon’s fastball routinely reaches 100 mph or more and his off-speed offerings are good enough (though not elite) to get hitters out at any level. When you throw as hard as he does, you don’t need pinpoint command, but you have to be able to miss the heart of the plate with consistency. As soon as Rondon can iron out that part of his game, he’ll have a successful run at the end of gmes in the big leagues.

4. LHP- Casey Crosby(24)

Toledo (AAA) 5.30 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 39 HA, 2 HRA, 28 BB, 39 K in 37.1 innings (8 starts)

Crosby was placed on the disabled list last week with a shoulder impingement. Prior to the injury, he was ineffectively wild, as evidenced by those 28 walks in 39 innings of work. Crosby has dealt with injuries in the past, missing the bulk of two full seasons during his career, but had gotten through the past two years healthy. He’s never been a control artist, but has worked in the zone far more effectively than what he’s shown this year. It will be interesting to see how he pitches once the current ailment has been cleared up.

5. OF- Steven Moya(21)

Lakeland (A+) .308/.308/.308 7 K in 26 plate appearances

Moya managed to play in only five games before landing on the disabled list with an injured arm after a hard fall in the outfield. The injury is a concern for a guy who missed a good portion of 2012 when he underwent Tommy John surgery, but Moya returned to the lineup on Wednesday with a three-hit performace. I have Moya rated higher than a lot of people and in order for him to justify my praise he’ll have to find a way to stay on the field more consistently. When he does play, however, Moya is an intriguing athlete who stands at 6’7″ tall and possesses great raw power from the left side.

Arenado figures to be a fixture of the Rockies lineup for years to come. Image: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Now that we’re more than a month in to the 2013 minor league season, it’s a good time to check in on how the top prospects in each of the organizations are faring. It is way too early to get overly excited or overly depressed about anyone’s performance thus far, but it’s never too early to dig into the data and results that each prospect has added to their resume. For the purposes of these check-ins we will be using Baseball America’s rankings unless otherwise noted.

The Colorado Rockies have gotten off to a solid start at the big league level and are already seeing returns from a farm system with excellent talent at the top. The biggest challenge facing Colorado as a franchise is always filling their pitching staff as it’s difficult to lure free agent hurlers to Coors Field.

The top-five in Colorado’s organization features only one pitcher, but five of their top-10 are hurlers and that doesn’t include Drew Pomeranz, who no longer qualifies under rookie status, but is still a promising young talent. For what it’s worth, Pomeranz is off to an 6-0 start at Colorado Springs, with a 3.22 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in eight starts. He’s striking out over 10 batters per nine innings.

1. 3B- Nolan Arenado (22)

Colorado Springs (AAA) .364/.392/.667 11 2B, 3 HR, 5 BB, 9 K in 75 plate appearances

Colorado (MLB) .244/.272/.462 5 2B, 4 HR, 3 BB, 10 K in 81 plate appearances

Arenado impressed during Spring Training, but the Rockies opted to send his to Triple-A to start the year anyhow. It was probably a move made merely to maintain an extra year of team control as it didn’t take long for the big club to make room for him at the hot corner at Coors Field.

Arenado is an aggressive hitter, but one that does a great job of limiting strikeouts. He’s got plenty of pop in his bat, especially so when factoring in his new home park. He’s not a great defender at third, but good enough to stick at the position, which makes his plus bat far more valuable. Expect he’ll be a mainstay in the Rockies lineup for years to come.

2. OF- David Dahl (19)

Ashville (A) .275/.310/.425 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 SB, 2 BB, 8 K in 42 plate appearances

Dahl has had an interesting season to say the least. Though he began the season at Ashville, he was shipped back to extended Spring Training after just one game due to disciplinary reasons, which obviously isn’t a good sign. Dahl himself tweeted that the reasoning stemmed from a missed flight and some questions about his attitude. He didn’t return to Ashville for nearly three weeks.

Dahl’s abbreviated season has been cut even shorter by a hamstring injury that landed him on the DL during the first week of May, from which he has yet to return. In the in-between, Dahl was able to display a few of the tools that made him the 10th overall selection of the 2012 draft, but the small sample size prevents any significant analysis of his production.

3. SS- Trevor Story (20)

Modesto (A+) .190/.261/.279 8 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 SB, 12 BB, 54 K in 162 plate appearances

Story has two things working against him: a huge problem with strikeouts and Troy Tulowitzki. If he can manage to get his contact issues in check, the Rockies will eventually move Story to another position as he advances through the system. Though he put up excellent numbers in a partial season last year after the Rockies used a sandwich round pick on the Irving, TX high school product, Story has had a rough go of the hitter-friendly California League.

Story’s production problems can almost entirely be chalked up to strikeouts. He’s not getting unlucky, he sports a .290 BABIP, he’s just not putting the ball in play very often.

4. OF- Kyle Parker (23)

Tulsa (AA) .263/.317/.455 6 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 1 SB, 13 BB, 31 K in 180 plate appearances

Parker is yet another former first round selection by the Rockies (26th overall, 2010) and his two season of pro ball have been everything Colorado could have hoped for. Not only has displayed tremendous power, but his strikeout rate is improving every season.

A former college quarterback, Parker has enough arm and enough power to play right field and a maturity that should allow him to continue to move quickly through the system. Worst-case should be that he becomes the heir apparent to Michael Cuddyer in 2015, but he may well arrive before then.

5. RHP- Chad Bettis (24)

Tulsa (AA) 4.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 39 HA, 4 HRA, 5 BB, 37 K in 36 innings pitched (seven starts)

Bettis is off to a promising start in 2013 after missing all of last season with a shoulder strain. The former second rounder (2010) out of Texas Tech possesses an impressive fastball and slider and those pitches have lead to strong strikeout rates and an excellent walk rate.

If Bettis can stay healthy, he could be making his mark on the Rockies rotation as early as 2014 and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he sees some time in the Show this season.

Bauer has the stuff to dominate, but will need to harness his control. Image: Eric P. Mull-USA TODAY Sports

Now that we’re more than a month in to the 2013 minor league season, it’s a good time to check in on how the top prospects in each of the organizations are faring. It is way too early to get overly excited or overly depressed about anyone’s performance thus far, but it’s never too early to dig into the data and results that each prospect has added to their resume. For the purposes of these check-ins we will be using Baseball America’s rankings unless otherwise noted.

The Cleveland Indians made sweeping changes during this past off-season and while most of the efforts were focused on adding pieces to the major league roster, they added a couple of players to a thin minor league system as well. There is still much more work to be done in that arena as the Tribe has for too long neglected their farm system despite not having the deep pockets of a big market team.

As the parent club’s roster got re-stocked with veteran players for the 2013 campaign, Indians fans will have to hope this buys time for some of the talent at the lower levels of the organization to develop. There is elite talent at the top of this crop, but little in the way of depth.

1. SS- Francisco Lindor (19)

Carolina (A+) .331/.399/.466 11 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 11 SB, 18 BB, 17 K in 187 plate appearances

There isn’t much not to like about Lindor. A switch-hitter with a tremendous approach at the plate and a compact line-drive stroke, the eighth overall selection in the 2011 draft, Lindor has done nothing but impress as a pro and many consider him to be the second-best shortstop prospect in the game.

Lindor is an elite-level defender with great instincts both in the field and on the basepaths. It isn’t a question of if Lindor can eventually make an impact at the big league level, only a question of how soon he’ll push Asdrubal Cabrera out of the way. Despite his age, it doesn’t look like he’s very far away right now. I’d expect that 2014 is a legitimate possibility that Lindor takes over at short in Cleveland.

2. RHP- Trevor Bauer (22)

Columbus (AAA) 3.23 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 21 HA, 3 HRA, 15 BB, 33 K in 30.2 innings (5 starts)

Cleveland (MLB) 2.76 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 9 GA, 1 HRA, 15 BB, 11 K in 16.1 innings (3 starts)

Bauer has been up and down a couple of times this year already and though his ERA at the big league level is a sparkling 2.76, that number is just over half as high as his FIP of 5.23. Why the discrepancy? For starters, Bauer has had a lot of trouble limiting walks when facing major league hitters and this isn’t a new problems for him as he faced similar issues last season while with the Diamondbacks.

It’s not as if Bauer is a control artist while working in the minors, he averages better than four walks per nine innings, but he certainly appears to face some obstacles in finding the big league zone with regularity. If he can manage to harness his command somewhat, Bauer has plenty of pure stuff and could evolve into a top-of-the-rotation starter. If not, he’ll wind up leaving plenty of potential unfulfilled.

3. SS- Dorssys Paulino (18)

Lake County (A) .206/.278/.229 3 2B, 6 SB, 12 BB, 26 K in 144 plate appearances

Paulino was a heralded international signing in July of 2011 and made his domestic debut last season when he dominated Rookie League ball before collecting a handful of games in the NY/Penn League at the end of the season. Assigned to Class-A to start the 2013 campaign, Paulino has yet to find the same success at the plate he saw a season ago.

Early on, Paulino has been victimized by a low BABIP which has hampered his numbers. He’s kept his strikeout and walk rates within a respectable range, especially for a young hitter, but the alarming part has been the utter lack of extra-base pop this year. Paulino slugged .610 in the Arizona League last year. Obviously, there is quite a bit of difference between how the ball carries in the desert air of Arizona versus the early-season chill of the Midwest League, so it will be interesting to see if Paulino’s pop shows up as the Summer progresses.

4. OF- Tyler Naquin (22)

Carolina (A+) .300/.364/.459 12 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 5 SB, 15 BB, 41 K in 189 plate appearances

An accomplish college hitter, Naquin came to the Tribe as a first-round selection (15th overall) in the 2012 draft and didn’t waste time putting up solid numbers in his first taste of pro ball. He has an excellent line-drive swing and average-to-plus speed, but there is little power in his stroke and questions about his range in center field.

Naquin has shown some doubles pop early in the 2013 season and his having great success at the plate. He’s the type of hitter who could move quickly through the system given his college pedigree. If he can keep his strikeouts in check, he could wind up as a David DeJesus kind of player. And there is certainly nothing wrong with that.

5. RHP- Mitch Brown (19)

Lake County (A) 11.49 ERA, 2.04 WHIP, 21 HA, 4 HRA, 11 BB, 18 K in 15.2 innings (five starts)

Brown has been on the disabled list at Lake County since May 3, but prior to that he was roughed up pretty good by Midwest League hitters. In his first start of the season he failed to survive the first inning and things haven’t gone much better since. He is striking out more than a batter per inning, but his walk total is obviously far too high and that doesn’t even include the four hit batsmen and five wild pitches he’s uncorked already.

There are some indicators that Brown hasn’t been quite as bad as the numbers say. For starters, he’s allowed four home runs already, which about twice as many as could have been expected. Opponents are also getting a bit hit lucky against the right hander, posting a .395 batting average on ball in play, which is nearly 100 points higher than what is typically average. That said, it’s hard to sugarcoat what has been a very difficult start to the season.

Cingrani drew raves in his role as a starter in Cincy. Image: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Now that we’re more than a month in to the 2013 minor league season, it’s a good time to check in on how the top prospects in each of the organizations are faring. It is way too early to get overly excited or overly depressed about anyone’s performance thus far, but it’s never too early to dig into the data and results that each prospect has added to their resume. For the purposes of these check-ins we will be using Baseball America’s rankings unless otherwise noted.

The Cincinnati Reds have built a successful mid-market franchise largely through the development of their own talent. They have used many of those guys (Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier, etc) to create a winning big league roster, but have also used their system wisely by dealing away prospects to fill holes in adding guys like Shin-Soo Choo and Mat Latos in recent seasons.

There are a couple of eye-catching prospects at the top of an otherwise ordinary organization, but the Reds don’t have many pressing needs over the next couple years. While a couple of these guys may make an impact in the Queen City, others may be moved to help supplement the Reds’ roster.

1. CF- Billy Hamilton (22)

Louisville (AAA) .228/.286/.327 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 22 SB, 13 BB, 29 K in 175 plate appearances

Hamilton got off to a great start to the 2013 season, collecting eight hits in his first 16 at bats. Unfortunately, that was immediately followed by a prolonged slump which saw him rack up 21 strikeouts over his next 24 games while going just 13-for-105 in that stretch. Of course, Hamilton is far too talented to be that bad at the plate and he’s enjoyed a nice turnaround, hitting .314/.352/.451 over his last 11 games.

The Reds have stayed patient with Hamilton even though they have had to deal with injuries to both Ryan Ludwick and Chris Heisey at the big league level. Instead of rushing the converted shortstop, they’ve promoted guys like Donald Lutz and Derrick Robinson ahead of Hamilton. That patience will most certainly pay off as when Hamilton does arrive in Cincinnati, he’ll be ready to contribute to a contending ball club.

2. RHP- Robert Stephenson (20)

Dayton (A) 4.02 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 42 HA, 4 HRA, 13 BB, 60 K in 47 IP (9 starts)

A sturdy, projectable right hander with an overpowering fastball, Stephenson’s peripherals have far exceeded his results thus far in 2013 as he sports a 2.28 FIP compared to his ERA of 4.02. The 27th overall selection in 2011, Stephenson made his pro debut last season and wound up recording 72 strikeouts versus 23 walks across 65 innings of work at two levels. Getting the Class-A assignment to begin the season this year, Stephenson has picked up right where he left off.

He features a curveball that flashes above average and excellent command for a pitcher with his velocity and youth. His change up needs some work but shows promise. Stephenson is a ways away, obviously, but has the tools to become a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter or better at the major league level if he continues to develop as expected.

3. LHP- Tony Cingrani (23)

Louisville (AAA) 0.00 ERA, 0.35 WHIP, 3 HA. 2 BB. 26 K in 14.1 IP (3 starts)

Cincinnati (MLB) 3.27 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 25 HA, 7 HRA, 9 BB, 41 K in 33 IP (6 starts)

Cingrani was optioned back to Louisville over the weekend after a very successful run in the Reds’ rotation. Armed really with only two pitches, most assumed that the former reliever at Rice would fill the same role upon reaching the big leagues. Instead, Cingrani carried a tremendous start to the season at Triple-A over to a strong run with the Reds.

In his six starts in Cincinnati, Cingrani posted 11.81 striekouts per nine innings and kept his walk rate in check. He was victimized by the longball, however, which is a product not only of the dimensions of Great American Ballpark, but of a hurler taking on big league competition without an effective breaking pitch. The Reds have seen what he can do and are most certainly impressed. The mission as he returns to Louisville is to develop his slider so it becomes a serviceable offering. Without it, he may find himself slotted into a relief role in the future.

4. RHP- Daniel Corcino (22)

Louisville (AAA) 7.20 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 49 HA, 5 HRA, 18 BB, 27 K in 35 IP (8 G, 7 GS)

There was plenty of buzz surrounding Corcino after a strong 2012 season at Double-A Pensacola, but his first foray into Triple-A competition has been rough. Corcino is a short but solid right hander with three above average pitches, and last season held opponents to a .213 batting average, which was in line with what he had done at the lower levels as well.

As promising as he looked in 2012 and prior, Corcino has looked that bad in 2013. His strikeout rate is down below seven per nine innings and he’s walking better than four-and-a-half at the same time. Meanwhile, he’s not fooling anyone when they do make contact, as the opposition is feasting at the plate to the tune of a .325 batting average against. Corcino got away with middling command in the low minors, but the higher level of competition is making him pay for missing his spots. As long as he makes the needed adjustments, this should just be speed bump on Corcino’s developmental path.

5. RHP- Nick Travieso (19)

Travieso made his professional debut with 21 innings of Rookie League action in 2012 after the Reds made him the 14th overall selection of last June’s draft out of a Florida high school. He features a mid-90s fastball that can reach 97 mph and a sharp slider and at just 19 years old, the Reds figure more velocity may come as his body matures. Cincinnati has elected to keep Travieso in Arizona on extended Spring Training to start the season, as they take a cautious approach with the talented right arm of this young hurler. Expect to see him in Class-A Dayton at some point this season. They will look to develop him as a starter and feel he has the potential to work in the front end of a rotation in the future.

Walker covers tons of ground in center field, but he’ll need to figure out a way to make contact more consistently at the plate. Image: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Now that we’re more than a month in to the 2013 minor league season, it’s a good time to check in on how the top prospects in each of the organizations are faring. It is way too early to get overly excited or overly depressed about anyone’s performance thus far, but it’s never too early to dig into the data and results that each prospect has added to their resume. For the purposes of these check-ins we will be using Baseball America’s rankings unless otherwise noted.

The Chicago White Sox have for years largely ignored the development of their own players and it’s a problem that new GM Rick Hahn will have to address as his aging big league roster will soon need an overhaul. Because of the lack of depth of talent, the White Sox have aggressively pushed the few bright prospects they have had and they seem to have struck gold with that tactic with Chris Sale and Addison Reed performing well for the big club.

The 2013 crop of prospects is thin on elite talent and even thinner on elite results thus far on the season. In many cases, the White Sox have maintained there aggressive assignments and almost to a man, the top of the system has struggled in the early going. There already wasn’t a lot to love about this system and most of these guys haven’t done much to change anyone’s mind.

1. OF- Courtney Hawkins (19)

Winston-Salem (A+) .177/.247/.456 1 2B, 7 HR, 3 SB, 7 BB, 45 K in 89 plate appearances

Hawkins was the 13th overall selection of the 2012 draft and wasted little time acclimating himself to pro ball after signing quickly last year. Aggressively assigned to Advanced-A as a 19-year-old this season, Hawkins has displayed plenty of the raw power that has scouts drooling, clobbering seven home runs in his first 79 at bats. Along with toe power has come an alarming amount of swings and misses, however. Hawkins has fanned 45 times in less than 90 plate appearances this year, which is almost incomprehensible.

