MLB Prospect Watch

Prospect Promotions: Montero, de la Rosa, Gindl

Montero Now One Step Away

All of the attention within the Mets organization typically goes towards Zack Wheeler and his impending major league debut on Tuesday, but hardcore fans took notice of another promotion within the organization, that of Rafael Montero from Double to Triple-A, reports MetsBlog.com.

Montero may not come with the hype of Wheeler or Matt Harvey, but his arrival could be just as anticipated this time next season.  Such is the excitable nature of Mets fans, desperate for the hope of what could be in the future as a way to forget about what exists today.

But Montero is worth getting excited about.  The right-hander made short work of the Double-A Eastern League, going 7-3 in 11 starts, posting a 2.43 ERA and an even more impressive 1.88 FIP, thanks to a 9.72 K/9 rate and a minuscule 1.35 BB/9 rate.

He may not be quite on the level of Harvey or Wheeler, but then again, he might be when it's all said and done.  The ability to strike out batters at Montero's rate while not walking batters is an impressive feat.  Montero has passed every test to this point with flying colors, and should spend the rest of the season in Triple-A.  He could be in line for a September call-up if he continues to have success, but his real ascension to the majors should be the 2014 version of what Harvey was last year and what Wheeler will be this season.

 

Rubby to Boston

Thanks to some extra-inning affairs, the Boston Red Sox have been in need of fresh arms, are few arms are fresher than that of Rubby de la Rosa, who the Sox have promoted to help rejuvenate an overworked pitching staff, notes Jeff Lauderback of BoSoxBanter.com.

de la Rosa, who came over from the Dodgers in last year's money-related fire-sale, has worked as a starter this season and primarily throughout his career.  But he's worked in short stints, and in 11 starts, he's thrown just 38 1/3 innings.  He's struck out almost a batter per inning, but he's also walked 4.7 batters per nine innings.

All of these things, along with his extreme velocity and injury history, scream reliever, which is how the Red Sox will use him in the short-term.  It doesn't necessarily mean a long-term shift in thinking by the Red Sox, but for the time being, he's going to work out of the bullpen.  

 

Gindl Gets His Chance

He's done nothing but hit his entire professional career, but now, at age 24 and only because of injury issues in the majors, is Caleb Gindl getting his chance on the majors, notes Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

Such is life when you're a 5'7" 203 lb. corner outfielder.  All of Gindl's value is tied to his bat.  Luckily, he can hit.

Gindl began the 2013 season in Triple-A for the third time.  Over the course of 1300 plate appearances there, he's hit .283/.352/.450.  He's not the big-time power hitter teams typically look for in corner outfielders, but he's got enough power to make it work and strong plate discipline.

Gindl likely isn't a major part of the Brewers future, but he can play a role on a strong team, and he's going to get a chance on this one to prove he can hit in the majors.

Prospect Action - 6/14/13

Triple-A

• The Pawtucket Red Sox took a doubleheader sweep on Friday, thanks to a gem from Allen Webster in Game 1 and the first Triple-A home run for Xander Bogaerts in Game 2.
• Trevor Bauer struck out six batters over five innings and allowed two runs, but just one earned, notes The Coulmbus Dispatch.
• Tigers prospect Bruce Rondon recorded another save, but he did give up a run in this outing, despite striking out three. 

Double-A

• Adam Conley earned his sixth win of the season after striking out eight batters over seven innings of work.  The Marlins left-hander got all the run support he would need from a pair of home runs by Jake Marisnick and Kyle Jensen.
• Chris Reed allowed just one run over eight strong innings of work and got run support from fellow Dodgers prospect Joc Pederson, who hit his ninth home run of the season.
• Padres pitching prospect Keyvius Sampson didn't allow a run over 5 2/3 innings of work on Friday to earn his fourth win of the season.
• Mike O'Neill continues to defy logic as the Cardinals prospect reached base five times, going 3-for-3 with a pair of walks, raising his batting average to .332 and his on-base percentage to .442 on the year.

High-A

• Courtney Hawkins continued to show off his power potential despite his propensity for striking out, as the White Sox prospect blasted his 12th home run of the season.
• A's slugger Max Muncy hit his 17th home run of the season on Friday, continuing his assault on the California League and pushing for a mid-season promotion.
• The Cleveland Indians Carolina League affiliate put up 18 hits on Friday but lost, despite three hits each from Tyler Naquin and Troy Wolters, who is now working as a catcher.

Low-A

• Chris Stratton continued his winning ways in the South Atlantic League on Friday night, advancing to 7-3 after striking out 9 batters in six innings of work.  The Giants first-round pick from 2012 out of Mississippi State is having no problem adjusting to full-season ball, working his ERA down to 3.56 while striking out over a batter per inning.
• Another 2012 first-rounder, Nick Travieso, earned his first win as a professional, allowing just one run over five innings of work.  Travieso was supported by fellow Reds prospect and 2012 draftee Jesse Winker, who hit his ninth home run of the season.

Prospect Action - 6/13/13

Triple-A

• Giants right-hander Chris Heston turned in a rare minor league complete game, striking out nine in the scoreless outing while allowing just five hits, writes Brandon Simes of MiLB.com.
• Zack Wheeler was dominant in what is expected to be his final start in the minor leagues, says Robert Emrich of MiLB.com.  The Mets right-hander, who is slated to start in the majors next week, tossed 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball while striking out seven.
• As the Tigers continue to have issues at the back of their major league bullpen, Bruce Rondon continues to dominate Triple-A, collecting his 11th save on Thursday and lowering his ERA to 0.74 on the season.

