BPKC Hitter of the Day: MJ Melendez 2-4 2 HR, 2 RBI

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Stephen Greenlees 3.2 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 6 K 0-4 GO-FO 50p/34k

Augusta GreenJackets 5 Lexington Legends 4

Lexington starter Jackson Kowar wasn’t quite as sharp as he had been in his previous two starts as the right-hander gave up a run in his two and one-third innings of work. The righty, after working a perfect first inning, gave up a hit and a walk in the second before getting out of the jam. In his final inning of work, Kowar struckout the first hitter allowed a single and walked a hitter before being lifted for Garrett Davila who allowed one of the runners around to score. After a couple of scoreless innings, Davila ran into trouble in the sixth inning with a single and a walk sandwiched around a couple of outs. Manager Scott Thorman elected to go to the bullpen with Robert Garcia but the power lefty struggled with his control, walking a pair of batters and uncorking a wild pitch and a wild throw that allowed two runs to come in to tie the game. After a third walk, another wild pitch gave Augusta the lead. Outfielder Brewer Hicklen connected on a solo home run the very next inning to tie the game. It was Lexington’s third home run of the night having already received the 18th and 19th home runs of the season from MJ Melendez earlier in the game. Tied 4-4, the Legends ran into some misfortune as a Nick Pratto throw to second in an attempt to double off a runner would bounce off the back of Heliot Ramos, allowing him to get to third base. One hitter later a sacrifice fly would give Augusta the lead. That lead held up until the ninth where Kyle Isbel would make a play for the fourth home run of the game for Lexington but his fly and the Legends comeback bid would die at the wall to end the game.

Brewer Hicklen: 3-4 HR, 2b, 2 RBI
Nick Pratto: 1-3 R, BB, 2K, SB (21)
Jackson Kowar: 2.1 IP 2 H 1 R 1 ER 2 BB 3 K 3-1 GO-FO 51p/30k

Lynchburg Hillcats 10 Wilmington Blue Rocks 7

The Wilmington bullpen couldn’t hold a two-run lead and may have put the team’s season on the brink with their loss on Tuesday. After starter Andres Sotillet’s struggles continued with five runs allowed in the first two innings the Rocks offense countered with seven runs of their own including a pair of two-run home runs by Emmanuel Rivera and D.J. Burt. Despite that 7-5 lead reliever Corey Ray and Anthony Bender struggled in the seventh innings, giving up a solo home run, two walks, and three consecutive singles during the four run inning. That lead would be enough with Wilmington’s offense getting stymied over the last four innings in the loss. The loss put Wilmington five games back with just seven games to play.

Emmanuel Rivera: 3-5 HR, 2 RBI, CS
D.J. Burt: 1-4 HR, 2 RBI, BB, SB (31)
Meibrys Viloria: 1-4 2R, BB

Tulsa Drillers 6 NW Arkansas Naturals 5

The Naturals Scott Blewett struggled early with three runs allowed in the first inning before settling in for an eight-inning start. The big righty would give up two more runs in that time but each time the offense would have the answer, scoring single runs in the first three innings and a pair in the seventh to tie things back up. Tied 5-5 in the ninth, reliever Franco Terrero failed to get an out, giving up a pair of singles before committing a throwing error on a safety squeeze which allowed Tulsa to walk the game off for the win. The loss pushed the Naturals season one step closer to ending, now 4.5 games back of the Drillers for first place with seven games to play.

Erick Mejia: 1-4 2R, 2b, BB, SB (34)
Samir Duenez: 1-3 RBI, BB
Jecksson Flores: 1-2 R, RBI, BB, SB (26)

Colorado Springs Sky Sox 4 Omaha Storm Chasers 3

Reliever Richard Lovelady blew his third save of the season after allowing two runs in the seventh inning in the first game of the series with Colorado Springs. The two runs put Omaha down 4-3 after Frank Schwindel and Donnie Dewees had hit a pair of home runs to give the Chasers the lead. Down 4-3 in the ninth Omaha would move the tying run 90 feet away but Jorge Soler struckout to end the game and eliminate the Chasers from the playoff race.

Nicky Lopez: 0-3 BB
Frank Schwindel: 2-4 HR
Donnie Dewees: 2-4 HR, 2 RBI

Bluefield Blue Jays 5 Burlington Royals 4

The Royals starter Malcolm Van Buren’s struggles continued on Tuesday night. After working three shutout innings that featured six strikeouts, his control wavered in the fourth. A pair of walks sandwiched around a double and a single ended his day with one out in the inning and eventually four runs to his line. Those runs and another in the sixth inning off reliever Jose DeLeon put Burlington behind 5-0. A three-run rally in the sixth inning that featured RBI hits by Eric Cole and Brhet Bewley and another run in the seventh got the Royals within a run but they were unable to get the last run in the loss.

Eric Cole: 1-4 R, RBI
Brhet Bewley: 2-3 RBI, SB (7)
Isaiah Henry: 1-4 R 3K

Grand Junction Rockies 5 Idaho Falls Chukars 3

Playing for a chance to take the wildcard lead in Pioneer League playoffs, the Chukars didn’t get a good start from Kris Bubic. The Stanford lefty worked just three innings, walking five hitters and hitting another in that time while also giving up three hits to allow four runs in that time. Those runs countered Chase Vallot’s two-run home run in the second inning. The Chukars scored in the fourth frame to pull within a run but could get no closer in the loss.

Chase Vallot: 1-3 2R, HR, 2 RBI
Jose Caraballo: 1-3 BB
Kris Bubic: 3 IP 3 H 4 R 4 ER 5 BB 3 K 2-3 GO-FO 72p/41k

Tuesday Boxscores

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Jecksson Flores 4-5 2R, 3b, 2 RBI, SB (21)

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Jon Dziedzic 6 IP 5 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 2 K 6-9 GO-FO 94p/54k

Asheville Tourists 6 Lexington Legends 3

Starting pitcher Charlie Neuweiler had his first rough outing as a member of the Lexington pitching staff as the right-hander got knocked for a pair of home runs in the third inning. After two scoreless innings, Neuweiler ran into some trouble with a walk, a steal, and an RBI single to put Asheville up 1-0. A second walk came in front of a three-run home run that quickly put him down 4-0. A second blast that went over 420 feet came off the bat of the next hitter and Neuweiler’s night was over after finishing off the inning. The Legends countered with a two-run home run by Cristian Perez but missed other opportunities to be limited to three runs in the loss.

