We knew it would be a busy week here at “Diamonds in the Rough” when, by 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning, we already had SEVEN players on our watch list.

By the end of the night on Sunday, 11 players had made their major league debuts, and there were three more on tap for this coming week already in the bigs.

I admit I get especially excited when I get to see the arrival of players I saw so early in their careers, and even more so when they’re guys I had the opportunity to semi-officially “scout” during my time at MLSB’s Scout School in 2009. So if you heard a few hoots of glee coming from somewhere in Maryland, just over the Washington D.C. border, it was probably when big right-hander Juan Nicasio got the call — albeit probably temporarily, for now — from the Colorado Rockies to come up and start this past Saturday against St. Louis (I didn’t get to watch it because since it was a Saturday, blackout mode was in effect on MLB Extra Innings. Grrrrrrr.).

During the remarkable and educational two weeks that I spent at Scout School that fall, one of the most memorable afternoons was spent at Chase Field where the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies were kind enough to bring a slew of their top prospects to play a nine-inning game on the big league field, with three sets of fielders/hitters for three innings each and an array of pitching prospects (yeah, it was probably just as exciting if not more so for the players involved.)

At the end of the game, we were charged with the assignment of picking one player and one pitcher from each team and writing up a “pro scouting report” on them.

The pitcher I picked from the Rockies was Nicasio. And here was what I said:

“Big, strong, hard-throwing RHS with power FB with late run and occ bore. Commands both sides of plate with FB. Quick arm. Limited viewing of potential avg secondary pitches which he’ll need to use more regularly to succeed in top of rotation or back end of bullpen role.”

(By the way, in “scout speak” “avg” means “major league average” which is very good.)

Off of that experience, I picked Nicasio as my choice for Colorado’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in our MLB.com 2009 Organization Preview package, about a year before most got onto the Nicasio train.



JUAN NICASIO
RHP, Colorado Rockies
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-3/200 BORN: Aug. 31, 1986
ACQUIRED: Signed as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic in August 2006.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Double-A Tulsa May 28 when P Bruce Billings was sent down.
DEBUT: May 28 in a 15-4 win against the St. Louis Cardinals: The starting pitcher, he got the win with seven innings of six-hit ball, allowing one unearned run and walking two while striking out two. Nicasio allowed five of those hits in his first two innings before settling in as his offense exploded behind him early and often.
NOTES: Some have called Nicasio a “late bloomer” after it took him a few seasons to move up to full-season Class A Asheville, but that summer his 2.41 ERA in 18 starts ranked among the tops in the Minors, as he struck out 115 in 112 innings while walking just 23. At Advanced A Modesto the next summer, he posted a 3.91 ERA, struck out 171 batters and began drawing comparisons to another young pitcher in the Rockies organization — All-Star Ubaldo Jimenez (who also served as his post-game interpreter after Nicasio’s debut). Big and strong, with a powerful lower body and a fastball in the mid 90s, he’s been developing and refining his off-speed pitches to give him a full arsenal. At Double-A Tulsa prior to his callup he was 5-1 with a 2.22 ERA and had walked just 10 batters while fanning 63 in 56 2/3 innings over nine starts. MLB.com uncovered the tidbit that with his stellar outing, Nicasio became the first Colorado pitcher since Jason Jennings in August 2001 to pitch at least seven innings and allow no more than one run in his big league debut.

BRUCE BILLINGS
RHP, Colorado Rockies
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-0/200 BORN: Nov. 18, 1985
ACQUIRED: Selected in the 30th round of 2007 out of San Diego State
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs May 25 when P Jorge De La Rosa went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 27 in a 10-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals: The last of three pitchers, he allowed one run on five hits in two innings and threw a wild pitch.
NOTES: Billings got the call from the Sky Sox, where he was 2-2 with a 5.06 ERA in 18 games in relief, with 27 strikeouts over 32 innings of work, to fill in a spot while the club awaited De La Rosa’s turn to come up in the rotation. In 2010, he’d posted an 11-6 record and 3.28 ERA split between starting and relieving at Double-A Tulsa, and limited Texas League hitters to a .217 average. Coming into 2011, he’d posted a 3.73 ERA thus far. He returned to the minors to clear the spot for Nicasio.

