Prospect of the Day

His pro career may be just two games old, but GCL Nationals leftfielder Destin Hood has made quite the impression in his first few days in the Gulf Coast League. Hood, the Nationals second round pick out of an Alabama high school, turned down an opportunity to play both football and baseball at the University of Alabama when he signed for $1.1 million, spread over five years. Hood was 2-for-2 on Saturday as a late-game substitution in his pro debut, before drawing his first start on Monday. Hood was 2-for-5 on the day, including a double. The 18-year-old also picked up three RBIs and a run scored. [...] Continue Reading »

Madison Bumgarner had a pretty normal night by his standards, Blake Beavan shut down Lansing’s talented lineup and Matt McSwain flirted with a no-no.

South Atlantic League

Prospect Of The Day

Monday was a fairly slow day for Sally League prospects, but the always dependable Madison Bumgarner probably would’ve won POTD honors on any day after another dominant performance last night. The Augusta (Giants) lefthander tossed seven shutout innings against Rome (Braves) to pick up his 10th win of the season, allowing only five hits, no walks and striking out six. Bumgarner improves to 10-3, 1.81 on the year, and his K-BB ratio stands at 116-18 in 109 innings. [...] Continue Reading »

California League

Only one game was played yesterday, with San Jose (Giants) taking down Rancho Cucamonga (Angels) 8-1. Outfielder Mike Mooney was 1-for-4 with a three-run home run to lead the Giants. The Quakes managed just five hits, all singles. Outfielder Peter Bourjos and catcher Hank Conger each had a hit. Conger drove in the lone run.

What To Watch For Today

The Quakes have another tough task to face today as the Giants send righthander Tim Alderson (11-3, 3.16) to the mound. [...] Continue Reading »

This week’s installment considers all transactions reported by MLB between July 20 and July 25. 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
Signed: LHP Taylor Sinclair (Rockford (Frontier))
Added to 40-man roster: 3B Jamie D’Antona
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Connor Robertson, C Robby Hammock
Placed on 7-day DL: OF Joey Side

D’Antona, 26, failed to make the Olympic team after his Futures Game trial, but he did earn his first big league callup. The second-round pick from Wake Forest in 2003 was hitting .367/.407/.612 for Triple-A Tucson, placing him second to Terry Tiffee in the PCL batting race. He was 1-for-his-first-4 for Arizona.

Atlanta Braves
Signed: RHP Brandon Beachy (NDFA—Indiana Wesleyan)
Released: RHP Chris Resop
Outrighted to Mexican League: RHP Andy Shibilo
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Anthony Lerew, SS Brent Lillibridge
Outrighted off 40-man roster: RHP Vladimir Nunez
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Steve Figueroa, LHP Jeff Ridgway, C Ben Johnson
Reinstated from DL: RHP Paul Bush, RHP Tim Gustafson, RHP Phil Stockman, LHP Lee Hyde

In his return from Tommy John surgery, Lerew, 25, made five starts for the GCL Braves before moving up to Richmond, where he’s logged 4 1/3 innings in two starts. [...] Continue Reading »

When two-way players convert to either pitching or hitting full-time, the growth in their skills sometimes accelerates beyond the normal speed of other prospects’ development.

Sean Doolittle, a lefthanded pitcher and first baseman while in at Virginia, ranked 91st on Baseball America’s Top 200 prospects heading into the 2007 draft. The Athletics, however, believed in Doolittle’s potential to provide enough production as a first baseman or a corner outfielder that they drafted him in the supplemental first round with the 41st overall pick.

Doolittle added strength to his frame in the offseason, had an impressive instructional league and is beginning to show flashes of why the A’s spent their second pick in the draft on him. Through 86 games with Stockton in the high Class A California League, Doolittle hit .305/.385/.560 with 18 home runs, 25 doubles and three triples.

Doolittle hasn’t torn it up with Double-A Midland at quite the same pace. He is hitting just .230/.278/.365 in 74 at-bats, but at 21 he’s still one of the Texas League’s youngest players.

"I think my learning curve offensively has really taken off because I can get all my reps as a hitter now and not have to split my practice time between pitching and hitting I think has really helped me out," Doolittle said. "Don’t get me wrong, I loved pitching at school, but it got crazy sometimes having to come from class to practice, I’d have to come early so I could get all my pitching stuff done and then almost go through another practice again as a hitter. So it got crazy some times, but I’m really enjoying just being able to focus on hitting."

[...] Continue Reading »

Fresh off a dominating start for Double-A New Hampshire on Sunday—a start that included a season-high eight strikeouts in six innings—Brett Cecil received word that he had been promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.

