Innholdsfortegnelse for Friday, August 12, 2016 i Baseball America

» IN THIS ISSUE: Manny Ramirez swings his way onto our annual Best Tools honor roll, but who’s right behind him as best hitter? Rookie Ichiro Suzuki. » ALSO: Mike Hampton leads the pack among players with two-way tool sets. Mike Hampton signed the richest contract ever given a pitcher—an eight-year $121 million deal with the Rockies—because of what he can do on the mound. But there is more to Hampton than that. “He’s the best athlete on the team,” former Rockies second baseman Todd Walker says. Hampton, who joined the Rockies after signing his big contract in December, is the total package. Scouts would call him a fivetool player, if he were a position player at all. The man can throw. He can play defense. He can run. He…

Baseball Writer, ESPN.com COOPERSTOWN In the weeks leading up to the Hall of Fame induction, the prevailing theme was, “Two p l a yers—different paths.” Ken Griffey Jr. was the teenage prodigy who seemed destined for greatness from the moment the Mariners chose him No. 1 overall in the 1987 draft. Mike Piazza was the gifted hitter whose lack of speed and defensive skill portended little opportunity until Tommy Lasorda hounded the Dodgers into selecting him in the 62nd round in 1988. Now the two sluggers will be linked in baseball history as members of the Class of 2016. Their speeches are in the archives, and they’re free to return next summer, play golf, and haze the rookies along with the rest of the veterans. “They each took roads that…

ORIOLES’ HARVEY HAS TOMMY JOHN SURGERY Orioles righthander Hunter Harvey, who has pitched in just five games since the end of the 2014 season, will have Tommy John surgery after leaving a start with forearm soreness. The surgery, first reported by Baseball America correspondent Roch Kubatko, was performed on July 28 by Dr. Donald d’Alessandro in Charlotte. Given standard Tommy John rehabilitation time, Harvey is likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2017 season. The surgery adds another twist to an already lengthy injury history for Harvey, the Orioles’ first-round selection in 2013 out of high school in Catawba, N.C. He made 17 starts for low Class A Delmarva in 2014 before being shut down that July with a strained right flexor mass. He missed all of the…

Editor in Chief Baseball America johnmanuel @baseballamerica.com Watching Mike Mayers of the Cardinals make his major league debut sent me scrambling. Did I rank him in last year’s Prospect Handbook? I went looking and found that no, I had not ranked Mayers, a former member of Mississippi’s rotation in college and a 2013 third-round pick. But I glanced at the numbers and called up my notes and found, OK, I had good reasons not to rank him. I watched the Dodgers torch Mayers for six runs in his first big league inning, as Adrian Gonzalez crushed a grand slam before Mayers even got an out. I saw him miss the strike zone with his secondary stuff and exhibit shotgun command with his fastball, perhaps a case of nerves. Part of…

CHICAGO Throughout the workouts leading up to the Under Armour All-America Game, outfielder Heliot Ramos put together more inconsistent swings during batting practice than anyone else. Ramos fouled balls off, even swung and missed. In a lineup of polished hitters, Ramos did not stand out. Every now and then he’d connect and show impressive power to all fields. What was especially notable was how the ball carried when he stayed back and drove the ball to the opposite power alley. But when the game began and the pitchers started popping 90-plus mph, Ramos transformed from a sometimes awkwardly swinging bundle of potential into the standout of standouts. It’s hard to have a better game than the one Ramos put together at Wrigley Field on July 23. He went 3-for-3 and…

Sisco Opens Eyes For O’s BALTIMORE The Orioles’ search for major league starters and presence of minor league catching depth have conspired to bring attention to Chance Sisco. Sisco has hit at every level, and other teams are taking notice of the Orioles’ top prospect. Plenty of scouts saw Sisco in the Futures Game, where he hit a home run to match his first-half total at Double-A Bowie. Through 83 games, he hit .327/.413/.420 with 20 doubles, two homers and 34 RBIs with the Baysox. The batting line is especially impressive for a 21-year-old player in the Eastern League. Sisco, a 2013 second-rounder from high school in Corona, Calif., is living up to his offensive reputation. A career .326 hitter through 325 pro games, he won the South Atlantic League…

