Report: A Handful Of Injured Prospects Close To Returning

Chad Jennings of LoHud put together one of his classic prospect update posts yesterday, and you didn't have to sift through it very long to find the best bits of news.  According to Mark Newman, DL-stricken prospects Slade Heathcott, Tyler Austin, Bryan Mitchell, and Dan Burawa are all "about a week away" from being activated and returning to game action.

You'll remember that Heathcott has yet to play at all this season as he's been rehabbing from offseason knee surgery.  Austin has been out with a groin strain for a few weeks, Mitchell with a sore elbow, and Burawa with an oblique strain.  Greg Bird was activated earlier this week and assigned to High-A Tampa, so the rest of this crew following him back into action would be a nice boost to a prospect crop that's had another uneven start to the year.

Newman also told Jennings that 2012 1st rounder Ty Hensley has been throwing bullpen sessions at the Tampa complex and should start facing hitters next week.  Getting him ready in time for the start of the short season leagues would be great.  Dude has missed a lot of time.