Around the Farm: December 22, 2012

Around the Farm (ATF) takes a quick look at some of the daily performances by Indians prospects. This is a special fall and winter ball version of ATF that recaps all the offseason action by Indians players in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) and the Caribbean Leagues.  The positions listed below are where the player was playing in the game.

Here is the rundown of what Indians players in fall and winter ball did yesterday.

Dominican Winter League

• Carlos Santana (DH, Leones del Escogido): 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K: Talk about struggling. Santana came into Saturday night’s ballgame on an 0-for-14 slide. He broke the Oh-fer, but didn’t exactly explode out of his winter-slump. He’s hitting whopping .197, with only four extra-base hits in 20 games. Perhaps DH-ing doesn’t sit well with him, but suffice it to say that Santana is allaying any fears with regards to the Indians fan-dom.

Puerto Rican Winter League

• Fernando Cabrera (RP, Leones de Ponce): 1 IP, 1 BB, 2 K: How about this for a frustrating name from the past. Cabrera was once a highly thought of prospect with the Tribe, who just never reached his potential, and was sent packing. He found himself back in Buffalo in 2012, and has been excelling in winter ball. He hasn’t given up a run in five games and 6 1/3 innings.
• Giovanni Soto (RP, Gigantes de Carolina): 1 1/3 IP, 1 BB, 2 K: Soto got his first save, and has been absolutely lights out after giving up two earned runs on November 14^th. Since then, Soto, who’s been working exclusively out of the pen (and is a lefty…hmmm), has been un-touchable. He hasn’t given up a run in nine games over 13 2/3 innings, while walking only four and striking out 16. He’s not a flame-thrower, but boy does he understand what’ going on up there on the mount.

Puerto Rican Winter League

• Paulo Espino (SP, Caribes de Anzoategui): 5 IP, 3 H, 6 K: Espino has had an interesting winter, having shown both the good and the bad of Espino. When he’s on, he’s devastatingly good starter, such as on Saturday. When he’s not, he can give up seven earned runs in on 2 2/3, as he did in his last start.

Australian Baseball League

• Andrew Campbell (CF, Brisbane Bandits): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 K: Campbell is 5-for-13 over his last three games, and is hitting .311 for the season thusfar. He’s also batting leadoff for the Bandits in what appears to be his breakthrough season. Of course, the Australian League isn’t American baseball, and he’s a long way from making an impact in the Indians’ system.
• Ryan Battaglia (C, Brisbane Bandits): 0-for-4, 1 K: Battaglia has been hot of late, as he was 8-for-21 over his last six games coming into Saturday’s game. There’s nothing really special about Battaglia as of yet as a prospect, but he’s only 20.

Jim is currently the co-site editor, the ATF/Carolina Mudcats/Indians/General Site Columnist, and the co-host of IPI's weekly online radio show, Smoke Signals. You can follow Jim on Twitter @Jim_IPI, or contact him via e-mail at jpete@indiansprospectinsider.com.