Romano Returns To Form TORONTO Jordan Romano is making a strong return from Tommy John surgery, while at the same time adjusting smoothly to a conversion from the bullpen to the rotation. The 23-year-old righthander from Markham, Ont., had been sawing through hitters at low Class A Lansing since returning on June 13 with seven innings of two-hit ball and seven strikeouts against Great Lakes. In his first eight starts, Romano recorded a 1.42 ERA and 1.13 WHIP through 38 innings. He struck out 41 batters and walked 18, numbers that are more impressive considering he had just 13 relief appearances in pro ball prior to this year. “He has a bulldog mentality, electric stuff and he’s a plus athlete,” farm director Gil Kim said. “Going through the rehab program,…

Holloway Continues To Learn MIAMI Righthander Jordan Holloway’s Colorado driver’s license tells a story very different from what is now reality. His baby-faced photo, taken while he was a junior in high school, lists him at 5-foot-9 and 135 pounds. Holloway now stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 210 pounds, and he has a powerful pitching arsenal to match. “His stuff is probably the best we have in our organization along with that of (righthander) Luis Castillo,” assistant director of player development Brett West said. “He can hit 98 (mph) with a plus curve.” Holloway, who plans to get a new license next June when he turns 21, was a 20th-round pick in 2014 out of Ralston Valley High, which is located 20 miles west of Denver. Signed for a well-over-slot bonus…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ CHICAGO The approach worked for Chris Sale, and it worked for Carlos Rodon. The White Sox are hoping righthander Carson Fulmer is the next success story. Like southpaws Sale and Rodon, Fulmer is a first-round pick. And like Sale and Rodon, Fulmer didn’t spend much time in the minor leagues before breaking into the majors as a reliever. “We’re at a point where our guys felt he was ready to contribute right now,” big league manager Robin Ventura said. “We’ve been a little banged up in the bullpen, so we’re hoping he can fill that up and be useful.” Still projected to be a starter for the White Sox, likely in 2017, Fulmer pitched in just 26 minor…

‘Best Athlete On The Board’ KANSAS CITY, MO. Outfielder Khalil Lee has homered off Bryce Harper. As a 14-year-old freshman at the Flint Hill School in Oakton, Va., Lee attended a Harper camp. “He threw to us in a little simulated game on one of the backfields, and I hit a home run off of him,” Lee said. “He said, ‘Wow, man, that was pretty good.’ I said, ‘Thank you.’ He talked to me a little bit about baseball, what my position was, what my name was and where I went to school.” The Royals drafted Lee in the third round this year and signed him for $750,000. Through 24 games in the Rookie-level Arizona League, he hit .294/.425/.482 with 10 extra-base hits and 16 walks. “He’s been impressive,” AZL…

Second Chance For Watkins CHICAGO Second baseman Logan Watkins learned one of baseball’s cruelest lessons over the last 16 months. In fact, just how well he learned it might lead him back to the big leagues. “We didn’t really know what to expect coming off of missing a whole year,” farm director Jaron Madison said. After spending a combined 58 games in 2013 and 2014 in the big leagues, Watkins missed all of 2015 because of a ruptured Achilles tendon. At the end of that season he became a minor league free agent, and the Cubs re-signed him. With the competitive Cubs prioritizing veteran depth in the organization, players with big league experience, such as infielders Munenori Kawasaki and Kris Negron, were signed to play at Triple-A Iowa—pushing Watkins to…

Employing The Shift ST. LOUIS More than a decade ago, the Cardinals attempted to lobby one of their young, idling catchers to make a shift to the mound. Big league manager Mike Matheny, then the Cardinals’ catcher, recalls the one-word view he had on molding Jason Motte into a pitcher: “radical.” Now there’s another description within the same organization: common. Since they moved Motte to the mound and allowed Rick Ankiel to reinvent himself as an outfielder, the Cardinals’ rate of conversion has increased. This year alone, the Cardinals have moved Kolten Wong from second base to center field—on the job. Sam Tuivailala, a former third baseman, has had a few cameos in the majors as a reliever. Since 2010, at least 20 players have advanced at least one level…