It’s a big step for the 22-year-old lefty who was drafted only a year ago, 38th overall, in the supplemental first round of the 2007 draft. Cecil served primarily as a reliever while at Maryland, but he’s had little difficulty in making the transition to starting this season. He’s gone a combined 6-2, 2.45 with 98 strikeouts and 25 walks in 88 innings with the Fisher Cats and high Class A Dunedin, where he made his first four starts of the season. [...] Continue Reading »

Prospect Of The Day

The son of Cubs’ broadcaster Bob Brenly is on quite a run with Boise. Catcher/first baseman Michael Brenly (Cubs) was just a 36th round pick this summer, but he is .383/.471/.483 after a 2-for-3 day yesterday in which he also stole his first base of the season. Brenly is hitting .539 with four doubles over his last 10 games. [...] Continue Reading »

Prospect of the Day

Kingsport (Mets) shortstop Wilmer Flores capped off a huge weekend with a 3-for-6 performance in an 11-9 win over Elizabethton (Twins). The 16-year-old Venezuelan native had a RBI and two runs scored in the slugfest. Flores was the star of a doubleheader on Saturday, as he went 3-for-8 on the day, notching a home run and three RBI. Flores not only has rewarded the Mets’ faith in him with his offensive abilities, but also with his maturation in the field. “He is going to stay at a premium position…Right now he is a shortstop,” said Mets VP of Player Development Tony Bernazard about the Mets belief that Flores can remain at shortstop. Early in the year Bernazard’s confidence in Flores could have been questioned when the heraled prospect made five errors in his first eight games, but Flores has bounced back nicely. Flores has made just one error in his past eight games and only four in twenty five games since his rocky start. [...] Continue Reading »

CALIFORNIA LEAGUE

Prospect of the Day

Stockton (A’s) second baseman Adrian Cardenas continues to adjust well to the California League, going 2-for-5 in a loss to Bakersfield on Sunday. Cardenas has hits in eight of his first nine games since coming to the Oakland organization in the Joe Blanton trade.  The second baseman had been batting .309 in the Florida State League, before the trade. [...] Continue Reading »

The best Double-A action yesterday was in the Texas League, where Aaron Cunningham, Dexter Fowler and Kila Ka’aihue all had big games.

TEXAS LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

The Athletics have improved their farm system substantially in the past season, adding top prospects like Brett Anderson, Adrian Cardenas, Gio Gonzalez and Michel Inoa. Of course, a team should improve its farm system dramatically when it trades the contracts of Dan Haren, Nick Swisher and Joe Blanton. One of the players the A’s added in the last year was outfielder Aaron Cunningham, who came to Oakland along with Anderson in the deal that sent Haren to the Diamondbacks. While it’s easy to get lost in the system the A’s have now, Cunningham made plenty of noise yesterday for Midland, going 4-for-6 with two home runs and a double, giving him 11 homers on the season. Cunningham, who is now batting .315/.384/.500 in 308 at-bats while splitting time between center and left field, last had a multi-homer game in 2006 while playing for low Class A Kannapolis as a White Sox farmhand. [...] Continue Reading »

Mike Stanton added to his SAL home run lead, Pete Kozma came through with some late inning heroics and Mike McCardell and Edward Paredes engaged in an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel.

South Atlantic League

Prospect Of The Day

Greensboro (Marlins) center fielder Mike Stanton doubled, homered and drove in three in an 8-1 win over Hagerstown (Nationals). He went 2-for-4 on the night. The home run was Stanton’s 24th of the season, extending his league lead to five over his nearest competition. Although Stanton plays in a very hitter-friendly ballpark, his lead can’t just be chalked up to his friendly confines, as 11 of his 24 long balls have come on the road.

Prospect Nuggets

Rome (Braves) first baseman Freddie Freeman went 2-for-3 and clubbed his 17th home run in a 3-0 win over Augusta (Giants) … Hickory (Pirates) righthander Duke Welker pitched six shutout innings against Charleston (Yankees). Welker allowed just two hits–both singles–three walks and struck out six. He also induced 10 groundouts and only three fly outs. The win was just his third of the year as he improved to 3-8, 4.34. [...] Continue Reading »

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

When Salt Lake shortstop Brandon Wood (Angels) stops hitting home runs, we’ll stop bestowing him with POTD honors. He was 2-for-4 yesterday with a solo homer (21) in a 9-5 loss to New Orleans. But if you backtrack to Friday, July 18, the beginning of a road series with Fresno, Wood has been perhaps the minors’ hottest hitter. In those 11 games, the 23-year-old has batted .475/.523/1.025 (19-for-40) with seven home runs, a double, 12 RBIs, 15 runs scored, four walks and 10 strikeouts.

Prospect Nuggets

Memphis 3B David Freese (Cardinals) hit a grand slam (17) in the first inning of the Redbirds’ 8-3 win against Tacoma yesterday. He doubled (19) later in the game and finished 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs, providing all the offense RHP Clayton Mortensen would need. The 36th overall pick in 2007 (from Gonzaga) went seven innings for the win, striking out eight, walking three and allowing just three hits along the way. Incidentally, with the 54th pick in the same draft, the Rangers selected Alabama RHP Tommy Hunter, who like Mortensen, is a supplemental first-round pick who already has reached Triple-A [...] Continue Reading »

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 July 19 through today.

