Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Smitty Does It Again

Every affiliate won a game on Sunday. Buffalo also lost the game suspended on Saturday. Kevin Smith had a big day. Elvis Luciano could be injured again. Hugo Cardona hit a grand slam.

Lehigh Valley 12 Buffalo 2 - completion of suspended game

Lehigh Valley 0 Buffalo 4 - game two

New Hampshire 7 Hartford 4

Vancouver 6 Hillsboro 4

Dunedin 9 Clearwater 7

This is what I noted from yesterday's games.

The suspended game resumed with Buffalo down 6-1 and it didn't get any better. TJ Zeuch pitched one inning and gave up a home run. The normally reliable Hobie Harris was tabbed for three runs. Tyler Chatwood came on for the eighth, got two oiuts but gave up a single and two walks and was pulled. Sound familiar? Alejandro Kirk and Kevin Smith had two hits each.

The Bisons used five relievers in the seven inning game two. Jeremy Beasley started and went two innings. Kevin Smith went 3-3 with a home run, a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Tyler White homered in both ends of the doubleheader.

Elvis Luciano pitched one inning, had a mound visit, and did not come out for the second. Five relievers got New Hampshire home.

Every starter had a hit for New Hampshire. LJ Talley hit a three run home run. Jordan Groshans and Samad Taylor had two hits each.

Luis Quinones only walked two, an improvement but it wasn't all excellent control. He needed 80 pitches to get through his four innings. Vancouvers bullpen did well, and has been doing better since Los Dos Hernandez's have been promoted from Dunedin. Both have ERA's around one.

Eric Rivera, out of the nine spot, went 2-2 with two walks, two RBI and one run scored. Mitch Horwitz doubled twice.

Orelvis had a down day, just a double and a walk. Hugo Cardona, just up from the FCL, hit a grand slam and added a single.

Three Stars

Third Star - Eric Rivera

Second Star - Hugo Cardona

First Star - Kevin Smith

Boxes

Posted by Gerry on Sunday, July 18 2021 @ 10:41 PM EDT.

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mendocino - Sunday, July 18 2021 @ 11:26 PM EDT (#402758) #

5 draft picks have signed

1r RHP Gunnar Hoglund $ 3,247,500/$ 3,359,000
4r RHP Chad Dallas $ 497,500/$ 473,700
7r OF Jaden Rudd $ 197,500/$ 209,800
13r RHP Matt Svanson $ 50,000
15r OF Garrett Spain $ 125,000

https://t.co/su1XMEDQNl?amp=1

signed 2 NDFA's
RHP Justin Kelly - Utah
LHP Harry Rutkowski - Rutgers

https://t.co/UdLe7OC6QR?amp=1

mendocino - Monday, July 19 2021 @ 03:04 PM EDT (#402799) #

5th-rder Irv Carter signs for $850k (slot 152 value = $350,300)

https://twitter.com/jimcallisMLB/status/1417171238880006148

Gerry - Monday, July 19 2021 @ 05:16 PM EDT (#402819) #

The FCL Jays scored 25 runs across both games of a doubleheader today. Will Robertson, coming back from a wrist fracture, homered in game one. That is a good sign off a wrist injury.

Rainer Nunez, 20 years old, homered twice in game two and went 5-5. Adriel Sotolongo, the 23 year old Cuban was 3-3. Sotolongo has missed a lot of playing time but he probably needs some game experience above the FCL before the end of the season.

scottt - Monday, July 19 2021 @ 06:28 PM EDT (#402822) #

If Carter signed for second round money, it's easier to understand the emotion when he got selected.