He’s missed the past three weeks dealing with a rotator cuff and left biceps muscle strain and surely the ChiSox will take their time bringing him back. If his contact issues weren’t a big enough hurdle already, they don’t need him trying to compensate for some soreness and making his approach at the plate even more difficult.

2. OF- Trayce Thompson (22)

Birmingham (AA) .233/.358/.377 8 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 10 SB, 26 BB, 37 K through 180 plate appearances

Despite some disappointing triple crown stats, there is a lot to like about Thompson’s first full year at Double-A. His walk rate of 14.4% is a marked improvement over years past (it was just 8.8% in over 500 plate appearances at High-A in 2012) and his strikeout rate is hovering at just 20.6% this year. It has routinely been in the 28-30 percent range at the lower levels of the minor leagues. While the improved approach might not have turned itself into great numbers as of yet, it’s a very encouraging sign.

What’s discouraging, however, is the disappearance of Thompson’s power. This is a guy who smacked 24 long balls at Class-A Kannapolis in 2011 and followed that with 25 across three levels last season. To see him sitting with a lowly .377 slugging percentage at this point in the season is troubling.

3.  INF- Carlos Sanchez (21)

Charlotte (AAA) .218/.298/.261 4 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 8 SB, 15 BB, 25 K in 165 plate appearances

Another case of an aggressive assignment, like both Hawkins and Thompson, Sanchez is young for his league as he won’t actually turn 21 until late June. Also like Hawkins and Thompson, Sanchez is showing signs of being overmatched against the older competition. Never a guy with any pop at all despite a solid 5’11″, 195 lbs frame, Sanchez’s offensive value is derived almost entirely by getting on base at a good clip. Unfortunately, while his walk rates are okay, they aren’t eye-popping which means he has to hit his way on base most of the time. With players like that, their success is often tied completely to their BABIP and Sanchez has been a bit hit-unlucky this year at .261 on balls in play.

A switch-hitter with a compact stroke, Sanchez excels at making contact and can play three infield positions. He has above average speed, but that doesn’t translate to steals as he’s been successful in just 62 percent of his stolen base attempts in his career. Sanchez is a guy that doesn’t wow the scouts with great tools. That he’s rated the third-best in Chicago’s system tells you more about their system than it does about Sanchez.

4. RHP- Erik Johnson (23)

Birmingham (AA) 2.58 ERA, 0.971 WHIP, 29 hits allowed, 15 BB, 47 K in 45.1 innings (eight starts)

A former second round pick (2011 out of Cal), Johnson is a big-bodied right hander who can reach the mid-90s with his fastball, though he doesn’t sit there. His slider is rated the best in the White Sox system by Baseball America, but he lacks mastery of a third pitch.

Johnson has shown good command in his career and he keeps the ball in the park very well. His elite WHIP this season is fueled by an extremely low BABIP of just .230, but the combination of few walks and averaging roughly a strikeout per inning should keep Johnson moving successfully through opposing lineups even as the luck begins to even out. This is the type of pitcher who can move quickly through  system and eventually find himself as a middle of the rotation starter in the big leagues.

5. OF- Keenyn Walker (22)

Birmingham (AA) .191/.313/.248 2 2B, 3 3B, 0 HR, 15 SB, 21 BB, 49 K in 169 plate appearances

Walker is getting his first taste of Double-A and suffice to say it isn’t going well so far. The speedy switch hitter is a former sandwich round selection in 2011 and he’s showcased some good on-base skills thus far in his pro career. That part hasn’t changed in 2013 as he’s still sporting a good walk rate at 12.4 percent, but his strikeout issues have remained as he’s fanning in 29 percent of his trips to the plate. Through his first two seasons of pro ball, Walker showed the ability to maintain a high BABIP (as speedy hitters sometimes do), but this year it’s fallen to .293. That’s a total that wouldn’t kill the average of a different kind of hitter, but Walker is a guy who relies on his wheels to not only reach base, but to generate extra-base hits as well. That’s another part of his game that has been missing at Birmingham thus far.

Pridie hopes to be the next veteran player to use a strong start at Norfolk as his ticket back to the big leagues. Image: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Norfolk Tides used four home runs to overmatch Lehigh Valley on Thursday night for their sixth consecutive win, an 8-6 decision. The victory improved Norfolk to 29-12, a mark that paces the International League South division.

While the parent Baltimore Orioles have been winning with Buck ball, the Tides have done it largely thanks to a cast of minor league veterans trying to make another push toward a return to the big leagues.

First baseman Travis Ishikawa gave the Tides an early lead with a three-run blast in the bottom of the first inning on Thursday and he would later add a solo shot to his night. Ishikawa, who has better than three years of major league service time, produced a .757 OPS across 94 games for the Brewers a season ago, but finds himself back in Triple-A this season. So far, Ishikawa looks like a guy who doesn’t plan on staying long. His pair of moonshots gave him five on the season and pushed his slugging percentage up to .504 on the year.

While Ishikawa has produced, he’s not been the best Norfolk has to offer. Third baseman Danny Valencia finished third in the 2010 Rookie of the year balloting for the Twins, but struggled mightily over the next two seasons. Though he’s never had big power numbers in the past, the now 28-year-old swatted his 11th home run of the year as part of Norfolk’s 15 hit attack. Valencia is off to a tremendous start to the season, posting a .312 average and 25 extra-base hits leading to a slugging percentage above .600 so far. This is a guy who has a career minor league slugging percentage of just .468.

Jason Pridie has shocked everyone with his early power display. The former second round pick has amassed eight home runs for the Tides and has a .325 average and .971 OPS through the first 36 games. Couple him with former International League MVP Russ Canzler, who is off to a .294/.419/.503 start to the year and is showing the versatility of playing both infield and outfield positions, including spending some time at second base for the Tides.

The Orioles do have a strong collection of prospects, but few of them have made it up to Triple-A at this point. Infielder Jonathan Schoop and outfielder L.J. Hoes have both seen extensive playing time with the Tides this season and both have had some success, with Hoes putting up particularly strong numbers.

But Norfolk has built their record on the backs of a handful of hitters like Valencia and Iskikawa, who are looking to get their big league careers back on track, and by guys like Canzler and Pridie, who, despite strong minor league track records, are still looking for their first real shot at being full-time major leaguers.

On Thursday night, he showed why.

Leading 6-3 into the ninth, Burlington’s Jairo Diaz was called upon to get the final three outs. A pair of hit batsmen sandwiched around a double had loaded the bases with only one out when Buxton, the second-overall selection in last June’s draft, stepped in and won the game for Class-A Cedar Rapids, clearing the left field wall and giving the Kernels a 7-6 victory.

For Buxton, Baseball America’s tenth-ranked prospect, it was just the latest shining moment in what has already been a promising season. The slam was Buxton’s sixth home run of the year and his two-for-five night raised his average to .343  through 38 games. He’s added 32 RBI and 16 stolen bases and overall 20 of his 49 hits have gone for extra-bases. He’s done all of this while posting elite walk rates while keeping his strikeout rates under control.

Buxton is just 19 years old and in his first full season of pro ball, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a promotion to Advanced-A Ft. Myers before the year is up. So far, it looks like the Midwest League isn’t much of a challenge.

The Chicago Cubs have for years tried to throw money at their Major League struggles. It made sense, of course, as the Cubs are one of the bigger market clubs in the league. The franchise philosophy changed course when Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer came to town and the new emphasis on scouting and development, combined with the deep pockets of Tom Ricketts, figures to bring success back to the North side in the not too distant future. Chicago’s Top-5 is heavy on former first-round draft picks but, thanks to injury and ineffectiveness, these guys have had an underwhelming start to the season.

#1: SS – Javier Baez (20)

Daytona (A+) .238/.271/.462 4 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 3 SB, 5 BB, 45 K in 155 PA

After performing very well in the Midwest League in 2012, Baez got an in-season promotion to Daytona but struggled mightily as a 19-year-old at High-A. Unfortunately, those struggles have stayed with Baez so far this season. He has shown excellent extra-base pop as evidenced by his .462 Slugging and .224 ISO, but his low average and on-base numbers are a legitimate concern. With a .292 BABIP, he’s not getting unlucky at the plate; he’s simply not making contact nearly often enough.  His contact issues have been severe as he has fanned in 29 percent of his trips to the plate. Baez has plenty of raw skill and has a top-20 ranking by most outlets, but he’ll have to improve his contact skills dramatically in order to fulfill his vast potential.

#2: OF – Albert Almora (19)

Almora suffered a broken hammate bone during Spring Training and has yet to appear in a game this season.

#3: OF – Jorge Soler(21)

February 25, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler (68) hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Daytona (A+) .262/.345/.505 8 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 3 SB, 13 BB, 19 K in 119 PA

Soler has made headlines for all the wrong reasons a couple of times this season, first for arming himself with a bat and challenging the opposing dugout to a fight in early April, an event which lead to a suspension, and later in the month by getting himself benched by Daytona manager Dave Keller for showing a poor work ethic. When he’s been on the field, he’s been one of the better hitters in the Florida State League thus far and though he’s an aggressive hitter, he doesn’t strike out often (just 38 total in 268 professional PA’s) and consistently makes hard contact with the ball. Soler clearly has some maturity issues, but there is no question about the talent and he’s been productive with that talent early in his career in the minors. If he can keep his head on straight, Soler has a chance to move quickly through the organization.

#4: RHP – Arodys Vizcaino (22)

The Cubs landed Vizcaino at the trade deadline last year in a deal that sent Reed Johnson and Paul Maholm to Atlanta. While the Braves have gotten strong returns on that deal so far, Vizcaino has yet to throw a pitch in the Chicago organization as he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery undergone in March of 2012. Prior to the injury, Vizcaino was considered one of the better prospects in the game, ranked as high as number 36 by MLB.com in their pre-2012 rankings. Provided he makes a complete recovery, the Cubs expect to be the long-term winners of that trade.

#5: OF – Brett Jackson (24)

Iowa (AAA) .247/.330/.404 4 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 4 SB, 9 BB, 27 K in 1101 plate appearances

Jackson was a consensus top-40 prospect prior to the 2012 season and got an extended look with the Cubs last season. The high strikeout rates that have plagued his minor league career became an even bigger problem when facing big league pitching and Jackson has begun the 2013 season back in the minors and no longer listed as a top-100 prospect.

So far, things haven’t been going very well for Jackson at Iowa, where his strikeout rate remains high at nearly 27 percent while his walk rate has fallen off dramatically; certainly not a good sign of an improving approach at the plate. Jackson has shown a combination of speed and power in years past, but his ISO has dropped significantly the past two seasons at Triple-A. At this point, Jackson looks to be headed in the wrong direction as a player. Chicago would probably be wise to try to move him while he still has even a small amount of value.

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Springer smacked 46 home runs and swiped 76 bases in a great career at UConn. Image: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Corpus Christi’s George Springer has been one of the brightest stars of the Double-A Texas League in 2013. The former first-round pick (11th overall by the Astros in 2011), crushed his 13th home run of the season on Monday, a total that leads all of professional baseball. Tuesday, Springer contributed a two-for-four night to bump his average to a cool .297.

After a stellar three-year career at UConn, Springer’s next stop might just be the outfield at Minute Maid Park.

The Houston Astros are coming off a 107-loss campaign and have been baseball’s worst club over the past few years. GM Jeff Lunhow inherited a shockingly-thin farm system when he took over for the ousted Ed Wade in the Fall of 2011 but he’s gone about addressing the franchise’s foundation and so far things are going pretty well in terms of minor league development.

Luhnow joined SportsRadio 610′s MaD Radio onMonday to talk about he Astros’ struggles and his vision for the long-term.

“We had a no-hitter in Lancaster which is probably the hardest ballpark in the country to pitch well in, much less have a no-hitter.  We had Domingo Santana with three home-runs in one game earlier this week. (George) Springer is leading Double A in home runs.  (Jarred) Cosart, (Mike) Foltynewicz hit a 100 (mph), (with) Cosart having a good outing yesterday.  There’s just so much good news coming out of the farm, and these guys are Triple A, Double A, High A.  They’re not that far away and the guys that are here are getting a chance to play and prove themselves and trying to carve out a place for their spot for the future.”

The biggest take-away from Lunhow’s quote is the notion that many of the young talent in their system is “not that far away.” That’s got to be music to the ears of Astros fans. While there have been bright spots with the big club at times this year, there is also an overwhelming sense that the team is not only having to play clubs with far more experience, but with far more talent at the big league level.

The Astros have already parted ways with a pair of disappointing veterans in Rick Ankiel and Philip Humber and as the season wears on, there will be more opportunities for some of the prospects to move up and take their shot at big league competition. At already 23 years old and doing very well at Double-A, Springer seems to be at the head of the class for the possible additions to the Houston roster.

Yes, Springer strikes out a lot. He fanned 156 times in 2012 and he’s already at 46 through 32 games in 2013. He does so many other things well and does so much damage when he puts the ball in play that I doubt the strikeout rates keep him from getting a shot at the big leagues before the All-Star break. Once Houston can avoid a possible Super Two situation with Springer, which should happen by the second week of June, they’ll be no real reason not to bring him to the Show.

Springer is a true center fielder with speed and power and that speed does translate to stolen bases just as the power manifests itself not only with home runs, but with a good amount of doubles and triples as well. Springer’s contact issues certainly won’t get better versus more advanced competition, but Houston is already employing a roster full of hitter that have combined to lead the big leagues in times struck out, so what’s one more to add to the list, especially when he possesses the potential impact bat that Springer provides.

Taveras may ultimately wind up on a corner, but he can patrol center as well. Image: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

St. Louis Cardinals prospect Oscar Taveras was helped off the field on Sunday after injuring his ankle during a slide into second base for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. According to Derrick Gould of the St. Louis Dispatch, x-rays on Taveras’ ankle came back negative and he is considered day-to-day at this point.

Taveras day to day with right ankle injury. X-Rays taken and no fracture found, per official. #stlcards #cardinals #stlminors

— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) May 13, 2013

Taveras is one of baseball’s elite prospects, ranked at number three overall by both MLB.com annd Baseball America. The not-yet 21-year-old outfielder is in his first season in the Pacific Coast League and despite being very young for the competition, he’s more than held his own. Through 31 games for Memphis this year, Taveras has posted a .317/.351/.480 line with four long balls and 20 RBI. Taveras announced his presence as a prospect last season when he clobbered the Texas League to the tune of 23 home runs and 94 RBI to go with a .953 OPS.

What separates Taveras as a hitter from many of his peers, however, is his ability to recognize pitches early, which has gone a long way toward keeping his strikeout totals considerably lower than even the best young hitters. Don’t mistake that to mean he’s a patient hitter, though, as that wouldn’t be accurate, either. Taveras is up there to hit and while his walk rates have been respectable, they don’t show a guy who takes a lot of pitches. Instead, Taveras has shown the ability to put the ball in play, with authority, even when he expands the strike zone.

In many organizations, Taveras may have already made his big league debut. As impressive as he was during Spring Training, he might have broken camp. The Cardinals are in no major rush, however. They sit atop the NL Central through Mother’s Day and their outfield of Beltran, Jay, and Holliday have all stayed healthy thus far. Provided Taveras is okay after the scare with his ankle, it may not matter how healthy the big league outfield is for much longer; Taveras shows no signs of slowing down and sooner or later his play will force St. Louis into bringing him to the Show.

The Boston Red Sox were victorious 69 times in 2012. To find a season where they won fewer than 42.6% of their games, you’d have to go all the way back to 1960 when they won 42.2% of the time en route to a  65-89 record. Fortunately for Red Sox nation, last season is quickly becoming a distant memory. Fenway Park is once again the home of a first place team and the organization’s early success is not limited to the major league level. Each of Boston’s top five prospects find themselves included on most Top-100 prospect lists and as a collective group they have impressed early on – in the minor leagues at least.

Boston draws nearer for Xander as his development continues. (Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

#1: SS – Xander Bogaerts (20)

Portland (AA): 0.298/.365/.471, 4 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 3 SB, 11 BB and 29 SO in 116 PA

At the start of the season Bogaerts was the second youngest player in the Eastern League and third youngest in Double-A behind Baltimore RHP Dylan Bundy and Texas SS Hanser Alberto. His slash stats on the season are solid but he’s been far more impressive of late. 14 of his 29 strikeouts came in his first nine games of the year and during that stretch he hit 0.171 (7-41). Since April 16th he’s notched a hit in all but one of his last 15 games hitting 0.381 in the process.

#2: OF – Jackie Bradley (23)

Boston (MLB): 0.097/.263/.129, 1 2B, 1 SB, 6 BB and 12 SO in 38 PA
Pawtucket (AAA): 0.302/.400/.349, 2 2B, 1 SB, 7 BB and 13 SO in 51 PA

2012 was Bradley’s first full season as a professional and he used it to advance through the California League in just 67 games before hitting 0.271/.373/.437 in 61 games with Portland. With terrific defense, plate discipline, on-base skills and baserunning instincts he didn’t figure to stay in the minors long. Never-the-less, he arrived in Boston well ahead of schedule by making the team’s Opening Day roster on the back of the jaw dropping 0.419/.507/.613 slash line he produced in 28 spring training games.

He drew three walks in his major league debut and then hit in each of the next three games (3-12) before slipping into a 0-17 funk that resulted in his assignment to Pawtucket. While in Triple-A he’s been a bit streaky as he’s twice grouped 6 hits in a three game span with hitless stretches in between. After hitting 42 doubles in 2012, Bradley’s extra-base power hasn’t manifested itself yet but he’s otherwise been solid. His Grapefruit League performance created a lot of unnecessary hype and expectation while accelerating his time table slightly but there is little doubt that he should be back in Boston, hopefully for good, later in the year. That is assuming he gets healthy. On May 6th Bradley was placed on the 7-day disabled list with tendinitis in his right biceps but the injury is considered minor and shouldn’t keep him off the field for long.

