Shairon Martis: The Washington Post did an interview with Nationals pitching coach Steve McCatty. He had some nice words about Shairon Martis, who made the starting rotation out of spring training last year, but was reassigned into the minors during the summer.
Q: What do you see from Shairon Martis? Because he was in the rotation at the beginning of last year and now doesn’t seem to get talked about as much.
McCatty: Yeah, well I love him… Everybody you’re talking about, looking at those guys [for the last rotation spots], but I love him. He’s got great stuff. His arm dropped a bit and started nibbling last year, started walking some people and got in trouble. But I like him. If he gets in the right arm slot where he should be, he’s got a devastating change-up with that fastball, he should be fine. But if there hasn’t been a lot of talking, maybe you just haven’t asked the right questions. Because everybody still feels good about him… Inside, his name always comes up. He’s what, 22 or 23 years old? He’s got a great future. He really does.
Loek van Mil: According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune Loek van Mil has to take things slow at the start of spring training. He is limited to long toss due to a sore shoulder and is being held out of bullpen sessions right now.
Baseball America’s Top 100: Baseball America published its Top 100 Prospect list on Tuesday on its website. Jason Heyward (ATL), Stephen Strasburg (WAS), Mike Stanton (FLA) and Jesus Montero (NYY) top the ranking of the best prospects in Baseball. No European player made the list after Alex Liddi, Gregory Halman (both SEA) and Max Kepler-Rozycki (MIN) were mentioned in the Top 10 Team Rankings this winter. IBAF Baseball World Cup MVP Justin Smoak (TEX) was ranked 13th, five spots behind Team USA teammate Pedro Alvarez (PIT). Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman (CIN) came in at 22nd.