Innholdsfortegnelse for Friday, September 02, 2016 i Baseball America

» IN THIS ISSUE: A 25thround pick in 1980, Darren Daulton of the Phillies might be the best catcher in the game. » ALSO: Despite public statements, Mariners take high school shortstop Alex Rodriguez with the No. 1 pick. The baseball world was expecting a curve, but instead got a fastball right down the middle. No one really listened when Mariners scouting director Roger Jongewaard said a week before the draft, “If anything, I learned that you don’t go the safe way. You don’t worry about who will get there quicker.” The public still thought Seattle would defer to the rumored stand of manager Lou Piniella, who coveted a college pitcher capable of pitching for the Mariners in what might become their first pennant race this summer. That meant taking…

PHILADELPHIA Since its inception in 1965, Major League Baseball’s draft has evolved from a quaint mid-summer diversion to an exercise in efficiency. Area scouts blanket every college, high school and corn field in America in search of superstars and sleepers. Analytics departments track numbers to the decimal point. Prospects land on the radar before they can shave, and they’re paraded before scouts in showcases and summer leagues, where tools are graded and each wart and insecurity is exposed. The level of scrutiny makes it next to impossible for players to slip through the cracks. T.J. Friedl slipped through the cracks. And then he crash-landed on 30 scouting directors’ heads, after they’d strategized, mapped out their boards and exhausted much of the money available to them under MLB’s slotting system. By…

RODRIGUEZ RELEASED, WON’T PLAY IN 2016 Four home runs shy of 700, Alex Rodriguez played his final game for the Yankees on Aug. 12. The 41-year-old Rodriguez, reduced to a parttime DH, will take a job with the organization as a special advisor and instructor, the Yankees announced. He will sign a new contract to work with the club running through the 2017 season. He will report directly to owner Hal Steinbrenner. “It’s both a happy and sad day,” Rodriguez told reporters. “I’m obviously disappointed, but I’m also at peace with their decision.” Rodriguez might not hit the milestone home run as a Yankee, but he will receive all the money left on the 10-year, $275 million contract he signed in 2007 after famously opting opt of his $252 million…

USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team often serves as a preview of the next draft year, indicating strengths and weakensses of the class. It also plays games that matter, with the bulk of this year’s schedule coming overseas. After a week in Southern California, 20 of America’s top college players played three series on the road, one in Taiwan, one in Japan and the last one in Cuba, which the U.S. won for the first time. Head coach George Horton (Oregon) and his staff had a roster that, like the overall college class, was stronger on the mound and defensively than it was at the plate. But the club’s starting pitching—eight of them used in tandems—allowed it to remain competitive in every game, with Louisville lefthander/first baseman Brendan McKay emerging as…

SAN DIEGO Ballplayers come in all shapes and sizes, which was evident in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park. The West team—which routed the East 13-0 in the most lopsided game of the event’s 14-year history—featured the tallest and shortest players among the 52 seniors-to-be who participated. Both 6-foot-10 lefthander Mitchell Stone (Deer Creek High, Edmond, Okla.) and 5-foot-9 shortstop Nick Allen (Parker High, San Diego) made an impression in the game. Stone was the tallest pitcher to take the mound at Petco since 6-foot-10 Chris Young was in the Padres rotation six years ago. Extreme height brings its own set of challenges for a pitcher. “You’ve got to be athletic,” said Stone, who touched 92 mph when he came on in the ninth inning. “I’ve done my…

National Writer Baseball America benbadler @baseballamerica.com It’s a no-brainer that Ichiro Suzuki will go into the Hall of Fame the first time he’s on the ballot. Ichiro jumped from Japan to Major League Baseball when he was 27 and became an instant star, winning the American League MVP as a rookie in 2001 and going on to collect his 3,000th hit this year. Japanese players typically spend their earlyto mid-20s playing in Nippon Professional Baseball, so Ichiro’s ability to compile a Hall of Fame résumé even before considering his NPB accomplishments is remarkable. And as more international players make their way to the major leagues—mostly from Latin America—the Hall of Fame will eventually see an uptick in international players as well. Mariano Rivera, Ivan Rodriguez, Vladimir Guerrero, Andruw Jones, Manny…

