Atlanta Braves 2010 Minor League Thread

[PureBaseballFan]

Thought I would follow the minor leagues again this year but I will most likely not due a daily post on them but a weekly one every Saturday of the best performances of the week at each level. To start this off lets give you the top 4 levels rosters for this up and coming season.

Gwinnett Braves - Freeman is the big position player to watch with Kimbrel, Dunn and Proctor the top pitchers to watch.

Mississippi Braves - Top pick Mike Minor will be interesting to watch but Richard Sullivan and Scott Diamond are both interesting lefties to keep an eye on. Jacob Thompson in the pen is also interesting because I think most believed his future was in the rotation but it could just be a rather crowded group of pitchers. Cody Johnson is the only position player who will likely be worth keeping much track of and hopefully we will see some development of his plate discipline.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans - A nice group of starting pitchers here led by Randall Delgado with Zeke Spruill, J.J. Hoover, Matt Crim (skipping Rome) and Cole Rohrbough who looks to get back on track with some new mechanics. Adam Milligan is the big name hitter at this level with people looking if he can improve his plate discipline and perhaps overtake Cody Johnson as a power machine.

Rome Braves - This is the level every Braves prospect watcher should be paying attention to. The top two pitching prospects are here in Julio Teheran and Arodys Vizcaino but are backed up by lefties Christopher Masters and Brett Oberholtzer with David Hale manning the 5th spot. The pitching doesn't end there though as 4 names in the pen really stick out to me in Robinson Lopez (all reports talk about an arm perhaps just as good as Teheran or Vizcaino), Tyrelle Harris (someone to watch as he could move quickly) and Cory Rasmus (who has had problems with injuries but with a move to the pen could enhance his chance of being a big league pitcher) and that isn't mentioning Ryan Weber, Julio Surinach and Luis Avilan who all had good 2009 seasons.

The lineup also has some interesting talent in it with the next interesting Braves catching prospect Christian Bethancourt getting a challenge with a move to Rome. In the infield the best name in baseball Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg will man 1B with fellow 2009 draft picks Matt Weaver at 2B, Mycal Jones at SS and Jordan Kreke at 3B. The outfield has two personal favorites who are both speedsters in Cory Harrilchak (19 SB in 60 games) and Kyle Rose (27 SB in 48 games) if you are looking for potential leadoff hitters not named Schafer these two might be your best bet. Hopefully we can get some in depth scouting reports from the great source of Scouting the Sally

[chip&smoltz95]

is Edward Salcedo starting at rome or danville?

[PureBaseballFan]

is Edward Salcedo starting at rome or danville?

Last I heard it is gonna be Rome but he had to go back to the Dominican Republic to finalize his visa.

[adamsowell]

good thread, i'll be following all year

[PureBaseballFan]

Most likely I will go with 5 guys on a normal week but with just 2 games for each level some levels will have 3 this week.

Gwinnett Braves Top 3

Not a lot to report from Gwinnett with little offense and some bad starting pitching performances from Parr and Resop.

1. Wes Timmons :: 2 for 4 :: 1 R :: 2 2B :: 3 RBI :: 2 BB :: 1 SO

Timmons isn't a prospect but a minor league vet but he had a great pair of games.

2. Cory Gearrin :: 1.0 IP :: 1 H :: 1 BB :: 3 SO

This goes to show you how slim pickings this past 2 days had, Gearrin though is an interesting relief arm being a similar type of pitcher to current Brave Peter Moylan coming from the sidearm and getting a good amount of groundballs. Perhaps this or next year he could be a part of this bullpen.

3. Micheal Dunn :: 2.0 IP :: 1 H :: 2 SO

Dunn needs to continue to put up outtings like this with no walks, I don't care if he is getting shelled for the most part as long as he isn't struggling with control.

Mississippi Braves Top 3

Another level without much to talk about, Mike Minor didn't have the best Double-A debut going 5 innings while giving up 4 but he did manage 6 strikeouts.

1. Cody Johnson :: 2 for 6 :: 1 R :: 1 HR :: 4 RBI :: 1 BB :: 4 SO

Cody did what you expect of him strikeout to many times but also getting a HR. Cody is still young but he really needs to start developing more.

2. Stephen Marek :: 2.0 IP :: 2 H :: 2 SO

Perhaps Marek can start to make something of a comeback, Marek has a decent arm but ever since joining the Braves has really struggled hopefully this is the start of a successful season for Marek.

3. Micheal Broadway :: 2.0 IP :: 1 H :: 1 BB :: 2 SO

Broadway has had an up and down career so far with the Braves but has had some good things (mainly limiting HRs) but I can't seem to find a report on his stuff.He does appear to have some problems with control which could be his biggest obstacle.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Top 5

Some Great Offense and okay Pitching these past two games. Rohrbough didn't have a very good outing but considering it is his first start with new mechanics I'll give him a break.

1. Randall Delgado :: 1 GS :: 5.0 IP :: 3 H :: 1 ER :: 5 SO :: 7 GO to 3 FO

Randall is hopefully continuing to grow and while he doesn't have as flashy an arm as Teheran and Vizcaino his ability to get strikeouts while inducing GB is a not something to overlook.

2. Adam Milligan :: 4 for 8 :: 4 R :: 1 2B :: 1 HR :: 1 RBI :: 1 BB :: 3 SO :: 1 SB

Adam is a raw prospect but as one person put it he is built like "Greek God", his plate discipline (like always) will be the determining factor with what he ican truly accomplish.

3. Yoel Campusano :: 4 for 9 :: 2 R :: 1 HR :: 2 RBI :: 1 SO

Yoel is an interesting little player, he doesn't do anything at a very high level but sort of reminds me (statistically speaking) of Martin Prado. If he can continue to hit .300 and perhaps up his gap power a little bit he could become the next Infante.

4. Jesus Sucre :: 3 for 8 :: 2 2B :: 2 RBI :: 1 SO

Jesus really did nothing to make himself look like anything more then a minor league catcher until last year where he put up a decent season behind the plate. He still likely at best a major league backup but that is still a step up.

5. Jaye Chapman :: 1.0 IP :: 3 SO

Jaye had a tremendous season in Rome last year but saw a dramatic decline in Myrtle Beach. If he can even find a small percentage of what he did in Rome then he could be a very interesting relief prospect. Stuff wise the only report I could find puts his fastball in the mid to high 80s with an average changeup and curve, so either he is really deceptive or just knows how to manipulate young hitters.

Rome Braves Top 5

Some impressive starting pitching performances top the list with 2 2009 draftees and 1 Catcher from Panama taking the final 3 spots.

