Around the Farm: August 2

Jerad Head

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.

Jerad Head - LF, Columbus: 2-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI.
Head went yard for the fourth straight game and continues to do everything he can to impress upon the Indians or other teams for a big league opportunity. He is now hitting .287/.345/.521 with 19 HR and 60 RBI in 93 games this season for Columbus. Those numbers would surely have gotten him called up if he were viewed more highly in the industry as a prospect. Considering the Indians have yet to call him up even with a gaping hole of a need for a right handed bat for the past few months, it seems apparant that at this point they have no intentions of calling him up. He is a minor league free agent after this season, so if not added to the 40-man roster for the Indians he will most likely sign elsewhere for a better opportunity.

Kyle Bellows - 3B, Akron: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, K.
Bellows struggled a lot in the first half (.209/.287/.300), but even with the poor results with getting on base and driving in runs he still maintained a good strikeout (37) to at bat rate (253) and continued to play very good defense. Some hits are finally starting to fall for him as in 18 games since the All Star break he is hitting .302/.343/.381 with a homer and 9 RBI. The bat may never be pretty, but he could have a long career because of his defensive ability at third base and be a right-handed version of Jack Hannahan.

• Cord Phelps - 2B, Columbus: 3-for-5. Phelps struggled in his small taste of the big leagues earlier in the year, but continues to hit well in Columbus hitting .308/.400/.436 in his last ten games.
• Luis Valbuena - SS, Columbus: 4-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI, BB. A walkoff homer for Mr. Clutch this year in Columbus. He dominates Triple-A pitching, struggles against big league pitching. 4A?
• Zach McAllister - SP, Columbus: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 3R/ER, 0 BB, 5K. And quality start from one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the entire Indians organization this year.
• Zach Putnam - RP, Columbus: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K. He is the next impact bullpen prospect on the horizon and is considered big league ready.
• Chun Chen - DH, Akron: 0-for-4, 1 BB, 3 K. Chen needs to hit to stay relevant as a prospect as he is hitting just .162/.256/.378 in his last 10 games and has had plate discipline issues this year (25 BB, 90 K).
• Austin Adams - SP, Akron: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R/ER, 3 BB, 7 K. Reportedly hit 100 MPH on the gun last night.
• Tyler Sturdevant - RP, Akron: 2.0 IP, 2H, 1R (0 ER), 0 BB, 4 K. Continues to plug away and has become a priority bullpen prospect.
• Cory Burns - RP, Akron: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K. Burns with another save, his 29th in 31 chances and now tied for the Akron season save record with Randy Newsom (2008).
• Jeremie Tice - DH, Kinston: 2-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI. Provided all the offense for Kinston yesterday with one swing of the bat.
• Jesus Aguilar - 1B - Kinston: 1-for-3, BB, K. Only hitting .176 in five games since being promoted to Kinston.
• Marty Popham - SP, Kinston: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R/ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 HR. Last three starts for Popham he has gone 13.3 innings and allowed 23 hits, 17 runs (16 earned), and allowed 5 homers. OUCH.
• Trey Haley - RP, Kinston: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K. He is peforming better in the bullpen but the walks are still there.
• Luigi Rodriguez - CF, Lake County: 2-for-4, BB, K, SB. Making mistakes in the field and is very raw, but just continues to hit.
• Moises Montero - C, Lake County: 1-for-3, 2 R, HR, RBI. Strong armed catcher squares one up for his second homer of the year.
• Jordan Cooper - SP, Lake County: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R/ER, 0 BB, 1 K. Another solid outing for him and limits walks. Needs to find a way to miss more bats.
• Jake Lowery - 1B, Mahoning Valley: 0-for-2, R, 3 BB, 1 K. The average may not be there, but he is gettinh on base and slugging the ball around the field very well.
• Mason Radeke - SP, Mahoning Valley: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR. Filling in well in Mahoning Valley by competing and giving innings, and should move to bullpen next season.

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).

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