Archive for the ‘Minor League Report’ Category

The Minor League Report – Week 22

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 23rd, 2011

New York Yankees catcher Jesus Montero has been on a hot streak at Triple-A, hitting .290 over his last 10 games with three home runs and eight RBI. For the season, Montero is batting .290 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI. He has double his power output the second half of the season with 8 home runs in 124 at bats compared to 7 home runs in 273 at bats before the All-Star break.

Teammate Manny Banuelos has found Triple-A to be a little bit tougher so far with a 3.86 ERA through five starts with 12 walks allowed and 24 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings. For the season, Banuelos has a 3.64 ERA, but with a 1.56 WHIP in part due to too many walks and batters hitting .272 against him.

The Yankees also promoted their other top pitching prospect Dellin Betances to Triple-A this past week. In his first start, Betances went six innings, allowing three runs while striking out eight. At AA, Betances had a 3.42 ERA with 115 strikeouts in 105 1/3 innings.

The Milwaukee Brewers recently promoted right-handed starting pitcher Wily Peralta to Triple-A and he has responded with three solid outings, leaving him with a 1.80 ERA through 20 innings with only three walks allowed and 24 strikeouts. For the season, Peralta has a 3.22 ERA with a .232 batting average against and 141 strikeouts in 139 2/3 innings.

The Detroit Tigers promoted top pitching prospect Jacob Turner to Triple-A back on August 11th and in two starts, he has struck out 14 in 11 1/3 innings with a 4.76 ERA. Turner finished his stint at AA with a 3.48 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings with a .239 batting average against.

Jarrod Parker of the Arizona Diamondbacks is slowly starting to round into form after missing all of the 2010 season due to Tommy John surgery. After struggling the first half of the season, Parker has been putting things together of late, posting a 2.52 ERA since the All-Star break with 51 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings.

Matt Harvey struggled in his first couple of outings in AA for the New York Mets after being promoted at the end of June, but since then he has settled in, winning his last four starts. In his last seven starts, Harvey has a 2.77 ERA and has struck out 45 in 39 innings.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 21

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 16th, 2011

Tim Beckham was promoted by the Tampa Bay Rays last week to Triple-A after hitting .275 with 7 home runs, 57 RBI and 15 stolen bases at AA. The shortstop was the top overall pick of the 2008 draft and hits AAA at the age of 21. He should be in line to have a good shot of grabbing the starting shortstop job in spring training next season.

Catcher Travis d’Arnaud has been solid for the Toronto Blue Jays at AA, hitting .326 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI. Though J.P. Arencibia has been strong in the power department with 19 home runs, he has yet to hit for average batting just .210 on the season leaving an opening for d’Arnaud next season. He was a first round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007 and was traded to the Blue Jays in the deal for Roy Halladay.

Outfielder A.J. Pollock could get a look in spring training next season with the Arizona Diamondbacks based on his performance in AA this season. A first round pick in 2009, Pollock is hitting .304 with 7 home runs, 65 RBI and 29 stolen bases.

Although he does not have a place to play in the major leagues with Albert Pujols in front of him, Matt Adams has continued to display power in the minor leagues this season with 28 home runs and 90 RBI in AA while hitting .316. Adams hit .310 in .210 and .355 in 2009 across two levels so he is not the prototypical high power low average hitter.

Left-handed starting pitcher Eric Surkamp will give the San Francisco Giants another golden arm in their rotation in sometime in the next year. Surkamp has a 2.03 ERA with 156 strikeouts in 128 1/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .217 batting average. Though he is a little old for the level at age 24, his numbers are at the top of the Eastern League.

Matt Moore was recently promoted to Triple-A by the Tampa Bay Rays where he has been even more dominant that he was at AA which did not seem possible. Through five starts, Moore has a 0.88 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings and a .152 batting average against. For the season, Moore has fanned 180 hitters in 133 innings.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 20

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 9th, 2011

Right-handed starting pitcher Garrett Richards is being promoted from AA by the Los Angeles Angels and will get the start against the New York Yankees. Richards was 12-2 with a 3.06 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 141 innings. Jumping two levels for the majority of the pitchers does not bode well for initial success, especially those in the American League. With that said, he is an option in AL-only leagues because of the lack of players on the waiver wire in most cases but I would not plan on using him in mixed-league formats.

Kevin Slowey is coming up from the minor leagues to replace the injured Scott Baker in the Minnesota Twins rotation. Slowey has a 3.55 ERA over seven starts with 29 strikeouts in 38 innings, though the league was hitting .288 against him at Triple-A. Slowey will start on Sunday against the Cleveland Indians.

The Toronto Blue Jays recalled starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez from AA and he will get the start Wednesday against the Oakland A’s. Alvarez had a 2.86 ERA in 15 games with 66 strikeouts in 88 innings with a .245 batting average against.

The Washington Nationals have several starting pitchers that should see some time in September this season. The lesser known of the two is Tom Milone, a 10th round pick in the 2008 draft. Milone is 9-6 on the season with a 3.52 ERA and has struck out 125 in 122 2/3 innings on the season. Brad Peacock will likely see a few starts in September as well after just recently being promoted to AAA. Between two levels, Peacock has a 2.61 ERA with 152 strikeouts in 124 innings, though he has found it a bit tougher in Triple-A with a 4.97 ERA through five starts.

