Heels On The Field: A Baseball Blog

Thunder Manager Bobby Mitchell’s Stable of Talent in Trenton

Trenton, NJ—Things are exciting, as they usually are, in Trenton, the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. There’s a mix of top ranked talent showing they’re developing at a fine pace. And then there’s guys who might not be as well-known or as hyped, but are coming through in the early spring of the 2017 season. 

Before a game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays), Thunder manager Bobby Mitchell had some thoughts on a few guys doing a solid job for the club, and advancing their development as hoped. 

The news that day was about top prospect Gleyber Torres, who was out with a sore arm, though he’d not been officially placed on the DL yet. The Yankees caution, mixed with arm soreness was what the concern boiled down to for the YOUNG (20!) player. He was placed on the 7-day DL and is expected to make his return shortly. Mitchell recalled his own playing days and said, well, sometimes your arm strength just gets, “Zapped.”

On the mound that night was top pitching prospect Justus Sheffield, making his second start of the season. Mitchell was high on him, as are the Yankees, and the enthusiasm about his potential was clear.

“Shef is dynamic. He’s one of the most competitive players that we have,” Mitchell said. “He’s got really good stuff. He’s fun to watch.”

Big on the list of what’s fun to watch, for anyone not facing him that is, is his command of mix of pitches. The hard-throwing lefty was set to go 7 innings and throw 94 pitches. He went 6 innings, and gave up one run on 3 hits to earn the win. He also got a little more leeway, throwing 97 pitches, 57 of them for strikes, outdoing top Blue Jays pitching prospect Sean Reid-Foley who lasted 3 innings, though he only allowed 2 hits and did not surrender a run. 

“We expect big things out of [Sheffield], and he expects big things out of himself.”

At the other end of the field, the bullpen has been a showcase for one guy repeating the level, big righty Cale Coshow.

Back in his New York Penn League days, Coshow was a starter and heavier. He credited his off-season weight loss after that season as highly beneficial to his health and his comfort on the mound. He could be wild back then, with less effectiveness but big power in the arm, and a willingness to challenge hitters. He just needed to polish the rough edges. This year, he’s finding his groove by finding his confidence. Mitchell says Coshow’s confidence “is growing” as he works his way through good and bad moments. 

After notching his third save of the season (he recently earned his 5th), Mitchell observed that there’s been changes in his mentality that led to the better performance. 

“He had a bad first outing and he came in and struggled and it was somewhat similar to what we saw last year. Where his confidence and command were…where he started relying on his secondary stuff too much. 

For a guy that throws 95-100, there’s no need to mix in off-speed stuff, not if he’s confident enough in his fastball. The key is commanding the heater, Mitchell said. 

“When he does, he’s effective. When he’s not commanding his fastball, he’s up in the zone and sometimes they catch up with his fastball. And then he mixes in a cutter-slider that he’s working on. The one pitch he got burned on in his first outing was a hanging slider. He’s a got that’s got that closer stuff. We just need him to stay in that role.”

Where that leads him with the Yankees is hard to figure, perhaps in short relief. What was clear from his outing the night before was that he did something he needed to (earned the save) by staying the course mentally and not reverting to bad habits (throwing up in the zone). He worked with a one-run lead and showed his grace under pressure. 

“That confidence he’s building is huge. Mentally is the biggest thing for him. He’s got the stuff; it’s just a matter of believing in his stuff,” Mitchell said. 

The strong lineup also features left fielder Zach Zehner, whom falls among players that might not be getting the attention they’ve earned. The spotlight tends to favor those receiving the most hype overall, but, also those who seem the closest to having an impact on the big club. The 2015 18th round pick for the Yankees spent 2016 in High-A Tampa, and, understandably is making some adjustments to the high level jump to Double-A. 

Mitchell had seen “Z,” as he called him in the spring, down in Tampa, Florida, the Spring Training home of the Yankees, and liked what he saw. Now he’s getting a better look at not just the player, but the person.

“His work habits stand out a lot. He works hard at everything he does. He’s very energetic. And he’s really come on strong with the bat for us. He needs to make adjustments. And he just has a very good attitude,” Mitchell said. 

Bobby Mitchell’s club this year is already showing up big: they’re 2nd in the league (Eastern Div.), just behind the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox), with a 10-7 record. 

You can read my continued coverage of the Trenton Thunder in the bi-weekly column ‘Stars, Heels and Stripes’ on Pinstriped Pros. And look here for ongoing coverage of the Eastern League throughout the 2017 season. 

Checking in with Yankees Cale Coshow Spring Training

Cale Coshow arrived in Tampa in January, to participate in Captain's Camp, following a watershed 2015 season. The pitching prospect split time between High-A and Double-A, making his debut for the Trenton Thunder, a major proving ground that's sprung many of the best Yankees young talent, including Dellin Betances. Coshow is most focused on improving his changeup and cited former Tampa Yankees pitching coach Tommy Phelps and Trenton Thunder pitching coach Jose Rosado for helping him with consistency with the pitch.

Here's what Coshow, ranked by MLB as the 18th best prospect in the Yankees organization, said from Yankees camp.

"Physically I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm stronger than I was last season and I really focused on what I eat and my conditioning because instead of throwing into the 5th/6th inning, I want to push it to at least go 7 innings."

"My habits certainly changed this off season, instead of just waking up, working out and relaxing I stayed more active. I would wake up, workout/cardio, then head to work (worked on a tree farm), and then try and get some cardio in after work. I also changed my eating habits and can see the results. I can see the results in how I feel, how I perform on the field and in the weight room."

"Coming in, I knew I had the fastball to compete in the majors, but I needed to really focus on my off speed to become more of a complete pitcher."

"I really haven't spoken to the Yankees often but the plan is simple, go compete everyday and when the time is right I really hope I get that shot at the major leagues at some point this season!"

My off speed has made strides into becoming quality pitches for me. Just have to stick with my personal strengths and compete!

 

 

Yankees Prospect Cale Coshow Talks about Nicaraguan Mission to Teach Baseball

The off-season is still about baseball for Cale Coshow, but  with new meaning.

