Making their second appearance in the South Atlantic League Championship, as they were declared co-champions while holding a 2-0 lead in their inaugural season with the Asheville Tourists when the September 11^th attacks occurred, the Lexington Legends got off to a very good start Monday. They had dominant pitching, inning after inning. Their defense was firing on all cylinders. Everything was going smoothly.

And then, it wasn’t. The Legends went down to defeat against the Lakewood BlueClaws in eleven innings, 6-5.

Starting righty Yefri Del Rosario did his level best over six innings, striking out seven and walking two while giving up a single hit in the process. Lakewood had to wait until the fifth inning for that one-base knock from SS Nick Maton, which ultimately went for naught. After walking lead-off batter Matt Vierling, he got Simon Muzziotti on a high, bounding one-hopper to 1B Nick Pratto, then set down Jake Scheiner and Rodolpho Duran on swinging strikes.

Lexington got on the board first when Pratto walked and Brewer Hicklen crushed a 2-2 pitch over the right-field wall. Del Rosario gave up a walk to Madison Stokes, but induced a couple of fly-outs to left and a pop-up to Ricky Aracena to strand the Lakewood runner.

Cal Jones singled on a fastball on the outer third of the plate, a hard liner to left off of Lakewood starter Damon Jones. Sebastian Rivero went down on strikes and Aracena popped up to his counterpart at second, Dalton Guthrie, but Kyle Isbel reached on a bad throw by Maton and Jones advanced to third. The threat was ended when C MJ Melendez flew out on a 2-0 pitch to Muzziotti in center.

It was two more strikeouts for Del Rosario in the top of the third, when 3B Jose Antequera went down looking, Vierling flew out to Jones, and Muzziotti whiffed on a fastball right down the heart of the plate.

Pratto started the bottom of the third with a shot over the right-field deck that he hit off of an inside fastball, down 0-2 in the count, giving the Legends a 3-0 lead. Hicklen and 3B Manny Olloque grounded out to Antequera, SS Cristian Perez drew the walk but was stranded when Jones swung on a third strike in the dirt and was tossed out at first by Duran.

The top of the 4^th was uneventful, as Scheiner grounded out to Perez, while Duran and Jhailyn Ortiz added to Del Rosario’s “K” collection. The bottom of the fourth saw Lexington tack on another run when Isbel doubled on a 1-2 inside pitch and Melendez brought him home on a short drive to center, extending Lexington’s lead to 4-0.

After Maton finally gave Lakewood their first base hit of the night in the top of the fifth, Stokes was called out on strikes after an eight-pitch battle and Guthrie grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Lexington faced off against righty reliever Gustavo Armas and got nothing out of him beyond a seven-pitch Hicklen walk. Hicklen was cut down at second on a steal attempt with Jones batting after Olloque popped up and Perez did the same to Scheiner.

Lakewood had nothing going in the top of the sixth, but Jones led off the bottom of the inning a hard-hit single, deep to left, that was cut off quickly by Vierling. Rivero dropped a nice sac bunt to move Jones to second, but only after Armas tried twice in vain to pick him off. Aracena struck out swinging, but Isbel once again came through, driving in Jones to make it 5-0, Lexington. Isbel would be nailed at second on a steal attempt.

As RHP Janser Lara entered the game in the seventh, he got Scheiner on a ground-out to Aracena, walked Duran on four somewhat controversial pitches (at least two could have been strikes), Ortiz struck out swinging. Lara walked Maton, but Stokes struck out on a 2-2 pitch and stranded two runners in the process.

The bottom of the seventh saw walks to Melendez and Hicklen, but little else, as Pratto and Olloque struck out swinging and Perez lined out to Scheiner on what sounded like a much harder-hit ball than it actually was.

The eighth inning was a routine one for both sides. The ninth, however, was not.

With RHP Daniel Duarte on the mound for his second inning of work, Josh Stephen singled on a 3-2 pitch that caught the heart of the plate. Scheiner was first-pitch swinging, swatting a hard-hit grounder to right. Duran followed this with the first of three straight homers for Lakewood. Ortiz hit a solo shot to right, and that would be it for Duarte as he gave way to RHP Tad Ratliff with Lakewood down by one.

