Miguel Cabrera Exits in Fourth Inning, Likely Headed to DL

By Peyton Wesner

Detroit was leading 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning when everyone's heart at Comerica Park and in the state of Michigan skipped a beat. 

Nine-time All-Star Miguel Cabrera was on first base after getting on by a single and Victor Martinez was about to receive a 3-2 pitch from Toronto Blue Jays' right hander Drew Hutchison. As Hutchison broke home with the offering, Cabrera took off for second base as a part of a hit and run. Despite Martinez fouling the pitch off and staying alive in the count, a problem arose as the Cabrera pulled up in pain and grabbed his left leg with an apparant injury. Immediately, the two-time American League Most Valuable Player was taken out of the game by Detroit manager Brad Ausmus and received an MRI during the Tigers' 8-6 victory. Thankfully the MRI from last night showed no damage to his Achilles tendon, but aside the fact reports are that Cabrera will likely head to the DL for the first time in his career. 

When asked about Cabrera's status after the game, Ausmus said "I'm not optimistic at all. When Miggy says he can't play, it is serious, because Miggy plays through everything." 

So far in 2015, the American League leading vote-getter at first base has fifteen home runs, fifty-four runs batted in, and an AL best .350 batting average in seventy-seven played.

Coming into today's action, the Tigers are one game over .500 with a record of 40-39, putting them six games back of AL Central leading Kansas City and one and a half games back of Baltimore and Minnesota for the last Wild Card spot. This evening Detroit will look to keep the possibility of a sweep alive as they sends 7-2 David Price to the hill against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. The Tigers are 13-3 this season in starts that Price makes. 

Cincinnati Reds Promote Top Prospect Robert Stephenson to Louisville (Triple-A), Wins Debut

By Peyton Wesner

Although today, the Triple-A Debut of Cincinnati Reds' top prospect Robert Stephenson, was expected to have occurred much earlier, the twenty-two year old did not disappoint when finally steping on the mound.

Stephenson, MLB.com's eighteenth top prospect in baseball, began his professional career much slower than other first round picks in the 2011 MLB Draft as he did not make his first start in the Reds' organization until the spring of 2012. But actually, the right hander didn't start moving quickly through the farm system until 2013 when he pitched in three levels, starting with Dayton (Single-A) and finishing the season with Pensacola (Double-A). The following year, Stephenson started back in Pensacola and despite showing glimpses of greatness, his erratic command caused him to permit more than one free pass in twenty-one of his twenty-seven pitching appearances in 2014, ultimately resulting in more earned runs allowed.

Despite the 2014 All-Star Futures Game selection walking forty-three batters in seventy-eight and one/thirds innings this season for the Blue Wahoos, Stephenson was terrific in Double-A (4-7 record and 3.68 earned run average) and averaged 10.23 strikeouts per nine innings (eighty-nine strikeouts) leading to his promotion to the next level.

Tonight's opponent, the Columbus Clippers, could not have offered a better lineup at the youngster as Columbus' starting lineup featured seven players with Major League experience. Nonetheless Stepheson started attacking hitters right out of the gate and struck out the lead-off batter, Cleveland Indians' prospect Tyler Naquin, for his first career Triple-A strikeout. After surrendering a hit to Jose Ramirez and getting the power hitting Jesus Aguilar to pop up, the Triple-A rookie was able to sit down Lonnie Chisenhall for his second strikeout of the inning.

So the first inning went well for Stephenson, but when would his command issues start? The third inning to be exact.

In the third, the righty immediately started the inning with a walk to Tyler Holt. Holt then stole second base with Adam Moore at the dish to get into scoring position, creating Stephenson's first ever Triple-A jam. Spoiler alert! He would not escape unscathed. After Moore struck out, Tyler Naquin achieved revenge on Stephenson with an RBI double to tie the game at one. Then, Jose Ramirez continued his success against the pitcher and drove in Naquin with an RBI single, which seized a one-run lead for Columbus. Luckily, the Bats' defense picked up their hurler by center fielder Ryan LaMarre catching an Aguilar fly out for the second out and catcher Chris Berset gunning down Ramirez at second base for out number three.

