Innholdsfortegnelse for Monday, April 25 2017 i Baseball America

MARCH 24, 2008 » IN THIS ISSUE: New Tiger Miguel Cabrera leads our list of the game's best 25-and-under players ALSO: Does the wave of new Japanese imports have what it takes to repeat the success of their predecessors? Consider this: Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera, who has averaged 32 homers and 115 RBIs, will hit fifth; the four men in front of him (Curtis Granderson, Placido Polanco, Magglio Ordonez and Gary Sheffield) batted a combined .320 and scored 451 runs a year ago. "You've seen what (Cabrera) can do," said Dontrelle Willis, who joined Cabrera in coming from the Marlins in an eight-player trade that sent prospects Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller to the Marlins. "He's a professional hitter. You've seen that. I'm not sure what he'll do in…

GLENDALE, ARIZ. By all accounts, White Sox righthander Lucas Giolito is committed and mature enough at age 22 to take constructive criticism to heart. Jerry Crasnick Baseball Writer, ESPN.com jerrycrasnick@baseballamerica.com He received a lesson in the importance of perspective after the 2016 season, when Nationals pitching coach Mike Maddux brought him in for a combination pep talk and history lesson. Among other things, Maddux revealed that his Hall of Fame brother Greg as well as Washington ace and Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer both endured some rough patches early in their careers. “I was kind of down on myself about how unsuccessful I was last year in the big leagues, and Mike sat me down and we talked about how everyone is gonna struggle,” Giolito said. “There are very…

RICHMOND REINSTATES SUSPENDED PLAYERS Richmond announced that four players suspended since the start of the season due to NCAA violations have been reinstated. A fifth player will remain suspended for the remainder of the season, but will be reinstated for 2018. Richmond declined to release the names of the players involved. News outlets previously reported the reason for the suspensions were related to fantasy sports gambling, but the NCAA told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the players “wagered money on sporting events using gambling websites.” The suspensions were first announced on Opening Day. While Richmond has never revealed which players have been suspended, junior righthander Keenan Bartlett and senior infielder Kurtis Brown are two prominent players who had not appeared for the Spiders this season through April 6. LONGTIME SCOUT GASSAWAY…

John Manuel Editor in Chief Baseball America johnmanuel@baseballamerica.com Halfway through the college baseball season, several story lines have emerged, from the brilliance of Louisville’s Brendan McKay to Oregon State’s 24-1 start. But the biggest story so far comes from the Sunshine State, where the natural order is upside down. Florida has established itself as the state’s top program under coach Kevin O’Sullivan, winning 24 of the last 30 headto- head with Miami and Florida State. However, Miami still went to the College World Series the last two years and has played in 44 straight NCAA tournaments, dating back to 1973. Florida State has won at least 40 games every year for 39 years in a row, a mark of consistency that’s unmatched, and the Seminoles made back-to-back CWS trips as…

The Braves are pushing some of their top prospects this year. Atlanta sent lefthanders Max Fried and Kolby Allard and righthander Mike Soroka to Double-A Mississippi, skipping all three over high Class A Florida after they spent last year at low Class A Rome. For Fried, the move isn’t all that unexpected. The 23-year-old is a 2012 first-round pick whose advancement was slowed by August 2014 Tommy John surgery. He largely missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons and the Braves were cautious in his return, leaving him in low Class A Rome all season last year where he helped Baseball America’s Minor League Team of the Year to the South Atlantic League title. But the ascent for Allard and Soroka is much more rapid. Both were 2015 first-round picks. Soroka…

NEW YORK | Yankees TAMPA The Yankees named shortstop Gleyber Torres their best rookie in big league camp. However, they didn’t give the 20-year-old a chance to replace Didi Gregorius when Gregorius went down with a right shoulder injury during the World Baseball Classic that will keep him out until at least May. “I pride ourselves on being open minded and aggressive,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “But I like to be cautious, too. (Torres) is a 20-year-old who has never played above (high Class A Tampa) despite how good he looks and how mature he appears.” Cashman believes that, especially with a high-ceiling prospect, it isn’t wise to jump him over Double-A or Triple-A straight to the big leagues to fill an injury need. “You usually don’t handle your…

