SGF Cardinals Homestand Report: NWA Naturals

Each homestand for the Springfield Cardinals offers a ton of baseball value. Not only do we get a chance to evaluate potential future St. Louis Cardinals talent, but we get to pull back the curtain and see other future Major Leaguers. Each time a new team comes to Hammons Field, we will offer up a Homestand Report, detailing what happening with the Springfield Cardinals and their opponents.

Springfield Cardinals

Overall: 6-10

Last roadtrip: 1-3 at Tulsa

This is the series that we have all been waiting for, and it showcases a two parallel universes in minor league baseball.

In one corner, we have your Springfield Cardinals, the slow and steady perennial Texas League contender, getting things done with a blend of experienced minor leaguers, advanced college players and a few late bloomers. In the other corner, it’s the dynamically explosive Northwest Arkansas Naturals — the Double-A affiliate of the KC Royals — which have built a pyramid out of baseball prospects.

While this series is the first of 32 games between these two teams this season, we aren’t guaranteed that all of NWA’s superprospects will be at Double-A much longer. And, of course, there is the underlying implication to the entire series — Which style will prevail?

The good

Castellanos

• Alex Castellanos, RF: A converted infielder who was likely destined for a utility role after being a 10th round pick in the 2008 draft, Castellanos has capitalized on Tyler Henley’s dreadful start (.118 batting average in 34 ABs ). Castellanos has made eight straight starts in RF and has hit safely in the last seven. Since cracking the lineup, raised his batting average from .207 to .276 with a 10-for-32 (.313) spurt that includes six extra base hits, punctuated by four home runs. AC is a free swinger, who has only walked twice and it makes his slash line look odd: .276/.302/.621

• Nick Additon, LHP: A starting pitcher who is likely on his last Double-A leg, even though he’s only 23 years old, might be figuring it out. He doesn’t throw hard, but doesn’t need to is he can spot his fastball. He’s coming off his best start of the season, throwing 8 innings of 1-run ball at Tulsa on Wednesday, allowing just four hits and zero walks, striking out 8. So far, he’s 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA, a 0.71 WHIP and a BAA of .206. He’s struck out 18 in 19 2/3 innings with and is yet to walk a batter.

The bad

• The pitching besides Nick Additon: In the last five starts that weren’t thrown by Nick Additon, here are the performances:

• 4/19 vs. Midland: Kevin Thomas, 2 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HR
• 4/21 at Tulsa: Deryk Hooker, 3 1/2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
• 4/22 at Tulsa: Michael Blazek, 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 5 K, 2 HR
• 4/23 at Tulsa: Scott Schneider, 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 0 HR

Outside of Schneider’s start Saturday, the rest of the rotation has been detonated by Texas League pitching. It was an unproven group and is pitching like it. The offense can’t keep up.

Who’s new?

Eric Duncan

• Eric Duncan, IF/OF: A guy who was once rated as a higher New York Yankees prospect than Robinson Cano, Duncan was released from Colorado’s Triple-A roster and has landed with Springfield, mostly because of his past performances under former Double-A manager and current hitting coach Phillip Wellman. He’s in SGF to add some more experience and can play nearly every position on the diamond. He may not be long for Double-A (see: promoted or released), but for now, he’s on the roster.

This series’ probable starting pitching matchups

• Today, 7:07 p.m. — NWA, LHP John Lamb (0-1, 5.56 ERA) vs. SGF, RHP Kevin Thomas (0-1, 9.45 ERA) vs. 

• Tuesday, 7:07 p.m. — NWA TBA vs. SGF, LHP Nick Additon (1-0, 2.75 ERA)

• Wednesday, 12:07 p.m. — NWA, LHP Will Smith (0-1, 11.81 ERA) vs. SGF, RHP Deryk Hooker (0-2, 10.66 ERA) vs.

• Thursday, 7:07 p.m. — NWA, RHP Heath Rollins (0-1, 5.06 ERA) vs. SGF, RHP Michael Blazek (0-1, 5.79 ERA)

Promotions

• Today — Fazoli’s Four Pack Monday

• Tuesday — Lawrence Photo Autographed 8×10 Player Photo Day (2,500), Kraft Singles Tuesday Night Tickets

• Wednesday — Missouri Department of Conservation Tree Saplings

• Thursday — Buck a Brat $1 Johnsonville Bratwurst

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Northwest Arkansas Naturals

As you might know by now, the Kansas City Royals have been crowned as the Wu Tang Clan-meets-Rolling Stones-meets-Miami Heat of minor league baseball systems. Baseball America and ESPN named them as baseball’s top farm system, not only for raw talent, but for how high that talent has reached within the hierarchy.

While some of the top shelf talent is at Triple-A Omaha (Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Mike Montgomery), there are still 8 of the Royals’ top 30 prospects, including 4 in the top 10. But, as aggressively as the Royals are promoting their guys, there is no guarantee they will be here for the next series. Better run and see them now.

The studs

Wil Myers

• Wil Myers, RF: While Moustakas and Hosmer get most of the credit for being high-ceiling offensive demigods, but Myers might warrant just as much, if not more. Why? Here are his OPS numbers as a professional player since he was a 3rd round pick in the 2009 draft out of high school:

• 2009: Short Season, 1.106
• 2010: Low-A, .908; High-A, .966

His on-base percentages are crazy, not having one below .408 as a pro and at High-A last season, he hit. 315/.429/.506 with 37 doubles and 14 home runs. He also stole 12 bases. It was that type of offensive prowess that forced the Royals to move him from catcher to right field. Assuming he continues to mash, he will keep climbing the Royals depth chart — even though he’s only 20 and won’t be 21 until December 10.

2011: 46 ABs, .261/.300/.435, 2 HR,8 RBIs, 2 doubles, 2 stolen bases

John Lamb

• John Lamb, LHP: When talking about the dominant lefthanded starting pitching crop in the minor leagues, Mike Montgomery generally gets most of the love, but Baseball America made Lamb its top Royals pitching prospect. And they illustrate it with the following comment:

While Lamb’s stuff is a tick below Mike Montgomery’s, his ability to succeed without his best stuff could make him the better pitcher. He already has shown he can win on nights when his fastball sits at 89-90 mph and he doesn’t have feel for his curve.

Lamb has scuffled in all of his starts, with abusingly high pitch counts. He hasn’t lasted longer than 4 2/3 innings. He will make the start tonight against Springfield. It is destination watching.

2011: 0-1, 5.56 ERA, 3 starts, 11 1/2 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 8 BB, 8 K, .286 BAA

• Christian Colon, SS: The 4th overall pick in last summer’s draft, Colon began his career at High-A Wilmington and  showed why. He fit right in, logging 245 more at-bats after his college season at Cal-State Fullerton and going .278/.326/.380. Because of Alcides Escobar’s defensive prowess at the Big League level, it’s not known if Colon will stick at shortstop, but it’s his bat they desire. So far, it hasn’t really shown up. Still, he’s as high-ceiling as they get, and with a solid Double-A tenure, could end the season at Triple-A with a 2012 MLB arrival.

2011: 50 ABs, .220/.355/.380, 2 HR, 11 RBIs, 4 SBs

• Other Baseball America Top 20 prospects: No. 8 Chris Dwyer, LHP; No. 17 Salvador Perez, C; No. 21 Jeff Bianchi, SS; No. 22 Patrick Keating, RHP; No. 26, Derrick Robinson, CF

Texas League standings