Innholdsfortegnelse for Friday, August 14, 2015 i Baseball America

Where would the three players traded to Cincinnati (in the Johnny Cueto deal) rank in Reds Top 30 Prospects? JONATHON DAVIS, @THEREDSBENGAL The Royals have made significant tradedeadline deals before, but Royals fans are used to seeing major league veterans head elsewhere in return for prospects. This year Kansas City is the one adding significant big league talent. This is flipping the script for the Reds as well. They have been deadline buyers in recent years, but the window on the homegrown team that made two playoff appearances thanks to Jay Bruce, Aroldis Chapman, Johnny Cueto and Joey Votto has closed. So Cincinnati looked to restock its farm system. How did they do? Lefthander Cody Reed ranked No. 9 on the Royals list in our midseason prospect update for Baseball…

Baseball Writer, ESPN.com CINCINNATI If Cubs catcher Kyle Schwarber isn’t the modern-day equivalent of Babe Ruth—or Roy Hobbes—he just might have to do until something better comes along. In 621 minor league plate appearances before graduating to the big leagues, Schwarber hit .333/.429/.613. But it was the manner in which he produced as much as the actual numbers that set him apart from the crowd. Jason McLeod, Chicago’s senior vice president of player development, shares a story from earlier this season that provides some telling insight into Schwarber’s toughness and intensity. Schwarber was catching for the Double-A Tennessee Smokies in late April when a batter swung through a third strike for the final out of the inning. The back swing struck him in the head and nearly knocked him unconscious.…

Team Canada captured its second consecutive Pan Am Games gold medal, this one on home soil in Toronto. The mishmash of players that Baseball Canada brings together to compete knocked off baseball giants such as Team USA and Cuba, who took silver and bronze in the international tournament. “You’d like the clock to stop a little bit here, because this is very special,” said Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada’s director of national teams. “We’re going to relish this for the little bit of time that we can here, and it’s very special.” The Canadian Pan Am team included nine former big leaguers, two players out of retirement, a couple more who continued playing just to get a shot in the Games, at least three in the starting lineup who aren’t everyday…

Editor in Chief Baseball America johnmanuel @baseba llamerica.com During the 2014 Winter Meetings, the Baseball Writers Association of America voted in three Baseball America writers as members. Ben Badler, J.J. Cooper and I were proud to be voted in; not being in the BBWAA had been a source of frustration for us at times over the years. I’d have to explain to family or friends that yes, I’m a baseball writer who lives in America, but I’m not in the BBWAA because I don’t focus solely on the major leagues. The BBWAA remains in the midst of significant changes, and for all the criticism it has received in recent years, the last two Hall of Fame classes show BBWAA members have adjusted to the modern era with its newer statistics,…

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. Chris Archer was heading into his junior season at North Carolina’s Clayton High, just starting to pitch full time, when a friend inquired if he wanted to throw with her older brother, who’d been drafted by the Red Sox and was playing minor league ball. Davey Penny asked Archer what he threw, and he told him mostly fastballs and curveballs. Penny suggested he try a few other pitches, showing him grips for a two-seam fastball and a slider. “And it’s the same slider I throw to this day,’’ said Archer, who now throws them quite often, and quite well, the top weapon in an arsenal that has elevated him to be an all-star and the latest ace for the Rays. Except it almost wasn’t. A fifth-round pick…

NEW YORK When the Yankees gather for spring training, the message delivered from general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi to the roughly 60 players in front of them is simple: Be ready because the big league club will need you at some point. Rookie Davis might not be prepared to help the varsity this year, but the 22-year-old righthander is on track to be in that position one day. Davis, a 14th-round pick in 2011 out of Dixon High in Holly Springs, N.C., has made big strides in his first season at high Class A Tampa. He went 5-5, 3.20 through 17 starts, registering 101 strikeouts and 16 walks in 90 innings. This success comes after splitting time in 2013 at short-season Staten Island and low Class A…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ PHILADELPHIA Righthander Aaron Nola became the fifth member of the 2014 draft class to graduate to the majors when the rebuilding Phillies summoned him for his big league debut at home on July 21. The 22-year-old Louisiana State product, selected No. 7 overall less than 14 months earlier, did not disappoint. He brought some electricity back to Citizens Bank Park by pitching six innings of five-hit, one-run ball against the Rays. In typical Nola fashion, the command specialist showed excellent poise in walking only one and striking out six. In typical Phillies fashion, the bats went cold in a 1-0 loss. Opposing starter Nate Karns, himself a rookie righty, smacked a solo home run leading off the third…