#3: RHP – Matt Barnes (22)

Portland (AA): 5.19 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 32 H, 9 BB and 31 SO in 26.0 IP (6 GS)

Of the five players on this list, Barnes is having the roughest season of the group so far but recently he’s shown signs of changing that. His last two starts – both wins over Reading – have been his best of the young season with 8 H, 1 ER, 3 BB and 14 SO in 12.1 IP. Compared to his 2012 stats he’s giving up more hits and walks per nine innings but he continues to strike batters out at an impressive rate (10.7 SO/9). All in all he’s pitched three gems and three clunkers.

#4: RHP – Allen Webster (23)

Pawtucket (AAA): 2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 12 H, 6 BB and 26 SO in 20.0 IP (4 GS)
Boston (MAJ): 11.73 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, 11 H, 4 BB and 7 SO in 7.2 IP (2 GS)

Webster opened the season in Triple-A and, as you can see above, has pitched extremely well for Pawtucket. He was also solid (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) in his major league debut on April 21st when he started the second game of a double header against the Royals. The only real blemish in that start was the fact that he served up two long balls to a Kansas City squad that has hit only 19 on the season (tied for dead last in MLB with Miami). The gopher ball plagued Webster again yesterday in his second major league start. The Minnesota Twins went deep twice and chased him from the game in the second inning. When the dust had settled he had allowed 6 H, 8 ER and 3 BB with 2 SO in 1.2 innings of work which obviously skews his stat line something awful. The Twins, it should be noted, are 27th in MLB with 24 HR on the season.

Giving up home runs has never been a problem at any stop in the minors – he’s allowed just 20 in 514.0 minor league innings – so at this point it’s safe to classify 4 HR allowed in 7.2 major league innings as an aberration. Of course big league hitters are also sending a clear message to Webster and the Red Sox that he needs to spend more time pitching in Triple-A.

#5: LHP – Henry Owens (20)

Salem (A+): 2.25 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 17 H, 11 BB and 40 SO in 32.0 IP (6 GS)

In terms of early 2013 performance for this Top-5, the best has been saved for last. In many ways that shouldn’t be a surprise for two key reasons. First, Owens has more upside and potential than either Barnes or Webster and is ranked behind them primarily because he’s further away from the major leagues right now. Second he’s pitching against High-A competition in the pitcher friendly Carolina League. However, that second point shouldn’t take away from Owens who is several years younger than Webster and Barnes. Not only has the talented young lefty had the best statistical production of Boston’s upper crust of prospects, he’s also been the most consistent. Owens has made six starts thus far in 2013 and he hasn’t allowed more than 2 runs or 4 hits in any of them. Aside from his first start of the year where he struck out 4 in 5.0 innings of work he’s also whiffed at least a batter per inning in each of his starts.

Feb 22, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins player Derek Dietrich (72) poses for a picture during photo day at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Miami purchased the contract of infielder Derek Dietrich from Double-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, making him just the latest young player promoted to the big leagues for the Fish. The Marlins made a surprising decision before the campaign even began by bringing 20-year-old right hander Jose Fernandez to Opening Day and recently promoted outfielder Marcell Ozuna as well.

Say what you want about Jeffrey Loria and the way he bamboozled both the city of Miami and all the Marlins fans, but at least he’s not forcing the talent to stay in the Minors to save on service time. There are more than a couple other clubs that would place the financials of the arbitration clock well ahead of a player’s talent when considering whether or not to promote the player, especially on a club that’s looking up at everyone else in the standings; a situation that doesn’t figure to end soon.

Service time concerns are assumed to be much more relevent when considering guys like Fernandez and Ozuna rather than Dietrich, who some consider to have the ceiling of a role player at the big league level. When you look at his Minor League track record, however, you see a guy with good pop in his bat. Enough pop that John Sickels sees the potential of a left-handed hitting Dan Uggla.

Dietrich looks to get a good amount of playing time at second base for the Marlins in the short run, but his long-term profile suggests a possible shift to third; a position he has played eight times this season. Acquired in the Yunel Escobar deal, Dietrich is a former second round pick of the Rays out of Georgia Tech, where he compiled a stellar career at the dish.

Dietrich was rated by MLB.com as Miami’s eighth-best prospect and he made his big league debut in San Diego on Wednesday, singling in three at bats. He was off to a great start at Jacksonville before getting the call, posting a .282/.408/.505 line across 125 plate appearances. There are concerns about Dietrich’s tendency to get homer-happy with his swing and becoming both too long and too aggressive at the dish, but he has shown a better approach at the dish thus far in 2013.

The Marlins have the worst offensive team in baseball and that’s even after hanging 14 runs on the Phillies last week. Giancarlo Stanton is the only drawing card and he’s hurt.

But, with Fernandez turning heads with his performances on the mound and Ozuna and now Dietrich getting their shot, there is reason for optimism in South Florida. If nothing else, at least the few remaining Marlins fans will probably get a chance to see the spoils of all those trades without going on a tour of the club’s farm system.

But if you were watching Buffalo take on Norfolk in International League action on Tuesday, you saw outfielder Anthony Gose pull off a straight steal of home, easily beating the pitch from right hander Jake Arrieta. If you didn’t see it, make sure to check out the video below.

Buffalo held on for a 6-4 victory. Gose reached base twice and his steal of home was one of two times he touched the plate on the evening.

Arrieta was recently demoted after yet another disappointing stint in the big leagues with the Baltimore Orioles. Things didn’t go so well for the former top prospect on Tuesday. Gose’s swipe of home was just one of five runs (four earned) that Arrieta yielded in 6.2 innings of work.

Since the start of the 2012 season the Baltimore Orioles have put together a 112-82 record and last year they were one of baseball’s biggest surprises. While there were more than a few (including myself) who questioned their ability to continue their winning ways in 2013, they’re putting the skeptics in their place thus far. 32 games in, Baltimore appears to have the necessary staying power to contend for the AL East title once again. Their minor league system is ranked in the middle of the pack, but some of their top prospects are ready or nearly ready to step up and contribute in the majors leagues if they are called upon.

#1: RHP – Dylan Bundy (20)

Injured – Has not pitched yet in 2013

Bundy allowed just 1 earned run in 8.0 spring training innings. Despite issuing 6 walks to go with 5 strikeouts it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he’d spend much of his second professional season in the major leagues. Then came the news before Opening Day that he was dealing with elbow tightness and would hold off on throwing for a few days. Those days turned into weeks. An MRI came up clean but Bundy requested to see Dr. James Andrews at the end of April. The result of that consultation was an injection of platelet rich plasma to help accelerate the healing process in the elbow of the Orioles’ top prospect. Now classified as an elbow strain, Dr Andrews has recommended six weeks of rest. It will no doubt be six anxiety filled weeks for the organization and prospect fans everywhere.

With Bundy nursing his elbow injury, Gausman must carry the O’s prospect banner. (Photo Credit: Douglas Jones-USA TODAY Sports)

#2: RHP – Kevin Gausman (22)

Bowie (AA): 3.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 37 H, 1 BB and 32 SO in 35.2 IP (6 GS)

Bundy’s 2013 season may have been delayed, but Gausman, the 4th pick overall in last June’s draft, is doing his part to carry forth. He threw just 15 innings after signing last summer but that didn’t stop the Orioles from dropping him in Double-A to start his first full season. Of course Bowie isn’t a foreign location for the young right hander since he pitched in the Eastern League playoffs last fall. Gausman has been a little up and down in the early going but the overall numbers are strong and the 32-1 SO-to-BB is flat out ridiculous. In his last two starts (4/28 and 5/5) he’s tossed a combined 14.2 innings with 11 H, 3 ER and 0 BB and 11 SO.

#3: 2B – Jonathan Schoop (21)

Norfolk (AAA): 0.250/.333/.344, 6 2B, 1 HR, 1 SB, 9 BB and 18 SO in 108 PA

Schoop played 2B and SS last year with his time at the latter increasing after Manny Machado was called up to the majors. With 16 games at SS and 11 at 2B in the early going he continues to see significant time at both middle infield spots. Schoop is getting his first taste of Triple-A competition and he’s held his own in the early going. Despite the jump in level, he’s kept his K% steady and his BB% has taken only a slight downturn while getting at least one hit in 14 of his last 16 games played. Not far from the major leagues at this point, Schoop should make his major league debut this summer if he stays on track. Big league playing time this year will likely come in a bench role – barring injury – but he has a future as an everyday player, perhaps as soon as 2014.

#4: INF – Nick Delmonico (20)

Frederick (A+): 0.325/.471/.600, 5 2B, 2 HR, 11 BB and 11 SO in 51 PA

Baltimore’s 6th round pick in the 2011 draft, Delmonico spent the 2012 season (his first as a professional) playing 1B and 2B. This season the hot corner has been his home and many regard 3B as his best position in the long term. His bat will be his calling card regardless of his position and it was speaking loudly in the early going with at least one hit in 9 of his first 11 games. Unfortunately he suffered a concussion sliding into second base on April 18th and was placed on the 7-day disabled list the following day. No stranger to the DL, Delmonico missed a decent chunk of his 2012 season with a knee injury and he’s already been out longer than anticipated this time around.

#5: LHP – Eduardo Rodriguez (20)

Frederick (A+): 3.90 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 27 H, 8 BB and 28 SO in 30.o IP (5 GS)

As a 19-year old pitching in the SAL, Rodriguez took a big step forward last year. The Venezuelan lefty looks to be doing it again in 2013. He’s maintained his already strong walk rate (2.4 BB/9), cut his WHIP and most importantly has started to miss more bats. In 2012 he finished with a 6.1 SO/9 but through 5 starts this season he’s upped that to 8.4 SO/9. His start on May 1st (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO) was his best of the year though his start on 4/21 was nearly identical. Sandwiched between those two 7.0 inning gems, was his worst start of the year during which he issued five of his eight walks on the year. Rodriguez already elevated his stock based on what he did last season which makes what’s he’s done in the early stages of 2013 all the more intriguing.

February 17, 2013; Bradenton, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Stolmy Pimentel (72) poses for photo day at Pirate City. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Pimentel showed that he is human in his last start when he allowed two earned runs over six innings against Erie. That effort caused his ERA to more than double from 0.30 to 0.74. The 23-year-old is now hearing his name alongside those of Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon as the best of the talented minor league crop for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates acquired Pimentel along with three others from the Boston Red Sox in the Joel Hanrahan trade last Winter after a lackluster career in the Boston organization. Pimentel has been highly regarded for his talent, but has never seen the results that match his projected ceiling. Pimentel’s inclusion in the deal with Pittsburgh was probably more Boston giving up on him than anything else.

After going 6-16 in 37 starts for Double-A Portland between the 2011-12 seasons, it’s not difficult to imagine why a change of scenery may have been considered the best option for all parties involved. Stolmy posted a 5.96 ERA in those starts.

So far in six start with Altoona, Pimentel is sitting at 2-0 with a 0.74 ERA and he’s allowed just 24 hits and a mere two home runs this year (both of those came in his last start).

Is he finally pitching up to his talent? Was moving to a new organization all he needed to right the ship?

The first thing to realize is that Pimentel, like any pitcher who gets off to this kind of start, will regress. No one is going to go through a season with as much ease as he has in the first five weeks. eventually, you’ll give up some hits and give up some runs. The real question isn’t whether or not he’ll regress, it’s how much he’ll regress when he does.

Looking at some key numbers, there is reason to think that Pimentel will fall a long way when he comes crashing back to Earth.

Pimentel’s strikeout rate has been good at nearly eight batter per nine innings, which is significantly ahead of where he had been over the past two seasons, though in line with the numbers he posted in the lower minors. He’s walking too many hitters (3.96 per 9), but he’s getting away with it thanks both to the solid K rate, but also by yielding so few base hits. That combination has lead to an amazing 99.5 percent strand rate.

Sooner or later, Pimentel’s BABIP allowed will come up for a very low .234. Typically speaking, the average on balls in play is something close to .300, so even if Pimentel’s BABIP comes up to a still-low .275, he’ll be allowing a lot more hits. Those hits, combined with the walks, will mean far fewer runners stranded and far more runs allowed.

There certainly are some encouraging results for Pimentel this season and chances are that he is making some real improvements. Thus far, his peripherals have suggested a FIP of 3.56, which is very solid and significantly better than he’s done in years past. Part of the improvement can be attributed to being in his third go-around at Double-A and part can probably be attributed to the natural maturation of a talented ball player.

But very few of the eye-popping numbers he’s produced in 2013 are sustainable and Pimentel, while improved, ultimately remains a fringe prospect.

The Arizona Diamondbacks boast two legitimate #1 starter prospects at the top of their rankings. There is a notable drop off beyond their top two but that’s more a statement on how good those two are. This is a legitimate top-10 system with a balanced stockpile of pitchers and position players – many of which have a very real chance of carving out long careers as major league regulars. In fact you could easily argue that the Diamondbacks prospects ranked 6-10 are better than the Braves top-5.

*Stat lines do not include today’s (5/5) games, but those stats are addressed in the write-ups where applicable.

2013 has been a mixed bag for Skaggs thus far. (Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

#1: LHP – Tyler Skaggs (21)

Reno (AAA): 6.15 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 29 H, 12 BB and 24 SO in 26.1 IP (5 GS)

Skaggs got 2013 moving in the right direction with a 6.0 inning, 4-hit shutout to open his season. In terms of Game Score (66) it remains his best start of the season though he’s also turned in a pair of starts that resulted in Game Scores of 63 and 62 GSc.

His second start – a 2.1 inning, 8 hit, 9 run effort – fell on the other end of the spectrum registering a GSc of just 5. We all know (at least we should) that if a pitcher logs enough innings, at some point they’re inevitably going to wind up with a few unsightly starts on their resume. Even though he’s immensely talented and has a very bright future ahead of him Skaggs is subject to such outings just like everyone else. Let’s also not forget that Reno is a very difficult environment to pitch in and this particular young lefty is more than five years younger than the average age of his PCL pitching peers.

Speaking of Reno, and entering today’s action, Skaggs had a 10.29 ERA and 2.07 WHIP in 14.0 IP at home and a 1.46 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 12.1 IP on the road. The small sample size disclaimer certainly applies here and the home/road splits got closer to one another a few hours ago, but it’s fun to note when things are so skewed. Pitching on the road in Tacoma today, Skaggs allowed 6 hits, 6 runs and 2 walks in 5.0 innings of work. He did however add 8 strikeouts to his total giving him 32 in 31.1 IP in the early going.

#2: RHP – Archie Bradley (20)

Visalia (A+): 1.26 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 22 H, 10 BB and 43 SO in 28.2 IP (5 GS)
Mobile (AA): 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4 H, 2 BB and 7 SO in 6.0 IP (1 GS)

Skaggs hasn’t been as brilliant as expected in the early going, but Archie Bradley’s first six starts have gone a long way toward distracting Arizona fans. The organization’s other prospect to crack the Top-25 on most Top-100 prospect lists, Bradley needed just five starts to push through the California League. In those five he never allowed more than two earned runs, went at least 5.0 innings and struck out at least eight. He allowed more hits than innings pitched in just one high-A start and even then turned in a quality 6.0 inning effort.

On May 2nd, Bradley made his Southern League debut and was once again fantastic. Some sources, including Baseball America and MLB.com, had Skaggs ranked higher than Bradley in their top-100s. This was in no small part based on each pitcher’s perceived proximity to the major leagues as Bradley finished 2012 in the Midwest League while Skaggs made his way from Mobile to Reno and on to his major league debut with Arizona. Of course other sites, like this one, ranked Bradley higher in the preseason rankings. Regardless of placement on various lists, one thing all the sources seem to agree on is that Archie Bradley has the most electric arm in the system. So far in 2013 he’s proving that every time he takes the mound.

#3: OF – Adam Eaton (24)

Reno (AAA): 0.200/.200/.300, 1 2B, 3 SO in 10 PA

Eaton was projected to be Arizona’s Opening Day CF but a spring training elbow strain landed him on the 15-day disabled list instead. He started his rehab assignment on Friday and has gone 1-5 in each of his first two games with the Aces. He did however go 0-4 today so you can adjust his slash stats accordingly. The 2-14 start is not surprising given the time he’s missed and it’s just good to see him out on the field once again.

#4: 3B – Matt Davidson (22)

Reno (AAA): 0.267/.328/.419, 5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 10 BB and 37 SO in 116 PA

Like most power-based bats, Davidson is going to log his share of strikeouts but what he did in 2012 was very encouraging. Despite moving up from the Visalia – where he spent the entire 2011 season – to Mobile in 2012, he trimmed his strikeout rate from 24.3% to 21.9% and bumped his walk rate from 8.6% to 12.0% and both are significant gains. He left the California League and that resulted in a drop in his BA from 0.277 to 0.261 but his OBP and SLG improved in the process and that’s not a statement you can make about many players.

Davidson hit 3 HR in his first 10 games with Reno but has since gone 17 games without clearing the fences. That does not mean, however, that he’s struggling at the plate. In the 9 games prior to today’s 0-4, 2 SO performance, Davidson was 12-38 with four doubles and a triple. He is striking out in 32.5% of his plate appearances thus far, but that will improve as he accumulates more AAA experience.