The next inning, a walk to Jerry Sands with one out started another threat to Stephenson, yet unlike the previous inning, he was able to strikeout Zach Walters and throw out Tyler Holt, who bunted a grounder towards the mound, to add another zero on the board.

In his fifth and final inning, the Reds' top pitching prospect added another scoreless frame after giving up a Jose Ramirez two-out single.

With the score knotted at two and reliever Jumbo Diaz looking to come on to pitch in the top of the sixth, Louisville Bats' All-Star Irving Falu doubled with Ryan LaMarre on second base to claim the lead for his team just in time for Stephenson to be in line for his first career Triple-A victory.

As tonight's winner, Robert Stephenson ended his Triple-A Debut allowing only two earned runs on four hits in five innings pitched while walking three and striking out six. The twenty-seventh overall pick from the 2011 MLB Draft will look to stay perfect and improve his record to 2-0 in his next scheduled start Wednesday at Louisville Slugger Field against division leading Indianapolis.

Prospects and Veterans Make-Up 2015 International League All-Star Roster

By Peyton Wesner

"Corey Seager and Peter O'Brien made the Pacific Coast League All-Star team? No way the International League will be able to compete!"

Yesterday, the Triple-A league of the East, the International League, announced their All-Star roster for the circuit's "Midsummer Classic" on July 15 and those selected did not bring disappointment. 

Led by a plethora of pitching talent, highlighted by Pawtucket's Brian Johnson, Gwinnett's Manny Banuelos and Buck Farmer of Toledo, the International League will give the big bats of the PCL a tough time at the plate.

Offensively, MLB.com's seventy-seventh top prospect Indianapolis' Alen Hanson will supply a breath of youth into a lineup of IL veterans that include Buffalo's Matt Hague and Jesus Aguilar of Columbus.

Starters (Voted In By Fans)

C-Elias Diaz (Indianapolis-PIT)

***11th Top Prospect in Organization

---Break?! Elias Diaz's All-Star 'Break' cannot be considered a reprieve from baseball for the twenty-four year old as he will not only be heading to the All-Star Futures Game to represent the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 12, but starting the Triple-A All-Star Game three days later as well. Although his stat line will not supply "oohs and awes" (.263 batting average, three home runs, and twenty-five runs batted in), Diaz's value is high due to his defense behind the plate and strong throwing arm, which is one of the best in Minor League baseball.

1B-Jesus Aguilar (Columbus-CLE)

***13th Top Prospect in Organization

---"Jesus Aguilar touches them all!" Although Cleveland Indians' prospect Jesus Aguilar could not sustain the same success he had at Columbus in Cleveland last season, the twenty-five year old has continued to produce in his second season with the Clippers. The now two-time Triple-A All-Star has ten long bombs and forty-eight runs batted in (tied with Buffalo's Matt Hague for second most in the International League) so far this year.

2B-James Beresford (Rochester-MIN)

3B-Matt Hague (Buffalo-TOR)

---Indianapolis. Buffalo. Matt Hague could careless where he plays. The now three-time Triple-A All-Star has continued to hit just as well in his first full season in Toronto's organization as he did in Pittsburgh's as he leads the league in batting average (.340) and has collected the second most runs batted in (forty-eight). More impressively, Hague has been "Captain Clutch" with runners in scoring position and is hitting .422 when the situation arrises! With that being the case, there is no doubt he has been the Most Valuable Player of the International League in the first half of the season.

SS-Dixon Machado (Toledo-DET)

***9th Top Prospect in Organization

OF-Dariel Alvarez (Norfolk-BAL)

OF-Taylor Motter (Durham-TB)

OF-Trayce Thompson (Charlotte-CWS)

***16th Top Prospect in Organization

---Klay Thompson wins an NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors and now Trayce Thompson gets voted to start the Triple-A All-Star Game! What a summer for the Thompson brothers! Trayce Thompson, the younger brother of Golden State Warriors' sharpshooter Klay, has finally been able to move past two seasons in Double-A Birmingham and has done so in a big way. Coming into today's action, Thompson is batting .272 with nine home runs, four triples, and thirty-three runs batted in while becoming an appealing option to be called up by the White Sox.

