Tuesday’s News & Notes
| Team | Yesterday | Today | Pitching Matchup |
| Fresno | Lost, 7-6 | vs. Salt Lake, 9:35 p.m. | Copeland (0-0, 1.80) vs. Mahle (0-1, 3.60) |
| Harrisburg | Won, 4-2 | @ Altoona, 6:00 p.m. | Fedde (1-0, 4.09) vs. Agrazal (1-1, 6.75) |
| Potomac | Won, 11-5 | @ Lynchburg, 6:30 p.m. | Johnston (0-2, 5.40) vs. Mejia (1-0, 0.82) |
| Hagerstown | Won, 11-1 | vs. Lexington, 6:05 p.m. | Cate (0-1, 1.93) vs. Haake (1-1, 2.00) |
Las Vegas 7 Fresno 6
• McGowin (L, 1-1) 5IP, 8H, 6R, 5ER, 2BB, 3K, 3HR
• Hoover 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 2K
• J. Wilson 2-4, R, HR, 3RBI
• Cowgill 2-4, R, HR, 2RBI
• Hernandez 1-2, 2BB
Twice the Grizzlies jumped ahead of the Aviators—3-0 in the 1st, 5-3 in the 3rd—and twice Kyle McGowin gave it right back. Las Vegas would get single runs in the 5th and 6th and Fresno could answer one as they dropped the game, 7-6 and series, 3-1. McGowin was taken deep three times and eight hits total for six runs (five earned) over five innings for the loss. He walked two and struck out three. Jacob Wilson and Colin Cowgill both homered and went 2-for-5, combining for five RBI while Yadiel Hernandez reached base three times with a single and two walks to lead the Fresno offense.
Harrisburg 4 Altoona
• Crowe 5IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 6K, HBP
• Sanchez (W, 2-0) 4IP, 0H, 0R, BB, 7K
• A. Sanchez 3-5, 2B
• Wiseman 2-5, 2R, 2HR, 2RBI
• Ward 1-5, R, HR, RBI, 3K
Rhett Wiseman, fresh off his Zac Efron-esque photo shoot, homered twice – including back-to-back with Drew Ward in the 8th inning as Harrisburg doubled up Altoona, 4-2 for their 10th win in 12 games. Wil Crowe threw five innings of two-run ball and gave up both Curve runs on six hits while setting down six on strikes for the no-decision, his first at AA. Mario Sanchez shut out and no-hit Altoona the rest of the way, issuing a walk and striking out seven to pick up the “W.” Adrián Sanchez led the Senators hit column with a 3-for-5 night. Wiseman was also named the Eastern League Player of the Week.
Potomac 11 Lynchburg 5
• Reyes 3⅔ IP, 6H, 5R, 5ER, 3BB, 4K, WP
• Borne (W, 1-0) 3⅓ IP, 3H, 0R, BB, 2K, 2-0 IR-S
• Franco 3-5, 3R, 2B, RBI
• Masters 2-5, 2R, HR, 2RBI
• Freeman 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, 2BB
Luis Reyes threw BP and the P-Nats took it as they outslugged the Hillcats, 11-5 in the series opener and get back to .500 (6-6). In the 4th, Grant Borne stranded two of Reyes’s nine baserunners allowed over three and 2/3rds and tossed three scoreless innings for his first win since July 2017. Potomac pounded out 10 hits, led by Anderson Franco, who scored three times while going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI, and David Masters, who singled and homered while plating two and scoring twice. Roster moves: OF Gage Canning promoted from Hagerstown; OF Jack Sundberg placed on 7-Day I.L.
Hagerstown 11 Lexington 1
• Adon (W, 1-1) 5IP, 7H, R, ER, BB, 4K, HR, WP
• Tapani 3IP, 3H, 0R, 0BB, 2K, WP
• Marinconz 2-3, 2R, 2B, BB, 2RBI, SB
• Rhinesmith 2-4, BB, 3RBI
• C. Wilson 2-5, 4R, BB, HR, RBI
Hagerstown also broke out the bats, as every batter reached base in an 11-1 smackdown of Lexington for a third straight win that evened up the Suns’ won-loss mark at 6-6. Joan Adon gave up a homer and scattered seven hits over five innings for his first Low-A win. Ryan Tapani followed with three scoreless and Carson Teel one to close out the game. Cody Wilson homered once, scored four times, and reached base three times to lead Hagerstown’s 13-hit, six-walk barrage. Roster moves: OF Justin Connell assigned from XST.
My gosh, what Wiseman is doing is unprecedented. The most HRs Wiseman has hit in a month was 6. He’s now got 8, and it’s only April 16th!
MiLB did a good article on Wiseman, outlining some swing changes last spring: https://www.milb.com/milb/news/nationals-prospect-rhett-wiseman-takes-milb-homer-lead/c-306292178
Also overlooked by Wiseman’s power surge is Ward continues to make a case for a TWO true outcomes player model: HR or strikeout, belting another HR and striking out 3 times in 5 ABs.
Also Crowe had another really good outing. I wonder if he will leapfrog some of the arms in Fresno?
Aha Canning was promoted out of IL necessity
Let’s see how Fedde responds after the combo no- no
Great at bat for Cowgill in his first AB working a guy Rollie Fingers would be proud of ( along with Jake Noll) with their Lex Legends mustachioes!!
We should not hammer on guys down on their luck but Reyes is really off with the release point and arm mechanics ?? Sound right , Luke??
Ok folks. Do we have to cue an urban country song which bellyaches about the girls that got away ? Willie Nelson : To all the girls I loved before ??
So some guys look better in new locations .
