Things get a lot more interesting this month in the prospect pulse. One of our top prospects bounce back from a difficult first month and a couple of our top pitching prospects make their full season debut. Later this month, our short season affiliates will start playing. The best part of minor league season is when all 7 affiliates are up and running and draftees from next week will start getting assigned. Speaking of the draft, I hope to have a draft news and notes article up tomorrow as we are only 6 days away from the big event. Meanwhile, enjoy the rankings, rip them apart, tell me why I'm right or wrong.
For hitters, we've got the traditional triple slash numbers and for pitchers you see: ERA/K/BB
| Rank | Name | last month | age | level | month stats | YTD | Comment |
| 1 | Eric Hosmer-1B | 1 | 19 | A | 299/413/483 | 267/383/400 | Starting to click, power will be the next thing to come. |
| 2 | Mike Moustakas-3B | 2 | 20 | A+ | 266/296/404 | 269/306/445 | Slumping of late, but not too worried--yet... |
| 3 | Dan Duffy-LHP | 3 | 20 | A+ | 2.10/33/10 | 2.95/53/15 | crusin' along-getting more GB but less K vs. his 08 numbers |
| 4 | Kila Kaaihue--1B | 5 | 25 | AAA | 299/434/557 | 275/431/525 | guess last year wasn't a fluke, was it? |
| 5 | M. Montgomery--LHP | 7 | 19 | A | 3.27/12/10 | 3.27/12/10 | some control issues but gets lots of ground balls |
| 6 | Tim Melville--RHP | 11 | 19 | A | 3.86/11/4 | 3.86/11/4 | looking good in his debut |
| 7 | Dan Cortes--RHP | 4 | 22 | AA | 2.81/21/23 | 4.01/36/32 | his ERA last month was good but more walks than strikeouts--I'm starting to worry |
| 8 | Jeff Bianchi--SS |
8 | 23 | A+ | 305/342/400 | 313/373/443 | numbers came down a bit but still hitting pretty well. |
| 9 | Dan Gutierrez--RHP | 6 | 22 | SUS | N/A | N/A | The whole dust up with the Royals was good for no one--here's hoping he's back to pitching soon |
| 10 | J. Giavotella--2B | 12 | 21 | A+ | 220/351/297 | 223/354/350 | Been unlucky some, numbers should even out |
| 11 | Kelvim Herrera-RHP | 13 | 14 | A(DL) | 0.00/1/0 | 0.00/1/0 | Was hurt but will be back with Burlington any day |
| 12 | Carlos Rosa--RHP | 9 | 24 | AAA | 10.43/20/11 | 7.36/31/14 | Disappointing season so far |
| 13 | David Lough--CF | 15 | 23 | A+ | 342/393/430 | 340/402/447 | This guy continues to hit--he's starting to become very interesting. DDJ 2.0? |
| 14 | Chris Nicoll--RHP | 14 | 25 | AA | 3.44/16/5 | 2.27/29/8 | Not much left to prove at AA |
| 15 | Blake Wood--RHP | 10 | 23 | AA | 5.59/17/9 | 6.31/31/15 | Very frustrating prospect |
| 16 | Tyler Sample--RHP | 17 | 19 | EXT | N/A | N/A | Should make his 2009 debut this month |
| 17 |
Henry Barrera--RHP |
19 | 23 | AA | N/A | N/A | Assigned to full season club this week |
| 18 | Joe Dickerson--OF | 16 | 22 | AA | 242/342/333 | 230/338/317 | Prospect status: dropping |
| 19 | John Lamb--LHP | 20 | 18 | EXT | N/A | N/A | Very excited to see how this kid does |
| 20 | Greg Holland--RHP | 23 | 23 | AA | 1.50/15/7 | 2.59/25/10 | NW Ark bullpen better the KC Royals bullpen? |
| 21 | Disco Hayes--RHP | 25 | 26 | AA | 0.00/9/4 | 0.53/14/6 | 0.00 ERA in 21 (!) relief innings this month--let's all pitch in and buy this guy a ticket to |
| 22 | Nick Francis--OF | 33 | 23 | A | 307/365/511 | 310/377/544 | really like to see what this kids can do at A+ |
| 23 | Jordan Parraz--OF | 27 | 24 | AA | 333/463/529 | 336/445/470 | Tyler Lumsden has an ERA of almost 5 for Houston's AAA team |
| 24 | Salvador Perez--C | 24 | 19 | A | 210/258/274 | 175/213/223 | Tough to believe: May numbers were actually an improvement |
| 25 | Chris Lubanski--OF | 22 | 24 | AAA | 308/357/385 | 308/388/462 | Been hurt, can't recall what the injury was |
| 26 | Jose Bonilla--C | 26 | 20 | A | 250/316/333 | 241/298/339 | coming to life a little |
| 27 | Brian McFall--1B | 30 | 25 | AA | 287/356/440 | 277/346/470 | not sure why, but I like this guy |
| 28 | Sean McCauley--C |
36 | 20 | A | 286/357/408 | 219/284/324 | Hit pretty well in May--hopefully keeps it up--supposed to be pretty good on D. |
| 29 | Paulo Orlando--CF | 31 | 23 | A+ | 222/276/309 | 207/258/351 | Paulo Orlando/Adrian Ortiz have never been seen in the same place at the same time |
| 30 | Adrian Ortiz--CF | 22 | 28 | A+ | 277/302/277 | 261/277/294 | even TPJ is laughing at your ISP |
| 31 | Blaine Hardy--LHP | 35 | 22 | A | 3.09/17/8 | 3.00/42/8 | couldn't sustain April's 25/0 K/BB ratio--but still had a good month |
| 32 | Mike Lehman | NR | 20 | A | 2.70/8/6 | 2.70/8/6 | 2008 20th pick from HS |
| 33 | Jose Duarte--CF | 32 | 24 | AAA | 182/250/218 |
182/250/218 651 OPS @AA |
becoming minor league filler at this point |
| 34 | Clint Robinson--1B | 34 | 24 | A+ | 250/316/420 | 297/350/491 | ...and back to earth he comes. |
| 35 | Barry Bowden--RHP | NR | 24 | A | 1.84/19/6 | 2.11/26/7 | 2008 undrafted FA--but has pitched well so far |
| 36 | James Thompson-RHP | NR | 21 | A | 0.59/14/8 | 2.92/29/16 | 38th round pick last year--that's all I know. |
| 37 | Nick Van Stratten-OF | NR | 24 | A | 362/425/511 | 336/403/479 | Good numbers but is an old man in the Midwest League |
| 38 | Sam Runion--RHP | 39 | 21 | A | 5.83/13/7 | 7.26/20/14 | Put together a few good starts before getting bombed last time out |
| 39 | Brent Fisher--LHP | 38 | 21 | A+ | 3.86/4/3 | 6.19/11/8 | hurt |
| 40 | Luis Cota--RHP | 37 | 23 | A | DL | 4.26/15/5 | hurt |
Player of the Month:
Kila Kaaihue. He's still getting on base well over 40% of the time, his power is not quite where it was last year but that is nitpicky. He'd doing a good Nick Johnson impersonation--with less of a glove but also withou the injuries. Is Kila the Rich Gannon of the Royals? I hope not. I supported the Mike Jacobs trade and he's been about what I expected. The next few weeks are a perfect time to flip him to a contender who needs a LH bat. Kaaihue is cheaper and better. But we've heard how Jacobs is an emotional leader and I'm sure you wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat like I do having just dreamt that DM flipped Kaaihue for a poor hitting SS.
I almost went with Hosmer, but I think I'll have other opportunities to pick him.