Innholdsfortegnelse for Friday, May 20, 2016 i Baseball America

JUNE 5-11 2006 ▪ IN THIS ISSUE: Jerry Crasnick chronicles the plight of short righthanders such as Tim Lincecum in draft history. . ALSO: Scouting reports on the top 200 drafteligible players, with North Carolina lefthander Andrew Miller No. 1. Even after 18 major league seasons, more than 750 appearances and two All-Star Game berths, Tom Gordon can’t shake the slights he endured as a high school player in Florida. Gordon heard enough whispers and condescending remarks to understand the stigma he would have to overcome. Chris Short, Aaron Small and former Twins reliever Jeff Little were undersized in name only. Gordon, at 5-foot-9, is the quintessential little man with a big arm. Where talent evaluators are concerned, that combination cries out for ambivalence “I heard it all the time—I’m…

PHILADELPHIA Phillies righthander Vince Velasquez made a personal statement in his 2016 debut, striking out nine Mets while wearing short sleeves on a 40-degree night and then telling reporters that his intent was to take the mound and “dominate.” Velasquez’s mid-90s fastball and wipeout curve give him the makings of a budding staff ace. His mound demeanor suggests he would be right at home taking on Clayton Kershaw or Madison Bumgarner in the opening game of a playoff series. During the four days between starts, Velasquez is content to take a deep breath and bask in the camaraderie. He’ll enjoy the salsa music playing in the clubhouse or quietly chuckle as teammates Odubel Herrera, Hector Neris and Maikel Franco bicker in Spanish. “I’m laughing all the time in the morning,”…

Dodgers’ Ravin Suspended Dodgers righthander Josh Ravin, on the disabled list after breaking his left forearm in February, was been suspended 80 games for violating Major League Baseball’s drug policy. Ravin, 28, tested positive for Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide 2. Because of the injury, Ravin was not expected to be able to pitch until June at the earliest. “We are disappointed to hear that Josh has violated Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,” the Dodgers said in a statement. “The Dodgers fully support MLB’s policy toward eliminating performance enhancing substances from the sport and, as per the Joint Drug Program, we will have no further comment on this suspension.” Suspensions List On Farm Grows Reynaldo Rodriguez, Triple-A Rochester’s MVP last season was suspended 80 games after testing…

A.J. Puckett spent draft day on the Pepperdine practice field. Not his draft day, mind you, but the day of the NFL draft when his friend Austin Hooper, a tight end out of Stanford, was picked in the third round by the Atlanta Falcons. “He’s a big boy,” Puckett said of the 6-foot-4, 248-pound Hooper. “He’s a good best friend to have.” Puckett built his friendship with Hooper (whose younger brother Justin is a freshman on UCLA’s baseball team) back at De La Salle High in Danville, Calif., famous nationally for its football program. Puckett played two seasons on the De La Salle football team, one of the nation’s strongest programs. “It’s a pretty big deal, everyone knows about it,” Puckett said. “Everyone is there on Fridays. If you watch…

BOSTON The Red Sox saw a lot they liked early in the career of righthander Teddy Stankiewicz. The 2013 second-rounder proved to be one of the most durable pitchers in the system, logging 140 or more innings in both 2014 and 2015. He rarely walked batters, averaging just 1.9 free passes per nine innings. He showed a fastball that sat comfortably in the 90s—and would touch 96 mph—as part of a four-pitch mix that he could throw for strikes. But Stankiewicz’s pitch mix lacked the sort of action to generate swings and misses, particularly in 2015, when an experiment with a lower arm slot left him with a flat arsenal that didn’t miss enough barrels. Midway through a 5-11, 4.01 season at high Class A Salem in which he struck…