Maton chased Ortiz’s homer with his own solo shot to right, and the BlueClaws had tied the game. This all happened before Lexington could get a single out.

Isbel, Melendez, and Pratto went down in order, and it was extra-inning time.

Ratliff retired Vierling, Stephen, and Scheiner in order to start the tenth inning. After Hicklen struck out looking, Olloque shot a laser beam to the center-field wall for a one-out double. SS Jeison Guzman entered to pinch-run for him, and new pitcher Connor Brogdon entered the game for Lakewood. He began by putting Perez on intentionally, but Jones and Rivero couldn’t get the winning run home.

With Garrett Suchey entering the game in the eleventh inning, Duran singled and move to second on Ortiz’s sacrifice bunt. After Maton grounded out to Perez, Duran moved to third. Stokes drove in what would be the winning run on a single to center after Such threw three straight pitches in the same zone and Stokes caught onto it.

Lakewood’s Zach Warren closed it out in the bottom of the inning, striking out Aracena, getting Isbel on a fly-out to right, and walking but stranding Melendez after Pratto ended the game striking out on a pitch in the dirt.

A tough loss for the home team, to be sure, but Game Two will see Jackson Kowar on the hill for the Legends facing LHP Kyle Young. The 6’10” Young has compiled a 13-5 record over four minor-league seasons, with a 2.74 ERA and 26 walks against 141 strikeouts in 151 1/3 innings. He recorded a .230 BAA in 59 1/3 innings this season across three leagues, with the vast majority of his innings at Lakewood. He gave up 9 walks in that span. He has never faced Lexington in his career.

Game Two of the South Atlantic League Championship is Tuesday at Whitaker Bank Ball Park at 6:05 PM.

After becoming one of only 64 prep-level players selected in the first ten rounds in last year’s draft, Neuweiler made his first pro start for the rookie-level Burlington Royals in the Appalachian League on June 19^th of last year. He went five solid innings vs. the Elizabethton Twins in an away game (4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K). His follow-up to that was a game to forget vs. the Danville Braves, as he gave up nine hits and five runs in his first home start for Burlington. Of note: he also struck out eight batters, nearly 1/3 of what he faced (25 total).

That would be it for Neuweiler in the Appy League, as the Royals bumped him up to the Lexington Legends in the South Atlantic League. He would make his first Class-A start at home vs. the Asheville Tourists, going another five strong innings, giving up no runs (3 H), walking three, and striking out four. Following this were four fairly-solid starts on the road in which he went a total of 21 1/3 innings, giving up eight earned runs (14 total), walking eight and striking out seventeen batters. He picked up his first professional win on July 23^rd at Asheville, where he gave up only three hits and two earned runs (4 total) while walking three and striking out four. His 2nd career win came right after that, as he went 5 2/3 vs. Rome at Lexington, giving up one run on four hits, walking three and striking out six.

After making his first pro appearance in June, Neuweiler has yet to throw fewer than 80 pitches in a game, and hasn’t yet recorded an appearance under five innings; worth noting, given his age (he turned 19 years old this past February).

On a roster that currently boasts 10 of Kansas City’s top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline (11, counting the injured Michael Gigliotti), a player like Neuweiler can get lost in the shuffle. However, don’t let those “Top 30” lists deceive you; Neuweiler demonstrates poise beyond his years, with an arsenal that matches up well against the Sally League batters.

Neuweiler starts with a fastball that sits around 91-92, touching 93 on occasion, and he throws both two-seam and four-seam varieties. He also deals a low-80s slider with tight spin and very good two-plane break. At its best, it is almost unrecognizable in its spin, and breaks about 6-8 feet in front of the batter. When last I saw him, he dealt at least two sliders in the 84-85 range. He will occasionally mix in a change-up at 80-83 with slightly more fade than sink that has potential to become at least ML-average.

His mechanics are simple and easily repeatable. He has bouts of inconsistency with his release point, as any young pitcher might. It seems to happen more so with off-speed pitches, but so far it seems to be a rare occurrence.

