Week in Review: Pacific Coast League Has New Home Run Threat
Elih Villanueva has one big league game to his credit, a game where he survived just three innings, walked five, gave up five hits and eight runs to give him a career MLB ERA of 24.00. That game was in 2011 when the Marlins were still geographically known as Florida and the stadium was better known as the home of the Miami Dolphins than the Marlins.
Villanueva is now in his 7th season of pro ball, all with the Marlins, and this is his fourth season with the Marlins Triple-A club, the New Orleans Zephyrs. On Wednesday night, at home against the Fresno Grizzlies, Villanueva struck out leadoff man, Gary Brown, and became the all-time leader in strikeouts for the Zephyrs. The Brown strikeout was his 263th in a Zephyrs jersey, and his total now stands at 267 as he added four more in his six inning, one run outing, earning him a Pacific Coast League best 8th win.
More from MLB Prospects
- Is Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Ivan Melendez the next Pete Alonso?
- Los Angeles Dodgers prospect talk: Catching up with Hunter Feduccia
- MLBPA secures major victory for Minor League Baseball players
- Phillies: Breaking down the prospects fighting for an Opening Day spot
- What the XFL can learn from minor league baseball
Villanueva did not have the best outing in the league on Wednesday though, that honor goes to Arnold Leon, who put in six scoreless innings while allowing just two base runners on a pair of singles. The bullpen put in three perfect innings to finish off the two-hit team shutout of the Round Rock Express.
On Thursday, Los Angeles Dodgers prospect, Zach Lee, pitched his longest and best game of the season. He put together his first scoreless outing, while putting in seven innings. He allowed just three hits and walked two, but struck out just three. His scoreless outing lowered his ERA to 4.45 and now has 60 strikeouts in 83 innings this season.
The PCL leader in home runs, Adam Duvall, has added to his home run lead, as he hit three home runs in his past four games. While Duvall has been hitting home runs all season for Fresno, there is a new home run hitter in the PCL.
Kris Bryant hit 22 home runs in the Southern League this season, but homered in his first game in Triple-A for Iowa, giving him 23 total on the season, matching Duvall in total home runs, but both still trail the Minor League leader Joey Gallo who has hit 25 long balls this season.