Yankees Bring Home A Haul NEW YORK At some point, the eight days from July 25 to Aug. 1, 2016, could be viewed either as “The Haul” or “The Big Fall.” In those eight days, the Yankees dealt: Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs for three prospects, plus reliever Adam Warren. Andrew Miller to the Indians for four prospects. Carlos Beltran to the Rangers for three low-level righthanders. In each deal the Yankees received at least one high-end prospect who strengthened what is an improved minor league system. The headliner in the Chapman deal with the Cubs was high Class A shortstop Gleyber Torres. In the Miller deal with the Indians it was Triple-A outfielder Clint Frazier, while low Class A righthander Dillon Tate was the big get from the Rangers.…

ATLANTA | Braves For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ ATLANTA The Braves never questioned righthander Max Povse’s talent. Seeing him put it all together while staying healthy has been more of a challenge. Drafted in the third round out of UNC Greensboro in 2014, the 6-foot-8 Povse began his pro career on a positive note at Rookielevel Danville after signing and at low Class A Rome in 2015. Povse encountered trouble following an inseason promotion to high Class A Carolina in 2015. He recorded a 9.33 ERA in five Carolina League starts before being shut down in August with shoulder discomfort. “It’s difficult to pitch well when you’re hurt,” said Povse, 23. “That’s why I spent the offseason doing a shoulder program to get…

Phillies Find Contributors PHILADELPHIA In August 2014, the Phillies made a nondescript trade in which they sent journeyman starter Roberto Hernandez to the Dodgers for two low-level minor leaguers. Two years later, it looks like Philadelphia might have netted two future big leaguers. Second baseman Jesmuel Valentin has played his way to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, while righthanded reliever Victor Arano was recently promoted to Double-A Reading after a strong showing at high Class A Clearwater. The Dodgers made Valentin, now 22, a supplemental first-round pick in 2012 out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy. He missed significant time in 2015 while serving a suspension after a domestic battery incident, but he has come received high marks for his comportment and play in 2016. Valentin, a 5-foot-9 switch-hitter, batted .276/.346/.399 in…

Tilson Comes Home CHICAGO When the White Sox acquired Charlie Tilson from the Cardinals in a July 31 trade, he was understandably pumped up. Tilson, a 23-year-old center fielder, grew up a White Sox fan in Wilmette, Ill., a northern suburb of Chicago. He attended New Trier High in Winnetka, which also counts general manager Rick Hahn as an alumnus. “I grew up going to a ton of games,” Tilson said. “I used to watch Scott Podsednik and hang out in the Fundamental Zone. To do that and be here and have this opportunity, I feel so lucky. I feel so fortunate.” Before the trade, Tilson spent the entire season at Triple-A Memphis. In 100 games, he hit .282/.345/.407 with 16 doubles, eight triples, 53 runs scored and 15 stolen…

Familiar Feeling MINNEAPOLIS Rob Antony had never formally met Pat Light, yet the interim general manager had this eerie feeling of familiarity when he contacted the 25-year-old righthanded reliever to welcome him to the Twins. reliever to welcome him to the Twins. “I feel like I knew him already,” said Antony, who dealt lefthander Fernando Abad to Boston a few hours before the Aug. 1 trade deadline to acquire Light. “I thought about how many times I’ve stood behind backstops, watching him pitch.” That’s because the Twins had used their 28th-round pick in the 2009 draft on Light, who had just graduated from high school in Lincroft, N.J., and chose to go to Monmouth instead. But it’s also because the Red Sox, who drafted Light in the supplemental first round…

No Time To Waste For Friedl CINCINNATI T.J. Friedl didn’t waste any time. He didn’t waste any time to make his pro debut, and he didn’t waste any time making an impact. The Reds signed the 20-year-old out of Nevada on Aug. 4 as an nondrafted free agent. He signed his contract in Cincinnati before the Reds played the Cardinals on that Thursday afternoon, and the next day he was on his way to Billings, Mont., home of the organization’s Rookie-level affiliate in the Pioneer League. Without even so much as stopping at a hotel in Montana, Friedl walked into the Mustangs’ clubhouse and lineup. The 5-foot-10 center fielder signed after several teams noticed his play for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team and recognized that as a redshirst sophomore for…

