Down on the Farm: August 21-Potts Continues Hitting Tear
DSL Padres (23-43): 4-0 loss vs DSL Reds
AZL Padres (23-23): 5-1 loss vs AZL Royals
AZL Padres 2 (26-19): 6-3 loss vs AZL Rangers
Tri Ciy Dust Devils (35-29): 1-0 loss vs Spokane
Fort Wayne TinCaps (61-66): 5-2 loss vs Great Lakes
Lake Elsinore Storm (58-69): OFF
San Antonio Missions (71-54): OFF
El Paso Chihuahuas (64-65): 9-6 loss @ Tacoma
Key Performers:
RHP Martin Carrasco (5.0IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 5K)
Tijuana’s own Martin Carrasco is currently pitching for the DSL Padres, and he fired off five hitless innings today. The 17-year-old has a 2.64 ERA on the season in thirteen starts. Although he has only struck out 31 hitters in 61.1 IP, he has walked only seven and has given up only one home run.
C Luis Campusano (2-3, 2B, BB)
Luis Campusano had a solid night in the Arizona League, going 2-3 with a double. The 18-year-old is hitting .405 (15-37) in his last ten games and is up to .308 on the season.
LHP Aaron Leasher (5.0IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 4K)
In his second start in Tri-City, the 2017 6th round pick had an extremely solid start. Coming off a shaky debut where he walked five batters in four innings, Leaser walked only one in five innings tonight. He was the lone bright spot in what otherwise was a quiet night for Tri-City.
3B Hudson Potts (2-3, 2B, HR, RBI, 2R, BB, SO)
It would almost be criminal not to mention how great Potts has been as of late. Hudson hit .500 (14-28) with two homers, six RBI, and a 1.298 OPS last week en route to winning the Midwest League POW award. He kept the good vibes rolling tonight with another multi-hit game that included his sixteenth home run of the season. The 18-year-old’s average is finally up over .250 and the OPS is currently sitting at .713. With Tatis Jr. being promoted, the TinCaps will have to rely on the bat of Hudson Potts quite a bit more if they are to clinch a playoff spot. So far, he has been up to the task.
He's the MWL Batter of the Week… and not cooling off. @TinCaps Hudson Potts hits his 16th! @Padres @PadresProspects @EVT_News @madfriars pic.twitter.com/mMO48BaEyT
— Glenn Marini (@GlennMariniWANE) August 22, 2017
LF Nate Easley (2-4, HR, RBI, R)
TinCaps utility man Nate Easley has been absolutely scorching hot of late. In his past ten games, Easley is hitting .421 (16-38) with seven runs scored, seven RBI, and eight walks. In his last twenty eight games, his OBP is over .450 and he is OPS’ing .900. The Padres just might have something here. The 23rd-round draft pick in 2016 is an absolute gamer who has rebounded from a pretty miserable start to the season. He may not be one of the “sexy” names in the system, but he is certainly one to keep an eye on.
LHP Osvaldo Hernandez (5.1IP, 5H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 5K, 1HR)
Another international signee–Osvaldo Hernandez— made his TinCaps debut tonight. The 19-year-old lefty had been pitching mostly for Tri-City this season. Although the 5.88 ERA at Tri-City left a lot to be desired, Hernandez had a low walk rate, struck out more than a batter per inning, and did not allow a home run with the Dust Devils. The peripherals were worthy of a promotion, and that is exactly what he got. Although he did not exactly dominate in his first appearance as a TinCap, he certainly held his own tonight.
https://twitter.com/CaliKusiolek/status/873360818770911233
RF Hunter Renfroe (3-5, 2B, 3B, 2R, RBI)
In his first game back in Triple-A, Hunter Renfroe was a home run shy of the cycle. He is probably motivated to make the stay in El Paso a short one, and it should be. The Padres sent him down with two things in mind: 1. to work on getting on base more, and 2. they wanted to light a fire under him. His RF job is not safe; he is going to have to earn it back. This was a good start.
RHP Eric Yardley (3.2 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K)
Yardley, 27, was somewhat of a savior tonight for El Paso. After Kyle Lloyd got lit up and Jason Jester was hit in the ankle by a ground ball, the right-hander came in and provided the Chihuahuas with a great long-relief effort. After putting up a 2.04 ERA in the Texas League with the Missions in 57.1 innings (51 strikeouts) this season, Yardley has come up and thrown six shutout innings for El Paso. Signed by the Padres in 2013, Yardley has slowly ascended up the Padres’ system, and has spent his last two years between El Paso and San Antonio.
Baseball is fun. College sophomore that is aspiring to work someday in the sports industry. Follow me on twitter @Friar_Faithful. Go Pads!