Sweeney headed back to Rookie ball

Kellen Sweeney is headed back to Rookie ball.

The Toronto Blue Jays have sent the former Cedar Rapids Jefferson from the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League to minor league extended spring training. From there, he'll be assigned to another club in the Blue Jays' farm system, likely Bluefield of the Appalachian League.

Sweeney, 20, struggled in low-Class A, hitting .179 in 43 games at Lansing. Just three of the third baseman's 25 hits were for extra bases: two doubles and a triple.

He also had 12 RBIs. Sweeney was a second-round pick of the Blue Jays in the 2010 MLB draft. He played in only nine games last season at Bluefield because of a hand/wrist injury.

Another Blue Jays prospect, Derrick Loveless of Solon, already is in extended spring training and is expected to be assigned to the Gulf Coast League Jays, also Rookie ball but considered a step below the Appalachian League.

Former Cedar Rapids Prairie prep Scott Schebler was hitting .251 in 52 games for Great Lakes of the Midwest League going into Friday. He had 14 doubles, a league-high six triples, three home runs and 28 RBIs.

Former West Delaware prep B.J. Hermsen is having a brilliant season in the Minnesota Twins farm system. The right-handed pitcher is a combined 4-1 with a 2.03 earned run average in stops at high-Class A Fort Myers and Double-A New Britain.

He threw 8 2/3 innings (allowing two runs) in a win Wednesday night against New Hampshire.