The Arizona Fall League’s Rising Stars Game didn’t have Stephen Strasburg in it, as the 2009 No. 1 draft pick and Nationals phenom was scratched from his appearance by a stiff neck.

Mike Minor, the lefthander out of Vanderbilt whom the Braves drafted six picks after Strasburg, probably wishes he’d slept the wrong way too.

Minor gave up seven runs in the first inning, including giving up a three-run homer to Brandon Allen (Diamondbacks) to dead center field. That set the tone for the evening, an entertaining all-star game with plenty of offense and tools on display. Minor’s West Division club overcame the East’s seven-spot in the first, capping the rally for an 8-7 victory with a two-run eighth-inning home run by Matt McBryde (Indians) off Strasburg’s fellow Nationals prospect, righthander Drew Storen. [...] Continue Reading »

Some prospect injury news that is still a bit developing. First, No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg will miss his scheduled start in Saturday’s Rising Stars game at the Arizona Fall League. The National righthander has a muscle strain in his neck, according to an AFL press release. Righthander Tommy Mendoza (Angels) has replaced Strasburg on the Rising Stars roster.

Second, Twins catcher Wilson Ramos, who is tearing up winter ball in his native Venezuela, left a game last night with an apparent right knee injury. Twins general manager Bill Smith said the club is aware of the injury but is not yet aware of the severity of the problem. Ramos ranks second in the Venezuelan League in batting at .403 with a league-high six home runs through 20 games and 77 at-bats.

As we roll out the Top 10 Prospects lists for each of the NL East teams, we’ll also be posting them here so you can leave your comments. Subscribers can chat with the authors of the Top 10s, but everyone is free to share there likes and dislikes here on the Prospects Blog.

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The World Series will be over by Saturday, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any baseball on TV. Set your TiVo for 8:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 7 on MLB Network, and you can watch the fourth-annual Arizona Fall League’s Rising Stars Game.

The teams are split up by AFL divisions. The East team will have players from the Mesa Solar Sox (Angels, Cubs, Marlins, Red Sox and Twins), Phoenix Desert Dogs (Athletics, Blue Jays, Nationals, Orioles and Rays) and Scottsdale Scorpions (Giants, Diamondbacks, Phillies, Pirates and Rockies). The West team will be comprised of players from the Peoria Javelinas (Brewers, Dodgers, Mariners, Tigers and White Sox), Peoria Saguaros (Astros, Braves, Indians, Padres and Reds) and the Surprise Rafters (Cardinals, Mets, Rangers, Royals and Yankees).

The game is arguably as loaded with talent as the Futures Game and the scheduled starting pitchers are two first rounders: Nationals righthander, and first-overall pick, Stephen Strasburg will take the hill for the East squad and Braves lefthander Mike Minor will toe the rubber for the West.
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