Pruitt Earns A Big League Spot PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. From all the young arms the Rays brought to camp, the two who stuck around until the final week while competing for a bullpen job—righthanders Austin Pruitt and Jaime Schultz—seemed to be a surprise. “They’ve been very intriguing,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. While Schultz will return to Triple-A Durham, Pruitt earned a long reliever role with the Rays. Though both were starters at Triple-A last season, they impressed the Rays when converted to bullpen roles. Pruitt, 27, is more of a control freak, showing the same trademark strike-throwing ability during the spring as he did in 2016, when he walked just 27 in 162.2 innings. Schultz, 25, impressed with velocity. He worked at 95 mph and clocked as high as…

Weigel Grows Into His Body KISSIMMEE, FLA. Righthander Patrick Weigel appeared in two games for a total of only one inning in big league camp before the Braves reassigned him. Even though he did not retire any of the six batters he faced in one of his relief appearances, the 22-year-old latebloomer excites the Braves with his potential. Weigel emerged as one of the system’s top prospects in 2016, when he was named the organization’s pitcher of the year. He made 25 starts, tossed 149.2 innings and recorded a 2.47 ERA during a season that began at low Class A Rome and concluded with three starts at Double-A Mississippi. “A lot of it was just taking the ball every five days and being able to go out there and compete,”…

Neuse Stays Versatile WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. An award-winning shortstop in college, Sheldon Neuse has primarily played third base as a professional. That doesn’t mean he’s not capable of moving back to shortstop from time to time. The 22-year-old righthanded batter starred at Oklahoma, and Neuse played six games at shortstop (and 26 at third) last year at short-season Auburn, where he also learned the importance of maintaining his strength and managing his body. A hamstring tweak and subsequent strain limited him to .230/.305/.341 numbers in 36 games. This spring, Neuse eagerly went through infield instructor Jeff Garber’s drills that rotate each infielder around the diamond. “It helps to move your feet around that way and stay athletic in your legs,” said Neuse, a second-round pick last year. “Just being…

Gerber Makes Progress LAKELAND, FLA. Being named an organization’s minor league player of the year is kind of like getting all A’s in kindergarten: It puts a lot of pressure on a guy in the years that follow. But the Tigers feel like outfielder Mike Gerber is progressing just fine. Gerber hit .276/.345/.466 with 18 home runs and 80 RBIs in 2016 while splitting time between high Class A Lakeland and Double-A Erie. It was his first experience at both levels. That’s not a bad follow-up to a 2015 season in which he earned honors as the franchise’s top position player after playing the entire season at low Class A West Michigan. “He’s just got a really good pair of hands on him,” farm director Dave Owen said. “He can…

CHICAGO | Cubs MESA, ARIZ. Switch-hitting second baseman Ian Happ lasted in his first big league camp until the final days, opening eyes, drawing an assignment to Triple-A Iowa and earning suggestions from team officials that a big league debut could be imminent. “Listen, he’s a major league player, absolutely,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “He is in the conversation (for 2017). Now it’s up to him to go out there and perform at a level that indicates that he’s ready right now. “Spring training and the regular season, even in the minor leagues, is entirely different.” Happ led the Cubs with 23 hits this spring and batted .383/.441/.750 for a team-leading 1.191 OPS. He blasted five home runs and seven doubles while driving in 21 runs in 29 games.…

Santana’s Surprising Success BRADENTON, FLA. A fact of life for amateur players in the Dominican Republic is that they become less desirable to most major league organizations each day after their 16th birthday. That the first day they are permitted to sign professional contracts. Teams wants to get international players into their system and acclimate them to professional baseball as quickly as possible. In that context, righthander Edgar Santana’s success with the Pirates has been remarkable. He was not signed until four days before his 22nd birthday in 2013. By Dominican standards, that is ancient. Santana did not play organized baseball while growing up and dreamed about earning a college degree, but a Dominican trainer saw him at age 19 and asked him to throw off a mound. His first…

