Innholdsfortegnelse for Monday, March 28, 2017 i Baseball America

APRIL 28, 2002 » IN THIS ISSUE: We take an in-depth look at every organization's farm system, including Mark Teixeira and the resurgent Rangers. » ALSO: We tinker with the system and realign the minor leagues in a way that makes sense. George Spelius is nothing if not congenial. The Midwest League president is well-liked in the minor league baseball community and doesn't cut a particularly controversial swath. So his experience at a meeting of league presidents in Tampa last March should go a long way toward illuminating how the industry feels about re-aligning the minor leagues. “Pat O'Conner was running the meeting, and at one point he asked if there were any questions,” Spelius said. “I raised my my hand and said 'This is just my opinion, but you…

Baseball Writer, ESPN.com jerrycrasnick@baseballamerica.com SURPRISE, ARIZ. Jurickson Profar has a sixth tool in his arsenal, but it was hard to find during two lost seasons in the Rangers’ organization. When shoulder problems kept him off the field for almost all of 2014 and 2015, the emotional strain was etched across his face. “I think we have two of the greatest smiles in baseball between Adrian Beltre and Jurickson Profar,’’ Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “They have a sheer joy for playing the game. But there was probably a point in time with Jurickson where there was no joy in it because of the injuries.’’ Joey Gallo, another former Rangers’ uberprospect, has endured an equally rigorous trip to the majors. He’s hard on himself as a rule, and the constant barrage…

NCAA SUSPENDS FIVE FOR FANTASY FOOTBALL Two of the University of Richmond’s best baseball players are among five who have begun this season suspended for NCAA rules violations related to fantasy football involvement. Righthander Keenan Bartlett, a junior whom Baseball America recognized in the preseason as the A-10’s third-best prospect, and senior infielder/DH Kurtis Brown, a firstteam all-A-10 choice last season, haven’t played for the Spiders. Bartlett is ranked among the top 100 juniors in the country after a strong summer-league performance. Brown batted .342/.425/.484 with 17 doubles and 35 RBIs last year as a Spider. The five remained suspended as Richmond waited for the NCAA to address their status. Two sources said they were involved in fantasy football, an NCAA rules violation if the league in question involves an…

Editor in Chief Baseball America johnmanuel@baseballamerica.com As our College Preview issue indicated, this is a big year at Stanford, as the Cardinal has high expectations in the final season of head coach Mark Marquess. The school feted the retiring coach on Feb. 25, surprising him with a ceremony before a game against Kansas. More than 100 former Cardinal players showed up to honor Marquess, including former ace righty Jack McDowell, who pitched for Marquess from 1985-87. McDowell’s Cardinal career included a 1987 national championship, as he earned the win in the title game against Oklahoma State. He reached the major leagues three months later and won 127 games in a 12-year career cut short by an elbow injury. The 1993 Cy Young Award winner had a Stanford degree in communications…

Which Team Will Be The Biggest Surprise in 2017? John Manuel: Twins. Minnesota’s bound to be closer to its 2015 83-win ways than last year’s 59-win debacle, led by Byron Buxton. J.J. Cooper: Pirates. Thanks to young pitching this team isn’t finished just yet, though they won’t catch the Cubs. Matt Eddy: Braves. More rotation stability and middle-infield reliability will go a long way. Kyle Glaser: Angels. A healthy rotation and deeper lineup will put Mike Trout and Co. back in playoff contention. Ben Badler: Astros. They went 4-15 against the Rangers in 2016, an anomaly that won’t repeat. They’re a playoff contender, especially with a full season of Alex Bregman. Vince Lara: Braves. Josh Norris: Astros. Their young core of stars or budding stars—Correa, Springer, McCullers, Bregman—will put them…

National League West LOS ANGELES DODGERS BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Armed with the deepest pitching staff in baseball and a more balanced, dangerous lineup with the addition of Logan Forsythe, the Dodgers not only win their fifth straight division title but claim their first World Series crown since 1988. WORST-CASE SCENARIO: Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill and Scott Kazmir all struggle with injuries lingering from last season, age begins to catch up to Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner, Yasiel Puig proves irredeemable and the Dodgers’ young reinforcements aren’t quite ready for prime time, resulting in an 85-win season. BIGGEST OFFSEASON ACQUISITIONS: 2B Logan Forsythe, RHP Sergio Romo, OF Franklin Gutierrez BIGGEST OFFSEASON LOSSES: LF/2B Howie Kendrick, OF Josh Reddick, RHP Joe Blanton NEXT FIRST-TIME ALL-STAR: LHP Julio Urias SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS BEST-CASE SCENARIO:…