Double-A

• After seeing Xander Bogaerts receive a promotion to Triple-A, Anthony Ranaudo turned in the best start of his strong season making a case for a promotion of his own, notes Kevin Thomas of The Portland Press Herald.  The Red Sox right-hander struck out 13 batters over 7 2/3 innings of two hit baseball to advance to 7-1 on the season.
• Zach Lee took a hard-luck loss, dropping to 5-4 on the season despite allowing just two runs over six strong innings while striking out eight.  The only mistake the Dodgers prospect made was a home run allowed to Brewers outfielder Kentrail Davis, which proved to be the difference.
• Jonathan Singleton was perfect at the plate on Thursday, reaching base all five times including a pair of home runs.  The Astros prospect provided all the run support needed for Nick Tropeano, who turned in five innings of one-run baseball.

High-A

• Francisco Martinez, now back with the Tigers organization, hit a two-run home run, notes David Yates of The Lakeland Ledger.  It's the second blast in nine games since returning to the Tigers after having been dropped off the 40-man roster by the Mariners.  Martinez was originally a member of the Tigers organization but was sent to the Mariners in the 2011 Doug Fister trade.
• Jason Martinson put up the top performance of the day as the Nationals outfield prospect blasted three home runs in support of teammate A.J. Cole, who struck out 10 in seven innings of work, notes Emrich.
• Phillies third base prospect Maikel Franco homered again, giving him 15 on the season as he continues to emerge as one of the top prospects in their system.

Low-A

• Michael Ynoa is still healthy and still pitching, as the A's right-hander threw five scoreless innings while striking out five to earn his second win of the season on Thrusday.
• Rangers third base prospect Joey Gallo continues to blast home runs, hitting his 21st of the season, but he's also hitting more consistently, going 3-for-4 with a double as well to raise his batting average to .245 on the year.
• Byron Buxton went just 1-for-5 (to lower his batting average to .343!) but the Twins prospect did hit his eighth home run of the year in the game.

Prospect Promotions: Xander Bogaerts

As if the Red Sox shortstop/third base situation isn't complicated enough with the threesome of Stephen Drew, Jose Iglesias and Will Middlebrooks all fighting for a starting role, the Sox have now their top prospect Xander Bogaerts waiting just one step away from the majors in Triple-A, reports Mike Antonellis of SeaDogsRadio.com.

Bogaerts, who has emerged as a top-five prospect in all of baseball, leaves Double-A behind .311/.407/.502 in 56 games.  Known for his power, Bogaerts hit just six home runs while in Portland, but he showed an improved approach at the plate, increasing his walk rate to 13.5 percent.  He bounced back from a slow start (going just seven for his first 41), but has hit .343 since.

Bogaerts is far and away the best offensive player of the four, but his positional future remains a question.  There are those who believe that Bogaerts can remain at shortstop, but he won't play there if he's in the lineup with Iglesias, even though Iglesias is currently playing third at times.  Bogaerts has yet to play third base with the Red Sox, but he did work there while with The Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.

There's no way anyone can be certain whether Bogaerts will be able to stay at short, because at just 20-years-old, he's not done filling out.  But one thing we can be certain about is that he won't be playing shortstop along side Iglesias.  If Iglesias' bat proves to be enough to play every day, the Red Sox will have a situation on their hands similar to what the Orioles had with Manny Machado, which worked out pretty well for them.

When that happens, however, remains up in the air.  Machado was in the majors by 19 and straight from Double-A, but he is a rare case.  Bogaerts is pretty rare in his own part, but there's still development there to take place, and the Red Sox crowded left-side of the infield eliminates the need that the Orioles had last season.  Bogaerts has as much raw power as any prospect in the game, but that power wasn't completely tapped into in Double-A.  It's there, mind you, but the Red Sox would be wise to let him figure out how to bring all of it out.

If they need him, he's there.  Much like the Orioles last season, if the Red Sox need a jolt, or have an injury-forced hole in the lineup, they have one of the top prospects in the game getting seasoning in the upper levels of the minor leagues.

Prospect Action - 6/5/13

Triple-A

• Tigers outfield prospect Nick Castellanos continued his hot streak, hitting his third home run in four games as part of a 3-for-5 day, writes John Parker of MiLB.com.
• Gerrit Cole was strong on Wednesday, tossing seven shutout innings, says Danny Wild of MiLB.com. The outing came on the same day that Pirates starter Wandy Rodriguez went down with injury, which means nothing other than coincidentally convenient timing.
• Paul Demny's spot start in Syracuse didn't go too well, as the right-hander allowed seven runs in five innings despite striking out six.

Double-A

• Red Sox pitching prospect Drake Britton was virtually un-hittable on Wednesday, allowing just one hit over eight innings of work, notes The Erie Times-News.
• Cesar Puello doesn't appear to be letting the Biogenesis scandal effect his play, as the Mets outfielder hit his 10th home run of the season on Wednesday, writes Mike Ashmore of ThunderBaseball.com.  It was the third home run in as many games for Puello, who is now hitting .316/.395/.571 on the season.
• Sebastian Valle hit his fifth home run of the season, notes Philly.com.  It was the second home run in as many games for the Phillies catching prospect, who has been passed by Tommy Joseph on the organizational depth chart.

High-A

• Robbie Ray continues to have success in his second go-round at the Carolina League, as the Nationals left-hander struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings on Wednesday, notes Jake Seiner of MiLB.com.
• Max Muncy took advantage of a windy night on Wednesday, as the A's prospect hit three home runs on a night in which there were 11 total blasts.
• Henry Owens threw five scoreless innings of one-hit ball, despite walking five in the outing.  

Low-A

• Jefferson Olacio turned in his second-straight one-earned-run start since allowing 10 earned runs in an outing, as the White Sox lefty earned his second win of the season.
• Rangers outfield prospect Nick Williams hit his ninth home run of the season as part of a three-hit day.