Brian Broderick (photo courtesy Cortesía)

HOT

Carlos Rivero (’13) led the Venezuelan Winter League with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs while posting an impressive .282/.362/.554 slash line. Unfortunately for the third baseman, it wasn’t enough to pull his Cardenelas de Lara team into the playoffs.

By the results, it appears Luis Atilano (’08-’09, ’11) has put his injury issues behind him. The right-hander led the Puerto Rican League with seven wins (against zero losses) in 19 games as reliever over 26.1 innings.

Brian Broderick (’12-’13) continued his bounce-back season with a 3-1 record and 16 Saves for Charros de Jalisco of the Mexican Pacific League. Broderick allowed only two earned runs over 26.1 innings and not a single home run (after conceding seven in seven starts with Harrisburg in 2013).

Although he played only the first half of the Dominican season, Tyler Moore (’11) slashed .299/.429/.584 with ten extra-base hits and 18 base on balls. Hopefully Moore will use his strong campaign as a springboard to what is proably a make or break spring training with the Nationals.

After being named the Venezuelan Winter League Reliever of the Year last season, Hassan Pena (’10-’11) is looking to repeat the honor this year. The Cuban defector led the league with 19 saves, held opponents to a .193 batting average, and struck out 32 batters in 32.1 innings.

NOT

Eury Perez (’12) batted a paltry .194 for the last-place Leones del Escogido club of the Dominican Winter League. The centerfielder hit .056 with runners in scoring position, didn’t draw a walk in 93 plate appearances, and was caught stealing in his only two attempts.

Sandy Leon‘s offensive apex in 2012 appears to be more and more of an anomoly as the catcher has continued to struggle at the plate each season since. Leon (’12-’13) labored to .211/.290/.320 in 46 games for Aguilas de Zulia.

Kevin Pucetas (’12) lasted only three starts with Gigantes del Cibao in the D.R. as the knuckleballer got knocked around for eight runs on 14 hits in 9.1 innings. The poor outings can’t help his stock as a minor league free agent.

One of Pucetas’ teammates with Gigantes, Zach Kroenke (’14), didn’t fare much better as the southpaw went 2-2 with a 5.63 ERA in five games. Opponents (predominantly right-handed batters) hit .375 against the Nebraska native over 16 innings.

Outfielder Edgardo Baez (’08-’10) has scuffled to a .189 batting average and .573 OPS over 24 games for the Criollos de Caguas in Puerto Rico. Worse yet, as the squad enters the playoffs Baez has hit only .088 in his last ten games.