So what ! As the Miles Davis strain went.
Next next nextnext
Come on board , Dan Jennings
Q. Anon. Quintessential outing for young Anon.
We will take 5 IP at low A
Welcome to Hags, Shocker ! Vickers with the leather
Guys added to roster from XST as the weather hits 70F taking part in routine drills and light throwing ?? Anderson could use Barnett out of the pen . See how Davis bounces back. Right , Gil?
Once again, a lot to like today. Have to admit, never thought Wiseman had it in him. Good for him!
Glad to see Canning make it to Potomac, let’s see what he has.
Pineda made catcher of the week in the minors by MILB.com.
Vanderbilt pedigree
As the Nats’ farmhands continue to impress, I have to wonder which of them will be packaged by Rizzo in a trade for bullpen help.
As the annual tradition requires.
Meanwhile, Kelvin Gutierrez is batting .412/.512/.618 in AAA, and Daniel Johnson is hitting .294/.419/.618.
Another masterstroke from Rizzo.
Can’t take issue with Gomes trade. I like what I see. Johnson is in AA.
Ditto
Sure would be nice to get some miles out of Weston Davis who Nats signed away from Florida Gator scholarship shortly after trading Gator alum, Dunning .
Really cool to see Fuentes sew up the game last night for Potnats with text book DP after K – ing a few batters .
I don’t know what requires more patience : waiting on a bullpen to evolve or a jet flight with sketchy weather further west . Lol
What a pick by Gomes on that Michael A throw to nail Bell on Sunday
Let’s remember Mills for Howie
Coinciding with Robles graduating out of rookie status may be a massive upheaval in whom we perceive the prospects to be.
Steve at Talk Nats likes to break the season into 18 game bites and we are almost there. Potomac and Hagerstown are playing better, and there is still quite a bit of talent in the lower minors back at XST waiting for openings.
As for Wiseman, he is a humble, sweet guy. I’ve seen him with his dad, he is very ‘aw shucks’ and always makes time for kids. When I saw him in spring training as he batted with Rendon and Turner on the back fields, I asked him pointedly and maybe provocatively, “what’s different this year?” And he just shrugged and said, “I got a year older,” as if to say nothing
…at all and the quality of a guy who is just going to keep trying and hope things click. No tattoos, no jewelry, nothing to sell. Just a regular minor leaguer who happens to be, like Ward and Souza before him, a third round pick of the Nationals.
I doubt he’s 6 feet tall, and he does not look muscular. He’s a plain Joe. If you meet him, he’s easy to root for.
When can Jonathan Pryor report to WPB for active duty??
Well said. Boston kid
At this point Rhett Wiseman and Drew Ward are looking like the bash brothers of AA. Ward just needs to cut the K%. Wiseman on the other hand looks like an absolute stud muffin in AA. We will see if that last.
Nats just added Wiseman to the 2018 lineup rotation with Davidson/ Ward rotation
Of the Harrisburg lumber company. ( no comparison intended to the 1970s Pirates line up. )
Pitching and player breakthroughs can come from unexpected places. While many have been bellyaching about the Eaton trade, fate has not been yet unkind there.
It has, however, shone poorly on Rizzo with the rising stars of Kelvin Gutierrez, Pedro Avila, and Trevor Gott. There is a lot of talent in the Nats system, but hopefully no more freebies!
True. You never want to play unkind on a former arm but the TJ on Dunning places an ironic twist the trade.
This isn’t the first time Wiseman has had a sudden homer surge. He hit only three as a frosh at Vandy, zero as a soph, then 15 as a junior, vaulting him into the 3d round of the draft. What he’s doing now isn’t completely sudden, though, as he did hit 21 last year at Potomac. Anyway, good for him. Goodness knows, the Nats need some viable OF options to emerge, particularly guys who can hit.
Congrats on Canning for the promotion. He’s one we hope can be a fast riser. Connell gets the first call to Hags over Eric Senior.
VERY good to see Borne back, and pitching well, after leaving his last appearance with an injury.
On the flip side, Reyes, who pitched mostly at AA last year, is getting clobbered at Potomac. That’s not a good look.
Another good outing for Crowe. He definitely seems to have taken a step forward this year. Don’t know whether it’s another year of getting acclimated to pro ball, another year of recovery from TJ, or a combination of both.
I was thinking maybe Borne was done for the year. Phew!!!
KW – we’ll see Senior 🙂
Very curious , Gil, to see how Auburn stacks up post June draft with GCL leftover talent and June bonus baby picks .
Guys like Sanfler , Leo the lefty swinger you like who plays LF/1b and of course the Chisholm trail cruising through Auburn
Like an Italian song , Gil, Leandro Emilliandro. We need Dean Martin to sing that
Aha. Alex Troop is active and assigned to H- troop. Good good
Yes, I saw Alex and he was excited to go. Let’s not forget that some folks who started late may be coming up slowly for weather considerations.
There is a lot of good minor league inventory this year, definitely more so in lower levels than before.
We are still at least a year from realizing the depth created by the Nats bulk Latin America signings of the past two years. A great organizational strategy that they were out front with.
The success of Harrisburg is curious, even with older players factored in. Hopefully this is not Expos circa early 70’s, April flowers bring May swoon….
It has made up for some marginal draft classes.
Wiseman has had a sudden homer surge. He hit only three as a frosh at Vandy, zero as a soph, then 15 as a junior, vaulting him into the 3d round of the draft. What he’s doing now isn’t completely sudden, though, as he did hit 21 last year at Potomac. Anyway, good for him. Goodness knows, the Nats need some viable OF options to emerge, particularly guys who can hit.