Red Sox: Promoted OF Josh Reddick (17th round, 2006) to Double-A Portland

Astros: Promoted OF Brian Bogusevic (1st round, 2005, as a LHP) to Double-A Corpus Christi

Dodgers: Promoted LHP James Adkins (supp. 1st round, 2007) to Double-A Jacksonville

Twins: Promoted RHP Shooter Hunt (supp. 1st round, 2008) to Low A Beloit

Mets: Promoted LHP Mike Antonini (18th round, 2007) to Double-A Binghamton

Cardinals: Promoted OF Daryl Jones (3rd round, 2005) to Double-A Springfield

Rays: Demoted LHP Glenn Gibson (4th round, 2006) to short-season Hudson Valley

Blue Jays: Promoted C Brian Jeroloman (6th round, 2006) and LHP Ricky Romero (1st round, 2005) to Triple-A Syracuse

Kellen Kulbacki is wielding a hot stick, John Ely rediscovers the strike zone and Juan Francisco reclaims Prospect Of The Day honors in a 17-11 slugfest with Lakeland (Tigers).

California League

Prospect Of The Day

Inland Empire (Dodgers) third baseman Austin Gallagher hit two longballs to give him five on the season and chase High Desert (Mariners) southpaw Travis Mortimore from the game in the fourth inning. The early damage caused by the pair of home runs was not enough to give the 66ers the win, however, as High Desert stormed back with six runs in the ninth inning for an 11-10 win. Gallagher’s .326/.372/.522 line is amplified by his surroundings, but he’s adjusted well to high Class A as a 19-year-old. [...] Continue Reading »

The commissioner’s office announced 50-game suspensions for two Pirates minor league righthanders on Friday. Venezuela-born Roman Carrasco, 20, and Luis Figuera, 17, were pitching in the Venezuelan Summer League at the time of their failed tests for performance-enhancing substances.

Carrasco, who is from Caracas, went 7-1, 2.82 with 38 strikeouts and nine walks in 61 innings this season, his third in the VSL. Figuera, who is from Aragua, went 6-2, 3.09 with 37 strikeouts and 10 walks in 47 innings. He was making his professional debut.

An abbreviated look at Thursday’s top performers.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Salt Lake shortstop Brandon Wood (Angels) clubbed his fifth home run (19) in his past seven games in going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. His power-hitting exploits got him recognized on this week’s Prospect Hot Sheet.

Prospect Nuggets

Salt Lake 2B Sean Rodriguez (Angels) broke out of a mini skid by crushing two solo home runs (18) in a 2-for-3 game . . . Colorado Springs 1B Joe Koshansky (Rockies) went 2-for-3 with a home run (19), a double (31) and four RBIs. [...] Continue Reading »

Prospect Of The Day

Just a few days after David Francis (Braves) struck out 16 in six innings, Brad Holt (Mets) fanned 14 in six innings of shutout ball. The Brooklyn righthander now leads the league with 51 strikeouts. Holt told a reporter he is throwing his curveball more often, so he could be developing another pitch to go with his 94 mph fastball.

Prospect Nuggets

Spokane lefthander Martin Perez (Rangers) is just 17-years old, but he has had a successful campaign in the Northwest League. Martin pitched five shutout innings, scattered two hits and walked none. He struck out five and has allowed more than one earned run just twice in eight starts. [...] Continue Reading »

Prospect Of The Day

Centerfielder Aaron Hicks (Twins) has not disappointed in the Gulf Coast League. The first-rounder went 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored, two RBIs and a stolen base. Hicks has stolen five bases in his last five games and is tearing up GCL pitching with an average of .330.

Prospect Nuggets

Hicks’ teammate Tyler Ladendorf, the Twins’ third round selection went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. [...] Continue Reading »

Midwest League

Prospect Of The Day

Kane County (Athletics) second baseman Jemile Weeks hit his first professional home run in a 5-2 loss to Fort Wayne (Padres). Weeks finished the night 2-for-5 and extended his hitting streak to nine games while upping his line to .309/.457/.400 in 55 at-bats.

Prospect Nuggets

Weeks’ home run was the only run allowed by Fort Wayne starter Corey Kluber, who worked five innings and gave up six hits, no walks and struck out seven to pick up his first win in a Wizards uniform … Beloit (Twins) center fielder Ben Revere went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and two RBIs in a 4-3, 10-inning loss to South Bend (Diamondbacks) … [...] Continue Reading »

Athletics righthander James Simmons showed his pinpoint accuracy, Phillies shortstop Jason Donald reached base four times and Mets lefty Jon Niese shut down Erie in yesterday’s Double-A action.

TEXAS LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

The Athletics love players who command the strike zone, and that’s what Midland righthander James Simmons does as well as anyone. Simmons struck out eight and walked just one against Frisco yesterday in eight innings. Simmons allowed three runs, though none of them was earned. Simmons left after throwing 104 pitches, 77 of which were strikes.

Prospect Nuggets

Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler continued with his knack for getting on base, going 2-for-4 with a walk … It’s been a difficult season for Springfield righthander Adam Ottavino, but the Cardinals farmhand dealt last night: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO.

What To Watch For Today

Frisco’s (Rangers) offense will try to rebound against San Antonio (Padres).

EASTERN LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

It’s been a tremendous year for shortstop Jason Donald (Phillies), who will soon leave Reading to join Team USA for its Olympic run. Yesterday Donald went 2-for-4, drew two walks and hit his fourth triple of the season.

[...] Continue Reading »