State of the System: The Offseason

Team Assessments Pt.1: OKC to Lancaster

*For the sake of time, this section will probably go along quicker than the other stuff I've posted. Really want to knock all this out before the new year, and it's been all Texans for me as of late. Forgive me if my stuff isn't accurate, since it's been a while.

When I'm mentioning individual players, I will mainly be focusing on the guys who figure (or should at least play a bit part) into the Astros' future. As always. Can't forget the standout performances from the others, though. Not just about the top guys.

Oklahoma City

Record: 78-65, 2nd place in the Pacific Coast League American Southern Division, 1.5 games behind Albuquerque
Playoffs: Did not qualify

In 2012, the Redhawks leaned heavily on AAAA journeymen and a few prospects, and they were actually sitting pretty for most of the season... until they were derailed by a 1-14 stretch from the end of July to the middle of August. There were rumblings that Tony DeFrancesco had lost the clubhouse; and when he left to become the Astros' interim manager, they clawed back into the thick of the division race with a 6-game winning streak to end August under interim manager Tom Lawless. This probably lent some validity to those rumors.

Offensively, the Redhawks were pretty middle of the pack, as they ranked in the middle of the 16-team Pacific Coast League in most of the major offensive categories. These guys weren't particularly patient, as 3 guys (Snyder, Sanchez, and Hessman) tied for the team lead in walks with 40 each. Of those 3, Angel Sanchez had the fewest strikeouts, with only 25.

Spotlight Player: Jimmy Paredes. Paredes had a huge year, as he led the team in most of the offensive statistics. He was moved back to 2nd prior to the season, but the emergence of Jose Altuve resulted in him getting blocked. This warranted a move to the outfield. With his natural athleticism, he mostly played center. He also appeared in left for 2 games. Also heard through the grapevine was the adjustments that he had to make in learning how to play the outfield, and that he wasn't necessarily responding well. However, he put on a show offensively, and this was definitely a breakout for him. I expect to see him contend for the starting job in center with Brandon Barnes and Jordan Schafer for the big club in the spring. At the very least, with his pop and speed, he'll also be in consideration for a utility spot next year.

Paredes is currently playing in the Dominican Winter League. He's hitting .318/.318/.636 with 2 homers (1 grand slam), 7 RBI, and has a stolen base in 5 games for the Gigantes del Cibao.

Team Leaders- Offense:

Batting Average: Angel Sanchez, .320
Hits: Jimmy Paredes, 161
Doubles: Paredes, 28
Triples: Paredes, 7
HR: Mike Hessman, 35
RBI: Hessman, 78
Walks: Brad Snyder, Angel Sanchez, and Hessman: 40
Strikeouts: Hessman, 136
Stolen Bases: Paredes, 37
On-base %: Sanchez, .390 (Scott Moore had a .410 OBP, but only played half the season in OKC)

The Redhawks' pitching staff was pretty mediocre. Well, the rotation was a wreck for a majority of the season. I was like, "They're just plugging guys in by now." Yes, there was a lot of reshuffling in the rotation. Aneury Rodriguez was a joke. Brian Bass? Seriously? Jordan Lyles was impressive as he outdueled Shelby Miller twice early in the season. Wes Musick held his own before getting lost for the year with an elbow injury. Jose Cisnero's excellent season in Corpus was rewarded with a month in OKC to finish out the season, and he had 2 strong starts to start off that stint.

Dallas Keuchel was excellent. He had 2 consecutive starts that really, and I mean really, destroyed his final line. Unsurprisingly, they were at two extreme hitters' parks.

The one player who was probably the most disappointing in the system this year was, without a doubt, Paul Clemens. Coming off an excellent spring, he had put himself in position for a possible callup to Houston at some point. Well... that never materialized because he went down with back spasms in May, and was just not the same pitcher after that. In fact, he was demoted to Corpus, where he got back on track somewhat. This year will be a critical one for Clemens, as he and Brett Oberholtzer are the now last two standing from the Michael Bourn trade. God, what an awful trade that was.

Speaking of Oberholtzer, he bounced between Corpus and OKC. He was solid, if unspectacular in doing so before remaining with the Redhawks the rest of the way beginning in late June-early July. He certainly started to look more and more comfortable in OKC as the season progressed... however, he was pretty erratic on the the road.

Team Leaders- Pitching:

Appearances: Jose Valdez, 45
Starts: Paul Clemens, 20
Complete Games: Dallas Keuchel, 2 (both of them)
Shutouts: Keuchel, 1 (the only one, which was called after 5 innings due to severe weather)
Wins: Clemens, 8
Losses: Clemens, 8
Saves: Valdez, 21
ERA: Uh.... Xavier Cedeno? 2.28
Innings pitched: Clemens, 101.2
Hits allowed: Clemens, 145
Runs allowed: Clemens, 82
Earned runs: Clemens, 76
Home runs allowed: Clemens, 16
Walks: Aneury Rodriguez, 44
Strikeouts: Rodriguez, 75
WHIP: David Carpenter, 1.11

Corpus Christi Hooks

Record: 37-33 1st half, 2nd in Texas League South, 4 games behind Frisco
44-26 2nd half, 2nd half champions
81-59 overall

Playoffs: Lost 3-0 to Frisco in South Division Series

Coming into the season, the Hooks were probably the "It Team" of the system. Headlined by Jonathan Singleton, Jarred Cosart, and Jonathan Villar, high expectations were being heaped onto the Hooks. They didn't quite live up to their billing early on, but they gained a massive amount of steam, especially after an infusion of talent bolstered the roster for the stretch run, which culminated in them winning the 2nd half of the season. However, their run in the playoffs was short-lived, as they were swept in 3 games by Frisco.

The offense was paced by.... who else? Singleton came in as the #1 prospect in the entire system, and he lived up to those expectations. He led the team in almost every offensive category, except triples (where he still managed to earn a 3-way tie for 2nd) and steals (more understandable, but he did tie for 5th). Singleton has definitely turned heads and has earned his shot to compete for the 1B job in Houston this upcoming spring. I like the look of Singleton at 1st, Matt Dominguez at 3rd, and Brett Wallace as the DH. I really do.

Jose Martinez, at 26 (turns 27 on January 24), appears to be running out of time. But keep in mind, he's lost so much time due to injuries and personal tragedy. This year, as a low-risk pickup, he finally got his career back on track and basically put everything together. Martinez showed that potential that Jeff Luhnow saw in him as a Cardinal. He'll probably compete for a bench role, and will most likely bide his time in OKC.

