Atlanta Braves Farm Report Week 2: Rafael Ortega Has Himself a Week in Gwinnett

Cristian Pache #27  (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(3-5) Mississippi Braves (AA)

WEEK 2 RECORD: 2-2

Monday, April 8

Cancelled (Rain)

Mississippi Braves @ Tennessee Smokies

Tuesday, April 9

OFF DAY

Wednesday, April 10

Won: 9-4

FULL RECAP

Mobile BayBears @ Mississippi Braves 

• (P) T. Davidson: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 4 K
• (CF) C. Pache: 2-4, 2B, 4 RBI, R, K
• (RF) Drew Waters: 2-5, 2 RBI, R
• (DH) CJ Alexander: 2-4, 2B, RBI, BB

It took him 75 pitches (39 strikes) to get through it, but starter Tucker Davidson pitched 4 no-hit innings on Wednesday, and the Mississippi offense continued to hit well with 10 hits.

The BayBears broke the 0-0 tie in the fifth inning with 3 runs; but in the Braves’ half of the fifth, a Drew Waters 2-run single, a Christian Pache 2-run double and an RBI-single by designated-hitter CJ Alexander put the M-Braves up for good. All of the game’s scoring took place in that fifth inning.

Relievers Ben Rowen and Josh Graham combined for 2 innings of work, and both notched a hold apiece.

The BayBears scored their fifth-inning runs off of Mississippi reliever Jonathan Aro, as he pitched around the 3 runs, 3 hits. He struck out one and walked one.

Thursday, April 11

Lost: 5-7

FULL RECAP

Mobile BayBears @ Mississippi Braves 

• (P) I. Anderson: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• (RF) C. Pache: 1-2, 3B, 2 RBI, R, K
• (CF/RF) D. Waters: 1-4, RBI, R, BB, 2 K

Christian Pache and Drew Waters were the tag-team duo in Thursday’s loss to Mobile. After Thursday’s game, Pache was tied for the league-lead in RBI (7) and also XBHs with 5. Waters continues to amaze, as the 20-year-old has continued to hit well against Double-A pitching.

Mississippi’s starter, Ian Anderson, once again went decision-less, pitching around 2 earned runs from 3 hits and 2 walks. He struck out three Thursday.

Michael Mader (M-Braves reliever) came into the game in the fifth inning only to give up two singles in-a-row, a home run, a double, a strikeout, and another single. Five BayBears runs later (4 earned), Mader got out of the inning.

Mader, the third-round pick from the 2014 Draft (selected by the Marlins), has had a rough start to 2019 (4 ER in 4 innings thus far).

Friday, April 12

Cancelled (Rain)

Mobile BayBears @ Mississippi Braves

Saturday, April 13

Cancelled (Rain)

Mobile BayBears @ Mississippi Braves

Again … lots of rain came down in central Mississippi.

Sunday, April 14

GM 1 (7 inn.) Won: 1-0 

GM 2 (8 inn.) Lost: 0-2

GAME 1 FULL RECAP

GAME 2 FULL RECAP

Mobile BayBears @ Mississippi Braves

GM 1

• (P) Kyle Muller: 3.1 IP, H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K
• (DH) C. Alexander: 0-2, RBI
• (2B) A. Salazar: 1-3, 2B, K

With Sunday being a make-up day, the Braves and BayBears faced off in two scheduled seven-inning games. The Braves Kyle Muller got the Game 1 start and was excellent in terms of generating lots of swing-and-misses. However, Muller still threw 76 pitches in his shortened start (only 38 strikes).

Reliever Josh Graham ended up getting the win (his first), as Graham was employed to get six outs. He finished with two strikeouts, a walk, and only one surrendered hit.

The only scoring of the day in Game 1 on Sunday was a sac-fly out to left field hit by CJ Alexander, scoring Christian Pache.

GM 2

• (P) P. Weigel: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, K
• (P) J. Walker: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
• (CF) C. Pache: 2-4, 2B, 2 K

Looking at the line you would think Jeremy Walker got the start for Game 2 on Sunday, but it was Patrick Weigel who started. Weigel is still being slowly worked in from his recent Tommy John surgery.

Walker pitched great, but took the tough loss when the BayBears scored consecutive runs in the eighth inning to go up 2-0. The M-Braves bats just didn’t do much, only managing 4 hits.

Drew Waters got a hit in Game 2, keeping his average right around .300 (at .294) for the season. Alejandro Salazar notched another hit and that was it outside of Christian Pache’s two hits.

The Braves split the doubleheader on Sunday, as the M-Braves pitchers only gave up 1 earned run on the day (too many errors) and struck out 18 Mobile hitters.

(Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

(5-6) Florida Fire Frogs (A+)

WEEK 2 RECORD: 3-4

Monday, April 8

Won: 7-6  (F/10)

FULL RECAP

Jupiter Hammerheads @ Florida Fire Frogs

• (P) Keith Weisenberg: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, BB, K
• (DH) Rusber Estrada: 1-5, HR, 2 RBI, 3 K
• (1B) Kevin Josephina: 2-4, 2B, RBI, R, BB

The Fire Frogs walked it off in the 10th from an RBI single off the bat of catcher Zack Soria on Monday night. The Fire Frogs and Hammerheads traded blows all game, as Florida picked up 7 hits to Jupiter’s 9.

Right fielder, and 2018 draft pick, Greyson Jenista went 1-for-4 with a run-scored and a walk.

Keith Weisenberg got the start and was decent, but Florida’s best pitcher on Monday was reliever Jon Kennedy, who struck out 4 in two innings.

Tuesday, April 9

Lost: 2-5

FULL RECAP

Jupiter Hammerheads @ Florida Fire Frogs

• (P) Huascar Ynoa: 3.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K
• (C) W. Contreras: 2-3, HR, RBI, R, BB, K
• (LF) Jefrey Ramos: 2-4, HR, RBI, R , 2 K

Florida’s starter Huascar Ynoa had to throw 75 pitches just to get through 3.2 innings on Tuesday, and the Hammerheads scored two eighth-inning runs to extend their lead and win Game 2.

William Contreras bashed his first homer of the season, while outfielder Jefrey Ramos also got his first home run, belting a seventh-inning drive to straight center.

Outfielder Izzy Wilson was initially given the game off, but he ended up pinch-hitting for Rusber Estrada in the ninth — resulting in a strikeout. Jupiter’s starter, Braxton Garrett, lasted 4 innings and struck out six, only giving up 2 hits.

Wednesday, April 10 

Won: 6-5

FULL RECAP

Jupiter Hammerheads @ Florida Fire Frogs 

• (LF) Jefrey Ramos: 2-5, 3B, 2 RBI
• (C) William Contreras: 2-4, RBI, R, BB
• (2B) Riley Delgado: 3-4, RBI, 2 R
• (P) T. Beck: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K

The Fire Frogs won on Wednesday night from a go-ahead run scored by Riley Delgado after Jupiter’s third baseman made a fielding error in the eighth inning, giving Florida their fourth win of the season.

A game in which the Frogs struggled to move base runners (3-for-15 with RISP), the team hit well as they notched 11 hits overall. The entire lineup, except for Greyson Jenista and catcher Rusber Estrada, got in on the hitting action; but the Frogs only managed one XBH from Jefrey Ramos’s triple in the first.

Starter Tristen Beck maybe threw too many strikes (72 pitches and only 12 balls), as he got knocked around a bit over his 5 innings of work. Reliever Daysbel Hernandez picked up his second win of 2019 when he appeared in the eighth inning to finish the game. Hernandez struck out three, walked none, and gave up zero hits in his two frames.

Thursday, April 11

Lost: 0-2

FULL RECAP

Jupiter Hammerheads @ Florida Fire Frogs 

• (P) Freddy Tarnok: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• (1B) Drew Lugbauer: 1-2, 2B, BB, K
• (C) William Contreras: 1-4, 2B, 2 K

Thursday’s day game was all about Jupiter’s pitcher, Edward Cabrera (Marlins #13 prospect), as he shut down the Fire Frogs to the tune of:

6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K

The Frogs really couldn’t muster anything together, and the doubles hit by Lugbauer and Contreras were the only hits for the team (yeah, Jupiter’s relievers shut Florida down as well).

There really wasn’t much exciting about Thursday’s loss. Freddy Tarnok pitched efficiently (67 pitches / 47 strikes), but reliever Jon Kennedy got handed the loss when he allowed a run to score in the seventh from a force-out, followed by an RBI-single in the same frame.

Friday, April 12

Won: 10-7

FULL RECAP

Florida Fire Frogs @ St. Lucie Mets

• (P) Hayden Deal: 5 IP, 3 R, ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• (2B) B. Langhorne: 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB
• (SS) Riley Unroe: 3-4, 2B, 3 RBI, BB

Starting-pitcher, Hayden Deal, picked up his first win of 2019, as he kept the St. Lucie Mets from hitting anything out of the dirt (8 groundouts / 1 flyout). Reliever Justin Kelly appeared in the seventh and worked two strong innings, striking out four, and not allowing a hit, while converting his first hold.

The Fire Frogs offense broke out for 15 hits (4 doubles and a homer) and was super efficient with runners on the basepaths (7-for-12 with RISP). Riley Unroe’s three RBI Friday were his first three of 2019.

