Around the Farm: November 27, 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 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 winter ball did yesterday. Note, the Australian Baseball League was off on Tuesday.

Venezuelan Winter League

• Ezequiel Carrera (CF, Navegantes del Magallanes): 1-for-3, 1 R, 2 K. It’s hard to knock what Carrera has done as of late. Overall, the left-handed hitting outfielder has hit in three straight games and has collected eight hits in his last 22 at-bats. Plate discipline has been an area where Carrera has struggled during his big league career, but he’s holding his own in winter ball as he has drawn nine walks compared to just seven strikeouts.
• Jesus Aguilar (1B, Leones del Caracas): 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K. Aguilar launched his third home run of the winter season on Tuesday. Since returning to Leones del Caracas after spending two weeks on the team’s parallel league squad, Aguilar has gone 5-for-12. His lack of production was concerning early in the winter season, but he seems to be settling in now at the plate. Aguilar himself admitted that he may have been trying too hard, so the recent production could be a result of a more relaxed approach.
• Hector Rondon (RP, Leones del Caracas): 1 IP, 3 K. Fifteen pitches. Eleven strikes. Three strikeouts. You have to love that kind of production from the right-handed Rondon. Rondon has now not allowed an earned run since Oct. 19, and his ERA is down all the way to 3.77. This is a noticeable improvement for a guy who had an ERA of 108.00 after his first appearance in winter ball.

Dominican Winter League

• Juan Diaz (SS, Estrellas de Oriente): 0-for-4, 2 K. After compiling back-to-back games where he collected three hits, Diaz settled for an 0-fer on Tuesday. Nonetheless, Diaz has really come on as of late, and his average still sits at .272.
• Jose Ramirez (2B, Toros del Este): 2-for-4, 1 R. This likely comes as no surprise, but Ramirez remained hot at the plate and recorded two more hits on Tuesday. The switch-hitting infielder has now collected six hits in his last 12 at-bats. Overall, he has gone 27-for-77, and he continues to make a case that he could arguably be the top second base prospect in the Indians system.
• Carlos Santana (DH, Leones del Escogido): 1-for-3, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K. Santana collected his second double in three winter league games on Tuesday, and he also displayed the great plate discipline that makes him such a valuable offensive player. Overall, the switch-hitting Santana has gone 2-for-11 with three walks in three games.

Puerto Rican Winter League

• Rob Bryson (RP, Criollos de Caguas): (H, 1), 1 IP, 2 K. Bryson made his sixth appearance in winter ball on Tuesday, and he has still yet to yield an earned run. In 7 1/3 innings of work, he has struck out 10 batters and allowed only three hits.

Steve can be reached via email at orbaneks@gmail.com.