BRANDON CRAWFORD
SS, San Francisco Giants
B/T: L/R H/W: 6-2/210 BORN: Jan. 21, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the fourth round of 2008 out of UCLA
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Advanced A San Jose on May 26 when IF Mike Fontenot went on the DL
DEBUT: May 27 in a 5-4 win against the Milwaukee Brewers: The starting shortstop, he batted seventh and went 1-for-3 but what a one, hitting a game-winning grand slam in the seventh off of Shaun Marcum.
NOTES: The Giants were forced to make several moves on May 26 when three players were placed on the DL, but while the big news was the season-ending injury to 2010 NL Rookie of the Year catcher Buster Posey, the shocker was the promotion of this young infielder. A .266 hitter in three pro seasons coming into 2011, he hit .241 with seven homers and 22 RBI at Double-A Richmond in 2010. Suffering a broken finger at spring training set him back and he returned to action just a few weeks ago and then to San Jose to get back on track. There he was hitting .322 with three homers and 15 RBI before the callup. A Bay Area native and hometown boy, his best tools come on defense where he has a plus arm and range.

TONY CRUZ
C, St. Louis Cardinals
B/T: R/R H/W: 5-11/205 BORN: Aug. 18, 1986
ACQUIRED: Selected in the 26th round of 2007 out of Palm Beach Community College.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Memphis May 23 when C Gerald Laird went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 24 in a 3-2 11-inning win against San Diego: The starting catcher, he batted seventh and went 3-for-5 with a double.
NOTES: Signed as a third baseman, he has made a successful shift behind the plate and also been solid if not spectacular with the bat, including a .342 mark during Arizona Fall League last year. He was hitting .232 with four homers and 16 RBI at Memphis before his promotion.

RUBBY DE LA ROSA
RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-1/170 BORN: March 4, 1989
ACQUIRED: Signed as a free agent in 2007 out of the Dominican Republic
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Double-A Chattanooga May 24 when P Lance Cormier was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: May 24 in a 5-4 win against Houston: The third of four pitchers, he tossed one perfect inning, striking out two.
NOTES: De La Rosa has cruised through the system and his stock has soared, leading to his eagerly-anticipated debut at age 22. After posting a 3.19 ERA at Class A Great Lakes last summer, he skipped a level down the stretch to post a 1.41 ERA in eight starts at Chattanooga. Returning to the Lookouts rotation to open 2011, he had a 2.93 ERA in eight starts there, fanning 52 while walking 19 in 40 innings and limiting Southern League hitters to a .199 average prior to his promotion. In four pro seasons coming into ’11, he combined for a 2.90 ERA and a .225 average against, while adding 40 pounds to his 130-pound frame at the time of his signing. He has a plus fastball that has hit triple digits which he offsets with a changeup and slider. Plus, how can you not root for a guy named Rubby?

TODD FRAZIER
OF, Cincinnati Reds
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-3/220 BORN: Feb. 2, 1986
ACQUIRED: Selected in the supplemental first round (34th overall) of 2007 out of Rutgers
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Louisville May 23 during a 2-for-2 shift which saw pitchers Edinson Volquez and Jordan Smith sent down.
DEBUT: May 23 in a 10-3 loss to Philadelphia: Pinch-hitting for P Matt Maloney (who had also been called up that day), he struck out swinging in the seventh inning.
NOTES: The star of the Toms River (N.J.) Little League squad that won the 1998 Little League World Series, Frazier is the youngest of three brothers who all played for Rutgers and then in pro ball. The middle brother, Jeff, is still playing, currently with the Washington Nationals’ Triple-A Syracuse squad. Todd Frazier was the most highly-regarded of the trio and though he struggled in his first full season at Triple-A, hitting just .258 with 17 homers, 66 RBI and 14 steals at Louisville last summer, he was back in form this year, batting .293 with 11 homers and 33 RBI in just 45 games before his promotion. Along with the outfield, he is also versatile in the infield. He was up for just one day before returning to Louisville to make room for additional bullpen help but could be back soon.

CHARLES FURBUSH
LHP, Detroit Tigers
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-5/215 BORN: April 11, 1986
ACQUIRED: Selected in the fourth round of 2007 out of LSU
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Toledo May 21 when P Brad Thomas went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 23 in a 6-3 win against the Tampa Bay Rays: Coming on in relief of injured starter Phil Coke (ankle), he earned the win, tossing 3 2/3 innings of two-hit shutout ball, walking one and striking out three.
NOTES: Furbush originally began his college career at tiny Division III St. Joseph’s in his home state of Maine before transferring to baseball powerhouse LSU. Out all of 2008 following Tommy John surgery, the southpaw with the deceptive delivery landed on the Tigers’ radar — and their 40-man roster — in 2010 when he rose through three levels, finishing up at Toledo, and collecting 183 strikeouts, second in the minors. He’d already made a good enough impression at spring training to make it to the final cuts, so the club knew what it was getting. He can start or relieve, which gives them some flexibility, and coming into the promotion he was showing he was a workhorse as well, just a year after his surgery, with an International League-leading 55 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings and a 2.91 ERA in eight games, two of them starts.

