The Nationals will promote top prospect Michael Taylor today, a source tells MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. The 23-year-old, previously known more for his bat than his glove, has risen quickly through Double-A and Triple-A this season, hitting .315/.401/.547 with 22 homers and 35 stolen bases along the way. Outfielder Steven Souza was placed on the disabled list with a left shoulder contusion to make room for Taylor. MLB.com ranked Taylor 72nd on the midseason edition of its Top 200 prospects list. Washington will have control of him through at least the 2019 season if he is in the Majors to stay.
Here are some more Sunday morning links from around the senior circuit…
- Michael Cuddyer is focused on getting healthy rather than proving himself to potential free agent suitors or to the Rockies in the season’s final weeks, writes Nick Groke of the Denver Post. The 35-year-old, who is finishing up a three-year, $31.5MM contract, has been out since April with a broken bone in his left shoulder. Cuddyer elected to rehab at the lower levels of the minor leagues to strengthen his legs and to once again experience the camaraderie of that environment, he explains. His decision has not been taken for granted by the young players he’s encountered thus far, as Rockies 2014 first-rounder Forrest Wall has already picked Cuddyer’s brain about preparation for games and his approach at the plate. The Rockies would like to retain Cuddyer, though they aren’t sure at what price they’d be comfortable, Groke notes.
- The Dodgers seem resigned to the fact that Hanley Ramirez will be placed on the disabled list with an oblique injury, writes MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick. Ramirez has been determined to stay off the DL in his contract year, says Gurnick, but he’s still missed 25 starts with various injuries to this point. Ramirez ranked third on the most recent edition of MLBTR’s Free Agent Power Rankings, with his lack of durability being a primary reason for his fall from the top spot. A stint on the DL — which would be his fifth since the onset of the 2011 season — certainly won’t help his free agent stock.
- Karen Price of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review spoke to Pedro Alvarez and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle about the possibility of Alvarez moving across the diamond to first base. Alvarez, whom Hurdle recently said had lost his starting job at third base, is open to the idea and called it a “no-brainer” rather than offer any negative comments about the move. It’d present the Bucs with an interesting logjam at first, however, as Alvarez ($4.25MM), Ike Davis ($3.5MM) and Gaby Sanchez ($2.3MM) are all due raises on their 2014 salaries via arbitration this winter. Price notes that Sanchez has begun working out over at third base.
The Yanks will sign Hanley to take over for Jeter. His injuries and defensive liabilities pale in comparison to his name value.
I still think it’s Tulo going to the Yankees. Hell, it might be both, with Ramirez playing 2b. Tulo’s contract is going to be less than Hanley is going to get.
The same Yankees that couldn’t even put together a decent package to trade for Jason Hammel?
Nah. No way in hell do they have any shot at Tulo. They couldn’t even gut the farm for him because there isn’t one to speak of.
Yankees have Prado, they really only need one maybe 2 infielders depending what happens with Drew and Headley.
The top paragraph about Michael Taylor should say known more for his GLOVE than his bat
Sanchez at third? I don’t know how that solves anything. That still leaves two left-handed first-basemen AND two right-handed third-basemen. It’s just time to face the fact that Alvarez is a DH who needs to go to the AL.
dodgers i hope move on from hanley. if they do resign him it better be for cheap. we dont need his glove and injury problems. lets just use Erisbel Arruebarrena or Alex Guerrero for SS next season
I know Neil Huntington still is tormented by the Jose Bautista deal, but it might be time to trade Alvarez.