Innholdsfortegnelse for Friday, November 18, 2016 i Baseball America

MARCH 1 1998 » IN THIS ISSUE: Russell Branyan leads the way for the Indians in our AL Central Top 10 lists. » ALSO: The Cubs make a push toward contention with a quartet of free agent signings, including closer Rod Beck. It was a simple question. But with Russell Branyan, there are few simple answers. How was batting practice? “I didn’t take batting today.” Huh? “I missed my group.” Why? “I’m not playing today.” A petty superstar? Vengeful farmhand? Nope. Apparently, starters for the Mesa Saguaros, Branyan’s team in the 1997 Arizona Fall League, always took BP after the reserves. Branyan figured he was playing third as usual. He wasn’t. And while he should have been hitting, he was taking grounders at third base. “Halfway through the first group,…

Baseball Writer, ESPN.com CLEVELAND Relief pitchers love their routines, and Indians lefty Andrew Miller is no different. On a typical night at the park, he’ll go out to the lip of the dugout and stand for the National Anthem before returning to the clubhouse to tend to his preparation. After some light stretching, Miller might check the scouting reports or some video for a refresher course on the opposing team’s lineup. He’ll steal occasional glances at the clubhouse TV to monitor the game action, then fix himself a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a cup of coffee to tide himself over until the postgame. By the bottom of the third inning, it’s time for the daily commute to the office. The lean, lefthanded Miller will rendezvous with fellow…

Autopsy Reveals Cocaine, Alcohol The autopsy of Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, released in late October, found the 24-year-old Cuban righthander had a blood-alcohol level of .147, above the level at which a person is presumed to be intoxicated in Florida, as well as cocaine in his system at the time of his death. The Miami Dade-County Medical Examiner’s Office released its findings following the death of Fernandez and two friends in a late-night boating accident on Sept. 25. The crash, which also killed Emilio Macias and Eduaro Rivero, occurred on a jetty along the Government Cut section of Miami Beach. It left Fernandez with blunt-force injuries to his head and torso, as well as fractures to his skull and jaw. Both Macias and Rivero had alcohol in their systems, but…

Editor in Chief Baseball America johnmanuel @baseballamerica.com Baseball has a very long history of silly team names. Just look at the World Series. In 2016, we really have a team nicknamed the Indians? With that logo? And minor league team names didn’t just get silly recently. That’s not some modern development; that’s tradition. The Toledo Mud Hens’ nickname dates back to the 19th Century, as birds that formally are known as American coots, nicknamed “mud hens,” inhabited an area where the ballclub played. Triple-A International League president Randy Mobley once told me that he uses Mud Hens as his baseline. If a minor league nickname falls below the Mud Hens line in terms of appropriateness, tomfoolery or just plain embarrassment, then it’s probably not great for baseball. But can something…

Tigers owner Mike Ilitch has never been shy about going all out to bring a title to Detroit. He authorized his general managers, first Dave Dombrowski and now Al Avila, to hand out nine-figure contracts to Prince Fielder, Jordan Zimmermann and Justin Upton in recent years, and he allowed Dombrowski to spin a passel of prospects, including Andrew Miller, to the Marlins for franchise cornerstone Miguel Cabrera back in December 2007. The Tigers’ 2016 payroll checked in at a shade less than $195 million, behind only the Yankees and Dodgers as baseball’s most expensive roster. Detroit has ranked among the top five every year since 2013, but after four straight playoff appearances, including two berths in the American League Championship Series, the Tigers missed the postseason for the second straight…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ ST. PETERSBURG First baseman Casey Gillaspie has an inside track to experiencing the ups and downs of the game. His brother Conor has experienced plenty, capped by an unexpected star turn as the Giants’ third baseman during their postseason run this year. But Casey, the 2014 first-round pick from Wichita State, also knows there are some things he has to learn himself. Mental growth was a big reason for the success he had this season, which included a midseason all-star nod at Double-A Montgomery, a promotion to Triple-A Durham and the organization’s minor league player-of-the-year award. “Something (the Rays) always preach is trusting the process, and as a young player you kind of don’t want to hear that,”…

