Weekly Farm Recap 7/15-21: García’s six-homer week

Welcome back to the weekly farm recap.

You can read this week’s daily farm reports from Andrew St. John at the previous links. Also, take a look at:

• Yesterday’s System Sundays piece
• A piece on why it’s time for Dylan Carlson to move up

Memphis Redbirds

Past week: (4-3) | Overall: (41-60)

Division: 4th (last), 15 GB

This week’s results:

2-2 @ Round Rock Express (58-42)

2-1 @ Omaha Storm Chasers (46-55)

Upcoming:

3 vs. New Orleans Baby Cakes (53-47)

3 @ Oklahoma City Dodgers (46-54)

Hitter of the Week: Adolis García, OF

Stats: 5 G, 23 AB, 7 R, 8 H, 6 HR, 14 RBI, 0 BB, 5 K, 2 SB

García went off this week, knocking six of his eight hits out of the park. He showed some speed on the basepaths as well, swiping two bags.

The outfielder now has 22 home runs through 402 PA with Memphis this season, though his overall numbers suffer quite a bit because of his poor on-base ability.

García has 77 wRC+ owed mainly to his 31.3% K rate and 3.2% walk rate, slashing .241/.287/.484. If the outfielder could figure out how to get his OBP over .300 he would be a very intriguing piece.

Pitcher of the Week: Jake Woodford, RHP

Stats: 2 G, 2 GS, 13 IP, 12 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 HR, 7 BB, 2 HBP, 11 K

Woodford wasn’t perfect this week, but he earns the spot for his Sunday night gem. The righty went seven scoreless innings, walking three and striking out seven while surrendering six hits.

His 5.35 FIP is a bit ominous, but Woodford has put up a 3.47 ERA over 111.2 innings to this point in the season for Memphis. He’s seen his walk rate and HR/9 creep up a bit this season, but it’s also his first full season spent at AAA.

Springfield Cardinals

Past week: (4-2) | Second half: 16-14 | Overall: (46-54)

Division: T-2nd, 1 GB

This week’s results:

2-1 @ Amarillo Sod Poodles (16-14)

2-1 @ Corpus Christi Hooks (14-16)

Upcoming:

1 @ Corpus Christi

3 vs Amarillo

4 vs Corpus Christi

Hitter of the Week: Rayder Ascanio, SS/2B

Stats:6 G, 23 AB, 7 H, 3 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K

Ascanio got a promotion from Palm Beach after 102 PA this season, where he had 101 wRC+.

His numbers with Springfield have been below average, with 98 wRC+, but he’s posted a slash line of .261/.309/.415 in 152 PA in the Texas League.

He’s seen his K% creep up to 23.6% while his walk rate has dropped below 6%, but he flaunted some extra-base power this week with two doubles and two home runs.

Pitcher of the Week: Evan Kruczynski, LHP

Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 7 K

Kruczynski has bounced back and forth between AA and AAA this year, struggling to find his footing in Memphis. He’s averaging around five innings per start in his six appearances with the Redbirds, with a bloated 8.01 ERA and a better-but-still-bad 5.13 FIP.

His number shaven’t been much better with Springfield, with those last numbers being 6.23 and 4.41 respectively, but he tossed a great game this week that was more reminiscent of his 2018 self, going deep into the game and tallying seven strikeouts while allowing just two runs.

Palm Beach Cardinals

Past week: (2-4) | Second half: (10-22) | Overall: (45-51)

Division: 6th (last), 14.5 GB

This week’s results:

1-2 vs Florida Fire Frogs (10-22)

1-2 @ Jupiter Hammerheads (16-16)

Upcoming:

3 vs St. Lucie Mets (21-12)

4 vs. Dunedin Blue Jays (19-13)

Hitter of the Week: Imeldo Diaz, SS

Stats: 6 G, 19 AB, 4 R, 9 H, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K

Diaz has looked great with Palm Beach in a shortened season, putting up a .357/.400/.414 slash line through 75 PA.

The former Red Sox farm piece is still just 21 and has struggled for the past three years at Low-A, putting up wRC+ below 82 every stint. The promotion to High-A has done him some good, with 145 wRC+ to this point.