LOS ANGELES | Angels For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ ANAHEIM The Aug. 1 trade of lefthander Hector Santiago to the Twins will be rendered a success or failure based on the performance of 6-foot-9 righthander Alex Meyer, the onetime Top 50 prospect who was acquired along with veteran starter Ricky Nolasco. It was a gamble for the Angels because the hard-throwing Meyer, 26, has been limited by a shoulder injury to 21 innings this season, 17 of them at Triple-A Rochester. But with the Angels having a depleted farm system, general manager Billy Eppler felt he had to roll the dice. “To get where we need to go, we’re going to need to take calculated risks,” Eppler said. “Risks that have a high…

Hultzen Weighs Options SEATTLE The 2016 season ended for Danny Hultzen with two appearances in the Rookielevel Arizona League and another shoulder surgery. With it, the lefthander’s four-year battle to make it back may be over. Hultzen, 26, had another procedure on his surgically-repaired left shoulder and began weighing his options for a future that may not include pitching or playing baseball. Selected with the No. 2 pick of the 2011 draft, Hultzen seemed to be on the fast track to the big leagues. In 2013, he was pitching well at Triple-A Tacoma and was a probable rotation candidate that season. But shoulder tightness before a start sidetracked the process. After numerous and failed attempts to rehab his shoulder, Hultzen had shoulder reconstruction to repair damage to the rotator cuff,…

Rebuilt Swing Propels Haniger PHOENIX Outfielder Mitch Haniger went into last offseason in search of an answer: Why was it hitters not as big or strong as him were able to drive the ball with more authority to the opposite field? That question, Haniger said, led him to make a series of swing changes, and those changes have helped get him within reach of the major leagues. Haniger, 25, has posted monster numbers between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno, hitting a combined .325/.423/.588 through 119 games, and the Diamondbacks finally called him up in mid-August, as he made his debut Aug. 16 with a pair of hits. It is quite the jump from last year, when Haniger was slugging .379 in a part-time role at Mobile and was demoted to…

SAN FRANCISCO The Pacific Coast League is one of the toughest pitching environments in professional baseball. It takes skill to succeed there. It takes smarts, too. In his second season at Triple-A Sacramento, lefthander Ty Blach is getting the hang of things. Blach reached a pinnacle on Aug. 10 when he threw a two-hit shutout at Tacoma while taking the PCL lead in wins (13) and innings (145). It was his third complete game of the season, and it capped a sparkling eight-start stretch in which he went 7-1, 1.40 with 43 strikeouts, seven walks and 39 hits allowed in 58 innings. Though Blach isn’t a strikeout pitcher, the 25-year-old did fan 10 in a start against Albuquerque. Mostly, though, he churned quick, contact outs on the ground—something he learned…

When the high Class A Lynchburg Hillcats walked off the field at the end of a 7-5 loss to Winston-Salem on Aug. 13, Francisco Mejia’s two-month long hit streak was over. An hour later, the hit streak received a second life when Lynchburg’s official scorer Malcolm Haley reversed his call on a thirdinning error, where Mejia hit the ball down the third-base line past Dash third baseman Gerson Montilla. When the scorer changed the play to a double, Mejia’s hit streak officially reached 50 games, tying Otto Pahlman for the fourthlongest streak in minor league history. Mejia’s streak finally ended the next night when he went 0-for-3 with a walk. The 20-year-old, switch-hitting catcher had not gone without a hit since May 25. “I was very nervous today, going to…

The Georgia High School Association on Aug. 15 adopted new pitch-count rules that will take effect for the 2017 season. It’s a decision that high school associations around the country will be making in the coming months after the National High School Federation announced that states must implement pitch-count limits for high school pitchers. In the past, most states have relied on innings limits. The NHSF has left each individual state organization to create its own pitch limits, but it has required all 50 state federations to create pitch limits of some sort before the 2017 season begins. Georgia’s new rules will limit any varsity pitcher to no more than 110 pitches in any outing. Pitchers will be able to finish facing their final batter even if that means they…

