Cubs righthander Dae-Eun Rhee, currently with low Class A Peoria, is heading to the disabled list for the second time this season, this time after feeling pain in his right elbow during Sunday’s game against Kane County.

Rhee, 19, has been having a breakout season with Peoria after signing with Chicago out of Korea last July for $525,000. He started the season 3-0, 0.56 through his first three starts, allowing only one run in 16 innings while putting up a 15-4 K-BB mark. However, Rhee left his start on April 22 start after only one inning and went on the DL with right triceps tendinitis.

He returned to the Peoria rotation on May 31 and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. Rhee, who features a low-to-mid 90s fastball, a curveball and a plus changeup that’s his best pitch, was gradually stretched out over his first five outings off the DL, going two innings in his first start and adding one more inning in each subsequent outing. He didn’t allow a single earned run in his first four appearances (while pitching a total of 14 innings) after returning to action. [...] Continue Reading »

This week’s installment considers all transactions reported by MLB between June 21 and 27. The previous installment is available here.

Draft pick signings are in full swing, and the numbers in parentheses below refer to draft rounds. Nondrafted free agents (with schools) also are included. Check out the 2008 Draft Database for draft picks in chronological order.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Draft picks signed: LHP Pat McAnaney (8), OF Ollie Linton (13)
Optioned to Triple-A: OF Alex Romero
Reinstated from DL: LHP Edward Romero, 3B Ricardo Sosa

Atlanta Braves
Draft picks signed: RHP Adam Bullard (43)
Traded: LHP Nelson Payano to Mariners as player to be named in earlier trade for OF Greg Norton
Recalled: SS Brent Lillibridge
Optioned to Triple-A: LHP Jeff Ridgway
Placed on 7-day DL: LHP Jose Ortegano
Reinstated from DL: C Jean Boscan
Placed on temporarily inactive list: LHP Jon Rouwenhorst
Reinstated from inactive list: LHP Jon Rouwenhorst [...] Continue Reading »

Prospect of the Day

AZL Padres center fielder Jaff Decker (Padres) went 2-for-4 Friday with a double his first professional home run, and then went 2-for-3 Sunday. A supplemental first-round pick from an Arizona high school, and is 9-for-17 (.529) in his first five games. He has also walked eight times, pushing his on-base percentage to .680. [...] Continue Reading »

Prospect of the Day

Boise first baseman Rebel Ridling (Cubs), a 25th-round pick from Oklahoma State, has established himself as one of the best hitters in the Northwest League so far. Now batting in the cleanup spot for the Hawks, Ridling is batting .415/.458/.756 on the year. He had another great game on Sunday, going 2-for-4 in Boise’s 5-4 walk-off win over Yakima. Ridling’s three-run home run in the fourth opened up the scoring. [...] Continue Reading »

Che-Hsuan Lin played the hero for Greenville, Mike Moustakas hit his 12th dinger and Cody Johnson continued heading in the right direction.

South Atlantic League

Prospect Of The Day

Picking a POTD is harder some days than others. Today was one of the easy days. Greenville (Red Sox) center fielder Che-Hsuan Lin went 4-for-5 with two doubles, his fifth home run and six RBIs in a wild 13-12 win over Asheville (Rockies). In the bottom of the first, Lin walked to lead off the game but was then thrown out trying to steal second. That was about the only thing he did wrong all night. Lin got a second chance to hit in the bottom of the first after the Drive batted around and came through with a two-run double that put Greenville up 6-1. Lin struck again in the sixth with an RBI infield-single to make it 7-2. Greenville added three more runs in the inning to open up a 10-2 bulge, but Asheville made a furious comeback in the late innings, scoring twice in the seventh, five times in the eighth, and three times in the ninth to take a 12-10 lead.

The Drive put two on with one out in the bottom of the ninth, when Asheville summoned righthander Craig Baker to face Lin. Home runs aren’t Lin’s calling card, but he has some pop and picked a good time to show it, drilling Baker’s first pitch over the left field wall to send everyone home happy.

"It was a fastball, middle in and a little high," Lin told the Greenville News through an interpreter. "I didn’t think too much about it, but I just enjoyed the moment."

Lin raised his numbers to .265/.363/.403 in 283 at-bats on the year. His six RBIs tied the Drive’s franchise record.