JEREMY HORST
LHP, Cincinnati Reds
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-3/220 BORN: Oct. 1, 1985
ACQUIRED: Selected in the 21st round of 2007 out of Armstrong Atlantic State
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Louisville May 28 when P Daryl Thompson was sent down.
DEBUT: May 28 in a 7-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves: The second of seven pitchers, he allowed one run on two hits in 2 2/3 innings, striking out four without walking a batter. He gave up a homer to Brian McCann.
NOTES: Horst has quietly but effectively moved up as one of the most consistent pitchers in the system and really took off after a shift to the bullpen in 2010. At Louisville, he had a 1.73 ERA in 12 games in relief, striking out 23 in 26 innings while walking nine and limiting International League hitters to a .174 average. That comes after a 2010 campaign where he split time through Advanced A Lynchburg, Double-A Carolina and Louisville to combine for a 2.63 ERA in 44 games, fanning 75 in 72 innings while walking 18. He’d posted a 7-17 record in 2009 which did not reflect a perfectly fine 3.78 ERA in 28 starts, which was actually good for sixth in the organization, between then-Advanced A Sarasota and Carolina, pitching 162 innings. In 2008, splitting his time between starting and relief, he had a 2.38 ERA at Class A Dayton. Some transactions have shown Horst’s promotion to have been in tandem with P Homer Bailey going on the DL the previous day, but all indications are that it actually coincided with Thompson’s demotion., while Mike Leake’s recall paired with Bailey’s move.

YOSHINORI TATEYAMA
RHP, Texas Rangers
B/T: R/R H/W: 5-10/165 BORN: Dec. 26, 1975
ACQUIRED: Signed as a free agent from the Japanese Nippon Ham Fighters in November 2010.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Round Rock May 23 when P Cody Eppley was sent down.
DEBUT: May 24 in an 8-6 loss to the Chicago White Sox: The third of six pitchers, he allowed one hit in 2/3 of an inning, striking out one.
NOTES: At 35 years old, Tateyama became the oldest Rangers debut in history and the oldest player to make his big league debut since fellow Japanese League veteran Ken Takahashi, who was 40 when he debuted with the Mets in 2009. A side-armer with a great screwball and pinpoint control, he had a 2.14 ERA in 14 games, having walked four and fanned 26 in 21 innings for the Express prior to his callup. In four years with the Fighters, he’d posted a 3.11 ERA, mostly in relief. Four days after his debut, Tateyama notched his first big league save.

BLAKE TEKOTTE
OF, San Diego Padres
B/T: L/R H/W: 5-11/175 BORN: May 24, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the third round of 2008 out of the University of Miami
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Double-A San Antonio May 23 when OF Will Venable was sent down.
DEBUT: May 25 in a 3-1 win against St. Louis: Pinch-hitting for pitcher Mat Latos in the eighth inning, he lined out.
NOTES: Coming off of a 2010 season which he split between San Antonio (.250) and Advanced A Lake Elsinore (.310), combining for 18 homers, 64 RBI and 28 steals, Tekotte was back with the Missions to open 2011 and was hitting .291 with six homers, 24 RBI and 14 steals in 39 games before his promotion. A top-of-the-order guy who makes things happen, his defense in center field is also stellar.

ADAM WILK
LHP, Detroit Tigers
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-2/180 BORN: Dec. 9, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the 11th round of 2009 out of Long Beach State
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Toledo May 24 when P Phil Coke went on the DL.
DEBUT: May 26 in a 14-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox: The second of four pitchers, he allowed one unearned run on two hits in 3 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out four.
NOTES: It has taken a remarkably short time for WIlk to go from Long Beach State pitcher to major leaguer. After combining between short-season Oneonta and Class A West Michigan in his 2009 pro debut for a 1.47 ERA, striking out 77 while walking only seven in 73 innings, he dominated at Advanced A Lakeland in 2010 with a 3.01 ERA and 19 walks versus 100 strikeouts in 144 innings, leading the Florida State League in walks per inning. In three late-season starts at Double-A Erie, he posted a 1.14 ERA and earned the Tigers’ 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year award. At Triple-A Toledo he continued his successful ascent with a 3.86 ERA in 49 innings, walking five and striking out 32 in eight starts before his promotion. He mixes a fastball, curve, slider and plus changeup.