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. 

Jorge Mateo and the Fixation on Fast Maturity in Baseball

Several years ago, a scout at a minor league game paused at the mention of a player’s name.

He was quiet for a moment, then, with a measured, definitive tone said, “He doesn’t have the emotional maturity to be in the major leagues.”

This point is arguable to an extent, because we’ve seen many so-called immature players be highly or moderately successful in MLB. But there was a deeper meaning to what he was saying. And I’ve spent over a decade exploring the truth of that statement in many different ways.

You see a lot when you cover hundreds of minor league games. You observe, you listen; you pick up little comments, notice private moments, and begin to see emotional patterns. Players are like anyone. They don’t change so much as they grow. They grow into themselves physically, but it’s the growing into who they are as people that can be tougher. There was a time when being in the “farm system,” whether highly touted or barely regarded, meant that you were pretty far out of sight. Years ago, local newspaper reporters were the major sources for immediate minor league news. I’m sure there was a fair amount of talk the following day if readers caught a report on the guys in Double-A. But there was no social media to give fans the skinny every moment as it was happening. Players were able to grow without much of a spotlight bearing down on them before they even stepped into big league ballpark lights.

These days, fans hear about everything, all the time. And opinions form quickly about guys who are just out of high school or college. In Yankees prospect Jorge Mateo’s case, a private incident became a public one, and his maturity level became a major talking point.

Mateo, signed as a seventeen-year old free agent out of the Dominican Republic, is coming off of a difficult season at the plate with High-A Tampa. Though he showed some flashes of brilliance and showcased his strengths still in development, he didn’t have the kind of year the Yankees may have wanted. You add to that a reported confrontation in which he reportedly questioned not receiving a promotion to Double-A, resulting in a suspension, AND add to that Gleyber Torres is clearly the team’s future shortstop, you’re left with many questions about Mateo’s future.

This is your friendly reminder that Mateo’s 21 years old.

For anyone, growing up is hard enough. Do it in the limelight, playing for the New York Yankees, with millions of self-proclaimed experts questioning your every mistake, and it’s probably a whole lot harder. The expectation however is that when a team invests their time, money and faith in you, you have to step up to the moment and be big enough to handle the hard knocks. Sure, that’s understandable. But if the expectation is that a young player shouldn’t have the space to grow as a person, and make some errors in judgment along the way, we’re asking too much.

Writers descend like seagulls at a crowded beach on stories like this. And they write the narrative in stone. They did it with Bryce Harper, a guy many big league beat writers had the challenge of writing about from afar for a brief time, but already let Nationals fans know trouble was coming. He too had early reports of difficulties written about him. He was considered a risk, despite, oh, being one of the most exciting players in baseball history before he even played a major league game. But there needed to be a story, a focus. And all the focus was on what kind of a guy he was. Harper, as young as he was, was treated like he should have his entire act together before he was 20 years old.

We don’t know the kind of player or person Mateo will be, nor do we know that about any young player who’s just starting his professional career. We can recall our own worst growing pains, but, for some reason, we don’t. We put far too much stock in the early days of a player’s career, because we hear about so many moments, on and off the field, so fast. If a player has a moment of frustration, and lashes out at his superiors, is it really earth-shattering news? Is his personality etched in stone? How quickly do we need these guys to grow up, to fast track to the big leagues to become the stars we long for? Too quickly. We want it all, too quickly, because we consume information constantly. Developing players just doesn’t allow for that kind of hurried pace.

The slow process of a baseball game is much like the (usually) slow process of player development. There are pauses. Big failures and big successes, highs and lows, and the pace isn’t rushed…at least it wasn’t, but that’s another story. The down moments can be devastating. The highs can be exhilarating. Players talk often about not allowing either one get to them. Never get too high, never get too low, they’ll say in one way or another.

I covered Mateo in 2016. And I covered the player that the scout was completely decided on. Mateo was never blatantly disrespectful to anyone to my eyes. That “incident” was away from our eyes, as it should’ve been. He went about his business every day and his manager and coaches gave him high marks for his ability and effort. But that’s boring, right? Let’s all run with the bad seed narrative instead.

