Daily Farm Report: Wilson and Grayson Homer, Pearce Tosses 7 Strong Innings For Springfield

Triple A: Albuquerque 6 - Memphis 3

• • Todd Cunningham (CF-RF): 0-3, R, 2 BB, K
  • Luke Voit (1B): 0-2
  • Jhonny Peralta (3B): 1-4, RBI, K
  • Chad Huffman (LF): 2-2, R, 2B, BB
  • Paul DeJong (2B): 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K
  • Carson Kelly (C): 0-4
  • Arturo Reyes (SP): 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
  • Chris Ellis (RP): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

  In the comments yesterday friend of the DFR, Illinoiscardinalsfan asked if Knizner was the breakout hitter in the system so far this season and Carson Kelly is the easy answer for me so far. He provided a nice glimpse in the AFL last year, but he is posting career highs in all three triple slash stats right now, plus BB%. And his .ISO has taken a gigantic leap. And he’s doing that while striking out significantly less than during his slappy, BABIP fueled "breakout" in Springfield last season. I was still skeptical about the bat coming into this season, but right now he is excelling in almost every offensive aspect of the game.

Double A: Springfield 5 - Tulsa 2

• Oscar Mercado (CF): 1-4, 1 R, 2 K, SB
• Stephen Piscotty (RF): 0-3, RBI, BB, K
• Bruce Caldwell (2B): 0-4
• Anthony Garcia (LF): 1-3, R, BB, K
• Casey Grayson (1B): 2-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB, K
• Jacob Wilson (3B): 2-3, R, HR, 2 RBI, K
• Matt Pearce (SP): 7 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 1 HR

Oscar Mercado steal was not enough to move him into the Texas League lead, Arkansas’ Ian Miller swiped one himself to keep Mercado at bay…Jacob Wilson is posting the highest BB% of his career and his highest ISO since rookie ball, but the strikeout problems that have held him back in the upper minors have persisted as he’s striking out in almost a third of his plate appearances this season. And career high or not, a .172 ISO just isn’t enough pop to paper over that much swing and miss…Over his last two starts Matt Pearce has walked a very Matt Pearcian 2 batter, and has a very Un-Matt Pearcian 13 strikeouts.

Class A Advanced: Palm Beach 10 - Jupiter 6

• Darren Seferina (2B): 3-5, 2 R, 3B, RBI
• Edmundo Sosa (SS): 1-4, K
• Casey Turgeon (DH): 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K
• Chris Chinea (1B): 1-5, RBI, K, 0-4, 2 R, BB
• Jeremy Martinez (C): 0-4, 2 R, BB
• Randy Arozarena (LF): 1-4, R, RBI
• Junior Fernandez (SP): 4.1.IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K

Palm Beach somehow managed to score 10 runs in a game where they only had 3 XBH…Until Magneuris Sierra returns Darren Seferina is the only prospect in Palm Beach having a decent year with the bat. Which isn’t very fun to write about. So call up Andrew Knizner and send down Sierra is what I’m saying I guess…Similarly the Palm Beach rotation has been underwhelming. Zac Gallen is overwhelming hitters, but Junior Fernandez has disappointed, Ryan Helsey has been unable to build off of the mini-breakout he had in Peoria last year, and Jake Woodford is still doing a great job of avoiding walks and hard contact but his already low strikeout rate has plummeted.

Class A: Cedar Rapids 7 - Peoria 6

• Tommy Edman (SS): 2-4, 2 R, RBI, BB
• Andy Young (2B): 3-4, 3B, 3 RBI, BB
• Andrew Knizner (C): 2-5, 2 2B, RBI
• Brian O’Keefe (DH): 1-5, K
• Dylan Carlson (LF): 1-3, 2 R, 2B, BB, K
• Bryce Denton (RF) 0-3, BB, K
• Nick Plummer (CF): 1-3, 2 R, BB, K
• Ian Oxnevad (SP): 7, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 3 HR

Another 2016 37^th rounder Andy Young continues to remain both interesting and under the radar. All of the empty swings will probably end up swamping the rest of his game, but until then he’s a 37^th round middle infielder with surprising power…The Extremely Young Outfield had as many walks as strikeouts last night…A fluky HR rate (including 3 last night) has skewed his overall line, but it has been a pretty successful full-season debut for 20 year old Ian Oxnevad.

Pitching Probables

MEM - John Gant

SPR - Jack Flaherty

PB - Zac Gallen

PEO -Steven Farinaro