INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Rochester center fielder Jason Pridie (Twins) bats lefthanded, runs well, has some pop and plays a very good center field. He doesn’t make a ton of contract, and he struggles to control the strike zone, but all in all, he profiles as an ideal reserve outfielder or maybe a second-division regular.

As it’s played out, Carlos Gomez and Denard Span have provided the Twins with a decent center-field platoon, leaving Pridie in Rochester for now. The 24-year-old went 1-for-4 yesterday with his eighth homer of the year, a solo shot, to go with two whiffs. He garners POTD honors, though, for the monster series he enjoyed against Durham this weekend. In four games, Pridie went 7-for-20 (.350) with three homers, a triple (giving him an IL-leading 11), six runs, six RBIs, six strikeouts and no walks.

Prospect Nuggets

Buffalo 2B Asdrubal Cabrera (Indians) was 2-for-5 with a home runs (four), a double (seven), two runs, two RBIs and two strikeouts in a loss to Louisville. He went a combined 1-for-7 in Friday’s and Saturday’s games. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

He’s not a prospect, but prospect pickings around the International League are pretty sparse this day. So let me have a little license to notice the season that Blaine Neal is having. This March, BA’s Nathan Rode went to a Tigers tryout camp to do a story on what it’s like to participate in an open tryout. As he chronicled, the Tigers were willing to pass on Rode’s obvious talent. But at that same tryout, former big leaguer Blaine Neal showed up to throw. The Tigers did give Neal a contract and made him Toledo’s closer. He’s making it pay off.

Neal worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his 23rd save of the season last night. He lowered his ERA to 1.39, and he has 36 strikeouts in 32 innings. [...] Continue Reading »

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

After an uneven half-season in Double-A, righthander Jeff Samardzija (Cubs) has now turned in three good starts in four tries for Iowa. Yesterday, the 23-year-old limited Round Rock to two runs on seven hits in seven innings. He gave up a pair of solo home runs, but aside from that he was just about flawless, striking out seven, walking none and keeping the ball on the ground, generating 10 groundouts and four fly outs. In four starts for Iowa, Samardzija is 3-1, 3.55 with 22 strikeouts, 11 walks and four home runs in 25 1/3 innings. He’s induced 1.58 groundouts for every fly out.

Prospect Nuggets

Portland CF Will Venable (Padres) has quietly put together a nice year in Triple-A. While he may not have a standout tool, the 2005 seventh-round pick out of Princeton is batting .322/.389/.510 on the year after going 2-for-4 last night, with a home run (eight), a double (20), a walk and a strikeout. . . . Fresno RF Nate Schierholtz (Giants) upped his averages to .298/.346/.538 in going 3-for-5 with a double (16), two runs and two RBIs. . . . Sacramento LHP Gio Gonzalez (Athletics) was strong in a win against Colorado Springs, going six innings and giving up only one run on one hit. He walked one and struck out seven, moving to the top of the PCL in punchouts, with 110. He improved his ERA at home to 2.41 with the win, but his road ERA still stands at 6.79. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

You won’t find 22-year-old Asdrubal Cabrera in this year’s Indians Top 30. It’s not because the switch-hitting shortstop/second baseman is not talented; it’s because he accumulated 159 at-bats for Cleveland last season, batting .283/.354/.421, and lost his rookie eligibility. He got off to a miserable start with the Indians this season, batting .184/.282/.247 through an almost identical number of at-bats (158), and was summarily shipped to Buffalo.

Cabrera, who was acquired from the Mariners in 2006 for Eduardo Perez, has found his footing with the Bisons. He’s batting .333/.385/.450 through 120 at-bats, while playing mostly his natural position of shortstop. (In fact, he may be the best defender at the position in the organization.) So even though he’s not technically a prospect any longer, we’ll stretch the rules to acknowledge Cabrera’s big day yesterday, when he went 5-for-7, with a home run (two) and two doubles (six), in a doubleheader at Syracuse.

And how’s this for symmetry? In the first game he faced a righthanded pitcher and played shortstop, and in the second he faced a lefty and played second.