Davis Makes His Mark WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. Perhaps no player benefited more from Alex Bregman’s two-and-ahalf weeks with the United States team in the World Baseball Classic than J.D. Davis. Davis, the 2014 third-round pick from Cal State Fullerton, is an power-hitting third baseman who racked up at-bats during Bregman’s absence from big league camp. By the time Bregman returned after the March 22 WBC title game, Davis had hit .342 through 38 at-bats. The 23-year-old spent the entirety of spring training in camp. “Hitters keep getting hits, and he’s got a really good idea at the plate,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of Davis. “He puts together really good at-bats.” The biggest obstacle facing Davis is the organizational depth chart at third base. Bregman, who is a year…

Bigger May Be Better SURPRISE, ARIZ. When the Rangers signed shortstop Michael De Leon out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, he weighed 140 pounds. Maybe, if he was soaking wet. The wiry frame brought into question whether De Leon would ever hit enough to make it to the big leagues. The defensive work has never been in doubt. So for three years De Leon has done nothing in the offseason but eat and lift weights in an attempt to pack muscle onto his 6-foot frame. The project is starting to pay off. The 20-year-old De Leon weighed in at 195 pounds at the beginning of spring training, and the Rangers saw line drives off his bat in both minor league games and as a fill-in during Cactus League games.…

Center Field Suits Wall SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. He hasn’t switched positions, but Forrest Wall played more center field than second base in spring training and will do so this season. The 21-year-old Wall began playing center field in instructional league. The 2014 supplemental first-rounder, who had labrum surgery on his shoulder in high school, worked diligently with the Rockies’ training staff to improve his arm strength. Wall made gains at second base—where his arm grades as playable—and he has enough arm for center field thanks to his accuracy. “His first-step quickness is a strength,” farm director Zach Wilson said, “and he’s got make-up speed, so even if he doesn’t take the perfect route, he’s able to make up with his speed and footwork. He’s caught everything he should catch. There’s some…

AUBURN, ALA. Keegan Thompson took the mound at Plainsman Park on Feb. 17 against George Washington as Auburn’s Opening Day starter. It was his first start since he had Tommy John surgery in June 2015 and sat out last season as he recovered from the injury. The redshirt junior’s return to the mound got off to a bit of a shaky start. The leadoff batter battled him throughout a 10-pitch at-bat that ended with left fielder Bo Decker making a diving catch. The next batter doubled, only to be thrown out by center fielder Jonah Todd trying to stretch it into a triple. The next batter followed with a single, but was erased while trying to steal second base. Thompson settled into the game from there, allowing just two more…

Transactions involving minor league players, i.e. those not on 40-man rosters, covering the period March 18-31. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Signed 3B Colin Walsh. Released RHPs Jon Fitzsimmons, Kevin Jepsen, Kaleb Ort, Myles Smith and Asher Wojciechowski; LHPs Marlon Arias, Jeremy Bleich and Austin Wright; 3Bs Josh Anderson, Joe Munoz and Cody Regis and OFs Daniel Fields, Jake Goebbert, Dane McFarland and Jason Pridie. Returned Rule 5 pick RHP Tyler Jones to Yankees. ATLANTA BRAVES: Signed RHP David Hernandez. Released RHPs Andres Avila, Blaine Boyer, Dalton Carroll, Ryan Clark, Connor Gilmore, David Hale, Grayson Jones, Jordy Lara, Kris Medlen, Navery Moore, Ramon Morla, Evertz Orozco, David Richardson, Isaac Sanchez, Cameron Stanton, Karl Triana and Brandon T. White; LHPs Parker Danciu, John Danks, Chris Diaz, Steve Kent, Michael Kirkman, Adam Kolarek, Jhon Martinez,…

Jayson Stark Baseball Analyst, Senior Writer ESPN.com SARASOTA, FLA. Standing in the bullpen in Aberdeen, Md., that day, the kid on the mound had no idea he was about to accidentally stumble onto a pitch that would one day get him compared to the great Mariano Rivera All Zach Britton thought he was doing was trying to throw your basic all-American cutter. It was 2007. He was 19 years old. His ERA was climbing. And the future closer of the Orioles wasn’t even sure he wanted to pitch for a living. But then it happened. He threw a pitch that was supposed to zig left, like cutters are supposed to zig. Instead, it didn’t merely zag right. It plummeted toward earth as if he’d just dropped a boulder off a…

