Triple-A International League: Durham Bulls 4, Pawtucket Red Sox 1

Wil Myers went 0 for 4 with a walk, and hitters 6 through 9 in the Durham lineup went 0 for 14 with 2 walks. Can’t be perfect, but those were the only things wrong with a great Bulls win. J.D. Martin got the start and didn’t miss any bats but pitched great, going 6 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits, striking out 2 while walking 1. Martin is nothing special, but in another organization he might get a look for a starting job. He had a rock-solid 4.32 ERA in 24 starts with the Nationals in 2009 and 2010. Josh Lueke struck out 2 and got 3 groundouts walking around a hit to nail down a 2-inning save for the Bulls. On offense, Leslie Anderson had a first inning 2-run double and Jason Bourgeois, Chris Gimenez, and Rich Thompson also had multiple hits. Best effort of the game, though, has to go to backup catcher Craig Albernaz. Albernaz did a great job handling the pitching staff in this one, but after walking with 1 out in the 9th, Albernaz caught the Red Sox off-guard by stealing second base, keeping the Bulls out of the double play when the next batter grounded out and later netting Durham an insurance run. Albernaz has never really been a prospect, but having a guy like him around the Bulls’ pitching staff and entire team is valuable for everyone.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 8, Pensacola Blue Wahoos (CIN) 3

Enny Romero pulled a Matt Moore (in a bad way), but survived, and Tood Glaesmann and Riccio Torrez both slammed home runs as the Biscuits pulled away from the Blue Wahoos on their way to an 8-3 win. Romero went 5 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits, striking out just 3 while walking 5. That K-BB ratio won’t cut it–but like Moore against the Rangers a few times out ago, Romero’s fastball was moving so well that Pensacola hitters could do nothing with it when it looked anything like a strike. Romero’s groundout to flyout ratio in the game was a solid 7-2 because of that. But the most encouraging pitching performance of the game goes to Zach Quate, who delivered his best outing since 2010 as he struck out 2 in a scoreless 9th. Quate was once a very promising relief prospect for the Rays before injuries took their toll, but maybe this outing could be Quate finally being healthy and getting back on track. In terms of the run support, Glaesmann’s homer was just part of his great game as he went 3 for 4, but no other Biscuit had multiple hits. Cameron Seitzer did continue his hot start, going 1 for 3 with a walk, an RBI, and 2 runs scored. Crazy game, but the performances of Quate and Glaesmann made it all happy by the end.

High-A Florida State League: Jupiter Hammerheads (MIA) 8, Charlotte Stone Crabs 6

Lefty Jacob Partridge has been the Stone Crabs’ Jake McGee, only worse. He now has an 11.08 ERA in 8 appearances including runs allowed in just a third of an inning in this game as the Stone Crabs blew leads of 4-0 and 5-1 on their way to a 8-6 lost. Jesse Hahn continues to be limited to 3 innings for the Stone Crabs and also continues to be unchallenged, going 3 innings allowing just a hit and a walk, striking out 3. Jake Floethe was not nearly as good, allowing 3 runs on 9 hits in just 4 innings, although his groundout to flyout ratio was a good 8-2 and maybe bad defense made his outing look at lot worse than it was. On the offensive side, though, there was much more to be happy about. Jeff Malm entered this game with just a .125/.220/.188 line in 91 plate appearances, striking out 27 times against just 8 walks and managing just 2 doubles and 1 home run. But in this game, everything finally came together as Malm went 3 for 4 with 2 homers, a double, and 3 RBI, finally having the breakthrough game Charlotte has been waiting for him to deliver all season. Also homering were two other slumping players, Hector Guevara and Drew Vettleson, and Kes Carter and Brett Nommensen both went 2 for 4. It’s a shame that a bullpen collapse ruined a strong offensive effort by the Stone Crabs.

Low-A Midwest League: Bowling Green Hot Rods 3, Clinton LumberKings (SEA) 2

Marty Gantt tied the game with an RBI double and Granden Goetzman came through with a go-ahead 2-run home run as the Hot Rods rode a 3-run 7th inning to a 3-2 win over Clinton. Eduar Quinonez got the start for Bowling Green and pitched well, going 5.1 innings allowing just 1 run on 2 hits, striking out 4 while walking 3. Brandon Henderson was sharp over the next 3.1 innings before collapsing with 2 outs in the 9th, allowing 2 walks and a hit, but Nick Sawyer was able to escape a bases-loaded jam to end this one. The 7th inning was basically the only spark of life for Bowling Green in this one–they got 2-hit in the game other than that inning, but they seized the opportunity was opposing pitchers left pitches over the plate and came away with a win. Goetzman’s home run was his first of the season and second of his brief professional career.