MIAMI | Marlins For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ MIAMI Long bus rides are a common complaint for most minor leaguers—but not for 18-yearold first baseman Josh Naylor. The 2015 first-rounder, selected 12th overall, hails from high school in Ontario. As an amateur, he and his travel team went the Greyhound route to find competition in New York, Tennessee, Texas and Florida. “I love bus rides,” said Naylor, the highestdrafted hitter ever out of Canada, surpassing Brett Lawrie, who went 16th overall in 2008. “I play cards, listen to music, watch movies and hang out with my teammates.” Once he gets off the bus, Naylor is ready to go. He hit.327/.352/.418 last season in 25 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. This season, the…

PHILADELPHIA Another Phillies prospect is emerging, but this one did not arrive in one of the two big rebuild trades the team executed over the last nine months. Angelo Mora is 23 and in his sixth season in the system. Last year, his game started to come together, according to director of player development Joe Jordan, and if his improvement continues, he could be a utility player or everyday second baseman in the majors. “Angelo was always an intriguing but frustrating guy,” Jordan said. “He was always a talented kid. In fact, there were days when he was the best player on the field, but he was inconsistent offensively and defensively. His inability to handle adversity got in his way for a long time. “To his credit, something started to…

CHICAGO When the White Sox reported to spring training, they had two new veteran catchers on the roster, Alex Avila and Dioner Navarro. Chicago also had Hector Sanchez in camp, and he, too, had major league experience. In retrospect, Kevan Smith’s prospects didn’t look all that bright. A seventh-round pick in 2011 out of Pittsburgh, where he played baseball and also was a quarterback on the football team, Smith appeared ticketed for another full season at Triple-A Charlotte. His future changed in an instant. After Avila injured his right hamstring running the bases during in an April 23 game against the Rangers, he landed on the disabled list. Smith came up the following day to back up Navarro. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Smith, 27. “I was drafted…

MINNEAPOLIS Righthander Trevor Hildenberger wound up and threw, releasing an unremarkable overhand fastball toward the plate. It was about as ordinary a two-strike pitch as you’ll see in a spring-training game. The batter flinched. Strike three. “Sometimes you can catch them unprepared,” Hildenberger said with a smile, reminded of the hitter he flustered with a conventional over-the-top delivery. “They have trouble adjusting.” Hildenberger has had no trouble after being drafted almost as an afterthought in the 22nd round in 2014. The 25-year-old was lightly regarded at California, a fact that, entering his junior season, caused him to make a radical change in his delivery. He became a sidearmer, swinging his right arm wide and below his waist. “It’s a totally comfortable motion, once you get used to it,” Hildenberger said.…

CINCINNATI Triple-A Louisville center fielder Bryson Smith remembers laying in bed after having surgery on his left leg in June 2013 and telling his mom one thing. “Mom, you know how bad this would have (been) if I had not made the catch, as well?” Smith said. “That made it a little better.” Playing for Double-A Pensacola, Smith broke his left femur when his spike got stuck in the right-field wall while robbing a grand slam in a home game on June 15, 2013. He’s proud he made the catch—though the runner at third tagged and scored—but the benefit sure wasn’t worth the cost in terms of injury. But next time, he’s still going for that ball. “It’s just who I am, I guess,” said Smith, 27. The seconds before…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ HOUSTON Shortstop Alex Bregman was supposed to be facing the best pitchers he had ever seen as he opened the season at Double-A Corpus Christi. Yet, early in the season, the 22-year-old was mashing home runs at a rate he didn’t in his three years at Louisiana State or last summer at two Class A stops. Bregman, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, introduced himself to the Texas League with five homers in a six-game span from April 11-16, surpassing in just 40 at-bats his total of four from last season. He attributed his early-season power surge to his preparation during the offseason. While focusing on mobility, stability and flexibility and improving his diet, Bregman…

SEATTLE For 25-year-old Cuban center fielder Guillermo Heredia, the transition to pro ball in the U.S. could not be more smooth. After nearly two years away from organized baseball, and with only a spring training to prepare, Heredia began the season at Double-A Jackson and immediately began to light up Southern League pitchers. In his first nine games, Heredia hit a torrid.424 with 14 hits in his first 33 at-bats. He obviously couldn’t keep up that pace, and SL pitchers have adjusted to Heredia, but through 22 games, the righthanded hitter had batted.288/.358/.363 with three doubles, a homer, eight walks and 14 RBIs. “I think he showed a little more discipline at the plate the first three weeks,” Jackson manager Daren Brown said, “but he’s starting to get it back.”…

