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AL Central Notes: No. 1 Pick, White Sox, Karns, Gose

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The Twins are leaning toward passing on high school right-hander/shortstop Hunter Greene with the top overall pick in the upcoming MLB draft, writes Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Greene has drawn quite a bit of fanfare over the past calendar year, due largely to his ability to reach triple digits with his fastball. However, he’d be the first high school right-hander ever selected with the draft’s top pick, and there’s a clear level of risk when selecting any prep arm near the top of the draft. Rather, the Twins are leaning toward Vanderbilt right-hander Kyle Wright, Heyman hears, with Louisville left-hander/first baseman Brendan McKay and prep shortstop Royce Lewis also under consideration. Baseball America’s John Manuel had the Twins selecting Wright in last week’s mock draft, while MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo had Greene tabbed as the Twins’ selection in his own mock draft from that same day.

A few more notes from the division…

  • Despite a perhaps surprisingly solid start to the year from the White Sox, general manager Rick Hahn is maintaining a long-term outlook as the summer trade season approaches, writes MLB.com’s Barry M. Bloom. “We remain very open-minded about whatever opportunities present themselves to make us better for the long run,” said Hahn. “Our focus is on something that is more sustainable than this one season. We’re in the same mode we were in this past offseason, looking for some long-term pieces to put us in position to contend on an annual basis.” David Robertson, Todd Frazier and Jose Quintana are among the top names the Sox could make available, Bloom observes, though the latter two from that trio haven’t exactly gotten off to strong starts in 2017.
  • The Royals announced yesterday that right-hander Nate Karns has been placed on the 10-day disabled list due to an “extensor strain” (per the club’s transactions page at MLB.com). For the time being, his spot in the rotation will go to rookie Miguel Almonte, who was slated to start today’s series finale at Yankee Stadium prior to a rainout, per MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan. There’s been no timetable provided by the Royals for Karns’ absence, though his injury comes at an especially inopportune time; the right-hander had been excellent across his past four starts, pitching to a 2.01 ERA with an otherworldly 32-to-4 K/BB ratio through 22 1/3 innings. It’s not yet clear if today’s postponement will deprive Almonte of the opportunity to make a start, though Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star tweets that the starts in this weekend’s series will go to Ian Kennedy, Jason Vargas and Danny Duffy.
  • Anthony Gose, who has converted from playing center field to pitching, made his pro debut on the mound for Class-A Lakeland yesterday, writes Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus tells Fenech that Gose’s fastball sat at 97 mph, and the left-hander also touched 98 mph twice and 99 mph three times. Gose was a two-way prospect in the draft back in 2008, so pitching isn’t exactly new to him, though he obviously hasn’t focused on it in his nearly nine seasons of professional ball. Ausmus noted that due to Gose’s age, he may not be progressed through the minors like a typical (i.e. younger) prospect would be. The implication there, seemingly, is that Gose may not need to stop at every level before the club decides to take a look at him in the Majors. That, however, could be a long shot to happen in 2017. GM Al Avila appeared on the Jamie and Stoney Show on 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit this week and said that he wouldn’t put a firm “no” on Gose pitching in the Majors this season, though he also didn’t characterize that outcome as likely (via Will Burchfield of CBS Detroit).

Central Notes: Zambrano, Brewers, Robert, Gose

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Long-time Cubs righty Carlos Zambrano will return to the hill, per Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com (via Twitter). At this point, though, there’s no indication he has his sights set on a return to the majors; rather, the soon-to-be-36-year-old will suit up for Venezuelan Winter League action. Zambrano last pitched in the majors in 2012 and spent time in the minors in 2013 before hanging up his spikes. Before that, he threw 1,826 2/3 innings of 3.60 ERA ball for the Cubs from 2001 through 2012.