Outfielder Brett Jackson has gotten off to a hot start at AAA for the Chicago Cubs with seven home runs in 91 at bats. For the season, Jackson is hitting .267 with 17 home runs and 18 stolen bases and should soon find himself patrolling the outfield in Wrigley Field.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 15

Posted by Todd Lammi on July 8th, 2011

There was big news in fantasy baseball circles when top minor league prospect Mike Trout was promoted by the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night. Owners should temper their expectations and hold back on the FAAB bidding in leagues where he is a free agent as he is likely up for only a few games to fill in for injured outfielder Peter Bourjos. Bourjos has yet to be placed on the disabled list and will likely be back after the All-Star break.  The Angels would then send Trout down, likely to Triple-A which would be a promotion from where he was. Trout was hitting .324 in AA with nine home runs, 27 RBI and 28 stolen base in 75 games. Trout is starting in center field and hitting ninth tonight against the Seattle Mariners.

The Cincinnati Reds called up shortstop Zack Cozart. He was profiled in the minor league report last week. Cozart started on Thursday night going 1-for-3 with a run scored from the seventh hole in the batting order. He was not in the starting lineup on Friday night instead giving way to Edgar Renteria. Given how manager Dusty Baker loves to play veterans, Cozart may not become the everyday starter for a while.

If you like scouting minor league prospects, be sure to have your DVD player set on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET for the MLB All-Star Futures Game featuring the top minor league prospects in baseball. Here is a look at some of the more under the radar players that could be ready to have an impact in September or in 2012.

The Houston Astros minor league system has produced very little in the past couple of seasons but that could soon change with the arrival of second basemen Jose Altuve. He was ranked 28th by Baseball America in the Astros farm system but has quickly shot up the charts, hitting .387 between two levels this season with nine home runs, 56 RBI and 24 stolen bases. Given the lack of talent in the Astros infield, he should be arriving sooner rather than later.

The Seattle Mariners could use some offensive punch and could look at third basemen Alex Liddi the second half of the season. Liddi is hitting .260 on the season in Triple-A with 17 home runs, 61 RBI and five stolen bases. Given his 36 walk to 108 strikeout ratio at the plate, he would likely provide a little pop but drag down the team batting average. making him more of an AL-only play that mixed league format player at this point.

San Diego Padres third basemen James Darnell took a step closer to the major leagues when he was recently promoted to Triple-A. Darnell hit .333 in AA with 17 home runs and 62 at bats with more walks than strikeouts in 76 games. He should get a long look in September and have a good shot and starting the year in San Diego in 2012.

 

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 14

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 30th, 2011

Third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall was promoted by the Cleveland Indians last week and his ex-teammate Jason Kipnis at Triple-A is likely not far behind. Playing second base for the Columbus Clipper, Kipnis is hitting .302 on the season with 11 home runs and 48 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He has been hitting .343 over his last 10 games with three home runs and six RBI and could be nearing a promotion soon.

The Cincinnati Reds could soon have their first solid shortstop since the days of Barry Larkin once prospect Zack Cozart is promoted from AAA. Cozart is hitting .321 with seven home runs and 31 RBI with nine stolen bases and is hitting .341 over his last 10 games. Cozart was a second round pick back in 2007 and this is the first season he has hit over .300 so temper expectations once he is recalled in terms of help he can provide your fantasy baseball team in the batting average category.

Starting pitcher Neil Ramirez could be in line for a promotion the second half of the season if the Texas Rangers are in need of rotation help. Ramirez has a 3.80 ERA in AAA with 76 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings. Ramirez has allowed only five home runs on the season while holding hitters to a .223 batting average against.

The Tampa Bay Rays continue to stockpile young pitching and Matt Moore looks to be next in the line of recent young guns to make an impact in the major league rotation. Pitching in AA for the Montgomery Biscuits, Moore has a 2.29 ERA for the season with 107 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings. He has been even tougher over his 58 1/3 innings with a 1.08 ERA and a .154 batting average against.

I usually don’t like writing about prospects below the AA level because most are not going to have an impact in the current fantasy baseball season but for those in dynasty leagues or long term keeper leagues, here are a few guys to keep an eye on.

Tyler Skaggs was one of the key components that the Arizona Diamondbacks picked up in the Dan Haren trade with the Los Angeles Angels and is currently at Advanced A. Skaggs has a 3.38 ERA on the season with 111 strikeouts in 90 2/3 innings with a .219 batting average against. There is an off chance the Diamondbacks could include Skaggs in a trade if they are still in the pennant chase in a few weeks if they could get an impact bat or pitcher.

The hype train had been building by New York Mets fans for Matt Harvey who was dominating and was just recently promoted to AA after posting a 2.37 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 76 innings. His first start was a rough one for the Binghamton Mets as he allowed nine hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Read More »

2011 Wavier Wire – Week 13

Posted by Tony Mancini on June 23rd, 2011

With more injuries occurring in week 13 of the fantasy baseball season, a handful of players now have an opportunity to play regularly. Here is the waiver wire for week 13 to get you caught up on the latest news.

Mixed Leagues – 12/15 teams:

SP – Brandon Beachy (ATL) – Beachy came off the disabled list after an oblique injury to make the start on Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays and continued to dominate with 11 strikeouts. Beachy now has a 2 – 1 record with 57 strikeouts over 50 innings. There is a chance that leagues with a shallow reserve squad may have him sitting on the waiver wire.

SP - John Lannan (WAS) – Tough to recommend a Washington Nationals pitcher but Lannan has pitched very well of late, allowing two runs or less in six consecutive starts. On the season, Lannan has a 5 – 5 record with a 3.40 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings.

American League:

OF - Justin Ruggiano (TB) – Ruggiano has been splitting time in the Tampa Bay Rays outfield since Sam Fuld cooled down and should continue to split time. He has struggled over his last four games but is still hitting .333 with three home runs and 10 RBI this season.

