Jesus Aguilar, 1B-CAR: 3-4, HR (7), 3 RBI, BB, R.
Big, Bad Jesus Aguilar celebrated being named to the MLB Futures Game with a bomb last night, his 7th of the season. Aguilar is a big boy with tremendous raw power, but there were questions coming into this season about his overall hit tool and his ability to handle offspeed stuff down and out of the strike zone. To his credit, Aguilar has shortened up his swing a little and really improved his bat path to the ball, and it's helped him to a .303 average this season for the Mudcats. That adjustment seems to have sacraficed a little of his power though, as he's slugging "just" .487. The Carolina League is notoriously tough on power hitters, so there's a good chance that Aguilar's SLG and HR numbers will improve simply with a promotion to the AA Eastern League. He worked extremely hard on his defense this offseason, which was considered below-average last year and most had him labled as a future DH. I saw him out with Travis Fryman every morning before the team workouts this spring in Goodyear, and his hard work has turned him into an average defender at 1B. Aguilar turns 22 next Saturday, and is one of the few legit corner infield prospects in the organization right now.
Cord Phelps, 2B-COL: 2-4, HR (8), 3 RBI, BB, R. Phelps is having his best month of the season, as in 21 June games he's hitting .290/.419/.493 with 3 HR and an outstanding 16/8 BB/K ratio. It's the first month he has walked more than he's struck out, which is an encouraging sign for the 25-year old 2B.
Tim Fedroff, CF-COL: 2-5, 2B, R, 2 K. Fedroff continues to torch AAA pitching, as he pushes his line with the Clippers up to .381/.442/.524 in 12 International League games this season.
Jared Goedert, 3B-COL: 2-5, 2B, RBI. Goedert has been back at 3B lately, and it is clearly helping his offensive midset as he's now 8 for his last 13 with 3 2B.
Gio Soto, SP-AKR: 5 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, K, 3 BB. After striking out 9 and walking one in 6 innings in his last start, Soto had trouble missing bats last night, and also had trouble finding the strike zone. Not a good combination. In a statistical quirk, he followed up his 9 K performance on May 2 with a 1 K outing his next time out on May 9. Coincidence? Absolutely.
Bryce Stowell, RP-AKR: IP, ER, H, 3 K, 2 BB. Maybe the umpire had a small strike zone last night. Stowell struck out the side in his inning of work, but issued two free passes and allowed an earned run.
Roberto Perez, C-AKR: 0-4, 2 K. No hits for Roberto, but he gunned down the only runner who tried to steal on him. I love me some Roberto Perez.
Juan Diaz, SS-AKR: 2-4, 2B, R, K. Diaz is hitting just .171/.237/.314 in his last 10 games, and actually has a lower AA AVG (.234) than MLG AVG (.267) this year.
Jordan Cooper, RP-CAR: W (2-3), 4 IP, 5 H, 5 K. Solid outing for Cooper, who's been ouststanding in his last 10 outings for the Mudcats. He's thrown 27 2/3 innings, posted a 2.28 ERA and struck out 26 while walking just 3.
Tony Wolters, 2B-CAR: 2-3, 2 2B, BB, R, K. Wolters rode an 0-9 mini-slump into the Carolina League All-Star break, but came out blazing last night to kick of the 2nd half of the season the right way.
Ronny Rodriguez, SS-CAR: 2-5, R. In his last 4 games, Rodriguez is 10-17 with 2 3B, a 2B and 4 RBI. And he's a legit shortstop to boot. Oh, and he's just 20 years old in the Carolina League.
Gio Urshela, 3B-CAR: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R. Urshela is riding an 8 game hitting streak, during which he has gone 13-31 with a HR, 5 2B and 6 RBI. His overall season line with the Mudcats stands at .260/.303/.354 in 47 games.
Bo Greenwell, LF-CAR: 2-4, RBI, K. Greenwell has at least one hit in all three games since finally coming off the DL on June 14. Great to see him back in the lineup and healthy again.
Tyler Holt, CF-CAR: 2-5, R. Holt has been struggling in June, hitting just .190/.210/.203 with 2 BB and 14 K.
Jeremie Tice, DH-CAR: 2-5, 2B, R, K. If it seems like everyone on the Mudcats got two hits last night, it's because they very nearly did. Carlos Moncrief was the lone slacker, with just one base knock. All-Star Jeremice Tice has a mini 4 game hitting streak going, is 4th in the league with a .950 OPS and tied for the league lead with his 12 HR.
Jose Ramirez, 2B-MVS: 2-3, 2B, RBB, R, SB. Ramirez is 4-11 this season with a pair of doubles and a pair of stolen bases for the Scrappers. He's a 19-year old switch hitter out of the Dominican Republic with plus speed, and is an intriguing prospect as a 2B.
Juan Romero, RF-MVS: 1-4, RBI. Romero has at least one RBI in all four Scrappers games this season, and leads the NYPL with his 3 HR.
Luis Lugo, SP-AZL: 3 1/3 IP, ER, 3 H, 6 K, BB. Lugo is an 18-year old, 6'5", 200lb lefty, and as yesterday's stat line shows he's got some stuff to go with that impressive physical frame.
Eric Haase, C-AZL: 2-5, 2B, RBI, K. Haase is 3-9 so far in two AZL games, and was one of the most impressive prospects I saw way back in March when I was in Goodyear. A strong kid with an athletic frame, he showed really impressive power to the opposite field, especially for a 19-year old who was playing in high school last year.
Jorge Martinez, 3B-AZL: 3-4, 2 2B, 2 BB, R. Martinez is a lanky, switch hitting infielder out of the Dominican Republic who has plenty of room on his 6'2", 170lb frame to add some more strength and power.
Dorssys Paulino, SS-AZL: 0-3, 2 BB, R. Paulino was the Indians big $ signing out of the Dominican last year, and is still just 17 years old. He's 3-8 with 2 BB and no K in his two AZL games, and is a guy to keep an eye on moving forward. He might outgrow SS, but should have the bat to play at 3B if that happens.