Monday Games:

Star of the Day: Ethan Hankins 5 shutout innings 3 hits 1 walk 6 strikeouts. ERA 0.88. Clearly now our No. 1 pitching prospect and should place in the Top 100 in the game.

Offensive players of the day:
Aaron Bracho single and double, hitting 310/1092. in AZL. Don't know how he can't be in our Top 10
Bo Naylor 3 singles and a couple RBI. 238/710.
Angel Martinez 2 singles and a walk in the DSL. 17 year old SS hitting 295/876. Miraculously overlooked in BA midseason top 10; to leave room for the top draft pick middle infielders who cannot hit,

Speaking of bizarre 2019 draft picks: Joe Naranjo 1st baseman with a good day at bat, 2 singles and a walk. Average up to 256. But the firstbaseman has only extra base hit, a double.

Other notables:

Matt Turner 19 LHP debut in Lake County 5 2/3 6 1 1 1 4 6-4 180. Throws hard?
Jose Fermin 2 hits for the Captains.

Johnathan Rodriguez singles; George Valera a double for the Scrappers.

In Arizona: Samuel Vasquez 4 1 0 0 2 3. Christopher Cespedes 3 singles, hitting 293/353/489; he's age 21, playing against teenagers.

Akron, Lynchburg rained out; Columbus not scheduled.

Thanks, Civ!

I read James Karinchak is being removed from the IL today!

and sent to the IL, I would guess

BA's top performers of the day include, naturally:

Ethan Hankins, RHP, Indians. Hankins spun five scoreless innings for short-season Mahoning Valley. He needed just 61 pitches to complete the five frames, working around three hits and a walk. It was the second time in his last three outings that Hankins struck out six batters.

CLE LoA Holmes, Quentin CF 5 0 0 0 0.185
CLE LoA Naylor, Bo C 5 0 3 2 0.241
CLE MAJ Mercado, Oscar CF 4 2 2 2 0.290 3B (2), HR (8), BB (12)
CLE R Bracho, Aaron 2B 4 1 2 1 0.291 2B (7)
CLE R Velazquez, Andrew DH 4 3 2 3 0.375 HR (1)
CLE SS Delgado, Raynel 2B 4 0 0 0 0.267
CLE SS Rocchio, Brayan SS 4 0 0 0 0.223
CLE SS Rodriguez, Johnathan RF 3 1 2 0 0.223
CLE SS Valera, George CF 4 0 1 0 0.269 2B (7)
CLE SS Hankins, Ethan 5 3 0 0 1 6 1.01 [his ERA at MILB.com is 0.88]

BA is currently boycotting the guys we traded last year for Mercado, so I had to look them up independently. Capel is not doing much better, hitting 213-274-370 in AA. He's only 22 so has plenty of time to come around. Jhon Torres is doing just fine in the Appy League as an 18 year old: 274/392/548. Big power prospect in a few years. Mercado meanwhile is doing better than probably anyone could have predicted

It took me a few seconds, but I finally got it, Civ. IL, International League. Yes, I assume too he is going back to Columbus.

BA Chat

Indians Fan (Cleveland): George Valera may have already been in the top 100 if he hadn't gotten hurt in his 2018 debut. He has been long lauded for his approach, feel, and ability to consistently barrel balls. That sounds awfully like the reports on a young Juan Soto back in 2016. I'm not saying he'll be the next Soto, but does he have the same traits?

Justin Coleman: Well, he has the bat anyway. Still far away but plenty to like with him. I hope to get a closer look at him when I hit the NYPL in August.

On the road with some wifi. Checking in at Indians Prospective.

Indians Prospective @indiansPro

#Indians 2019 5th Round Draft Pick RHP Hunter Gaddis during the 2nd inning of his last start this past Sunday vs the AZL Padres (1).
Line - 3.0(IP) 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 5SO
Video shot by @BurningRiverBB
https://twitter.com/i/status/1153543358591197184

A 5th round pick out of Georgia State this June, @Indians righty Hunter Gaddis (@hgaddis22) made his pro debut today with an inning of work, showing a 93 mph FB that touched 95 and a 75 mph over-the-top curve. Here he is blowing away @Dbacks Angelo Altavilla upstairs
https://twitter.com/i/status/1142968363427061760

Lake County Captains 19yr old LHP Matt Turner picked up right where he left off while at Mahoning Valley. Turner just promoted allowed just one run while striking out four over 5.2 innings in (Low A) debut.
- 5.2(IP) 6H 1R 1ER 1BB 4SO (81 Pitches 60 Strikes) 74.1% Strikes

Turner over his last 4 starts:
- 21.2(IP) 17H 2R 2ER 2BB 15SO 0.83 ERA

Indians RHP Brauny Munoz - Pitch to contact GB pitcher. Thin frame with room for more. Listed 6’1” 170. FB high 80s w/sink T90. Easy delivery, short stride. Works direct to home. CHG 84-85 with quality depth/run. Velo difference to FB a concern. CB 79-81 mod depth.

