Minor League Recap: Games of June 25, 2014

AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks: Off Night

The PCL AAA All-Star Game is July 16, by the way. Just filling space...

AA Corpus Christi Hooks: 7-4 win over Springfield (STL)

-> Leonardo Heras: 2-for-4, BB, R, 2 SB, 2 RBI
-> Ruben Sosa: 2-for-5, 3B, R, 2 SB, 2 RBI
-> Andrew Aplin: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB, 2 SB
-> Delino DeShields: 1-for-4, BB, SB, RBI
-> Tony Kemp: 1-for-4, BB, 2B, R
-> Jiovanni Mier: 1-for-5, 2B, R
-> Rene Garcia: 1-for-5, RBI
-> Jonathan Meyer: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB
-> Telvin Nash: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB

SP David Rollins: 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RP Travis Ballew: 0.1 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 0 K
RP Brady Rodgers: 3.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K (win)
RP Tyson Perez: 1.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 K (save)

Tony Kemp has a .900 OPS in AA, call 'em up amirite!?

Heras is slowly working his way back to respectability. He's hitting .345/.441/.655 over his last ten games, with a double, a triple and two bombs, and just four strikeouts. On the season, he's certainly flashed a solid package of tools; he has four doubles, five triples and three homers on the year out of 38 hits, meaning 31.6% of his hits have been extra-base ones. He's also 10-for-13 in steal attempts, and has whiffed just 35 times in 55 games while walking 28 times. If he heats up, we could see his stock really take off. Between him and Amador, he was always the guy with the real upside; it would sure be nice to see him put himself in the conversation as a real corner OF prospect.

Aplin is filling in nicely for Fontana, in that he's walking a ton and not doing much else. Well, actually, he runs too (6-for-6 in SB in his last ten games), so that's not fair. Still, he has more walks than strikeouts. His strike out rate is so low, his BAbip is normal, but he doesn't hit for average. I'm not sure what to make of him. Really like the tool package though, always been a sucker for the patient, reasonably-to-very speedy lead off types.

Rollins hasn't allowed more than two runs since May 23. On the year, he owns a 2.57 ERA, 2.14 BB/9 and 9.00 K/9. I will say that he's allowed just one homer all season in 42 innings, and considering that he's not a huge ground ball guy, don't be surprised to see some regression there at some point, though he's pitching well enough that I don't think it will blow him up or anything.

Two straight games with just one run allowed for Rodgers after a five-earned speed bump back on June 14. He still hasn't walked more than one batter in any of his games this year, and has 11 total in 71 innings (1.39 BB/9).

A+ Lancaster JetHawks: 10-2 loss to Stockton (OAK)

-> Chan Moon: 2-for-4
-> Rio Ruiz: 1-for-2, R, 2 BB
-> Conrad Gregor: 1-for-3, BB, solo HR
-> Jobduan Morales: 1-for-3, RBI
-> Tanner Mathis: 1-for-4
-> Danry Vasquez: 0-for-3, BB
-> Jack Mayfield: 0-for-3, BB

SP Kent Emanuel: 5.1 IP, 9 ER, 10 H, 3 BB, 4 K (loss)
RP Patrick Christensen: 3.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Lancaster has lost four straight games since losing Captain Correa to that heinous booby trap Lake Elsinore set up at third base. But it's still June, and justice will yet prevail!

Only three games for Moon so far, but he has a .444 OBP in them so far. Hopefully he can help fill the gap left by Kemp at the top of the lineup.

Gregor continues to be smoking hot. That's six homers post-promotion, though this one was pulled to right field in Lancaster, and according to the box, there was a 26 MPH wind blowing out that direction. So, maybe this one is less encouraging. He did line out to the 3B the other way though, so he did hit the ball hard at least once.

A- Quad Cities River Bandits: 4-3 win over Clinton (SEA)

-> Brett Phillips: 3-for-5, RBI, R, 2 SB
-> Thomas Lindauer: 2-for-4, 2B
-> Chase McDonald: 1-for-3, BB, HR, R, 2 RBI
-> Jon Kemmer: 1-for-3, 2 BB
-> Brian Holberton: 1-for-4, BB
-> Brett Booth: 1-for-5, 2B, RBI
-> Ronnie Mitchell: 1-for-5
-> Tyler White: 0-for-4, BB
-> Jose Fernandez: 0-for-5, BB
-> Marc Wik: 1-for-1, 2B, R (pinch-hitter)
-> James Ramsay: 0-for-2, R (pinch-hitter)

SP Jandel Gustave: 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 4 K
RP Tyler Brunnemann: 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K
RP Frederick Tiburcio: 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 6 K (win)

Yeah, count up the IP there; a 12 inning ball game. Down 3-0, QC pushed a pair of runs across in the sixth inning and another in the eighth, then the winning run in the top of the 12th. From Gustave's last inning in the fifth, the three pitchers tossed eight straight goose eggs up on the board to lock things down.

Naturally, Brunnemann played a large role in that. What did you expect from our future closer!? 1.56 ERA, 2.34 BB/9 and 9.09 K/9 for the Texas native now.

