Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com -

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Sam Dykstra @SamDykstraMiLB

No. 30 #Indians prospect James Karinchak has been promoted to Triple-A Columbus (@CLBClippers).

His line this season: 6 saves, 10 IP, 36 batters faced, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 24 K.

His 66.7% K rate is the highest in @MiLB among pitchers with at least 10 IP.

Karinchak struck out two in his final frame with the @AkronRubberDucks. That means he fanned 22 batters in his first nine innings of the season!

This comes after he K'd 81 but walked 36 in 48 2/3 IP last season. If he can keep the whiffs coming and the walks low, watch out.

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Movin' on up (movin on up)
To the east side (movin on up)
To a deluxe apartment in the sky.

Movin' on up (movin on up)
To the east side (movin on up)
We finally got a piece of the pie....

And ....

Lynchburg Hillcats transactions

LHP Kyle Nelson promoted to (AA) Akron
LHP Brennan Bernadino promoted to Lynchburg from extended spring training

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Nelson has pitched 9.1 IP this year. Allowed 3 hits, no walks, no runs, 17 K

(I almost felt like a Johnny Bench Rust-Oleum commercial there for a second. No runs, do drips, no errors)

And lastly, Marcos Gonzalez has been activated from I.L. in Lake County

Thank you for all the good news.

How about Civale next?

I do think we will see that soon. Been pitching to live batters in extended spring training for a couple weeks now. Have to guess he’s getting close.

If not that would be bad. Some kind of set back.

I just read that Tyler Krieger is making his debut for Columbus tonight. I missed that promotion.

I guess hitting 205 in AA this year after spending the last two seasons in AA is good enough.

Nelson pitches 2 shutout innings in his Akron debut. Following up 6 strong by Hentges.

Thanks to you guys I scooped up Karinchak in 2 of my dynasty leagues. In those types of leagues you have minor leaguers who you can keep in minors (just sitting there) until they get called up and then you can use them on your active roster getting counting stats.

And these leagues count "holds" so a Karinchak could have value immediately - obviously along with the counting stat of....strikeouts!

I also have Nolan Jones in 2 of my 3 leagues but that's a longer term project, as you know all too well. But we can trade minor leaguers and I did trade Jones in the other league for a good major leaguer.

Indians Prospective @indiansPro

Clippers 3 Mud Hens 0

Hu 5.0(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 1BB 4SO
Karinchak 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 3SO
Allen 2-4 2R 3B BB SB
Thompson 2-4 R 3B

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RubberDucks 2 Fightin Phils 0

Hentges 6.0(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 5BB 7SO
Nelson 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 1SO
Garcia 4-5 R RBI
Pantoja 2-5 R RBI

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Keys 5 Hillcats 0

Morgan 5.2(IP) 6H 3R 3ER 1BB 3SO
Santiago 2-3 2B
Gonzalez 1-4
Kwan 1-4

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Cougars 8 Captains 5 (10 Innings)

Holmes 2-4 R 2(2B) SB
Reeves 2-5 2B RBI
Cardenas 2-4 R 3B
Miednik 2.2(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 1BB SO

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Columbus Clippers (C) Eric Haase has now hit 7 HR's over his last 13 games. Since beginning of the 2017 season Haase has hit 55 HR's which is the most amongst all catchers in minor league baseball during that period. #Indians

#Indians RHP prospect James Karinchak made quite an impression in his (AAA) debut tonight striking out the side. Karinchak just promoted today has been dominating now with 27 strikeouts over just 11.0 (IP) & has yet to give up a run.

#Indians 19yr old RHP prospect Carlos Vargas is just nasty. Fastball touched 98 down in the zone. Slider tremendous movement hit 91. Video from extended spring training. (there was a video with this tweet that I can't post. Kid looks filthy)

Lenny Torres Jr - FB 92-95 with run, bores in on RHH when thrown inside. Gained feel for low 80s SL as outing progressed. Much of same from last viewing. Live, Electric arm.

Vargas, Torres, and Ethan Hankins are a very exciting trio of young power arms. Hankins had the best press of them all, read anything about him recently? He had some health issues last spring, but was healthy before and after the draft and get a few innings in at Goodyear in the AZL

Nope, haven’t heard anything about Hankins for a minute.

a never was, a retread, a career loser and an unpolished kid working today


Chiang 0-3 7.62
Solter 1-0 2.57
Hillman 1-3 3.42 [career record 17-31
Mota 0-4 6.08

Cumulative record YTD 2-10

Some additional lines Friday:

Hu 5 2 0 0 1 4 best by far of the season; he could at worst get some bullpen time in Cleveland while we need depth in the pen with our second string starters in 40% of the rotation
Bradley 2 hits, including his 10th double; Mercado walk and 11th steal; Allen single and triple

Johnson again left a game yesterday, after 3 at bats.
Hentges with by far his best of the season with 6 shoutout innings, but still walked 5

Kwan and Gonzalez singled; Jones walked and didn't make an error for Lynchburg

Marcos Gonzalez back in the LC lineup as DH, singled and walked
Holmes 2 doubles set a career high for Total Bases and tie a career high for hits set opening day. After getting hitting in his first 4 games of this season he had gone a stunning 5 for 60 including one double, one triple, took 6 walks, struck out 24 times. That line was 083/133/167. But now he's fine.

More good news!

Indians Prospective @indiansPro

Akron RubberDucks transaction

RHP Eli Morgan promoted from (High A) Lynchburg

Congrats to #Indians RHP prospect Eli Morgan on his promotion to (AA) Akron!

Numbers with (High A) Lynchburg in 2019:

- 33.2(IP) 19(H) 7(R) 7(ER) 5(BB) 40(SO) 1.87 ERA

Columbus 10-5 winners with Allen and Mercado leading the way. Greg with a single and double. Orlando two singles two walks two steals. Bobby Bradley with his 4th homer and a walk.
Lefty reliever Josh Smith 3 shutout innings, 1 walk, no hits, 4 K. 1.53

Akron rained out

Lynchburg game ends after 6 1/2 due to rain. Kwan a walk. Wade a single. Jones a walk. Gonzalez a single. Hillman 4 2/3 5 5 5 2 4 loses again, ERA getting back to normal 4.35

Lake County moves to 17-12 with a 9-3 win. Holmes follows up his 2 hit day with a two walk effort and adds his 6th steal. Benson 7th double, walk and 9th steal. Freeman had been a little quiet but has a big day: walk, 8th double, and 2nd homer matching his career high.
Mota often starts strong and fades. this time he started with a 3 run 1st and then pitched shutout ball, finished 5 4 3 3 1 4 5.97. I'm surprised to see he was pitching on his 23rd birthday; he's older than many of his peers.

Dang, you have got to be kidding.

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Lake County Captains transaction

INF Marcos Gonzalez placed on the 7-day IL
LHP Raymond Burgos assigned from Mahoning Valley