FORT MYERS, FLA. For years, it seemed like righthander Jamie Callahan was running in place. The 2012 second-rounder out of Dillon (S.C.) High—who generated considerable excitement early in his pro career on the strength of a low- to mid-90s fastball and a big curveball—struggled to find a way forward. He spent two full years at low Class A Greenville in 2014 and 2015, and while he showed promise after moving to the bullpen in the middle of 2015, the major leagues still seemed like a distant thought. Members of the Red Sox organization encouraged the righthander not to get discouraged. “They always tell you you’re closer than you think,” said Callahan, 22. Beginning in 2016—the first that Callahan entered as a full-time reliever—the righthander began to see the bread crumbs…

PHILADELPHIA | Phillies For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ CLEARWATER, FLA. Phillies hitting guru Charlie Manuel is high on 24-year-old first baseman Rhys Hoskins. “He’s got a knack for driving in runs,” Manuel said. Manuel said that last spring, after Hoskins collected 90 RBIs at two Class A levels in 2015—but the point stands. He continued to knock in runs in 2016, when he amassed 116 RBIs to go along with 38 home runs at Double-A Reading. “It’s a lot easier to drive in runs when there are guys on base,” Hoskins said with a laugh. “Last year, I was lucky with Roman Quinn, J.P. Crawford and Jesmuel Valentin in front of me. It seemed like they were on base every time I came…

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. Outfielder Wuilmer Becerra faces an important season as he tries to show the Mets he should be considered a part of the organization’s future. The 22-year-old Venezuelan, whom the Mets acquired in the December 2012 trade that sent R.A. Dickey to the Blue Jays and brought Noah Syndergaard and Travis d’Arnaud to New York, missed the final six weeks last season at high Class A St. Lucie after having surgery for a torn capsule in his right shoulder. The Mets added Becerra to the 40-man roster in November, but he doesn’t expect to begin throwing until April. A righthanded batter, Becerra hit .312/.341/.393 with one home run in 65 games last season at St. Lucie. “His development is probably a little behind (because of injuries), but…

GLENDALE, ARIZ. Invited to big league camp after being drafted 26th overall out of Louisville last June, Zack Burdi drew plenty of attention while throwing batting practice in the early days of spring training. White Sox manager Rick Renteria, among others, liked what he saw from the hardthrowing 22-year-old righthander. “Pretty impressive,” Renteria said. “He had a couple of balls get away in the total sequence, which gets hairy. But for the most part, he worked down in the zone and to both sides of the plate. He mixed in some changeups, which for him are still high-velocity. He looked good.” Burdi pitched well in his busy pro debut last season, recording a 3.32 ERA in 26 appearances at four stops, which included nine games at Triple-A Charlotte. A suburban…

FORT MYERS, FLA. Twins officials often feel like Ben Rortvedt is always around. Vice president for player personnel Mike Radcliff is really glad he is. “Since the day we signed him, it seems like he’s been in our camp,” said Radcliff of the 19-year-old Rortvedt. “I came down for instructional league, and he’s here. We had a staff meeting in December, and he was here for strength camp. We had our scouting summit in January, and he’s here because he came in early. He’s everywhere.” That talent came in handy when Triple-A Rochester manager Mike Quade was injured when a car rear-ended his SUV at a high speed while Quade and his girlfriend sat at a Fort Myers stoplight on Feb. 25. Somehow, Rortvedt was there, too. The catching prospect,…

GOODYEAR, ARIZ. On paper, righthander Rookie Davis’ 2016 looks like a success. He went 10-3, 2.94 at Double-A Pensacola. He earned a promotion to Triple-A Louisville, too, but that didn’t go well. He ran up a 7.50 ERA in five appearances, including four starts. Scouts said Davis lacked the explosive fastball he had in the past. He didn’t have to be told that because he had seen it himself on scoreboards across the Southern League. Accustomed to looking up and seeing 95 mph or better on the radar gun, he saw a lot more 91s. Those couple of miles per hour are the separator between an average fastball and an above-average one. “I’m thinking, ‘OK, it’s not there.’ It was frustrating,” said Davis, 23. The whole time, he knew the…

LOS ANGELES | Angels For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ TEMPE, ARIZ. The Angels have little doubt that Matt Thaiss’ bat will play in the big leagues. Former scouting director Ric Wilson called him “one of the top hitters” in the 2016 draft after the Angels used the 16th overall pick to select the former Virginia star. Thaiss did not disappoint in his pro debut. In 67 games, mostly at low Class A Burlington, he hit .292/.361/.462 with six home runs. He struck out just 11 percent of the time. “That’s an incredibly low strikeout rate,” farm director Mike LaCassa said. “His approach at the plate is exceptional, and he hits line drives. He’s a gap-to-gap hitter and a very solid offensive player.” How…