Greyson Jenista hit a double and went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two strikeouts. He also got caught stealing second in the third inning. The Fire Frogs jumped all over St. Lucie’s starter on Friday night (Kyle Wilson), as Florida knocked him around for 7 earned-runs from a home run and 9 hits in just 3.1 innings.

Saturday, April 13

Lost: 1-11

FULL RECAP

Florida Fire Frogs @ St. Lucie Mets

• (P) K. Weisenberg: 3 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, K
• (RF) G. Jenista: 1-4, 2B, K
• (SS) Riley Unroe: 2-4, 2B, K

The NY Mets sixth-round pick from last year’s draft, starting-pitcher Tyler Wilson, gave the Fire Frogs fits on Saturday; striking out six and allowing 5 hits.

The Frogs couldn’t do much at all, only managing 5 hits as a team and going 0-for-7 with RISP. Keith Weisenberg just didn’t have it on Saturday, as he only threw 38 strikes out of 68 total pitches in 3 innings.

There’s not much to say about the Florida offense or the pitching in this game, but reliever Daysbel Hernandez pitched rather well. Hernandez worked 1.1 innings and struck out three, while walking one. Every other Fire Frogs pitcher had at least one earned-run on the day, except Hernandez.

Sunday, April 14

Lost: 2-4

FULL RECAP

Florida Fire Frogs @ St. Lucie Mets

• (P) H. Ynoa: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, BB, 6 K
• (1B) D. Lugbauer: 1-4, HR, RBI, 2 K
• (DH) W. Contreras: 1-4: R

Six out of the nine hitters in the Florida lineup recorded a hit, but none of them resulted in any RBI (except for Lugbauer’s HR), as the Fire Frogs only hit two XBHs on Sunday.

William Contreras scored on a wild pitch in the ninth, but with 2 outs no one else could muster up any more runs.

Huascar Ynoa pitched good enough to get the win but was still rather wild in this one. Even with his early-season control issues, Ynoa is still sporting a 3.27 ERA in 2019.

The Florida offense has been struggling a bit this week, with only one hitter in the lineup running an OPS over .800 (Riley Unore has a .811 OPS). William Contreras is hanging in there with a .273 batting average and .775 OPS, but several Fire Frogs hitters are hitting with sub-600 rates:

• (C) Rusber Estrada: .508 OPS (.176 BA)
• (2B) Brett Langhorne: .536 OPS (.126 BA)
• (LF) Sean Michel: .499 OPS (.190 BA)

Hopefully they’ll have a better week next week.

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

(4-6) Rome Braves (A)

WEEK 2 RECORD: 3-3

Monday, April 8

Lost: 4-7

FULL RECAP

Rome Braves @ Columbia Fireflies

• (P) Odalvi Javier: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
• (C) Logan Brown: 2-4, 4 RBI, K
• (CF) Justin Dean: 2-5, 2B, R, K

Rome lost another one, as they’ve now lost 4-straight after Monday night since winning their first game on Opening Night. Braves catcher Logan Brown had another excellent game, putting Rome ahead 2-1 in the third from an RBI-single, and then coming through again later in the game with 2 more RBI.

Unfortunately, Rome got beat from some sketchy relief work as Alan Rangel allowed a run from a wild pitch, then surrendered a 2-run triple to cough up the Braves lead. Rome never recovered and dropped yet another close one.

Tuesday, April 9

Postponed 

Rome Braves @ Columbia Fireflies

Wednesday, April 10

Lost: 0-2

FULL RECAP

Rome Braves @ Columbia Fireflies

• (P) N. Kingham: 5 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 5 K
• (CF) Justin Dean: 1-3, 2B
• (LF) Andrew Moritz: 1-4

Rome only managed 4 hits and one XBH, falling to 1-5 after Wednesday. Braves starter Nolan Kingham and Columbia’s Simeon Woods Richardson battled it out on the mound as both starting pitchers combined to pitch around 6 hits and only one earned run, with 7 punchouts.

The Rome offense was obviously cold, but centerfielder Justin Dean kept his hitting-streak alive (6 games through Wed.) as he drove a double in the third.

Last year’s 14th-round draft pick, Victor Vodnik, came in and worked the seventh and eighth innings, striking out two and walking one. It was the 19-year-old’s first appearance thus far in 2019. Vodnick spent all of 2018 with the Rookie-ball team, pitching only 4.2 innings and surrendering 5 earned runs (1 HR).

