Cleveland Sports Forum

Around the Farm: October 22, 2013
Joe Wendle

By Tony Lastoria

October 23, 2013

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Around the Farm (ATF) takes a quick look at some of the daily performances by Indians prospects. This is a special fall and winter ball version of ATF that recaps all the offseason action by Indians players in the Arizona Fall League and the Caribbean Leagues. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in the game.

Arizona Fall League

Tyler Naquin (CF, Surprise Saguaros): 2-for-3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB, CS, PO. Yes, that is not a misprint. Not only did Naquin get thrown out stealing, he was also picked off second base. He did manage to steal a base and reached based three out of four plate appearances, but it was not a good night overall on the basepaths.

Tony Wolters (C, Surprise Saguaros): 0-for-1, R, BB, K. Wolters has not received a whole lot of consistent playing time and it has shown in his performance as he is just 2-for-19 with 7 strikeouts at the plate in six games played this fall.

Joe Wendle (2B, Surprise Saguaros): 1-for-3, R, 3B, 2 RBI. For the first time Wendle got to play on back-to-back days and he responded with one of his better performances in the young AFL season. In two weeks of action he has only played in 7 games, so roughly half of his team’s games.

Dominican Winter League

Jose Ramirez (SS, Toros del Este): 1-for-4. Ramirez was a tablesetter hitting out of the leadoff spot and is hitting .333 (5-for-15) in the very early going in the DWL.

Ronny Rodriguez (SS, Estrelles de Oriente): 1-for-4, R, 2B, K. This was Ronny Rod’s debut game this fall and a solid opening salvo to his winter ball season. Hopefully he gets a decent amount of playing time because his experience this fall/winter can only help him going forward as a prospect.

Venezuela Winter league

Anthony Vizcaya (RP, Cardenales de Lara): 0.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R/ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR. Vizcaya is young and inexperienced as a 19-year old who has never pitched above rookie ball and it is showing this fall as in 4 appearances he has totaled 3.1 innings and allowed 4 runs on 2 hits, 4 walks and has 3 strikeouts.

Bryan Price (RP, Bravos de Margarita): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 HR. This is a big offseason for Price as he needs to show consistency and some dominance in the VWL in order to have consideration as a 40-man roster add in late November, or be risked as a casualty in the Rule 5 Draft.

Ezequiel Carrera (CF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 0-for-4. Carrera is not off to a good start this winter ball season as he is hitting just .214 (9-for-42) in 11 games played. He does have a nice 7-6 walk to strikeout ratio and a .327 on-base percentage.

Jesus Aguilar (Leones del Caracas): 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K. Aguilar has cooled off some of late, but he connected for his fourth homer of the VWL season. In 11 games this fall he is hitting .409 with 4 HR and 12 RBI. He has had about as impactful of an offseason as you could hope for.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2013 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.

Winter League roundup: Profar propels Licey

By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 10/23/2013 5:24 P.M. ET

Dominican Winter League

Licey 19, Toros 8

Licey scored three runs in the first and three more in the second, broke out for eight in the third inning and put up at least one more run in every inning but the seventh, pounding the Toros with 18 hits, working 10 walks and recording nine extra-base hits. Rangers rookie Jurickson Profar went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two walks.

Yamaico Navarro had three hits, including a triple and a homer, and scored three times. Power-hitting corner infielder Juan Francisco went 3-for-5 with a home run. Brewers Minor Leaguer Sean Halton finished 3-for-5 with a double, a homer and five RBIs. Mets Minor Leaguer Jordany Valdespin drew three walks and hit a grand slam in his only at-bat.

Aguilas 10, Estrellas 6

Aguilas used a balanced attack and two big innings to down Estrellas, scoring four in the first and three in the seventh en route to a win. Aguilas had only three extra-base hits -- two doubles by Cardinals farmhand Audry Perez and a triple by Astros shortstop Jonathan Villar -- but six of their nine starting position players drove in at least one run. Aguilas also stole second base six times against Twins catcher Chris Herrmann.

Escogido-Gigantes: Postponed

Venezuelan Winter League

Zulia 7, Lara 6

Zulia scored four runs in the eighth and withstood Lara's four-run rally in the ninth to escape with a win. Luis Ugueto and Ernesto Meija each drove in two runs for Zulia, and starter Roy Merritt allowed one earned run over 5 2/3 innings. Catcher Sandy Leon, the Nationals' No. 15 prospect, went 2-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored.

