Minor League Ball Gameday, August 10

Good afternoon prospect watchers. Coming to you live this afternoon from the Starbucks at Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines, I am on Day One of the trip to visit my mother and a brief vacation from writing. I will return to normal operational status on Monday.

***Yesterday's Minor League Ball Gameday thread.

***As you know, the Rangers acquired outfielder Alex Rios from the White Sox yesterday for infield prospect Leury Garcia. I will write an actual report about Garcia on Monday, but bottom line I think he's a utility infield type. I had him as a Grade C+ pre-season.

This is the report I wrote on him in the 2013 Baseball Prospect Book:

Leury Garcia is an outstanding defensive infielder: he'd get a lot more play if the Rangers didn't have Jurickson Profar ahead of him on the shortstop prospect chart. As it stands, Garcia spends a lot of time at second base, but his range, hands, and arm strength make him a premium gloveman at short if given the chance. He's also an excellent baserunner with terrific speed, 75 or 80 on the 20- 80 scale, and unlike many such players he knows how to use it. Unfortunately, Garcia's total lack of power and his impatience at the plate cut into his value. Nobody expects home runs, but if he could boost his OBP he'd be a nice leadoff guy. He's likely a utility infielder in the long run, or trade bait. Grade C+.

***The High Desert Mavericks in the High-A California League battered the Lancaster Jethawks in an insane 30-8 victory last night.

***Houston Astros outfield prospect George Springer is now a 30-30 man.

***Today's schedule of minor league games.