NEW YORK While playing prep ball at Westminster Christian in Miami, third baseman David Thompson broke the school’s home run record previously held by Alex Rodriguez. He also set the state of Florida’s career homer mark, which previously had been held by Prince Fielder. After helping lead Miami to its first College World Series appearance since 2008, the 21-year-old Thompson joined the Mets as the club’s fourth-round pick this year. Thompson hit .271 with three doubles, a triple and a home run through his first 24 games at short-season Brooklyn. Scouting director Tommy Tanous described Thompson as a “middle-of-the-order bat with power” who “controls the zone well.” This season, Thompson led NCAA Division I with 90 RBIs in just 67 games. He nearly led the nation with 19 homers, too,…

CLEVELAND They are both center fielders, drafted by the Indians in the first round: Clint Frazier in 2013, Bradley Zimmer in 2014. Cleveland selected Frazier No. 5 overall in 2013 and Zimmer 21st overall in 2014. Not surprisingly, Zimmer has caught and passed Frazier on the Indians’ developmental ladder. Zimmer was an advanced college hitter when the Indians drafted him, while Frazier was an elite high school slugger. Just more than a year from the day he was drafted, the 22-year-old Zimmer had already galloped his way to Double-A Akron. While Zimmer seems to be fast tracking his way to the majors, the 20-year-old Frazier is taking the more conventional path, especially for a high school player. Frazier has spent all season at high Class A Lynchburg, where for half…

MINNEAPOLIS It seems like nearly everybody in the organization has a theory about why righthander Alex Meyer hasn’t yet become a runaway success in the major leagues. It’s his confidence. It’s his mechanics. It’s his aggressiveness. Or his control. Perhaps his height. One thing it’s definitely not: His attitude. “He’s still very positive, very determined,” general manager Terry Ryan said. “This season hasn’t been easy for him. I don’t think any of us expected him to be scuffling like he has a little bit, but he’s still upbeat (and) intent upon getting this turned around.” Meyer’s raw ability has made him one of the Twins’ brightest pitching prospect since the day Minnesota acquired him from the Nationals for Denard Span in November 2012, and he’s ranked among the game’s top…

MILWAUKEE Sometimes, a minor league refresher course can do wonders for a player. That certainly was the case for second baseman Scooter Gennett, whom the Brewers demoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs in late May to rediscover his approach at the plate. The 24-year-old Gennett entered the 2015 season with a .300 career batting average in the majors after batting .297 in 464 games in the minors. But he got off to a horrid start in 2015, hitting just .154 before being optioned down on May 18. Along the way, he landed on the disabled list after slicing a hand in a shower accident in Pittsburgh. Gennett, who had platooned with veteran Rickie Weeks in 2013 and 2014, started losing playing time. And, as happens when a young player struggles, his…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ ARLINGTON Nick Williams found himself in the Futures Game, landing in a spot that many thought he was good enough to reach—but only if he improved his approach at the plate. Perhaps the most aggressive hitter in the Rangers system, Williams didn’t necessarily need to start drawing walks, but he needed to start seeing more pitches and learn how opposing pitchers were attacking him. He always has hit, surviving on raw ability. He needed more, though, if he hoped to realize his ceiling. The toolsy, 6-foot-3 outfielder at Double-A Frisco went 1-for-2 with an RBI single and a run scored as the U.S. team stormed past the World team at Great American Ball Park. His teammate at Frisco,…

OAKLAND From the time righthander Brett Graves started launching pitches in Little League, he lived by the fastball. That all changed when he reached the pro ranks. His future will be determined by how well he learns to use his secondary pitches to complement that effective heater. So far, the results are impressive. “Right now, I think his best pitch is his changeup,” pitching coordinator Garvin Alston said. The 2014 third-round pick from Missouri had produced early results. Through 21 starts at low Class Beloit, Graves went 9-5, 5.13 with 67 strikeouts and 39 walks in 109 innings. His ERA ballooned early in the year when his fastball lacked velocity and he shied away from his offspeed offerings. “I think the biggest thing is getting comfortable throwing my offspeed pitches…