The pitcher, the Yankees 28th best prospect as ranked by MLB.com, traveled to Nicaragua, in the city of Susuma with his church mission group, in part, to give kids a chance to learn baseball from a professional.

Coshow split his time in 2015 playing with High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton, after being drafted in the 13th round by the Yankees out of Oklahoma Christian in 2013. He’s often shared bible verses and uplifting thoughts on Twitter, so it’s likely no surprise to those that know him that he’d choose to participate in a faith-based endeavor.

Coshow spoke about his mission experience so far (he arrived Monday and leaves Saturday), as well as what the driving factors were in making his decision:

 

How Trip Transpired: The head of missions at my church had been wanting to do something that involved baseball here in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. I prayed about it and thought it would be a fantastic place to serve. Really an eye opening experience.

"The main focus of the work is to just spend time with the people and share love. My church is helping with a church and school here in Susuma, Nicaragua and I got to spend hours just hanging out with the kids and parents, walking through their streets in the mountain, playing catch and ground balls with them and even doing a little dancing with the girls."

Baseball-Motivated: That's why I was brought here. Baseball is the national sport and the professional team in Matagalpa actually just won the championship for their league. And sports is one of the easiest ways to reach kids.

Winter Workouts: Yes, I am still able to keep up with my off season program. Still keeping the arm fresh, and I got to run around with Manny and Rolando, 2 and 10 year old boys and they wore me out.

"What I hope with my time is to simply show the love that God has shown me. I'm not forceful with it, but all these people in tough countries are looking for one thing, and that's love. I strive to make at least five people smile or laugh a day, and here it's the exact same principle. People no matter was race, ethnicity, background, rich/poor deserved to be loved."   

 

You can follow Coshow on Twitter @c_coshow

Find past stories on this blog about Coshow by searching his name in the archive.

Yankees System, Mark Appel and the MiLB Lawsuit among Prospect, Minor League Baseball Stories to Follow in 2015

Happy New Year and here's a look at 2015 in MiLB, prospects and potential not yet reached.

MiLB Lawsuit/Petition – Everything will change or nothing will change. But this story leads the way, as the future of Minor League Baseball takes center stage. The 32 MiLBers that are involved in the lawsuit that was filed claim that MiLB pays players low wages, no overtime compensation, and that the CBA is in violation of the law for state and federal wages. At the Baseball Winter Meetings in December, MiLB VP Stan Brand announced that he’ll be petitioning congress sometime this year to add minor league players to the list of jobs that aren’t required to receive minimum wage or overtime wages.

While both sides can make an argument, MLB and Brand’s tone falls flat. Brand calling the lawsuit “perilous” in nature.

“I will ask you to heed the clarion call, man the battle stations and carry the message to Congress loudly and clearly. The value of grassroots baseball and our stewardship of the game needs to be protected against the onslaught of these suits.” Brand said, as reported by Josh Leventhal of Baseball America.

In other news, the average MLB salary went up 3.8 percent in 2014, to $3.2 million. (ESPN)

Bryce Harper/Mark Appel –Harper is the lighting rod to end all lightning rods, but Appel’s story has made waves since he was first drafted, and didn’t sign, with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Both are in a prime spot to prove a lot and live up to the elite prospect status they were branded with early in their careers.

Harper’s personality is often the topic, and, unfortunately, is too often secondary in conversation about his talent and still vast potential. Also taking center stage was the possible grievance hearing, which was avoided, when the Washington Nationals settled with the outfielder on a two-year $7.5 million extension. He missed Natsfest in the midst of that unfolding, creating more issues for fans, and the team, to grapple with. At 21, Harper has a long career ahead of him, and, for all his antics and controversies, is an exciting, interesting player to watch. And, to bottom line it, he could be one of the greats of this generation of players. After all that went down in the bottom half of 2014, his 2015 season is high on the list for anticipated seasons.

Appel’s career has not led him to the majors just yet, but according to …he’s a possibility to make his major league debut in 2015. The 2013 first round pick for the Houston Astros kicked up controversy (not his fault), when he decided to (gasp!) return to finish his education at Stanford University, opting not to sign with the Pirates who drafted him in 2012. Most of the baseball world understood Appel’s strategy: go back to school, wait for boyhood team the Houston Astros to draft him the following year. That’s exactly what happened.

Since then, he’s moved through the minors at a fast clip. He pitched in the Class-A Midwest and Short-A New York Penn Leagues in 2013, moving onto Advanced-A and Double-A levels in 2014. He’s not had the easiest go of it. In 2014, he combined for 83 innings pitched, finishing with a 6.91 ERA, with hitters averaging .319 off of him. He also struck out 78 batters, while walking 24 in 18 starts. The strikeouts are a good sign, but needs to cut down on the walks. He also followed that up with a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League. In one start, he pitched five shutout innings. That brought his scoreless innings streak to twelve.

Here’s what Astros GM Jeff Luhnow told MLB Network Radio in December:

“He’s not that far away, whether it’s 1st or 2nd half of this year, or beginning of 2016, he’ll let us know.”

Yankees System – The end of Derek Jeter’s career is important to many people on so many levels. But his retirement also marks the end of the homegrown New York Yankees story people tend to forget. With closer Mariano Rivera retiring in 2013, and catcher Jorge Posada retiring in 2011, three of the most successful, important Yankees homegrown players are gone.

Through the years, criticizing the Yankees for not developing players in their farm system has been easy, and that’s certainly due to how much they have and how much they can spend to achieve success. Those three players were an exception to the rule to a large extent.

So what now? Where are the Yankees greatest future possibilities?

If you look for the shining hope, the first face you’d see is reliever Dellin Betances. Yes, a reliever. Ok, not exciting enough? Well, he’s one of those what they call ‘elite relievers’, and they’re tough to come by. With Rivera’s departure, Betances has emerged as his replacement, due to the outstanding numbers he put up in 2014. He’d finish the season setting a franchise record in strikeouts with 135 in 90 innings pitched.

