Trio of Prospects Having Impressive Springs

Jordan Pacheco hit a three run bomb yesterday and set the beat writers’ twitter feeds on fire. In his second major league spring training, Jordan has made quite an impression. Carney Lansford said that Pacheco “came out of the womb hitting” and added that he is ready to face big league pitchers now. So far this spring, Pacheco is hitting .500 and leading the team in RBIs. Yet, very few consider him one of the organization’s best ten prospects.

So what’s keeping him from making the team this spring? Playing time, or lack thereof. The Rox want Pacheco to receive regular at-bats and improve defensively. Though he will catch quite a bit, he will also play second, third and first for the Sky Sox.

Also making a really nice impression is Ben Paulsen. Ever since being drafted by the Rox, Paulsen has flown under the radar. He’s a sweet swinging first baseman, but his power is still developing. This spring, he’s hitting .357 with a couple of triples. He is also tied for the team lead in walks.

This year will go a long way in determining Ben’s future. If he can take the next step, he will elevate his status. His notable spring certainly bodes well.

Finally, Charlie Blackmon is showing that he is ready to play in the Bigs. Most remember his game winning home run during the Cactus League opener. He’s also added a double and three walks since that time. Defensively, Blackmon is ready. I think he would make a lot of team’s opening day rosters.

We won’t see Paulsen with the Rox in 2011; he’s still too far away. However, you can bet on Pacheco and Blackmon making their Major League debuts this year. At the very least, they will be September call ups.

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