SB Nation - Rhyne Hughes

Baltimore Orioles Top 20 Prospects for 2010

John Sickels — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:59:42 -0000

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

3 months ago: Baltimore Orioles starter Brian Matusz delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Top 20 Baltimore Orioles Prospects for 2010

All grades are EXTREMELY PRELIMINARY and subject to change. Don't get too worried about exact rankings at this point, especially once you get beyond the Top 10. Grade C+/C guys are pretty interchangeable depending on what you want to emphasize. Complete reports on these and over 1,000 other players will be in the 2010 Baseball Prospect Book, now available for pre-order, shipping on February 2^nd!

1) Brian Matusz, LHP, Grade A: I don't see anything to complain about here. Could be something like a cross between Barry Zito and Mark Mulder when they were young.

2) Jake Arrieta, RHP, Grade B+: I like this guy a little more than most people, but I love the upside and I think the command will come around.

3) Zach Britton, LHP, Grade B+: Love the grounders, solid strikeout rate, I'm pro-Britton.

4) Josh Bell, 3B, Grade B: I like Bell too, but I see him more as a solid regular than a future star.

5) Brandon Erbe, RHP, Grade B: Borderline B-. Have always loved the upside, but durability and consistency remain concerns.

6) Brandon Snyder, 1B, Grade B-: I think he has a good bat, but not a GREAT one.

7) Matt Hobgood, RHP, Grade B-: Liked him a lot in high school, need more pro data before going higher.

8) Mychal Givens, SS, Grade B-: Great tools, grade is highly speculative at this point until we get some performance data. Can always try pitching if he doesn't hit.

9) Brandon Waring, 3B-1B, Grade C+: I like the power, but am unsure about the glove. Like Bell and Snyder, he seems more solid-ish than star-ish. Batting average and OBP may be issues.

10) Kam Mickolio, RHP, Grade C+: I am the Great Mickolio. I need control for my baseball. I have no changeup. Do you need fastball for your bullpen?

11) Luis Lebron, RHP, Grade C+: Another hard-throwing bullpen option if he throws strikes.

12) Steve Johnson, RHP, Grade C+: Might get overlooked because of his boring name. Possible fourth starter type if the command is there.

13) Brandon Cooney, RHP, Grade C+: Another hard-throwing bullpen option if he throws strikes.

14) Ryan Berry, RHP, Grade C+: A steal in the ninth round, IF his arm doesn't fall off due to the Rice injury curse.

15) Ashur Tolliver, LHP, Grade C+: Interesting southpaw arm with very good stuff, probably fits in the pen better than as a starter.

16) Caleb Joseph, C, Grade C: Might be a C+, could be convinced to raise this grade. Good power potential, defense is questionable.

17) Troy Patton, LHP, Grade C: Arm problems have cut his stock drastically, but I wouldn't count him out just yet. Command still a strength.

18) Michael Ohlman, C, Grade C: Power potential draws lots of praise, but no pro data yet and defense is questioned.

19) Xavier Avery, OF, Grade C: High-ceiling tools outfielder with questionable bat, young enough to improve greatly.

20) Cameron Coffey, LHP, Grade C: Tommy John survivor, could rank much higher once we see how he recovers from surgery. Clocked as high as 95 MPH before injury.

OTHERS (All Grade C): Matt Angle, OF; David Baker, RHP; Jesse Beal, RHP; Pedro Beato, RHP; Bobby Bundy, RHP; Jacob Cowan, RHP; Oliver Drake, RHP; Pat Egan, RHP; Pedro Florimon, SS; Eddie Gamboa, RHP; Randy Henry, RHP; Tyler Henson, 3B; L.J. Hoes, 2B; Rhyne Hughes, 1B; Jarret Martin, LHP; Cole McCurry, LHP; Bill Rowell, OF; Tyler Townsend, 1B; Justin Turner, 2B; Aaron Wirsch, LHP; Rick Zagone, LHP.

I think the Orioles system is often underrated. There is a lot to like at the top, with Matusz entering the '10 rotation and Arrieta not far behind him. I probably like Arrieta and Britton a bit more than most analysts. Erbe has tremendous potential as well. There is the nucleus of a really good pitching staff here, with several potential major league starters as well as the raw material of a fine bullpen, with a mixture of excellent arms (Mickolio, Lebron, Cooney) as well as guys with command (Egan, Gamboa) who could be fine staff fillers.

Things are thinner on the position side. The best of the hitters is Bell, but I see him more as a very solid guy than a future superstar. Snyder and Waring have potential, but again they strike me more as guys who can be pretty good rather than lineup anchors. Athletes like Givens and Avery have great ceilings but who knows if they can learn how to actually play. Joseph and Ohlman provide some catching depth behind Wieters, but neither one are certain to stick there.

All in all, this system has some major strength in young pitching but they could stand to boost the hitting.

