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The lower half of the system came through for the Jays on Thursday. Bluefield knocked out 21 hits but had to hang on for a one run win. The GCL Jays had 14 hits and scored nine runs. The DSL Jays scored eight runs on 12 hits. Lansing won in extras but Buffalo, Dunedin and Vancouver lost. New Hampshire had a day off.

Buffalo

The Bisons lost 4-1. They had just six hits, all of them singles. Darnell Sweeney was the only hitter with two hits. Danny Jansen was 1-3, and was hit by a pitch, to remain the only hitter with an average over .300.

Sean Reid-Foley started and went five innings. It was not one of his best starts, it was a 747 start. He did strikeout seven but walked four and surrendered seven hits, one a home run. Jake Petrika pitched three shutout innings in relief.


New Hampshire

New Hampshire had a day off.


Dunedin

Dunedin lost 5-4 and left the bases loaded in the ninth. Like Buffalo they were held to six hits, but the Jays did have one extra base hit, a two run home run by Kevin Smith, his fifth for Dunedin. The bottom third of the order had the other five hits, Nash Knight and Rodrigo Orozco had two hits each. Logan Warmoth did not play again and now has missed the last three games.

Angel Perdomo pitched five innings, 83 pitches total. He was charged with three runs on six hits. He did have five strikeouts.


Lansing

Lansing trailed 3-0 before coming back to win in ten innings. Reggie Pruitt started the bottom of the tenth on second base. Yeltsin Gudino tried to bunt him over and the pitcher threw it away, Pruitt scored to win in the walk-off. Ryan Noda was the hitting hero, he had a single, double and triple. Ironically, Noda, a home run hitter, did not get the home run to make it a cycle. Gudino and Brock Lundquist had two hits each.

Matt Gunter was hit around and gave up three runs before being pulled in the fourth. Three relievers, Braydon Bouchey, Kyle Weatherly and Matt Shannon pitched 6.2 shutout innings.


Vancouver

The C's lost 1-0, both teams had five hits in a pitching dominated game. The difference was a solo home run in the second inning. Randy Pondler started for the Jays and went six innings, four hits, one walk, six K's. Orlando Pascual and Connor Laws finished up.

Five hitters had one hit each. The only extra base hit was a double by Vinny Capra. The Jays only picked up one walk. They had just four strikeouts so they were hitting the ball at the fielders all evening.


Bluefield

Every starter had a hit and eight of the nine had a multi hit game. It was a team effort. Special mention has to go to Alejandro Kirk with four hits, Davis Schneider who homered, DJ Neal who, like Ryan Noda, was a home run short of the cycle, and Dominic Abbadessa who drove in three runs.

Claudio Galva started and gave up two runs in five innings. The bullpen conceded eight runs, Josh Almonte came in for the ninth and hit a batter and walked a couple before getting the hook. Its a work in process. The best pitcher was 33rd round pick Matt Harris who had four K's in two innings.


GCL Jays

The GCL Jays won 9-7 while racking up 14 hits. Griffin Conine had three hits and three RBI's. Cal Stevenson, Jordan Groshans, Yhordegny Kelly and Adrian Ramos had two hits each Leonardo Jimenez added a two RBI double. Conine is probably headed to Vancouver soon. Stevenson is another college product and he is hitting .500 in the lead off spot.

The Jays started 18 year old Rafael Monsion. He pitched five innings allowing two runs, one earned. Six of the Jays runs allowed were unearned due to four errors. Groshans was the worst offender, he made three errors, two on throws. The Jays used four relievers to finish up.


DSL Jays

The DSL Jays won 8-3. Three 17 year olds led the way. Miguel Hiraldo was 4-4 with a walk. 17 year old Erickvi Celedonio followed up his three hits in the last game with a 2-5 performance. And Jhon Solarte was 2-3 with a walk and he is hitting .310. The Jays used five pitchers, Santos Moreno started and pitched four shutout innings.


3 Stars

3rd star: Ryan Noda and DJ Neal

2nd star: Miguel Hiraldo

1st star: Alejandro Kirk


Boxes

The Bats in Bluefield are En Fuego | 59 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
hypobole - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 11:42 AM EDT (#360405) #
I 'd never noticed 1st Star Alejandro Kirk until last night.

milb transactions show this:

September 24, 2016 - Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent RHP Alejandro Kirk to a minor league contract.

No pitcher has managed to strike him out in 2 years. Mind you, he's only been in 4 games and 17 PA's total in those 2 years. And in only one has he played in the field, as a catcher.

So that's Alejandro Kirk, RHP turned DH/C.