Triple-A International League: Durham Bulls 13, Syracuse Chiefs (WAS) 3

Through his first 10 games of the 2013 season, Vince Belnome had really been struggling, going just 6 for 29 (.207) with no homers, 2 doubles, and  2 RBI. Then the last 10 games have been an entirely different story. Belnome has hit .486 (18 for 37) with 5 doubles, 4 homers, and 15 RBI including his second four-hit game in five days on Sunday to lead the Bulls to a 13-3 victory. J.D. Martin, the only pitcher in a prospect-laden Bulls rotation who isn’t really a prospect, got the start for Durham and allowed quite a few hits, 10 in 6 innings, but managed to deliver a good outing nevertheless, allowing just 3 runs while striking out 6 and walking none. Martin has now allowed 38 hits in 26 innings pitched, but his strikeout to walk ratio on the season has been really impressive as he has struck out 21 (7.3 per 9) while walking just 4 (1.4 per 9). Will Inman and Kirby Yates finished off the game for the Bulls striking out 4 while allowing just 1 hit over the final 3 innings. Now to the offense. Belnome had a huge game, going 4 for 5 with a homer, 4 RBI, and 2 runs scored, Cole Figueroa went 2 for 4 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored, and Tim Beckham went 2 for 5 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Beckham is another player who has been red-hot of late, hitting .353 (12 for 34) in his last 10 games after starting just 6 for 31 (.194). Wil Myers and Jason Bourgeois also had multiple RBI for the Bulls, who had an outstanding all-around day on their way to an easy win.

Double-A Southern League: Birmingham Barons (CHW) 14, Montgomery Biscuits 8

How crazy was this game? Every hitter in both teams’ lineups reached base at least once, with every player but one for Birmingham reaching at least twice, and the winning pitcher in this game allowed 6 earned runs. Go figure. Enny Romero started and didn’t have any control for Montgomery, going 3 innings allowing 4 runs on 3 hits, striking out 3 while walking 4. Just 39 of his 80 pitches were strikes. Andrew Bellatti and Zach Quate were even worse behind him, allowing 9 runs in 2.1 innings, before C.J. Riefenhauser and Braulio Lara held the Barons to just one more run in the final 2.2 frames. On the whole, Biscuits pitching had an afternoon they would much rather forget. The lopsided score overshadowed the enormous game that the Biscuits received from Todd Glaesmann, who went 3 for 5 with a double, a homer, 5 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Glaesmann, the Rays’ 2012 Minor League Player of the Year, has struggled to a .253/.301/.453 line so far this season for the Biscuits with his plate discipline being a major concern, but he has incredible power and he just has to learn to harness it more often. Mikie Mahtook and Cameron Seitzer also notched 3-hit games for the Biscuits, with Mahtook going 3 for 5 with a triple, a double, a stolen base, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored, and Seitzer going 3 for 3 with 2 doubles, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored. Seitzer continues to thoroughly impress, now getting his average up to .318 on the season, and between Glaesmann, Seitzer, and Mahtook, the Biscuits will be just fine on offense–if only they can get some pitching.

High-A Florida State League: Lakeland Flying Tigers 11, Charlotte Stone Crabs 4

No one can do anything against Jesse Hahn right now. However, the Rays have limited to just 3 innings per start for right now as they try to limit his innings, and the Stone Crabs have to worry about the other 6 innings of the game. Hahn’s ERA in this one was 0.00–the rest of the Stone Crabs had an ERA of 16.50. Hahn went 3 innings allowing just 1 hit, striking out 4 while walking 2. He has now tossed 15 innings allowing just 1 run on 10 hits, striking out 16 while walking just 4. With a fastball hitting 98 MPH, Hahn is an excellent prospect for the Rays, but you really want to see him go more innings before you start evaluating him. If Hahn does keep dominating even when he gets extended to 5 or 6 innings, though, the innings he’s saving early on in the year may be enough for Hahn to surface in a big league bullpen role at the end of the year if the Rays so choose. But the rest of Charlotte’s pitchers were a great deal worse. Jake Floethe has had his moments this season relieving Hahn but had absolutely nothing in this game, going 3+ innings allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, on 7 hits, striking out just 1 while walking 3. Floethe simply didn’t have it, but because Hahn only went 3 innings and the Stone Crabs needed length from Floethe, they basically had to hang him out to dry. Nate Garcia allowed 6 more runs in 2.2 innings before first baseman/left fielder Steven Tinoco came to the mound to record the final out of the game. Tinoco also had a solid day at the plate, going 1 for 4 with a walk and 2 RBI, and Drew Vettleson and Luke Scott both went 2 for 5 with a double, with Scott also scoring a run. How he performed Monday was going to determine whether Scott returned to the major leagues for the Rays on Tuesday, and it looked like he will make his long-awaited season debut after looking great for the Stone Crabs the last few days.

