Eric Duncan, the Yankees’ former top prospect and first round pick back in 2003, is not panning out as expected. It’s gotten bad enough that he’s pretty well behind both Juan Miranda and Shelley Duncan just on the first base depth chart at Triple-A. Duncan was the team’s top prospect in 2005, despite batting just .235 in Double-A that year. He managed to improve his numbers at Double-A in 2006 before a promotion to Triple-A, but since the end of ‘06, he’s fallen off the radar as a top prospect in the organization. There’s still time for Duncan to get his act together. He’s just 23 and has steadily improved his Triple-A numbers. Duncan’s K rate is down this year, but the key for him will be staying healthy after a thumb injury cost him about six weeks last season. If Duncan can carve out a bigger role for himself, he could get a September call, but the chances of him landing an everyday job in the bigs seem to be fading fast.

Duncan’s teammate, Jason Lane, appears to be in no rush to get back to the Show. Discussed as someone in the mix for the Yanks’ first base job this spring, Lane is scuffling badly at Triple-A. He’s stuck in a 4-for-29 skid and is not being productive, with just 10 RBI in 20 games after driving in 41 in 50 games in Triple-A last season. If Lane can’t hit Triple-A pitching, how the hell is he supposed to prove that he still can’t hit major league pitching? At the age of 31, it’s time to consider Lane an organizational player.

Don’t expect Met farmhand Mike Nickeas to overtake Russell Martin as the best Canadian-born catcher any time soon. With Mike Mussina struggling and the Yanks forced to give prospect Ian Kennedy a trial, it will interesting to see what happens if the kid fails as well. Perhaps the Pinstripers will turn back to Chase Wright, up [...] more

Tigers prospect Brent Clevlan is being passed by thanks to his continued struggles. (Roger DeWitt) On Friday, we discussed how Virgil Vasquez got skipped over for promotion by the Tigers. Today, we’ll bring you up to speed on yet another Detroit farmhand who has been passed by. Watching Cameron Maybin go from High-A to Double-A to [...] more

Tiger farmhand Virgil Vasquez deserves another chance with the big club. I found it interesting that with the Tigers missing Andrew Miller, the team turned to youngster Jair Jurrjens instead of Virgil Vasquez to start a huge game on Wednesday against the Tribe. With first place in the AL Central on the line, you would have [...] more

Don’t throw away that autographed Reggie Abercrombie cardboard just yet; he’s earned another shot. It might be time for the Marlins to give Reggie Abercrombie another shot. After spending the season as the Fish’s fourth outfielder in 2006, Abercrombie was farmed out to Triple-A Albuquerque a couple of months ago after struggling to a 579 OPS [...] more