SURPRISE, Ariz.—Gerrit Cole was the last East All-Star player to leave the field Saturday night at the end of the Rising Stars Game.

The No. 1 overall pick of the 2011 draft was trying to follow his Arizona Fall League teammates down the left-field line, toward the clubhouse at Surprise Stadium. Instead, he had stopped and was signing autographs for fans, even posing for a picture here or there.

"I didn't get to do it pregame," Cole said with a shrug. "It's not that big of a deal."

It was probably the highlight of the evening for Cole, who didn't make it out of the first inning and gave up two home runs in the East's 11-2 loss to the host West squad in the Rising Stars Game. Cole's counterpart on this night, Mariners farmhand Danny Hultzen, was more successful in his stint, lasting two innings and striking out the side in the first, whiffing Mike Trout (Angels) in the process. [...] Continue Reading »

SURPRISE, Ariz.—Batting practice is over here at the Rising Stars Game in the Arizona Fall League. Here's a few quick observations from pregame, plus today's lineups:

• Bryce Harper is the DH tonight, which gives him a better chance of playing the entire game. Harper has hit five home runs in his last seven games here and has a 13-game hitting streak.

"Even his line drives sound different," said one American League scout. "He's the real deal."

• Several other players impressed with their BP turns other than Harper. Royals farmhand Wil Myers struggled during the regular season, but you couldn't tell by the way he's swinging it in the AFL. He's hitting .384/.505/.685 with five doubles, four triples and three home runs, and the coaches on the West all-stars said his hands are as quick as anyone in the league. He had easy power in BP.

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SURPRISE, Ariz.—At 29, Cuban defector and Rays farmhand Leslie Anderson was the oldest player at Saturday's Rising Stars Game.

He's seen more baseball than any of the other players, and he seemed to know he got all of the changeup Bruce Billings (Rockies) threw him on the 1-0 pitch of their bottom-of-the-ninth showdown.

Anderson connected and threw his arms up in the air as he started rounding the bases. Billings, though, didn't think he got all of it, nor did his first baseman, Brandon Belt (Giants).

"I thought he got in on him," Belt said. "I guess he's a big strong guy, though, and got enough to get it out."

The high fly to right just scraped over the wall, and Anderson's West Division teammates tumbled out of the third-base dugout to greet him at home plate after his walk-off homer gave them a 3-2 victory in the Arizona Fall League's all-star showcase game.

Anderson doesn't speak much English, but his teammates were more than happy to talk about how his game-winning shot earned them an extra $500 bonus for getting the victory.

"It definitely was different from other games out here, more fans, different atmosphere," said lefthander Patrick Urckfitz (Astros), who as a non-drafted free agent was one of the more unlikely Rising Stars roster members. "I signed for $15,000, so for me the extra $500 definitely helps." [...] Continue Reading »

SURPRISE, Ariz.—The Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Game will feature most of the top players in the AFL, but it doesn't have the one player everyone wants to see.

Bryce Harper, the Nationals' No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, just missed being the youngest player in Fall League history. When made his debut in the AFL, he was four days older than Mets prospect Fernando Martinez was when he played here in 2006.

Harper has bigger tools than Martinez, who has reached the big leagues but hasn't established himself as a regular yet. It's not easy to say when Harper will establish himself, but he has already set himself apart from many of his AFL peers with his hard play and effort, not to mention his tools.

"He plays the game the right way and has baseball instincts," said East manager Randy Knorr, who managed Harrisburg in the Nats' system this season. "He goes hard at all times. He's fun to watch for sure." [...] Continue Reading »

The World Series is over, but there is still baseball on TV this weekend.

The Arizona Fall League announced the rosters for its annual Rising Stars all-star game, which will be televised live on MLB Network and on MLB.com on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET from Surprise Stadium.

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the all-star rosters is the West Division's infield, which is loaded with talent at the plate in the field with Eric Hosmer, Dustin Ackley, Zack Cox, Jason Kipnis and Jose Iglesias.

