The injury to Harris is being described as a "lower body injury."   No idea whether it's serious or minor.  But at least it's not an arm or elbow or shoulder.

On another front:  a couple days ago, Ross Atkins told the media that Wade LeBlanc and Scott Diamond are "playing well enough to be considered for call-ups if needed."   That's in addition to Hutchison of course.  It does illustrate that there's probably greater pitching depth in the Jays organization right now than there was a year ago.  The Jays have been somewhat fortunate on the injury front this year (at least in the rotation anyway; it's true that the bullpen has been hurt by the injuries to Cecil and Morales and the earlier injury to Loup).  It does seem that the Jays are fairly well-protected if there's an injury to a starter, which wasn't always true in the past.

John Lott reports this morning that Harris' injury seemed to be a hip cramp but the Jays wont know for sure until more assessing is done today.

2016

Leblanc: 62.2ip, 1.29era, 2.48fip
Diamond: 67.2ip, 3.06era, 3.11fip
Leroux: 51.0ip, 2.82era, 3.68fip

2015

Francis: 92.0ip, 2.35era, 2.39fip
Doubront: 48.0ip, 2.44era, 2.76fip
Wolf: 139.2ip, 2.58era, 2.96fip

Nice post Ugly - I don't know that the rotation depth is better in Buffalo aside from Hutch - China's quote from Atkins sounds more like an organizational shift in philosophy, not sure AA thought of Wolf etc. as legit depth.

That said, perhaps LeBlanc did learn something from his time abroad. I can't see us using him in the rotation though - more likely he gets rewarded for his performance at the end of the year with a move to a team with a short term need like Wolf to Detroit last year.

The real rotation depth on this team, aside from the current starting 5, is Hutchison and Chavez. After 2 months of short inning relief, I'm a bit reluctant to throw Floyd into that picture given his injury history, but if the Jays need someone beyond those two, then Floyd is the logical option. Hernandez/Carmona can probably give replacement level innings in an emergency as well. Outside of those guys, yeah, it is AAA depth. I don't see LeBlanc, Diamond, etc, being called up unless it's to pitch out of the pen or if injuries get REALLY out of control, but you need arms in AAA regardless.

Wolf was 38 last year and is finished with baseball this year.  Francis was 34 last year and is finished with baseball this year.  Doubront?  I can't find any record of him pitching anywhere this year, although maybe he's in Latin America somewhere.   All of these guys were at the end of their careers.

Scott Diamond is 29.  Wade LeBlanc is 31.  Hutchison is 25.  They're not really comparable to Wolf or Francis -- they are still trying for major-league careers and have potential to make adjustments and return to the majors, whereas Wolf and Francis were just doing one last hurrah, a final taste of professional baseball before retiring.  I think the depth is better this year.

Wade LeBlanc is a bit of a different case.  In 2014, he spent most of the season in the PCL as a starter, but then was effective for the Angels (mostly in the pen) in September.  He was in Japan in 2015 (where he struggled), but has been quite a bit better in the IL this year than any of the others- the K rate of 8 being the most positive marker. 

LeBlanc is a 31 year old left-hander, who was pretty decent out of the pen from 2012-14 (wOBA of about .310) and may be ready to be better than that.  I agree though marking him down for any higher than 9 on the rotation depth chart is probably a mistake (Estrada, Stroman, Sanchez, Happ, Dickey, Hutchison, Floyd, Chavez). 

The latest on the Jon Harris injury is that it was tightness in the right hip flexor and he probably won't miss a start.  That's good news.

Doubront is with Oakland. He was slated to be their fifth starter this season but had Tommy John in April.

Diamond is 29.  Wade LeBlanc is 31.  Hutchison is 25. they are still trying for major-league careers and have potential to make adjustments and return to the majors,

How would the Jays provide chance including injury when 9 SPs ahead of them ? Would trading them to a team making adjustments and get cash in return ? I did not understand the answer that their trade could not return anything of value.