DENVER Double-A New Britain center fielder David Dahl made a determined recovery from a serious injury and avoided having to endure another lost season. On May 28, Dahl was charging for a short fly ball when he collided with second baseman Juan Ciriaco. Both players were running at full speed. Dahl suffered a lacerated spleen that was repaired in emergency surgery. On June 1, he had surgery in Hartford, Conn., to have his spleen removed. “The best thing for David’s life was to get that spleen out of there,” farm director Zach Wilson said. “A nice side effect of that, there was a chance he would return (this season). I’m glad we’re getting another month and a half out of him this year, because I was fearful we wouldn’t.” In…

SAN FRANCISCO It was something different every year for lefthander Josh Osich. Irritated ulnar nerve. Irritated radial nerve. Torn subscapularis muscle in his upper back. Shoulder inflammation that wouldn’t subside. “I was getting hurt every year, and yeah, I was getting close to hanging ’em up,” the 26-year-old Osich said. “I was just happy to be healthy this year.” The Giants knew from the moment Osich slid to them in the sixth round of the 2011 draft that if he could stay healthy, the former Oregon State ace had the stuff to move quickly to the big leagues. That’s where Osich found himself July 3 after the Giants called him up. His 96 mph fastball, cutter and downwardbreaking changeup was more than adequate against major league hitters, too. In his…

Minor league officials didn’t hide their optimism for the city of Richmond when an Eastern League franchise moved from Norwich, Conn., to Virginia’s capital before the 2010 season. Most officials described it as potentially one of the best markets in minor league baseball— if local officials were able to put together a plan to build a new ballpark to replace The Diamond—the same stadium that drove the city’s longtime International League franchise, the Richmond Braves, out of town just one year earlier. Not much has changed in the nearly six full seasons since the Flying Squirrels made their debut. Sure, they have been a hit with locals and have topped the league in attendance the past two seasons. But most of the talk is still about potential, and ballpark plans…

Having grown up in Illinois, Brenden Heiss is well acquainted with Wrigley Field. The rising senior righthander’s high school, Jacobs High in Algonquin, is about 45 miles away, and Heiss has made the trip a couple of times this season alone. But his next trip to Wrigley will be different: Heiss will be on the mound instead of in the stands, pitching in the Under Armour All-America Game on Aug. 15. That experience in itself should be a special one. But it’s made even more special by the fact that Heiss—though an Angels fan himself—grew up in a family of Cubs fans. Moreover, the game will give Heiss a chance to honor the biggest Cubs fan in his life, his grandfather LeRow Leske, who passed away earlier this year. “It’s…

Transactions involving minor league players, i.e. those not on 40-man rosters, covering the period July 9-23. Numbers in parentheses indicate draft round. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Signed RHP Wesley Rodriguez (12), 1B Matt Fields and SS Dansby Swanson (1). Released RHP Willy Paredes, SS Melvin Mezquita and OF Ryan Hutchison. ATLANTA BRAVES: Signed RHPs Steven Borkowski, Taylor Cockrell (23) and Vin Mazzaro; LHPs Kolby Allard (1) and Andrew Barbosa and 1B Jeff Campbell. Released RHP Alex White and LHP Francisco Rondon. BALTIMORE ORIOLES: Signed LHPs Dana Eveland and Andy Oliver. Released RHP Michael Bowden. BOSTON RED SOX: Signed RHPs Ronald Belisario, Robert Brakeman (16) and Travis Lakins (6); 2B Andy Perez, 3B Dustin Lawley and SS Yomar Valentin (20). Re-signed LHP Danny Rosenbaum. CHICAGO CUBS: Signed C Luke Carlin. Released RHPs Marcelo…

AUGUST 31 1997 » IN THIS ISSUE: How times have changed: Major league owners claim they lost $185 million in 1996, the first full season after the strike. » ALSO: Who is Bubba Smith? Only the most lovable and popular player in the minor leagues Pedro Martinez begins his transformation from headhunter to Hall of Famer. Maybe it happened during Reggie Sanders’ infamous 60-foot dash, when Pedro Martinez could only think, “I had a perfect game, dummy. Why would I try to hit you?” Maybe it came to him after he charged the mound himself last year, going after the Phillies’ Mike Williams and indelibly casting himself as baseball’s brawlmeister. Maybe it was simple maturity, learning from his mistakes, the evolution from careless boy to a careful man. Whatever the…