Betances is one of another story of three. He’s the only one of ‘The Three B’s – Betances, Andrew Brackman, and Manny Banuelos- who’s pitched to success with the Yankees. Brackman signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds in 2011, and didn’t play in 2013. According to reports he’s pursuing a career in basketball. Banuelos has been plagued by injuries, spending 2014 in Double-A Trenton.

While in Trenton, Betances was an enigma, but an exciting one. On days he pitched well, he looked like a major leaguer. On days he didn’t, his enormous power to the plate looked sloppy, lacking command, and he struggled to throw strikes and keep the walks to a minimum. He’s on the big stage now, and so far, is living up to the Yankees expectations.

In the midst of all that, Shane Green showed up strong for the Yankees last season, finishing with a 5-4 record and a 3.78 ERA.

There are few players in the system close to major league ready, and most would agree there isn’t a lot of high ceiling talent to pick from. They traded power-hitting catching prospect Peter O’Brien to the Diamondbacks in return for veteran INF Martin Prado. They also acquired third baseman Chase Headley and RHP Brandon McCarthy.

The glimmer spots are RHP Luis Severino , as well as power-bat, outfielder Aaron Judge, RHP Ian Clarkin and third baseman, and Eric Jagielo, all drafted in the first round in 2013.

Those players matter, but it’s unclear whether they matter to the Yankees future or as bargaining chips.

So, for now, all eyes are mainly on the (likely) incoming closer.

Drabek’s Future as Reliever – In 2010, Kyle Drabek was considered, and ranked, one of the top prospects in all of baseball. He led the Toronto Blue Jays system as their number one prospect. Much has changed since he’s underwent two Tommy John surgeries, and been used as a starter and reliever.

At the end of the 2010 season, when Drabek was pitching for the Double-A New Hampshire FisherCats, a reporter in the press box said, “What is he even still doing here?” There was a lot written and said at the end of that season among reporters witnessing his progression. His success at the MLB level seemed inevitable. Proving again nobody knows nothing.

Drabek hasn’t been able to achieve that same success in the majors. His prospect value has dropped. He’s now 27. However, his 2014 season showed reason to believe he can contribute much more, though it’s unclear if that’ll be in the majors. In 99 innings, 32 relief appearances and 13 starts, Drabek finished with a 4.18 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, striking out 68 for the Buffalo Bisons. Hitters went from averaging .297 to .272 off of him, when he pitched out of the bullpen. Drabek made two appearances for the Jays, pitching 3 innings , didn’t allow a hit and struck out five.

Drabek’s story reminds us that there’s no blueprint; but also that the story can be re-written. 2015 is perhaps the most crucial season of his career.

Domestic Violence Policy – This one isn’t exactly MiLB related, but the outcome does matter at the minor league level.

That issue was covered here on HOTF a couple of months ago, but there’s reason to hope for a good outcome, mainly because of Joe Torre. Torre’s own Safe At Home Foundation is a leading organization in helping women victimized by domestic violence. It’s also a subject close to the former Yankees manager’s heart, having coming from a home where he’d witnessed domestic violence. Torre testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in early December, proposing a policy that would “make it easier for the commissioner to impose an appropriate level of discipline on players who commit acts of violence or sexual assault and have that discipline be upheld in arbitration.” The new policy is expected to be introduced this year. (ESPN)

Up to this point, minor league players have received mixed messages about MLB’s stance on such issues. In past incidents, they didn’t take disciplinary action, instead decisions were left up to the team if a player was accused of domestic and/or sexual assault. On the other hand, there’s all that pink stuff for breast cancer awareness. There’s also standards about gambling that are practically viewed as biblical, and in the past few years the crackdown and punishment for use of PED’s has gotten tougher.

By creating a policy that makes clear that violence against women won’t be tolerated by MLB, MiLB players are receiving a new, and just as important message about conduct and consequences.

Related articles

New Lawsuit Filed By Minor League Players Against MLB "Cartel"

MiLB VP Uses Shaming Tone to Address Minor League Player's Lawsuit

A Fresh Take On the MiLB Lawsuit: Bud Selig's Pension?

Checking in with Rays Maxx Tissenbaum Down Under; Thoughts on Yankees Dellin Betances

Maxx Tissenbaum capped off the regular season with a decision to head to Australia and play some more. He joined the Brisbane Bandits of the Australian Baseball League, after spending 2014 with the High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs. He finished with 96 hits, 51 RBI, with 19 walks in 86 games.

Here's what he had to say earlier this week:

Season In Review: Felt like the season went pretty well. I had a good year offensively in a tough league to hit in. I put in a good amount of work on Learning to catch, and felt like I made strides as the year went on.

Blog Best In 2014: [The best] and most responses was the one about spending the two days with the big league team at the end of spring training. I felt like It really captured how cool it was for the six of us MiLB guys that went and how much different life is in the big leagues than MiLB. [He created and authors the blog 'Red, White, and the 3-0 Green Light, which focuses on his career and the experience of playing baseball professionally]

On Decision To Play In The ABL: The Rays gave us a questionnaire about Winter ball in July and asked what our interest level was. I thought it was a cool idea, I was just skeptical about the distance. Jared Sandberg, our manager, really helped ease my fears over a few conversations about winter league.

On The Aussie Ball Experience: I've had an awesome time here so far, we play only on weekends so similar to college schedule. I love how fiery and intense the games are in terms of guys really focusing on winning at all costs rather than developing and working on stuff like in MILB...it's very rah rah.

Working On... Offensively im trying to continue developing my power. I did a bunch of work at instructs working on "advantage counts" 3-1, 2-0 etc
And trying to really unload on the ball. Defensively it's all about consistency. Being more consistent in getting my pitchers strikes, More consistent blocking, and more consistent throwing to bases. Another big thing is learning how to catch multiple days in a row, having Only ever caught back to back once, and never three games in a row like I have both weekends here.

Follow him on Twitter @8_Maxx

Dellin Betances Comes Up Big in 2014, Short for ROY Votes

While the American League Rookie of the Year award going to Jose Abreu was expected by most baseball fans and media, Yankees reliever Dellin Betances's 2014 season was an unforgettable revelation. His 0.78 WHIP AND 135 strikeouts through 90 innings of work leads to good questions about his future. Is Betances really the Yankees closer of the future?

