Minors: Classification Reports: Short Season

Yankees' Mason Williams Stands Out In Star-Studded Crowd
Sep. 12, 2011
The Staten Island Yankees roster is packed with notable prospects. Lefthander Evan DeLuca and righthander Bryan Mitchell, both drafted in 2009, received large overslot bonuses for their services. The Yankees' top two picks in 2010, Cito Culver and Angelo Gumbs, currently comprise the middle infield for the Baby Bombers. Yet no one's star has shined brighter than that of Mason Williams, who has made a name for himself this season roaming center field in Richmond County Bank Park. [...] Continue Reading »

Blue Jays's Nicolino Is On The Fast Track
Aug. 29, 2011
Justin Nicolino quickly played his way out of the Northwest League. [...] Continue Reading »

Giants' Chuckie Jones Still Trying To Get Started
Aug. 17, 2011
Giants outfielder Chuckie Jones is trying to get back into a groove. [...] Continue Reading »

Hitting Looks Like Right Decision For Kaleb Cowart
Jul. 26, 2011
Kaleb Cowart is reassuring the Angels that they made the right decision by making him a hitter instead of a pitcher. [...] Continue Reading »

International Emphasis Pays Off For Mariners
Jun. 17, 2011
Vicente Campos, Phillips Castillo and Esteilon Peguero are just a few of the new wave of international prospects ready to make their U.S. debuts for the Mariners this summer. [...] Continue Reading »

White Gets Second Chance To Play
Sep. 17, 2010
Only vague images from a game Cole White attended at Shea Stadium during the summer of 2008 remain in his mind. The Mets' opponent? White doesn't remember. The winner? White can't recall that detail, either. What White does recall is the empty feeling of sitting in the stands following a quick start to his own professional career. [...] Continue Reading »

Hamilton Trades Football Dreams For Baseball Success
Aug. 29, 2010
Almost two weeks after the Mississippi State football team began its fall camp, Billy Hamilton admits that he thinks about playing football for the Bulldogs all the time.
[...] Continue Reading »

Profar's Preference For Hitting Pays Off
Aug. 2, 2010
Shortstop Jurickson Profar is the youngest player on the Spokane Indians, but you wouldn't know it without a roster. [...] Continue Reading »

Wojciechowski Adjusting To Life As A Baseball Player
Jul. 21, 2010
After spending three years at The Citadel, which, as a military college, enforces a strict and busy lifestyle, you can't blame Asher Wojciechowski for having trouble passing his new-found excess of time. [...] Continue Reading »

The Senior Statesman Of The Appy League
Jun. 29, 2010
In his 23 seasons with the Elizabethton Twins, Ray Smith has become the Appalachian League's most decorated—and by far most seasoned—skipper. Smith has been named manager of the year six times. For perspective, Danville's Paul Runge is the Appalachian League's second-most experienced manager—totaling six years with the Braves. [...] Continue Reading »

Ynoa Ready To Make Long-Awaited Debut
Jun. 19, 2010
The legend of Michael Ynoa took an interesting twist after he signed a $4.25 million deal with the Athletics in 2008 at the age of 16. He disappeared.
[...] Continue Reading »

Hitting With Purpose
Sep. 4, 2009
Only off the field is Brian Cavazos-Galvez an open book, where he freely welcomes others to take a peek inside no matter how awkward the view. [...] Continue Reading »

Bouncing Back
Sep. 2, 2009
Tommy Mendonca found the introduction to pro ball was tougher than he expected. [...] Continue Reading »

Pitcher Perfect
Aug. 19, 2009
The Rays think they landed a steal in 2008 second-rounder Kyle Lobstein. [...] Continue Reading »

Long Way Back
Jul. 14, 2009
Kyle Hancock is giving pro baseball a try, four years after he walked away from the game. [...] Continue Reading »

Basketball Pays Off
Jul. 6, 2009
A three-sport star in high school, Arnett was invited to try out for the Indiana basketball team during his junior year. The training got Arnett into great physical shape and was the beginning of a spectacular season that concluded with him being drafted in the first round by the Brewers. [...] Continue Reading »

Impressive Start
Aug. 28, 2008
Few college pitchers saw their stock rise more than Brad Holt last spring. Holt dazzled scouts while pitching for UNC Wilmington in the Cary Regional against Elon when his fastball in the eighth inning registered at 94 mph—the same velocity that flashed across scouts' radar guns in the first inning. [...] Continue Reading »

Raben Adjusts To The Pro Game
Aug. 13, 2008
After cruising through his first two seasons at Miami (Fla.), Dennis Raben was a talent that many scouts had eyed. Then Raben showcased his abilities with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League in 2007 and it seemed like he was headed for the first round of the 2008 draft. It was not to be. Raben pulled a muscle in his back and was shelved until March of this year, then hit just .292 with 10 home runs the rest of the way. His first round dreams never materialized. [...] Continue Reading »

Different World
Jul. 28, 2008
For a 50th-round draft pick, Mike Loree put together an impressive streak over three appearances. [...] Continue Reading »

Lot To Prove
Jul. 15, 2008
This wasn't where Lonnie Chisenhall was supposed to be. The top college freshman in the country wasn't supposed to be playing summer games on dusty ballfields in eastern North Carolina. Chisenhall wasn't supposed to be playing against Brunswick County's American Legion team, let alone pitching against them. [...] Continue Reading »

Sweet 16
Jul. 8, 2008
Most baseball players Wilmer Flores' age are enjoying summer ball after their high school seasons, hoping to be seen by a college coach or a pro scout while they worry about facing the pitcher from the next town over. Flores, on the other hand, is getting used to a new culture, facing pitchers who in most cases are several years older than him, and starting his professional career. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Sep. 6, 2007
Playing in New York City is a culture shock for many Staten Island players. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Aug. 23, 2007
When the Twins selected Ben Revere with their first-round draft pick in June, 28th overall, they caused more than a few heads to turn. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Aug. 10, 2007
Vermont lefthander Glenn Gibson never threw a curveball until he turned 15. But according to Gibson, now 19, not throwing a curveball as a youngster is one of the biggest reasons he now has such outstanding command. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Jul. 25, 2007
Cody Johnson's road to fulfilling his big league dreams started with a nightmarish pro debut, however. But he hopes to bounce back in his second season. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Sep. 4, 2006
You just might start believing in ghosts after a night at Ogden's Ben Lomond Historic Suite Hote—if you don't already. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Aug. 23, 2006
Prospects like the Angels' Hank Conger regard their time in the Arizona League as a trial, but player-development officials like the league's unusual features. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Aug. 8, 2006
Athletics third-round pick Matt Sulentic, a high school draft, was holding his own in the short-season Northwest League, where he was facing older competition. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Jul. 25, 2006
Alessandro Maestri, the first native Italian pitcher, launches his career with the Northwest League's Boise Hawks. [...] Continue Reading »

Short-Season Report
Jul. 10, 2006
Jeremy Hellickson enjoyed getting regular work in extended spring training before debuting for Hudson Valley. [...] Continue Reading »