PEORIA, ARIZ. Righthanded reliever Thyago Vieira already made one career breakthrough last season when a successful summer at high Class A Bakersfield produced an unexpected assignment to the Arizona Fall League. Vieira got the call when the Mariners opted to replace reliever Dan Altavilla on the Peoria roster. “I felt very confident,” said Vieira, a Brazil native who signed at age 17 in 2010. “I told myself, ‘Don’t try to do too much. Just be you.’ I wanted to show the people who I am.” The result was a series of outings in which Vieira touched 104 mph, which led to call from general manager Jerry Dipoto. “I had my flight to Brazil,” said Vieira, 23, “and I was at the airport when the GM called me. He told me,…

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. After excelling in 2016, outfielder Manuel Melendez is seeking to add more power to his game. The 20-year-old Venezuela native is expected to begin this season at low Class A Asheville after hitting .294/.337/.434 last year at Rookie-level Grand Junction. The leadoff batter hit 20 extra-base hits in 66 games, including seven home runs. “There’s minimal movement when he gets ready to hit,” said Rockies first-base coach Tony Diaz, who was Grand Junction’s development supervisor the previous four years. “This guy’s got a real quiet approach.” Melendez, who signed as a 16-year-old in 2014, bats and throws lefthanded and is listed at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds. Despite that size, Diaz noted that “when he’s out front and hits the ball, (he) hits rockets. And if gets stronger— who knows?—there’s…

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. Talk with shortstop C.J. Hinojosa for a just few minutes and one thing becomes eminently clear: “I love playing the game of baseball,” the 22-year-old said. “It’s just a passion I have.” That passion helped him find a kindred spirit and mentor in Hunter Pence, the Giants’ right fielder with whom Hinojosa worked out occasionally in the Houston area. “It’s awesome to see somebody who’s been in the (major) leagues for as long as he has still so passionate about the game,” Hinojosa said. “He’s just been an awesome role model.” The Giants drafted Hinojosa out of Texas in the 11th round in 2015. He hit .274/.348/.393 with nine home runs in 126 games last season, which he split between high Class A San Jose and Double-A Richmond.…

In the 51-year history of the draft, no high school righthander has been selected with the first overall pick. Will this be the year that changes? It isn’t that there aren’t talented players who warrant consideration that high. In fact, since the draft’s inception in 1965, 115 prep righties have been drafted with a top 15 pick. “I do think we’ll see it some day,” one scouting director said. “The stars just haven’t aligned yet.” The stars could align in 2017. Notre Dame High (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) righthander Hunter Greene has all the attributes to be the first high school pitcher off the board in June, with physicality, athleticism and a golden arm. Greene’s fastball has reached as high as 102 mph early this season, and he shows feel for…

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Luis Robert has more stamps on his passport than the typical 19-year-old. The Cuban outfielder’s baseball talent has taken him to Taiwan, Mexico, Japan, Canada, the United States and now the Dominican Republic, where he’s training as he waits for Major League Baseball to clear him to sign. Robert has submitted all his paperwork to the commissioner’s office already. Based on the timetable of when that happened and the recent pace of MLB clearing Cuban players, it seems likely that Robert will be able to sign before the 2016-17 international signing period closes on June 15. For Robert, that timing is critical. Once this signing period closes, the new era of international hard caps begin, with teams getting $4.75 million to $5.75 million each to spend.…

He lived a long life of accomplishment on his own terms, and now minor league baseball is without one of its legendary figures for the first time in more than 60 years. Longtime Norfolk Tides executive Dave Rosenfield died Feb. 28, following a heart attack 10 days earlier. He was 87. A four-time International League executive of the year and the 2004 King of Baseball, Rosenfield was the Tides’ general manager from 1963 to 2012, helping usher minor league baseball from an era when all that mattered was the game on the field into today’s activity-filled, family-friendly night out. Rosenfield, who claimed to have invented the now-ubiquitous Turn Back The Clock Night that features low-priced hot dogs and sodas at Harbor Park, remained on Norfolk’s staff as an executive vice…

Columnist, MLB Network petergammons@baseballamerica.com GLENDALE, ARIZ. When you come to Scottsdale, Ariz., in September to talk to scouts advancing the Giants for the playoffs, they always talk about the fundamentals the team, with such remarkable organization, continually carries from practice fields to big league ballparks, from March through October. Remember in 2014, when Brandon Crawford threw out three runners at home plate in June? When he was shown the video of the three plays, he said, “I love baseball. I love being on the field. I love practicing relays.” Then Crawford proceeded to recall the play in Game Two of the 2012 World Series in San Francisco when Prince Fielder hit a ball into the left-field corner that eluded Gregor Blanco. Crawford was supposed to be the cutoff man, but…

