2012 Minor League Catch All thread

[OilCan]

Keenyn Walker was promoted today to Winston-Salem.

[caulfield12]

Rays upset about competitiveness lottery...

 

 

ST. PETERSBURG — After losing out on a "trifling" extra draft pick in Major League Baseball's new competitive balance lottery supposedly designed to help teams such as the Rays, team president Matt Silverman said significant change is needed to the game's overall economic structure.

 

"We've been involved in baseball for seven years, long enough to see two new basic agreements get ratified," Silverman said. "From Day 1, we have advocated for meaningful change, especially when it comes to addressing the dramatic imbalances in our game. Meaningful change has not occurred. It must go well beyond a trifling draft pick that a team in our position may or, as (Wednesday) showed, may not be fortunate enough to receive."

 

The "competitive balance" lottery was added as part of the new labor agreement to provide an additional pick in next year's draft to small-market and low-revenue teams. But the Rays, despite being both, missed out, while less needy teams, such as the Tigers (and their $132 million payroll), Marlins and Orioles got extra picks.

 

MLB identified its 10 smallest markets and lowest-revenue clubs and, with seven on both lists, set a 13-team field for the 12 additional picks, six after the first round and six after round two. MLB also added the Tigers — as a revenue sharing recipient not in the top 15 markets — to the field for the second-round picks.

 

A team's chances were weighted in proportion to its 2011 wins total, so the Rays, who had the fourth most wins of the 14 teams, were at somewhat of a disadvantage. (As an added benefit, the picks can be traded.)

 

Teams that won picks after round one were the Royals, Pirates, Diamondbacks, Orioles, Reds, and Marlins, and after round two the Padres, Indians, Rockies, A's, Brewers and Tigers. The Cardinals were also shut out.

 

 

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/ra...ructure/1241060

 

 

Edited July 19, 2012 by caulfield12

[southsider2k5]

http://web.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=2...sp&sid=t487

 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (July 20, 2012) - The Kannapolis Intimidators and Chicago White Sox have announced that right-handed pitcher Kevin Vance has been promoted from Class A Kannapolis to Class A-Advanced Winston-Salem. Vance currently ranks seventh in the South Atlantic League with a 3.05 ERA (27 ER/79.2 IP) and posted a 4-2 record in 19 games (nine starts) with the Intimidators.

 

Vance opened the season in the Kannapolis rotation going 2-2 with a 4.32 ERA in nine starts, but the former UConn Husky dominated after moving to the bullpen in late May. In 10 relief appearances, he went 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA (4 ER/21.1 IP) with 23 strikeouts and five walks while holding opposing hitters to a .189 average. Vance had not allowed a run in his last 12.2 innings. His most recent win came on his 22nd birthday when he spun two scoreless innings against Greensboro on July 8.

 

The White Sox selected Vance in the 19th round of the June 2011 draft out of Connecticut where he helped the Huskies to a Big East Championship in his final season. He ranks second in school history with 21 career saves, including a single-season record 13 in 2011, and earned NCBWA Second Team All-American in 2011. Vance made his professional debut with Advanced Rookie Great Falls, going 2-1 with a 4.54 ERA in 22 games (one start) en route to the 2011 Pioneer League Championship. The Southern California native graduated from Torrey Pines High School in San Diego in 2008.

 

Also announced today, the Intimidators reinstate right-handed pitcher Kevin Moran off the disabled list and transferred him to Winston-Salem. Moran made 12 apperances with the Intimidators last season. The Kannapolis roster is currently at 24 players.

[NorthSideSox72]

http://web.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=2...sp&sid=t487

Moran gets promoted? I understand the Bristol gig was a rehab assignment, but seriously, the guy was epically bad down there. Like, worse than any streth I can ever remember a reliever having in the system.

 

[JPN366]

Morel to rehab with Winston-Salem and Nestor Molina back on the DL.

[NorthSideSox72]

Morel to rehab with Winston-Salem and Nestor Molina back on the DL.

Molina DL'd again? That can't be good.

 

 

[flavum]

Mitch Mustain to Kannapolis.

[Springfield Soxfan]

Mitch Mustain to Kannapolis.

Did not follow this at all, kind of shocked by this. I never thought he would make it out of short season ball.

[danman31]

Jacob Petricka, Carlos Sanchez to AA. Erik Johnson, Daniel Wagner to High-A. AFL implications with Petricka and Sanchez reaching AA.

[maggsmaggs]

Jacob Petricka, Carlos Sanchez to AA. Erik Johnson, Daniel Wagner to High-A. AFL implications with Petricka and Sanchez reaching AA.

