Posts Tagged ‘Minor League Report’

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The Minor League Report – Week 14

Posted by Todd Lammi on July 6th, 2010

Here is a look at the latest news and notes from around the minor leagues from a fantasy baseball perspective in the week 14 minor league report.

Kyle Drabek had been somewhat of a forgotten man down in Double-A for the Toronto Blue Jays until he threw a no-hitter the Fourth of July. With a 3.20 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 107 innings, it was thought he would have been moved up to Triple-A already this year. He has held opposing hitters to a .219 average but still has some work to do on his control with 45 walks on the season.

Making the move up to Triple-A last week was outfielder Lorenzo Cain of the Milwaukee Brewers. He was supposed to be reach this level in 2009 but suffered a hamstring injury along with torn knee ligaments that forced him to miss a good portion of the season. Instead of contending for a starting job this season for Milwaukee, he will have to wait until 2011 for his shot in center field. Cain is hitting .320 on the season with three home runs and 21 stolen bases in 253 at bats.

Desmond Jennings has been making up for lost time in Triple-A, hitting .353 for the month of June with 28 runs scored, 15 RBI and eight stolen bases. He is someone worth stashing for the second half of the season in a one-year league if your team is in need of stolen bases. Tampa Bay should be able to fond a place for him in the line up the second half of the year.

Freddie Freeman continues to plug away in Triple-A for the Atlanta Braves as he works toward getting ready to claim the first base job in 2011. Freeman is currently hitting .288 on the season with 10 home runs and 47 RBI. He has hit .375 over his last 10 games with four home runs and two stolen bases.

If there was ever someone in need of a promotion, look no further than third basemen Mike Moustakas down in Double-A for the Kansas City Royals. Moustakas is hitting .358 with 21 home runs and 75 RBI in only 63 games. With solid plate discipline as evidenced by his 15 walks and 39 strikeouts, there is nothing left for him to show at that level.

Outfielder Jerry Sands of the Los Angeles Dodgers was promoted to Double-A this past week after feasting on Single-A pitching. Sands hit .333 in 243 at bats with 18 home runs and 46 RBI to go with 14 stolen bases. A 25th round pick in the 2008 draft, Sands has started to come on strong after struggling in his first season when he hit just .205 in 46 games.

Also seeing a move up to Double-A was outfielder Brett Jackson of the Chicago Cubs. Jackson hit .316 in 263 at bats with six home runs and 38 RBI coupled with 12 stolen bases. A first round pick in the 2009 draft, Jackson will be appearing in the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, July 11.

Speaking of the Futures Game, a couple of changes to the rosters based on promotions and injuries, for the US Team, catcher Hank Conger will replace Tony Sanchez (injury) and pitcher Zack Wheeler will replace Andy Oliver who was recently promoted by the Detroit Tigers.

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The Minor League Report – Week 13

Posted by Todd Lammi on July 1st, 2010

With all of the promotions so far this season, arguably the current number one prospect in the minor leagues, Domonic Brown of the Philadelphia Phillies was promoted to Triple-A this past week. Brown hit .318 in 236 at bats with 15 home runs, 47 RBI and 12 stolen bases. He is definitely a top target for 2011 with Jason Werth a free agent.

Zachary Britton of the Baltimore Orioles in on his way up to Triple-A. Britton was 7-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 87 innings with 68 strikeouts. A third round pick in the 2006 draft, Britton has allowed only four home runs this year while holding opposing hitters to a .231 batting average.

Also moving up to Triple-A this week was Mike Minor of the Atlanta Braves. Minor finished Double-A with a 4.03 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 87 innings. With the depth of the Braves rotation, it looks like he might not have a chance this year but is a good candidate for the 2011 rotation.

Dynasty owners should be watching the transaction wire over the next month for the name Jarred Cosart. If the Philadelphia Phillies make a trade for a front line pitcher, Cosart figures to be at the center piece of a deal and could move quickly depending on what organization he goes to. Currently in Single-A, Cosart is 7-3 with a 3.79 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings.

Jordan Lyles continues to hold his own as a teenager in Double-A for the Houston Astros, posting a 6-5 mark with a 2.60 ERA to go along with 85 strikeouts in 93 1/3 innings. He has surrendered seven home runs while opposing hitters are batting .246 against him.

Simon Castro continues to thrive in Double-A for the San Diego Padres, sitting with a 2.69 ERA in 80 1/3 innings with 71 strikeouts. He has allowed only 59 hits with four home runs and should be looking at a promotion in the near future.