#5: SS – Didi Gregorius (23)

Reno (AAA): 0.387/.424/.645, 2 2B, 2 HR, 1 SB, 2 BB and 1 SO in 33 PA
Arizona (MAJ): 0.407/.448/.778, 4 2B, 2 HR, 1 BB and 8 SO in 30 PA

The prize of the Trevor Bauer trade, Gregorius has provided Arizona with an immediate return on the deal. In my estimation he had been somewhat under-appreciated and over-looked prior to this season, but that’s not surprising. Defense first shortstops with questionable bats quite often flame out.

Like Davidson above, Didi improved his BB% over the previous season despite moving up a level. Regarded as being overly aggressive he’s only struck out in 12.4% of his 2,082 minor league plate appearances. While he’s certainly not going to keep hitting over 0.400 in the majors (he went 2-3 again today) it’s not unreasonable to believe that he can capably occupy a spot toward the top of a major league lineup while providing his team with fantastic defense.

We start things off with the Atlanta Braves, an organization that is top-heavy in pitching with seven of their ten best prospects hailing from the mound. The Braves system current ranks in the bottom third among the 30 organizations and lacks upper echelon talent (beyond the enigma wrapped in a mystery that is their top prospect). However given the state of the major league roster it’s certainly something fans can live with.

The talent is there but will Teheran ever live up to the expectations? (Photo Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports)

#1: RHP – Julio Teheran (22)

Atlanta: 5.08 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 39 H, 8 BB and 2o SO in 28.1 IP (5 GS)

Teheran stood out during spring training with a 1.04 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and fantastic 35-9 SO-to-BB in 26.0 innings. His first five starts in the regular season have been a much different story and anyone who has been on the Teheran roller-coaster shouldn’t be surprised.

He’s getting knocked around more now than he has at any point in his career carrying a bloated 12.4 H/9 and 1.6 HR/9 in the early going. Opponents currently have a 0.904 OPS when facing Teheran and each of the four offerings in his arsenal (fastball, slider, curveball, changeup) have been below average.

In his last two starts combined he’s gone 12.1 innings with 8 strikeouts, 1 walk and 3 runs allowed and while those are encouraging numbers they are offset by the 18 hits he allowed in that same span. Despite the rocky start it’s easy to give Teheran a pass. He’s still just 22 with only 54.1 innings on his major league resume after all.

#2: RHP – J.R. Graham (23)

Mississippi (AA): 3.45 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 30 H, 8 BB and 25 SO in 28.2 IP (6 GS)

Graham reached Double-A last season and made 9 starts in the Southern League that resulted in a 3.18 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 42-17 SO-to-BB over 45.1 IP. There was some expectation that the Braves would bump him up to Triple-A to start things off in 2013 but giving him more time in Mississippi’s rotation was probably the prudent thing to do. In each of his last two starts he’s thrown 5.1 innings with 3 ER while allowing a combined 19 baserunners (15 H, 4 BB). To be fair his third and fourth starts resulted in a stat line of 13.1 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, and 9 SO.

#3: C – Christian Bethancourt (21)

Mississippi (AA): 0.341/.356/.500, 4 2B, 1 HR, 3 SB, 1 BB and 6 SO in 46 PA

Entering the 2012 season, Bethancourt had cracked Baseball America’s Top-100 at #91 but then struggled to make the jump to Double-A. In 71 games with Mississippi last year he hit a meager 0.243/.275/.291 in 288 PA. It was a season marred not only by his lack of production at the plate but by injuries (strained hamstring and a broken hand) as well. Back in the Southern League to kick off 2013, Bethancourt came out of the gates quickly and managed at least one hit in all but one of his first 11 starts. Unfortunately he hasn’t played since April 20th thanks to another hamstring injury. On Wednesday he was placed on the 7-day disabled list retroactive to April 25th.

#4: LHP – Sean Gilmartin (22 – turns 23 in 4 days)

Gwinnett (AAA): 2.70 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 34 H, 15 BB and 20 SO in 36.2 IP (6 GS)

The Braves 1st round pick (28th overall) in 2011, Gilmartin needed just 26 professional starts before he found himself pitching in Triple-A. Once there he made seven starts that led to a 4.78 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 1.92 SO/BB in 2012. There’s no question the International League batters have slowed his ascension and that’s not surprising given that he fits the mold of a finesse lefty. Gilmartin has been rather effective in four of his six starts to start off 2013 but his walk rate is elevated and his strikeout rate, which wasn’t strong to begin with, has slipped. The 2.70 ERA is great and all but a 1.33 SO/BB in Triple-A does not suggest a pitcher that is ready to pitch in the majors just yet.

#5: RHP – Lucas Sims (18 – turns 19 in 6 days)

Rome (A): 5.02 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 8 H, 12 BB and 10 SO in 14.1 IP (7 relief appearances)

Setting the results aside, the Braves are doing right by their 2012 1st round pick thus far. After he signed last summer, Atlanta protected his arm and limited his innings (34 IP in 11 GS). This year they aggressively started him out in full season ball but did so by slotting him in the bullpen where he can more readily acclimate to A ball and continue to control his workload with less pressure placed on his shoulders. It’s the perfect sink or swim situation. If he swims, the organization can let him keep pitching in the SAL for the remainder of the season and slide him into the rotation when they feel he’s ready. If he sinks, they can bide their time with him until the Appalachian League starts up in June and then send him down to work as a starter with Danville. While the overall numbers may not suggest as much, the young man appears to be swimming thus far in 2013. In his first appearance of the season he allowed 4 runs on 2 hits and 4 walks in 1.2 innings of work. Take away that first outing and his stat line is a more attention grabbing with a 2.84 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. Sims has also continued to improve allowing just 2 hits and no earned runs in his last 5.0 innings pitched.

Meyer worked in the Futures Games in 2012 and features a fastball as big as his 6’9″ frame. Image: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Over the Winter, the Minnesota Twins traded away a pair of big league centerfielders in an attempt to re-stock their farm system with pitchers. The prize of the deals was undoubtedly imposing right hander Alex Meyer, obtained in the Denard Span deal with Washington. Meyer has gotten off to a fast start in his first taste of Double-A and Twins Daily has a first-hand recount of Meyer’s last outing.

Not all heralded prospects have been as successful as Meyer has. To find an example, you need look no further than Kansas City’s Bubba Starling. The former fifth overall pick struck out in 30 percent of his plate appearances in 2012 and he’s actually gotten worse with the whiffs at Class-A Lexington so far this year. Michael Engel at Kings of Kauffman has the skinny.

The Colorado Rockies are off to a surprisingly strong start to the Major League season, but that hasn’t stopped them from tinkering with their lineup. Nolan Arenado has already been rewarded for an outstanding first month at Triple-A and Hayden Kane of Rox Pile notes that Colorado Springs has a hitter lighting it up even more than Arenado was. Charlie Blackmon is sporting .354/.465/.598 line in 101 plate appearances. It won’t be long before he forces his way back to the big leagues.

The end of a calendar month is always a good time to take stock of where we are in the season and Mike Rosenbaum, lead prospect analyst for Bleacher Report gives us an all-star team of players with strong starts to the minor league season. Highlighting the list, Francisco Lindor, Archie Bradley, and a pair of Twins in Byron Buxton and GotC favorite, Miguel Sano.

Not surprisingly, Sano headlined a similar list, this one authored by Ashley Marshall at MiLB Prospective.

Feb 26, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cody Buckel (76) pitches during the third inning against the Chicago White Sox at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Few stories in professional baseball this season have been as confounding as that of right handed pitcher Cody Buckel.

A former second-round pick of the Texas Rangers, Buckel has excelled as a professional prior to this season. Despite his smaller frame, Buckel has used polished mechanics and a mature approach to pitching to outperform what most scouts and talent evaluators refer to as average stuff. He doesn’t throw especially hard, working at 91-93 with his fastball, coupled with a big curveball that was learned from Barry Zito.

Buckel has dominated the lower levels of the minor leagues since joining the ranks of professionals in 2010. Buckel has pitched to a stellar 2.53 ERA across a sample of 240-plus innings spanning three levels coming into 2013. In that time, he’s struck out 288 hitters while walking just 76.

To say the future seemed bright would be a tremendous understatement.

Accolades followed for Buckel. Suddenly, he began appearing on top prospect lists, and not just those organizational top-20s. Buckel was rated number 87 by Baseball America during the off-season and making our list at number 96. Those rankings were a product of his great success, of course, but also were made with some level of trepidation as questions about his arsenal persisted.

The concern was that Buckel would struggle to miss bats as the competition got more advanced and would wind up yielding far too many hits and runs. Instead, Buckel has struggled much more with finding the strike zone than he has with anything else; a development no one saw coming.

The season began for Buckel at Double-A Frisco, the same place he ended the 2012 campaign. Right out of the gate, he struggled. He didn’t make it out of the third inning and allowed seven earned runs. The biggest problem was the five walks allowed. It was the beginning of a troubling trend.

Over the next three starts, Buckel continued to, well, struggle isn’t even the word for it. The outings got shorter, the pitch counts higher, the walk totals higher still. It’s a list of stat lines that are reminiscent of what happened to the likes of Rick Ankiel (when he pitched) and Dontrelle Willis.

1.2 innings, O hits, but two earned runs on six walks and a hit batsman. Another 1.2 inning start in which he posted five walks and one hit, a home run. That was followed by a three inning start that saw six walks. But rock bottom came back on April 27 when Buckel failed to record a single out. He faced six batters. He gave up one hit, but walked three and hit two others.

On May 1, the Rangers opted to shift Buckel to relief work. It didn’t help.

In his first relief appearance of the year, Buckel retired just one of the five hitters he faced. He walked three, allowed a hit and was charged with three earned runs. A fifth loss in six appearances was hung on his neck. Buckel has a ghastly 20.25 ERA in 9.1 innings this season. He’s struck out nine in that time. He’s walked 28.

To put that number in perspective, Buckel worked over 96 innings for Class-A Hickory in 2011 and walked 27 for the entire season.

This is normally the area of the post where I might make some judgements about the player, offer a projection or even just an opinion of their performance. In a case like this, though, I have as many answers as the Texas Rangers and their minor league staff does, which is none. What has happened to Buckel is sad and perplexing. This is not a guy who had struggled with control problems before and suddenly it seems he couldn’t throw a strike if his life depended on it. Your heart just breaks for the guy.

It must be a helpless feeling to be in such a strange place on the mound, here’s hoping Buckel can figure it out somehow. But I’m not optimistic.

February 19, 2013; Lakeland, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers outfielder Daniel Fields (74) poses for a picture during photo day at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

It has taken better than three years, but Daniel Fields, an outfielder at Double-A Erie in the Detroit Tigers organization, may finally be living up to his promise.

Fields, a Detroit native, is the son of former major league hitting coach Bruce Fields. In 2009, the Tigers used a sixth-round pick on the high school shortstop who had already committed to playing college ball at the University of Michigan. Despite his father’s connection to the organization, Daniel was no easy sign and it eventually took a near $1.6 million bonus to get his name on a professional contract; significantly over-slot for a sixth-round pick.

When he began his career in 2010, the Tigers placed him aggressively at High-A Lakeland and immediately converted him to center field. Despite being just 19 years old in the Florida State League, Fields held his own, posting a solid .714 OPS fueled by a .343 OBP. His strikeout rate was very high, but he was also walking in nearly 13 percent of his trips to the plate. The signs of success were there.

Given his age, the Tigers were right to have him repeat High-A in 2011, but Fields did not progress as hoped. Despite getting nearly 60 more plate appearances than the season before, Fields had fewer RBI, fewer walks,  and fewer extra-base hits, but considerably more strikeouts. His OPS sank to .635. He would begin the 2012 campaign with yet another High-A assignment and that went equally poorly in terms of overall production, but the lefty-swinging outfielder did show marked improvement in the ability to make contact.

Evidently, that was good enough for the Tigers, who promoted Fields to Erie part-way through last year. The results he had with the Sea Wolves were encouraging in that he posted a walk rate above 10 percent for the first time since 2010 and held his strikeouts down as well. Meanwhile, Fields became much more aggressive in running the bases and for the first time, began to steal base with a decent success rate.

So far this season, Fields has maintained a very good walk rate (12.1%) that has allowed him to reach base at a .354 clip for Erie. Though his strikeout rate has floated back up a bit at 23 percent, that’s a number still below his career mark and one the Tigers can probably live with as long as he’s drawing his share of walks to go with it.

The most encouraging sign of improvement for Fields at the plate, however, has been his ability to drive the ball; a skill he hadn’t shown often in his three seasons as a professional.

Fields is not a small man at 6’1″ and 215 lbs, but his pop at the plate has been slower to develop than was expected. Prior to this season, his career-best slugging percentage was a mere .371 posted for Lakeland in 2010. While neither the FSL nor the Eastern League are kind to hitters, Fields has finally begun to find the gaps and even clear the fences with more frequency. So far, through 21 games and 99 plate appearances for Erie, Fields has collected 22 base hits and nine of them have gone for extra bags. He has three home runs on the young season, the same total he amassed in 91 games across two levels a season ago.

In the last 10 games, Fields has posted a .300/.404/.500 line. He is currently slugging .447 on the season

Two things that impress me so far about Fields in 2013: He’s doing this while still being young for his league. Nearly 93 percent of his plate appearances have come against pitchers older than he is. Secondly, Fields is more than holding his own versus left-handed pitching, posting a .333/.433/.542 line against southpaws.

When Fields was drafted, he was a guy being talked about as having all the tools. When the results didn’t match the hype early on, Fields quickly fell off many of the organizational top-10 lists and for a system as thin as Detroit’s has been, that wasn’t an encouraging sign. He’s still just 22, so there is a chance to grow into a guy who makes better contact and he’s already shown some improvement there. His approach at the plate is sound in terms of showing patience and he’s finally a guy who is barreling the baseball more consistently.

It may have taken him a while to get going, but there is certainly reason for optimism as his career progresses and it’s the first time in a couple of years that we can say that about young Daniel Fields. If nothing else, when people talk about talent in the Tigers organization, Fields’ strong start is getting his name back into the discussion.

Stanford right hander Mark Appel is the consensus top player available in the June draft. Image: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The 2013 MLB Draft is a little over a month away now and the blocks are beginning to fall into place. The Houston Astros will select first overall once again to begin another exciting draft composed of the players who will emerge as the future of baseball and the idols of fans everywhere in the coming years. Who are these players and just how good do they have the ability to be? Let’s start finding that out by evaluating some of the top prospects in this year’s draft, a process that will be culminated by our first ever Grading on the Curve mock draft after years of mock drafts when the site was known as Seedlings to Stars. Today we’ll start with one of the favorites to be the Astros’ selection when the draft begins, Mark Appel.

Mark Appel (RHP, Stanford University)

Information: 6’5″, 215 pounds, turns 22 in July, previously selected 1st round (8th overall) by Pirates in 2012 and 15th round by Tigers in 2009

2013 Stats: 7-3, 1.49 ERA, 10.6 K/9, 1.6 BB/9, and 4 CG in 10 starts and 78.2 IP

Scouting Overview: Appel took a huge risk last summer, declining $3.8MM from the Pittsburgh Pirates after they selected him 8th overall to return to Stanford for his senior season. Appel had been a favorite to go first overall to the Astros last year, but they had instead decided on shortstop Carlos Correa, sending Appel into free-fall thanks to his bonus demands. Bud Selig finally called his name when the Pirates’ selection came around, but Appel refused to accept anything less than the $4.8MM Correa received and he could not agree to terms with Pittsburgh.

It could have been viewed at the time as Appel showing a bloating ego and a refusal to compromise even in favorable situation, but he has gone out on a mission this season and appears to have made the right decision.

Appel’s repertoire contains the same three offerings that it did last season, a fastball, a slider, and a changeup, but he has tied his arsenal together around the edges and college hitters have been overmatched against him nearly every time out.

Appel’s fastball stays in the mid-90′s, touching as high as 99 MPH, with sink and run away from right-handed hitters when he’s going well. His slider out of the same arm slot is a devastating pitch with acute downward action, and his changeup has emerged as a strong third offering with good late sink.

Appel has made strides on his secondary pitches, but his real breakthrough has been with his delivery.

Despite his electric stuff, Appel had a penchant for getting hit hard at times the previous two years as his command had lapses and he left too many pitches up in the zone. This season, though, he made a slight adjustment, lowering his arm slot just slightly from an almost over-the-top type of delivery to more high three-quarters, and the results of that have been spectacular.

As a pitcher, you want to get on top of the ball and drive it into the bottom of the zone. Throwing the ball relatively straight down sounds like a good way to do that, but it has the opposite effect, causing the ball to come out flatter out of the pitcher’s hand and taking more effort for him to get the ball down. Switching to a high three-quarters motion has allowed Appel to make more use of his height to get a great downward angle on the ball and get better sink and run on his fastball more often.

The change has also been a major reason why his breaking ball and changeup have improved as well.

Appel’s slider got slurvy and hanged up in the zone too frequently last season, leading to much more hard contact than Appel would have liked. Now, he’s keeping it down and getting dynamic, two-plane break on it a higher percentage of the time. At 85-88 MPH, Appel has the ability to both throw it for strikes down in the zone and use it as a put-away pitch, and it has looked like a plus-plus offering at times this season. For his changeup, Appel had decent arm action on it in the past, but he’s doing a better job getting sink on it and that has been a key to its emergence. Appel’s arm slot has also helped him hide the ball a little better than previously, just giving Appel another advantage as he attacks hitters.

Last year at this time, Mark Appel had outstanding stuff but carried risk as he needed refinement on all his pitches. Now, however, Appel is combining his overbearing arsenal with the polish he will need to dominate at higher levels, and he looks to zoom through the minor leagues and be an impact major league pitcher as soon as the middle of 2014.

