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SUNDAY, JUNE 17, 2012 PAGE 3C
MINORLEAGUES U P C O M I N G S W B YA N K E E S G A M E S
YA N K E E S P R O S P E C T S
PHILLIES PROSPECTS
All-stars on board with festivities By DAVE ROSENGRANT drosengrant@timesleader.com
The Charleston RiverDogs have been one of the top teams in the South Atlantic League (Low Class-A) this season, sitting in second place in the league’s Southern Division. This week, the ’Dogs will host the league’s annual all-star game at Joseph P. Reilly Jr. Park in Charleston, S.C. There are several festivities planned running up to Tuesday’s game, including a home run derby on the deck of the USS Yorktown. The derby will begin on the ship on Monday and conclude with the finals on Tuesday, prior to the game. Centerfielder and leadoff hitter Mason Williams, who was a late addition to the game’s roster, will participate in the derby and will be joined on the all-star team by five teammates. Starting pitcher Bryan Mitchell, relief pitcher Pedro Guerra, right fielder Tyler Austin, catcher Gary Sanchez and designated hitter/catcher Francisco Arcia will also participate in the events at their home field. Here are the New York Yankees top-10 prospects according to MLB.com. 1. Manny Banuelos, LHP, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (TripleA): The left-hander, currently on the disabled list, is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in six starts for Yankees with 22 Ks in 24 innings. 2. Dellin Betances, RHP, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A): The 6-foot-8, 260-pounder continues to have command issues. Last week in two starts, he walked six and struck out 10 in just 9 innings, while allowing 10 runs as his ERA climbed to 5.91. On the season, he’s 3-5 with 61 strikeouts and 58 walks in 67 innings. 3. Gary Sanchez, catcher, Charleston (A): The 19-year-old has seven multi-hit games in his last 12, which includes five home runs. For the season, his average is at .302 with 11 homers, 49 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 13 tries. 4. Mason Williams, outfielder, Charleston (A): Williams has been streaking of late just like his RiverDogs’ teammate, Sanchez. His average has risen to .300 to go with four home runs, 20 RBI and 17 steals after hitting .372 (16-for-43) over his last 10 games. 5. Jose Campos, RHP, Charleston (A): A 19-year-old acquired from Seattle in the offseason was off to a good start, but is currently on the DL with elbow inflammation. 6. Slade Heathcott, outfielder, TBA: The 2009 first-round draft pick was expected to get back to game action earlier this month with High-A Tampa but suffered a slight setback and hasn’t returned yet. 7. Austin Romine, catcher, TBA: The 23-year-old announced on Twitter two weeks ago that he was cleared for baseball activities. He’s on the DL with an inflamed disc in his back and is expected back in July. 8. Dante Bichette Jr., third base, Charleston (A): The 19year-old is son of a former Major League all-star and was MVP of the Gulf Coast League last season after being drafted as New York’s first pick in 2011 (51st overall). He’s currently batting .261 on the season with one home run and 23 RBI. 9. Cito Culver, shortstop, Charleston (A): A first-round pick in 2010 (32 overall), the 19-year-old switch-hitting No. 2 hitter in the RiverDogs’ lineup has a stretch of reaching base in 28 straight games snapped last week. During the span, he’s raised his batting average to .223 for the season, but is posting a .336 on base percentage. He’s also hit a pair of homers, driven in 24, stolen 13 bases and scored 34 runs. 10. Adam Warren, RHP, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A): After posting back-to-back shutouts, he was hit with his fourth loss of the season last week against Syracuse. For the season, he’s now 4-4 with a 4.12 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 741⁄3 innings.
Crosscutters open Monday on TV Syracuse 2:00 p.m. at Syracuse
at Louisville 7:05 p.m.
at Louisville 7:05 p.m.
at Louisville 11:45 a.m.
at Louisville 7:05 p.m.
at Indianapolis 7:15 p.m.
at Indianapolis 7:05 p.m.
