Prospect transactions: July 6-12
Cincinnati shortstops Hamilton, Gregorius move up
Readers: Welcome to the second edition of "Transaction Tracker," which will update you weekly on the most notable moves involving prospects in the Minor Leagues. All comings and goings of MLB.com's top prospects are included and are ordered by organization. Questions? Suggestions for improvement? Fill up the comment section below.
| Player | Org | Move | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Townsend | BAL | Assigned to Class A Short-Season Aberdeen | |
| Joe Mahoney | BAL | Optioned from Orioles to Triple-A Norfolk | |
| Nick Delmonico | BAL | Activated off Class A Delmarva DL (knee) | |
| Chris Carpenter | BOS | Assigned to Double-A Portland | |
| Jose Vinicio | BOS | Activated off Class A Greenville DL | |
| Anthony Ranaudo | BOS | Placed on Double-A Portland DL (shoulder) | |
| Billy Hamilton | CIN | Promoted to Double-A Pensacola | |
| Notes: MLB.com's No. 26 prospect climbing a level following a superb first half at Class A Adv. Bakersfield and talkative showing in the Futures Game is this week's most significant transaction. The slight switch-hitter batted .323 and reached base safely in 41 percent of his plate appearances for Blaze prior to his callup. He made 25 errors in 82 games at shortstop and will need to show Cincinnati's brass he can make the routine plays at the infield's most arduous position. If he doesn't, those decision-makers will start to consider utilizing his speed in center field. Hamilton will also be challenged to keep producing offensively in the stingier Southern League, but he has made huge strides since the Reds drafted him 57th overall out of a Mississippi high school in 2009. Hamilton tripled and swiped a base, his 105th overall, in his Blue Wahoos debut on 7/11. This move was made in conjunction with another... | |||
| Didi Gregorius | CIN | Promoted to Triple-A Louisville | |
| Notes: The Reds' No. 4 prospect posted .278/.344/.373 marks at Pensacola. Gregorius, a native of the Netherlands in his fifth pro season, had yet to make his Triple-A debut for the Bats. | |||
| Scott Barnes | CLE | Recalled to Indians from Triple-A Columbus | |
| Alex Monsalve | CLE | Promoted to Class A Adv. Carolina | |
| Rosell Herrera | COL | Demoted to Class A Short-Season Tri-City | |
| Pedro Hernandez | CWS | Promoted to Triple-A Charlotte | |
| Jose Ortega | DET | Optioned from Tigers to Triple-A Toledo | |
| Matt Dominguez | HOU | Optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City | |
| Notes: MLB.com's No. 72 prospect went for 2-for-8 with two strikeouts over four games for the Astros. He had yet to make his debut for the RedHawks since coming over in the 7/4 trade involving veteran slugger Carlos Lee. | |||
| Jarred Cosart | HOU | Placed on Double-A Corpus Christi DL | |
| Notes: MLB.com's No. 50 prospect is again suffering from blistering; he previously detailed his issues with the skin on his pitching fingers following a 4/22 victory. | |||
| Mike Montgomery | KC | Demoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas | |
| Notes: MLB.com's No. 24 prospect compiled a 5.69 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP in 17 Pacific Coast League starts spanning 91 2/3 innings. This, after a 2011 season in which he compiled a 5.32 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP in 28 PCL games spanning 150 2/3 frames. "He's actually throwing fine," Royals general manager Dayton Moore told MLB.com on 7/11. "We just want to get him back there with [pitching coach] Larry Carter and work on some things. The organization just felt it was the right thing to do. Just give him a breather and re-start a little bit." This move was made in conjunction with another... | |||
| Chris Dwyer | KC | Promoted to Triple-A Omaha | |
| Yordano Ventura | KC | Promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas | |
| Chevy Clarke | LAA | Demoted to Class A Short-Season Orem | |
| Nick Maronde | LAA | Activated off Class A Adv. Inl. Empire DL | |
| Cam Bedrosian | LAA | Placed on Class A Cedar Rapids DL (foot) | |
| Garrett Richards | LAA | Optioned from Angels to Triple-A Salt Lake | |
| Travis Witherspoon | LAA | Placed on Double-A Arkansas DL (left quad) | |
| Tyler Thornburg | MIL | Promoted from Triple-A Nashville to Brewers | |
| Khris Davis | MIL | Activated off Double-A Huntsville DL (calf) | |
| Taylor Green | MIL | Optioned from Brewers to Triple-A Nashville | |
| Notes: MLB.com's No. 100 prospect won his Triple-A debut on 7/4 following his Major League bow in Milwaukee on 6/19. | |||
| Kyle Gibson | MIN | Assigned to Gulf Coast League (elbow) | |
| Tyler Austin | NYY | Placed on Class A Adv. Tampa DL | |
| Notes: MLB.com's No. 99 prospect was plunked in the head -- and suffered a concussion -- on the day of his 7/3 callup from Class A Charleston. | |||
| Justin De Fratus | PHI | Assigned to Gulf Coast League (elbow) | |
| Jaff Decker | SD | Assigned to rehab in Arizona League (foot) | |
| Trevor Rosenthal | STL | Activated off Double-A Springfield DL (back) | |
| Zachary Cone | TEX | Activated off Class A Hickory DL (Achilles) | |
| Justin Grimm | TEX | Optioned; promoted to Triple-A Round Rock | |
| Luis Sardinas | TEX | Placed on Class A Hickory DL | |
| Josh Sale | TB | Placed on Class A Bowling Green DL | |
| Stephen Pryor | SEA | Assigned to Class A Adv. High Desert on rehab (groin) | |
| Jack Marder | SEA | Activated off Class A Adv. High Desert DL | |
| Francisco Peguero | SF | Placed on Triple-A Fresno DL (side strain) | |
| Notes: MLB.com's No. 82 prospect had been struggling in his first run through the PCL but rebounded with a .336 June batting average and a solid start to July before going down. He has posted .266/.293/.398 marks through 80 games. | |||
| Conor Gillaspie | SF | Placed on Triple-A Fresno DL (fractured toe) | |
| Jesus Galindo | SF | Placed on Class A Augusta DL (wrist) | |
| Heath Hembree | SF | Placed on Triple-A Fresno DL (elbow) | |
| Matt Skole | WAS | Placed on Class A Hagerstown DL | |
Andrew Pentis is a contributor to MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at AndrewMiLB.