DH-Matt Davidson (Charlotte-CWS)

***9th Top Prospect in Organization

---When traded to the White Sox for closer Addison Reed in the offseason following the 2013 season, Matt Davidson was expected to be the man playing the hot corner at US Cellular Field. But that has yet to happen. Although power has always been in the bat of the California native, his strikeout rate and low batting average has kept Chicago from promoting him. Nonetheless, Davidson has continued to near towards his White Sox' debut by bashing thirteen home runs, which is tied for the lead in the International League.

Bench

C-Steve Clevenger (Norfolk-BAL)

C-Austin Romine (Scranton/WB-NYY)

INF-Irving Falu (Louisville-CIN)

INF-Alen Hanson (Indianapolis-PIT)

***77th Top Prospect in Baseball

***7th Top Prospect in Organization

---As of late, Indianapolis has been a place of grooming future Pirates' starters as the last two years Gerrit Cole and Gregory Polanco suited up for the Indians. This season second baseman Alen Hanson has the potential to be that player. Hanson, who batted .234 in the month of April, bounced back from the early season woes with a .362, three home run, eighteen run batted in month of May. Besides his hitting skill, the former shortstop is a very smooth fielder and stolen base threat (nineteen stolen bases in twenty-five attempts). The twenty-two year old's success in his first season at Triple-A has put Pittsburgh General Manager Neal Huntington in a tough position on whether to re-sign Neil Walker when he becomes a free agent in 2017.

INF-Tyler Henson (Lehigh Valley-PHI)

INF-Jefry Marte (Toledo-DET)

INF-Jason Martinson (Syracuse-WSH)

INF-Kyle Roller (Scranton/WB-NYY)

OF-Tyler Holt (Columbus-CLE)

Pitchers

SP-Manny Banuelos (Gwinnett-ATL) (Voted In By Fans)

***Promoted and Made ML Debut Yesterday Against Washington

***11th Top Prospect in Organization

SP-Buck Farmer (Toledo-DET)

***3rd Top Prospect in Organization

---After being drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 MLB Draft, starting pitcher Buck Farmer has been on the fast track to Detroit. How? The Georgia Tech product started his 2014 season in Single-A West Michigan and ended up making his Major League Debut that August! Despite rough outings in two spot starts for the Tigers, Farmer has been dominant for the Toledo Mud Hens this season (7-2 record and 3.35 earned run average) and should surprise no one that he will be pitching at Werner Park on July 15.

SP-Brian Johnson (Pawtucket-BOS) (Voted In By Fans)

***90th Top Prospect in Baseball

***6th Top Prospect in Organization

---While Henry Owens is the highest ranked prospect in the Pawtucket Red Sox' rotation, Brian Johnson has been the best in 2015. Johnson, the thirty-first overall pick by Boston in the 2012 MLB Draft, has arguably been the best pitcher within the organization the last two seasons as he went 13-3 with a 2.13 earned run average and one hundred and thirty-two strikeouts in one hundred and forty-three and two/thirds innings between Single-A Advanced and Double-A in 2014 and is already 8-5 with a 2.68 earned run average and an International League best 1.08 WHIP for Pawtucket this season. With those stats, the former Florida Gator should not be in Triple-A too much longer.

SP-Erik Johnson (Charlotte-CWS)

SP-Taylor Rogers (Rochester-MIN)

***16th Top Prospect in Organization

RP-A.J. Achter (Rochester-MIN) (Voted In By Fans)

RP-Michael Bowden (Norfolk-BAL)

RP-Oliver Drake (Norfolk-BAL)

RP-Gregory Infante (Buffalo-TOR)

RP-Jhan Marinez (Durham-TB)

RP-Zach Phillips (Charlotte-CWS)

RP-Blake Wood (Indianapolis-PIT) (Voted In By Fans)

Atlanta Reliever Cody Martin Traded to Oakland for International Bonus Pool Slot

By Peyton Wesner

Congratulations Oakland! Because you are now officially living "The Suite Life with Cody" since this afternoon the Athletics acquired Atlanta Braves' reliever and Minor League starter Cody Martin for the fifty-third international bonus pool slot. 