Higashioka Makes A Name NEW YORK A solid season elevated catcher Kyle Higashioka to the Yankees’ 40-man roster, a move that was a reward for a breakout year at the plate. He always has shown above-average defense behind the plate. And while being on the roster for the first time isn’t a guaranteed ticket to the big leagues, it’s a big step for a player who has been in the system for nine years. “I do think there is a chance,” said Higashioka, 26, about eventually catching for the Yankees. “I am being realistic about it. I know things need to happen. But the organization has liked me enough to keep me around even with a crowded roster.” A career .233 hitter entering 2016, he credits his hitting success to…

Pro Routine Suits Soroka ATLANTA Nowhere was the Braves’ pitching depth more obvious than during the South Atlantic League playoffs. Low Class A Rome manager Randy Ingle had four first-round picks make seven starts in the two rounds. A Rome rotation featuring lefthanders Kolby Allard and Max Fried and righthanders Mike Soroka and Touki Toussaint combined to go 5-1, 0.73 with 50 strikeouts and just 34 hits allowed in 49.1 innings. Receiving the ball first in both rounds was Soroka, the 2015 first-rounder and former member of the Canadian junior national team. He began the Braves’ charge to the SAL crown with a victory against Charleston. The 19-year-old Soroka emerged as Rome’s most consistent pitcher in 2016 by going 9-9, 3.02 with 125 strikeouts and 32 walks in 143 innings.…

Sagdal Searches For A Position WASHINGTON Ian Sagdal hit .366 with a .998 OPS in the second half at low Class A Hagerstown, so he will have a chance to play every day in 2017. In his case, it could be at a number of positions. He played second base, left field, first base and third base this season. A 16th-round pick out of Washington State in 2015, Sagdal ranked fifth in the South Atlantic League batting race after hitting .303/.362/.474 with 10 home runs and 30 doubles in 108 games. Hitting coordinator Troy Gingrich and Hagerstown hitting coach Amaury Garcia helped Sagdal thrive after he closed his stance a bit and dropped his hands. “Halfway through the season, I was struggling,” said Sagdal, 23. “They sat down with me…

Merritt Meets The Challenge CLEVELAND Lefthander Ryan Merritt, the surprise hero for the Indians in their pennant-clinching 3-0 victory against the Blue Jays in Game Five of the American League Championship Series, was not a surprise to those who know him best. “From his first appearance in 2011 in the (Rookie-level) Arizona League, Ryan showed an uncanny ability to put the baseball where he wants it,” farm director Carter Hawkins said, “and he can do so with his entire arsenal.” That’s exactly what Merritt did as the emergency starter for the Indians in the ALCS. “I know they were counting on me,” said Merritt, 24. “I just went out there and pitched and trusted my team.” In just the second major league start of his career, Merritt pitched 4.1 innings,…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ CINCINNATI In his first full season, catcher Tyler Stephenson actually played in fewer games than he did in his draft year. The 2015 firstrounder appeared in 54 games in his pro debut but just 44 this season, mostly at low Class A Dayton. Stephenson, the No. 11 overall pick out of an Atlanta-area high school, missed two weeks with a concussion, but he also dealt with a left wrist injury that required surgery in August. The 20-year-old’s longest uninterrupted stretch without injury was 18 games, all at the beginning of the season. While rehabbing in Arizona, Stephenson became a nightly dining partner with outfield prospect Jesse Winker, owner of one of the most sound hitting approaches. The two…

Getting A Good Gage PITTSBURGH A player has to be pretty special to get drafted out of Montana. The state does not have high school baseball because of the cold and snowy spring weather. Thus, scouts primarily see prep players either during the American Legion season in the summer or at fall invitational camps. Yet the Pirates were able to get a good enough look at righthander Gage Hinsz during his amateur career at Billings West High that they drafted him in the 11th round in 2014 then signed the Oregon State recruit for $580,000. The 20-year-old Hinsz spent his first two years in short-season leagues. He then made a good first impression at low Class A West Virginia this season, though he did not join the South Atlantic League…