Did I mention Mateo’s 21? Also, by the way, Yankees GM Brian Cashman recently told the New York Daily News that the report of what truly happened between Mateo and team brass was, “false,” and went on to say, “None of that ever happened. We didn’t reveal why we did what we did, but I can tell you it had nothing to do with anything like that.” Mateo is also showing strong promise in Spring Training, a good sign that he’s moving forward, and, perhaps, can improve upon his 2016 results.

As for the player the scout mentioned, he was unbearable to deal with: arrogant, rude and unapologetic for his attitude. He didn’t change any opinions in the big leagues. He’s no longer in major league baseball. So, sometimes, yeah, they don’t mature. You just don’t know early on.

Player development, it’s kind of a wait and see thing.

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Florida State League Notebook: Tigers Ben Verlander Talks Twitter Fun and a Guy Named Justin

Clearwater, FL- There’s always one area of a player’s game that he begins the season focused on improving. Sometimes it’s a number of mechanical issues. Sometimes they talk about not getting too emotional when things don’t go right. But Ben Verlander has his eye on one thing he needs to do to be successful this year.

“Just being consistent,” the Lakeland Flying Tigers outfielder said before a game against the Threshers. “I think I’ve proved myself in where I’ve been, so it’s more so just about consistency now. I was before the All-Star break last year, but it’s also something this year that I’d like to be post-break.”

Verlander, 24, spent all of 2015 in High-A Lakeland, playing in 126 games, and finishing with 97 hits, 52 RBI, 5 home runs, and 41 walks. He was also selected to the league All-Star Game.  Detroit’s 2013 14^th pick out of Old Dominion University began his Tigers career in Short Season A-Ball, in the New York Penn League, playing in 9 games. He split 2014 between there and Low-A Michigan, and was named a NYPL midseason all-star.

He’s begun this season hitting .273/.333/.364 in three games.  

In a game of adjustments, Verlander is already feeling at ease.

“I’m more comfortable. I’ve been to every stadium in the league. Last year, I started off really well. I didn’t think the jump was too big. Things were going well. This year it’s just about proving what I can do,” he said.

This spring, he proved something he’d thought about since childhood. He showed his brother, Tigers pitcher Justin, that he could take him deep.  At the end of March, the younger Verlander had a shot at his brother, 33, in a minor league intra-squad game and hit a home run that the brothers joked about in the press afterwards. However, this has been a long time coming. A little dream young Ben had against the seemingly always victorious Justin.

“I’ve been competing against him since I started playing sports. I’ve never won in anything; be it basketball, Whiffle ball, video games, whatever it may be, he’d never let me win. Never. So, I always said, since I started playing baseball, ‘If I ever get to face you, I’m going to hit one off you.’ That turned out to be right,” Verlander said.

You can often find him on Twitter joking with his brother and girlfriend, actress Kate Upton. He pokes fun at them and himself.

“I love it. I love the interaction on Instagram and Twitter. I’m enjoying the ride.”

He’s looking at this season without applying added pressure to reach a statistical goal. That’s not the point, he says. There’s a plan, just one that helps him stay the course.

 “I set personal goals, like consistency. That’s not something that the outside person can maybe see in the numbers,” he said, “but I know inside the goals I have.”

Game Notes on Flying Tigers: Lefty Tyler Alexander made the start for the Flying Tigers in the series opener against the Tampa Yankees. He started off Jorge Mateo with three quick strikes, including a fastball up in the zone that Mateo couldn’t catch up to, swinging through strike three. Alexander worked quickly and mixed in a commanding fastball with sinking off-speed stuff. His defense got to work and he wasn’t afraid of contact, inducing a grounder for the final out of the first inning. The Tigers scored early to give him slight breathing room. He continued to induce groundball out. He also continued to punch out hitters with his breaking pitches. He’d get Mateo again with an 80 mph pitch that the Tampa shortstop flied out on. This was my first time seeing Alexander and he was impressive with every pitch he tried, keeping Yankees hitters guessing and swinging often… I had a chance to see, and talk to Tigers prospect Christin Stewart in Gulf Coast League last season, and he put together a solid, smart at-bat in the 4^th inning of that night’s contest. The outfielder swung at an 86 mph first pitch from Ian Clarkin, but hung back on a pitch that dropped down on the radar to 73 mph for a ball. Clarkin tries to locate a 91 mph fastball at the corner but that missed for a ball. In the 2-2 count, Stewart doubled to right field…the Flying Tigers will return to Tampa in May for a three-game series.