Martin, a seventh round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, excelled very early in his career as a closer with Danville in the Rookie League and Single-A Rome before transitioning to the rotation as a starter the following season. In his first year as a starting pitcher (2012), the Gonzaga University product continued his success by going 12-7 with a 2.93 earned run average and one hundred and twenty-three strikeouts in one hundred and seven and one/thirds innings for Single-A Advanced Lynchburg, which claimed him the honor of being named an MiLB.com organizational all-star. 

In 2013, Martin continued his climb through the Braves' system by performing well at Double-A Mississippi (3-3 record, 2.82 earned run average, and seventy-one strikeouts in sixty-seven innings pitched) resulting in a promotion to Triple-A. The twenty-five year old would then stay one step away from the Majors at Gwinnett until this season when he broke camp with Atlanta and made his Major League debut on April 7.

As a relief pitcher for the Braves, Martin pitched twenty-one and two/thirds innings in twenty-one games while going 2-3 with an earned run average of 5.40. 

The Braves ultimately decided to part ways with the pitcher because Oakland was offering the fifty-third international bonus pool slot (set at $388,400 this year) and Atlanta needs to increase their bonus pool amount due to them offering seven-figure signing bonuses to outfielder Christian Pache and infielder Derian Cruz, two of MLB.com Top Thirty International Prospects. 

After the transaction, Oakland optioned Martin to Triple-A Nashville for him to continue pitching as a starter. The Athletics enter today's play with a 36-45 overall record, which puts them eleven games back of American League leading Houston. 

Corey Seager, Peter O'Brien, and Adam Conley Headline 2015 Pacific Coast League All-Stars

By Peyton Wesner

Crack! Gone! Throughout the years, none other than the Pacific Coast League has gained the reputation of being the best hitting league in Minor League baseball. So with that being the case, everyone has been expecting great hitters to be suiting up for the PCL on July 15 in Omaha, Nebraska, for the Triple-A All-Star Game. Yesterday their expectations were met as superb hitting prospects like Reno's Peter O'Brien and Oklahoma City's Corey Seager in addition to players with Major League experience such as Tacoma's Jesus Montero, Fresno's L.J. Hoes, and Iowa's Arismendy Alcantara have been chosen to make the trip to Werner Park for the showcase.

But no one can forget the pitching staff selected for the Triple-A league of the West, headlined by New Orleans' Adam Conley and Memphis' Tim Cooney. 

Starters (Voted In By Fans)

C-Austin Barnes (Oklahoma City-LAD)

***11th Top Prospect in Organization

1B-Jesus Montero (Tacoma-SEA)

---In 2010, then New York Yankees' prospect Jesus Montero was the best catching prospect in Minor League baseball and looked to be on his way to a very successful career. So far that has yet to be the case as his road to stardom has been detoured by injuries and a lack of production at the plate in the Majors. Injuries nor delivering for his team has been a problem for Montero in 2015 (.317 batting average, thirteen home runs, and sixty-one runs batted in) and for that reason he is back on Seattle's radar.

2B-Darnell Sweeney (Oklahoma City-LAD)

***7th Top Prospect in Organization

3B-Jamie Romak (Reno-ARZ)

SS-Ketel Marte (Tacoma-SEA)

***3rd Top Prospect in Organization

OF-Peter O'Brien (Reno-ARZ)

***7th Top Prospect in Organization

---Traded from the New York Yankees to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the 2014 deadline, Peter O'Brien has not disappointed in his first full season in Arizona's organization. The twenty-four year old is batting a hefty average for a slugger (.283), which complements his fifteen long bombs and sixty runs batted in. In addition to his stellar play for the Aces, O'Brien is a very versatile option at the next level since he can play first base, both corner outfield spots, and even catcher. Look for him to a suitable runningmate with Paul Goldschmidt for many years to come.