Would trading them to a team making adjustments and get cash in return ?

I would guess that Diamond and LeBlanc were brought in as AAA filler, to round out the rotation, and with only the most modest of hopes they'd prove themselves major league worthy (and even then, how would you recognize it?). And sometimes filler performs well, so maybe you keep them around to appease the minor league fanbase. Why would you want to unload these guys? Getting cash in return -- and you wouldn't get much -- doesn't buy you goodwill in Buffalo.

Not everyone in the minor leagues is a prospect. Most are not. Most have jobs only so that the actual prospects have someone to play against.

Huge start for Perdomo again last night.  I know the new FO's MO is to let prospects force their promotions, but I'd say he's done that and more.  Can't wait to see him in Dunedin, if he keeps this up he could hit AA by the end of the year. 

AJ Jiminez is still raking, Taylor Cole looked solid in his first start of the year and career minor league starter Murphy Smith just tripled his ERA in his first year out of the pen in AA by allowing his second and third run of the year. 

By what aspect in a player would one be considered a prospect ? Recently, Erik Kratz was hardly considered a prospect during his time in Toronto and he had since been a backup catcher for his ability to throw out basestealer and hit for power.

About the Bisons' hitter roster which is made up of numerous "non-prospect", more PAs --- top slots of the order -- are given to younger players -- Pompey, Burns, Cecilianni, Dominguez, Montero. If so, I suggest this following order:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=6043b91b

S OF Pompey
R 3B Dominguez -- good GIDP to PA ratio and okay OPS
L OF Ceciliani -- more PAs to him so he can improve OPS, has not GIDP so far in the season
R 1B/DH Montero -- good hitter but strike out
R IF/SS Burns -- a good hitter: less likely to GIDP than his teammates, not drawing walks or struck out,
L 1B/DH Kotchmann -- good power and best BB/K ratio; being a non-prospect, he can drive the prospect(s) on base to score or get on base himself. Is his GIDP a concern ?
R C Jimenez -- improving in hitting but his GIDP ratio to PAs...
L OF Brown or R OF Lake.
R 2B/3B Adams -- only 100s PAs to tell if he does GIDP a lot. As a non-prospect, his good BB/K increases chance to get on base for the prospects hitting after.

Bench
L OF Brown or R OF Lake -- both good GIDP to PA, but his OPS is weak except Lake's SLG which is still weaker than Brown. When one does not start, a good PH and substitute when runner on base. 2 out of 3 in Brown, Ceciliani and Lake rotate in batting 3rd or 8th depending on their hitting performances and handedness of the opposing SP
R SS Mier -- .439 OPS... shall he be sent to New Hamsphire ?  for C/2B/3B Wilkin Castillo
R C Sanchez -- .576 OPS.. shall he go to New Hamsphire ? for Lavarnway.
S SS/2B Casilla -- okay OPS. His baserunning speed let him be a pinch runner. Given Burns can play LF, he can substitute one of the IF.

Pinch hitting options: base empty or runner on 1st: Brown > ahead of  > runners in 2B: Lake > ahead of > pinch run: Casilla

Milb Update

AAA prospecty nonprospects


SP Hutch (25, AAA): 58.1ip, 26.1k%/9.4bb%, .243babip, 2.93era, 3.78fip
CF Pompey (23, AAA): 141pa, 10.6bb%/17.0k%, .350babip/.288avg, .080iso, 116wrc+
C Jimenez (26, AAA): 115pa, 7.0bb%/13.9k%, .314babip/.282avg, .165iso, 130wrc+

Jiminez and Pompey have really turned it on lately. With Pompey that's just him returning to his normal healthy level, but Jimenez development here in his first healthy season in forever is starting to get exciting. Those numbers are no joke for anyone in AAA, and especially not for a good defensive catcher. He's starting to look like mlb material imo.

