(Photo Courtesy Jeff Halstead/Tacoma Rainiers)
Here’s how Friday went for the top prospects.
Class-A West Virginia — South Atlantic League
No. 2 — Jarred Kelenic, OF
FRI: 1-4, HR, SO
2019: .320/.427/.493, 7-2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 13 BB, 22 SO, 4 SB
No. 4 — Julio Rodriguez, OF
FRI: DNP (weather) (IL, wrist)
2019: .355/.429/.452, 3-2B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 5 SO
Word came out last Friday that additional tests on Rodriguez’s wrist revealed a hairline fracture after the HBP last Friday. He’ll miss 4-6 weeks, which would mean he could be out until June.
No. 7 Logan Gilbert, RHS
FRI: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO
2019: 19.2 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 30 SO
Gilbert sat 92-94 mph with the fastball in this one and he wasn’t quite as sharp with the command and breaking ball, but the raw stuff overpowered Asheville, anyway.
No. 17 Damon Casetta-Stubbs, RHS
FRI: DNP
2019: 7.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
UR Dean Nevarez, C
FRI: 2-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, SO
2019: 5-for-14, 2-2B, 2 HR, BB. 5 SO
Nevarez was a 19th-round pick last June out of San Diego State and has some tools, including some raw power. He may not be long for West Virginia, but he’s off to a strong start in four games.
UR Joseph Rosa, 2B
FRI: 0-4, SO
2019: .343/.430/.478, 3-2B, 2 HR, 9 BB, 11 SO, 2 SB
Rosa, 22, was in the back half of my Top 25 two years ago and then struggled last season at Clinton. He did, however, get stronger and it’s starting to show in the batter’s box. At one point I liked him better than Bryson Brigman, who was traded last summer, and added strength and performance gets him back in that conversation.
High-A Modesto — California League
No. 11 Cal Raleigh, C
FRI: 0-5
2019: .205/.284/.384, 4-2B, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 8 BB, 19 SO
No. 23 Joey Gerber, RHP
FRI: 1 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
2019: 8 G, 7.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 12 SO, 3.68 ERA, 2 SV
UR Jake Haberer, RHR
FRI: 1 IP, H, BB, 0 R, 3 SO
2019: 6 G, 10.1 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 18 SO, 0.87 ERA
Double-A Arkansas — Texas League
No. 3 Justin Dunn, RHS
FRI: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO
2019: 18.1 IP, 16 H, 7 ER, 8 BB, 27 SO
Dunn flashed plus velocity (93-95) and a solid-average slider in this one, but the command was spotty and it hurt him. He threw 80 pitches, 47 for strikes.
No. 5 Kyle Lewis, OF
FRI: 0-3, BB
2019: .233/.349/.397, 4-2B, 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 12 BB, 27 SO
No. 6 Evan White, 1B
FRI: DNP
2019: .222/.275/.278, 2-2B 3 RBI, 2 BB, 11 SO
White is 0-10 with three whiffs his first two games back, but got the day off Friday.
No. 14 Dom Thompson-Williams, OF
FRI: 0-4, 2 SO
2019: .260/.337/.425 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 7 BB, 20 SO, 6 SB
No. 15 Ricardo Sanchez, LHS
FRI: DNP
2019: 25 IP, 18 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 23 SO, 1.08 ERA
No. 18 Wyatt Mills, RHR
FRI: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER
2019: 8 IP, 14 H, 11 ER, 6 BB, 8 SO
Mills’ stuff is more than fine but the delivery is a mess; relese point is inconsistent and the command, as a result, is not there, at all.
No. 22 Art Warren, RHP
FRI: DNP
2019: 1-0, 5 SV, 1.35 ERA, 7.2 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 10 SO
No. 24 Jake Fraley, OF
FRI: 1-4, HR, 2 SO
2019: .266/.333/.456, 2-2B, 2-3B, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 7 BB, 22 SO, 6 SB
I love the power Fraley is showing but it may be coming at the expense of some contact. The strikeout rate — 22 in 87 PAs for 25% — won’t play.
Triple-A Tacoma — Pacific Coast League
No. 8 Shed Long, 2B/3B/OF
FRI: 1-4, SO
2019: .266/.348/.392, 2-2B, 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 BB, 19 SO
No. 16 Braden Bishop, CF
FRI: 2-4, HR, BB
2019: .257/.353/.378, 6-2B, HR, 7 RBI, 11 BB, 18 SO
Bishop is nine for his last 48 with 13 strikeouts and six walks, looking like the first mini-slump of 2019.
Jason A. Churchill
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