Gerry - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 12:19 PM EDT (#360412) #
Kirk is listed on the roster as a DH which is unusual. So I checked his size, 5'9" and 220 pounds. He sounds .....solid?
hypobole - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 12:22 PM EDT (#360413) #
Yeah, that's solid, especially at age 19.
greenfrog - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 12:24 PM EDT (#360414) #
Hopefully he’ll get named team captain at some point, if only for nickname purposes.
pubster - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 12:28 PM EDT (#360416) #
He could be solid.

He could be obese.

We need a visual.

Preferebly with no shirt :P
uglyone - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 12:31 PM EDT (#360418) #
uglyone - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 12:35 PM EDT (#360419) #
bpoz - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 12:36 PM EDT (#360420) #
If Kirk can catch then he would be the youngest catcher in Bluefield.
uglyone - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 12:36 PM EDT (#360421) #
bpoz - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 01:00 PM EDT (#360423) #
Great pictures UO. Thanks.

It will be interesting to follow A Kirk's progress. RHP so he may have a strong arm. So far he is hitting. Maybe he can catch. I would like to see his speed.
#2JBrumfield - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 01:01 PM EDT (#360424) #
The recap of the C's game can be found right here.

Robbie Alomar has been at Nat Bailey Stadium for the first two games of the year. Pitching coordinator Jeff Ware was also in attendance.
hypobole - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 01:44 PM EDT (#360427) #
The C's seem to be the red-headed stepchild in the Jays system so far. Of the 9 batters last night, 6 are now below the Mendoza line, and 2 others hitting .217 and .227.

Getting Conine soon will help, but this team definitely looks weaker than past years.
mendocino - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 05:11 PM EDT (#360433) #
VancouverCanadiansPR
@CanadiansPR
TRANSACTIONS:
Friday, June 22nd, 2018

1B Jake Brodt - GCL to Van
OF Griffin Conine - GCL to Can

https://twitter.com/CanadiansPR/status/1010258233464840192
ramone - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#360444) #
Pannone pitching for the DJays tonight.
greenfrog - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 07:50 PM EDT (#360448) #
I know I've been musing about Noda for a while, but here are his June numbers so far: .429/.483/.939 (7 HR). He's walking a bit less but his K rate is pretty good, especially considering the power surge. He's having quite the month.

I'll be interested to hear how professional scouts assess the uptick in his performance. There are several players in the Jays system that seem to have been given short shrift by commentators in the off-season (Smith, Biggio, Young, Noda, to name a few -- maybe Hiraldo, too). It's a nice problem to have.
greenfrog - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 08:28 PM EDT (#360450) #
Noda with another home run tonight. Bichette with a home run as well.
hypobole - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 08:35 PM EDT (#360452) #
Also De Los Santos in Bluefield with his second. Can't find anything (free) on this kid. Is he a prospect?
Marc Hulet - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 10:26 PM EDT (#360457) #
He's a prospect.
hypobole - Friday, June 22 2018 @ 10:35 PM EDT (#360458) #
Thanks, Marc.
scottt - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 07:27 AM EDT (#360463) #
The Jays have Luis Santos in AAA.
Luis De Los Santos is in Bluefield. He's a 2015 international signing. He just turned 20. He's an outfielder.
Alvery De Los Santos is an 18 year old in the Dominican signed in 2016. That one is a lefty pitcher.

Gerry - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 08:28 AM EDT (#360467) #
Luis De Los Santos is a shortstop. He was just outside of the Batters Box top 30 last off-season. I thought he had a chance to be in Lansing to start this season but the competition for infield spots is significant.
Marc Hulet - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 08:33 AM EDT (#360469) #
Jays have signed draftees catcher Brett Wright and first baseman Andy McGuire (also a pitcher in college) ... leaving Josh Hiatt and Austin Easter as the only other realistic signings to come.
85bluejay - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 09:15 AM EDT (#360470) #
I remember Blue Jays prospect hater Keith Law had some nice things to say about Luis De Los Santos about a year ago - so I'm writing him off.(Post warning - sarcasm in play).
hypobole - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 09:49 AM EDT (#360472) #
That's funny, because last night I was thinking about Law saying nice things about Blue Jays.

It was 2010 when Law saw Zach Stewart and Kyle Drabek pitch in the EL playoffs. Stewart especially may have had one of the best games of his career and Law's reports were rather glowing.

Fast forward and both have almost surely ended their brief MLB careers with negative WAR. Stewart is pitching Indy ball. Drabek did last year, but seems to have retired.

So yeah, the last thing our prospects need is love from Law. It is the kiss of death.
jerjapan - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 12:08 PM EDT (#360479) #
I honestly can't recall better up-the-middle prospect depth in the org before - is this the high water mark?

