The Prospect Tracker is updated with tonight’s games.
AAA
Indianapolis lost both games of a double header. Donald Veal pitched 1.2 perfect innings with two strikeouts in game one. Veal began his rehab assignment on June 8th. By rule, pitchers can only spend 30 days on minor league rehab (20 days for hitters), which means Veal can only be on rehab in AAA until July 7th. My guess is he would be swapped out for Steven Jackson on July 8th.
AA
Altoona won 4-3 thanks to early solo-homers by Jose Tabata and…yes, you’re reading this right, Gorkys Hernandez. Tabata now has two homers since returning from injury, and this was the first homer of the year for Gorkys in 303 at-bats at AA. Pedro Alvarez remains day-to-day.
Tyler Herron, the 2005 first round pick who was recently released by St. Louis and signed by Pittsburgh, went 4.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits, with four walks and seven strikeouts. So far Herron has pitched 20.1 innings with Altoona, allowing 6 runs (2.66 ERA) with a 12:11 K/BB ratio.
A+
Lynchburg lost 11-10 to Winston-Salem, despite Matt Hague’s fourth homer of the year, and two homers from Jamie Romak. Chase D’Arnaud looks to be heating up, going 3 for 5 with two doubles, a triple, two runs and two RBIs. D’Arnaud is 6 for 8 in his last two games, with four of his hits coming as extra base hits. The downside is that D’Arnaud has struck out 9 times in 32 at-bats, including twice tonight.
R.J. Rodriguez, the All-Star closer for the Hillcats, blew the save by allowing a walk-off two run homer in the bottom of the ninth.
A
West Virginia lost 4-1 on the road to Lake County. Robbie Grossman went 1 for 5 with a strikeout. Grossman is an excellent hitter, but he does strike out a lot. In fact, Grossman has recorded at least one strikeout in 9 of his last 10 games, with 12 strikeouts in 44 at-bats over that time span.
Tony Sanchez played his second game, going 1 for 4. Sanchez has played six minor league games, and has a hit in all but one of those outings. I’m not sure why he isn’t playing more often. It took him a few days to get his first start, and he didn’t play yesterday. Maybe they’re trying to rest his legs by keeping him from playing every day.
Starling Marte didn’t play tonight.
A-
State College won 4-3, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. A few 2009 draft picks made an impact tonight. Ninth round pick Brock Holt went 1 for 4 batting leadoff. Holt is now hitting .167 on the season. Aaron Baker, the 11th round pick this year, went 1 for 4 from the cleanup spot. Baker is hitting .364 so far. Ty Summerlin, the 30th round pick, went 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI.
Third round pick Evan Chambers made his debut, going 0 for 1 with three walks, a sac fly RBI, and the winning run. Marc Baca, the 42nd round pick this year, got the win, after getting the final out in the top of the ninth.
GCL
I don’t think GCL will ever play again. Another rain out.
VSL
The VSL Pirates lost to the VSL Mets 5-2. Jorge Bishop went 1 for 4. Exicardo Cayonez went 0 for 4. Jonathan Barrios didn’t play. The Pirates have a left handed reliever named Deivis Goatache who pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts. I just think the name is funny.
