Minor Fantasy News: More Prospects on the Move

by
March 30, 2009

The transaction wire is going crazy now with Major League Baseball opening day less than a week away. Teams are busy sending down top prospects right now – some of the moves surprising, others… not so much.

Two top catchers received bus tickets to Triple-A this week. Baltimore’s superstar-in-the-making Matt Wieters will begin the year in the minors, which will help delay his arbitration eligibility for the ever-cost-conscious Orioles. He certainly did not hurt his case to begin the year in the Majors with a .333 average. Former Blue Jay Gregg Zaun should be the everyday catcher until Wieters returns, possibly in May. The back-up job will probably go to former Diamondback Robby Hammock.

Seattle demoted Jeff Clement to the minors, as well. The 25-year-old appeared in 66 games for the Mariners last season, so he’s technically no longer a rookie. He really doesn’t have anything left to prove in Triple-A, but the club signed veteran Kenji Johjima to a ridiculous extension so it’s stuck with him for now. The back-up catcher will likely be Rob Johnson, who is hitting .400 this spring and plays good defense. Veterans Ken Griffey, Russell Branyan, and Mike Sweeney are also stealing time from Clement at the designated hitter or first base positions.

Oakland demoted outfielder Aaron Cunningham, who was obtained from Arizona last season in the Dan Haren trade. Cunningham batted .295 with two homers but ultimately fell victim to the club’s impressive outfield depth. Pittsburgh sent its top outfield prospect to the minors. Andrew McCutchen will start his second straight year in Triple-A. He could not have hit much better with a line of .318/.423/.561 in 66 at-bats, but the organization appears to favor veteran Craig Monroe for the opening day roster.

San Francisco demoted John Bowker, who entered spring with a good shot at winning the first-base job. He was significantly out-played by Travis Ishikawa. In Cincinnati, right-handed starter Daryl Thompson will continue to polish his game in Triple-A. Phillies’ starting-pitcher prospect Carlos Carrasco was another victim of the roster crunch. Outfielder John Mayberry Jr., obtained from Texas in the off-season for fellow former first rounder Greg Golson, was also demoted by Philly.

Some prospects also received good news this week, as former sixth-overall draft pick Ricky Romero won the No. 4 spot in the Toronto Blue Jays rotation. He was not even being considered for the role two weeks ago. The fifth spot is now down to either Scott Richmond or Brad Mills.

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Brett Gardner won the center field job in in New York and the Yankees are now actively shopping Melky Cabrera. Gardner should be a great source of steals for fantasy owners. He should also score a ton of runs if he stays at the top of the batting order. James McDonald has reportedly won a spot in the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation and could be a real sleeper in the National League Rookie of the Year race.





 

Marc Hulet has been writing at FanGraphs since 2008. His work focuses on prospects and fantasy. Follow him on Twitter @marchulet.

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