OF-L.J. Hoes (Fresno-HOU)

OF-Matt McBride (Albuquerque-COL)

DH-Cody Decker (El Paso-SD)

Bench

C-Tomas Telis (Round Rock-TEX)

***28th Top Prospect in Organization

C-Jett Bandy (Salt Lake-LAA)

***28th Top Prospect in Organization

INF-Adam Duvall (Sacramento-SF)

***17th Top Prospect in Organization

INF-Arismendy Alcantara (Iowa-CHC)

---When named to play in 2014 Triple-A All-Star Game, most knew Arismendy Alcantara was on his way to Wrigley Field to be a piece of the Chicago Cubs' future. After a fairly successful rookie season in which the former Top-100 prospect drilled ten home runs in seventy Major League games, he struggled greatly for the Cubs to begin this season resulting in his demotion to the Minors. Unlike some young players that would get frustrated in their optioning and play poorly, Alcantara has put together another good season for the I-Cubs and leads the PCL in triples with seven and his team with ten home runs.

INF-Matt Reynolds (Las Vegas-NYM)

***9th Top Prospect in Organization

INF-Corey Seager (Oklahoma City-LAD)

***5th Top Prospect in Baseball

***Top Prospect in Organization

---Ten games into his time with the OKC Dodgers, some people thought Corey Seager finally found an obsticle too great to overcome. How wrong were they?! Corey, the younger brother of Seattle Mariners' third baseman Kyle Seager, is a tremendous talent and is unlike the everyday shortstop as he has the power of a homerun hitter, shown in eighteen home runs at Rancho Cucamonga (Single-A Advanced), with the mindset of lead-off hitter. Despite the Dodgers declining MLB.com's fifth top prospect the opportunity to play in the All-Star Futures Game, Seager is more than deserving to be selected to the Triple-A All-Star Game (.290 batting average, six home runs, and twenty-five runs batted in) and is only one injury away from making his Major League Debut at Chavez Ravine.

OF-Jason Pridie (Nashville-OAK)

OF-Travis Taijeron (Las Vegas-NYM)

Pitchers

SP-Adam Conley (New Orleans-MIA) (Voted In By Fans)

***7th Top Prospect in Organization

---In all honesty, Adam Conley's road to the Majors has taken longer than anyone expected when he was drafted from Washington State in the second round of the 2011 MLB Draft. Although impressive seasons at Greensboro (Single-A) in 2012 and Jacksonville (Double-A) in 2013, injury struck the lefty and cut his 2014 campaign short. Despite the disappointing 2014, Conley has been terrific this season and enters today with a 7-2 record and a 2.52 earned run average in fourteen starts for the Zephyrs.

SP-Tim Cooney (Memphis-STL)

***10th Top Prospect in Organization

---Just because St. Louis Cardinals' prospect Tim Cooney struggled in a spot start against the Philadelphia Phillies does not mean that he is a not a Major League talent. The Wake Forest product is very deserving of not only a Pacific Coast League All-Star selection but another start for Mike Matheny's club as he has kept hitters off balanced all season for Memphis (.195 average against) while posting a record of 6-4 and a 2.74 earned run average. 

SP-Tyler Cravy (Colorado Springs-COL)

***22nd Top Prospect in Organization

SP-John Lamb (Omaha-KC) (Voted In By Fans)

SP-Anthony Ranaudo (Round Rock-TEX)

***10th Top Prospect in Organization

SP-Forrest Snow (Tacoma-SEA)

RP-Ryan Buchter (Oklahoma City-LAD)

RP-Louis Coleman (Omaha-KC)

RP-Jon Edwards (Round Rock-TEX) (Voted In By Fans)

RP-Tyson Perez (Fresno-HOU)

RP-Jimmy Reyes (Round Rock-TEX)

RP-Sam Tuivailala (Memphis-STL) (Voted In By Fans)

***11th Top Prospect in Organization

---Best advice for hitters trying to mount a comeback in the ninth inning against the Memphis Redbirds? "Fear Tuivailala!" Sam Tuivailala, who started his career as a shortstop, has a very lively arm that regularly hits ninety-five to ninety-eight miles per hour when not being recorded at triple digits on the radar gun. Currently this season, the Redbirds' closer has allowed only six earned runs in twenty-seven and two/thirds innings while closing eleven games for Memphis.

