BA's highlights

Bo Naylor, Double-A Akron (Indians)—Naylor has struggled this season in his Double-A debut, but he's picked up his play since the calendar turned to July. In seven games this month, the 21-year-old catcher has eight hits in 27 at-bats (.296), five extra-base hits and seven RBIs. On Wednesday, Naylor went 2-for-5 with a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored.

And others among their preseason Top 30

CLE AAA #2 Nolan Jones, 3B 4 1 1 0 0.225 BB (33),
CLE AA #5 Bo Naylor, C 5 2 2 3 0.201 HR (3),
CLE HiA #6 George Valera, OF 7 1 2 3 0.252 HR (5), OPS 818
CLE AAA #7 Gabriel Arias, SS 5 2 3 1 0.254 HR (7), SB (2), only age 21 in AAA, OPS 744
CLE HiA #8 Brayan Rocchio, SS 4 4 3 2 0.280 BB (14), CS (5), [that makes 7 hits in 2 nights] OPS 790
CLE HiA #11 Aaron Bracho, 2B 4 2 2 2 0.200 HR (5), 2 BB (23), E (7), OPS 629
CLE LoA #12 Gabe Rodriguez, SS 4 0 0 0 0.217
CLE AAA #19 Owen Miller, SS 5 1 1 0 0.267
CLE LoA #29 Angel Martinez, SS 5 1 4 1 0.296 SB (7), 19 year old OPS 840--- heading to Lake County?
CLE AAA #30 Yu Chang, 3B 4 1 1 1 0.206 HR (4), BB (7),

Others:

Richie Palacios hit well in his first summer; then hurt; now hitting will in Akron; 291 850 OPS yesterday 5 3 5 3 2B(2-- 20 for the year)
In Lake County:
Jose Tena 6 2 3 0 286 780
Victor Nova 6 3 3 2 223 711 2B
Joe Naranjo 6 2 3 5 239 663 walk, double, triple

Columbus: Oscar G 1-5 3K 250 580 OPS after a hot first few days in AAA
Cameron Hill 1 0 0 0 0 1

in Lake County: Xzavion Curry 6 4 1 1 1 6 2.76 at LC
for the season he's 6-0 and 202 between 2 levels

13
Angel
Martinez
INF, Lynchburg Hillcats, A
Cleveland Indians

AGE
19
BATS
S
DOB
01/27/2002
THROWS
R
HT
6' 0"
SIGNED
July 2, 2018 - CLE
WT
165
ETA
2024
Scouting Grades/Report (20-80 grading scale)
HIT
55
POWER
45
RUN
55
ARM
55
FIELD
50
OVERALL
50
The Indians system is overflowing with talented young middle infielders, and some club officials believe Martinez eventually may be the best of them. The son of former big league catcher Sandy Martinez, Angel signed for $500,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. The top performer on Cleveland's Rookie-level Dominican Summer League club in 2019, when he batted .306/.402/.428 with 18 extra-base hits and 11 steals in his 56-game pro debut, he was limited to instructional league last year.

A switch-hitter with a sound stroke from both sides of the plate, Martinez stands out with his advanced approach for a teenager. He already recognizes pitches well, controls the strike zone and uses the entire field. He also has the bat speed, projectable strength and loft in his swing to provide 15-20 homers per year.

An average to solid runner, Martinez plays faster than that on the bases and in the field thanks to his high baseball IQ. He has the quick hands, strong arm and finely tuned internal clock to make plays all over the infield. He has a chance to stick at shortstop and also saw action at second and third base in his first pro season.

I assume that very positive report is before his really stellar 2021 performance.
There are so many really good middle infielders it will be a challenge for the team to decide which to keep and which to sell. We have far too many of them for one big league roster.

I'm looking forward to the return of Jhonkennsy Noel who was having a terrific power season for the first month or so before he went out with a couple injuries. He's been in a couple games in Arizona so I assume he'll be back to Lynchburg soon.

Espino Lake County debut rates a special mention this morning from BA:

Daniel Espino, High-A Lake County (Indians) — Espino was making his first start at a new level. After whiffing 64 in 42.2 innings at Low-A, Espino opened his tenure at High-A with nine strikeouts in four innings at Lake County. With the effort, Espino moves into a tie with Logan Allen for second place among Cleveland farmhands.

Too bad big strikeout arms Ethan Hankins and Carlos Vargas are not available to join the K competition; both out for the year rehabbing from surgeries

and:

CLE AAA #2 Nolan Jones, 3B 4 0 1 0 0.225
CLE AA #5 Bo Naylor, C 3 2 1 2 0.204 HR (4), 2 BB (18), in JULY: 300/382/700 3 of his 4 homers
CLE AAA #7 Gabriel Arias, SS 3 1 1 0 0.255 E (10),
CLE HiA #8 Brayan Rocchio, SS 4 0 1 0 0.280
CLE HiA #11 Aaron Bracho, 2B 4 0 0 0 0.195
CLE LoA #12 Gabe Rodriguez, SS 4 0 0 0 0.212 2 E (8),
CLE AAA #19 Owen Miller, SS 2 0 1 0 0.270 2 BB (22),
CLE LoA #28 Yordys Valdes, SS 3 0 0 0 0.197 SB (10),
CLE LoA #29 Angel Martinez, SS 4 0 2 0 0.301 24 extra base hits: 15 doubles 4 triples 5 homers in 208 Plate Appearnces
CLE AAA #30 Yu Chang, 3B 4 0 1 0 0.207 2B (9), that's his combined AAA and CLE avg