Jonathan Villar may have taken the drafting of Carlos Correa as a sign that he better pick up the pace. In an abbreviated season for him, he might have turned in his best effort, hitting .261/.336/.396 with 11 homers and 50 RBI in 86 games. Too bad he decided to do something pretty dumb and ended up getting shelved for the rest of the season. Like punching the bathroom door after striking out. Now, I'll stop short of calling him a five-tool shortstop, because his contact ability will probably be average at best, in my opinion. The tools are all there for him to become an elite defender, though. He will have a shot for a spot in Houston, but he'll ultimately spend 2013 in Oklahoma City.... unless Jed Lowrie were to be injured or traded. If he entrenches himself at shortstop in Houston, that would probably necessitate a position change for Carlos Correa.

Team Leaders- Offense:

Batting Average: Jose Martinez and Austin Wates, .304
Hits: Jonathan Singleton, 131
Doubles: Singleton, 27
Triples: Jake Goebbert, 6
Home Runs: Singleton, 21
RBI: Singleton, 79
Walks: Singleton, 88
Strikeouts: Singleton, 131
Stolen Bases: Jonathan Villar, 39
OBP: Goebbert, .399
Slugging %: Singleton, .497
OPS: Singleton, .893

As for the pitchers, the Hooks got a breakout from Jose Cisnero, who really seemed to come around command-wise. He threw a complete game 2-hitter back in June and eventually earned a promotion to OKC for their stretch run. He's got the big fastball, but ultimately, it will be his secondary pitches that will determine his ultimate role. He'll be in the OKC rotation next year.

Jason Stoffel was the only pitcher in the roster who finished with a WHIP under 1. He established himself as the closer early on in the season, and he had a stranglehold on that role, saving 27. His stuff isn't as good as Kevin Chapman's, but his superior command gave him the nod. Both of them will compete for bullpen spots in Houston in the spring, and they'll both bide their time in OKC until there's an opening.

Kevin Chapman had a really nice season serving as Stoffel's setup man. The only knock on him would be the walks, but really, half of them came in one month. Personally.... I think Chapman might have a better chance at cracking the Opening Day roster over Stoffel, because, seriously. Besides Wilton Lopez, there's no pitcher in that bullpen that has heat that can compare to Chapman's.

Ross Seaton didn't look too shabby in a repeat year that also saw him spend some time in Oklahoma City. Horribly rushed throughout his career, it looked like he was spiraling downward to start the season. Eventually he figured things out and ended up having a respectable year. There was a point in the season where he had an appallingly low strikeout rate. But, this pitch to contact approach that he's seemingly adopted probably helped turn his season around, too. He's got back of the rotation upside, and will probably be a nonroster invite to Spring Training. He will be in the OKC rotation.

Well, Jarred Cosart, you had a nice season. It was solid, not spectacular. For the life of me, I don't know how a pitcher with his stuff doesn't miss bats more often. He does have a good groundball/flyball ratio, though. I'd love to see a real breakout year from him next season. In the (highly unlikely) event that he gets moved to the pen, he would instantly become the Astros' closer. Now the question is.... does he still have what it takes to be a starter?

Asher Wojciechowski came on board after arriving from Toronto. In his first exposure to Double-A, I think he passed. Only allowed more than 5 hits in a start once and exactly 5 in 2 other starts. No homers allowed. Had a slight uptick in walks after the promotion, but he's got pretty good command of his pitches. Wojo might have the lowest upside of the haul that the Astros received from the Blue Jays, but he's probably a top-5 starting pitching prospect in the organization.

Team Leaders- Pitching:

Appearances: Jason Stoffel, 56
Starts: Ross Seaton, 25
Complete Games: Jose Cisnero, 2
Shutouts: Cisnero, 1 (the only one)
Wins: Erick Abreu, 10
Losses: Jake Buchanan, 9
Saves: Stoffel, 27
ERA: Stoffel, 2.33 (Asher Wojciechowski had a 2.02 in 8 starts)
Innings pitched: Seaton, 146
Hits allowed: Buchanan, 171
Runs allowed: Buchanan, 85
Earned runs: Buchanan, 74
Home runs allowed: Seaton, 17
Walks: Cisnero, 46
Strikeouts: Cisnero, 116
WHIP: Stoffel, 0.98

Lancaster Jethawks

Record: 37-33 1st half, tied for 1st with High Desert and Rancho Cucamonga
37-33 2nd half, 9 games behind High Desert
74-66 overall, clinched wild-card playoff berth

Playoffs: California League Champions
Defeated Lake Elsinore 2-1 in 1st round
Defeated High Desert 3-1 in South Division Championship Series
Defeated Modesto 3-0 in California League Championship Series

Well, this was unexpected. Of all the teams in the system, I would not have picked the Jethawks to come home with a championship. The Jethawks also had their fair share of prospects on the roster, and the offensive attack was largely led by George Springer and Domingo Santana. Unsurprisingly, given the nature of their home park, the Jethawks were at the top of nearly offensive statistical category. They also led the California League in the dreaded strikeouts column. 5 Jethawks struck out over 100 times this season, led by Telvin Nash's 198.

Nash's power, despite being in an extremely hitter-friendly league, is still very much real, as he slugged 29 homers. However, his alarmingly high strikeout rate will continue to pose a problem. So.... what should the Astros do with him? Next year is his age 22 season, so it's totally reasonable for him to repeat Lancaster. Put him in Corpus and he could strike out 225-250 times. But then again, he doesn't really need an extreme hitters' park to show that he can send balls out. He needs extensive work on actually making contact with the ball. Nash doesn't really have any other tools besides his incredible power, so that will have to carry him through the minors and really limits him to strictly being a DH.

Perhaps his 17-game stint with Lexington to close out the 2011 season was a sign of things to come for Domingo Santana? He ended up having an excellent 2012 despite being the youngest everyday player in the California League. He performed pretty much the same on the road as he did at home. Despite striking out 148 times, his K rate actually slightly decreased, while he got his walk rate above 10% this year. With a .302/.385/.536 line, 23 home runs, and 97 RBI, it's safe to say that Domingo Santana exceeded all expectations this past season. He's a lock to start 2013 in Corpus at the age of 20; I would be absolutely dumbstruck if he didn't.

This was a make or break year for Jio Mier. Despite missing almost 2 months due to a torn hamstring, I think he bought himself some more time. But, he's already well behind Jonathan Villar, and with Nolan Fontana hot on his tail, Mier will have to continue to prove himself. A nice showing in the Arizona Fall League has definitely helped his cause. I think he'll be the everyday shortstop at Corpus next season.