SS - Urena, Bichette, Warmoth, Smith, Vicuna, Gudino, De Los Santos, Groshans, Barger, Jimenez - and that's with a guy like Hiraldo at 3B, who would likely be playing SS regularly if the org weren't already so stacked at the position.  Guys like Gudino and Smith are also facing the playing time crunch at SS.

C- Jansen, McGuire, Pentacost, Adams, Gold and Danner
2B - Gurriel, Lopes, Biggio, Taylor, Podkul
CF - Alford, Pompey, Jonathan Davis, Palacios, Young, Pruitt, Abadessa
for sure you could disagree that someone like Lopes or Pentacost is a prospect, or that Groshans and others won't play SS higher up the ladder, but still, an impressive collection of talent.  so is this a clear shift in org philosophy?  with the explosion of position prospects, we are also seeing some underwhelming pitching throughout the system.  hopefully Pardhino and Pearson assuage that somewhat.
Gerry - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 12:08 PM EDT (#360480) #
Groshans has homered today, his second.
uglyone - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 01:18 PM EDT (#360490) #
Nice to see Groshans hit the ground running. Might earn a quick bump up to Bluefield at this rate.
jerjapan - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 01:50 PM EDT (#360491) #
4 errors for Groshans as SS though.
3 Ks in 2 IPs for 17 year old Elixon Caballero in his GCL debut.  He's Stroman sized but might be a young pitcher to watch this year.  6 ft. 4 Roither Hernandez might be another one - 6K in his 3IP GCL debut

I don't think the name Gabriel Moreno registered for me at all last year, but kid's got 18 TB in 3 games thus far ... anyone know anything about him?
Nice to see Yorman Rodriguez back in action behind the plate.  I wonder if his super-slow development path has anything to do with the org's desire to see if he can stick at catcher.  just 5 games above rookie ball, and in his fourth pro season.  his bat certainly looks ready for low A. 
bpoz - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 02:17 PM EDT (#360492) #
The short season players are so hard to figure out. First you have SSS which could just be a hot streak. Then it is hard to tell if the good performances are due to being old for the league.
Groshans is actually outplaying Bo Bichette's GCL numbers. But I am not ready to hope that he is in that category.
Marc Hulet - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 03:00 PM EDT (#360494) #
Moreno is a deep sleeper prospect... he was actually off to a similar start last year in the DSL through 8-10 games but got hurt and was not the same as he tried to play through it. He's added some exit velo and loft to his swing this year... while keeping the incredible bat-to-ball skill. He has yet to K and only struck out 5 times in 126 ABs last year... his defense is a work in progress as with most young catchers.
hypobole - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 03:01 PM EDT (#360495) #
"so is this a clear shift in org philosophy?"

Seems so. Epstein in Chicago has gone a similar route with the Cubs using their highest picks on position players.

Now will we pony up to land elite FA pitching when the time comes?
Nigel - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 04:34 PM EDT (#360497) #
If Yorman Rodriguez can play C I would be extremely surprised. As the previous C’s manager said of Rodriguez when asked about his defence “he’s someone we really like with a bat in his hands”. Classic minor league manager response. Just like Kelly, he’s a player who may have an interesting offensive profile but who has absolutely no position on the field that he can actually play.
mathesond - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#360501) #
"Now will we pony up to land elite FA pitching when the time comes?"

Could also trade for pitching...
John Northey - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 07:38 PM EDT (#360503) #
For fun I just checked Bluebird Banter's draft signings table.  With a week or so left the top pick unsigned is Josh Hiatt round 16 (#476 overall) ranked 465th.  Other ranked and unsigned are Kameron Guangorena (36th round, 112 rank), Kyle Luckham (27th round 191 rank), Parker Caracci (37th 245 rank), Brett Wright (26th round, 453 rank).  The Jays have rougly $71k left over to safely spend above the $100k limit for round 11 and beyond so I suspect they will sign one more of those ranked guys.  Maybe.  In the end the Jays got who they really, really wanted.  By round 16 it is more space filling and 'pie in the sky' guys.  For every Jeff Kent there are literally hundreds of guys were we'd go 'who?' if we heard their name today.
hypobole - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 07:48 PM EDT (#360504) #
"spend above the $100k limit for round 11 and beyond"

John, I believe it's now $125 K.
John Northey - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 08:09 PM EDT (#360505) #
Thanks hypobole.  I fall behind on these things nowadays.  Price of single parenthood with 4 girls.
greenfrog - Saturday, June 23 2018 @ 09:06 PM EDT (#360508) #
More good performances so far tonight from Harris, Bichette, Young.
dan gordon - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 01:20 AM EDT (#360516) #
Noda hit his 9th HR in his last 13 games, 10th in his last 17. On May 29th, his average was below the Mendoza line, and he's moved it all the way to .267 in less than a month. Time to move him up.
bpoz - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 09:33 AM EDT (#360525) #
IMO there are about 225 ABs left in the minor league season. 10-12 starts for the pitchers.