Appel is a sure bet for one of the draft’s top three picks pending injury, and after turning him down last year, the Astros may like Appel too much to pass up again after seeing just how much he has improved.

Feb 16, 2013; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton poses for a photo during photo day at the Reds Spring Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off a season in which he set a new record for most stolen bases in a single season, Cincinnati Reds prospect Billy Hamilton was assigned to Triple-A Louisville where he is learning a new position and looking to continue his march toward Major League superstardom.

Hamilton has always been a speed demon and that was never more evident than last season. Splitting time between High-A Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola, Hamilton smashed Vince Coleman‘s old mark by swiping 155 bags in 132 games played. But it wasn’t just his speed that got Hamilton ranked as highly as he was on the pre-season top prospect lists (we had him at number 24).

Hamilton posted a stellar .311/.410/.420 line last season, which represented a marked improvement in terms of on-base ability, which will obviously be a huge key for a player with such elite speed. At 160 pounds, Hamilton’s power will come almost entirely in terms of doubles and triples; he has just seven professional home runs.

So far in 2013, however, things haven’t gone nearly as smoothly.

Hamilton stole his 15th base of the season during Louisville’s 6-2 home victory over Lehigh Valley on Monday and doubled in four at-bats. That base hit raised Hamilton’s average to a lowly .205 on the season and his on base percentage coming into the game was a paltry .280. Obviously, that’s not getting the job done.

Looking deeper, however, there are reasons to think that Hamilton’s slow start isn’t likely a case of a guy overmatched by a more advanced level of pitching. In all likelihood, in fact, it’s probably a case of a lot of bad luck more than anything else.

Hamilton has always been a guy who collects his fair share of strikeouts which, for someone with his speed, isn’t ideal. You might be able to stomach a high strikeout rate from a guy who’ll bash 30 homers in a season, but the rabbits like Hamilton need to put the ball in play and put pressure on the defense as often as possible. That said, his strikeout rates were a bit high last season at 18.7 percent, but that number was significantly lower than the 21.8 percent of 2011 and his strikeouts have decreased again this season. In the meantime, his walk rate has been very solid at nearly 10 percent for the season, so it would appear, understanding the limitations of a sample of less than 100 plate appearances, that Hamilton’s approach has continued to improve as he has matured.

The biggest difference in the success that Hamilton had last season versus the struggles of the early 2013 campaign may be a simple as finding the holes when he does make contact. Like many faster players, Hamilton is a guy who will typically have a higher-than-average batting average on balls in play. In 2012, Hamilton enjoyed a BABIP of better than .380. Meanwhile, this season his BABIP has languished at a mere .250; well below what an average hitter would expect and about 100 points below where Hamilton should expect to be.

Hamilton may be a guy who made a name for himself based on pure speed last year, but he also showed very real progress in terms of his approach at the plate and correcting contact issues that had previously plagued him. Thus far in 2013 the results haven’t been there, but the approach has remained strong. Given continued health, Hamilton’s luck will turn and his numbers will rebound.

Right hander Chris Bootcheck took the ball for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is the second game of a doubleheader at Charlotte. The Rail Raiders had taken the opener by a 5-4 score and Bootcheck did the lion’s share of the work in the nightcap, posting six shutout innings and holding the Knights to a mere two hits. He walked a pair but struck out six and improved to 3-0 on the young season. His scoreless outing on Monday lowered his ERA to a microscopic 0.38 in his four starts for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

February 28, 2012; Lakeland, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Chris Bootcheck (68) poses for photo day in the rec room at the Detroit Tigers headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

If Bootcheck’s name is unfamiliar to you, you would be blamed, though his pro career began with a good amount of fanfare. The Angles made Bootcheck a first-round draft pick (20th overall) out of Auburn back in the June 2000 draft. Unfortunately, though he advanced quickly through the Anaheim (at the time) system, Bootcheck didn’t have great success. In his first three years of pro ball, the Indiana native didn’t post an ERA under 4.25 in any season and his strikeout rates dropped in each year as well. After getting a September call-up in 2003, Bootcheck saw his Triple-A ERA balloon to over 5.00 in each of the next two years until the Angels finally tried him as a reliever, moving him to that role in 2006.

Though he has appeared in 90 Major League games with the Angels and Pirates, Bootcheck hasn’t seen the bright lights since 2009 and he owns a career big league ERA of 6.54. To assume that Bootcheck is anything but Triple-A roster-filler would be incorrect. 34-year-olds don’t typically have career resurrections in the INternational League, which is where Bootcheck has been exclusively making his living for the past three years, and doing so for three different organizations.

Until this season, however, he’s been working almost exclusively in relief.

Bootcheck has persevered and re-made himself more than once during his career. Along the way, the learned how to strikeout more hitters and has settled in to some very respectable strikeout-to-walk ratios in recent seasons. So far in 2013, Bootcheck has fanned 20 IL batters while walking just seven in 24 innings of work. He has allowed just 15 hits and a single run for the Rail Raiders this season.

Even if the Yankees see yet another injury; one that causes them to go get a minor league arm, Bootcheck isn’t on the 40-man roster and he’s not a guy most organizations are going to risk losing a player to add. They’d likely call on a younger pitcher, one with more upside, to help them out.

Just because he might not have a bright major league future doesn’t mean his brilliant start to the International League season should go unnoticed, however.

Feb 14, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees catcher Austin Romine throws during spring training at Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: John Munson/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees have been hit hard by injuries in the early going and that trend continued with the news that catcher Francisco Cervelli suffered a broken hand in Friday’s win over the Blue Jays. The timetable for Cervelli’s return is 4-6 weeks. In the meantime, New York will recall Austin Romine to join veteran Chris Stewart behind the dish.

Romine has gotten a good amount of fanfare (probably because he’s property of the Yankees) in his professional career and I think that has caused many fans to be expecting that the next great Yankee catcher is about to join the lineup.

To borrow from Rick Pitino, Jorge Posada ain’t walking through that door. Thurman Munson, Yogi Berra, they ain’t walking through that door.

It was be understandable if you glanced at his .341 average and .815 OPS on the young season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and assumed that Romine is finally healthy and has matured into a productive hitter. While he may be healthy, his numbers this year are a mirage.

Romine was a second round pick out of high school in 2007 and has twice appeared on Baseball America’s Top-100 Prospect list. He made it to the major leagues briefly in 2011 after putting up solid numbers at Double-A Trenton. And by solid, I mean he had a .351 OBP. Apart from that, he wasn’t all that impressive.

Romine’s calling card has always been his defense and while scouts have projected that he may wind up developing an average hit tool, he’s never shown much pop and has trouble squaring the ball consistently. Part of the issues Romine has had at the plate can surely be attributed to the rash of injuries he’s faced, including a back injury that has lingered and cut into his development. The Yankees even sent him to the Arizona Fall League last year in hopes of just getting him some much-needed playing time.

Romine’s “success” at Triple-A this season has been quite misleading. His high OBP is fueled almost completely by a high batting average. In turn, that average is largely thanks to an insane .464 BABIP. He’s striking out at a much higher rate (26 percent of his plate appearances) than he ever has before and among his 14 base hits, only one has gone for extra-bases.

In other words, you’re looking at a guy who has gotten off to an extremely fortuitous start for the Rail Raiders, but one that will almost certainly come crashing back to Earth in the very near future.

If everyone else, or even most everyone else, were healthy, the Yankees could certainly carry a defense-first backstop and allow Romine to hopefully grow into a significant MLB role without a ton of pressure. As it stands now, however, with so many stars out of the lineup, Romine’s arrival is bound to be over-hyped.

Romine has every chance to be a serviceable part-time catcher in the big leagues, but that’s probably his ceiling. Somehow, I doubt that will be enough for Yankees fans.

Fully recovered from Tommy John, Gibson says there are no restrictions on him this season. Image: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

At this point, I’m not sure we shouldn’t just re-name the site “We Love Miguel Sano dotcom.” I mean, I figure that roughly three out of four posts here at least mention him. I bring him up today only to note that Sano clubbed his eighth home run of the season at High-A Ft. Myers on Thursday as he continues to dominate the Florida State League.

I have doubts about how quickly the Twins will push him, though he’s certainly due for a promotion at some point relatively soon. Just in case though, I already picked him up in a dynasty league. Let’s get you caught up on the links…

Yankees prospect Mason Williams was arrested early Thursday morning after failing a field sobriety test in Tampa. Williams did pass a breathalyzer, but was taken into custody after traveling 10 mph over the speed limit and swerving in his lane at 2:45 am. MILB.com has the story.

Moving on to happier news, left hander Brian Flynn was by far the least heralded of the three young player that Miami got from the Tigers in last July’s Anibal Sanchez trade, but he’s proving to be anything but a throw-in on the deal. Flynn was recently promoted to Triple-A New Orleans and Marlin Maniac says we shouldn’t be surprised if Flynn makes his way to South Beach before the season is done.

This one is a couple of days old, but Christopher Fee of Twins Daily had a chance to catch up with right hander Kyle Gibson. Among the topic discussed were Gibson’s recovery from Tommy John surgery, his maturity over the years and the excitement of being one step away from the Show. It’s a good read and provides insight into what it takes to come back from a serious arm injury.

The other day, Phillies prospect Jesse Biddle fanned 16 at Double-A Reading and created quite a buzz for himself. In this day and age where prospects are often over hyped (and we are as guilty as anyone on that front), Justin Klugh of That Ball’s Outta Here takes issue with those in the Philadelphia media that have begun comparing him to Cole Hamels.

Bruce Rondon made his big league debut for the Tigers on Thursday and wound up taking a blown save. Rob Rogacki of Bless You Boys breaks down Rondon’s entire outing, including many GIFs to illustrate his points. From what I saw, Rondon got a little bit unlucky, but also was exposed by some rookie mistakes that the Royals took advantage of. The stuff was very good.

Finally, with the draft rapidly approaching, Baseball America‘s Conor Glassey ponders an interesting question: How hard is too hard when it comes to velocity and high school pitchers? Does a pitcher’s velocity indicate likeliness of a catastrophic arm injury? Also, does an elite fastball in high school predict MLB success? Excellent free content at BA.

Wacha was nealry unhittable during Spring Training. Image: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals have had quite a bit of turmoil in the late-inning relief corps this season. Jason Motte is injured and Mitchell Boggs has fallen flat in his attempt to lock down the ninth inning role. As the bullpen woes continue for the parent club, the clamoring for reinforcements has already begun.

Combine those struggles with the success being enjoyed by top prospect Michael Wacha and the natural curiosity is whether the Cardinals would consider promoting Wacha to help out in relief. Though he’s rocketed through their system, the Cardinals would be unwise to sacrifice Wacha’s development as a starter for a late-April promotion.

It’s too early for that kind of desperation.

Wacha has been one of the hottest names in professional baseball since the Cardinals made him the 19th overall selection in the 2012 draft. He signed in time to make 11 appearances across three levels for the Cards last season and put up staggering numbers. Wacha struck out 40 hitters in just 21 innings of work, almost all of it in relief.

If that wasn’t enough, Wacha was beyond dominant during Spring Training, where he was easily the most impressive pitcher I saw in the Grapefruit League. Not only did Wacha do the almost unheard of and work 11.2 innings in Major League camp without allowing an earned run, but he held opponents scoreless in 13 innings in Minor League camp as well. In total, Wacha allowed just 10 hits and a single unearned run while striking out 28 in 24.2 innings during Spring Training.

Despite being less than  year removed from his college days at Texas A&M, Wacha was assigned to triple-A Memphis to start 2013. If he continues the success he’s having there, it will be awfully tempting for the Cardinals to bring him up to the big leagues. And soon.

A cursory look at the numbers would suggest that Wacha has little left to show in the minors. Posting a sub-2.00 ERA and 3-0 record in his first four starts, Wacha has gotten better since struggling a bit early on. Wacha walked five batters while striking out just three in his first two starts spanning nine innings. In his last two outings, however, Wacha has worked seven inning each time and allowed a mere three hits apiece while striking out a total of nine and walking four.

The one thing that jumps off the page at you in looking at the numbers is that Wacha has struck out just 12 batters in 23 innings of work thus far, which equates to just 4.7 per nine innings. Certainly he has gotten better in that regard of late, fanning six through seven innings in his last start, but the early-season peripherals suggest a pitcher who’s been much more lucky than good. In fact, Wacha has pitched to a FIP of 4.46 this season, and his success has been largely fueled by an incredibly low BABIP of .177.

In other words, don’t look at his won-loss record and shiny ERA and assume Wacha has it all figured out. At least not yet.

The Cardinals are well-positioned to maintain their Major League success for years to come, both because of the talent already in St. Louis and the depth of their farm system, and Wacha is among the headliners in terms of prospects. A potential rotation that includes Adam Wainwright, Wacha, and Shelby Miller has fans drooling, as it should.

Late-game losses are always the toughest on fans and can lead to knee-jerk reactions by organizations as well. But instead of rushing a pitcher who clearly still has some work to do in the minor leagues and risk stunting his development, the Cardinals, and their fans, would do well to exercise patience with Wacha.

When his time comes, he’ll be a good one.

Turner lost command of the strike zone during camp and has yet to get it back. Image: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

When the Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins consummated a deadline deal last July it was the classic mid-season baseball trade. Detroit, a team headed for the World Series, added a pair of veterans and Miami brought in three prospects, including right hander Jacob Turner; a guy widely recognized as a Top-15 prospect in the game by multiple outlets.

The deal showed immediate dividends for the Marlins in 2012 with catcher Rob Brantly and lefty Brian Flynn both performing well, Turner was the real story. After dominating in five starts at Triple-A New Orleans after the deal, Turner was brought to the big leagues and posted a sterling 3.38 ERA and 0.984 WHIP in seven starts for the Fish. He walked just nine hitters in 42.2 innings of work.

So far in 2013, however, things haven’t gone as planned for the Marlins or for their prized hurler.

Turner was all but assured a place in the 2013 rotation both based on his performance last season and simply based on the lack of experienced starters around him. Amazingly enough though, Turner didn’t make the team in Spring Training. He labored through four Grapefruit League starts that spanned a mere 13 innings in total. During that time, Turner managed only five strikeouts, but walked nine hitters and posted a 9.69 ERA.

Back at New Orleans to start the season, things haven’t gone much better for the former ninth overall selection of the 2009 draft.

While coming through the Tigers system, control was never an issue for Turner. While his strikeout totals didn’t blow you away, he did impress with his ability to limited walks. Something happened over the Winter, it seems, that has caused Turner to take a large step backward. As Marlins manager Mike Redmond told the Miami Herald back in March:

“We’ve laid it out and made it very clear that we see him in our plans pitching in this rotation, but he’s got to go down and pound the strike zone and work on his command. When he does that, he’ll be back.”

What Turner has done so far is anything but pound the zone.

In four starts for the Zephyrs, Turner has yet to show anything other than a lost pitcher. He’s allowed an alarming number of baserunners in each of his four outings and lately his command seems to be getting worse, not better. In his last start, a six-inning outing at Round Rock, Turner struck out four, but yielded six hits and four runs (three earned) while walking three. That doesn’t sound all that bad until you also factor in the pair of hit batsmen and the balk he committed.

So far this season, Turner has allowed 23 hits and eight walks in just 17.1 innings pitched. His WHIP of 1.788 is staggering when contrasted to the sub-1.00 effort he had at the big league level just a handful of months ago. As is often the case with pitchers who are constantly falling behind, Turner is faced with the decision of either having to give in to the hitter or risk another free pass. When he’s chosen to given in, PCL hitters have made him pay. Already the still-just-21-year-old righty has allowed four home runs which is a rate triple the highest of his minor league career to this point.

Turner is pitching tentatively, which is no way to make a living on the mound. This is the kind of regression that many feared when Turner was rushed through the Tigers organization before being traded away. Often when a young pitcher gets knocked around for the first time, they can lose a bit of confidence and wind up getting gun-shy with the strike zone. While Turner did not have success in his few Major League appearances with the Tigers, the work he did for the Marlins at the end of 2012 would suggest anything but a case of a pitcher losing confidence upon reaching the highest level.

Of course, it could also be that a minor delivery flaw lead to some control issues and it was those issues during camp that have manifested themselves as the season has begun.

Turner is still very young and still highly regarded. A bad start at Triple-A might very well be just that. But the important numbers are trending in the wrong direction and there is reason to be at least a little concerned about Turner’s development going forward.

The closer of the future, Rondon will have to sit behind Valverde in Detroit. Image: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Right hander Bruce Rondon was all but given the job as closer of the reigning AL Champion Detroit Tigers even before pitchers and catchers reported to Lakeland in February. The Tigers spent the Winter spurning the advances of seemingly every free agent reliever and maintained that if Rondon wasn’t their guy, they were prepared to use a committee of closers.

As it goes, Rondon had a poor camp, allowing far too many walks and far too many hits. His triple-digit fastball and quality off-speed offerings were too often either off the plate, or right down the middle of it. By the time the Tigers had broken camp, Rondon was on his way to Toledo, where he opened as the closer of the Triple-A Mud Hens.

Meanwhile, the Tigers back-end didn’t inspire much confidence. Right handers Octavio Dotel and Brayan Villarreal have been erratic at best and the closer committee took only two days to blow their first save of the year. It was that save, served up by left hander Phil Coke, that preceded the news that the Tigers had signed veteran Jose Valverde to a minor league deal.

On Tuesday, the Tigers placed Dotel on the disabled list and recalled Rondon from Toledo. All he had done for the Hens was work 7.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing five hits and two walks while fanning nine. He was surely disappointed by the way Spring Training played out, but Rondon had taken his medicine, gone down to Toledo and put his work in and now was being rewarded. It was assumed that this move would pave the way for Valverde to take over in Toledo as he was set to move on from High-A Lakeland.