BOSTON It was July 8, 1994, and 13 months after the Mariners had made Alex Rodriguez the first pick in the country. Long before he was drafted, baseball folks told me this kid from Westminster High outside of Miami was the best prospect they’d ever seen. The trip to Fenway Park that day was to meet Alex Rodriguez but also to watch Alex and Ken Griffey Jr. play together against the Red Sox. The game itself remains something of a blur. But A-Rod just seemed so young, his eyes childlike as he sat on the visiting bench, and he looked like he so passionately loved what he was doing. Griffey Jr. is now in the Hall of Fame, having received the highest percentage of any player on the writers’ ballot.…

CALVIN GREENFIELD, WHITE SOX JENSEN BEACH (FLA.) HIGH Greenfield was an on-base machine. He reached base safely in seven of his nine plate appearances, going 5-for-7 with a walk and a hit-bypitch. The Chicago native has a loose swing with impressive contact ability, showing he can throw his hands at the ball and cover the plate well. Greenfield, who is moving to Jensen Beach, Fla., has shown that he can hit on the national scene. Major League Bloodlines Among the elite talent at this year’s Area Code Games, there were several players with big league relatives. DARREN BAKER, 2b/of, Jesuit High, Carmichael, Calif.: Baker is the son of Nationals manager Dusty Baker. He first stepped into the spotlight when he ran onto the field as a 3-year-old bat boy in…

ALASKA LEAGUE STEPHEN KOLEK, RHP Mat-Su (So., Texas A&M) A year after Corbin Martin was named the circuit’s best prospect, another Aggie landed atop the list as the physical righthander Kolek flashed the type of movement and velocity on his fastball that made some think he could be a first-round pick in due time. The younger brother of 2014 No. 2 overall pick Tyler Kolek, Stephen only pitched in 12 games for the Aggies as a freshman but impressed anyway, striking out 21 in 30 innings and posting a 3.30 ERA. He was even better for the Miners this summer, striking out 32 in just 37 innings and finishing with a 2.45 ERA. Already 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Kolek used a cutter, two-seam fastball and sinker, all of which sat…

TAMPA, FLA. Waiting for prospects can be an exercise in patience. Some, like the White Sox’s Carlos Rodon or the Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber can make an impact fairly quickly. Others will take years in the minors before they are ready. That’s particularly true with young talent signed out of Latin America as 16-year-olds. They don’t get a chance to play official games until the season after they sign, and even then they might spend years on Rookie-level and short-season clubs before finally making it to Class A. The Yankees have begun to filter prospects into the big leagues. The Yankees also added several quick-fix prospects at this year’s trade deadline, including outfielder Clint Frazier and lefty Justus Sheffield from the Indians, righthander Dillon Tate from the Rangers and shortstop Gleyber…

BALTIMORE | Orioles BY ROCH KUBATKO For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ BALTIMORE Righthander Hunter Harvey, the 22nd overall pick in the 2013 draft, had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on July 26 in Charlotte and began rehabbing at the Ed Smith Stadium complex in Sarasota, Fla. Dr. Donald D’Alessandro performed the procedure. It seemed to be an inevitable conclusion. The flexor mass in his elbow had been an issue for Harvey in the past. The Orioles shut him down at low Class A Delmarva in July 2014 because of a strain. Harvey was pitching at short-season Aberdeen this summer when he exited a start after just 23 pitches because of more soreness in his forearm and elbow area. General manager Dan…

Rays Pry Duffy From Giants ST. PETERSBURG The Rays’ headline acquisition at the trade deadline was third baseman Matt Duffy, the 2015 rookie of the year runner-up in the National League. Tampa Bay has no plans to move him back to his original position of shortstop, however. But the Rays were pleased with their overall haul from trading lefthander Matt Moore to the Giants, outfielder Brandon Guyer to the Indians and first baseman Steve Pearce to the Orioles. They added five players of varied prospect status to their system. “If you take a snapshot of our system today compared to yesterday, we’re in much better shape,” general manager Matt Silverman said in discussing the deals. “We have more athleticism, we have some young arms and we have another catcher to…

Can’t Beat The Heat MIAMI With the big league club pursuing a National League wild card, the Marlins surrendered two of the most promising prospects in a thin system. While both low Class A Greensboro prospects migrated to the Padres, they settled in San Diego via two different trades consummated about a month apart. Miami traded 20-year-old righthander Chris Paddack to the Padres on June 30 for closer Fernando Rodney. Then on July 29, the Marlins dealt 2015 first-round first baseman Josh Naylor (and two big league pitchers) to San Diego in a deal centered on righthander Andrew Cashner. But the Marlins system got a sliver of good news with the acquisition of Tayron Guerrero and reacquisition of Luis Castillo, two righthanders who can reach 100 mph. Acquired in the…