Rays Complete Gregg Zaun Trade; Send Rhyne Hughes to Baltimore

Tommy Rancel — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:48:19 -0000

The Rays announced Rhyne Hughes as the player to be named later in the deal that sent Gregg Zaun from the Orioles to the Rays. The Rays will also receive cash from the Orioles to offset some of Zaun's salary. Hughes, 25, was an 8th round selection for the Rays in the 2004 draft. After posting good numbers in Double-A this year (.252/.340.500), Hughes was promoted to Triple-A Durham.

In 54 games for the Bulls, Hughes hit .322/.371/.551 with 31 extra base hits in 221 plate appearances. Always a bit old for his level, Hughes was never realy considered a prospect. For those looking at his Triple-A numbers, beware that his BABIP is .444 and he's walking just 5.5% of the time compared to striking out 31.7%.

A Look at 2009 Mid-Season Promotions on the Farm

FreeZorilla — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:46:43 -0000

Several players in the Rays farm system have been the recipients of mid-season promotions. Let's take a look at how some of these players have fared.

Rhyne Hughes 1B

Age 25 BL TL

Hughes began the season as a repeat in AA Montgomery where he led the Southern League in home runs at the time of his promotion with 15. Hughes was hitting one home run per every 14.33 at-bats. IN 2008, Hughes struggled mightily against left-handed pitching putting up a slash line of .165/.303/.319 while striking out in 31.9% of at-bats vs. lefties. In 2009, he improved to a line of .233/.329/.383 vs. LHP though his strikeout percentage increased to 41.7%. Overall his line was .260/.351/.521.

On June 9^th, Hughes was promoted to Durham where he went on a tear. For the monthof June, Hughes put up a line of .329/.369/.514. So far in July he has been far quieter with a line of .245/.339/.388 . His BABIP has fallen from a silly .486 to .345. In only 37 AB he has OPSed.814 vs. left-handed pitching in Durham. His K% with the Bulls is currently 32.3% while walking just 6.8% of the time. When Hughes hits the ball, he hits it hard. He is hitting home runs at Durham at a rate of one per every 21.3 AB. His biggest weakness, a lack of plate discipline, is the only thing keeping him from being a serious first base prospect.

Cody Cipriano 2B

Age 24 BR TR

Ciprianotook a major leap in 2009 with the Charlotte Stone Crabs putting up a line of .296/.395/.455. He played his way to the all-star team and then up to Montgomery on July 13. Ciprianohas displayed a very good eye at the plate walking between right around 14% of the time in all 3 seasons. His first week in AA went fairly well as he batted .250/.381/.438 with a home run. Cipriano's biggest weakness is his mediocre defense.

Nevin Ashley C

Age 24

Ashley's offense has been on a steady decline since rookie ball. As he worked his way up the system his OPS went from .903 (rookie) to .785 (class A) to .663 (A+). He began the season as a repeat in A+ with Charlotte where he continued to struggle. For the first time in his career his BB rate dwindled below double digits to 7%. His OPS continued to decline to .602. Nevertheless, Ashley was promoted to Montgomery on June 3^rd. AA proved to be a challenge in June, as Ashley OPSed just .532 while striking out 1/3 of his at-bats. July has proven to be much better for Ashley as he has put together 5 extra base hits and a slash line of .233/.340/.419 or Dioner Navarro plus walks. His walk rate continues to be a positive but he will need to continue to hit the ball well to have a shot at a future. Ashley is currently in the midst of a 7 game hitting streak.

Paul Phillips P

Age 25 TR

Paul Phillips was signed by the Rays minor league deal after the 25 year old was released by the Blue Jays organization. Phillips was originally selected in the 9^thround of the 2005 draft out of Oakland University. In 2007, Phillips was listed as the #34 organizational prospect for the Jays according to Scout.com. Phillips had been doing well in the lowest levels of the Jays organization but seemed to hit a stumbling block every time he reached A+ ball. In a half year stint in 2007, Phillips posted a FIPof 5.91. A full season in 2008 with a BB/9 of 5.97 and FIP of 4.49 earned him a pink slip.

The Rays gave Phillips a shot to begin the season in Charlotte where he pitched 18 innings of relief with a K/9 of 9.0 and a BB/9 of 3.3. On June 4, Phillips earned his first real promotion to AA Montgomery (he did serve a 3 game stint in AA in 2006. Phillips has been lights out with the Biscuits in 20 innings posting a K/9 of 8.55, a BB/9 of 2.7 and a FIP of 2.61. Here is a nice article on Phillips.

Matt Gorgen P

Age 22 TR

If you have followed DRB minor league coverage at all this year, you have been fed a healthy dose of Gorgen coverage. Gorgendevoured the Florida State League out of the bullpen in Charlotte with a FIP of 2.13 and a K/9 of 11.14 in 47.2 innings. He graduated the FSL withan ERA of 0.59 when he was promoted to Montgomery on July 16. In his first outing with the Biscuits, Gorgenpitched two scoreless innings with a walk and a strikeout. At this time last year, Gorgen was in Hudson Valley, so he is one to keep an eye on. Matt Gorgen's DRB Minor League Profile can be found here.