Carlos Perez came on board after the big Toronto trade and platooned with Roberto Pena. He was having a decent year repeating Low-A, but he lost ground in the depth chart in the Blue Jays' system. Perez is a well-rounded catcher who can swing the bat and defend pretty well too. He caught 47% of potential base stealers after joining the Jethawks. Considering that he has only played 26 games at the High-A level, he could head back to Lancaster. However, catcher is probably the weakest position in the system, so an assignment to Corpus could be possible. He should challenge for the starting job in Houston by 2014.

All eyes were pretty much on George Springer last season, as he's one of the guys expected to play a huge role in the upcoming Astros renaissance. At 23, he was one of the oldest juniors in his draft class. At the beginning of the season, there were rumblings as to whether his initial assignment to Lancaster was too aggressive. Well, he disposed of all those notions and put all 5 of his tools on display. For that, he received 22 games with Corpus, where he tapered off a bit to end the season. He had a great showing in the Arizona Fall League as he tied for 2nd in homers. Springer's approach is probably the most aggressive in the system. Needless to say, he's pretty strikeout-prone. However, he did slash his K rate between his sophomore and junior seasons, so I can definitely see him making the effort to tone down his approach. Drawing 13 walks and striking out 20 times in AFL play could be a sign. He'll be with the big club in the spring, but in all likelihood will start in Corpus.

Team Leaders- Offense:

Batting Average: George Springer, .316
Hits: Domingo Santana and Erik Castro, 138
Doubles: Castro, 27
Triples: Springer, 10
Home Runs: Telvin Nash, 29
RBI: Castro, 108
Walks: Castro, 78
Strikeouts: Nash, 198
Stolen Bases: Springer, 28
OBP: Springer, .396
Slugging: Springer, .557
OPS: Springer, .953

Jethawks pitchers had an ERA of 5.00, which was 2nd-worst in the Cali League. Well, that's to be expected when the home park is the biggest hitters' park in professional baseball. They were also the only club in the California League that had fewer than 1000 strikeouts. That didn't stop a few guys from having nice seasons.

Carlos Quevedo's transition to the bullpen might put him in the discussion at the lower end of the top prospect ladder. It's no secret that he's got excellent command; the switch to the bullpen might have turned the light on for him after having a so-so 2011 as a starter.

Tyson Perez was a late addition from extended spring training, but he cemented his spot in the rotation with a blistering start, winning his first 3 decisions, including a complete game 2-hitter on May 17 in which he only needed 81 pitches to do. A 17th-round choice from 2011, Perez was noted by Baseball America as being one of the Astros' best late-round picks.

Of course, he pitched in Lancaster. Despite being 5-4 at home, his ERA was pretty close to 7 and he was giving up over 15 hits per 9 innings (101 in 60.1). But he was stellar on the road, posting a 3.17 ERA in 9 starts. All in all, I would say that he had a nice season and had his moments. Besides the complete game, he allowed 5 hits and struck out 5 over 7.1 shutout innings in his final start of the season. Theoretically, he could have a shot to start in Corpus, considering that Ross Seaton and Jarred Cosart have moved on.

It's really no secret as to who my favorite minor leaguer is, and that's Nick Tropeano. He capped off an excellent first full season in Lancaster and had a strong Arizona Fall League. His first appearance of the season was in relief for Lexington and he struck out 10 in 5 innings. He made his Jethawks debut on July 1 and proceeded to allow an unearned run on 5 hits, walked 2, and struck out 9 in 8 innings to get the victory. He did have a few bumps, most of them coming from Visalia roughing him up. No, he isn't throwing a slider. At least, that's what he told WTHB. I think he's a top-10 guy in the system. I also think he's shown more than enough to warrant a move to Corpus in 2013.

R.J. Alaniz was someone that got me excited in the early going. Then he just tapered off. I don't know if it was fatigue or mechanics, he really fell off. He only made 3 starts after the Cali League All-Star break before getting shut down. He's got a great fastball, a changeup that's been improving, and a curveball that was once considered the best in the system. I believe that he's still one to watch. Hopefully he'll be fully recovered from whatever was ailing him. He'll probably repeat Lancaster.

Andrew Robinson was probably flirting with getting released after April. But from May on, he was a revelation coming out of the bullpen. Apparently, he picked up some velocity on his fastball. Maybe his struggles could be attributed to trying to find a rhythm out of the bullpen. In 2011, he was primarily a starter. Robinson's vast improvement from his disastrous start might have given him a shot at the Corpus bullpen in 2013.

Bobby Doran was absolutely demolished in his first try at Lancaster in 2011. But, this time around, he became the 2012 Jake Buchanan. And that earned him a nice stint in Corpus. His 14 wins tied Mike Foltynewicz for the organization lead. Doran's upside isn't very high. Let's get that out of the way. But, he probably has the potential to be a back-of-the-rotation workhorse. He'll be back in Corpus filling that role in 2013.

For the past 2 years, Chia-Jen Lo has been on the long road to recovery from Tommy John surgery. He only lasted 2 games in Lexington before getting shut down and spent a good part of the season in the GCL before moving up to Lancaster, where he first made his debut in 2009. Lo was being viewed as a possible closer of the future before succumbing to the dreaded surgery. He had a nice Arizona Fall League showing, but... he could possibly be vulnerable to the Rule 5 draft. Provided that he is still in the organization, he should probably start in OKC. Yes, OKC.

Kenny Long, the oldest member of the Astros' 2012 draft class, might only have LOOGY upside, but boy, what an impression he made in his first half-season. He pretty much rendered opposing batters in the New York-Penn League useless against him, then it was more of the same in the California League. Either he or Theron Geith could be the lefty specialist in Corpus Christi next season.

Team Leaders- Pitching:

Appearances: Pat Urckfitz, 45
Starts: David Martinez, 26
Complete Games: Wes Musick and Tyson Perez, 1
No shutouts
Wins: Perez and Martinez, 9
Losses: Jorge De Leon, 9
Saves: Kirk Clark and Pat Urckfitz, 8
ERA: For over 20 appearances: Urckfitz, 3.66. More than 10 starts: Nick Tropeano, 3.31
Innings pitched: Martinez, 160.1
Hits allowed: Martinez, 181
Runs allowed: Martinez, 90
Earned runs allowed: Martinez, 78
Home runs allowed: Zach Grimmett, 21
Walks: De Leon, 44
Strikeouts: Martinez, 114
WHIP: Bobby Doran, 1.21

In part 2, it's Lexington on down to the DSL.