Prospect Nuggets

Louisville RHP Daryl Thompson (Reds) was effective, if not dominating, in his return to Triple-A. He went six innings yesterday, allowing only one run on six hits and two walks. He struck out just two. . . . Toledo SS Michael Hollimon (Tigers), in his return to Triple-A, went 0-for-3 with a walk Monday. But yesterday the versatile middle infielder went 3-for-4 with a double (12), a triple (four), two runs and two RBIs. Hollimon batted .261/.280/.565 in 23 at-bats for the Tigers. [...] Continue Reading »

International League

Prospect Of The Day

The Tigers have done a great job in getting Chris Lambert fixed. The former Cardinals first-round pick was traded to Detroit as the player to be named for Mike Maroth last season. Coming off of a 7.49 ERA in Memphis as a reliever, Lambert seemed to be a hard-thrower who had no clue on how to pitch. And his 7.49 ERA wasn’t much of an aberration–he had an ERA of 4.90 or higher in each of his three pro seasons.

But the Tigers moved Lambert back into the starting rotation, helped him sharpen his offspeed pitches, and have watched some impressive results. Lambert threw the first complete game of his career last night, holding Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to three hits in a shutout.

“He seemed to have complete command of all of his pitches,” Yankees manager Dave Miley said of Lambert, who surrendered seven runs in less than four innings at PNC Field June 22. “We certainly didn’t square up any balls off him."

Lambert lowered his ERA to 3.25 for the season. He’s allowed only 95 hits in 102 innings. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre righthander Daniel McCutchen (Yankees) struck out 10 Syracuse batters and walked none in a five-hit shutout yesterday, giving him his league-leading second whitewashing of the season. He might also be the hottest pitcher in the IL at the moment, seeing as in his previous start he completed six, six-hit, one-run innings. The 25-year-old McCutchen (2-6, 3.36) in his past two starts: 15 innings, 11 hits, one run, zero home runs, one walk and 15 strikeouts. Opposing batters can get the ball in the air against him, as he recorded four groundouts and 12 fly outs in yesterday’s game, and his home runs per nine (1.2) and ground/fly rate (0.71) at Triple-A are indicative of a fly-ball pitcher.

Prospect Nuggets

Two big league stints have produced just .154/.154/.231 averages for Richmond SS Brent Lillibridge (Braves). That’s in just 26 at-bats, but unfortunately his Triple-A performance is less than reassuring: .212/.276/.288 in 212 at-bats. The 24-year-old was 2-for-4 yesterday with a pair of doubles (nine), a run scored and his twelfth error. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Durham righthander Jeff Niemann (Rays) struck out 12 Charlotte batters and walked only one on his way to a 7-1 complete-game win. The 6-foot-9 Niemann allowed just one run on seven hits in completing nine innings. His record improves to 6-2, 3.76.

Prospect Nuggets

Durham RF Justin Ruggiano (Rays) connected for two solo home (seven) runs in the Bulls’ win, in going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. . . . Louisville RHP Homer Bailey (Reds) struck out seven and walked four in six innings yesterday. He allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits, throwing 63 of 100 pitches for strikes. . . . Lehigh Valley RHP Brett Myers (Phillies), who was optioned to Triple-A to smooth out his mechanics, gave up three runs on five hits in five innings, striking out six and walking two. [...] Continue Reading »

Sean Rodriguez rapped out four extra-base hits, David Huff went six strong innings and Jed Lowrie kept on streaking.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Salt Lake second baseman Sean Rodriguez (Angels) wouldn’t mind if all his games were played in Las Vegas. The 23-year-old went 4-for-5 with two home runs (11), two doubles (10), three runs and three RBIs in the Bees’ 9-6 road win. The four extra-base hits tied a Salt Lake franchise record, and with the big game Rodriguez moved to .298/.422/.653 in 121 at-bats on the season.