Rayner Oliveros P

Age 23 TR

Like Paul Phillips, Oliveros was another abandoned project, this time from the Royals organization. In 2008, Scout.com had Oliveros tabbed as the #43 organizational prospect. RJ Profiled the signing of Oliveros here. The Royals cut bait after the 2007 season where his K/9 was just 6.78 witha HR/9 of 1.28 in A+ ball. The Rays scouts saw something in him though, and have been rewarded for their vision. In 29 innings with the Stone Crabs, Oliveros's K/9 was 9.31 with a 2.30 FIP. On June 3, he received his promotion the the Biscuits and has continued to find success. His K/9 in AA is 8.82 with a FIP of 3.08 in 34.7 IP. It will be important to see his line drive % come down as it sits at 23.7% in AA vs. just 9.3% in A+. The real positive is the dramatic rise in K rate as he has gone through the minors while maintaining his excellent control.

Tom Rafferty P

Age 24 TR

Rafferty did a nice job in Hudson Valley last season striking out 10.89/9 with a 2.38 FIP. He began the season in Bowling Green where he was an elder statesman. Through 27.2 IP he had a FIP of 3.16 while striking out 7.16/9. On June 6, he earned his promotion to Charlotte where his K rate is up to 9.82 in 22 innings pitched. His walks are up a bit to 3.68 and he has allowed 2 home runs whereas he only allowed 1 during his previous minor league experience. Rafferty has induced 45.5% grounders in Charlotte down from 65.6% in Bowling Green.

Other Promotions:

"The Strandmaster" Jason Cromer P AA -> AAA

Mike McCormick C A->A+

Fear Not Young Deezy, Help Has Arrived

FreeZorilla — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:16:26 -0000

AA Montgomery Biscuits CF Desmond Jennings began 2009 on an absolute tear. Through June 8, Deezy had a slash line of .347/.412/.551 including 28 extra base hits over a span of 57 games played. It seemed nothing would stop Jennings in 2009 until on June 9, when fellow Southern league All-Star, first baseman Rhyne Hughes was promoted to AAA Durham along with his thenleague leading 15 home runs. This move followed the temporary elevation of fellow outfielder Rashad Eldridge to Durham on May 31. Eldridge would spend 25 days in Durham, doing quite well for himself before being returned to the Buscuits on June 26. Eldridge was largely rested upon his return due to an oblique injury which has since healed.

It turns out if you remove Jennings, Hughes, and Eldridge, the Biscuits were not much of an offensive team. The team slash line independent of those players is .218/.291/.325. From June 9 through the 4th of july, Deezy's slash line suffered at a level of 236/.292/.320 with 5 extra base hits without his buddies Eldridge and Hughes in the lineup.

Reinforcements would be arriving shortly. On June 5, Chris Nowak would be demoted from Durham back to Montgomery where he mashed in 2008. As mentioned above, Eldridge was returned to the Biscuits from Durham. Additionally, catcher Nevin Ashley, promoted on June 3rd from A+ Charlotte, would begin to fare better at the plate in July. Finally, Florida State League All Star infielder Cody Cipriano would be promoted from Charlotte on July 13.

The additions of Nowak, a healthy Eldridge, an adjusting Ashley, and Cipriano should ease much of the offensive burden that was weighing down the fleet footed Jennings. Since Nowak's recall on July 5th, Deezy has posted a slash of .286/.432/.629 with 6 extra base hits in 10 games.

Bios of Deezy's Cabinet can be found below:

Cody Cipriano:

Minor League Profile: Cody Cipriano

Cipriano ended up with a Charlotte slash of .297/.402/.456 with 17 doubles, 3 triples, and 5 home runs. He also posted a 14% BB rate.

Nevin Ashley:

From Behind the Prospects:

Nevin Ashley

The buildup: Ashley was selected in the 6th round of the 2006 draft. The right handed hitting catcher tore up rookie ball with a slash of .333/.440/.477 with 4 HR. He also threw out 12 of 23 base stealers. In 2007, Ashley found himself in A ball where he went for .280/.354/.431 with 12 HR and 20 steals. Ashley was named as a South Atlantic all star representative. He was named as the #26 prospect by BA.

The Prospect: Ashley began to slow down in 2008 at A+ ball where he batted .235/.348./315. He did walk a very nice 13% of appearances but his slugging disappeared.

Where is he Now? Ashley began the year in Charlotte in A+ ball batting .212/,293/.314. He was nonetheless named to the All Star team. However he was promoted to AA Montgomery before the All Star Game. To date in Montgomery he is batting .132/.313/.158. Ashley was been slow to prove he can provide slugging at the advanced levels of the minor leagues. He has also struck out in 12 of his first 35 at-bats in AA.