No Rush ANAHEIM Some in the Angels organization thought Jahmai Jones could’ve started the season at low Class A Burlington. Instead, the Angels chose to take it slow with the 18-year old outfielder and 2015 secondround pick. “I’m definitely not saying he couldn’t have,” Angels farm director Mike LaCassa said, “but when you have a kid with his ceiling … where is he gonna be in three years? He doesn’t need to play his first full season at Burlington at 18.” The Angels didn’t want to rush Jones, who turns 19 on Aug. 4. They kept him in extended spring training until dispatching him to Rookie-level Orem in mid-June. It’s hard to argue with the decision. In his first 34 games, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound Jones hit .317.383/.462 with two homers,…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ LOS ANGELES One thing Double-A Tulsa second baseman Willie Calhoun does not lack is confidence. In fact, the 5-foot-8, 187-pound Calhoun was just a juco hopeful from Yavapai (Ariz.) JC when he attended a predraft workout at Dodger Stadium in 2015 and demonstrated that. “I walked up to (Dodgers president of baseball operations) Andrew Friedman and I told him, ‘I’m going to put on a laser show’ at the predraft workout,” Calhoun said. “He laughed. I’ll never forget. He laughed and said, ‘Good luck, buddy. We’ll see.’ ” Friedman got an eyeful. Calhoun indeed put on a show, reaching the seats at Dodger Stadium with more than half of the swings he took that day. Friedman already thought…

Deep Friars SAN DIEGO With the Padres headed toward their eighth losing season in nine years, the team is redoubling its efforts to build a great farm system. Padres general manager A.J. Preller said he made headway in recent weeks, by adding a high number of “impact” pitching prospects to go with young arms he collected last offseason. “It takes a lot of pitching prospects to end up with a championship-type pitching staff,” Preller said. “There’s huge value in depth and numbers . . . I think in a pretty short period of time we’ve gone from an organization with a handful of guys to now, every day when you look up, there’s a pitcher on the mound who has a chance to be impactful.” Top headliner among the newcomers…

TRIVIALITY It’s only trivial if you don’t know the answer. Mike Piazza had 11 seasons with at least 20 home runs in his career, tied with Johnny Bench for the alltime record among catchers. Can you name the only two players currently catching in the big leagues who have had more than two 20-homer seasons as a catcher? »THE STRANGE BUT TRUE SAVE OF THE YEAR AWARD: Ever heard of a guy saving a game he didn’t know he was closing—and wasn’t even on the mound for the game’s final out? Well, the Tigers’ Shane Greene saved a game just like that on July 21 in Chicago. Got the final two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Then the Tigers came to bat. Then the game got rained out.…

COOPERSTOWN The Hall of Fame announced changes to its veterans committee system that will give more opportunity for players (and executives) from more recent eras to win induction. The Hall of Fame went from a single veterans committee to three, 16-person committees that examine different eras in 2010. The era committees also are responsible for enshrining managers, umpires and executives. The hall added a new committee, explicitly designed to emphasize the game’s post-expansion era, and will hold more frequent elections for players from the past five decades. That’s good news for stars of the Hall of Fame-defined categories of Modern Baseball (1970-87) and Today’s Game (1988-present), because dozens of players will now have their cases reconsidered twice every five years rather than once every three. That players from the past…

The Twins fired Terry Ryan, the two-term general manager who first joined the organization in 1972 as a player, in mid-July. Ryan had been GM since November 2011, his second stint after serving from September 1994 through the end of the 2007 season. Assistant GM Rob Antony was installed as interim GM and inherits a team that was challenging for the worst record in baseball at the time of Ryan’s dismissal (33-58). Ryan, who missed part of the 2014 season due to treatments for cancer in his neck, said in a statement, “While disappointed we were unable to bring Minnesota a third championship, I leave the GM post with immense pride in being part of the Twins organization for the better part of three decades.” Owner Jim Pohlad said the…

Columnist, MLB Network BOSTON The cost for Drew Pomeranz was an 18-year old pitcher Pedro Martinez called “one guy we cannot trade,” but for the Red Sox there is cost attached to finishing last in three of the past four seasons Anderson Espinoza might indeed be a oncein-a-decade talent, another Julio Urias, as one general manager called him. But the issue Dave Dombrowski, Mike Hazen and the Red Sox faced was the pitchers the organization had developed, namely Clay Buchholz and Henry Owens, had a combined 6.13 ERA this season. And the price of pitching had skyrocketed. So Dombrowski gave up someone he did not want to give up, but he now has David Price, Rick Porcello, Steven Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez and Drew Pomeranz through 2018. And while Espinoza, who…