1. Julio Teheran :: 1 W :: 1 GS :: 6 IP :: 2 H :: 1 BB :: 7 K

Impressive is all you can really say. Teheran perhaps has the biggest upside of any prospect currently in the Braves system. If he can reach that potential and be teamed with Hanson that is a scary thought.

2. Ryan Weber :: 1 GS :: 4.1 IP :: 1 H :: 3 SO

Weber is a interesting little pitcher, commanding three average pitches with his fastball getting decent sink on it. If he can continue to put up good GO/AO ratios he could be a good groundball specialist in the pen or perhaps even a back end of the rotation starter.

3. Jordan Kreke :: 3 for 5 :: 2 R :: 2 2B :: 1 RBI :: 1 BB :: 1 SO

Kreke was a draftee last year and put up okay stats for his first year. I doubt Kreke will ever be a big HR threat but if he can up his gap power he could be a very nice little prospect.

4. Christian Bethancourt :: 1 for 3 :: 1 R :: 1 HR :: 3 RBII jumped on the Christian bandwagon pretty early (though I do that with pretty much every prospect ) and for such a young kid at a premium position to have his skill set is very impressive. If anyone could make the Braves move McCann he could be the guy.

5. Kyle Rose :: 3 for 7 :: 1 R :: 2 SO :: 1 SB :: 1 CS

A little speedster that can wreck havoc on the basepaths Rose is an interesting little player. He and Harrilchak are a scary top of the order as both will like steal 20 or more SBs this year.

[PureBaseballFan]

Lets start with a little news, Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburg suffered a broken bone in his hand.

The Top Prospects

This is a place for the top guys that either struggled this week or just missed the lists.

Freddie Freeman :: 3 for 28 :: 1 2B :: 1 RBI :: 8 SO

Freddie has really struggled so far in Gwinnett. The biggest concern is that he still hasn't gotten a walk, hopefully Freddie can start turning it around next week.

Mike Minor :: 1 L :: 4.0 IP :: 5 H :: 5 ER :: 1 HR :: 3 BB :: 7 SO

Minor only had one start but hasn't done very well in Double-A, not everything is bad though as he has put up some nice strikeout numbers.

Zeke Spruill :: 1 L :: 8.1 IP :: 17 H :: 12 ER :: 1 HR :: 1 BB :: 4 SO

Spruill had one terrible start giving up 9 ER in just 3.1 Innings but he wasn't great in his first either. Not all is bad though with him not walking many and for the most part keeping the ball on the ground.

Arodys Vizcaino :: 1 W :: 1 L :: 10.0 IP :: 13 H :: 7 ER :: 4 BB :: 7 SO

Arodys didn't have a great debut week in a Braves uniform but still wasn't bad. He has done extremely well against righties but has truly struggled against lefties with 6 of his 7 ER coming at their hands.

Gwinnett Braves Top 5

1. Todd Redmond :: 1 W :: 1 L :: 14.0 IP :: 7 H :: 3 ER :: 1 HR :: 15 SO

I am not a big fan of Redmond (average stuff that he tends to pitch high with, also stories of his attitude doesn't paint a good picture) but their is no denying him this spot this week. He was just dominating with no walks and 15 strikeouts, he could be one of the first guy called should one of the starters go down with an injury though his best future might be in the pen.

2. Chris Resop :: 6.0 IP :: 2 H :: 1 BB :: 10 SO

Chris has always had an electric arm, reaching the mid 90s, but the question has always been about his command and secondary stuff. If he has developed either one of these he could be a great late season addition to the bullpen.

3. Brent Clevlen :: 8 for 21 :: 5 2B :: 2 RBI :: 1 BB :: 4 SO

Clevlen is a nice guy to have in the minors, while he wouldn't be anything special in the major leagues he is a good backup should someone get injured in the majors.

4. Jonny Venters :: 4.2 IP :: 2 H :: 1 BB :: 3 SO :: 1.75 GO/AO

I didn't know much about Venters before this Spring Training (stuff wise) and so far he has been pretty impressive. His ability to get groundballs is impressive and as long as he can continue to gain command/control he could be a pretty good pitcher.

5. Craig Kimbrel :: 3.0 IP :: 3 H :: 6 SO

Kimbrel got two relief stints this week and was great giving up no walks while striking out 6. The Key for Kimbrel is of course his control, if he can show even a tiny amount of progress in control he could be up soon.

Mississippi Braves Top 5

1. Donell Linares :: 8 for 22 :: 1 2B :: 2 HR :: 4 RBI :: 4 SO

Donell has been doing a fine job for Mississippi being the one consistent bat of the week. Donell isn't ever going to be a star but should the Braves need one he could be a decent transition 3B.

2. Stephen Marek :: 1 W :: 2 Saves :: 3.2 IP :: 1 H :: 1 BB :: 7 SO

Wow, I didn't see this coming from Marek. Marek has struggled ever since coming over from the Angels but so far this season he has been flat out dominant. If he can keep this up the Braves will have a lot of potential bullpen call-ups if injuries hit them.

3. Lee Hyde :: 4.1 IP :: 2 H :: 5 SO

The Braves continue to add to the potential depth of their bullpen, Hyde has all the skills to be a successful relief pitcher in the majors but injuries have hampered his development, if he can continue to stay healthy he should have a spot in this pen in the coming years.

4. Brandon Beachy :: 5.0 IP :: 5 H :: 2 R :: 1 ER :: 2 BB :: 6 SO

The small amount I read on Beachy last year really made me like him. He is reportedly an aggressive pitcher using a cutter in the high 80s to to low 90s and a 4 seamer to attack hitters.

5. Erik Cordier :: 1 L :: 4.0 IP :: 2 H :: 3 R :: 1 ER :: 4 BB :: 2 SO

Erik has the potential to be a quality arm in the pen but he just needs to find some control. He normally averages less then a hit per inning but his walks are what gets him in trouble.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Top 5

1. Randall Delgado :: 5.0 IP :: 3 H :: 2 BB :: 5 SO

While he might not completely deserve the number one slot the fact he is one of the few pitchers that isn't struggling with a move to a higher level his performances so far get some extra credit. While Teheran is the big name, Delgado continues to plug along getting groundballs and strikeouts at just 20 he has a very nice upside.

2. Yoel Campusano :: 6 for 21 :: 4 R :: 3 2B :: 1 HR :: 4 RBI :: 7 BB :: 4 SO

Yoel has been very impressive so far this season, I have said this before but he might be another Martin Prado (though without seeing his swing I can say with any real certainty) but the most impressive part of his line is the 7 BB considering he is now 1/4 of the way to his 2009 total of 28 BB.