After 15 seasons, Ripken Baseball is getting out of the minor league baseball business. The ownership group, fronted by Cal and Billy Ripken, is seeking to sell majority ownership of its flagship franchise, the Aberdeen Ironbirds (New York-Penn), in order to focus time and resources on amateur baseball. The group had already completely sold its two other minor league teams—the Charlotte Stone Crabs (Florida State) and the Augusta GreenJackets (South Atlantic)—but is pursuing a different course with the IronBirds. Ripken Baseball is looking for an investor to take a 90 percent stake in Aberdeen so that it can keep a hand in the club that shares its headquarters property. There are already a half-dozen interested parties, but Cal Ripken says he and his group are going to be deliberate in…

The Cubs and Dodgers met in the National League Championship Series last year—perhaps not for the final time this decade. The two ascendant franchises have many things in common, but one linking trait is impossible to miss: a steady stream of impact rookies. The Cubs’ Kris Bryant claimed the Rookie of the Year award in 2015, and the Dodgers’ Corey Seager followed suit in 2016. Now our ranking of the top 20 rookies for 2017 forecasts that two more future stars will touch down in Chicago and Los Angeles. 1. Andrew Benintendi (22) RED SOX • OF CALLING CARD: Benintendi hit .376 in his College Player of the Year season of 2015, then hit .312 with more extra-base hits (52) than strikeouts (39) in the minors in 2016, which earned…

FORT MYERS, FLA. When the Nationals’ Daniel Murphy finished runner-up in National League MVP balloting last year and the Astros’ Jose Altuve placed third in the American League, it opened eyes in the industry. The Rockies’ D.J LeMahieu hit .348 to win the NL batting title, and the Twins’ Brian Dozier clubbed 42 home runs to rank third in the AL. The Mariners’ Robinson Cano hit .298 with a career-high 39 homers, and the superstar looked more like he was 27 than 33, his actual age. People inside and outside the game want to know: Was the preponderance of dominating offensive seasons by second basemen in 2016 just an anomaly? Or is second base now a dominant offensive position? Several theories abound, though the prevailing one is that in today’s…

TORONTO | Blue Jays For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ DUNEDIN, FLA. Righthander Sean Reid-Foley finished the 2015 season in a bad place. A solid year at low Class A Lansing earned the well-regarded prospect a promotion to high Class A Dunedin, where he ran up a 5.23 ERA over eight starts to close the campaign. That performance stung, and it took him a while to snap out of it. “I got down on myself because I wasn’t doing so well,” said Reid-Foley, a 2014 secondround pick out of high school in Jacksonville, “and that was my first time being challenged, I would say. And I didn’t really know how to handle it as well. “Once I grasped the moment, it was pretty good.”…

TAMPA Righthander Jonathan Holder pitched at four levels in 2016, which is something that he won’t repeat in 2017. “I learned there is a difference in every single level and the maturity of the guys,” the 23-year-old reliever said. “The highest level by far has the best talent.” Holder, a 2014 sixth-round pick out of Mississippi State, opened last season at high Class A Tampa, moved to Double-A Trenton after two games, advanced to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in July and arrived in the big leagues in late August. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Holder went 5-1, 1.65 and recorded 16 saves in 42 minor league relief outings. In 65.1 innings he struck out 101, walked just seven and allowed 36 hits. In eight games for the Yankees, Holder ran up a 5.40 ERA,…

KISSIMMEE, FLA. Taking part in his first big league camp, lefthander Max Fried wasted no time making a positive impression. The 23-year-old appeared as a reliever in the sixth inning against the Tigers and promptly retired Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez on groundouts and struck out Justin Upton. His fastball touched 95 mph and his curveball featured sharp break. “Just being able to go out there and compete and play again is so special,” said Fried, who missed most of 2014 and all of 2015 after having Tommy John surgery. “At the end of last season it was a little tough to have to go home because I was hitting my stride for the first time in my career. But I’m looking forward to having all of that continue.” Selected…

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. Three months after starring in the Arizona Fall League, center fielder Andrew Stevenson was back at work, this time at big league camp. “It wasn’t the longest offseason, but that’s all right with me,” said Stevenson, 22. Though Stevenson, a 2015 second-round pick out of Louisiana State, had been hoping to receive an invitation to big league camp, he wasn’t waiting by the phone. He and his girlfriend were on a cruise to the Bahamas without cell service when farm director Mark Scialabba called him with the news, which Stevenson discovered a day later. The 6-foot, 185-pound Stevenson reached Double-A Harrisburg last year, though he hit just .246/.302/.328 in 65 games. He showed his usual stellar defense and acquitted himself well in more than 30 games…

