May 14, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a Atlanta Braves cap and glove on the field prior to a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
May 14, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a Atlanta Braves cap and glove on the field prior to a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /
Atlanta Braves Minor League Weekend Wrap Up
Transactions
5/11 – RHP Joel De La Cruz activated by Gwinnett Braves from the 7-day DL 5/11 – RHP Jason Hursh assigned to Mississippi Braves from Gwinnett Braves 5/11 – OF J.B. Moss assigned to Florida Fire Frogs from Danville Braves 5/12 – C Kade Scivicque assigned to Danville Braves from Mississippi Braves 5/12 – C Carlos Martinez assigned to Mississippi Braves from Danville Braves 5/12 – 1B Carlos Castro placed on 7-day DL by Florida Fire Frogs 5/13 – C Kade Scivicque assigned to Mississippi Braves from Danville Braves 5/13 – C Carlos Martinez assigned to Danville Braves from Mississippi Braves 5/14 – LHP Jaret Hellinger assigned to Rome Braves from Danville Braves 5/14 – OF Justin Ellison assigned to Rome Braves
Hitter of the week: For much of April, the whispers around Ronald Acuna were wondering exactly what was wrong with the gifted outfielder. Had we overrated his gifted ability? Had the constant playing since getting healthy in the fall last season been too much? What exactly was going on with the supposed future superstar?
Turns out, absolutely nothing! For the second time in three awards given in May, Acuna is the choice. Acuna was promoted to AA Mississippi during the week and didn’t skip a beat at the new level as the youngest player in AA. Acuna hit .552/.594/.931 with an absolutely astonishing line over 7 games in a week. He posted 8 runs scored, 12 runs driven in, 27 total bases, a double, 2 triples, 2 home runs, a 3/4 BB/K ratio, and he even stole 4 bases (though he was caught 3 times this week as well).
On the 2017 season, Acuna is now hitting .336/382/.557, 4 doubles, 6 triples, 5 home runs, and 18 stolen bases. He has posted a 10/44 BB/K ratio, but it is notable that he has seen his walk rate go up from 5.32% in April to 8.47% in May along with his strikeout rate going down from 32.98% in April to 22.03% in May.
Honorable mention: Mississippi’s entire offense seemed to explode this week, but Travis Demeritte has actually been ticking up the entire month of May. This week was simply another step forward from his first week of better performance.
On the week, he hit .393/.469/.857 with a double, 4 home runs, and a 4/7 BB/K ratio, scoring 7 runs and driving in 7 as well. On the month, Travis has hit .315/.393/.593 with 3 doubles, 4 home runs, 11 runs scored, 9 runs driven in, and a 7/18 BB/K ratio. That has brought his season line up to .273/.356/.470 with 11 doubles, 5 home runs, 2 steals, 25 runs, 19 RBI, and a 17/35 BB/K ratio over 35 games. Notable is that Demeritte has struck out at 23.49% this season, down from over 30% in his career and 32.89% with Carolina after his acquisition from the Rangers last season.
Pitcher of the week: The Atlanta Braves have been waiting to see Lucas Sims have it all click since taking the Georgia righty in the first round of the 2012 draft. Last season, many fans forget that Sims was one of the first promotions of the season, going from AA Mississippi to AAA Gwinnett.
This season, Sims is taking a big step forward in Gwinnett, making his case to be the first “prospect” arm called up in 2017. This week was already in contention on his first start of the season, but his Sunday start iced things, as he put up a line of 13 innings, 7 hits, one run, 3 walks, and 14 strikeouts over the week.
On the season, Sims has made 7 starts, with a 4-0 record, 2.16 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and a 9/42 BB/K over 41 2/3 innings.
Honorable mention: After winning the note last week with a huge start in a prospect match up with Michael Kopech last week, Kolby Allard continued back in the same manner that has allowed him to be so consistently good this season, not exhibiting the big strikeouts he had in that game, but keeping hitters off balance and getting consistent weak contact.
Allard went 11 innings on the week, allowing just one run on 5 hits and 5 walks, striking out 7. On the 2017 season, Allard has put up a 4-1 record over 8 starts and 44 innings, with a 1.23 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 12/35 BB/K ratio.
Next: Gwinnett Braves
AAA Gwinnett Braves (19-16)
Thursday
Gwinnett defeated Toledo Thursday 3-2. Sean Newcomb recovered from a rough first inning, where he walked 3 in the inning to post a game line of 7 innings pitched, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks, striking out 5, showing the recovery and mental strength the Atlanta Braves have been waiting to see out of him.
Gwinnett scored the first run, but Columbus fought back and took the victory Friday 5-2. Andrew Albers made the start, going 5 1/3 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and no walks, striking out 9.
Anthony Recker had a home run and a walk. Lane Adams had a double. Ozzie Albies stole a base.
Saturday
Patrick Weigel made his AAA debut on Saturday and left with a lead, but the bullpen gave it up, leading to a 7-4 Columbus victory. Weigel went 7 innings, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and a walk, striking out 5.
