Atlanta Braves Minor League Weekend Wrap, April 24th
Atlanta Braves Minor League Weekend Wrap Up
Transactions
4/20 – RHP Luke Jackson optioned by Atlanta Braves to Gwinnett Braves
4/20 – RHP Aaron Blair recalled by Atlanta Braves from Gwinnett Braves
4/20 – RHP Bradley Roney assigned to Florida Fire Frogs from Gwinnett Braves
4/20 – IF Johan Camargo optioned by Atlanta Braves to Gwinnett Braves
4/20 – RHP Josh Graham assigned to Danville Braves from Florida Fire Frogs
4/21 – IF Emerson Landoni placed on 7-day disabled list by Gwinnett Braves
4/22 – RHP Caleb Dirks assigned to Danville Braves from Gwinnett Braves
4/22 – 1B Ryan Howard assigned to Gwinnett Braves from extended spring training
4/22 – OF Adam Walker assigned to Mississippi Braves from Gwinnett Braves
4/22 – RHP Enderson Franco assigned to Gwinnett Braves from Rome Braves
4/22 – OF Stephen Gaylor placed on 7-day disabled list by Mississippi Braves
4/22 – RHP Raymar Navarro assigned to Rome Braves from Florida Fire Frogs
4/22 – RHP Bladimir Matos assigned to Rome Braves from Danville Braves
4/23 – RHP Aaron Blair optioned by Atlanta Braves to Gwinnett Braves
4/23 – RHP Matt Wisler recalled by Atlanta Braves from Gwinnett Braves
4/23 – LHP Joe Rogers activated from 7-day disabled list by Mississippi Braves
4/23 – RHP Chad Sobotka assigned to Danville Braves from Mississippi Braves
Hitter of the week: This may have been the easiest week I’ve ever had. Partially because of the dominant week of the winner, but also because there just wasn’t anyone else with a major week.
I am more than willing to be open about my doubt about the acquisition of Alex Jackson when it happened, especially when the announcement to move him back to catcher was made. My viewing of his bat showed a guy who had a ton of work to do to even get to the point where he could handle high minors pitching, let alone major league arms.
Instead, Jackson has shown tremendous power all season long, and this last week was a great example. He slashed .367/.387/.733 with 2 doubles and 3 home runs, driving in 7 runs on the week, to lead the system in that statistic as well.
Jackson’s catching is a work in progress, and he’s still not showing a lot of patience at the plate, as his week’s 1/9 BB/K rate shows, but the power has been very pleasant thus far.
Honorable mention: One of the best things the Braves have done in their recent drafting is getting a number of excellent mature college players who can provide guidance to their young players at lower levels while also providing value on the field.
This season the guy who is making noise on the field while helping to guide a young Rome club is infielder Marcus Mooney, who had a standout week of .444/.500/.500.
Mooney’s real value has come in his ability to play around the diamond, as he’s played 2B, 3B, and SS this season. With the youth on the Rome roster, his solid play and effort every day is notable for those guys.
Pitcher of the week: Two Florida pitchers will get the notice this week, and deciding who got the nod for the top spot was the toughest choice.
I went with Drew Harrington, who threw two excellent starts, controlling the tempo of both of his games with a week’s total of 12 innings pitched without a single earned run, striking out 8 while only walking one.
Harrington was the Atlanta Braves 3rd round selection in 2016 out of Louisville, and while he worked primarily out of the bullpen after being drafted, much of that was due to the amount of innings he’d tallied in college, and there was plenty of talk that he’d start this season.
He’s been a very welcome veteran presence on the Florida staff this season.
Honorable mention: With Harrington being the steady, in-control performer, Tyler Pike was the guy who absolutely dominated the week.
Pike had seemingly stalled out with the Mariners organization at high-A, but that was in the California League, and the Braves put him with renowned pitching coach Dennis Lewalyn in Florida. Pike has had one rough outing, but the most impressive part of his dominance has been his efficiency.
He threw 11 2/3 innings on the week, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks, striking out 15 (!!) hitters. The most crazy part of that is that he took just 150 combined pitches to get through those innings, even with those strikeouts, which is an impressive rate of efficiency for a guy generating high strikeouts.
Next: Gwinnett Braves
AAA Gwinnett Braves (11-5)
Thursday
After Gwinnett and Rochester traded zeroes for the first four innings, Gwinnett scored their first run in the bottom of the 5th, and that’s all they needed in a 3-0 win.
Lucas Sims was incredible on the night, going 7 strong innings, allowing just 3 hits without a single walk, striking out 5.
Lane Adams had three singles with two stolen bases. Rio Ruiz had two singles. Ozzie Albies had a stolen base.
Friday
Gwinnett used a 3-run 3rd inning to win 3-2 over Pawtucket. Andrew Albers made a spot start and threw well, allowing 2 runs on 8 hits and a walk over 5 innings, striking out 6. Caleb Dirks and David Hernandez combined for 4 no-hit relief innings, allowing 2 walks and striking out 5.