 

Team Assessments: Lower Minors

Lexington Legends

2012 Record: 39-30 1st half, 4th place in South Atlantic League Southern division, 7.5 games behind Asheville
30-39 2nd half, 6th place, 14.5 behind Rome
69-69 overall

Playoffs: Did not qualify

The big story from the Legends' final season as an Astros affiliate definitely had to be the breakout seasons of Delino DeShields and Mike Foltynewicz. Both of them repeated the level and used the lessons they learned from their tough first seasons and enjoyed breakouts in 2012. And.... their breakout seasons have given them the opportunity to start in Corpus next season.

Offensively, DeShields set the tone, as he terrorized South Atlantic League pitchers with the bat and on the basepaths. He made an impact on virtually every game, primarily using his plus-plus speed and showing flashes of power. Even when he didn't have a hit, the vastly improved plate discipline that he showed still allowed him to influence the game in some fashion. DeShields was eventually promoted to Lancaster, where he was a key contributor for the Jethawks' championship run. He's opening camp with Corpus, however, a move that surely puts him on the fast track.

It wasn't just DeShields on offense... the Legends got contributions from some 2011 college draftees. Zach Johnson led the team in RBI with 108, a club record. He'll turn 25 next June, so time is really against him. He should be a useful organizational bat.

Matt Duffy won the Craig Biggio award, as he was plunked 41 times. He also turned in a very solid year at the plate, hitting .280/.387/.447 with 16 homers and 70 RBI as the everyday 3B. Jonathan Meyer might be younger and a level ahead, but he looks as though he's stagnated in Lancaster. I wouldn't be surprised to see Duffy skip the California League next season. Here's a TCB first-hand report on Duffy.

I thought that Brandon Meredith was a surprising omission from the Legends' opening day roster. Turns out that he wasn't healthy in time for Opening Day. No matter.... he still slugged 15 homers in 86 games after joining the team in May. He did some serious damage after the Sally League All-Star break, as he turned in a line of .318/.405/.630 with 14 homers and 36 RBI and was successful on all 6 of his stolen base attempts, to boot. If he was with Lexington all season, he probably would have topped 20 homers in relatively effortless fashion. He could put up some huge numbers in Lancaster. Here's yet another TCB first-hand report; the person that does this is a Legends fan who runs The Grand Old Game blog.

Mike Kvasnicka, despite his appallingly bad start to the season, just might have bought himself a little more time. After only hitting only 9 homers in his first 196 games and 745 at-bats, he connected 15 times in 88 games before missing most of August due to an injury. A .265 BABIP did Kvasnicka no favors, but his K rate increased from 19.8% in 2011 to 23.5%, while his walk rate decreased from 8.6% to 5.3%. After 3 years in the system, he still doesn't have a position. Well, right field just might be his new home. He should fare better in Lancaster, but his time is almost up. What a wasted pick.

Nolan Fontana was assigned to the Legends after signing as a 2nd-round pick out of Florida, and he proceeded to literally walk all over the South Atlantic League. He only played 49 games, but managed to finish 3rd on the club in walks with 65. No doubt he probably led the club in multi-walk games. In all, between Florida and Lexington, Fontana walked 113 times while fanning 71 times. Despite only hitting .225, he still managed an .801 OPS, thanks to a .464 on-base percentage. He gets rave reviews for his defense. Hey, Adam Everett somehow established himself as a Major League shortstop despite contributing almost nothing offensively. At least Fontana gets on base at a very healthy clip. But then again, Everett's also got a gold medal. It will be interesting to see if Fontana's bat gets a jump-start in Lancaster next year and hopefully some questions can be answered as to whether he'll ever hit enough to become a regular at the major league level.

Chan-Jong Moon might be the man who will end up being left out in the hierarchy at shortstop; he might have to move to 2B in order to advance through the system, and he'll be blocked by DeShields anyway, so he may ultimately become a utility guy. A shame, really. He made significant progress on offense and seemed to be on the way to putting his game together, as he had been considered a better defender. He did play both middle infield positions and also played a few games at 3B in Lexington, so as a 2B, it's possible that he could team up with Fontana in Lancaster.


Team Leaders- Offense:

Batting average: Delino DeShields, .298
Hits: Matt Duffy, 138
Doubles: Zach Johnson, 38
Triples: DeShields, 5
Home runs: Duffy, 16
RBI: Johnson, 108 (team record)
Walks: Johnson, 75
Strikeouts: DeShields, 108
Stolen bases: DeShields, 83
OBP: DeShields, .401 (Fontana .464)
Slugging %: Brandon Meredith, .506
OPS: Meredith, .883

Pitching-wise, the story for the Legends was Mike Foltynewicz's breakout, for obvious reasons. I think his performance in 2012 speaks for itself. He's heading to Corpus, which should be the team to watch in the system once again in 2013. The only concern would be the walks. At his age, a moderately high walk rate should probably be expected from a power pitcher. He had a somewhat tough month of July and his last 2 starts of the season didn't go too well either. Folty allowed 8.6 hits per 9 innings in 2012. He'll learn how to make his stuff less hittable.

I'm still not sure about how I should feel about Luis Cruz. He finally conquered Lexington at the 3rd time of asking, and he's only 22. But the knock on him is his size (only 5'9", 170) and has he truly turned the corner? He started 2011 in Lancaster and got walloped in 4 starts. Well, here's hoping that this next stint in Lancaster will be a little more friendly to him. A 48.8% clip (league average: 45.2%) is encouraging and should give him some reason to believe that he can make his 2nd go at the Cali League a better one.

See post #10 for Chris Devenski.

I don't know how, but I somehow left David Rollins out of post #10. He's probably got the lowest upside out of all the Blue Jays pitchers that entered the system, but nonetheless, I think there is some. He's a left-handed starter, and Lord knows that this system needs lefty starters. There might be a jam in Lancaster, with guys like Tyson Perez and R.J. Alaniz likely to repeat the level and Brady Rodgers and/or at least one more Tri-City pitcher possibly making the jump there, so Rollins' role may be TBD.