A funny thing happened on the way to the start of what should be a promising career for Rondon, however. Instead of Valverde meeting up with the Hens as they begin a road trip, he flew into Detroit for the purposes of signing a one-year major league deal with the Tigers. He was immediately named the team’s closer. Rondon, it would appear, will work in middle relief.

Of course, this news doesn’t have to mean the end of Rondon’s development as Detroit’s closer of the future. Having the opportunity to ease into the job by learning in a less-pressurized role could very well help the young hurler when he inevitably does take the reigns for the Tigers, whether that be this season on next.

The bigger issue here isn’t necessarily the fact that Valverde is now squarely in the way of Rondon becoming the closer, it’s that those in power in Detroit still insist that Valverde was necessary because he, unlike Coke, or Rondon, or Joaquin Benoit, or Al Alburquerque, is what is referred to as a “proven closer” and that such a thing is somehow valuable.

The only proof Jim Leyland and Dave Dombrowski should need to the contrary is found in the two teams that bested Detroit in their last two trips to the World Series. Sergio Romo had never been a closer before last season and didn’t even get the bulk of the chances until very late in the year. He showed no ill-effects in closing out the Tigers. In 2006 it was rookie Adam Wainwright that filled in for Jason Isringhausen for the Cardinals and closed out the five-game victory over the heavily-favored Tigers.

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Bundy got some good work in during camp, but can’t shake elbow soreness that has delayed his season. Image: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

These links pieces are fun, but I’m terrible at writing intros for them. I mean, I see other sites that use a this date in history-type thing to lead in to a links piece and I’ve never really gotten that. Today, I’ve opted to ramble for a bit. Anyhow, welcome to your morning…

If you recall, Dylan Bundy experienced a touch of tightness just before Opening Day. It was said at the time that he would take a few days off and then resume throwing. Well over three weeks later and Bundy still hasn’t thrown a pitch in 2013 and while his MRI appeared normal, Bundy has requested a visit with Dr. James Andrews. Those are words no Orioles fan wants to hear.

Moving on to guys that are healthy enough to pitch, Phillies prospect Jesse Biddle turned some heads in his last start for Double-A Reading when he set a Reading franchise record with 16 strikeouts against Harrisburg. Biddle set down the first 19 batters he faced in the gem. Justin Klugh of That Ball’s Outta Here brings us the tale in the way only he can.

Another day, another Miguel Sano homer. The Ft. Myers slugger victimized Palm Beach once again (already his third game with a long ball versus the Cardinals) for his seventh blast of the season. Cody Christie of Twins Daily gives us the recap. With all the chatter about Sano and how he would fare if promoted to the big leagues, he just continues to mash in the Florida State League. Ordinarily it’s a long way from High-A to the Show, but Sano seems like he could be arriving much sooner than anyone had anticipated.

If you’re a MiLB.tv user, no doubt you’ve noticed the variances in camera views throughout the different minor league stadiums. In a way only he can Carson Cistulli has ranked each visual in the International League (spoiler: Charlotte doesn’t rank high).

Max Muncy has surprised everyone by swatting eight homers in his first 18 games for High-A Stockton, leading the minor leagues and doubling his total from 2012. Is Muncy’s power surge for real? In an eye-opening piece, Charlie Drysdale at Minor League Ball takes a deeper look and reveals that the California League has a few homer-happy parks and Muncy may have simply benefitted from ideal surroundings early on.

Lost in the hullabaloo over Carlos Correa‘s multi-homer game was the professional debut of Brewers prospect Victor Roache. Injuries had prevented Roache, taken with the 28th overall selection in 2012, from seeing the field until Sunday and the former NCAA home run champ, wasted little time in making his initial trot around the bases, homering in his first trip to the plate. MILB.com has the story.

Unable to get him out, FSL hurlers have taken to headhunting Sano. Image: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

One of the bigger stories in baseball has been the Detroit Tigers and their lack of an established closer. After Bruce Rondon failed to secure the job in Spring Training, the Tigers inked veteran Jose Valverde to a minor league deal. Valverde has moved to from extended Spring Training to High-A Lakeland and TigsTown recaps (free content) the second of back-to-back outings for the Big Potato. Motor City Bengals is not impressed with Valverde thus far. Next stop for Valverde is sure to be a promotion to Triple-A Toledo where he’ll try to prove he can still get it done at the back-end of games.

Right hander Allen Webster (number 86 on our top prospect list) was recalled by the Boston Red Sox and made his big league debut on Sunday and pitched pretty well. Webster allowed three runs (two earned) over six innings and struck out five. Kansas City did touch him up for a pair of home runs, but Webster was in line for the victory until the Boston bullpen lost the lead. BoSox Injection has the details of Webster’s debut.

There is lots of chatter about Miguel Sano getting tossed for taunting after a long home run during Sunday’s Ft. Myers win over Palm Beach. 1500ESPN passes along the details, as seen by Miracle play-by-play voice Brice Zimmerman. Zimmerman details a pitch that sailed behind the head of Minnesota’s top prospect. Three offerings later, Sano belted a blast that cleared the fence and the slugger stopped to admire his feat before pumping his fist in the direction of the Cardinals’ dugout. That was enough for the home plate umpire., who ran Sano for taunting. For what it’s worth, Zimmerman noted that he’s yet to see any attitude problems from Sano.

Correa, who was just 17 at the time, signed quickly and gathered better than 200 plate appearances in a pair of Rookie League stops for the Astros in 2012 and scouts saw enough in his to rank him fairly high on the 2013 prospect lists (we had him at number 39, MLB.com at #30, and Baseball America rated him number 13). Beginning this season at Class-A Quad Cities, Correa got off to a slow start at the dish, but broke out in a big way on Sunday.

Correa, who came into the game at Wisconsin with a total of four professional home runs, connected for the second of the season in the top of the first inning, igniting a 12-run effort by the River Bandits. After adding a single later in the game, Correa went deep again in the eighth, this time with a man aboard, to finish the day 3-for-4 and give him a total of 13 RBI in just 11 games played.

Correa had shown good patience at the plate on the early campaign, but hadn’t shown much in the way of power, slugging just .359 through his first 48 plate appearances. While he does strikeout often (14 times so far this year and 44 times in 50 games a season ago), Correa has added nine walks to his line, giving his a respectable on base percentage despite coming into the game with a batting average of just .205. That average jumped up by 50 points with his three-hit effort on Sunday.

Correa is extremely young and he’s a long ways away from reaching his potential. So much so that it’s actually fairly difficult to ascertain exactly what his ceiling might be. At already 6’4″ and 190 lbs, it’s safe to assume that Correa will fill out considerably as he matures and with that will come some increased pop. If he can do that and maintain athleticism, he could develop into a legitimate five-tool player down the road.

Anthony Rendon (Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-US PRESSWIRE)

Veteran third baseman Ryan Zimmerman landed on the disabled list with a bum hamstring on Saturday and in his place, the Washington Nationals have recalled their top prospect, infielder Anthony Rendon.

Rendon, recalled from Double-A Harrisburg, was the sixth overall pick in the 2011 draft, coming out of Rice University. He impressed in his first year of pro ball in 2012, posting a .233/.363/.489 line across 160 plate appearances spread over four minor league stops.

Rendon’s mature approach to hitting as been on display early in 2013 as well, as he is leading the Eastern League in walks with 14 through 14 games for the Senators, a number that has helped him to a sparkling .462 OBP this season. With Zimmerman under contract through 2019, it looks as if Rendon’s path to the majors was blocked at the hot corner, where he spent all of 2012, so he has seen time at second base and even at shortstop for Harrisburg this season.

While Zimmerman is on the shelf, however, Rendon will return to his comfort zone at third base. Nats’ manager Davey Johnson told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he expects Zimmerman to miss the minimum of 15 days on the DL, but that Rendon will get his chance.

“I don’t like to bring a youngster up and have him sit,” Johnson said. “He’s been swinging the bat pretty good down there. It’s no slight against some guys I got here.”

It’s no guarantee that Rendon is in Washington for two weeks and two weeks only. Both Johnson and GM Mike Rizzo indicated to the Post that while it was likely he would return to the minors once Zimmerman was healthy, that has yet to be determined.

“I would think that when Zim comes back, we’ll probably send him down for more seasoning,” Rizzo said. “But we’ll take that as it comes. We see him as a long-term component of the team.”

If the Nats do find a place for Rendon going forward, it will most likely be as a second baseman. Incumbant Danny Espinosa has really struggled out of the gate and has yet regressed consistently following a stellar rookie campaign in 2011. Rendon, who missed most of last season with a fractured ankle, moves well and is showing he can handle playing at second. If he gets off to a good start at the plate over the next couple of weeks, it could be that Johnson and Rizzo allow him to learn on the job with the Nationals going forward.

#Rays SS prospect Hak-Ju Lee tore ligaments in left knee in rough 2B collision in Durham game, likely done for season

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) April 21, 2013

Lee was 1-for-2 before the injury to raise his average to a blistering .422 on the young season.

Mar 5, 2012; Port Charlotte, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Hak-Ju Lee (66) sits in the dugout against the Baltimore Orioles at Charlotte Sports Park. The Orioles defeated the Rays 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

It’s too early to know exactly what kind of timetable we are looking at for Lee, who is in his first season at Triple-A. A consensus Top-100 prospect, Lee won’t turn 23 until November, so as long as he can come back healthy, this injury doesn’t have to derail his career, though it certainly is serious enough that it could.Lee’s game is predicated primarily on an elite glove and plus speed and knee injuries tend to sap both range and quickness.

I’d guess (but that’s really all this is) that he will be ready to resume baseball activites by the time Spring Training opens up in 2014, but if the timetable runs to a full year, it could be into the regular season before Lee can resume his career.

At the very least, this injury means that Lee is now very unlikely to be playing for the Rays as next season begins, which is something I felt was well within the realm of possibilities for him.

UPDATE: Rays Index has video of the collision.

March 14, 2013; Clearwater, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Andy Oliver (45) against the Philadelphia Phillies at Bright House Networks Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Oliver has taken kindly to his new home and a return to a starting role with Triple-A Indianapolis. Friday night in Louisville, Oliver held the Bats to a single hit over six shutout frames. He walked three but struck out a season-high 10 batters en route to his first victory of the season and lowering his ERA to a sterling 2.11.

Oliver was ranked as high as 87 by Baseball America on their top prospect list prior to the 2011 campaign, but began to struggle with control shortly thereafter. A second round pick by the Tigers in 2009, Oliver features a mid-90s fastball a solid arsenal of off-speed pitches. Unfortunately, too often he puts himself behind in counts and winds up getting burned, either via the base on balls or by giving in to the hitter. In two separate stints with the Tigers in 2010 and 2011, Oliver made a total of seven big league starts and was summarily rocked. He wound up 0-5 with an ERA of 7.11 and 21 walks versus just 23 strikeouts in 31.2 innings of work.

It was long speculated that Oliver’s struggles could iron themselves out with a shift to relief work and the Tigers ultimately decided to give that a shot in 2012, but the results weren’t much better. With concerns not only about his delivery but his mental makeup, Detroit essentially gave up on the still young left hander and dealt him to Pittsburgh.

It may be worth noting that Cabrera, the catcher Detroit got back in the deal, is off to a blistering .388/.475/.531 start, but he’s also a 5’8″ catcher with 13 career home runs in almost 1700 minor league plate appearances. His ceiling is limited.

Oliver, on the other hand, is limited only by his command issues and those haven’t completely abated. While his excellent outing on Friday accentuates his potentially dominant stuff, he’s still walked 12 batters in just 21.1 innings pitched this season for Indy. That’s something he won’t be able to dance around for long.

Oliver has impressed with high strikeout rates in the past only to have his weaknesses exploited when facing more advanced hitters. There is little to suggest that his fast start with a new organization is anything other than just that. Until he gets his control problems ironed out, Oliver won’t reach the level of success his talent suggests he could reach.

We ranked Lee the number 92 prospect in the game coming into the season. Image : Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Tampa Bay Rays are off to a disappointing (5-10) start and their offense, which had many a pundit worried coming into the season, has been the biggest (though certainly not the only) reason why.

Chief among the offensive offenders is shortstop Yunel Escobar, who has offered up a slash line of just .115/.207/.154 through his first 59 plate appearances. Obviously this is a tremendously small sample size, but Escobar is coming off a poor offensive campaign with Toronto in 2012 and has posted an OPS of  no higher than .655 in two of his past three seasons.

In other words, there is reason to believe that Escobar is simply not an above average offensive player and given his character concerns, the Rays certainly couldn’t be blamed if they have a short leash with him.

If the Rays were to choose to, they may be able to find a viable alternative in 22-year-old shortstop Hak-Ju Lee, who is currently lighting up the International League for the Triple-A Durham Bulls.

Lee, who has long been renowned as an elite defensive shortstop, seems to have found his stroke in the early campaign. Over the past week he’s been on fire (as evidenced by his appearance on Baseball America’s weekly Hot Sheet) and he’s posted a .419/.537/.605 line through the first 14 games of the year.

This is Lee’s first taste of Triple-A pitching, and his early-season success at the plate is, in all likelihood, simply a hot start. In a year-and-a-half at Double-A Montgomery in 2011 and 2012, Lee struggled mightily at the dish, posting a .249/.325/.351 line over the course of 575 at bats. This was a drop in production that could have been anticipated given that his solid OBP numbers in Class-A were largely fueled by a good batting average. Lee has very little power, but good speed and has twice posted double-digit totals in triples, though he has just 13 professional home runs.

So far this season, Lee has been seeing the ball very well, which is displayed by his 11 walks in the early campaign. H’s walking in 20 percent of his plate appearances thus far while his career numbers are more in the nine-to-nine-and-a-half percent area. Lee has fanned just nine times in comparison, which also represents a significant improvement over his personal history.

As much as the Rays do plan to compete every season in the AL East, they do so by always remaining cost-conscious to the point that the finances always trump the potential for big league success. So while top pitching prospects are routinely held back in the minor leagues until they are absolutely big league ready, thereby delaying the player’s arbitration clock, the same principle applies to the up and coming crop of young hitters in the system.

Though Lee’s glove could play in the big league right now, and his bat might even prove to be an upgrade over what Escobar could provide, Tampa Bay won’t make a move to replace the veteran with the rookie until they are sure that it won’t cost them a year of service time on Lee. It’s the same plan they’re using with top prospect Wil Myers, who, if service time weren’t a concern, would be playing everyday for the Rays this season.

Lee is young for his league, just as he was last season, and won’t turn 23 until November. It’s probable that the Rays have no plans to bring him to the big leagues at all this season. If that’s the case, it won’t matter how much success he has at the plate in 2013. It may take Tampa Bay completely falling out of contention for a change to be made at shortstop and for Lee to assume the role for the Rays.

Image: USA Today sports

In Wednesday night’s contest with Sacramento, D’Arnaud, catching for Las Vegas, took a foul-tip to his left foot and was eventually removed from the contest. Mets’ GM Sandy Alderson indicated a non-displaced fracture of the first metatarsal for d’Arnaud, who flew to New York to be examined by team physicians.

Early indications are that d’Arnaud could be forced to sit for at least a month before even beginning baseball activities, so this is an injury that could wind up costing him a significant portion of the season.

This is the second straight season that d’Arnaud will have missed a good deal of time. Last summer, d’Arnaud suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament and missed the second half of the season. Incidently, though he was property of the Toronto Blue Jays at the time, both injuries occurred while d’Arnaud was playing for the 51′s. Las Vegas switched affiliations from Toronto to New York during the off-season and d’Arnaud was involved in the trade that sent NL Cy Youngwinner R.A. Dickey to the Jays.

While an injury is never a good thing, this isn’t the kind of thing that should hamper d’Arnaud long-term. It also doesn’t have to alter the timetable for his arrival in the big leagues, as John Buck is off to a tremendous start for the Mets anyway. As long as d’Arnaud can make a healthy return to the 51′s and play the final three months of the minor league season, he should be in line for a September call-up and would be likely to head to Spring Training as New York’s primary catcher.

Another member of the Dickey trade, right hander Noah Syndergaard, also ran into some trouble this week.

While facing the powerful Ft. Myers Miracle in Florida State League action on Thursday, it didn’t take long for Syndergaard to become the latest victim of a Miguel Sano longball. Sano took Syndergaard deep in the very first inning and it was a harbinger of a bad outing.

The 6’5″ 20-year-old would wind up lasting just three innings and yielded eight hits and seven earned runs, though he didn’t factor in the decision of an 11-8 St. Lucie loss. Syndergaard walked two and struck out two. Four of the eight hits ha allowed went for extra bases.

2013 is his first taste of Advanced-A competition and this is the first time he’s really struggled. In two previous starts for St. Lucie, Syndergaard has allowed just two earned runs over nine innings of work and had fanned 13 batters. On the other hand, not many FSL teams feature the kind of lineup that Ft. Myers does. It will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments Syndergaard is able to make the next time he faces the Miracle.

Feb 23, 2013; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (65) throws in the fourth inning during a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

While Syndergaard is a heralded prospect, he’s a few years away from helping out the big club. The same isn’t true for right hander Zack Wheeler. Wheeler is off to a solid start at Triple-A Las Vegas (3.86 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched), and talk has already begun about when we might expect him to join Matt Harvey in the Mets rotation.

Mets Manager Terry Collins had made comments recently that Wheeler would be brought to the big leagues as soon as the organization deemed him ready for the job. Later, Alderson expanded on Collins’ remarks, saying that team need would also be a factor in Wheeler’s inevitable promotion to New York.