Xavier Avery had 2 doubles and a single. Mel Rojas, Jr. had a home run and a single. Matt Tuiasosopo had 2 walks and a stolen base. Johan Camargo had a home run. Ozzie Albies stole a base.
Saturday
Gwinnett jumped out early on Pawtucket and stayed in front from there forward, winning 5-2. Enderson Franco made a spot start, going 4 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 4.
Ozzie Albies had a double, single, and a walk. Ryan Howard had two singles and a walk. Johan Camargo and Matt Tuiasosopo each had a double and a single. Mel Rojas, Jr. had two walks. David Freitas had a single and a walk. Lane Adams stole a base.
Sunday
Gwinnett was rained out on Sunday.
Leaders
BA: Xavier Avery .386
OBP: David Freitas .457
HR: Lane Adams 4
SB: Ozzie Albies 7
W: Jason Hursh and Lucas Sims 2
SV: David Hernandez 4
SO: Lucas Sims and Sean Newcomb 18
ERA: Jason Motte and David Peterson 0.00
Video Highlights
Next: Mississippi Braves
AA Mississippi Braves (8-9)
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Thursday
Mississippi was on the receiving end of beat down on Thursday from Mobile 12-1. Max Fried struggled again, allowing 6 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks over 3 innings, striking out 2.
Only Travis Demeritte reached base twice for the M-Braves, with a double and a walk. Carlos Franco also had a double.
Friday
Mississippi saw the first chink in the Mike Soroka armor on Friday as they lost 6-1. Soroka went 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on one hit and a walk, striking out 4.
Keith Curcio had two singles and a walk. Jared James and Dylan Moore each had two singles. Joey Meneses had a double.
Saturday
After 13 innings, Mississippi prevailed over Montgomery on Saturday 8-4. Patrick Weigel got the start, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks, striking out 5. The M-Braves bullpen closed out the game with 6 scoreless innings with 4 hits and 3 walks, striking out 7.
Luis Valenzuela had a double and two singles. Carlos Franco had a single and two walks. Connor Lien had two singles and a stolen base. Adam Walker had a home run and a walk. Dylan Moore had a single and a walk.
Sunday
A pitcher’s duel went to Montgomery on Sunday as they defeated Mississippi 2-1. Kolby Allard had an excellent start, going 5 scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits and a walk, striking out 5.
No M-Braves hitter was on base twice. Connor Lien hit a home run. Keith Curcio stole a base.
Leaders
BA: Luis Valenzuela .302
OBP: Joey Meneses .354
HR: Carlos Franco and Connor Lien 3
SB: Three with 3
W: Mike Soroka and Michael Mader 2
SV: Akeel Morris 4
SO: Patrick Weigel 23
ERA: Akeel Morris 0.00
Video Highlights
Next: Florida Fire Frogs
Florida Fire Frogs (8-10)
Thursday
Fort Myers used a 5-run 6th inning to power past Florida 8-3. Touki Toussaint went 5 solid innings, but struggled after coming back out for the 6th, not recording an out and pitching to 5 batters, all of whom scored. His final line was 5 innings, 7 runs allowed on 7 hits and a walk, striking out 3.
Jonathan Morales had a double and two singles. Carlos Castro had two singles and a walk. Ronald Acuna had a triple, a single, and a stolen base. Alex Jackson hit a solo home run. Alay Lago and Tyler Neslony each had a double.
Friday
Florida had a solid series opener against Clearwater Friday, winning 3-1. Luiz Gohara was brilliant on the mound, going 7 scoreless innings, allowing 4 hits and a walk, striking out 7.
Alex Jackson had a double and a single. Austin Riley, Jonathan Morales, and Alejandro Salazar each had two singles.
Saturday
It took 11 innings, but Florida scored back-to-back wins, winning 4-3 over Clearwater. Tyler Pike had a tremendous start, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 11 batters. Jacob Webb and Corbin Clouse combined to finish the game with 4 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 8.
Alex Jackson had a big game, with a home run, double, and a single. Braxton Davidson had two singles and a walk. Alejandro Salazar had two singles. Ray-Patrick Didder had two walks. Carlos Castro had a home run. Alay Lago had a double.
Sunday
Florida was shut out on Sunday by Clearwater, losing 5-0. Drew Harrington had a very good start, going 7 scoreless innings, allowing just 3 hits with no walks, striking out 3.
Ray-Patrick Didder had two singles with a stolen base. Tyler Neslony had a single and a walk. Ronald Acuna stole a base.
Leaders
BA: Carlos Castro .339
OBP: Tyler Neslony .457
HR: Alex Jackson 6
SB: Ronald Acuna 8
W: Drew Harrington and Luiz Gohara 2
SV: Devan Watts 3
SO: Tyler Pike 24
ERA: Jacob Webb 0.00
Video Highlights
No Video Available
Next: Rome Braves