Minor League Ball Gameday Discussion and Links, February 28

Minor League Ball Gameday Discussion and Links, February 28^th

Good day prospect watchers. Here's the daily thread to discuss Cactus and Grapefruit League action with our usual (but not mandatory!) focus on rookies and prospects.

In today's news:

***Cuban outfielder Henry Urrutia finally got his visa paperwork together and is on his way to Baltimore Orioles camp.

Urrutia is a switch-hitter with a listed birthday of February 13, 1987. The Orioles spent $778,500 to sign him last summer. Scouting reports are mixed: some say he profiles as a regular outfielder with power and patience from both sides of the plate, others indicate that he's more of a gap hitter who projects as a good fourth outfielder. Even his height/weight data is inconsistently reported: he is either 6-3, 185 or 6-5, 195 depending on the source. I assume that the smaller size is from when he's younger but until we see him in person it is hard to say.

I can't find any video of him and with varying scouting reports, it is hard to make a judgment on what the Orioles have here. He did hit well in Cuba, batting .397/.461/.597 in 2010, his last year in the Cuban League. Best bet is that he'll begin the year in Double-A working the rust off.

***I've been on the bandwagon for St. Louis Cardinals prospect Michael Wacha since last spring, and his excellent performance yesterday certainly doesn't change my mind.

***Later today: Prospect Retrospective for Vernon Wells.