One To Watch ANAHEIM Rookie-level Arizona League righthander Chris Rodriguez sure caught the attention of Matt Wise, his pitching coach. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Rodriguez, a fourth-round pick in June from Pace (Fla.) High, threw a pitch that Wise thought was a slider. Upon further review, it was a two-seam fastball, which gives you an idea of the kind of movement the 18-year-old has on one of his four pitches in an impressive repertoire that has the Angels excited. “We’re pretty close to the plate, but we had to look back and ask the guy charting pitches if it was a slider based on the depth that we saw from the side,” Wise said. “He said ‘no.’ It was 93 (mph) and looked like a real sinker, and the (batter) swung…

Gallo Goes South ARLINGTON Joey Gallo headed to the Venezuelan League on Oct. 21 for the first taste of winter ball in his career. The Rangers had hoped he would find a swing and approach that would catapult him onto the Opening Day roster But that plan came to crashing halt when Gallo strained his hamstring and returned home for the winter after just three games. Nothing will be handed to the 23-year-old Gallo, despite a potential vacancy at first base if free agent Mitch Moreland departs. The Rangers would love to see Gallo, the top power hitter in the minors, seize the job. But he has adjustments to make after fading in the second half at Triple-A Round Rock and going just 1-for-25 with the Rangers. He finished the…

Lux Makes Seamless Transition LOS ANGELES For most first-round picks, the initial excitement and glamor is quickly replaced by early mornings, hot days in Arizona and the bus rides of Rookie ball to some corner of the country they had never dreamed of visiting before. Gavin Lux, the 20th overall pick this year out of high school in Kenosha, Wis., made that transition this summer. The 18-year-old shortstop played 48 games in the Rookie-level Arizona League before finishing at Rookie-level Ogden. “It was a fun first year,” Lux said. “I learned a lot (and) kind of learned how to go about business in a professional way, how to take care of your body, how to come out and go about your business overall.” The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Lux said he had…

Ben Badler National Writer Baseball America benbadler @baseballamerica.com Major League Baseball has long wanted an international draft. The driving force behind implementing any draft is for owners to control labor costs by paying less money to amateur players. Fewer bidders equals lower bonuses. MLB already created a cost-control mechanism in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement by instituting bonus pools in the draft and for international signings. While the bonus pools rein in draft spending, teams aren’t afraid to exceed their international bonus pools. Since 2012, 18 teams have exceeded their pools, a mix of high-revenue franchises such as the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs as well as smaller ones like the Rays (twice), Padres, Athletics and Royals. On the other side of the table in the CBA negotiations, the…

Baseball Analyst, Senior Writer ESPN.com CLEVELAND They will call it Game Seven. We have seen Game Sevens in a World Series before. But have we ever seen a Game Seven quite like 2016? Have we ever seen a championship game in any sport quite like this? Try to wrap your mind around what was on the line, when 174 combined seasons of broken hearts and shattered dreams hung in the Ohio night. For the Cubs, that comes to 107 consecutive championship-free seasons. For the Indians, that comes to 67 in a row. Nine innings from one drought ending and one remaining. Nine innings from setting one team’s ghosts free, while the other’s will be back to haunt again. “It’s storybook,” Cubs catcher David Ross said after his team’s 9-3 Game…

After word spread that Major League Baseball was pushing for an international draft in the next renewal of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, trainers in the Dominican Republic organized a protest against the draft by saying their players would not participate in MLB’s Dominican national showcase on Oct. 26-27. “No one will take their players to the event next week,” said one prominent Dominican trainer. “There is a total boycott of all MLB events.” Despite efforts by MLB to persuade players to attend the showcase, MLB announced the night of Oct. 25 that it had canceled the event. While it’s unknown how many players would have shown up had MLB continued with the showcase, several trainers were adamant that their players would not have attended the event. MLB officials tried to…

STAFF REPORT With Mike Hazen in the fold as the Diamondbacks’ new general manager, the team added one of his former cohorts in Boston to his staff as well. Amiel Sawdaye, 39, joined the D-backs as assistant GM and senior vice president. He had been with the Red Sox since 2002 and worked with Hazen there from 2006-16. Most recently, Sawdaye was the team’s vice president of amateur and international scouting. From 2010-14, he ran the draft and during that time Boston drafted Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Blake Swihart, Henry Owens, Travis Shaw and flamethrowing current Red Sox prospect Michael Kopech, among others. Sawdaye interviewed to become assistant GM in Boston under president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and said the meeting went well, but said the challenge of…