When was the last time the Sox had a 20-year-old in AA? I wonder where the Sox see him in the future. Probably lacks the power to be a 3rd baseman, but does he have the D to play SS? Maybe he replaces Gordon is he can't get rolling in a couple years.

[danman31]

When was the last time the Sox had a 20-year-old in AA? I wonder where the Sox see him in the future. Probably lacks the power to be a 3rd baseman, but does he have the D to play SS? Maybe he replaces Gordon is he can't get rolling in a couple years.

Dayan was 20 in his pro debut at B'ham.

[mgaughan09]

Juicy promotions. Most interested in seeing how Johnson and Petricka perform at their new levels. Will go a long way in determining how much of prospects they really are.

[maggsmaggs]

Dayan was 20 in his pro debut at B'ham.

Damn. haha. I Before that then!!!

[danman31]

Damn. haha. I Before that then!!!

I think Ryan Sweeney. He was 20 at B'ham in 2005. I don't remember any others that did it. If you ask me to go further back I'd have to actually look this stuff up.

[caulfield12]

Pitcher Nestor Molina, who was acquired from the Blue Jays for closer Sergio Santos, returned to the seven-day disabled list at Double-A Birmingham because of recurring discomfort in his right elbow. Molina missed 2 1/2 weeks because of tendinitis but was shut down again after pitching two innings Tuesday. chicagotribune.com/sports

 

There's a big surprise, Molina on the DL again.

Edited July 22, 2012 by caulfield12

[DirtySox]

Chicago White Sox Top 20 Preseason Prospects in Review

Moving forward with our mid-season reviews of our pre-season Top 20 prospect lists, we switch back to the American League with an examination of the Chicago White Sox. Remember, this is the pre-season list. It is not a new list.

 

This list was originally published January 19, 2012.

 

The next three teams on the list for review are the St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs.

 

1) Addison Reed, RHP, Grade B+: 4.24 ERA with 34/12 K/BB in 34 major league innings, 30 hits, 15 saves. 2.87 FIP. Has what it takes to be a successful closer for a long time.

 

 

 

2) Nestor Molina, RHP, Grade B+: 4.90 ERA with 64/20 K/BB in 90 innings between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte, 121 hits. I went out o a limb with this one, giving him a very aggressive grade and ranking, and right now it looks like that limb is being sawed off behind me. Went on the DL in late June with a sore elbow.

 

3) Tyler Saladino, SS, Grade C+: Hitting .258/.389/.362 with 33 steals, 65 walks, 68 strikeouts in 326 at-bats for Birmingham. Hasn't brought his power forward to Double-A, but draws plenty of walks and is a threat on the bases.

 

4) Simon Castro, RHP, Grade C+: Change of scenery is helping this former Padres prospect, 3.43 ERA with 81/20 K/BB in 105 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, 103 hits. Much better command this year.

 

5) Trayce Thompson, OF, Grade C+: Hitting .232/.305/.460 with 17 homers, 23 doubles, 16 steals in 17 attempts for High-A Winston-Salem. Has also struck out 126 times in 367 at-bats. Impressive tools with power/speed combination, but contact is a big problem for him.

 

6) Hector Santiago, LHP, Grade C+: 4.15 ERA with 38/17 K/BB in 35 major league innings, 31 hits, four saves. Has some command wobbles but overall he's shown he belongs in a major league pen.

 

7) Jake Petricka, RHP, Grade C+: 5.34 ERA with 90/53 K/BB in 88 innings, 96 hits allowed between High-A and Double-A. 2.70 GO/AO due to his power sinker, but command needs work, curve and change are erratic.

 

8) Kevan Smith, C, Grade C+: .282/.346/.414 with 25 walks, 62 strikeouts in 326 at-bats for Low-A Kannapolis, has caught 35% of runners. Old for the level at age 24, but his football background could mean he has more development potential than normal.

 

9) Dylan Axelrod, RHP, Grade C+: 3.18 ERA with 66/18 K/BB in 68 innings in Triple-A, 59 hits. In the majors, has started six games and relieved in three, posting 5.30 ERA with 30/11 K/BB in 37 innings, 41 hits. xFIP is much better at 4.27. Although older than the normal prospect at age 27, I felt he had many of the markers of a sleeper and could have a really good "out of nowhere" rookie season. That hasn't happened.

 

10) Andre Rienzo, RHP, Grade C+: 2.14 ERA with 68/23 K/BB in 59 innings between High-A and Double-A, 47 hits and zero homers allowed. Was suspended early in the year for PED use. He needs sharper control, but his K/IP and H/IP are very impressive and confirm scouting reports of a fastball with tremendous movement.