The Hall of Fame announced that longtime Baseball Writers Association of America voters no longer will have a lifetime right to vote. This is one of the most significant changes to voting protocol in 80-plus years. The Hall announced that, beginning with the 2016 election, voters will have to be active BBWAA members or be retired for no more than 10 years. BBWAA members become eligible to vote in Hall of Fame elections once they acheive 10 years of membership. In past elections, voting rights remained intact until death, unless voters opted not to vote. While there have been other changes to Hall balloting, this is the first significant change in BBWAA voters’ eligibility since 1947. Last year, the Hall added a requirement that BBWAA members agree to a code…

Columnist, MLB Network COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. Main Street was lined at 7 p.m. on a Friday in late July, lined with people in Houston Astros garb. “I don’t ever remember seeing an Astros shirt here,” one Hall of Fame worker laughed. And inside, with the museum open until 8, there were Astros fans filling every room. By 7:30, they’d made a remarkable discovery—the Craig Biggio induction T-shirt had sold out, a first. Late Saturday afternoon, as the parade floats carrying Hall of Famers made their way down Main Street, it seemed as if two-thirds of the fans stuffed onto the sidewalks were in ‘Stros gear. Of course, it was Craig Biggio, and he was a model for the city, playing his entire career for this franchise that has never won a…

Scouts generally panned the 2015 draft class most of the spring, and their bosses put their money behind that evaluation during the draft signing period. According to documents obtained by Baseball America, the 30 major league organizations spent $219,424,530 total in signing bonuses this year, just $513,230 over the total signing bonus pool allotment for the industry and well below the record of more than $236 million that was spent on the 2011 draft, more than $228 million of which was pure signing bonuses. In fact, even though bonus pools were up 8.77 percent over the 2014 draft, bonus spending actually decreased in 2015. The industry spent $222,809,919 in 2014 bonuses and tax penalties, in a year in which the No. 1 overall pick failed to sign. In 2015, spending…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BOSTON Most first-rounders who fly through the minors do so on the strength of power breaking stuff and a fastball capable of lighting up radar guns. Lefthander Brian Johnson represents a departure from that norm. The 24-year-old made his big league debut on July 21 against the Astros in Minute Maid Park. In that contest—in which he took the loss after allowing four runs in four innings— just three of his 87 pitches registered at 90 mph or above. In an era when many pitchers equate velocity with success, Johnson has dominated minor league competition by subtracting from his fastball as much as adding to it. “He’s got the ability to throw harder, but he’s figured it out,”…

ST. PETERSBURG Triple-A Durham third baseman Richie Shaffer insists he doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about whether his strong performance since a late-May promotion from Double-A Montgomery will earn him a callup to the Rays. “I’d be lying to say it doesn’t cross my mind,” Shaffer said at the Futures Game in July, “but I’ve got to actively push that away, focus on what you can control, not let outside factors dictate your day-to-day activities.” The part that the 2012 first-round pick out of Clemson can control is what he has done with a bat in his hands, and his remarkably impressive performance has forced his future to be a subject of conversation for the Rays. In his first 50 games at Durham, Shaffer hit .256/.347/.593 with 16…

ATLANTA Few players enter pro ball these days with as little experience as left fielder Joseph Daris did upon being selected by the Braves in the 14th round of the 2014 draft. A standout running back during his high school days in Oceanside, Calif., Daris attended NCAA Division II Azusa Pacific, about 90 miles away, in hopes of tearing up the gridiron. Ultimately, he decided to go the other way, dropping football to focus on the diamond. “In high school, baseball was mainly something to do in between football seasons,” Daris said. “I didn’t know what I was doing in baseball. I didn’t even know how to swing a bat the right way.” Initially the shift to baseball featured a large amount of frustration and limited playing time. Daris’ hard…

WASHINGTON As good a first impression as center fielder Victor Robles made, his second one has been even better. The 18-year-old center fielder had been a force for manager Michael Barrett in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League before the Nationals promoted him to short-season Auburn on July 19. Robles hit .370/.484/.562 through 23 games to rank among the GCL leaders for average and on-base percentage. He also led the league with 12 stolen bases in 13 tries. Robles signed for $220,000 in 2013 and had a strong debut in his home country, batting .313/.408/.484 in 47 games in the Dominican Summer League last year. He stole 22 of 31 bases and has put in the time to improve his baserunning. Farm director Mark Scialabba has been impressed with the willing…

