Minor League Barometer: Biddle Battles Back

Fantasy owners who banked on Rusney Castillo starting the season in the big leagues with the Boston Red Sox were disappointed, and perhaps a little surprised, when he was instead sent to Triple-A. After all, the Red Sox signed Castillo to a lucrative $72 million deal last summer, then the Cuban product proceeded to hit .333 with two home runs, six RBI and three steals in just 10 games for the big club.

However, the Red Sox ended up with a glut of outfielders to begin the 2015 campaign, including former top prospect Mookie Betts, and as a result Castillo found himself in the minors. It looked like it would be a brief stint for Castillo, as he was 5-for-12 (.417) with two RBI and one steal through three games at Pawtucket. However, Castillo hurt his shoulder after making a diving catch Saturday night and had to be sent to Boston for further examination. He's made it to Beantown, but for the wrong reason, and as a result it may be a while longer before Castillo hits the primetime.

Let's look at the rest of the prospect scene as the 2015 campaign kicks off in earnest.

UPGRADE

Jose Berrios, P, MIN - A favorite of the Barometer, Berrios sparkled in 2014. Making his way from High-A to Triple-A by season's end, the 20-year-old righty posted a 2.76 ERA and 140:38 K:BB ratio in 140 innings. He's back at Double-A to begin 2015 and was absolutely dominant in his first start for Double-A Chattanooga, allowing one run in 6.1 innings Friday with one walk and 11 strikeouts. He doesn't have the look of an ace, but his stuff says otherwise. Built more in the Pedro Martinez body-type mold, Berrios has a devastating heater emerging breaking ball. If Berrios ends up anywhere close to Martinez, the Twinkies will be thrilled. Although Minnesota is notoriously conservative in promoting its prospects, Berrios could still make his MLB debut before 2015 is finished.

Orlando Arcia, SS, MIL - Another 20-year-old making waves at Double-A is Arcia, who has come out of the gates scorching for the Brew Crew. The shortstop is 8-for-15 (.533) with four RBI through four games for Double-A Biloxi. Arcia's breakout came last season when he slashed .289/.346/.392 with four home runs, 50 RBI and 31 steals in 127 games at High-A. While Arcia does not project to hit for much power, he has a superior eye at the dish. Arcia walked 42 times while fanning just 65 times in 498 at-bats last season, showing patience well beyond his years. His speed is certainly legitimate, and if he can pack on a little more muscle, he could add to his home run totals as well. Even without the pop, Arcia has emerged as one of the better shortstop prospects in the National League.

Sean Newcomb, P, LAA - The No. 15 overall pick in the 2014 draft, Newcomb struggled in six short outings following his signing. His 2015 campaign has started much better, as Newcomb dazzled the opposition in his season debut. The southpaw allowed one run on just two hits in five innings for Low-A Burlington on Thursday. Newcomb walked two batters but fanned nine. Newcomb looks the part of a frontline starter at 6-foot-5, 250, and is developing a four-pitch repertoire. He lives down in the zone, with his best pitches his heater and slider. A power pitcher at his core, Newcomb has the chance to zoom up the prospect ranks this season.

Aaron Judge, OF, NYY - Another massive human being, Judge is 6-7 and well north of 250 pounds. Make no mistake about it, though; Judge is athletic, and not just a power prospect. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of his 2014 campaign was his plate discipline. Very tall hitters often have trouble with this aspect due to the fact that their strike zone is much larger than shorter players. Likewise, it is generally thought that taller, bigger players have a more difficult time getting to pitches on the inner half of the plate. Judge had no issues seeing the ball at Low-A in 2014, slashing an impressive .333/.428/.530 in 65 games. A bump up to High-A still saw him hit .283.411/.442 in 66 games. The scary part is that Judge's power stroke really didn't materialize last season; the 22-year-old hit 17 home runs in 131 total games. Judge mashed a three-run homer to begin the 2015 campaign, though, and is 6-for-19 (.316) with five RBI through four games for Double-A Trenton. Judge may just be scratching the surface of his potential.

CHECK STATUS

Trevor Story, SS, COL - Story rebounded from a rough 2013 season to put up respectable numbers in 2014. Story hit just .233 with 183 strikeouts at High-A during that abysmal 2013 campaign. However, he still hit 12 home runs and stole 23 bases that year. In 2014, he slashed .263/.367/.475 between High-A and Double-A. Perhaps most important, he drew more walks and struck out less. Story is off to a sizzling start in 2015, going 8-for-17 (.471) with one home run, six RBI and one walk through five games at Double-A. Although he has fanned six times over that span, Story possesses that intriguing power/speed combination, and at a thin fantasy position no less. His issue other than strikeouts will be where he plays at the big-league level. Troy Tulowitzki occupies shortstop for the Rockies, and Nolan Arenado is penciled in at third for years to come. While playing in the majors in Colorado would be an even better end result for his fantasy promise, he is blocked. As a result, it may take a trade for Story's future path to become clearer.