Prospect Nuggets

Salt Lake SS Brandon Wood (Angels) went 3-for-5 with a double (12), a run and two RBIs. . . . Memphis LHP Jaime Garcia (Cardinals) was touched for four runs (two earned) on five hits in five innings yesterday. He struck out four and walked two. . . . Tacoma LF Michael Saunders (Mariners) was 2-for-4 with a home run (two), two runs and four RBIs in the first game of a doubleheader. In game two, he was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. . . . Sacramento C Landon Powell (Athletics) homered (10), doubled (11) and walked twice in the River Cats’ 9-3 win against Portland. He’s thrown out 17 of 40 basestealers (43 percent) this season, a figure that ranks behind only Salt Lake’s Bobby Wilson and Tucson’s Wilkin Castillo in the PCL. [...] Continue Reading »

Billy Buckner and Daniel McCutchen turned in fine pitching performances only to be denied wins by shaky relief, Bryan Anderson cracked three extra-base hits and Francisco Liriano continued on the comeback trail.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

After a brutal April (0-3, 7.94 in six starts), Tucson righthander Billy Buckner (Diamondbacks) has turned in two consecutive solid months, culminating in eight shutout innings yesterday at home against Fresno. He struck out six, walked one, hit a batter, allowed four hits and kept the ball on the ground, inducing 12 groundouts (including three double plays) and six fly outs.

Unfortunately for Buckner, 24, Sidewinders righthanders Brandon Medders and Emiliano Fruto surrendered six runs in the top of the ninth and two more in the 10th, tying the game and then handing Fresno an 8-7 win. Beginning with his start on May 4, Buckner has gone 4-4, 3.21 in 11 starts, striking out 37, walking 24, giving up three home runs and inducing 10 double plays in 70 innings. [...] 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 »

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 »

Pirates prospects Steve Pearce and Neil Walker connected for back-to-back home runs in a 5-0 win, Denard Span remains on fire (not literally) and Brett Gardner continued to spark the Scranton offense.

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Indianapolis righthander Bryan Bullington and relievers Jesse Chavez and Marino Salas combined to throw a one-hitter against Buffalo. The Indians won 5-0 on the strength of two solo home runs (11) by right fielder Steve Pearce (Pirates) and another by third baseman Neil Walker. They went back-to-back off Jeff Harris in the third inning.

After a sluggish start, the 25-year-old Pearce, who ranks second in the IL with 23 doubles, has gotten hot in June. His two home runs yesterday have propelled him to fourth in the league in extra base hits, with 34, and after going 3-for-4 (3 R, 2 RBI), he’s now batting .296/.344/.605 in 81 at-bats for the month. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Toledo owns a sizable advantage in the IL team home run chase, though Pawtucket is making a valiant charge and presently trails the Mud Hens by 16. For further perspective, five teams have not yet accumulated half of Toledo’s 120 homers. The Mud Hens increased their tally by two yesterday, both home runs coming courtesy of right fielder Matt Joyce (Tigers).

Joyce hit a three-run shot in the first inning and crushed a grand slam in the second (both off Syracuse’s Kane Davis), giving him 12 home runs on the year and helping to stake Mud Hens righthander Virgil Vasquez to a 9-0 lead. They defeated the Chiefs 12-2. Joyce, 23, was 3-for-5 with seven RBIs and three runs scored. He told The Toledo Blade:

"You don’t have that kind of hitting too often. Whenever you give your pitcher a five-run lead in the first inning and follow that with four more in the second . . . well all he has to do is go out and throw strikes." [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Lehigh Valley started its first season in the IL at 5-30 and is 24-20 since then, and lefthander J.A. Happ’s (Phillies) a major reason for the turnaround. He’s pitched like an ace since an 0-3 start, and did it again last night against Durham. He no-hit the Bulls through the first four innings and allowed only one hit in six shutout frames, striking out nine to take the IL lead with 99 in 94 innings.