mendocino - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 06:04 AM EDT (#402878) #

https://twitter.com/jimcallisMLB

5th-rder Irv Carter signs w/@BlueJays for $850k (slot 152 value = $350,300). Thinking that will be their 2nd-highest bonus. Florida HS RHP, projectable 6-ft-4, already up to 94 mph with more to come, promising slider. Miami recruit. @MLBDraft
6th-rder Hayden Juenger signs w/@BlueJays for $197,500 (pick 182 value = $268,200). Missouri State RHP, up to 98 as closer, sleeper as possible SP w/slider, changeup, strikes, good delivery. @MLBDraft
11th-rder Trenton Wallace signs w/@BlueJays for $172,500 ($47,500 counts vs pool). Iowa LHP, school's first-ever Big Ten pitcher of year. Deceptive 88-93 mph FB, low-80s SL is best pitch, two-way guy could get better as he focuses on mound. Should have gone top 10 rds. @MLBDraft
12th-rder Riley Tirotta signs w/@BlueJays for $125k. Dayton 3B, can show plus-plus speed & plus raw power & arm, tied for Atlantic-10 lead with 16 HR, stole 14 bases. @MLBDraft
15th-rder Garrett Spain signs w/@BlueJays for $125k. Austin Peay OF, averageish tools with some feel to hit, batted .330 w/9 HR & 14 SB this spring. @MLBDraft

greenfrog - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 10:14 AM EDT (#402889) #

Orelvis is #1 on BA's latest Prospect Hot Sheet. He hit .500/.563/1.357 for the week with 7 HR. BA notes that each of his three home runs on July 17 "had exit velocities of 100 mph or better."

Kevin Smith (.500/.538/1.042 on the week) is #9 on the list. His offensive stats in AAA "look a lot like they did when he was bashing home runs in 2018."

bpoz - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 10:53 AM EDT (#402899) #

Thanks for the signing updates mendocino. I am probably the only one worried about getting the key draft picks signed. The 9 picks in the top 10 rounds mainly.

So it seems that I am concerned. BUT we had a low draft budget. Note that there is no penalty for going 5% extra. Anything higher has penalties but I don't know what they are.

Any penalties that are "only financial" I am ready to break and pay extra $. I would not like it too much if penalties cost us next year by losing picks. Sorry I have no facts. Just speculation.

hypobole - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 10:58 AM EDT (#402900) #

An interesting piece on minor league systems, and which improved most in key areas since 2019.

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2178631/after-a-lost-season-some-minor-league-systems-have-vaulted-ahead-of-others

mendocino - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 02:03 PM EDT (#402915) #

thank you bpoz here's a couple more

https://twitter.com/JonathanMayo

8th-rd @MLBDraft pick Hunter Gregory signs w/@BlueJays for $127.5K (pick 242 value = $170.3K). @ODUBaseball RHP is 90-93 w/his FB and a plus cutter, throws tons of strikes. #BlueJays #MLBDraft

9th-rd @MLBDraft pick Conor Larkin signs w/@BlueJays for $77,500 (pick 272 value = $152.9K). @PennStateBASE SR RHP has FB that has touched mid-90s, solid SL, good makeup. #BlueJays #MLBDraft

bpoz - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 03:10 PM EDT (#402921) #

Rounds 3 and 10 still have to sign. Keeping fingers crossed.

Gerry - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 05:24 PM EDT (#402943) #

We all know about the automated strike zone in low A. Well they are changing it.

The zone will be wider by 2 inches and lower by 3.5 inches at the top.

mendocino - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 05:28 PM EDT (#402944) #

Baseball America
10r RHP Connor Cooke $ 141,900/$144,900
18r LHP Jimmy Burnette $ 50,000

Jays can offer 3r LHP Ricky Tiedemann $ 727,795
slot is $ 647,300
available bonus pool money $ 439,000
+ 5% overage allowance $ 288,795

https://www.baseballamerica.com/draft-history/mlb-draft-database/#/

mendocino - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 05:55 PM EDT (#402948) #

forgot 11r Trenton Wallace $ 47,500 over slot.

leftover bonus pool momey $ 391,500
5% overage allowance $ 288,795

$680,295 to offer Tiedemann ($ 647,300 slot)

hypobole - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 06:31 PM EDT (#402955) #

The zone will be wider by 2 inches and lower by 3.5 inches at the top.