Margarita 6, La Guiara 3

Two walks and an Antoan Richardson triple sparked a three-run rally in the third inning for Margarita, then the two teams traded three spots in the fifth. Richardson tripled to left in the third to score Rene Reyes and Henry Blanco, who had walked, then Breyvic Valera knocked a sacrifice fly to left to score Richardson. Cesar Hernandez hit a three-run homer in the fifth to put Margarita on top by six, while La Guiara benefitted from a Zach Walters error and a Paul Smyth wild pitch to respond with three in the bottom half of the inning.

Magallanes 4, Caracas 2

Lew Ford and Mario Lisson hit back-to-back homers in the bottom of the third, breaking a 2-2 tie and leading Magallanes to the victory. Starter Carlos Zambrano gave up a two-run homer to No. 17 Indians prospect Jesus Aguilar in the top of the third, but seven Magallanes pitchers combined to hold Caracas scoreless the rest of the way. Magallanes scored all four runs against Colorado's Collin McHugh, who pitched only 2 1/3 innings. Yankees farmhand Adonis Garcia drove in one run in the second on a double to left then came around to score on a single by Rangers' No. 3 prospect Rougned Odor.

Caribes 6, Aragua 2

Former Pirates, Giants and Astros infielder Jose Castillo blasted two homers and drove in four runs, sparking Caribes to a win over Aragua. Castillo, 32, hit a three-run shot in the fifth and Niuman Romero added a solo shot, giving Caribes a lead it wouldn't relinquish. Castillo tacked on another run for Caribes in the eighth on a solo homer.

Mexican Pacific League

Guasave 5, Mexicali 3

Kalian Sams hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and Guasave tacked on a run in the third and another in the fourth to ride out a two-run victory. Orioles Minor Leaguer Zelous Wheeler and right fielder Ivan Araujo each drove in a run for Guasave, and starter Juan Delgadillo allowed only two runs on five hits over six innings.

Hermosillo 9, Culiacan 5

Culiacan ralled for three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but Nationals farmhand Christian Garcia induced a force out at second base to end the game and ensure that Hermosillo's six-run ninth inning would stand up. Jesus Loya had the biggest hit in that inning, a grand slam to center field, while Jerry Owens added an RBI double and Jose Aguilar drove in a run on a sacrifice fly.

Obregon 5, Los Mochis 0

Starter Marco Carrillo allowed only two hits over six innings and relivers Oswaldo Martinez, Angel Adrian Ramirez and Derek Eitel combined for three hitless frames as Obregon rolled past Los Mochis. Obregon walked five batters, four of them issued by Carrillo, but Los Mochis could only muster two singles. Shortstop Daniel Castro led the way offensively for Obregon, hitting a two-run homer in the second, and designated hitter Christian Villanueva drove in two runs.

Mazatlan 3, Navojoa 2

Bryan Petersen drove in Jose Orozco with a sacrifice fly to left field in the 10th inning, breaking a 2-2 tie and leading Mazatlan to the win. Orozco had entered as a pinch-runner for Mario Santana, who hit a leadoff single to center, then took second on pitcher Alejandro Garrido's error and third on Henry Mateo's sacrifice bunt.

Wendle's triple leads Saguaros over Solar Sox

Indians prospects contribute to late comeback against league leaders

By Teddy Cahill / MLB.com | 10/22/2013 8:35 P.M. ET

With Surprise trailing Mesa by a run in the seventh inning, Joe Wendle found himself behind in the count, 1-2. He had just swung through two sliders from left-hander Omar Duran, but when he got a fastball up and out over the plate, he knew what to do with it.

Wendle drove the ball to right field and raced around the bases for a two-run triple. Tyler Naquin, the Indians' No. 5 prospect, drove him in one batter later to complete Surprise's three-run seventh. It would be all the Saguaros would need Tuesday, as they held on to defeat the Solar Sox, 4-2, at Surprise Stadium.

Wendle finished the game 1-for-3. He said he was just trying to get the bat on the ball after Duran had fooled him with those back-to-back sliders.

"He made me look pretty stupid on two offspeed pitches early in count," Wendle said. "I got a ball up in zone and was able to drive it into the gap."