AA was a rude awakening for Ashley. His OPS for June was merely .532 as he batted .167 striking out in 1/3 of his at-bats. He has shown some progress in July with an OPS of .734 striking out 22% of at-bats. To date with the Biscuits his walk rate is a very nice 15.2%.

Rashad Eldridge

Eldridge is a 27 year old outfielder who flirted with AAA in 2006 with the Mets and Rangers, but has toiled in AA since. His AA slash in 2009 is .288/.364/.361. His slash during his 83 AB stint in Durham was .301/.370/.361.

Chris Nowak

The 26 year old 1B/3B was selected in the 19th round of the 2004 draft by the Rays. Nowak had OPSed between .836 and .877 (2008 in AA) in his 4 previous years in the Minors. He played in AA in both 2007 and 2008 with a 2008 cup of coffee at Durham. He began the year in Durham where he met his match for the time being with a slash of .228/.294/.346. Since returning to his comfort level in AA he has regained his old form with a line of .364/.421/.485. We'll see if he can ever make the next step, but he will certainly help to drive Deezy in while in Montgomery.

Minor League Highlights 6/21 - 6/23 (INPO)

FreeZorilla — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:56:57 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

6 months ago: Kansas City Royals catcher Miguel Olivo, left, and Tampa Bay Rays' Matt Joyce watch his two-run homer off Kansas City reliever Roman Colon during the eighth inning inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 2, 2009, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Joyce had four RBIs in Tampa Bay's 6-2 win. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

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1. The Durham Bulls bats came alive the past 3 days. SS Reid Brignac went 4-10 with a 2B and a BB. Reid's splits sit at .291/.356/.436 vs. .250/.299/.412 a year ago. A big improvement this season has been BB:K as he has gone from .27 to .78. His K% has been reduced from 26.4% to 13.4% while his walks have jumped to a more respectable 9.5%.

2. 27 year old OF Rashad Eldridge continues to play well for Durham since being promoted from AA. In the past 3 games he has gone 3-8 with 2 BB. The minor league vet is having arguably his best season hitting .301/.370/.361. Eldridge had a shot at AAA back in 2006 with the Mets and the Rangers but only OPSed .612 and .583. Prior to this season he put up back to back years in AA of .780+ with the Twins and the Rays.

3. OF Matt Joyce has been mired in a slump since being recalled to Durham going 7 for his last 49 with 9 walks. His OPS in that span has been .541. For the season vs LHP he is putting up .229/.260/.333. He's going to need to improve on those numbers to become the everyday right fielder for the Rays. In the past 3 games he has gone 1-13 with 2 BB, but his lone hit was a big home run yesterday. His seasonal slash at AAA is .268/.367/.453.

4. 25 yr old C John Jaso has woken up in June after a dreadful May where he OPSed .431. He has gone 3 for his last 11 with 2 BB and a HR. His season slash sits at .238/.349/.390. Jaso's plate discipline is excellent, especially when compared to Navi. He is walking at a rate of 13.7% while only striking out 12.8% for a BB/K of 1.24. For those keeping score at home Navi has walked 1.9% and struck out 14.9% for a ratio of .13.

5. OF Justin Ruggiano continues to play well going 3-8 with a 2B and a HR making this list for the 2nd consecutive time. THe 27 year old is now slashing .247/.341/.416.

6. 1B Rhyne Hughes continues his torrid hitting since being promoted from Montgomery. In the past 3 Hughes has gone 5-13 with a BB, a 2B, and 2 HRs. In 58 AAA ABs, Hughes has now posted .323/.354/.613.

7. Scott Kazmir had what appears to have been a one night only in Durham going 6 innings while striking out 5 and walking none. He surrendered 5 hits and 0 runs with his velocity consistently in the 90s. Kazmir was sadit o have thrown about 70% strikes.

8. Wade Davis made another excellent start going 6 innings, striking out 6 and walking 2. He allowed 6 hits and 2 runs, 1 earned. In 31 June innings his K/9 is 11.32 vs a BB/9 of 2.32. His seasonal FIP is 3.68 with a June FIP of 2.99.

9. Four Durham pitchers performed well this week out of the bullpen: Jason Cromer, Dale Thayer, Joe Bateman, and Julio DePaula. Each allowed no earned runs in a minimum of 2 innings pitched. The table below will update you on their seasons to date:

	K/9	BB/9	ERA	FIP
Jason Cromer	4.78	3.38	0.84	4.07
Dale Thayer	5.87	2.93	1.47	3.3
Joe Bateman	9.25	5.92	4.81	3.73
Julio DePaula	6.75	4.14	4.14	4.63

10. It was a quiet few days with the lumber for the AA biscuits, but there were a few pitching gems. Jeremy Hellickson made his return in a big way picking up right where he left off. Hellickson went 4 strong striking out 6 and walking none while surrendering 4 hits and 0 runs. Hellickson has been lights out all season with a K/9 of 10.9 and a BB/9 of 2.08. His FIP is at 2.25 with an ERA of 1.85. The right hander turned 22 in April.