OF – Josh Reddick and Darnell McDonald (BOS) – With Carl Crawford on the disabled list with a leg injury, Reddick and McDonald will be splitting Crawford’s at-bats until he returns. McDonald himself just returned from the disabled list right before the Crawford injury so his current statistics are not appealing but McDonald did hit .345 with two home runs and 11 RBI over 29 at-bats over nine games during his rehab assignment. Reddick only has 21 at-bats with the Sox so far but he is hitting over .400.

SS - Eduardo Nunez (NYY) – With Derek Jeter on the disabled list, Nunez is playing everyday until he returns. Nunez has eight hits and four RBI in the seven games since Jeter has been out of action. Nunez also has played nine games at third base and four at second.

National League:

OF - Emilio Bonifacio & Dewayne Wise (FLA) – Chris Coghlan was demoted after struggling all season. Dewayne Wise was called up to take his roster spot and will split time with Bonifacio. Since Bonifacio has been with the Marlins all year, I would expect him to receive the majority of the playing time. Bonifacio has also logged 21 games at short, eight at third and three at second base.

1B - Mark Hamilton (STL) – With Albert Pujols out for at least six weeks with a fractured wrist, the Cardinals called up Hamilton to take his roster spot. Lance Berkman will take over at first and Jon Jay will take over in the outfield until Pujols returns, but Hamilton could receive a couple of starts at first especially if Berkman’s nagging injuries act up. Hamilton is a career .281 hitter in the minors.

 

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 12

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 14th, 2011

With the Arizona Diamondbacks hanging in the pennant race for now and Juan Miranda and Xavier Nady getting the job done, it might be awhile before we see Paul Goldschmidt, despite the damage he is doing at Double-A. Goldschmidt is hitting .348 for the season with 21 home runs and 59 RBI plus six steals. He has also shown solid plate discipline with 53 walks and 46 strikeouts.

Devin Mesoraco (CIN) has been on fire of late for the Louisville Bats, hitting .439 over his last 10 games with three home runs and 14 RBI. For the season, Mesoraco is hitting .330 with eight home runs and 39 RBI. There is a good chance he could see action in the major leagues before September if the Reds deal one of their two current platooning catchers.

Outfielder Dayan Viciedo is patiently cooling his heels in Triple-A as he waits for the Chicago White Sox to open a spot n their lineup for him. Viciedo has hit .436 over his last 10 contests with a home run and five RBI. For the season, Viciedo is hitting .318 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have already promoted several top prospects this season and Trayvon Robinson could be next in line for a job in the outfield. Robinson is batting ..390 over his last 10 games with three home runs and 11 RBI. For the season, Robinson is hitting .304 with 14 home runs, 42 RBI and seven stolen bases.

Brett Jackson (CHC) has returned to action for the Tennessee Smokies and is hitting .268 for the season with six homwe runs, 25 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 18 attempts. A first round pick in the 2009 draft, there is a chance he could skip Triple-A with the Cubs floundering in the standings.

Pitcher Jacob Turner (DET) has had smooth sailing for the most part at Double-A at the age of 20, with a 3.05 ERA through 11 starts with a .223 batting average against. Turner has struck out 61 in 73 2/3 innings and should be looking at a promotion to AAA the second half of the season.

Third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall (CLE) did not get the call up to the big leagues when the Indians were looking for an infielder. Chisenhall has been struggling of late, hitting .154 in his last 10 games and is batting .250 for the year with five home runs and 30 RBI. He still has work to do against southpaws, whom he is hitting just .174 against in 69 at bats.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 11

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 7th, 2011

The Los Angeles Dodgers promoted shortstop Dee Gordon from Triple-A to take over for the injured Rafael Furcal at shortstop, making him a nice option on the waiver wire for fantasy baseball owners looking for stolen bases. Gordon hit leadoff on Tuesday night for the Dodgers, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base. Gordon was hitting .315 in the minor leagues at the time of the promotion with no home runs, 18 RBI and 22 stolen bases.

The Colorado Rockies recalled outfielder Charles Blackmon from Triple-A to fill in for Dexter Fowler who was placed on the disabled list. Blackmon could have a little more playing time in his future as there was a chance that Fowler was headed for a demotion to the minor leagues based on his performance before getting injured. Blackmon started in left field and hit seventh on Tuesday night going 0-for-3. Blackmon was hitting .337 in Triple-A with 10 home runs, 49 RBI and 12 stolen bases and should get starts against right-handed pitching.

The Oakland A’s promoted Jemile Weeks from Triple-A with second basemen Mark Ellis going on the disabled list. I wrote about Jemile Weeks in the minor league report last week. Weeks hit first in the batting order Tuesday night going 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

First basemen Mike Carp was promoted to the major leagues by the Seattle Mariners after hitting .350 in Triple-A for the Tacoma Rainiers with 19 home runs and 58 RBI. Carp has never gotten much of a chance the last two seasons when promoted to the major leagues, accumulating 91 at bats and collecting one home run. He is definitely an option to pick up if you are looking for power in AL-only leagues.

Cord Phelps is expected to promoted from Triple-A by the Cleveland Indians this week to provide help in the infield, possibly at third base for Jack Hannahan who has been struggling. Phelps is hitting .299 for the Columbus Clippers with seven home runs and 40 RBI plus two stolen bases. Phelps was a third round pick from Stanford University in 2008.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 10

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 31st, 2011

As we are approaching the time when major league baseball teams will start to promote their top prospects from the minor leagues once the imaginary deadline for Super 2 status has passed, here is a look at some of the top prospects that could have an impact in the next month of the season.