DETROIT Not many players drafted in the 28th round make consistent progress toward the major leagues, but Guido Knudson has. He has pitched well enough that he could quite possibly make that final big step to the majors before the 2015 season is over. Knudson, a 25-year-old righthander and 2011 draft pick from UC San Diego, has turned in solid numbers this season in his first stint at Triple-A Toledo. That shouldn’t be a surprise. Kundson has pitched well at every step along the way and hasn’t spent an inordinate amount of time at any level in the minors. “He’s got plus stuff,” director of player development Dave Owen said. “His fastball can get up into the mid-90s. He’ll settle in probably 90 (mph), 92-ish, but he can get up…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ CINCINNATI Outfielder Yorman Rodriguez got his fair share of airport time in July. He went from Indianapolis to Washington to Miami to Cincinnati (for the Futures Game) and then back to Louisville. The Reds called up the 22-year-old Rodriguez shortly before the all-star break, and he joined the club in Washington when the team demoted righthander Josh Smith to Double-A Pensacola. The Reds intended to keep Rodriguez in Cincinnati through the all-star break, but they needed another pitcher and activated righthander Raisel Iglesias to join the rotation. That’s when the Reds sent Rodriguez back to Triple-A Louisville, a move that allowed him to participate in the Futures Game. For someone who had just been demoted, he wore a…

PITTSBURGH The Pirates made news on July 7 when outfielders Andrew McCutchen, Sean Rodriguez and Gregory Polanco pulled a grounds crew member to safety when he got swept underneath the PNC Park tarp during a rain delay. Quite fittingly, Stephen Tarpley also made headlines that night. The lefthander pitched a six-inning nohitter for low Class A West Virginia against Delmarva in a South Atlantic League game. Delmarva happens to be an Orioles farm club, and Baltimore drafted Tarpley in the third round of the 2013 draft from Scottsdale (Ariz.) CC. The Orioles traded Tarpley and fellow lefty prospect Steven Brault to the Pirates in January for outfielder Travis Snider. “It was very cool,” Tarpley said. “It was kind of like a reunion, in a sense. I had a scouting report…

HOUSTON As general manager Jeff Luhnow maneuvered his club toward his first trade deadline as a buyer, opposing clubs were well aware of the Astros’ deep farm system. Double-A Corpus Christi—the Hooks’ pitching staff, in particular—had been particularly deep this year, especially considering righthanders Lance McCullers Jr., Vince Velasquez and Michael Feliz already had been called up to the majors. Feliz has had two brief stints in the majors, but McCullers has stuck since May and Velasquez was on his second stint since his promotion on June 10. Despite those departures, the Hooks’ stable of arms remained quite strong: Feliz, righthanders Chris Devenski, Kyle Westwood, R.J. Alaniz, Adrian Houser and Joe Musgrove and 21-year-old lefty Josh Hader. Devenski, in particular, had turned a corner. His 3.09 ERA and 1.20 WHIP…

SEATTLE In an expected move, the Mariners have started playing Ketel Marte in center field at Triple-A Tacoma. It’s something he’d never done in his career. “I think we want to expose him to playing a few different positions,” director of player development Chris Gwynn said. “He needs to get familiar with center field.” There’s no set number of times per week that Marte will play center field, but it will be the majority of the time. “He’ll be in the outfield quite a bit,” general manager Jack Zduriencik said. “He’s game for it.” The Mariners actually approached the 21-year-old Marte about beginning to do some pregame work in the outfield on May 31. “We had him sit down with our coaches to explain the reasoning,” Zduriencik said. “They told…

LOS ANGELES The annual draft is a red-letter day on the calendar of every front office in baseball. But the Dodgers had another day circled this year: July 2. Leveraging their vast financial resources, the Dodgers used the first day of the international signing period for a talent infusion to their farm system that rivals draft day. Committing more than $22 million, they signed nine international free agents, including wellregarded Cuban righthander Yadier Alvarez. Taking it a step farther, they essentially bought four more prospects from the Blue Jays and Braves—righthander Chase DeJong and second baseman Tim Locastro from Toronto and righthander Caleb Dirks and outfielder Jordan Paroubeck from Atlanta— by trading their international bonus slots for minor league players. Since the Dodgers were going well past their $2.02 million…

