Bio: Out of Sterling High School, in Baytown, Tex., New York took Marshall with its sixth-round selection in 2009. He stands six feet tall and checks in at just less than 200 pounds. He uses a hard, heavy fastball to get his outs, with a good majority chunk of those outs coming on the ground. 

2011: That Marshall had an ERA of 3.78 -- the eighth best in the organization -- is something of a miracle, considering how badly he pitched in April, when he allowed 21 earned runs (23 runs overall) in 21 innings.

After the calendar changed, a switch flipped, and Marshall began to pitch like a prospect again.

From May 1 until the end of the season, the 21-year-old (he'll turn 22 on Thursday), he went 8-4 with a 2.87 ERA, allowed 116 hits in 119 1/3 innings, struck out 100 hitters against 40 walks, got grounders at a nearly 2-to-1 ratio, and held the opposition to a .264 ERA.

What's Next: Marshall is an almost certain lock for the Thunder's Opening Day rotation, and he'll more than likely spend most of the year with the team. 

The Yankees' minor leaguers are squaring off against the Blue Jays' minor leaguers today. The upper levels are playing in Tampa, and the lower levels are heading to Dunedin. Here's how each level will line up.

SCRANTON

Krum  - DH

Kruml - CF

Russo - 2B 

Brewer - RF

Pena - DH

Mack - LF

Mahoney - 1B

Stevenson - 3B

McCoy - C

Romanski - P (1-2)

Nuno - P (3-4)

Gil - P (5-6)

Flannery - P (7-8)

Hinojosa  - P (9)

Arrebato - Backup

Notes: Corban Joseph will enter the game at third base in the seventh inning, at which point Stevenson will move to first base. Kevin Mahoney will move to left field at that point. Dan Brewer will become a DH in the sixth. Pena will take Brewer's spot in right, and Mack will move to center field. 

TRENTON 

A. Almonte - CF

Mustelier - DH

Adams - 2B

Higashioka - C

Johnson - LF

Mattingly - DH

Brown - RF

Ibarra - SS

Lassiter - 3B

Taveras - 1B

Perez - P (1-2)

Rodriguez - P (3-4)

Allen - P (5-6)

Varce - P (7-8)

Castillo - P (9)

Black - Backup

Notes: Mustelier will move to third base in the seventh inning. Mitch Abeita will take his spot at DH. Also in the seventh inning, Exicardo Cayones will move to center field. From the eighth inning on, Jeff Farnham will catch, Jose Pirela will play second, and Jose Rosario will play shortstop. 

TAMPA

Williams - DH

Flores - LF

Calderon - RF

Valera - 1B

Sanchez - C

Sosa - CF

Mojica - SS

Anderson - 2B

Kuo - 3B

Blaser - C

O'Brien - P (1-2)

Reyes - P (3-4)

Hebert - P (5-6)

Acevedo - P (7-8)

Paullus - P (9)

Brebbia - Backup

Notes: In the sixth inning, Valera will move to catcher, Kyle Roller will step in at first, Zach Wilson will come in to play third, Kuo will move to second, and David Remedios will assume a DH's role. In the seventh inning, Williams will move to center field, Sosa will shift to DH, and Justin James will slide into right field. 

CHARLESTON

Feliz - SS

Gumbs - 2B

Bird - 1B

Bichette - 3B

Nunez - DH

DeLeon - RF

Duran - DH

Arcia - C

Lopez - LF

Cave - CF

Oliver - P (1-2)

Morton - P (3-4)

DeLuca - P (5-6)

Vinas - P (7-8)

Martinez - P (9)

Isabel - Backup 

Notes: In the seventh, Eduardo de Oleo will come in at catcher, Wes Wilson will head to left field, and Ben Gamel will play right field. Lopez will slide to center, Duran will move to first, and Bird will take on DHing duties. 

Photo from NY Times

Bio: The Yankees' 11th-round selection from 2011 started his college ball at Longwood University, where he began his career thinking his future was as a hitter. Things changed, however, and now he looks like he's on the fast track to the major league bullpen. For more on his transition, read this interview I did with him earlier in the winter.