There are already rumblings that third basemen Brett Lawrie (TOR) could be looking at a promotion this weekend. Lawrie is hitting .354 on the season with 15 home runs, 49 RBI and 11 stolen bases. Though he still needs work defensively, luckily that doesn’t matter for fantasy baseball leagues because his bat is his ticket to staying with the major league team. He has been on a tear of late, hitting .422 over his last 10 games.

First basemen Anthony Rizzo (SD) has been crushing Triple-A pitching to the tune of a .370 batting average with 15 home runs and 60 RBI plus five steals thrown in. There are some concerns that he could struggle to hit left-handed pitching but he has held his own so far in 2011 in a small sample size, hitting .313 in 32 at bats against southpaws. Rizzo should give the Padres some much needed power in the middle of their lineup once he is recalled.

Outfielder Desmond Jennings could give the Tampa Bay Rays a boost at the top of the order when promoted, though he has not been running as much as in years past with only nine stolen base attempts through 49 games. Jennings is hitting .273 with eight home runs and 23 RBI, but is hitting only .184 in his last 10 contests with no steals.

Second basemen Dustin Ackley (SEA) has been rolling of late, hitting .381 in his last 10 games with five RBI. For the season, Ackley is hitting .292 with seven home runs, 26 RBI and six stolen bases. He started off slow in April hitting just .211 in 95 at bats but has picked it up in May batting .355 with five long balls.

Second basemen Jemile Weeks (OAK) may soon join his brother Rickie Weeks in the major leagues. With Mark Ellis struggling at the plate, Weeks could see action sooner than later. Weeks is hitting .335 in Triple-A with three home runs, 21 RBI and eight stolen bases. Weeks also fits Oakland’s on base approach with 25 walks against 29 strikeouts.

We have already seen the impact that rookie Eris Hosmer has made in Kansas City and third basemen Mike Moustakas should bot be too far behind. Moustakas is currently hitting .278 with eight home runs and 38 RBI in Triple-A for the Omaha Storm Chasers.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 19th, 2011

We saw a couple of promotions in the last with with starting pitcher Danny Duffy getting called up by the Kansas City Royals and outfielder Eric Thames getting recalled by the Toronto Blue Jays. Thames was hitting .342 in Triple-A in 146 at bats with six home runs and 30 RBI. Thames is hitting 7th tonight and playing designated hitter. Duffy had a 3.00 ERA in seven starts with 43 strikeouts in 36 innings.

Outfielder Jordan Henry (CLE) has continued to hit and steal bases at AA for the Akron Aeros, batting .298 with 15 stolen bases in 16 attempts. Henry offers no power whatsoever, but if you are looking for a speed guy to store on reserve in AL-only formats, he is worth a look. Henry hit .333 in HiA and .300 in Double-A last year with a combined 29 steals between two levels.

Outfielder Anthony Gose (TOR) is hitting .274 at AA with two home runs, 16 RBI and 17 stolen bases. Gose was traded multiple times last season, first as part of the Roy Oswalt deal and then later for Brett Wallace. Gose has exhibited better plate discipline so far this season after striking out 132 times in a little over 500 at bats in 2010.

As if the San Francisco Giants needed more pitching, they have another left-handed starting pitching inching closer to the major leagues as Eric Surkamp has been a strikeout machine in AA so far this year. Surkamp has a 1.77 ERA through 38 1/3 innings with a whopping 56 strikeouts, though he still has some work to do on his control with 17 walks given so far.

Pitcher Brad Peacock (WAS) has done well for himself back in AA again after finishing 2010 there. Peacock has a 2.13 ERA through 42 1/3 innings with only seven walks surrendered and 56 strikeouts, including 14 in his last outing. Peacock should see a promotion to Triple-A later this summer with a chance to possibly make the Nationals rotation in 2011.

After switching between the bullpen and the rotation in his minor league career, the Atlanta Braves have finally stuck Paul Clemens in the rotation for good and he has responded in AA this year. He currently leads the Southern League in ERA at 1.99 through eight starts, with 45 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings.  He has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any outing so far in 2011.

Martin Perez is working to restore his top prospect status for the Texas Rangers as he repeats Double-A again this season. Perez has a 2.66 ERA through 40 2/3 innings with one home run allowed and 42 strikeouts. Keep in mind that he just turned 20 in April so despite his 5.96 ERA in AA last year, he is still someone to keep a close eye on.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 12th, 2011

With the Cincinnati Reds likely to stay in the playoff chase for most of the season, at some point they are going to be able to use outfielder Yonder Alonso, either as a fill in for Jonny Gomes or as a trade chip. Alonso was a first round pick in the 2008 draft and is hitting .322 in Triple-A with four home runs and 17 RBI with four stolen bases.

Outfielder Dayan Viciedo is on the cusp of a call up by the Chicago White Six if the team needs a player to bring up due to injury. Viciedo is hitting .313 for the Charlotte Knights with five home runs and 28 RBI in 134 at bats.

The Atlanta Braves have a boatload of pitching prospects inching their way closer to the major leagues. One of those is Randall Delgado who is holding his own at AA with a 2.75 ERA in seven starts with 41 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings. Delgado did not allow a home run in his first six starts before he was taken deep twice in his last outing.

Teammate Tyler Pastornicky is back with the team at shortstop after finishing last season with the Mississippi Braves, coming to the Braves in the Alex Gonzalez trade. Pastornicky is hitting .317 in 120 at bats with three home runs, 17 RBI and six stolen bases.

Pitcher Jacob Turner, the top prospect in the Detroit Tigers organization is off to a good star tin Double-A with a 2.58 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings. Turner, a first round pick in 2009, is holding opposing hitters to a .221 average.

