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Pitching Prospect of the Day: Yordano Ventura, RHP, Royals (Double-A Northwest Arkansas): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K; elite fastball; curveball has easy plus potential; changeup has made real strides and will be at least average; small frame; electric arm; has taken major steps forward in 2013 according to a scout I spoke with; number-two starter ceiling; 23.1 IP, 17 H, 6 ER, 9 BB, 33 K in five starts.

Position Prospect of the Day:  Garin Cecchini, 3B, Red Sox (High-A Salem): 3-4, 2 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI, K, 2 SB; plus power potential; tracks the ball well; body is physically mature; supreme baseball instincts; fringy runner; stole third easily off of instincts alone; .392/.478/.709 with 8 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR, 13 BB, 13 K, 10 SB in 79 at-bats.

Other notable prospect performances for April 30:

“The Good”

  • Jeff Ames, RHP, Rays (Low-A Bowling Green): 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K; fastball has plus potential; varies the fastball; potential plus slider; developing changeup; 25.0 IP, 13 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 22 K in five starts.
  • Austin Barnes, C, Marlins (High-A Jupiter): 2-6, 2 2B, 2 R; contact-oriented swing; line drives to all fields; not a base-clogger; may not be able to physically handle the rigor of catching every day; big-time gamer profile; .367/.414/.468 with 5 2B and 1 HR in 79 at-bats this season.
  • Jorge Bonifacio, RF, Royals (High-A Wilmington): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB; power to all fields; swing is nice and compact as long as he stays within himself; easy plus arm; 65-grade power ceiling; hit tool will be good enough (average) to tap into power; average runner, which is very good for a player of his size; high-maintenance body; first home run after seven doubles in 91 High-A at-bats at the age of 19.    
  • Zach Cates, RHP, Cubs (High-A Daytona): 6.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K; fastball can touch plus velocities; developing slider; developing changeup; stuff is good, but delivery can get away from him and hinder his command; 22.2 IP, 17 H, 8 ER, 11 BB, 23 K in 5 starts this season.
  • Brandon Drury, 3B, Diamondbacks (Low-A South Bend): 5-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, K; plus power potential; improving contact rates; improving plate discipline; .351/.378/.532 with 10 2B, 2 3B, and HR in 94 at-bats.
  • Slade Heathcott, CF, Yankees (Double-A Trenton): 2-3, HR, R, 3 RBI; “plays like his hair is on fire”; plus-plus runner; easy plus defensive profile; plenty of bat speed; aggressive at the plate; tendency to get himself out; struggling in Double-A thus far .191/.282/.294 with four extra-base hits and 20 strikeouts in 68 at-bats this season.
  • Austin Hedges, C, Padres (High-A Lake Elsinore): 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, K; best defensive catcher in the minor leagues; elite defensive ceiling; both hit tool and power have potential to be average.
  • Tommy La Stella, 2B, Braves (High-A Lynchburg): 2-2, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB; excellent bat-to-ball skills; solid-average hit tool; solid-average glove; will have to play on right side of the infield; often injured.
  • John Lamb, LHP, Royals (High-A Wilmington): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; excellent pitchability; fastball 84-86 with arm-side run; curveball is a big breaker at 65-69; changeup comes in at 70-73 with good arm speed and fade. It is about a year and a half after Tommy John surgery, and the velocity has not come back, offering more evidence that the procedure isn’t foolproof.
  • Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians (High-A Carolina): 3-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; sort of an “oh yeah, you think I’m not a fantasy prospect! I’ll show you!” type night for Lindor. He can really hit and the power will develop. The role of the power, gap or over-the-fence, will determine his overall fantasy value; .341/.406/.505 in 91 at-bats this season.
  • Luke Maile, C, Rays (Low-A Bowling Green): 3-5, 2 2B, HR, R, 4 RBI; offensive-minded catcher; plus raw power; bat speed only average; needs to prove he can catch and make enough solid contact before he is mentioned on prospect lists.
  • Renato Nunez, 3B, Athletics (Low-A Beloit): 2-4, HR, 2 R, RBI, 2 K; power potential; swing is ultra-violent; defense is still a major work in progress; will need to prove his swing works against higher-level pitching; .310/.380/.592 with 5 2B and 5 HR in 71 at-bats this season.
  • Guillermo Pimentel, OF, Mariners (Low-A Clinton): 3-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI; solid-average power potential; quick bat; a bit of a free-swinger; minimal defensive profile with a future in left field; .269/.367/.436 with 4 2B,3 HR, and 29 strikeouts in 78 at-bats this season.
  • Dan Vogelbach, 1B, Cubs (Low-A Kane County): 4-6, HR, R, 2 RBI; can really hit; hit tool has plus potential; easy plus-plus power potential; the yin to my yang; .315/.354/.494 with 5 HR in 89 at-bats.
  • Zack Wheeler, RHP, Mets (Triple-A Las Vegas): 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K; mature four-pitch mix (fastball/curveball/slider changeup); fastball has plus-plus potential; curveball has plus potential; slider has solid-average potential; changeup will be a usable major-league pitch at worst; one of the few minor-league pitchers currently worthy of the “ace” label.
  • Brandon Workman, RHP, Red Sox (Double-A Portland): 6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K; four-pitch mix (fastball/cutter/curveball/changeup); fastball sits 91-93 and can touch higher; cutter is 89-90 with good life, profiling as a plus pitch; curveball has solid-average potential; changeup is 83-85 and has potential to improve; 29.2 IP, 15 H, 9 ER, 6 BB, 34 K in five Double-A outings this year.

