Future Redbirds

Quick update on some of the performances amongst the Cardinals in the Caribbean:

• Jose Martinez, Aragua Tigers (Venezuelan Winter League). Jose is hitting .279/.307/.456 in 68 at bats. He has struck out only 3 times, while walking only 4 times.
• Mark Worrell, Licey Tigers (Dominican Winter League). Mark has just jumped in the fray, throwing 2 innings in 2 games, striking out 1, allowing 1 hit and giving up 1 walk.
• Matt Scherer, Caribes (Venezuela). So far, not so good for Matt. He’s allowed 17 hits, 4 of which have been homeruns, in 13.1 IP. On the bright side, he has 13 K’s to 3 walks, and a 1.8 ground out to fly out ratio.
• Luke Gorsett, Chinandega Tigers (Nicaraguan Winter League). Luke is only 15 for 71 (.211 avg) The good news is 6 of his 15 hits have gone for extra bases, with 3 HR. He has 7 strikeouts and just 2 walks.
• Amaury Marti, Boer Indians (Nicaragua). Marti is off to a hot start, going 7 for 18 with 2 walks and 4 K’s.
• Dan Nelson, Cartagena Toros (Colombia). Nelson is hitting .302/.411/.465 in 86 at bats. Say what you will about Mr. Nelson, but the man is an OBP machine.
• Shane Robinson, Cartagena. Sugar Shane is hitting .269/.406/.404 in 52 at bats. He also has 5 steals. Robinson didn’t stay healthy all year. A top college performer who’s “an Eckstein” to scouts, I would like to see him really turn it on next year. The OBP here is nice.
• Chris Grossman has a whopping .512 OPS in 44 at bats. He’s also with Cartagena.

Liga Paralela (Venezualan Instructional League)

Here’s the highlights-

• Jose Garcia (Swing) is hitting .389/.459/.504 in 131 at bats.
• Domnit Bolivar (Batavia) is hitting .276/.339/.581, with 8 homers. 16 of his 29 hits have gone for extras, but he’s also struck out 26 times in 105 at bats, and he has 12 errors.
• Romulo Ruiz (GCL) had an ISO of .052 in the GCL this past season, but he has found his power stroke in Venezuela, hitting 9 homers, a triple and 8 doubles. In 137 at bats, his line is .292/.383/.555.
• Richard Castillo (VSL) has caught our eye before, and he’s doing it again. He leads the team in K’s with 27, and he has an ERA of 3.00 in 30 IP.
• I’m noticing Eduardo Sanchez (Johnson City) for the 1st time. He had 30 K’s in 22 innings between the GCL and JC as a closer, and now has 24 K’s in 14.2 innings in VZ right now, with just 3 walks and 11 hits. Sanchez will turn 19 this February, he stands at 5-11 and 155 pounds. He has 6 saves. I will have to keep an eye on him going forward.
• Big free agent signee Kevin Moscatel has yet to get it going offensively, hitting just .220/.333/.268 in 41 at bats. He has 12 strikeouts. Keep in mind, the kid is just 16 and is playing with some fairly experienced players in comparison to himself.