Let’s take a look at the latest from the game’s central divisions:

  • Brewers GM David Stearns talked about his team’s promising start and what it might (or might not) mean for his deadline planning, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. Stearns is undeniably pleased with the fact that his club sits atop the NL Central standings, and didn’t shy away from the possibility that the wins could continue to come sooner than had been anticipated. But he also suggested that the imperative of sustainable building would largely remain the same. “The plan is to consistently win major league games over a period of years,” he said. “If that process begins a little bit sooner than people expected, that’s great. And we’ll react accordingly. But it doesn’t change our strategy; it doesn’t change our plan.”
  • With the White Sox reportedly beating out the Cardinals to sign Cuban prospect Luis Robert, Bernie Miklasz of 101sports.com wonders whether St. Louis should have been more aggressive in its bidding. You’ll need to read through his entire argument to see how you feel, but the gist is the view that the organization ought to have been willing to stake a greater bet on a potential impact talent — particularly given the fact that it had a unique opportunity with many big spenders unable to go after Robert and plenty of available resources given the team’s meager draft assets this summer.
  • The Tigers’ efforts to transition Anthony Gose from outfielder to pitcher became official today, as he was activated at Class A Lakeland to work out of the pen. While he didn’t escape from his first inning of action unscathed, Gose did make quite an impression. Per Lakeland assistant GM Dan Lauer, on Twitter, Gose was clocked at 99 mph with his debut heater.

AL Central Notes: Kipnis, Martinez, Gose, Rodon

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Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis was hit by a pitch on his left hand during a rehab outing tonight, as Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets. He’s expected to sit out at least one contest, though at this point there’s no indication that he has suffered a significant injury. Cleveland is no doubt looking forward to the return of Kipnis, who is working back from a shoulder injury. As Bastian writes, the club’s bats have stalled in the early going.

More from the American League Central…

  • Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez has begun taking batting practice and could be activated from the disabled list by early May, writes Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. Manager Brad Ausmus tells Fenech that Martinez is “slightly ahead of schedule,” though he declined to get into any specifics about the length or location of a potential rehab assignment for the slugger. Martinez has been on the shelf since Opening Day due to a Lisfranc injusry in his left foot, and in his absence, the Tigers have utilized Tyler Collins and Mikie Mahtook in right field while young JaCoby Jones in center field.
  • Former outfielder Anthony Gose, who is converting to the mound, has begun facing hitters in extended Spring Training, tweets Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus got positive reports on Gose’s curveball in particular. At the time he was drafted, Gose was considered a two-way prospect, as Baseball America noted in its draft report on him that he featured a “blistering fastball” that peaked at 97 mph. While many liked him better as a pitcher, Gose had some shoulder troubles prior to the draft that prompted the move to the outfield.
  • White Sox lefty Carlos Rodon is progressing in his recovery from biceps bursitis, as Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune writes. Though Rodon has yet to take the mound while he works back to strength, manager Rick Renteria says he’s “moving along positively” and is continuing to work through a throwing program. While the Sox would no doubt love to see the young southpaw working to take the next steps in his development at the major league level, the rebuilding club is obviously taking a conservative course in bringing him back to full speed.

AL Notes: Orioles, Indians, Tigers, Red Sox

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Orioles scout Todd Frohwirth passed away Sunday at the age of 54, the team confirmed. Frohwirth had worked as a scout with the club since 2003, and he was previously a reliever with the O’s from 1991-93. He also pitched for the Phillies and Angels during his career, which spanned from 1987-96. Orioles legend Jim Palmer tweeted Sunday that Frohwirth “could light up a room,” and the team announced it will honor him with a moment of silence before its game Monday. MLBTR joins those around the baseball world in extending our condolences to Frohwirth’s family, friends and organization.