11. 25 year old left hander Brandon Mann made his best start of the season for Montgomery going 6 shutout innings while striking out 6 and walking none. For the season his FIP sits at 3.85 with a K/9 of 5.07 and a BB/9 of 3.73.

12. 24 year old right hander Ryan Reid struck out the side in his one inning of work. Control has plagued him since joining AA last season. This season his K/9 and BB/9 both sit at 6.33. His K/9 has slipped this year from 10.3 to 6.33, so hopefully this inning was a sign of things to come for Reid.

13. Jesse Darcy made his best start of the season for the Charlotte Stone Crabs pitching a 7 inning complete game shutout. Darcy struck out 2, walked one, and allowed 5 hits. Darcy picked up his second win of the season in 13 starts. His FIP sits at 5.25 with a K/9 of just 3.68.

14. 24 year old right hander Tommy Rafferty has pitched 8.1 innings of relief for the Stone Crabs since his mid-season promotion. Rafferty has struck out 9 and walked 4 in his 8.1 innings posting a FIP of 2.51 while allowing 2 earned runs.

15. Cody Cipriano has had a cooler bat going 1-8 over the past 3 games. Why is he on this list? 4 walks over that span elevating his BB% to 11.8%. This is good because in A-and A ball Cody walked 14.1% and 13.9% of the time. Looks like his eye may be catching up to A+ pitching.

16. 22 year old middle infielder Omar Luna had been struggling mightily since joining the Stone Crabs in 2009. In the past 3 he has managed to go 4-6 with a BB. His slash sits at .197/.217/.413. Luna has never walked above 5% in his career.

17. 22 year old left fielder Ryan Royster has struggled in his second year with the Stone Crabs. He did manage to go 4-7 over the past games raising his slash to .220/.273/.295. His OPS has declined from .691 last year to .568 this year at the same level. He seems to be struggling in his splits OPSing .516 vs righties while his OPS vs lefties is .771.

18. 21 year old shortstop Shawn O'Malley has gone 4-8 with a stolen base over the past 3. The speedster is slashing .265/.364/.322 while swiping 25 bags in 32 attempts. He is having arguably his finest season in 4 years with the Rays organization in his first season at the A+ level.

19. The South Atlantic League held their annual all-star game. The Hot Rods were represented by Tim Beckham and Chris Andujar. It was a rough night for Andujar giving up 3 hits, a walk, and 4 runs in his sole inning pitched. Becks star shone bright as he went 3-5 with a 3B and 2 strikeouts. He also committed an error.

Stats courtesy of MILB.com/Fangraphs/minorleaguesplits

Not all sites update daily so minor inconsistencies may appear

Will do a week in review for short season highlights during the weekend.

Behind the Prospects

FreeZorilla — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:00:08 -0000

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

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Every season and every draft we get very excited about our prospects. Obviously, its somewhat a crap shoot trying to figure out who will pan out and who will not. Who will make it through the farm system unscathed by injury? What level will some of these prospects fizzle out? Let's take a fun look at BaseballAmerica's 2008 top 31 Rays prospect list.

Evan Longoria graduated from the list and has fully integrated himself as one of the best players in the majors. Other players reappeared on the 2009 list and have offered contributions to the major league club such as David Price, Jeff Niemann, and Reid Brignac.

The following names also reappear on the 2009 prospects and remain in the farm system: Wade Davis, Jake McGee, Desmond Jennings, Nick Barnese, Jeremy Hellickson, John Jaso, Fernando Perez, Heath Rollins, Mitch Talbot, Alex Cobb, Ryan Royster, and Justin Ruggiano.

Aside from the 2008 draftees, other names have played themselves onto the 2009 prospct list. These names are: Matt Moore, Albert Suarez, Reid Fronk, Chris Luck, Joseph Cruz, Alexander Colome, Kyeong Kang, Shawn O'Malley, and Mayo Acosta.

So what happened to the other fifteen names that disappeared from 2008's Top 31 list. Sit back, as DRB presents Behind the Prospect.

Chris Mason

The Buildup: In 2007, then 23 year old RHP Chris Mason went 15-4 with a 2.57 ERA in AA ball with a FIP of 3.10 earning him the #10 Rays prospect slot from BaseballAmerica.

The Prospect: Things did not go so well for Mason, as he went 3-10 for Durham in 2008 with a FIP of 5.09. This was driven by an increase in HR/9 from .39 to 1.57.

Where is he now? Mason in back in AA ball with the Rays struggling to regain his 2007 form. His K/9 is at 5.02 down from 7.59 in 2007. He is FIPping 4.32. He made a spot start in Durham earlier this year with largely the same results as last year giving up 8 hits and 4 runs in 4 innings including a HR.

Glenn Gibson

The Buildup: The Rays traded Elijah Dukes for a former 4^th rd southpaw in the Nationals organization, Glenn Gibson. Gibson had posted FIPs of .87 and 2.75 in A- ball prior to being acquired. His K/9 of 9 earned him the #11 Prospect position in 2008.