PHOENIX Righthander Yoan Lopez’s first pro season was about as rocky as they come, but the Diamondbacks believe their high-priced Cuban import’s maturity on and off the field has allowed him to start 2016 on a better note. In his first three starts at Double-A Mobile, Lopez went 2-0, 1.50, and though he had struck out just eight batters in 18 innings, the D-backs say it’s more a reflection of the 23-year-old’s approach than an indictment on his stuff. In fact, they say, his stuff has been more consistent this year than it was in 2015. “He’s not trying to throw it by everybody,” farm director Mike Bell said. “His velocity has been fine still. It’s 92-94 (mph), but he’s making better pitches, and he’s not trying to do too…

SAN FRANCISCO There was little doubt when the Arizona Fall League ended in 2014: lefthander Steven Okert was on a fast track to a prominent place in the Giants bullpen. Okert appeared in 10 games for Scottsdale, threw 12 innings, recorded a 0.75 ERA, gave up just five hits, struck out 17 and walked only one batter. But in a system with many talented relief arms, it takes only one mechanical funk to find that you’ve been passed up. And when Okert dealt with inconsistency in the early portion of 2015, lefthander Josh Osich roared from Double-A Richmond to pass up Okert and make his big league debut first. Now Osich is holding onto a prominent role in the Giants bullpen, with the 27-yearold more or less replacing retired pitcher…

PHOENIX Extended spring training is sometimes viewed by players as early-season purgatory. The nine-week period from early April through the first week of June is marked by a schedule of informal games played at each major league organization’s training complex by a combination of younger players not yet ready for full-season ball and more advanced minor league farmhands just waiting for an opening at a full-season affiliate. And then there are the rehabbers—those players recovering from injury and working to get healthy enough to play. The extended spring training rosters of the 15 organizations based in Arizona this year contain an unprecedented number of highprofile pitchers from the 2015 draft recovering from Tommy John surgery, including (with draft round in parentheses): ■ Brady Aiken, lhp, Indians (first) ■ Walker Buehler,…

As soon as the current Collective Bargaining Agreement went into place in December 2011, it was clear that teams would take different tactics to get around the international bonus pools. The most obvious route, especially in the first year of the international bonus pools, was a package deal. Take a player for July 2 you want to sign for $2 million, but give $1.5 million to him on July 2 and give $500,000 to another player from the same trainer before July 2. Prior to July 2, 2012, there were no bonus pools, so this maneuver would have saved teams half a million dollars from their 2012-13 bonus pools. While the decision should ultimately be up to the player and his family, the reality is that the trainers often hold…

REMEMBERING KEN BABBITT "Big Bat" photos, like this of Mo Vaughn, were a trademark of BA photographer Ken Babbitt Transactions Transactions involving minor league players, i.e. those not on 40-man rosters, covering the period April 15-28. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Signed RHP Charles Brewer. Released RHPs Brent Jones and Paul Smyth. ATLANTA BRAVES: Released RHP Bryton Trepagnier. BALTIMORE ORIOLES: Released RHPs Terry Doyle and Todd Redmond and LHP Chipper Smith. Traded OF Alfredo Marte to Phillies for cash. CHICAGO CUBS: Released RHP Jonathan Pettibone. CHICAGO WHITE SOX: Signed RHP John Holdzkom. Released OF Michael Danner. CINCINNATI REDS: Signed OF Kyle Parker. Released RHP Ryan Mattheus. CLEVELAND INDIANS: Signed C Luke Carlin. COLORADO ROCKIES: Acquired 1B Cody Decker from Royals for cash. DETROIT TIGERS: Signed C Humberto Quintero. HOUSTON ASTROS: Released Cs Jake…