The Mets are currently using journeyman left hander Aaron Laffey at the back of their rotation and righty Jeremy Hefner has struggled thus far as well, so there is no reason to think that Wheeler’s path to the big leagues is somehow blocked by a lack of team need. That said, it’s also not a given that Wheeler has nothing left to gain by toiling in the PCL for a little while longer.

This is probably going to come down to service time, as most of these decisions do. Expect to see Wheeler in New York around the first of June, regardless of how well Laffey and Hefner are pitching.

Fernandez hadn’t thrown a pitch above A-ball before making the Marlins Opening Day roster. Image: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

I’m not sure there has been a pitcher at any level of professional baseball who has been more impressive than left hander Tony Cingrani. The Cincinnati Reds hurler will make his season debut (and first major league start) this evening when the Reds host the Miami Marlins at Great American Ballpark. If you don’t have MLB.tv, this is a good time to consider investing in it.

Cingrani, who came in at number 63 on our Top-115 Prospects list earlier this year, was darn near perfect on Opening Day and he hasn’t fallen off much, if at all, over his next two starts, either. The former third-round pick (2011) out of Rice, Cingrani has worked a total of 14.1 innings at Triple-A Louisville this year and in that time he’s struck out 26 batters. What might be even more impressive is that he’s allowed a total of five baserunners (three hits, two walks) and zero runs.

As impressive as Cingrani has been, his opposite number is at least as big a story so far. Jose Fernandez was a shocking addition to Miami’s Opening Day roster after being assigned to minor league camp early in Spring Training. Fernandez comes with a boat load of talent and we ranked him as the sixth-best prospect in the game.

Just 20 years old, Fernandez has made a pair of starts for the Fish this season and has yet to factor in a decision. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t pitched well enough to win. He’s worked 11 innings and fanned 13 hitters against just three walks while allowing only five hits and a single earned run (0.82 ERA).

Fernandez was selected in the same draft as Cingrani, but was the 14th overall selection out of a Tampa high school. In his first full professional season in 2012, all he did was make 25 starts and go 14-1 with a sterling 1.75 ERA while striking out 158 batters in 134 innings.

If you like watching guys with pure stuff on the mound, this game is pretty much baseball porn. Don’t expect anything that matches what Felix Hernandez and Max Scherzer did on Wednesday night in Seattle, because neither hurler is anywhere near as refined as those two, but understand that there is more than enough talent taking the mound tonight in Cincinnati that something special could happen.

There is so much that can go wrong in the development of a pitcher that it’s impossible to really project anyone with any great certainty. If things go as well as they could, however, tonight might simply be the first meeting of two of the better pitchers in the National League for years to come.

Waldrop has a 1-1 record in 24 career big league appearances. Image: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Waldrop took the ball in a game at Toledo and proceeded to hold the Mud Hens to just two hits and a walk over 6.2 shutout innings en route to the 2-0 victory. In fact, the only two hits he allowed came back-to-back to start the fourth inning. Waldrop immediately induced a double-play ball to snuff the rally. He struck out three in what was his first starting assignment at any level since 2007.

A former first-round pick out of high school in 2004, Waldrop spent his first four professional seasons working almost exclusively from the rotation. While he posted excellent walk rates, Waldrop’s strikeout numbers were never impressive and neither were his results. After missing all of 2008 with injury, the Twins moved him to relief work full-time upon his return in 2009. While his strikeout rates remained low (a running theme with Twins hurlers going back several years), he did pitch well enough to make a couple of trips to the major league bullpen, appearing in 24 career games including 17 last season when he pitched to a 2.53 ERA for Minnesota.

Waldrop was signed to a minor league deal by the Pirates in December and got a Spring Training invite, but failed to make the big club out of camp. In two appearances for Indianapolis this season, Waldrop has tossed 10 scoreless innings while allowing just six hits and recording six strikeouts. He has yet to walk a batter.

Let’s keep things in perspective here: Waldrop is 27-years-old and at best he’s a middle reliever at the major league level. Even then he doesn’t strikeout near enough hitters to last all that long. His effort on Wednesday was notable, but it was also against the hapless Mud Hens, who have been among the worst-hitting clubs in pro ball this season.

Still, for a guy who hasn’t started a game at any level in more than five years, this was a pretty nice night.

Stanton was an All-Star and lead the NL in slugging as a 22-year-old in 2012. Image: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins have been telling everyone going back to last Fall that they have no interest in trading star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mills from churning.

One of the juiciest of possible trade scenarios involves the Texas Rangers and a suggested deal that would send Jurickson Profar, Mike Olt, and Martin Perez to Miami.

First of all, from a public relations standpoint, the Marlins would be fools to deal away Stanton. He’s still just 23 years old and already a star in the big leagues. Plus, he’s under team control for three more seasons. If they were to trade him, they would have to get such a haul in return that they simply couldn’t say no. And frankly speaking, Stanton’s obvious unhappiness with how the organization dealt away the overwhelming majority of their roster just one off-season after spending so much to add talent shouldn’t really be taken into consideration, at least not from a business standpoint.

Stanton is really the only marketable piece this club currently has. If there is any chance to salvage a relationship with the fans in South Florida (and I doubt there is whilst Jeffrey Loria sits in the owner’s box, but that’s another column). That said, winning tends to heal almost all wounds as far as fans are concerned. A trade of Stanton could conceivably bring the Fish closer to winning sooner than holding on to him. It would be a risk, but one the organization has shown it isn’t afraid of taking.

From a Rangers perspective, making such a blockbuster trade would seem to give fans and those within the organization pause. Looking deeper, however, this is the type of trade that Texas is well-positioned to make.

Perez is a guy who has dropped a long ways in many of the prospect rankings list coming off a tough season at Triple-A in 2012 and an unimpressive stint in the big leagues. What is of utmost importance to recall here though is that he turned 22 years old earlier this month. Perez possesses a world of talent and has plenty of time to make the needed adjustments. Trading him at this point would be selling low, but the Rangers may have soured on him just enough to make including him in this kind of trade more palatable.

In Olt, the Rangers have a potential middle-of-the-order bat, but one who is at least temporarily blocked at third base by Adrian Beltre. Olt could also play first and the Rangers have the luxury of the DH to use to find a home for his potent bat, so holding on this upper-tier prospect seems like the thing to do.

The case for keeping Profar is even more pronounced. Rumors were rampant that Texas could have landed Justin Upton from Arizona this past Winter but were unwilling to part with either Profar or big league shortstop Elvis Andrus to make the deal. Since that time, Andrus has been inked to a massive contract extension and second baseman Ian Kinsler is signed through at least 2017. There has been some discussion of moving Kinsler to first base or even left field in order to make room for Profar, the top prospect in all of baseball, but the implication of the contracts that Texas has been securing is that Profar may simply wind up being an extremely valuable trade chip.

What any kind of prospect-for-big-leaguer trade must weigh is the risk involved. For the team trading away the Major League star, in this case, the Marlins, are they comfortable enough with what their scouts have seen? Are they convinced that this package is the best they can expect to receive for their star player? Does this trade make them better down the road? They must believe in the potential of the prospects they’re getting back and believe there is a realistic chance those players will at least come close to reaching said potential.

For the buyers (Texas), you’re gambling that the star player (Stanton) puts you over the top. This particular trade idea is a bit unique in that it isn’t often a young, team-controlled player of this magnitude becomes available. That said, they also have to consider the significant financial value of having three players, all potential impact players, under control for six big league seasons each instead of getting Stanton for three, and those three seasons will be arbitration years with Stanton likely to command salaries well North of $10 million per season.

When all is said and done, if this trade were actually proposed it would take a lot of guts for either side to pull the trigger. It may take even more to walk away, however. The deal is probably the best one Miami could imagine in return for Stanton, whose escalating salary and unhappiness with the organization combine to mean he’s probably eventually going to be traded anyway. By holding on, you risk injury and the player losing value; it’s better to deal while interest is its highest.

Texas would be agreeing to trade away three of the better prospects in the game and seriously decimate their minor league system. In doing so, however, they would actually be dealing from a position of depth, as there is not an immediate opening at the major league level for any of these three young players and the player they would be adding is plenty young enough to be a part of the long-term plans with the Rangers.

There is more attention than ever given to prospects in this day and age. Heck, it’s the reason a site like this one exists. But farm systems have but one simple function and that is to make the major league team better. They can do that in a variety of ways, of course, but one of those ways is to use the developing young players as trade chips to add big league pieces. Being willing to make those trades is what separates many of the new-age General Managers in baseball. You must be able to recognize and value the development of your own prospects, but you must also be able to weigh that value against the impact of a potential addition to your big league roster.

I don’t have any insight on whether or not this trade has been proposed or even would be considered by either club, but on its face, it sure looks like a winner for both clubs.

Ft. Myers, the High-A affiliate for the  Minnesota Twins, defeated Palm Beach on Tuesday to run their season record to a still-perfect 12-0. Ft. Myers is the only unbeaten team in professional baseball and they have already matched their franchise’s longest-ever winning streak.

Rosario saw international time while paying for his native Puerto Rico in last month’s World Baseball Classic. Image: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

Rosario is a guy we ranked as the 112th-best prospect in baseball entering the season despite some major questions about what position he’ll wind up playing. Though he began his pro career as a centerfielder, the Twins brought him in to play second base last season and he’s playing there again in 2013. He shows excellent speed and a tremendous ability to square the baseball. If not for playing on the same club as Sano, Rosario would be getting a ton more press both for his hot start and for his potential as an impact bat down the road.

All he’s done so far is post a .388 average through 12 games with six of his 19 hits going for extra bases.

For as good as Rosario has been, he certainly hasn’t been alone in carrying the load for the Miracle. Catcher Matt Koch is off to a blistering start as well and there are a couple of mammoth first base/DH types in Kennys Vargas and Michael Gonzales that can impress with their power as much as their size. That said, the best player on the team, and probably the best in all of the FSL, is Sano.

Before I saw him in person, I had, of course, heard about his impressive power. That power was on display on Tuesday as Sano put Ft. Myers ahead to stay with a seventh-inning grand slam. It was his fourth homer of the season already and the four runs batted in gives him a dozen on the young campaign.

Believe the hype: Sano has the potential to be an elite big league hitter. Image : Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Sano comes in to the season with much fanfare and early on he has not disappointed. FSL pitchers have been loathe to challenge the hulking slugger with fastballs and while he can struggle versus the breaking ball at times, three of his four home runs this season have come on secondary offerings. Last week in a game versus Jupiter, Sano flailed wildly at slider in each of his first two at bats, striking out in both trips. By the fifth inning, however, he made the adjustment and stayed on a slider that was off the plate away. But he wasn’t content with slapping a line drive the other way; instead he went out and hooked it well beyond the left field wall.

Sano is the consensus top prospect in Minnesota’s organization and he’s still just 19 years old. Already an imposing figure at 6’4″ and well over 230 lbs, Sano’s physique and acumen as a hitter already have baseball fans everyone drooling over the possibilities. As hesitant as I am to put this kind of pressure on anyone, if Sano develops as he could, we could be seeing a hitter comparable to reigning AL MVP Miguel Cabrera.

The Twins have been down the past couple of years and those fortunes won’t change drastically until they add some more power pitching throughout their system, but there is help on the way in terms of the lineup and even though Sano and Rosario are beginning the season at High-A, both possess enough talent to rocket up the ladder in relatively short order. Though the Twins would like to wait as long as possible, both these hitters could force their way to the big leagues before the end of the 2014 season.

One such young man is right hander Josh Hodges, who has begun the season with two strong performances for High-A Jupiter.

Hodges, who will turn 22 in late July, is an imposing figure, standing 6’7″ and weighing in at 235 lbs. When the Marlins used their ninth round pick on him coming from a Mississippi high school in 2009, Hodges could have just as easily been considered as a position player. Drawn to his large frame and mid-90s fastball, however, the Fish made it clear that as a professional, Hodges would work to prevent runs rather than create them.

Though his strikeout numbers were very good in his initial taste of pro ball, a pair of stops after signing in 2009 that totaled 19 innings between Rookie League and Low-A, Hodges saw those numbers drop significantly in 2010 when he spent the season at Low-A Jamestown. Hodges missed three weeks that season due to shoulder inflammation and wound up posting a ghastly 6.04 ERA in 12 starts over 53.2 innings. Hodges walked nearly four batters per nine innings that season and fanned just 6.4 per nine. The Marlins certainly were being cautious with the young man, but his utter lack of success on the mound also contributed to a repeat of Low-A the following season.

2011 was a healthy campaign and one that saw Hodges record a much higher success rate in terms of getting outs. He made 15 starts and worked 87.2 innings while posting a 8-1 record and 3.39 ERA on the season while cutting his walk rate in half. All was not rosy, however, as Hodges managed just 50 strikeouts on the season. Though he handled a promotion to Greensboro of the South Atlantic League well in 2012, the peripherals remained pedestrian at best. He’s getting outs, but doing so without strikeout numbers his stuff suggests should be there.

All of the above has contributed to the feeling that Hodges has under-performed and that he has some serious ground to make up in order to get his career on track to the big leagues. I was in attendance as Jupiter visited Ft. Myers this past Thursday and saw Hodges make the start versus a Miracle squad that still has yet to lose a game. Hodges faced a lineup stacked with talent and displayed both pure stuff and great poise on the mound. I hadn’t given him much thought going into the outing, but what I saw made me take notice.

As the game began, Hodges displayed a smooth, easy delivery and produced a series of fastballs clocked on the stadium gun at either 90 or 91 mph; certainly nothing to wow anyone, especially given his large frame. His effortless windup made me think there was some more velocity hiding in there somewhere.

Ft. Myers’ first two batters reached base to bring uber-prospect Miguel Sano (the reason I was there) to the dish. It was as if Hodges simply flipped a switch once runners reached scoring position. He dispatched of Sano on three consecutive sliders; the first off-speed offerings of his outing. Sano swung and missed at all three. Hodges then got cleanup man Michael Gonzales on a soft liner while routinely reaching 94 on his fastball from the stretch before inducing a grounder off the bat of Kennys Vargas that should have ended the inning. Instead, two runs came home on an errors by the second baseman.

Hodges wound up working four-plus innings and allowing six hit and four runs (two earned) while striking out three (he got Sano on sliders again in the second). He did not walk a batter. When he left the game, his Hammerheads were leading 5-3. On the season, Hodges has worked nine innings (admittedly small sample size), but has yet to issue a walk and has recorded eight strikeouts.

Hodges displayed good command of a solid repertoire of pitches in his outing versus the Miracle last week. He worked at 90-91 with his fastball from the windup, only to consistently ramp up to 93-94 from the stretch. His slider had good downward bite and he kept it away from right handed hitters. Hodges did have trouble with some of the left handed bats in Ft. Myers’ lineup, notably second baseman Eddie Rosario, who smoked a pair of doubles off the Jupiter starter. Hodges needs to further develop his changeup in order to keep those left handed bats off-balance.

It’s certainly too early to tell if Hodges is finally making a significant step forward in his development, but I saw a pitcher with a good idea of how to work through a lineup and with enough raw stuff to compete well against good hitters. I saw a pitcher who should be putting up better strikeouts-to-walk rates than he’s posted in the past and one with a repeatable delivery that doesn’t lend itself to injury risk. I also saw a guy who probably has an extra few miles per hour hidden in that delivery.

The Marlins have moved him along slowly thus far, but if Hodges continues his success this season, he could begin to move much quickly through the Miami system. He might not turn out to be the Josh Johnson type hurler the Fish envisioned when they drafted him, but it’s too early to write him off at this point. There is potential there.

Several years removed from his college days pitching for the Sooners, Smith is putting together a solid pro resume. (Photo Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)

Pitcher of the Day: SD – Burch Smith, San Antonio Missions (AA): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO

Drafted not once (Indians 49th round, 2009), not twice (Indians 20th round, 2010) but thrice (Padres 14th round, 2011), Smith appears to have been worth the wait. His 2012 campaign with Lake Elsinore was his first full season in the minors. In 26 starts he put together a 3.85 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 137-27 SO-to-BB in 128.2 IP which is more impressive when factoring in that those stats came while pitching in the California League. It appears he’s taken another step forward as he’s yet to allow an earned run in his first 11.0 innings over two starts with San Antonio.

Hitter of the Day: COL – Rosell Herrera, Asheville Tourists (A): 3-3, 2 R, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB

The Rockies signed Herrera out of the Dominican Republic on July 2nd, 2009 and entering his 4th season in the minors there’s already a large divergence in opinion about his standing as a prospect. Prior to this season MLB.com ranked Herrera at #12 in their Rockies Top-20, however he didn’t crack Colorado’s Top-30 according to Baseball America. As a result the 20-year old SS is now at a place in his career where the on field results need to start matching the projections. He started out in Asheville last season but hit a woeful 0.202/.271/.272 in 63 games before he was reassigned to Tri-City in the Northwest League (A-). After he was dropped a level, his performance rebounded and he went on to hit 0.284/.332/.351 in 47 games. Still not an exciting performances but certainly an improvement. Based on the results of his return to the South Atlantic League this month, it’s hard to argue with how the Rockies have handled him. In his first 10 games (counting Saturday’s action) he’s hitting 0.375/.457/.775 with 4 2B and 4 HR and 5 multi-hit games.