Luis Ordosgoitti joined the Legends from extended spring training and no doubt, he took his lumps this season. He had 2 good starts to end July, but was either mediocre or was pounded in the rest of his starts. Here's an assessment on the Crawfish Boxes regarding his stuff. He's basically in the same situation that Mike Foltynewicz is in: tough first full season ensures repetition of a level. Whether he has the same upside as Foltynewicz remains to be seen. At 6'4", 180, there's still some room for him to add some muscle to his frame. Only 20, he'll almost certainly repeat Low-A. He pitches to a lot of contact, and he limits his walks. Hopefully, he can scale back on pitching to contact a bit.

The Legends bullpen was anchored by some older guys who had nice years. However, Murilo Gouvea and Dayan Diaz are now free agents, and there's no indication that they'll be brought back to the organization.

A personal favorite reliever of mine has got to be Mitch Lambson. Here's a first-hand look of Lambson from The Crawfish Boxes. In terms of left-handed relief pitching in the system, I think he's just as good as Kenny Long. Either one of them could be the top guy in that department. Lambson, for some reason, started off in Greeneville and made it look too easy in 4 appearances there. Once he moved up to Lexington, he was a solid middle relief option out of the bullpen. Only one flag, though: Lambson was absolutely untouchable at home; however, he was shaky on the road. Two poor outings really hurt his road splits, though. I think he did well enough to warrant a move up to Lancaster, where the park shouldn't faze him too much.

Team Leaders- Pitching:

Appearances: Murilo Gouvea, 50
Starts: Mike Foltynewicz, 27
Complete Games: Chris Devenski (we all know what happened)
Wins: Foltynewicz, 14
Losses: Luis Cruz, 8
Saves: Dayan Diaz, 19
ERA: Diaz, 1.85
Innings pitched: Foltynewicz, 152
Hits allowed: Cruz, 152
Runs allowed: Jonas Dufek, 89
Earned rruns allowed: Dufek, 77
Home runs allowed: Dufek, 16
Walks: Foltynewicz, 62
Strikeouts: Cruz, 135
WHIP: Carlos Quevedo, 1.10


Tri-City ValleyCats

2012 Record: 51-25, 1st in New York-Penn League Stedler division

Playoffs: Lost 2-1 to Hudson Valley in NYPL Championship Series

Tri-City was the class of the New York-Penn League for much of the season, but they fell just short of capturing their second title in 3 seasons. The bulk of the roster was composed of the 2012 college draftees. At first, the roster didn't look very exciting. They quickly proved everyone wrong in short order. A true all-around team.

Andrew Aplin, the 5th-round pick from Arizona State just dominated the NYPL in all facets of the game. He got on base, he stole bases, hit doubles, triples, and a few home runs to boot. He and Tyler Heineman (who I'll get to in a moment) were probably the two best defenders in the league. Too good for Lexington, he went straight to Lancaster, where there was a bit of a dropoff in terms of his numbers. I'm not too concerned about that. He'll be patrolling center once again in Lancaster, and he should get a chance to move up to Corpus if he does well.

An 8th-round choice from UCLA, Tyler Heineman could be the top catching prospect in the system, although Carlos Perez might beg to differ. Heineman's .358 average topped the New York-Penn League, while his .452 OBP was 2nd, and .430 slugging percentage ranked 9th. All without hitting a single home run. He only had 1 home run in 3 years at UCLA, so power's not his game. He is a big-time contact hitter, and behind that .358 average was a .377 BABIP. He also had a 22.3% line-drive rate, well above the NYPL average of 15.7%. So, I am a bit wary about some possible regression, but Heineman at the plate was almost reminiscent of how Jose Altuve saw the ball in 2011. Without the power, of course. There's no benefit in sending him to the Quad Cities; he's ready for Lancaster.

Possibly joining Aplin and Heineman in Lancaster could be Preston Tucker. He had a distinguished career at Florida. And "distinguished" might not be a strong enough word to describe his time there. 4-year starter. Record-holder in 7 different categories. 2nd all-time in home runs. And yet, he somehow lasted until the 7th round. As a senior, Tucker was not subject to the July signing deadline. Instead, he relaxed for a little bit and went to the ESPY Awards in his downtime. Once he signed that contract, though, he picked up right where he left off. Like 4 years at Florida, Tucker instantly became a threat in the middle of the Tri-City lineup, sending 8 balls out to lead the team. He could put up some huge power numbers in Lancaster (or Corpus, even?) in 2013 and could eventually emerge as an in-house DH option.

See post #10 for Jobduan Morales.

Austin "Catfish" Elkins was on fire in the 1st half, but unfortunately, he faded badly down the stretch, but recovered some of that momentum in the playoffs. A 2B from Dallas Baptist drafted in the 19th round, he's got some pop in his bat despite being a relatively small guy and still had a respectable final line, despite that bad slump. He should advance to the Quad Cities.

Team Leaders- Offense:

Batting average: Tyler Heineman, .358
Hits: Jesse Wierzbicki, 76
Doubles: Heineman, 14
Triples: Andrew Aplin, 5
HR: Preston Tucker: 8
RBI: Wierzbicki, 40
Walks: Joe Sclafani, 33
Strikeouts: Ryan Dineen, 69
Stolen Bases: Aplin, 20
On-base %: Heineman, .452
Slugging %: Aplin, .537
OPS: Aplin, .978

The ValleyCats had a team ERA of 2.75. Surprisingly, that was 2nd-best, behind Brooklyn. The rotation was stout. The bullpen was ironclad.

Could the local kid, Brady Rodgers, be the one chosen to skip the Quad Cities? Not an overpowering guy, but he knows how to pitch effectively. The vibe I'm getting is that Rodgers should be a guy who should move rather quickly through this system.

What about Brian Holmes, the 13th-round pick out of Wake Forest? The southpaw was almost unhittable. He was one single away from a perfect game and allowed a staggering 5.3 hits per 9 innings this season. Surely he raised a few eyebrows with his performance. But did he raise enough to warrant skipping a level?

Or maybe it could be Aaron West, the aspiring FBI agent who, after 3 subpar years at Washington, broke out in 2012, and with the ValleyCats, had a sub-1.00 ERA for a good portion of the season?

But enough about that... Jeff Luhnow and company can sort that all out in 2 months' time.

Vince Velasquez made his return from Tommy John surgery, and he looked even better than the last time we saw him, mainly because he regained his pre-surgery velocity on his fastball, then found a little more. Considering that he was gone for a year, his age (a month older than me, FWIW), and his assignment, 2012 was a rousing success for Velasquez. He should be a lock for a rotation spot in the Quad Cities. Here's a reillocity report on TCB on one of Velasquez's starts back in July.