  • Outfielder Austin Jackson will open the season on the Indians’ 25-man roster, tweets Ryan Lewis of Ohio.com. Jackson presumably would have opted out of his minor league contract Sunday had the Tribe cut him, but he’ll instead earn a $1.5MM salary as a major leaguer and potentially collect $4MM in incentives. The Indians have three left-handed-hitting starting outfielders in Michael Brantley, Tyler Naquin and Lonnie Chisenhall, so Jackson and Brandon Guyer will offer variety off the bench as righty-swingers. It’s also worth mentioning that the 30-year-old Jackson has typically been a capable fielder in center, where he has played almost exclusively and totaled 41 Defensive Runs Saved and a 6.9 Ultimate Zone Rating .
  • The Tigers reassigned Anthony Gose to minor league camp Sunday, and while the 26-year-old will continue to work as an outfielder, he”ll also try his hand as a pitcher, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News was among those to report. Gose, who possessed a mid-90s fastball as a left-handed high school hurler but chose to give up pitching, approached the Tigers with the idea. They’re intrigued, per manager Brad Ausmus. “(Sean) Doolittle in Oakland did it and he was in the big leagues a couple of years later,” Ausmus said, referring to Doolittle’s successful transition from first base and the outfield to the mound. “It’s going to take some time. He’s going to have to be a sponge and catch up on experience fast. But we feel it’s worth investigating.”
  • The Red Sox are likely to put their plan to use Hanley Ramirez at first base against lefties on hold, at least to begin the season, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. A right shoulder issue has prevented Ramirez from playing the field in spring training games, and manager John Farrell noted that time’s running out in the exhibition schedule. “I’m still hopeful but recognizing where we are on the calendar,” he said. Ramirez is well enough to hit, so he’ll be the full-time DH as long as he’s unable to line up in the field, though it’s unclear if anyone will platoon with first baseman Mitch Moreland in the meantime. If healthy, Ramirez would’ve relegated the lefty-swinging Moreland to the bench versus southpaws. With Moreland and third baseman Pablo Sandoval, the Red Sox have two prominent corner infielders who struggle against lefties.

Outrighted: Anthony Gose, Zach Neal, Jabari Blash

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Here are the day’s minor moves:

  • The Tigers announced that center fielder Anthony Gose has been outrighted after clearing waivers, per a team announcement. He won’t have an opportunity to reject the assignment, as it’s his first time being outrighted and he hasn’t yet reached three years of major league service. Still just 26, Gose lost his role on the Tigers last year and struggled upon his demotion to the upper minors (in addition to being suspended after a dugout spat with then-Triple-A skipper Lloyd McClendon). He could yet play a role in Detroit’s outfield mix, but will surely need to earn his way back. In 1,252 plate appearances over parts of five seasons in the majors, Gose owns a .240/.309/.348 batting line with 57 steals.
  • Also outrighted following a DFA was Athletics righty Zach Neal. The 28-year-old appeared in the majors for the first time in 2016, posting a 4.24 ERA over 70 innings. Reflecting his long history as a low-strikeout, low-walk hurler, Neal retired just 27 opposing batters via strikes but also put only six on base via the free pass. Having cleared waivers, and lacking the ability to reject an assignment, he’ll provide the A’s with some upper-level pitching depth in 2017.
  • The same fate awaits outfielder Jabari Blash, who’ll stay with the Padres after clearing outright waivers. The 27-year-old didn’t produce at the MLB level and faced a tough path to playing time with numerous others deserving of opportunities in San Diego. But he has been awfully impressive at Triple-A over the last few years, posting a cumulative .246/.364/.550 slash with 45 long balls over 646 total plate appearances.

Tigers Notes: Kinsler, Zimmermann, Center Field, Gose

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Ian Kinsler’s stance on his limited no-trade clause — that he’d want an extension to waive it, per his agent — seemed to complicate potential trade talks between the Dodgers and Tigers. But it was never known just what kind of new contract he’d have sought, and the veteran second baseman suggested today that the trade protection wouldn’t have posed a major barrier, as MLB.com’s Jason Beck reports. “I don’t think that was going to stand in the way of a trade,” said Kinsler, who seems likely to open the season with Detroit. It wouldn’t have been preferable to veto a deal and end up back with the Tigers, he noted, explaining that “it’s just kind of awkward to have a trade in place and then have it fall through.” After praising GM Al Avila for his handling of the matter, Kinsler said of the no-trade clause: “[W]hen you have protection, you need to use it. That’s what it’s built in for. That’s how I was going to go about it.” The organization has largely held pat with its veterans, despite prior suggestions that some kind of sell-off might occur this offseason, and Beck writes that the core players seem relieved and excited at the prospect of at least one more run together.