Pitcher of the Week: Diego Cordero, LHP

Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 6.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Cordero didn’t strike out a ton of batters, but he did a great job of limiting contact and runs while going more than six innings this week for Palm Beach.

The 21-year-old lefty has adjusted pretty well to the Florida State League after earning a midseason call-up from Peoria, making six starts over 32 innings, pitching to a 2.25 ERA. His 4.42 FIP is less forgiving, but that might have something to do with his approach that features many balls in play, mainly fly balls.

Peoria Chiefs

Past week: (2-4) | Second half: (6-23) | Overall: (36-62)

Divison: 8th (last), 14 GB

This week’s results:

0-1 vs Great Lakes Loons (15-14)

1-2 @ Fort Wayne TinCaps (10-19)

1-1 @ Lake County Captains (16-13)

Upcoming:

1 @ Lake County

3 @ Quad Cities River Bandits (16-12)

3 vs Burlington Bees (13-16)

Hitter of the Week: Brendan Donovan, 2B

Stats: 6 G, 25 AB, 8 R, 14 H, 4 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K

Donovan earns this spot again with an absolutely monstrous week. The infielder hit over .500, collecting six extra-base hits over six games.

He now has 18 doubles and eight home runs through 336 PA with the Chiefs, posting a slash line of .260/.372/.416.

Pitcher of the Week: Parker Kelly, RHP

Stats: 2 G, 1 GS, 7.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K

Carson Kelly’s brother is pitching pretty well in the Cardinal system. He made the jump from rookie ball last year to Class A this season and has pitched to a 1.46 ERA and 2.02 FIP over 31.2 innings.

The start this week was Kelly’s first of his professional career, but he didn’t look it, going five innings and striking out five while allowing just two hits and a walk.

State College Spikes

Past week: (2-4) | Overall: (18-18)

Divison: 4th, 4 GB

This week’s results:

0-1 vs Staten Island Yankees (16-18)

1-2 @ West Virginia Black Bears (19-16)

1-1 vs Williamsport Crosscutters (10-25)

Upcoming:

1 vs Williamsport

3 @ Mahoning Valley Scrappers (18-18)

3 vs West Virginia

Hitter of the Week: Terry Fuller, OF

Stats: 5 G, 20 AB, 3 R, 7 H, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K

Fuller was a high school selection in 2017 who hasn’t been talked about much despite a strong (but short) 2018.

The 6’4”, 210 lb. outfielder put up 122 wRC+ at the rookie level through 90 PA to start the season and earned a promotion to State College, where he’s been exceptional through five games. The above stats are the 20-year-old’s full numbers at Low-A, to this point.

Pitcher of the Week: Dalton Roach, RHP

Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 K

Roach was promoted to State College after a home run-infested stint at rookie ball to start the year. He posted a pretty strong 20% K-BB during his four starts at the rookie level, but had a 13.3% HR/FB rate that led to an ERA above 5.00 and FIP above 4.00.

This week, though, Roach looked great with Low-A State College, striking out six and allowing just five baserunners and one earned run over six innings.

Johnson City Cardinals

Past week: (2-5) | Overall: (15-16)

Divison: 2nd, 2.5 GB

This week’s results:

1-1 @ Elizabethton Twins (18-14)

1-2 vs Bristol Pirates (15-17)

1-1 vs Danville Braves (14-18)

Upcoming:

1 vs Danville

3 @ Kingsport Mets (15-17)

3 vs Greeneville Reds (14-18)

Hitter of the Week: Todd Lott, 1B

Stats: 7 G, 22 AB, 6 R, 8 H, 4 2B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 SF, 1 SB

Lott earns the honors again this week, showing some major gap power with four doubles over his seven games.

The 2019 draftee has been strong to start the season with a .320/.375/.470 in 112, good for 131 wRC+.

Pitcher of the Week: Michael YaSenka, RHP

Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 HBP, 7 K

YaSenka takes the spot again this week, giving up four runs, but none of them earned. He did show some erratic command, with three HBP, but struck out seven over six innings.

After three starts and 19.1 innings, YaSenka has a 0.47 ERA and 2.70 FIP with a 31.6% strikeout rate.