A Self-Made Prospect WASHINGTON Not much has come easy for first baseman/left fielder Matt Page in his baseball career, yet he’s enjoying a breakout season in part because he has taken a more moderate approach to his game. “Last year, I wanted to make a full-season club and was trying to do a little too much in spring training,” said Page, 24, whom the Nationals promoted from low Class A Hagerstown to high Class A Potomac in August. “Coming up (to Hagerstown) toward the end of last year gave me a good experience of what to expect.” A 10th-round pick in 2014 out of Oklahoma Baptist, Page hit just three home runs in 380 at-bats entering 2016. Then the lefthanded batter put up .280/.366/.463 numbers with a team-high 10 homers…

Fast Start DETROIT As a reliever with three legitimate pitches, righthander Mark Ecker is rare. But at times in his young pro career, his fastball has been enough to carry him. Ecker, a fifth-round pick out of Texas A&M in June, recorded stellar numbers for shortseason Connecticut. In 11 games in the New York-Penn League, the 21-year-old went 2-0, 0.50 with a 0.56 WHIP and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Farm director Dave Owen saw Ecker during a recent outing. He liked what he saw, even though what he saw was mostly fastballs. “The other night, he came in and really, even though I enjoyed getting to see him pitch, he just dominated so much with his fastball,” Owen said. “He threw one slider and one changeup. So it’ll be…

PITTSBURGH | Pirates For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ PITTSBURGH Nothing has slowed down shortstop Kevin Newman in his first full pro season, including getting hit in a face by a pitch. Newman sustained a fractured left orbital bone around his eye on May 26 while playing at high Class A Bradenton. However, the 23-year-old returned to action on June 14, then earned a promotion to Double-A Altoona four days later. Newman is showing why the Pirates used the 19th overall pick in 2015 to select him from Arizona. Newman hit .366/.428/.494 with three home runs in 41 games at Bradenton. In his first 46 games at Altoona, he hit .307/.373/.391 with one homer. He also made just seven errors in his first 83…

Brewers Keep Stocking Farm MILWAUKEE How many chances do you get to pick up three first-round picks in one day? The Brewers pulled off that rebuilding coup on Aug. 1 in trades that sent reliever Will Smith to the Giants and also catcher Jonathan Lucroy and closer Jeremy Jeffress to the Rangers. The return for that trio of players was high Class A righthander Phil Bickford and catcher Andrew Susac from San Francisco, and center fielder Lewis Brinson and righthander Luis Ortiz from Texas (as well as a player to be named). Both play at Double-A. Bickford, a first-round pick in 2013 (unsigned) and 2015, ranked No. 1 in the Giants system at midseason, while Brinson and Ortiz ranked Nos. 2 and 3 in the Rangers system. Texas made them…

Bregman’s Tough Start HOUSTON After weeks of fans clamoring for his callup, top prospect Alex Bregman finally arrived at Minute Maid Park on July 25. The hype surrounding the Astros’ series opener against the Yankees exceeded the hype for any of the slew of major league debuts Houston had seen in recent years. But the results over the week that followed proved just as stunning as the swiftness with which Bregman, a shortstop who was the No. 2 overall pick from Louisiana State in 2015, rose through the system. Bregman, who dominated pitchers all season at Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Fresno, began his big league career with a brutal slump. The 22-year-old needed 19 at-bats to collect his first hit and 15 more to collect his second. After batting…

In Demand ARLINGTON General manager Jon Daniels was at it again at the trade deadline, bolstering another contending Rangers team with the significant additions of Jonathan Lucroy, Carlos Beltran, Jeremy Jeffress, Lucas Harrell and Dario Alvarez. The farm system, ranked among the best in the game, took yet another hit. Traded away were four first-round picks, one from each of the past four years—outfielder Lewis Brinson (2012), second baseman Travis Demeritte (2013) and righthanders Luis Ortiz (2014) and Dillon Tate (2015). The Rangers won’t try to pretend that the price paid wasn’t high, but that’s the cost of doing business at the deadline. The Rangers, though, were comforted by who they didn’t trade: top prospect Joey Gallo and young major leaguers Jurickson Profar and Nomar Mazara. “That’s the currency of…