Thursday, April 11

Won: 4-3 (F/10)

FULL RECAP

Greenville Drive @ Rome Braves

• (P) J. De La Cruz: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 9 K
• (3B) D. Florentino: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K
• (2B) Greg Cullen: 1-4, 2B, RBI, K

Rome’s Darling Florentino hit a walk-off 2-run double on Thursday night as the Braves pulled out the victory over the Greenville Drive in 10 innings. Right fielder Trey Harris (1-for-4) and designated-hitter Brendan Venter (0-for-4)  scored the deciding runs, with the former scoring the tying run and the latter touching home plate to win the ballgame.

Jasseel De La Cruz was excellent in his second start of 2019, striking out nine Greenville batters and walking none. Other than the 7 hits De La Cruz surrendered (only one XBH), he forced one ground-out and one flyout in his strong start Thursday.

Rome reliever Jake Higginbotham got the win versus Greenville; his first of the season. Higginbotham retired 4 out of the 5 batters he faced and has yet to surrender an earned run in his 2 appearances this season. Tanner Lawson and Lukas Young (blown save)  also made appearances, with Lawson striking out 4 through 3 frames of work.

Friday, April 12

Won: 5-0

FULL RECAP

Greenville Drive @ Rome Braves

• (P) J. Olague: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• (P) J. Montilla: 4 IP, H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• (DH) Griffin Benson: 1-4, HR, RBI, 2 K

Rome rallied in the fourth inning, scoring all 5 runs and winning their second-straight against Southern division foe, the Greenville Drive.

Friday’s designated-hitter, Greg Benson, got the party started in the fourth with a solo homer to right-center. Benson was in need of a good night, as his average was just up to .154 after Friday’s game.

The M-Braves’ pitching was tough, only needing two pitchers to get the job done (Olague and Montilla). The game’s starter, Jose Olague, notched the win (his first of 2019) and Jose Montilla picked up his first save of the year.

Rome, as a team, had 9 total hits (4 XBHs), but was 1-for-12 with RISP.

Saturday, April 13

Lost: 5-6

FULL RECAP

Greenville Drive @ Rome Braves

• (P) T. Riley: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• (P) J. Higginbotham: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• (1B) Griffin Benson: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, K

More from Tomahawk Take

• Atlanta Braves 2023 Preseason Top 30 Prospects List: 1-5
• Braves News: Braves acquire Diaz, moves around the division, more
• Atlanta Braves 2012 Top Prospects Review: J.R. Graham
• Atlanta Braves Acquire Lewin Diaz from the Orioles
• Atlanta Braves 2023 Preseason Top 30 Prospects List: 6-10

After suddenly falling behind 6-1 in the fourth inning from a big rally by the Drive, the Rome Braves almost climbed their way back when Griffin Benson hit a two-run homer in the eighth. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be, as the Braves fell to 3-6 overall after Saturday.

Starter Trey Riley fell to 0-2, and now has a 7.27 ERA, while Jake Higginbotham has been excellent coming out of the pen in 2019 (0 ER in 5.1 total innings).

Braves left fielder, Trey Harris, went 3-for-4 on Saturday, with a triple and a run scored. Through Saturday, Harris is second on the team with a .992 OPS, behind catcher Logan Brown (1.237 OPS).

Speaking of Logan Brown, the athletic catcher went 3-for-4 as well; with a double, a run scored, and a strikeout. Brown was a 35th-round pick by the Braves in the 2018 MLB Draft, so it’s nice to see him doing well even though he was such a lowly draft choice.

Sunday, April 14

Won: 8-7

FULL RECAP

Rome Braves @ Greenville Drive

• (P) O. Javier: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• (P) V. Vodnik: 2 IP, 0 BB, 5 K
• (DH) T. Harris: 3-5, 3B, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R

Trey Harris just keeps raking, leading the Braves to another win. Here are his stats so far in 2019, after his second week completed.

• 10 games
• .405/.450/.676 (1.126 OPS)
• 1 home run
• 3 doubles
• 2 triples
• 4 RBI

Rome almost let the Drive come back, with Lukas Young notching a very hard-earned save (his first of 2019). In the eighth, the Drive scored 2 runs from a bases-loaded walk and a fielder’s choice.

Andrew Moritz went 2-for-4 with two RBI when he singled on a soft line drive, plating two runs. First baseman Brendan Venter (1-3) drove in a run from a single in the fifth inning. Venter is slowly getting his average back up, as he’s now hitting .231 on the season.

The Braves other RBI came from shortstop Braulio Vasquez, as he went 1-for-4 with a line drive in the Braves high-scoring fifth (the Braves scored 6 runs in the fifth inning).

Dilmer Mejia made his first appearance of 2019, earning the win on Sunday as he worked 1.1 innings and struck out two (gave up a homer in the fourth).

That’s it from last week. Be sure to check back next Monday for a recap of this upcoming week’s slate of games. Hopefully the weather will allow for a nice week of baseball!