While Ryan Rua, a Rangers farmhand, drew a one-out walk to start the Saguaros' rally, three Indians prospects took over to complete the comeback. Tony Wolters, the Indians' No. 11 prospect, followed Rua with a walk before Wendle's triple and Naquin's single.

Wolters, Wendle and Naquin all spent most of the season in Class A Advanced Carolina and are all living together while they're playing in the Arizona Fall League. After spending so much time together, they have developed a close bond.

"I've played with those guys all year and they're both excellent players," Wendle said. "To have success like we did in the seventh is a lot of fun."

Naquin continued his strong performance in the AFL, going 2-for-3 with a run and a stolen base Tuesday. He is batting .375 and has a 10-game hitting streak.

Surprise's comeback was made possible by a strong effort by its pitching staff. Led by starter Eduardo Rodriguez, six pitchers combined to hold Mesa to just two runs on seven hits.

Rodriguez, ranked No. 84 on MLB.com's Top 100 prospect list, allowed one run on one hit in three innings. The left-hander struck out three batters and walked two.

"He battled today, definitely," Wendle said. "He gave us three strong innings and kept us right in the ballgame. Against that team with their higher-power offense, that's something to say."

The Solar Sox have the AFL's highest-scoring offense, but they were stymied Tuesday. They had no extra-base hits and left eight runners on base. Third baseman Kris Bryant, the Cubs' No. 4 prospect, went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Solar Sox.

Mesa has now lost three of four games since starting the season 7-0. Two of those losses have come against Surprise.

Wendle said he is enjoying competing against the Solar Sox and all the other top prospects in the AFL.

"You've got the best players from every organization out here," Wendle said. "It's fun to go head to head with them. Everybody's giving it their all out here."

Lambo and Moustakas will join the Cardenales de Lara

The players will join the Lara Cardinals for the second half of the season and are expected to connect for many home runs.

With the signing this winter, the Lara Cardinals officially hired Americans, Mike Moustakas and Andrew Lambo , who will reinforce the roster for the second half of the season. Both are very powerful left-handed hitters, but the former is third baseman, while Lambo is an outfielder.

It was the team manager of Lara who confirmed the new acquisitions. "After completing the steps necessary to finalize the MLB and economic agreement we can say that these players will be with us. First we went through the issue of 40-man roster and then had to seek permission before finally squaring MLB salary " , said Carlos Miguel Oropeza .

Moustakas 's shirt dresses the Kansas City Royals since 2011 and had his best season the following year when he hit 20 home runs and finished with 73 RBIs . However, there have been problems for contact and so comes to the Venezuelan league.

For his part, Andrew Lambo , had a great season in 2012, averaging. 282, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 99 runs in the minor leagues.

Around the Farm: October 23, 2013
Jake Lowery

By Michael Goodman

October 24, 2013

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Around the Farm (ATF) takes a quick look at some of the daily performances by Indians prospects. This is a special fall and winter ball version of ATF that recaps all the offseason action by Indians players in the Arizona Fall League and the Caribbean Leagues. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in the game.

Arizona Fall League

Jake Lowery (Peoria Javelinas C): 0-2, 1 BB, 1 K. It was only Lowery’s third appearance this fall and for the first time this offseason he failed to record a hit. Lowery did manage to reach base on a walk, but overall it was a quiet afternoon for him.

Tyler Naquin (Surprise Saguaros CF): 1-4, 1 BB, 1 SB, 2 RBI’s. Naquin’s two RBI’s came on a single in the eighth inning that proved to be the difference in the game. The hit also moved his hit streak to 11 games. The game also marked his fifth straight game drawing a walk and second straight game with a stolen base.

Will Roberts (Surprise Saguaros SP): 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR. In his first hiccup of the fall, Roberts struggled badly in two of his four innings and ended up giving up five runs. In 11 innings this fall, Roberts has now allowed 7 earned runs (5.73 ERA) on 15 hits with 4 strikeouts and 4 walks.

Shawn Armstrong (Surprise Saguaros RP): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 SO, 1 HB. Armstrong struggled mightily with his control on Wednesday. In an inning of work he walked three and hit a batter. He ended up giving up only one run, but it’s yet another subpar performance from him this fall.

Venezuela Winter League

Jesus Aguilar (Leones del Caracas 1B): 1-2, 1 R, 1 SF, 2 RBI’s. Aguilar continued his tear this offseason, recording another multi-RBI game (his third straight) to give him fourteen on the season. He’s hitting .413 with an impressive 1:1 strikeout to walk ratio thus far.

