Minor League Monitor - Carolina League

Manny Machado - Orioles  SS  DOB: 07/06/92

After suffering a knee injury we have seen Machado's stats head downward. As he gets further from the injury we should see his numbers improve. Now may be the perfect time to make a push for Machado since his .264/.360/.445 season line may scare away an anxious owner. Don't feel fooled by the numbers though, he remains one of the top players to have in long term keeper leagues.

Juan Silverio – White Sox  3B  DOB: 04/18/91

Silverio's stock has dropped a bit from when he was once seen as a potential 5-tool shortstop. He now plays third and could stick there due to his plus arm. He has some power but has yet to really impress with his pop. The speed has not shown up in stolen base form and he isn't getting any faster as he grows into his frame. Playing in High-A at 20 and not looking overpowered is a good sign for Silverio's future. He could stick at third thanks to his arm so his value gets a little boost there.

Bryce Brentz – Red Sox  RF  DOB: 12/30/88

The Red Sox organization has its fair share of breakouts this season. Brentz was a fairly highly touted prospect when he signed but put up a dismal .198/.259/.340 in 69 NY-Penn League games. He was clearly motivated by the struggles and his hard work in the off-season is paying off. In 74 games between Low and High-A he is hitting .327/.379/.627. His SLG% is higher than his entire OPS in 2010.

Miles Head - Red Sox  1B  DOB: 05/02/91

Head was another Red Sox breakout story except his fairy tale 2011 may have come to an end when he reached High-A. After hitting .338/.409/.612 in 66 Low -A games, has hit just .241/.287/.368 in the CL. He is only 2 months past his 20th birthday so he is advanced for his age. He will spend the remainder of 2011 adjusting to High-A pitching and will hope to break into AA some point in 2012.

Robert Ross - Rangers  DOB:   06/24/89

Ross has been on a roll, giving up just 4 earned runs in his last 6 starts. Over his last 10 games he has a 1.76 ERA in 66.1 innings with 10 walks and 48 strikeouts. He is a left handed control pitcher who keeps the ball on the ground so he could move to the majors quickly. I won't be surprised if he is promoted to AA soon and he can take his worm burning arsenal to the Texas League where it can thrive in relation to the flyball pitchers of the league.

Barret Loux - Rangers  SP  DOB: 04/06/89

Loux leads the league with 122 strikeouts and has done so while walking only 29. The Rangers made a saavy move by signing Loux. His arm troubles that scared the Diamondbacks away seem to be behind him and the big projectable righty is looking like a steal.

Tyler Saladino – White Sox  SS  DOB: 07/20/89

The 5'11" shortstop is a surprising name to see among the Carolina League home run leaders but there he is in third place with 14. Ian Gac leads the way with 27 in case you're wondering. Saladino can hit for a decent AVG so if the home runs are here to stay he could challenge Eduardo Escobar as the White Sox SS of the future.

Robert Bundy – Orioles  SP  DOB:  01/13/90

Bundy has allowed just 5 hits, 1 walk and 1 earned run in his last 2 starts spanning 16 innings. His ERA is at 2.92 and he has a 10-5 record. He isn't overpowering or a control pitcher or groundball specialist but he does a bit of each and so far it has been enough to produce some nice results.

Destin Hood - Nationals  RF  DOB: 04/03/90

Hood's numbers have gradually improved each season in the minors but he has yet to have that major breakthrough that garners everyone's attention. In 90 games this year he has a .274 AVG, 25 2B, 9 HR and a drastically improved 43/74 BB/K. He likely won't produce enough to be a factor in mixed leagues but he is worth a look in NL-only keeper leagues due to his improved plate approach and strong tool set.