GOODYEAR, ARIZ. Last year it was center fielder Tyler Naquin who used a strong spring training to win a spot on the Opening Day roster. He made the most of the opportunity by hitting .296 with 14 home runs and a third-place finish in the American League rookie of the year voting. Can any prospect in big league camp this year repeat Naquin’s feat? “Crazy things can happen,” Indians manager Terry Francona said, choosing not to shut the door completely on a prospect playing his way to Cleveland. But in reality, it seems unlikely. For starters, the Indians are the defending AL champions, with a deep and talented roster that doesn’t have many openings. “Last year (at the start of camp) we told Tyler that there was a spot open,”…

MILWAUKEE | Brewers For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ PHOENIX Outfielder Brett Phillips doesn’t make excuses for his 2016 season. “I don’t have an excuse. It was a down year and I’m putting it behind me,” Phillips said after reporting to the big league camp. Big things were expected of the 22-yearold Phillips after the Brewers acquired him from the Astros in July 2015—along with top pitching prospect Josh Hader and two others— in a trade that sent Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to Houston. Phillips batted .309 with 16 home runs and 17 stolen bases in 2015, which he spent mostly at high Class A Lancaster. Things were much tougher for Phillips, a 2012 sixth-round pick out of a Florida high school, last…

BRADENTON, FLA. Knee surgery wasn’t in Josh Bell’s offseason plans. However, the rookie first baseman had an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in January. He was injured while striking the fire hydrant pose during a yoga class in his hometown of Dallas. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old switch-hitter reported to spring training optimistic that he would be in the lineup for the season opener against the Red Sox at Boston on April 3. “One of the good things is that it happened in an opportune-enough time where I can get it taken care of and still be ready for the season,” Bell said. Baseball is full of weird injury stories and Bell’s is one of the latest. “I started feeling discomfort, and then I couldn’t fully extend my leg,” said Bell,…

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. Through the first three months of last season, outfielder Derek Fisher was one of the most productive position players in the Texas League. His numbers waned in July before picking up back again after the Astros promoted him from Double-A Corpus Christi to Triple-A Fresno in early August. The 23-year-old Fisher seeks consistency this season as he returns to the Pacific Coast League, one level away from Houston. “That’s what separates everybody who’s up here (in the majors),” Fisher said. “That’s what’s remarkable.” Fisher is participating in his second big league spring training this year. He hit .290/.347/.505 with five home runs in 27 games at Fresno to close 2016. Fisher’s path to Houston became much more crowded when in the offseason the Astros signed free…

SURPRISE, ARIZ. The first-base dugout at Nolan Ryan Field at the Rangers’ training complex is a gathering spot each morning. It’s where manager Jeff Banister gives his daily press briefing. On Feb. 20, though, Banister wasn’t the main attraction, and the popping of a catcher’s mitt just behind the dugout was the reason. Righthander Michael Matuella, a 2015 third-round pick out of Duke, was on a mound for the first time since July after spraining his elbow ligament at short-season Spokane in his first game as a professional. It’s the same elbow that required Tommy John surgery in 2014 and caused him to fall to the in the draft. While excited to be throwing again, Matuella is trying to not get too far ahead of himself as he takes a…

GLENDALE, ARIZ. The Dodgers’ forward-thinking front office is not necessarily trying to reinvent the way things are done—but they’re open to it. “We view part of our responsibility running baseball operations is to evaluate how the game and the industry have changed and adapt our own organization,” general manager Farhan Zaidi said of the decision to restructure the organization’s player-development side to include a “pitching department.” Following last season, minor league pitching coordinator Rick Knapp left for a job with Major League Baseball. Rather than hire a replacement for Knapp, the Dodgers hired former Rays reliever Brandon Gomes and former Angels scout and Ball State pitching coach Chris Fetter. They joined four others to form the Dodgers’ pitching department. They share the various duties a single pitching coordinator often handles.…

HOUSTON Baylor third baseman Steven McLean lashed a double down the right field line off Louisiana State lefthander Jared Poche’ to lead off the first on March 4. From second base, McLean flexed toward the Bears’ dugout. On the Minute Maid Park mound, Poche’ was calm. He had opened the season with 15 hitless innings—a seven-inning no-hitter against Army on Feb. 18, and eight hitless innings against Maryland on Feb. 25 before his bid for back-to-back no-hitters was broken up by the leadoff batter in the ninth inning. But there would be no no-hit drama on the big stage of the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic. “It’s obviously been all the talk with everything around the media and everything,” Poche’ said. “Soon as I gave up that hit, part…

