Minor League Roundup - August 11th

The Good

Kevin Pillar – Buffalo (Triple A)

3/5 – 1 3B, 1 2B, 1 K

For the second consecutive day Kevin Pillar has found himself on the Minor League Roundup.  After emerging from a 3 for 27 slump he’s now 6 for his last 10, and finished a HR short of the cycle on Sunday night.

Santiago Nessy – Lansing (Low A)

1/3 – 1 HR, 1 K, 1 Error (Throwing) 0/2 Caught Stealing

An up and down game for the catcher for the Lugnuts.  While he did commit a throwing error, and allow two stolen bases behind that plate he more than made up for it by hitting his 4^th home run of the year, and doing it off 16 year old wunderkind Julio Urias of the Great Lake Loons (another of the great MiLB team names).  Nessy’s season has been messed up by a concussion that he sustained in late April, and I’ve also been quite concerned about negative reports emerging about his receiving (which was supposed to be one of the strongest attributes of his game).  He’s now gotten hits in 7 of his last 8 games, so lets hope he can get some good production under his belt before the minor league season finishes at the end of the month.

Shane Dawson – Vancouver (Short Season A)

5 IP – 6 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K

Much like his Canadian compatriot Tom Robson, he has taken to the Northwest League like a duck to water.  While he did give up his first run since getting promoted, he’s now increased his strikeout to walk ratio to 19 to 2.  I have questions about how he’s getting this done, because I have a hard time seeing a 17^th round pick having blow away stuff, so until I get a report on him I fear he may be doing this with deception that wont translate to the higher levels.

DJ Davis – Bluefield (Low Rookie)

2/6 1 2B, 1 SB, 2 BB, 1 K

*Double Header*

Two relatively unspectacular games from the speedy Davis, but when taken in concert it earns him an appearance.  He drew a walk in both halves of the double header, and since he’ll need to improve his 9% walk rate to be the leadoff man we all hope he can develop into that’s certainly a good sign. 

The Bad

Marcus Stroman – New Hampshire (Double A)

6.1 IP – 11 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR

After coming off 3 of his most impressive starts of the season (striking out 31, and walking just 4 in his last 20.1 IP), Stroman takes a step back in his latest outing.  Sunday he posted the most hits he’s ever given up as a professional, and the 2^nd most runs he’s ever given up.  Lets hope this is just a blip on the radar and Stroman can get back on track to the majors in his next start.

Jeremy Gabryszewski – Vancouver (Short Season A)

4 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 2 K

The worst outing of the season for Gabryszewski (who’s name I can now spell by memory.  GO USELESS SKILLZ!!!).  Gabryszewski is a strange prospect because for a strapping 6’4 Texan who was taken in the 2^nd round you’d expect he’d be able to strike out more than the 13% he’s managed this year.  However given his pin point control he does still have some promise.  There probably isn’t a prospect in the Jays system I’m more anxious for a scouting report on than the difficult named Gabryszewski.

Dawel Lugo – Bluefield (High Rookie)

0/6

*Double Header*

Hardly a disastrous game from Lugo, but after a 2 weeks of really hot hitting Lugo is now mired in an 0/15 slump the past 4 games.  Now he’s only struck out twice in that span, so my inclination is to assume he’s gotten a little unlucky, but still a bit of a set back for a prospect who had really leapt onto my radar.