Rio Ruiz had a triple and a single. Ozzie Albies had a double, single, and a stolen base. Mel Rojas, Jr. had a double and a single. Lane Adams had a double, two walks, and a stolen base. Matt Tuiasosopo had a single and a hit by pitch.
Sunday
The G-Braves took a shutout into the ninth inning before winning over Columbus 6-2. Lucas Sims was brilliant on the mound, going 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and a walk, striking out 10 batters.
Xavier Avery had a big day at the plate, clubbing a home run and a double along with a single. Mel Rojas, Jr. and David Freitas each had two singles and a walk. Rio Ruiz had two doubles and a single. Johan Camargo and Sean Kazmar each had two singles.
Leaders
BA: David Freitas .347 OBP: David Freitas .467 HR: Lane Adams 5 SB: Ozzie Albies 11 W: Lucas Sims 4 SV: David Peterson 4 SO: Sean Newcomb 46 ERA: Lucas Sims 2.16
Mississippi was shut out by Mobile on Thursday 6-0. Max Fried was hittable but stuck through 5 innings, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits and a walk, striking out 4.
Mississippi saw one of the best starts of the season in all of minor league baseball from Mike Soroka as they defeated Mobile 6-1. Mobile, who earlier this season were the losing team in the first Southern League perfect game in over 40 years, were into the 7th inning down in a perfect game being tossed by Soroka.
Soroka finished with 6 2/3 innings thrown, allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out 5, as he kept hitters off balance all game long.
Travis Demeritte had a home run, a single, and a walk. Ronald Acuna had two singles and a stolen bse. Carlos Franco had two singles.
Saturday
Mississippi put up two runs in the top of the 9th, defeating Biloxi 6-4. Wes Parsons made the fill-in start, going 4 innings, allowing one run on a hit and 2 walks, striking out 2.
Travis Demeritte had a big game, with a home run, a single, and two walks. Ronald Acuna had a triple, single, walk, and a stolen base. Connor Lien had a double and two singles. Keith Curcio had two singles. Carlos Franco had a home run.
Sunday
Mississippi took the early lead and held off a late comeback to win 6-5. Kolby Allard went 5 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and 3 walks, striking out 4.
Keith Curcio had a monster game, with a double, three singles, and a walk. Ronald Acuna had a double and three singles. Carlos Franco had a double and a single. Luis Valenzuela had a single and a walk. Connor Lien had a stolen base.
Florida came back from an early deficit to defeat Lakeland 7-5. Ricardo Sanchez went 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 8 in yet another solid start.
Jonathan Morales had three singles. Alex Jackson had a double, single, and a walk. Anfernee Seymour and Ray-Patrick Didder each had two singles and a walk. Austin Riley had a single and a walk. Carlos Castro had a single and was hit in the head by a pitch, which led to him leaving the game and being placed on the DL.
Friday
Florida scored first, but that would be all they got as they fell to Lakeland 5-1 on Friday. Touki Toussaint went 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks, striking out 5.
Alex Jackson had two doubles. Anfernee Seymour had a double and a single.
Saturday
Florida struggled to figure out Lakeland starter Beau Burrows, losing 4-1. Enderson Franco got the start, going 5 innings, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks, striking out 4.
Anfernee Seymour had a double, single, and was hit by pitch. Alejandro Salazar had two singles. Tyler Neslony had a home run.
Sunday
Florida had Saturday off.
Leaders
BA: Carlos Castro .345 OBP: Tyler Neslony .409 HR: Alex Jackson 10 SB: Ronald Acuna 14 W: Drew Harrington 4 SV: Devan Watts 3 SO: Tyler Pike 45 ERA: Drew Harrington 1.88
Video Highlights
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Next: Rome Braves
Rome Braves (19-17)
Thursday
Rome posted a 6-2 win over Hagerstown on Thursday. Bryse Wilson had a big start, going 5 innings, allowing just one unearned run on 5 hits and no walks, striking out 4. Luis Mora made his season debut, going 3 innings, allowing an unearned run on 3 hits and a walk.
Rome was down 12-0 before they finally scored their first run against Hagerstown on Friday, losing by a final of 12-4. Jeremy Walker made the start, going 4 2/3 innings, allowing 5 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks, striking out 2.
Kannapolis took advantage of the worst performance of Ian Anderson so far, defeating Rome 11-2. Anderson went 3 innings, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and a walk, striking out 4.
A tremendous pitching duel came down to a couple bad bounces as Rome lost 2-1. Joey Wentz was tremendous, going 5 scoreless innings, allowing 5 hits and no walks, striking out 7.
Cristian Pache had two singles and a walk. Matt Gonzalez had a single and two walks. Juan Yepez had a double and a single.
Leaders
BA: Randy Ventura .339 OBP: Brett Cumberland .433 HR: Lucas Herbert 5 SB: Randy Ventura 13 W: Oriel Caicedo 5 SV: Brandon White 3 SO: Ian Anderson 41 ERA: Bryse Wilson 1.72