Carlos Peguero of the Seattle Mariners might offer the team a power hitting outfielder solution in the near future assuming he can improve his plate discipline. Peguero is hitting .293 in Double-A with 15 home runs and 46 RBI with five stolen bases.

Trystan Magnuson could provide the Toronto Blue Jays with a closer option in the near future. A first round pick in the 2007 draft, Magnsuon was moved to the bullpen after struggling as a starter in his first season. Since then, he has been a much better pitcher in relief and currently has a 2.30 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 43 innings in Double-A.

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The Minor League Report – Week 10

Posted by Todd Lammi on June 9th, 2010

For fantasy baseball owners that have been holding onto minor league players on their reserve in order to get a mid-season boost to their teams, their patience is about to pay off. This week marked the debut of Stephen Strasburg and Mike Stanton on Tuesday with Brad Lincoln and Jose Tabata getting called up today by Pittsburgh and pitcher Jake Arrieta expected to arrive tomorrow to start against the New York Yankees.

Lincoln was 6-2 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in 68 1/3 innings with 55 strikeouts. It has been a long journey to the major leagues for Lincoln who was the fourth overall pick in the 2006 draft and then missed the entire 2007 season following Tommy John surgery in April of that year. Lincoln got the start against Cincinnati on Wednesday night and allowed five runs on six innings with three strikeouts.

Jose Tabata was also promoted today and started in left field and hit lead off for Pittsburgh, going 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Tabata was hitting .308 in 224 at bats with three home runs, 19 RBI and 25 stolen bases. He has already stolen more bases so far this year than in any other season in the minor leagues with a high of 22 occurring back in 2005. He show far has not shown the ability to hit for power, but if your team is in need of stolen bases, he could be a good addition to your fantasy baseball team.

The one name missing from the list of Pittsburgh promotions was third basemen Pedro Alvarez. Alvarez started off slow in April and has been working to improve his plate discipline and performance against left-handed pitching. He was much better in May with a .294 batting average and six home runs and 30 RBI in 102 at bats. He is hitting .417 over his last 10 games and I would expect to see him promoted by the end of the month.

It looks like the Minnesota Twins might have a Denard Span clone in Double-A in the form of Ben Revere. Revere is hitting .303 with one home run, 16 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 208 at bats. A first round pick in 2007, Revere has hit over .300 at four different levels while stealing over 40 bases in both 2008 and 2009.

Outfielder Ryan Kalish was promoted to Triple-A by the Boston Red Sox after hitting .293 with eight home runs, 29 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 150 at bats. Even more impressive was his plate discipline with 28 walks against only 21 strikeouts at the age of 22.

Pitcher Michael Pineda of the Seattle Mariners is off to a great start in Double-A with a 2.10 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 64 1/3 innings with 70 strikeouts. He still has some work to do against left-handed hitters who are hitting .286 against him compared to right-handed batters hitting only .161 before he moves up to the next level.

Second basemen Reese Havens has New York Met fans dreaming about about an infield of David Wright, Jose Reyes, Havens and Ike Davis around the diamond in 2011. Havens, a first-round pick in the 2008 draft is hitting .344 since being promoted to Double-A with six home runs and 12 RBI in 61 at bats.

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The Minor League Report – Week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 25th, 2010

Baltimore announced that starting pitcher Chris Tillman will replace David Hernandez in the bullpen starting on Saturday against Toronto. I was hoping to see Jake Arrieta get a shot at the spot, but it looks like Tillman will have the first crack at it. Tillman had a 3.12 ERA in Triple-A with a 1.16 WHIP ratio and 47 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings. His batting average against was higher tan what you would like to see for a Triple-A starter at .250.

Arrieta on the other hand at the same level has a 1.86 ERA to go along with a 1.14 WHIP ratio and 55 strikeouts in 63 innings. He is holding hitters to a measly .181 batting average which is almost 70 points lower than that of Tillman. He still needs to harness his control as evidenced by his 4.6 walks per nine innings. He has worked scoreless outings in four of his 10 starts so far this season.

Jeremy Hellickson continues to carve up Triple-A hitters and sits ready for a call up to Tampa Bay. Hellickson tossed a one-hit gem on Monday with eight shutout innings and five strikeouts. He has a 2.79 ERA after 10 starts with a 1.22 WHIP ratio and 60 strikeouts in 58 innings. He has allowed more than three runs in only one start so far this year.

