Minor League Ball Gameday, Monday, March 30

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Monday's edition of Minor League Ball Gameday. Some items on the agenda for discussion and consideration:

****It looks like Odubel Herrera, Rule 5 pick, will make the Philadelphia Phillies Opening Day roster as the starting center fielder. An Achilles injury to Domonic Brown helps open up a spot and Herrera's .321 average this spring doesn't hurt.

****The San Diego Padres traded left-handed pitcher Alex Torres to the New York Mets this morning in exchange for right-handed pitcher Cory Mazzoni and a player to be named. Here is the 2015 Baseball Prospect Book comment for Mazzoni:

A torn meniscus cost Cory Mazzoni half of 2013. A triceps injury cost him half of 2014. In between health problems he’s shown solid stuff, with a 92-94 MPH fastball, a cutter, a slider, and a splitter for usage in change-up situations. His control is usually pretty good although he’ll occasionally have a game where he gets blown up for no apparent reason, which has kept his ERAs a little elevated. Mazzoni has a shot at being a fourth or fifth starter, although his stuff would play up in relief and that may be his long-term role in New York. Grade C+.

Mazzoni posted a 4.67 ERA with a 49/12 K/BB in 52 innings for Triple-A Las Vegas in 2014. In other left-handed Mets news, it sounds like Rule 5 pick Sean Gilmartin will make the Opening Day roster as a bullpen arm.

****Daniel Meyer has Part Two of his report on geographical bias in the baseball draft at Beyond the Boxscore.

****Tomorrow: Prospect Retrospective and Career Profile for Todd Frazier.