3. Gerardo Rodriguez :: 6 for 21 :: 6 R :: 3 2B :: 1 HR :: 6 RBI :: 6 BB :: 8 SO

Gerardo is really flashing the power with a Triple and a Home Run in the first two games and now this week but once again the most impressive stat in this line is the 6 BB (7 total) which is a huge leap from his 2009 total of 27. I also hear Gerardo is playing LF which is his second positional change.

4. Adam Milligan :: 5 for 20 :: 5 R :: 2 HR :: 6 RBI :: 4 BB :: 9 SO

Everyone who follows Braves prospects knows Adam has big time power but once again the impressive part is 4 BB (5 total) which is another big leap for a guy that only had 15 last year.

5. J.J. Hoover :: 4.0 IP :: 3 H :: 1 BB :: 3 SO

I like J.J. (as does John Sickels) he has four average pitches but knows how to use them. He is another sleeper starting pitching prospect that could surprise a bunch of fans.

Rome Braves Top 5

1. Christian Bethancourt :: 9 for 23 :: 2 R :: 3 RBI :: 2 SO

Christian hasn't shown much power after his opening day Home Run but he continues to rake, he hasn't taken a walk yet but he hasn't exactly been getting fooled with only 2 strikeouts. This is a very impressive young man that could really start jumping up prospect boards if his bat continues to develop.

2. Kyle Rose :: 10 for 21 :: 3 R :: 1 2B :: 2 RBI :: 1 BB :: 5 SO :: 1 SB :: 3 CS

Kyle has been making a lot of contact but little else. The two biggest concerns so far is him getting CS so much (a couple pickoffs if I recall correctly) and the lack of walks, he still gets high on the list thanks to a near .500 BA but hopefully he reclaims last years form of a near 1 to 1 walk to strikeout ratio and start getting steals. I will give him a break early on though as he is basically moving from the GCL to Rome so the competition is a lot better.

3. Christopher Masters :: 1 L :: 6.0 IP :: 2 H :: 2 R :: 1 BB :: 10 SO

Masters has continued his impressive stats from Danville while getting cheated from what likely should have been a victory.

4. Julio Teheran :: 3.2 IP :: 1 H :: 1 ER :: 1 HR :: 3 BB :: 5 SO

Julio pitched one game this week in what appeared to be a piggyback game (where 1 starter goes 4 Innings and the next starter goes 4) with Ryan Weber and pitched okay. He wasn't great but was still good enough to make the cut.

5. Cory Rasmus :: 1 W :: 1 Save :: 5.2 IP :: 3 H :: 1 ER :: 3 BB :: 8 SO

The move to the pen appears to be working for Rasmus, another guy that has only gotten derailed due to injuries if he can continue his success he could move quickly through the system.

[PureBaseballFan]

Gwinnett Braves Top 5

1. Freddie Freeman :: 11 for 27 :: 7 R :: 3 2B :: 3 HR :: 6 RBI :: 2 BB :: 4 SO

Freddie stepped it up this week and might be starting to adjust to Triple-A competition. The really good sign is the return of the power which was a concern after last years down numbers, though several gave him a pass because of an injury.

2. Matt Young :: 11 for 28 :: 6 R :: 3 2B :: 1 HR :: 1 RBI :: 1 BB :: 3 SO

A personal favorite of mine Matt Young, like Freddie, really turned it on this week. Young will never be anything special but if the Braves need a 4th OF type player I would rather give Young a chance then Gregor Blanco.

3. James Parr :: 1 W :: 2 GS :: 10.0 IP :: 12 H :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 10 SO

Parr put up two nice starts, I don't see him ever being a really successful starter in the majors but a useful Middle Reliever could be a realistic goal.

4. Todd Redmond :: 1 W :: 1 GS :: 7.1 IP :: 6 H :: 1 ER :: 4 SO

Redmond has just been flat out dominating in Gwinnett this year, going 7.0 Innings in all 3 of his starts and has yet to walk a batter. I am not a huge fan of Redmond, average stuff with the propensity to pitch up in the zone resulting in more flyballs thus resulting in more HR, but there is no denying his production thus far. To be fair though he is just as likely as Parr to be a useful reliever/spot starter.

5. Craig Kimbrel :: 3 G :: 2 SV :: 3.1 IP :: 2 BB :: 8 SO

Craig has been great so far in Gwinnett putting up great strikeout numbers, 14 in 7.1 IP, but has still only given up 3 Hits which all came from one game and only 3 walks which is the biggest thing for Kimbrel. If anyone in the Braves bullpen really starts to struggle they better be careful because Kimbrel is knocking on the door.

Mississippi Braves Top 5

This was difficult as there were a bunch of guys that could have made the list the ones that fell short but deserve some mention are Thomas Palica, Brett Butts and Alex Romero.

1. Eric Duncan :: 12 for 26 :: 2 R :: 4 2B :: 1 HR :: 8 RBI :: 3 BB :: 5 SO

A former Yankee, Duncan moved on to Atlanta this year but dropped a level after struggling in Triple-A. He really isn't anything more then a minor league depth type of player with a very small chance of actually helping the major league team but his week would have been hard to overlook.

2. Willie Cabrera :: 10 for 27 :: 5 R :: 3 2B :: 4 RBI :: 2 BB :: 3 SO :: 1 SB

Willie puts up a nice week and continues to show the potential to be a useful bench player.

3. Michael Broadway :: 3 G :: 4.2 IP :: 2 H :: 2 BB :: 8 SO

Micheal Broadway has always been an interesting guy to watch, blessed with a big fastball (some reports have him topping out in the upper 90s) but was always a little wild which always held him back from ever putting up big numbers. So far he has been dominating but the question is can he continue this and can be adjust as the league likely adjusts to him.

4. Mike Minor :: 1 GS :: 7.0 IP :: 2 H :: 5 BB :: 9 SO

The first "good" start for Minor came this week but not without blemishes being 5 walks. Minor has struggled so far with his command and just has struggled overall for Double-A, still it is very early so there isn't a ton to worry about yet.

5. Stephen Marek :: 2 W :: 3 G :: 1 SV :: 3.0 IP :: 2 H :: 4 SO

Great pure and simple, there is nothing to pick apart about Marek's season so far, even advanced stats are good with a BABIP that isn't low and a good GB%. Marek last year seemed like a guy that could have been released but so far this year he is looking like he is reclaiming some of the value that the Braves saw when trading Tex for him.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Top 5

1. Gerardo Rodriguez :: 9 for 26 :: 6 R :: 1 2B :: 2 3B :: 2 HR :: 3 RBI :: 2 BB :: 10 SO

Strikeouts really reared their ugly heads for Gerardo this wek but he continues to just show impressive power.