If you break down the numbers of Daniel Hudson in Triple-A it has been really a tale of two different months. He was bombed in April to the tune of a 9.37 ERA with six home runs allowed in 16 1/3 innings. He has completely righted the ship in May and gotten back on track with a 1.97 ERA in five starts with 41 strikeouts in 32 innings. The man ahead of him in the major leagues, Freddy Garcia has been inconsistent with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. With the Chicago White Sox struggling and possible changes around the corner, Hudson should be seeing his ticket punched to the majors early this summer.

Desmond Jennings has returned to action in Triple-A after missing time the first part of the season with various injuries. He has not shown much power in three weeks of at bats, but his speed has been on display. Jennings is hitting .260 with no home runs, five RBI and 11 stolen bases.

Mike Moustakas is punishing Double-A pitching and could be looking at a bump up to Triple-A very shortly. Moustakas is hitting .390 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI with 17 walks against only 18 strikeouts in 118 at bats. He could finally be the long term solution the Kansas City Royals are looking for at third base.

Lars Anderson was promoted to Triple-A several weeks ago by the Boston Red Sox and has slowed down at the plate after a scorching start at Double-A. Anderson is hitting .243 in 70 at bats in Triple-A with two home runs and nine RBI. His overall numbers have him with a .295 average, seven home runs and 25 RBI on the season.

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The Minor League Report – Week 7

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 18th, 2010

There is good news for San Francisco Giants fans as Madison Bumgarner seems to have right his ship in Triple-A. After reports of a drop in velocity in spring training and in the regular season, it was determined that the loss of speed was not an injury but mechanical issues with his delivery. With the appropriate changes made and the addition of a cutter, Bumgarner has been back on track. His overall numbers have rebounded from his first two Triple-A starts in which he allowed 11 runs in seven innings. After eight starts, Bumgarner now has a 3.64 ERA and has racked up 32 strikeouts in 42 innings, including eight in his last start. With 5th starter Todd Wellemeyer sporting a 5.25 ERA and 1,42 WHIP, it is only a matter of time before Bumgarner is in the major leagues if can string together another few successful starts in the minors.

If you are in a one year league and you still are carrying Aroldis Chapman on reserve, it is getting toward crunch time for how much longer you can carry him. I dropped him in my 15-team mixed league this past weekend in order to grab another starter. Chapman has been hit hard in two of his last three starts, allowing 15 runs in 14 innings. Yes, he does throw hard and can rack up strikeouts, but his lack of control (21 walks in 35 innings) means he won’t be lasting too long in games if he was called up to the major leagues.

Jay Jackson looked like he was going to be first in line in Triple-A to fill a spot in the Chicago Cubs rotation. Instead, with relief pitching hard to come by and the failure of the Carlos Zambrano experiment, Jackson has been shifted to the bullpen which kills his value for 2010 if he remains in that role.

Kyle Gibson of the Minnesota Twins was promoted to Double-A last week and sparkled in his debut, tossing 7 1/3 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts. Gibson was the Twins first round pick in 2009 and has a 1.60 ERA through eight starts with 50 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings.

Yonder Alonso was promoted to Triple-A by the Cincinnati Reds despite having less than stellar stats in AA. Alonso was hitting .267 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 101 at bats. Alonso has seen time at first base and in the outfield since he is blocked in the major leagues by Joey Votto.

Kyle Drabek continues to chug along in Double-A with five wins and a 3.06 ERA after eight starts. Drabek has struck out 45 in 47 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .236 batting average.

For those of you in deep dynasty leagues, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels has lived up to his top prospect billing after being a first round pick in 2009. In Single-A, Trout is hitting .372 with five home runs, 15 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

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The Minor League Report – week 6

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 11th, 2010

In week 5, there were several more prospects recalled from the minor leagues, including Starlin Castro of the Chicago Cubs and Michael Saunders by the Seattle Mariners. Some of the promotions from Double-A to Triple-A included Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen (WAS) as well as Andrew Cashner (CHC).

Cashner, with a 2.75 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 36 innings could be facing a similar fate as Jeremy Hellickson of the Tampa Bay Rays. Each pitcher has been dominating in the minor leagues, but with no spots currently open in the major league rotation, there is a very good chance that when they are recalled to the big leagues, they will each be working in relief roles.

I have created a Minor League Tracker spreadsheet that shows all of the year-to-date stats for players that I highlighted in my team-by-team Triple-A minor league reports so you can easily keep an eye on possible players to target on the waiver wire in future weeks.

I have added additional columns that list the rank of the player in the overall top 100 by Baseball America and by Keith Law of ESPN as well as added the major league team names, plus included all Triple-A and Double-A hitters and pitchers that qualify to be among the league leaders so there is a ton of information you can now filter through.

