Daily Farm Report 6/7: Cards sign Mendoza, Wong Leaves Game, Dakota Hudson Sparkles, Mike O’Reilly Tosses Shutout

Starting off with some news, the Cardinals came to an agreement with Cuban Right-Handed Pitcher Hector Mendoza. I honestly know very little about Mendoza, but I found what I could. In scouting terms, Mendoza has an average fastball, average/occasionally plus curveball, and a below-average changeup. He pitched for four years in Cuba and spent two (very brief) years in Japan with the Yomuiri Giants. Ben Badler, of Baseball America, notes that scouts think he’ll profile best as a reliever, and after watching some video on him, I can see why. He has a max-effort delivery and struggles maintaining a consistent release point. His fastball has some run and it gets on hitters quickly. Definitely a quick, rubbery arm. Scouts think he’ll start in High-A or AA to start his career.

Memphis 4, New Orleans 5

• Luke Voit - 1-4, 2B, 2 K
• Harrison Bader - 0-3, BB, K
• Patrick Wisdom - 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB, K
• Wilfredo Tovar - 2-4, R
• Josh Zeid - 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, BB, 4 K
• Miguel Socolovich - (L) 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Not the best night offensively for a normally robust Memphis lineup. The Redbirds could only muster 5 hits. Patrick Wisdom provided a late 2-run HR to take the lead in the 7th inning. Miguel Socolovich gave up a game-winning 2-run HR in the 8th. Carson Kelly had the night off.

Springfield 5, NW Arkansas 2 (Game 1)

• Oscar Mercado - 0-3, R, BB
• Magneuris Sierra - 2-4, R, 2B
• Jose Adolis Garcia - 0-3, R, RBI
• Anthony Garcia - 1-3, RBI
• Alex Mejia - 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI
• Dakota Hudson - (W) 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K

Not a whole lot of offensive firepower here. Magneuris Sierra had two hits raising his average to .348. Alex Mejia provided the big blow with a 2-run HR in a four run 1st inning. Dakota Hudson pitched a complete game to get the win in the first game of a double-header. Impressively, he recorded 13 groundouts and only 2 flyouts. Hudson improves his record to 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA. However, in 60.1 IP, Hudson has walked 21 and only struck out 44. So while he hasn’t been dominant, he’s certainly gotten the job done on a consistent basis.

Springfield 4, NW Arkansas 5 (Game 2)

• Oscar Mercado - 1-4, K
• Magneuris Sierra - 2-4, 2 R, K, SB
• Jose Adolis Garcia - 0-1, K (left game)
• Anthony Garcia - 2-2, R, BB
• Alex Mejia - 1-3, R, RBI, K
• Jesse Jenner - 0-2, RBI, BB, K
• Ian McKinney - 3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, K
• Corey Baker - 1.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
• Pedro Echemendia - (L) 0.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, BB, K

Magneuris Sierra just keeps rolling along. Jose Adolis Garcia was lifted after just one at-bat. Not sure what happened there but it is something to keep an eye on. Ian McKinney got the start and gave up 2 HR’s in 3 IP. Pedro Echmendia took the loss after giving up 4 hits trying to nail down the save. The Naturals won on a walk-off single by Alfredo Escalera.

Kane County 0, Peoria 6

• Kolten Wong - 0-1 (Left Game)
• Shane Billings - 2-5, RBI, .325 AVG, SB
• Ryan McCarvel - 3-4, 2 R, K, SB
• Juan Yepez - 1-3, R, BB, SB
• Dylan Carlson - 2-4, R, RBI
• Mike O’Reilly - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 3 K

Kolten Wong left the game after he felt some tightness in his arm. He was removed as a precaution and everything is reportedly fine. Mike O’Reilly twirled a complete game shutout on 85 pitches.

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Palm Beach had the night off. Here are the probables for Thursday:

Memphis: Flaherty

Springfield: Pearce

Palm Beach: D. Gonzalez

Peoria: Hicks