17-year-old Martin Estelion Peguero (now going by Martin, apparently) was ranked as high as #4 on some prospect lists as a record-setting Dominican bonus baby. For undisclosed reasons, his bonus was later sharply reduced. He went 0-for-4 in his debut in rookie ball, but -- he was hit by a pitch and then stole second and third, so he has 2 SB after one game. Peguero played SS.
17-year-old Phillips Castillo is another bonus baby, and even younger (born in February of 1994) ripped off 3 hits, including 2 doubles. A very promising start. Castillo was in LF.
Then there's Jochi Ogando, who is barely 18 but listed at 6-5, 210. From the same scouts that brought us Michael Pineda, so let's hope they know what to look for in huge righthanders. Ogando went 2.0 IP with 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K in his stateside debut. Like Pineda, he pitched in the Dominican Summer League at 17, but he did not show anything close to the command that Pineda has always had.
18-year-old Guillermo Pimentel will have his 2011 debut tonight at Pulaski. Pimentel was last year's 17-year-old sensation, with a .451 SLG and 6 triples in 51 games, but it's best not to mention his eye ratio (OK, I will: 5 BB/58 K, ouch) -- there is a lot of upside however.
Finally, I touted 19-year-old Jordan Shipers making his Everett debut (2010 draftee bought out of a college commitment with an $800K bonus), but he was not sharp, giving up 7 H and 6 ER in 3.2 IP, but he did have 5 K. Everett is an aggressive assignment for teenagers, the success of Taijuan Walker one level higher notwithstanding.
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