Hitters:

Outfielder Michael Stanton (FLA) continues to lead the way with 15 home runs and 33 RBI through 28 games, although he is striking out in 31% of his at bats. Management is on record that Stanton will be up some time this summer, but if he jumps past Triple-A right to the major leagues, I think he is going to struggle to hit for average with his high ratio of strikeouts.

Third basemen Mike Moustakas (KC) is off to a great start in Double-A, hitting .392 with six home runs and 21 RBI, with only nine strikeouts in 74 at bats.

For all the hype that Carlos Santana (CLE) gets and rightfully so, Buster Posey (SF) is matching him stat for stat in Triple-A. Santana is hitting .314 with five home runs and 25 RBI compared to Posey at .345 with five home runs and 21 RBI.

Pitchers:

Martin Perez (TEX) has a 2.45 ERA in six starts with 29 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings to go along with a 1.44 ERA.

Simon Castro of the San Diego Padres has been holding his own on Double-A with a 2.10 ERA and 1.02 WHIP ratio. Castro has struck out 26 in 34 1/3 innings.

Jordan Lyles (HOU) has been superb in Double-A with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 35 innings with 31 strikeouts. I would expect to see him promoted to Triple-A by the middle of this summer.

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The Minor League Report – week 3

Posted by Todd Lammi on April 26th, 2010

We saw two players get promoted that were part of the minor league report in week 2 with Justin Smoak getting recalled by the Texas Rangers and most recently Eric Young Jr. getting promoted by the Colorado Rockies.

2010 looks like it might be turning into the year of the first basemen with Ike Davis and Justin Smoak already promoted and Brett Wallace, Freddie Freeman and Chris Carter (Oak.) looming as potential call ups later this season.

I have created a Minor League Tracker spreadsheet that shows all of the year-to-date stats for players that I highlighted in my team-by-team Triple-A minor league reports so you can easily keep an eye on possible players to target on the waiver wire in future weeks.

Since we took a look at some of the top players from Triple-A last week, here is a view of some of the top prospects in Double-A.

Hitters:

Shortstop Starlin Castro (Cubs) is making it look easy at the plate in Double-A, hitting .382 with one home run, 15 RBI and four stolen bases. With as well as he played in spring training, it will only be a matter of time until he is up in Triple-A.

Outfielder Domonic Brown (Phi.) is hitting .325 with a home run and five RBI with one stolen base for the Reading Phillies. There is not much chance he sees time with the Phillies this season barring injury, but he should have a shot to open 2011 in the outfield with Jason Werth a free agent after this season.

Outfielder Mike Stanton (Fla.) is hitting .311 for the Jacksonville Suns with six home runs and 13 RBI. While he is still striking out a fair amount with 17 whiffs in 61 at bats, his plate discipline has come a long way in the last two years. Stanton has 16 walks through 16 games and an on base percentage of .462.

First basemen Lars Anderson (Bos.) is trying to regain his top prospect status, after a disappointing season at Double-A last year, a level he is now repeating. Anderson is hitting .328 with five home runs and 16 RBI through 58 at bats.

Shortstop Dee Gordon (LAD) of the Chattanooga Lookouts is hitting .354 with one home run and four RBI to go along with four stolen bases.

Third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall (Clev.) of the Akron Aeros is off to a good start average wise, hitting .358, but with no home runs and five RBI.

It has been a slow go so far for Dustin Ackley (Sea.), the second pick of the 2009 draft. Ackley is hitting just .153 in 59 at bats with two RBI and stolen bases. The only bright spot has been his plate discipline with nine walks against 10 strikeouts.

Pitchers:

Kyle Drabek (Tor.) has a 3.80 ERA through four starts with 20 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings. Drabek has allowed two home runs and is holding hitters to a .228 average.

Jordan Lyles (Hous.) of the Corpus Christi Hooks has a 2.30 ERA after three starts with 16 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings. I expect the Houston Astros to be aggressive in promoting him so he should see Triple-A by the second half of the season.

Andrew Cashner (Cubs) has struck out 29 hitters in 24 1/3 innings and has an ERA of 3.33 after four starts, while holding opposing batters to a .188 average. After striking out 10 in each of his first two starts, Cashner has come back to earth a little bit.

Chris Withrow (LAD) has gotten off to a slow start, with a 9.00 ERA after four starts with hitters knocking him around at a .303 clip and three home runs allowed.