Buffalo will cut its baseball, men’s soccer, men’s swimming and diving and women’s rowing teams following this school year, the university announced in Apri Coach Ron Torgalski said he was informed of the decision just 15 minutes before the players were told. No one had given him any indication that the program was in jeopardy. “To have something taken away like that and being blindsided made it pretty difficult,” he said. The cuts will reduce the size of Buffalo’s athletic department from 20 teams to 16, the minimum number the NCAA requires for Football Bowl Subdivision schools. In a press release, president Satish Tripathi said the decision to eliminate sports was a difficult one. “The unfortunate reality is that we no longer have the resources to support 20 competitive Division…

Peter Gammons Columnist, MLB Network petergammons@baseballamerica.com BOSTON The fact that the United States won the World Baseball Classic isn’t the point. Adam Jones and Eric Hosmer may have played with the fervor and passion of flag-waving Olympic athletes of yesteryear, but this isn’t the same. The diligent, exhaustive work so many in Major League Baseball have put into the WBC for a dozen years has now been realized, with historic passion on display in Miami and sellout crowds in Tokyo. This year’s tournament was a success because it celebrated the diversity that has made our country great. A decade ago, Orlando Hernandez and I used to have a little fist-bumping celebration with the words “boat people,” which signified the fact that we all come from somewhere by boat, whether it…

Coyle Makes Most Of His Shot SARASOTA, FLA. Second baseman Sean Coyle has learned that being assigned to minor league camp doesn’t exclude a player from contributing to the Orioles and earning points with manager Buck Showalter. Coyle became a regular presence on the travel roster and the list of extra players invited to big league camp, and he responded with two doubles and two home runs in 14 at-bats. The Orioles were being no-hit for eight innings of a March 16 game against the Phillies until Chris Dickerson singled off Michael Mariot with one out in the ninth and Coyle followed with a two-run shot. Munching on a slice of pizza afterward while surrounded by reporters, the 25-yearold Coyle seemed right at home in a major league clubhouse. “It’s…

Jansen Balances His Talents DUNEDIN, FLA. Danny Jansen figured he was positioned fairly well for the 2013 draft as he entered his senior year at Appleton West High in Wisconsin. Already several teams were in touch with the catcher and a solid season could make his stock rise. Instead, in his third game of the season, a foul ball struck him on the wrist and broke his pisiform, a pea-shaped bone where hand meets wrist. A couple of months spent recovering ruined his season and he rushed back to play in a playoff game with a brace on his wrist, but things had changed. “Once that happened, a lot of teams backed away,” said Jansen, 22. “That’s when I really thought about college because a lot of teams went out…

Reed Readies For Rotation JUPITER, FLA. Despite being dyslexic, righthander Remey Reed had a 3.8 grade-point average while at Oklahoma State and is now within three semesters of graduating with a double degree in economics and history. And despite going undrafted out of high school—and with no Division I scholarship offers—Reed reshaped his body, built himself into a college standout and became a Marlins sixth-round pick in 2016. It’s safe to say that Reed, who stands 6-foot- 5 and weighs 215 pounds, has overcome significant issues in his career and his life. “Remey’s a late bloomer,” said Danny Florence, who coached Reed with the Frozen Ropes travel team. The Marlins hope Reed has more yet to bloom. The 21-year-old has been a reliever most of his career—just five of his…

CLEVELAND | Indians GOODYEAR, ARIZ. In his first experience at big league camp, catcher Francisco Mejia made the most of his opportunities. He got a lot of hits, and he impressed his bosses As expected, the Indians optioned Mejia to Double-A Akron midway through camp, but the 21-year-old switch-hitter took another step forward with his work in camp. “His time here was really good for him,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He got to work with (catching instructor) Sandy (Alomar Jr.), and he got to catch some of the major league pitchers. “Though he still has some development to do, he knows his skills can translate to help our big league team.” Last July it appeared doubtful that Mejia would be in Indians camp in 2017. He was part of…