WEST DIVISION ALL-STARS

Pitchers
Brad Brach, Padres
Anthony Carter, White Sox
Fabio Castillo, Rangers
Josh Fields, Mariners
Carlos Gutierrez, Twins
Colt Hynes, Padres
Jeremy Jeffress, Brewers
Mike Montgomery, Royals
Chance Ruffin, Tigers
Patrick Urckfitz, Astros
Philippe Valiquette, Reds

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For the second year in a row, the Nationals will have the most highly touted prospect in the Arizona Fall League.

After sending 2009 No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg to the AFL a year ago, the Nationals will send 2010 top pick Bryce Harper to the circuit this year.

Harper will join Scottsdale as a member of the taxi squad, meaning he will be able to play two games per week for the Scorpions, who are managed by Washington's Randy Knorr. Harper turns 18 on Saturday.

Harper, who did not play in the minors this season after signing at the Aug. 17 signing deadline, has been getting acclimated to pro ball with the Nationals at the club's instructional league. After spending most of his time this year with JC of Southern Nevada at catcher, Harper will make the full-time transition to right field.

See also: Arizona Fall League rosters

MLB.com released rosters for the Arizona Fall League on Tuesday. Rather than just give you raw names, here's a look inside the rosters for the premier prospect showcase in professional baseball: [...] Continue Reading »

We've written about how just how loaded the Phillies' low Class A Lakewood club is, but one name that we hadn't expected to see there anymore was righthander Trevor May. The 20-year-old was Lakewood's best pitcher down the stretch last year as the BlueClaws won the South Atlantic League title, going 4-1, 2.56 in 77 innings after joining the club last June.

Promoted to high Class A Clearwater to start this year, May's stuff hadn't gone anywhere—led by his 92-94 mph fastball—but his control had. May held opponents to a .212 average and struck out 90 in 70 innings for Clearwater. But he was his own worst enemy, walking 61 batters, beaning five more and throwing nine wild pitches in 16 outings. That wildness contributed to a 5.01 ERA and earned him a ticket back to Lakewood in early July.

May hasn't needed long to get comfortable in his old surroundings, however. He struck out nine hitters in two of his first three outings. Then came his start last night in Delmarva. May fanned seven hitters through the first three innings and went on to strike out 14 over seven shutout innings. He allowed just four hits—all singles, one of them a bunt single—and walked none, the first time all year he hasn't issued a free pass. The 14 punchouts were easily a career high for May (his previous was 10, done twice with Clearwater) and tied Lakewood's single-game franchise record. May improved to 3-1, 3.10 in 29 innings for Lakewood and 8-6, 4.45 in 99 innings for the year overall. [...] Continue Reading »

Athletics outfielder Grant Desme has retired to become a Catholic priest. A's farm director Keith Lieppman confirmed that Desme, who led the Arizona Fall League with 11 home runs en route to MVP honors, has given up the game.

Lieppman said Desme called A's general manager Billy Beane earlier in the week to inform him of his decision. Lieppman, who has since spoken with Desme, said the organization respects Desme's decision but will miss him on the field.

"To do that when you are at the top of your game, it's a powerful thing, and the organization has to respect that," Lieppman said. "Somebody will step up, somebody will take advantage of the opportunity they may not otherwise have gotten, but he will not be easy to replace. With the tools he has, he had tremendous potential. But I would imagine his potential is equally great on this new path considering his commitment."

Desme, 23, was the only player in the minor leagues to post a 30-30 season last year, with 31 homers and 40 stolen bases between low Class A Kane County and high Class A Stockton. It was the first full season for the 2007 second-round pick out of Cal Poly, who had missed most of his debut year and 2008 with wrist and shoulder injuries. [...] Continue Reading »

Thanks to the Pitch F/X data that is being gathered at several Arizona Fall League sites, we have consistent pitch data that has never been available for prospects before. So if you want to know who’s the hardest and softest tossers in the AFL, now we know. You probably won’t be surprised by who’s No. 1, but it’s worth noting that converted shortstop Sergio Santos may have a future as a pitcher if his raw arm strength is any indication.