Charlie Neuweiler: 3 IP 4 H 5 R 5 ER 2 BB 4 K 3-2 GO-FO 73p/44k
Janser Lara: 3 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 2 BB 5 K 1-3 GO-FO 58p/34k
Kyle Isbel: 2-4 R SB (7)

Wilmington Blue Rocks 6 Salem Red Sox 5

The Rocks lineup went to work Thursday night, connecting on 12 hits while walking three times. The offense was needed after starter Dan Tillo struggled with walks again with five free passes and six hits allowed to give up five runs (4 ER) in five innings. Trailing 4-2 in the fifth, Meibrys Viloria doubled in a pair of runs to tie the game up. An inning later they trailed again but countered with an Angelo Castellano single to bring in Rudy Martin after his triple. A seventh-inning RBI single by Travis Jones to bring home Emmanuel Rivera gave the Rocks a lead and the bullpen did the rest, tossing the final three innings scoreless to secure the win.

Meibrys Viloria: 2-5 2b, 2 RBI
Rudy Martin: 2-4 2R, 3b, SB (21)
Travis Jones: 2-4 RBI, SB (13)

Midland RockHounds 9 NW Arkansas Naturals 5

Newly acquired Jon Perrin made his first start in the Royals organization Thursday night a couple days after the trade that brought him over. Making just his second start this season, Perrin worked five innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a pair of walks while striking out four while working 70 pitches. As usual, Jecksson Flores was pacing the Naturals offense scoring a pair and driving in two more to help keep the game even after Cristian Castillo gave up two runs. Tied 4-4, the game went into extra innings where the Naturals kept Yunior Marte on the mound his two scoreless innings but the right-hander walked a hitter prior to giving up a groundball single to load the bases. Manager Mike Rojas turned to Franco Terrero, a move that didn’t go well with the right-hander quickly giving up a double that unloaded the bases with a Terrero throwing error. One hitter later Terrero gave up his eleventh home run of the season to push the deficit to five runs at 9-4 which would be too large to overcome.

Erick Mejia: 2-4 2R, SB (31)
Samir Duenez: 1-4 2 RBI
Jon Perrin: 5 IP 3 H 2 R 2 ER 2 BB 4 K 6-4 GO-FO 70p/46k

Omaha Storm Chasers 9 Round Rock Express

The Chasers Jon Dziedzic spun six scoreless innings while getting plenty of offensive backing in the first game of their road series with Round Rock. Working around five singles and a walk, Dziedzic completed his fifth consecutive quality start. The Chasers offense took advantage of former Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman, scoring two runs on him in just two and one-third innings before scoring three more off Austin Bibens-Dirks who made his major league debut last season. The Chasers tacked on three more late to take a commanding 8-0 lead as all nine hitters in the lineup reached base at least once while pounding out 15 hits and earning seven walks

Donnie Dewees: 4-5 2R, RBI, SB
Frank Schwindel: 1-4 R, BB – 16 game hitting streak
Jack Lopez: 2-4 2b, 4 RBI

Pulaski Yankees 3 Burlington Royals 1

Burlington right-hander Malcolm Van Buren can reach the mid to upper 90s with his fastball but is still learning what he can do with it and this night proved that. The opening hitter of the night took a 2-0 pitch and deposited it over the wall, but from there Van Buren held his own, striking out five over four innings with just another hit allowed against three walks. Reliever Kelvin Gonzalez couldn’t match Van Buren’s effort, giving up two runs (1 ER) in his four innings while the Burlington offense scored just one run on three hits in the loss.

Malcolm Van Buren: 4 IP 2 H 1 R 1 ER 3 BB 5 K 4-0 GO-FO 75p/41k
Juan Carlos Negret: 1-3 BB
Jose Marquez: 1-4 R, 2 SB, K

Great Falls Voyagers 11 Idaho Falls Chukars 7

The Chukars took a big early lead only to see the pitching staff give it up in the middle innings. The Chukars took advantage of former Royals lefty Matt Portland, scoring six runs off him in the first four innings to take a 6-1 lead. Things looked great until the fifth when starter Kris Bubic couldn’t escape the inning, loading the bases with a pair of singles and a defensive error. After the manager turned to Tyler Gray to try to escape the damage things went awry after the ’18 draft pick got a couple of outs when a second defensive error kept the inning alive. From that point, the next three hitters would reach base to lead to a seven-run lead and an Idaho Falls deficit. The White Sox affiliate would continue to pad their lead with three runs over the next two innings while Idaho Falls could only answer with a Chase Vallot home run in the loss.

Kris Bubic: 4 IP 3 H 5 R 2 ER 3 BB 6 K 4-2 GO-FO 85p/50k
Angel Medina: 2-3 2R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Tyler James: 3-5 R, 2 SB (33)

Thursday Boxscores

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Nick Pratto 2-3, 2R, HR, 2b, 2 RBI, BB

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Luis Lugo 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 6-4 GO-FO, 96p/61k

Lexington Legends 4, Hagerstown Suns 1

The Legends received a pair of home runs from their prospect tandem of Seuly Matias and Nick Pratto while three different pitchers limited the opponent to just one run. In the first inning, Pratto drew a two out walk and scored on the very next pitch that Matias drove 359 feet out to left for his 31st home run of the season. Those two runs were enough for Daniel Lynch as the lefty worked around five hits and a walk, allowing just a run while on the hill. The game was 2-1 into the eighth inning when Nick Pratto connected on his first home run since May 24th, a two run blast that gave the Legends a 4-1 lead. Those two insurance runs would prove to be plenty for Danny Hrbek and Tad Ratliff as the two righties would follow Lynch with four innings of scoreless baseball.

MJ Melendez: 2-4, 3b, 2 K, 1-1 CS/Att
Seuly Matias: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB, K
Daniel Lynch: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 3-5 GO-FO, 56p/35k

Buies Creek Astros 7, Wilmington Blue Rocks 2

Wilmington dropped the first game of their series with Buies Creek as the teams danced around a short rain delay on Tuesday. Prior to the rain delay in the third inning, the Astros got a pair of runs off starter Andres Sotillet with four hits in that inning. Reliever Carter Hope took over after the delay and didn’t do much better, giving up three runs on three hits in the fifth. A couple of more runs would come across against the Rocks bullpen all while the offense struggled to get much going, getting just a pair of RBI hits by Gabriel Cancel and Emmanuel Rivera in the 7-2 loss.