Here’s more from Motown:

  • A return to form from a few key players could certainly turn the tide for the Tigers, with righty Jordan Zimmermann certainly representing an important part of the equation. As Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports, Zimmermann set out to solve his neck issues. He has undergone treatments and says he feels good, though it seems that he’s still dealing with some tightness.
  • After acquiring Mikie Mahtook, the Tigers now have an interesting camp battle lined up for time in center field, as Evan Woodberry of MLive.com explores. He’ll likely be competing with former LSU teammate JaCoby Jones to take the right-handed side of a platoon situation. Things are looking good for the left-handed-hitting Tyler Collins, Woodberry notes, since the organization designated Anthony Gose to make roster space for Mahtook. Alex Presley appears to be the most likely alternative as a lefty platoon piece.
  • Speaking of Gose, former Triple-A manager Lloyd McClendon says that the highly publicized argument between the two is water under the bridge. As George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press writes, McClendon (who is now the big league hitting coach in Detroit) says that he wishes the 26-year-old the best, wherever he ends up. Attributing the spat to the rigors of the working environment, McClendon noted that he and Gose have “had great conversations since then.” As for the still-youthful player’s future? “He’s got a lot of talent,” said McClendon. “Anthony Gose will land on his feet. He’s not the first kid, won’t be the last, that runs out of time with a certain organization. That’s just the nature of our business.”

Tigers Acquire Mikie Mahtook From Rays, Designate Anthony Gose

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The Rays announced that they’ve traded outfielder Mikie Mahtook to the Tigers in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. Detroit, too, has announced the move, adding that fellow outfielder Anthony Gose has been designated for assignment to clear a spot on the roster for Mahtook.

Mikie Mahtook

[Related: Updated Detroit Tigers Depth Chart]

Tampa Bay selected Mahtook, now 27, with the 31st overall pick in the 2011 draft, but the LSU product struggled in his second stint against Major League pitching this past season. Mahtook debuted in 2015 and batted an impressive .295/.351/.619 with nine home runs in just 115 plate appearances, but he’d never shown that type of power throughout his minor league tenure. Mahtook’s bat regressed (and then some) in 2016, as he received 196 Major League plate appearances but slashed just .195/.231/.292 with three homers over the life of 65 games. A broken left hand did sideline Mahtook for a good portion of the 2016 season, though it doesn’t seem likely that the injury had much to do with his lack of production, as Mahtook wasn’t performing at the plate even prior to being hit by the pitch that ultimately caused the fracture.

Defensively, Mahtook is capable of playing all three outfield spots and has split his time across all three slots fairly evenly (though he’s played a slight bit more in center than in either outfield corner). Mahtook has been primarily a center fielder throughout his minor league career, so he’ll give the Tigers an option in center field for the team to consider. And it should be noted that he does come with a sound track record of performance in Triple-A, where he’s batted .277/.342/.420 with 17 homers and 33 steals (40 tries) in 1088 plate appearances.

Mahtook will compete with out-of-options Tyler Collins and his former college teammate, JaCoby Jones, for playing time in center field. He could also serve as a right-handed complement to Collins in a platoon setting. Mahtook does have a minor league option remaining, so the Tigers can also send him to Triple-A for further refinement if he struggles this spring.

As for Gose, his time with the Tigers has long looked to be in jeopardy. Though the 26-year-old has been mentioned by GM Al Avila as an option in center field at times this offseason, he’s out of minor league options and hasn’t hit in the Majors with the Tigers since being acquired from the Blue Jays in exchange for Devon Travis two years ago. The fleet-footed Gose has batted just .247/.315/.363 with Detroit. That includes a .209/.287/.341 slash in 30 games last season and an even more disheartening .203/.276/.312 slash in 90 games between Triple-A and Double-A. Beyond his on-field struggles, Gose also received a brief, team-issued suspension due to a dugout altercation with Triple-A skipper Lloyd McClendon (followed by a demotion to Double-A).

