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Pitching Prospect of the Day: Alec Asher, RHP, Rangers (High-A Myrtle Beach): 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K; big frame; fastball can reach plus velocity; will need to locate because it can straighten out on him; slider with plus potential; curveball and changeup both developing into major-league-quality pitches; thanks to my good friend Jason Cole for the info.

Position Prospect of the Day: Christian Yelich, OF, Marlins (Double-A Jacksonville): 5-6, 2 3B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; sweetest swing in the minors; plus-plus potential hit tool; excellent plate discipline; solid-average power potential; solid average runner; will profile better in left field; not far from big-league ready; .281/.339/.481 with 5 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR in 58 at-bats.

Other notable prospect performances from April 7:

“The Good”

  • Jorge Alfaro, C, Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB; five-tool catcher if that is even possible; arm has elite strength but plays down because of footwork; plus-plus raw power; plus runner; potential plus glove behind the plate; hit tool has a chance to be solid average. “The Legend” has the potential to be a top-shelf prospect, but he still needs to mature and polish his tools in Low-A.
  • Miguel Almonte, RHP, Royals (Low-A Lexington): 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; can run fastball up to 95; slider has a chance to be a usable major-league pitch; some see the changeup as a plus-plus offering; 30.2 IP, 29 H, 12 ER, 10 BB, 29 K in six starts.
  • Lewis Brinson, CF, Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI, K; shows all five tools; easy plus raw power; plus arm; plus run; plus ability with the glove in center; hit tool still needs development; potential to be a 7 overall player.
  • Tyler Chatwood, RHP, Rockies (Triple-A Colorado Springs): 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K; plus fastball; plus curveball; average changeup; shoving in Triple-A to start the season; 23.2 IP, 21 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 25 K in four starts.
  • Jarred Cosart, RHP, Astros (Triple-A Oklahoma City): 5.2 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K; plus-plus fastball; plus curveball; inconsistent changeup; mechanics better suited to relief role; 33.0 IP, 25 H, 8 ER, 14 BB, 39 K in seven appearances.  
  • David Dahl, CF, Rockies (Low-A Asheville): 2-2, 2B, R, 3 RBI; he’s back! Potential for a plus-plus hit tool; mixed reviews on power potential from below average to solid average; solid-average defensive ability in center; plus runner.
  • Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia); 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 10 K; fastball can touch plus velocity; curveball is an easy plus pitch; changeup is development; command still developing; in process of smoothing out mechanics; 25.0 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 17 BB, 33 K in six starts.
  • Nathan Karns, RHP, Nationals (Double-A Harrisburg): 5.0, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K; plus fastball; easy plus curveball; developing changeup; stock on the rise; will be a valuable piece for the Nationals whether it’s with them or as a trade chip; 32.2 IP, 22 H, 11 ER, 14 BB, 40 K in six starts.  
  • Tommy La Stella, 2B, Braves (Double-A Mississippi): 3-6, 2 2B, 3B, 2 R, 4 RBI; solid-average potential for hit tool; gap power; excellent plate discipline; solid second-base profile defensively; injury history; getting his first taste of Double-A at age 24.
  • Rafael Montero, RHP, Mets (Double-A Binghamton): 6.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K; plus fastball; slider and changeup will both be usable major-league pitches; plus command; not far from being major-league ready; 40.2 IP, 32 H, 16 ER, 6 BB, 48 K in seven starts. 
  • Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Blue Jays (High-A Dunedin): 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K; fastball up to 95; starting to throw a slider which works at 88-89; good life; changeup has plus potential; liked what I saw from the curveball this spring; easy plus potential; 34.2 IP, 20 H, 10 ER, 10 BB, 34 K in seven starts this season.
  • Joey Terdoslavich, 1B/3B/OF, Braves (Triple-A Gwinnett): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, K; solid-average power potential; average major-league hit tool; diversifying himself defensively; below-average runner; a lot of pressure will be put on the bat; currently blocked in Atlanta; .341/.353/.605 with 14 2B, 1 3B, and 6 HR in 129 at-bats this season.
  • Alex Torres, LHP, Rays (Triple-A Durham): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; low-90s fastball with good life; slider and changeup both have bat missing ability; deceptive delivery; small frame; jury still out on whether he is a back-end starter or reliever; 32.0 IP, 19 H, 6 ER, 11 BB, 41 K in six starts.
  • Mike Zunino, C, Mariners (Triple-A Tacoma): 3-4; hit tool will grade around average, but can be exploited by quality pitching; should provide average power; still developing ability to receive; got into an awful slump; expect to see him in the big leagues at some point this summer.