Honorable Mentions from the Mound:

COL – Tyler Chatwood, Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA): 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO

CWS – Erik Johnson, Birmingham Barons (AA): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

DET – Duane Below, Toledo Mud Hens (AAA): 6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

KC – Kyle Zimmer, Wilmington Blue Rocks (A+): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO

LAA – Kramer Sneed, Inland Empire 66ers (A+): 6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

PHI – Seth Rosin, Reading Fightin’ Phils (AA): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

SD – Max Fried, Fort Wayne TinCaps (A): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO

SF – Chris Stratton, Augusta Greenjackets (A): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

TB – Dylan Floro, Bowling Green Hot Rods (A): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO

WSH – Brett Mooneyham, Hagerstown Suns (A): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO

Honorable Mentions from the Plate:

ATL – Tyler Pastornicky, Gwinnett Braves (AAA): 3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, SO

CLE – Jerrud Sabourin, Carolina Mudcats (A+): 4-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, SO

LAD – Chris O’Brien, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (A+): 3-5, 2 R, 2B, 3B, RBI, SO

LAD – Paul Hoenecke, Great Lakes Loons (A): 2-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB

NYM – Travis Taijeron, St. Lucie Mets (A+): 4-5, R, 2B, 3B, BB

OAK – Michael Taylor, Sacramento River Cats (AAA): 3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, BB

OAK – Chad Oberacker, Midland Rockhounds (AA): 4-6, R, 2 2B, RBI

SEA – Brad Miller, Jackson Generals (AA): 3-3, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI

TOR – Kenny Wilson, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA): 4-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB

General view of Safeco Field outfield stands and new LCD scoreboard screen (Photo Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)

Pitcher of the Day: SF – Joan Gregorio, Augusta Greenjackets (A): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO

Entering the 2012 season Gregorio had two strong rookie ball campaigns on his resume. Of course evaluating any player based on their performance in the Arizona and Dominican Summer Leagues would be foolish but there were a lot of reasons to be hopeful about the 6’7″, 185 lb righty’s chances to grab some attention. His 16 starts with Salem-Keizer (A-) last year certainly dampened hopes a bit, but Gregario remains an intriguing prospect and though he got hit around (85 H in 76.1 IP) he improved his BB and K rates. Now 21, he is more than capable of pitching his way into the Giants long term plans and early returns are good that he’s starting to resolve some of his mechanical kinks. He’s pitched 11.0 innings through two starts this season having allowed just 6 hits and 1 run to go with a 13-1 SO-to-BB. Two outings does not a season make but all his rate stats have improved and this could be just the beginning of a huge breakout season.

Hitter of the Day: SEA – Ji-Man Choi, High Desert Mavericks (A+): 4-5, 3 R, 3 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, SO

Seattle signed Choi out of Korea in 2009 for $425,000. Since making his professional debut in the AZL as a 19-year old, he’s displayed a great deal of offensive prowess. At least he has when he’s been on the field anyway. Choi missed the 2011 season thanks to a shoulder problem and that hasn’t been his only encounter with the injury bug since he signed. He’s hit 0.321/.426/.495 with a 13.5 BB% and 17.8 K% in 152 minor league games and by all accounts his bat is legit and good enough to carry him to the majors. Choi’s track record, bat speed and discipline will likely result in an impressive stat line at the end of the season considering he’s in the California League. Yes, High Desert will inflate his numbers, but as long as he can stay healthy I have little doubt he will make it to Seattle.

Honorable Mentions from the Mound:

BAL – Kevin Gausman, Bowie Baysox (AA): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

CIN – Greg Reynolds, Louisville Bats (AAA): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

MIL – Brooks Hall, Brevard County Manatees (A+): 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO

SD – Matthew Wisler, Lake Elsinore Storm (A+): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

SD – Joseph Ross, Fort Wayne TinCaps (A): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO

TB – Alex Colome, Durham Bulls (AAA): 6.o IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

TEX – Brad Mills, Round Rock Express (AAA): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

TEX – Luke Jackson, Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A+): 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO

TOR – Deck McGuire, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

TOR – Aaron Sanchez, Dunedin Blue Jays (A+): 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Honorable Mentions from the Plate:

BOS – Kolbrin Vitek, Portland Sea Dogs (AA): 4-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 SB

HOU – Austin Wates, Corpus Christi Hooks (AA): 3-4, 2 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI, BB

LAA – Chris Snyder, Salt Lake Bees (AAA): 4-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI

LAA – Matt Long, Arkansas Travelers (AA): 2-2, R, HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB

NYY – Slade Heathcott, Trenton Thunder (AA): 3-5, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, BB, SB

PHI – Maikel Franco, Clearwater Threshers (A+): 3-5, 2 R, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI

PIT – Josh Bell, West Virginia Power (A): 4-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, SO

STL – James Ramsey, Palm Beach Cardinals (A+): 2-3, 3 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Barring significant injury or trade, Bradley’s has many of innings on the mound at Chase Field in his future. What is uncertain is how soon will that future arrive. (Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Pitcher of the Day: ARZ – Archie Bradley, Visalia Rawhide (A+): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO

The Diamondbacks 2011 1st round pick, Bradley is obviously a well known name in prospect circles ranked as a top-25 player by both MLB.com and Baseball America prior to each of the last two seasons. Bradley performed well as a 19-year old in the Midwest League holding the opposition to 5.8 hits per nine innings while striking out 158 in 136.0 innings overall. His control was the singular blemish in his first full season as he allowed 84 walks, hit 15 batters and uncorked 17 wild pitches. Bradley has hit two batters already this season but outside of that he’s been very impressive while dealing with the rigors of the California League for the first time. He has yet to allow a run in 11.2 innings and has walked only 3 batters while striking out 19. He was tabbed as a future number one starter prior to being drafted and he’s done nothing to alter that perception. The stuff is electric and he’s shown significant improvement with his control and command in a very short span of time. Arizona has no shortage of upper echelon pitching and can bring Bradley along slowly but he may push his way to Mobile much sooner than intended.

Hitter of the Day: MIN – Reynaldo Rodriguez, New Britain Rock Cats (AA): 3-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI

The 27-year old’s first hits of the season led the Rock Cats in their 17 run, 17 hit dismantling of the Harrisburg pitching staff. However, Rodriguez will need to do a lot more to merit a look in the majors. Boston gave him his first taste of Triple-A action last season but he was unable to make the most of his 12 game stint in Pawtucket managing just 8 hits in 49 plate appearances with a 0.186/.265/.256 stat line. Even though he is a career 0.289/.361/.509 hitter the stats are a bit misleading as the vast majority of his success has come while playing in the Dominican Summer League (2007) and the Independent Golden Baseball League (2009).

Honorable Mentions from the Mound:

BOS – Drake Britton, Portland Sea Dogs (AA): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO – A nice bounce-back start after a disastrous season debut.

HOU – Jarred Cosart, Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO

LAD – Zach Lee, Chattanooga Lookouts (AA): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO

MIL – Jimmy Nelson, Huntsville Stars (AA): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

SF – Clayton Blackburn, San Jose Giants (A+): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO

STL – John Gast, Memphis Redbirds (AAA): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

STL – Kyle Hald, Palm Beach Cardinals (A+): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

WAS – Blake Schwartz, Hagerstown Suns (A): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO  - Rosemount, MN native and 2012 17th round pick is off to a good start after compiling a 3.64 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 53-12 SO-to-BB in 54.1 IP last season.

Honorable Mentions from the Plate:

ARZ – Nick Evans, Mobile BayBears (AA): 4-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI

BOS – David Renfroe, Salem Red Sox (A+): 4-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI

CLE – Bryson Myles, Carolina Mudcats (A+): 3-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, SB

DET – Jeff Holm, West Michigan Whitecaps (A): 4-5, 2 R, 2B, SB – Managed just six extra-base hits in 46 games last season, but already has three (2 2B, 1 HR) in 2013.

HOU – Nolan Fontana, Lancaster Jethawks (A+): 3-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, SO – After a rough debut season, the team’s 2012 2nd round selection is off to a blistering 0.476/.586/1.000 start with as many total bases as at bats (21).

LAD – Ryan Mount, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (A+): 3-5, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI

NYM – Kevin Plawecki, Savannah Sand Gnats (A): 3-5, R, 3 2B, RBI – The 22-year old catcher has hit in 6 of the 7 games he’s played this season and has an impressive 0.444/.500/.704 stat line as a result.

PHI – Maikel Franco, Clearwater Threshers (A+): 2-7, R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI

SEA – Carlos Peguero, Tacoma Rainiers (AAA): 3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB

TB – Jason Bourgeois, Durham Bulls (AAA): 3-3, R, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB

TB – Leslie Anderson, Durham Bulls (AAA): 3-4, 3 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI, BB

Chafin, the former Kent State hurler, put the Cal League on notice yesterday that he’s taking things up a notch in 2013. (Photo Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports)

Pitcher of the Day: ARZ – Andrew Chafin, Visalia Rawhide (A+): 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO

Selected 43rd overall out of Kent State in the 2011 Draft, Chafin is a Top-10 prospect in the Diamondbacks system looking to pitch his way out of the California League. Last season he compiled a 4.93 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with Visalia and finished with a 150-69 SO-to-BB in 122.1 IP. Once Arizona moves him up to Mobile, which is where he probably should have opened the season, look for his “traditional” numbers to improve and for his visibility as a prospect to ascend as well.

Hitter of the Day: PIT – Andrew Lambo, Altoona Curve (AA): 4-6, 4 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, SO

Prior to the 2009 season, Lambo was a top-50 prospect but injuries and difficulty adjusting have slowed his ascension. He did hit 0.312/.401/.504 last season but he only played in 35 games and the bulk of those (26) were in AA while the others were in the GCL. 2013 finds Lambo once again in Double-A, where he’s primarily been since 2008, but he’s still only 24-years old and he’s off to a fast start. In addition to hitting for the cycle on Tuesday, Lambo is hitting 0.417/.533/.833 through 6 games this year.

Honorable Mentions from the Mound:

ARZ – Jesse Darrah, South Bend Silver Hawks (A): 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO

CIN – Tony Cingrani, Louisville Bats (AAA): 6.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO – Another outing resulting in another stellar start for the young lefty. After striking out 14 batters without allowing a hit on Opening Day, his effort yesterday is actually a step back. None-the-less he’s now thrown 12.1 shutout innings thus far with a 21-2 SO-to-BB and just 3 hits allowed. Since his Pioneer League debut in 2011, the Reds third round selection has a 1.63 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 209.2 minor league innings. The 2.6 BB/9 and 11.7 SO/9 on his resume also stand out from his peers and let’s not forget he was effective in 5.0 major league innings at the end of last year.

COL – Eddie Butler, Asheville Tourists (A): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO

HOU – Bobby Doran, Corpus Christi Hooks (AA): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

KC – Sam Selman, Wilmington Blue Rocks (A+): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

MIN – D.J. Baxendale, Fort Myers Miracle (A+): 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO

NYM – Rafael Montero, Binghamton Mets (AA): 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO

NYM – Luis Mateo, St. Lucie Mets (A+): 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO

OAK – Raul Alcantara, Beloit Snappers (A): 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

Honorable Mentions from the Plate:

ARZ – Matt Davidson, Reno Aces (AAA): 2-3, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB

HOU – Domingo Santana, Corpus Christi Hooks (AA): 3-4, R, 3 2B, 2 RBI, BB, SO

HOU – Zachary Johnson, Lancaster Jethawks (A+): 5-5, R, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI

MIA – Viosergy Rosa, Greensboro Grasshoppers (A): 2-3, 3 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB

NYY – Carmen Angelini, Tampa Yankees (A+): 2-3, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI

PHI – Cameron Perkins, Clearwater Threshers (A+): 3-5, R, 2B, 3B, RBI

SD – Rico Noel, San Antonio Missions (AA): 4-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 SB

TB – Brandon Guyer, Durham Bulls (AAA): 2-4, 3 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, SO

WAS – Jason Martinson, Potomac Nationals (A+): 1-2, 3 R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, SO

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Romak saw some action at 1B in Spring Training for the Cardinals this year. (Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Pitcher of the Day: CLE – Toru Murata, Akron Aeros (AA): 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO

Murata, a right-handed Japanese import signed with the Indians back in December of 2010. So far he’s logged 131.1 innings in Cleveland’s system with an impressive 2.60 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 133-32 SO-to-BB. Of course some level of dominance is to be expected since he’s more than three years older – and more experienced – than the batters he’s facing. The Tribe gave him two starts in Columbus last season and the results were far from encouraging (8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB and 5 SO in 7.2 IP), but Triple-A is where Murata should be pitching at this point.

Hitter of the Day: STL – Jamie Romak, Memphis Redbirds (AAA): 3-5, 3 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI, SO

Atlanta drafted Romak in the 4th round of the 2003 draft and after 11 seasons in the minors he’s still looking to make his major league debut. The Ontario native has spent time with four organizations with a resume that includes stints with the Pirates and Royals sandwiched between the Braves and Cardinals. Romak is a career 0.250/.346/.444 hitter with his best season coming back in 2010 with the Royals. That year he hit 0.296/.388/.458 between Wilmington (A+) and Northwest Arkansas (AA). Even though he only hit 10 HR in 2012, he has three 20-HR seasons on his resume (2007, 2008 and 2011) proving that his three homer day on Monday is not a complete aberration.

Honorable Mentions from the Mound:

ARZ – Andrew Barbosa, Visalia Rawhide (A+): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 SO

ARZ – Cody Wheeler, South Bend Silver Hawks (A): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO

BAL – Josh Hader, Delmarva Shorebirds (A): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO

CWS – Matt Zaleski, Charlotte Knights (AAA): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO

MIL – Eulogio De La Cruz, Nashville Sounds (AAA): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

OAK – Arnold Leon, Midland Rockhounds (AA): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

TB – Jake Odorizzi, Durham Bulls (AAA): 6.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO

TB – Jacob Thompson, Montgomery Biscuits (AA): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO

Honorable Mentions from the Plate:

COL – Derek Jones, Asheville Tourists (A): 3-4, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, SO

CWS – Jim Gallagher, Charlotte Knights (AAA): 4-6, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, 2 SO

HOU – Jesse Wierzbicki, Quad Cities River Bandits (A): 2-4, R, 2B, HR, 5 RBI

KC – Daniel Mateo, Wilmington Blue Rocks (A+): 2-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI

PHI – Edgar Duran, Reading Fightin’ Phils (AA): 3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB, BB, SO

SD – Tommy Medica, San Antonio Missions (AA): 2-3, R, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, BB, SO

SF – Jarrett Parker, Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA): 3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI

TEX – Chris McGuiness, Round Rock Express (AAA): 3-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI

A sight all to familiar for O’s fans over recent seasons; Roberts is injured again. Image: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Coming into the season, all looked well for the 13-year veteran and he got off to a very good start in the season’s opening week. A healthy campaign may have not only re-built his value on the market, but may have persuaded the Orioles to re-up with their longest-tenured player. This latest ailment will cost him 3-4 weeks on the shelf, but if history is any indicator, this is merely the beginning of Roberts’ annual lost season. Roberts hasn’t played in more than 59 games in any season since 2009.

Roberts will be 36 in October, just as his four-year, $40 million deal with Baltimore expires. At this point, given how little the O’s have gotten from him during the life of this contract, it would be difficult to imagine a reunion next year. Instead, the Orioles figure to turn the position over to another, hopefully more durable, player in 2014.

The immediate plans for O’s manager Buck Showalter will include the use of Alexi Casilla and Ryan Flahertyat second base. Looking to the future, however, neither man looks like a quality regular on a team that plans to contend. They’ll plug the gap for the next few weeks in hopes Roberts can come back healthy, but the former Rule 5 pick (Flaherty) and the guy who couldn’t hold down a job for a bad Minnesota team (Casilla) aren’t likely a part of the long-term solution.

Schoop impressed on the world stage last month and hopes to carry that over to Norfolk this season. Image: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

That solution, the Orioles hope, is biding his time with Triple-A Norfolk this year. Jonathan Schoop is Baltimore’s fourth-best prospect, according to MLB.com, and though he struggled last season in Double-A, Schoop made a name for himself among those fans who don’t closely follow the prospect beat by turning in some memorable moments whilst playing for the Netherlands during the World Baseball Classic last month.

Schoop had crept onto a few of the various Top-100 Prospect lists (including our own) after a stellar season as a 19-year-old in A-ball in 2011, but managed just a meager .245/.324/.386 line during his time with Double-A Bowie last year. That campaign dropped him off the lists, but didn’t prevent Baltimore from continuing to push him forward by assigning Schoop to Norfolk this season.

Though he’s played the majority of his professional games as a shortstop, Schoop has better than 150 career games at second base as well, most of which came while playing next to Manny Machado. Baltimore’s big league shortstop, J.J. Hardy, is under contract through the 2014 season. In the event Machado is the long-term third baseman, which I think he ultimately will be, Schoop becomes an option should Hardy be moved or even at the end of his contract. I think it would be awfully difficult to slide Machado back to short after not having played the position at all in what will have been two full seasons by that point (assuming Hardy stays through the end of his deal).

In the meantime, however, Schoop has an opportunity to re-assert himself as one of Baltimore’s top Minor League talents by putting up a good season against advanced competition as a sill very young ballplayer. Defensively, Schoop has good range in the field, both at short and second, but his arm strength is probably ultimately better suited for second base. Because he’s so young, Schoop is expected to fill out his 6’2″ frame a bit more, but currently features a slashing line-drive swing that can produce occasional pop, as he showed during the WBC.

As evidenced by the promotions of Machado and Dylan Bundy last season, the Orioles aren’t afraid to bring young talent to the major leagues, so there is no reason to think that Schoop doesn’t have a legitimate shot at regular playing time in Baltimore as early as next year.

Another rough season at the plate doesn’t necessarily spell the end of Schoop’s days on the prospect radar, but it may cause the O’s to re-consider letting Roberts walk away, or at least cause them to look for a different option to play second base next year. Clearly, the Oriole brass still thinks highly of the Curacao native and they are hopeful he can meet the challenges of Triple-A.