This week’s set of debuts is one man shorter than I’d hoped it would be, as the New York Yankees optioned right-hander Hector Noesi to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on April 22 to make room for reliever Buddy Carlyle. That in itself might not be a transaction that earns headlines, but Noesi had been sitting in the Yankees’ bullpen waiting to make his big league debut since APRIL 13. In the end, he was sent down in favor of Carlyle because the Yankees needed someone who had pitched more recently. Um, okay then. At least I hope Noesi enjoyed his unusual taste of the big leagues, got a nice suit or two and had a few great meals. He’ll be back and I’ll save the notes I had on him for when he finally DOES make that debut.

In the meantime, we have these four new players to look at:

LOUIS COLEMAN
RHP, Kansas City Royals
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-4/200 BORN: April 4, 1986
ACQUIRED: Selected in the fifth round of 2009 out of Louisiana State
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Omaha April 21 when P Kanekoa Texeira was sent down.
DEBUT: April 21 in a 3-2 win against Baltimore: The second of three pitchers, he allowed two hits in two scoreless innings, walking one and striking out one.
NOTES: Coleman became the fourth reliever to make his big league debut out of the Royals bullpen in the three weeks since opening day, following in the footsteps of Tim Collins, Aaron Crow and Nathan Adcock. Listed as the top right-handed relief prospect in the system by Baseball America and coming in at No. 19 overall on their Royals’ prospect list, his deceptive cross-body delivery has resulted in tremendous success on the mound in his two-plus pro seasons. Between Class A Burlington and Wilmington in 2009 and Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha in 2010, he brought a 2.06 ERA and .181 average against into the ’11 season and in his six outings prior to his promotion this spring had fanned 16 batters in seven innings at Omaha.

CODY EPPLEY
RHP, Texas Rangers
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-5/205 BORN: Oct. 8, 1985
ACQUIRED: Selected in the 43rd round of 2008 out of Virginia Commonwealth
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Round Rock April 23 when closer Neftali Feliz went on the DL.
DEBUT: April 23 in a 3-1 win against the Royals: The second of three pitchers, he allowed two hits in two scoreless innings, striking out one. Of eight batters faced, he threw first-pitch strikes to seven.
NOTES: Eppley seemingly came out of nowhere to zoom to the big leagues. After posting a 2.93 ERA at Class A Hickory in 2009, striking out 76 while walking just six in 68 innings, he moved through three levels in 2010, all the way to the Rangers’ then-Triple-A outpost at Oklahoma City, and over three combined seasons had posted a 2.51 ERA and .221 average against, all in relief. At Round Rock before his call up he was 1-0 in six games and had yet to allow a run in 8 1/3 innings, striking out nine with three saves and a .194 average against. His control is his ticket.

CARLOS PEGUERO
OF, Seattle Mariners
B/T: L/L H/W: 6-5/245 BORN: Feb. 22, 1987
ACQUIRED: Signed as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic Jan. 20, 2005
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Tacoma April 19 when 1B/OF Justin Smoak went on the bereavement list
DEBUT: April 19 in a 13-3 loss to Detroit: A late-inning defensive replacement in the outfield for Ichiro Suzuki, he did not bat. On April 20, started in left field in a 3-2 loss to Detroit and batted seventh, going 0-for-4.
NOTES: One of the Mariners’ top power prospects, Peguero was hitting .311 with two homers and seven RBI in 12 games at Tacoma when recalled. He’d put up some big numbers over his steady climb through the ranks, with 23 homers and 73 RBI in 2010 at Double-A West Tenn and 31 homers and 98 RBI at Advanced A High Desert in 2009 but still is working on consistency at the plate (his 178 strikeouts last summer led all of Double-A) as well as his defense. If he can continue to make strides in these areas, he could emerge as a force to be reckoned with for that pure pop. For now, though, he’ll work on it back at Tacoma as he was sent back on Sunday when Smoak returned to the club.

JERRY SANDS
OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-4/225  BORN: Sept. 28, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the 25th round of 2008 out of Catawba (N.C.) College
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Albuquerque April 18 when OF Xavier Paul was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: April 18 in a 4-2 against Atlanta: The starting left fielder, he batted seventh and went 1-for-3 with an RBI, doubling off of Tim Hudson in his first big-league at-bat.
NOTES: One of the fastest movers in the organization, Sands zoomed from a No. 25 spot on Baseball America’s Dodgers Top 30 prospect list in 2010 to No. 6 in 2011 and earned the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year honors for ’10 as he combined between Class A Great Lakes and Double-A Chattanooga to hit .301 with 35 homers, 98 RBI, 28 doubles and 18 steals. A .290 hitting in three seasons coming into 2011, he was tearing it up as well at Triple-A Albuquerque batting .400 with five homers and 17 RBI in just 10 games before his inevitable promotion. He set all sorts of school records during his time at Division II Catawba.