2011: After signing, Montgomery spent the rest of the season between Staten Island and Charleston, and absolutely dominated. After fanning five hitters in his Low-A debut, he finished the year with an average between the levels of nearly 17 strikeouts per nine. He has a low-90s heater and a devastating slider that has drawn excellent reviews this spring.

What's Next: It's not certain, but there's a good chance that Montgomery begins the year in Trenton's bullpen. If he does, there's also a decent chance he might not stay there for very long. 

Photo from Andy in Sunny DB

Bio: Hard to come up with much of anything here, but here's what I do know: He's a 27-year-old Cuban defector whom the Baseball Reference bullpen refers to as "Ronnier Mustelier Bell." He left Cuba following a .281/.405/.421 season over 88 games. 

2011: The Yankees signed him on June 7 and sent him to the Gulf Coast League for starters. He hit .500 there over 10 games before moving up to the Florida State League. With, Mustelier continued his torrid ways. He hit .333/.378/.524, with a third of his 42 hits going of extra bases. 

More interestingly, Mustelier played at games at second, third, right field, center field and left field, where he saw the majority of his playing time.

Outlook for 2012: Thunder manager Tony Franklin often points out that he loves versatile players who can hold their own all over the diamond. If Mustelier can do that AND handle the lumber, then he'll work out just fine in the Eastern League. 

(Trenton, NJ) The Trenton Thunder, the Double A affiliate of the New York Yankees, will host a free event prior to Opening Night, the "Welcome North Fan Fest", on Tuesday, April 3 from 3:00 PM to 7:30 PM.

 

"We're excited to continue the tradition of welcoming the new Thunder team to Trenton and giving fans a chance to meet the players before the season," said Thunder General Manager Will Smith.

 

At 3:00 PM, Waterfront Park gates will open and fans will be able to view the team's first practice of the year in Trenton and take tours of Waterfront Park.  From approximately 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM fans will have the opportunity to meet this year's team and seek autographs. Waterfront Park concession stands will be open throughout the event and there will be prize raffles.  This is a rain or shine event.

Members of the Thunder's 90% Club, a group of season ticket holders who attended at least 90% of the team's games last year, will have a special reception in the Yankee Club and Conference Center from 5:00 PM until 7:30 PM. The reception will feature a buffet dinner and an approximately 45 minute exclusive "meet and greet" with Thunder team members.

WELCOME NORTH FAN FEST

WHEN: Tuesday, April 3, 2012 (3:00 PM - 7:30 PM)
WHO: Open to Media, Sponsors, Season Ticket Holders and General Public
  Waterfront Park Gates Open For Fans: 3:00 PM
Stadium Tours: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Team Practice:  3:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Player Autograph Session:  5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Players visit 90% Club In Yankee Club (private):  6:30 PM - 7:15 PM
Ballpark Closes:  7:30 PM

Times are appoximate and may change.  

The 2012 Trenton Thunder season will begin on Thursday, April 5 at home against New Hampshire (Toronto).   All Trenton Thunder tickets are all on sale now at trentonthunder.com.  All Thunder games can be heard at 91.3 FM and online at trentonthunder.com

Bio: The Yankees' 14th-round selection from 2009 had a painful time before entering pro ball. He suffered a cracked vertebra and went through a torn ACL in college before signing with the Yankees. His brother, Davis, is in the farm system for the Texas Rangers. 

2011: After a mostly healthy pro career, the injury bug bit Stoneburner again last season. He missed about three months with a nagging neck injury and wound up pitching just 91 1/3 innings all year, 58 1/3 of which came with Trenton.

What's Next: With the Empire State Yankees' rotation stocked, Stoneburner is destined to return to Trenton to try to pick up the pieces from a lost season. 

Bad news from Newsday's Erik Boland, who reports that Dan Burawa, one of the Yankees' high-end relief prospects who was slated to start the year at Trenton, has a torn oblique muscle. Boland also reports that the recovery time for such an injury is two months, minimum. 

Given how cautious the Yankees are with their prospects, I'd look more toward June or the EL All-Star break. Terrible break for one of the organization's rising stars. Over the past year, scouts I'd spoken to had referred to   Burawa as a potential eighth-inning reliever or even a future closer. One went so far as to comp him to Seattle's Brandon League.

Here's a link to a feature I wrote about Burawa last spring.