As for the Rays, the trade of Mahtook opens a spot on the 40-man roster which could clear way for fellow outfielder Colby Rasmus, who has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with Tampa Bay that has yet to be formally announced. The Rays are also reportedly nearing a Major League deal with right-hander Shawn Tolleson, so Mahtook’s spot could go to him as well. Either way, it seems that the Rays stand to make at least one additional 40-man roster tweak in the days to come.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AL Notes: Sale, Orioles, Tigers, Mariners

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Newly acquired Red Sox ace Chris Sale’s unorthodox delivery hasn’t posed any significant problems to this point, as he has exceeded the 200-inning mark in three of his five seasons as a starter and combined for 386 frames in the other two campaigns. Asked if that delivery will lead to trouble down the road, Sale’s former pitching coach with the White Sox, Don Cooper, told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, “He knows himself really good. His delivery is solid.” Cooper added, “Chris Sale has three above-average major league pitches that he pours in and throws strikes. I don’t want to sound cocky, but I don’t think anyone saying stuff has a better idea about his delivery than me.” Cooper then lavished further praise on the 27-year-old Sale, who he thinks landed with the right club. “He’s put up Hall of Fame-credible numbers. And now he’s going to a team that is sparing no expense,” said Cooper. “Nothing stands in the way of them putting together the best team. He’s going to a team where he has a chance to put up even more wins. If he has 10 years like he’s had, he has a chance to have a Hall of Fame career.” Cooper had plenty more to say about Sale, so checking out Cafardo’s piece to read all of the pitching guru’s comments is highly recommended.

More from the American League:

  • The Orioles are interested in bringing back two of their former relievers, free agent right-handers David Hernandez and Vance Worley, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Hernandez, 31, was the Orioles’ fifth-round pick in 2005 and stayed with the organization through the 2010 campaign. He spent 2016 in Philadelphia, where he tossed 70 2/3 innings and logged a 3.84 ERA, 9.91 K/9 and 3.96 BB/9. Worley was with the Orioles last season, but they non-tendered him earlier this month in lieu of paying the 29-year-old a projected $3.3MM via arbitration in 2017. The swingman recorded a 3.53 ERA despite an ugly 1.6 K/BB ratio last season.
  • Having traded Cameron Maybin to the Angels earlier this offseason, the Tigers are looking for center field help “on every front,” general manager Al Avila told Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. “Maybe we can get that guy in a trade,” Avila said. “Maybe we can wait until January and get a guy to be a temporary fix. Maybe we can plug that hole with a sixth-year minor league free agent.” The Tigers have in-house center fielders Tyler Collins, JaCoby Jones and Anthony Gose set to compete for jobs, but they’d like for Jones to develop further at Triple-A Toledo. Gose spent most of his time last season in Toledo, where he got into a dispute with then-manager and now-Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. That rift is now “water under the bridge,” according to Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus. Gose is unlikely to reunite with McClendon in Detroit, writes Woodbery, who points out that Gose has no minor league options remaining. As a result, he might end up joining another organization via waivers if he doesn’t crack the Tigers’ roster. Collins is also devoid of options, though he’s a better bet than Gose to stick with the Tigers, suggests Woodbery.
  • After the Mariners promoted Edwin Diaz from Double-A Jackson to the majors last June, the electric 22-year-old burst on the big league scene and quickly became an elite reliever with his fastball-slider mix. The club might have another Diaz on its hands in relief prospect Thyago Vieira, who also relies on a fastball and slider, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times details. Vieira, who’s older than Diaz (24 next month), is capable of hitting 103 mph on the radar gun. “There can’t be many people in professional baseball with a better arm,” Mariners director of player development Andy McKay told Divish. “He throws enough strikes. I don’t think anyone would say there’s a ton of command, but there are plenty of strikes and the slider is hard to hit and really hard not to swing at.” Vieira spent most of 2016 at the High-A level and then pitched in the Arizona Fall League, but the Mariners nearly released him before the season. “In spring training, there was a question as to whether he was going to make a team or not based on his age and general performance history,” GM Jerry Dipoto revealed. Now, after working with minor league pitching coach Ethan Katz, Vieira is on Seattle’s 40-man roster and could debut in the majors in 2017. “I saw a big arm with a lot of potential that just needed a little more time to figure it out,” Katz stated. “There was some stuff that he was doing that needed to be fixed to help him succeed.” Vieira credits Katz for his breakout year. “I have to say thank you to the Mariners for giving me the opportunity to work with him,” Vieira said.