Toles Matures Into Big Leaguer LOS ANGELES That outfielder Andrew Toles should make the major leagues is not surprising given his skill set. What is surprising is Toles made it to the majors at all after the missteps he took along the way. “I’ve matured a lot,” said Toles, 24. “I don’t talk as much now. I try to be on time. A lot of small stuff.” Toles was dismissed after just one season at Tennessee, where coach Dave Serrano said he did not live up to the “standard of accountability” required of a student-athlete. Toles lasted just one year at Chipola (Fla.) JC, where he also was suspended. A 2012 third-round pick of the Rays— under current Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman—Toles’ ability was apparent almost from…

Transactions involving minor league players, i.e. those not on 40-man rosters, covering the period July 29-Aug. 11. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS: Released RHP Alexi Ogando and OFs Chad Oberacker and Matt Railey. ATLANTA BRAVES: Signed LHP Brian Moran. Released RHPs Luis Perez and Richie Tate, 2B Jose Fernandez and OF Joseph Daris. Acquired RHP Chad Rogers from Reds for cash. Traded LHP Hunter Cervenka to Marlins for LHP Michael Mader and SS Anfernee Seymour. BALTIMORE ORIOLES: Released RHP Sam Deduno and LHPs Nick Additon and Zack Dodson. Traded C Jonah Heim to Rays for OF Steve Pearce. BOSTON RED SOX: Released RHPs Casey Janssen and Jorge Marban. CHICAGO CUBS: Signed RHP Josh Collmenter and OF Lane Adams. Resigned LHP Brian Matusz. Traded RHP Jesus Castillo to Angels for RHP Joe Smith. LHP…

KEVIN M., LOS ANGELES Weigl has dominated this year in his first full season as a pro. He led the South Atlantic League with a .206 opponent average and ranked fourth among starters with 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings. At 9-4, 2.66 he also ranked fifth in the league in ERA. As a 22-year-old, Weigel is a little old for the SAL, but there is a logical reason why he hasn’t been pushed more aggressively. He had an up-and-down college career, so the Braves have left him at Rome to build up a base of success. He might be a little older than some of his teammates, but on one of the best pitching staffs in the minors, Weigel’s pure stuff is as good as anyone else in the Rome…

Andres Reiner, whose scouting acumen helped the Astros mine Venezuela for talent as no organization had before or since, died on Aug. 3 at the age of 81. Reiner, who was born in Hungary, scouted Venezuela for the Astros for 17 years, spearheading the organization’s opening of a baseball academy in the country in 1989. Among the big leaguers the academy produced were Bob Abreu, Freddy Garcia, Richard Hidalgo, Melvin Mora and Johan Santana. Reiner, who also worked for the Reds and the Rays, retired in 2011. The Astros released a statement announcing his passing. “Andres Reiner was more than just a visionary in the world of baseball,” said Carlos Alfonso, the Astros’ coordinator of international development, who worked with Reiner toward the end of his Astros tenure. “He was…

DENVER In the aftermath of the 2000 season, the Mariners were in need of a pick-me-up. Yes, they were coming off three postseason appearances in six years. But all-star shortstop Alex Rodriguez had followed free agency to the Rangers, which came after Ken Griffey Jr. had been traded to the Reds after the 1999 season, and that followed the trade of Randy Johnson to the Astros in July 1998 in advance of his free agency. Along came 27-year-old Ichiro Suzuki, the first position player to make the move from the Japanese major leagues to Major League Baseball, and all he did was become a fixture in the Mariners’ lineup for 111⁄2 years. Seattle’s pursuit of Suzuki was sparked by the fact that Ichiro was a favorite of then-majority owner Hiroshi…

LONG BEACH, CALIF. Hunter Greene can throw a baseball 98 miles per hour. He can launch home runs out of major league ballparks— not just out of the field of play, but out of the stadiums themselves. To this point, there seems to be no limit to what Greene can do on the baseball field. As a rising high school senior, Greene makes everything he does appear effortless. But Hunter Greene’s life has been far from effortless. In fact, Greene has become one of the nation’s best prospects through a series of trials early on in his life. Greene hasn’t succeeded in spite of his challenges; he’s succeeded because of them. As the final summer of his childhood winds down, Greene is prepared for anything. At 17 years old, he’s…