Juri Perez has been someone who has been highly touted in the past, but durability has been a real issue for him in his career. He burst onto the scene with an impressive 2009 season with Greeneville, then succumbed to Tommy John surgery not long after. He struggled in 2011, and had a nice rebound season in 2012, splitting time with Vince Velasquez in the rotation and eventually getting promoted to Lexington, where he held his own. Now with a clean bill of health, I think he should contend for a starting job in the Quad Cities.

Travis Ballew was the vulture of the bullpen, capturing 5 wins in relief. He also had 3 saves. The Texas State product had a 48.9% groundball rate, which was well above the NYPL average of 45.6%. He'll reprise his relief role in the Quad Cities.

Another Texas product, Blake Ford is a Lufkin native and played college ball at Lamar. He set a ValleyCats single-season record with 14 saves. Unfortunately for him, he was released at the end of the season.

Lance Day, a native of Odessa and a UT-Arlington product, was playing independent ball when the Astros picked him up in July. He stepped into the rotation after Juri Perez's promotion to Lexington and was excellent, going 6-1 with a 1.76 ERA.

Team Leaders- Pitching:

Appearances: Blake Ford, 27
Starts: Joe Bircher, 13
Complete Games: Brian Holmes 1 (the only one, a shutout)
Wins: Holmes and Brady Rodgers, 7
Losses: Bircher, 4
Saves: Ford, 14 (team record)
ERA: Travis Ballew, 1.62
Innings pitched: Holmes, 66.2
Hits allowed: Bircher, 76
Runs allowed: Bircher, 30
Earned runs allowed: Bircher, 24
Home runs allowed: Bircher, 6
Walks: Holmes, 25
Strikeouts: Holmes, 65
WHIP: Holmes, 0.96 (Kenny Long: 0.63)

Greeneville Astros

2012 Record: 36-32, 3rd place in Appalachian League West, 8.5 games behind Elizabethton

Playoffs: Did not qualify

A lot of interesting stories with this team. The Big 3 came on board late in the season, while the kid who used to be the recipient of the largest signing bonus in franchise history was vastly improved in a return engagement. Also, there was an undrafted free agent eager to make an impression on his employers. Boy, what a first impression.

As we all know, Ariel Ovando received a then-record $2.6 million bonus out of the Dominican in 2010. He made his much-anticipated debut in 2011 with a rather aggressive assignment to Greeneville. His potential showed in sporadic stretches, but it was very obvious that he had a long way to go. It also didn't help that he missed a number of games due to various injuries, either. He was sent back to the Appy League in 2012, and had a big year. In addition to being healthy, he became a big threat in the Appy Astros' lineup, showing improved numbers across the board. In addition to his rawness, he's got a bit of an attitude problem. Even Jeff Luhnow had to give him a pep talk to get him going. Ovando is another outfielder in the system with an aggressive approach at the plate. If his power continues to develop, he could become a carbon copy of Domingo Santana. Ovando is ready to advance. Considering the high expectations that come with a seven-figure bonus, he might begin 2013 in the Quad Cities.

Speaking of the undrafted free agent (from Dayton), Brian Blasik was probably the Appy Astros' most consistent offensive player. His 20 multi-hit games, 3 triples, and 43 RBI led the club, while his .318 average was 2nd only to Jean Carlos Batista. Blasik looks like a guy that looks to put the ball in play every time he comes to bat, as evidenced by his 11 walks and 25 strikeouts. Defensively, he was solid, committing only 4 errors and earning a 4.33 range factor. Appy Astros (the blogger, not the team) believes that Blasik could skip the Quad Cities.

Jean Carlos Batista was the subject of a documentary entitled Ballplayer: Pelotero. In addition to that, he teamed up with Ariel Ovando, Blasik, and Terrell Joyce to form a potent top of the order. A switch-hitter, he's got a bat. And a (potentially very) good one at that. If you've seen the documentary, you know that

Spoiler

Batista was suspended for a year due to age issues.

Defensively, although he's a shortstop, Batista saw the majority of his time as a 1B while playing the middle infield positions as well. He was rather shaky in the early going at 1B as he was getting acclimated, but got better as the season went on. After a promotion to Tri-City, he played a couple games at third, with messy results. He still hit well enough in a much smaller sample size in Tri-City. Batista's bat should continue to carry him through the minors. His next stop will likely be Tri-City, though he could force his way to the Quad Cities at some point next year. Regardless of where he ends up, there will be a place in the lineup for his bat.

A 12th-round pick in the 2012 Draft, Terrell Joyce stands out for his physique, standing 6'3" and weighing 230. Other than The River and #1, he just might be my favorite position player in this draft class (with apologies to Andrew Aplin). He flat-out raked in both of his JUCO seasons. Coming off a JUCO season in which he sent 11 out in only 42 games, he added 7 more to lead the Appy Astros in that category. 14 doubles tied Blasik for 2nd on the club. Possibly drawing from his entire body of work for the year 2012, the Astros invited him to instructional league. I think he'll be another guy from the 2012 Draft to watch in the coming seasons, and Appy Astros thinks he could start off in the Quad Cities next year. I think I'll agree with him; Jesse Wierzbicki, who was the everyday 1B at Tri-City, is already 24. Wierzbicki did put up good numbers with the ValleyCats, but given his age, he's nothing more than an organization guy at this point.

See post #10 for D'Andre Toney.

Team Leaders- Offense:

Batting average: Jean Carlos Batista, .321
Hits: Brian Blasik, 69
Doubles: Batista, 19
Triples: Blasik, 3
HR: Terrell Joyce, 7
RBI: Blasik, 43
Walks: D'Andre Toney, 25
Strikeouts: Ariel Ovando, 67
Stolen Bases: Toney, 15
On-base %: Mike Martinez, .366
Slugging %: Batista, .531
OPS: Batista, .875

Pitching was a strong point of the Appy Astros. They were 4th in the Appalachian League in terms of hits allowed (while allowing the fewest home runs and were 2nd in hits allowed per 9 innings), 3rd in ERA, and they led the league in strikeouts (and strikeouts per 9 innings).

The rotation was headlined by the highly touted Adrian Houser, and other than 2 poor outings, he had a fine season.

What was the secret to Houser's success this season? Groundballs. He kept things down in the zone this season, which resulted in a 57.7% groundball rate, well above the league average of 45.5%. His 2.19 groundball/flyball ratio was also well above-average. Houser had 54 strikeouts in 58 innings, which ranked 3rd on the club. Either he was more deceptive, or his pitches seemed to gain movement, as almost 8% of his strikeouts were of the looking variety. The Appy League average was 5.6%. I think the organization has to be elated at Houser's progress. I think he could certainly be a part of the Quad Cities starting rotation in 2013.