[...] Continue Reading »

Mat Gamel went a clean 5-for-5 in front of a pack of scouts, Fernando Martinez is making sure people know he’s back and healthy, and Jess Todd had 10 strikeouts and just two hits allowed in eight shutout innings in yesterday’s Double-A action.
 
EASTERN LEAGUE
 
Prospect Of The Day
Fernando Martinez is back.
 
Since returning from the disabled list to Double-A on June 27 (he also spent four games in the Gulf Coast League, where he went 6-for-13 with a double and a triple), Martinez has played in three games. On Friday, Martinez went 3-for-5. On Saturday, the 19-year-old went 1-for-3 with a home run (his fourth of the year) and a walk. Yesterday Martinez continued to hit well, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, raising his Double-A line to .302/.339/.450 in 169 at-bats. Of course, Martinez has just eight walks on the year, but his ability to hit for average and for some power as a teenager in Double-A has been remarkable. In fact, Martinez is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak, though that streak dates back to May 7, with a six-week gap in between games six and seven.

[...] Continue Reading »

Gio Gonzalez continued his Jekyll and Hyde routine, Dustin Nippert threw a seven-inning no-no, Jed Lowrie homered from both sides of the plate, Alan Horne left the game under mysterious circumstances and Brett Gardner got the call . . . but not before manufacturing a run.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

In keeping with the script, Sacramento lefthander Gio Gonzalez (Athletics) followed a poor start with a good one yesterday, giving up one run in six innings in a 10-1 victory against Tucson. He struck out seven, walked four and allowed three hits. And though Gonzalez’s ERA stands at 5.24, his 90 strikeouts rank second in the league—but then his 46 walks rank fifth, too.

It’s been a mixed bag for Gonzalez, the centerpiece of the Nick Swisher trade, in his first Triple-A season, as evidenced by his strikeout and walk totals above. Prior to yesterday’s game, Gonzalez, 22, had alternated good turns with bad over his previous eight appearances, dating back to May 18. The Good Gio was 3-1, 1.08 with 31 strikeouts, nine walks and no home runs allowed in 25 innings. Standing in stark contrast, the Bad Gio was 0-3, 13.25 with 22 strikeouts, 11 walks and seven homers in 17 2/3 innings. [...] Continue Reading »

California League

Prospect Of The Day

Last night, DH Jon Still displayed the exact reason a No. 4 hitter is called the clean-up hitter. The first three runners for Lancaster (Red Sox) reached base and Still knocked them in with a grand slam, giving the JetHawks an early 4-0 lead. He finished the night 3-for-4 with four runs scored, six RBIs and a double. The grand slam was his 15th home run of the season.

Prospect Nuggets

Right fielder Josh Reddick followed Still with a home run of his own in the third inning. Reddick was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs. The home run was his 15th…Lake Elsinore (Padres) second baseman Eric Sogard has been an on-base machine this season, but he flashed some power last night, going 2-for-4 with a double (24) and home run (3).  He also scored two runs and knocked in three…San Jose righthander Tim Alderson stole the show from Sogard, however, pitching seven innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits, while walking two and striking out six. He improved to 7-3, 3.13. [...] Continue Reading »

South Atlantic League hitter can rejoice, as the Rockies promoted arguably the league’s best pitcher to high Class A Modesto.

Asheville righthander Jhoulys Chacin–who says his name is pronounced "YO-liss"–will join Modesto for the second half of the season after posting a 1.86 ERA in 111 1/3 innings. Chacin, 20, has three pitches that most scouts say grade out as at least average, including a two-seam fastball that has helped him generate a well-above-average 2.83-to-1 groundout-to-air out ratio. His fastball generally sits in the low-90s, but he has touched 95 mph.

When the Rockies signed Chacin out of Venezuela in 2004, he started off throwing a four-seam fastball, but he eventaully picked up the two-seamer.

"I mostly use it go get groundballs and double plays," Chacin said through an interpreter last week at the SAL All-Star game, where he was the starting pitcher for the Southern Division. "I just focus on keeping the ball low and not giving hitters pitches to drive."

Chacin also has a high-70s curve with late break and a good changeup. Chacin did not have a changeup when the Rockies, but it has developed into his best secondary pitch.