 

11) Erik Johnson, RHP, Grade C+: 2.54 ERA with 35/18 K/BB in 39 innings for Kannapolis, 36 hits allowed, since being activated from extended spring training in June. Fastball can hit mid-90s but still harnessing breaking stuff and sharpening command, somewhat raw for a college pitcher (second round, University of California, 2011).

 

12) Keenyn Walker, OF, Grade C: Just promoted to High-A, hitting .285/.396/.404 with 40 steals, 51 walks, 97 strikeouts in 277 at-bats for Kannapolis and Winston-Salem. Speed and walks are a plus, still a raw hitter with strikeout problems, but has made progress with his swing.

 

13) Jared Mitchell, OF, Grade C: Hitting .239/.368/.442 with 13 doubles, 12 triples, 10 homers, 61 walks, 125 strikeouts in 330 at-bats. 20-for-24 in steals. Got off to a fast start but slumped in late May and hasn't recovered yet. Good news: he has his speed back, finally recovered from gruesome 2010 ankle injury. He draws walks and has shown more power this year. Bad news: his strikeout rate remains extremely high and he goes ice-cold for weeks at a time.

 

14) Eduardo Escobar, SS, Grade C: Hitting .203/.284/.253 with nine walks, 22 strikeouts in 79 at-bats. I don't see a lot of hope for his bat, but could stick around awhile for his defense.

 

15) Charlie Leesman, LHP, Grade C: 2.82 ERA with 72/39 K/BB in 93 Triple-A innings, 97 hits allowed, 1.66 GO/AO. Uses a sinker, changeup, and cutter, to good result in Triple-A. Ready for a major league trial.

 

16) Gregory Infante, RHP, Grade C: 3.66 ERA, 20/16 K/BB in 32 Triple-A innings, 30 hits allowed. Don't like the K/BB ratio, and currently on the disabled list.

 

17) Nate Jones, RHP, Grade C: 3.57 ERA with 39/18 K/BB in 40 major league innings, 41 hits. I'd like to see fewer walks, but seems like a competent middle reliever overall.

 

18) Jeff Soptic, RHP, Grade C: 7.06 ERA with 19/10 K/BB in 22 innings for Kannapolis, 13 hits. Throws hard but doesn't know where it is going yet.

 

19) Scott Snodgress, LHP, Grade C: 3.64 ERA with 84/49 K/BB in 99 innings for Kannapolis, 86 hits. Stanford product having a decent season, though needs to lower walks.

 

20) Jose Quintana, LHP, Grade C: 2.77 ERA with 41/14 K/BB in 49 innings for Birmingham, promoted to majors and has posted 2.30 ERA in 10 starts with 43/13 K/BB in 70 innings, 59 hits. FIP 3.37. Obviously a successful rookie season, and I think he can sustain at least average performance. A great pickup as a minor league free agent.

 

21) Blair Walters, LHP, Grade C: 2.88 ERA with 69/18 K/BB in 72 innings in Low-A, 61 hits. Promoted to High-A and has been less effective, 7.01 ERA with 24/4 K/BB in 26 innings but 38 hits. Control is impressive, very good slider, working on changeup. He was traded to the Houston Astros on Saturday afternoon.

 

Although the farm system doesn't have a great reputation, the fact remains that the first place White Sox have relied on recent organization products Chris Sale and Addison Reed to anchor the pitching staff this year, with Nate Jones and Hector Santiago helping to fill out the bullpen. Jose Quintana was a great pickup as a minor league free agent, a feather in the cap of the scouting staff.

 

Among players not on the pre-season list, outfielder Jordan Danks reached the majors after more than two years in Triple-A. He's always had the tools but contact issues remain to be addressed. Terry Doyle has had a great year after being returned by the Twins as a rule 5 guy who didn't stick, but he still wasn't in Chicago's plans and they released him so he could pitch in Japan. Duente Heath and Jhan Marinez are live arms with Triple-A success and a chance to help the major league pen. Infielder Carlos Sanchez has had a great year in High-A at age 20, including a Futures Game appearance, and his stock is certainly rising.

 

2012 draftees Courtney Hawkins and Keon Barnum add big-time power to the system, while second baseman Joey DeMichele from Arizona State has played well so far and could be a fast riser. Chris Beck could be a steal in the second round if he can return to his 2011 form.

[mgaughan09]

MiLB has Molina going tonight for BIRM... that cant be right, can it?

[flavum]

MiLB has Molina going tonight for BIRM... that cant be right, can it?

 

No, those things are often wrong. He's on the DL.

Edited July 22, 2012 by flavum

[DirtySox]

Kevin Goldstein ‏@Kevin_Goldstein

No power potential, but can hit. RT @ProfessorFog: @Kevin_Goldstein What do you think of #ChiSox Carlos Sanchez? Any future power potential?