Gabriel Cancel: 1-5, RBI
Emmanuel Rivera: 2-5, RBI
Travis Jones: 2-4

NW Arkansas Naturals 8, Arkansas Travelers 4 – F/12

The Naturals scored a pair of runs in the first before going dormant until the 10th inning. In fact, from a third inning when Jecksson Flores connected on a leadoff single until the ninth when Samir Duenez drew a walk, the Naturals had 19 consecutive hitters retired. Starter Luis Lugo did his best to keep the Naturals ahead, tossing four consecutive scoreless before allowing a run in the fifth. The lead was held until the seventh when a leadoff single came in on Lugo’s line when reliever Gabe Speier gave up a two-out single, tying the game up 2-2. The game would stay tied until extra innings where the two teams would exchange runs in the tenth and eleventh innings. In the twelfth the Naturals would bust the game open, scoring four runs with three extra-base hits and a wild pitch. Outfielder Kort Peterson tripled to give NW Arkansas the first run before back-to-back doubles by Anderson Miller and Nick Heath tacked on two more to build a lead too large for the Travelers to overcome.

Khalil Lee: 1-5, 2 R, 2b, BB
Kort Peterson: 3-5, R, 3b, 2 RBI
Anderson Miller: 2-5, R, 2b, RBI

Burlington Royals 6, Pulaski Yankees 4 – F/10

Left-hander Josh Dye gave up a three-run home run to put Burlington behind before the rain delayed this one. After the rain disappeared reliever Bryar Johnson took over, preventing the Yankees from getting a hit in his four innings despite five walks allowed. The South Carolina born right-hander struck out five despite struggling with the zone. While the bullpen was keeping the Yankees off the board, a pair of hits in the seventh by Matt Morales and Eric Cole allowed Burlington to tie the game up. That score remained until the tenth when the Royals plated three runs on a Michael Emodi double and a pair of singles by Brhet Bewley and Jose Marquez. Reliever Kyle Hinton allowed only the free runner to score in the bottom half of the inning to secure the win for Burlington.

Eric Cole: 2-5, 2b, RBI
Michael Emodi: 2-4, R, 2b, RBI
Bryar Johnson: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 5 K, 2-4 GO-FO, 76p/41k

Idaho Falls Chukars 15, Orem Owlz 11

The Chukars and Owlz game was your typical Pioneer League shootout with Idaho Falls jumping out to a huge 14-1 lead. Normally a 14-1 lead would lead to a snoozefest, but this is the Pioneer League and the Chukars have the league’s second-worst pitching staff. After three no-hit innings to start his outing C.J. Eldred struggled, giving up eight runs over the next 2.1 innings to see his lead shrink. The bullpen would give up three more runs to cut the lead to four after a couple errors allowed Idaho Falls to score. Reliever Jordan Floyd was able to toss a scoreless ninth to secure the win. Only Angel Medina failed to get a hit in the Idaho Falls lineup while Chase Vallot contributed three doubles and four runs driven in.

Tyler James: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, BB, 3 SB
Reed Rohlman: 2-3, 3 R, 3b, 4 RBI, BB
Hunter Strong: 2-5, 3 R, 2b, BB

Tuesday Boxscores

BPKC Hitter of the Day Friday Chase Vallot 4-6 3R, 2-2b, HR, 4 RBI, 2K
BPKC Pitcher of the Day Richard Lovelady 2.2 IP 0 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 2K 3-1 GO-FO 38p/22k

BPKC Hitter of the Day Saturday Nicky Lopez 2-4 2R, 2b, HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SB
BPKC Pitcher of the Day Arnaldo Hernandez 7 IP 2 H 1 R 1 ER 0 BB 6 K 4-8 GO-FO 70p/51k

Friday Omaha Storm Chasers 6 Round Rock Express 3
Saturday Gm 1 Omaha Storm Chasers 4 Round Rock Express 1 F/7

The Chasers received excellent pitching Friday and Saturday in game one to win a pair of games. Friday’s game was former bonus baby Elier Hernandez’s first at Triple-A and he didn’t disappoint, connecting for three hits, a pair of rbi and his first double. That double was part of a three-run inning that featured doubles by Hernandez, Nicky Lopez, and Cam Gallagher. After the Chasers piled up three more runs starter Jon Dziedzic loaded the bases and gave up a run in the seventh. In a jam manager, Brian Poldberg turned to Richard Lovelady and the lefty prospect did the trick, earning a double play to get out of the inning and finishing the final two innings to earn the save. During Saturday’s day game starter, Arnaldo Hernandez worked efficiently and dominantly over seven innings. The right-hander yielded just an Andy Ibanez solo home run in the second frame and a fifth-inning single while pounding the zone with 51 strikes on 70 pitches with seven strikeouts to lead the way to a win. In support of the Lopez boys, Nicky and Jack, each hit two-run home runs to key the win. In game two Saturday, reliever Kevin Lenik struggled with five runs allowed in just an inning and two-thirds with seven hits allowed. The Chasers went just 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position to drop the game.

Ryan O’Hearn 1-5 RBI, 2BB
Donnie Dewees 1-6 R, 3b, K
Elier Hernandez 2-5 2 RBI, BB

Friday NW Arkansas Naturals 3 Tulsa Drillers 0
Saturday Tulsa Drillers 12 NW Arkansas Naturals 2

The Naturals pitching has struggled in the second half of the season but on Friday they received a quality spot start from a former regular starter. Right-hander Pedro Fernandez tossed five innings scoreless, working around just one hit and one walk while striking out three on 65 pitches. The Naturals offense backed Fernandez with three runs, getting a rbi single in the first, Samir Duenez rbi double in the third and Duenez rbi in the eighth. Lefty Cristian Castillo tossed three scoreless in relief before Franco Terrero finished it off with a scoreless ninth to secure the win. The Saturday game didn’t go well with starter Jace Vines giving up seven runs in two innings before reliever Yunior Marte gave up four more to put the game well out of reach for an offense that was limited to just five hits.

Khalil Lee 2-8 R, 2b, 4 K
Erick Mejia 4-6 2R, 2-2b, SB
Pedro Fernandez 5 IP 1 H 0 R 0 ER 1 BB 3K 65p/42k

Friday Wilmington Blue Rocks 12 Lynchburg Hillcats 11 F/10
Saturday Postponed

The Rocks pitchers gave up 10 runs between two different innings but the offense managed to overcome that to take over first place in the division. The lineup combined for 13 hits and seven walks to score their 12 runs including a pair of home runs from Emmanuel River and Gabe Cancel. It was Cancel’s solo home run in the ninth was part of a two-run inning that gave the Rocks a brief lead. After Lynchburg tied things up Cancel’s sac fly gave the Rocks the lead prior to Tyler Zuber finishing it off to secure the win.