FROM STAFF REPORTS Marlins all-star second baseman Dee Gordon was suspended for 80 games for testing positive for exogenous testosterone and Clostebol. Gordon, the son of ex-big leaguer Tom Gordon and the brother of Twins prospect Nick Gordon, was the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect entering 2009 and 2010. The Dodgers to the Marlins in 2014 in a seven-player deal that also netted Los Angeles catcher Austin Barnes, reliever Chris Hatcher, utilityman Enrique Hernandez and—very briefly—lefthander Andrew Heaney. Infielder Miguel Rojas and righthander Dan Haren came with Gordon to Miami. Heaney was spun off to the Angels for Howie Kendrick. In his first season with Miami, Gordon broke out in a big way. He won the National League batting title, hitting.333, and paced the majors with 205 hits and 58 stolen…

The Oakland Athletics said righthander Sean Murphy, a member of the organization since 2010, died unexpectedly on April 25 in Arizona. The 27-year-old had not pitched in an official game since 2014 as he rehabilitated from Tommy John surgery. He was suspended for 50 games in February after testing positive for a drug of abuse. “The A’s are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Sean Murphy,” said Billy Beane, Oakland’s executive vice president for baseball operations in a statement released by the team. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.” Murphy’s path to pro baseball was not an easy one. He was one of the standouts on the Keystone (Pa.) College team from 2008-2010, ranking among the school’s career leaders in wins and ERA. But not…

BOSTON In September, 2014, the Rangers’ general manager Jon Daniels— patient through a run of injury setbacks for Jurickson Profar— made an observation about the talented young players from Curacao and Aruba. “We have to appreciate that most of the kids out of these islands come from strong, extremely stable families,” he said. “They are exceptionally well-educated; most speak four to seven languages. They don’t have difficult adjustments, and can blow through to the major leagues. “But often when they get to the major leagues, things change. The kids from Curacao (such as Profar) and Aruba have played very little baseball compared to kids from the Dominican or Venezuela or, of course, the United States. The major leagues confront them with the necessity to make adjustments that only a lifetime…

TORONTO | Blue Jays For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ TORONTO Rowdy Tellez made several strides during an important growth season in 2015, but it’s in the subtleties of being in the batter’s box where the hulking first baseman feels he made his most important progress. “Knowing how to be a hitter,” is how the 6-foot-4, 240-pound, lefthanded-hitting Tellez describes it. “I’ve always believed that... the first thing you need to do is to learn how to hit (in order) to hit with power. “So becoming a comfortable hitter, knowing the zone, knowing what I can and can’t do and just using the whole field—I feel I did those things really well.” Rewarded with an assignment to Double-A New Hampshire this season, Tellez has…

NEW YORK While Aaron Judge remains the system’s top outfield prospect because of his big-time righthanded power, a few other outfielders are working their way up the ladder. Slade Heathcott and Mason Williams got a taste of the big leagues in 2015 before injuries limited their time. Behind those two are Ben Gamel at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Jake Cave and Dustin Fowler at Double-A Trenton. All three bat lefthanded and, according to one talent evaluator, have similar tool sets. While spring training numbers may be disregarded for veteran players readying for the season, prospect performance often provides clues. Fowler went 7-for-22 (.318) with just two strikeouts in Grapefruit League action. “He did well in major league camp,” vice president of baseball operations Tim Naehring said of Fowler, 21. “There is…

ATLANTA The Braves have not hesitated to challenge Ronald Acuna, and the 18-year-old Venezuelan outfielder has not been shy about accepting every challenge. Signed in 2014 for $100,000, Acuna showed such an advanced feel for the game during his first minor league camp that the Braves began him in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League instead of the Dominican Summer League in 2015. Acuna earned an in-season promotion to Rookie-level Danville and hit.269/.380/.438 with 16 steals in 55 games at the two levels. He made yet another seamless move by opening this season at low Class A Rome. Through his first 17 games, the 6-foot, 180-pound Acuna hit.299/.373/.358 while flashing impressive tools across the board. “Ronald has outstanding bat speed, and he hits the fastball to all fields,” director of player…