When Ichiro Suzuki collects his 3,000th major league hit, the 42-year-old Japanese marvel will become the 30th player ever to reach that milestone. Every member of the 3,000-hit club is enshrined in Cooperstown except for those who sabotaged themselves (Pete Rose and Rafael Palmeiro) or are not yet eligible (Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, who is still active). That is to say, Ichiro probably will sail into the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible. The right fielder stands out not only for his performance—he owns the single-season hit record, the 2001 American League MVP award and the acclaim of his peers for his across-the-board excellence—but also for his role as a pioneer. Without Ichiro paving the way for Japanese position players, Hideki Matsui probably never stars for the Yankees…

The Cardinals have an agreement to sign Randy Arozarena, a top young Cuban prospect who has split time between shortstop and the outfield, for $1.25 million, a potential bargain given his talent. Arozarena, 21, ranked as the No. 9 player on Baseball America’s April 2015 rankings of the top 20 players still in Cuba, standing out for his bat, speed and plate discipline. At 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, Arozarena is a righthanded hitter with a quick, simple stroke that stays in the hitting zone for a long time. He has a keen eye at the plate, with a line-drive approach and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Arozarena isn’t a big power threat, but he has a chance to grow into 10-15 home runs with his value coming…

T.J. Friedl went to USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team trials in late June trying to win a spot on the roster as a fourth outfielder. He had just finished a strong spring as a redshirt sophomore at Nevada, hitting .401/.494/.563 and earning a spot on the all-Mountain West Conference team. During the trials, however, Friedl would need to prove to manager George Horton (Oregon) and the rest of the Team USA coaching staff that he belonged on a team of the best college players in the country. It was a familiar position for the outfielder, whose only offer out of high school was as an invited walk-on at Nevada. Friedl was able to build off his breakout spring with a strong week at trials and won a roster spot. That…

Pennington Finds Big Velocity BOSTON The start of 2014 represented a thrilling time in the life of Josh Pennington. He embarked on the start of a senior high school season in Cape May, N.J., that seemed likely to feature a regular phalanx of scouts. The season, however, lasted just two starts. In warming up for his third outing, dread filled the young righthander. “I knew,” Pennington said. “It was immediate. I walked to my catcher and was like, ‘I just blew my elbow out.’ ” Even with the understanding that he’d require Tommy John surgery, Pennington continued to meet with scouts who remained intrigued by the potential he had shown earlier in his prep career. Ultimately, he decided that he would benefit from a chance to rehab under the auspices…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ PHILADELPHIA It was no coincidence that Phillies officials had Triple-A Lehigh Valley righthander Jake Thompson make his first start after the all-star break on the same night that Jeremy Hellickson opened the second half for Philadelphia. Hellickson is a trade candidate. Thompson has positioned himself to be the next starter to join the Phillies’ young rotation. “The thought of (a promotion) is exciting,” said Thompson, 22. “But right now I’m focused on pitching where my feet are at and continuing to grow.” Thompson has grown significantly in his first International League season. He ran up a 4.23 ERA in April and May but in nine starts since June 1, he went 6-0, 0.58 while allowing five total runs.…

Paez Relishes Underdog Role NEW YORK After winning the College World Series with Coastal Carolina, fourth-round pick Michael Paez began his pro career at shortstop at short-season Brooklyn. However, Paez will primarily play second base with the Cyclones because Arizona State fifth-rounder Colby Woodmansee will see most of the time at shortstop. “We like the plate discipline that (Paez) showed throughout his career, and in the Cape (Cod League) with the wood bat against really good pitching,” assistant scouting director Marc Tramuta said. “We think he can handle shortstop, but certainly there’s a backup plan at second base, where he can be more offensive-oriented . . . He’s also an extremely tough kid who plays with an attitude and a little bit of swagger, which bodes well having that kind…

Trust In Triston CLEVELAND Righthander Triston McKenzie recorded eye-opening statistics through his first eight starts at short-season Mahoning Valley. He led the New York-Penn League with a 0.61 ERA, while ranking among the circuit’s best with 47 strikeouts (second) and a .181 opponent average (third). Needless to say, the 18-year-old McKenzie has had no trouble adjusting to pro ball. The Indians selected him as a supplemental firstround pick in 2015 out of Royal Palm Beach (Fla.) High. Last summer he made four appearances in the Rookie-level Arizona League and allowed one run with 17 strikeouts in 12 innings. The Indians raved about him in extended spring training this season. “He’s got a very good arm, he’s very aggressive and he goes after hitters,” Mahoning Valley manager Edwin Rodriguez told The…