Gabe Cancel 2-3 2R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Emmanuel Rivera 2-4 HR, 4 RBI, BB
Rudy Martin 2-4 R, 2b, 2 RBI, BB

Saturday Gm 1 Lexington Legends 6 West Virginia Power 4
Saturday Gm 2 Lexington Legends 4 

A two-run home run and a sac fly off Yefri Del Rosario in the first inning put the Legends down early but Seuly Matias answered with a two-run double and the pitching settled. With another run allowed in the fourth Del Rosario completed five innings with four allowed despite putting away eight hitters with strikeouts. A Manny Olloque two-run home run in the fourth tied things up and Tad Ratliff’s two scoreless innings combined with an error by West Virginia that plated two runs gave Lexington the win. Much like the first game, the Legends came back after a first-inning deficit giving up two runs in the first but pitching settled and the offense made the comeback. A two-run inning single off Holden Capps put the squad down 2-0. New outfielder Kyle Isbel drove in a run in the third inning before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Cristian Perez to tie the game. The fourth inning featured Seuly Matias 27th home run of the season, a 433-foot blast to center that tied the Lexington record for most home runs in a season. An error by the West Virginia shortstop scored another run and Sal Biasi shut things down over the final two innings to secure the win.

Seuly Matias 2-5 2R, HR, 2b, 3 RBI, 2 BB
Kyle Isbel 2-6 2R, RBI, BB, SB
Manny Olloque 2-6 R, HR, 2 RBI,

Friday Idaho Falls Chukars 18 Helena Brewers 5
Saturday Missoula Osprey 11 Idaho Falls Chukars 1

The Chukars lineup exploded for 20 hits, six walks, and 18 runs in a blowout win. Catcher Chase Vallot led the way with four hits including a pair of doubles and a home run while driving in four runs. In addition to Offerman Collado drove in five runs on three hits while hitting his first home run of the year. A ten-run sixth paved the way towards the win while Connor Mayes earned the victory with five innings of three-run ball. The Saturday game was an ugly one the other way as the offense was limited to just one run on four hits and 2nd round pick Jonathan Bowlan was knocked around for his second start in a row, giving up seven runs on 12 hits in five innings during a 11-1 loss.

Friday Burlington 10 Bristol Pirates 8 Suspended 10th Inning
Saturday Postponed

Friday Boxscores
Saturday Boxscores 

Sunday Probables
Omaha – Zach Lovvorn 5-6 5.73 ERA 1.54 WHIP
NW Arkansas – Emilio Ogando 5-6 6.69 ERA 2.14 WHIP
Wilmington Gm1 – Gerson Garabito 3-6 3.91 ERA 1.40 WHIP
Wilmington Gm2 – Nolan Watson 7-7 5.40 ERA 1.73 WHIP
Lexington – Carlos Hernandez 6-4 3.34 ERA 1.23 WHIP
Burlington Gm1- Austin Cox 0-1 2.70 ERA 1.02 WHIP
Burlington Gm2 – Elvis Luciano 0-3 7.17 ERA 1.78 WHIP
Idaho Falls – Jon Heasley 0-0 3.32 ERA 1.42 WHIP

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Travis Jones 2-5 HR, 4 RBI

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Jacob Condra-Bogan 2 IP 1 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 2 K 0-4 GO-FO 22p/15k

Lexington Legends 12 West Virginia Power 6

Legends starter Carlos Hernandez couldn’t match his effort the last three times on the hill, but the offense picked him up in a win. Following a pair of runs allowed in the second inning by Hernandez, the Legends piled on six runs from the second through the fourth, getting a solo home run by Seuly Matias, a two-run shot by Travis Jones and three runs in the fourth after an error following two singles helped Lexington out. In a good position to earn the win, Hernandez was unable to finish the fifth, giving up five hits and four runs before reliever Tad Ratliff had to replace him. Despite the game being tied, Lexington’s offense didn’t cool down, scoring three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings with six hits in that time including three doubles. Infielder Ricky Aracena was in the mix of both innings, getting on after being hit by a pitch and scoring in the sixth before doubling in a run in the seventh as part of a two-run, two rbi night. Relievers Ratliff and Jacob Condra- Bogan worked the final four and one-third innings scoreless to secure Lexington’s fourth straight win.

MJ Melendez: 2-5 RBI, SB (2)
Seuly Matias: 2-4 2R, HR, 2b
Brewer Hicklen: 3-4 2R, 2b

Frederick Keys 2 Wilmington Blue Rocks 1

The Rocks offense couldn’t get any offense going outside a Chase Vallot home run while a two-run home run by Frederick did them in. Back from Arizona, Chase Vallot took a 3-2 pitch out to left in his return to Wilmington and to the catching position as part of a two-hit night that gave Wilmington an early 1-0 lead. That lead held up until the fourth inning when the Keys took a 2-1 lead when Gerson Garabito gave up two-run job to Collin Woody. Despite Wilmington getting two hits in each inning from the fifth through the eighth, they were unable to tie the game, losing possibly their best chance in the eighth when Frederick tossed Vallot out at the plate after a two-out single by Angelo Castellanos, killing that rally and the chances for Wilmington in this game.

Chase Vallot: 2-4 HR
Khalil Lee: 1-4 2K
Gerson Garabito: 7 IP 4 H 2 R 2 ER 3 BB 1 K 8-7 GO-FO 88p/53k\

NW Arkansas Naturals 10 Frisco RoughRiders 5

The Naturals continued to do what they have been lately, flooding the bases with runners after hits and scoring in bunches; this time with the help of some poor Frisco defense. All nine hitters in the lineup had at least one hit with the top of the lineup helping to plate four runs in the third inning with Erick Mejia driving in two runs on a triple and Nicky Lopez bringing him in with a single to put NW Arkansas up 4-1. After Frisco had pulled within a run, NW Arkansas put the game away late, getting a pair of runs in the eighth with a pair of singles and a couple of walks before putting the game well in hand in the ninth on home runs by Alex Liddi and Nick Dini. The win pulled the Naturals within a game of .500 and two games back of first place.

Nicky Lopez: 1-5 RBI, SB (9)
Donnie Dewees: 1-3 R, 2b, RBI, 2 BB
Yunior Marte: 3 IP 3 H 1 R 1 ER 0 BB 1 K 4-2 GO-FO 35p/25k

Tuesday Boxscores

Wednesday Probables
Omaha – Glenn Sparkman 5-2 2.96 ERA 1.06 WHIP
NW Arkansas – Andres Machado 0-6 6.86 ERA 2.02 WHIP
Wilmington = Arnaldo Hernandez 5-2 3.64 ERA 1.43 WHIP
Lexington – Garrett Davila 3-1 3.50 ERA 1.31 WHIP

BPKC Hitter of the Day; Chase Vallot 2-5 2HR, 4 RBI, 3K

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Matt Wynne 1 IP 0 H 0 R 0 BB 1 K

Columbia Fireflies 9 Lexington Legends 1

The Legends were limited to one run on offense by Mets starter Marcel Renteria over seven and two-thirds innings. The Legends were given few opportunities with just five hits in the game while their starter Collin Snider was knocked around for six runs on eight hits in just four innings. Outfielder Seuly Matias had a single and a double while also driving a ball to the wall in left that was flagged down.

