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AFL Update: Oct. 15, 2021

Ivan Johnson’s third-inning solo shot was enough as four Sagauros pitchers combined on six-hit, 1-0 shutout of the Rafters.

Donovan Casey once again led off but was hitless in four at-bats (but no whiffs). In the field—right field—he made two putouts and fielded a single.

Drew Millas (pictured above) got the start behind the plate but went 0-for-3. He caught the first seven innings and had eight putouts (all K’s).

Surprise remains home to face Mesa. Jackson Rutledge is expected to make the start.

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TRANSACTION UPDATE
It’s not quite release season (though this year MiLB has not been shy about letting us know who’s been let go) but there have been a few notable moves lately:

  • RHP Steven Fuentes outrighted from Washington
  • LHP Alberto Baldonado outrighted from Washington
  • LHP Sean Nolin outrighted, elected free agency
  • UT Adrián Sanchez elected free agency

15 Commments

  1. Nice photos , Lee.!
    A couple of interesting kids exposed to Rule 5 by Orioles especially Robert Neustrom.
    Nikki Goodrum a FA let loose by Tigers
    Schildt would look good on Nats staff but would a conflict with modern analytics railroad that hiring ??
    Next season should be interesting on the farm since it will be a second full farm season removed from the “ special camp “ @ FRED.
    Does Lowry replace Tommy Shields next spring or does org bring in some fresh faces / approaches ??

  3. No surprises on the releases. Do the Nats re-sign Fuentes and try and fix him? He was such a great story in 2019. Shoulder injuries are not easy to fix.

    Lee Magenheim is back; the mystery continues.

    1. Yes, Fuentes and Baldonado cleared waivers and have been outrighted to Rochester, so they’re still in the system. I guess there’s a small chance that Baldonado could be taken in Rule 5, since teams are always looking for lefties, but Fuentes should be safe.

      I’ve been on the Fuentes bandwagon for a long time and couldn’t understand what happened this season. I mean, he’s a guy who previously had never been bad and had a strong season at AA in 2019 at barely 22. He apparently had a strong performance at the alt site in 2020 as well, which got him added to the 40-man. In 2021, though, he was bad from start to finish. Was he dinged from the beginning and then came back before being fully ready? Has he gotten too large? (Now listed at 241 lbs.) Did the upper levels figure him out? It should be noted that in his 15.1 IP at AAA, he was insanely unlucky, with a .478 BABIP against. But he only was at 5.28 K/9, so he also wasn’t fooling anyone. For a guy who across his career has had a K/9 around 9 or better, that’s a number that really makes me wonder whether he was healthy.

      The good news is that Fuentes won’t turn 25 until next May. There’s still time. For frame of reference, he’s only nine months older than Joan Adon, who has spent most of his career two levels behind Fuentes. Fuentes is 13 months younger than Seth Romero (who also should be DFA’d, but that’s another story).

      1. Both Fuentes and Baldonado are due to become free agents after the World Series. Nolin and Sanchez were able to choose free agency because they had been previously outrighted.

        1. That’s right, minor-league free agency. I forgot about that. Guys like Fuentes usually stick with the system in which they came up, unless they’re hotly pursued elsewhere (which he doesn’t figure to be after this season). Baldonado will be interesting, as he’s not wedded to the system, but this system did give him a major-league opportunity.

  4. The upper tiers of the farm need some additions in the infield / utility guy categories
    Nothing on the guys @ AAA / AA but Cluff and a Freeman are the most interesting otherwise .. yawn ..

    1. I know I know what about Alu?
      Well he is in a different tier of talent compared to the utility types dotting AAA/AA.

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