Some updates on injuries from around baseball, including an unfortunate blow for one of the nation’s top draft prospects:
- Indians’ outfielder Oscar Mercado left this afternoon’s spring training game with a sprained left wrist, per reporters (including Mandy Bell of MLB.com). He’ll be evaluated tomorrow, Bell adds. The 25-year-old is perhaps the best player in an uncertain Cleveland outfield mix. If the injury were to affect Mercado’s availability in the season’s early going, it’s likely Terry Francona would turn center field over to Delino DeShields, Jr. Acquired from the Rangers in this offseason’s Corey Kluber swap, DeShields is a high-quality defender and baserunner, but his bat has never come around at the MLB level. He hit just .249/.325/.347 (72 wRC+) with Texas last year, significantly worse than Mercado’s .269/.318/.443 (95 wRC+) line.
- Another speedster, Nationals’ center fielder Víctor Robles, has been working back from an injury of his own. Fortunately, the outlook seems promising. The 22-year-old is swinging without pain, manager Dave Martinez tells reporters (including Jessica Camerato of MLB.com). Robles is still feeling some soreness in his oblique while throwing and running, though, so the club is understandably playing things cautiously. One of the game’s best defensive outfielders, Robles hit a passable .255/.326/.419 (91 wRC+) in his first full MLB season in 2019.
- Marlins’ reliever Jeff Brigham is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, reports Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. He’s dealing with a right biceps issue that has thus far kept him from ramping up his throwing program. The 28-year-old logged only a 4.46 ERA with average strikeout (24.2%) and walk (8.7%) rates in 32 appearances last season. However, the former Dodger farmhand averaged 96.6 MPH on his heater with significant fastball and slider spin. That quality stuff helps to explain the Marlins’ decision to keep Brigham on the 40-man roster this winter despite an offseason full of churn in the bullpen.
- Former Dodgers’ first-rounder J.T. Ginn underwent Tommy John surgery yesterday, Mississippi State head coach Chris Lemonis announced. The 30th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Ginn turned down pro ball to head to MSU. The 20-year-old righty shined as a freshman in 2019 and looked to be a potential high draft pick again this June as a draft-eligible sophomore. He’ll still be eligible for the draft, of course, but it’ll be interesting to see if any team would be willing to offer him enough to persuade him against returning to Starkville for his junior season.
Víctor Robles is a fine player. Sure would like to see Michael Taylor get a chance to play CF full time for some team. Taylor will not beat out Robles and does not hit well enough to serve as a full time corner guy. Both are terrific defensive center fielders.
I always liked Michael A. Could never quite figure out why he couldn’t cut down his K’s and up his contact rate. That is what has killed him offensively. He could have easily been a consistent 20/20 guy if he did. Definitely gold glove caliber defender.
Man, if you combined the Angels position players with the Indians pitchers, you would have one of the best teams in the league. Of course if you combined the Indians position players with the Angels pitchers you would have a MASH unit. It’s just really odd.
Except It’s the Indians pitchers that have been hurt far more than their hitters.
Kids if you are offered 2 million $ out of high school take it.
The funny thing here is Ginn will make make more this time around, and insured more lol. So the whole “Take it” diatribe is simply not true
Not the point. Ginn should be fine and may very well be a late first even with the TJS. But that was a dumb unnecessary risk to take. There are a lot more Barret Loux, Karsten Whitston and Dylan Covey types out there than Gerrit Cole. Yes, take it.
You are so correct. 2 million dollars to most of us if life changing. Future is very uncertain in sports. But to each their own. I take 1 mil with a college plan built in the deal.
The funny thing is people think TJ surgery is like tearing a fingernail and every pitcher recovers fine from it with their old velocity intact.
Robles mediocre slash line mentioned in the article is a little misleading. Last year he spent a lot of time in the 8 hole and that made the top of the order work. Hitting 8th, Robles slashed
.270/.339/.395 with 10-2B, 3HR, 21 RBI and 8 stolen bases. means not only was he providing more ABs for the top of the order with his production, but he also was in a position to score when they came up
Well said
Ginn should pray he gets a decent draft offer this June… TJ’s take 12-14 months minimum to be back at just 75%…That takes us into late April/early May 2021… Essentially his junior year in done…