Coming off a 35-4 season and a Chicago Catholic League title, Brother Rice High enters the spring with high expectations. They have a two-headed beast at the front of the rotation, with seniors Ryan Kutt and Jack Guzek both prominent Division I prospects who will be evaluated by professional teams this spring. The Crusaders are well-rounded defensively, with senior Andy Lopez behind the plate and senior shortstop Ryan King and junior second baseman Sam Jones forming a promising double-play duo. Brother Rice is poised to make a statement about the quality of Midwestern baseball this season. But Brother Rice prefers to look at itself as an underdog. After their 2016 season ended with a sectional final loss, the Crusaders will face an extremely challenging schedule this spring. They’ll match up…

Transactions Transactions involving minor league players, i.e. those not on 40-man rosters, covering the period Feb. 17–March 3. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Signed LHP Jorge de la Rosa. ATLANTA BRAVES: Signed RHP David Hale and OF Sanders Commings. BALTIMORE ORIOLES: Signed LHP Chris Jones, 2B Austin Leyritz, 3B Chris Johnson and OFs Michael Choice, Craig Gentry and Jose Paez. Re-signed SS Paul Janish and OF Michael Bourn. Released RHP Barry Jhonson and 3B Aderlin Santa. Traded RHP Ryan Moseley to Dodgers for LHP Vidal Nuno. BOSTON RED SOX: Signed RHP Hector Velazquez. CHICAGO CUBS: Signed RHP Zach Rafferty. Released OF Yohan Matos. CHICAGO WHITE SOX: Signed RHP Jake Dunning, LHP Scott Snodgress and 2B Tyler Ladendorf. CINCINNATI REDS: Signed RHP Robert Stock and OF Ryan Raburn. CLEVELAND INDIANS: Signed RHPs Neil Holland…

Tallest Ever? Would a WBC match-up of Loek Van Mil vs. Nate Freiman be the tallest pitcher/batter face-off ever? NICK JONES, @NICK_JONESSYR The World Baseball Classic gives a chance for players from around the world to face off in matchups that would never happen otherwise. We can see a native-born Dutch hitter match wits with a pitcher born in South Korea and someone from mainland China try to get a hit off a pitcher from the island of Cuba. And it could give us the tallest matchup of hitter vs. pitcher in baseball history. When Team Israel faces Team Netherlands, it will bring together the tallest pitcher in pro history (7-foot-1 Dutch righthander Loek Van Mil) and one of the tallest position players in pro baseball history (6-foot-8 Israeli first…

Columnist, MLB.com DENVER Adrian Beltre is finally going to get a chance in this year’s World Baseball Classic to be a member of the defending champion team from his native Dominican Republic. The 37-year-old Rangers third baseman joined the Dominican team in early March but did not commit to playing in the first round of the WBC. That’s because he dealt with a sore left calf in the early weeks of spring training. “Obviously I want to play for my country,” Beltre said. “I want to help (the Dominican Republic) repeat what it did in (winning the WBC tournament) in 2013. The last two times I was injured and couldn’t play.” How much Beltre will play remains to be decided. But he will be there, in uniform, in the dugout,…

By narrowing their scope, a group of former minor league players in early March advanced their lawsuit against Major League Baseball. U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero recertified Senne v. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball as a class action, amending a July decision that had ruled that minor league players’ experiences were too broad to be appropriate for a class-action suit. At that time, Spero decertified the class under federal law and denied the minor leaguers’ request to process as a class action under several state laws as well. When making his original decision, however, Spero noted that there was room for him to reconsider if the players limited their claim to those players whose experiences were most similar. In response, the suit was narrowed to players who played at…

American League East BOSTON RED SOX BEST-CASE SCENARIO: The club’s youthful core continues to shine, with Andrew Benintendi contributing a Rookie of the Year turn. Chris Sale makes a seamless change of Sox to fortify the AL’s best rotation and Mookie Betts wins MVP as the Red Sox claim their fourth World Series this century. WORST-CASE SCENARIO: The Red Sox feel the loss of David Ortiz in the lineup and the clubhouse and their young stars falter without his cover, David Price’s spring elbow issues linger and Sale struggles to adjust as the staff spirals. BIGGEST OFFSEASON ACQUISITIONS: LHP Chris Sale, RHP Tyler Thornburg, 1B Mitch Moreland. BIGGEST OFFSEASON LOSSES: DH David Ortiz, 3B Travis Shaw, RHP Clay Buchholz. NEXT FIRST-TIME ALL-STAR: OF Andrew Benintendi BALTIMORE ORIOLES BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Chris…

