Minors Notes, 4/21

Scranton defeats Syracuse, 8-2

• Eduardo Nunez was 2 for 4 for the Yankees, walking twice, and raising his average on the season to .380.  Nunez has faced high expectations since putting up a .313/.365/.427 line as an 18 year-old in Staten Island in 2005.  Since then, he has largely underachieved, and it wasn’t until his 2009 season (.322/.340/.433 in Trenton) that he began to look like a real prospect again.  With bonus baby Carmen Angelini’s struggles in low-A and Ramiro Pena’s offensive deficiencies, Nunez may be the best internal possibility as a successor to Derek Jeter.  Nunez has struggled defensively in the past, making 33 errors last season in Trenton.  With a strong 2010 season, Nunez could replace Pena as the Yankees’ utilityman (assuming his defense improves), and when Jeter eventually rides off into the sunset (or switches positions), Nunez may be the one with the unenviable task of replacing a legend.  At 23, he still has time to improve on both sides of the ball.

Trenton defeats New Hampshire, 13-3

• 2b David Adams has gotten off to a hot start for the Thunder, going 2 for 3 tonight with his 2nd homer of the season and 3 walks, for a .388/.455/.633 line thus far.  Adams has been solid but not overly impressive throughout his minor league career.  As a 3rd-round pick out of UVA (and a possible supplemental-round guy prior to a subpar junior season), expectations were that the polished Adams would tear up the lower levels of the minors.  This did not exactly happen, though an .816 OPS with 40 doubles is quite respectable for a middle infield prospect.  If Adams’ hitting ability and power can take a step forward at AA (as it has so far) and he is able to maintain his patient approach, he could establish himself as one of the top 2nd base prospects in the minors.  With Robinson Canó entrenched at that postion in the Bronx, Adams could be trade bait unless he is able to switch to another position, such as the outfield.

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