Brett Phillips continues to be the best prospect on the roster, and his breakout season continues to get more impressive. He's hitting .400/.432/.575 over his last ten games, with two doubles, a triple, a homer, four steals and just four strikeouts in more than 40 plate appearances. His splits are quite impressive as well; as a left-handed hitter, he's hitting southpaws virtually just as well as righties (.850 OPS vs. LHP, .856 OPS vs. RHP).

The results aren't always special, but Gustave continues to make solid progress, and his control improvements encouragingly continue to hold up. He owns a decent 3.94 ERA on the season, with a 2.28 BB/9 and 8.34 K/9.

SS Tri-City ValleyCats: 8-4 loss to Lowell (BOS)

-> Ariel Ovando: 2-for-4, 2B, R
-> Mott Hyde: 2-for-4, R
-> Alex Hernandez: 2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI
-> Jamie Ritchie: 1-for-2, BB, SB, RBI, R
-> Ryan Bottger: 1-for-3, R
-> Bobby Boyd: 1-for-5, 2B
-> A.J. Reed: 1-for-5
-> J.D. Davis: 1-for-5

SP Blaine Sims: 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K
RP Raul Rivera: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K (hold)
RP Luis Ordosgoitti: 2.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K (blown save, loss)

Another solid, if unspectacular, outing from our new knuckleballer Sims. At 4.09 BB/9, his control has been not horrific, which is sort of a compliment!

Ovando is still hitting. 12 games really still isn't enough to get too excited about it, but how nice would it be if he finally figures something out and becomes a real prospect again? He's hitting .343/.395/.429 with a reasonable six strike outs in his last ten games.

Debut game for the switch-hitting Bottger, our 12th round pick from this year and...I think one of Anthony Boyer's "Very Luhnow" guys. I think. Maybe. I'm insane, I can't remember.

Still waiting for Reed's power to show up; he hasn't hit a homer yet. He's also struck out four times in his last three games. Off to a bit slower of a start than we were hoping, for sure.

RK Greeneville Astros: 9-5 win over Danville (ATL)

-> Dayne Parker: 4-for-5, 2 R
-> Juan Santana: 4-for-6, 2B, R, 3 RBI
-> Sean McMullen: 3-for-5, R, 2 RBI
-> Ydarqui Marte: 3-for-5, 2 R
-> Trent Woodward: 1-for-3, RBI
-> Jason Martin: 1-for-5, BB, 2B, SB, RBI, 3 R
-> Conner Goedert: 1-for-5
-> Jacob Nottingham: 0-for-3, BB, RBI

SP Reymin Guduan: 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K
RP Keegan Yuhl: 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 K
RP Aaron Greenwood: 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K (win)
RP Krishawn Holley: 1.0 IP, 3 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Jason Martin hasn't come screaming out of the gate, but he's definitely flashing his tools. He has three doubles, a triple, four walks and two steals in just seven games so far. He's also struck out a reasonable amount (five times) despite being very young. He won't be turning nineteen until September 5.

30th round pick McMullen is off to a hot start; he's hitting .462/.481/.462 in six games, though one walk and eight strikeouts doesn't scream future success if he keeps that up. International signing Marte now has four straight multi-hit games, with 11 hits during that stretch. That's good for a very-early 1.321 OPS in five games.

DSL Astros Blue: 6-0 loss to DSL Indians

-> Connor MacDonald: 2-for-3, BB
-> Wander Franco: 2-for-5, 2B
-> Nestor Tejada: 1-for-2, 2 BB
-> Marcos Almonte: 1-for-4, BB, SB
-> Jose Benjamin: 0-for-3, BB
-> Jonathan Matute: 0-for-4, BB
-> Edgar Lorenzo: 0-for-4, SB

SP Jose Rosario: 4.0 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K (loss)
RP Carlos Hiraldo: 2.0 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K
RP Carlos Sanabria: 3.0 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K

DSL Astros Orange: 3-0 win over DSL Blue Jays

-> Andy Pineda: 2-for-4, 2B
-> Cristopher Luciano: 1-for-3, BB, 2B
-> Frankeny Fernandez: 1-for-3, BB, RBI
-> Rodrigo Ayarza: 1-for-3, BB, RBI
-> Gabriel Bracamonte: 0-for-3, BB, R
-> Bryan De La Cruz: 0-for-3, BB, R
-> Jesus Bermejo: 0-for-3, BB, R
-> Wilson Amador: 0-for-3, RBI

SP Osman Gutierrez: 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K
RP Wilfri Aleton: 0.0 IP, 2 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 0 K (loss)
RP Jairo Rosario: 0.1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
RP Pedro Diaz: 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K

Tomorrow's Scheduled Starters

AAA: Michael Foltynewicz vs. Clayton Mortensen
AA: Jordan Jankowski vs. Mike Mayers
A+: TBD vs. Colin Rea
A-: Michael Feliz vs. Lars Huijer
SS: Troy Scribner vs. Randy Perez
RK: Gerardo Juarez vs. Daniel Cordero