“The Bad”

  • Alex Liddi, 3B, Mariners (Triple-A Tacoma): 0-4, 3 K; significant swing and miss in his offensive game; good power source; blocked in Seattle.
  • Hudson Randall, RHP, Tigers (High-A Lakeland): 2.0 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 K; the former weekend starter for the University of Florida has had a tough transition to High-A; will receive fringy prospect grades at best, but as we approach college baseball playoff time, it speaks to how different the pro game is.
  • Jameson Taillon, RHP, Pirates (Double-A Altoona): 3.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K; best curveball in the minor leagues; plus fastball; still developing the changeup. Starts like this show that Taillon still has to improve his command before he is ready to show off his stuff in the big leagues.

 “The Hamilton”

Billy Hamilton, CF, Reds (Triple-A Louisville): 1-5, R; by request. How about we all request that Billy start getting on base more often so he can run more; his OBP currently stands at .256.

Thank you for reading

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kbethel
5/08
Almonte is with the Royals
bornyank1
5/08
Fixed.
dethwurm
5/08
Is Taillon on a strict pitch count? That start isn't good, obviously, but it doesn't strike me as such a disaster that the performance alone would demand removal after 3 IP (esp. compared to poor Randall's, yeesh).
gandriole
5/08
He got taken out after taking a line drive off the shin. Dahl tweaked a hamstring and was removed from his game too.
Behemoth
5/08
I think the Pirates also have a rule that pitchers get pulled pretty much automatically if they go over 30 pitches in an inning.
jfranco77
5/09
Correct.
aaronbailey52
5/08
The Hamilton. Thank you
mort10
5/08
very welcome figured you would enjoy it.
aso5018
5/08
Where could Glasnow end up at years end, top 100 prospect?
mort10
5/08
I would say he has a chance to be in the conversation. The curveball is serious; fastball sits in the low 90s with life. As long as the changeup and the command continue to take steps forward top 100 is not out of the question.
aso5018
5/08
I've heard reports of Glasnow in the mid to upper 90's.
mort10
5/08
very believable; worked 90-94 with life in spring; fast arm; mechanics needed a little cleaning up. Overall, I liked Glasnow the most of the young arms I saw for the Pirates this spring (did not see Heredia).
jabloom
5/08
I heard Dahl injured himself last night beating out a grounder and grabbed his knee.

Do you have any updates???? Hoping he's okay
jackweiland
5/08
Terdoslavich sounds like the world's worst sandwich, only found in remote parts of eastern Europe.
wjmcknight37
5/08
I understand it's a small sample with Chatwood, but have you heard about any approach, mechanical or any other obvious developmental changes? Has command of the FB or curve specifically improved? Is he throwing more changes or sliders? This is a pretty radical improvement statistically speaking, so do we think there's sustainability here?
mort10
5/08
The numbers seem to lean toward the fact that his command has improved. I have not talked with anyone that has seen him, but if I was forced to point the improvement toward something specific it would be the command.
spsalsbery
5/08
Nothing on Danny Salazar? Fastball at 96-98 with average secondaries, 51K in 31.2IP at AA, promoted to AAA after yesterday's start.
wjmcknight37
5/08
Sad that Salazar's only 2-3 with those numbers...
mort10
5/08
I mean I mentioned him 3-4 starts in a row? The stock is on the rise big time. The Fastball/curveball combo has easy plus potential. Also, the change continues to improve. Only a low-2 high 3? That is a pretty lofty ceiling and is nothing to be disappointed about.
awaggoner
5/08
Garin Cecchini mention deserved
mort10
5/08
I hate Chris Mellen. Therefore I hate all Red Sox prospects, ask Sean Coyle.
cnote66
5/08
Stop the presses, Trevor Story went 2-3, with NO K's -- WOO HOO!
tcfatone
5/09
Another HR w/2 hits today for Yelich. He's destroying AA at the moment. Call-up has to be imminent.
mort10
5/09
I love him.