An overall record of 16-10 for the four affiliates this week with Clearwater (5-1), Jersey Shore (5-3) and Lehigh Valley (4-2) leading the way. The Complex based teams went 5-2 in their final spring training games of the year, their official seasons begin Monday. For details of each of the games played this week please refer to my daily minor league roundups.
We saw some good pitching this week, particularly starters (Bailey Falter, Victor Vargas, Mick Abel, Josh Hendrickson, Gabriel Cotto, Jean Cabrera and Alex McFarlane) along with shut down bullpen efforts; Lehigh Valley (six scoreless on Monday), Jersey Shore (good all week but Wednesday & Saturday in particular) and Clearwater (lockdown performances all week). Four hitters stood out, first baseman Rixon Wingrove of Jersey Shore (twelve hits - .387 batting average), outfielder Justin Crawford of Clearwater (.588 batting average), outfielder Dustin Peterson of Lehigh Valley (.429 batting average, three HR, nine RBIs) along with 1B/OF Carlos De La Cruz (Reading) who extended his on base streak to 21 games and hitting streak to twelve, he hit .320 for the week and posted a .433 OBP. Wingrove and Peterson were clutch all week and had multiple key hits including walk-off knocks and Crawford was an on-base machine and posted a couple triples, De La Cruz basically was the offense in Sunday’s Reading win. Weston Wilson (Lehigh Valley) also posted a big week going seven for seventeen (.412) and a .500 OBP. Matt Kroon (Reading) performed the rare feat on Thursday of scoring five runs in a game, that hadn’t been done for the club since 2015!
Darick Hall, Rafael Marchan, Jose Alvarado and Cristian Pache began rehab assignments this week, all four are on the major league 40 man roster. A long time favorite of mine, Jhailyn Ortiz, played first base on Saturday for Lehigh Valley, the first time he’s played the infield in his pro career. On the backfields three teenage players excelled, Wiliam Bergolla, Leonardo Rondon and Jose Peña Jr had strong game performances and now aim at continuing to shine as Florida Complex League play begins on Monday. On the injury rehab front we saw promising live BP outings at the complex from pitchers Micah Ottenbreit and Dominic Pipkin, both were popping the catcher’s mitt in their ongoing efforts to get back to game action.
Clearwater can see a clear path to a first half title in the Florida State League Western Division and accompanying year end playoff spot as they maintain the best winning percentage in all of professional baseball at .720 while Jersey Shore has played themselves to be very much in contention for the South Atlantic League North Division title trailing Hudson Valley by just a game and a half setting up their series next week in Lakewood with the Renegades as a playoff like battle. Reading leads the Eastern League in team batting average and slugging and is second in OBP and OPS yet continues to struggle to put away opponents consistently for victories, they are generally in every game though. Lehigh Valley lost the first two games of the week but then bounced back to win four and go over .500 for the year.
AAA Level : Lehigh Valley : 4-2 for the week against Scranton Wilkes-Barre , 29-27 overall - 6/6/23 @ Syracuse - six games
Recap :
Tuesday : 4-1 Loss - the bullpen pitched six scoreless innings.
Wednesday : 7-5 Loss - Bailey Falter pitched effectively, five innings, one run, six hits
Thursday : 5-3 Win - John Hicks had three hits (two singles & HR)
Friday : 6-3 Win - Dustin Peterson had two hits including a home run.
Saturday : 8-6 Win - Jhailyn Ortiz played first base for the first time in his professional career.
Sunday : 8-7 Win - Christopher Sanchez went six innings as the bulk reliever, 5 players had two hits each
Total Runs Scored : 33
Total Runs Against : 30
Standout Stats :
Dustin Peterson - 6 for 14 (.429) with three home runs and nine RBIs, three walks, .500 OBP
Weston Wilson - 7 for 17 (.412) including a double, four walks, .500 OBP
Scott Kingery - 6 for 16 (.375) with four walks - .500 OBP
John Hicks - 5 for 15 (.333) with a double and HR, .375 OBP
Jhailyn Ortiz - 3 for 9 (.333) with a home run, two walks, .417 OBP
Darick Hall - 6 for 20 (.300) with two doubles, two walks, .363 OBP in rehab appearances with Clearwater and LHV
Bailey Falter - five innings, one run, six hits, three walks and five strikeouts
Christopher Sanchez - six innings, two runs, four hits, two walks, four strikeouts
Jeremy Walker - two appearances - three and one third IP, no runs, three hits, one strikeout
Trey Cobb - three appearances - one and two thirds IP, no runs
Ben Bowden - two appearances - three IP, one run, two hits, three strikeouts
Jacob Barnes - two appearances - two IP, no runs, one hit, three strikeouts
AA Level : Reading : 2-4 for the week against New Hampshire, 20-30 overall - 6/6/23 hosting Binghamton - six games
Recap :
Tuesday : 9-8 Loss - Johan Rojas had three hits.