In the years leading up to his emergence on the big stage, Betances faced tough times. There were concerns about consistency that could hurt his future as an effective starter. After transitioning to the bullpen, there was an instant and noticeable difference. While there were growing pains, the decision appeared one hundred percent correct. His power to the plate was obvious, but the problem with that big arm was a lack of control. There were other issues, which he addressed with this blog, as did his Trenton Thunder pitching coach Tommy Phelps, in 2012, pre-transition, when he'd begun returning to form.

http://www.highheelsonthefield.net/my_weblog/2012/08/yankees-dellin-betances-quotes-tommy-phelps-tony-franklin-on-his-progress.html

Now that he's figured so much out and experienced success at the big league level, he's proven what he's capable of. His value could be in a set-up role, but there's a possibility that the Yankees could develop him into a closer. With Mariano Rivera's exit, David Robertson took on the role, but as of today he rejected the team's $15.3 million qualifying offer. Robertson did a fine job with 39 saves in 44 save opportunities. But if Robertson moves on, Betances could take the job. He's certainly earned the look. There's a risk in rushing him into a brand new role, so soon after the move to the bullpen; particularly after being so effective in a role that he's just getting used to.

Entering 2015, the Yankees should have a solid bullpen with Shawn Kelley and David Phelps, not to mention Jacob Lindgren. Whatever direction the Yankees take Betances career, he's positioned to be one of the elite relievers in the game today.

Yankees Top-Pick Jacob Lindgren Embracing Big Opportunity

By: Matthew Kardos

Like many years past, the New York Yankees did not own a first-round draft selection in this past June's MLB draft. With their first available pick in the second round, the Bronx Bombers selected left-handed reliever Jacob Lindgren out of Mississippi State University.

The 21-year old Lindgren signed quickly with the Yankees; inking a hefty deal that included a lucrative $1.1 million signing bonus. The south-paw has ascended through their farm system as rapidly as any player in franchise history. Lindgren now has already pitched at four different levels of the minor leagues (Gulf Coast League, South Atlantic League, Florida State League and Eastern League) despite having a mere 13 career games under his belt.

Currently in Double-A Trenton, Lindgren has showcased an advanced repertoire of pitches that already has General Manager Brian Cashman considering adding him to the big-league club when rosters expand in September.

"It's been a whirlwind, but I'm just excited about the whole experience," Lindgren said. "It's pretty cool that they have the confidence in me to have sent me this far already, but I'm just trying to make the most of it and keep making my pitches when I have to."

Of the 48 outs that Lindgren has recorded over his 16 innings of work, 33 of them have come via the strikeout.

"I'm just trying to execute my pitches," said Lindgren. "The hitters have to hit the ball no matter what level you're at, so you just have to let them try to hit it."

With three years of big-time college experience under his belt, the Yankees felt that Lindgren could take the fast-track to the majors when they selected him nine weeks ago. His heavy fastball and devastating slider may be more equipped to get big-league hitters out than even Cashman believed back in June.

"It's pretty crazy to think that the majors are right around the corner, but I just have to keep executing and take it one day at a time," Lindgren said, "I'm just pitching and going where they tell me."

Lindgren added, "I have to keep getting better no matter what level I'm at, and hopefully one day I can be pitching at Yankee Stadium."

With just 20 games remaining in the minor league season, "one day" may be just a few short weeks away.

Mets MiLB Roundup

Mets MiLB Roundup

Catching Up With Jayce Boyd
First baseman Jayce Boyd began this season with the Binghamton Mets in his second year of professional baseball. Much like teammate Brandon Nimmo (see link below), Boyd has made a quick path to the more advanced level of the minors.

He's hitting .279 on the season, with 46 RBI, 6 home runs, and 42 walks. While the numbers haven't increased by a lot from month to month, he's shown solid contact and is displaying a patient approach. He's currently third on the team with 42 walks. In 2013, he had tremendous success finishing .330/.410/.461. combined between Florida State and South Atlantic Leagues, and was named a Mets Organizational All-Star.

Here's what he said last week.

On Advancing To Double-A

It’s definitely been an adjustment, especially coming off of last year. You always hold high expectations for yourself, but you know you’re going to be coming in and facing more difficult competition, older guys, guys that know the game. Those are difficult challenges in itself. It’s about staying grounded in your approach whether you’re failing or succeeding, and not making too many drastic changes. Then when you are hitting well, figure out why you’re doing good and repeat that over and over. I’ve made improvements even game to game this year.

Maintaining Approach

Getting keys within yourself. Knowing where to set up, in box where youw ant to me. Get as much info as you can. At BP you’re preparing for the guy you’re facing that night, not just taking BP. Am I facing a right or lefty today? You try to wrok out on that approach then translate to the game. Stay ahead of the game, that slows it down.

On Recovering From Surgery

I had surgery this off-season. I had Thoracic outlet syndrome. So I’ve been building strength back up. You deal with it as the season goes on. I’m looking forward to during off-season, and getting back to one-hundred percent.

Improvements Made

Just being physically prepared to play every day. I don’t want to be prepared twelve out of fifteen at-bats. I want to be prepared every time I’m in the box.

Brandon Nimmo Talks to Minor League Ball

Last week, top Mets prospect Brandon Nimmo talked to Minor League Ball about the Mets plan for him and how he's developed his plate approach.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2014/8/8/5980947/mets-prospect-brandon-nimmo-binghamton-hitting-approach

Report on Gabriel Ynoa

In 2012, Gabriel Ynoa made his short-season debut and proceeded to dominate the league. As part of the quadruple-threat Brooklyn Cyclones rotation, with Hansel Robles, Rainy Lara and Luis Mateo, Ynoa finished with the 3rd lowest WHIP of those four (0.93) and 7th highest in strikeouts (64) through 13 starts and 76.2 innings pitched. He followed that with an outstanding 2013 season. In 135.2 innings, he struck out 106, allowing just 16 walks for the Savannah Sand Gnats.