2. Gerardo Avila :: 6 for 23 :: 4 R :: 3 2B :: 2 HR :: 3 RBI :: 3 BB :: 7 SO

Two Gerardos that are both pretty much the same players, both have good power but both struggle with strikeouts and walks.

3. Jaye Chapman :: 3 G :: 1 SV :: 3.2 IP :: 3 H :: 5 SO

Chapman continues to dominate but as I have mentioned before the reports don't paint a picture of dominating stuff though with all minor league scouting reports their quality is almost always in question.

4. Randall Delgado :: 1 L :: 1 GS :: 6.2 IP :: 5 H :: 3 ER :: 2 BB :: 6 SO :: GO/AO 2.25

Randall wasn't great this weak but provided his team with a quality start, which was a problem for everyone else it seemed, he just continues to roll along keeping the ball on the ground while adding a few strikeouts and not hurting himself.

5. Jesus Sucre :: 6 for 23 :: 3 R :: 1 2B :: 1 HR :: 2 RBI :: 1 BB :: 5 SO

Nothing great but it didn't need to be this week as almost everyone struggled.

Rome Braves Top 5

An honorable mention for Rome this week is Robinson Lopez who just got edged out.

1. Arodys Vizcaino :: 1 W :: 1 GS :: 7.0 IP :: 6 H :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 6 SO

The first scouting report from the Sally wasn't impressive from Vizcaino but it is really early to draw anything conclusive from that report, though it is something to consider.

2. Cory Harrilchak :: 8 for 30 :: 2 2B :: 1 3B :: 1 RBI :: 5 BB :: 5 SO

A good week for Cory who continues to show good plate awareness, he hasn't done a whole lot in the SB department but he has the skills to do so.

3. Brett Oberholtzer :: 1 GS :: 8.0 IP :: 6 H :: 2 ER :: 1 HR :: 7 SO

Another quality start from Oberholtzer who continues to put up impressive numbers, another starter to watch in the coming years.

4. Julio Teheran :: 1 L :: 1 GS :: 5.1 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 3 SO

Not a great start but a quality start from Julio.

5. Kyle Rose :: 9 for 29 :: 2 R :: 2 RBI :: 6 BB :: 8 SO :: 3 SB :: 4 CS

Kyle has been the only consistent hitter in Rome's lineup but he still hasn't delivered any power, which is fine, but his biggest attribute (speed) hasn't been great either as he has been getting caught a whole lot.

[PureBaseballFan]

The Top Prospects

Mike Minor :: 2 GS :: 1 L :: 9.2 IP :: 10 H :: 11 R :: 4 ER :: 2 HR :: 7 BB :: 14 SO

Randall Delgado :: 2 GS :: 1 L :: 12.0 IP :: 12 H :: 9 R :: 7 ER :: 3 HR :: 2 BB :: 13 SO

Arodys Vizcaino :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 3.0 IP :: 3 H :: 3 ER :: 1 HR :: 2 BB :: 6 SO

Gwinnett Braves Top 5

1. Freddie Freeman :: 7 for 24 :: 5 R :: 1 3B :: 1 HR :: 5 RBI :: 5 BB :: 3 SO :: 1 CS

2. Mitch Jones :: 7 for 24 :: 4 R :: 2 2B :: 2 HR :: 5 RBI :: 7 SO :: 1 CS

3. Chris Resop :: 2 GS :: 2 W :: 11.0 IP :: 10 H :: 3 ER :: 1 HR :: 5 BB :: 13 SO

4. Gregor Blanco :: 7 for 21 :: 4 R :: 1 HR :: 3 RBI :: 3 BB :: 3 SO :: 1 SB :: 1 CS[/B]

5. Craig Kimbrel :: 4 G :: 2 SV :: 5.1 IP :: 2 H :: 2 ER :: 2 BB :: 3 SO

Mississippi Braves Top 5

1. Cody Johnson :: 7 for 22 :: 3 R :: 3 HR :: 4 RBI :: 7 SO :: 1 CS

One comment about Cody, his strikeouts are way to high and if he can put up average numbers over the coming months I wouldn't be shocked if his name was involved in any trade the Braves might try to make.

2. Eric Duncan ::: 6 for 26 :: 3 R :: 1 2B :: 1 HR :: 4 RBI :: 2 BB :: 3 SO :: 1 SB :: 2 CS

3. Luis Bolivar :: 6 for 17 :: 2 R :: 2 2B :: 1 3B :: 3 BB :: 5 SO :: 1 CS

4. Brett Butts :: 2 G :: 4.1 IP :: 4 H :: 1 R :: 1 BB :: 9 SO

5. Brandon Beachy :: 2 G :: 3.0 IP :: 2 H :: 1 R :: 1 BB :: 4 SO

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Top 5

1. Gerardo Avila :: 8 for 18 :: 5 R :: 1 3B :: 2 HR :: 7 RBI :: 4 BB :: 6 SO

2. Jesus Sucre :: 5 for 17 :: 2 R :: 2 2B :: 1 HR :: 6 RBI :: 1 BB

3. Amadeo Zazueta :: 5 for 22 :: 2 R :: 2 2B :: 1 HR :: 3 RBI :: 1 BB :: 2 SO

4. Jose Ortegano :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 5.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 1 HR :: 5 SO

5. J.J. Hoover :: 1 GS :: 6.0 IP :: 6 H :: 2 ER :: 1 HR :: 1 BB :: 5 SO

Rome Braves Top 5

1. Julio Teheran :: 2 GS :: 1 L :: 11.1 IP :: 6 H :: 4 R :: 1 ER :: 5 BB :: 15 SO

2. Christian Bethancourt :: 6 for 21 :: 1 R :: 3 2B :: 2 SO

3. Cory Rasmus :: 2 G :: 1 GS :: 7.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 1 HR :: 8 SO

4. Kyle Rose :: 5 for 20 :: 2 R :: 1 3B :: 1 RBI :: 5 BB :: 5 SO :: 3 SB :: 3 CS

5. Christopher Masters :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 5.0 IP :: 4 H :: 5 R :: 1 ER :: 2 HR :: 3 BB :: 5 SO

[chip&smoltz95]

not to steal your thunder, but with him being a personal fav of my just wanted to add that schafer started playing on monday at rome and seems to be doing well (healthy that is). a hit in each of his first three games with 3BB and 5Ks. also, i saw over at the ajc that tehran had a dominating start again last night: 7 IPs, 0ER, 4hits, 10Ks

[PureBaseballFan]

not to steal your thunder, but with him being a personal fav of my just wanted to add that schafer started playing on monday at rome and seems to be doing well (healthy that is). a hit in each of his first three games with 3BB and 5Ks. also, i saw over at the ajc that tehran had a dominating start again last night: 7 IPs, 0ER, 4hits, 10Ks

I forgot to add if anyone wants a specific prospect on the list I will put them on the Top Prospect lists every week no matter what. So I will add Schafer this Saturday.