The Prospect: While still playing in A- ball, Gibson saw his BB/9 rise from 2.33 to 5.82. In 22 games in class A, he 4-8 with a 7.22 ERA for Columbus. His FIP was 5.58.

Where is he now? Gibson will once again find himself in A- ball, trying to reestablish himself with the Hudson Valley Renegades.

Juan Salas

The Buildup: In 2007, The Juice took the Durham Bulls by storm with a K/9 of 12.46 and a FIP of 1.47. He pitched most of 2007 with the big league club pitching in 35 games which proved to be a rough go around. His K/9 fell to 6.44 with K:BB of 1.53. Nonetheless he was listed as the #12 prospect in 2008.

The Prospect: In 2008, he was once again excellent in Durham striking out over 10 per 9 with a K/BB of 4.82. His FIP was an attractive 2.28. He finished the year with the Rays pitching 6.1 innings striking out 8 while walking 4.

Where is he now? The Rays traded Salas in February for minor league infielder Isiaias Valasquez. The Indians released Salas in May. Salas was a converted third baseman who had issues with a falsified birth certificate and a PED suspension. In 2008, he had seizure issues and a visa problem.

Eduardo Morlan

The Buildup: Morlan, a RHP, was selected by the Twins in the 3^rd rd of the 2004 amateur draft. Morlan was a stud on the Minnesota farm system tearing up A and A+ ball with FIPs of 2.80 and 2.65 along with K/9s of 10.58 and 12.61 in 2006-07. He was included in the deal that brought over a head case named Matt Garza and an error prone shortstop named Jason Bartlett. Morlan, along with his near 100 MPH fastball, was named the #15 prospect in the Rays organization.

The Prospect: Morlan battled shoulder issues that shut him down for most of the first half of 2008 in Montgomery. He finished the season with a 3.80 FIP but his K/9 were greatly reduced from 12.61 to 8.62.

Where is he now? Morlan was chosen by the Brewers in the 2008 Rule 5 draft. However, he was designated for assignment in Spring Training and returned to the Rays. He is once again pitching for Montgomery with a FIP to date of 4.02 while his K/9 is down to 8.15.

Josh Butler

The Buildup: The RHP was a 2^nd round selection in 2006 draft out of the University of San Diego. He fared well through A- and A ball before slowing down the second half of 2007 after being boosted to A+ ball. He was promising enough to earn Baseball America's #16 prospect ranking.

The Prospect: Butler made 3 starts for the Rays in A+ in 2008 posting a FIP of 4.02 and striking out 5.29/9. He was then traded to Milwaukee for Gabe Gross, a key cog in the Rays 2008 AL Championship run. Butler went on to struggle in A+ ball for Milwaukee with a FIP of 5.07. He struggled with his control as his walk rate climbed to 4.37/9.

Where is he now? Butler has had a solid year for the Brewers. He has made 9 stats in A+ ball, 1 start at AA, and 3 starts at AAA. In double A and triple A combined he has struck out 21 batters in 21 innings while walking just 2. His FIPs are 3.53/2.20/3.53 from A+ to AAA in 2009.

James Houser

The Buildup: Houser was drafted in the 2^nd round of the 2003 draft out of Sarasota High School. BaseballAmerica immediately named the southpaw the #4 prospect in the organization. Houser began his ascension through the farm system one year at a time from 2005-07 going from A ball to AA in Montgomery. In Montgomery, the still 22 year old Houser posted a FIP of 3.99. Following 2007, he was ranked as the #18 prospect.

The Prospect: Houser stuck around in AA and took a step backwards as his K/9 fell from 7.81 to 7.25 while his BB/9 rose from 3.39 to 3.82.

Where is he now? Despite the setback , Houser was promoted to Durham where he has really struggled. In 12 starts his BB/9 has increased up to 6.43 while his K/9 is down to 5.3. His FIP is 6.11.

Matt Walker

The Buildup: Walker was the Ray's 1th round pick in 2004. He got off to a very fast start at Princeton for an 18 year old striking posting a K/9 of 10.8 and a 2.64 FIP. The right hander with a big curveball struggled somewhat with control in 2006 with a K:BB of 1.66 at A Ball. In 2007 at the A+ level Walker declined greatly walking 7.71/9 innings. During the same year, his best friend was killed in a house fire. Still, Walker was young and earned the #20 prospect ranking for 2008.

The Prospect: Walker continued to struggle with his control in a repeat of A+ ball walking 6.35/9 while FIPping 5.43 before he was suspended for 50 games for amphetamines.

Where is he Now? Walker was released by the Rays in May and has not been picked up by another team.