Shortstop Grant Green of the Oakland A’s has not flashed the power he showed yet last season, but has been hitting for average and driving in runs in Double-A. For the season, Green is hitting .293 with two home runs and 24 RBI in 32 games.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 6

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 6th, 2011

Exciting news this week for fantasy baseball owners as two of the top five prospects in the minor leagues will be promoted within several days of each other. First basemen Eric Hosmer was promoted by the Kansas City Royals after hitting .429 in Triple-A with three home runs and 15 RBI and three stole bases. He also exhibited good place discipline with 19 walks against 16 strikeouts. Hosmer hit sixth in the lineup Friday night and went o-for-2 with two strikeouts, two walks and a stolen base.

In terms of fantasy value for a one-year league, he is someone to grab in all types of formats as hitters are hard to come by in the free agent market. Just keep in mind that regardless of how good a rookie does in the minor leagues, it does not ensure immediate success at the big league level. See Brandon Belt this year or Justin Smoak last year.

Julio Teheran, the top prospect in the Atlanta Braves organization will get the start on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies. The bad news is it will only be a spot start because the Braves have a doubleheader and they decided not to pitch a starter on short rest so Teheran will be headed back to Triple-A after his outing regardless of how well he pitches.

Outfielder Jaff Decker (SD) is off to a blazing start in AA, hitting .275 with nine home runs and 32 RBI in 27 games. A first round pick in 2008, Decker is looking to make up for time lost due to injury in 2010  as he got only 290 at bats. With the Padres in search of offense, Decker should get a look later this fall.

Teammate Casey Kelly, one of the key pieces in the Adrian Gonzalez deal has some work to do in AA. Kelly has a 3.78 ERA through six starts with hitters batting .284 against him. Kelly has walked nine and struck out 23 in 33 1/3 innings.

Domonic Brown has returned to action for the Philadelphia Phillies and is currently in Triple-A playing for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Since returning to the field, Brown is hitting .371 with three home runs and eight RBI in 35 at bats.

Catcher Devin Mesoraco of the Cincinnati Reds is biding his time at Triple-A where he is hitting .293 with three home runs and 12 RBI. He would likely be part of a trade package if the Reds go out and get a player like say a Jose Reyes or someone of that caliber before the trade deadline.

There were some concerns how first basemen Paul Goldschmidt (ARI) would fare against better pitching as moved up the farm system after striking out 161 times in 525 at bats in 2010. So far so good in 2011 as Goldschmidt is hitting .351 with 11 home runs and 28 RBI in 94 at bats in Double-A with 27 walks against 18 strikeouts.

After missing the entire 2010 season due to Tommy John surgery, it was expected that pitcher Jarrod Parker (AA) would have a ways to go to get back to the elite prospect level he was at. So far that theory has proven to be correct as he has struggled out of the gate with a 7.43 ERA in five starts with a .296 batting average against and 17 walks in 23 innings.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 5

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 28th, 2011

If you own any type of dynasty team, whether it be in a mixed league or AL or NL-only type format, if your team is out of the race, there are a ton of prospects at the upper levels of the minor leagues that you should be storing on your roster. Here is a look at some of the top prospects at the Double-A and Triple-A level and how they are performing.

One guy that should be up in the not too distant future from the minor leagues is first basemen Anthony Rizzo of the San Diego Padres. Acquired in the Adrian Gonzalez trade from the Boston Red Sox, Rizzo has been lighting up Triple-A pitching to the tune of a .416 batting average with seven home runs and 26 RBI in 77 at bats. With Brad Hawpe and Jorge Cantu both struggling in Triple-A, it might not be too much longer before Rizzo is summoned.

Second basemen Dustin Ackley has gotten of to a slow start average wise in Triple-A for the Seattle Mariners hitting .235, but he does have two home runs and four stolen bases. He also has 14 walks against 15 strikeouts and should have a little more value in leagues that have an on base percentage category.

Two of the top prospects in the Cleveland Indians minor league system are at Triple-A this season playing for the Columbus Clippers. Third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall who put together a nice spring training has a .257 batting average with a home run and 10 RBI in 70 at bats. He still has work to do against southpaws, whom he is hitting .147 against in the early going. Teammate Jason Kipnis is hitting .250 while manning second base and has a home run with four steals on the year.

If you are looking for starting pitching for the future, there are plenty of arms in the top levels, but several of them have gotten off to slow starts in the early going.

Mike Montgomery, the top pitching prospect in the Kansas City Royals organization is 1-1 in four starts with a 3.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 21 innings. He still has some work to do on his control as evidenced by his 12 walks so far.

After a rough first start of the season, Kyle Gibson has been back on track for the Minnesota Twins and now has a 3.15 ERA through four starts with 21 strikeouts in 20 innings. He should be first in line for a callup in case of an injury.

Also looking at a call up in case an injury strikes is Andrew Oliver (DET) at Triple-A pitching for the Toledo Mud Hens. He was solid in his first three outings of the season before getting knocked around the last time out when he allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings. For the season he now has a 4.76 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings.

The Tampa Bay Rays have an embarrassment of riches in the pitching department, but their two top prospects have struggled in the early going in 2011. Chris Archer, acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the Matt Garza trade has a 5.79 ERA through four starts as he was hit hard his first three outings of the year. At Double-A, Matt Moore has struggled allowing the long ball which has resulted in a 5.89 ERA despite striking out 24 in 18 1/3 innings.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 4

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 20th, 2011

The Atlanta Braves have an embarrassment of riches in the pitching department with Brandon Beachy as the number five starter, Mike Minor in AAA, Kris Medlen coming back in 2012 and soon to be added to the major league mix, Triple-A pitcher Julio Teheran. Teheran has a 1.15 ERA through 15 2/3 innings with the Gwinnett Braves with only five hits allowed and 11 strikeouts. With the pitching depth the team has, we will likely not see him in the major leagues until September.