Seuly Matias: 2-4 2b, K
Travis Jones: 2-4 RBI
Sal Biasi: 3 IP 0 H 0 R 1 BB 5 K 2-2 GO-FO 45p/28k

Wilmington Blue Rocks 12 Potomac Nationals 7

The Rocks offense was rolling on Wednesday night, a team that had struggled with runners in scoring position knocked out eight hits in fifteen chances while pounding out sixteen hits and twelve runs. Leading the way was third baseman Emmanuel Rivera and designated hitter Chase Vallot, as the pair drove in eight of the runs. Two five-run innings accounted for most of the damage with Vallot homering in each inning and Rivera collecting rbi hits in both frames. All nine hitters in the starting lineup had a hit on the night with Rivera pacing the way with four to raise his average to .284. Starter Arnaldo Hernandez was the beneficiary of the offense, earning his third win with five innings of four-run ball as he tried to work around seven hits and three walks. Wilmington had to use five pitchers with Matt Wynne coming into a bases-loaded jam in the ninth but slipping out without a run crossing to earn the save.

Emmanuel Rivera: 4-5 2R, 2b, 4 RBI
Khalil Lee: 2-4 2R, RBI, HBP
Gabe Cancel: 2-4 R, 2b, RBI

Springfield Cardinals 7 NW Arkansas Naturals 2

Starting pitcher Emilio Ogando lasted just an inning and two-thirds before getting the hook. The lefty had given up a solo home run, a pair of walks and two singles with two outs when manager Mike Rojas pulled him. With the bases loaded reliever Walker Sheller gave up a double that scored all three runners still on base to push the Cardinals advantage to 6-1. Forced into multiple innings the bullpen limited Springfield to just one run the rest of the way but the offense was unable to get back into the game in another loss.

Anderson Miller: 1-4
Walker Sheller: 3.1 IP 4 H 0 R 2 BB 3 K 55p/36k 2-3 GO-FO
Donnie Dewees: 0-4 R, SB (4)

Omaha Storm Chasers 8 Iowa Cubs 7 F/10

Omaha starter Kyle Lohse made his first start since July of 2016 on Wednesday in Des Moines. After working a pair of scoreless innings to start the game Lohse struggled, giving up five runs on seven hits over the next two innings. The I-Cubs were getting plenty of good swings in that time connecting on quite a few line drives and a home run by Efren Navarro. Luckily for the Chasers, their offense had already padded the lead with a six-run third inning following a solo run in the first. In that inning, the Chasers walked in a run with a bases-loaded walk to Ryan O’Hearn before Paulo Orlando unloaded the bases with a grand slam. Previous to the game Orlando had got off to a very slow start with the Chasers, going 0-22 before connecting on a double and slam in this one. The Omaha bullpen held the game at 7-5 until the ninth when Mike Broadway gave up a two-run home run to Mark Zagunis to send the game to extra innings. In extras, the Chasers moved their free runner around before Josh Staumont finagled his way out of a bases-loaded threat with his twenty-fourth strikeout of the season to earn the save.

Adalberto Mondesi: 2-5 2R, 3b, 2SB
Bubba Starling: 2-4 R, 2b, BB
Richard Lovelady: 1 IP 0 H 0 R 0 BB 2 K 18p/12k 1-0 GO-FO

Wednesday Boxscores

Omaha – Trevor Oaks 1-2 3.09 ERA 1.07 WHIP
NW Arkansas – Glenn Sparkman 1-2 3.72 ERA 1.24 WHIP
Wilmington – Cristian Castillo (lhp) 1-2 7.23 ERA 1.82 WHIP
Lexington – Dan Tillo (lhp) 0-1 3.52 ERA 1.30 WHIP

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Billy Burns 2-3 2R, HR, 5 RBI, BB, CS (2), SAC

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Arnaldo Hernandez 5 IP 4 H 0 R 0 ER 2 BB 3 K 6-3 GO-FO 82p/50k

Wilmington Blue Rocks 5 Potomac Nationals 0

The Rocks salvaged the final game of the series with the Nationals with some quality pitching and a big fly from Brandon Downes. Starter Arnaldo Hernandez worked around four hits and a pair of walks in his five innings of work to improve to 2-0. The right-hander was rewarded for his work with a two-run blast by Brandon Downes in the fourth inning of his first game of the year. A Chase Vallot double prior to an Angelo Castellano RBI single pushed the advantage to 3-0. The Rocks added a pair of runs in the seventh, and relievers Vance Tatum and Justin Camp worked the last four innings scorelessly to earn the win.

Rudy Martin: 1-3 R, Bb, SB (14)
Emmanuel Rivera: 3-4 R, RBI
Khalil Lee: 0-4 RBI

Springfield Cardinals 4 NW Arkansas Naturals 3

Starter Scott Blewett had a decent start after a rough one last time out, getting into the seventh inning but failing to finish it off before handing the ball to a struggling reliever. A pair of singles sandwiched around a walk gave Springfield the first-inning lead until the fifth when the Naturals took the lead on an RBI groundout from Nicky Lopez and a wild pitch that scored Alfredo Escalera. The Naturals tacked on another run an inning later with Corey Toups double to right-center that scored Samir Duenez. Up 3-1 into the seventh with one out Blewett gave up three consecutive groundball singles, allowing a run and being forced from the game. Struggling reliever Franco Terrero fresh off a four home run game replaced Blewett and continued his struggles, loading the bases before giving up a sac fly to tie the game. After escaping that inning with the game tied, Terrero would allow his sixth home run in just his eighth appearance, ultimately taking the loss after the Naturals failed to cash in on a one-out triple by Anderson Miller in the ninth.

Scott Blewett: 6.1 IP 6 H 3 R 3 ER 2 BB 4 K 6-2 GO-FO 93p/61k
Nicky Lopez: 0-4 RBI
Corey Toups: 2-4 2b, R, RBI

Omaha Storm Chasers 13 Colorado Springs Sky Sox 9

Omaha and Colorado Springs played another high scoring light affair on Thursday night, this time with Omaha jumping out to a big early lead. The “light hitting” part of the offense was carrying the big sticks early in this one with Humberto Arteaga doubling in a pair before Billy Burns hit a three-run home run. A Burns RBI single in the fifth pushed Omaha’s run total to ten before Frank Schwindel’s second home run in as many days tacked on three additional runs. Starter Heath Fillmyer could only make it through four innings in the light air, allowing five runs in that time to snap his scoreless streak at 11.1 innings. Reliever Josh Staumont was excellent in his two innings, striking out five against just two hits allowed to earn the win while Mike Broadway earned the save with a run allowed in the ninth.