[PureBaseballFan]

Non-Prospect Watch

Jordan Schafer :: 4 for 14 :: 3 R :: 1 2B :: 1 RBI :: 4 BB :: 4 SO :: 1 SB :: 1 CS

Gwinnett Braves Top 5

1. Mitch Jones :: 6 for 17 :: 3 R :: 4 2B :: 1 3B :: 1 HR :: 4 RBI :: 3 BB :: 5 SO

2. Freddie Freeman :: 6 for 15 :: 1 R :: 3 2B :: 3 RBI :: 2 BB :: 2 SO

3. Wes Timmons :: 10 for 22 :: 7 R :: 3 2B :: 1 3B :: 5 RBI :: 2 BB :: 1 SO :: 1 SB

4. Barbaro Canizares :: 8 for 20 :: 3 R :: 1 2B :: 2 RBI :: 4 BB :: 2 SO

5. Cristhian Martinez :: 2 G :: 1 W :: 5.0 IP :: 3 H :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 6 SO

Mississippi Braves Top 5

1. Willie Cabrera :: 10 for 21 :: 2 R :: 3 2B :: 1 HR :: 6 RBI :: 1 BB :: 1 SO

2. Cody Johnson :: 6 for 21 :: 6 R :: 1 2B :: 3 HR :: 7 RBI :: 2 BB :: 7 SO :: 3 SB

3. Donell Linares :: 7 for 21 :: 7 R :: 3 2B :: 1 RBI :: 5 BB :: 1 SO

4. Lee Hyde :: 3 G :: 2 SV :: 3.2 IP :: 3 H :: 1 R :: 0 ER :: 2 BB :: 5 SO

5. Mike Minor :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 5.0 IP :: 6 H :: 4 ER :: 1 HR :: 2 BB :: 10 SO

Honorable Mention :: Stephen Marek :: 2 G :: 1 W :: 2.1 IP :: 2 H :: 3 SO

Marek still hasn't allowed a run yet and has still only walked one batter this season.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Top 5

1. Randall Delgado :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 6.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 7 SO

2. Yeliar Castro :: 2 G :: 7.1 IP :: 3 H :: 1 ER :: 5 BB :: 11 SO

3. Angelo Paulino :: 2 G :: 5.2 IP :: 4 H :: 6 SO

4. Benino Pruneda :: 3 G :: 4.0 IP :: 5 H :: 2 R :: 1 ER :: 3 BB :: 10 SO

5. Jose Ortegano :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 4.2 IP :: 6 H :: 2 R :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 3 SO

Rome Braves Top 5

1. Julio Teheran :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 7.0 IP :: 4 H :: 10 SO

2. Mycal Jones :: 8 for 22 :: 6 R :: 4 2B :: 1 HR :: 5 RBI :: 3 BB :: 3 SO

3. Arodys Vizcaino :: 2 GS :: 2 W :: 11.0 IP :: 10 H :: 6 R :: 4 ER :: 2 BB :: 15 SO

4. Robert Hefflinger :: 10 for 19 :: 5 R :: 1 HR :: 8 RBI :: 5 BB :: 2 SO :: 1 CS

5. Brett DeVall :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 5.0 IP :: 6 H :: 4 R :: 2 ER :: 1 HR :: 1 BB :: 4 SO

[chip&smoltz95]

how did cody steal 3 bases?!!!

[PureBaseballFan]

Some very nice info from ScoutingtheSally.com on Teheran, Lopez and Bethancourt.

[PureBaseballFan]

Gwinnett Braves

No Top 5 because no one really did a good job this week, a bunch had 1 good game but none really played well all week through. Pitching wise there were a couple decent starts and outings but not enough to write about, Chris Resop is the one guy that should get mentioned.

Mississippi Braves Top 5

1. Scott Diamond :: 2 GS :: 1 W :: 14.0 IP :: 11 H :: 4 R :: 3 ER :: 1 BB :: 19 SO

2. Willie Cabrera :: 8 for 21 :: 3 R :: 5 2B :: 4 RBI :: 2 BB

3. Donell Linares :: 7 for 27 :: 4 R :: 2 2B :: 2 HR :: 5 RBI :: 3 BB :: 5 SO :: 1 SB

4. Mike Minor :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 6.0 IP :: 1 H :: 3 BB :: 8 SO

5. Jordan Schafer :: 5 for 17 :: 4 R :: 2 2B :: 2 RBI :: 3 BB :: 3 SO :: 1 CS

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Top 3

1. Randall Delgado :: 2 GS :: 1 L :: 10.2 IP :: 9 H :: 5 R :: 3 ER :: 4 BB :: 15 SO

2. J.J. Hoover :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 6.0 IP :: 1 H :: 1 BB :: 7 SO

3. Cole Miles :: 7 for 28 :: 3 R :: 2 3B :: 2 RBI :: 3 BB :: 5 SO :: 3 SB

Rome Braves Top 3

1. Christopher Masters :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 8.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 10 SO

2. Robinson Lopez :: 1 G :: 1 L :: 3.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 2 BB :: 8 SO

3. Julio Teheran :: 1 GS :: 6.0 IP :: 6 H :: 2 ER :: 1 BB :: 5 SO

Well Julio wasn't long for the Sally as he has been moved to Myrtle Beach.

[chip&smoltz95]

Well Julio wasn't long for the Sally as he has been moved to Myrtle Beach.

yay! cannot wait to see how he progresses this year. he was just dominate at rome.

[PureBaseballFan]

John (Atlanta)

Mike Minor is striking guys out like crazy, at 13.1 per 9 innings. Is he doing anything differently, or is it more a function of being more polished than the guys he's facing? Was he ever supposed to be a big K guy?

Klaw (1:20 PM)

Throwing harder - a good 2-3 mph harder - with the accompanying drop in command. The questions are: Can he improve his command without giving up the newfound velo? And can he maintain the velo for a full season? If the answers to both are "yes," his ceiling would jump to that of a #2 starter.

I knew about the rumored velocity increase but really wasn't willing to post about it without some type of confirmation. Him pitching in the 91 to 94 (hitting 95 sometimes) range consistently would really upgrade his ceiling as Law says, he has also recently seemed to gain some command which is a very good sign.