At 6’1”, 205, Neuweiler’s projection lies in refining his current arsenal and working to add a bit of velocity. He appears to be a sound #3 or #4 starter in the making, at the moment, but a move to the ‘pen could see a tick or two added to his fastball. That could make him a three-pitch reliever with a mid-90’s fastball and, possibly, a wipe-out slider, to go with a change that shows definite promise. Personally, I’d like to see him continue to develop in the rotation; he has good size and a foundation on which to build. I can see him adding 2 MPH on his fastball, as a starter, as he appears to have relatively low-stress mechanics, as well as youth and stamina on his side.

Give him a little time, and you’re likely to be hearing more of his name in the Legends recaps and Royals websites. Neuweiler’s classic starter profile gives him a good shot at climbing the rankings for Kansas City. Barring major setbacks, he could find himself in High-A Wilmington before the end of 2019. If not, a year or two at Lexington isn’t going to hurt his progress, in the long run.

However, fans are starting to become very aware of him, as he has steadily built a reputation for pinpoint control and versatility.

Sotillet began his pro career in 2016 with the DSL Royals, finishing second in innings pitched (65), first in fewest walks allowed among starters (a minuscule eight), and second in strikeouts (41). Over 13 starts, he recorded a 7-2 record with a 1.52 ERA as a 19-year old. The next season was disastrous, as he finished the year with a 6.67 ERA over 13 appearances (12 starts), split among all three stateside rookie-level Royals affiliates. Of note was his walk rate and K/BB ratio (2.1/9 IP and 3.23, respectively), a continuing sign of things to come.

Sotillet turned 21 in March, just a few weeks before he made his Class-A debut. April went very well for him, as he struck out 21 in 19 innings while walking only four, posting a 3.32 ERA. May was even better, as he recorded a 2.70 ERA over 30 innings (5 appearances, 4 starts), and walked only two batters while sending 27 down on strikes. Of some concern was his OPS against (.779), which was 137 points higher than April. Still, he showed an ability to limit damage with runners on (.257 BAA overall, .619 OPS).

June was an aberration, in terms of his previous results this year; a disastrous start at home vs. the Charleston RiverDogs severely inflated his numbers for the month (4 2/3 IP, 9 R, 8 ER, 11 H, 1 BB, 2 K). Take away that outlier, and his ERA for the month is 3.98, much closer to his norm.

While the Asheville Tourists touched him up for five runs on seven hits in four innings on July 2^nd, Sotillet made a statement in his next start when he went the full nine vs. Greensboro at Lexington (7 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K). Despite the base hits, he was never once rattled; when Manager Scott Thorman approached the mound to speak with him in the 9^th inning as the bullpen was ready to take over, Sotillet spoke with him for about five seconds before he repeatedly shook his head “no”, as his infielders simply smiled. The game was over, only moments later.

Sotillet threw 113 pitches, that night, 79 for strikes (23 looking, 15 swinging), and gave up only one XBH as he faced 32 batters. It was only his second career complete game in 38 starts, the first since 2016.

As a starter, Sotillet generally sits around 92-93 with his fastball, spotting and commanding it well, and he compliments it with a mid-high 70s curve with 11-5 break and a change-up at 82-84. Sotillet generally commands all three pitches well, and when he’s on top of his game he carves up the strike zone, attacking hitters and keeping his defense in the game.

As a reliever, Sotillet’s fastball ramps up to 95-96 and the curve touches 82 with sharp break. He does get up in the zone with the curve, sometimes, but it seems to happen more often when he’s front-dooring it to a right-hander (as far as what I’ve seen, myself). I’d like to see the change refined a bit, with perhaps a bit more tail and/or sink; such a change would make Sotillet a lock to remain in the rotation as he climbs the ladder.

Sotillet’s mechanics are simple and he repeats his motion easily. He drives to the plate and squares up to it in his follow-through, but he also spins off toward first pretty often. This doesn’t seem to cost him in terms of control, however. He maintains a three-quarter arm slot that sometimes gets slightly low, but he seems to remain on top of the ball consistently. Sotillet has great ratios, so far (8.46 K/9, 1.31 BB/9, 6.46 K/BB ratio), and though his BAA is at .294, this is largely due to a .369 BABIP, and I would assume it is unlikely to remain so high.