WASHINGTON Nearly four years after an elbow injury put his career on hold, high Class A Potomac lefthander R.C. Orlan feels like himself again—and he’s serving a similar role to the one he did when he starred at North Carolina. In Orlan’s first six outings this season, he worked 11 innings out of the bullpen. He struck out 10 while allowing nine walks and just four hits. The 25-year-old made a spot start at low Class A Hagerstown last season and began his pro career with 11 starts in 2013 at shortseason Auburn, so he’s capable of pitching multiple innings on a regular basis. “There were times last year where I was extended to three or four innings,” Orlan said. “Whatever they need out of me, that’s what they’re going…

CLEVELAND Not too long ago, the Indians system lacked middle-infield prospects, specifically shortstops. Not anymore. Beginning with Francisco Lindor, who tore through the system and reached the big leagues at 21 last season, the pipeline is now filled with shortstops, though the presence of Lindor may result in position changes. The latest, and youngest, prospect to enter the picture is Willi Castro who is playing shortstop at low Class A Lake County at age 18. He hit.297/.301/.451 through his first 21 games. Despite his youth, Castro is in his third year in the organization, and he has improved each season. In the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2014 he hit.239/.285/.348 in 43 games. In 2015 at short-season Mahoning Valley he hit.264/.304/.330 in 67 games. “Willi has handled himself very well at…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ PITTSBURGH Catcher Reese McGuire bats cleanup at Double-A Altoona. The 21-year-old bats in an interesting spot considering that he hit 15 doubles and no home runs last season in 411 plate appearances at high Class A Bradenton. He batted.254/.301/.294 in 98 games. However, the Pirates believe McGuire will eventually add power to complement his outstanding defense. That is why they used their second of two first-round picks—14th overall—in the 2013 draft to select him from Kentwood High in Covington, Wash. Pirates officials were encouraged that McGuire hit.294/.379/.412 in 58 plate appearances against advanced competition in the Arizona Fall League last year. “He showed he belonged, and I think that was a confidence builder for him,” farm director Larry…

MILWAUKEE Being the last player cut at the end of spring training is never easy, but veteran outfielder Alex Presley, who had more than 1,000 big league at-bats for three different clubs, had no choice but to accept it. The 30-year-old was the final cut by the Brewers when they chose to give rookie center fielder Keon Broxton a chance to prove he was ready for the big leagues. But Broxton failed that initial test, going 0-for-16 with 11 strikeouts before being sent to Triple-A Colorado Springs two weeks into the season. That opened the door for Presley a few days later when the Brewers opted to go back to five outfielders after carrying eight relievers. Presley admitted it was difficult to swallow being returned to the minors after an…

ANAHEIM It doesn’t matter how high a player is drafted or how sizable his bonus. Baseball offers no guarantees, a fact the Angels were painfully reminded of when 20-year-old lefthander Hunter Green, once one of their top pitching prospects, abruptly retired in January. The Angels signed Green for $942,000 after selecting him in the second round of the 2013 draft. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound southpaw hailed from high school in Bowling Green, Ky. Green was 17 at the time and so skinny it seemed a strong gust of wind might blow him off the mound, but his fastball touched 95 mph, and with added muscle and maturity, he projected as a big league pitcher. Green threw 17 innings in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2013, but a recurrence of a back…

ARLINGTON Drafted in the sixth round in 2010 as a catcher, Brett Nicholas sure was playing a lot of first base. He wasn’t the first catcher selected by the Rangers that year. They used one of their two first-round picks on Kellin Deglan, and he received the lion’s share of the playing time. Nicholas, a lefthanded hitter from Missouri, understood that and also came to understand that he needed another position to get in the lineup regularly. Catching was always part of his duties and could very well become his main task again. Maybe it would even get him to the major leagues. Sure enough, it did. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Nicholas made his big league debut on April 11 in Seattle, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored in a Rangers…