The righty started 2014 in St. Lucie, making 14 starts, and going 8-2 with a 3.95 ERA, and 64 strikeouts before being promoted to Double-A Binghamton. Through 28 innings he’s got a 4.08 ERA with 19 strikeouts. In four starts in July, he’s allowed 13 earned runs, with a particularly rough outing to start the month in which he allowed 5 runs and 2 walks in 5 innings. The following start he struck out 9, without allowing a run. That was his 2nd most strikeouts for the season, with an 11 K start for St. Lucie already in the books. The results show some ups and downs, a mixture of what he’s capable of and is improving.

In a July 27th start against the Trenton Thunder, the sink of Ynoa’s fastball was impressive, as was his willingness to attack the zone in any count. He struggled with command in the 1st inning, with a tendency to go low and inside, but the Thunder lineup ate that up. Then, with a pitch to Ben Gamel he elevated the ball in the middle of the plate, and Gamel singled. By contrast, when he faced Peter O’Brien, he got him to swing late on a high fastball that had good movement.
He threw first pitch strikes, but had a hard time staying ahead of hitters. He changed eye levels with varying success, flashing off-speed stuff that he needed to rely on a bit more, as his curveball had nice drop. He threw what looked like a mid-90’s fastball, as has been reported throughout his career. The other issue with the start was a high-pitch count. He wasn’t economical often, fatiguing his arm early. In his second worst start since July 4th, he allowed 4 earned runs, 8 hits, walked 2, and surrendered a home run.

For all the mistakes, there was just a lot to like about him, as there was in New York Penn League. If he can develop more consistent command and more bite in his curveball, and continue to use his changeup, he could be a huge asset to the Mets future. The fearlessness to go after hitters has always been another of his impressive qualities. But he also needs to allow his defense to play. He sometimes appeared to be going for the big strike.

Ynoa has progressed at a healthy pace, but as he faces more advanced hitters, he’ll need to polish his command and pitch deeper into games more effectively.

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The 2014 MiLB Twitter Twenty

Welcome to year four of the list.

This year I expanded the focus to include how far players social-media reach is. Players that have a big presence on Instagram and/or blog (and, as you’ll see, “vlog”) played a part in the decision process. This is still about the Twitter game. But the more players connect, the bigger their following and impact. And the deeper their connection to their followers, which is what I pay the most attention to (humor is a close second).

Honorable Mentions are expanded and players that don’t tweet often, but bring it when they do, are given a nod. Don’t think of HM’s as less valuable players (wink); they’re all guys whose content I read constantly throughout the year and deserved inclusion. Sometimes their inclusion could be one or two tweets that made me laugh or was just something readers really responded to.

The difficult part was excluding players from the ‘Twenty’ that are still with a professional team or were as early as Spring Training, but weren’t on any roster this season (they were included on HM’s); also difficult was dropping players down that, as entertaining or interesting as they are, aren’t sharing a lot very often. The point of this list is to give a bigger spotlight to minor leaguers that engage and entertain and do that pretty regularly. With Twitter they’re building their own following long before they reach the big leagues.

These are the champs.