 

Greg Legg on the Philly Kid with a Dream of Being the Phillies “Future” Closer

In Matt Hockenberry’s Twitter bio, he describes himself in a distinctly Philly way: ‘Temple University alum’ and a pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization who’s ‘Trying to find my way to Citizens Bank Park in the future.’

Hockenberry, 24, was the Phillies 9^th round pick in 2014 and went on to finish 2^nd in Saves in the South Atlantic League. He closed out 2015 with a seven-game scoreless streak.

Greg Legg, manager of Hockenberry’s current team, High-A Clearwater Threshers, sees in him the kind of devotion it takes to accomplish what he hopes. Upstairs, he’s got it.

“He has a great work ethic,” said Legg. “The way he goes about his business is totally off the charts. It’s what you dream of as a manager. Like, I don’t have to stay on him; he’s going to do what he’s supposed to do.”

While there’s plenty of opportunity for him to get the final out of the game, Legg points out that there are “at least four or five arms” that will be given a chance to do the job. Hockenberry really just has to stand out, in order to prove what he envisions for himself.

“He’s going to tell us and the Phillies how far he goes. It depends on how he pitches,” Legg said. “We’re just going to give him the opportunity and whatever he does is up to him. I know he’s got the mentality to pitch late in the ballgame. He’s got a lot of confidence and he pays attention to detail.”

Legg is also confident that the Philly kid could wind up on the mound in the ninth for the big league club.  

“It wouldn’t surprise me if his dreams come true.”

Quick Thoughts on....Charlotte Stone Crabs- The Rays affiliate visited later that week, and Manager Michael Johns spoke at length about pitcher Brent Honeywell and the young players he tries to guide in the social-media era. Johns has been in the Tampa Bay Rays organization for several years, including as manager of the Class-A (Short Season) Bowling Green Hot Rods. He’s seen a lot of guys mature and exceed expectations, including pitcher Jacob Faria. Honeywell, 21, has also proven more than perhaps was expected, after scouts were late to notice him in a community college program before the Rays drafted him in the 2^nd round in 2014. Johns returns to manage the team after leading the 2015 team to the FSL Championship. He spoke about the difficulties of helping them to be smart and responsible off the field. You can read that conversation and more with Johns in an upcoming story on Honeywell for Baseball Prospectus.

Also look for a report on Tampa's Jorge Mateo on BP.

 

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.

Arizona Fall League: Checking in with Yankees Dustin Fowler

During his 2015 stint with the High-A Tampa Yankees, Dustin Fowler showcased the mix of skills he's continuing to polish in the Arizona Fall League.

Fowler actually split his time between Class-A Charleston and Tampa, finishing the season going .298/.334/.394, with 70 RBI and 5 HR's. Of his 145 hits, 66 of them were with Tampa.

Fowler's tendency to take an aggressive approach at the plate has worked for and against him, and it's something he's devoted to improving in fall league, as he confirmed last week when he spoke to this blog. Fowler, an outfielder sometimes used as a designated hitter, was drafted in the 18th round by the New York Yankees in 2013. He played just 30 games that season, when he was assigned to the Gulf Coast League, getting a taste of professional baseball as a high school draftee. The Yankees have to like the football-like build of Fowler, as well as his bat speed. With more reps, he could turn that aggressive approach could lead to his development into a high-average hitter.

