Around the Farm: May 20

Z. McAllister

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday's performances by Indians prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday's game.

Congratulations goes out to former and future tribehand Ezequiel Carrera. Carrera, who was acquired for Russell "the muscle" Branyan last summer, has had a phenomenal year in Columbus. Thanks to some untimely injuries to Grady Sizemore (15-day DL) and Travis Buck (day-to-day), Carrera was called up yesterday. In a move straight outta Compton, Carrera dropped a drag-bunt down on his first pitch of his first at-bat with runners on first and third, with two outs in the eighth inning of a tie game. Now take all of that in. He avoided the tag, scoring the run, getting his first hit, and winning the game. Not bad kid, not bad.

Zach McAllister, SP, Columbus: 7 IP (CG), 3 H, 7 K, W (7-0):

What a story Zach McAllister is turning into. McAllister was acquired from the Yankees last summer for Austin Kearn in what could be an even bigger steal for the Indians than Zeke Carrera. In 2008 and 2009, McAllister had a 2.09 and 2.23 ERA respectively, with a 21-14 record. He was struggling at triple A in 2010 when the Indians acquired him, but by all accounts, he's returned to top prospect form. His seven wins are not only tops in the International League, but he and Rob Whitenack (a combined 7-0 with High A Daytona and Double A Tennessee in the Cubs system) share the most wins in all the minors, and the majors to boot. McAllister is 7-0 overall, with a 2.42 ERA. He's struck out 42 batters, while walking only ten in 52 innings of work. It would be really, really hard for Tribe brass to pass McAllister by should a call be made to Columbus for another starter.

• Jason Kipnis-2B/DH, Columbus: 2-7, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI: This is really what Kipnis has been doing all season.  He hit a lead-off homer in the game one loss, but really didn't do much other than that.  His offense hasn't been bad, but it sure has been middling of late.
• Cord Phelps-SS/2B, Columbus: 2-7, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI: Kipnis and Phelps led off game one with back-to-back jacks, which was the only offense Columbus could produce in a game 1 loss.  Phelps is sitting at .299, and continues to find time at all the infield positions, making him a bit more valuable than Kipnis right now, in the short term.
• Lonnie Chisenhall-3B, Columbus: 0-7, 1 R, 1 K: Chis went 0-7 in the doubleheader, dropping his average to .268.  He started to heat up at the beginning of the month, but over the last ten, is hitting only .189, and is only three of his last 19.
• Chad Huffman-RF, Columbus: 0-4, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 K: Huffman has been in a free-fall over the past week, and I wonder how much it has to do with not getting called up.  He's 0 for his last 14, and 5 for his last 35.  With Carrera and Buck getting the call, it does make you wonder where Huffman's place is.
• Mitch Talbot-SP, Columbus: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR: Talbot looke real, real good in this start, and I have no doubt will be making his next start with the Indians.  Perhaps this decision was made a bit easier with Alex White leaving his start yesterday.
• Zach Putnam-RP, Columbus: 2 IP, 1 K: Putnam rebounded nicely after getting hammered in his last appearance.
• Nick Hagadone-RP, Columbus: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R/ER, 1 K: Welcome to Columbus, Mr. Hagadone.  May your stay here be a brief one.
• Tim Fedroff-LF, Akron: 1-2, 2 BB: I guess one way to slow Fedroff down is to walk him a bunch.  Fedroff has been off-the-charts good.  How good? He's 19-38 in his last ten games, giving him the insane line of .500/.558/.658.  Hmmm, do you think a 1.250 OPS is any good?
• Beau Mills-1B, Akron: 1-4, 1 2B: Mills gets his first extra base hit after returning this week from injury issues.  I still hope this kid figures things out.  At 25, he's running out of time.
• Austin Adams-SP, Akron: 6 IP, 9 H, 2 R/1 ER, 7 K, L (4-3): Adams is one of the best this organization has to offer.  When he loses games like this, he tends to get lost in the shuffle.  But, look at the numbers.  They are there.  He has one clearly bad start this year out of his eight starts.  If you take that one game away in which he gave up three runs in 2/3 of an inning, and his ERA drops to 1.59.
• Eric Berger-RP, Akron: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 K: Berger continues to bounce between starting and relieving, but has been solid in both.  His current ERA is a solid 1.84.
• Tyler Holt-DH, Kinston: 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K: For the 20th game in a row, Tyler Holt got on base.
• Adam Abraham-3B, Kinston: 1-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K: Abraham is far from consistent offense, but there are signs that his bat could be picking up some.  His two-run double was the game winner.
• Giovanni Soto-SP, Kinston: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, W (3-3): This kid, simply put, wins.  While Drew Pomeranz clearly has the best arm in this rotation, you could make a case that Soto has been the most consistent starter.  Soto, who lives in the land of sub-90's pitching, has only made one truly horrible start this year.  After starting the season 0-3, he's won three of his past five starts (the other two being no decisions.
• Travis Turek-RP, Kinston: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K: Turek got rocked in his last outing, and gave up a lead-off double.  But, after a sacrifice bunt and a K, Turek got out of the jam with a ground-out.
• Adam Miller-RP, Kinston: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K, S (1): "Atom" pitched another gem, no thanks to his Kinston defense.  An error allowed the leadoff hitter on, and after a fielder's choice, another error led to the runner getting to second.  Miller would hit the next batter, putting runners on first and second.  He would then get out of the inning with a double play ball.  After walking the lead off batter in the ninth, Miller struck out the next two batters, before inducing a fly-ball out for his first save of the season.
• Carlos Moncrief-CF, Lake County: 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB:   Moncrief continued showcases consistent offense from the lead off position for Lake County.
• Alex Monsalve-DH, Lake County: 3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SB (2): Monsalve is hitting .296 for the season, and has hits in four of his past five games.  At 19, this kid could be the next big thing with regards to catchers in the Tribe system.  Ironic, when you consider Alex Lavisky also plays on this team.
• Anthony Gallas-RF, Lake County: 2-4, 1 BB, 1 K: The only player hitting the ball better than Gallas in the entire system is Tim Fedroff.  Gallas is 16-35 in his last ten, for a .457/.548/.686 line.  His OPS comes in at 1.233, just a tad under Fedroff.  Gallas has two hits in each of his last three games, and is currently on a seven-game hit streak.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

Posted in: Around the Farm,Ezequiel Carrera,Zach McAllister