1. Cody Decker @Decker6 – He continues his reign at #1 for the second year, doing all the things that endear him to fans and followers. Yet again, he took on a critic questioning his talent, though this time instead of a journalist, it was a Padres fan. He didn’t back down, despite the possibility of rattling a Padres faithful. His daily jokes are as smart as they are creative. “ ‘For every action there is an unequal and opposite overreaction.’ Newtons Third Law of Ex Girlfriends.” Earlier this season he anchored the sports desk for KTSM in El Paso, Texas. In full three piece suit and wearing one of his signature bowties (find it on YouTube). He's also made popular videos that you can find on YouTube. It's hard to believe he's not on Instagram, because we can only imagine how fun he'd make that. Regardless, he's hard to beat if you want to be entertained, and none was able to dethrone him… (Padres)
2. Wes Wilson @wtwilson5- …But this guy came close. He’s one of the most fun, interesting minor league players on Twitter. He’s freely talked politics with candor and level-headedness. And he’s embraced a multi-media way of expression, reaching beyond Twitter to create his own vlog, which is a regular feature for the Tampa Yankees (#WesCam). ‘Wes’s Womb’ (yep) is a mixture of interviews with teammates, highlights of minor league baseball life, and his own unique humor. The task of choosing which tweets to highlight was tough. Here’s a few from his Starbucks trips: “I gotta be lookin’ a fool bumpin’ Iggy Azalea, but I’m gettin’ my bump on my second coffee.” “I think this dude just walked in with a desktop computer.” “This woman just ordered something with 11 words.” By the way, his bio even says he'll one day be a presidential candidate, though it's unclear if he's serious. Tweet him about that. Odds are, he'll have a great answer. (Yankees)
3. Michael Schlact @Michael_Schlact - There's no one like Michael. He's used the Twitter platform to share spiritual inspiration & personal beliefs. When he went on a mission, he took to Twitter and Instagram to record the experience. He’s used the Twitter machine to produce an image, that’s no image at all, but a guy connecting to fans in a heartfelt, positive way. He’s consistently expressed his dedication to baseball, even when he wasn’t sure where his career was going. A recent tweet showed just about everything you need to know: 'How can Jillian [wife] and I pray for you today?' (Wichita Wingnuts)
4. Maxx Tissenbaum @8_Maxx – Brand new to this list, he skipped the lower levels and jumped into the top five. His blog ‘Red, White, and the 3-0 Green Light’ is the main reason for his push toward the top. The thorough, entertaining, creative effort impresses more with every entry. He’s also made Instagram a part of his connection with fans, something minor leaguers have gotten into even more since last year’s list. He tweeted about his need to write, saying, “Gotta get some coffee so I’m awake enough to write on the bus.” Spoken like a true baseball writer. (Although we’re usually looking for help at about quarter to 11 on the PM side). (Rays)
5 Jeremy Barfield @BarfieldRage – A repeat top five player he’s been a huge Twitter presence for a long time, and let's mention this stat: 40+K followers. He’s built a huge following by being consistently active, and interactive, on Twitter. His casual down to earth tone makes him super likeable. I liked this feminist (look that word up) take on pageants: ‘’Guys who tweet live pageants deserve girls that live tweet ‘The Bachelor.’” He might’ve meant something different than both things tend to insult intelligent minds, but it’s a great example of his sharp-minded wit. And you gotta love this battle cry: Good luck to all the young pups with the draft but if you think you’re gonna come take my job, you got another thing coming meat!’ (Athletics)
6.Justin Toole @Tooleyj24 - When Toole published his book '9 in 9' in 2013, he utilized Twitter to promote the project, reaching many fans and media outlets. That kind of connection is what social media is so good for, especially for guys in the minors. He built a buzz pre-release, tracked reader reviews with retweets, and used giveaways to attract more readers. One of the most impressive ways a minor leaguer's ever connected on Twitter. (Indians)
7. Marcus Stroman @MStrooo7 - A Twitter devotee, he's always sharing some part of his life and career. Whether it's congratulating a teammate, his soon-to-be-wed sister, or tweeting out life wisdom ("Know yourself. Know your worth."), he's consistently connecting. (Blue Jays)
8. Justin Jackson @JaxChillinONE - One of the best things about Jackson is the way he reaches out to followers. He's always starting conversation and loves the interaction, be it asking readers to tweet their thoughts on XBox One or favorite music, he wants to engage. Loved that he paid tribute to Maya Angelou upon her passing. He also shows constant appreciation for the game he plays for a living: "One of those mornings I've been reflecting about how blessed I am to play this game", he tweeted from his Instagram, another one of his social media favorites. (Blue Jays)
9. Jiwan James @Jiwan23 - He's a daily guy. He's got a lot of interests and freely expresses himself in the warm, entertaining way he always has: "Pretty girls that smoke" he tweeted with a disappointed emoticon. And who on the East coast can't relate to this? "Wait to be seated at IHOP or make the first of many trips to WaWa?" He also could've hashtagged that #MiLBLife. (Phillies)
10. Bryan Harper @BryanHarper45 – He’s a huge sports fan and tweets his enthusiasm regularly for his favorite teams. He’s also a big family guy (check his background image) and his Mother’s Day tweets were especially great. He remembered Mom of course, but his sister too. “Happy Mother’s Day to my sister! Thank you for blessing me with a nephew and now a niece!” There’s also been a lot of talk about that mustache and he has a lot of fun with that. (Nationals)
11. Ian Kendall @Ian_RK91 - Not on Twitter all the time, but you'll get your laughs when he is: "Just spent $20 on candles." "Why did they cancel 'Pimp My Ride'? I thought it was quality television." "Up and at em...meaning laying in bed for another hour." And there was something kind of cool about this thought: "I don't want to grow up but I've grown." (Rays)
12. Corey Black @CblackCHC - The funnest part of Black's Twitter feed is the micro-tweets about any random thing. He's also as honest as he wants to be: "That's exactly why I don't tweet cause y'all have no lives." ; "I still don't get why I'm a "reliever". Hahaha I get it I'm short. Jeez one inch would go a long way for me." (Cubs)
13. Ryan Verdugo @teachmetodugi11 - Verdugo shared his feelings about his recent trade to the Red Sox by thanking Royals fans he'd played for, and with trademark humor. He posted a photo of himself still in a Royals uniform with the caption "Awkward." This observation was interesting“I don’t know what has more blowouts right now the MLB or the boardwalk of Jersey." (over/under?) His best tweet might've been about World Cup soccer. He tweeted a photo from the greatest movie of all time, 'Superbad', with one of the movie's most memorable quotes "Calm down Greg. It's soccer." (Red Sox)
14. Taijuan Walker @tai_walker - If Walker didn't have the tweet of the year, than he came close: "I was sweating so much meeting @alfonso_ribeiro today." But seriously (that actually was serious), his positive, fun flow is always present on Twitter. Those 19+K folowers aren't too shabby, either. (Mariners)
15. Lance Durham @LanceBullDurham -...Durham might've had the best Instagram photo of any minor leaguer this year, which he proudly tweeted. He and his girlfriend announced via IG that she was pregnant by staging a photo of the couple sitting at a table, with a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce in front of them, and mocked terror on their faces. Since then, he's tweeted excitedly about pending fatherhood. An aweseome example of allowing fans to make a personal connection through social media. (Tigers)
16. Anthony Giansanti @GianSanity - He paid awesome tributer to retiring Yankee captain Derek Jeter: "As a passionate ball player since I could walk, moments like that will forever make my eyes water. Thank you Captain, you're a hero #RE2PECT", "If you're a baseball fan you appreciate what Derek Jeter has done and how he's done it. #UltimatePro". When he made an incredible outfield catch, he asked followers to retweet the clip so ESPN would notice. They should've. He went face first into the wall and tweeted humorously about the wicked wound he got from the nail he hit. (Cubs)
17. Ian Kadish @TheBearJew_36 - A super friendly, fun guy, he shares a lot about his family and baseball life with good-natured candor. "Sleeping on a yoga mat tonight...on the floor of a bus... #Allpartofit #IndyBallLife". When he was traded to the Indiana NAME, he tweeted the adventure of driving on the Fouth of July to play for them. "Welp guys I'm on the road again...traded this time to Gary, Indiana! Home of Michael Jackson!" That upbeat tone is a marked characterstic and shows up often on his Twitter. (Gary Southshore RailCats)
18. Kevin Vance @SorryBoutIt10 – There's a lot of "Crushing", feeling "Emotions" and getting "Fired Up" tweets, and he's all about high energy and self-expression. Impossible not to like him. In case you haven't head how he feels about a minor league staple: "Taco Bell is better than Chipotle." Chipotle is his Lex Luthor. (White Sox)
19. Trevor May @TrevMay54 - Recent road trip tweets with his girlfriend were fun to read (though if you go to her timeline @kateishere is even funnier to read) Then there's one of the tweets that make May an interesting guy to follow: "Self-analysis is the key to self-awareness." #Existentialism (Twins)
20. Jeremy Dowdy @Dowdy413 - Made it to the twenty by keeping a consistent fun vibe going all year. "Autocorrect just corrected "bad" to "bae"... Who's been using my phone?" "It's hard to beat music from the 90's." and he rang in birthday number 25 with a 15 inning game and tweeted about the experience. (White Sox)

Here’s the players that missed making the top twenty, but couldn’t be excluded. These guys deserve your follow.

