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Wednesday’s News & Notes

Team Yesterday Today Pitching Matchup
Fresno Won, 8-6 OFF DAY N/A
Harrisburg Lost, 3-1 @ Altoona, 6:30 p.m. Fuentes (3-1, 1.33) vs. D. Robles (1-1, 2.78)
Potomac ALL-STAR BREAK ALL-STAR BREAK N/A
Hagerstown ALL-STAR BREAK ALL-STAR BREAK N/A
Auburn Lost, 7-5 @ Batavia, 4:00 p.m. Strom (0-0, 18.00 @ Low-A in ’19) and
Troop (1-3, 4.76 @ Low-A in ’18) vs. TBD and TBD

Fresno 8 Omaha 6
• McGowin (W, 5-2) 6IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 5K
• Copeland 1IP, 1H, 0R, 0BB, 0K
• Stevenson 3-4, 2R, 3B, HR, BB, 3RBI
• Keller 3-4, 2R, HR, 2RBI
• Cowgill 2-3, R, 2B, RBI, SB

Fresno scored in four of its first six “ups” to build a 7-3 lead and held on for an 8-6 win to take the series, 3-1. Kyle McGowin picked up where he left off in May and tossed a quality start of three runs on six hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five while winning his fifth game. Derek Self got the rulebook save by preserving the lead despite allowing a run and putting on five baserunners in the 9th. Alec Keller and Andrew Stevenson both went 3-for-4 with a solo HR and two runs scored to lead the Grizzlies attack.

Altoona 3 Harrisburg 1
• Mapes (L, 3-3) 5IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 2K, HBP, WP; 1-1, 2B, RBI
• Mills 1⅔ IP, 2H, 0R, BB, 3K
• Bichette 1-3
• S. Kieboom 1-3

The Curve posted a picket fence through the first three innings and the Sens couldn’t knock it down, losing 3-1 to close out of the first half. Tyle Mapes gave up all three runs on six hits and two walks over five innings for his third loss. Jordan Mills and Ronald Peña combined for three scoreless innings of relief to keep things close. The Harrisburg offense was held to four hits and two walks, with Mapes collecting the sole extra-base hit – an RBI double in the 3rd.

Potomac – ALL STAR BREAK
• Banks 3-4, 2R, HR, BB, 3RBI
• Freeman 1-3, 2R, RBI
• Reetz 1-2
• Corredor 0-3, BB, 3K

Despite fielding a third-place team in the first half, four P-Nats appeared in the starting lineup for the North Division, which won the 2019 Carolina League All-Star Classic in Frederick, 8-7. Nick Banks put on a show with three hits, including a three-run HR in the bottom of the 8th, which earned the 24-y.o. a Gatorade bath, MVP honors, and a meet-and-greet with Jason Sudeikis?

Hagerstown – ALL STAR BREAK
• Lara 2-4, R
• Rhinesmith 0-2

Hagerstown had just two representatives, but its division was also a winner in the Sally League All-Star game in Charleston, WV, 6-2. Gilbert Lara went 2-for-4 with a run scored and played all nine innings while Jacob Rhinesmith went 0-for-2 and was replaced on defense to start the 6th.

Batavia 7 Auburn 5
• R. Gomez 5IP, 11H, 5R, 5ER, BB, 4K
• Chu (L, 0-1) 3IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, BB, 3K
• Bautista 2-4
• Sanfler 2-4, R
• Peroni 1-3, R, HR, 2RBI

After battling back from deficits of 2-0 and 5-1, the Doubledays had no answer for the Muckdogs’ two-run rally in the 8th, and fell 7-5 for their fourth straight loss. Rafael Gomez got the start but was bitten for 11 hits and five runs over five innings. He walked one and struck out four. Gilberto Chu gave up those two runs on three hits and a walk in his third inning of work in his third-season-in-the-NYPL debut. The 21-y.o. southpaw struck out three while taking the loss. Rafael Bautista and Caldioli Sanfler both went 2-for-4 while Anthony Peroni homered and drove in two to pace the Auburn offense.

21 Commments

  1. Does anyone want to guess which rookie ball team will finish with the best record: Auburn (0-4) or DSL Nats (1-12) or GCL Nats (0-0)?

    I’m going to guess GCL, just due to having a clean slate, but who comes next is anyone’s guess.

    1. Wil. I ask this question again about GCL. I am still wondering whether several of those DSL18 names appear on GCL 19 lead by Fernandez and Arias
      Max broken nose is so appropriate for this summer campaign
      We have two affiliates with catchers playing 1 b

      1. Yes, most everyone that is currently listed on the DSL Nats roster but hasn’t featured for them this season will appear for the GCL Nats once that roster is announced.

