Each Monday this year for the Phillies minor league full season affiliates is a scheduled off day. They get to re-charge from a six day run of games before starting on another stretch the next day.
Here’s a review of the past week with a spot light on players from each team who had good, even great numbers and performances.
Lehigh Valley ( Overall Record 21-27, 2-4 during the past week ) - next series @ Trenton ( Blue Jays affiliate ) ... they are 27-19 overall
1B/3B/OF Austin Listi - went 8 for 22 ( .364 ) during the week. He had three multi hit games including a three hit game on 6/23.
Strong Pitching :
RH JD Hammer - he was outstanding in a relief appearance on 6/23 retiring all six batters he faced in a high pressure appearance ( extra innings with placed runner ) throwing 31 pitches - 26 strikes ( 84 % 😳). He struck out the side in a perfect IP on 6/26 On the season he’s posted a 1.53 ERA in 15 games ( 17 2/3 IP ) with 30 K’s and 10 walks. His WHIP rate is 1.19. In eight June games he’s punched out 13 batters while walking just 3 in 8 2/3 IP.
RH Mark Appel - 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K’s on 6/25 in his season debut with the Iron Pigs. That follows a strong outing in his last start at Reading on 6/19 ( 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K’s ). The key to recent success is command and control, he’s been consistently in the 94-96 range with his fastball in all 9 games he’s appeared in, struggled in the first four in May with 12 walks and 4 HB in 9 1/3 IP … in June he’s pitched 20 1/3 innings over 5 appearances and has issued only 5 walks with one HB.
RH Ramon Rosso - 4 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K’s on 6/23 following 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K’s on 6/16. He’s posted a 2.61 ERA in the month of June in 4 games ( 3 starts ) tossing 10 1/3 innings with a WHIP of 0.87.
Reading ( Overall Record 18-30 , 3-3 during the past week ) - next series @ Erie ( Tigers affiliate )... they are 30-18 overall
INF Daniel Brito - 6 for 21 ( .285 ) for the week with three walks, six runs scored, two doubles and a home run. For the month he’s hitting .316 in 95 AB’s and has a hit in 18 of the 24 games he’s played in June. On top of that he’s fielded the second base position at a .977 clip. Solid player.
UTL Madison Stokes - 8 for 23 ( .347 ) with 4 home runs and 9 RBIs … he also had 2 doubles. He had two hits in four of the six games against Binghamton. For the month of June he’s now hitting a very solid .291 ( 23 for 79 ) with 6 doubles, 6 home runs and 15 rbis.
INF Bryson Stott - went 7 for 24 ( .291 ) for the week with a home run and four RBIs, he also walked three times. For the month of June he’s hitting at a .294 clip ( 25 for 85 ) with 43 total bases including 4 home runs and 12 RBIs
OF Josh Stephen - he went 7 for 21 ( .333 ) in five games during the week collecting hits in each contest. Josh hit two home runs and drove in five runs.
Strong Pitching :
RH Francisco Morales - went 5 strong innings on 6/22 ( 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K’s ) mixing his pitches well while popping the mitt with the heater in the mid to upper nineties range. His second outing on 6/27 was also going well until the fifth inning when an error opened the door for four runs to score … his line in that one was - 4 2/3 IP, 5 R - 1 earned, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 K’s. 17 K’s in 9 2/3 IP with 3 BB … I’ll take that.
LH Josh Hendrickson - he pitched 6 innings on 6/23 ( 1 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K’s ) to record his second win in three starts for Reading. On the year he’s recorded a 2.60 ERA in 9 games ( 34 2/3 IP ) between Jersey Shore and Reading with a sparkling 0.89 WHIP … 38 K’s & 7 BB. Josh generally sits in the 90-93 range with the FB and has an excellent approach to pitching using his secondaries as out makers.
LH Brian Marconi - made two scoreless relief appearances during the week pitching a total of 4 innings ( 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K’s ) … on the season between Jersey Shore and Reading he’s posted a 2.63 ERA in 15 games ( 24 IP ) with a 1.25 WHIP.
LH Kyle Dohy - three relief appearances during the week - 5 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 6 K’s - he’s throwing strikes since working on mechanics in Clearwater at the Complex, simplified more straight forward delivery. For the month he’s pitched in 6 games - 10 1/3 IP - 1 R, 4 H, 4 BB, 14 K’s … velocity is back in the mid nineties.
LH Jonathan Hennigan - two appearances ( 6/24 & 6/26 ) - three perfect innings with 4 K’s … he’s posted a solid 2.89 ERA in 7 June appearances ( 9 1/3 IP ) with 11 K’s
Jersey Shore ( Overall Record 20-27, 3-3 during the past week ) - next series @ home vs Hudson Valley ( Yankees affiliate ) ... they are 30-17 overall
C Logan O’Hoppe - had a three hit game on 6/25 with a home run … in 83 AB’s during the month of June he’s hitting .289 with 6 doubles, a triple 3 home runs and 12 RBIs. Defensively he’s shined with a .997 fielding percentage.
1B/3B DJ Stewart went 7 for 25 ( .280 ) during the week with 2 doubles, a home run and 2 RBIs. He made a spectacular defensive play at third base to end the 6/27 game.
C/1B Vito Friscia - has hit really well against the Brooklyn Cyclones going 10 for 35 ( .285 ) against them including going 5 for 18 ( .278 ) this week. He’s hit 2 home runs and driven in 8 against them.
Strong Pitching :
RH Kevin Gowdy was outstanding on 6/24 - 6 no hit shut out innings - 2 BB, 5 K’s … FB mid 90’s throughout the six innings … perfect thru four innings - faced just 19 batters - perhaps best outing of his brief career to date. In four appearances during the month of June he’s pitched 20 2/3 innings with 23 K’s and just 2 walks posting a 1.06 WHIP and a 3.05 ERA. His confidence is growing and it has shown … very popular teammate that everyone roots for.