RP-Nick Wittgren (New Orleans-MIA)

***16th Top Prospect in Organization

2014 All-Star Futures Game Selection Kenny Vargas Optioned to Chattanooga (AA), Top Prospect Miguel Sano Promoted

By Peyton Wesner

Around this time last season, New Britain Rock Cats' first baseman Kenny Vargas was receiving more attention than Minnesota's top tier prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano. How different the times are now for Vargas as he was optioned to Double-A Chattanooga yesterday for a player to be promoted before tonight's game in Kansas City. 

The twenty-four year old Opening Day designated hitter, who batted .274 with nine home runs and thirty-eight RBIs in fifty-three games with the Twins during his rookie season, has had trouble adding to last season's offensive production while not meeting this season's expectations set by the fans and team. In fact, his trouble at the plate has already caused one demotion to Rochester (Triple-A) for a seventeen game stint earlier in the season. For the Redwings, Vargas refound his swing and hit .302 (sixteen hits in fifty-three at bats) with three home runs and eight RBIs, which was good enough to earn a promotion and a second chance in the Twin City. Unfortunately for the 2014 All-Star Futures Game selection, he was unable to sustain his good play from Triple-A to the Big Leagues. 

 

But why Chattanooga? Why not back to Rochester? When Twins' Manager Paul Molitor was asked that very question he said "It's a good fit for him to go there, because they've been hurting for a first baseman. It gives him a chance to play first consistently and get some at-bats." 

Although nothing has been made official regarding the player to be recalled in place of Vargas, sources say that Minnesota intends to promote MLB.com's ninth top prospect in baseball third baseman Miguel Sano. 

Sano, one of the most highly touted power hitters in Minor League baseball, missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, but has bounced back by bashing sixteen home runs and driving in forty-eight RBIs with a .278 batting average in sixty-six games for the Chattanooga Lookouts. 

Los Angeles Angels' GM Jerry Dipoto Resigns

By Peyton Wesner

According to Merriam-Webster, the word tension can be defined as "a state in which people, groups, countries, etc., disagree with and feel anger toward each other." Well if that is how tension can be described, then there was definitely some between Los Angeles Angels' General Manager Jerry Dipoto and Manager Mike Scioscia, which has caused Dipoto to pack up things in his office and resign from his positon with the organization this afternoon. 

Dipoto, who pitched eight seasons out of the bullpen for the Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, and Cleveland Indians, was hired as the GM after the 2011 season and helped construct the 2014 Angels' team that had a Major League-best ninety-eight wins. 

In fact earlier this season, team owner Arte Moreno picked up the club option for 2016 on the forty-seven year old that started his career in the front office with the Boston Red Sox as a scout in 2003. 

For the team from Anaheim, Dipoto's big moves can be pinpointed as agreeing to a contract extention with superstar Mike Trout, trading for Huston Street, Tyler Skaggs, and Andrew Heaney, and signing first baseman Albert Pujols away from the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason after the 2011 season. 

Possible candidates to replace Dipoto as General Manager of the Angels include assistant GM Matt Klentak, who has surfaced as someone to possibly join the Philadelphia Phillies' front office, and former GM Bill Stoneman, who put together the Angels that won its first World Series in 2002. 

Coming into tonight's matchup against the New York Yankees, Los Angeles has a record of 41-37 and are on a four game winning streak. Also, the Angels are four games behind American League leading Houston and one and a half games back of the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays for the final Wild Card spot. 4-6 Matt Shoemaker will take the mound tonight in a sweep attempt for Manager Mike Scioscia.