Cape Cod was home again to the most talented college summer league in the country, as well as one of college baseball’s best dynasties. Yarmouth-Dennis won its third straight Cape Cod League title and sixth in 13 years under the direction of manager Scott Pickler. Y-D is the first team to win three straight titles since Cotuit won four straight from 1972-75. After dropping the first game of the championship series to Falmouth, Y-D rebounded to win the final two games and claim its latest title. Falmouth last won a championship in 1980 and was looking to end the league’s longest title drought, but in the end settled for the President’s Cup, awarded to the team with the best record in the regular season. For a player to be eligible…

Devers Goes Back To Basics BOSTON When the Red Sox made it through the trade deadline with their core of top position prospects intact, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski specifically mentioned how part of the team’s calculus had been a desire to retain both Andrew Benintendi and Yoan Moncada. With little notice, Dombrowski also mentioned a third prospect with those other two: 19-year-old third baseman Rafael Devers. Two months earlier, Devers’ status in the big three was an open question. Through the end of May, he had hit just .195/.273/.310 through 47 games at high Class A Salem. That performance was accompanied by raised eyebrows from scouts, who saw a player trying to force power rather than trusting his hands to employ his natural all-fields strength. “The first month,…

Jays Add, Subtract In Trades TORONTO Typically when a contender adds to its big league roster before the trade deadline, it subtracts from its farm system to make it happen. Thanks to their financial flexibility, the Blue Jays simultaneously helped themselves in the majors and minors by picking up prospects Reese McGuire and Harold Ramirez along with lefty Francisco Liriano from the Pirates. Liriano joined the Toronto rotation—the Blue Jays assumed the $18 million he’s owed through 2017—while McGuire and Ramirez, both 21, joined Double-A New Hampshire. “To get that caliber of prospect into our system, that wasn’t our focus at the deadline,” general manager Ross Atkins said. “It was an opportunity that presented itself.” Drew Hutchison, a righthander who turns 26 on Aug. 22 and already has three years…

Roseboom Seizes Opportunity NEW YORK Lefthander David Roseboom ascended to the role of closer at Double-A Binghamton after the Mets traded Akeel Morris to the Braves in June and promoted Beck Wheeler to Triple-A Las Vegas in July. Roseboom, a 17th-round selection in 2014 out of South Carolina-Upstate, had dominated in that role. Through 44 Eastern League appearances, Roseboom had converted all 10 save opportunities and had stranded all 27 inherited runners. In fact, he had not allowed an inherited runner to score since May 7, 2015, while pitching at low Class A Savannah. Roseboom’s fastball sits at 88-92 mph. He has a good feel for his changeup and also possesses a slider, which gives him a three-pitch arsenal. “If I ever get hit, it’s because I’m up—not because I’m…

CLEVELAND | Indians For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ CLEVELAND The bats of first baseman Bobby Bradley and catcher Francisco Mejia have gotten most of the attention at high Class A Lynchburg, but outfielder Anthony Santander should not be overlooked. The switch-hitting Santander is hitting for a higher average than Bradley, and for more power than Mejia. “When you talk to our coaches, they talk about how Anthony just looks ‘hitterish,’ ” farm director Carter Hawkins said. “It’s kind of one of those ‘you know it when you see it’ things, but watching Santa hit is as good a definition as any.” Santander and Bradley provide a lethal power punch in the Hillcats’ lineup. Bradley led the Carolina League with 25 home runs through…

Back For Seconds KANSAS CITY, MO. The Royals summoned Raul A. Mondesi to Kansas City on the eve of his 21st birthday. They immediately inserted him into the lineup at second base, though he played primarily shortstop in the minors. He celebrated his birthday by going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI in a 7-5 victory against the Angels. “It was time to bring him up,” big league manager Ned Yost said. “He’s a guy who’s going to be part of our organization for years and years to come. So he’s just starting his tenure here now. “We feel like he’s ready, and we wanted him to come up and get him some valuable experience. He just keeps filling out, getting bigger, getting stronger.” This was not the 21-year-old…

