Atlanta Braves Week 21 Farm Report: One more week to go
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.
(27-39) Florida Fire Frogs
The Fire Frogs started off Week 21 by getting swept by Tampa, dropping all three games, though two of their losses were extra-inning defeats.
With a day off last Monday, Florida finished 2-4 for the week. The Fire Frogs are currently last in the FSL North division, nine games-back from 1st place Lakeland.
RHP, Freddy Tarnok
WK 21: 7 IP, 6 H, ER, 8 K
What he did: It hasn’t been the best year for Tarnok, but on Thursday night, the righty dominated despite allowing several more fly outs than ground outs (6-2). Tarnok’s 102 pitches consisted of just two XBH (both doubles) by Tampa, though the Tarpons beat Florida 3-1.
RHP, Matt Hartman
WK 21: 1 start, 6 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K
What he did: After dominating in Rome, Hartman has had a little more trouble in Florida this season (2.63 ERA in Rome / 4.06 ERA in Florida). But, on Friday night, Hartman tossed a strong 103-pitch outing, as he kept the ball on the ground (7 ground outs / 3 fly outs) and struck out four batters.
RHP, Odalvi Javier
WK 21: 2 starts, 1-0, 12.1 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 7 BB, 9 K
What he did: Javier tossed a 102-pitch outing on Tuesday, followed by a 98-pitch beauty on Sunday (6 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K) in which he earned the win as Florida shut-out the North’s first-place team Dunedin, 1-0.
Javier started the season in Rome (22 starts / 3.78 ERA), but he’s really taken off while in Florida (4 starts / 3.28 ERA).
RHP, Daysbel Hernandez
WK 21: 2 app., 2 SV, 2 IP, 2 H, 5 K
What he did: Last week Hernandez converted 2 saves, giving him six on the season and five in his last 10 appearances (including 3-straight).
The Cuban native has been stingy all season long, carrying a solid 1.72 ERA for the Fire Frogs.
SS, Riley Delgado
WK 21: 6 G, .222 BA, 2 2B, RBI
What he did: Delgado finished with a couple of multi-hit games last week (Friday and Sunday), including 5 consecutive games with a hit, starting on Thursday (he recorded 2 hits this Monday, also).
An infielder from Miami, Delgado has turned in a strong 2019 campaign, hitting .284 with 15 doubles. He doesn’t have much pop (2 career HR), but Delgado is excellent at putting the bat on the ball.
3B, Brett Langhorne
WK 21: 5 G, .333 BA, 2 2B, RBI
What he did: He only played in 5 games last week, but when Langhorne played he was productive. On Saturday, Langhorne finished 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, giving him 13 doubles and 33 RBI in 114 games this season with the Fire Frogs
INF, Kevin Josephina
WK 21: 6 G, .347 BA, 2 2B, SB
What he did: Josephina, from Curacao, has came out of nowhere this season. Last week he finished with three multi-hit games, including a 2 for 4 game on Wednesday (he also doubled).
Josephina has cooled some since earlier in the season, but he has still been an outstanding leadoff hitter for Florida, batting .258 and slugging 19 doubles so far.
(32-30) Rome Braves
Rome was off on Monday but followed up an idle start to the week with a dominant 3-game series versus Kannapolis. The R-Braves outscored the Intimidators 32-10, including two 14-4 wins (in Game 1 and Game 3).
Rome cooled off as the week proceeded but still managed to finish 4-3. Their 32-30 second-half record puts them in 3rd place in the SAL South, three games behind 1st place Asheville.
RHP, Alan Rangel
WK 21: 1 start, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 K
What he did: The bullpen squandered his start —reliever Victor Vodnik allowed five runs in the 8th inning, as Rome lost to Columbia, 7-5 — but Rangel was sharp in his rather short outing.
Rangel threw just 65 pitches (47 strikes) in 5 innings, and though he only struck out four, the hurler from Mexico walked none and provoked 7 ground outs.
LHP, Tanner Lawson
WK 21: 2 app., 4.2 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K
What he did: Lawson gave up a few more hits than he needed to, but he did an excellent job of limiting the damage when he did.
After being deployed mostly as a starter last season, in Danville, Lawson has thrived in the bullpen in 2019, running an ERA of 2.24 and allowing just 3 homers in 64.1 innings-pitched this season.
RHP, William Woods
WK 21: 2 starts, 8 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 6 BB, 8 K
What he did: Woods only lasted 4 innings in each of his two starts last week, but he struck out a batter per inning and kept his team in the game in each outing.