"In a tough situation, I’m more likely to throw a changeup than a curveball," Chacin said. "The changeup is my go-to pitch."

To no one’s surprise, catcher Matt Wieters was promoted to Double-A Bowie, just one game after the California-Carolina League all star game. It was inevitable and warranted as Wieters destroyed high Class A pitchers to the tune of .345/.448/.576 with 15 home runs and 40 RBIs in 229 at-bats. He also showed tremendous defensive skills, nailing 25 out of 55 would-be base stealers and allowing just three passed balls. He committed six errors in 346 chances giving him a .985 fielding percentage.

Wieters owned lefthanders in particular. He hit .391 against them, 64 points higher than his numbers from the opposite side, but most impressive was that he slugged a staggering .828 from the right side of the plate.

In his "farewell game" on Thursday night, Wieters went 2-for-4 with a double and home run.

Because we know it can be difficult to track the various prospect promotions and demotions on all 185 domestic minor league teams, we present a review of what’s happened in the last week, from June 21 through today.

It’s a light week, though two premium 2007 picks (and two of the minors’ top prospects) are moving to Double-A.

Orioles: Promoted C Matt Wieters (1st round, 2007) to Double-A Bowie

Cubs: Promoted RHP Jeff Samadzija (5th round, 2006) to Triple-A Iowa

Tigers: Demoted OF Wilkin Ramirez to Double-A Erie and RHP Brandon Hamilton (supp. 1st round, 2007) to Rookie-level GCL Tigers

Athletics: Promoted LHP Brett Anderson (2nd round, 2006) to Double-A Midland and RHP Tyson Ross (2nd round, 2008) to Low A Kane County

Giants: Promoted LHP Ben Snyder (4th round, 2006) to Double-A Connecticut

Rays: Promoted LHP David Price (1st round, 2007) to Double-A Montgomery

PROSPECT OF THE DAY

Brad Holt (Mets) tossed five no-hit innings for Brooklyn on Thursday. Holt walked just one and struck out six. Holt shot up draft boards this spring after helping UNC Wilmington make the College World Series.  His fastball can touch 96, a big reason why the Mets made him a supplemental first round pick.

PROSPECT OF THE DAY
 
Ryan Flaherty (Cubs) had yet to have a big game for Boise until Thursday night. Flaherty, the Cubs first supplemental round pick, belted his second home run of the year and had his first double of the year in a 3-for-4 night…Nate Tenbrink (Mariners) provided the only offense for Everett in an ugly 10-1 loss to Boise. Tenbrink’s solo shot in the 4th inning was a bright spot in an otherwise ugly game, and thus far ugly season for the seventh round pick who is only batting .189…2007 second round pick, Matt West (Rangers) was the catalyst in Spokane’s 10-6 win over Eugene. West went 3-for-5 with a double in the red-hot Indians victory…Sawyer Carroll (Padres) continues to tear through the Northwest League. Carroll went 2-for-5 with his second home run of the year on Thursday. Carroll had three RBI, two of them from his seventh inning home run… Ryan Church (Mets) went 3-for-3 with a double in a rehab assignment for Brooklyn… Vermont 3B Steven Souza (Nationals) put his power on display, launching two home runs on Thursday. He also doubled and had five RBI, giving him 12 RBI on the season… David Cooper (Blue Jays) has cooled off after his hot start, going 1-for-8 Tuesday and Wednesday.  He was 1-for-4 Thursday, but hit his second home run. Cooper has struck out just six times in 40 at-bats.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR TODAY

Brock Huntzinger (Red Sox) has pitched 10 shutout innings so far this season for Lowell. The Red Sox 2007 third round pick will take the mound tonight against Vermont.

PROSPECT OF THE DAY

Wilmer Flores (Mets) may be the youngest player in the Appalachian League, but he has also been one of the best, so far. Flores may have had the best night of his young career on Thursday against Pulaski, going 4-for-5 in an 8-3 Kingsport win. Flores belted a triple in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie. In the eighth Flores hit a ball so hard it bounced off the leg of Pulaski pitcher Jordan Alvis and bounded all the way into right field.