Wimmers Gets New Life In Pen MINNEAPOLIS After seven pro seasons, two major elbow operations, a bout of wildness and a new job description, the finish line is in sight for righthander Alex Wimmers. Except it’s actually the starting line. Wimmers, the 2010 first-round pick after back-to-back Big Ten Conference pitcher of the year seasons at Ohio State, is finally within reach of a callup, a goal that appeared hopeless several times during his pro career. “He’s had plenty of reasons to be discouraged. He’s had so many setbacks,” former general manager Terry Ryan said. “He’s having success now, and I’m happy for Alex. He shouldn’t give up.” Nobody would have been surprised if he had, though. Wimmers missed most of the 2011 season when his control abruptly went haywire,…

Jumping Through Hoops CINCINNATI Triple-A Louisville lefthander Amir Garrett likes to talk to hitters and see what they’re thinking. Over and over, the 6-foot-5 southpaw with a high-90s fastball has been told by hitters that the hardest pitch to hit is a good changeup. “They don’t expect it,” Garrett said at the Futures Game. “It’s a big difference (between) my changeup to my fastball. The miles-perhour difference helps a lot.” That helped reinforce the message that was given to him by big league manager Bryan Price in spring training: Work on that pitch. “My changeup has come a long way,” said Garrett, 24. “It’s become a pitch I go to a lot now. Some days I throw it more than my slider. “It’s been a pitch that’s really, really taken…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ ARLINGTON Travis Demeritte doesn’t hide from the 80-game suspension that cost him most of the 2015 season, nor does he try to make excuses for testing positive for a performanceenhancing drug. Instead, the 30th overall pick in the 2013 draft accepted responsibility for the misdeed and did all he could to make up for the time he lost on the field. He went to the Dominican Republic to play with teenagers. He spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in Australia playing for the Adelaide Bite. The 6-foot, 180-pound second baseman played catch-up this season with high Class A High Desert, getting rewarded for his work with a start for the United States team in the Futures Game in San Diego.…

Spending Spree OAKLAND The Athletics have been rather quiet on the international signing front in recent years, but that changed in 2016. Oakland signed five high-profile international players, including highly touted Cuban 17-year old outfielder Lazaro Armenteros, in a change of course for the organization. “We really liked the kids that were available,” A’s scouting director Dan Feinstein said. “We’ve done the homework, scouted them and just made the decision this was going to be the best year to make that kind of a splash.” What made this year appealing was several higher-profile organizations could not compete because they had exceeded their allotted bonus pools. Armenteros, who is 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, signed for $3 million, which should push the A’s over their allotted salary pool. They are likely to be…

Back In The Minors PHOENIX Considering catcher Oscar Hernandez spent pretty much all of last season in the big leagues as a Rule 5 pick, Diamondbacks farm director Mike Bell wasn’t sure how Hernandez would respond to opening this year at high Class A Visalia. “It wouldn’t have surprised me if it took us half the year or the whole year to get him to a point where he understood that he still had work to do, and it didn’t,” Bell said. “That’s a credit to him. It’s not anything that we did; it’s who he is as a person. I think that’s really impressive for a young player.” After what was largely a lost developmental year, Hernandez played well on both sides of the ball in Visalia to earn…

Heyward’s Brother Starts Hot SAN FRANCISCO You could say that Jacob Heyward is a mirror image of his all-star older brother, Jason. Jacob is a left fielder who bats righthanded. Jason, the Cubs’ right fielder, bats lefthanded. The Giants simply hope that Jacob can reflect the best of his abilities, which are considerable enough that they were excited to draft him with their 18th-round pick in June out of Miami. “We drafted him because it was him and not because of his brother,” Giants scouting director John Barr said. “We drafted him on his merits and his ability, and because we think he has a chance of playing in the big leagues.” Jacob Heyward got off to a good start after joining the Rookie-level Arizona League. The 20-year-old was batting…

MARCUS ZAPPIA, @MARCUSZAPPIA If reports are correct that the Yankees could chose either Jimenez or Torres to anchor the four-player package that landed lefthander Aroldis Chapman, they were faced with a fascinating choice. Torres and Jimenez have been linked together since they were the two cornerstones of the Cubs’ massive international spending spree in 2013. Chicago spent $2.8 million for Jimenez and $1.7 to land Torres as Chicago’s 2013 international class easily exceeded the team’s bonus allocation. Torres broke out as a prospect in 2015. He hit .293/.353/.386 for low Class A South Bend as one of the youngest players in the Midwest League and even earned a late-season promotion to high Class A Myrtle Beach. Jimenez had to wait another year to emerge, but he has been one of…