Columnist, MLB Network CLEVELAND The more postseason baseball evolves into Jim Valvano’s “Survive and Advance,” the more the managers live for today, the more it becomes playoff hockey. It’s to the point that at the end of every series, I want to see both teams line up and shake hands. After this postseason, we can start appreciating how different the playoffs are than the regular season. It started with the unforgettable play-in game between the Mets and Giants, pitting Noah Syndergaard and Madison Bumgarner. Syndergaard flirted with a no-hitter, but it was decided by Conor Gillaspie—a year to the day he was released by the Angels—hitting a long home run off closer Jeurys Familia. The Cubs went through exhausting innings against the Giants and Dodgers; Los Angeles eliminated the Nationals…

The White Sox entered 2016 with some optimism. They were returning a veteran pitching staff with an excellent 1-2 punch of Chris Sale and Jose Quintana. They acquired slugging third baseman Todd Frazier and brought in veterans such as catcher Alex Avila and shortstop Jimmy Rollins. They expected contributions from young cornerstone players like Carlos Rodon and Adam Eaton. In the beginning of the season, that optimism seemed plausible. Chicago got off to a 24-12 start and appeared to be a contender in the American League Central. But things soured quickly, with a harsh slump in late May. The team bought low on righthander James Shields in early June, but Shields’ struggles only worsened when he got to Chicago. The White Sox got little production from Avila, Rollins or Austin…

The bill for the Royals’ back-to-back World Series appearances and its 2015 title started to come due in 2016, but the balloon payment is looming in 2018. Understandably, the defending World Series champs tried to keep the team together to attempt a repeat. Free agent Alex Gordon was re-signed, ensuring the Royals began 2016 with largely the same lineup that won it all in 2015. The dominant bullpen was largely kept intact (closer Greg Holland was allowed to reach free agency as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery) while free agent righthander Ian Kennedy was signed to try to fill some of the innings lost when trade pickup Johnny Cueto signed with the Giants as a free agent. It didn’t work. A knee injury cost Mike Moustakas all but a…

Scott Angling For More Control BALTIMORE Lefthander Tanner Scott still has plenty of heat on his fastball. He just needs to locate it more consistently. Scott averaged 8.0 walks per nine innings between high Class A Frederick and Double-A Bowie, but he also averaged 11.3 strikeouts per nine and his fastball touched 100 mph. “He kind of started slow, but he got better as the year went on,” Bowie pitching coach Alan Mills said. “It’s just a matter of him getting more comfortable with his delivery and getting a more consistent release point.” It’s important to remember that Scott, a 2014 sixth-rounder from Howard (Texas) JC, advanced to the Eastern League at age 22. The guy with the triple-digit heater must be graded on a curve. “He throws close to…

Zeuch Eyes His Own Future TORONTO Shortly before his third pro outing, righthander T.J. Zeuch had a conversation with Paul Quantrill that left a lasting impression. They were in Eugene, Ore., where shortseason Vancouver was playing, when the former big league reliever who is now a special assistant with the Blue Jays asked the 21 yearold Zeuch what kind of pitcher he was. “I’m a fastball guy,” said Zeuch, a firstround pick from Pittsburgh this year. “I’m a fastball command guy. I get a lot of outs with my fastball. It’s been my No. 1 pitch for years. “But I think a big key for me is going to be developing a better offspeed (pitch) to get to the big leagues and stay in the big leagues.” Zeuch made nine…

