BRASSball Amateur Scouting - Lake Elsinore Storm at Lancaster Jethawks - April 15, 2012

Lake Elsinore Storm vs. Lancaster Jethawks

The family and I decided to catch some local Minor League Baseball action on Sunday, April 15, 2012. The Class A Advanced California League Jethawks (Houston Astros) play in our backyard, one valley over in Lancaster, California. The Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego Padres) were the opponent as the Jethawks were looking to complete a sweep of the Storm, but fell short 7-5.

Cook County's Rymer Liriano

Three BRASSball amateurs were on display on Sunday: Rymer Liriano (Cook County) and Cory Spangenberg (Hessville) of Lake Elsinore, and George Springer (Plaza) of Lancaster.

Liriano went one-for-three with a walk and was caught stealing once.

Hessville's Cory Spangenberg

Spangenberg (pronounced "SPAN-JEN-BURG," not "SPANK-EN-BERG" like I thought) went one-for-five with a stolen base and strikeout.

Plaza's George Springer

The home crowd favorite Springer managed to only go one-for-four with a walk.

The biggest draw for the kids is the Jethawk mascot "KA-BOOM." He's walking around and mingling with the crowd frequently. If you want a kid-friendly, casual atmosphere, and a place with decent prices on food and parking, don't forget about your minor league clubs around the country. Go out and support the future of BRASSball!

Prospect Preview: Ben Revere, OF

Ben Revere is one of the Roadrunners top prospects and fits the mold perfectly for the future plans of the team.

Revere, a former first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins in 2007, was named the Twins Minor League Player of the Year in both 2008 and 2009 after batting .379 and .311 respectively.

He was rewarded in 2010 with a promotion to AA, and responded by batting .305 and eventually appearing in 13 games for the Twins during a late-season call-up in September.

Speed is the name of the game for Revere. He has averaged 42 stolen bases over the last three seasons in the minors. The Roadrunners will continue to be conservative with Revere, though, as he has struggled on the defensive side.

This season should be an interesting one for Revere, who looks to return to AA with hope of heading to AAA mid-season. The Roadrunners will count on Revere to be their opening day starter for the club in 2013, but are in no real hurry to see Revere as their outfield should remain crowded for the next two seasons.

It really is a perfect scenario for Revere; he's only 22 and still has some upside and areas to improve on. I would not be surprised to see him as early as next season in a utility role, but it will most likely be at DH until he can get his issues with the glove worked out.

Official 2011 Outlook
Remain under minor league contract.

Prospect Preview: Brett Lawrie, 2B

Brett Lawrie is one of the Roadrunners' top prospects and could earn a job at second base as early as 2012. Lawrie, a native of Langley, B.C., was recently named to the Major League Baseball's 2011 list of Top Prospects at #28. He was the only Canadian to make the list.

Lawrie was a member of the 2008 Canadian Olympic Baseball team, and represented Canada in the 2009 World Cup. In 2010, he hit .285 with eight home runs, 63 RBI, and 30 steals in the minors.

The 2011 Roadrunner infield includes the likes of Mark Ellis, Mark Aviles, and Aramis Ramirez. However, with Ramirez playing the last year of his 10-year contract, 2012 could open up a part-time position for Lawrie to get his feet wet.

I fully expect to see progress made by Lawrie in the minors this season, and am hopeful that he will play his way into a utility role for us next season. Yes, he's been groomed in the minors as a second baseman, but some time at third is not out of the question. We want him to continue to improve, especially on the defensive side.

Official 2011 Outlook
Remain under contract in the CAL Amateur League System.