Ezequiel Carrera (Navegantes del Magallanes CF): 1-2, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 HPB, 2 SB. It was a big night for Carrera, who scored three of Magallanes’ eight runs and may have had his best game this fall. In four plate appearances Carrera reached base three times and chipped in two stolen bases.

Dominican Winter League

Ronny Rodriguez (Estrellas de Oriente SS): 0-4. It was a quiet evening all-around for Rodriguez. He didn’t reach base, but on a positive note he didn’t strikeout either. Rodriguez has a big season ahead of him, so it’d be nice to see a solid performance out of him this fall.

Jerry Gil (Estrellas de Oriente RP): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO. The 31 year old Gil spent last season in Columbus as relief depth. He pitched 47.2 innings and recorded a 4.15 ERA during his time with Clippers and chances are he won’t be back in the organization next season. That aside, he pitched a fairly routine 1.1 innings in this game, giving up only a single.

Naquin's knock caps Saguaros' big comeback

Go-ahead eighth-inning single extends Indians prospect's hit streak to 11

By Teddy Cahill / MLB.com | 10/23/2013 9:35 P.M. ET

Midway through the fifth inning Wednesday, Surprise found itself down six runs and getting no-hit by Salt River. But the Saguaros weren't going to go away quietly.

Surprise scored eight runs in the next four innings against the Rafters' bullpen for an 8-6 comeback victory at Surprise Stadium. They have now won five of their last six games.

Surprise scored three runs with two outs in the eighth inning against right-hander Marcus Stroman, the Blue Jays' No. 3 prospect, to complete the comeback. Michael Ohlman, who began the rally with a three-run home run in the fifth inning, again got things started in the eighth with a one-out walk. Stroman eventually walked the bases loaded with two outs, bringing Tyler Naquin to the plate.

A wild pitch allowed Ohlman to score, tying the game and advancing the other runners to second and third. Naquin then delivered a two-run single to give Surprise the lead.

Naquin played with Stroman on Team USA in 2011 and knew how good his stuff is, especially his slider.

"I didn't want to get beat with a fastball and I wanted to stay off his slider down [in the zone]," Naquin said. "That last one was a changeup. I put the bat on the ball and a hole was open there for me."

Naquin has had some success putting the bat on the ball so far this fall. The game-winning single extended his hitting streak to 11 games. He finished the game 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base.

He said he is aware of his streak, but Naquin isn't letting it change his approach at the plate.

"I'm not thinking about it, because it's going to break at some point, whether it's after 30 games or stops after this game," Naquin said. "It's not my goal. I just want to put myself in the best position to make contact every at-bat."

Ohlman, the Orioles' No. 12 prospect, went 1-for-3 with two runs and a walk. Mookie Betts, the Red Sox's No. 16 prospect, was the lone Saguaros player with multiple hits. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base.

While several Saguaros ended up with good offensive days, they couldn't get anything going against Rafters starter Aaron Sanchez. The right-hander, who is ranked No. 20 on MLB.com's Top 100 prospect list, dominated for four innings.

Sanchez didn't allow a hit and struck out four batters Wednesday. In three starts in the AFL, he has allowed just two runs on four hits in nine innings.

With Sanchez putting up zeros on the scoreboard, Salt River jumped out to a six-run lead. The Rafters' offense was led by Kyle Parker and Tim Wheeler, a pair of Rockies prospects. Parker, the team's No. 9 prospect, went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Wheeler, their No. 10 prospect, finished the game 2-for-3 with a three-run home run.

But it wouldn't be enough against the Saguaros. Surprise now has eight wins, tying it with Mesa for the most in the AFL.

Despite their recent hot streak, Naquin said the Saguaros don't see themselves as being in any kind of groove. Instead, they are maintaining a day-by-day mantra, which helped fuel their comeback Wednesday.

"It really does feel in the clubhouse that it's a new day every day," Naquin said. "You can't create that feeling. It either happens or it doesn't."

Winter League roundup: Bucs prospect erupts in DR

Pirates' Polanco goes 4-for-4 with double, homer for Dominican League's Escogido

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | 10/24/2013 3:26 A.M. ET

Dominican Winter League

Escogido 8, Aguilas 0

Gregory Polanco, the No. 2 overall prospect in the Pirates' farm system, provided plenty of thump for Escogido, going 4-for-4 with a double and a homer. Jorge Polanco, Miguel Olivo and Erik Gonzalez added two hits, while five pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout.

