Triunfel suspended by Rampage

Rampage correspondent John Hickey reports that 18-year-old shortstop Carlos Triunfel has been suspended indefinitely by the Rampage for what Red Deer farm director Greg Hunter confirmed was a violation of team rules. Triunfel has been sent back to the Rampage's extended spring training base to serve his suspension, and he hasn’t appeared in a game since May 10.

Triunfel was drafted in the first round by the Oak Ridges Posse in 2007 and then acquired by the Rampage as part of a deal that included Fausto Carmona and Placido Polanco. Triunfel advanced to high Class A High Desert in 2007, at age 17, where he batted .288/.333/.356 in 208 at-bats. Re-assigned there to begin this season, the righthanded batter was off to a .263/.300/.342 start, showing the same terrific contact ability, but little of the power projected of him.

Triunfel has not homered in 485 pro at-bats—and has slugged an aggregate .361—but he hits the ball hard the other way and gets good backspin on the ball, suggesting to many evaluators that the power will develop in time.

Injured Prospect Update

Crawfords correspondent Marc Topkin reports that Pittsburgh lefthander David Price is set to make his pro debut Thursday with high Class A Vero Beach. The 22-year-old Price, out since spring training with an elbow strain, recently completed a rehab stint at extended spring training.

Recently drafted, Monarchs center fielder Desmond Jennings, on the other hand, remains sidelined with injury, this time a sore left shoulder. The 21-year-old began the season on the disabled list with a back injury and has not yet had a chance to build on his breakout 2007 season. Jennings batted .315/.401/.465 with nine home runs and 45 stolen bases for low Class A Columbus last year.

And Prickly Pears correspondent Andy Baggarly has an update on injured righthander Henry Sosa: He’s working three-inning stints in extended spring in preparation for a full-season assignment, which appears imminent. Sosa, 22, had arthroscopic knee surgery in October, after completing a breakthrough season in which he went 11-5, 2.58 with 139 strikeouts in 126 innings.

First round completed in the minor's draft

Late last week the MDBL completed it's first and sandwich rounds and there were not too many surprises. With the first selection in the draft the Minneapolis Millers selected Geovany Soto. Entering the draft Soto was clearly the top prospect available and no one was surpised when Soto went first overall.



Soto is expected to move right into the Millers starting lineup next year as a catcher with Victor Martinez most likely moving to designated hitter.

Rounding out the top five in the draft was Aaron Crow to the Milwaukee Braves, Kyle Skipworth to the Oak Ridges Poss, Stephen Strasburg to the Yakima Bulls and Gordon Beckham to the Melbourne Beach Manatees.

The first surprise selection in the draft was most likely Ivan DeJesus by the Cambridge Porkers who stated "I think I am reaching here" just before making the selection.

A probable first in MDBL history was the selection of three Japanese players in the first round. Masahide Kobayashi was selected 11th overall by the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers, Koji Uehara was selected four picks later and the Pittsburgh Crawfords closed out the sandwich round by selecting closer Kyuji Fujikawa.

The Oak Ridges Posse and Pittsburgh Crawfords each made the most selections, 4, in the round. The Posse used their four picks on Skipworth, Nick Blackburn, Juan Duran and Neftali Feliz. The Crawfords added Trevor Cahill, Chris Perez, Matt Joyce, and Fujikawa.

Two franchises join the blogging community

In the last week, two franchises have joined in on the blogging. The Indiana Bulls blog can be found at www.indianabulls.blogspot.com, while the South Indiana Mud Hens blog is located at simudhens.blogspot.com.