Feel free to add if there is anyone that's still up in the air to be converted from a reliever to a starter. What's the latest on these guys? Starters or relievers, short term and long term? Will any of these guys not work as a starting pitcher but succeed if moved back to the pen? I keep getting mixed reports of these players roles from the 2008 draft...

Bryan Price, P (BOS)
Ryan Perry, P (DET)
Josh Lindbom, P (LA)
Jay Jackson, P (CHC)

If there are any similar player, please share.

So is this guy for real? He's been on of the minors best hitters since the start of last year...

last year 20 years old played second base, has moved to 3B...

last year 327/404/516 with a 51/65 BB/K ratio

this year at A+ 369/440/462 and he hasn't even gotten his power stroke on

What are the best websites for minor league scouting reports? I'm not looking for anything crazy. I just want to know if Joe Rookieball and his 12 K/9 might be for real, or if he has two pitches, one being a 86 mph FB.

Unrelated question; where is Matthew Sweeney, 3B LAA?

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So, who had the best/worst debuts? I know some of the players but I usually wait to check out how they did. What about some players in the other early rounds that were intriguing and have big debuts?
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In A ball he's at 292/364/534 and he's only 19. He's homered in 3 straight games at 19 on the year along with 13 2B and 2 3B. He's not too raw either as he has a decent EYE ratio at 34/64. He's MASHING the last two months with a SLG% of 643 in June and 635 so far in July.

From what I can gather he was drafted in 2005, got only 163 ABs in 2006 on two different teams (didnt do much). And that's about it. But we are getting deeper into the season (he has 300+ Abs) and he's got great peripherals, size, age vs league, etc. It looks like it's all there.

What do we make of this kid?

Whats the deal with this kid? 2nd round pick in 2004 has pitched in 18 games but only 7 as a starter (his last seven games).

23 years old in AAA

As a starter in 2007....

39 IP 4 HR 10 BB 39 K

He's always had good stuff with a K/9 over 9 and K/PA over 20% every stop. Groundball pitcher (50-60% GB%). The knock on him has been the walks but he showed great control in 2004 and before his promotion in 2005. When he was promoted in 2005 his walk rate went up about double he amount and stayed that way until 2007 where he reverse the numbers back to his old rates.

Anyone have any info on him? I only took a peek at him now. He's got the peripherals now and in his early career that make me think he could be a legitimate top prospect.

20 years old second basemen in the Brewers system 25th round pick out of Canada. Debuted last year and hit poorly the lone bright spot was his ability to take walks and put the ball in play. Now in full season ball he's hitting

.344/.394/.607 1.001 OPS

to go along with a decent 15/27 K/BB ratio

Huge numbers from anyone, let alone a second basemen, anybody have anymore info on him?

Another VERY young phenom in the works? He's 17 and he's already listed 6'2 239 on the team site(fatty!?) and is a catcher in full season ball. To be fair his weight is listed around 200 everywhere else, but that is what the team site says. Pictures I have seen make me believe it's the latter. The Mets were considering putting him at high A to start the season but are just playing him in full season ball and he's off to a wicked start, 6-9!

Did anyone see him this spring or have any reports on him? Might be someone who shoots up the rankings into the top 50 if he has a year like Martinez did.

http://images.minorleagueball.com/images/admin/knobrook.jpg

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2005/04/26/O3MMW4OD.jpg

Is it just me or is this kind of freaky?

I had posted this somewhere else but wanted to repost it here to see what everything though.

So it looks like the Yankees are sending Unit packing.

Clearly, the Yankees have a plan headed into the new ballpark, to assemble an incredible bullpen and young starting pitching. Like when they brought up all the players in the late 90s, they are looking to do that again in the next few years, this time with mostly pitching.

Brandon Medders and Dustin Nippert seem to be headed to NY. Medders is a reliever, Nippert a starter.

Nippert is an interesting player, he got hurt in 2005 but if he pans out he's got pretty big upside. He had a dissapointing 2006 but he can definitely put it together, the only reason his numbers weren't great is because he gave up a lot of hits. But he had good stuff shown by his strikeout numbers.

Medders will atleast be decent, but if his strikeout numbers come back he can be a setupman even in 2007.

If the Yankees hold all of their pitching prospects/young pitchers they probably will have the best bullpen and starters in baseball going into 2008. Off the top of my head...

Hughes
Wang
Sanchez
Clippard - ready mid season 2007
Igawa
Nippert? - not sure if he will pan out
Chamberlain? - don't be surprised if he becomes one of the best minor leaguers this year
Kennedy?

Britton - proven young mlb talent
Cox - should see NY soon, he's been talked about a lot as the next closer
Medders - another young proven mlb guy
Whelan - from Detriot

I really hate the Yankees but every team in the AL should be scared right now because all these guys have big upside and will be ready very soon and are progressing well. Plus, most of these guys are going to be at the minimum contract wise. So the Yanks will have plenty of money to spend anywhere they want. Carlos Zambrano?

The Yanks are probably set up the best in baseball looking at the near future going forward.

-a mets fan