• Felix Sterling, rhp, Indians: Sterling throws hard, but he's going to show he's got more in the tank than just a plus fastball. Pitching for low Class A Lake County, the 19-year-old got shelled this week, giving up 12 runs (including four homers) in just 2 1/3 innings, walking seven and hitting a batter in a nightmare outing. He had mixed in some solid starts before yesterday, so it hasn't been all bad news for Sterling, but there's still a long ways to go here.

• Dallas Keuchel, lhp, Astros. Keuchel lacks any overwhelming pitches, surviving on movement and pitchability to overcome a fastball that sits in the mid- to high 80s and might brush 91 mph on occasion. He'd pitched well for Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 4-2, 2.09 through his first eight starts, but the wheels came off this week. Keuchel, 24, was blasted for 12 runs (all earned) on 13 hits in four innings at Reno last Saturday, and followed that up with allowing another eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits in 3 2/3 at Colorado Springs on Thursday. His ERA more than doubled to 4.52, as the 20 runs he allowed were more than from his first eight starts combined (14).

• Robbie Grossman, of, Pirates. With the Pirates' big league offense nearing historic records of futility, any hitting prospect in the upper minors would appear to be on the fast track to a spot in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately for Grossman, he's making the doubters of his outstanding 2011 season seem prescient. The 22-year-old ranked among the best players in the Florida State League last year, but some scouts were not sold, pointing out he was repeating the level while also wondering if he would end up being an outfield tweener. Grossman is still drawing walks, but his .202 batting average is killing the rest of his game. His strikeout rate hasn't jumped appreciably, so there is hope that some of this is just some early season bad luck, but an 0-for-18 week isn't aiding those hopes.

• Miguel Sano, 3b, Twins. With big power comes big responsibility. Swing and miss enough while going for extra bases and strikeouts result. Bunch enough strikeouts together and slumps result, such was life for low Class A Beloit's Miguel Sano last week. He went 0-for-19 with nine whiffs, though he did walk three times, steal a base and score two runs. The 19-year-old Sano leads the Midwest League with 11 homers, but his recent lean times have dropped his isolated power (.282) under .300 on the season. The prospect "300 Club" now includes players such as the Braves' Evan Gattis (.379), the Royals' Wil Myers (.377), the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo (.353) and the Yankees' Tyler Austin (.353).

• Corey Brown, cf, Nationals: A historically frustrating player for scouts, Brown tantalizes with his physical tools but lacks a consistent approach at the plate and piles up strikeouts. But his tools were what made him the 59th overall pick by the Athletics in 2007 out of Oklahoma State, and the 26-year-old looks like he's turning a corner with Triple-A Syracuse in his second season in the Nationals system. Brown hit just .235/.326/.402 with Syracuse last year but has been one of the International League's best hitters in 2012, batting .294/.399/.561 with his .960 OPS that ranks fifth in the league. He's improved his walk and strikeout rates and done it without sacrificing power. Brown homered in four straight games this week, part of a .346/.379/.923 (9-for-26) week, has eight long balls in May and 11 for the year after hitting 14 last year. Brown lost his place on Washington's 40-man roster after last season, but he's making a loud case for another shot.