Cord Phelps, 2B-COL: 4-5, HR (15), 2B, 5 RBI, R.
Phelps has been on fire of late. In his last two games alone, he's 8 for 9 with 2 HR, 3 doubles, 9 RBI and has scored four runs. In 14 games in the month of August, he's hitting .389/.441/.722 wifh 4 HR, 6 doubles and 11 RBI. I'm not quite ready to dust off the old "free Cord Phelps" movement, especially with Jason Kipnis firmly entrenched at 2B, but I wouldn't be opposed to seeing him get called up to play some 3B to either enhance his profile as a bat-first utility guy or showcase him as a potential trade chip down the road. Phelps is hitting a solid .283/.366/.474 for the Clippers this season, and a switch-hitting utility infielder is about as versatile as a ballplayer can be. He looked overwhelmed during inconsistent playing time last season, but he's hardly the first prospect to struggle in his first experience under the bright lights of major league baseball. He's gone from slightly overrated to sightly underrated as a result. No one is going to suggest that he's a future all-star, but to completely dismiss him as a useful part of a big league roster is short-sighted.
T.J. McFarland, SP-COL: W (6-6), 7 IP, ER, 6 H, 6 K, BB. McFarland kept the ball on the ground and in the ballpark yesterday after giving up an uncharachteristic 3 HR in his last start. Over his last 3 outings, McFarland is 2-1 with 22 IP, 5 ER, 15 K and 3 BB.
Ludovicus Jacobus Maria Van Mil, RP-COL: 2 IP, K, BB. After posting a 1.94 ERA in 46 1/3 IP for AA Akron, the 7'1" Van Mil had a successful Clipper debut with two clean innings last night.
Tim Fedroff, CF-COL: 2-4, 2B, BB, 2 R. This was Fedroff's first multi-hit game in his last 10 contests, and he's slumped to a .190/.244/.333 line without a HR in that timeframe. He still has a .917 AAA OPS, but he's not tearing through the International League like he was a couple of weeks ago.
Russ Canzler, LF-COL: 2-5, HR (18), 2B, RBI, R. Canzler is hitting .262/.328/.472 with 18/64 this season to give him an even .800 OPS. Like most Clippers, he's hitting much better at home (.848 OPS) than on the road (.747 OPS).
Juan Diaz, SS-COL: 2-4, R, K. Diaz was called up to AAA Columbus earlier this week, and is now 2-11 this season as a Clipper.
Trey Haley, RP-AKR: W (2-0), 3 IP, H, 4 K. Haley with his longest outing of the season to pick up his 2nd AA win. He's now thrown 25 2/3 innings between Carolina and Akron, allowing just 3 ER on 12 hits with 26 K. Cross your fingers that this kid can stay healthy, because he has an impact arm when he's on the mound.
Shawn Armstrong, RP-AKR: S (2), 1 1/3 IP, H, BB. Armstrong has allowed just one earned run in his 15 1/3 IP for AA Akron, striking out 16 in the process. He's yet to allow a HR in 62 2/3 IP between Lake County, Carolina and Akron this season.
Tyler Holt, CF-AKR: 3-4, 3B, RBI, R, SB, CS. After hitting just .232 with a .595 OPS for Akron in the month of July, Holt has picked things up here in August. In his 14 games this month, he's hitting .308/.357/.385 with as many XBH (3) as he recorded in 24 games last month. Holt is still just 23 and is an above-average defender in CF with good speed on the bases.
Roberto Perez, C-AKR: 1-3, 2B, R. Just for fun, Perez picked a guy off 1B with a snap throw. Again. I wish someone kept stats on that, because by my informal (and unofficial) count, Perez leads the universe in that category.
Ronny Rodriguez, SS-CAR: 3-4, HR (16), 3 RBI, R, K. Rodriguez's line of .267/.305/.448 might not leap off the page at you, but consider the following three points; 1) he's playing above-average defense at SS 2) it's his first full year in organized baseball 3) those 16 HR are tied for 5th in the Carolina League. Impressed now?
Gio Urshela, 3B-CAR: 2-5, 2B. Urshela is having his best offensive season as a professional, with a .277/.310/.427 line in 98 games with the Mudcats.
Harold Guerrero, RP-LCC: IP, 3 K. Guerrero gave up 2 ER in 1/3 of an inning in his Captains debut last Sunday, but the southpaw rebounded to strike out the side in order in his inning yesterday.
Francisco Lindor, SS-LCC: 2-3, 2B, BB, 2 R. Lindor may be hitting a bit of that rookie wall, as he's hitting just .184/.311/.289 in his last 10 games.
Jake Lowery, C-LCC: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, K. Lowery is putting together his best stretch of the season at the plate, hitting in 8 of his last 10 games with a .306/.324/.778 line in that timeframe. He's popped 4 HR, 3 doubles, a triple and driven in 14 runs in that span as well, showing some of the power he was drafted for.
Bryson Myles, RF-LCC: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, R. Myles is up to .278/.342/.368 this season, and is actually showing reverse platoon splits at the plate. He's hitting .297/.363/.406 against righties, but just .225/.284/.263 off of southpaws.
Alex Lavisky, DH-LCC: 1-4, HR (10), 2 RBI, R, 2 K. Lavisky nosed his OPS over .700 with last night's HR, and is now hitting .243/.309/.393 with 10 HR, 16 doubles and 41 RBI in 82 games for the Captains this season. His strikeout-walk ratio is still concerning, with 90 K and 29 BB this year.
Robel Garcia, 2B-MVS: 3-4, 2B, RBI, R. Garcia is hitting .324/.361/.412 in his last 10 games with the Scrappers, a marked improvement over his .210/.298/.309 line in 63 games with the Captains.
Kieran Lovergove, SP-AZL: 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 6 H, 2 K, 2 BB. This was Lovegrove's longest and most effective outing in the AZL since being drafted in the 3rd round out of a California high school this June. He's done a good job managing his walks (5 in 16 IP) but the opposing hitters are pounding his pitches in the strike zone (25 H).
Dorssys Paulino, DH-AZL: 2-4, 2B, R, SB, K. Just two hits for Paulino last night, who is now 12 for his last 18. Slacker.