Our Rookie team was bombed 11-1 on Wednesday. Lowlights include Tyler Naquin pitching debut: 2/3 inning, 3 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks.
Our guys with 5 hits and 4 errors. DeLauter rested
Re: Minor Matters
13652Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 5/7/2025
Another dominant pitching performance in Akron; Tyler Naquin makes pitching debut in Arizona
Scoreboard
Columbus Clippers 4, Indianapolis Indians 3 - Statcast
Akron RubberDucks 3, Somerset Patriots 0
Quad Cities River Bandits 3, Lake County Captains 1
Fredericksburg Nationals 4, Lynchburg Hillcats 1
ACL Rockies 11, ACL Guardians 1 (F/7)
Highlights
Micah Pries (RF, Columbus): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBIs - It was a banner day for the 27-year-old as he left the yard twice in the win and drove in all four runs for the Clippers. He launched a three-run homerun in the third and added on with a solo shot in the eighth, a much-needed insurance run after the pitching staff surrendered two in the ninth. Pries had the farthest hit ball of the day at 389 feet, but just the fourth-hardest hit ball of the game. It is just his third homerun of the year and first multi-hit game of 2025.
Halpin (CF, Columbus): 3-for-5, 2B - Halpin joined Pries with a multi-hit game, but he tallied four total bases with a double and a pair of singles. Those two combined for five of the team’s nine hits. Halpin now has six games out of his last nine where he has multiple hits and a .417 batting average in that time. Ironically, this hot streak has come at the same time he was moved to the top of the order.
Rorik Maltrud (SP, Akron): W (2-1), 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 9 Ks, WP - Maltrud helped make it 18 straight innings in the series without a run for the Patriots with 5.1 innings of shutout baseball on Wednesday. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters in the win. Somerset had a runner in scoring position against Maltrud for just two pitches, but a strikeout ended what ended up being as close to a scoring threat as the opponents got against the former Missouri Tiger.
Hawke (LF, Lynchburg): 2-for-3, R, 2 2Bs, BB, SB, OF assist - Tommy Hawke did nearly everything for Lynchburg but his efforts were not enough in a 4-1 loss. Hawke had both of the team’s hits and drew a walk to reach base three times in total - the only other batter to reach was Logun Clark with a walk. In addition to his efforts at the plate, he stole his 33rd base of the year by going from second to third in the fourth inning and he came around to score in that frame as well. He showed his defensive value as well with his first outfield assist of 2025 as well.
Notable Performances
Ryan Webb (SP, Columbus): W (2-1), 5.0 IP, 3 H, R, 2 BBs, 4 Ks - The southpaw outdueled the top pitching prospect in the Pirates system on Wednesday with five innings of work where he allowed three hits and one run. Webb was able to use his changeup effectively with five whiffs on 14 pitches thrown.
Zane Morehouse (RP, Akron): H (2), 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 2 Ks - Morehouse left his inherited runner stranded in the sixth and twirled a scoreless seventh to help preserve the shutout with eight straight innings without allowing a run.
Davis Sharpe (RP, Akron): S (2), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K - The 25-year-old made it back-to-back successful save opportunities after he closed out Saturday’s win at Altoona as well. He required just six pitches (five strikes) to secure the victory in this one.
Cooper Ingle (C, Akron): 1-for-2, R, RBI, 2 BBs - The number two hitter for the RubberDucks was the only man to reach base multiple times in the win with one hit and two walks to grow his team-high base on balls total. He drove in Travis Bazzana to give immediate run support in the bottom of the first with a single to left.
Caden Favors (SP, Lake County): L (1-2), 4.2 IP, 2 H, R, 3 BBs, 6 Ks - A lone run on the ledger of the 23-year-old lefty was enough to receive the loss, however he had a decent outing with just two hits and three walks allowed. 16 walks in 18.2 innings pitched doesn’t help him out, but he limited contact in this appearance after being hit around in his last.
Izaak Martinez (RP, Lake County): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R BB, 2 Ks - Martinez was able to clean up the fifth and tossed a scoreless sixth for the Captains as he tries to find his footing at the next level. This was his second appearance out of the Lake County bullpen after being moved up on April 28.
Christian Knapczyk (2B, Lake County): 2-for-4, R - If not for Knapczyk, Lake County would have been held to one hit and no runs on the day. He accounted for two of the team’s three in his fifth multi-hit game in the last seven.