I asked Sotillet about what he’s been focusing on, and what he’d like to improve. “Well, I’ve been working on lowering my chest more in order to finish with better angles/command on my throws,” he said.

He’s a ground-ball pitcher, for sure (52.4 percent, 1.96 GB/FB ratio), and has given up only 6 homers in his 16 appearances. One could make an argument that he’s around the heart of the zone too often (107 H in 89 1/3 IP, 69.8 percent strike pct.), but he makes it work.

Sotillet has the profile of a back-end starter, and if he’s moved to the pen, he’s a multi-inning option with mid-90s velo and three solid pitches. His star is on the rise, but his future role (starter or reliever) will likely determine his advancement up the ladder as much as anything else. As I finish this article, Sotillet is finishing his first day at High-A Wilmington (how dare he leave before I finish writing this!), due in part to the arrival of LHP Daniel Lynch and RHP Jackson Kowar. However, he said that he thoroughly enjoyed playing in Lexington. “I thought (Lexington) was very nice. I liked it a lot,” he related to me.

The list of prospects in Lexington just keeps on growing.

Garrett Davila, LHP

3-4, 4.08 ERA in 15 starts, 64 IP, 23 BB, 46 K, 15 HRA

I’ve seen a lot of Davila, both this season and in 2017, and the more I see of him, the more he intrigues me. There are a few reasons for that.

First off, Davila was a 4th-round pick out of South Point HS (Belmont, NC) in 2015, and at the time he was ranked 20^th nationally among lefties and 3^rd in North Carolina by Perfect Game. He was then working with an upper-80s fastball, a slurvy breaking ball, and a changeup that showed good fade and sink. Davila now sits around 90-92, working in a curve at 76-79 with two-plane movement, and a circle-change at 83-84 that shows potential as a plus pitch. He demonstrates excellent arm speed and feel for the change, and has been able to lean on it as a secondary offering if his curve abandons him.

Second, it’s important to note that six of those 15 homers allowed came in a two-game span (June 24^th at home vs. Columbia; June 30^th at home vs. Asheville), in which he allowed three homers in each game. Take those away, and his ERA drops around half a point. Also, while those homers drove up his OPS over the last month (.879 in previous four starts), he’s allowed only a .191 BA against in that same span.

Oddly enough, his OBP vs. LHB is 84 points higher than vs. righties (.370 vs. LHB; .286 vs. RHB).  He’s put up some of his best numbers with runners on base (.186 BA, .605 OPS w/runners on).

Third, while he has shown fly-ball tendencies this season, he has the tools to induce grounders when he’s at his best. In the four games in which he’s allowed 10 or more fly-balls, he has given up two or fewer runs (24 total IP, 7 runs allowed, 4 HRA), so even when opposing batters are putting the ball in the air with regularity, he’s mitigated the damage. A refined curve and more consistency with his change-up, and he could turn the corner. Yes, the HR/FB% is exceedingly high (19.5%), but again, much of that is due to a homer-happy June (8 HRA in 17 1/3 IP). He sometimes drops his arm a bit/dips his left shoulder in his drive to the plate, and that could leave him up in the zone from time to time.

When asked about what has helped him the most, this year, Davila was emphatic that concentrating on location and command with his fastball has done a great deal for his progress:

“Just improving my fastball command has helped me the most. I’m able to locate the fastball, and it just makes it that much tougher for the hitters.”

Davila has time on his side; he’s only 21 years old, and it’s understandable that a high-school pitcher might have a bit of a learning curve going into pro ball without the benefit of college experience. He has handled himself well on the mound, and typically seems to be unfazed by bad games. Long-term, I could see him becoming a 4^th or 5^th starter, and his floor would likely be as an effective middle reliever and potential spot starter, assuming he maintains his three-pitch arsenal into the high levels of the minors. Davila was reported to be throwing in the mid-nineties during his senior year, before the Royals gave him the summer off to work out and give his arm a rest.

There’s reason to believe that he may yet add 1-2 MPH to his avg fastball. If he can do so, then at his peak KC might have a lefty who sits around 93 and deals a curve and change that are both at least ML-average.

Photo Credit: Clinton Riddle