With a 3.33 ERA this season, Woods has split time between the bullpen (13 relief app.) and the rotation (6 starts), though, in both areas he has done a respectable job.
LHP, Mitch Stallings
WK 21: 1 start, 1-0, 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, BB, 4 K
What he did: The 2018 Atlanta Braves’ draft pick made first appearance for Rome on August 18, but on Saturday he made his first start, even providing the R-Braves with a quality-start.
Now in his second season in the organization, the expectations are still high for Stallings. The former Duke pitcher has done relatively well at every level of play so far.
1B, Bryce Ball
WK 21: 6 G, .375 BA, 2 HR, 2B, 4 RBI
What he did: In the 6 games that Ball played in, he finished with 2 hits in four of them, continuing his hot-hitting from Rookie-ball this season.
Ball hasn’t stopped hitting since his days at Dallas Baptist, batting .359 in his first 14 full-season-league games.
2B, Greg Cullen
WK 21: 6 G, .357 BA, 2 2B, 2 RBI
What he did: Cullen had a 3-hit night on Wednesday, followed by a 4-for-5 evening on Friday, as he recorded at least one hit in every game last week, except for on Sunday (he’s hitting .400 over his last 10 games).
Maybe the Atlanta Braves front office just wants to keep some existence of an offense in Rome, but it remains a mystery why Cullen hasn’t moved up yet this season. The New York native is hitting .271 this season (.805 OPS) with 23 doubles and 6 triples so far, in 125 games.
C, Shea Langeliers
WK 21: 5 G, .520 BA, 2B, 2 RBI
What he did: I’ll tell you what Langeliers did: he finally got himself going last week, after struggling a bit in his first month or so of pro baseball. In 5 games last week, the Atlanta Braves’ No. 1 pick finished with two 4-hit games, and starting on Tuesday, recorded at least one hit in every game (including a 1-for-4 game this Monday).
The solid week improved his batting average to .246 this season, and he now has 2 home runs and 10 doubles in 49 games thus far — lookout.
OF, Justin Dean
WK 21: 6 G, .250 BA, 4 RBI, 3 SB
What he did: Even more than Cullen (listed above), Dean is ready for High-A. Last week wasn’t his best week, but he still knocked in 4 runs and hit for a decent average.
Dean offers the whole package. In 106 games with Rome, the South Carolina native has 9 home runs, 9 triples, 18 doubles and a whopping 45 stolen bases. Oh yeah… he’s also currently slashing .289/.390/.440.
(28-37) Danville Braves
The D-Braves finished 4-3 and capped off their week last week with a 7-1 victory over Elizabethton on Sunday, tallying 14 hits as a team. However, Danville dropped the 3-game series.
Despite a nice week, Danville still resides at the bottom of the Appy East standings, a whopping 14 games behind the leader, the Pulaski Yankees.
LHP, Lisandro Santos
WK 21: 2-0, 10 IP, 4 H, ER, 6 BB, 14 K
What he did: The Braves routed the Kingsport Mets 9-0 on Tuesday, followed by a 6-run beating over Elizabethton on Sunday. The common denominator: Lisandro Santos was the starting pitcher.
Santos is down to a 1.70 ERA in 2019, thanks to just one home run-allowed in 30 innings-pitched this season.
RHP, Tyler Owens
WK 21: 1 start, 3 IP, H, 2 BB, 5 K
What he did: It wasn’t anything crazy exciting, but Owens tossed three scoreless innings of one-hit ball on Wednesday, as Danville beat Burlington, 3-2.
Owens owns a 4.28 ERA and has 32 strikeouts in 27.1 innings-pitched so far this season.
OF, Jose Palma
WK 21: 4 G, .389 BA, 3B, 2 RBI
What he did: On Saturday, Palma finished with 3 hits, while also slapping a triple (his first of 2019). The lefty-hitting 20-year-old has played 42 games for Danville, hitting .276 with 7 doubles.
1B, Mason Berne
WK 21: 6 G, .428 BA, HR, 2B, 3 RBI
What he did: Five out Berne’s six games last week ended with at least one hit, as the first baseman continues to play well in 2019. In 34 games, the 23-year-old is batting .289 with 4 home runs.
(17-30) GCL Braves
The Gulf Coast Braves had a tough week, dropping their last 4 games of Week 21. Their 1-7 record stemmed from one of their worst weeks, offensively, all year.