Avila: Tigers To Have “Wide Open Competition” In Center Field

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Following the Tigers’ decisions to exercise closer Francisco Rodriguez’s option and to trade center fielder Cameron Maybin to the Angels for pitcher Victor Alcantara, the team issued a statement with quotes from GM Avila. In the wake of Maybin’s departure, the team will sort through various options at center field next season, Avila says.

“We will weigh our options as far as center field is concerned for next season,” says the GM. “There will be a wide open competition starting in the spring and we’ll see how it plays out.”

The team’s options at center field could include JaCoby Jones, Tyler Collins and Anthony Gose. All three, though, come with drawbacks. Jones mostly played infield in the minors, has limited experience above Double-A and batted just .243/.309/.356 while striking out in 29.9% of his plate appearances at Triple-A Toledo last year. Collins posted a .687 OPS for Detroit last season and fared even worse at Toledo. And Gose also failed to hit, batting .209/.287/.341 in the big leagues in 2016. In contrast, Maybin’s 2016 season was a highly successful one, and it appears the Tigers will miss his .383 OBP in particular. Avila’s comments don’t preclude the possibility that the Tigers could expand their search for a center fielder outside the organization, however.

Regarding Rodriguez, Avila says, “We liked the job K-Rod did last season and the numbers show he was a reliable closer for us. He stabilizes the back end of our bullpen and provides veteran leadership to our younger bullpen arms.” The 34-year-old K-Rod figures to close for the Tigers next season, unless the Tigers decide to put him on the trade market.

AL Notes: Bregman, Pineda, Shoemaker, Gose, Naquin

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The Astros will not be calling up Alex Bregman to join the team in Seattle this weekend, manager A.J. Hinch said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link). A report from last night indicated that Bregman was “expected” to be promoted right out of the gate following the All-Star break, but Hinch’s more definitive comments put that rumor to bed for the time being. The Houston skipper does note that Bregman can help his team at some point in the second half and even went so far as to specify “probably in the near future.” The 2015 No. 2 overall pick is hitting .309/.416/.603 with 19 homers between Double-A and Triple-A this season and homered five times while posting a 1.310 in eight Triple-A games following his recent promotion to the top minor league level.

A few more notes from the American League…

  • The scouting community seems to like the way that righties Michael Pineda of the Yankees and Matt Shoemaker of the Angels are throwing, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. The pair has produced results of late, and could factor into the summer trade market, though neither seems particularly likely to change hands. From my perspective, New York will likely place a high value on Pineda, who can help keep the dreams of contention alive this year and next. And that may be even more true of the Halos and Shoemaker, given that the organization has been hit hard by pitching injuries and badly needs just that sort of controllable arm.
  • The Tigers announced today that outfielder Anthony Gose has served a three-game suspension for his scuffle with Triple-A skipper Lloyd McClendon. Additionally, Gose will be demoted from Triple-A to Double-A to begin the second half of the season. GM Al Avila did make clear that he expects Gose to begin moving back toward the majors with the organization.
  • Indians outfielder Tyler Naquin has been a new hitter since returning to the Majors after a demotion to Triple-A earlier this year, and Fangraphs’ August Fagerstrom attempts to identify the reasons behind his improvement. As Fagerstrom notes, Naquin followed similar changes to those made by Jake Lamb prior to his breakout, going from an upright stance to a more crouched stance in the box and also dropping his hands. The result was a player that, incredibly, led all of Major League Baseball in slugging percentage on low pitches. While Naquin has still struggled some with pitches up in the zone (and above it), he’s more than tripled his walk rate and significantly cut back on his strikeouts. Fagerstrom notes that there’s no way that Naquin can sustain the astonishing level of power he’s shown — he’s hitting .313/.394/.708 since his recall — but Naquin looks like a legitimate entrant into the AL Rookie of the Year mix and dramatically lessens the Indians’ need to seek an outfield upgrade on the trade market even if his .418 BABIP is destined to come back down to earth.

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