Third basemen Brett Lawrie (TOR) has been crushing the ball in AAA and it should be only another month or two before we see him in the major leagues. Lawrie has a home run with six doubles and two stolen bases in 51 at bats.

Outfielder Desmond Jennings (TB) is waiting patiently in Triple-A for his shot in the major leagues in 2011. Jennings is hitting .286 with two home runs and six RBI to go with four stolen bases for the year.

The Kansas City Royals have several prospects that dynasty league fantays baseball owners will be keeping a close eye on.First basemen Eric Hosmer is killing AAA pitching so far with a .415 batting average and home run plus eight RBI. Third basemen Mike Moustakas is off to a slower start in 2011, hitting .235 with two home runs and eight RBI in 51 at bats.

Some people were questioning Mike Trout’s (LAA) lack or power last season but keep in mind that he wont turn 20 for another four months. So far he is off to a nice start in AA, hitting .304 with four home runs and three stolen bases with a seven to nine walk to strikeout ratio.

Outfielder Brett Jackson (CHC) has gotten off to a good start in Double-A, hitting .385 with a home run and six stolen bases. More impressive has been his walk to strikeout out ratio which currently stands at 11 to 9. He had 228 at bats in AA last season so I would expect to see him promoted to Triple-A by the middle of the year.

Shortstop Dee Gordon (LAD) is hitting .286 in Triple-A with six stolen bases. He doesn’t have much pop but he should provide a lot of stolen bases once he hits the major leagues. Despite not getting the call up when Rafael Furcal was injured, he is still high in the Dodgers plans and should already be on someone’s roster in NL only leagues.

Read More »

2011 Fantasy Baseball: Arizona Fall League Stats

Posted by Todd Lammi on December 1st, 2010

One of the top showcases for scouting minor league talent in the off season is at the Arizona Fall League. Some of the top prospects for each team appear and can sometime get a head start on winning a job when spring training rolls around. Here is a look at some of the interesting numbers and players from a fantasy baseball perspective.

Dustin Ackley – Ackley gave himself a nice jump start in his bid to win the second base job in Seattle, claiming the MVP in the AFL, hitting .424 in 66 at bats with four home runs, 19 RBI and five stolen bases. With 26 walks against only 11 strikeouts, he should be able to get on base a decent amount of time in the Mariners lineup.

Ben Revere – the outfielder posted stats just like he has done every year in the minor leagues with a good batting average and a bunch of stolen bases. Revere hit .295 in 112 at bats with 13 stolen bases and is likely a year away from Minnesota still barring an injury. Definitely someone to stash in dynasty fantasy baseball leagues if you are looking for speed.

Jerry Sands – his power was not on display quite as much as in the minor leagues, but he did well for himself, hitting .299 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 87 at bats. The first basemen could be knocking on the door within a year for the Los Angeles Dodgers depending on how he progresses this season.

Brandon Belt – the signing of Aubrey Huff in San Francisco means Belt will get a good amount of time in Triple-A this year. He hit .372 in the AFL with a home run and 16 RBI in 86 at bats with 24 strikeouts.

Bryce Harper – the first overall pick in the 2010 June Draft by the Washington Nationals, Harper hit .343 with a home run and seven RBI in 35 at bats. Remember that he is just 18  so dynasty league owners are going to have to exercise patience if they own him.

Derek Norris - the catcher rebounded from a disappointing 2010 campaign hitting .278 with four home runs and 19 RBI in 54 at bats. He is likely two years away from making an impact for the Nationals.

Josh Collmenter - one of the few starting pitchers to have success in Arizona, he followed up on his 2010 season that saw him pitch at three levels. Collmenter went 4-0 with a 3.04 ERA in 26 2/3 innings with 30 strikeouts. He will likely start the year in Triple-A for the Diamondbacks.

Jeremy Jeffress – Jeffress spent the AFL pitching in relief, posting a 3.09 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings. It remains to be seen whether Milwaukee opts to move him into a starting role in 2011 after pitching all of this year in relief. The team may be unwilling to commit to him as a starter as he faces a lifetime ban if he tests positive again for a “drug of abuse”.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 21

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 24th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 21 minor league report. With September 1 right around the corner, here is a look at some potential call ups that could have an impact for your fantasy baseball team the last month of the season.

C Hank Conger (LAA) – Conger has been solid at Triple-A with a .287 average, nine home runs and 42 RBI. He has good plate discipline with 50 walks and 55 strikeouts and could give your team a batting average boost the last month as his .287 mark this year is the lowest of his minor league career.

C J.P. Arencibia (TOR) – he was called up a few weeks ago and cost some owners a lot of their free agent money. For some reason Toronto reverted back to John Buck at catcher to give J.P. more time in the minor leagues. It remains to be seen how many at bats he might get the last month. If the team really wanted to give him time, they had the perfect opportunity with Buck injured. I would expect J.P. to get a couple of starts per week if he is brought back up.

1B Mark Trumbo (LAA) – The 24-year-old Trumbo has enjoyed a power breakout in Triple-A with 30 home runs and 104 RBI while hitting .294. He is blocked by Kendry Morales at first base next season, but he should see some at bats next month for the Angels.