Starling’s New Outlook SURPRISE, ARIZ. Outfielder Bubba Starling ranked as the best athlete and best position prospect among the high school draft class of 2011. So expectations have always been off the charts for the Kansas prep. Starling also starred in basketball and football in high school and even signed a letter of intent to play quarterback at Nebraska. While Starling has developed into a topflight defensive center fielder in pro ball, the 24-year-old’s bat has lagged. “I want to keep working hard and show the organization I am that guy they thought I was,” said Starling, the fifth overall pick in 2011. “I want to keep working out there, especially hitting. “Once I figure that out . . . it will be good.” Starling’s offense bottomed out last year.…

Ervin Vows To Shed Label GOODYEAR, ARIZ. Outfielder Phillip Ervin, the 2013 first-round pick, has heard the dreaded “B” word—for bust—and he doesn’t care. “That makes me want to succeed more,” said Ervin, whom the Reds selected 27th overall out of Samford. “I want to prove them wrong.” At 24, Ervin was in big league camp for the second time in his career. The Reds added him to the 40-man roster last November and optioned him to Triple-A Louisville during the final week of spring training. After a hot start at Rookie-level Billings and low Class A Dayton—where he hit .349 in 12 games—in his draft year, Ervin stumbled in 2014. He hit just .237/.305/.376 in a full season at Dayton. Though Ervin has moved up the organizational ladder the…

Newfound Wisdom JUPITER, FLA. Late in spring training, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny tried to count the number of times Patrick Wisdom had been in big league camp, and eventually decided the actual number didn’t matter. Whether it was his fourth or fifth spring, this one was a first impression. “I think Patrick Wisdom was a guy who changed our minds,” Matheny said. “He just looks like a completely different player than what we saw. How many springs have we had him here? He looks like a different (guy). He’s the guy you feel really good about.” Wisdom, 25, became a regular in Grapefruit League games as a late-game replacement at third base and first base. One time, the righthanded batter started against a lefthander. He has a swing change to…

Developing A Spring Routine TEMPE, ARIZ. Nate Smith hoped to use his third big league camp as an opportunity to polish parts of his game that, with improvement, could help the 25-year-old lefthander make that final push to Anaheim. “I’m really trying to work on my preparation between starts and my mental game,” Smith said. “I want to learn how to read hitters and swings better. I’m talking to guys who have been around, trying to learn how to pitch, developing that aspect of it.” The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Smith, an eighthround pick out of Furman in 2013, progressed quickly through the system by reaching Double-A Arkansas in 2014 and Triple-A Sale Lake in 2015. In a full Pacific Coast League season last year he went 8-9, 4.61 in 26 starts…

SAN DIEGO | Padres PEORIA, ARIZ. Lefthander Jose Castillo made seven appearances last summer in the high Class A California League, which represented the apex of the 21-year-old Venezuelan’s pro career prior to March. That didn’t prevent Venezuela manager Omar Vizquel from putting Castillo to the test in the World Baseball Classic. Vizquel summoned Castillo in a big spot in a second-round matchup against the United States. With one out, runners on second and third base, and Venezuela clinging to a one-run lead, Castillo was called upon to face Christian Yelich and Nolan Arenado. “He’s been so calm and tranquil,” Vizquel said after Venezuela’s second-round loss to the U.S. “He’s been super effective not only with the righthanders (but also) lefthanders, especially in crucial (spots) where I gave him the…

Segedin Takes To The Air GLENDALE, ARIZ. Two months in the big leagues last season taught Rob Segedin some valuable lessons. “Experiencing it for two months, having your ups and downs where the league kind of figures out how to pitch you and you adjust . . . it was fun,” said Segedin, 28, who started games at all four corner positions. “And I know I belong up there. But sometimes you’re not there, even though you belong up there.” Segedin entered camp knowing there probably wasn’t a big league roster spot available— at least to start the season. He had a strong spring anyway. He went 3-for-13 with a home run for Italy in the World Baseball Classic and 13-for-32 (.406) for the Dodgers, thanks to some changes he…

Ruben Amaro Sr., a Gold Glove shortstop with the Phillies, died March 31. He was 81. Amaro is part of a family with a rich baseball tradition. His father had a long career in Cuba and Mexico, while his mother played baseball as well. His sons Ruben Jr., David and Luis Amaro all played professionally, as has his grandson Andrew Amaro. Amaro Sr. had an 11-year major league career with the Cardinals, Phillies, Yankees and Angels. His best year was arguably 1964, when he won a Gold Glove with the Phillies. After he retired as a player, he also served as a scout, coach and manager. As a scout, he was involved in scouting and signing George Bell, Julio Franco and Juan Samuel. He is a member of the Cuban…