[PureBaseballFan]

Gwinnett Braves Top 5

1. Chris Resop :: 2 GS :: 1 W :: 13.0 IP :: 5 H :: 2 ER :: 3 BB :: 14 SO

Chris has been dominating and considering his stuff I think most thought he had this in him. The most important thing though is for the most part he has showed very good control, take out two starts and he has just 11 walks. I think he is going to be in the majors at some point soon because he deserves it and there is his interesting out clause in his contract.

The name may not grab your attention, but baseball insiders are assuredly talking about him.


Chris Resop.

He is, for all practical purposes, a journeyman relief pitcher. He has a 3-3 record and 5.61 ERA over 57 big-league appearances from 2005 through 2008.

But look at what the 27-year-old has done this year as a starter: He’s 4-1 with a 2.03 ERA in 48 2/3 innings at Triple-A Gwinnett County in the Braves organization, including another quality start on Thursday.

Given the number of teams dealing with inconsistent rotations, he will probably be scouted heavily in the weeks to come.

And there is more to his story than two good months in the minors: Resop’s minor-league contract with Atlanta has an intriguing out clause, sources say.

If the right-hander isn’t on Atlanta’s 25-man roster by June 15, Resop can ask the Braves to inform the other 29 teams that he is available. Interested clubs will then have 72 hours to respond, if they are willing to bring him to the majors immediately.

If one club is willing, Resop will become property of that team.

If multiple clubs are interested, the Braves will make the ultimate decision as to where he goes.

Think of it as going through waivers … unofficially.

It’s a situation worth watching – as long as Resop continues to pitch well

So if Chavez continues to struggle or Martinez falls flat look for Resop to get the call.

2. Freddie Freeman :: 9 for 27 :: 4 R :: 3 2B :: 1 3B :: 1 HR :: 7 RBI :: 2 BB :: 1 SO

Freddie has been pretty impressive recently in Gwinnett, his walk rate is still lacking but considering he is 20 years old at Triple-A you can forgive that a little but his power has been the real positive as he has shown that last season's lack of power had more to do with injuries then being over matched. Freddie appears to be on track for competing for a starting position next year and while I don't expect a ton of HRs I can easily see him pounding out a bunch of doubles.

3. Gregor Blanco :: 9 for 26 :: 5 R :: 5 2B :: 3 RBI :: 6 BB :: 3 SO :: 1 SB

4. Michael Dunn :: 2 G :: 4.0 IP :: 2 H :: 4 SO

5. Stephen Marek :: 3 G :: 1 SV :: 2.1 IP :: 4 H :: 1 BB :: 2 SO

Hey it took three years but finally Marek has appeared to finally taken that next step. He is finally getting groundballs again and has gotten his control back under control, another guy that likely deserves a shot at the majors.

Mississippi Braves Top 5

1. Mike Minor :: 2 GS :: 13.0 IP :: 7 H :: 2 ER :: 2 BB :: 18 SO

Minor might be starting to turn the corner with his new found velocity, most I have read he has been in the 91 to 93 range hitting 95 at times. This has started to gain attention from prospect watchers and most agree that if he can maintain this velocity and gain control over it his ceiling could rise to perhaps a number 2.

2. Scott Diamond :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 8.0 IP :: 5 H :: 1 ER :: 2 BB :: 10 SO

3. Donell Linares :: 6 for 27 :: 1 R :: 1 2B :: 1 HR :: 4 RBI :: 1 BB :: 1 SB

4. Eric Duncan :: 7 for 23 :: 1 HR :: 2 RBI :: 1 BB :: 6 SO :: 1 SB

5. Brandon Beachy :: 2 G :: 5.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 BB :: 3 SO

I didn't know anything about Beachy heading into 2009 and the information on him was limited but the stuff I found made me like him. A man with a high 80s cutter and fastball that attacks the strikezone and is willing to pitch inside on you, he doesn't walk many in a game and keeps the ball in the park as he has given up 5 HRs in 115 Innings so far in his career. He isn't likely to be a closer but I think he could make for a very nice little middle reliever.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Top 5

Myrtle Beach was hit with suspensions to their starting 1B/LF Gerardo Rodriguez, 2B Yoel Campusano and SS Amadeo Zazueta for amphetamines, they are suspended for 50 games.

1. Julio Teheran :: 1 GS :: 7.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 2 BB :: 12 SO

Not a bad debut in High-A for a kid that doesn't turn 20 till next year, Julio is special and I would bet is untouchable in any trade offers. He is a top prospect that has started to really hit his stride, the fact some think it isn't unrealistic that he could be ready to go by 2012 shows how good he has performed. It just gives me chills thinking of a possible rotation headed by Teheran, Hanson and Minor (perhaps a new big three except all of them are power guys).

2. Randall Delgado :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 7.0 IP :: 3 H :: 1 BB :: 5 SO

Teheran is a flash fire to Delgado's slow burn, Delgado has been just consistently great this season by making people pound it into the ground or just striking them out and he doesn't walk anyone. He doesn't have as big a fastball as Teheran, more in the 92 - 94 range, but everything I have read says it has good break which gets him those groundballs. Unless the Braves really want to use kid's gloves with Randall he should move to Double-A in the coming months.

3. Cole Miles :: 8 for 26 :: 1 3B :: 5 BB :: 7 SO :: 1 SB :: 1 CS

Short speedster who could develop into an okay 4th speed OFer.

4. J.J. Hoover :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 7.0 IP :: 6 H :: 2 ER :: 1 BB :: 6 SO

5. Benino Pruneda :: 2 G :: 1 SV :: 3.1 IP :: 1 H :: 5 SO

Benino is a little man with a big arm, normally he fades in the 2nd half which is something to watch.

Honourable Mention - Tyrelle Harris :: 2 G :: 6.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 3 BB :: 10 SO

Tyrelle was a college reliever taken in the draft last year, his main problem was control but so far he hasn't had that problem but that could have something to do with the young hitters he is facing. He is a guy that could move through the system quickly but if he can maintain his command and control will be his biggest hurdle.

Rome Braves Top 5

1. Robert Hefflinger :: 10 for 24 :: 8 R :: 8 2B :: 11 RBI :: 2 BB :: 11 SO

Robert is is the same mold as Milligan and Cody, big time power guys with big time strikeout problems. If one of these guys "gets it" he will shoot up prospect lists.

2. Arodys Vizcaino :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 8.0 IP :: 3 H :: 5 SO

Arodys hasn't had as much success when compared to Teheran but he has been doing fine. He isn't advanced as Teheran or R. Delgado but he is still a top tier pitching prospect that most teams would kill for.