He addressed a number of issues and here's what he had to say:

Flying Low: "I have always been the guy under the radar and it gives me motivation to try and prove myself to everyone by playing harder"

His Strengths: "My speed is big in my game...to put the ball in play and let things happen. I could improve in every part of my game, not being so aggressive at the plate and learning the strike zone and getting better jumps on the bases and in the outfield."

Weaknesses, Improvements: "My aggressiveness has hurt me a little but for the most part I have been pretty comfortable at the plate and not being over matched by pitching. But by getting a lot of at bats under my belt I am starting to see progress in learning the strike zone."

Fall League Focus: "Getting more at bats, constantly working on learning the strike zone and staying on my legs more to get more power behind the ball and in the field to get quicker jumps."

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Tampa Bay Rays Scout Shares Thoughts On A Few Players' Potential

A Tampa Bay Rays scout spoke about the potential of a crop of guys in the system. Here were his thoughts on a few players who've made an impact this season.

On catcher Luke Maile (Triple-A Durham): His defense has stood out. But he can't hit for shit. Pitchers love to throw to him.

Buddy Borden (High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs): He doesn't get enough credit. He has pitchability. His stuff's not overwhelming, but he kept the game going when I've seen him. Flipped in a curveball. He kept hitters off balance.

Jacob Faria (Double-A Montgomery Biscuits): We actually will be in the position to have to protect him this year. He has nothing really plus. He knows how to get guys out and that's his best asset. He knows when to use which pitches. Good 2-seam fastball. That's his best pitch and he knows that.

Another Rays scout said this about Faria:
Faria has been an under-the-radar guy who has broken out some in 2015. He has matured physically and mentally, added velo, and his pitchability and the quality of his offspeed stuff have both advanced considerably. The CH is plus and the CB is coming along as well. He came into the system as a raw, projectable kid and has thrived in our program. Still a sleeper but he is starting to wake up.

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Phillies Prospect Matt Imhof Has Best Start of Season, Adjusts to High-A

Matt Imhof didn't need much more than his fastball to dominate Lakeland's lineup Thursday.

The lefty worked his fastball without feeling the need to mix in much secondary stuff past the 1st inning; through 6 innings, he allowed just 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out a season high 7 batters.

"The key thing was establishing fastball away," Imhof said. "I also had a better mindset than the last couple of starts."

He's recovered from a bicep strain that set him back. He was placed on the DL in April, and although there were concerns about his development, Clearwater manager Greg Legg sees vast improvement, particularly in that last start.

"He's normally a fastball/changeup/Slider pitcher. Last night it was more fastballs," Legg said. "He's working on command, and did a good job with it Thursday. He's come along. This is his first full season this year, and it's been a bit of a process. He's trusting his fastball. There were arm issues earlier this year, but he's feeling better now. He's starting to work on his two-seamer. But he didn't need the changeup the other night. He commanded the fastball to both sides of the plate."

The Phillies selected Imhof in the 2nd round of the 2014 June MLB Draft out of Cal Poly, and he finished his final collegiate season going 99 innings, striking out 124, good for 6th most in NCAA Division 1.

In his first professional season, he saw time at three levels, pitching a combined 42 innings, striking out 40, and walking just 11 batters through 11 starts. While he seemed to make the transition to pro ball rather smoothly, he was getting acclimated to all the new expectations.

"I was getting used to a new environment. It takes me a little while to get comfortable with the catchers and teammates. The biggest challenge for me was getting used to a five man rotation. I was only in the New York Penn League a few weeks but it helped get my arm ready for game day," said Imhof.

Having had a solid first year professionally, experiencing struggles this year was difficult. At times, he lost his way.

"Yeah, you try not to think about it. But after each outing, you're looking at things, and it's frustrating for sure. You do stuff you wouldn't normally do. You try to throw harder. You try this and that. And you kind of lose confidence in your stuff. That's where I was last month. But I had talks with pitching coordinator Rafael chaves, and out pitching coach Steve Shrenk. And got in a good mindset and did what I needed to do."

After just two years, Imhof has been through a great deal that's tested him mentally and physically. But as the physical has come along, the mental side of his game has improved the most, according to him.