Josh Staumont: 2 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 5 K 1-0 43p/27k
Hunter Dozier: 2-5 2R, 2b, 3K
Ryan O’Hearn: 3-4 2R, 2b, BB

Thursday Boxscores

Friday Probables
Omaha – Clay Buchholz 1-0 0.82 ERA 0.82 WHIP
NW Arkansas Gm1 – Emilio Ogando 2-1 5.14 ERA 1.71 WHI{
Gm 2 – Glenn Sparkman 1-1 3.95 ERA 1.24 WHIP
Wilmington – Cristian Castillo 1-1 7.00 ERA 1.89 WHIP
Lexington – Dan Tillo 0-0 1.96 ERA 0.98 WHIP

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Rudy Martin 3-5, 3R, 2b, 3b, BB, 5 RBI, 2SB (13)

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Vance Tatum 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0-1 GO-FO, 34p/19k

Lexington Legends 10, Hagerstown Suns 7

Lexington came home and got the bats rolling to take game one of their four-game series with the Nationals Low-A squad. The Suns jumped on the board early with four runs in the first frame after starter Collin Snider struggled and the defense didn’t value sure outs. An error by first baseman Nick Pratto, and later a fielder’s choice in which he probably should’ve taken the sure out, led the inning last a tad longer than it should have. Lexington answered with four runs of their own in the first as the team exchanged runs for the first three innings before a rbi groundout by Jeison Guzman gave the Legends their first lead. Once ahead they wouldn’t relinquish with Nick Pratto blasting a two-run home run the next inning and an error in the seventh inning leading to Travis Jones scoring another run. The Legends bullpen shut the door with Vance Tatum, Carter Hope and Tyler Zuber, combining to toss the final six innings with just one run allowed against 10 strikeouts.

Nick Pratto: 2-4, 2R, HR, 2 RBI
MJ Melendez: 1-3, HR, BB
Travis Jones: 1-2, 2R, RBI, BB, SB (4)

Wilmington Blue Rocks 15, Frederick Keys 4

The Rocks offense, which had struggled mightily to push runs across with men in scoring position, broke through in a big way on Thursday night. Eight of the nine hitters reached base, with the team adding to their league-high walk total by taking nine free passes while connecting on 14 hits to push across 15 runs. Chase Vallot got the offense kick-started with a grand slam in the first as part of a five-run inning. The runs kept coming with three more runs spread out over the second and third inning’s before a seven-run fourth put the game well out of reach. In addition to Vallot’s blast, he drove in a fifth run with a bases-loaded walk in that fourth before Rudy Martin doubled in three to cap his five RBI night. Starter Gerson Garabito was the recipient of the big offensive game, earning the win despite allowing five walks which equals his career high.

Khalil Lee: 1-2, 2R, 3BB, HBP, SB (4)
Meibrys Viloria: 3-6, 2R, 2-2b, RBI
Gerson Garabito: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 BB, 1 K, 4-3 GO-FO

Tulsa Drillers 11 NW, Arkansas Naturals 0

Five singles and a walk versus seventeen hits and six walks is all you have to say about this one. Starter Scott Blewett got knocked around for eight hits, four walks, and six runs in just 2.2 innings in the loss.

Samir Duenez: 1-4
Scott Blewett: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 80p/48k
Nicky Lopez: 0-4

Doubleheader
Memphis Redbirds 6, Omaha Storm Chasers 2
Memphis Redbirds 2, Omaha Storm Chasers 1

Called up from Double-A, Zach Lovvorn got tagged for eight hits and six runs in his first Triple-A start, while the Chasers offense was put on ice over seven innings by Jack Flaherty in the first game of the doubleheader. The Cardinals pitching prospect gave up just two hits while tossing 95 pitches, striking out six. In game two, Salvador Perez made his first rehab appearance for the Chasers, collecting one hit, while again Omaha’s offense struggled with just an Humberto Arteaga safety squeeze bunt providing the only run. Starter Andres Machado took the loss when he allowed a two-run home run in the fourth and Omaha failed to score again.

Ryan O’Hearn: 1-2, 2b, BB, 2 RBI
Hunter Dozier: 0-5, R, BB, 3K
Salvador Perez: 1-4, 2 CS on defense

Thursday Boxscores

Friday Probables
Omaha – Heath Fillmyer 0-1, 9.00 ERA 1.71 WHIP
NW Arkansas – Emilio Ogando (lhp) 1-1, 7.00 ERA 1.89 WHIP
Wilmington – Arnaldo Hernandez 0-0, 3.00 ERA 1.89 WHIP
Lexington – Dan Tillo (lhp) 0-0, 1.5 ERA 1.15 WHIP

The obvious players who will get the opportunity are Cuthbert, Jorge Bonifacio, and Jorge Soler as Ned Yost said those were the players that he was making a priority to get into the lineup. In addition, not pursuing Morrison has seemingly opened the door for Hunter Dozier to grab hold of the first base spot, or even third should Cuthbert not establish himself. That foursome will be given every opportunity to grab hold of their major league roster spots. There remain a few others who will need to prove themselves in the minors or face the possibility of losing their chance in this organization.

Kyle Zimmer – 2018 is likely the make or break season for Zimmer. The 2012 fifth overall selection in the draft has encountered injury after injury since his draft season and is facing his final option season with the Royals this year. At times last season he was hitting 95-97 mph in Omaha, but a loss in feel for his usually reliable and formerly dominant curveball left him vulnerable to right-handed hitters, with them hitting .317 with a .913 OPS versus him. During the season, Zimmer will need to establish that he can get Triple-A hitters out, stay healthy and then prove he’s worthy of a bullpen spot. A tall ask, indeed.

Going for him – The lack of quality arms in what was a usually strong Royals bullpen in that past shouldn’t impede on him should he perform in Omaha.

Going against him – Multiple arms will need to be added to the 40-man roster next winter with Foster Griffin, Scott Blewett, and Josh Staumont all needing protection from the Rule 5 draft.

