Righthander Amauri Sanit, a Cuban pitching for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees system, was suspended for 50 games for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Sanit tested positive for mephentermine, a performance-enhancing substance.

Seven Up, Seven Down: The Best And Worst Minor League Teams

As teams near the 50-game line, we begin to see the true best and worst emerge. One-third of the schedule has elapsed, and if Winston-Salem continues at this pace they'll win about 97 regular season games. 

[...] Continue Reading »

This time: May 19-25

Check out the Transactions Glossary for the key to deciphering the various inactive lists presented here.

An asterisk (*) denotes an instance of a player agreeing to terms on a minor league contract with an organization with which he already had a major league agreement.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: RHP Luis Ayala, RHP Blaine Boyer*
Released: OF Pete Clifford
Recalled: 2B Ryan Roberts, OF Gerardo Parra
Optioned to Triple-A: OF Cole Gillespie
Outrighted to Triple-A, removed from 40-man: RHP Blaine Boyer
Placed on 7-day DL: 2B Gerson Montilla , OF Dan Kaczrowski
Reinstated from DL: C Konrad Schmidt, 3B Andrew Fie

Atlanta Braves
Signed: 1B Michael Jones, 2B Alejandro Machado, 2B Dan Nelson
Released: RHP Van Pope, C Benji Johnson
Placed on restricted list: 2B Yoel Campusano, SS Amadeo Zazueta, OF Geraldo Rodriguez
Recalled: RHP Cristhian Martinez, RHP James Parr, OF Gregor Blanco
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Craig Kimbrel
Outrighted to Triple-A, removed from 40-man: RHP James Parr
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP James Parr, OF Concepcion Rodriguez
Reinstated from DL: RHP Vladimir Nunez, C Chris Anderson

For every reaction, there's an equal but opposite reaction. When MLB announced that three high Class A Myrtle Beach players had earned 50-game suspensions, the Braves had to scramble to find replacements. Campusano, Rodriguez and Zazueta each failed a drug test for an amphetamine, and you can find details about from whence each player came in the linked news item.

Atlanta signed Jones and Nelson on May 21, the same day the Myrtle Beach Three were placed on the restricted list. Both immediately joined the Pelicans. Released by the Red Sox this spring, Jones had signed to play with New Jersey of the independent Can-Am League, but their season has not yet begun. The Nationals released Nelson earlier this month after he had played 23 games in the system. [...] Continue Reading »

Pirates catcher Tony Sanchez is supposed to be an outstanding defensive catcher with questions about his offensive upside.

Instead, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 draft is putting up numbers on both sides of the ball that clash with his draft reports.

Sanchez cracked three singles and was hit by a pitch yesterday for high Class A Bradenton, raising his Florida State League line to .311/.422/.457 in 185 plate appearances. He ranks among the league's top 15 in both on-base percentage and slugging, as he's shown the ability to work the count, put the ball in play and drive the ball in to the gaps. Since he signed last year, Sanchez has hit well everywhere he's been.

Strangely enough, Sanchez's worst numbers this year have come behind the plate. Teams have run all over Sanchez, who has thrown out just seven of 43 runners—a 16 percent clip. He's also committed six errors in just 28 games at catcher. The reason? Sanchez has played through a sore right shoulder, which has neutralized one of his best tools. When he's healthy, expect Sanchez to become one of the better all-around catching prospects in the game.

[...] Continue Reading »

Low Class A Lakewood's lineup was already loaded with young talent, populated by prospects like Sebastian Valle, Domingo Santana and Jiwan James. Well, add 18-year-old first baseman Jonathan Singleton to the list. An eighth-round pick last year from a California high school, Singleton was called up to Lakewood from extended spring training two weeks ago and has done nothing but hit since joining the BlueClaws. Singleton boasts plus bat speed and an advanced feel for hitting for his age and has shown those assets off in starting out with a .442/.519/.773 line through 44 at-bats. He's already homered four times, with the latest coming last night as part of a 4-for-4 effort against Hagerstown. He's also drawn nine walks already in 13 games and is riding a 10-game hitting streak.