Mike McCormick

The Buildup: McCormick, a catcher was selected out of high school in the 5th round of the 2005 draft. McCormick had a solid season in rookie ball for a high schooler putting up a slash of .252/.339/.441. In 2006, also at Princeton, the right hander improved his OPS to .864. IN 2007 he converted from 3B to catcher at Hudson Valley where he continued to mash with an OPS of .821 with 8 HR. He was named as a representative in the NY-Penn League's all star game. BA selected McCormick as their #21 prospect in 2008.

The Prospect: McCormick slowed down in A Ball with a slash line of .216/.276/.365 with 13 HR. He struggled mightily against left handed pitching OPSing just .536.

Where is he now?: McCormick is in Bowling Green in Class A where his numbers have continued to decline. He is OPSing just .511 on the season with a K% north or 30%.

Will Kline

The Buildup: Will Kline was drafted with the first pick in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft out of Ole Miss. The right handed pitcher had already undergone a Tommy John surgery but recovered to have a successful college career. Kline had a fair debut in A ball with a FIP of 4.37 with a K/9 of 8.38. BA listed him as the #23 prospect for 2008.

The Prospect: Kline missed all of 2008 with a shoulder injury which was his second major surgery on his throwing arm. It is unclear how he will recover.

Where is He Now? raysprospects.com believes Kline will either make his return with Bowling Green or Charlotte.

Wade Townsend

The Buildup: Townsend was the Rays first round selection in 2005 out of Rice University. The right hander had been selected 8th overall in 0-4 by the Orioles but instead returned to Rice. Townsend struggled as a 22 year old in Hudson Valley mostly with velocity and control as he walked 5.36/9. His FIP came out to 5.17.Townsend was forced to miss all of the 2006 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He made his return in 2007 in A ball where he posted a FIP of 5.39. His numbers were pretty poor but his draft stock still left him at BA's #24 prospect.

The Prospect: Townsend began the year in AA with Montgomery where his struggles were much worse. His FIP rose to 6.82 allowing 17 walks and 17 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. He also was tagged for 5 home runs. He quickly was demoted to A+ ball where he did post a more respectable but not buzz worthy 4.69. Townsend underwent shoulder surgery in the Fall and is expected to miss all of 2009.

Where is He Now? Townsend is expected to miss all of 2009. Wikipedia actually has Townsend retiring on today's day of June 23. 2009 though I have been unable to confirm it.

Nevin Ashley

The Prospect: Ashley began to slow down in 2008 at A+ ball where he batted .235/.348./315. He did walk a very nice 13% of appearances but his slugging disappeared.

Rhyne Hughes

The Buildup: The 1B Hughes was selected in the 8th round out of community college in the 2004 draft. The left hander performed well in 2005 in Hudson Valley putting up a slash of .279/.335/.470 with 8 HR. In 2006 at A ball Hughes hit for a disappointing .231/.294/.321 with only 3 HR. He would really develop in 2007 playing most of the year at A+ Vero Beach going for .331/.392/.516 with 12 HR. Hughes won the batting title and was named the FSL's best defensive 1st baseman by BaseballAmerica. Hughes had a cup of coffee in August at Montgomery in AA OPSing .804. He was named BA's #28 prospect for 2008.

The Prospect: Hughes played all of 2008 at Montgomery posting a slash of.268/.356/.448 with 14 HR. His K% rose to 28.4%. All in all pretty respectable stuff. However, split became a factor as Hughes batted only .165 with an OPS of .622 vs LHP.

Where is he now? Hughes once again remained in Montgomery to begin the year, but he took the league by storm forcing a promotion to Durham. He posted a .260/.351/.521. His OPS vs lefties improved to .712. He led the Southern League in HR at the time of his promotion with 15. He has handled the promotion well going .288/.327/.500 since being called up. Hughes K% did climb in AA to 35.4%, but he has it back down to 24.5% in Durham. Hughes still deserves the prospect label.

Joel Guzman

The Buildup: Guzman arrived as the headliner in a package deal for Julio Lugo. Guzman is a large 3B standing 6'6 250 Lbs. The former international free agent played at Durham in 2007 hitting .243/.281/.308 with 16 HR. Guzman was a free swinger with a BB% of 5.3% and a K% of 28.3%. He had a 16 game call up with the big league club where he OPSed .660. BA named him the #29 prospect.

The Prospect: Guzman played all of 2008 in Durham where he did OPS .714 while hitting 2o HR.

Where is he now? Guzman was signed away as a free agent by the Nationals. He began the year in AAA where he OPSed a beastly .293 in 12 games before being demoted to AA. He has done well in AA OPSing .774 while getting his K% all the way down to 14.6% when it has been in the mid-20s all of his career.

D.J. Jones

The Buildup: Jones was a toolsy high schooler from Alabama selected in the 11th round of the 2007 draft. Based on his tools, he was named BA's #30 prospect in the Rays organization.

The Prospect: Jones was 21 on opening day for Princeton in 2008. His overall slash was extremely mediocre at .229/.297/.306. He did fare much better in his 25 at-bats vs left handed pitching OPSing .810. His struggles vs the righties is a bit surprising given that he is a lefty.

