Josh Naylor continues to do damage when he gets his pitch. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Chihuahuas 5, Isotopes 2
Key Stats: SP Jerry Keel 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 5 K, 2 BB; LF Michael Gettys 1-4, R; RF 3-4, 2B; 2B Esteban Quiroz 2-3, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB, K; C Chris Stewart 2-4, HR, R, RBI
Prospect Watch: After striking out a whopping 41 times in the month of April, Michael Gettys has taken a step forward at the plate, slashing .263/.317/.605 and carrying an 8:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 41 May plate appearances. 2018 was a rough season for Gettys, who reached base at a paltry .290 clip and produced an 86 wRC+, so even with the way the ball is flying in the PCL, the progress at the plate is encouraging at the higher level. …Through the early part of the season, no Triple-A player under the age of 23 has a better swinging strike rate than Josh Naylor’s seven percent. In fact, only other prospects that young in the top 100 are three premier prospects in Ke’Bryan Hayes, Yordan Alvarez, and Brendan Rodgers. A night after snapping his 10-game hitting streak, Naylor collected three hits, including a double.
Hooks 6, Sod Poodles 5
Key Stats: RHP Reggie Lawson 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 K, 2 BB, 7 H; RP Andres Munoz 1 IP, 2 K, BB; 2B Ivan Castillo 2-6, RBI, R; SS Owen Miller 1-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, K; 3B Hudson Potts 1-5, R, 2 RBI, 4 K; CF Buddy Reed 0-2, SB, 3 BB, K
Prospect Watch: In a 6-5 loss, the Sod Poodles bats failed to collect any extra-base hits off J.B. Bukauskas and the Corpus Christi bullpen. Hudson Potts struck out in four of his five at-bats after not striking out in his previous two games. Entering the game, Potts had been hitting at a .359 rate over his last nine games while striking out only five times. … Reggie Lawson’s ERA climbed to an unsightly 5.20 after allowing four runs in his five innings, but that number isn’t a clear indicator of the 21-year-old’s potential. He has made huge strides over the past two seasons in the minors, sharpening his curve and maintaining his velocity deep into games. Because he induces plenty of whiffs and mediocre contact, the big righty’s FIP and xFIP look much better than the surface-level numbers. Results will come more easily if he can sharpen the command and consistency at Double-A for the bulk of the season.
Storm 4, Rawhide 0
Key Stats: LHP Aaron Leasher 6.2 IP, 6 K, BB, 0 ER, 3 H; LF Robbie Podorsky 1-3, RBI; DH Luis Campusano 1-4, R, K; RF Jack Suwinski 1-4, R, RBI; 2B Esteury Ruiz 2-2, 2 RBI, BB, 0 K; C Jalen Washington 1-2, R, BB, K
Prospect Watch: Like Gettys, Esteury Ruiz’s free-swinging ways continue to be a concerning trend, but in eight May games, Ruiz has hit .333 and only struck out four times while walking twice. While the swing-and-miss will likely always be a part of his game, his hands are as quick and explosive as anyone I’ve seen come through Fort Wayne in the past three years, with the exception of Fernando Tatis Jr. The dynamic athlete stole his team-best 12th base of the year and is converting at a 75 percent rate. … After giving up eight earned runs in his previous start, southpaw Aaron Leasher bounced back with his best start of the season, striking out six and scattering three hits across 6.2 innings. It also marked the first time in the past six games that he walked less than two batters. Leasher worked into the seventh inning in just two of his previous 31 professional starts. The outing came against the top non-Lancaster offense in the Cal League.
TinCaps 8, Snappers 1
Key Stats: RHP Gabe Mosser 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 K, 1 BB, 6 H; RP Henry Henry 2 IP, 3 K, 0 ER, 0 BB; 2B Xavier Edwards 3-4, SB, 2 BB, R; SS Tucupita Marcano 1-5, R; RF Agustin Ruiz 1-4, R, RBI, 2 K, BB; LF Dwanya Williams-Sutton 3-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K; C Blake Hunt 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K; 1B Lee Solomon 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, K, BB
Prospect Watch: With his eleventh steal of the season, Xavier Edwards now has more stolen bases than strikeouts on the season. Interestingly, for his minor league career, the 19-year-old has 33 stolen bases and a mere 35 strikeouts in 72 games. After reaching base five times Thursday, he leads the Midwest League with a .370 average and .440 on-base percentage. … Through his first couple of starts, Gabe Mosser was virtually unhittable, but he allowed four earned runs in each of his last two starts prior to last night. The righty responded with a dominant performance, allowing only three hits while striking out six Beloit hitters. His strikeout to walk ratio now sits at a respectable 29:6 ratio through six starts. … Dwanya Williams-Sutton collected his second homer as part of his first three-hit game of the year. The Padres’ fifth-round pick out of East Carolina last summer, the outfielder hasn’t gotten to his impressive raw power in games much yet, but he owns a .354 wOBA on the back of an impressive 15 percent walk rate.