A DOZEN RULE 5 PICKS REMAIN Which Rule 5 picks have stuck with their new teams? CHRISTOPHER CARELLI, @CHRIS_CARELLI The Padres are entering almost uncharted territory. San Diego is beginning the season with three Rule 5 picks on its roster, including a catcher with just 49 games of full-season minor league experience and a shortstop with zero games in the full minors. Three times in the past decade, only three Rule 5 picks stuck from the entire Rule 5 class. The only team this century to carry three Rule 5 picks on its roster all season was the 2003 Tigers, which kept Wil Ledezma, Matt Roney and Chris Spurling on the big league roster all season. Altogether 12 of the 18 major league Rule 5 picks made Opening Day rosters,…

DENVER Tracy Ringolsby Columnist, MLB.com In the aftermath of Puerto Rico advancing to the finals of the World Baseball Classic for the second tournament in a row, catcher Yadier Molina talked about his hope that the team’s success would help rekindle a focus on baseball in his homeland. There was definitely a special feeling on the island amid a celebration of national pride, and videos of children singing while holding Puerto Rican flags were commonplace. Though Puerto Rico once again was shut out in the championship game— they fell 8-0 to the United States after losing 3-0 to the Dominican Republic in 2013—many see the nation’s success in the past two tournaments as a path to restoring passion for the game to a place that was once a hotbed of…

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Making Up For Lost Time FORT MYERS, FLA. The Red Sox sent Blake Swihart to Triple-A Pawtucket just six games after he served as the Opening Day catcher last year. So in many ways it was a lost season. Though he returned to the majors as a left fielder, Swihart’s season came to a crashing halt because of an ankle injury that required the repair of his peroneal tendon sheath. As Swihart recovered, the Red Sox committed once again to his development as a catcher. He said that he felt great in his return to his primary pro position. “I think this is probably the best I’ve ever felt catching,” said Swihart, 25. A 2011 first-round pick from high school in New Mexico, Swihart betrayed no signs of the injury…

NEW YORK | Mets PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. Justin Dunn’s transformation from reliever to starter is ongoing this spring with the Mets. The 21-year-old righthander—the organization’s top draft pick (19th overall) last year—spent most of his Boston College career in the bullpen and is still learning the nuances of rotation life, according to assistant general manager John Ricco. “We see his potential as a starter and it’s going to take a little bit of time,” Ricco said. “He’s just got to get innings to get comfortable in that role (and) use multiple pitches instead of being a two-pitch guy, which you can do as a reliever.” Dunn is working to develop a changeup and two-seam fastball against lefthanded batters that can complement a fastball that peaks at 96 mph. He…

Fresh Faces On The Bench CLEARWATER, FLA. The rebuilding Phillies won’t have any new faces in their Opening Day lineup— their top prospects need more time—but they will have some on their bench. Andrew Knapp emerged from big league camp as the backup catcher and first baseman- outfielder Brock Stassi won a job on the bench with a strong performance in the Grapefruit League. The 27-year-old Stassi was a four-year player at Nevada. He was selected as a lefthanded pitcher by the Indians in the 44th round of the 2010 draft, then by the Phillies as a first baseman in the 33rd round in 2011. The well-respected organizational player put himself on the map when he won the Eastern League MVP award at Double-A Reading in 2015. He jumped to…

A Speedy Ascent GLENDALE, ARIZ. Wary of Charlie Tilson reporting to spring training 100 percent healthy after the young center fielder tore his left hamstring last August, the White Sox signed veteran Peter Bourjos to a minor league deal for insurance. Considering Tilson missed all of spring training with a stress reaction in his right foot, adding Bourjos was a wise move by Chicago. But Tilson’s latest physical issue also opened the door for Jacob May, and the 25-yearold switch-hitter took full advantage of his opportunity. May played so well that the White Sox traded Bourjos to the Rays at the end of camp. “I had nothing to lose,” May said. “Honestly, I came into this spring feeling personally as a dark horse in this whole thing . . .…