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GLENDALE, Ariz.—The Dodgers have shown a knack over the years for taking prospects and moving them to catcher. Russell Martin is the most successful example, a third baseman who moved behind the plate in 2003. Carlos Santana, traded to the Indians last year for Casey Blake, is another third baseman-turned-catcher and one of the game’s elite prospects. Tony Delmonico and Lucas May, both still in the Dodgers farm system, began their careers in the infield before converting to catcher.

With 22-year-old Kenley Jansen, the Dodgers have another conversion project on their hands. Only this time, the Dodgers are moving a player off the catching position and putting him on the mound.  

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—Giants catcher Buster Posey might have been the best position prospect in the Arizona Fall League.

Posey, 22, hit .325/.416/.531 in 115 games between high Class A San Jose and Triple-A Fresno during the regular season. Yet he had a rather pedestrian showing for Scottsdale in the Arizona Fall League. A few talent evaluators around the league said Posey looked tired, though he still showed good bat speed and the other solid all-around tools that made him the fifth overall pick in the 2008 draft out of Florida State.

"You see the catching ability, obviously the receiving, the blocking, the nice arm, you see the arm strength and the quickness in his release," said Scottsdale manager Jeff Banister, the Pirates minor league field coordinator. "The bat plays—he’s hit some balls very well here. I think being tired and worn out that he’s trying to press a little bit and trying to generate a little too much with the bat, but you do see all the skill set of a major league catcher, of a guy that potentially could be that everyday catcher that San Francisco is looking for."

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BY BILL MITCHELL

PHOENIX—The Arizona Fall League championship game was supposed to be the occasion for No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg to lead the Phoenix Desert Dogs to their sixth straight league championship in front of a national TV audience.

Instead, local product C.J. Retherford (White Sox), who went undrafted in 2007 after the end of his career at Arizona State, turned himself into the unlikely hero of the game. Retherford’s two-run homer off Desert Dog reliever Josh Perrault (Orioles) in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Peoria Javelinas a dramatic 5-4 victory for the AFL title. [...] Continue Reading »

Stephen Strasburg’s time in the Arizona Fall League is finished after the Nationals righthander twisted his left knee prior to today’s game.

The Nationals in a press release claimed the injury was "not serious" and that an MRI showed inflammation. Strasburg will fly to Washington D.C. tomorrow to visit medical director Dr. Wiemi Douoguih. Strasburg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft, will miss his scheduled start for Saturday’s AFL championship game.

We’ve heard conflicting reports on the details and severity of the injury at Baseball America since it happened earlier this morning, but we will pass along further information as we learn more.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—It doesn’t take long to see what all the fuss is about with Phillies right fielder Domonic Brown.

Brown, 22, is a potential true five-tool player with a wiry 6-foot-5, 204-pound frame that screams projection. He’s an outstanding athlete with plenty of bat speed, plus raw power that’s beginning to translate to game situations and, despite a bit of an awkward load, a solid swing with good extension. After tearing through the league in his first dozen Arizona Fall League games, Brown’s performance has tapered off to .239/.302/.407 through 29 games.

"Early in the season, he showed you the raw power and showed you the hitting ability," said Scottsdale manager Jeff Banister, the Pirates minor league field coordinator. "He’s playing deeper now than he’s ever played before, more games than he’s ever played—it is a grind. But he does possess all the five tools to go out and take over the game. When he’s not doing it with the power, he can do it with his legs on the bases. He has that dominating right fielder’s arm that can shut down guys on the basepaths as well. He’s big and lanky, and he can use that speed in the outfield. Boy, I tell you, I wouldn’t mind having him patrolling right field every day."