Miguel Almonte – Much like Zimmer, the 2013 Future Gamer is also facing a career crossroads in 2018 after encountering injury problems again and again, along with troubles with the strike zone. The latter seemed to have been corrected in ’17 with a dominant start at Double-A that was mirrored through nine outings in Omaha before arm troubles after a brief stint in the bigs shut him down. Like Zimmer, these injury problems for Almonte are pretty consistent as the right-hander has thrown fewer innings each season since his 130.2 output in ’13. The stuff for him is there still when he has been healthy, and last season when he was there, it looked better than ever. He still flashes his typical mid to upper 90s fastball, the best breaking ball of his career and his usual changeup. Despite those things going for him, Almonte faces a similar task as Zimmer, forcing him to establish himself in the majors while proving healthy before facing the possibility of getting left behind on the 40-man crunch.

Bubba Starling – With Zimmer and a player who will appear later on this list, GMDM has over $12.69 million invested in first round picks facing a crossroads this season. Like the others before him on this list, Starling is facing his final option this year. Struggles from the start of 2016 through April of last season have to place Starling’s career in a difficult spot. However, an adjustment made with hitting coach Tommy Gregg had him working more of the entire field and the results improved with a 54 game stretch of .290/.327/.435 from May 1st thru July 9th before an injury slowed him down and possibly prevented a September call-up. Even that minor tick in improved results isn’t quite the stuff that would normally earn a player a move to the show, but with the large investment the Royals have made him already, then similar results should give him an opportunity to prove things on the major league roster. A good spring could even earn Starling the starting center field nod altogether.

Going for him – A lack of competition against Starling with likely the biggest hurdle in his way could be Adalberto Mondesi establishing himself at second base and moving Whit Merrifield to center. Going for Starling in this scenario is the fact that Mondesi has two options remaining. Should Bubba perform in spring, the Royals can afford to send the younger middle infielder to Omaha to start the year. In addition, Starling’s defensive prowess makes him the best option for a pitching staff that will likely give up its share of fly balls, which would make him the best option for center field.

Going against him – A track record of less than stellar results leaves Starling vulnerable, but much like the players ahead of him, there are few options knocking on his door. One possible suitor for his roster spot though could be Donnie Dewees, the outfielder acquired in the Cubs trade prior to last season. An addition of Dewees, Anderson Miller or a move to center by Merrifield could push Starling off the 40-man.

Elier Hernandez – Latin players who struggle at any time in their career can make any roster spot a real predicament. While Hernandez has been in the organization for seven years now, he will still play this entire season at 23 years old. The slow development path of recent Royals prospects like Merrifield, Jorge Bonifacio, and Jake Junis show that the Royals shouldn’t give up on Hernandez just yet, and a strong start to ’17 may have positioned him to knock on the door already had Dewees not wiped him out in the outfield and ended his season prematurely. Going unpicked in the Rule 5 draft this winter doesn’t mean he will necessarily be out of the organization shall he struggle this season, but a lack of a move leaves him more vulnerable to players behind him and leaves him even further behind the players already ahead. Much of Hernandez’s success was batted-ball driven in ’17, but with limited minor league data that can be driven by hard contact, his 24% line-drive rate propelled his BABIP to over .400. A small sample size can explain much of this, but a repeat in 2018 will be needed to establish a spot on the Royals 40-man roster for Hernandez.

Going for him – As mentioned, Hernandez’s age is going for him as is a move away from Wilmington. Many of the tools in the outfield remain as does his quick bat and a lack of position players truly knocking on the door.

Going against him – It’s a numbers game in ’18 for all, with three free agents and plenty of players knocking on the door. In addition, an outfield that could feature Jorge Soler and Jorge Bonifacio under control for a number of years could limit the need to add Elier.

Chase Vallot – Is he ready for Double-A? That’s the question for Vallot following a 2017 season that saw him put up an 18% walk rate and his usual better than .200 ISO rate. Still, the defensive questions remain for the backstop with a league-worst 18% caught stealing rate. The front office also sent a signal that they may prefer younger catchers with the addition of Meibrys Viloria to the 40-man and the drafting of uber-athlete M.J. Melendez. Like others ahead of him, Vallot needs to establish the fact that he can stay healthy after averaging just 90 games per season in his three full seasons in the organization. That’s on top of showing a better hit tool and better receiving skills to go with the needed improvements in controlling the run game. He may have done all of this while playing against the best group of pitching that he has faced in his career with the possibility of him advancing to Double-A.

Going for him – Still just 21 years old for much of this season, it seems unlikely that the Royals would leave someone with his type of power vulnerable to the Rule 5 draft. The free agency of Drew Butera with the likely advancement of Cam Gallagher to the 25-man roster will likely open up a spot on the roster for Vallot.

Going against him – Not much is going against him other than things he can’t control, but Chase will face some competition for the 40-man spot from Nick Dini who is coming off a season that saw him hit .310 with a .381 on-base percentage at Double-A in ’17.

Ashe Russell – The Royals likely were hoping that the only revision to the 2015 draft day we would be talking about three years later would’ve been the outfit Ashe Russell wore. Instead, the Indiana prep player’s career is on the precipice of ending before ever reaching full-season ball. Refined mechanics and a workout change led to a loss in velocity which ultimately pushed him to wanting a change and some time away from the game. What is his status now? As they have been for two years now, the Royals are quiet on Russell. It’s not necessarily a pressing year for his future, but another season without competition will likely mean a once hopeful career was missed and the front office whiffed on another draft pick.

Featured Photo via Minda Haas Kuhlmann

Starting Pitcher – Foster Griffin

The Royals 2017 representative in the Future’s Game got off to an outstanding start in Wilmington and at NW Arkansas before slowing down toward the end of the season. Finishing the season with 28 starts and 161.1 innings, Griffin has set career-best in those categories as well as strikeouts while going 15-7 on the season.

Honorable Mention – Jace Vines with a 12-8 record and 3.45 ERA across three levels.

Cam Gallagher (Minda Haas Kuhlmann Photo)

Catcher – Cam Gallagher

As most of you saw when Gallagher arrived in Kansas City, the 24-year-old catcher brings a high defensive IQ to the field, controlling the running game (35% caught stealing) and calling a good game as well. The difference in his development this season is he has started to help some on the offensive side, hitting .292 this season for Omaha. Over his last 43 games, which includes time in Kansas City, Gallagher has hit .321/.351/.463 with five home runs.

With a player like Salvador Perez ahead of him, the impact that Gallagher can provide will always be limited. However, he’s shown himself that he’s able to take over the #2 catcher role whenever the front office should deem that necessary.