Displaced First Baseman NEW YORK First baseman Matt Oberste often felt displaced at Double-A Binghamton this season because he played on the same team as Dominic Smith. Oberste, a 2013 seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma, started 32 games at third base and 31 games at first but otherwise found himself at DH. He hit .283/.340/.409 with nine home runs, 21 doubles and 54 RBIs in 124 games. “Overall, I was just a consistent hitter,” said Oberste, 25. “There was no hot streak. There was no big slump.” The Mets then assigned Oberste, a righthanded batter, to the Arizona Fall League. Though he started 0-for-23 at the plate, he played left field for the first time as a pro in addition to first base. Smith, one of the Mets’ top prospects,…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ KANSAS CITY, MO. Catcher Meibrys Viloria is like a top-fuel drag racer going from zero to 300 mph within seconds. The 19-year-old went from zero extra-base hits in 2015 at Rookie-level Burlington to the MVP of Rookie-level Pioneer League in 2016. Viloria led the PL with a .376 average, 28 doubles and 55 RBIs (in 58 games) at Idaho Falls. His 1.042 OPS and 37 extra-base hits ranked second. His .606 slugging percentage and 54 runs were third, while his .436 on-base percentage was fourth. Nobody, including the Royals, saw that coming. “If we would have said he’s going to lead the league in hitting and be MVP of the league . . . we wouldn’t have predicted…

Mantiply Takes Next Step DETROIT Being called up to the big leagues for the first time was a dream come true for lefthander Joe Mantiply. Now, the 25-yearold has a new dream: to stick there. The Tigers selected the Virginia Tech product in the 27th round of the 2013 draft, and he will get his chance when spring training begins in February. “Overall my time in Detroit was great,” Mantiply said. “I learned a lot, and now I just have to take advantage of my future opportunities. Now that I’ve gotten my feet wet my next goal is to stay.” Mantiply allowed five runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings in five outings for the Tigers after being a surprise September callup. “He has a funky delivery and the type…

Depth Is Not In Question CHICAGO Christian Villanueva was in big league spring training, on a practice field in February, when he landed wrong leaping for a chopper on the infield and broke his right leg badly enough that he missed the season. The promising 25-year-old third baseman was in the group of prospects in position for a debut at some point this season. Instead, he rehabbed all year, got his first competitive at-bats in instructional league as the Cubs opened the playoffs. He was in Mexico for winter ball as the Cubs won the World Series. What’s next for Villanueva and his path to the big leagues? “He should be close to 100 percent and just catching up on at-bats, and working at first and third,” farm director Jaron…

Cardinals Face Rule 5 Choices ST. LOUIS At the end of a regular season that saw the Cardinals fail to reach the postseason for the first time in six years, general manager John Mozeliak said there was a subtext to the season that hinted at the feature. Nestled beneath the standings was the team’s successful restocking of the system. They’re about the reveal by how much. The Cardinals have several decisions to make when it comes to shielding players from the Rule 5 draft in December, and it begins with a talented group of infield prospects. Low Class A Peoria second baseman Eliezer Alvarez and Rookie-level Johnson City shortstop Allen Cordoba become Rule 5 eligible. So too are familiar shortstop prospects Edmundo Sosa (primarily Peoria) and Juan Herrera (primarily Double-A…

Wendle Keys In On Defense OAKLAND For second baseman Joey Wendle to become a major league player, he had to get better. He had to lift his game on defense, and he had to refine his strike-zone judgment. Wendle spent 2016 making those improvements, and they could carry the 26-year-old to a full-time big league job. “It’s been a lot of hard work on his part,” farm director Keith Lieppman said. “Once he gets something in his head that has to be done, once he gets a plan, he’s really good about executing the details.” Wendle needed to improve his doubleplay pivot, better his first step to increase his range and become more consistent with his throws. So Triple-A Nashville manager Steve Scarsone and coach Eric Martins took him out…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ like a different player, both physically and in terms of his approach at the plate, and it’s helped the 21-year-old develop into one of the few legitimate position prospects in the system. Lugo not only dropped about 15 pounds since the start of spring training, but he continued to refine his approach at the plate, both of which played a part in a breakout season in which he hit a combined .311/.339/.492 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs between high class A Visalia and Double-A Mobile. “I used to swing at everything before,” Lugo said through a translator. “I didn’t have a defined zone for myself. I’ve been working on developing my own zone, and I’ve been…

