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Eric Arce, OF/DH, Blue Jays (Rookie-level GCL) 1-for-3, HR (14), R, RBI, 2 BB, K. The Jays drafted Arce in the 27th round of the 2010 draft, but it took an extra year for him to end up with Toronto, and his official draft listing as a 25th rounder this June simply says “No School.” He initially committed to Florida State out of high school, but left the team officially to focus on academics, but more realistically, because he wanted to play professional baseball. That's looking like a good idea as in his first 48 games since signing, he's leading the Gulf Coast League in both home runs and walks (38) as part of a .267/.438/.620 line. At five-foot-nine and somewhere in the neighborhood of 210 pounds, he's not exactly an impressive athlete, and with 46 strikeouts in 150 at-bats, there are certainly holes in his swing, but with these extreme secondary skills, he's at least intriguing.

Others Of Note:

  • Jorge Alfaro, C, Rangers (Short-season Spokane): 2-for-4, HR (6), R, 5 RBI, K. 18-year-old is hitting .324/.368/.528 in college-heavy league.
  • Jacob Anderson, OF, Blue Jays (Rookie-level GCL): 2-for-4, 2B, HR (2), 2 R, 4 RBI, BB, K. 35th overall pick in June is 6-for-18 with 14 total bases in first five games.
  • Dante Bichette, 3B, Yankees (Rookie-level GCL): 3-for-5, 2B. Went 4-for-33 (.121) to start his pro career but has hit .392 since; .343/.448/.503 in 48 games.
  • Gary Brown, OF, Giants (High-A San Jose): 3-for-5, 2 3B, 3 R, 3 RBI. Up to .323/.394/.485 on the season; no glaring weakness in offensive game.
  • Edwin Carl, RHP, Royals (Rookie-level Idaho Falls): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K. Has the craziest stats around with 68 strikeouts and three walks in 31 innings, but is also a soon-to-be 23-year-old non-drafted free agent pitching in the Pioneer League.
  • Matt Carpenter, 3B, Cardinals (Triple-A Memphis): 4-for-6, 3 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI. Hitting .347 since the break and .306/.423/.460 overall. At some point, he's just getting wasted in Triple-A.
  • Chris Carter, 1B, Athletics (Triple-A Sacramento): 2-for-5, 2 HR (14), 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 K. 17 total bases in last four games have brought averages up to .258/.353/.502; stock is still down as he's seemed to have stagnated a bit.
  • Vince Catricala, 1B/OF, Mariners (Double-A Jackson): 2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI. Has 25 doubles in 49 games since promotion as part of .359/.432/.599 line; can certainly hit, now needs to find a position.
  • Zack Cox, 3B, Cardinals (Double-A Springfield): 2-for-4, HR (7), 2 R, RBI. Among the Texas League's top hitters with a .351/.410/.490 line since the All-Star break.
  • Zeke DeVoss, OF, Cubs (Short-season Boise): 4-for-6, 2B, R, RBI, K, SB, CS. Third-rounder is plus-plus runner with excellent approach; .293/.463/.359 in 27 games.
  • Corey Dickerson, OF, Rockies (Low-A Asheville): 1-for-3, HR (27), R, RBI, BB, 2 K. Leads Sally League in home runs after going deep in three straight games; .285/.359/.618 in 96 games but insane home/road splits, hitting just .212//.299/.367 away from Asheville.
  • Mat Gamel, 1B/3B, Brewers (Triple-A Nashville): 4-for-6, HR (27), 2 R, 2 RBI. Hitting .321/.379/.566 on the year; should be an extra big league bat in September, but bigger question revolves around him being next year's first baseman.
  • Niko Goodrum, SS, Twins (Rookie-level Elizabethton): 2-for-4, R, RBI, K. 2010 second-round pick is having best run of career; .339/.461/.452 in 19 August games.
  • Didi Gregorius, SS, Reds (Double-A Carolina): 3-for-4, HR (2), R, 2 RBI. 21-year-old is hitting .299/.346/.433 in 26 Southern League games while playing a legit shortstop.
  • Billy Hamilton, SS, Reds (Low-A Dayton): 4-for-6, 3 R, 2 RBI, 3 SB (89). With seven stolen bases in his last three games he suddenly has an outside shot at 100 again; hitting .295/.367/.355 since the break.
  • Matt Harvey, RHP, Mets (Double-A Binghamton): 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K. Seems to improve with nearly each start; hard to see any non-injury scenario that keeps him away from Citi Field in 2012.