Second basemen like Daniel Murphy not only hit an all-time position record of 585 home runs in 2016, but also they blurred the line between their position and left field in terms of extra-base hit proficiency. Second basemen combined for an isolated slugging percentage of .160 last season, which when compared with the major league average for non-pitchers (.166), works out to an index of 96, or about four percent below average. Left fielders produced an ISO index just a few ticks higher at 98. Here are all positions sorted by greatest ISO index in 2016. What truly makes second basemen unique is that even with the increased power output they showed in 2016, they didn’t sacrifice as much contact as other positions to get to that power. The positionwide…

SARASOTA, FLA. The Orioles continue to discuss the possibility of converting outfielder Dariel Alvarez to pitcher, a role he handled for parts of three seasons in Cuba’s major league. Alvarez still prefers to remain a position player, however, and the idea has been put on hold. The Orioles had 12 outfielders in big league camp after signing Craig Gentry and Michael Bourn to minor league deals, and it probably would take multiple injuries to open a spot in Baltimore for Alvarez, 28, who signed for $800,000 in July 2013 after defecting from Cuba six months earlier. Alvarez has hit 8-for-32 (.250) with one home run in 14 major league games. He hit .288/.324/.384 with 38 doubles and four home runs last year at Triple-A Norfolk. “At the moment, I’m a…

PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. The knee injury that ailed Jake Hager in 2014 and the surgery that caused him to miss the entire 2015 season are history. Now the 24-year-old shortstop is once again looking forward to a bright future. The Rays selected Hager in the first round (32nd overall) of the 2011 draft, when they held 10 of the first 60 picks. The Las Vegas high school product is determined to get back on track after reaching Triple-A Durham last season. And he would like to think he is better for having gone through the travails. “I think it made me stronger,” Hager said. “Like I said when I had the surgery, it was a minor setback for a major comeback. That’s what I told myself—stay positive through it. Now…

JUPITER, FLA. Outfielder Aaron Knapp, his older brother Andrew and their father Mike all starred at the University of California. But Aaron wanted no part of one Knapp family legacy: catching. He hated the position that his brother and father played, and he told Mike as much after one particularly bad day as a 15-year-old backstop in travel ball. “The next day, they put me in center field, and I made a couple of diving catches and threw a kid out at the plate,” said Aaron, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound lefthanded batter. The Marlins drafted Knapp in the eighth round last year, and he batted .253/.339/.318 in 60 games at short-season Batavia. On the plus side, he stole 19 bases in 26 tries and showed disruptive ability. The 22-year-old said he…

KANSAS CITY | Royals For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ SURPRISE, ARIZ. It did not take long for Cam Gallagher to become the Royals’ No. 1 catcher in spring training. When all-star catcher Salvador Perez left to play for Venezuela and backup Drew Butera left to play for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, Gallagher was the lone 40-man roster catcher remaining in big league camp. Such first-string status would not have seemed inevitable a year ago. Gallagher, a 2011 second-rounder out of high school in Lancaster, Pa., opened last season at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Coming off a modest season at high Class A Wilmington, he received a blunt welcome from manager Vance Wilson, who caught for eight years in the majors. “Up to…

LAKELAND, FLA. A year ago at this time, many Tigers fans were hearing about righthander Myles Jaye for the first time. This season, they might just see him pitch at Comerica Park. Barring something unforeseen, Jaye will start the season in the Triple-A Toledo rotation and will be just a phone call away from the Detroit. The 25-year-old Jaye will have to rely on solid command and mixing his pitches to make the big leap to the big leagues. He throws a fastball, a curveball and a slider, but he lacks a true dominant pitch. “He’s not going to overwhelm you with stuff,” farm director Dave Owen said. “His fastball is 89-94 (mph), but he’ll pitch 90-92. “His slider, in my opinion, is his best pitch. I have seen him…

MESA, ARIZ. John Andreoli casually checked his phone on a sleepy Sunday in January and saw the out-of-nowhere email. “I just kind of did a double take and responded,” said the 26-year-old outfielder. “It ended up being an unbelievable opportunity. It was crazy, but it was great.” The email was an invitation to join Team Italy for the World Baseball Classic. Andreoli, a New England native and resident, had to confirm his lineage—sending copies of marriage certificates, birth certificates and death certificates of grandparents and greatgrandparents to Major League Baseball and WBC officials. “It took a couple weeks, but it worked out,” said Andreoli, who—like Anthony Rizzo four years ago—figures to be one of the better players on the roster. The 17th-round pick in 2011 from Connecticut believes the WBC…