3. Christian Bethancourt :: 8 for 25 :: 4 RBI :: 1 2B :: 1 HR :: 5 RBI :: 1 SB

4. Cory Harrilchak :: 6 for 22 :: 7 R :: 1 2B :: 4 RBI :: 2 BB :: 2 SO :: 3 SB

5. Christopher Masters :: 2 GS :: 9.0 IP :: 7 H :: 3 R :: 2 ER :: 2 BB :: 7 SO

Honourable Mention - Robinson Lopez :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 5.0 IP :: 6 H :: 2 R :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 5 SO :: 7 GO to 2 FO

Lopez might have just as good an arm as the big three but has been handled with kid gloves so far, he did have a balk and a wild pitch. Robinson will likely have to have his breakout year next year but he certainly has the ability to do it.

[chip&smoltz95]

do the braves have a little too much pitching depth (i know you can never have enough pitching...) compared to their position players depth. So the braves swap some pitchers for position players (possibly openings in LF, CF (if schafer doesn't work out), 3B/2B, SS?)

edit: also where in the lineup do you think freeman projects as? a number 2 guy once he gets used to the majors or more like a 5/6 guy? I don't see him hitting 3 every or 4th if he's not gonna hit a ton of homers.

[PureBaseballFan]

do the braves have a little too much pitching depth (i know you can never have enough pitching...) compared to their position players depth. So the braves swap some pitchers for position players (possibly openings in LF, CF (if schafer doesn't work out), 3B/2B, SS?)

edit: also where in the lineup do you think freeman projects as? a number 2 guy once he gets used to the majors or more like a 5/6 guy? I don't see him hitting 3 every or 4th if he's not gonna hit a ton of homers.

No, the majority of their starting pitching is in the lower levels of the minors an most likely the vast majority of them will fall by the way side be it because of injuries or just the inability to develop. Also the Braves have some interesting prospects like Harrilchak, Bethancourt, Mycal Jones, Salcedo (who hasn't even started to play yet) among others. They can also start drafting and signing more international everyday players.

At the start it is going to be lower in the order but if he continues to develop I would guess he is a cleanup hitter behind Heyward for a longtime hopefully. My statement about HR power was more for the next year or two if he were to go to the majors, he still could/should develop good HR power as I think his ceiling is in the 25 to 35 range. I am saying don't expect those kind of numbers next year if he is starting in the majors, he would be a 21 one year old kid and right now he is more of a doubles hitter. I don't think Freddie will ever be a superstar at his position (mainly because there will likely will be better pure hitters who are just stuck at 1B for a position) but a very good player that behind Heyward you can count on as a run producer.

[PureBaseballFan]

Just thought I would post some videos of Braves prospects I recently stumbled upon.

Julio Teheran vs. Mets Top prospect Wilmer Flores

Short Clips of Teheran, Bethancourt, Vizcaino, Salcedo and Stovall from Minor League Spring Training

Vizcaino going through the motions

[PureBaseballFan]

Top Prospects

Jordan Schafer :: 4 for 20 :: 1 R :: 1 2B :: 1 3B :: 1 RBI :: 2 BB :: 5 SO

Jordan has really struggled since being moved to Triple-A, it might be for the best though as he will likely spend the entire year down there and hopefully develop a few things.

Mike Minor :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 6.0 IP :: 7 H :: 7 ER :: 1 HR :: 2 BB :: 8 SO

If you look deeper then the boxscore it wasn't a terrible start but it still wasn't good, a wild pitch and throwing error by himself hurt his line and 3 infield singles didn't help but 3 2Bs and a HR shows it still wasn't great.

Gwinnett Braves Top 5

1. Todd Redmond :: 2 GS :: 1 W :: 1 L :: 15.0 IP :: 6 H :: 4 ER :: 1 HR :: 2 BB :: 4 SO

You throw a no-hitter and you deserve to be the number one spot here.

2. Craig Kimbrel :: 2 G :: 1 W :: 3.0 IP :: 2 H :: 1 ER :: 2 BB :: 7 SO

3. Vladimir Nunez :: 2 G :: 3.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 5 SO

4. Chris Resop :: 1 GS :: 5.0 IP :: 4 H :: 2 R :: 1 ER :: 4 BB :: 8 SO

5. Micheal Dunn :: 2 G :: 2.1 IP :: 2 H :: 2 R :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 3 SO

Dunn continues to just dominate, he now has an ERA of 0.83 in 21.2IP with 27 SO and 9 BB.

Mississippi Braves Top 5

1. Eric Duncan :: 9 for 21 :: 5 R :: 1 2B :: 1 3B :: 3 RBI :: 1 BB :: 4 SO :: 1 SB

2. Mauro Gomez :: 6 for 23 :: 6 R :: 1 2B :: 1 HR :: 4 RBI :: 3 BB :: 5 SO

3. Donell Linares :: 5 for 19 :: 2 R :: 1 2B :: 1 HR :: 4 RBI

4. Scott Diamond :: 1 GS :: 6.0 IP :: 5 H :: 1 ER :: 1 HR :: 2 BB :: 3 SO :: 2.00 GO/AO

I am a believer in Diamond and while his stats don't look pretty things like FIP and BABIP would lead me to believe he is a groundball pitcher in front of a pretty bad defense which isn't a good combination.

5. Willie Cabrera :: 11 for 25 :: 2 R :: 1 2B :: 4 RBI :: 1 BB :: 3 SO :: 1 SB :: 1 CS

Honourable Mention - Brandon Beachy :: 2 G :: 1 SV :: 3.0 IP :: 1 H :: 1 BB :: 6 SO

Myrtle Beach Pelicans Top 5

1. Randall Delgado :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 7.0 IP :: 5 H :: 1 ER :: 12 SO :: 3.00 GO/AO

Special is all you can say about the start to this season for Randall, if he gets moved up this year (and continues to have success and develop) he could be on track to be ready for the majors by mid-summer next year, though there might not be a spot.

2. Julio Teheran :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 4 H :: 2 BB :: 2 SO

3. J.J. Hoover :: 1 GS :: 6.0 IP :: 5 H :: 1 R :: 2 BB :: 3 SO

J.J. might be starting to find his groove in Myrtle Beach because he has only given up 3 runs (2 earned) in his last three starts. J.J. has 4 pitches which by some reports are all at least average, so if he can start moving along he could be a good middle of the rotation starter.