2B Dustin Ackley (SEA) – The second overall pick from the 2009 draft, Ackley has made a successful transition to second base.  Across two levels this year, Ackley is hitting .276 in 439 at bats with five home runs, 43 RBI and nine stolen bases. The Mariners will likely look to move either Jose Lopez or Chone Figgins in the off-season to find a spot for Ackley in their 2011 line up.

3B Jared Goedert (CLE) – The Cleveland Indians have several third basemen in their pipeline with Goedert likely to get first crack since he is currently in Triple-A. Through two levels this year, he is hitting .295 with 25 home runs and 77 RBI.

3B Mat Gamel (MIL) – The forgotten prospect is back and healthy in Triple-A, hitting .319 to go with 12 home runs and 65 RBI in 285 at bats. With Casey McGehee locked in at third base, Gamel could see time at first base next season if Prince Fielder is traded.

OF Desmond Jennings (TB) – Despite the fact that he has not been called up this season does not diminish his appeal in long term keeper leagues. With Carl Crawford a free agent after this season, Jennings will be a full-time player in Tampa next year. He could impact the stolen base category the last month of the year. He is hitting .287 with three home runs, 36 RBI and is 34-for-37 in stolen bases.

OF Lucas Duda (NYM) – Duda has been on a power binge in AAA with 17 home runs and 53 RBI in just 230 at bats to go along with a .322 batting average. He could see a few at bats the last month of the year for the Mets.

SP – Michael Pineda (SEA) – Pineda has been solid since being promoted to Triple-A halfway through the season. His ERA at 4.14 is a little inflated with eight home runs allowed in 58 2/3 innings. His 71 strikeouts with a .210 batting average against though shows he could make an immediate impact once he is recalled.

SP – Zachary Britton (BAL) – The Baltimore Orioles have talked about a possible 6-man rotation with Chris Tillman and Britton looking at September call ups. Across two levels, Britton has a 2.70 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 136 2/3 innings. The 22-year-old lefty has only allowed five home runs while holding hitters to a .237 average.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 19

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 11th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 19 minor league report.

I had a chance to attend Jordan Lyles Triple-A debut Tuesday night for the Round Rock Express, the affiliate for the Houston Astros. Lyles has made a quick ascent after being a first round pick in 2008 and now is one step away from the major leagues at the age of 19. He was featuring a fastball, a knuckle-curve and circle change as his three main pitches and despite some of his numbers he still has some work to do before he reaches the major leagues, which should not be a surprise given his age.

For the game, he went six innings, allowing eight hits, four runs and nine strikeouts. He did give up two long home runs and saw pitches pulled down each of the lines at a higher ratio than what I would like to see, but given his age and knowing how he is likely to still grown into his 6’4″ frame over the next few years, dynasty league owners should be all over him if they haven’t already.

I would expect him to finish the year in Triple-A and then pitch maybe half of next season there as well before getting a call up mid-summer barring any regression or injury. Since the Astros are several years away from contending and given his age, there is no reason to rush him to the big leagues.

Christopher Archer of the Chicago Cubs has been dominant since being promoted to Double-A, now featuring a 0.58 ERA after eight starts with 44 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings while holding hitters to a 1.69 batting average. On the season, he is now 14-2 with a 1.97 ERA with 126 strikeouts in 118 2/3 innings.

Matt Packer was promoted to Double-A by the Cleveland Indians after toying with Class A hitters. Packer was a 32nd round pick last year and has faced little adversity in his first full season. Between two levels, he has a 1.58 ERA in 102 2/3 innings with 14 walks allowed and 98 strikeouts.

Also moving up to Double-A was John Lamb (Baseball America #7 for KC) of the Kansas City Royals, making it his third different stop in 2010. Although he struggled in his last start, for the season he has a 1.73 ERA in 124 2/3 innings with 137 strikeouts while limiting opposing hitters to a .223 average.

Also at Double-A for Kansas City is Mike Montgomery, their first round pick from 2008. It is also the third stop for Montgomery this season who has  a 1.76 ERA in 71 2/3 innings with 73 strikeouts and is holding hitters to a .197 average with only one home run allowed for the year.

Kyle Gibson of the Minnesota Twins looks like he is going to be ready to compete for a spot in the 2011 rotation. Now at Triple-A, the team’s first round pick from last season has put together a 3.10 ERA between two levels with 117 strikeouts in 136 1/3 innings with two complete games.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 18

Posted by Todd Lammi on August 3rd, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 18 minor league report.

The Los Angeles Angels continue to make over their team as they head down the stretch, this time with an internal move, promoting Triple-A outfielder Peter Bourjos to serve as the new center fielder. The move pushes Juan Rivera to a back up role for the time being. Bourjos was hitting .314 in Triple-A with 13 home runs, 52 RBI and 27 stolen bases. Definitely a player to target in Al and mixed leagues if your team is in need of stolen bases down the stretch. Bourjos hit ninth in the order on Tuesday night going 0-for-3 against the Baltimore Orioles.

The trade of Ted Lilly by the Chicago White Cubs opened a spot in their rotation that Thomas Diamond filled Tuesday night. Diamond fared okay in his first start against the Milwaukee Brewers going six innings, allowing seven hits, three walks and three runs. He did manage to strike out 10 hitters, six by fastball which sat in the 87-90 mph range, three by change up and one on a cutter. He still has a lot of work to do on his control as evidenced by 122 pitches in six innings of work and repeating a level three years in the minor leagues due to control issues. His numbers at Triple-A before the promotion were 5-4 with a 3.16 ERA in 108 1/3 innings with 46 walks and 104 strikeouts. He has some value in NL only leagues although wins are going to hard to come by unless his control suddenly improves, but he should be able to pick up some strikeouts along the way.