Former District 2 standout Kyle McMyne knows he was always …
A reliever at heart
By TOM ROBINSON For The Times Leader
MOVING ON UP
Kyle McMyne is two months into a new assignment as a reliever after spending his youth, high school and college days in baseball as a starting pitcher. There are changes to his preparation, the way McMyne’s managers use him, the number of pitches he throws and how often he throws them. One thing is unchanged, however, for the Old Forge graduate. “It’s extremely different from the perspective of how I prepare,” said McMyne, who is one year into his professional career after being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds out of Villanova University in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball draft in June 2011. “I have to be ready more often than one game every five days. “But, overall, I really felt like I had always been a reliever at heart.” Relief specialists are rare in the lower levels of baseball. The best, especially those with the potential to one day pitch professionally, are asked to throw the most innings. It is difficult to do that from a role in the bullpen. When a pro pitching staff is put together, there are significant roles for those who throw the most and those who throw the most important innings. “I like to be in the game when the game is on the line,” McMyne said. “I really want to be out there giving everything I have for one or two innings. “There’s something about coming out of the pen that I like. I like to have that mentality where you’re constantly fired up rather than trying to get through five or six innings.” Cincinnati minor-league management sees McMyne as having the right makeup to fit the role of a reliever, possibly even as a closer. When McMyne joined the organization last year, he did so with a sore shoulder from a busy spring at Villanova. McMyne spent some time on the disabled list and was limited to short outings as a starter, working a total of just 27 innings in10 games. He
· Old Forge graduate Kyle McMyne led the Big East Conference and ranked 12th nationally in his final season at Villanova with 10.89 strikeouts per nine innings in 2011. His 94 strikeouts in 772⁄3 innings were the most by a Villanova pitcher since 1960. · In his college career, McMyne started 28 of his 43 games, posting 11 wins and two saves while striking out 178 in 1672⁄3 innings. · McMyne made his pro debut last year with Billings of the rookie Pioneer League. He was 1-1 with an 8.00 ERA in 10 starts. In 27 innings, he gave up 36 hits and 14 walks while striking out 27. · In 18 games for Dayton of the Class A Midwest League to start this season, McMyne was 3-2 with a 2.59 ERA. He gave up 20 hits and eight walks while striking out 22 in 241⁄3 innings. · Since his promotion to Bakersfield of the Advanced Class A California League, McMyne was 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in eight games through Friday. In 11 innings, he gave up 13 hits and five walks while striking out nine.
PHOTO PROVIDED
Former Old Forge pitcher Kyle McMyne is shown on the hill for the Bakersfield Blaze of the Class-A California League.
finished strong, posting his first pro win Aug. 7 with five scoreless innings for the Billings Mustangs in a1-0 Pioneer League victory over the Great Falls Voyagers. Although he never worked in relief in his first professional season, McMyne has done nothing but work out of the bullpen in 23 games during his second season. A fast start at Dayton, where he voted by fans as the team’s Pitcher of the Month for April, earned McMyne a promotion from the Class A Midwest League to the Bakersfield Blaze
of the California League, one of three loops designated as Class A advanced. The promotion has brought out mixed signals for McMyne, who was 3-2 with two saves and an impressive 2.59 earned run average at Dayton. McMyne has struggled early with Bakersfield, taking a loss in his first decision Tuesday when he blew a save for the third time in five outings. There have been clear signs, however, that even after a move to a higher level, the organization trusts him in the most important situations.
“I think that’s definitely a pretty good sign,” McMyne said in a phone interview. The 22-year-old right-hander possesses a fastball that often settles in the 94-96 miles per hour range preferred for closer duties. He also throws a curveball, slider and changeup, which he said are still necessary to keep batters off-balance as he moves up the ranks. As he tries to prove he can handle California League batters, McMyne is working on both technical and mental adjustments. “I’m changing a few things in my windup,” McMyne said. “I’m just kind of testing things out and seeing what works and what doesn’t.” While he experiments, McMyne is trying to make sure the mental game does not make it more difficult to find success. “I’m just trying to stay relaxed and confident in my pitches and trying to throw strikes,” McMyne said. He just does so in shorter stretches during a different part of the game.
DISTRICT 2’S PRESENCE IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
Russ Canzler, Hazleton Area, Columbus (Cleveland, TripleA): The Hazleton native is trying to find his form from 2011, when he was the International League MVP and he was among league leaders in numerous offensive categories. The 26-year-old has shown signs of breaking out of a mild slump this season with two home runs, six RBI and four hits in his last three games. He’s now at .263 with five home runs, 24 RBI and a .316 on base percentage this season. Canzler was originally drafted by the Cubs in the 30th round in 2004. He was signed as a minor league free agent by Tampa Bay last year and then traded to Cleveland in the offseason.
Cory Spangenberg, Abington Heights, Lake Elsinore (San Diego, Class A advanced): Drafted last June by the Padres 10th overall, Spangenberg had a consecutive reaching-base-streak snapped at 20 consecutive games for the Storm last week. Despite that, he has a hit in 19 of his last 23 games. For the season, the left-handed batting second baseman is batting .295 with one home run, 31 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 27 attempts to go along with six triples, 11 doubles and 40 runs scored in 65 games.
Ray Black, Coughlin, San Francisco (extended spring training): A power pitcher, Black is nursing a shoulder injury which arose at the end of spring training and he’s been sidelined for about two months while in extended spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz. After experiencing soreness, he received a cortisone shot. The seventh-round draft pick (237th overall) out of the University of Pittsburgh last June is hoping to join the short season SalemKeizer Volcanoes in Oregon or the Low Class A team in Augusta or possibly join the Arizona Rookie League Giants.