Christian Friedrich (Col.) has struck out 16 in 16 1/3 innings with an ERA of 2.81 after three starts. Friedrich has found the going a little tougher in Double-A after striking out 159 in 119 2/3 innings.

Future closer Drew Storen (Was.) has three saves and a 1.23 ERA in 7 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts. Despite being overshadowed by teammate Stephen Strasburg, Storen could have some value as well later this year if the Nationals deal Matt Capps

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Fantasy Baseball Minor League Report – week 8

Posted by Todd Lammi on May 30th, 2009

by Todd Lammi

With Brett Myers of the Philadelphia Phillies scheduled to have surgery on his right hip that will likely end his season, let’s take a look at some the internal options the Phillies have to fill that void either by call up or via trade.

Carlos Carrasco was the minor league pitcher closest to the majors when the season started, beginning the year in Triple-A. He has been off to a disappointing start so far this season at 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA. In 55 innings, he has allowed 63 hits with 58 strikeouts and opposing batters are hitting .281 against him. He has been better in his last three starts with 7 runs allowed in 19 2/3 innings with 21 strikeouts that the Phillies might be willing to give him a shot while he has momentum.

Antonio Bastardo was recently promoted to Triple-A where he has made two starts, allowing three runs in 13 innings with 12 strikeouts. In 34 2/3 innings at AA, he had a 1.82 with 39 strikeouts while holding batters to a .178 average.

Kyle Kendrick has done nothing to distinguish himself in Triple-A, with a 4.25 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 53 innings, but he could be an option because of his past big league experience.

The longest of long shots is Kyle Drabek in Advanced A ball. Drabek currently holds a 2.48 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings. If nothing else, the injury to Myers should have him bumped up to AA very shortly.

If the Phillies look to trade for a starter, they might move shortstop Jason Donald who is currently in AAA blocked by Jimmy Rollins. Donald has been off to a slow start with a .234 average with one home run and four steals. In AA in 2008, Donald hit .307 with 14 home runs and 11 stolen bases.

Outfielder Michael Taylor in AA could also be a trade target of other teams. Taylor is hitting .342 with 9 home runs, 37 RBI and 8 stolen bases with a low 19 strikeouts in 152 at bats.

In other minor league news from week 8…

Tommy Hanson continues to dominate in Triple-A, allowing one run in seven innings with nine strikeouts. Opposing hitters are batting a paltry .164 on the season against him.

Gordon Beckham was promoted to Triple-A and is seeing time at third base. It looks like the White Sox are intent to get his bat into the line up at any position they can. Beckham hit .299 with 4 home runs and 22 RBI in 38 games in AA before the promotion. He has gone 3 for 7 in two games with the Charlotte Knights.

Wade Davis should be next in line the next time the Tampa Bay Rays need a starting pitcher from the minors. Davis in Triple-A currently has a 3.40 ERA in 53 innings with 32 strikeouts. His AAA numbers were actually better in 2008 following his promotion from AA.

2008 ERA – 2.72 Innings – 53 Hits – 39 Strikeouts – 55
2009 ERA – 3.40 Innings – 53 Hits – 44 Strikeouts – 32

The Cleveland Indians have several promising arms they could turn to in AA in the second half of the season. Jeanmar Gomez has a 1.29 ERA in five starts with 0.57 whip ratio and 3o strikeouts in 35 innings.
Teammate Chuck Lofgren was just promoted to Triple-A after posting a 1.42 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings.

Mat Latos (Padres) tossed seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts and could see a promotion to Triple-A in another month or two. Latos has a 0.50 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings on the season.

Madison Bumgarner (Giants) is heating up in AA, running off four straight wins since his promotion. Between his two minor league stops, Bumgarner is 7-1 with a 1.14 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings with zero home runs allowed.

Brad Lincoln (Pirates) should be ready for a move up to Triple-A in the near future. Lincoln has a 2.05 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings of work. He has allowed only two home runs and 12 walks on the season.

Alcides Escobar (Brewers) has been working at second base since the injury to Rickie Weeks and his hitting has taken off. He has boosted his average to .290 with two home runs and 21 steals. It remains to be seen whether the Milwaukee Brewers promote him the second half of the season or use him as the main trade bait to try to get Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres.

Catcher Carlos Santana is hitting .292 with 7 home runs and 29 RBI in AA. He also has a 31 to 22 walk to strikeout ratio. If the Cleveland Indians go into fire sale mode and trade Victor Martinez or Kelly Shoppach, Santana could see time in the second half of the season.

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