Licey 7, Estrellas 4

After falling behind early, Licey responded with a five-run third inning before holding on to defeat Estrellas. Anderson Hernandez's grand slam was the big blow, as it turned a two-run Licey deficit into a two-run lead. Texas' Jurickson Profar went 3-for-5 on the night and is hitting .579 through five games. Audy Ciriaco of the Marlins' system went 2-for-4 with two runs scored for Estrellas.

Gigantes 7, Toros 2

Toronto's Moises Sierra went 2-for-4 and launched a three-run home run in the third inning that opened the floodgates for Gigantes. Houston's Jimmy Paredes added a hit and two walks and scored twice in Gigantes' first win of the season. Eugenio Velez had a two-hit night for Toros.

Venezuelan Winter League

Magallanes 8, Zulia 4

Mario Lisson's three-run homer in the seventh inning broke the game open, as Magallanes moved into sole possession of first place. Ali Castillo's RBI single had put Magallanes ahead one inning earlier, before Lisson's sixth homer of the season gave them a four-run lead. Former Twins utility man Lew Ford added two hits and scored twice.

Margarita 10, La Guaira 5

A pair of five-run innings propelled Margarita to its fourth win of the season. Adam Duvall, a 25-year-old third baseman in the Giants' system, hit a third-inning grand slam, and the game was never really in doubt after that. Duvall, Breyvic Valera and Cesar Hernandez -- the Phillies' No. 14 prospect -- all contributed three hits. Luis Sardinas went 3-for-5 for Tiburones de La Guaira.

Caracas 11, Lara 3

Daniel Mayora's four-hit night led Caracas in a romp. Catcher Carlos Perez, who is in the Astros' farm system, went 3-for-4 with three doubles. Caracas had the game well in hand after three innings. After a four-run first and a two-run second, Caracas put the game on ice with five in the third. Victor Garate tossed five scoreless frames and won his first decision of the season.

Caribes 4, Aragua 3

In the most exciting game of the night, Caribes rallied from a two-run deficit in the ninth, as Eduardo Escobar's walk-off single capped a three-run rally. Luis Nunez, currently in the Braves' farm system, hit a two-run double off Victor Moreno to tie the game and shortly after scored the winning run. Luis Maza and Juan Infante each had two hits for Aragua.

Mexican Pacific League

Guasave 7, Mexicali 3

Zelous Wheeler's 3-for-3 night sparked Guasave, which remains in second place. Wheeler, who spent last season with the Orioles' Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, also scored three runs. Almost all of Mexicali's offense came off the bat of Mike Jacobs -- the veteran left-handed hitter currently in the D-backs' system. Jacobs went 2-for-3 with a double and a homer, scoring twice.

Hermosillo 1, Culiacan 0

Naranjeros de Hermosillo strengthened their hold on first place, winning a pitchers' duel. Jerry Owens' seventh-inning RBI single plated Yunesky Sanchez as Hermosillo moved to 8-1 on the season. Oscar Rivera threw six innings of two-hit ball, outdueling Culiacan's Alejandro Armenta, who was removed shortly after surrendering the run.

Navojoa 3, Mazatlan 1

Hector Velazquez was dominant for Navojoa, tossing 6 2/3 innings and allowing one run on three hits. The only offense he allowed came off the bat of the Marlins' Bryan Petersen, who launched a homer to lead off the seventh inning. Diego Madero's home run in the third put Navojoa in front for good. Kraig Binick and Abel Martinez each went 2-for-4 for Navojoa.

Los Mochis 8, Obregon 3

Ramon Orantes' two-run double in the top of the fifth gave Los Mochis a lead it would never relinquish. Brian Burgamy went 3-for-5, while Roberto Lopez, Jake Fox and Orantes each added two hits. Thomas Melgarejo tossed six solid innings for Los Mochis, allowing two runs on five hits. Cubs No. 14 prospect Christian Villanueva provided most of the Obregon offense, going 2-for-4 with a double and a homer.