Carlos Torres got the start in the second game of the double header for the Chicago White Sox Tuesday and took the loss, allowing five runs in six innings. The start was likely a one-time thing for Torres who will likely be headed back to Triple-A and his 7-7 record with a 3.41 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 129 1/3 innings. It is his second straight year in Triple-A and now at with turning 28 in October, he looks like nothing more than insurance in case a starter gets injured.

One of the players the New York Yankees reportedly would not include in trade talks is catcher Austin Romine, currently playing in Double-A. He is hitting .272 in 334 at bats with seven home runs and 51 RBI. He still has some work to do on controlling the strike zone with 34 walks and 70 strikeouts, but looks poised to be in the mix to start at catcher in 2012.

Also looking to make his debut in 2012 for the Yankees is third basemen Brandon Laird who was just promoted to Triple-A. The younger brother for catcher Gerald Laird, Brandon is hitting .300 on the season with 25 home runs and 94 RBI with two stolen bases.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 17

Posted by Todd Lammi on July 27th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 17 minor league report.

The celebration injury suffered by Chris Coghlan in Florida opened the door for top prospect Logan Morrison to be recalled from Triple-A. Morrison, a first basemen who had recently begun working in the outfield, got the start in left field while hitting second in the order. He went 1-for-4 in the game with a strikeout. Morrison was hitting .307 in AAA with six home runs and 45 RBI in 238 at bats.

I had a chance to catch Jeff Samardzija’s start for the Iowa Cubs on Monday night against the Round Rock Express. He worked six innings, allowing two hits while walking five and striking out seven. His fastball sat around 90 miles per hour for most of the game at times touching 92. He showed a nice change up at 84 that he recorded several strikeouts with. Even though he is starting, he worked exclusively from the stretch the entire game as if runners were on base. He is going to need to improve his command in order to make it back to the major leagues. In 64 2/3 innings, he has walked 43 batters on the season while holding hitters to a .178 average.

The Atlanta Braves continue churning out arms in the minor leagues as Randall Delgado was promoted to Double-A. Delgado had a 2.76 ERA with 120 strikeouts in 117 1/3 innings before his promotion. The 20-year-old threw five innings allowing two runs with five strikeouts in his first start after being elevated a level. He has struck out more than a batter per innings in every season so far in the minor leagues.  Julio Teheran will be joining Delgado at Double-A, marking his third stop this year in the minor leagues. Between two levels so far Teheran has a 2.28 ERA with 121 strikeouts in 102 2/3 innings while holding hitters to a .210 batting average. Mike Minor has been better for the Braves since his promotion to Triple-A, posting a 2.55 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings. For the season, he now has 136 strikeouts in 111 2/3 innings and a 3.71 ERA.

One of the names in the news recently has been Jake McGee in Tampa Bay as a possible trade chip they may use to acquire some deadline help. McGee has a 3.99 ERA in Double-A with 91 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. He missed the majority of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery back in 2008.

Zachary Britton is rumored to be getting a call up to get a start for the Baltimore Orioles this week. Britton has a 2.28 ERA in five starts in Triple-A with 17 strikeouts on 27 2/3 innings. Overall on the year, his ERA is 2.43 while holding hitters to a .236 average with four home runs allowed in 114 2/3 innings.

Read More »

The Minor League Report – Week 16

Posted by Todd Lammi on July 20th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 16 minor league report.

The Milwaukee Brewers recalled center field prospect Lorenzo Cain from the minor leagues last week, but in typical line up mismanagement that has plagued the team the last few years, for some reason they still want to run out Carlos Gomez and Jim Edmonds to center field. It makes one wonder why Cain was promoted in the first place. Cain has received only three at bats after hitting .326 between two stops in the minor leagues this year with three home runs and 25 stolen bases.

Third basemen Mike Moustakas was promoted to Triple-A by the Kansas City Royals after hitting .347 in Double-A with 21 home runs and 76 RBI. Assuming he fares well at the new level, he should head into the 2011 season as the favorite to start at third base.

The Royals also prom0ted first basemen Eric Hosmer to Double-A. Hosmer is off to a good start with three home runs in his first five games after hitting .354 with seven home runs and driving in 51 runs in A ball. The third overall pick from the 2008 draft, Hosmer has exhibited great plate discipline so far in his career with 46 walks against only 40 strikeouts this season.

Just like the Chicago White Sox did with Daniel Hudson last season, the team is wasting little time in getting Chris Sale headed to the major leagues. Sale was the 13th overall pick just last month and has already been promoted to Triple-A. Between two levels in relief, he has a 2.70 ERA in 6 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts. Right now the tall lefty has a fastball – change up repertoire which will serve him well in the bullpen.

If the Chicago Cubs do move Ted Lilly in a trade, they could dip down into Triple-A for help from Jay Jackson. Jackson is 6-6 on the season with a 3.55 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings. Turning 23 in October, he is someone to keep an eye on in NL only keeper leagues.

American League only owners looking for bullpen help should take a look at Jonathan Albaladejo in New York. He was recalled due to the injury suffered by Andy Pettite and will serve in a set up role after serving as a closer in Triple-A. Albaladejo had 31 saves with a 0.96 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings in the minor leagues this season.

Speaking of the Yankees, Jesus Montero is finally starting to show a little life at the plate in Triple-A. After starting the season slowly, Montero has picked up the pace over his last ten games, hitting .441 with four home runs and nine RBI. He is now hitting .271 on the season with 10 home runs and 42 RBI.

Read More »
« Older Entries

 

Designed by: Free Cell Phones | Thanks to Highest CD Rates, Domain Registration and Registry Software