Jervis Alfaro (SP, Lynchburg): L (2-1), 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 0 BBs, 9 Ks, WP - The 21-year-old Venezuelan was able to give the Hillcats some depth with six innings pitched, but got hit around a little bit despite nine strikeouts, a new professional high and a number that matched his entire month of April.
Tyler Naquin (RP, ACL Guardians): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BBs, 0 Ks, 2 BKs - It was not the pitching debut Naquin could have dreamed of with four batters reaching out of six faced and three of them coming around to score on his ledger. Two balks are mildly concerning as well for his efforts despite it being his first appearance.
Another dominant pitching performance in Akron; Tyler Naquin makes pitching debut in Arizona
Scoreboard
Columbus Clippers 4, Indianapolis Indians 3 - Statcast
Akron RubberDucks 3, Somerset Patriots 0
Quad Cities River Bandits 3, Lake County Captains 1
Fredericksburg Nationals 4, Lynchburg Hillcats 1
ACL Rockies 11, ACL Guardians 1 (F/7)
Highlights
Micah Pries (RF, Columbus): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 4 RBIs - It was a banner day for the 27-year-old as he left the yard twice in the win and drove in all four runs for the Clippers. He launched a three-run homerun in the third and added on with a solo shot in the eighth, a much-needed insurance run after the pitching staff surrendered two in the ninth. Pries had the farthest hit ball of the day at 389 feet, but just the fourth-hardest hit ball of the game. It is just his third homerun of the year and first multi-hit game of 2025.
Halpin (CF, Columbus): 3-for-5, 2B - Halpin joined Pries with a multi-hit game, but he tallied four total bases with a double and a pair of singles. Those two combined for five of the team’s nine hits. Halpin now has six games out of his last nine where he has multiple hits and a .417 batting average in that time. Ironically, this hot streak has come at the same time he was moved to the top of the order.
Rorik Maltrud (SP, Akron): W (2-1), 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 9 Ks, WP - Maltrud helped make it 18 straight innings in the series without a run for the Patriots with 5.1 innings of shutout baseball on Wednesday. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters in the win. Somerset had a runner in scoring position against Maltrud for just two pitches, but a strikeout ended what ended up being as close to a scoring threat as the opponents got against the former Missouri Tiger.
Hawke (LF, Lynchburg): 2-for-3, R, 2 2Bs, BB, SB, OF assist - Tommy Hawke did nearly everything for Lynchburg but his efforts were not enough in a 4-1 loss. Hawke had both of the team’s hits and drew a walk to reach base three times in total - the only other batter to reach was Logun Clark with a walk. In addition to his efforts at the plate, he stole his 33rd base of the year by going from second to third in the fourth inning and he came around to score in that frame as well. He showed his defensive value as well with his first outfield assist of 2025 as well.
Notable Performances
Ryan Webb (SP, Columbus): W (2-1), 5.0 IP, 3 H, R, 2 BBs, 4 Ks - The southpaw outdueled the top pitching prospect in the Pirates system on Wednesday with five innings of work where he allowed three hits and one run. Webb was able to use his changeup effectively with five whiffs on 14 pitches thrown.
Zane Morehouse (RP, Akron): H (2), 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 2 Ks - Morehouse left his inherited runner stranded in the sixth and twirled a scoreless seventh to help preserve the shutout with eight straight innings without allowing a run.
Davis Sharpe (RP, Akron): S (2), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K - The 25-year-old made it back-to-back successful save opportunities after he closed out Saturday’s win at Altoona as well. He required just six pitches (five strikes) to secure the victory in this one.
Cooper Ingle (C, Akron): 1-for-2, R, RBI, 2 BBs - The number two hitter for the RubberDucks was the only man to reach base multiple times in the win with one hit and two walks to grow his team-high base on balls total. He drove in Travis Bazzana to give immediate run support in the bottom of the first with a single to left.
Caden Favors (SP, Lake County): L (1-2), 4.2 IP, 2 H, R, 3 BBs, 6 Ks - A lone run on the ledger of the 23-year-old lefty was enough to receive the loss, however he had a decent outing with just two hits and three walks allowed. 16 walks in 18.2 innings pitched doesn’t help him out, but he limited contact in this appearance after being hit around in his last.
Izaak Martinez (RP, Lake County): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R BB, 2 Ks - Martinez was able to clean up the fifth and tossed a scoreless sixth for the Captains as he tries to find his footing at the next level. This was his second appearance out of the Lake County bullpen after being moved up on April 28.