Low-A Midwest League: Bowling Green Hot Rods 9, Peoria Chiefs (STL) 4

Granden Goetzman was a second round pick by the Rays in 2011 and has been a highly-touted prospect since then–but played in only 37 games because of a series of injuries. Goetzman hopes that this is the year he stays healthy and shows what he can do, and he got off to a great start in his season debut with the Hot Rods, slamming a 3-run triple as the Hot Rods won 9-4. Eduar Quinonez got the start for Bowling Green and allowed 3 runs on 5 innings, but this game was really all about the offense. Marty Gantt, who has found his way to the third spot in the Bowling Green batting order after batting a low as 9th earlier in the season, went 1 for 3 with a 2-run homer, 2 walks, and 3 runs scored, Tommy Coyle went 1 for 3 with a double, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored out of the leadoff spot, and Luke Maile, Patrick Leonard, and Leonardo Reginatto also had multi-hit games to go along with Goetzman’s 3 RBI as the Hot Rods offense pulled away in this one even batting against one of the Cardinals’ top prospects, right-hander Tyrell Jenkins. The Hot Rods went a ridiculous 5 for 11 with runners in scoring position and left just 6 runners on base all game as they made the most of their opportunities and made sure this one wasn’t close.

Brignac: “Just right now it’s not working out for them and I. I’m not disappointed, I’m eagerly excited about the opportunity to play for another organization, possibly the chance to get a little more playing time. So I’m really excited with the chance to play for somebody else but I’m super gracious what the Rays have done for me. I have nothing but great things to say about those guys, the organization is one of the best organizations in baseball. It’s a little bittersweet. It’s going to be different being in a different uniform and playing for a different team, but it’s going to be a great opportunity for me I believe. There’s no hard feelings.”

“I’m not really surprised. I pay attention to what’s going on and they’re signing infielders, signing infielders, signing infielders. I just knew I possibly could be one of the guys that gets designated. I’m not bitter, I don’t have any animosity toward the Rays, I have nothing but praise and respect for those guys. They gave me the opportunity to live my lifelong dream and play in the big leagues.”

Johnson:  ”I don’t think I’m too terribly surprised. I guess it’s just a matter of this team, the Rays are one of the best teams in baseball, and things like this happen… I feel good about how I played, it was a big improvement over 2011 offensively, so I’m looking forward to 2013 and getting the chanace to do it in the big leagues with somebody else.”

Thanks for all the love and support tweeps! Going to play the waiting game and find a new home soon enough. Thanks for everything Tampa Bay!

— Elliot Johnson (@ElliotJohnson9) February 6, 2013

Brignac and Johnson understand that the Rays gave them their chances to be starting players, Brignac in 2011 and Johnson in 2012, but at the end of the day things simply didn’t work out and the Rays had to move on. It’s been for Rays fans great watching both of them on the team (and also interacting with Johnson on Twitter), but unfortunately they watched both of them fall apart and the Rays had to look elsewhere. Best of luck to Brignac and Johnson wherever they end up- no hard feelings on our end either- and Rays fans can wish them nothing but success as look to continue their careers in other organizations.

Yesterday, the fine folks at Baseball America released their “32nd team,” which was composed of 28 scouting reports of players who had been in their team’s top 31 prospects according to Baseball America but were booted out because of trades. In the Rays case, the huge James Shields trade to the Kansas City Royals netted them Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery, and Patrick Leonard, and four players who had been considered top 31 prospects were displaced. On Tuesday, Baseball America talked about those four players, RHP Damion Carroll, OF Granden Goetzman, RHP Roberto Gomez, and LHP Alexander Torres. The entire piece is worth the read, but here are a few highlights about each player.

Carroll has a strong, physical frame with excellent athleticism and a low-90s fastball that touches 95. He should add more velocity as he refines his mechanics. All of his secondary pitches need work, though his curveball cuts diagonally and down through the strike zone when he has a good feel for it.

Goetzman is one of the top defensive outfielders in the Tampa Bay system. He has enough speed and arm strength to man any of the three outfield positions. He remains a raw prospect but has five-tool ability provided he can stay on the field.

Gomez has a tall, lanky frame with a live arm. He does a good job of pitching off his 92-93 mph fastball and commands it well to both sides of the plate. His mid-80s slider has a short, sharp break, while his changeup is inconsistent but shows promise.

Torres generates impressive velocity for a lefthander and flashes three pitches with the potential to be solid or better. His fastball sits in the low 90s at times and features nice sink. His cutter/slider has some bite to it, and his changeup sinks as well. Torres throws across his body, which creates deception and generates movement on his pitches but also leads to control issues.

All of these four have the ability to be top 10 or 15 prospects as soon as next year- although Torres is more likely to end up in the major leagues- with Carroll and Gomez looking to further their development on the mound, Goetzman fighting to stay on the field, and Torres striving to rectify his control issues. Other prospects appearing on the “32nd team” weren’t very impressive at all and were only their team’s top 31 because their team had little organizational depth. The Rays on the other hand, have an impressive minor league system stretching well beyond their top 31 prospects, and from top to bottom the Rays are expecting plenty of good things to come from their system in coming years.