Honorable Mentions:

Courtney Hawkins @CHawkins10 (White Sox)
Beau Wright @LeftButWright35 – The toughest part of this list was not including him in the twenty. He’s not on any roster this season. But he brings it daily, throughout the day. He’s a ball of energy and fun, so follow him to see where he winds up.
Michael McCarthy @mmcarthy35 (Red Sox)
Ryan Sherriff @KingSherriff (Cardinals)
Tommy Joseph @_TommyJoseph_ (Phillies)
Craig Missigman @craigmiss54 (Mets)
Chris Rivera @ChrisRivera217 (Cardinals)
Dustin Driver @dustindriver27 (Athletics)
Ty Buttrey @TyButtrey (Red Sox)
Josh Fellhauer – ‘Fellosophies.’ Look 'em up. (Reds)
Bradley Goldberg @B_Gumbo30 (White Sox)
Jamie Callahan @JCallahan15 (Red Sox)
Derrick Chung @therealthing6 (Blue Jays)
Darryl George @DarrylRoyGeorge - He's tweeted video of his on-the-field pre-game dance-offs. #MustSee (Rays)
Donnie Hart @DonnieHart06 (Orioles)
Jacob Faria @JDFaria48 (Rays)
Conrad Gregor @conradgregor55 (Astros)
Michael Crouse @_crouse_ (Blue Jays)
Julian Ridings @JRIDINGS_4 (Rays)
Pat Light @Pat_Light (Red Sox)
Travis Shaw @travis_shaw21 (Red Sox)
Tim Giel @TimmyGiel (Yankees)
Brett Geritse (Yankees)
Ali Castillo @alicastillo19 (Yankees)
Lenny Linsky @alohalinsky (Rays)
Jordan Cote @JordanCote603
Will Anderson @Willthethrill37 (Cardinals)
Jayson Hernandez- His devotion to public service shined when he helped organize 'Grandslam For Sandy', to benefit Hurricane Sandy victims and their families. (Red Sox)
Jonathon Berti @jonny_hustle (Blue Jays)
Cody Livesay @Livec1 (Braves)
Jared Wilson @DubsDeuces (Twins)
Rookie Davis @rookdavis24 (Yankees)
David Buchanan @davidb413 (Phillies)
Chase Vallot @Chase_Vallot (Royals)
Cale Coshow @c_coshow (Yankees)
Victor Black @Vic_Black_2 - "Sunday funday...That means no run day! I look forward to you all week #neverletsmedown." (Mets)
Antonio Nuñez @nunezlife03 (Astros)
Taylor Cole @Taylor_JCole (Blue Jays)
Matt Snyder @Matt33Snyder (Yankees)
Jared Mortensen @jaredmortensen1 (Rays)
Ali Solis @aSoLis44 (Rays)
Matthew Boyd @mattboyd31 (Blue Jays)
Will Gabay @GaBaY_WG_24 (Rays)
Jack Mayfield @jackmayfield8 (Astros)
Ryan Gunther @Gunther_7 (Braves)
Jake Hager @JakeHager1 (Rays)
Ryan Dent @RDdeucess (Red Sox)
Blair Walters @bwalters34 (Braves)
Stone Speer – @StoneSpeer He’s regularly all over Twitter. And he gets wild with it. Pretty sure he tweeted thanks to every single person that wished him Happy Birthday. On MLB Draft Day he rooted for friends on the board and congratulated friends selected. He's also funny AND cocky ("Handsome and wealthy" he tweeted). (Rays)
Dash Winningham @WinninghamDash (Mets)
Brad Meyers @bradmeyers29 (Nationals)
Zac Reininger @Reininger18 (Tigers)
Chris Costantino @Chriscos21 (Braves)
Chipper Smith @Chipper_Smith3 (Marlins)
Wynston Sawyer @WynSawyer (Orioles)
Will Anderson @Willthethrill37 (Cardinals)
Taylor Guerrieri @TaylorG1201 (Rays)
Vince Belnome @VBelnome1 (Rays)
Johnny Magliozzi @Money_Mags (Mets)
jp crawford @jp_crawford (Phillies)
Brian Holmes @BHolmes130 (Astros)
Rob Whalen @RobWhalen38- "Highlight of my day? Threw a perfect game with 20Ks in #MLBTheShow14 #NoBigDeal #LoveOffDays". (Mets)
Caleb Smith @CalebASmith12 (Yankees)
Dario Pizzano @DarioPizzano25 (Mariners
Chris Kirsch @chriskirsch9 (Rays)
Jason Martin @_JM55 (Astros)
Shane Watson @Shane40Sw (Phillies)
Alec Asher @TheBigCat28 (Rangers)
Jarrett Casey @JCasey13 (White Sox)
Dayton Dawe @DaytonDawe22 (Yankees)
Guido Knudson @GKnudson15 (Tigers)
Scott DeCecco @Dececco33 - His bio says he's the backup singer for Kings of Leon. If this is true, he maybe should've been in the Twitter Twenty. (Mariners)
Justin Fitzgerald @jfitzgerald31 (Diamondbacks)
Deck McGuire @deckmcguire (Blue Jays)
Cody Buckel @Cheatcode07 (Rangers)
Tony Thomas @GoldGlover2B (Twins)
Scott Carcaise ‏@SCarcaise (Marlins)
Taylor Motter @taylormotter7 (Rays)
Ryan Carpenter @R_Carpenter22 (Rockies)
John Mincone @JMincone (Mets) – Tweets about his love for his girlfriend & is a big Instagram guy, often posting photos of his close-knit family.
Rob Wooten @RobWooten35 (Brewers)
Reese McGuire ‏@Reese_McGuire21 (Pirates)
Greg Nappo @Nappo41 (Marlins)
Mike Meyers @Meyers_MJ (Red Sox)
Kevin Keyes @KevinJKeyes (Nationals)
Cameron Monger @CameronMonger (Frontier Grays)
Tucker Jensen @Tucker_Jensen (Gateway Grizzlies)
Stew Brase @sbrase12 (Southern Illinois Miners)
Brandon Douglas @BrandonDouglas5 (Tigers)
Erik Turgeon @ErikTurgeon (Pirates)
K.J. Woods @KJWoods22 - "Social media can ruin your life." (Marlins)

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Eastern League ASG Preview: Peter O'Brien Powers Up For Trenton

TRENTON, NEW JERSEY - The moment's come and gone, but Peter O'Brien spent a few days early in the baseball season leading all of baseball in home runs.