RHP, Jared Johnson
WK 21: 1 start, 3 IP, BB, 5 K
What he did: The Braves lost 4-3 to the Red Sox on Thursday, but it wasn’t because of Johnson, who needed just 22 pitches to toss three hitless innings. The Mississippi native has a 3.52 ERA in six starts so far this season.
RHP, Walner Polanco
WK 21: 1 start, 1-0, 5 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K
What he did: Polanco allowed some hits in his start on Wednesday, but he also led the GCL Braves to their only win of the week, a 5-2 victory over the Red Sox in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Polanco is now 1-1 and carries a 3.20 ERA in 3 starts and 5 relief appearances for the Braves this season.
RHP, Estarlin Rodriguez
WK 21: 1 app., 3 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 6 K
What he did: Rodriguez relieved Monday’s starter and was sharp, striking out 6 of the 13 batters he faced. It’s been an up-and-down season thus far for the Dominican, as he currently owns a 4.09 ERA in 8 relief appearances.
RHP Ben Thompson
WK 21: 1 app., 2 IP, 2 K
What he did: The GCL Braves’ week was pretty miserable, but Thompson provided an impressive relief appearance in their loss Monday, when he pitched the first 2 innings of the game and threw just 11 pitches, all strikes. The 6’5″ righty from New Zealand hadn’t pitched until that unique outing last week, so maybe he’ll see some more innings in the future.
3B, Darling Florentino
WK 21: 6 G, .260 BA, 2 HR, 2B, 7 RBI
What he did: Florentino had an awesome day at the plate on Tuesday, finishing 2-for-3 with a homer and a double, plus 3 RBI. Over his last 10 games, the former Rome infielder is hitting .300 with 12 RBI.
OF, Joel Reyes
WK 21: 7 G, .260 BA, 4 2B, RBI
What he did: The Dominican outfielder ripped off 2 doubles on Saturday, finishing 3-for-4 with an RBI. Reyes needed a good week, as he’s hitting just .247 in 29 games with the GCL Braves.
2B, Eliezel Stevens
WK 21: 6 G, .400 BA, 2B, 3 SB
What he did: From Wednesday to this Monday, Stevens has 5 games with at least two hits (out of 6 games). On Saturday, Stevens totaled three hits in four tries, as he attempts to pick up his poor average this season (.230 BA in 36 games).
(36-34) DSL Braves
The Dominican Braves only played 4 games last week, finishing 2-2. Friday and Saturday the team was scheduled to play a total of 3 games, but all of then were rained out. Sunday the Braves were off.
LHP, Osiris Sierra
WK 21: 1 start, 4 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K
What he did: The lefty was at it again last week, starting off the week with a two-hit outing on Monday. In his first 14 outings this season, Sierra has a minuscule 2.21 ERA, plus just one homer-allowed (53 innings-pitched).
RHP, Jordano Perez
WK 21: 1 app., 2 IP, H, 2 K
What he did: Perez’s one relief appearance (Monday) may not seem all that impressive, but the 19 year old has been lights out all season. Perez owns a 2.67 ERA and has 29 strikeouts in 33.2 innings-pitched thus far.
RHP, Rainiery Rodriguez
WK 21: 1 start, 1-0, 6 IP, 5 H, BB, 3 K
What he did: Rodriguez made his start on Thursday last week, helping lead the Braves to a 8-2 win over the DSL Rays(1). The soon-to-be 20-year-old (turns 20 on Aug. 28) was crazy-efficient in the win, needing only 32 pitches (26 strikes) to get through his 6 frames.
Rodriguez is the Ace of the Dominican Braves’ rotation, now 6-1. He also has a stingy 1.79 ERA this season (0.73 in his last 5 starts and 5 relief appearances), in 5 total starts and 10 appearances out of the bullpen.
OF, Jeremy Celodonio
WK 21: 4 G, .266 BA, 2B, RBI
What he did: Although playing-time was hard to come by for the DSL Braves’ hitters, Celodonio still managed a strong week, recording a hit in all four games last week. Mostly playing in right field and batting 5th, the 17-year-old is hitting just .203 in 59 games this season. However, he is getting on base at a 36-percent clip.
3B, Wilmer Smith
WK 21: 3 G, .333 BA, HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI
What he did: Smith displayed some nice power in his shortened week at the plate. In only 3 games, the infielder led the team in XBHs and RBI, thanks to a 2-for-4 game on Thursday when he homered and doubled, while knocking in all three of his runs for the week.
Next. De La Cruzing. dark
Check back next week as we look at the last regular season week in the minors and hopefully forecast a few teams that will be in the postseason.