Minor League Notes: April 10

The first week of minor league baseball has come and gone. Here are some of the notable events this week:

• Thought the Tigers had a bad farm system? Well, it may be even worse than you thought. Slugging 3B Kody Kirkland is 0-20 at AA Erie with six strikeouts and no walks. Now in his third year at the level, it seems Kirkland simply will not ever make enough contact to move up.
• SS Corey Ragsdale, a hitter with major strikeout issues of his own, had moved to the mound late last year, but has resurfaced again as a shortstop for the AA Frisco RoughRiders (Texas).
• Sidearming RHP Adam Cowart (Giants) has taken well to AA ball, sporting an 0.87 ERA in two starts for Connecticut of the Eastern League.
• RHP Tommy Hanson (Braves) of the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans struck out 13 of 16 batters he faced in his first start, and has 20 Ks in 11 innings.
• Uber-prospect Evan Longoria (Rays) is just 3-22 so far for AAA Durham, with no extra-base hits.
• Sky Sox RHP Juan Morillo (Rockies) has walked eight batters in just 1 2/3 innings, putting his ERA at 32.40.
• OF Jay Bruce (Reds), considered the top prospect in baseball by everyone but me, is hitting .250/.276/.464 so far for AAA Louisville.
• SS Carlos Triunfel (Mariners), who I consider one of the top two hitting prospects in baseball, is just 2-22 at High-A High Desert.
• 3B Angel Villalona (Giants), who I consider the other top hitting prospect in baseball, is 4-15 at Low-A Augusta.
• INF Marshall McDougall (Padres), a personal favorite of mine, was inexplicably demoted from AAA Portland to AA San Antonio.
• RHP Jason Glushon (Athletics) has made it to Class AAA Sacramento just months after being signed as a D-III NDFA. He has made two scoreless relief appearances.
• LHP Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers), the best prospect in baseball if you ask me, has allowed one earned run in three innings at AA Jacksonville.
• C J.R. House (Astros) has piled up 10 hits for AAA Round Rock.
• 1B Jeff Larish has become the second-best Tigers prospect after slugging 4 homers to take the AAA lead.

There's obviously more going on than just this. Ask if you want to know how any other specific players or teams are fairing.

One final note: No, I didn't work Scott McClain into this article. But guess who the picture is of?