Reply Retweet Favorite

[mgaughan09]

No, those things are often wrong. He's on the DL.

Thats what I figured. Hopefully theres nothing seriously wrong with his arm and its just tendenitis... This should probably be expected considering hes BEEN on pace to throw way more innings than the 108 innings he threw last year which was his career high. That and hes a converted infielder

[southsider2k5]

Kevin Goldstein ‏@Kevin_Goldstein

 

No. RT @RafaANieves: @Kevin_Goldstein Is Carlos Sanchez a Top 100 yet?

[southsider2k5]

K-Town Intimidators ‏@Intimidators

 

ROSTER MOVE: The White Sox have signed LHP Matt Talley and assigned him to Kannapolis today. Talley pitched for @CitadelSports from 2008-11.

[southsider2k5]

K-Town Intimidators ‏@Intimidators

 

ROSTER MOVE: The White Sox have signed LHP Matt Talley and assigned him to Kannapolis today. Talley pitched for @CitadelSports from 2008-11.

 

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/pro...p?P=Matt-Talley

[southsider2k5]

http://dashboard.mlblogs.com/2012/07/24/fi...righty-returns/

 

First Time Promotion, Righty Returns

 

Miguel Gonzalez will try to gun down runners in the Southern League (Steve Orcutt/W-S Dash).

 

As we have discussed over the last few days, roster moves have drastically changed the Dash’s roster. This trend continued Tuesday with two more moves affecting Winston-Salem. For the first time in his minor league career, Miguel Gonzalez has earned a promotion to Double-A Birmingham. Also today, the Dash received Jon Bachanov from Double-A Birmingham.

 

Gonzalez was hitting .247 with a home run and 16 RBI in 50 games with the Dash. The Venezuela native’s best asset is his defense and, more specifically, his arm. He threw out 22 of 42 attempted base stealers, which is a 52 percent rate. For his career, Gonzalez has thrown out 42 percent of runners trying to steal.

 

Bachanov’s first stint at the Double-A level lasted almost four weeks. The Orlando, Fla., native was 0-1 with an earned run average of 9.00 in five outings with the Barons. In the bullpen, Bachanov only allowed two earned runs in four and a third innings of work. While with the Dash, Bachanov posted a 6-2 record and a 4.22 ERA in 18 appearances, nine of which were starts.

 

Over the last seven days, the Dash have been hit with 15 roster moves. Safe to say, this roster is in flux right now.

[southsider2k5]

The promotions continue..

 

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=2...sp&sid=t487

 

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (July 25, 2012) - The Kannapolis Intimidators and Chicago White Sox have announced that catcher Kevan Smith has been promoted from Class A Kannapolis to Class A-Advanced Winston-Salem. A seventh round pick by the White Sox in the June 2011 First Year Player Draft, Smith earned South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star honors in his first year of full season ball. In corresponding moves, Kannapolis received catcher Michael Marjama from Advanced Rookie Great Falls and pitcher Bryan Blough from Winston-Salem. Matt Talley, who was signed by the White Sox on Tuesday, has been transferred from Kannapolis to Advanced Rookie Bristol.

 

Smith, 24, entered this season as the No. 28 Prospect in the White Sox organization according to Baseball America and hit .280 (95-339) with seven home runs, 60 RBI and 26 doubles in 85 games with the Intimidators. Behind the plate, his .996 fielding percentage leads all catchers in the South Atlantic League, and he ranks second on the circuit throwing out 31 of 85 attempting base-stealers (.365) among qualifying catchers. Smith currently leads the Intimidators in RBI, doubles, hits and extra-base hits (33) and tied for the team lead in home runs and total bases (142).

 

In his professional debut in 2011, Smith broke onto the scene by hitting .396 in 26 games with Bristol before being promoted to Great Falls where he helped the Voyagers to the Pioneer League championship. He combined to hit .355 with nine home runs and 48 RBI in 56 games and was ranked 17th on the Pioneer League and 20th on the Appalachian League Top 20 Prospects List by Baseball America. He graduated from the University of Pittsburg where he earned First-Team All-Big East in 2010 and 2011. As a redshirt freshman, he started at quarterback for Pitt before focusing on baseball.

 

Smith joins four other Intimidators recently promoted to Winston-Salem over the last week. Outfielder Keenyn Walker, reliever Kevin Vance, and starting pitchers Erik Johnson and Scott Snodgress have all earned promotions to the Dash since July 18.

 

Blough returns to Kannapolis after spending the last month with the Dash, going 2-0 with a 4.40 ERA in seven relief appearances. Marjama, the White Sox 23rd round pick last summer hit .250 with a home run and nine RBI in nine games with Great Falls.