Baseball / Japanese Baseball

Tigers’ Murton heads back to U.S., unsure about return

Kyodo

Oct 22, 2013

OSAKA –

Hanshin Tigers outfielder Matt Murton, who wrapped up a two-year contract with the Central League team this season, said he is uncertain whether he will be back next year before departing for the United States on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Murton, who batted .314 with a .484 slugging percentage — both team highs — called the Tigers whom he has played with four years his home away from home, but said he honestly doesn’t know if he’ll be back for 2014.

Murton, who had 214 hits for the most ever in Japanese baseball in his first season in 2010, would not rule out a return to the major leagues. He played for the Colorado Rockies in 2009. This year, he had 178 hits, his third time overall with the most in the league.

Tigers owner Shinya Sakai said, “All we can do is negotiate with him to remain on the team.”

Time to leave the nest: Rakuten Eagles first-round draft pick Yuki Matsui is given a doage by his Toko Gakuen teammates on Thursday. | KYODO

Baseball / Japanese Baseball

Eagles win rights to coveted lefty Matsui

by Kaz Nagatsuka

Staff Writer

Tohoku Rakuten club president Yozo Tachibana had no choice but to take the last ticket from the lottery box, because the representatives from the other four teams had already chosen by the time his turn arrived.

In the end, however, his ticket was the only one that had the coveted stamp on it.

Five teams put themselves in the running for high school pitching phenom Yuki Matsui of Toko Gakuen, with the Golden Eagles winning the right to negotiate with him in the first round of the NPB draft on Thursday evening at a Tokyo hotel.

After Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama, Yokohama BayStars skipper Kiyoshi Nakahata, Fukuoka Softbank Hawks chairman Sadaharu Oh and the Chunichi Dragons’ newly-introduced player/manager Motonobu Tanishige drew from the lottery box, Tachibana timidly pulled out the only one left.

That turned out to be the golden ticket for this year’s Pacific League champions.

“I was so reluctant,” Tachibana said of being sent onto the podium. “I was really nervous out there.”

While the 42-year-old Tachibana managed only a modest smile when he found out his club had won, Rakuten skipper Senichi Hoshino broke into a broad grin from his seat at the club’s table.

“Our president has it,” Hoshino joked, adding that he didn’t take the responsibility to draw because he wanted to save his luck for the upcoming Japan Series against the Central League champion Yomiuri Giants. “It felt like I was dreaming (when Tachibana picked the right card). Our president was shaking.”
The excitement level shown by the Rakuten executives was understandable, because the Sendai-based club could lose its best hurler, Masahiro Tanaka, after this season to the major leagues. The club lost Hisashi Iwakuma, the ace before Tanaka, two years ago as well.

“We love him being so aggressive against batters,” said Hoshino, a former pitcher and emotional leader for the Eagles said of Matsui. “It was pretty natural a lot of clubs made bids for him. I believe that there were some others who seriously thought about pursuing him and decided not to do so. I think that possibly eight to nine teams could have gone for him.”

Hoshino compared Matsui with Tanaka and Takahiro Norimoto for his bull-fighter-type mentality.

“We are so thrilled that we’ll add a young man like him for our team, because we only have Tanaka and Norimoto. “We hope that he’ll be another presence for us. We’re absolutely looking forward to it.”

Matsui, who turns 18 years old next Wednesday, came into the spotlight during the 2012 National High School Championships, where he struck out 22 batters in his team’s first-round game. Although he doesn’t have a large build, standing at 174-cm, a devastating slider has been his most lethal weapon. The Yokohama native was the ace pitcher for Team Japan in the under-18 World Cup in Taiwan in August.

“I would like to be like Tanaka-san,” Matsui said in a TV interview before the draft.

Meanwhile, Daichi Osera, of Kyushu Kyoritsu University, was another highly sought-after pitcher in the draft.

The Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Hiroshima Carp and Hanshin Tigers competed for the right-hander, who has a compact take back like Boston Red Sox’s Koji Uehara but a fastball that touches 153 kph.

In an uncommon move, Hiroshima dispatched scout Kei Tamura to participate in the lottery, and he got the job done.

“I’m truly pleased,” said Tamura, who’s observed Osera in the past few years. “Because I’m the one who has watched him most. I believed in myself. I think he’s going to be a wonderful pitcher for us.”

Carp skipper Kenjiro Nomura said, “We believe that he ‘s going to live up to our expectations. We’ll use him as a starter because that’s what he’s been doing.”

JR East righty Kazumasa Yoshida was thought of as a player who could contribute right away in the pro ranks and might be pursued by a few clubs. But the Orix Buffaloes were the only team to make a bid and automatically obtained his negotiating rights.