National Writer Baseball America bbadler@baseba llamerica.com AJAX, ONTARIO The morning after the Futures Game, I woke up at 3:30 am and took the earliest flight I could get to Toronto so I could get to Ajax just in time for Cuba’s noon game against Puerto Rico in the Pan American Games. Up until the end of the tournament, it looked like Cuba would be flying home with only a participation trophy. After Cuba jumped out to a 3-0 lead against Puerto Rico in Sunday’s bronze-medal game, Puerto Rico’s Edgardo Baez hit a grand slam to give Puerto Rico a 4-3 lead in the fourth, then tacked on two more runs on a Jeffry Dominguez home run for a 6-3 lead in the fifth inning. Puerto Rico cruised the rest of…

Up until three summers ago, Kyle Lewis had never taken baseball too seriously. It was just a hobby, something to keep him entertained from February to May. Now a rising junior at Mercer, Lewis has been one of the standout performers in the Cape Cod League and has cemented himself as one of the most exciting outfield prospects in all of college baseball. The 6-foot-4, 205 pound Lewis grew up in Snellville, Ga., with a love for the game of basketball. He played baseball for Shiloh High during the spring, but it wasn’t the yearround obsession that it has become with most youth baseball players aspiring to play at the next level. “I never played travel ball or anything like that until that last year going into my senior year…

Baseball Analyst, Senior Writer ESPN.com PHILADELPHIA We interrupt trade-deadline rumors for a reminder of why sports are the greatest reality show ever. A man twisting in the rumor-filled breeze pitches a no-hitter against a team that hadn’t been no-hit in 50 years and 7,921 games in what may have been the final game he’ll pitch for the only team he’s ever worked for. You’re kidding, right? This actually happened? In actual life? Yep, it did, all right. So there have now been 290 no-hitters in baseball history. Is it possible any of them had a crazier set of plot lines converging on the pitcher’s mound than this one? Let’s start with the man who pitched this masterpiece, Colbert Michael Hamels. Counting October, this was the 308th game he’s pitched in…

COOPERSTOWN Pedro Martinez mixed words—and languages— during his Hall of Fame induction speech in late July as deftly as he once mixed pitches on the mound as ace for the Expos and Red Sox. He addressed an estimated 50,000 fans gathered in the vast Clark Sports Center field in both English and Spanish, delivering a charismatic oration in which he thanked everyone from his older brother Ramon (“I followed his footsteps (that) led me to where I didn’t expect to be today”) to former Dodgers pitching instructor Guy Conti (“the guy who taught me the circle-changeup”) to Dan Duquette, the general manager who twice traded for him (“He wanted me for a third time, but I was too old”) to his former Boston teammates, his figurative extended family. Martinez saved…

Columnist, MLB.com DENVER The gathering in Cooperstown, N.Y. was designed to celebrate the greatness of the four newest inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame—lefthander Randy Johnson, righthanders Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz, and second baseman Craig Biggio. The credentials are impressive, which underscores why the three pitchers were elected in their first year of eligibility, and Biggio was elected in his third year on the ballot. Given the trade deadline that soon followed, however, Johnson should serve as a reminder to eager owners and club executives that it takes a team, not just a Hall of Famer, to win a World Series. While clubs were scurrying to find that missing ingredient for a championship, they should remember that in-season additions of superstars carry a high price, but no guarantees…

National League BEST HITTER 1. Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs 2. Bryce Harper, Nationals 3. Buster Posey, Giants BEST POWER 1. Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 2. Bryce Harper, Nationals 3. Todd Frazier, Reds BEST BUNTER 1. Dee Gordon, Marlins 2. Billy Hamilton, Reds 3. Gerardo Parra, Brewers BEST STRIKE-ZONE JUDGMENT 1. Joey Votto, Reds 2. Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs 3. Matt Carpenter, Cardinals BEST HIT-AND-RUN ARTIST 1 (tie). Yadier Molina, Cardinals 1 (tie). Martin Prado, Marlins 3. D.J. LeMahieu, Rockies BEST BASERUNNER 1. Dee Gordon, Marlins 2. Billy Hamilton, Reds 3. Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs FASTEST BASERUNNER 1. Billy Hamilton, Reds 2. Dee Gordon, Marlins 3. Ben Revere, Phillies MOST EXCITING PLAYER 1. Bryce Harper, Nationals 2. Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins 3. Andrew McCutchen, Pirates BEST PITCHER 1. Zack Greinke, Dodgers 2. Max Scherzer, Nationals 3.…