Austin Voth, P, WAS - Voth is an intriguing high-floor, low-ceiling prospect. Voth appeared at three levels in 2014, ultimately finishing the season in Double-A. Other than his final few starts at that level, Voth mowed down the competition. Overall, he posted a 2.77 ERA and 133:38 K:BB ratio in 126.2 innings. The knock on the 22-year-old is that he is not overpowering. His fastball barely tops out above 90 mph, and as a result does not project as a frontline-type starter. In fact, he profiles much more as a right-handed version of another former Washington prospect, Tommy Milone. In other words, Voth knows how to pitch and has enough to make it to the majors, but it remains to be seen if he can dominate MLB hitters without that overpowering aspect to his game.

Peter O'Brien, OF, AZ - O'Brien made a name for himself last year, blasting home runs with reckless abandon. The power prospect was traded to the Diamondbacks from the Yankees in the Martin Prado deal, but still ended up slugging 34 home runs in 106 games between the two clubs, mostly at Double-A. He's off to a scorching start at Triple-A Reno this season, hitting 9-of-23 (.391) with a home run and four RBI through five contests. The main concern for O'Brien is his future position. He started out as a catcher, but is now playing the corner outfield spot. In a National League scenario without a designated hitter, it will be hard for O'Brien to get everyday at-bats if he is a subpar fielder. Add in the fact that Arizona has a particularly crowded outfield, and O'Brien may simply have to bide his time in the minors until a trade or injury forces the team's hand. Let's not also forget that right-fielder Mark Trumbo has an extremely similar skill set to O'Brien.

Jesse Biddle, P, PHI - Biddle had a 2014 season marred by injury and off-field issues. Struggling both mentally and physically, the Phillies gave Biddle some space to work through his problems, and he looks like a different pitcher to begin the 2015 campaign. Biddle's first start for Double-A Reading was a gem, as he tossed five shutout innings. The burly lefty scattered two hits, walked two batters and struck out four. One start is certainly not enough to declare that Biddle is back on the prospect radar, but this is certainly a step in the right direction. Let's also not forget that prior to the 2014 season, Biddle was considered the top pitching prospect in the Philadelphia organization, and one of the top 100 prospects in baseball as well on most lists. As a result, keep an eye on his progress, as a return to form could be in order for the 23-year-old southpaw.

DOWNGRADE

Luke Jackson, P, TEX - Jackson has been maddeningly inconsistent throughout his brief minor league career, though the strikeout stuff has always been present. So have the free passes, though. In each of the last three seasons, Jackson has fanned at least 126 batters but also walked at least 52 batters. His highlight season came in 2013, when posted a 2.04 ERA and fanned 134 batters in 128 innings between High-A and Double-A. However, that season appears to have been an aberration, as Jackson has owned a 4.65 ERA or higher in three of the last four years otherwise. He allowed 14 home runs last season as well. All of his shortcomings were on display in his season debut Friday; Jackson allowed five runs on five hits in four innings for Triple-A Round Rock. Jackson walked three batters and allowed two home runs, while striking out just two hitters. While he is still just 23, the odds do not appear to be in Jackson's favor that he will ever be able to fully harness his pitches.

Will Swanner, 1B, COL - Swanner once was a high school prodigy, and has hit double-digit home runs in each of the last four seasons in the minors. So why the downgrade? The Rockies appear to have all but abandoned Swanner's natural position of catcher, moving him out to first base. While Swanner may not have been left on many prospect lists anyway, this all but destroys his fantasy value. A first-base prospect who is 23 and has never hit more than 16 home runs in a season is not worth holding onto in fantasy circles. Add in that he is 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts through three games at Double-A New Britain, and it's likely safe to look elsewhere in terms of hitting phenoms.

Miguel Almonte, P, KC - Almonte was a chic prospect heading into last season, but sputtered during his time at Double-A. In 2014, the 22-year-old posted a 4.49 ERA and 101:32 K:BB ratio in 110 innings at High-A. After surrendering just eight home runs in his first three seasons in the minors, Almonte gave up nine last season. Likewise, his first start of 2015 did not go well. Though he did not allow a home run, the normally controlled Almonte walked three batters in just two innings of work in his Double-A debut. He allowed four runs on four hits while striking out two batters. Clearly this was not the start that Almonte had envisioned. He still has time to right the ship, but some tinkering appears to be in order.

Alex Meyer, P, MIN - Meyer did not win a spot in the Minnesota rotation out of training camp, getting beaten out by the likes of Kyle Gibson, Tommy Milone and Ricky Nolasco. Then when Nolasco went on the disabled list, the Twins decided to bring up fellow Triple-A prospect Trevor May instead. Though May got rocked in his 2015 debut, Meyer did not fare so well in his first outing at Triple-A either. The 25-year-old righty allowed three runs on four hits in five innings. Perhaps most disturbing, though, is that Meyer walked six batters over that span while fanning just three batters. Meyer has always had the strikeout potential, but his control has become increasingly suspect the last season or so. Last year, he walked a career-high 64 batters in 130.1 innings. While Meyer also fanned 153 batters during that time, the increase in baserunners resulted in career lows of a 3.52 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. Sometimes taller pitchers like Meyer have difficulty repeating their delivery and finding the same release point over and over. Yielding additional runners at the higher levels will doom any pitcher, so while Meyer's upside remains high, his recent performance certainly raises some red flags.