10/19/21 : Today in Fall Instructs

Another 1 PM start today for the Intra-Squad scrimmage as we saw some excellent pitching performances this afternoon.

On the Hill

RH Mick Abel continues to dominate in his fall outings, today a perfect bottom of the first inning with two strikeouts … fastball was in the 97-99 range and he used a sharp breaking slider to punch out the second batter. Takes command on the mound, smooth delivery and is around the plate … that with wipeout stuff … very impressive.

RH Andrew Schultz pitched the opening inning and also showed upper nineties velocity once again. He walked one and gave up a single to Jamari Baylor in a scoreless performance. Andrew showed some off speed deliveries today for good form 🤓, looked like a slider.

Three Inning Stints :

RIght handers Manuel Urias, Oswald Medina & Eiberson Castellano each went three innings … Urias struggled with command, left a ton of pitches up in the zone and was hit pretty hard - it happens 🤷‍♂️… he was tagged for eight hits including four for extra bases. Baron Radcliff homered against him. The importance of instructs is to get the work in, game and/or scrimmage results aren’t the ultimate measuring stick … just sayin 🤷‍♂️

Medina pitched well yielding a run on two hits while striking out three batters. Luis Garcia went yard over the right field fence against him. Later in the game Garcia buzzed another one over the right field fence but it was just foul … I say buzzed because the line drive was smoked and sailed just a little to the right of where my wife and I were sitting … Luis could’ve knocked me out with better aim 😂😎.

Castellano gave up three hits and three walks in his work, I believe four runs scored but in these scrimmages each inning seemingly begins with base runners placed on base for situational simulation so the amounts of runs given up by each hurler is skewed.

Two Inning Stints :

We were very impressed with RH Jose Pena Jr & RH Jaydenn Estanista … each went two frames and showed terrific movement on their deliveries. We’ve already seen Pena light up the radar guns in the mid nineties at just 18 years of age but he’s also got true swing and miss stuff, according to those who know his spin rate excels. Two scoreless and hitless innings today yielding only a walk while striking out two batters.

Estanista ( 20 yrs old ) tossed two perfect innings with one strikeout. His deliveries appeared to have great side to side action and had batters lunging and off balance. He got three ground ball outs and one fly out. We need to see more of this young hurler, no radar reads on him but we could hear the mitt pop from our right field line viewing station.

At the Plate :

Freylin Minyety, Ethan Wilson and Micah Yonamine each had two hits … Yonamine doubled on one of his knocks.

Luis Garcia, as previously stated homered and just missed on another. He also made another very good fielding play at shortstop. He’s had a very good camp from this observer’s view.

Baron Radcliff homered over the right field fence.

Randy Vasquez, Jadiel Sanchez & Nick Matera each doubled.

Chris Burke, Johan Rojas, Marcus Lee Sang & Jamari Baylor each singled.

Defense :

Second baseman Jamari Baylor made a strong relay throw from the right field line to nail Randy Vasquez at third base attempting to stretch his hit into a triple. Right fielder Baron Radcliff was quick to the ball to field the hard hit grounder down the line and set up Baylor with a good toss, Jamari actually bobbled the throw but then threw a dart to nail the runner.

Best Bat Sling of Camp :

Yesterday Jared Carr lost grip on his bat and it went sailing over the first base bench into the meal tent area set up in the complex entryway. A classic bat toss … poor Jared had to go retrieve it to conclude his AB.

Till tomorrow at 11 AM when scrimmage ensues that’s a wrap !

Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️

Jose Pena Jr - file photo by Mark Wylie