Looks like some promotions definitely need to happen.
hypobole - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 11:24 AM EDT (#360534) #
Yeltsin Gudino bombed out in Dunedin, putting up a 20 wRC+ before getting demoted back to Lansing.

His 124 wRC+ there seems pretty good for a MI, even if he's a 21 yr old with almost no power (.056 ISO).

But he has done one amazing thing there - an almost absolute refusal to strike out. He's K'ed only 4 times in 148 PA's for a minuscule 2.7 K%. Only one other hitter in the league with 140+ PA's is under 10%.

He's also taken a few walks -10.1%- giving him a ridiculous 3.75 BB/K ratio. The next best in the league is at 1.29 BB/K.

finch - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 11:54 AM EDT (#360535) #
Gudino would be the ideal 2 hitter in a lineup. Doesn't strike out, looks like he takes a lot of pitches, and puts the ball in play advancing runners and giving your 3/4 hitters an opportunity to drive them in.
jerjapan - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 12:01 PM EDT (#360536) #
that's an interesting detail on Gudino.  He's definitely a prospect who will be carried by the glove, but as a young, small player, he may have only gotten strong enough to start hitting in the past year or so.  I'd give the kid a mulligan on Dunedin, 16 games isn't much of an audition and a ton of players struggle with their first crack at high A.  If he keeps playing well, I do hope he gets another promotion before the end of the year.
The Lansing OF is stacked, so even if Noda doesn't get the promotion, someone should.  Reggie Pruitt isn't ready, but he is deserving of everyday playing time.  Noda is raking, and so is Lundquist, who doesn't get a lot of prospect love given the huge amount of noteworthy performances.  12 HRs and an ISO of .223 would be notable if he wasn't the third best OF in Lansing, behind Noda and Young.  even Norberto Obeso is worthy of everyday playing time.
Noda has been at 1st for the past few weeks - not sure if it's because he is viewed as better there or because Christian Williams has been on the DL since May.  Williams is not a prospect at 23 years old, and having his first good season, but he does have some emerging power.  a promotion for an OF may come when he comes off the DL.  Dunedin recently lost Jones to retirement and cut DJ Davis and is most likely our weakest minor league team - plenty of opportunities for playing time. 

Tayler Saucedo is a pretty fringey guy - he just turned 25, was a 21st round pick in 2015, but he's got a starter's frame at 6 ft. 5, and appears to have turned a corner - an era of 2.90 over his last ten, with five of those starts going 7+ innings.  I read that he made an adjustment and it seems to be paying off - perhaps he's a late bloomer.  I'd like to see him get a shot at AA this season if he keeps this up. 


Nigel - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 01:02 PM EDT (#360540) #
Yeltsin wasn’t good defensively in Vancouver. He has a ton of physical tools but a real lack of baseball skills. The patience is an interesting development. He does have some time on his time.
hypobole - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 01:23 PM EDT (#360541) #
Thanks Nigel. Hope the patience is actually a development on Gudino's part, rather than an anomaly.
uglyone - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 02:35 PM EDT (#360545) #
seems like Warmoth is injured again, btw.


(#DeptofHP)
hypobole - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 02:52 PM EDT (#360546) #
Looking to be pretty well a lost year for both 2017's 1st rounders.
jerjapan - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 03:04 PM EDT (#360548) #
Nigel, I look at a player like Gudino and assume that he's a glove first prospect - still at SS, very slight of build, signed young with plenty of time to percolate in the low minors -so i do find it interesting when someone who has seen him play expresses the opinion that he is a poor defender.  It sounds like you think it's more of a baseball IQ issue than an athleticism issue?  He had 22 errors in Vancouver in 2016, 21 the year before, but is down to 7 this year - although he's played all over for the first time this year - more games at 2nd and 3rd than SS - which may be simply due to our crazy depth at SS - but appearances at 1b and LF seem to indicate that the org sees him as a utility guy going forward.  interestingly, none of his errors this year are from his 10 games at SS.
7 shutout innings for Patrick Murphy so far, with 7 Ks and seven baserunners allowed.  Much better than Romano's 7 earned runs given up today. 

hypobole - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 04:24 PM EDT (#360549) #
The Jays one draft strategy that AA's draft team used that this group should probably start employing is the drafting of college senior pitchers in rounds 4-10 who will sign for a pittance.