Happ’s fastball sat in the 87-91 mph range, touching 92 regularly, and he was effective working it to both corners against lefthanded hitters, while using his change and slider more against righthanded batters. He threw 95 pitches, and efficiency was the only reason he didn’t pitch deeper in Lehigh Valley’s 7-0 victory. Since that 0-3 start, Happ has gone 5-3, 3.25 in 74 2/3 innings, with 75 strikeouts and just 22 walks. If the Phillies—whose five starters in Philadelphia have yet to miss a turn—have a big league need, Happ appears close to being ready to help. (John Manuel) [...] Continue Reading »

Joe Koshansky continued to belt extra-base hits, and teammates Seth Smith and Franklin Morales also got in on the act, as Colorado Springs cruised to an 8-2 win. Also, Wade LeBlanc struck out nine and Reid Brignac drove in three.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

With a perfect 3-for-3 showing with a walk, a home run (18), a double (29) and three RBIs, Colorado Springs first baseman Joe Koshansky (Rockies) claimed the PCL lead in doubles and furthered his lead in RBIs (73) and extra-base hits (49). The 26-year-old slugger has done something else remarkable: He has nearly matched his power output from last year, which he also spent with the Sky Sox—and he still has half the season remaining.

For a player who had belted 30 or more homers in his previous two seasons, Koshansky’s 2007 in the PCL was seen as a disappointment. He batted .295/.380/.490 in 498 at-bats with 21 home runs and 30 doubles. The lefthanded batter also struggled against his own side, batting .276/.330/.412 versus lefties. Koshansky has improved those averages to .338/.415/.592 through 71 at-bats this season. [...] Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

PROSPECT OF THE DAY: David Robertson, rhp, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

The last time David Robertson gave up a home run, North Carolina had not been to the College World Series since 1989.

Then Robertson, pitching for Alabama in 2006, gave up a two-run, ninth-inning homer to Tar Heels first baseman Chad Flack, a game-changer that sent North Carolina to its first-ever super-regional victory. Robertson’s college career, as it turned out, was over; Flack will bat sixth tonight in a College World Series game against Louisiana State. The Yankees drafted Robertson as a 17th-round pick, as the eligible sophomore’s signability was thought to be in question. He started strong in the Cape Cod League and the Yankees signed him for a $200,000 bonus.

He has rewarded them since with a career ERA of 1.17, a rapid ascent to Triple-A (in just his second full season) and an impressive 180-54 strikeout-walk mark in 131 innings. Most impressively, Robertson has yet to give up a home run, a streak he continued Thursday with two scoreless innings in a 4-3 Scranton loss to Toledo. [...] Continue Reading »

Gio Gonzalez pitched eight one-hit innings, Chris Davis extended his hitting streak with a couple of home runs, Colby Rasmus hit in both ends of a doubleheader and Michael Saunders made his Triple-A debut.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Because it would be criminal not to recognize yesterday’s two top PCL prospect performances, Sacramento lefthander Gio Gonzalez (Athletics) and Oklahoma first baseman Chris Davis (Rangers) both garner POTD honors today.

Just 22, Gonzalez already has been traded three times in his young career. And after last night’s start, it’s easy to see why teams are so eager to acquire him. The young lefty, who led the minors in punchouts last season, struck out 12 Fresno batters in eight innings, while walking none and allowing only one hit. Righthander Jeff Gray pitched the ninth to preserve the Sacramento one-hitter, a 4-0 win. The start was Gonzalez’ best this season, by far, though he has resuscitated his strikeout-to-walk ratio in June, where it stands at 2.7-to-1 after sitting at 1.8-to-1 in April and May.

Davis, also 22, kept his 14-game hitting streak alive in Oklahoma’s 13-9 win against Nashville. But he didn’t settle for a couple singles—instead he blasted two home runs in five at-bats, driving in four and giving him nine Triple-A round-trippers and 22 total on the year. He’s crushed five home runs in his past five games and now is hitting .356/.410/.733 for the RedHawks in 90 at-bats. [...] Continue Reading »

Nick Adenhart had just his second good start in a month, Chris Davis hit in his 13th straight, Denard Span showed no rust and Clayton Richard has turned in two impressive starts for Charlotte.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Salt Lake righthander Nick Adenhart (Angels) allowed four runs (three earned) in seven innings at Colorado Springs yesterday. He struck out five, walked three and allowed six hits. His Bees finished on the short end of the 4-2 score, as well, dropping Adenhart to 5-6 on the year. This is not the type of performance that one typically associates with a Prospect of the Day. However . . .

