Adrian Morejon Padres pitching prospect

Adrian Morejon gets good extension for Amarillo. (Photo: John Moore/Amarillo Sod Poodles)

Chihuahuas 13, Tacoma Rainiers 5

Key Stats: RHP Cal Quantrill (W, 2-1) 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; LF Josh Naylor 2-5, 2B, 2 R, RBI; 1B Ty France 3-5, 2 HR (4), 4 R, 4 RBI; RF Jose Pirela 2-4, 2 R, BB, 2B; DH Alex Dickerson 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB; SS Seth Mejias-Brean 3-5, RS

Prospect Watch: After a truly forgettable start to begin the year, RHP Cal Quantrill has rebounded with back-to-back quality outings. Quantrill tossed 92 pitches (60 strikes) through 5.2 innings before he apparently hit his pitch ceiling. The 24-year-old normally sits in the mid-90s, but he dialed back to 91-93 for the majority of his start, allowing him to spot his pitches more consistently. His fastball location still was not great, but his secondary pitches are strong enough that if he keeps his fastball away from the middle of the plate, he can be a solid mid-rotation starter. … El Paso scored three in the first and four in the third and never looked back.  Ty France once again led the charge.  The former Aztec is hitting .382/.453/.673 with 16 runs scored and 15 RBI in 13 games.  He has reached base safely in every game this season including a current nine-game hitting streak…  LF Josh Naylor is known for his power but legged out a double Tuesday.  Naylor hit a would-be double-play grounder in the first, but the ball took a weird hop and went into right field. Naylor, who takes pride in proving his athleticism, raced around and was standing on second by the time the outfielder retrieved the ball.

Midland RockHounds 6, Sod Poodles 2

Key Stats: LHP Adrian Morejon 5.2 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 K; 3B Hudson Potts 1-4, HR (1), RBI; DH Brad Zunica 2-4, RS; LF Jorge Oña 2-3

Prospect Watch:  Adrian Morejon, who we rank a spot higher than MLB in the system, is the youngest player in the Texas League. The lefty showed why he is so widely admired, going 5.2 innings and allowing only five baserunners, picking off one, with seven strikeouts. A two-out triple in the first was the only runner he allowed to reach scoring position. As much as he dominated, he struggled to command his fastball through the game, a reminder that he’s capable of much more. Morejon sat 95-96 most of the game according to the stadium gun but kept Midland hitters completely off-balance with a fantastic curve/change combo.  Overall, this was Morejon’s first dominating start after he allowed nine earned runs and seven walks over eight innings in his first two outings. …  3B Hudson Potts homered for the first time this season, launching the ball well over the left-center wall.  While he started slowly in 2017, increased expectations after a strong spring training have made this year’s struggles more noticeable. He’s maintained the increased walk rate he posted when he reached Double-A last summer, but has continued to struggle to make consistent contact. When he has, he owns a painful .192 average on balls in play which will certainly improve over time. …  Jorge Oña collected two more hits and has reached base in all 12 games this year, with 14 hits and six walks. After Oña finished April hitting .293/.348/.451 in Elsinore last year, he barely managed a .620 OPS over the next three months, so he will need to carry the early success forward.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 8, Storm 3

Key Stats: LHP Robbie Erlin 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K; LHP Tom Cosgrove (L, 1-2) 3.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 3 K; DH Robbie Podorsky 2-3, RS, BB; LF Jack Suwinski 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB

Prospect Watch: It was not a great day for the Storm, who lost Campusano to the Injured List and then made little contact in a blow out loss.  CF Jeisson Rosario earned the golden sombrero, topping a Storm lineup that struck out 14 times, including four hitters with multiple strikeouts.  On a team full of top offensive prospects, LF Jack Suwinski has performed most consistently through the first two weeks of the season.  With Campusano on the DL, the Chicago native now has the highest OPS among qualified Storm hitters at 1.014. Suwinski already has more hits than he collected in the entire month of April last year with Fort Wayne.

TinCaps 8, Dayton Dragons 4

Key Stats: LHP Ryan Weathers (W, 2-0) 5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K; 2B Tucupita Marcano 2-5, 3 RS; LF Grant Little 3-5, RS, 2 RBI, 2B; C Blake Hunt 1-5, HR (1), 3 RBI; 3B Luis Almanzar 1-3, HR (3), RBI, BB

Prospect Watch: LHP Ryan Weathers gave up a home run to the first batter of the game,  yet, still managed to go 5.2 innings. He allowed just one more run while his fastball sat 94-96 and topped out at 97.  He didn’t seem to have the same movement on his curve or fastball.  His curve was left in the zone and hit hard a few times, while any fastball 96+ was either hit HARD or missed.  When Weathers dropped down to 91-93 mph, the Dragons made more contact, but hit weak groundballs. …  LF Grant Little has solidified himself in the middle of the TinCaps order.  The former Texas Tech outfielder is hitting .364/.429/.409 thus far, and has the highest OPS among starters. While April weather often suppresses Midwest League offense, that wasn’t the case today as the ball was flying out.  3B Luis Almanzar, who we noted remade his swing this winter, hit his team-leading third home run of the year. The three homers are also a new career high for Almanzar, who hit two in 312 plate appearances last year. While his strikeout rate is up to 39 percent, he’s walking more and making much better contact.

Posted by Ben Davey

Writer for MadFriars since 2011. San Diego raised. Grossmont alum. Die hard SD and sports fan. Currently keeping my day job as an AP Chemistry Teacher.

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