BA highlights:

CLE AA Frazier, Clint DH 5 0 1 0 .285 CS (4)
CLE AA Papi, Mike LF 3 3 2 6 .212 3B (2), HR (2), BB (18)
CLE AA Rodriguez, Nellie 1B 4 1 1 0 .262
CLE AA Zimmer, Bradley CF 4 1 3 3 .247 2B (19), HR (14), BB (46)
CLE AAA Gonzalez, Erik SS 4 0 1 0 .295
CLE HiA Allen, Greg CF 6 1 3 2 .310 2 2B (14)
CLE HiA Chang, Yu-Cheng SS 3 1 1 0 .267 2 BB (31)
CLE HiA Krieger, Tyler 2B 6 0 1 0 .313
CLE HiA Mathias, Mark 3B 4 2 2 2 .241 BB (29)
CLE HiA Mejia, Francisco C 5 2 2 2 .345
CLE LoA Castro, Willi SS 4 0 1 0 .258
CLE MAJ Naquin, Tyler CF 4 1 1 2 .313 HR (7)
CLE AAA Armstrong, Shawn 1 1 0 0 0 0 2.90
CLE HiA Lugo, Luis 4 6 5 4 3 3 4.18 L (4-3)
CLE MAJ Clevinger, Mike 2 1 0 0 2 1 7.71

I see Ryan Merritt is off the DL and working for Columbus today. With Anderson back yesterday, at least for 2 innings, they are reconstructing an actual rotation, since Morimando has joined the Clippers and Plutko is there too.

Merryweather gets his 3rd start for Akron tonight. His first was a disaster and his second pretty decent.

Mitch Brown for Lynchburg. ERA 5.20. When he's hit being hard, his control is awful. Little progress made in this career.

Brock Hartson, a 21st round pick in 2015, who's having a good year in Lake County [5-3 2.70 1.1 WHIP] working for the Captains.

3rd round pick 2016 Aaron Civale going for the woeful Scrappers. He's only been allowed 2 innings in each of his 2 stars. No one has a hit off him yet, he's walked 1, and fanned 6. There's no offense on this team so he is unlikely to win any games even if he pitches the mandatory 5 innings and throws perfect games.

No projected starter for Arizona. I think it's about time for another Brady Aiken game. He was not so hot 3rd time out, but what matters most is that he's healthy, he's pitching, and how hard he's throwing [??] and how his other stuff is working [??]

BA features for Wednesday games:

Nolan Jones, ss, Indians. The second-round pick from Pennsylvania made his pro debut Wednesday and went 0-for-2 with two walks in the Rookie-level AZL against the Dodgers. The wiry-strong 6-foot-5 shortstop has clean actions in the field and shows plus raw power in batting practice.

CLE AA Frazier, Clint RF 5 1 2 1 .287 2B (23)
CLE AA Zimmer, Bradley CF 4 0 1 1 .247 BB (47), SB (29)
CLE AAA Diaz, Yandy 3B 4 1 2 0 .305 BB (24) [back at 3rd for a change]
CLE AAA Gonzalez, Erik SS 5 2 3 1 .300 HR (6), SB (9) [more trade value]
CLE HiA Chang, Yu-Cheng SS 5 2 4 6 .276 2 2B (23) [power up]
CLE HiA Krieger, Tyler DH 3 2 1 1 .314 BB (4)
CLE HiA Mathias, Mark 2B 4 0 1 0 .241 2B (18)
CLE HiA Mejia, Francisco C 5 0 1 0 .324 [that's either 31 or 32 in a row]
CLE MAJ Naquin, Tyler CF 3 0 2 0 .320 BB (14)
CLE AAA Merritt, Ryan 5 6 4 4 1 4 4.41 W (5-7)
CLE HiA Brown, Mitch 4 6 5 5 3 3 5.52 [well, he only walked 3]
CLE R Aiken, Brady 2 3 5 4 4 4 6.75 L (0-2) [first 2 innings, 1 unearned run, 4 K; then out of gas]

other lines of note:

Papi 2 2 0 0 .208 2 walks
Merryweather 6 8 4 2 1 3 7.80 in AA

Santander 4 2 1 2 .272 bb HR#10
I had not noticed LH reliever Billy Strode's numbers at all until he was promoted from Lake County to Lynchburg. He was pretty darn good for the Captains:
26 23/ IP 9 H 2 ER 2 BB 27 K 0.68 ERA 0.41 WHIP
His debut in Lynchburg was no worse: 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 1
10th round 2015

Aaron Civale 3 4 0 0 1 2 0.00 in 7 innings
Andrew Calica 11th rounder CF debuts 2 1 1 2

Conner Capel 5th round CF 3 0 1 0 .188
Jorma Rodriguez 3B 4 0 1 0 .471 triple
Oscar Gonzalez the LF with 5 homers already: 4 0 0 0 .370 3K

June All-Prospect Team:


C Francisco Mejia • Indians
High Class A Lynchburg (Carolina)

The 20-year-old Dominican catcher repeated the Midwest League this season at low Class A Lake County and improved his OPS by nearly 250 points. At the time the Indians promoted him to the Carolina League on June 29, Mejia ranked among the MWL leaders with a .347 average, 51 RBIs and a .531 slugging percentage, while also throwing out 43 percent of basestealers.

AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS+
93 20 39 7 0 6 22 5 12 1 1 .419 .449 .688 252

That was 32 for Francisco. And I am so happy to read that he is throwing out 43% of would-be base stealers. I have not read much info about his defensive prowess and have been wondering about that. My man crush grows each passing day. In a totally heterosexual kind of way.

Some of the games best catchers throwing %

Thurman Munson 44%
Yadier Molina 44%
Johnny Bench 43%
Pudge Rodriguez 46%

If he continues that in the majors he will be in good company...

You may see Yandy at 3rd base a little more right now cause they may be considering bringing him up soon. At least I hope so. Uribe is worthless except as a cheerleader. Although if Brantley comes back soon we may see Ramirez given the 3rd base job. Hard to take him out of lineup the way he's been swinging.

Not sure if Ramirez' arm is quite good enough to be a 3rd base regular but he and Lindor seem to make a very good left side of the IF. So did Lindor and Urshela. Enthusiasm along with the talent that is obvious in Frankie.

Clippers Yandy Diaz is headed to the 18th edition of the Futures Game that will take place on Sunday, July 10, at Petco Park in San Diego (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on MLB Network) as part of the World Team. The Futures Game has become the tradition of All-Star Weekend and is jam-packed with talent that will soon be filling big league rosters. Diaz joins Indians prospects Bradley Zimmer and Francisco Mejia, who are also heading to San Diego.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHkRBKojWum/

That post said he was joining Bradley Zimmer and Francisco Mejia in the game. But Zimmer did not make it, it is Clint Frazier. Just a little brain fart by their social media person.

Yandy replaced IF Jorge Mateo who's been suspended by the Yankees organization for insubordinate comments to team officials after being bypassed for a promotion from Class A Tampa.

Mejia did not extend his hitting streak last night ... But of course that is because he got the night off. Only thing that can slow him down is taking him off the field.

Allen had a walk and a triple. Indians said just for that he must stay there another week.

2 more hits from Krieger. Clemson kid lookin pretty good. Like to see him work on that K/BB ratio.

Papi has his average over 200!!

To reward him the Ducks hit him lead off.

Morimando got his ass handed to him.

Baseball Prospectus Top 50

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/artic ... leid=29767

13) Clint Frazier, OF, Cleveland Indians (Pre-season Rank: 23)

Tell Me Ten Words: His game is finally catching up with his bat speed
Hope Is Important: Like George Springer but with a little less power
Actually It’s Darkness: I can’t hear you. La la la.


17) Bradley Zimmer, OF, Cleveland Indians (Pre-season Rank: 9)

Tell Me Ten Words: What was once safe suddenly doesn’t feel so safe anymore
Hope Is Important: He can bring the power/speed combination
Actually It’s Darkness: The suddenly extreme contact issues hold him back

Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order):

Brady Aiken, LHP, Cleveland Indians

Not mejia?

He's off this weekend for the Futures Game. Perhaps won't be in a Lynchburg lineup until next week?

CLE AA Frazier, Clint RF 4 0 1 0 .286
CLE AA Papi, Mike DH 4 0 1 0 .210
CLE AA Rodriguez, Nellie 1B 4 0 2 0 .265 2B (20)
CLE AAA Diaz, Yandy RF 4 0 1 0 .304
CLE AAA Gonzalez, Erik SS 5 0 1 0 .299
CLE HiA Allen, Greg CF 3 2 1 0 .307 3B (4), BB (52)
CLE HiA Krieger, Tyler 2B 4 0 2 2 .333 2B (3) [hitting just as well in Lynchburg as at Lake County]
CLE HiA Mathias, Mark 3B 2 0 1 0 .243 BB (30)
CLE MAJ Naquin, Tyler CF 4 1 2 1 .325 HR (8), SB (3) [where did all this power come from??]
CLE AAA Morimando, Shawn 6.1 9 6 4 2 3 5.68 L (0-1) [2 home runs]
CLE HiA Sheffield, Justus 5 6 3 3 1 8 3.90 [not having a great year, but plenty of Ks and only 20 in High A, I'm satisfied]