At 21, Adenhart is the youngest starting pitcher in the PCL, and he spends most of his time pitching in the hitter-friendly environments of the league’s Western teams—typified by his start in Colorado Springs last night. And then one has to consider his recent performance: From May 17, when Adenhart returned from an unsuccessful big league stint, through June 12, the young hurler had been about as bad as a pitcher can be. In six starts he was 1-5, 8.80, allowing 50 hits, 17 walks and six home runs in 29 2/3 innings, while striking out just 23. Batters hit .391 in that span. So in that context, Adenhart’s performance yesterday is an encouraging sign. [...] Continue Reading »

Denard Span announced his return, Cliff Pennington continued to play as well as he ever has and Chris Davis homered for the third straight game.

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Rochester center fielder Denard Span (Twins) was cruising through the first two months of the season, making his major league debut in April and hitting home runs in three straight games for the Red Wings in May. Then he broke the middle finger on his left hand (he bats and throws lefthanded) on May 20 while attempting to bunt.

The injury forced Span, 24, out of the lineup for four weeks, but the leadoff batter returned with a vengeance yesterday, going 3-for-3 with a double (seven), two walks, two runs scored and an RBI in a 9-1 romp against Louisville. He also was picked off second base, but that did little to diminish the return. The 20th overall pick in 2002, Span is batting .346/.453/.495 for Rochester with 21 walks, 23 strikeouts and 14 steals in 18 attempts. [...] Continue Reading »

All Seth Smith does is hit, Max Scherzer’s return to Triple-A was a rocky one, Chris Davis went deep again, Jason Pridie and Matt Joyce each connected for a pair of doubles.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Prospect Of The Day

Colorado Springs corner outfielder Seth Smith earned a 12-game trial with the Rockies in late May when Matt Holliday and Brad Hawpe spent time on the DL. Smith hasn’t let a demotion back to the Sky Sox bother him—he’s collected a hit in each of his five games back in the PCL. The hot streak culminated in a 2-for-5 performance yesterday that included a three-run, 11th-inning home run, his eighth. Smith, 25, also chipped in a sacrifice fly and a two-run single, giving him six RBIs. He’s batting a robust .330/.438/.542 on the season and boasts a 36-34 BB-K mark and is a perfect 11-for-11 stealing bases.

Prospect Nuggets

Tacoma C Rob Johnson (Mariners) went 3-for-4, connected for two home runs (three) and drove in five runs in the Rainiers 11-3 win against Sacramento. LHP Robert Rohrbaugh went 7 1/3 innings for the win. He struck out eight, walked none and gave up three runs on eight hits, two of them home runs . . . The 31st overall pick in 2005 from Massachusetts, RHP Matt Torra (Diamondbacks) made his Triple-A debut yesterday, going six innings and allowing three runs on four hits. He struck out three and walked one. Torra was sidetracked early in his career by a torn labrum. RHP Max Scherzer, back in Triple-A after pitching respectably for Arizona, relieved Torra but was rocked for six runs (five earned) in 2 1/3 innings. He walked three and allowed four hits, a performance that was deemed hold-worthy. Five of Scherzer’s seven outs were recorded by strikeout . . . Oklahoma C Taylor Teagarden and 1B Chris Davis (Rangers) proved too much for New Orleans in a 7-3 win. Davis (1-for-3, two RBIs, walk, strikeout) homered in his second straight game, giving him six in the PCL and 19 on the year. Teagarden went 2-for-4 with a homer (four), a triple (three) and two RBIs . . . Albuquerque RHP Eulogio de la Cruz (Marlins) continued his mastery of the hitter’s haven that is Isotopes Field, improving to 8-3 by going six innings yesterday and giving up one run on five hits and three walks. He fanned nine and recorded seven of nine outs in play on the ground. For the year, the 24-year-old de la Cruz is 5-1, 3.28 with 39-15 K-BB in 46 2/3 innings at home, where he’s allowed just three home runs. [...] Continue Reading »