Atlanta Braves AFL Week 3 Report: A rough week for Braves’ hitters

This is Week 3 of our weekly look-in, covering several Atlanta Braves prospects in the Arizona Fall League.

Nearing the halfway mark of the 2019 Arizona Fall League season — the Fall Stars game is Saturday, October 12 — there’s a few Atlanta Braves prospects that have continued their strong 2019 regular seasons, while also a few who still haven’t yet got it going.

For previous AFL reports:

• Week 1 (Sept. 18-22)
• Week 2 (Sept. 23-29)

Let’s see how they fared in Week 3…

Week 3 Recap

Scottsdale started off the week with a day off on Monday, followed by back-to-back losses to Salt River:

• Tuesday:        lost 5-2 to Salt River
• Wednesday:  lost 4-2 to Salt River

Thursday featured another day off, then Scottsdale won two out of three over the weekend:

• Friday:      won 6-5 over Mesa (F/10)
• Saturday: lost 4-1 to Navoja
• Sunday:    won 6-5 over Glendale

Altogether, the Scorpions 2-3 record in Week 3 didn’t do much for their standing in the AFL East, as they ended the week tied with Mesa as the second-best team in the division.

AFL East Standings

AFL West Standings

OF, Trey Harris

OVERALL:  9 games, .300/.389/.533, .922 OPS, 2 home runs, 1 double, 4 RBI, 5 runs, 1 stolen base, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts

WK 3:  3 games, .111 BA, 1 stolen base, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts

Surprisingly, it was a rough week for Harris, as he only picked up one hit in nine at-bats, though he did pick up his first stolen base of the fall season.

Despite having some trouble in Week 3, Harris is still one of the main guys on this Scottsdale team, still being used predominantly as the Scorpions’ cleanup hitter (he did hit 5th on Tuesday).

OF, Justin Dean

OVERALL: 6 games, .174/.333/.174, .507 OPS, 3 RBI, 5 runs, 1 stolen base, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts

WK 3:  2 games, .125 BA, RBI, 1 run, walk, 3 strikeouts

It has been a challenging Fall for Dean, as the speedy outfielder has yet to tally and XBH. However, it’s hard to draw much of a conclusion from just 6 games. Hopefully he’ll get more at-bats this week.

OF, Garrison Schwartz

OVERALL:  4 games, .091/.333/.091, 2 runs, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts

WK 3:  2 games, 0-for-5, 2 runs, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts

Now 15 games into the fall season and Schwartz has only 11 at-bats with the team, hitting safely just once (what’s the point?).

Schwartz has the second-fewest ABs on the team and has by far been the poorest performing Atlanta Braves representative.

1B, Greyson Jenista

OVERALL:  9 games, .188/.297/.219, .516 OPS, 1 double, 2 RBI, 5 runs, 5 walks, 15 strikeouts

WK 3:  3 games, .100 BA, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts

A growing trend here… Jenista struggled as well in Week 3, going 1-for-10 at the plate, including an 0-for-4, three-strikeout game on Wednesday.

Yes, the 46.8% K-rate Jenista is flashing right now can be attributed to some small sample noise, but it’s definitely something he needs to work on (Jenista was at 29.8% while playing with the Fire Frogs and M-Braves in 2019… so he does have some strikeout issues).

SP, Connor Johnstone

OVERALL:  3 starts, 11 IP, 2-1, 3.27 ERA, 14 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, 1 home run

WK 3:  1 start, 1-0,  5 IP, 4 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout

Johnstone has miraculously managed a solid showing this Fall, depending heavily on weak contact and ground balls.

He pitched the Scorpions to victory on Sunday, throwing 64 pitches (41 strikes) in five frames, generating eight groundouts.

In the long-run, he needs to do better than 4.09 K/9, but so far his pitch-to-contact style has worked in Arizona.

RP, Daysbel Hernandez

OVERALL:  4 appearances, 4.1 IP, 8.31 ERA, 2 hits, 6 walks, 3 strikeouts

WK 3:  1 appearance, 1 IP

Scottsdale only went with Hernandez once in Week 3, tasking the 23-year-old with a 6th-inning relief appearance in their win on Sunday. Hernandez threw just 14 pitches and generated batted-ball outs from all three batters he faced.

His ERA in the AFL is a disappointment (though it’s just 4.1 innings worth), considering Hernandez dominated High-A in 2019 with a 1.71 ERA. Time and more appearances will be his friend.

RP, Brandon S. White

OVERALL:  3 appearances, 4.2 IP, 3.86 ERA, 5 hits, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts

WK 3:  1 appearance, 1.1 IP, 2 walks

Like Hernandez above, White wasn’t utilized much during Week 3 (faced six batters in Scottsdale’s win on Friday), but unlike Hernandez, White has had a bit more success in the early goings of fall ball.

Walks and hits are the big issues so far for White, as his 2.14 WHIP illustrates, though his numbers will surely improve with…. wait for it…  more appearances.

RP, Bradley Roney

OVERALL:  4 appearances, 5.2 IP, 1-0, 3.18 ERA, 3 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts, 1 home run

WK 3:  1 appearance, 1 IP, 1 save, 3 strikeouts

Roney got the call in the 10th inning of Friday’s win in extras, locking down the Scorpion’s lead for the victory. The 27-year-old faced three batters and struck each one out using just 15 pitches (10 strikes) total — his first save of the fall season.

In a week without much excitement, Roney’s high leverage save was perhaps the best showing by an Atlanta Braves minor leaguer in Week 3.

Check back next week for another Atlanta Braves AFL report.