Double-A is the level where most players are clarifying and fine-tuning what they're capable of, with many heading straight to the majors. But this was highly unexpected.

In his New York Penn League debut season in 2012 with the Staten Island Yankees, he hit just ten home runs in 48 games. The surge in power might seem surprising, but O'Brien views his approach as key.

"I think the biggest thing is the preparation and routine aspect of the game, " he said last week. "Baseball is a game you play everyday, so you're getting into a rhythm and getting to know yourself more."

The home run derby that was the Peter O'Brien experience slowed down a bit through June. Monday night he picked it up again, ending the drought with a home run. And on Tuesday night, he followed that showing with two more in the Thunder's win.

O'Brien was among the players selected to participate in the Eastern League All-Star Game, which takes place July 16th in Altoona, Pennsylvania, home of the Altoona Curve.

In 2012, he finished hitting .202 with 34 RBI and a .643 OPS, striking out 62 times with Staten Island. The journey was one that required tempering.

"I learned so much. I was really excited to be playing professional baseball, but had no idea what it was. I took that college baseball mentality. You play a lot more. That's when I started learning the importance of routine."

A 2nd round pick for the Yankees out of the University of Miami in 2012, O'Brien's average has dipped and consistent contact has been an issue. As pitchers have begun to pick up on his strengths, and weaknesses, they've adjusted. O'Brien had to do the same.

"The hardest thing has been recently. Just the way I've been pitched. I'm a very aggressive hitter, so I'm trying to take a more 'take what they give me' approach. If they're going to pitch around me and see when I'm really not going to get anything to hit, take the walks they're giving me, but also hit the balls they're giving me."

Part of keeping his focus has been not deviating from the off-the-field plan. He lifts weights after every game, and pays attention to everything going into his body. He's increased muscle and overall strength since his first year of pro ball.

"I've kept the same routine pretty much since college. But weight lifting and nutrition have always been important to me. It's also maturing a little bit."

Primarily a catcher, where Thunder Manager Tony Franklin thinks he'll stick, O'Brien says he's comfortable catching, playing first or third and right field.

The jump from Short-A to Double-A has been a quick one. Players often play a full season or two at each level, with the development process being more of a slow marination. But O'Brien split 2012 between the South Atlantic League and Florida State League hitting a combined .291 average, 96 RBI, and 41 walks. He played 30 games in Tampa to start 2014, before being promoted to Double-A. In 55 games with Trenton, he's hit .269 with 42 RBI. Eighteen of those home runs have come with the Thunder. He's had multi-hit nights his last three games, and has 10 hits in his last six games.

It's all a gamble. Teams can't be sure how a young player is going to respond to more advanced opponents. There's also uncertainty about how mentally prepared they are.

O'Brien's not resting on laurels and he's definitely not entirely comfortable.

"It's a learning process. The day you stop learning is the day you can't play the game anymore," he said, then continued. "I need to work on] everything.You gotta keep working on strengths and weaknesses, and not forget what got you here."

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Francisco Cervelli Begins Rehab in Trenton

By: Matt Kardos

(TRENTON)- Yankees backup catcher, Francisco Cervelli, began a rehab assignment with the Trenton Thunder on Wednesday night at Arm & Hammer Park. The 28-yar old Venezuelan product is nearing a big-league return after being placed on the DL on April 15 with a strained hamstring.

Cervelli has served as a steady back-up in the Bronx for a majority of his major league career, but with Brian McCann in tow and rookie John Ryan Murphy playing exceptionally well in that role, the Yankees are looking to increase his versatility by having him play first base. He did that on Wednesday night.

Prior to last night's game, Cervelli had only previously played first base on two occasions over the course of his seven-year professional career.

“I feel like I need to work a lot,” Cervelli said. “It’s a different position, but at the same time I think I can do it. We'll see what happens tonight.”

Cervelli added,"I’ve always been the 26th man on the roster. If everybody got hurt, I’d go in and play. I’ve played third, second, first. I love to catch and that’s what I’d like to do, but right now I’m looking to help the team as much as I can. Every time they give me the chance, I will.”

Cervelli admits that the biggest adjustment that he has to make in learning a new position is not so much mechanical or fundamental.

“I’m too hyper,” Cervelli explained. “Sometimes I have to be moving around and jump a little bit, because it’s not easy. Catching, I’m always squatting and blocking and everything. This is a little adjustment I have to do, to stay calm. It’s hard for me, but I can do it. You may see me dancing out there."

Cervelli went 0-2 and drew two walks in his first of two games in his return trip to Trenton. He played 38 games for the Thunder spanning the 2008-2009 seasons and was called up to the major leagues during both seasons. Cervelli recalls some very fond memories of his days spent with manager Tony Franklin and his career in Double-A.

"I'm excited to be here one more time," said Cervelli. "In 2008, that was the first time that I got called up in September, right after we won the championship here. I think that was the best day of my life."

Cervelli added, "The fans here are so good, Tony [Franklin], I have a lot of respect for him. He is a guy that helped me a lot and every time I see him, I feel so happy. I don't think I wanted to be here under these circumstances, like injuries, but that is what we've got and we have to enjoy it and play hard."

After playing seven innings at first base on Wednesday, Franklin said that Cervelli was slated to be back behind the plate for all nine innings on Thursday night in th series finale with Richmond.

"I will be here today and tomorrow," admitted Cervelli. 'After that, I am just waiting to hear what the next step is. I feel that I am ready to go."