"For 18 years old he sees the ball way beyond those years,'' Lakewood hitting coach Greg Legg told the Asbury Park Press. "You've probably seen him already laying off changeups. He doesn't waste at-bats. I'm not tinkering with him.

[...] Continue Reading »

While Chris Resop is the subject of today's Prospect Bulletin, he's not the only pitcher of note on the Triple-A Gwinnett staff. The Braves' bullpen also is home to hard-throwing righthander Craig Kimbrel, a third-round pick two years ago, as well as power lefty Mike Dunn, who joined the organization in December's Javier Vazquez trade. Gwinnett pitching coach Derek Botelho credits both relievers with having outstanding makeup and more than enough stuff to get the job done in the big leagues.

In fact, Kimbrel just returned from Atlanta, where he struggled to find the plate, issuing six walks in just 3 1/3 innings. He's shown much finer control of his mid-90s fastball and power breaking ball in Triple-A, where he struck out four batters in two innings of work on Sunday. In 12 appearances for Gwinnett, he's struck out 25 and walked seven in 17 innings, while limiting opponents to a .127 average.

Dunn, who like Resop is a converted position player, allowed runs in back-to-back outings Sunday and Monday after going unscored upon in his previous 10 outings.

"He has an outstanding fastball and hard slider," Botelho said. "He throws all three pitches (changeup is No. 3) for strikes. The velocity is there—he's aggressive and goes right after hitters." The 25-year-old lefty boasted a 27-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21 2/3 innings, and like Kimbrel, he had not surrendered a home run. [...] Continue Reading »

The Rangers failed to sign their first-round pick in the 2009 draft when MLB nixed the team's above-slot deal with lefthander Matt Purke. Texas team owner Tom Hicks' financial straits had forced MLB to take an active role with the franchise's budget.

But even without Purke, the Rangers still managed to bolster an already deep supply of young pitchers. Supplemental first-round pick Tanner Scheppers has shown one of the best fastballs in the minors. The righthander already is pitching for Triple-A Oklahoma City, having run up a 1.29 ERA over 11 relief outings to go with 14.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

Third-round lefty Robbie Erlin, the subject of today's Prospect Bulletin, has been equally dominant at low Class A Hickory. And Erlin's teammate, 2008 second-round lefty Robbie Ross, has been just as good lately.

It took Ross a little while to get comfortable in Hickory—he gave up four or more runs in two of his first four starts this season—but in May he's been nearly unhittable. On Saturday he threw seven shutout innings against Rome, which was the fourth time in his last five starts that he did not allow an earned run.

"The first couple of outings he wasn't at his best, but I think he's dialed in now," Hickory pitching coach Brad Holman said. "His ability to command the ball has shown a lot of improvement. He's a lot more focused in his bullpens and he's taken his focus to a new level. His delivery is effectively funky, and he has taken an initiative to learn how to pitch." [...] Continue Reading »

The international signing period doesn't open until July 2, but the Astros aren't waiting around to make an impact in the Dominican Republic.

Houston added two of the top arms from the Dominican Republic this week, signing 16-year-old righthander Michael Feliz for $400,000 and 17-year-old righthander Jose Montero for $350,000.

Feliz had originally agreed to terms with the A's for $800,000 in March, but Oakland voided his contract when Feliz tested positive for the anabolic steroid Stanozolol and received a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball. According to scouts who have followed Feliz this year, Feliz was regularly hitting 92-93 mph with his fastball before his positive drug test, but in more recent months has been topping out at 91 mph. Beyond pure arm strength, Feliz, who is from Azua, also has a projectable 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame with feel for a curveball and a changeup.

Montero is another power arm with a projectable frame. The 6-foot-4 righthander from San Pedro de Macoris can pitch at 89-92 mph and has touched 93 for some scouts. Montero throws a slider and an occasional changeup, though his secondary stuff and feel for pitching isn't as refined as Feliz. Latin American sources have said the Yankees and Padres were among the other teams courting Montero. 