BALTIMORE The Orioles are waiting for righthander Pat Connaughton to decide whether he wants to refocus on his baseball career or continue to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA. Drafted in the second round of the 2015 NBA draft by the Brooklyn Nets, Connaughton immediately headed to the Portland Trail Blazers in a trade. He remains on the Orioles’ minor league restricted list. The Orioles selected Connaughton in the fourth round of the 2014 draft out of Notre Dame, knowing that baseball may not be his first choice. He went 0-1, 2.45 in 15 innings at short-season Aberdeen in 2014, making four starts among his six appearances and striking out 10 batters in 15 innings. Connaughton ranked as the organization’s No. 11 prospect following the season. However, his…

TORONTO Lefthander Jairo Labourt drew encouragement from a strong performance at the Futures Game, and he certainly picked up some confidence from his showing in the prospect showcase. Labourt went 2-7, 4.71 through his first 16 starts at high Class A Dunedin and flashed his potential during a clean and crisp inning at Great American Ball Park, when he retired blue-chippers J.P. Crawford (strikeout on three pitches), Kyle Schwarber (groundout to shortstop) and Richie Shaffer (five-pitch strikeout). “I feel very good, very happy,” Labourt said through an interpreter. “I’ve been working really hard, and I’ve to keep on working harder. Sporting a 95-96 mph fastball, 88 mph cutter, 85-86 mph changeup and 83 mph wipeout slider, Labourt’s control stood out. Nine of 11 pitches were strikes, a departure from his…

MIAMI Normally, young minor league hitters struggle with breaking pitches but fare better when adjusting to fastballs. The pattern appears to be the reverse for low Class A Greensboro catcher Arturo Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who also plays first base, is attempting to be one of the first position players to make it from the Mexican League to the majors. Grasshoppers manager Kevin Randel calls him a “true professional hitter.” “He had a little bit of a slow bat early on,” said Randel, who is in his first year as Greensboro manager. “Coming from the Mexican League, I don’t think he was used to the rigors of spring training, and he didn’t show very well. “But I liked his professionalism, and he showed a good feel for spraying the ball around the…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ CHICAGO Righthander Frankie Montas joined the White Sox about one year earlier than expected. Expected to contribute to the rotation or out of the bullpen in 2016, Montas was in Chicago on July 17 after being designated as the 26th player for a doubleheader against the Royals. “When they said you’ve been called up to the big leagues I was like, ‘Man don’t play like that. Are you serious?’ ” Montas said. The White Sox were serious, but they only carried Montas for one day before optioning him back to Double-A Birmingham. “He throws hard,” big league manager Robin Ventura said. “We saw him in spring training a little bit right before the season. You’re excited about the…

KANSAS CITY Lefthander Matt Strahm’s name did not conjure up images of heralded prospects before this year. He went to West Fargo (N.D.) High, where blizzards are more prevalent than baseball. Strahm received a baseball scholarship from Neosho County (Kan.) CC, where he thrived. In 2012, Strahm led the NJCAA with 129 strikeouts as a sophomore, while throwing 11 complete games and setting nine school records. He committed to Nebraska but opted to sign with the Royals, who drafted him in the 22nd round. After sitting out 2013 following Tommy John surgery, he threw just 20 innings at Rookie-level Idaho Falls in 2014. “He was coming off a (lot) of innings at his junior college,” assistant general manager Scott Sharp said, “then he got hurt the next spring, so you…

CHICAGO Rookie-level Arizona League Cubs pitching coach Ron Villone, the former big league southpaw, left his post during a game and wandered behind the backstop while his young pitcher was throwing. Farm director Jaron Madison asked Villone what he was doing, and the coach said he wanted to check the radar readings after 19-year-old righthander Dylan Cease told him he didn’t feel good, that he felt “like nothing was coming out.” The radar readings said something else: 94-95 mph. The development of Cease, a 2014 sixthround pick from Milton (Ga.) High who signed for $1.5 million, might have emboldened the Cubs to gamble the No. 9 overall pick in the 2015 draft on prep lefthander Brady Aiken, who, like Cease, had Tommy John surgery performed when he was 18. The…