  • Brett Jackson, OF, Cubs (Triple-A Iowa): 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R RBI, K, SB. Hitting .313/.390/.576 in 37 games, but also has whiffed 20 times in his last 10; .440 BABIP might be a concern.
  • Tommy Joseph, C, Giants (High-A San Jose): 2-for-5, 2B, HR (20), R, 4 RBI, K. Late-season power surge continues with eight home runs in last ten games; .269/.310/.473 overall and .607 slugging percentage since the break.
  • Nick Kingham, RHP, Pirates (Short-season State College): 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K. 2010 fourth-round pick as allowed one or zero runs in nine straight starts; fastball and command of it are both above average.
  • Will Lamb, LHP, Rangers (Low-A Hickory): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K. Second-round pick has rare size and velocity for a southpaw; biggest debate is future as starter or reliever.
  • Taylor Lindsey, 2B, Angels (Short-season Orem): 2-for-4, 2 R. Arguably the most impressive young hitter in the Pioneer League; hitting .404 in August and .377/.409/.641 overall in 48 games.
  • Nick Maronde, LHP, Angels (Short-season Orem): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K. Pioneer League has not challenged third-round pick from Florida with plus fastball.
  • Starling Marte, OF, Pirates (Double-A Altoona): 3-for-5, R, RBI, K. Eight hits in last four games to lift averages to .330/.363/.500; is this maintainable with such a low walk rate?
  • Will Middlebrooks, 3B, Red Sox (Triple-A Pawtucket); 2-for-4, R, SB. Went 0-for-11 with six strikeouts in first three International League games; hard to see a path to Boston for him.
  • Jesus Montero, C, Yankees (Triple-A Scranton): 2-for-4, 2B, R, RBI, K. Hitting .324/.387/.588 in August while hoping for at least a September look at this point.
  • Wil Myers, OF, Royals (Double-A Northwest Arkansas): 1-for-2, 2B, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB. Finishing the season with his best showing of the year; .310/.412/.569 in 17 August games.
  • Andy Oliver, LHP, Tigers (Triple-A Toledo): 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 9 K. Ties season high in strikeouts, but command and efficiency is still an issue as he's averaging 17.7 innings per outing.
  • Joe Panik, SS, Giants (Short-season Salem-Keizer): 2-for-5, 3B, HR (6), 2 R, 2 RBI. First-rounder has exceeded every expectation with bat, more walks than strikeouts and good defensive fundamentals; .346/.405/.483 in 60 games.
  • Wily Peralta, RHP, Brewers (Triple-A Nashville): 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K. Three straight great starts at Triple-A with 24 strikeouts and three walks in 20 innings; a big part of the 2012 rotation?
  • Jerry Sands, OF, Dodgers (Triple-A Albuquerque): 3-for-4, 2 2B, HR (25), 3 R, 2 RBI. Did he ever deserve to be in the big leagues? Hitting .183/.235/.415 away from Albuquerque.
  • Aaron Shipman, OF, Athletics (Short-season Vancouver): 2-for-3, RBI. 2010 third-rounder is 10-for-18 in last five games and batting .260/.385/.312 overall thanks to speed and good plate discipline.
  • Drew Smyly, LHP, Tigers (Double- A Erie): 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 10 K. Five-for-five in good-or-better starts since promotion; 0.93 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 29 innings show how valuable command can be.
  • Stephen Strasburg, RHP, Nationals (Low-A Hagerstown): 3 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 6 K. On track for late-season big league return.
  • Oscar Taveras, OF, Cardinals (Low-A Quad Cities): 4-for-5, R, HR (7), 3 RBI. Snaps out of 3-for-20 slump; .365/.429/.554 in 67 games.
  • Drew Vettleson, OF, Rays (Rookie-level Princeton): 2-for-4, HR (7), R, RBI, K, CS. 10-for-21 in last four games and .309/.379/.507 overall; plus bat with athleticism, including 19 stolen bases.
  • Josh Vitters, 3B, Cubs (Double-A Tennessee): 3-for-3, R, 2B. Hitting .338 in 20 August games and .287/.323/.446 overall.
  • Christian Yelich, OF, Marlins (Low-A Greensboro): 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K, SB. Fourth straight multi-hit game and 13-for-24 during six-game streak; .311/.380/.476 in 109 games.