Future Shines at Petco Park SAN DIEGO Led by righthander Anderson Espinoza, several prospects from the improving Padres farm system performed well in a showcase game at Petco Park against Rangers top prospects on Oct. 7. For Padres fans, the event raised optimism that the franchise, coming off its eighth losing season in nine years, will ride a youth movement back to relevance. Players got a better sense of the parent club, and a vivid reminder of where the minor league trail is intended to lead. “I think there are only positives here, whether it’s here or in front of the major league manager last week in Arizona,” farm director Sam Geaney said. “Or hearing Trevor Hoffman (speak) in the major league clubhouse. I think we look at it more…

JUPITER, FLA. Perfect Game’s World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) World Championship—colloquially known as “Jupiter”— marks the end of the amateur showcase circuit every year. Players show off their skills throughout the summer, with many of the elite prospects attending various events and showing how they make adjustments and adapt to high quality competition. Played in late October, Jupiter is in some cases the final opportunity for prep players to show what they can do against elite competition; scouts will still follow them in the spring, but the prospects are more liable to face inferior competition in high school baseball. Several prospects boosted their stocks in Jupiter this year, but the most high-profile player at the event was Jordon Adell (his friends and family call him “Jo” for short). Adell has…

Hardest Throwers The Astros’ Jorge Guzman’s fastball can hit 104. Red Sox’s Michael Kopech can hit 105. Can anyone else in the minors match them? MATT H, HOUSTON We haven’t heard 104 mph for Guzman, but we have heard 100-101, and Kopech famously touched 105 mph on the team’s radar gun, although scouts who were at the game say he topped out at 100-101 on their guns. He has been reported to have touched 103 in other outings. He had topped out at 101.5 in the Arizona Fall League. Both do rank among the minors’ hardest throwers, a group that also has to include Mariners’ righthander Thyago Vieira (up to 104 mph in the Arizona Fall League). The velocity in the game gets crazier year after year. In the big…

Columnist, MLB.com DENVER Bret Saberhagen enjoyed a career in which he was a three-time all-star and two-time winner of the American League Cy Young Award. He pitched in the postseason with the Royals (1984, ’85), Rockies (’95) and Red Sox (’98, ’99). And Saberhagen had the distinction of helping the Royals come back from a 3-1 deficit in the 1985 World Series, just like the Cubs were attempting this year. So he was perfect for a playoff visit: Tracy Ringolsby: You made the jump from Double-A to the big leagues during the spring of 1984. Over the years, have you developed more of an appreciation for what you accomplished? Bret Saberhagen: You realize it’s not as easy as it seemed. But I was 20, and (1984 ALCS start) wasn’t a…

After the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped the city’s 52-year championship drought in June with an NBA title, the Indians nearly replicated their neighbor’s jubilation. But they came up just short against the Cubs in the World Series, unable to close out a three games to one lead. While the Indians’ season again ended in dejection, they showed they have found a winning formula, winning 94 regular season games and an American League pennant with their young core deftly managed by the braintrust of team president Chris Antonetti, general manager Mike Chernoff and manager Terry Francona. Corey Kluber again led the staff, going 18-9, 3.14 and shouldering a hefty burden in the postseason when other key starters went down with injury. Francisco Lindor built on a strong rookie debut and exceled in…

The signs all seemed to point in a positive direction. After four straight years of 92 or more losses, the 2015 Twins won 83 games under first-year manager Paul Molitor. They competed for a postseason berth. A wave of top prospects, led by outfielder Byron Buxton, seemed ready to seize big league roles. Then the 2016 season rolled in, and those good feelings quickly evaporated. The Twins started the season 0-9 and were 33-58 at midseason (the second-worst midseason mark in franchise history), so owner Jim Pohlad fired longtime general manager Terry Ryan in mid-July. Ryan was in his second stint as GM. His first ended with a flourish, when the Twins finished first in the American League Central four times between 2002-06. His second stint ended in failure, as…