A 9th-round pick in the 2012 Draft, Dan Minor put himself on the map with an absolutely dominant August. In 4 starts that month, he went 4-0 with an 0.35 ERA, allowing only 3 runs (1 earned, all in 1 start) in that time period. He allowed 1 hit, walked 1, and struck out 11 over 7 shutout innings in a win over Princeton on August 10. At 5'11", 190, Minor is an undersized guy, but durability probably won't be an issue, as he led the Appy Astros in innings pitched with 59. This coming off 110.1 for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi during the NCAA season. What also struck me was his efficiency and command. He issued 10 walks all season, and didn't walk more than 2 (which he did 3 times) in any of his starts. He should be in the Quad Cities rotation in 2013.

Francis Ramirez had a great July, but faded in August. Still, he had a respectable season, leading the Appy Astros in strikeouts with 59. His best pitch would probably be his fastball, which was hovering around 90-93 in July. However, he also led the team in walks with 29, which suggests that his control is a work in progress. Ramirez will likely be in the Tri-City rotation next season.

See post #10 for Joe Musgrove and Kevin Comer.

The bullpen was anchored by two late-round picks in the 2012 Draft.

Jordan "JJ" Jankowski, a 34th-rounder from Catawba College in North Carolina, was the old man of the roster at 23. He also taught the young whipper-snappers a thing or two about being a filthy reliever. Using a biting slider, his 53 strikeouts was 4th on the team, despite pitching 25 fewer innings than each of the guys in the starting rotation. Given his age, I think he should get a challenge. Send him to Lancaster.

Mike Hauschild, the 33rd-rounder from Dayton, was just as solid out of the bullpen, though he went about it in a much more different fashion than Jankowski. He struck out 11.66 per 9 innings, but that wasn't the story with him. He had a... wait for it.... 75% groundball rate!!! Hey, if he's inducing grounders at a rate like that, Lancaster should be relatively friendly for him, right?

Team Leaders- Pitching:

Appearances: Jordan Jankowski, 23
Starts: Francis Ramirez, 13
Complete Games: Tiburcio, 2 (Both; 1 7-inning, 1 6-inning, 1-1 record)
Wins: Ramirez, 5
Losses: Frederick Tiburcio, 5
Saves: Jankowski and Michael Dimock, 4
ERA: Mike Hauschild, 1.78
Innings pitched: Dan Minor, 59
Hits allowed: Adrian Houser, 53
Runs allowed: Tiburcio, 34
Earned runs: Tiburcio, 29
Home runs allowed: Tiburcio, 5 (Kevin Comer allowed 6, but only 2 came with Greeneville)
Walks: Ramirez, 29
Strikeouts: Ramirez, 59
WHIP: Hauschild, 1.02

GCL Astros

2012 Record: 28-31, 3rd place in GCL East, 8.5 games behind GCL Cardinals

Playoffs: Did not qualify

To all of us, this is where it all began for the Big 3 of the 2012 Draft.

Carlos Correa started off rather slowly. It was probably just the adjustment period. 11 doubles is encouraging; I see it as a precursor to some serious power numbers down the road. He played 11 games with Greeneville to close out the season, where he just flat-out raked in a microscopic sample size. According to Brian T. Smith, he is expected to begin the 2013 season in the Quad Cities. He has received rave reviews all across the board. I cannot wait for him to assume the mantle as the face of the New Astros.

Rio Ruiz slipped to the 4th round mainly due to a blood clot in his shoulder and was brought along slowly after signing. The book on him is that he's a solid defender for his age and that he has good bat speed on the offensive side. He showed some patience at the plate and some nice gap power in the GCL and Greeneville. Now that his health scare is over with, he should follow Correa to the Quad Cities next season.

Darwin Rivera spent 2011 as the everyday 3B in Greeneville and looked overwhelmed. After all, he only spent 12 games at the Academy before getting sent stateside. He had a nice bounceback year in 2012, hitting .310/.373/.440 with 4 homers and 29 RBI, leading the team in both categories. Next year is his age 21 season. He didn't conquer Greeneville, but he probably did well enough offensively in the GCL, so I think he'll go to Tri-City.

Brett Phillips spurned NC State to sign an overslot deal in the 6th round. He served as the everyday CF and leadoff hitter, and he used his plus speed to leg out 6 triples and steal 7 bases. He looks to be a plus defender in the making with his blazing speed and strong arm, notching 7 outfield assists. In addition to the triples, he led the team in walks, which leads me to believe that if he puts everything together, he could become an ideal leadoff hitter. He'll start off in extended spring training in 2013, with Greeneville being his most likely destination.

Teoscar Hernandez was named the MVP of the DSL club in 2011 and made his US debut in the GCL this past season. I think he might be someone to watch in the coming years, as I believe he possesses legit five-tool potential. Playing RF in deference to Brett Phillips, his 12 outfield assists led the GCL, which leads me to believe that he could develop into the best outfield arm in the system. Offensively, his 4 homers tied Darwin Rivera for the team lead. However, his 54 strikeouts led the team, so he may have his share of swings and misses. Hernandez received an 8-game cameo in Lexington when Jordan Scott was placed on the inactive list, and in his first at-bat, slugged a 2-run homer. He'll probably spend most of the season in Greeneville after extended spring training, where he and Phillips will team up once again.

Juan Santana also made his US debut this year, at the ripe old age of 17 (what am I doing with my life) after a very impressive debut season at the Academy in 2011. After a slow start, his bat steadily warmed up. Well, he needed someone to be on base for him. With the bases empty, he only hit .229. With runners on, though, he hit .318, and with RISP, the average jumped to .339. His 24 RBI ranked 2nd on the team. He looks like a guy that won't walk too much, but won't strike out too much either. He split time between 2B and short in the GCL in 2012, and he performed better at 2B. Looking at the numbers, he could move to 2B down the road. He's only a month older than Carlos Correa. Given his age, he could repeat the GCL; after all, he is a rather young 18, much like Correa. But, Santana very much held his own in his US debut in a league in which he was among the youngest regulars, facing off against a mixture of slightly older Latin prospects, high school kids, and a few college guys so I think the front office might challenge him a bit by sending him to Greeneville, where he would likely team up with Jose Fernandez in the middle infield.