The Astros unveiled a new academy in the Dominican Republic earlier this month, and both Feliz and Montero figure to begin their careers there this summer in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, although Feliz will have to wait until late July or early August to pitch due to his suspension. That should give the Astros three power-armed first-year pros on their DSL pitching staff, with lefthander Edgar Ferreira (a December 2009 signing for $350,000) also expected to join them in the DSL.

Three members of the Braves' high Class A Myrtle Beach affiliate have been suspended for 50 games, according to a press release issued today by Major League Baseball. Each player tested positive for an amphetamine, a performance-enhancing substance. With their 13-28 record, the Pelicans currently reside in last place in the Carolina League's Southern Division. The three players in question:

• Second baseman Yoel Campusano, 23, was batting .192/.293/.300 through 130 at-bats, showing a patient approach (19 walks) but little power. He signed with Braves out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in November 2005.

• Corner outfielder/first baseman Geraldo Rodriguez, 22, has the opposite profile: big-time power, little patience. He was batting .239/.290/.472 with eight home runs and eight doubles, but his total of 65 strikeouts leads the minors. Like Campusano, he's a native of Santo Domingo, but he signed with Atlanta in February 2008 after drawing his release from the Yankees.

• Shortstop Amadeo Zazueta, 24, signed with the organization in November. The native of Culiacan, Mexico, was batting .163/.189/.272 in 92 at-bats in his return to affiliated ball. He played in the independent leagues in each of the past two seasons after his release from the Astros. [...] Continue Reading »

Twins outfielder Michael Harrington has been suspended 50 games after testing positive for Andarine, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), in violation of the minor league drug prevention and treatment program.

Harrington was hitting .145 at high Class A Fort Myers at the time of the suspension. The 13th-round pick out of College of Charleston in 2008 isn't considered one of the Twins' better prospects. 

This time: May 12-18

Check out the Transactions Glossary for the key to deciphering the various inactive lists presented here.

An asterisk (*) denotes an instance of a player agreeing to terms on a minor league contract with an organization with which he already had a major league agreement.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Signed: 3B Kory Casto
Acquired: RHP Saul Rivera from Indians for cash considerations
Recalled: RHP Billy Buckner, RHP Carlos Rosa
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Saul Rivera
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Daniel Stange
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Ryan Cook
Reinstated from DL: C Konrad Schmidt

Atlanta Braves
Signed: LHP Jo-Jo Reyes*, OF Mike Daniel
Released: RHP Jon Huber, 1B Omar Llapur, 2B J.C. Holt, OF Chris Shehan
Added to 40-man roster: OF Brent Clevlen
Optioned to Triple-A: LHP Jo-Jo Reyes, SS Brandon Hicks, OF Jordan Schafer
Option transferred: LHP Jose Ortegano (high Class A to Triple-A)
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Vladimir Nunez
Reinstated from DL: RHP Ryan Weber, OF Luis Sumoza

Baltimore Orioles
Signed: C Rolando Petit
Recalled: LHP Alberto Castillo
Added to 40-man roster: OF Corey Patterson
Optioned to Triple-A: 1B Rhyne Hughes, OF Nolan Reimold
Placed on 7-day DL: LHP Chris George
Reinstated from DL: OF Matt Angle
Placed on temporarily inactive list: LHP Chad Thall

After a promising rookie season in ’09, in which he clubbed 15 home runs, Reimold could not seem to get anything going in Baltimore this spring. He batted .205/.302/.337 through 29 games, but on the plus side of the ledger, the 26-year-old brandished an 11-to-20 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 83 at-bats. Reimold was off to a 2-for-19 (.105) start for Triple-A Norfolk, where he was playing first base as well as left field. [...] Continue Reading »

Atlanta has carefully managed Julio Teheran's innings and assignments, but it became abundantly clear after a month that facing low Class A hitters just wasn't going to be much of a challenge.

In his first start for high Class A Myrtle Beach yesterday, Carolina League hitters didn't seem to faze Teheran either. The 19-year-old righthander struck out 12 and allowed one run in seven innings at Winston-Salem, surrendering two walks and four hits. It would have been a complete game for Teheran in the second game of a doubleheader, but the score remained tied after seven and lasted 20 innings before Winston-Salem emerged with a 4-3 victory.

