Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Rosters Announced

By J.J. Cooper
November 2, 2011



Rosters have been announced for the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game. The game will be played on Nov. 5 at 8:10 p.m. ET at Surprise Stadium. It will be televised on MLB Network and MLB.TV, with Baseball America's John Manuel among the commentators.

The following are the preliminary rosters, as well as a quick report on each prospect.

EAST ROSTER
Pitchers	AFL	Team	B	T	Ht.	Wt.	2011 Team
Steve Ames	SRR	LAD	R	R	6—1	205	Chattanooga (AA)
Control isn't great, but jerky delivery adds deception
Charles Brewer	SRR	ARI	R	R	6—4	205	Mobile (AA)
Lacks a plus pitch, gets by with feel for setting up hitters
Chris Carpenter	MSS	CHC	R	R	6—4	220	Chicago-NL (MLB)
Touched 100 mph in last year's Rising Stars game, has done it again this fall
David Carpenter	SCO	LAA	R	R	6—3	180	Arkansas (AA)
Lots of success in 2011, but violent delivery causes concerns
Gerrit Cole	MSS	PIT	R	R	6—4	220	UCLA (NCAA)
No. 1 pick showing a 98-100 mph fastball in first pro action
Jacob Diekman	SCO	PHI	L	L	6—4	190	Reading (AA)
Lefty has a plus fastball and cross-fire delivery that brings strikeouts and walks
Terry Doyle	MSS	CWS	R	R	6—4	225	Birmingham (AA)
Righthander has dominated AFL with average stuff and good pitchability
Trey McNutt	MSS	CHC	R	R	6—4	220	Tennessee (AA)
Trying to bounce back, showing good fastball velocity (93-96 mph) but throwing little else
Kevin Munson	SRR	ARI	R	R	6—5	213	Visalia (A+)
Has a chance to have a plus fastball and slider
Rob Scahill	SRR	COL	L	R	6—2	220	Tulsa (AA)
Shows plus fastball, but secondary stuff has a ways to go
Casey Weathers	SRR	COL	R	R	6—1	205	Tulsa (AA)
Stuff is plus, but control is minus-minus
Catcher	AFL	Team	B	T	Ht.	Wt.	2011 Team
Jason Castro	SRR	HOU	L	R	6—3	206	Houston (MLB)
Catching up on ABs after missing all of 2011
Derek Norris	SCO	WSH	R	R	6—0	210	Harrisburg (AA)
Hit-first catcher piles up high OBP despite low batting average
Infielders	AFL	Team	B	T	Ht.	Wt.	2011 Team
Nolan Arenado	SRR	COL	R	R	6—1	205	Modesto (A+)
Viewers get a chance to see how much he's improved defensively
Brian Dozier	MSS	MIN	R	R	5—11	190	New Britain (AA)
Sleeper to make the Twins 2012 roster
Junior Lake	MSS	CHC	R	R	6—3	215	Tennessee (AA)
Great arm, but rest of the package hasn't caught up
Will Middlebrooks	SCO	BOS	R	R	6—4	200	Pawtucket (AAA)
Breakthrough 2011 season puts him among game's best 3B prospects
Joe Panik	SCO	SF	L	R	6—1	193	Salem-Keizer (A)
Giants first-rounder has an impressive 2011 debut
Ben Paulsen	SRR	COL	L	R	6—4	205	Tulsa (AA)
2009 third-rounder hit a wall in Double-A this season
Jean Segura	SCO	LAA	R	R	5—11	160	Inland Empire (A+)
Needs the ABs after hamstring injuries ruined regular season
Outfielders	AFL	Team	B	T	Ht.	Wt.	2011 Team
Xavier Avery	MSS	BAL	L	L	5—11	180	Bowie (AA)
Speedster has seven steals in 19 AFL games
Robbie Grossman	MSS	PIT	S	L	6—1	190	Bradenton (A+)
Repeat trip to Bradenton paid off this year with breakout season
Bryce Harper	SCO	WSH	L	R	6—3	225	Harrisburg (AA)
One of game's best prospects will make this must-watch TV
Mike Trout	SCO	LAA	R	R	6—1	200	Los Angeles (AL) (MLB)
If Harper's not the game's best prospect, Trout likely is
Tim Wheeler	SRR	COL	L	R	6—4	205	Tulsa (AA)
Tweaked his swing this year and saw his power take off