Columnist, MLB.com DENVER For the better part of the past 44 years, Terry Ryan had been with the Minnesota Twins in various roles ranging from a minor league pitcher signed out of high school to two terms as the club’s general manager. Through it all, Ryan never lost touch with reality. And so it was in July when he learned of the organization’s plans to replace him as the general manager at season’s end, Ryan asked that the move be made sooner to open the door for ownership to begin working on its plan to restructure the team’s front office. Not wanting to take away from the Twins hall of fame ceremonies that weekend in July, when outfielder Torii Hunter and broadcaster John Gordon were honored, the decision was made…

BURLINGTON, N.C. In his first full season, Mets lefthander Thomas Szapucki blitzed through the Rookielevel Appalachian League. And after a stellar start against Burlington, it’s easy to see how he’s done it. Last year’s fifth-rounder out of Dwyer High in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., showed a threepitch mix that makes it easy it to dominate less-advanced hitters. His arsenal, thrown from a three-quarters slot, starts with a lively fastball in the low-90s that touched 95 mph in the seventh inning. He complemented the heater with a breaking ball that can act as a traditional curve that drops in for strikes or shape into a more sweeping pitch to get swings and misses. He also has a mid-80s changeup that showed some fade. After a brief stint in the Gulf Coast…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ NEW YORK In an age when everyone wants to see pitchers push radar guns into the high 90s, those who lean on location and pinpoint control often get overlooked when their fastball doesn’t reach those digits. Take the case of Dietrich Enns, a 25-yearold lefthander who began the season at Double-A Trenton. “He’s a soft tosser with a good understanding of touch and feel,” a scout who saw Enns pitch this season said. “He’s crafty. He knows how to pitch. He sat 89-91 (mph).’’ Often “touch and feel” and “crafty” are polite ways of saying a pitcher’s fastball is short. However, the 19th-round pick out of Central Michigan in 2012 has added several ticks to his fastball. “Obviously,…

Maile’s Adjustments Pay Off ST. PETERSBURG Catcher Luke Maile made it to the big leagues last September. Now he wants to show he can stay. Defense always has been Maile’s forte while he moved through a Rays system devoid of advanced catching prospects, even moreso with Justin O’Conner sidelined all season by back trouble. But it was a recent improvement in Maile’s offensive game while playing at Triple-A Durham that earned him the new opportunity. The Rays called him up at the all-star break to replace Hank Conger, who was optioned to the Bulls, and gave him the chance to play on a somewhat regular basis. “We brought Luke up last year to get some experience, and I think we kind of envisioned a scenario where he was going to…

Whalen’s Work Pays Off ATLANTA In his third start as a member of the organization, righthander Rob Whalen had to be carried to the clubhouse after one inning of work. His legs simply gave out after pitching through the pain of severe patellar tendinitis in both knees for nearly two years. “Patellar tendinitis is common for athletes,” Whalen said, “but I had it for so long and it became so bad that the tendon in the middle of my knees started to die. “The surgeon had to remove the middle of the patella tendon in both my knees and then reattach the tendon to my knees.” A 12th-round pick of the Mets in 2013 out of high school in Haines City, Fla., Whalen joined the Braves with fellow righty John…

Ripken Puts In The Work WASHINGTON Ryan Ripken doesn’t mind taking a detour in his baseball career. What’s most important, he said, is what he does with his opportunities. The 6-foot-6, 205-pound first baseman from Baltimore joined short-season Auburn after starting the year at low Class A Hagerstown. He played for the Suns, who won a first-half division title in the South Atlantic League, through June 1 and made his Doubledays debut 16 days later. “I’m here to work and I’m here to get better,” said Ripken, 22, “and I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll get back there and continue to move on with my career.” A 15th-round pick in 2014, Ripken had been drafted by the Orioles two years earlier out of high school. He chose…

