Prospect Report: Jonathan Crawford Leads Midwest League Pitching Bonanza

Lots to talk about in the minor leagues from Friday’s games!

In what could be a daily report on Gregory Polanco‘s awesomeness, he hit his sixth home run yesterday, going 1/5 but he walked and scored three times.

For the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, Dodgers’ outfield prospect Joc Pederson managed to accrue seven total bases with his two hits, going deep for his 15th dinger of the year and adding his first triple and is now hitting .346 on the season. Oscar Taveras is still hot for the Memphis Redbirds (STL), going 2/4 with a double, home run and a walk, scoring twice and driving in a pair.

In the Eastern League, catcher Kevin Plawecki had a pair of extra-base hits for the Binghamton Mets, hitting his third home run of the season as well as his tenth double. For the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate in Trenton, NJ, catcher Gary Sanchez went 4/5 with his fifth home run of hte year.

Angels’ catching prospect Jett Bandy (Arkansas Travelers) showed some signs of life with a 2/3 game that included a double and a home run with four RBI. Elsewhere in the Texas League, three San Antonio Missions outfielders had big games. Yeison Asencio launched two home runs as part of a 5/6 game with five RBI while Reymond Fuentes went 3/6 with a home run and Rymer Liriano went 4/6.

For the Springfield Cardinals, starter Marco Gonzales struck out seven in seven shutout innings, picking up his first Double-A win after a promotion from High-A Palm Beach. He gave up just two hits and one walk in his second start with Springfield.

For the Atlanta Braves’ High-A affliate in Lynchburg (Carolina League), Kyle Wren had a very good game with a single, triple, walk, two stolen bases as well as two runs scored and two RBI. For the Frederick Keys, Orioles’ right-handed pitching prospect Branden Kline threw seven strong innings, allowing one run on seven hits and no walks with six strikeouts.

In the Florida State League, Marlins 3B prospect Colin Morin had three hits, including his first home run of the year for the Jupiter Hammerheads.

In the California League, the Bakersfield Blaze got some great performances: Reds’ 3B prospect Seth Mejias-Brean had a monster game, going 2/4 with two home runs and a walk, scoring three times and driving in four. His teammate, Jesse Winker went 4/4 with a pair of runs and three RBI thanks to his fifth home run as well as a walk. That offense came behind starter Ben Lively who earned his eighth win of the season, striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings, surrendering two runs on four hits and two walks. Elsewhere in the CAL League, High Desert Mavericks’ (SEA) third baseman D.J. Peterson hit two home runs and took a walk as part of 2/4 day with five RBI.

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ (MIL) catcher Clint Coulter moved into a lead in the Midwest League home run race by jacking his ninth bomb of the season as part of a 2/5 game. Quad Cities River Bandits (HOU) outfielder Brett Phillips continues his strong opening to the 2014 season, pushing his batting average to .314 with a 3/4 game in which he finished just a triple short of the cycle.

Third baseman Dustin Peterson of the Fort Wayne TinCaps was front and center in a wild and crazy with the Lansing Lugnuts. Peterson went 3/5 with a double, a home run, four runs scored and three RBI but was also hit by a pitch (in retaliation for a Lansing player who was beaned) that triggered the ejection of pitcher Matt Dermody and Lansing manager John Tamargo.

There were a lot of great pitching performances in the Midwest League, starting with Tyler Skulina of the Kane County Cougars (CHC) who struck out seven batters in five innings while allowing just three hits and four walks but no runs, picking up his third win. Another Reds pitching prospect, Sal Romano took a loss after allowing just one unearned run in six innings on two hits and just one walk with six strikeouts.

West Michigan White Caps’ starter Jonathon Crawford had probably the best game of teh day, striking out nine in seven innings with just three hits and one walk allowed. A player that I’ve seen myself, Zachary Bird, also had a good outing in the Midwest League, throwing five solid innings for the Great Lakes Loons (LAD), surrendering just one run on four htis and two walks with six strikeouts. Blake Snell threw seven shutout innings for the Bowling Green Hot Rods (TB) with nine strikeouts, four hits and two walks.

Dylan Cozens, a Phillies’ outfield prospect playing for the Lakewood BlueClaws of the South Atlantic Leauge, blasted two home runs while teammate J.P. Crawford went 2/5 to push his batting average to .345.