The 2013 MLB Amateur Draft has precipitated much discussion and hype surrounding the likes of top college pitching prospects Mark Appel, Jonathan Gray, Sean Manaea, and even Braden Shipley. While there is no reasonable doubt of the aforementioned prospects’ pitching abilities, focus has been undeniably given towards these arms, particularly in the wake of recent strong performances by Shipley. While attenti ...

Seventh overall pick in the 2011 draft for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Archie Bradley was dominant in his start for Double-A Mobile on May 13 in a 3-2 victory over Jacksonville. Bradley worked 6 innings, giving up no runs on 2 hits with 9 strikeouts, adding continued success to a blistering month of May. Bradley delivered another strong outing  leading Mobile to a 4-1 win over Pensacola in Southern league act ...

The past three MLB Amateur Drafts have produced great pitching talent, talent that has produced for MLB clubs throughout the minors and into the majors, such as with the early bloomers Matt Harvey and Chris Sale who have pitched brilliantly for their respective clubs. Noah Syndergaard supplemental first-round draft pick in 2010 for the Toronto Blue Jays, and acquired from Toronto in the R.A. Dickey trade by ...

Analysts, scouts, talking heads, and even the informal baseball observer have labeled this year’s First-Year Player Draft a lackluster offering of talent compared to years past. Despite the fact that this year’s draft lacks a definitive marquee prep star or can’t-miss phenom, the pool of talented high school and college arms and bats is still rather impressive. Most impressive of all is the quantity and qua ...

The 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft looms in the minds of each of the 30 clubs as June 6th rapidly approaches reality. Clubs have analyzed, researched, and scouted each of the top high school and collegiate players that would offer the best tools available for their organization. Each club sits patiently with their draft boards organized and ready to go, though of course, anything goes on draft day. Players hav ...

Jorge Soler was the second fiddle in the summer of Cuban prospects and still signed a nine year, 30 million dollar deal with the Chicago Cubs last season. While Yoenis Cespedes has emerged as a potential star for the Oakland Athletics, Soler, just 21 years old, has been spending time in the Cubs' farm system, playing the role of a star prospect for the A team, Daytona Cubs. Now he will miss five games due t ...

Promoting a Major League-ready prospect seems like a logical move for any organization looking to win. Yet, even the most consistently solid organizations are faced with a few hurdles that prevent the obvious from happening. Below is a list of five top prospects who could easily help their respective teams now, but are still projected to start 2013 in the Minors. Wil Myers was involved in one of the biggest ...

St. Louis Cardinals general Manager John Mozeliak emphasizes the importance of developing players internally to remain an annual contender. In recent seasons, homegrown talent has propelled the Cardinals - first to a World Series title in 2011 and then to a National League Championship Series in 2012. The Cardinals will once again count upon contributions from players developed in their farm system. It appe ...

Even after last offseason's trade that sent catcher Derek Norris, and pitchers Tommy Milone, Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole to Oakland for left-hander Gio Gonzalez, the Washington Nationals  farm system remained well-stocked, and it remains that way as the 2013 campaign nears. With Stephen Strasburg shut down on an innings limit in his first season on the mound after Tommy John surgery, the Nationals fell to St ...

Entering the current offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays boasted one of the top farm system in the majors. With spring training drawing near, Toronto's list of top prospects has dramatically changed after the organization implemented trades designed to win it all in 2013. First, the Blue Jays acquired starting pitchers Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson, shortstop Jose Reyes, second baseman Emilio Bonifacio and cat ...

After back-to-back American League pennants, the Texas Rangers saw an early exit from the AL playoffs last October. This season, the club will have a different look without outfielder Josh Hamilton and catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli, but optimism is high in Texas because of an array of promising prospects, including 19-year-old shortstop Jurickson Profar, 24-year-old corner infielder Mike Olt, and 24-yea ...

Winners of two of the last three World Series, the San Francisco Giants boast an array of core players developed in their farm system. Starting pitchers Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum as well as catcher Buster Posey, third baseman Pablo Sandoval and closer Sergio Romo. The Giants currently have a trio of high-ceiling starting pitching prospects in their organization. Kyle Crick, Clayton Black ...

For the first time in several seasons, Seattle Mariners fans can embrace the upcoming season with excitement for the year ahead and the long-term future. The club has one of the game's few elite starters in Felix Hernandez; it has upgraded its lineup with the acquisition of Mike Morse and Kendrys Morales; and the farm system boasts a plethora of high-ceiling prospects. At the Major League level, third basem ...

Could it be that the San Diego Padres' penny-pinching ways are now part of the past? Though they are not likely to even remotely resemble the current version of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Padres do have a new ownership group, and instead of trading talented young veterans like Chase Headley and Cameron Maybin, and unloading seasoned names like Carlos Quinten and Huston Street, they have retained them. Tho ...