Wednesday : 6-2 Loss - Victor Vargas was excellent thru five innings.
Thursday : 13-7 Win - Nick Podkul (single, double, HR ) had three hits and four RBIs.
Friday : 4-1 Loss - Mick Abel went six innings, two runs, four hits, four walks, seven strikeouts.
Saturday : 2-1 Loss - Josh Hendrickson had another strong outing.
Sunday : 6-4 Win - Carlos De La Cruz had three hits (single,double and HR), three RBIs and three runs scored.
Total Runs Scored : 31
Total Runs Against : 32
Standout Stats :
Carlos De La Cruz - 8 for 25 (.320) with two doubles, home run and six RBIs, five walks, .433 OBP
Oliver Dunn - three hits, seven walks in twenty plate appearances - .500 OBP
Matt Kroon - five hits (including two doubles & triple), four walks and HBP - .400 OBP
Madison Stokes - six hits, six walks in 30 plate appearances, .400 OBP
Nick Podkul - six hits including HR, four walks and HBP, five RBIs, .393 OBP in 28 plate appearances
McCarthy Tatum - .353 OBP in 17 plate appearances, 14 game on base streak
Pitchers :
Mick Abel - six innings, two runs, four hits, four walks, seven strikeouts
Victor Vargas - five and one third IP, 2 runs, 4 hits, no walks and 1 strikeout
Josh Hendrickson - five and two third innings, two runs, eight hits, no walks, three strikeouts
Keylan Killgore - three appearances, four and two third innings, one run, five hits, four strikeouts
Tyler McKay - two appearances - two innings, no runs, one hit, no walks, four strikeouts
Matt Seelinger - two appearances - two innings, no runs,one hit, one strikeout
Andrew Baker - two appearances - two and two third innings,no runs,one hit, four strikeouts
Andrew Schultz - two appearances - two and two third innings,no runs,no hits, two strikeouts
High A Level : Jersey Shore : 5-3 for the week against Brooklyn ,27-23 overall - 6/6/23 hosting Hudson Valley - six games
Recap :
Tuesday : 8-0 Loss - Marcus Lee Sang had two hits and two walks.
Wednesday Game One : 9-3 Win - bullpen pitched 5 2/3 scoreless frames.
Wednesday Game Two : 5-0 Win - Rixon Wingrove doubled and homered, drove in three runs.
Thursday : 6-1 Loss - Rixon Wingrove had two hits.
Friday : 5-4 Win - 11 innings - Freylin Minyety delivered the game winning walk off hit.
Saturday : Game One - 3-2 Win - Rixon Wingrove was 3 for 3 with a double, walk off hit.
Saturday : Game Two - 3-2 Win - Rixon Wingrove had two hits including a double.