ST. LOUIS The Cardinals had spent some time during the first half of the season measuring prospect Stephen Piscotty for a promotion to the majors. But before they would move him up, they asked him to move over. On his way to St. Louis, he had to spend some time at first base. “He has to be 100 percent comfortable with that,” general manager John Mozeliak said. “I think he’d rather play first base in the big leagues than outfield in (Triple-A) Memphis, right? Like anybody. If we felt this was his best way to the big leagues, we have to consider it.” The production the Cardinals received from first base through the first half of the season ranked among the worst in the game. A season-ending injury to Matt…

ANAHEIM Lefthander Andrew Heaney made the most of his first big league opportunity with the Angels, going 3-0, 1.32 in four starts in place of the injured Jered Weaver to earn a second-half rotation spot. So did Nick Tropeano, the 24-year-old righthander acquired from the Astros for backup catcher Hank Conger last winter. Unlike Heaney, though, Tropeano couldn’t hit the extended-play button with the Angels. Los Angeles called up Tropeano from Triple-A Salt Lake to make a spot start for C.J. Wilson, who had a sore elbow, and he did not disappoint, allowing five hits in six shutout innings, striking out five and walking one in a 2-0 win against the Athletics on April 23. But Tropeano knew before he took the mound that he would be headed back to…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ PHOENIX When the Diamondbacks acquired shortstop Jack Reinheimer from the Mariners in a package for Mark Trumbo, one of their top pro scouts called him “our kind of guy.” Arizona more than kind of likes what it has seen from Reinheimer, who has been the regular shortstop at Double-A Mobile since the six-player trade on June 3 that also landed the D-backs catcher Welington Castillo and Mobile outfielder Gabby Guerrero. Reinheimer, the Mariners’ fifth-round pick out of East Carolina in 2013, was hitting .275/.342/.380 with 10 doubles, 16 RBIs and five stolen bases in his first 44 games in Mobile. Hitting mostly first or second in the order, he had been particularly effective in high leverage situations, hitting…

SAN DIEGO Corner outfielder Nick Torres may need to hit more home runs some day. What Torres is showing he can do now, four months into his first full season, is bang out hits with rare consistency. Torres, a righthanded batter with average foot speed, hit .326/.378/.462 at low Class A Fort Wayne through 77 games this year. He rose to high Class A Lake Elsinore in early July and got off to a .323 (21-for-65) start with nine extra-base hits through 16 games. He has hit .300 or better in each month this season. The 22-year-old Torres never has emerged as a prolific home run hitter. He was exclusively a pitcher as a high school junior in Southern California. For Cal Poly, he hit six home runs as a…

It’s been a rough year for the big league Red Sox, but it’s been a good year for the organization’s low Class A affiliate in Greenville. While many high-end Red Sox prospects have graduated to the majors in recent months, the organization still oozes with young talent, something that’s apparent around the Drive’s infield. The most notable example is second baseman Yoan Moncada, the system’s No. 1 prospect at midseason. He is joined by third baseman Rafael Devers (No. 2) and shortstop Javier Guerra (No. 7), both of whom have combined exciting tools with front-line production in the South Atlantic League. Entering his first season in the U.S., Moncada faced high expectations, both from the public and from himself. And in the early going, he did very little to meet…

AMERICAN TEAM JORDON ADELL OF/RHP Ballard HS, Prospect, Ky. HT.: 6-3. WT.: 185. Adell, a 2017 grad, is an outstanding athlete oozing with high-level tools. His plus speed allows him to easily patrol center field, though his plus arm strength could play in right field. He has a quick righthanded stroke, and the ball jumps off his bat. Adell also has upside on the mound, where he can reach the low 90s. CARTER ALDRETE IF Monterey (Calif.) HS HT.: 6-2. WT.: 190. Aldrete’s righthanded stroke features good rhythm and balance. Defensively, he moves his feet with quickness and shows the body control necessary to make plays off-balance. His skill should come as no surprise considering the bloodlines from his father, Rich, and uncle, Mike, a longtime major leaguer. KEENAN BELL…

For all the hype and controversy, the first step of the robot-umpire revolution was remarkably unremarkable. Maybe we’ll eventually look back at July 28, 2015, as the starting point of a whole new world, much like the May 24, 1935, night game between the Reds and Phillies at Crosley Field. Or maybe this will end up being just another crazy independent league promotion, one to be thrown into the memory bank with pigs bringing baseballs to home plate and a nun masseuse. But if it is the start of something, what was notable about the first-ever professional baseball games to be umpired by machines was just how smoothly it all ran. With former major league outfielder Eric Byrnes sitting in the stands behind home plate with a monitor in front…