Cubs’ Talent Remains Intact CHICAGO While the farm system took a hit at the trade deadline, Cubs officials are upbeat and optimistic about what the remaining depth has to offer to the big league roster in the immediate future. “It’s a dent for sure—a sizable dent when you lose the five players we did in the span of seven days,” said Jason McLeod, the organization’s top scouting and player-development executive. “But we can still look up and feel good about where we are at the top of the list in terms of how our prospects are (faring).” The Cubs shipped No. 1 prospect Gleyber Torres, a shortstop at high Class A, and Double-A outfielder Billy McKinney to the Yankees as part of the deal for closer Aroldis Chapman. For Mariners…

Weaver Rockets Into Plans ST. LOUIS The news that lefthander Tyler Lyons would go on the disabled list with a stress reaction in his right knee meant the Cardinals had to track down lefty Dean Kiekhefer, just a day after they had sent him to the minors. It also allowed them to bring a prospect to the majors. Shortly after general manager John Mozeliak allowed that Luke Weaver might present an option for the majors because of his relentless, strike-throwing approach, Weaver was promoted to Triple-A Memphis and then to the majors for his big league debut on Aug. 13. All Weaver did at Double-A Springfield was simply dominate the Texas League. In 12 starts, Weaver went 6-3, 1.40, and he would be leading the league in ERA by a…

Three’s Company OAKLAND In a time when winning has a big price tag, losing has its own reward. The Athletics harvested the fruit of defeat at the trade deadline when they acquired three young pitchers from the Dodgers in exchange for free-agents-to-be Josh Reddick and Rich Hill. The crop consisted of righthanders Grant Holmes, Frankie Montas and Jharel Cotton. Holmes, a 20-year-old starter, had been a big target, with special advisor Grady Fuson watching him closely. He was the Dodgers’ first-round pick in 2014 out of Conway (S.C.) High. “Obviously, I liked him a lot,” Fuson said. “He’s very athletic, he’s young and he has a good breaking ball and a good changeup.” Holmes’ fastball works at 92-95 mph, and Fuson sees the makings of three plus pitches. “The curve…

COLORADO | Rockies For statistics, organization reports, prospect lists and recent drafts, check out: baseballamerica.com/t/organization-reports/ DENVER Jake McGee was the bigger name, but German Marquez was the Rockies’ most coveted acquisition in the January trade that sent outfielder Corey Dickerson and third baseman Kevin Padlo to the Rays in return for reliever McGee and Marquez. “This isn’t just some throw-in prospect,” farm director Zach Wilson said. “This is a dude with front-of-the-rotation stuff and a front-of-the-rotation mindset.” In 21 starts at Double-A Hartford, Marquez, a 21-year-old Venezuelan, went 9-6, 2.85 to earn a promotion to Triple-A Albuquerque. He led the Eastern League in innings (136) and strikeouts (126) with just 33 walks at the time he was promoted. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound righthander, who signed with Tampa Bay in 2011, worked…

Padres Bank Big On Naylor SAN DIEGO The Padres, always on the lookout for young talent, dealt big league righthander Andrew Cashner to the Marlins at the trade deadline, just when he finally began to pitch well. The Padres expect that 19-year-old Josh Naylor, the top prospect they received in return, will challenge for the first-base job in a few years. Naylor has excellent strength and a lefthanded swing that impressed the Padres. The Marlins’ 2015 first-round selection hit .269/.317/.430 with 24 doubles and nine home runs at low Class A Greensboro, but also made 11 errors in 81 games at first base. “Everybody talks about the bat all the time,” general manager A.J. Preller said. “I think we’ll put a big emphasis and make sure, defensively, he knows how…

Is there life after Hector Santiago trade rumors? There is . . . Is there a place we can all turn after spending every waking second worrying about where Andrew Cashner would finish out the season? There is . . . Is there anything more meaningful in our lives than memorizing the teams on Jonathan Lucroy’s no-trade list? There is. Trust me. I just dug myself out of an eight-foot pile of trade rumors and noticed something. Back on the field, we’ve got quite a fun list of players who are well on their way to doing stuff that either has never been done, hasn’t been done since Harry Truman was president or has only been done by living legends. And here we were all too consumed by Trade Deadline…