It will be hard for hitters at any level to hit Teheran once he gains additional polish, and what he showed last night—a 93-96 mph fastball, an outstanding changeup and a slow curveball that could be an above-average pitch—is just about the best stuff you'll see from any pitcher in the minors.

[...] Continue Reading »

Much like he did last year at Double-A Birmingham, White Sox third baseman Dayan Viciedo got off to a slow start for Triple-A Charlotte. The 21-year-old Cuban, who hit just .234/.244/.299 in his first month with Birmingham last year, saw his average bottom out at .218/.232/.309 on April 22. Since then, Viciedo has hit a sizzling .356/.396/.678 with eight homers (the fourth most in the minors over that span) and 18 RBIs. Viciedo hasn't changed his free-swinging ways, as he's drawn just four walks all season, but he has managed to improve his contact rate noticeably over the last few weeks. After striking out 23 times in 83 at-bats in April, he's whiffed just 10 times in 62 at-bats so far in May.

Viciedo had his biggest night of the young season Tuesday in Buffalo, going 4-for-6 with three doubles and an RBI, leading the Knights to an 8-6 win in 11 innings. Adding injury to insult for Buffalo, catcher Josh Thole injured his hip stepping on the bat of Charlotte's Jordan Danks, who had just hit the go-ahead single. Thole left the game and will be re-evaluated today, according to the Buffalo News. Viciedo came up next and drilled his third double of the night, scoring Danks to give the Knights an insurance run. Thole wasn't the only player to go down for the Bisons, either, as shortstop Ruben Tejada left the game in the fourth inning complaining of dizziness. He will also be re-evaluated today. [...] Continue Reading »

Padres lefthander Juan Oramas knows a thing or two about pitching at high altitude and in parks that favor hitters. After all, San Diego loaned him to the Mexican League last season, where he struck out 89 batters in 90 innings, while allowing just four home runs, in a swingman role for Mexico City.

Perhaps that experience prepared Oramas, 20, for life in the high Class A California League, where last night he came within two outs of pitching the third perfect game in the league's 69-year history. The 5-foot-10, 215-pound Lake Elsinore lefty completed 8 1/3 innings while striking out nine and allowing only the one hit. The Storm completed their three-game sweep of Lancaster, bolstering their Cal League-best record of 25-13.

“Through the first five, I was just kind of flying through—I felt good,” Oramas told the Southwest Riverside News Network through an interpreter. “I knew it was going to be a good day. I went out in the eighth and realized this could be a special day.” [...] Continue Reading »

Jose Tabata doesn't look like the prototypical lead-off hitter. He's just producing like one.

The 21-year-old center fielder has the thick legs and stocky build of a middle-of-the-order hitter, and in many ways, that's been Tabata's biggest problem. Scouts look at his build and understandably start wondering whether he'll hit for enough power to be a solid corner outfielder. After all, outfielders who look like Tabata usually don't keep their speed.

And maybe Tabata, who plays for Triple-A Indianapolis, will slow down as he gets older. But for now, he's one of the most deceptive speedsters in the minors. [...] Continue Reading »

This time: May 4-11

Check out the Transactions Glossary for the key to deciphering the various inactive lists presented here.

An asterisk (*) denotes an instance of a player agreeing to terms on a minor league contract with an organization with which he already had a major league agreement.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Released: 3B Ricardo Sosa
Optioned to Triple-A: OF Gerardo Parra
Placed on 7-day DL: LHP Clay Zavada, C Errol Hollinger, C Konrad Schmidt
Reinstated from DL: 2B Taylor Harbin, OF Drew Macias

Atlanta Braves
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Craig Kimbrel, SS Brandon Hicks
Option transferred: RHP Stephen Marek (Double-A to Triple-A)
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Mike Broadway, RHP Kyle Cofield, RHP Ryan Weber, SS Shayne Moody, OF Adam Milligan
Reinstated from DL: 2B Juan Gonzalez