CLE AAA #23 Sam Hentges, LHP 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 7.80 that's his combined AAA and CLE ERA;

2 more doubles for Richie Palacios 3rd round pick in 2018; that makes 22

And I know we had a Ben Krauth fan among who'd like to know Ben is back, at age 27 with 11 1/3 shutout innings between akron and columbus

games just under way so not much yet to report; will note the starting pitchers

Lenny Torres 2nd round pick out of High School back from season long rehab in Low A 5.40 ERA 1.77 WHIP 33 IP 37 H 33 K 22BB 2 homers
Tanner Burns 2nd round pick out of college in his pro debut in High A 3.33 ERA 1.09 WHIP 46 IP 35 H 59K 15 BB but 6 homer
Adam Scott 4th round pick from college is back from 2 month rehab, this is 2nd start for Akron where he pitched in 2019

Columbus box:

https://www.milb.com/gameday/clippers-v ... ame=646444

civ - we discussed Wilson Ramos earlier and you pointed out that catcher is "ok to be just a defensive" position. And I agree.

But Wilson Ramos is such a hitter (again, his MLB career stats say this - and now he hits at Columbus too..no surprise) I wonder if he can't DH from time to time and move Franmil to the outfield now and again.

Ramos did DH yesterday for Columbus.

Friday night:

Lynchburg won 6-2
young OF Petey Halpin hitting with more regularity 2-4 avg 204
2B/SS Christian Cairo double and walk hitting 232 OK OPS 742
SS Yordys Valdes double steal hitting 200 OPS only 484
Lenny Torres 5 3 2 2 3 5 5.17

Lake County won 13-9
Hitting stars were lesser prospects
1b Joe Naranjo 4 singles, hitting 249, 673 He's a 5-8 first baseman
Victor Nova single double walk 233 738 plays all over IF and OF
our second pick in 2020: Tanner Burns 3 3 3 3 2 hr [#7]

Akron lost 10-4 Super utility man Richie Palacios walked and homered 293 869 ops

Columbus won 5-3
Major League rejects with good days:
Owen Miller and Yu Chang each 2 singles and a walk
Logan Allen Sr. walked no one otherwise nothing special 5 6 3 3 0 3 homerun ERA drops to 11.88


Arizona kids suspsended after 3 innings up 3-2; I can only get a box score when a game is complete

It ain't every day you see a game in greater Phoenix RAINED out!

Saturday game notes:

Arizona: Isaiah Greene OF from the Mets 2 walks
J. Noel on rehab two hits
R. Burgos on rehab 1 scoreless inning

Lynchburg: Halpin getting it together 3 hits including his 1st pro homer. Angel Martinez walk and single. J. Rod RF with 2 hits

Lake County: Valera 6th homer, 3 walks; avg is 250; OPS is 851; 20 BB vs 28 K
Tena 2 singles, 3 RBI 288 776 OPS
C Bryan Lavasitda 2 singles, a double 324 916 OPS
Gaddis 5 6 4 1 0 6 2 homers

Akron: postponed

Columbus: Nolan Jones continues to delay his big league debut and likey to lose his No. 1 prospect rating, 2 walks 2 strikeouts, 224 747
Cameron Hill 1 2/3 1 1 1 0 0

I just Sunday notes and then they disappeared/ Don't feel like doing it twice.

Here's a shorr version of the items I remember:

Logan Allen Jr. 4 1'/3 IP 1 run for Akron Tyler Freeman returns at last. Richie Palacios 2 hits again, hitting 294.
Benson walk homer and steal in game one; walk and steal in game two

Oscar G 2 singles for Columbus; Gabriel Arias Homer and 2 singles. Cam Hill 1 run in 1 1/3.
Lake County: Jose Tena 2 hits. Lavastida double and walk Bracho hitting 192. Mason Hickman 6 1/3 1 run ERA 5.04.
Planez HR 8 for Lynchburg.

Sunday from BA for the preseason Top 30, so you won't see Palacios or Benson

CLE AA #4 Tyler Freeman, SS 2 1 0 0 0.322 BB (8),
CLE HiA #6 George Valera, OF 3 0 0 0 0.243 BB (21), avg is deceiving; OPS over 800
CLE AAA #7 Gabriel Arias, SS 5 1 3 0 0.258 3B (2),
CLE HiA #8 Brayan Rocchio, SS 4 0 0 0 0.269
CLE HiA #11 Aaron Bracho, 2B 4 0 0 0 0.192
CLE AAA #19 Owen Miller, SS 5 0 0 0 0.264 that includes his woeful month in Cleveland, but he's regressed in COL too
CLE MAJ #22 Bobby Bradley, 1B 3 0 1 0 0.213 BB (21),
CLE MAJ #24 Ernie Clement, SS 4 0 0 0 0.252 E (4),
CLE LoA #29 Angel Martinez, SS 3 0 0 0 0.296 BB (21), E (14),
CLE AAA #23 Sam Hentges, LHP 2.0 1 3 3 2 3 8.04 that ERA includes his time in CLE but he's not much lower for the Clippers
CLE LoA #25 Josh Wolf, RHP 5.0 4 3 1 1 6 6.32 L (0-3)

Only the Arizona team in action. Not much to show; OFs Durango and Greene who are promising each drew 2 walks. Catcher Paz who I'm not familiar with [a 5-7 150 kid] with 2 home runs.