LOS ANGELES It’s hard to believe once you see Rico Noel run, but he says he hasn’t always been the fastest person around. “No, actually not. Maybe that’s what made me get faster,” the Triple-A Oklahoma City outfielder said. “I’ve never been the fastest in my bunch. I always felt like there was someone faster, so I was pushing, pushing, pushing. “People always told me, ‘As you get older, you’re going to get slower.’ That’s always pushed me, too. I always tried to educate myself on ways to get faster, train better, get the most out of (my speed).” Speed got Noel to the major leagues in 2015. After asking for his release from the Padres at midseason, Noel signed with the Yankees and was a September callup, appearing in…

EUGENE, ORE. Let there be no doubt: Oregon’s Matt Krook is one of the most talented lefthanders available in this year’s draft. He ranked No. 18 on the Top 100 draft prospects list in March and was slotted into the middle of what, on paper, had the potential to be one of college baseball’s best rotations. At his best, Krook sports a four-pitch mix with a low-to-mid-90s fastball with natural sink and tail away from righthanded hitters, and he complements it with a wipeout curveball, hard slider and a changeup that can get swings and misses. “His fastball has magic life,” one scout said of Krook. “There are times he has three plus pitches, but the life on the fastball has always given him some control issues.” Krook hasn’t been…

Unique Astudillo Are there any major league players (past or present) that are comparable to Willians Astudillo? JOHN SCHULTZ Willians Astudillo’s BB/K percentages are insane, who else can you think who has similar numbers? Ronald Torreyes? CHRIS STEPHENS When it comes to Braves catcher Willians Astudillo, it’s hard to find true comparables. Astudillo was in the midst of a slump as May opened, batting.250/.288/.309 at Double-A Mississippi. But we really know he’s slumping because on April 29, Astudillo struck out. Astudillo strikeouts are as rare as a full moon. You see one a month. Astudillo had not struck out in his first 15 games of this season, after he had gone without a strikeout in his final 27 games of the 2015 season at high Class A Clearwater. For his…

DENVER As if having scheduled starting pitcher Tim Lincecum hospitalized because of dehydration wasn’t challenge enough for Clint Hurdle when he managed the National League All-Star team in 2008, the game spun into extra innings before the American League won it. Aaron Cook, a member of the rotation of a Rockies team that Hurdle managed at the time, took the ball in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings to help alleviate the impact of the absence of Lincecum. And then there was Cristian Guzman, a shortstop with the Nationals at the time, who after being called on to pinch-run in the ninth inning, willingly entered the game at third base—the only time he was to play the position in his 15-year professional career. “It made me wonder about the roster…

BALTIMORE Righthander Gray Fenter sustained an elbow injury in March that led to Tommy John surgery and a lost 2016 season. Fenter, 20, had the procedure at the end of spring training. The Orioles selected Fenter in the seventh round of the 2015 draft out of West Memphis (Ark.) High. They signed him for $1 million, which was well above the allotted $178,300 pool value for that draft slot. Fenter had committed to Mississippi State before signing with the Orioles. “It’s a disappointment because he’s a young high school kid,” director of minor league operations Brian Graham said. “He’s got a good arm. He was making good strides.” Fenter recorded a 1.66 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) last year covering 22 innings in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He…

ST. PETERSBURG Even though lefthander Blake Snell wasn’t particularly sharp during his fiveinning look in big league camp this spring, Rays officials had a pretty good feeling he was close to being ready to pitch in the majors. Then, when summoned as a spot starter to make his debut on April 23, the 23-year-old Snell put on a show at Yankee Stadium. What the top prospect did was impressive enough. He worked five solid innings, allowing one run, two singles and a walk while striking out six. He showed a fastball that regularly hit 95 mph and a loopy curve that appeared to break about four feet. “You can see why there is so much buzz about him,” Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner said. “I thought he had a really live…