Relentless Raudes Impresses BOSTON Eddie Romero first saw Roniel Raudes as a 14-year-old pitching in a tournament in Mexico. The radar gun didn’t light up for the lanky righthander from Nicaragua, but even with a three-pitch mix headed at the time by an 80 mph fastball, Romero—then international scouting director—couldn’t help but take notice. “He was a bulldog at 14 years old,” Romero said. “His competitiveness and pitchability stood out. He looked like a veteran. When things went wrong, it didn’t matter.” That same makeup allowed the Red Sox to assign Raudes to low Class A Greenville in 2016. When Boston traded teammate Anderson Espinoza to the Padres in July, Raudes became the youngest pitcher in the South Atlantic League. Yet his precocious demeanor allowed him to more than hold…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ MIAMI Lefthander Braxton Garrett, the seventh overall pick in June, is still a teenager, living at home with his parents. He has yet to pitch an inning as a pro—unless you count three innings in instructional league. Given that, some predict that the 19-yearold will need at least three or four years in the minors before he is ready for the majors. That’s not Garrett’s plan, however. “I want to get there as soon as I can,” said Garrett, whom the Marlins drafted out of Florence (Ala.) High. “I believe I can (arrive) quicker than what a lot of people think.” Garrett, who stands in at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, had a 3.8 grade-point average in high school but…

Back On The Radar PHILADELPHIA Phillies manager Pete Mackanin rolled through six different lefthanded relievers while trying to find an effective option in 2016. He might have found one on his seventh try. Joely Rodriguez came out of nowhere to earn a September callup and made the most of his chance. In 10 of his 12 appearances he allowed no runs, including one on Sept. 21 when he pitched the eighth inning and struck out Melky Cabrera of the White Sox on three fastballs that registered 96, 97 and 98 mph. “He had a very impressive showing,” Mackanin said. “He put himself in the mix for next season.” The Phillies acquired Rodriguez, 25, from the Pirates for Antonio Bastardo in December 2014. Rodriguez spent 2015 working mostly as a starter…

Getz Takes Over The Farm CHICAGO After serving as farm director for five years, Nick Capra is now third-base coach for new White Sox manager Rick Renteria, who takes over for Robin Ventura. Chicago wasted little time naming Capra’s replacement. Chris Getz, drafted by the White Sox in 2005, is taking over for Capra after spending the last two years as a Royals assistant in baseball operations and player development. Getz played seven seasons in the major leagues with the White Sox, Royals and Blue Jays. He thought about staying in baseball as a manager, coach or scout but was drawn to the front office with the Royals, particularly on the minor league side. “What I think it is is carrying out the vision of the scouts,” Getz said. “The…

Palka Packs Power MINNEAPOLIS It’s the burden of minor leaguers every spring: When the Grapefruit League schedule calls for a long, crack-of-dawn bus ride, the Daniel Palkas of the world wind up in that day’s lineup. Not that any of those aspiring big leaguers would complain. For Palka, a right fielder, those lengthy trips turned into opportunities. “I remember that,” interim general manager Rob Antony said with a laugh. “Every time he got stuck with a two-hour bus ride, he hit a home run.” The former Georgia Tech star crushed three home runs in his six at-bats as a road-trip roster-filler last March, reminding the Twins that last spring’s afterthought is a plausible candidate for a 2017 role in Minnesota. “Lefthanded power—you’re always looking for more,” Antony said. “He’s a…

Woodruff Shows Fortitude MILWAUKEE After the way righthander Brandon Woodruff handled the 2016 season, no one can question his mental toughness. The 23-year-old depended on those important traits in late July after the death of his older brother Blake in an ATV accident back home in Mississippi. Woodruff returned to Double-A Biloxi and starred in a 1-0 victory against Pensacola by pitching six shutout innings and bopping his first home run for the only run of the game. “He came back after the funeral, and all the things that went with that, and in a very workmanlike way said, ‘Hey, I missed 10 days. I want to make my next start,’” Biloxi pitching coach Chris Hook said. “You talk about stuff and competitiveness on the mound, but he is an…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ HOUSTON Save for the presence of George Springer, the future of the Astros’ outfield is very much in flux. Perhaps Ramon Laureano will enter the conversation in 2017. Eschewing his status as a sleeper prospect, Laureano has increased his stock around the industry with a hot start to the Arizona Fall League season. His success against upper-level pitching helps validate a breakout regular season, which the 22-year-old finished with 36 games at Double-A Corpus Christi. “I’m not at all surprised,” assistant general manager Mike Elias said of Laureano’s AFL performance. “He’s a very good player. He’s got very good tools. This year he backed that up with huge performance across two levels. Most of all, he’s got excellent…