4. Micheal Jones :: 6 for 19 :: 1 R :: 2 2B :: 1 HR :: 3 RBI :: 2 BB :: 3 SO

5. Yeliar Castro :: 2 G :: 1 GS :: 1 L :: 8.0 IP :: 5 H :: 2 R :: 1 ER :: 2 BB :: 5 SO

Rome Braves Top 5

1. Arodys Vizcaino :: 2 GS :: 2 W :: 15.2 IP :: 9 H :: 1 R :: 16 SO

Just like Hoover, Arodys is starting to really hit his stride in Rome giving up just 1 run in his last 3 starts and he has gone at least 7.2 innings in each of those starts.

2. Jace Whitmer :: 7 for 18 :: 2 R :: 2 2B :: 1 3B :: 3 RBI :: 2 SO

3. Mycal Jones :: 9 for 23 :: 3 2B :: 6 RBI :: 1 BB :: 4 SO :: 3 SB :: 1 CS

Mycal is finally starting to hit after a terrible start, I still would like to see more walks out of him and the strikeouts are just to high but at least he is starting to hit.

4. Thomas Berryhill :: 3 G :: 1 SV :: 5.0 IP :: 3 H :: 6 SO

Another interesting relief prospect, armed with a low 90s fastball and a low 80s slider he has been great so far in Rome except for 1 game where he gave up 5 ER. He doesn't walk anyone and gets enough strikeouts because of his age and success he could start moving through the system quickly so watch him carefully over the next year or two.

5. David Hale :: 1 G :: 1 SV :: 3.0 IP :: 1 BB :: 7 SO

David didn't do well as a starter but since moving to the bullpen he has been great giving up 2 hits in his 2 games, might not sound like a lot but he went 7 innings in those games. When he was first drafted he sounded like a future closer or setup man to me with a good fastball in the mid 90s and a quality slider, hopefully if this move is for good he can truly start to excel.

[PureBaseballFan]

Top Prospects

Jordan Schafer :: 6 for 17 :: 4 R :: 1 2B :: 1 BB :: 2 SO :: 3 SB :: 1 CS

Jordan hasn't been good since moving to Triple-A but hopefully this recent success is a positive sign, he still needs to cutdown on the strikeouts.

Randall Delgado :: 2 GS :: 1 L :: 12.2 IP :: 11 H :: 6 R :: 4 ER :: 3 BB :: 12 SO

Randall didn't have a bad week just one that didn't matchup to the players that made the list.

Gwinnett Braves Top 5

Freddie Freeman had an MRI on his knee this week. James Parr will have Tommy John Surgery and miss the rest of the year.

1. Todd Redmond :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 7.0 IP :: 4 H :: 1 ER :: 2 BB :: 10 SO

After a no-hitter Redmond actually might have had a better game, getting GB and strikeouts.

2. Michael Dunn :: 4 G :: 1 SV :: 4.0 IP :: 2 H :: 2 BB :: 9 SO

Dunn has flat out dominated and has showed no signs of slowing down.

3. Barbaro Canizares :: 7 for 27 :: 3 R :: 1 2B :: 1 3B :: 2 HR :: 5 RBI :: 4 SO

4. Joe Thurston :: 9 for 23 :: 3 R :: 2 2B :: 4 RBI :: 3 BB :: 2 SO :: 1 SB :: 1 CS

5. Mitch Jones :: 5 for 19 :: 5 R :: 1 2B :: 3 HR :: 6 RBI :: 1 BB :: 6 SO

Mississippi Braves Top 3

1. Mike Minor :: 1 GS :: 8.0 IP :: 3 H :: 2 BB :: 11 SO

Mike had a very good rebound after a 7 run game. Minor also leads the minor league in strikeouts, Mike stills needs to work on his control of his newfound velocity but he should be ready for the majors sometime in 2011.

2. Donell Linares :: 5 for 20 :: 2 R :: 2 2B :: 1 3B :: 2 RBI :: 3 SO

3. Thomas Palica :: 1 G :: 1.2 IP :: 2 H :: 4 SO

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

There were some good hitting weeks but most came from guys that are to old of the level or have had to be moved back down to Myrtle Beach.

1. Julio Teheran :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 8.0 IP :: 6 H :: 14 SO

Julio has just dominated everyone and everywhere this year and has been just scary. At this rate he will be among the elite of prospects if he isn't already there.

2. J.J. Hoover :: 2 GS :: 2 W :: 14.2 IP :: 9 H :: 2 ER :: 1 HR :: 13 SO

Hoover has truly appeared to have adjusted to the league, he will never be an ace but with 4 pitches all around average if he can mix them well and control them he could be a good middle of the rotation starter.

3. Matthew Crim :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 7.2 IP :: 6 H :: 1 ER :: 1 BB :: 4 SO :: 2.17 GO/AO

Crim hasn't been the groundball generating machine he was in Danville, he is still getting a fair shae of them, and hasn't been striking out as many. If he can get back to his extreme GO rate he won't need the strikeouts to be effective.

4. Brett Oberholtzer :: 1 GS :: 6.0 IP :: 5 H :: 2 R :: 1 ER :: 5 SO

5. Samuel Sime :: 10 for 25 :: 4 R :: 3 2B :: 1 HR :: 5 RBI :: 5 BB :: 4 SO

Rome Braves Top 5

Robert Hefflinger, Jace Whitmer and Kyle Rose all could have made the list. Whitmer is on a nice hotstreak, Rose is adjusting nicely as the season goes along while still lacking power and a good walk rate, and Hefflinger is showing very nice power and is walking more but still isn't making a ton of contact otherwise.

1. Christopher Masters :: 1 GS :: 5.0 IP :: 6 H :: 1 R :: 3 SO

2. Arodys Vizcaino :: 1 GS :: 1 W :: 5.0 IP :: 3 H :: 3 SO

3. Mycal Jones :: 10 for 26 :: 5 R :: 1 2B :: 2 HR :: 6 RBI :: 1 BB

4. Cory Harrilchak :: 10 for 26 :: 4 R :: 4 2B :: 3 RBI :: 2 BB

5. Brett DeVall :: 2 GS :: 1 L :: 12.0 IP :: 10 H :: 5 R :: 3 ER :: 2 BB :: 7 SO

[chip&smoltz95]

seems schafer had a couple days to rest and then came back (albeit one game) with a strong performance. i wonder if the wrist is still kinda weak. I am totally for leaving him at AAA now for the entire season, no matter how much worse nate gets. i still really like schafer and I hope that he is part of our OF in 2011.

[PureBaseballFan]

A very nice story about Randall Delgado, thank god he didn't go to the Mets although they likely would have just screwed up his development and make him into a reliever for the majors instead of doing what is best for him and keeping him down in the minors as a starter.

[chip&smoltz95]

in 2013: could the braves really have a rotation of all homegrown talent? hanson, minor, delgado, tehran, vizcaino... that just seems crazy. has that been done before?