As expected, the advent of the All-Star Break for the two A-ball teams occasioned a number of promotions, most of which were to be expected, and they are likely not done. The most notable recent pitching promotion was last week’s elevation of top pitching prospect Sean Reid-Foley. The chain reaction pushed Taylor Cole back to New Hampshire, John Anderson to Buffalo and Wade LeBlanc to Seattle.
Another promotion is one that was long overdue, reliever Danny Barnes finally got the call to AAA Buffalo. Just telling you that Barnes had a 1.01 ERA in AA doesn’t begin to tell you how dominant he was. He gave up less than half a hit per inning, he walked only four and struck out 40 in his 35.2 innings of work. Remember his name, I predict he’s going to contribute a lot of fine work in the majors before he’s done.
Pitchers of the Week
1. Justin Maese (19) – RHP – Vancouver (Rookie Advanced)
Week: 2 GS , 11.0 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
YTD: 2 GS , 11.0 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 11 K 2.45 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 9.0 K/9, 0.8 BB/9
In last week’s short season preview, I told you about how impressive Maese was pitching in the GCL last year. Having been a high school draftee, it would not have been uncommon for him to start this season at Bluefield, but their were a lot of candidates for that placement and clearly his work stood out in camp. It continued to stand out on opening night for the Canadians, as he allowed just two baserunners and a single earned run while striking out six in five innings. He had a little more difficulty in his second start due to a couple of costly errors, but on the whole, it was a fine week.
2. Conner Greene – (21) – RHP – Dunedin (A Advanced)
Week: 1 GS , 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
YTD: 73.2 IP, 68 H, 22 ER, 34 BB, 49 K, 2.70 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 6.0 K/9, 4.2 BB/9
Greene has been a source of mild concern for most of the first half. He put himself on the map with great strikeout rates and K/BB ratios in 2015, but through the end of May 2016, he had 27 walks against 30 strikeouts in 54.2 IP, even though is ERA wasn’t ugly. But June has reinvigorated him, apparently, and in three starts he is striking out a batter an inning, sports a sub 1.00 WHIP and a 0.95 ERA. He has begun to incorporate a slider, which is new to his arsenal and possibly has something to do with the recent success.
3. Ryan Borucki (22) – LHP – Lansing (A)
Week: 1 GS , 8 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
YTD: 14 GS, 66.2 IP, 85 H, 49 ER, 24 BB, 50 K, 6.66 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 6.8 K/9, 3.2 BB/9
The year-to-date line above is misleading regarding what’s going on with Borucki at the moment. You may recall that Borucki was a complete mess in Dunedin to begin the year. After six starts (14.40 ERA) he was demoted to Lansing and things have gotten progressively better. He freely admits that he’s constantly adjusting, looking to improve his effectiveness. In an interview last week with Jesse Goldberg-Strassler he highlighted his efforts to improve how he hid the ball to increase deception, and his work on an improving slider. Whatever he’s doing, it seems to be working. Over his last 14 innings (two starts) he has 17 strikeouts and no walks. You have to hope that’s a sign of things to come.
Hitters of the Week
1. Max Pentecost (23) – DH – Lansing
Week: 7/15, 3 1B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 SB, 3 BB, 5 K, .467 AVG, .555 OBP, .667 SLG
Season: 36/130, 5 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 SB, 14 BB, 26 K .277 AVG, .352 OBP, .338 SLG
Pentecost is an ongoing work in progress as he shakes off the rust in an attempt to recapture the hitting stroke that helped make him such a high draft pick. He’s been hitting the ball pretty consistently, as he has failed to get a hit in consecutive games only once, but the power stroke has been less prompt in returning. After a home run in his first game back, he went without an XBH until June 9 when he doubled for the first time this year. He has hit four more since, three this week.
2. Jacob Anderson (23) – OF – Vancouver
Week: 8/23, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 0 SB, 3 BB, 2 k, .348 AVG, .423 OBP, .522 SLG
YTD: 22/119, 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 0 SB, 9 BB, 36 K, .185 AVG, .242 OBP, .294 SLG
If there’s a hitting equivilant to the hard-luck injury history of LHP Matt Smoral, it has to be Jacob Anderson. In his draft year, 2011, his professional debut was everything you could have wanted. It was a mere nine games but he hit .405 and made an impression all around. Promoted to Bluefield for 2012, he was absolutely horrible, then he missed all of 2013 with injury. And all but three games in 2014. And all but 19 games of 2015.
This year hopes were raised when he was assigned to the Lugnuts out of spring, but he struggled again. To be fair, even at his now advancing age, asking someone who’s had 74 pro plate appearances in three seasons to handle full season ball is a stretch. It’s true this report reflects only his first week in Vancouver, but it would be a feel good story if he lives up to his draft position.