Prospects


RH F.Rios (21, A+): 34.1ip, 18.3k%/5.8bb%, .311babip, 2.36era, 2.53fip
RH S.R-Foley (20, A): 45.0ip, 26.7k%/10.7bb%, .307babip, 3.60era, 3.22fip
RH C.Greene (21, A+): 54.2ip, 12.2k%/10.9bb%, .286babip, 3.29era, 4.94fip
LH A.Perdomo (22, A): 49.1ip, 32.3k%, 11.5bb%, .200babip, 1.28era, 2.65fip
RH J.Harris (22, A): 42.0ip, 22.3k%/9.7bb%, .313babip, 2.36era, 3.32fip

Greene continues to be the one dissappointment on the pitching front. Just not good at all. Rios continues to look like a legit prospect, SRF hasn't been dominant but he's been pretty darn good, while Perdomo and Harris have both been very good though too old for their level - I really do wish they'd move up at this point.

1B R.Tellez (21, AA): 219pa, 15.1bb%/18.7k%, .269babip/.251avg, .235iso, 140wrc+
SS R.Urena (20, A+): 211pa, 4.7bb%/16.6k%, .276babip/.242avg, .134iso, 96wrc+
C D.Jansen (21, A+): 66pa, 19.7bb%/19.7k%, .282babip/.212avg, .019iso, 100wrc+
CF A.Alford (21, A+): 124pa, 7.3bb%/37.9k%, .348babip/.214avg, .054iso, 62wrc+
C M.Pentecost (23, A): 91pa, 8.8bb%/16.5k%, .303babip/.263avg, .038iso, 98wrc+

Alford and Pentecost are not looking so hot, though health/rust likely has plenty to do with that. Jansen looked good but is injured yet again. Urena has cooled off in a big way and has been in an extended slump for a while now. Hopefully he turns it back up soon but his line still looks good for an SS young for his level.

The exciting development here is Tellez - not only has his babip started to sort itself out (though still unsustainably low i think), but more excitingly his raw power has finally started to turn into game power, and he's approaching the .250+iso level which is the stuff of elite power prospects. All this with his typical excellent plate discipline numbers. He's looking like he has legit middle of the order potential. and maybe soon.

"The exciting development here is Tellez"

With one of the most exiting parts of his development - being able to prove Keith Law wrong again. :)

I hear ya...

...but at this point I'd be more surprised to see keith proved right once or twice.

Agreed Ugly that  promotions for Harris and Perdomo in particular are in order.

Only two runs allowed in three games so far on the farm.   Marginal prospects like Danny Barnes, Gunnar Heidt, Starlin Suriel, Derek Loveless, Jonathan Davis and Tim Mayza are due for promotions soon too - I have a sense the milb promotions generally start around the all-star break?  Loads of guys need to be moved up. 

The Bisons were rained out today, but -- after 5 consecutive victories -- they have moved into a tie for first in their division.   I'm a little surprised that it took them so long to reach first place.  Their lineup, on paper, at the beginning of the season, looked awesome.   Their hitters haven't been as good as I had expected in the early part of the season, but they are beginning to look much better in recent weeks.  And their pitching remains very strong.

Sean Reid-Foley continued his development today, with 6 more shutout innings and walking only one.  He told milb.com that he didn't have his best fastball command today but was controlling his off-speed stuff well. 

April was pretty much a write-off for the farm system, but a number of prospects have stepped up in May and now June. 

Recently, Erik Kratz was hardly considered a prospect during his time in Toronto and he had since been a backup catcher for his ability to throw out basestealer and hit for power.

I'm not sure that a 34-year old Kratz (his age while in Toronto) could have been considered a prospect by any definition of the word. Could he, from that point on, have potentially continued his career in a backup role? Sure. But that seems to answer a different question entirely.

To my mind, a prospect is a player who has a fairly reasonable chance to blossom into a fulltime player in the majors. But of course this is far from a science. Many "sure things" flame out. Many "non-prospects" go on to have long, excellent careers (hello Mike Piazza). I believe that age has proven to be a big determinant. So anyone who finds themselves holding their own against older competition would warrant a close look.