Where is he now: Jones season just got underway in Hudson Valley. To date, he is 1-6 with 3 Ks.

David Newmann

The Buildup: Newmann, a 6'2 lefty, was selected in the fourth round of the 2007 draft out of Texas A&M. He had missed all of 2006 with Tommy John surgery at A&M, but rebounded to go 11-1 with a 2.98 ERA as a senior. Newmann was named the #31 prospect in 2008 by BA.

The Prospect: Tough luck Newmann tore a knee ligament in Spring Training and missed the entire season.

Where is he now? Tomorrow Newmann will turn 24. He has pitched extremely well for Charlotte this season in A+ ball and has put himself back on the prospect map. He is FIPping 2.94 with 65 strikeouts in 61.2 innings while allowing 23 walks. He is inducing an attractive 61% ground balls. Unfortunately, Newmann went on the 7 day disabled list last week with a finger injury. He is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Weekend Highlights from around the Farm (in no particular order)

FreeZorilla — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:28:14 -0000

Weekend Highlights from the Farm

Nick Barnese- In his 3^rd real start in Bowling Green, the right hander was dominant allowing just 1 infield hit over 7 innings while walking none. He had six strikeouts while leading Bowling Green to a 2-0 victory. Josh Satow continued to impress pitching 2 hitless innings of scoreless relief with 3 strikeouts, though he did walk 2. The 23 year old southpaw now has a FIP of 1.33 with a K:BB ratio of 7.6.

Jake Jeffries of Bowling Green went 5-12 over the weekend with a 2B. He continues to be a tough strikeout with only 21 through 246 plate appearances. His slash lines are currently sitting at .258/.328/.347. The 21 year old left-handed batting catcher has actually has more success vs. southpaws OPSing .811 than vs. righties (OPS .636).

South Atlantic All-star representative Chris Andujar pitched 4 scoreless innings in a no-decision weekend start for Bowling Green striking out 2 while walking one. The 21 year old right-hander improved his ERA to 2.55 with an 8-2 record. Andujar's ERA is a little misleading as his FIP sits at 4.00 due to a 1.68 K/BB ratio.

21 year old left-hander Frank De Los Santos had one of his stronger outings for the Hot Rods going 6 innings while striking out 5 and walking none. He did allow 3 runs though only one was earned in a game marred by 5 defensive errors (4 by the brothers Beckham). De Los Santos currently has a FIP of 4.00.

Montgomery 24 year old right-hander Heath Rollins pitched 6 innings of 1 run ball, finishing with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks. His FIP is sitting at 3.36, allowing just 3 HR in 79.1 IP.

Montgomery reliever Paul Phillips continues to pitch very well since being called up from Charlotte. The 25 year old right-hander was in the Blue Jays organization from 2006 to 2008 mostly in A+ ball. He was promoted from Charlotte after posting a 3.50 FIP in 18 relief outings. In 6 games for Montgomery he has pitched 9 shutout innings of relief surrendering 2 hits and 2 BBs while striking out 6. In Montgomery his FIP is currently 2.53.

26 year old right-hander Brian Baker continues to have a very good year for the Biscuits pitching 5 innings of shutout baseball striking out 5 while walking 1. He has started 5 games in total appearances compiling a record of 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA. He is striking out 8.5 hitters per 9 innings with a K:BB ratio of 3.07. His FIP currently resides at 2.83.

Wade Davis continued his recent string of good performances in AAA going 7 innings while striking out 9 and walking 2. Davis did allow a home run. In his last 25 innings he has struck out 33 hitters while only walking 5. His FIP is now down to 3.60.

Chad Bradford continued to pitch well during his rehab stint throwing 2 more scoreless innings for Durham. Combined between 3 levels, he has pitched 8 innings on one run ball while striking out 5 and walking 1.

Justin Ruggiano went 4-12 with 2 walks over the weekend including a grand slam (9 HR). Ruggiano's slash lines are .247/.342/.414 on the year with a high K% of 33.1%.

After a slow start since being promoted from Montgomery, 1B Rhyne Hughes has been on a tear. He ended the weekend 6-13 with 2 doubles and a triple. Hughes slash line at AAA is now .306/.333/.531. His K% has declined from 35.4% with the Biscuits to 24.5% with Durham. Hughes was leading the Southern League in home runs at the time of his promotion.

Durham stalwart Jon Weber went 3-8 over the weekend with a walk, a double, and a HR. The 31 year old outfielder has been very consistent over the past three season at Durham with OPS ranging from .757 to .781. His current slash line is .265/.346/.429.

The Florida State League held its annual all star game. The Stone Crabs had four representatives. Darrin Downs pitched a scoreless 2^nd inning, while Matt Gorgen worked a scoreless ninth. Cody Cipriano struck out 3 times going 1-5 while Ian Sexton reached safely in all 3 plate appearances with 2 hits and a walk. He picked up an RBI in the process.