Vogelbach’s Marching Orders SEATTLE While other September callups received a plethora of big league playing time, Dan Vogelbach spent his most significant time on the field before each game, working for hours with bench coach Tim Bogar on fielding drills at first base. But for Vogelbach that process was just as essential for his future as any of his 12 at-bats. That’s because he is the best in-house candidate to assume the Mariners’ first-base job. “In life, all you can ask for is a chance,” said Vogelbach, 23, a lefthanded batter. “Then it’s up to you to do what you will with that chance. I’m going to take full advantage of it, bust my butt in the offseason and come to spring training, I’m going to know I’ve done everything…

Welker Pays Off Early DENVER The Rockies went $300,000 above slot this year to sign 19-year-old third baseman Colton Welker, and the investment has already netted dividends. Welker committed to Miami out of Douglas High in Parkland, Fla., but signed for $855,000 after the Rockies drafted him in the fourth round. At Rookie-level Grand Junction he hit .329/.366/.490 in 51 games with five homers and 36 RBIs. “He has a developed approach for a high school kid,” Grand Junction development supervisor Tony Diaz said. “He stays rightcenter (field) as good as anybody that I’ve seen at that age.” Watching Welker, Diaz recalled Rockies allstar Nolan Arenado, whom he managed in the Pioneer League in 2009. “There’s a lot of similarities between him and Nolan at the same age,” Diaz said,…

Adon Blazes Familiar Trail TEMPE, ARIZ. Very quietly, the Giants have assembled a cadre of flame-throwing relievers. Righthanders Hunter Strickland and Derek Law worked in the postseason bullpen, while righties Ray Black, Rodolfo Martinez and Reyes Moronta are working their way to San Francisco. All five fire upper-90s fastballs. Now, it’s time to add a new name to that list: Melvin Adon, a 22-year-old Dominican righthander who just wrapped his second pro season, his first in the U.S. Adon signed in February 2015 and pitched that year in the Dominican Summer League, where he went 4-0, 2.48 in 14 starts. This year at short-season Salem-Keizer he went 5-5, 5.48 in 14 starts with 55 strikeouts and 34 walks in 69.1 innings. And unlike fellow prospects Black, Martinez and Moronta, Adon…

PEORIA, ARIZ. Just like every other talented high school senior, Kyler McMahan might have a hard choice to make come June 2017. If a club calls his name during the draft, he’ll have to hunker down with his family and his advisers and decide whether his best course of action is to sign and turn pro, or spend three years in college. Unlike other players in his position, however, he’ll have someone in his corner who faced the same decision. McMahan, a shortstop at Lynnwood (Wash.) High, is committed to play at Oregon State. If he winds up in Corvallis, he’ll join one of the most traditionrich programs in the sport. Before he enrolls, however, he’s going to spend the offseason training with Mitch Canham, a former Oregon State catcher…

Transactions Transactions involving minor league players, i.e. those not on 40-man rosters, covering the period Oct. 14-27. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Released RHP Anyel Beato and C Michael Branigan. ATLANTA BRAVES: Signed LHP Sam Freeman. Re-signed RHPs Joel de la Cruz, Enderson Franco and Jordy Lara and OFs Ronnier Mustelier and Matt Tuiasosopo. Released RHP Tyler Brosius. Elected free agency C Blake Lalli and 1B Brandon Snyder. CHICAGO WHITE SOX: Signed 1B K.C. Hobson. Re-signed RHP Terance Marin and LHP David Holmberg. CINCINNATI REDS: Signed 1B Art Charles and 3B Victor Ruiz. CLEVELAND INDIANS: Re-signed Cs Martin Cervenka and Juan de la Cruz and OF Luigi Rodriguez. COLORADO ROCKIES: Released RHP Brian Schlitter. DETROIT TIGERS: Signed RHPs Sandel de la Cruz and Arcenio Leon. Resigned RHP Cory Riordan. HOUSTON ASTROS: Released RHP…