A weekly report on the Atlanta Braves minor league farm system.
We have now reached Week 21 of the Atlanta Braves Farm Report. With just one more week left in the minor league season, major league teams are getting set for the postseason, and September roster expansion will begin very shortly (the last season of such expansion).
I’ve been absent for the last couple of weeks, unable to do much writing up until recently. Although, many of you know how these reports usually go.
This week I’ll keep it simple. I will go through and list a few top-performing players from each Atlanta Braves’ minor league team from last week, while also providing a brief summary as to how each club performed as a team.
(76-55) Gwinnett Stripers
The Stripers started off the week with two-straight losses to Norfolk, but ended up splitting their 4-game series with the Tides by winning the final two games by a combined score of 14-9.
Overall, Gwinnett finished the week 4-3, maintaining a 2.5 game lead in the INT South standings.
INF, Johan Camargo
WK 21: 7 G, 15-for-29, .517 BA, HR, 3 2B, 8 RBI
What he did: Camargo has been a monster at the plate since being optioned to Gwinnett. In nine Triple-A games, the Panama City native (not the Florida one) is slashing .474/.512/.658 with a home run and 4 doubles, plus 10 RBI. This past week he had 5 multi-hit games, including three 3-hit finishes. I think he may be bored down in Triple-A.
Here’s some of his best work last week:
- Monday: 3-for-4, 2B, R
- Wednesday: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 6 TB
- Thursday: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R
- Friday: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
- Sunday: 3-for-5, 2 RBI
INF, Pedro Florimon
WK 21: 7 G, 13-for-28, .464 BA, HR, 3 2B, 5 RBI
What he did: Like Camargo above, Florimon rarely got out last week, hitting nearly .500. The Dominican had 4 multi-hit games, including a 3-for-5 finish on Wednesday, where Florimon connected for his 12th home run of the season. The 33 year old has been reliable in 2019, currently running a .778 OPS in 115 games so far.
OF, Cristian Pache
WK 21: 7 G, 10-for-26, .384 BA, 3B, 3 2B, 5 RBI
What he did: Right now Pache is outperforming Drew Waters in Gwinnett. The Atlanta Braves top prospect doubled in 3-straight games over the weekend (Fri-Sun), while also knocking in 3 runs on Friday.
On top of that, Pache reached safely in every game last week, including three 2-hit finishes. So far, the .640 OPS doesn’t look too great, but Pache is heating up big time (.755 OPS over his last 10 games).
RHP, Patrick Weigel
WK 21: 1 relief app., 3 IP, BB, 5 K
What he did: Weigel made a relief appearance on Thursday, after starter Huascar Ynoa gave up eight hits in just 3 innings. Weigel pitched 3 innings himself (42 pitches / 28 strikes), but kicked off a run of dominance by the Stripers’ bullpen, as he struck out five and allowed just one hit and a walk.
LHP, Tucker Davidson
WK 21: 4 IP, 6 H, ER 2 BB, 5 K
What he did: The king of run-prevention, Davidson didn’t necessarily dominant in his outing Friday night, but he once again prevented runs and gave his team a chance to win. His 85-pitch start consisted of five strikeouts and two walks, with only one run-allowed from six hits. This is a talented lefty, folks.
(28-35) Mississippi Braves
After starting the week 1-3, Mississippi won two-straight to save a potentially awful Week 21, although, Saturday featured a blowout loss to Biloxi, 13-4.
Mississippi recovered and finished 3-4 last week. However, their playoff hopes are gone, now 10.5 take-back from 1st-place Biloxi, in the South division of the Southern League.
LHP, Philip Pfeifer
WK 21: 8 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 9 K
What he did: Pfeifer has reached a new level since early June, as he’s become a leader on this M-Braves’ staff. The former Vanderbilt pitcher tossed 103 pitches (71 strikes) on Tuesday, though Mississippi still lost 4-2 to Pensacola.
Since June 7 (13 starts), Pfeifer has a 2.13 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 84.2 innings-pitched, good for a K-rate of 11.6 K/9. He’s also given up just 5 home runs in that stretch.
RHP, Claudio Custodio
WK 21: 7 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K
What he did: Deployed as a reliever/starter this season, look for Custodio to gain more starts now that several Mississippi rotation members have been promoted.
On Thursday, the Dominican righty earned the win (Mississippi beat Pensacola, 3-1) and tossed an efficient 2-hitter, throwing 77 pitches in 7 innings. Custodio struck out five and walked two. In 25 relief appearances and 4 starts for the M-Braves in 2019, the 5-foot-10 hurler has a 2.14 ERA and 5-4 record.
RHP, Connor Johnstone
WK 21: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K
What he did: Johnstone got himself a two-start week, pitching Monday and Friday. His first start was decent, but outing No. 2 was one of his best of the season. The Georgia native is carrying a decent 4.33 ERA as a starter/reliever in 2019.
RHP, Kurt Hoekstra
WK 21: 2 app., 4 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 K
What he did: Hoekstra came in and kept Mississippi in the game on Sunday, after starter Jonathan Aro left after just 3 innings. Hoekstra, a former Western Michigan pitcher, struck out five in just 3 innings, and allowed just 2 hits. That’s a cool 0.93 ERA in his last 19.1 innings-pitched for Hoekstra. Mississippi still lost that Game on Sunday, 1-0 versus Biloxi.
1B, Ryan Casteel
WK 21: 7 G, .272 BA, HR, 2 2B, 4 RBI
What he did: Providing Mississippi with the power this season (20 total HR), Casteel posted a 3-RBI night on Saturday when he homered and finished 2-for-4 in Mississippi’s bad loss to Biloxi, 13-4. As the cleanup-hitter, the Tennessee native has been ridiculously good in away games this season: .603 SLG%, 15 HR, .306 BA, 57 games.
The M-Braves’ offense struggled: The hitting was pretty atrocious last week for Mississippi. Braden Shewmake (.375 BA) played well when he actually played (only played in 5 games). The rest of the lineup struggled to even hit .250, as Mississippi’s offense has been decimated by the promotions of Pache and Waters.