In some ways it was a not very eventful month, but I'll find a way to write a thousand words or so anyway probably. It's my thing. Yesterday we learned Alan Roden was back down for Will Wagner to get another chance. Wagner had spent the last three weeks of May on the IL and since returning he has an .827 OPS in 57 at bats. Speaking of back from Toronto, Will Robertson had his best month so far in June with a 1.073 OPS It would be rude not to mention Phil Clarke, I've gotten sort of interested in him before after a hot stretch and then he goes back to being a quite ordinary hitter. It's 23 games since he came off the IL and has an .851 OPS. If he kept that up he'd be more interesting. After regressing in May to a more ordinary line, Riley Tirotta is back with a .913 OPS in June, playing mostly 3B and RF. On the bad news side, after seemingly getting up off the mat in May, Orelvis Martinez ran off a 1-for-44 stretch in June that likely crashes his trade value right when the Jays needs a high-profile prospect for the deadline.
The pitching notes here would be all about relievers. Ryan Jennings has a recent spike in walks, but the sample is too small to call it a trend. Trent Wallace has made the expected switch to relief, but again, he'll need to refine his walk rate to capitalize on his other skills. Lazaro Estrada got roughed up on June 22, but without that one outing his era over the last two months is 2.25 with very nice rate stats.
In AA, it's time we took a moment to consider Jackson Hornung. Drafted as a mostly unheralded catcher in the 16th round in 2023, the switch hitter was just average for the C's last year. But in 2024 he's exploded onto the prospect list. Playing 1B and LF, his .855 OPS in Vancouver this season got him promoted to the offense-starved Fisher cats (who lost their only two productive hitters to AAA earlier in the season) and - in a tiny sample - got better. His strikeout % is very high, but even so he's been a revelation. After a brief stint on the development list, it would see Charles McAdoo profited from it. In June he has a .806 OPS (it was .534 before). I'm obliged to show a little respect to Ryan McCarty. He's 26 at AA, so don't read too much into this but he has an .843 OPS there.
New Hampshire fans are not being treated to a robust offense but they're having, for now, a rare opportunity to take in some excellent pitching. Trey Yesavage took a minute to adjust to the new level but in his most recent outing he threw 5 one-hit innings with one walk and eight K. He's been announced to suit up for the Futures Game. My guess is that early August or so he'll be off to Buffalo. Less spotlight on Juran Watts-Brown but he's working to change that. Had a little stumble in his first game a AA (which is common) but since then, in six games and 30.1 IP he's put up a shiny .207 ERA which might have him ideally situated as the potential trade chip that you can bear to part with but will be coveted by the other team. If he keeps this up though...
Vancouver just missed securing a post-season berth as the first half ended but there's a lot to hope on with this team. CF Victor Arias rebounded from a down May to run up an .872 OPS over the course of June mostly from the lead-off spot. He's had to drive a (mostly) good-but-not-great squad suffering from a prolonged slump from Top Prospect Arjun Nimmala. Nimmala is currently on an 0-for-27 skid. Joining Arias in the playoff drive were several ;ess prominent prospects. Among them Eddie Micheletti. From May 14 to present, he has a 927 OPS. Similarly, lightly regarded (and normally light hitting) infielder Nick Goodwin had a .966 OPS in June, driven by 7 homers for the month. And there's last year's trade acquisition Cutter Coffey who had a .918 OPS in June.
Like Yesavage before him, Khal Stephen will probably need to move along to AA after the break to be challenged. While being similarly dominant in keeping runs off the board, the report is that his stuff is not overwhelming like his draft mate but rather he's just an advanced pitcher who needs a better test. In seven starts here he has a 1.73 ERA. In fact, some observers will tell you that Gage Stanifer has better stuff than Stephen. The latter has just over a K per IP and 9 walks in 36.1 IP. Stanifer doesn't have such fine control but has almost 18 K/9 at this level. It's tricky to tell from the outside if they think he's being challenged enough to keep polishing his game at this level. Recently promoted reliever Pat Gallager leaves behind a 1.13 ERA and probably soon to join him Chay Yeager has a 1.71 having surrendered just 13 hits in 31.1 IP.
The guy in Dunedin who caught everyone's eye last month was catcher Ed Duran. He cooled off quite a bit in June but the samples are too small to distinguish cold streaks from trends. Second baseman Sam Shaw also cooled off a bit but was still solid. Bryce Arnold, who's split time between SS and LF, recently got a promotion to Vancouver. He leaves behind an .838 OPS though I haven't seen anyone point to him as a legit prospect.
Our first name here is kind of a cheat since he's on a rehab assignment which he is dominating. Kendry Rojas would have almost certainly opened the year in AA. I'm not certain that's his next stop but it will be soon and there's nothing (that you can tell from results) left to prove here. Newly arrived is the latest rising star in the system, last year's 3rd round bonus baby Johnny King. He utterly dominated Complex teams (41 K in 24 IP) running up a 1.13 ERA in seven games. Highly regarded Landon Maroudis came off of the IL and has made two solid but unremarkable outings so far. A less heralded name is that of Austin Cates. Last year's 7th round pick started the year on his heels running up an ugly 7.25 ERA in his first six appearances. In eight outings since, he's pitched 33 innings with an impressive 2.12 ERA with 34 strikeouts. He'll be in Vancouver before ling if this keeps up.
In the complex, the samples are still small, especially in the Dominican. But some names to watch can be identified. I've mentioned David Beckles (really too old for this league) and Yorman Licourt (hot May, slumped badly in June) and to that you can add SS Dariel Ramon who's got a .421 OBP and good speed. But the real story is pitcher Troy Guthrie. He's been pitching mostly piggyback but every indication is that he's a starter going forward. With King gone last year's 11th round pick is the clear best player on this team - for ever how much longer he's here. He's sporting a 1.52 ERA with 27 K against 5 walks.
In the DSL the names to notice across their two squads are catcher Franklin Rojas, outfielder Rafael Flores, shortstop Juan Sanchez, OF Keegan Pieternella, SS Elaineiker Coronado, and OF Nestor Urbina - all of whom are off to a good start. Also SS Chris Polanco (January's top bonus) who's...not. If you noticed the absence of pitchers in this paragraph, well, there's a reason for that. But I will nod towards Michael De La Cruz who has 20 K and 5 BB in 14.2 IP.
The short season teams close up shop on July 24. So for most of these guys that will be the end of official games. But Guthrie surely won't be in the Complex that long and the three hitters I mentioned may move across town to join the D-Jays when their season is over.
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