“For me and for him, this is not our goal,” Orix manager Koji Moriwaki said. “This is our start. I’d say, let’s spend precious time together from now on.”

Unlike in the last few years, there weren’t many surprises during the draft.

If there was one, it was perhaps when the Seibu Lions selected Yuya Mori, who led Osaka Toin High School to the national championships in the spring and summer Koshien tourneys as catcher in 2012.

Mori is known for his exceptional offensive skills. His 170-cm frame is clearly too small for a catcher, but he hit .473 with five homers in four appearances in the Koshien championships.

When Mori’s name was called, a slight stir was raised among the fans that invited to the event.

The Fighters, who seemed to have always been blessed with luck in recent drafts, winning the rights to Yu Darvish, Sho Nakata and Yuki Saito (you could include Shohei Otani in that, too) in past seasons, but it ran out this year.

They lost three lotteries in the first round before finally settling on Ryo Watanabe, infielder for Tokai University Kofu High School.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t have the luck,” Fighters’ Kuriyama said of missing Matsui. “But I’d thought as long as (Matsui) would exceed somewhere in the 12 ball clubs, it was fine. I’m still hoping he’ll do well as a pro.”

ESTRELLAS. -

Ronny Rodriguez hit his first hit on Tuesday in the Dominican League, he kept the ball as a souvenir of remembrance and received pats from his team. He's a shortstop, belongs to the Cleveland Indians and this year acted to level Double A hitting .265 (468-124).

TIGERS. -

DANNY SALAZAR

General manager Manny Acta announced yesterday that Leonys Martin will report to the club on December ... Act gave the information for the first weekly press conference is proposed to be given to avoid giving statements everywhere ...

Danny Salazar, the right of the line that often reaches 100 miles, is planning to launch three or four games in December and for that he is making arrangements for the organization of the Cleveland Indians granted permission ..

[Manny Acta has put together a strong squad this winter in his rookie season as general manager. Juricson Profar is hitting .600, Juan Francisco, Sean Halton, Anderson Hernandez, Yamaico Navarro, and now Leonys Martin.]

Around the Farm: October 24, 2013
Paolo Espino

By Tony Lastoria

October 25, 2013

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Around the Farm (ATF) takes a quick look at some of the daily performances by Indians prospects. This is a special fall and winter ball version of ATF that recaps all the offseason action by Indians players in the Arizona Fall League and the Caribbean Leagues. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in the game.

Arizona Fall League

Tyler Naquin (CF, Surprise Saguaros): 2-for-6, R, 2B, RBI, A. Naquin has now hit in all 12 games he has played in the AFL and in the process he smacked his first extra-base hit of the campaign. He now has 17 singles and 1 double, and what is nice to see is a solid 6:8 walk to strikeout ratio so far in 50 at bats. He also threw out a runner at second base, so a good game all around.

Tony Wolters (SS, Surprise Saguaros): 1-for-3, R, 2 BB. Wolters has had a rough go of it so far and I am sure the inconsistent playing time has affected him, but he put forth his best effort to date by reaching base 3 times in 4 plate appearances.

Venezuela Winter League

Alex Monsalve (PH, Bravos de Margarita): 0-for-1. Monsalve had a late game pinch hitting opportunity but grounded out softly to third base. He has only played in 4 games and is 2-for-9 with no extra base hits.

Jesus Aguilar (1B, Leones del Caracas): 1-for-5, R, RBI, K. Even when he has an off night he manages to be productive as he did score a run and drive in another. He is getting a ton of playing time with 51 at bats so far and might find himself getting 175-200 plate appearances this fall.

Paolo Espino (SP, Caribes de Anzoategui): 2.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R/ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR. Espino is not off to a very good start in winter ball. He's madde three appearances and allowed at least 2 runs in every appearance, and in total he has allowed a whopping 17 hits, 4 homers and 11 runs (10 earned) in 8.1 innings of work. He won't be long for the starting rotation with that kind of showing.

Ezequiel Carrera (CF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, PO. A little bit of everything here from Carerra, some good and some bad. On the good side he reached based in 3 of his 5 plate appearances. On the bad side he struck out twice and was picked off.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2013 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.