EAST ROSTER
Pitchers	AFL	ORG	B	T	Ht.	Wt.	2011 Club
Nate Adcock	SUR	KC	R	R	6—5	220	Kansas City (MLB)
Rule 5 pick now hopes to move from pen to Royals' rotation
Anthony Bass	PEO	SD	R	R	6—2	190	San Diego (MLB)
Power stuff, has one of better arms on the West club
Brad Boxberger	PDD	CIN	R	R	6—2	200	Louisville (AAA)
Reds' best reliever prospect should be in Cincinnati in 2012
Jed Bradley	PEO	MIL	L	L	6—4	224	Georgia Tech (NCAA)
Brewers' first-round pick getting first taste of pros
Corey Burns	PDD	CLE	R	R	6—1	180	Akron (AA)
Kids, don't try this delivery at home, but it works for him
Wes Etheridge	PDD	TOR	R	R	6—1	185	New Hampshire (AA)
Former indy ball pitcher had dominating season as Dunedin closer
Preston Guilmet	PDD	CLE	R	R	6—2	200	Kinston (A+)
Nothing plus here, but that hasn't stopped him yet from having success
J.J. Hoover	SUR	ATL	R	R	6—3	215	Gwinnett (AAA)
Move to the pen has given Hoover clearer path to big leagues
Danny Hultzen	PEO	SEA	L	L	6—3	200	Virginia (NCAA)
Hultzen, Gerrit Cole reason enough to tune in to broadcast
Jeremy Jeffress	SUR	KC	R	R	6—0	210	Omaha (AAA)
Could join Cole, Carpenter in touching 100 mph
Taylor Whitenton	PEO	NYM	R	R	6—3	190	Savannah (A)
Ok fastball, changeup could make him a relief prospect
Catchers	AFL	ORG	B	T	Ht.	Wt.	2011 Club
Christian Bethancourt	SUR	ATL	R	R	6—2	190	Lynchburg (A+)
Braves' top catching prospect is more athletic than the average catcher
Kyle Skipworth	SUR	FLA	L	L	6—4	205	Jacksonville (AA)
Marlins have been very patient with struggling 2008 first-round pick
Infielders	AFL	ORG	B	T	Ht.	Wt.	2011 Club
Matt Adams	PEO	STL	L	R	6—3	230	Springfield (AA)
Sleeper prospect who had an excellent 2011 season has a plus hit tool
Tyler Bortnick	SUR	TB	R	R	5—11	185	Charlotte (A+)
If it works out, he could be big league utilityman
Christian Colon	SUR	KC	R	R	6—1	180	NW Arkansas (AA)
Subpar 2011 has scouts wondering if he is a regular
Matt Dominguez	SUR	FLA	R	R	6—1	205	New Orleans (AAA)
Defense is excellent, but bat still is work in progress
Nick Franklin	PEO	SEA	S	R	6—1	170	Jackson (AA)
2010 breakout prospect was laid low by mono in 2011
Mike Olt	SUR	TEX	R	R	6—2	210	Myrtle Beach (A+)
Midseason collarbone injury cut into his ABs, but he's an intriguing prospect
Joe Terdoslavich	SUR	ATL	S	R	6—1	200	Lynchburg (A+)
Plus power prospect should put on a show in batting practice
Outfielders	AFL	ORG	B	T	Ht.	Wt.	2011 Club
Michael Choice	PDD	OAK	R	R	6—0	215	Stockton (A+)
Plus power and potentially plus defense in outfield if he can improve pitch recognition
Jaff Decker	PEO	SD	L	L	5—10	190	San Antonio (AA)
Bat-first player picks up plenty of walks and plenty of strikeouts
Anthony Gose	PDD	TOR	L	L	6—1	190	New Hampshire (AA)
Excellent athleticism, made strides with bat in 2011
Mikie Mahtook	SUR	TB	R	R	6—1	200	Louisiana State (NCAA)
Rays' first-round pick is off to solid start in first pro action
Wil Myers	SUR	KC	R	R	6—3	205	NW Arkansas (AA)
Former catcher has impressed in AFL after struggles in regular season