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goodwine10
8/23
Montero's line was even better than that in baseball played yesterday - he went 3-5 (3-4 in ABs last night) with 2 HRs, 1 2B and 6 RBIs in the suspended game that was finished last night.
uptick
8/23
Thx for the update, but didn't Montero have 2 HR's yesterday? For Oliver, I presume that you mean 17.7 pitches per inning.
goodwine10
8/23
He did. They were in the completion of the suspended Sunday game that was played last night.
delorean
8/23
Can't remember seeing a Future Shock that included 3 Giants prospects! Get stoked.

Still not sure the Tommy Joseph is for real or what the org should do with him, seeing as C and 1B are blocked for the foreseeable future. But hey, having an offensive catcher as a trade chip isn't the worst thing in the world.

Also, Joe Panik making the Giants' brass look smart. I'm loving it.

And promote Gary Brown already!
rweiler
8/23
If I were the Giants, I'd be making Brandon Belt a full time left fielder. That would enable either Posey or Joseph to move to 1st, or possibly Posey could go to 3rd, Sandoval to first, and Joseph and Hector Sanchez could be the catching combo. Posey, Belt, and Sandoval are all nice hitters, but none of them showed the kind of power that Joseph has at age 20 (and he just turned 20). Posey had 18 HR for San Jose at age 22, and Sandoval had 20 between A+ and AA at age 21. Belt comes closest at 23 HR across 3 leagues at age 22. Of the 4, Belt is the only one that I can see having adequate speed to play the outfield. In any event, a 2013 Giants lineup of Brown, Panik, Belt, Posey, Sandoval, Joseph, Schierholtz would almost certainly put more runs on the board than the current crew even with a Brandon Crawford or Ehire Adrianza at the bottom of the order.
delorean
8/24
great insight! thanks for sharing it.
Mario66
8/23
Now that Casey McGehee has kicked off the glass slipper - how remote is the possibility that the Brewers either re-sign Fielder or acquire a FA to man first, and swallow Gamel's bad D at third? Is he really that bad there?
drewsylvania
8/23
(Hopefully) amusing thought exercise: Is Gamel worse at 3B than Montero is at C?
kgoldstein
8/23
That is an amusing thought exercise. I'm going to go think about it more. I wouldn't want either manning their respective position in the bigs.
drewsylvania
8/23
Rad.
lukejazz
8/23
Any thoughts on Eric Jokisch (AA-Tenn)? He started the year as designated second fiddle to Hayden Simpson in Peoria. Now Simpson is struggling against rookie league hitters and Jokisch just struck out 10 AA batters last night. Upside back end of the rotation perhaps?
sharbrough
8/23
I think that Billy Hamilton stole more than 100 bases previously - back in the 1890's.
mahayde
8/23
What are Jorge Alfaro’s chances of cracking your 2012 Top 100? #TheLegend
delatopia
8/23
Andy Oliver ... is that 17.7 pitches per inning?
drewsylvania
8/23
Wondering the same thing.
kgoldstein
8/23
Yes, and fixed.
ndcohn
8/23
What does it mean that Catricala can hit? He can be an above average regular at 3B/LF if he had average defense? Just an average hitter for those positions?
kgoldstein
8/23
I think he can hit for average, the power is much debated, and he doesn't have a position he's good at yet, which is most troubling.
nschaef
8/23
Is there any real baseball reason for Dayan Viciedo to still be in the minors?
frampton
8/23
Were Jerry Sands's 2010 stats similarly aided by his home parks?
moehk21
8/24
What would you grade Catricala's hit tool on the 2-8 scale at the major league level now and also his projection on it? Thanks KG!
hotstatrat
8/24
Drew Smyly: After blowing away Chance Ruffin and Charlie Furbush, it is comforting to know the Tigers still have someone on the farm who knows how to pitch - and has a funny name.