Honorable Mention – Nick Dini compiled a .381 OBP at Double-A NW Arkansas

First Base – Frank Schwindel

The right-handed power hitter has had a breakout season, combining to put up a .329/.349/.541 line between NW Arkansas and Omaha. The 2013 18th round pick slammed his way to a promotion to Omaha after just 34 games, hitting .350 in that time. Once in Triple-A Schwindel took a little time to adjust, hitting just .221/.236/.346 through his first 35 games in Omaha, then he caught fire. All he’s done since is hit .375 over his last 63 games for the Chasers with 15 home runs and 56 RBI. The 66 extra base hits from Schwindel led all Royals minor leaguers by a country mile and makes this selection as easy as any on this list.

Honorable Mention – Chris DeVito used a hot start in Lexington to connect on 21 home runs in his first full season.

Second Base – Gabriel Cancel

A seventh round selection in the same ’15 draft that brought the third baseman on this list, Cancel has shown off the results at the dish with the flash in the field that could make an impact in the middle of the diamond. Other than Schwindel, there aren’t many players who have been as strong in the second half of the season as Cancel, hitting .309/.367/.548 with nine home runs among his 26 extra base hits. He’s been a catalyst to the Legends second ranked offense in the league.

“Cancel has been a complete player showing the ability to drive the ball; make consistent contact. He turns a great double play and he continues to get better each year. We think he’s developing at a good rate given the age and the performance at the level he’s been at. He’ll continue to get better as he works on the fundamentals of the game as he continues to gain playing experience.” – Ronnie Richardson Royals Director of Minor League Operations

Honorable Mention – John Brontsema hit .323 in 52 games for Lexington before a promotion.

Shortstop – Raul Mondesi

We’ve been writing about Mondesi and his exciting tools for quite a few years, but this is the first season in which we’ve seen him employ those tools for an extended amount of time. True, these numbers – .305/.340/.539 and 41 extra base hits in 85 games – came after significant struggles in Kansas City, but they’re still positive nonetheless. Making a significant impact on offense and defense, Mondesi showed consistent play throughout Omaha’s season with his lowest OPS in a month being his .836 in June.

The numbers in Triple-A hopefully show that the Royals should be ready to pull the training wheels off and let Mondesi compete at the plate at the major league level, instead of asking him to bunt every fourth at bat.

Honorable Mention – Nicky Lopez was impactful at High-A before a promotion to Double-A.

Third Base – Emmanuel Rivera 

The lack of Top 100 players in the Royals system suggests to some that there isn’t talent here. That’s just not the case. Some may not know who Emmanuel Rivera is now, but if he keeps adding to his trophy case they will soon enough. It started the last offseason when Rivera went to winter ball and won the Puerto Rican Winter League Rookie of the Year, hitting well against much older players. Building on that winter, Rivera arrived in Lexington and became the team’s most consistent performer being named to the South Atlantic League’s Post Season All-Star squad as the league’s best third baseman while leading the league in hits and winning the league’s batting title on the finald day of the season.

Along with the impact at the dish, Rivera shows good range and a strong arm at third. The Royals believe he could be an above average defender at the position in the future.

“We’re excited to see the steps that he continues to take. He profiles at the position, showing the ability to make consistent hard contact.”  – Richardson

Honorable Mention – Oliver Nunez continued showing off his on base ability by reaching base at a .382 clip for Burlington.

Lee after a walk-off home run (Instagram @jetskigirl55)

Right Field – Khalil Lee

The power and speed that Lee has flashed in his first full season have been an exciting addition to the Royals farm system, making an impact in numerous categories. Starting Thursday’s game, Lee has 17 home runs, 20 steals, and a 12% walk rate while being one of the youngest players in the league at just 18 to start the season. On top of the impact on offense, Lee’s cannon for an arm has provided 14 outfield assists on defense leading all Royals players in the system in that statistic.

Are there things Khalil needs to improve? Yes. He’s not afraid to get into long counts and his swing-big-at-all-times approach has him leading the South Atlantic League in strikeouts by a good distance. He’s also been caught on the bases 18 times. Still, in a system that is lacking in impact talent, Lee’s name is definitely one on scouts and writers minds and an appearance in a Top 100 isn’t as far off as one might think.

Center Field – Michael Gigliotti 

Last season Nicky Lopez jumped on this team despite being having less time to establish himself as a draft pick that same year. This year Gigliotti followed the same path, getting on base at a high clip, playing superior defense at a premium position, and making an impact with speed on the bases while showing enough pop to keep pitchers honest. The .320/.420/.456 line in 64 games dwarfs all other possible center fielders that could’ve been chosen for this list.

Left Field – Jorge Soler 

Fans would’ve preferred seeing Soler’s numbers and playing time in Kansas City this season as opposed to Omaha, but it is what it is, and what Soler was for Omaha was an excellent power hitter. He led the Chasers with 24 home runs despite playing just 74 games. It wasn’t just all power for Soler either, as the outfielder reached base at a .388 clip which led all Royals minor leaguers this season thanks to 50 walks earned by the slugger.

Honorable Mention Outfield – Travis Jones has had an excellent introduction to pro ball with a .947 OPS between Arizona, Burlington and Idaho Falls.

Designated Hitter – Chase Vallot

Playing most of his season at 20 years of age, Vallot proved that he wasn’t above his head in the difficult hitting environment that is Frawley field. Continuing to exhibit his power potential, Vallot put up a solid .206 ISO in 89 games in the Carolina League. That number may not stand out as truly special, but no player that has made it to the majors in the GMDM era has put up a higher number in 200+ plate appearances for Wilmington.

The young catcher continued to show that he can get on base at a high clip (.380 OBP), while improving as a receiver and game caller, helping Wilmington to the third best team ERA in the league.

“Chase is still only 21 and every league he’s been in he’s been one of the younger players in those leagues. His overall development is something we are excited with moving forward.” – Richardson

Relief Pitcher Richard Lovelady 

Under the new draft rules, picks in the back half of the first 10 rounds typically go to players that teams feel they can sign at less cost in order to save money to provide to their earlier round selections. Teams don’t punt on those picks, but they don’t expect to see major impact early. That’s not the case for last year’s 10th round selection however, as Lovelady has zoomed through the system to make it to Double-A in his first full season. With a plus fastball that ranges from 93 to 98 mph, next to the makings of a plus slider with good control and command, Lovelady has blitzed High-A and Double-A hitters to the tune of 77 strikeouts in 66.2 innings while allowing just a 0.95 WHIP and 1.62 ERA this season.

“Our scouts did a tremendous job at evaluating him and identifying him as a player that could compete at a high level and move through the system quickly, and he’s done just that. We’re very excited about Richard and the strides he’s made in his first full season.” – Richardson

Featured Photo – Gabriel Cancel Lexington Legends (Photo via Clinton Riddle Minorleagueball.com)