Sunday : 10-6 Loss - Carlos Francisco pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
Total Runs Scored : 32
Total Runs Against : 35
Standout Stats :
Rixon Wingrove - 12 for 31 (.387) with four doubles, one home run, seven RBIs, two walks, .424 OBP
Jared Carr - 9 for 25 (.360) with a double and four RBIs, four walks, .433 OBP
Nick Ward - 5 hits, seven walks, one HBP in 27 plate appearances, .481 OBP
Rafael Marchan - 6 for 15 (.429) with a double and five RBIs in rehab appearances with Clearwater and Jersey Shore
Wilfredo Flores - 5 for 16 (.313)
Pitchers :
Gunner Mayer - five innings, two runs, four hits, one walk, seven strikeouts
Jordan Fowler - five innings, two runs, four hits, no walks, five strikeouts
Jordi Martinez - two appearances - three and one third IP, no runs, three hits, seven strikeouts
Jason Ruffcorn - two appearances - three and two thirds IP, no runs, three hits, no walks, 6 K’s
Rodolfo Sanchez - two appearances - four innings pitched, no earned runs, two hits, 4 K’s
Tommy McCollum - two appearances - two and one third IP, one run, two hits, 3 K’s
Orion Kerkering - two appearances - two and two thirds IP, no runs, one hit, 5 K’s
Tristan Garnett - two appearances - four innings pitched, no earned runs, three hits, 3 K’s
Matt Russell - two appearances - three innings pitched, no earned runs, no hits, no walks, 5 K’s
Chase Antle - three appearances - three and one third IP, no runs, no hits, three walks, five strikeouts
Carlos Francisco - three appearances - four and two thirds innings, one earned run, three hits, six strikeouts
Low A Level : Clearwater : 5-1 for the week against Dunedin, 36-14 overall - 6/6/23 @ Fort Myers - six games
Recap :
Tuesday : 6-3 Win - Justin Crawford & Rafael Marchan had three hits apiece.
Wednesday : 9-2 Win - Justin Crawford had four hits (two singles, double & triple, three RBIs)
Thursday : 4-1 Win - Gabriel Cotto started and went five innings, one run
Friday : 4-1 Win - Jean Cabrera was very good, six innings, no runs, five hits, two BB and four K’s
Saturday : 4-3 Win - Alex McFarlane was really good, six innings, one run
Sunday : 5-1 Loss - Estibenzon Jimenez pitched four innings, one run
Total Runs Scored : 28
Total Runs Against : 15
Standout Stats :
Justin Crawford - 10 for 17 (.588) with three doubles, two triples, three RBIs and four stolen bases
Gabriel Rincones Jr - 7 for 20 (.350), triple, three RBIs, three stolen bases
Bryan Rincon - 4 for 13 (.308), two doubles, home run, three RBIs, three walks, .389 OBP
Jordan Dissin - 3 for 9 (.333), double, walk, HBP, .455 OBP
Emaarion Boyd - .455 OBP - 3 hits, 3 HBP, 1 walk - 16 plate appearances
Pitchers :
Jean Cabrera - six scoreless innings, five hits, two walks, four strikeouts
Alex McFarlane - six innings, one run, five hits, one walk, six strikeouts
Gabriel Cotto - five innings, one run, five hits, no walks, one strikeout
Jonathan Petit - four scoreless IP, no hits, two walks, five strikeouts
Estibenzon Jimenez - four innings, one run, two hits, three walks, four strikeouts
Wen Hui Pan - three innings, one run, two hits, two walks, four strikeouts
Jonh Henriquez - three innings, no runs, no hits, one walk, three strikeouts
Jack Dallas - two innings, no runs, four hits, three strikeouts
Wesley Moore - two appearances - two and one third IP, no earned runs, two hits, two K’s
Player Development Training Center : 3-0 for the week, 12-5-5 overall
Recap :
Tuesday : 7-1 Win vs Blue Jays - Leonardo Rondon & Yhoswar Garcia each had three hits.
Thursday : 6-2 Win vs Tigers - Jose Pena Jr went three and one third innings, no runs.
Friday : 7-5 Win vs Blue Jays - William Bergolla went 3 for 3 with a walk
Total Runs Scored : 20
Total Runs Against : 8
Dominican Summer League Spring Training
Phillies Red : 0-2 for the week - 8-7-1 overall
Recap :
Monday : 4-1 Loss to Angels - Ezequiel Ventura struck out four in two scoreless/hitless frames.
Wednesday : 7-0 Win vs Orioles1 - Jaeden Calderon had two hits including a home run and two RBIs
Total Runs Scored : 8
Total Runs Against : 4
Phillies White : 2-0 for the week- 10-4-2 overall
Recap :
Monday : 4-0 Win vs Mariners - Danyony Pulido (3 IP), Wilmer Blanco (3 IP), Javier Fuenmayor (2 IP), Luis Alcala (1 IP).
Wednesday : 5-3 Win vs Braves - Romel Mendez hit two triples and had three RBIs.
Total Runs Scored : 9
Total Runs Against : 3
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
Rixon Wingrove, Justin Crawford, Weston Wilson, Carlos De La Cruz, Dustin Peterson - photos by Michael Dolcemascolo, Casey Burns and Cheryl Pursell
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