Winter League roundup: Four-run inning lifts Caracas

Nationals prospect Walters hammers two homers for Margarita in Venezuela

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | 10/25/2013 3:27 A.M. ET

Venezuelan Winter League

Caracas 9, Margarita 6

Daniel Mayora continued his torrid start with a five-RBI night for Caracas. Mayora went 4-for-5, including a two-run homer as part of a four-run sixth inning that gave Caracas the lead for good. Shortstop Zach Walters, a prospect in the Nationals' system, went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs for Margarita.

Magallanes 6, Lara 5

First-place Magallanes scored two runs in the ninth inning, walking off on Lew Ford's sacrifice fly and improving to 10-3 on the season. The comeback spoiled a solid start from Cleveland right-hander Chris Jakubauskas, who tossed five innings without allowing an earned run for Lara. Joc Pederson, the Dodgers' No. 1 prospect, walked four times and made his only official at-bat count. Pederson launched his third homer of the season in the fifth inning, giving Lara a three-run lead. Magallanes scored three in the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-4, setting the stage for Ford's heroics.

Caribes 7, Zulia 6 (11)

Luis Nunez's single plated Jose Castillo and gave Caribes a thrilling walk-off victory. Castillo led the way with four hits, while Cory Aldridge chipped in with three. Philadelphia's Freddy Galvis went 3-for-6 with a homer and a double for Zulia.

Aragua 6, La Guaira 5 (11)

Luis Maza's single plated Willson Contreras and gave Aragua a walk-off victory. Luis Sardinas, the No. 2 prospect in the Rangers' system, hit a leadoff single in the ninth inning for La Guaira and came around to score on a sac fly, tying the game at 5. That was Sardinas' only hit of the night, however, as his average dipped to .340. La Guaira designated hitter Alex Cabrera went 4-for-4.

Dominican Winter League

Licey 6, Gigantes 4

Yamaico Navarro's four-RBI night led the way for Licey. Navarro, who played eight games for the Orioles in 2013, went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run. Every other Licey starter had one hit, including Texas' Jurickson Profar, who went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. Jonathan Diaz and Robinzon Diaz each had two hits for Gigantes.

Mexican Pacific League

Mexicali 7, Guasave 3

Kevin Kouzmanoff hit three doubles and went 4-for-5 for Mexicali. Kouzmanoff, currently in the Marlins' system, hit a fifth-inning RBI single to break a 3-3 tie. Veteran Mike Jacobs -- currently with Arizona -- added his second home run in as many nights, tying the game in the fourth inning with a two-run shot. Jesus Cota homered for Guasave.

Hermosillo 5, Culiacan 1

Hermosillo continued its hot start to the season, improving to 9-1. The Angels' Barry Enright is now 3-0 after allowing just one run in five innings, putting his ERA at 1.10 after three starts. Jerry Owens, Jesse Gutierrez and Yunesky Sanchez each had two hits for Hermosillo. Journeyman infielder Luis Cruz, who finished the MLB season with the Yankees, went 3-for-4 with a double for Culiacan.

Obregon 3, Los Mochis 1

Obregon scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning in a come-from-behind victory. Barbaro Canizares capped a 3-for-3 night with his go-ahead two-run single in the frame, plating Albino Contreras and Dan Robertson. The comeback spoiled a solid outing from Los Mochis starter Tomas Solis, who worked 6 1/3 scoreless frames, allowing just four hits while striking out six. Rolando Valdez -- formerly of the Padres' organization -- tossed seven solid frames for Obregon.

Mazatlan 5, Navojoa 0

Ryan Hinson -- a 26-year-old left-hander in the Braves' organization -- tossed seven innings of one-hit ball for Mazatlan. Marlins prospect Bryan Petersen went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, bringing his average to .341 on the season. Oswaldo Morejon also added three hits, as Mazatlan moved a game above .500 with the victory.

KEVIN KOUZMANOFF

Kouzmanoff in his winter ball debut leads the Mexican League in batting and most other offensive categories. Kevin is batting .467 on the year.

Mayora and Jesus Aguilar are teammates and both got off to hot starts. Aguilar is still hitting well but not as well his first week of the season. Meanwhile Daniel Mayora is still banging the baseball around the park at a torrid pace. He's not supplanted Aguilar as the leading hitter for the Leones as well as the leading hitter in the league. Mayora is now hitting .477 on the year. Aguilars average has dipped to a paltry .392 on the year.

Too bad he could never put up those numbers in the big leagues.