May 16, 2012

Future Shock Blog

Minor League Update: Games of May 15

by Kevin Goldstein

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Visalia 26, High Desert 11 (High-A California League).

I could list all sorts of line from this game, but one almost wants to act like it didn't count. High Desert is crazy enough, but with winds officially at 20 mph and increasing to over 30 mph during the game according to Kyle Glaser of Victorville Daily Press, conditions were right for this kind of insanity. Some fun facts:

• Visalia led 22-5 after FOUR innings, scoring two in the first, five in the second, eight in the third and seven in the fourth.
• The combined pitching line for the three High Desert arms over that period: 4 IP, 25 H, 22 R, 2 BB, 4 K.
• Offensively the two teams went 50-for-107 with ten doubles, three triples, and six home runs.
• Beyond the 50 hits, the game also featured five walks and six errors, yet somehow all of this was done in a swift three hours and 22 minutes.

Others Of Note:

• Jeremy Barfield, OF, Athletics (Double-A Midland): 3-for-3, 2 R, BB. 10-for-19 in last five games and .320/.360/.504 in 33 on the season; change in swing mechanics paying off.
• Dellin Betances, RHP, Yankees (Triple-A Empire State): 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 6 BB, 7 K. The best word at this point is inconsistent; 104 pitches, 50 strikes.
• Jorge Bonifacio, OF, Royals (Low-A Kane County): 4-for-5, 2B, 3 R. Hitting .329/.406/.445 in 37 games and plenty of reasons to think there will be power down the road.
• Corey Brown, OF, Nationals (Triple-A Syracuse): 2-for-4, HR (7), 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K. Three home runs in last four games and combines power with patience and good defense; .281/.400/.500 in 39 games.
• Nick Castellanos, 3B, Tigers (High-A Lakeland): 3-for-5, 2 R, RBI, K. Back over .400 and this is 143 at-bats we're talking about; .406/.453/.552 in 36 games.
• Garin Cecchini, 3B, Red Sox (Low-A Greenville): 3-for-5, HR (1), 2 R, RBI, 2 SB. Hitting .347 in May and .298/.366/.427 overall, but the most shocking part of the line is the 14 stolen bases.
• Tyler Cloyd, RHP, Phillies (Triple-A Lehigh Valley): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K. Not a ton of stuff, but great location and ability to change speeds; 0.69 ERA in four Triple-A starts with 12 hits allowed over 26 innings.
• Gerardo Concepcion, LHP, Cubs (Low-A Peoria): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K. First good start lowers ERA to 8.10. Commanding an upper 80s fastball very well.
• Matt Davidson, 3B, Diamondbacks (Double-A Mobile): 2-for-4, HR (9), R, RBI, K. Four home runs in last five games and .317/.431/.590 overall; all that while showing defensive improvements as well.
• Corey Dickerson, OF, Rockies (High-A Modesto): 2-for-3, HR (7), 2 R, RBI, BB, K. Fifth straight two-hit game while adding three doubles, a triple and three home runs in the process; .363/.415/.650 overall.
• Grant Green, OF, Athletics (Triple-A Sacramento): 2-for-2, R, 3 RBI, 2 BB. 15-for-34 (.441) in last nine games and up to .294/.333/.456 overall; playing both center and left field and needs to stay up the middle to have star value.
• Billy Hamilton, SS, Reds (High-A Bakersfield): 0-for-2, BB, K, CS; 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, K. With a pair of caught stealings in the past two days he's down to averaging one stolen base per game (35 in 35); .345/.413/.521 overall.
• Jose Iglesias, SS, Red Sox (Triple-A Pawtucket): 3-for-5, HR (1), 2 R, 2 RBI, K. Hitting .388 (19-for-49) in last 12 games and .262/.322/.315 overall; defense remains other-worldly.
• Corban Joseph, 2B, Yankees (Double-A Trenton): 3-for-5, 2B, HR (1), R, 3 RBI. Hitting .344 in eight games since late start to season; scouts believe in the bat.
• Junior Lake, SS/3B, Cubs (Double-A Tennessee): 3-for-5, 2B, R, 3 RBI, K. On base 19 times in his first nine games; .344/.475/.594 overall.
• Francisco Lindor, SS, Indians (Low-A Lake County): 2-for-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB, K. Earned his first intentional walk of the year during his fourth straight multi-hit game; .319/.368/.486 overall with just four errors.
• Shelby Miller, RHP, Cardinals (Triple-A Memphis): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K. Best Triple-A start in eight outings; 3.79 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 40.1 innings.
• Telvin Nash, OF, Astros (High-A Lancaster): 3-for-4, HR (12), R, 3 RBI, K. Huge power, huge strikeout rate, and hitting .244/.315/.573 in 34 games.
• Jurickson Profar, SS, Rangers (Double-A Frisco): 3-for-5, R, RBI, SB. Second three-hit game during the streak; .291/.341/.500 overall.
• Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, Red Sox (Double-A Portland): 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 2 K. Season debut.
• Ben Revere, OF, Twins (Triple-A Rochester): 3-for-5, CS. Hitting .373 in 15 May games and deserves another shot.
• Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs (Triple-A Iowa): 3-for-4, 3B, HR (13), R, 2 RBI, K. Six home runs in last eight games and up to .359/.420/.704 overall; it's getting close to the time for the Cubs to find a way to get him in the lineup.
• Trevor Rosenthal, RHP, Cardinals (Double-A Springfied): 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 3 BB, 4 K. Two-level jump to Texas League has not slowed him down; .199 opponents average and 39 Ks in 41 innings.
• Josh Sale, OF, Rays (Low-A Bowling Green): 1-for-2, HR (3), R, RBI, 2 BB, K. A potential great story in the system if 2010 first-round has really turned it around; .318/.500/.773 in nine games.
• Matt Skole, 3B, Nationals (Low-A Hagerstown): 4-for-4, 2B, 2 HR (8), 4 R, 5 RBI, BB, SB. College product belongs at higher level; .302/.448/.569 in 34 games.

Kevin Goldstein is an author of Baseball Prospectus. 
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