7/7 THURSDAY MINOR LEAGUE FINAL: Cruz on the fast track; Clark wins 1st!

rico43

rico43

<B>Director of Minor League Reports</B>
Derian Cruz: Ready to advance at age 17

Nearly everything farm director Brian Barnes said this month of Kevin Maitan needs to be copied and pasted onto the scouting report for GCL Braves shortstop Derian Cruz. Our big ticket signee last July, he debuted in the GCL and all he has done after 10 games is hit .370 with four doubles, two homers and four stolen bases.

He doesn't even turn 18 until October, so he easily projects as someone who could be on the doorstep of the big leagues before his 20th birthday. He actually has cooled a little; he hit safely in his first seven professional games and was at .406 at that point. The switch-hitting Dominican is a prototype 6-1, 180. The only red flag is that he hasn't drawn a walk yet, but he has a modest seven strikeouts in 10 games.

I already feel I have underrated him in my top 30, but I will wait until the trade deadline to update my board again in order to accommodate the several trades I am sure the Braves will be making.

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Why is Clark still blocking people in Carolina? Weigel should be there, Fried should be there when his blister heals, and Allard and Wentz should be allowed to stretch out in Rome.


THURSDAY'S MINOR LEAGUE RESULTS

CLASS AAA

Gwinnett 15, Charlotte 3

SP: Banuelos 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Texeira 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
WP: Roney (2-0) 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K

Rojas 3-6, 2 R, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Castro 2-4, 3 R, HR (2nd), 2 RBI
Schlehuber 2-4, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI
Ruiz 2-4, 2B, R, RBI, SF
Lipka 1-4, 2B, R, RBI, SF
Mustelier 2-4, 2B, R, RBI

CLASS AA

Mississippi 3, Montgomery 2

SP: Sims 5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
WP: Kent (BS, 1-2) 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Younginer (Save, 9) 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

Albies 2-3, 2 R, 3B, 2 BB, SB
Swanson 0-1, RBI, 2 BB, SF
Schrader 1-3, HR (9th), RBI


ADVANCED CLASS A

Carolina 5, Salem 2

WP: Clark (1-10) 6 H, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
Sobotka 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
McLaughlin (Save, 4) 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB,1 K

Tejeda 1-3, HR (3rd), RBI
Daris 2-3, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI
Fernandez 0-0, 2 R, 4 BB
Davidson 0-3, BB, 3 K
Valenzuela 0-2, RBI, 2 BB

CLASS A

Hickory 9, Rome 4

LP: Weigel (5-4) 4 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1K
Kennedy 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Matos 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Webb 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Dykstra 2-4, 2B, R, 2 RBI
Ellison 1-5, 2B, RBI
Castro 2-3, R, BB
Riley 1-4, BB

SHORT-SEASON

GCL Braves 8, GCL Tigers 3

SP: Heredia 4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
WP: Vega (1-1) 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K
Greene 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Schlosser 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

D. Cruz 3-5, 2B, HR (2nd), 2 R, 4 RBI (.370)
Pache 2-3, 3B, R, SB, BB, OF assist
Contreras 1-1, 2B, RBI
Ventura 1-4, 2B, RBI, BB
Mejia 1-3, 2 R, RBI, BB

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Danville 7, Bluefield 1

WP: J. Martinez (1-1) 6 IP, 5 H, 0 Er, 0 BB, 6 K
Walker 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K
Watts 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Neslony 2-4, 2 R, HR (1st), 2 RBI
Gonzalez 1-3, 3B, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Lee 3-4, 2B, RBI
James 2-5, RBI
Cumberland 0-5

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DSL Braves 10, DSL Nationals 5

SP: Javier 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
WP: Gil (3-1) 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER(2R), 3 BB, 2 K

Michel 2-5, 2 R, RBI, SB
Centeno 2-5, R, 3 RBI, 3 K
J.C. Encarnacion (SS) 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI (pro debut)
Morales 1-3, R, RBI, 2 E (7) (.146)
 
Both home runs have come from the right side of the plate, which is where most scouting reports said a majority of his power comes from. Hard not to be excited about Cruz and Pache.
 
Anxious to see if Man Ban can pitch like he did last time. It had been a while before that one. And thanks for the comments on Cruz, Rico. I rely on others to tell me when to be hopeful about prospects most of the time. He hasn't been all that hyped. If he is close to as good as Albies seems to be, that's pretty exciting. I hope the homers aren't just SSS. If he is already showing game power from the right side at 17, he should at least show a decent amount from the left side as his body matures.
 
Neslony still on fire, homered tonight in Danville.

Anyone know anything about Jhon Martinez in Danville? Five scoreless with five Ks and no walks. Just wasn't sure if he was a guy we should keep an eye on.
 
smootness said:
How is Pache pronounced? Is it Patch-ee? or Pash?
Click to expand...

It's pronounced good ball player.

From my standpoint, I'd have to rate Ozzie Albies the top prospect in the system. What he is doing to the Southern League as a 19 year old, you just don't see this all the time. He has the highest AVG in the southern league by 50 points and the highest OBP in the southern league by 50 points. He's also the 6th highest SLG in the league.
 
CJ9 said:
Neslony still on fire, homered tonight in Danville.

Anyone know anything about Jhon Martinez in Danville? Five scoreless with five Ks and no walks. Just wasn't sure if he was a guy we should keep an eye on.
Click to expand...

Somebody fill me in. Is Neslony a real 'prospect', or minor league depth? I realize that he's old for Danville, but man, he sure is hitting.
 
Rojas jr -- 2-4, 2b, hr

He's hitting pretty well lately. Could he get a shot soon? I know he's not much of a prospect, but doesn't he have some tools?
 
msstate7 said:
Rojas jr -- 2-4, 2b, hr

He's hitting pretty well lately. Could he get a shot soon? I know he's not much of a prospect, but doesn't he have some tools?
Click to expand...

saw him in Bham for two nights. hit one out the first game. He is strong and played a good center. you could tell Dansby and D.Pete liked him. Not sure we have much there however.
 
jimsnores said:
Somebody fill me in. Is Neslony a real 'prospect', or minor league depth? I realize that he's old for Danville, but man, he sure is hitting.
Click to expand...

With the retirement of Hessman, I may have to turn to the Nes-man.

As per Rojas, five-tool guy drafted in the 3rd round out of an Illinois JC in 2010. Son of former major league reliever Mel Rojas and relative to the Alou clan. Tools have never really translated.
 
And Carolina, the lest talented team, has handled Salem (really good team) the last three games. Shows records mean nothing in the minors.
 
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