PROSPECT NUGGETS

Tim Beckham (Rays) made his professional debut last night, just a week after signing a record contract. The first overall pick batted second for Princeton and picked up his first hit in his first appearance at the plate. Beckham sent a 1-0 offering back up the middle and beat out the throw for an infield single…Fernando Cruz (Royals) may be the top prospect playing in Burlington, but on Thursday night it was his replacement Jason Morales (Royals) who was the star. Morales, a 22-year-old out of UNC Pembroke, had a 4-for-4 night that included a two-run home run and a double…Fernando Martinez (Mets) continues to progress nicely in his rehab stint with the GCL Mets. Thursday’s game with the Cardinals was called early due to rain, but Martinez had a pair of hits, including a double in the Mets 5-3 win… Orem 3B Luis Jimenez (Angels) went 3-for-5 with two doubles.  He has hit in all 10 games in which he has played, including five doubles, a triple and a home run… Dan Hudson (White Sox) threw four shutout innings and struck out seven in his second start for Great Falls. The fifth round pick out of Old Dominion has now given up two hits, walked one and struck out 11 in seven innings… Jaff Decker (Padres) is putting his best foot forward in Arizona. He went 2-for-4 and drew two walks yesterday and his hitting .500 through his first three games.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR TODAY

Beckham will return to action tonight for Princeton tonight as they take on Burlington. Beckham who hit in the DH role on Thursday, will be in that role again tonight. The Rays minor league staff has yet to decide when Beckham will take the field at shortstop.
 

EASTERN LEAGUE

PROSPECT OF THE DAY

New Hampshire is once again home to the Prospect of the Day. Travis Snider (Blue Jays) takes home the honors for Thursday with his 3-for-6 day, that included a two-run home run to seal the a 13-6 win. Snider scored three times on the day and also drove in three runs. The left fielder has raised his average to .283.

PROSPECT NUGGETS

Bowie right hander David Hernandez (Orioles) had a solid outing on Thursday night, going 6.1 innings with two allowing just two hits. Hernandez did give up a home run in the seventh inning before he was lifted from the game, but he struck out nine while only walking two batters…George Kontos (Yankees) dropped to 3-7 on the year as he took the loss in Trenton’s 6-1 defeat. Kontos has struggled to meet expectations throughout his career and despite striking out seven on Thursday, he allowed three runs  in a losing effort…It wasn’t as flashy as his teammate Snider’s day, but Scott Campbell (Blue Jays) was just as important in New Hampshire’s win. Campbell went 4-for-5 with three runs scored in the 13-6 rout of New Britain. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Rochester righthander Philip Humber (Twins), the third overall pick in the 2004 draft, pitched five innings and scattered five hits without allowing a run. He walked two and struck out six to pick up the win, improving his record to 4-6 for the year.

Prospect Nuggets

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre CF Brett Gardner (Yankees) stayed hot at the plate, with a 2-for-4 night that included his 11th double . . . Pawtucket righthander David Pauley (Red Sox) threw seven strong innings and allowed just one unearned run on four hits. He struck out nine and improved to 10-2. [...] Continue Reading »

California League

Prospect Of The Day

Just two days after showing off his range in center field at the Carolina-California League all-star game, Rancho Cucamonga’s Peter Bourjos returned to regular season action and lit up High Desert (Mariners) pitching. He went 4-for-5 with a home run, his third, two runs and two RBIs.

Prospect Nuggets

Outfielder Josh Reddick was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs in Lancaster’s (Red Sox) comeback win over Inland Empire (Dodgers) . . . Stockton righthander Henry Rodriguez’ (Athletics) outing showed a little bit of stability. He went 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits, but did get the win, improving to 2-2, 3.13 . . . San Jose righthander Henry Sosa (Giants) lasted just three innings after being tagged for three runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. [...] Continue Reading »

The overall talent at the California-Carolina League All Star game, played in Myrtle Beach, S.C., was overwhelming on paper, but on the field it was anything but. Potomac outfielder Edgardo Baez (Nationals) was named the MVP after breaking a 1-1 tie in the eighth inning with a home run to right-center field. The Carolina League would go on to win 3-1, but if anything, the story of the game was about defense, good and bad.