Christian Knapczyk (2B, Lake County): 2-for-4, R - If not for Knapczyk, Lake County would have been held to one hit and no runs on the day. He accounted for two of the team’s three in his fifth multi-hit game in the last seven.
Jervis Alfaro (SP, Lynchburg): L (2-1), 6.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 0 BBs, 9 Ks, WP - The 21-year-old Venezuelan was able to give the Hillcats some depth with six innings pitched, but got hit around a little bit despite nine strikeouts, a new professional high and a number that matched his entire month of April.
Tyler Naquin (RP, ACL Guardians): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BBs, 0 Ks, 2 BKs - It was not the pitching debut Naquin could have dreamed of with four batters reaching out of six faced and three of them coming around to score on his ledger. Two balks are mildly concerning as well for his efforts despite it being his first appearance.
Re: Minor Matters
13653Here's the Hot Sheet writeup for Ingle for last week's work product:
12. Cooper Ingle, C, Guardians
Team: Double-A Akron (Eastern)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .400/.571/.733 (6-for-15) 2 R, 5 2B, 2 RBIs, 6 BB, 5 SO
The Scoop: Ingle got off to a slow start this year, which is surprising considering he’s one of the better pure-hitting catchers in the minors. This past week did a good job bringing his performance back to normal. Ingle did give up five steals in five attempts in a game this week, but overall, he’s continued to make strides defensively this year. He has yet to allow a passed ball, and his seven wild pitches allowed are among the best in the Eastern League for everyday catchers. (JJ)
12. Cooper Ingle, C, Guardians
Team: Double-A Akron (Eastern)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .400/.571/.733 (6-for-15) 2 R, 5 2B, 2 RBIs, 6 BB, 5 SO
The Scoop: Ingle got off to a slow start this year, which is surprising considering he’s one of the better pure-hitting catchers in the minors. This past week did a good job bringing his performance back to normal. Ingle did give up five steals in five attempts in a game this week, but overall, he’s continued to make strides defensively this year. He has yet to allow a passed ball, and his seven wild pitches allowed are among the best in the Eastern League for everyday catchers. (JJ)
Re: Minor Matters
13654Ingle's 1-5 in the two games he's played this week, but added 3 walks, so even that gives him a line of 200/500/200
Since April 23 he's drawn 14 walks vs. 8 strikeouts
Since April 23 he's drawn 14 walks vs. 8 strikeouts
Re: Minor Matters
13655early in the games today, the Hillcats are up 1-0, Captains 5-0, RDucks 2-0; earlier today Columbus lost 4-3 [Triple and walk for Kayfus] [Why did Nikhazy leave after 2 2/3 innings and 52 pitches, and one run?]
Big news so far: Ralphy Velazquez who has been flaying away in the 150 range has two early doubles with a pair of RBI.
That gives him 5 doubles to match his 5 home runs. But he has only four singles in his 108 trips to the plate.
It deserves notice that he's 19 and one of the youngest players in High A Midwest League.
Also note re youngsters on the Captains, Chourio has not returned since his weekend injury. Not on the IL
But better news: Josh Hartle has now completed 4 shutout innings with 5 strikeouts, no walks and 4 hits allowed. 28K in 23 2/3 IP
on the other hand, Michel Kennedy who also came from the Pirates last winter went on the IL.
No appearances recently by Jacob Zibin with Lynchburg, but still on active roster.
The final acquisition in the Giminez deal OF Nick Mitchell is off on injury rehab in Arizona, on Hillcats roster but has not played;
Big news so far: Ralphy Velazquez who has been flaying away in the 150 range has two early doubles with a pair of RBI.
That gives him 5 doubles to match his 5 home runs. But he has only four singles in his 108 trips to the plate.
It deserves notice that he's 19 and one of the youngest players in High A Midwest League.
Also note re youngsters on the Captains, Chourio has not returned since his weekend injury. Not on the IL
But better news: Josh Hartle has now completed 4 shutout innings with 5 strikeouts, no walks and 4 hits allowed. 28K in 23 2/3 IP
on the other hand, Michel Kennedy who also came from the Pirates last winter went on the IL.
No appearances recently by Jacob Zibin with Lynchburg, but still on active roster.
The final acquisition in the Giminez deal OF Nick Mitchell is off on injury rehab in Arizona, on Hillcats roster but has not played;