Hitter of the Night: Dilson Herrera, 2B, Mets (Binghamton, AA): 3-4, 2 R, HR, K.
You’re getting a heavy dose of Herrera today, as he ended his minor-league season with a bang before receiving a surprising major-league call-up last night. Herrera has made tremendous progress this year in his development, both in his mechanics at the plate and in the resulting production. He’s being rushed to the majors and could struggle at first, but he has a solid future.
Pitcher of the Night: Yoel Mecias, LHP, Phillies (Lakewood, A-): 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K.
Mecias missed the second half of 2013 and the first half of this year after having Tommy John surgery, so just the fact that he’s out there making his starts is a good sign. He wasn’t an overpowering pitcher before the injury, so it’s not surprising that he’s not missing a ton of bats at this point given the recovery period, but it’s a good sign to see him throwing strikes consistently. He should only get better as he regains the feel for his pitches and gains experience.
Best of the Rest
Magneuris Sierra, OF, Cardinals (GCL, R): 5-5, 3 R, BB. A five-hit night for Sierra puts him at .386 on the GCL season, which is a combination of both skill and luck. Just 18, Sierra is a good hitting prospect, with plus bat speed and a short, compact swing with some natural left-handed lift to it. He embraces the small-ball approach and uses his plus speed to get extra hits. A good natural weight transfer allows him to stay balanced and routinely square up the baseball. He’s a long way away but off to a good start.
Nick Ahmed, SS, Diamondbacks (Reno, AAA): 2-5, 2 R, HR. Ahmed struggled in a brief call-up to the majors, but he’s had no trouble hitting in Triple-A this season. Still, his PCL success this year is his first real sustained offensive production, and he still profiles as a defense-only player.
Alex Verdugo, OF, Dodgers (AZL, R): 2-2, 2 R, HR, BB, SB. The professional ranks haven’t proven to be much of a challenge yet for Verdugo, a second-round pick this June out of an Arizona high school. Playing in his backyard has probably helped, but he’s shown power production and good control of the strike zone, two qualities that are hard to find in young players.
Tyler Kolek, RHP, Marlins (GCL, R): 4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K. It’s hard to get too hung up on any 18-year-old making the transition to professional ball, and we’d be foolish to put too much stock into 22 innings of work. What we do know about Kolek at this point that we didn’t necessarily know in June is that he has some work to do throwing strikes, though that’s not terribly surprising. The most important thing, however, is that he finished up the season healthy and throwing hard.
Matt Skole, 3B, Nationals (Harrisburg, AA): 3-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, BB. Power and patience were Skole’s calling cards, but missing almost all of 2012 and 2013 may have been too much for him to overcome. His power hasn’t come all the way back to where it was pre-injury (though the increased level of competition could have something to do with that), and he’s playing more first base than third these days, which puts even more pressure on the bat.
Austin Meadows, OF, Pirates (West Virginia, A-): 2-4, R, 2B, HR, BB. Meadows has made up for lost time since joining the Power in mid-July, hitting .321 in the Sally League as a 19-year-old. The home-run power isn’t there yet, but he’s hitting gaps as he continues to learn how to use his 6-foot-3 frame against professional pitchers.
Jorge Alfaro, C, Rangers (Frisco, AA): 2-5, R, 2B, HR. When it’s all said and done, Alfaro is going to end up with above-average power for a catcher, but he’s also going to make a ton of outs in the process and throw out a ton of baserunners.
Notable Pitching Performances
- Sean Reid-Foley, RHP, Blue Jays (GCL, R): 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K.
- Chris Anderson, RHP, Dodgers (Rancho Cucamunga, A+): 6 2.3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 10 K.
- Rafael Montero, RHP, Mets (Las Vegas, AAA): 6 IP, 11 H, 8 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 5 K.
- Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Pirates (Bradenton, A+): 6 IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 9 K.
- Amir Garrett, LHP, Reds (Dayton, A-): 5 IP, 4 H, 5 R (3 ER), BB, 7 K.
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