Very interesting, Gerry. First 2 thoughts: The big time high RPM 4 seamers at the top of the zone will lose some value. The wider zone should make outside pitches harder to pull and should cause more hitters to try to take them the other way.

bpoz - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 08:04 PM EDT (#402971) #

Vancouver is facing Everett this week. They are the class of the league. Very strong. So a good test for the Canadians.

hypobole - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 08:24 PM EDT (#402973) #

Smitty Does It Again, again. #16

greenfrog - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 09:20 PM EDT (#402976) #

Kevin Smith: AAAA guy, utility major leaguer, average major leaguer, above-average major leaguer, star? It will be interesting to see where he lands when it's all said and done. He certainly is having an excellent rebound season.

hypobole - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 09:33 PM EDT (#402977) #

Bowden Francis, acquired in the Rowdy trade made his 2nd start for the Bisons. Had a no-hitter through 6, broken up by an Albert Almora lead-off homer in the 7th.

7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K.

Chatwood in for the 8th.

Gerry - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 09:55 PM EDT (#402979) #

Three hits for Groshans tonight, so far. He has bumped his average up to .290 and is hitting much better recently.

He appears to be one of those players who needed some time to find his comfort level after missing a lot of 2019 and 2020.

Gerry - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 10:22 PM EDT (#402980) #

Luis Quinones promoted to New Hampshire. I presume its to replace SWR who is off to the Olympics.

hypobole - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 10:22 PM EDT (#402981) #

4 hits with a HR for Kirk.

greenfrog - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 10:51 PM EDT (#402982) #

Vlad, Semien, Bichette, Springer, Teoscar�is Kirk the next best hitter on the team? Maybe even better than Teoscar? Too bad he�s in AAA.

hypobole - Tuesday, July 20 2021 @ 11:21 PM EDT (#402983) #

This is a few weeks old , but Future Blue Jays talks farm system with Joe Sclafani:

https://futurebluejays.com/2021/07/08/state-of-the-farm-update/

recommended read.

mendocino - Wednesday, July 21 2021 @ 01:12 PM EDT (#403013) #

3rd-rder Ricky Tiedemann signs w/@BlueJays for $644,800 (pick 91 value = $647,300). Golden West (Calif.) JC LHP, projectable fastball already reaches 94 mph, flashes plus changeup & solid slider. @MLBDraft

https://twitter.com/jimcallisMLB

Jonny German - Wednesday, July 21 2021 @ 01:49 PM EDT (#403015) #

Thanks for the signing updates Mendocinio.

For my personal top-30 prospects I�m slotting Hoglund in just outside the top-10, Carter just outside top-20, Tiedemann right around 30, and Dallas just off the list. All will move up a few spots with graduations (I haven�t removed Manoah or Kirk yet) and trades.

hypobole - Wednesday, July 21 2021 @ 02:24 PM EDT (#403019) #

FWIW, FG has slotted Hoglund at 9, Tiedemann at 20, Carter 30. Kirk and Manoah still on their list.

Jonny German - Wednesday, July 21 2021 @ 02:57 PM EDT (#403025) #

Cool. Obviously FanGraphs has a lot more expertise at this than I do, especially with guys who have yet to play professionally. I often tweak my list based on what others are saying, especially FG and Baseball America.

mendocino - Wednesday, July 21 2021 @ 03:06 PM EDT (#403026) #

19r catcher Juan Gonzalez signs for $ 100,000

https://www.baseballamerica.com/draft-history/mlb-draft-database/#/

Mike Green - Wednesday, July 21 2021 @ 05:19 PM EDT (#403033) #

Fangraphs list has been updated. Still no Samad Taylor though. Whoops.

hypobole - Wednesday, July 21 2021 @ 06:09 PM EDT (#403035) #

Mike I don't think the Jays list has been updated since they shuffled the top a while back, other than the draft picks.

"Kevin Goldstein and I also took a �low-hanging fruit� pass at the Top 100 list and I took one, on my own, at most of the team-specific lists. Anyone whose FV on the team lists changed has an �up� or �down� arrow in the trend column."

"We�ll have live updates to the team lists continuing throughout the rest of the summer, which will also be reflected in live changes to the farm system rankings."

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