Team Leaders- Offense:

Batting average: Darwin Rivera, .310
Hits: Rivera, 62
Doubles: Rivera, 14
Triples: Brett Phillips, 6
HR: Teoscar Hernandez and Rivera, 4
RBI: Rivera, 29
Walks: Phillips, 28
Strikeouts: Hernandez, 54
Stolen bases: Hernandez, 10
On-base %: Rivera, .373
Slugging %: Rivera, .440
OPS: Rivera, .813

Lance McCullers had 8 starts. 4 of them came in the GCL and the other 4 were in Greeneville. He didn't win any of them, and he was on a 4-inning cap. However, he lived up to his draft billing just as well as Correa did. He had two straight rough outings in Greeneville to end the season, which hurt his final line a bit. The best news is that he made it through all of his starts without any injuries arising. Remember, prior to the draft, there were many concerns about his delivery and the possibility that it might result in arm issues down the road.

Michael Feliz put himself on the map by dominating the GCL. He only made 3 starts, but got significant work piggybacking off the likes of Jose Valdez, Raul Rivera, and Chia-Jen Lo. An imposing figure at 6'4", 210, he's already operating at 92-94 with his fastball. With obviously nothing left to prove in the GCL, Feliz finished the season in Greeneville, where he did struggle somewhat. He did finish strong though, throwing 5 shutout innings with 5 strikeouts in his final start of the year. Only 19, he'll most likely return to Greeneville, where he could potentially be the star of the rotation there.

Team Leaders- Pitching:

Appearances: Erick Gonzalez, 19
Starts: Enderson Franco, 7
Complete Games: Franco, 1 (shutout, the only one)
Wins: Michael Feliz, 5
Losses: Agapito Barrios, 5
Saves: Gonzalez, 10
ERA: Feliz, 1.64
Innings pitched: Franco, 50
Hits allowed: Franco, 69
Runs allowed: Franco, 31
Earned runs allowed: Franco, 27
Home runs allowed: Franco, Feliz, and Raul Rivera, 2
Walks: Jandel Gustave, 27
Strikeouts: Franco, 37

DSL Astros

2012 Record: 22-47, 8th place in DSL Boca Chica Northwest, 27.5 games behind DSL Mariners

Playoffs: Did not qualify

Rough year for the Academy. Hopefully the Luhnow regime can ramp up efforts in Latin America.

Offensively, the team was woeful, to say the least. They hit .215, which puts them 2nd from the bottom, ahead of only the combined D-Backs/Reds squad, who hit .204. A .301 on-base percentage was also 2nd-worst, and their .285 slugging percentage was 3rd-worst.

Luis Reynoso, a shortstop who was signed for $700K in 2011, was the only player who had an OPS over .700, with a final line of .281/.382/.363 with 1 homer and 17 RBI in 50 games. He was also the only player that hit better than .260. Reynoso committed 23 errors, but that's probably to be expected from a 17-year-old in his first time playing professional baseball. I think he's put himself in consideration to come stateside next season.

At 20, Mesac Laguna was the oldest regular, and he brought a little bit of power, leading the squad with 6 homers. He'll turn 21 next month and this was his 3rd year in the DSL, so he will have to come stateside or else he'll have to be released.

As for the rest... yuck. A lot of the regulars were in their first seasons, so hopefully there's some improvement.

Team Leaders- Offense:

Batting average: Luis Reynoso, .281
Hits: Mesac Laguna, 61
Doubles: Laguna, 13
Triples: Jean Carlos Cortorreal, 4
HR: Laguna, 6
RBI: Laguna, 23
Walks: Cristian Murillo, 40
Strikeouts: Frederick Serrano, 67
Stolen Bases: Jarico Reynoso, 17
OBP: Luis Reynoso, .381
Slugging %: Laguna, .374
OPS: Luis Reynoso, .744

Samil De Los Santos could be one to watch down the road. As is typical of players in the DSL, not much is known about the soon-to-be 19-year-old De Los Santos, who at 6'4", 175, is a pretty lanky righthander. In his professional debut in 2011, he ran up a 7.04 ERA and showed almost no semblance of control. But in 2012, it looks like he put the lessons he learned in the prior season to good use and pitched his way into possible prospect status. He went 2-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 12 appearances (9 starts), and in 57.2 innings, he allowed 42 hits (1 homer), 21 runs (16 earned), walked 20, and struck out 63. Opponents hit a paltry .197 off of him. It will be interesting to see how De Los Santos shapes up when we get more information on him. He should make his US debut in the Gulf Coast League next season.

A couple of other pitchers turned in some nice years. Edwin Villarroel, a Venezuelan lefty who was the 2nd-youngest member of the roster (barely 17 at the start of the season), was a fixture in the rotation and, despite only going 4-7, had a 2.25 ERA and led the team in innings pitched with 68. The only downside was that he only struck out 22 and that over half of the runs he allowed weren't earned. Well, unearned runs are very common in the DSL. However, despite Villarroel's youth, it looks like he has the capability of going deep into games.

Harold Arauz, a righty from Panama who was signed for $300K in 2011, had a sparkling debut, throwing 4 innings, allowing an unearned run, walking 2 and striking out 7. But, in his 2nd appearance, he only managed to get one out, then didn't appear for almost a month. I presume that it was due to injury. But, he does have some pretty good upside, with a 6'4" frame and good three-pitch mix to go along with it.

Team Leaders- Pitching:

Appearances: Frangy Colon, Yonquelys Martinez, and Victor Mesa, 18 each
Starts: Villarroel and Juan Hernandez, 11
Complete games: Elieser Hernandez, 1 (the only one)
Wins: Javier Saucedo, 5
Losses: Villarroel, 7
Saves: Mesa, 4
ERA: Villarroel, 2.25
Innings pitched: Villarroel, 68
Hits allowed: Villarroel, 68
Runs allowed: Rayderson Chevalier, 40
Earned runs: Chevalier, 31
Home runs allowed: Chevalier, Saucedo, and Luis Abad, 5 each
Walks: Abad and Geronimo Franzua, 31
Strikeouts: Samil De Los Santos, 63
WHIP: De Los Santos, 1.08

Well, there you have it. I tried to keep it short... so much for that. Finally had time to do this after finals and all that good stuff.

It will be interesting to see how the starting rotations at both A stops will be filled. Jeff Luhnow has stockpiled a great deal of pitchers at the lower levels who are capable of starting. Presumably there might be at least one Tri-City pitcher headed straight for Lancaster.