The past few drafts college pitchers drafted in these rounds who have been given slot/more than slot/close to slot have hit the ground stinking. Most have already been removed from starting and seem no better out of the bullpen.
Richard S.S. - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 05:22 PM EDT (#360550) #
With the pittance the Jays have in their signing pool, being already into the 5% overage, they have $71,905.00 to add to any players $125,000.00. Josh Hiatt was in the College World Series with NC, but they were eliminated. He has decisions to make that should not be affected by his Team’s loss. It is a rare Junior who becomes a MLB Player, but it even rarer for a Senior.
hypobole - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 06:12 PM EDT (#360554) #
The purpose of signing the seniors cheap rounds 4-10 was to have extra pool money for HS flier picks.

And the Jays actually have had pretty good success with college seniors. Pillar, Graveman, Boyd, Dyson were all senior signs. Parmley, Girodo, Dermoddy who all had a cup of coffee as well.

And that's just one team in a span of 4-5 years
jerjapan - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 06:12 PM EDT (#360555) #
senior signings are quite possibly an undervalued resource, but there is a reason why they get a bonus of $1,000, and that goes beyond leverage.  I do think, based on not a lot, that Bec might be a decent senior draftee for reasons beyond the bonus slot, but I don't know how you would begin to evaluate that idea. 

Wymer and Murray look like solid college picks coming out of the last draft, Zach Logue looks good out of 2017, and Kirby Snead looks good out of 2016.  I assume it's the 2016 draft you are looking at, but really, this is way too small a sample size to draw conclusions from. 
mendocino - Sunday, June 24 2018 @ 07:45 PM EDT (#360563) #
https://twitter.com/_jchipman/status/1010553656960323584

James Chipman
@_jchipman

#BlueJays prospect RHP Roither Hernandez pumping 97 mph w/life out the gate. Settled down to 94-96. Featured some nasty sink low in the zone at 94 mph. Quite a few awkward swings and frozen batters.
uglyone - Monday, June 25 2018 @ 11:25 AM EDT (#360585) #
Early (very very early) standouts in short season:

A-: CF M.Contreras (19): 31pa, .222babip, 141wrc+
Rk+: LH E.Pardinho (17): 4.0ip, 2.25era, 3.56fip
Rk: SS J.Groshans (18): 21pa, .455babip, 263wrc+
Nigel - Monday, June 25 2018 @ 12:20 PM EDT (#360589) #
Davis Schneider, who is only 19, is off to a nice start as well. Last year, he displayed an interesting mix of power and plate discipline in the GCL. In a really small sample he is displaying similar traits again this year.
mendocino - Monday, June 25 2018 @ 06:50 PM EDT (#360614) #
VancouverCanadiansPR

@CanadiansPR
TRANSACTIONS:
Monday, June 25, 2018

OF Ian Parmley - Released
INF Nash Knight - Dun to NH
OF Jake Thomas - Retired
RHP Jackson Rees - activated GCL

https://twitter.com/CanadiansPR/status/1011354505827381249

Doug Freeman
@DougFreemanPBR

BREAKING: Ethan Hankins, who was taken 35th overall by the #Indians, has signed with @Chipola_BSB. Hankins is still in negotiations with the club, but very interesting move as he would be draft eligible again next year if they don't get the deal done. @PBR_JUCO @PBRGeorgia

https://twitter.com/DougFreemanPBR/status/1011370462641827845
hypobole - Monday, June 25 2018 @ 07:00 PM EDT (#360615) #
Russ and Jose told that kid to go play at Chipola.

hypobole - Monday, June 25 2018 @ 07:26 PM EDT (#360616) #
Biggio HR 16
greenfrog - Monday, June 25 2018 @ 07:58 PM EDT (#360617) #
A few early notes from the minors so far today:

Bichette 2/2 with a double and a HR
Biggio 2/2 with a HR
Zeuch with three shutout innings so far (only 1 K)
Jansen 1/1
Groshans 2/3 with a double
Lots of runs for the DSL Jays (Hiraldo 1/5)

dan gordon - Tuesday, June 26 2018 @ 01:35 AM EDT (#360630) #
So much for Zeuch's good start - he ended up going 3 2/3, allowing 8 hits, 3 walks and 7 earned runs. Bichette, on the other hand, had 2 doubles and a HR. Travis Bergen continues to pitch well since his promotion to AA. He had a strong 2 1/3 today with 4 K's and only 1 hit, no walks. For the season, he has 44 K's vs 8 BB's, and an ERA of 1.32, WHIP of 1.06.
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