        Bats like B. Fernandez, Arias, Geraldi Diaz, Daniel Hernandez, Viandel Pena, Jorge Hurtado, Edangel Tovar, and arms like Jose Ferrer, Charls Jameson, Bryan Pena, Miguel Pozo will all appear stateside soon.

        1. Trust your stuff. Yup. That GCL club will be very interesting to follow between the numbers in the box score
          Now over to Rhinesmith .
          If he is truly pushed to Potomac , then would Anderson go with a very small ball lineup especially with Antuna eventually returning ?
          Could we see Randa to hags by seasons curtain calls!?

    2. Who is the fellow who whispered that the Nats might be in line to sign top Latin arm internationally??

    3. Realize that a farm system’s W-L record is not the most accurate barometer for determining the quality of MLB prospects, but a team’s overall record typically is indicative of talent level when a team is either exceptionally good or horrifically bad. A 1-12 DSL start does lead to some concern whether the Nats have failed to sign competitive international talent over the last year+.

      1. I read a long time ago that the best barometer of a farm system is AA. You have a more clear eyed view of what you have.

        I remember the early (very bad) days when the Nats AA team had the worst record in all of AA AND the oldest. How far we have come.

    4. Luke my dog is moon walking me
      Hmmmm Antuna could rehab in GCL then elevate to Auburn with his tender TJ arm/ wing ?
      Caufeld May hit himself to Hagerstown

  2. Yes, that’s the Nick Banks I thought was a steal in the 4th round, the one who hit two homers in the SEC championship game. Is he finally turning into that player in the pros? Let’s hope he has a ticket to Harrisburg waiting so we can find out (along with tickets for Freeman and Lee as well).

    The Doubledays have played five games already, and the 2018 3d rounder, Reid Schaller, still hasn’t pitched. What gives? Andrew Karp (6th round) has also yet to pitch. What gives? Picks from the 1st, 3d, and 6th rounds aren’t even playing . . . while an impressive five others from the same draft are already at Potomac: Cate, Canning, Bartow, Fletcher, and Teel. Rhinesmith may soon join them in Woodbridge.

  3. Will — the GCL Nats darn well better have some super pitching with a rotation headed by Denaburg and Rutledge. Sure hope Rutledge can move up quickly, though. It’s going to be pretty bad if they have three 1st-rounders in a row who are on at least a five-year plan to get to the majors.

    The Doubledays should have improved pitching when some of the 2019 collegiate draftees arrive, but I can’t promise too much more hope at the plate beyond what they’ve already got. The Nats didn’t invest much draft capital in big hitters, and Mendoza will be arriving very late. (It will be interesting to see if they try to keep him at 3B or go on and make the move to 1B.)

    1. KW. Jung wasn’t drafted , Nats love mix match up the ladder at the hot corner with guys so I could see Mendoza playing 1 b but stranger things have happened. Look at Ward

  4. Re: Banks, there in no one at all blocking him in Harrisburg. Let’s see what happens, I had him as an o.g. guy after what he didn’t show since being drafted and Luke writing about his indifferent baserunning.

    In must-see baseball, Fuentes is toeing the slab tonight for Harrisburg.

    KW, you have to think Karp & Schaller have something wrong with them to be in witness protection like they are.

  6. RE: Carter Kieboom, I was listening to the Fresno game last night and the announcer said he had a sore calf and they are just giving him a few days off. He didn’t make it sound like it was anything serious. Let’s hope he’s back in the lineup soon!
    Looking forward to the moves that historically come the Sunday after the Potomac All Star break! Hoping to see some new players come to HBG and some of our older free agents given their pink slips! Go Senators!!

    1. I have a sore everything from the knees down. Lol
      Not quite a legacy pick but son of former Dodger / Braves OF Treinidad Hubbard drafted .

  7. MLB.com just updated its top 100 prospects list, and the Nats currently have only two: a) #22 Carter Kieboom; b) #62 Luis Garcia. The list does not include any player drafted in the June draft. With Vlad Guerrero having graduated to MLB, the new #1 prospect is the Rays 18 phenom SS Wander Franco.

  8. My browser isn’t letting my replies go under the initial comments, so apologies for this appearing farther down the flow. A big point to remember with the DSL is that the Nats have had very restricted international pool money for the last two years, for various reasons. (In fact they had pool money that they weren’t going to be allowed to use, traded to the Marlins as part of the Barraclough deal.) They’ve pushed what little international money they’ve had into a few big signings, like de la Rosa ($300K), leaving them just small change to fill out a DSL roster. And it’s playing like a small-change roster. The better players may be starting stateside . . . we hope . . .

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