3. Rowdy Tellez (21) – 1B – New Hampshire (AA)
Week: 6/13, 2 1B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 SB, 1 BB, 0 k, .462 AVG, .500 OBP, .500 SLG
YTD: 57/222, 14 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 1 SB, 38 BB, 50 K, .257 AVG, .375 OBP, .450 SLG
Despite nursing a mild, undisclosed, injury which has seen him take some rest on either side of a scheduled off day this week, Rowdy had a productive week and seems to have recovered from the short slump (1/19) he experienced a couple of weeks ago. Since then he has gone 10/20 with three walks and a double. Since May 10, in 74 at bats, he’s hit .336/.408/.573 in 150 PA.
Other Minor Notes
As a brief follow up on the roster projections I made last week for Bluefield, the GCL Jays, and the placement of draft picks – it’s in the latter that I was most wrong. Cavan Biggio was in fact advanced on to Vancouver (along with second rounder J.B. Woodman). Bo Bichette starts out in Florida, though I’m fairly sure he’ll get a taste of Bluefield later this year if he hits well. Catcher Ridge Smith, 3B Bradley Jones and half a dozen newly drafted pitchers – the highest pick being eighth rounder Kyle Weatherly – are on the Bluefield roster. Ninth rounder Nick Hartman is also in Vancouver. Fourth round OF Joshua Palacios and sixth rounder D.J. Daniels are both on the GCL team, as expected, and so are six others. Five signed draftees, all pitchers, have not yet been added to a roster including the Blue Jays’ first, third, seventh, and 11th round picks.
Among non-drafted players of note, you’re surely aware that Vlad Guerrero Jr did make it to Bluefield (reportedly one team coach observed that if VGJ had been assigned to Lansing he’d probably be the best hitter on the team) and hit a home run in his first full day of pro ball. The names I mentioned last week landed where I thought save for RHP Lupe Chavez and OF Freddy Rodriguez who were squeezed out of Bluefield and are still on the coast. Expect both to eventually get up to the mountains though.
Other Stat Lines of Interest
HITTERS
Last Week
| Hitter | Age | Pos. | Lvl | G | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | SB | BB | K | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus Montero | 26 | DH | AAA | 8 | .265 | .265 | .294 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| A.J. Jimenez | 26 | C | AAA | 5 | .178 | .263 | .294 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Dwight Smith, Jr | 23 | LF | AA | 6 | .261 | .346 | .478 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 14 |
| Richard Urena | 20 | SS | A+ | 4 | .313 | .313 | .348 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| Juan Kelly | 21 | DH | A | 4 | .238 | .333 | .273 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
Season
| Hitter | Age | Pos. | Lvl | G | PA | AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | SB | BB | K | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus Montero | 26 | DH | AAA | 70 | 281 | .303 | .332 | .446 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 49 | 131 |
| A.J. Jimenez | 26 | C | AAA | 42 | 152 | .259 | .321 | .406 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 20 | 68 |
| Dwight Smith, Jr | 23 | LF | AA | 63 | 265 | .276 | .338 | .420 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 51 | 127 |
| Richard Urena | 20 | SS | A+ | 62 | 263 | .261 | .311 | .402 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 39 | 121 |
| Juan Kelly | 21 | 1B | A | 66 | 254 | .268 | .342 | .494 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 52 | 142 |
PITCHERS
Last Week
| Pitcher | Age | Pos. | Lvl | G | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Hutchison | 25 | SP | AAA | 1 | 4.50 | 10.5 | 4.5 | 1.00 |
| Shane Dawson | 22 | SP | AA | 2 | 5.90 | 8.9 | 4.4 | 1.31 |
| Jon Harris | 22 | SP | A | 1 | 2.95 | 8.9 | 1.5 | 1.15 |
| Sean Reid-Foley | 22 | SP | A+ | 1 | 0.00 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 0.67 |
| Jordan Romano | 22 | SP | A | 1 | 1.80 | 12.6 | 3.6 | 1.00 |
Season
| Pitcher | Age | Pos. | Lvl | G | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Hutchison | 25 | SP | AAA | 14 | 2.97 | 10.1 | 2.9 | 0.81 |
| Shane Dawson | 22 | SP | AA | 13 | 3.84 | 6.9 | 5.5 | 1.05 |
| Jon Harris | 22 | SP | A | 11 | 2.37 | 8.8 | 3.6 | 0.96 |
| Sean Reid-Foley | 20 | SP | A+ | 13 | 2.41 | 9.4 | 2.4 | 0.76 |
| Jordan Romano | 23 | SP | A | 2 | 1.50 | 10.5 | 1.5 | 0.67 |
Lead Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports