MLB Spring Training 2011: 10 Prospect Performances That Excite Us Most So Far
Spring training is a time that different people use for different things. Players are trying to get back into the swing of things and in some cases are hoping to land roster spots. Managers are trying to fill said roster holes while getting a good look at some minor-league talent in the process.
As for us, we get to watch baseball, having not seen it since November. And we get to start trying to put names to faces in the case of teams that made a lot of acquisitions or invited many minor leaguers to spring training.
It seems like every year some players end up coming out of nowhere to have an outstanding spring training, and we either learn their name for many years or we never hear from them again. Here are 10 players who have been playing very well and have been exciting us so far.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Vogelsong, P, San Francisco Giants
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It seems like every time I go to sleep and subsequently wake up, the Giants have yet another pitcher who's the next big thing. They had Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgardner.
Now the Giants have Ryan Vogelsong, who may be the opposite of them. He's not a prospect, but rather a veteran trying to get back into it. He's been playing so well, however, that I have to note him.
Once a rising star for the Giants, he has not played in the MLB since 2006, having spent a few years playing baseball in Japan. This year he has only allowed one earned run in three appearances, two of them starts, while throwing nine strikeouts in the process.
It seems fairly clear that San Francisco will find a use for him somewhere, even though he's not a true prospect.
1. Ryan Roberts: 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Roberts is not a true prospect, as he did play a full season in 2009 for the Diamondbacks. But he is looking to fight for a spot on the roster, namely the now-open third-base spot. So I'm including him nonetheless.
How does one grab the attention of Diamondbacks management? Roberts has the answer. Through 11 games, he has 14 hits and a .632 batting average. On top of that, he has eight walks to only three strikeouts.
At the rate he's going, he could be the starting third baseman on opening day after only playing 36 major-league games last year.
2. Jordan Zimmermann: P, Washington Nationals
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The Nationals have a slew of either incredibly-hyped rookies who are hurt or aging veterans who are hurt. For a while, Zimmermann was in the latter category, and he is now looking to keep a rotation spot. He'll be in his third MLB season, but he's hoping that he can last the whole season this year.
In two starting appearances—so far totaling six innings—Zimmerman has thrown five strikeouts and has not allowed a run. He has been very efficient against opponents, and if his starting status was in doubt before, it's not now.
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3. Matt Fox: P, Boston Red Sox
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Now let's get to people who really are prospects. Matt Fox made his major-league debut in 2010 and played four total games. Now he is looking for a spot on the Red Sox roster and if he keeps pitching like this, he'll get one.
In three games so far, four innings total, Fox has notched seven strikeouts. His ERA of 2.25 exists solely as the result of a solo home run. Had that not happened, his numbers would look even better.
The Sox bullpen is deep with Daniel Bard, Jonathan Papelbon and others, but Fox might be able to squeeze in there.
4. Chris Davis: 1B, Texas Rangers
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After some struggles in the 2010 season, Chris Davis needed a great spring training to stay in the discussion for the first-base job. He has a good track record in March to begin with, but this year has been outstanding for him.
In eight games so far, he has eight RBI, a .435 batting average and only five strikeouts—a much lower rate than he's had the past couple years. At this point, though, he has to learn to play in the regular season, so some teams will see this performance and may be interested in trading if the Rangers plan to stick with Mitch Moreland.
5. Gio Gonzalez: P, Oakland Athletics
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After having a good 2010 that went under the radar due to how good Trevor Cahill was, Gio Gonzalez needed a good March to get people pumped up about a potential breakout performance. It seems like all Athletics pitchers end up being great for a while, and Gio appears to be next in line.
In two starts totalling five innings, Gonzalez has not yet allowed a run or a hit, and he has thrown 10 strikeouts. Perhaps more accurately, he has failed to strike out only five batters. He's so dominant so far that I'm convinced he will be this year's breakout pitcher, even more so than Cahill was last year.
6. Matt Carpenter: 3B, St. Louis Cardinals
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Moving from young guns looking to become stars to non-roster invitees looking to make their debuts, we now turn to third baseman Matt Carpenter. Carpenter spent 2010 at Double-A Springfield, hitting .316.
In eight games, he's hitting .474 with two triples and no strikeouts. While he may not make it on the roster, he's a player to watch over the course of this year in the minors, since it's clear that he does a great job hitting the ball.
7. Lonnie Chisenhall: 3B, Cleveland Indians
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Lonnie Chisenhall was pinned to be the Indians' starting third baseman in 2012—they were waiting for him to be a bit more polished despite playing well in Double-A Akron. With how he's playing, though, perhaps he should be the third baseman in 2011.
In eight games, Chisenhall's average is among the highest in the league at .550. He's playing a well-rounded game, and he's looking awfully good for that gaping third base hole right about now.
8. Matt Dominguez: 3B, Florida Marlins
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We have yet another non-roster invitee third baseman who is making waves, and this one is on the Marlins. Matt Dominguez spent the past season at Double-A Jacksonville where he showed some power, though I was not expecting this so far.
In seven games, Dominguez has a .400 batting average, 10 RBI, two home runs, and he is just hitting the ball very well. The Marlins may not need him yet, but he was a first-round draft pick that they'll want to put to work soon enough.
9. Matt Maloney: P, Cincinnati Reds
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The Cincinnati Reds have a slew of young pitching talent in Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and others. As a result some pitchers can slip under the radar, such as Matt Maloney. He'll be entering his third MLB season this year, though he's only pitched 14 career games.
In three appearances and seven innings of work, Maloney has allowed one earned run, gotten a save and allowed three hits. He threw six strikeouts as well. While the stats are not overly amazing, his last two springs were poor, so this could be the start of a very good year for him.
10. Kila Ka'aihue: 1B, Kansas City Royals
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Royals fans know exactly who this guy is, but most others don't. He started to see some regular playing time finally in 2010, and he needed a good start to this year to prove he can be an everyday player with his bat.
So far he has three home runs and a .389 batting average in seven games. Beyond that, he looks to easily pass his four home runs in spring training last year. So long as he can keep hitting them, the Royals can find a place for him.
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