Spring training has only just begun but the prospect-ranking season, which never seems to end, culminated last night as Baseball America unveiled its 2015 Top 100 List. Lucas Giolito, the undisputed* #1 Washington Prospect, came in at #7 this year. Joining him on the list are Michael Taylor (#32), Reynaldo Lopez (#49), Erick Fedde (#90), …
Pitchers and catchers report next week, but I think it’s safe to say that we’re like Tampa Bay pitcher’s Kirby Yates’s bulldog* — ready to go, but not all that excited. * Well, maybe not; the guy lives in Lihue, Hawaii. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m talking about the prospect perspective. Fans of the …
Having reviewed the Baseball America Prospect Handbook, but knowing the Sickels version is still another couple of weeks away, I’ve spent this weekend making another pass through the player reports. There’s a good chance that many of the guys I’m holding out on won’t be covered, but I’d rather be sure than just assume that.
Yesterday’s transaction post from Baseball America had but one name, Tim Alderson, a 26-y.o. RHP who began 2014 as a reliever for Baltimore’s AAA team in the International League and finished with seven starts in eight appearances for Oakland’s High-A entry in the California League.
(Yeah, the news is still slow).
So after you’ve enjoyed the brief respite from the winter weather, feel free to take a look at the player reports while we await the start of spring training.
Picking up where we left off, here are Washington’s nos. 16 through 31 in the 2015 Baseball America Prospect Handbook: 16. Taylor Hill 21. Spencer Kieboom 26. Drew Vettleson 17. Jake Johansen (8) 22. Raudy Read 27. Hector Silvestre 18. Felipe Rivero 23. Matt Grace 28. John Simms 19. Jefry Rodriguez (21) 24. Matt Skole …
I might not have been waiting by the mailbox as I did in years past, but the arrival of the Baseball America handbook still merits the stop-drop-and-read treatment. Over the next couple of posts, I’ll pass along my thoughts. You’ll not be shocked to learn that — yet again — the moves the Nats made …
If you’re here to find out which team Kim Kardashian’s favorite prospect thinks will win the Super Bowl, well then maybe the SEO ad partner I hired isn’t so bad after all. As the post title and pic suggests, here are few items to stew on while the dreaded month of January comes to a …
Somehow, we almost made it through January without having to do this annual “feature” about how (almost) nothing’s going on. How bad is it? Beat writers have resorted to noting that the Rangers now have two former Nationals pitchers named Ross We’re also at the point where the signing of non-roster invitees is over-reported. If …
The first pass at the player reports for the 2015 Watchlist is now done. Basically, I write up the Top 10 guys, the players I saw this past season at Potomac, the short-season guys, and the essays for the M*A*S*H and Notables.
The Baseball America handbook and John Sickels’s prospect PDF have been ordered, so now we wait until they arrive to fill in the gaps, which I’ve labeled “Report Not Yet Written,” because I believe one or the other will cover the player.
The latest BA Transaction post only covered two players that hadn’t been previously reported: 1B Mike Carp, another 4A non-roster invitee; and RHP Williantony Uribarri, presumably an IFA destined for the DSL.
As always, feel free to discuss in the comments.
Today the Nationals announced the trade of LHP Danny Rosenbaum for AAA veteran Dan Butler, as part of an offseason push to replenish the upper minors with catchers.
Rosenbaum was a 2009 pick out of Xavier University who quickly established himself as a workhorse, throwing 140+ innings in his first three full seasons (2011-2013). That also earned him a Rule 5 look-see during the 2012-13 offseason before developing Nationals elbow last spring. He was expected to spend 2015 rehabbing in the GCL and perhaps Auburn before becoming a six-year free agent.
As noted in the link above, Roberts is one of several minor-league veteran catchers (Steven Lerud, Omir Santos) added in the wake of the departures of 40-man backstop Jhonatan Solano as well as AA/AAA reserves Brian Jeroloman and Mitch Canham.
After a two-plus week hiatus, Baseball America has made its latest transaction post for the period of December 24, 2014 to January 8, 2015. Among the transactions not previously reported: SIGNED • OF Kevin Mattison RELEASED • RHP Travis Henke • C Austin Chubb • SS Willie Medina Mattison was released from Milwaukee’s AAA affiliate …