Rich Thompson, Montrose, Durham (Tampa Bay, Triple-A): A 33-year-old speedy outfielder, is batting .242 (8-for-33) with four stolen bases in eight games since being sent to the Bulls from the Rays two weeks ago. For the Rays, he had just one hit in 16 at-bats for the Rays, picked up two stolen bases, scored two runs and knocked one in. Last month, he was traded to Tampa from the Phillies and was immediately called up to the big leagues. Before the trade, he was hitting .307 for Lehigh Valley with seven stolen bases and an on-base percentage of .390 for the IronPigs.
Kyle McMyne, Old Forge, Bakersfield (Cincinnati, Class A Advanced): Being promoted to Bakersfield just two weeks ago, the right-handed reliever has pitched in eight games. Taken by the Reds in the fourth round (145th overall) of last year’s draft out of Villanova, he’s had good and not-so-good outings for the Blaze allowing seven runs in his four mediocre relief appearances and pitching scoreless ball in his other four. For the season for Bakersfield, he has a 4.91 ERA giving up five runs in 11 innings. Overall this season in the minors, he is 3-3 with a 3.31 ERA in 26 games.
Kyle Landis, Hazleton Area, Akron (Cleveland, Double-A): An 18th round pick by the Indians in 2007, the right-handed reliever is having a solid season for the Aeros, putting up a 1.85 ERA in 20 games while striking out 34 in 34 innings and posting a 4-1 record with two saves. The 26-year-old has pitched seven consecutive times without allowing a run only giving up five hits in 11 2⁄3 innings, while fanning 14 in the span. He’s had a short stint for Triple-A earlier this season, pitching three innings for the Clippers. His best year in the minors was in 2011, when he combined to go 10-2 with a 2.54 ERA in 42 appearances spanning three affiliates.
By DAVE ROSENGRANT drosengrant@timesleader.com
The Williamsport Crosscutters begin their sixth season as a Phillies affiliate when they host the State College Spikes on Monday. The Crosscutters are coming off a season in which they finished second in the New YorkPenn League Pinckney Division with a 43-33 record. This year, Williamsport consists of a new manager in Andy Tracy, who played last season in Triple-A for Reno, and a new pitching coach in former Phillie Aaron Fultz. The team, which said on its Twitter account @crosscutters in March that it would welcome Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankee fans by being unofficially named the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Crosscutters, consists of top prospects in speedster Roman Quinn and power bat Larry Greene, who were both drafted in 2011. Monday’s opening game can be seen live on WNEP2 and will be the first televised broadcast in Crosscutters history. Here are Philadelphia’s top 10 prospects according to MLB.com and how they are faring in 2012. 1. Trevor May, RHP, Reading (Double-A): A fourth-round pick in the 2008 draft, he picked up his first win in more than a month on Friday when he defeated Akron to improve to 6-4. For the season, he has a 4.78 ERA with 73 strikeouts in 69 2 ⁄3innings. 2. Jesse Biddle, LHP, Clearwater (A-Advanced): After five consecutive starts of at least six innings and no more than one earned allowed, Biddle had a rough outing last week when he took the loss and gave up four runs and six hits in three innings. For the season, he’s 3-3 with a 2.98 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 601⁄3 innings this season. 3. Brody Colvin, RHP, Clearwater (A-Advanced): He’s been moved to the bullpen after a few rough starts. In six relief appearances, he’s allowed two runs in 11 innings. To date for the Threshers, he has a 4.68 ERA with a 3-4 record to go with 48 strikeouts in 59 2⁄3 innings. 4. Larry Greene, outfielder, Williamsport: The 19-year-old first-round pick from last June will begin playing professional ball this week with the Crosscutters. 5. Phillippe Aumont, RHP, Lehigh Valley (Triple-A): The 6-foot-7, 260-pound 23-year-old reliever appears to be getting in a groove for the IronPigs. After a D.L. stint, he’s thrown eight innings allowing just three runs and fanning 12. Despite a 4.76 ERA this season, he has whiffed 27 in 17 innings to go with eight saves. 6. Sebastian Valle, catcher, Reading (Double-A): The 21year-old’s batting average continues to rise slowly after an early-season slump. He’s now at .246 for the season with seven home runs and 27 RBI in 49 games. 7. Justin De Fratus, RHP, TBA: On the disabled list, he is throwing from 120 feet and may begin a more regular program in the next few weeks. He’s currently ahead of other injured Phillies’ relievers and could begin a rehab assignment soon. 8. Maikel Franco, third base, Lakewood (Class A): Only 19, he was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2010. He’s batting .203 with six home runs and 26 RBI in 62 games. 9. Jonathan Pettibone, RHP, Reading (Double-A): Six straight solid starts for the 21year-old has resulted in a drop in ERA down to 3.62. He won his latest start to improve to 6-5 after allowing just one run in six innings. 10. Roman Quinn, shortstop, Williamsport: Being drafted in the second round last year, the 19-year-old was hailed as the fastest player in the 2011 draft. He will start his pro career this week with the Crosscutters.