It seems like just yesterday that Kimbrel was terrorizing Appalachian League batters. The ’08 third-round pick debuted in that Rookie-level circuit and proceeded to strike out 27 of the 81 batter he faced (33 percent), while allowing a mere five hits. Kimbrel advanced to Myrtle Beach that summer to participate in the high Class A Carolina League playoffs. He received a similar bump in ’09 to take part in the Triple-A International League playoffs. After striking out 21 and walking five in 15 innings for Gwinnett this season, Kimbrel might be in the big leagues to stay. [...] Continue Reading »

Seth Bynum earned the nod as starting second baseman in last season's Triple-A all-star game. He will not have an opportunity to represent the International League again this season.

The reason: Major League Baseball today announced that the 29-year-old Bynum, who plays for Syracuse, had received a 50-game suspension. He tested positive for an amphetamine, a performance-enhancing substance as deemed by the minor league drug prevention and treatment program. [...] Continue Reading »

At this point, is there really anyone who doesn't think Stephen Strasburg would dominate big league hitters right now?

Sure, there are financial reasons to keep him in the minors and physical ones to get him used to pitching every fifth day, but Strasburg showed again last night why he's not just the best pitching prospect on the planet, but one of the best pitchers anywhere.

After allowing one hit in six shutout innings in his Triple-A Syracuse debut, Strasburg managed to somehow top that performance yesterday, tossing six no-hit, shutout innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. Strasburg's fastball sat in the mid-90s and he froze Norfolk hitters with a deadly breaking ball while mixing in an above-average changeup for good measure, leaving the game after throwing 55 of his 80 pitches for strikes.

On talent alone, there's no reason for Strasburg to be in the minors. But at least it has to be good for the Syracuse economy.

[...] Continue Reading »

Seven Up, Seven Down: The Best And Worst Minor League Teams

Lake County and New Britain hang on to their titles as the best and worst outfits among the 120 full-season minor league teams. The Captains have company at the top, where Winston-Salem joins them with an identical 22-10 record, but no other club has sunk to the same depths as the Rock Cats, who hold a two-game "lead" on second-worst Birmingham. So there you have it: The White Sox have a high Class A affiliate vying for the top spot and a Double-A club sinking to the bottom of the standings.

You can credit the early success of Jacksonville and Northwest Arkansas to Mike—whether it's Stanton with the Suns or Moustakas or Montgomery with the Naturals. All three of these elite prospects are off to fantastic starts. Over in the Carolina League, Winstom-Salem is lapping the field with nearly 6.6 runs scored per game. Five players check in with an OPS north of .900: CF Justin Greene (1.085), RF Brandon Short (.984), C Jason Bour (.967), LF Jordan Cheatham (.911) and 2B Drew Garcia (.905). [...] Continue Reading »

For the latest player-development features, please see the Top Stories rail on the right side of the Prospects index page. We also recommend the Baseball America Prospect Report as well as the Daily Dish for updates on what happened yesterday around the minors.

Minor Gets On The Board

Braves lefthander Mike Minor has been somewhat up-and-down in his first month of the season with Double-A Mississippi. He tossed seven shutout innings and allowed just two hits on April 19. In his next outing, Minor gave up seven runs in 4 2/3 innings, but they were all unearned thanks to his defense making three errors behind him. He then allowed eight earned runs in 10 innings over is next two starts, but he also struck out 21. Minor had one of his good nights last night in Chattanooga, tossing six scoreless innings to pick up his first professional win as the Braves blanked the Lookouts 5-0, improving to 1-3, 4.17 in 36 2/3 innings. Minor struck out eight, adding to his Southern League-leading total of 54. (He also leads the SL in walks with 21 after handing out three last night.)

Minor faced serious trouble only once, when the Lookouts put runners on the corners with no outs in the fifth. A pick-off followed by a strikeout helped him get out of the jam.

"It feels really good, actually," Minor told the Chattanooga Times Free Press. "The last couple of outings I've felt good, but I've had one bad inning and couldn't come out of it. I thought I was going to lose it again in the fifth, but I picked a guy off and struck a guy out and struck another guy out." [...] Continue Reading »