LH Ethan Lindow - best outing of the season on 6/23 - 6 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 5 K’s - great command and sequencing like we are used to seeing. In three starts for Jersey Shore since being transferred from Reading he’s posted a 2.35 ERA in 15 1/3 IP with 14 K’s and only 3 walks … 1.17 WHIP for the month.
LH Manuel Silva - threw three shutout and hitless innings of relief on 6/22 allowing just two walks while striking out three batters and 1 2/3 perfect innings on 6/27 striking out four batters. Since being activated with the Blue Claws he’s appeared in five games and has been outstanding posting a 0.82 ERA and 0.55 WHIP in 11 IP allowing just two hits and four walks. The slender 22 year old has a big arm capable of reaching the mid 90’s and has shown a swing and miss secondary mix.
RH Dominic Pipkin - 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K’s on 6/27 in his second appearance of the week rebounding from yielding 5 runs on 7 hits on 6/22 … on Sunday he popped the glove in the 94-97 range with the FB … has 41 K’s in 31 2/3 IP on the season, Dominic is 21 years old and was the club’s 9th round draft selection in the 2018 draft from Pinole, CA.
Great Relief :
RH Blake Brown pitched two scoreless frames on 6/24 ( 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K’s ) displaying nasty stuff - FB in the 96-98 range coupled with a sharp slider and a “frisbee” like breaking ball - dominated during his outing. He pitched another scoreless inning on 6/27 to save a 3-0 win. For the season he’s appeared in 14 games ( 15 1/3 IP ) with 23 K’s and 12 walks. When he harnesses the command like he did on Thursday he’s capable of special things. The 22 year old from UNC Asheville has major league stuff.
RH Carlo Reyes - continues to impress, he threw 3 shutout innings on 6/25 ( 1 H, 0 BB, 7 K’s ) and has 17 K’s against 4 walks in 12 IP for the month … a 1.00 WHIP. Between Clearwater and Jersey Shore the 22 year old has posted a 1.48 ERA in 15 games ( 24 1/3 IP ) with 34 K’s … an outstanding 0.90 WHIP.
Clearwater ( Overall Record 25-23, 4-2 during the past week) - next series @ home vs St. Lucie ( Mets affiliate ) ... they are 26-22 overall
SS/2B Luis Garcia - went 7 for 18 ( .389 ) during the week including hitting two triples. He finished the week with a three game hitting streak going 4 for 10. The 20 year old has been stellar all season defensively and shown flashes of what his offensive game could be … this week was a good one at the plate.
UTL Nicolas Torres - went 5 for 14 ( .357 ) in five games including two games where he had two hits. He also walked three times and hit his first home run of the season. Nicolas is 21 years old and has transformed into a multi position player and has played both the outfield and infield thus far this season. Very fundamentally sound.
Strong Pitching :
RH Mick Abel - was outstanding on 6/26 … he dominated, walked the first batter he faced but then retired 15 consecutive hitters in his five innings of work striking out 8 batters. Big time fastball again on display ( 92 to 97 mph - 56 of his 65 pitches thrown ).
It follows another strong performance on 6/20 when he pitched 4 innings of one hit baseball striking out 8 batters and walking just one batter. He’s punched out 29 batters in 16 2/3 IP during the month.
RH Fernando Lozano - he tossed four shutout innings on 6/25 ( 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K’s ) building off off 4 shutout frames on 6/18 ( 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K’s ). In 9 of his 11 outings this year he’s given up one run or less and hasn’t yielded more than three hits in any appearance ( 10 of his 11 games he’s given up 2 hits or less ). The 21 year old from Mexico has a 2.12 ERA in 29 2/3 IP with 34 K’s and 10 BB … WHIP of 0.98. In June he’s posted a 1.65 ERA and 0.86 WHIP with 20 K’s in 16 1/3 IP. He’s not a high velocity hurler but definitely knows how to pitch and get hitters out. I really enjoy watching him perform … quick worker, strike thrower and not afraid to challenge hitters … I’ll take that.
LH Jordi Martinez - 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K’s on 6/25 following Lozano in a 1-0 shutout 7 inning game victory. He generally sits in the 92-95 range with his four seam FB, 92-94 with his sinker and also throws a slider in the 84-87 range. His delivery is very upright in that it doesn’t really incorporate a lot of lower half input, a short arm type that gets onto the plate quickly. He’s just 20 years old, lanky at 6’2” 185 with seemingly room to grow. Jordi has a 2.30 ERA in 9 games ( 27 1/3 IP ) with a WHIP of 1.13 … 30 K’s & 10 BB thus far this season. He’s posted a 1.53 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 17 2/3 June IP with 21 K’s
RH Rodolfo Sanchez - threw 2 scoreless innings with 4 K’s allowing just one hit on 6/25. In his most previous outing he went 4 2/3 innings allowing just 2 hits and 1 unearned run ( 4 BB, 5 K’s ). The 21 year old is generally in the 91-94 range with his four seam FB and also features a slider and changeup. In 5 June contests he’s posted a 2.81 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 16 IP ( 18 K’s, 6 BB ).
RH Victor Vargas made two starts during the week. On 6/22 he pitched four innings allowing one run on 4 hits, walked none and struck out four. He earned a save. On 6/27 he started and went 5 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits and a walk while striking out three batters. The 20 year old from Colombia generally delivers a great ball to strike ratio - uses a four pitch mix ( 27 sinkers, 25 sliders, 7 changeup, 1 curveball ) - 88 to 93 mph on sinker.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️