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PHOENIX—For all the accolades Stephen Strasburg has received, he might be even better than you think.

Strasburg didn’t have much need to throw his changeup at San Diego State, not with an arm that consistently pumps mid- to high-90s fastballs and a filthy breaking ball.

Strasburg does have a good changeup though, as Aaron Fitt points out in the Nationals top 10 scouting reports, and the Arizona Fall League provides him with the perfect outlet to mix in his changeup against more advanced hitters. It’s plus pitch at 88-91 mph with good sink, which the Peoria Saguaros found out on Saturday.

Facing Houston’s Jose Vallejo to lead off the game, Strasburg struck out Vallejo swinging on a 91-mph changeup on a 2-2 pitch. After Padres shortstop Lance Zawadzki popped out, Reds outfielder Chris Heisey struck out swinging on another 91-mph changeup in a 2-2 count. Strasburg struck out Heisey swinging again in the fourth inning, this time getting him to swing through an 89-mph changeup in a 3-2 count. 

"He has an excellent changeup, and he has thrown it quite well," said Phoenix pitching coach Paul Menhart, who spent the 2009 minor league season coaching the Nationals’ high Class A Potomac club. "It is a plus pitch, in my opinion, and he’s used it as we’ve asked him to quite effectively to go along with the electric fastball and very above-average curveball."

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—There isn’t anything too flashy about Chase D’Arnaud.

While the Pirates infielder won’t hit 460-foot home runs, show off a rocket arm or fly down the line in four seconds flat, he’s a very good athlete with a well-rounded skill set.

"He does everything well enough," said an American League scout. "He doesn’t have a standout tool, but he has some bat speed and he can square it up. He’s got gap power, but he can turn on one and hit it out."

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PHOENIX—For most of their careers, Baltimore’s Josh Bell and Brandon Snyder have been known as defensive liabilities.

Coming into the season, Bell appeared to be a likely candidate to move off of third base, while Snyder was a below-average defender at first base after trying his hand at catching earlier in his career.

That perception is changing.

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SURPRISE, Ariz.—Jenrry Mejia signed with the Mets two and a half years ago in relative anonymity.

His $16,500 signing bonus looks like a clearance-aisle price today for the organization’s No. 1 prospect, a power-armed righthander who reached Double-A in June before just turning 20 last month.

Pitching for Surprise yesterday after missing his last scheduled start due to illness, Mejia touched 96 mph with his fastball once, otherwise ranging from 90-95 mph and mostly sitting 92-95 (he’s been clocked as high as 98 mph in previous outings here in the AFL and during the minor league season). 

His fastball is a swing-and-miss offering, not just because of its velocity but because of its outstanding movement. Mejia generates tremendous cutting action on his fastball, and he’ll also put some sink on his heater as well. Between the velocity and movement, Mejia has a pitch he can use as an out pitch or to induce grounders—71 percent of his outs on balls in play were groundouts during the minor league season. 

“It has a lot of power—it gets on you quick,” said Surprise pitching coach Tom Phelps, the Yankees’ Double-A pitching coach at Trenton during the 2009 minor league season. “He has a fastball that will cut, and he also has a fastball that will sink. As long as he keeps it down in the zone, he gets a lot of ground balls and a lot of early outs and quick innings. The big thing for him is controlling it in the zone and not getting behind hitters and walking hitters.”

[...] Continue Reading »

PEORIA, Ariz.—After catching all season, some of the catchers in the Arizona Fall League are starting to show some wear and tear.

The Astros have already sent catcher Jason Castro home, while some scouts have said Giants catcher Buster Posey looks worn down as well. 

While it’s been a struggle for the 2008 first-round picks after the grind of their first full professional seasons, Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy has been a standout for the Peoria Javelinas.

“He’s pretty impressive as a catcher,” said an American League scout. “He’s been one of the better—if not the best—catchers here. He plays good defense, has just enough power and throws well at times.”

[...] Continue Reading »