Trial By Fire FORT MYERS, FLA. What terrific training John Curtiss has gotten for a possible role some day as the Twins’ closer. In 2014, he handled the ninth inning of a College World Series semifinal in Omaha. In 2015, he pitched in the Midwest League championship series. Last November, he finished the Arizona Fall League title game. Only one problem. “Lost them all,” Curtiss said with a shrug. Oh, right. Well, who needs all that gaudy jewelry, anyway? But the 24-year-old former Texas righthander has learned a lot from his proximity to glory, from his embrace of pressure. It started when he was recruited by the Longhorns after a decorated high school career in suburban Dallas, though he quickly learned that résumé meant little. “A freshman at Texas, if…

Crowded Outfield At Triple-A PHOENIX The Brewers sent outfield prospects Lewis Brinson, Ryan Cordell and Brett Phillips out of big league camp as a group, and they plan to keep them together as a unit as long as possible. With that in mind, Brinson, Cordell and Phillips will be the starting outfield at Triple-A Colorado Springs this season. Brinson will be the primary center fielder, but all three will see action across the outfield. “We value positional versatility,” general manager David Stearns said. “We never know what outfield position is going to be open when one of those guys is ready. So all three need the ability to play all three positions. We never know what’s going to come up.” Sending that trio to Colorado Springs resulted in at least…

OAKLAND | Athletics MESA, ARIZ. Spring training has been an oasis of hope for a beleaguered Athletics franchise that has spent the last two years near the bottom of the standings. Not far away is a time when the organization envisions a lineup that includes shortstop Franklin Barreto, third baseman Matt Chapman and Ryon Healy, the 2016 rookie standout who could play first base or DH. The system’s top prospect, Barreto excelled at big league camp by going 13-for-27 (.481) with seven strikeouts in 16 games. “His focus, his attention, his maturity and his work ethic have kind of come together,” farm director Keith Lieppman said. “The (Arizona) Fall League really helped him grow (by) being around the top players in the game. He’s starting to see the light that…

A Two-Inning Redemption PEORIA, ARIZ. Have you ever closed out a rotten round of golf with a birdie on hole No. 18? You go home feeling a little better about things, right? Lefthander Dillon Overton began his big league career last season with the Athletics by allowing 31 runs, 48 hits and a staggering 12 homers in 22.1 innings in his first six appearances over four separate callups. “When you get hit around like that as much as I did,” Overton said, “it makes your confidence waver a little bit. It doesn’t matter how good you did in Triple-A. I was struggling mentally and emotionally. It was tough.” And tough to explain. The 25-year-old was otherwise having a fine year at Triple-A Nashville. He went 13-5, 3.29 in 21 games…

Chisolm Packs The Punch SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. More than once during back-field games this spring, opposing players expressed surprise about the size of the Diamondbacks’ No. 3 hitter—and then made comments about the violent hacks he took. Jazz Chisholm loved hearing it. “Everybody calls me a little kid,” Chisholm said. “It happened against the Rockies. They were like, ‘Oh my goodness, kid, you take some hacks.’ ” That he does. And those swings continued to produce damage in spring training, just as they did a year ago in the Pioneer League. Chisholm, a 19-year-old shortstop, signed for $200,000 out of the Bahamas in 2015 and is looking increasingly like a bargain. Some scouts already believe he is Arizona’s best position prospect. Chisholm hit .286/.333/.446 in his pro debut last season at…

Slania Adjusts to Starting SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. Not quite two months into last season, 24-year-old righthander Dan Slania switched from a reliever to a starter. The change worked well for him. In a sense, he had experience making that transition. He did it during a game while pitching for Notre Dame. On May 3, 2013, Slania was one out from a six-out save against South Florida before he allowed a two-run double to tie the game. Upset with himself, Slania told his coach, “Don’t take me out until this game’s over.” That didn’t quite come true, but Slania lasted 7.1 more shutout innings—making his outing nine innings and 140 pitches—in a game the Irish lost 8-2 in 19 innings. “I got pulled just because I couldn’t do anything else,” Slania said.…