NEW YORK Catcher Tomas Nido had always wanted to play for Florida State, but when the Mets drafted him in the eighth round in 2012 and offered him a $250,000 bonus, he passed on college baseball. “It was tough because Florida State was always my top school, before I even committed to go there... I had some friends who were going there,” said Nido, who grew up in Puerto Rico but attended high school in Maitland, Fla. “At the end of the day, I wanted to go play baseball, and I felt like (signing was) going to be the right move in the long run for me to grow as a player.” Nido made the low Class A South Atlantic League all-star team in 2015, and the 22-yearold continued his…

KANSAS CITY | Royals For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ KANSAS CITY, MO. Matt Strahm received no overtures from pro scouts and scant attention from college recruiters as an undersized lefthander with a 79 mph fastball at West Fargo (N.D.) High. “My first day at campus weigh-ins, I was a 150-pound freshman,” said Strahm, who attended Neosho County (Kan.) CC, “and by the end of my sophomore year, I was 185.” Strahm grew from 6 feet in high school to 6-foot-3 at Neosho. His velocity increased to 94 mph as a sophomore. Everybody was suddenly interested in Strahm. He eschewed a Nebraska scholarship to sign with the Royals, who drafted him in the 21st round in 2012. After running up a 5.64 ERA in…

DETROIT Righthander Paul Voelker is quickly climbing through the system. The reliever’s numbers have been good at every stop along the way. Voelker has pitched at five levels—from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League to Double-A Erie—since the Tigers made him a 10thround pick out of Dallas Baptist in the 2014 draft. The 23-year-old hasn’t missed a beat during any of those steps. “We’ve moved him through the system pretty quickly,” assistant general manager David Chadd said. “His first full year was last year, and he ended up in Double-A. He seems to be holding his own up there.” Based on Voelker’s numbers, it’s easy to see why the Tigers keep promoting him. In 2014, Voelker recorded a 2.33 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 27 combined innings in the…

CHCIAGO Willson Contreras seemed as surprised as many fans when the top catching prospect was bypassed by his Triple-A Iowa backup when the Cubs needed an injury replacement at the end of April. When Chicago called up journeyman backstop Tim Federowicz, the 23-year-old Contreras reacted with grace. “I’ll keep playing hard and working hard. That’s all I can control,” he wrote from his Twitter account. It was last May when the buzz surrounding catcher Kyle Schwarber as a possible big league contributor began But even after his hot April at Iowa, Contreras faces a much different player-development dynamic, and much different set of potential needs than Schwarber did. Last year the Cubs needed the offensive lift Schwarber eventually provided, during a season they shocked the National League with their rise…

ST. LOUIS When the Cardinals gave lefthander Austin Gomber an offseason assignment, he did what anyone else his age would with such a challenge: He took it to school. Told to add a curveball to his repertoire following his 2014 pro debut, Gomber returned to his alma mater, Florida Atlantic, and worked with his pitching coach there to understand and utilize his breaking pitch. He showed Jason Jackson a new grip on the pitch he had learned and explained a new intent: to throw it with force and watch it bend instead of throwing it for movement and watch nothing happen. Jackson had one response after seeing the curve. “This pitch is going to take you to the next level,” he said. Said Gomber of his curve: “It got better…

OAKLAND It would have been easy for center fielder James Harris to sulk when he was released by the Rays at the end of spring training 2015. Instead, he took it as the beginning of a new phase of his career. Tampa Bay selected Harris with a supplemental first-round pick in 2011, when he was a 17-year-old at Oakland Technical High. His bat never seemed to take off in his four years in the Rays system, however. Harris topped out at low Class A and hit just.215/.291/.305 overall in 804 at-bats. Released in late March of last year, Harris signed with the Athletics a few days later and headed for low Class A Beloit. He hit.255/.359/.377 with five homers in 86 games, doing just enough to pique Oakland’s interest. Then…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ DENVER Improved pitch selection helped right fielder Jordan Patterson draw walks at an unprecedented rate and get off to a fast start at Triple-A Albuquerque. “He’s not swinging at pitches out of his zone,” player development director Zach Wilson said. “He’s not diving for pitches. He’s not fishing for pitches. He is really locked into pitches that he can drive. And when he gets a pitch in his area, he’s hitting it hard.” The 24-year-old Patterson hit.338/.480/.468 in his first 24 games with one homer and 20 RBIs. He had collected more walks (20) than strikeouts (17). Patterson, who has moved fast since the Rockies drafted him in the fourth round in 2013 out of South Alabama, split…