"The biggest thing I've learned is how to have success. I had that in college, and last year. This year was harder. I had to re-learn things I thought I had down. Now I'm sticking with what I know. Whether it's catch-play, workouts, or bullpens. Once I figured out what I need to be successful, began to build off it each time. I'm stronger than I was in spring training. And if you talk to anyone with the Phillies, they'd tell you I'm one hundred percent better than I was in spring training. I didn't come in quite prepared like I needed to be, and now I'm ready for success."

You can follow him on Twitter @Matt_ImHOF48

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Pirates Prospect Austin Meadows Not Concerned About Outfield 'Block'

You know the old baseball player adage, about 'controlling what I can control'? Well, sometimes that oft-used statement just sums up the situation.

For top Pirates prospect, 2013 1st round pick Austin Meadows, that's the only way to view the his future in the Pittsburgh Pirates outfield.

"I don't really pay attention to that," Meadows said Friday. "I just try to worry about today, about down here. That's for them to decide. That's in [the Pirates] hands."

In his first year in High-A Florida State League, Meadows development is important to the future of the Pirates. He still has timeKeeping that level-head can only help. He's jumped levels in 2014 and 2013, with the bulk of 2014 being played for West Virginia (Class-A, full-season).

High-A isn't quite Double-A, but there's still more polish, better instincts, and certainly more reps under their belts to help figure out the opponent. Pitchers secondary offerings are improved, and there's more velocity for a young hitter to face.

"It was definitely a challenge at first, it's a lot to get used to. Especially in the heat you really have to take care of yourself. And with the hamstring injury last year, I'm learning how to take care of myself off the field and on. I learned a lot last year," Meadows said.

The twenty-year-old has played a career high 92 games this season, .306/.363/.401 for the Bradenton Marauders. In his last ten games, he's struck out just five times. He's also making contact. He finished July with 42 hits and 14 RBI, after struggling in June.

He was given the opportunity to be at Major League camp this past Spring Training, and played in a handful of games. There too, Meadows wasn't allowing the spotlight to affect him.

"Most of the guys just had fun. It was like we were playing Little League. A lot more fans, a little more pressure, but it was a good time," he said.

The hamstring injury last year robbed him of playing time, but as the physical healing transpired, the deeper psychological aspect came along fine too, with his focus remaining strong.

"I had to stay confident in myself and confident in my ability. [Outfielder] Barrett Barnes was injured too, so it was good having him by my side."

As the season winds down, there's already an eye on the future.

"We work everyday to establish a routine. And we're working on having a plan for the off-season."

You can follow him on Twitter @Austin_Meadows.

GAME NOTES: Meadows hit a 2-run home run in Friday's game, with a patient, but smartly aggressive approach. He went after a pitch that was up in the zone, and carried it over the right field wall. He has a smooth swing, keeping his hands low. He appeared very comfortable at the plate, taking his time, not jumping on pitches he couldn't handle. His sharp defense was also on display.

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EXCLUSIVE: Top Rays Prospect Brent Honeywell Promoted, Talks About 2015 Success

Brent Honeywell, ranked as the 8th best prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays system by Baseball America entering 2015, has been promoted from the Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods to High-A Charlotte. He'll join the Stone Crabs as they begin the second half of their season, after winning the first-half title in the Florida State League (Southern Division).

He leaves the New York Penn League on the heels of an incredible 11-strikeout 7 inning performance two weeks ago. He's 4-4 with a 2.91 ERA in 12 starts. In 65 innings of work he's allowed just 12 walks, while striking out 76.

Here's what he told me Friday afternoon.

On this season's success: [I'm] throwing strikes. No free passes. And when I get into trouble, I have to limit the damage. Everything is good. Now I'm just trying to sharpen things.

On maturing On and Off the field: I've just grown in the game. Off the field, I'm still a little kid *laughed*. Mentally and physically, I'm really slowing the game down in tough situations.

You can follow Brent on Twitter @brent_honeywell.

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