JUPITER, FLA. For the first time, the Cardinals are seeing the rewards of an increased international presence arrive at big league camp, but even as general manager John Mozeliak surveyed his top prospects, half of which came from international sources, he saw something missing. Cuban Adolis Garcia might be the answer. Garcia, who turned 24 shortly after signing, agreed to a $2.5 million deal with the Cardinals in late February and immediately reported to big league camp. The younger brother of Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia will appear in spring training games as soon as he receives a work visa. “You’re making a lot of longer-term bets on our younger players,” Mozeliak said. “But here’s an opportunity to sign somebody who’s clearly on the doorstep of the big leagues. It…

MESA, ARIZ. From the day Bruce Maxwell signed with the Athletics as a 2012 secondround pick, he was tasked with one major goal: become a quality catcher. Maxwell had played mostly first base growing up before moving behind the plate as a junior at Division III Birmingham-Southern. He possessed a strong arm and moved well behind the plate but had much to learn. Still, Maxwell impressed A’s area scout Kelcey Mucker with his defensive potential. Through the next four seasons, Maxwell worked hard to educate himself about the tools of ignorance. He arrived at the park early nearly every day to work on blocking balls in the dirt or improving his release on throws. The 26-year-old Maxwell put in so much work that he now earns more praise for his…

ARIZONA | Diamondbacks For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. Shortstop Domingo Leyba struggled when the Diamondbacks challenged him in 2015, but no one was surprised with how he bounced back the following year. The 21-year-old hit just .237/.277/.309 at high Class A Visalia in 2015 in what turned out to be a difficult first season in the organization. The D-backs acquired Leyba, along with lefty Robbie Ray, in the three-team deal that sent shortstop Didi Gregorius to the Yankees. Leyba caught his breath while back at Visalia in 2016. In the process he earned a midseason promotion to Double-A Mobile and, eventually, a spot on the 40-man roster. All told, the Dominican Republic native hit .296/.355/.429 with 10 homers in 129 games.…

PEORIA, ARIZ. When it comes to the World Baseball Classic, the not-so-well-kept secret across the game is that baseball operations people would prefer to keep their players in camp this time of year. That’s not to say teams don’t value the experience, especially for the youngest players in the organization. “That’s a pretty big stage,” general manager A.J. Preller said. “You’re trying to give guys opportunity to play in pressure spots, to do things that will prepare them down the road. Hopefully in our situation, we’ll get better in the next few years and will be playing in some pressure spots, and I don’t think it hurts guys to have played in the Classic. “We’ve been really supportive of guys playing in international competition, specifically the WBC.” That support includes…

HOUSTON Five of the six teams in the field at the Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic entered the weekend in the Top 25, including No. 1 Texas Christian. The lone team outside the rankings came to Houston undefeated. With that kind of star-studded field, the 17th edition of the tournament promised to be an exceptional showcase for college baseball. Over the course of three March days at Minute Maid Park, the tournament delivered on its promise. TCU and Texas A&M, familiar super regional rivals, played a 15-inning classic Saturday night. Baylor shortstop Tucker Cascadden closed out the tournament Sunday with a walk-off grand slam to beat A&M. Many more highlights were produced throughout the nine games, playing out before a total of 53,565 fans, a tournament record. TCU was…

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Major League Baseball’s international amateur showcase is one of the most unusual events on the scouting calendar. It’s technically amateur scouting. The players are all 15 or 16, mostly from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. The earliest any of them will sign is July 2, when the 2017-18 international signing period opens. Yet the popular joke among scouts is that they’re here to do their pro coverage. Yeah, they’re seeing a lot of the top 2017 international prospects, but most of those players might as well already be with another club, since many of them already have unofficial agreements in place to sign. With the increasingly expedited speed of the international market, there are 2018 players—and even 2019s—who already have unofficial commitments. MLB did have a…

Baseball Analyst, Senior Writer ESPN.com TAMPA, FLA. Alex Rodriguez— perhaps you’ve heard of him—has been hanging out in the springtraining camp of those Yankees this spring. And we know it was a special time for him because it’s written right into his title: “Special” spring instructor. And as special spring instructors go, boy, it just doesn’t get much more special than A-Rod. For one thing, the Yankees are still paying him more American dollars ($21 million) this year than they’ll pay Didi Gregorius and Chase Headley to man the left side of their infield ($18.1 million combined). So kids, maybe you too can grow up to be a special $21 million instructor some day. And for a second thing, he’s A-Rod! Meaning he seemed determined to be maybe the first…