AZL Indians (Blue) 18yr old INF Aaron Bracho extended his hitting streak to 9 straight games tonight. Bracho's triple slash line on the season .310/.425/.667
During streak: 16-37 9R 6(2B) 1(3B) 2HR 15RBI 6BB 1SB .432 AVG .500 OBP

Jefry Rodriguez up to throwing of flat mound.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1152686538230325248

Columbus Clippers transaction
RHP James Karinchak to be activated from the IL before Tuesday's game.
- Karinchak made 3 rehab (Hamstring) appearances in the AZL
- AZL numbers: 3.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 2BB 8SO 0.00 ERA

Bo Naylor 3-5 2RBI last night with a Walk Off 2 run single

AZL Indians (Red) transaction
INF Andrew Velazquez assigned from AZL Indians (Blue) Rehab

Lake County Captains transactions
OF Hosea Nelson placed on the 7-day DL (Right Calf)
OF Jonathan Engelmann activated off the 7-day IL

Some Tuesday box score highlights:

Akron: Adam Scott 5 2/3 scoreless 2 hits 3 walks 7K. Eli Morgan 6 5 3 3 1 8 homer 3.29
Jones walk; Clement single in game one
Jones single and 3rd homer in game two; Clement single and steal;

Columbus: Chang HR; Johnson single and sac fly; Tom single and double; Mathias 2 doubles and single

Mah Valley: Rocchio two singles; Valera single and 2 walks

Arizona: Bracho single and double and sac fly; Cespedes 2 doubles and single; Cairo double! and 2 walks; Naranjo single and walk; Valdes 0-5
Espino 2 perfect innings with 3 K

still raining in Carolina; Lake County day off

as noted by BA:

CLE AA Clement, Ernie SS 4 1 1 0 0.291 SB (12)
CLE AA Jones, Nolan 3B 4 1 2 2 0.275 HR (4)
CLE AAA Bradley, Bobby 1B 4 0 0 0 0.282 BB (27)
CLE AAA Chang, Yu 2B 4 1 1 1 0.268 HR (6), BB (17)
CLE AAA Haase, Eric C 4 1 1 0 0.236
CLE AAA Johnson, Daniel RF 4 0 1 2 0.313
CLE MAJ Mercado, Oscar CF 5 0 1 0 0.294 2B (13)
CLE R Bracho, Aaron DH 4 0 2 1 0.318 2B (9)
CLE R Cairo, Christian 3B 3 1 1 0 0.178 2B (1), 2 BB (14) ]
CLE R Naranjo, Joseph DH 4 0 1 1 0.256 BB (13) ] The Great Class of 2019
CLE R Valdes, Yordys SS 5 0 0 0 0.202 ]
CLE SS Delgado, Raynel 3B 4 0 0 0 0.247
CLE SS Rocchio, Brayan SS 4 0 2 0 0.240 CS (8)
CLE SS Rodriguez, Johnathan RF 3 0 0 0 0.216
CLE SS Valera, George CF 2 0 1 0 0.256 2 BB (27)

CLE R Espino, Daniel 2 0 0 0 0 3 1.80 Perhaps the only talent in this year's draft?

highlighted at Milb.com

Indians 3B Nolan Jones, Double-A Akron: 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs, R -- Jones belted his third Double-A homer in the RubberDucks' 6-0 win over Trenton. The big fly by Cleveland's second-ranked prospect was a two-run shot that sparked a four-run seventh innings. He's played 13 games with the RubberDucks since being promoted from Class A Advanced Lynchburg -- and following an appearance in the All-Star Futures Game -- and is batting .255/.352/.511 with three homers and seven RBIs.

Not sure if he stays at 3rd or moves to the OF... If he's at 3rd, Jose could go back to 2nd. But Freeman is coming a year later and he's a 2nd baseman.

our DSL team won 6-0 today

Angel Martinez went 1-4 with an RBI, but left 5 other runners on base.
Very cool stat for Joseph Paulino a 17 year old 3B hitting cleanup despite his 377 OPS: He went 0-5 and left 10 runs on base
Team as a whole 0-15 with runners in scoring position

AKron played early and Sam Hentges kept up the bad work. Record now 1-10. ERA 5.38. WHIP 1.69. Shades of Dace Kime
sloppy 1 1/3 for Robert Broom, scoreless but 1 hit and 3 walks.
Jones 2nd double; Clement sac fly and walk.

finally stopped raining and Lynchburg is playing 2. 2-2 in the 4th of the opener. Cody Morris allowed the 2 runs on 7 hits in less than 4 innings. Brock Hartson getting the start in game 2.

Columbus also 2-2. Chiang pitching 1 earned run, 1 homer, 1 strikeout in 4 boring innings.

Eli Lingos tagged for 5 early runs for Lake County

Carlos Vargas going for two good starts in a row for Mah Valley; 3 1 hit shutout innings so far. Lavastida just broke a scoreless tie with a 2 run single.

AZL Bllue (20-9) and Red (14-15) starting in about an hour.

Oscar Gonzalez has slipped down to a 316 average and 792 OPS. Tyler Freeman has dropped to a still impressive 339/823 after both went 0-4 in Lynchburg's first game, Oscar 0=3 in the nightcap, Freeman got to rest. 3 runs off Hartson in 3 1/3.

Chang, Haase and Johnson all hitless in Columbus loss. Cam Hill 1 perfect inning, 2K. Karinchak returned imperfectly: faced three, walked two, hit to the other, left 3 on and Kaminsky let all of them in.

single double for Q Holmes, moving toward 200 again, at 193. Naylor single and walk.

keeping to the general pattern of the day, Rocchio and Valera went hitless. Vargas finished with 6 fine innings, 1 run 3 hits 2 walks 6K

both Arizona teams had comfortable leads that their respective bullpens and shoddy defenses gave away.
3B Noel 2 singles and double and 2 errors. RF Cespedes 2 doubles 1 single 1 error; SS Tena 2 singles 1 walk 1 E. 1B Contreras single homer and 2 E. Aaron Bracho just took one walk and didnt' botch anything at 2nd base.
For the Red team, Cairo with a perfect night, 3 singles, 2 walks well not perfect, one error.
Slugging 17 year old SS Yordys Valdes with his first pro homer, a 3 run job, and a walk, and guess what, an error.
1B Naranjo no hits one walk and one E