 “The Bad”

  • Ramon Flores, OF, Yankees (Double-A Trenton): 0-4, 3 K; known for his contact rates, most scouts believe that a lack of power potential will be the thing that scares off most teams from giving Flores an everyday job.
  • Gabriel Guerrero, OF, Mariners (Low-A Clinton): 0-5, RBI, 2 K; his uncle is Vlad, so, needless to free-swinging is in his genes.
  • Adam Brett Walker, OF, Twins (Low-A Cedar Rapids): 0-3, 3 K; Walker has tools, but he also has plenty of swing and miss in his offensive profile.

 “The Most Hated Prospect Ever”

Sean Coyle, 2B, Red Sox (High-A Salem): 0-4, RBI, 2 K; I actually really like Coyle as a prospect. Plus power potential; good bat speed; solid-average hit tool; plus speed; solid-average defensive player; small frame; absolute grinder; first-division ceiling at second base; .317/.377/.730 with 7 HR in 63 at-bats this season.

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rawagman
5/01
I notice you haven't featured many Blue Jays' prospects in MLU lately. Granted, very few have been worthy of notice, but what about Andy Burns? His numbers have been stellar, but is he a guy?
mort10
5/01
I saw Burns a lot this spring. For me he is a fringy guy. He does not have that one tool that stands out and says "Hey I'm a big leaguer!"
timber
5/01
John Lamb at 84-86. Ugh. If that's the best it ever comes back, does that make him a non-prospect?
LoneStarDugout
5/01
I saw him three times in camp (wrote him up in the end-of-camp notes), and that's even lower than I saw him this spring. Obviously not a good sign to be going backwards this far off surgery.
mshopoff
5/01
If I took the name away from the position prospect of the day, that description would make me think the Astros will trade a reliever for him at the deadline.
mort10
5/01
I like what I see from Cecchini; future big league starter.
delatopia
5/01
Coyle sounds like Pedroia lite ... is that about right?
mort10
5/02
They both have small frames with power. It may be setting the bar a little high to even throw Coyle's name out against someone like that.
MaineSkin
5/06
Pedroria doesnt have plus speed imo, he has plus heart and unreal baseball instincts. Does Coyle steal 20+ bases in MLs? Is this Alutve jr?
mort10
5/06
I love the back reading. As a sneak preview Coyle will be in MLU tomorrow.