SAN DIEGO The Padres haven’t had much success with their farm system in recent years. In fairness, system alum Joe Ross—whom the Padres drafted 25th overall in 2011—got off to a great start with the Nationals this season, going 3-0, 0.79 through four starts. The Padres hope that four prospects acquired from the Red Sox last November can help effect a turnaround down below. April brought mixed results from the quartet that arrived from Boston in the Craig Kimbrel blockbuster. Getting off to the best start of the four, low Class A Fort Wayne lefthander Logan Allen allowed just three runs over five games, a span of 15 innings in which he struck out 16. A Red Sox eighth-round pick last year out of high school in Bradenton, Fla., Allen…

While professional fields have staffs of varying sizes to make sure they look good all season long, at the amateur level this duty often falls to volunteer groundskeepers or coaches. Groundskeepers have become more proactive in recent years in promoting safe, playable fields, and encouraging coaches and groundskeepers to provide those for their players. Rene Aspiron, sales manager for Diamond Pro Professional Groundskeeping Products, says the results have been mixed. “Coaching select baseball over the last few summers, I have seen numerous fields of all sizes, shapes, budgets and conditions,” Aspiron said. “By far the poorest conditions I saw were on high school fields, and specifically on the mound and home-plate areas. “Not only are we increasing the risk of injury, but we are also impeding a child’s performance and…

The Coastal Plain League is the premier summer collegiate baseball league in the country. Celebrating its 20th season in 2016, the CPL features 16 teams playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Furthermore, the CPL has already seen 83 alums reach the Major Leagues, including former American League MVP and CY Young winner Justin Verlander. For schedule information, team rosters and stats, as well as the latest news on the Coastal Plain League, please visit www.coastalplain.com. ■ Former Gastonia Grizzly Tyler White made his Major League debut for the Houston Astros April 5. Pinch-hitting in the seventh, White finished the game 1-for-1 with a single and hit-by-pitch, helping the Astros to a 5-3 Opening Day victory over the New York Yankees. He finished the week as the American…

Joe Skinner, a 17-year-old from Heathrow, Fla., died on April 30 due to complications from cancer. Skinner was an accomplished high school baseball player, known among the amateur scouting community for his polished lefthanded bat. He was committed to play college baseball at Central Florida, and had received some interest from professional scouts. He is survived by his parents, Scott and Judy, and a sister, Molly. In December, Skinner found out he had B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He maintained a positive attitude, encouraging people around him with his relentless positivity and upbeat demeanor. When he died, he was in Dallas for an experimental treatment, though he died of a non-cancer-related infection, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “Judy, Molly and I were fortunate to hold Joe and tell him how much…

PHILADELPHIA Dee Gordon? One of baseball’s biggest stars tests positive for performanceenhancing drugs and it’s Dee Gordon? That’s about the craziest PED story that’s ever been told. Isn’t it? “This is the single most bizarre case I’ve ever come across,” an executive of one club said the day of the suspension, “because he tested positive after signing a $50 million contract. He could have hit.220 and never stolen another base, and he still would have gotten paid for the next five years.” So what should we think after seeing a 170-pound, slaphitting leadoff man get suspended for 80 games? We posed that question to executives around baseball. They led us to this: five things we’ve learned from Dee Gordon. 1. Our Stereotypes Don’t Match Reality Whatever you thought a “steroid…