The Carolina League scoring got started with two runners on and none out in the first inning. Frederick catcher Matt Wieters (Orioles) delivered a base hit to left field that plated Wilmington outfielder Joe Dickerson (Royals) to make the score 1-0. There was a threat for more, but San Jose lefthander Ben Snyder (Giants) struck out the Myrtle Beach tandem of DH Ernesto Mejia and shortstop Brandon Hicks (Braves) and then got Winston-Salem first baseman Brandon Allen (White Sox) to ground out harmlessly to second to end the first frame.

The Cal League started a threat in the fifth inning with runners on first and second and one out. Rancho Cucamonga outfielder Peter Bourjos (Angels) hit a single to right field and Lake Elsinore second baseman Eric Sogard (Padres) rounded third, beating the throw home, but missed the plate and Wieters applied the late tag to get the second out. Stockton outfielder Archie Gilbert (Athletics) came through in the next at-bat, however, with a single to right field scoring Visalia shortstop Pedro Ciriaco (Diamondbacks). [...] Continue Reading »

South Atlantic League

Prospect Of The Day

There weren’t a whole lot of standout performances by Sally League prospects yesterday, but the best of the group belonged to Greensboro (Marlins) third baseman Matt Dominguez. After hitting a game-winning grand slam on Wednesday to beat West Virginia, Dominguez kept the good mojo working yesterday against Kannapolis (White Sox) by going 3-for-5 with an RBI in a 10-5 loss. Dominguez raised his line to .339/.405/.500 in 112 at-bats.

Prospect Nuggets

After a couple of back-to-back 0-for-4 efforts, Greensboro’s Mike Stanton also went 3-for-5 as the Grasshoppers’ DH, moving up his line to .291/.348/.578 in 282 at-bats … Delmarva (Orioles) center fielder Matt Angle went 3-for-5 with his second home run of the season and three runs scored in an 11-5 win over Hagerstown (Nationals) … Hickory (Pirates) righthander Brad Lincoln was roughed up by Asheville (Rockies), giving up seven runs (five earned) on eight hits in five innings. On the brighter side, Lincoln fanned five and didn’t walk any.

[...] Continue Reading »

What might have been one of the most prospect-laden starting rotations in recent memory may have just lost one of its key arms.

Double-A Montgomery (Rays) lefty Jake McGee lasted just two innings in his start on Sunday before leaving the game with soreness in his forearm. Now, McGee will miss at least a few starts, and Tommy John surgery is a possibility, though no decision has been made yet. McGee left the team yesterday to meet with Dr. Koco Eaton in Tampa Bay. According to the Mongtomery Adviser, there may be a possible tear in McGee’s left elbow.

"They say it’s torn all the way. We’ll see," McGee said Thursday. "It’s pretty disappointing, but we can’t change it now. I have to go forward from here."

The Rays are still evaluating the 21-year-old McGee with team doctors, and no decision has been made yet about whether McGee will require surgery.

Potentially losing McGee for a full season after Tommy John surgery would be a blow to the Rays farm system, although the organization has as much high-end talent and depth as anyone. McGee, the No. 15 prospect in baseball entering the season, has pitched all year in Montgomery with righthander Wade Davis, who ranked 17th in the game entering the year. The Rays also promoted 2007 No. 1 overall pick David Price, the No. 10 prospect entering the season, from high Class A Vero Beach to Montgomery, where he debuted last night. The Rays also sent 21-year-old righthander Jeremy Hellickson, who had a 2.00 ERA and an 83-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 76 2/3 innings with Vero Beach, to Montgomery as well this week.

Fans in the crowd at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo. on Wednesday may have had flashbacks to the 2002 Major League All-Star Game that ended in a tie. Nine innings weren’t enough to settle the Texas League All-Star Game. Steven Murphy’s (Rangers) home run in the 10th inning broke a 3-3 tie and propelled the South to victory.

Up until the 10^th, the crowd of 8,459 was treated to a low-scoring affair between the North and South squads. North starter Jess Todd (Cardinals) worked around a lead-off double in the first to throw two scoreless innings. Todd, the Cardinals second round pick in 2007, struck out five in his brief appearance.

Jon Jay’s (Cardinals) fourth inning double led to the North’s first run of the game. Jay went 2-for-3 on the night and also drew a walk. The South would answer quickly in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs to take the lead. Tommy Everidge (A’s) drove in the first run for the South, part of his 3-for-5 evening. Everidge would score later in the inning, one of his two runs scored in the game. [...] Continue Reading »