Tigers Like Burrows’ Progress DETROIT Righthander Beau Burrows, a 2015 first-round pick, has experienced his share of ups and downs this season, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone. He is, after all, still just 19. Burrows went 5-4, 3.88 through his first 15 appearances (14 starts) at low Class A West Michigan this season. “Beau’s doing a fine job,” farm director Dave Owen said. “We’re happy with Beau. Obviously, it’s his first year in West Michigan, and he’s handling it very, very well. “As a young player—and especially a young pitcher—he’s going to have inconsistent moments, but that’s part of the learning curve.” Burrows pitched best in the first half, when he recorded a 2.77 ERA, a .221 opponent average and 37 strikeouts in 52 innings. He allowed 15 runs in…

For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ MILWAUKEE The Brewers do not hesitate to give top prospects aggressive placements in their system, and that tactic applied to fifth overall pick Corey Ray as well. After signing the multi-talented outfielder to a $4.125 million deal, the Brewers sent Ray to high Class A Brevard County, one of their most aggressive assignments for a position player fresh out of the draft. The 21-year-old played for one of the top college programs in the country at Louisville, so the Brewers figured Ray was up to the task of starting in the Florida State League, a tough environment for hitters. The decision was made after scouting director Ray Montgomery, general manager David Stearns and farm director Tom Flanagan put…

Brault Tunes Up For Pirates PITTSBURGH If lefthander Steven Brault builds upon his big league debut, he could become a rock star in the eyes of Pirates fans. Then again, he might wind up being a rock star even if he doesn’t pitch so well. Brault held the Cardinals to two runs in four innings while striking out five on July 7 in a spot start. The Pirates optioned him back to Triple-A Indianapolis after the game. That continued his quick ascent through the system since being acquired along with fellow lefthander Stephen Tarpley in a trade with the Orioles for Travis Snider in January 2015. Despite being shelved by a hamstring injury early in the season, Brault went 2-4, 2.15 through 11 games at Indianapolis. He struck out 11.8…

Must See Musgrove HOUSTON Alex Bregman starred for the U.S. squad in July’s Futures Game and was on his way to the big leagues a couple weeks later. His teammate Joe Musgrove could very well follow the same path. Musgrove, the Astros pitching prospect who started the Futures Game in his home city of San Diego, has also put himself in position reach the majors before season’s end. The 23-year-old righthander is likely to garner at least a September callup before competing for a spot in the Astros’ rotation next spring. After earning a quick promotion to Triple-A Fresno in early May, he hit a three-start rough patch from late May to early June. Musgrove, who was the No. 46 pick in the 2011 draft, got himself back on track…

Open Path SEATTLE Dan Vogelbach’s path to the big leagues isn’t blocked by all-stars anymore. The Mariners acquired the slugging first baseman on July 20 along with righthander Paul Blackburn from the Cubs in exchange for lefty reliever Mike Montgomery and righthander Jordan Pries. With no incumbent starter at first base returning next season, Vogelbach and D.J. Peterson will vie for the starting job and could possibly platoon. “The lefthanded offense that Dan Vogelbach brings at some point in 2016 and then for the years beyond was really too appealing to pass up,” said Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto. “There’s no specific ETA for his arrival here, but we just feel like the long-term value he brings us, he’s ready to play in the big leagues today . . .…

Tapped Out DENVER The toe tap that worked so well for Forrest Wall in his first two professional seasons is no more. Scrapping it was a major adjustment and a valuable experience for Wall, the 35th overall pick in 2014 draft and high Class A Modesto second baseman, in handling adversity. “When you can go through struggles and kind of dig yourself out of it and get back on track in a very short amount of time, that’s saying something about a 20-year-old kid,” farm director Zach Wilson said. Wall hit .280 in April but then plummeted to .178 in May. Opposing pitchers saw plenty of Wall and began exploiting his toe tap with quick pitches, trying to upset his timing at the plate. “So I really struggled in being…

Baseball Analyst, Senior Writer ESPN.com PHILADELPHIA You know, I thought this was a fun idea. My bosses at ESPN.com said: “Pick the 10 greatest players of all time.” What a cool midsummer project, I thought—until I actually had to come up with the 10. Then I realized the word for this was not “fun. How about “impossible? So humor me as you read these names, OK? I have a notebook full of crossedout names, so you know what I’ll say when you start screaming about the two dozen legends you think have to be in the top 10? You’re right! 10. MIKE SCHMIDT I covered this man for a decade in Philly. So I’m going to make an informed guess that he got booed more than all the other players…