Top Prospect Watch

#1: Marco Luciano

This Week (High-A): DID NOT PLAY – Injury

Season (High-A): .288/.360/.507 – 42-146, 8 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 15 BB, 38 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Luciano remains on the injured list, but word is that he’s down in Arizona starting to recover.  Hopefully he’ll be back on the field soon.

#3: Luis Matos 

This Week (High-A): .182/.250/.636 – 4-22, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .183/.262/.308 – 38-208, 8 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 19 BB, 37 SO, 4-5 SB-SBA

This week was at least the week that Matos began showing his power again in the plate.  He’s still not making contact like Matos has been known for, which is a struggle, but the power is getting better and that’s a good thing.

#4: Kyle Harrison

This Week (AA): 0.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP – 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 3 BB, 3 SO

Season (High-A): 1.55 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .179 Avg – 7 G, 7 GS, 29.0 IP, 19 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 10 BB, 59 SO

Season (AA): 3.19 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, .175 Avg – 8 G, 8 GS, 42.1 IP, 25 H, 16 R, 15 ER, 5 HR, 22 BB, 60 SO

Harrison has continued to improve over as he throws more games in Double-A.  Notably, however, his strikeouts at Double-A aren’t at the same level as they were at lower levels, but the domination is still there, especially at how young he is compared to the level.

#5: Heliot Ramos 

This Week (AAA): .227/.370/.273 – 5-22, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 BB, 1 SO, 1-2 SB-SBA

Season (AAA): .224/.314/.336 – 66-295, 10 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 32 BB, 76 SO, 4-9 SB-SBA

Ramos has been treading water at Sacramento for a while, and this past week didn’t see a lot of power, but he was cutting far down on his strikeouts and collecting some walks.  It is notable to see how often he’s getting caught stealing, however.

#6: Will Bednar

This Week (Low-A): DID NOT PLAY – Injury

Season (Low-A): 4.19 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, .167 Avg – 12 G, 12 GS, 43.0 IP, 25 H, 22 R, 20 ER, 7 HR, 22 BB, 51 SO

Bednar’s injury break continues, and hopefully he can use this break to turn his season around.

#7: Jairo Pomares 

This Week (High-A): .158/.200/.158 – 3-19, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 BB, 8 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .215/.284/.395 – 49-228, 14 2B, 0 3B, 9 HR, 21 BB, 88 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

It was a tough week in the Northwest League for Pomares, though it wasn’t as tough as it would be for others, as you’ll see below.  Maybe it was just one bad week.

#8: Aeverson Arteaga

This Week (Low-A): .231/.344/.308 – 6-26, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 BB, 11 SO, 1-1 SB-SBA

Season (Low-A): .272/.337/.429 – 90-331, 24 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 26 BB, 97 SO, 7-9 SB-SBA

Another couple of doubles for Arteaga on a soft week for him.  Notably, Arteaga’s strikeouts continue, which will be something to watch through the future as he develops.

#9: Hunter Bishop

This Week (High-A): .188/.278/.250 – 3-16, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .229/.319/.423 – 64-279, 11 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 29 BB, 106 SO, 17-19 SB-SBA

Another Eugene hitter who had a tough week, Bishop’s 3-for-16 week is a cooling off after he’d been coming alive for the first time since his lost season to injury.  Hopefully, he just hit what stuff other hitters in Eugene did.

#10: Nick Swiney

This Week (AA): 0.00 ERA, 1.13 WHIP – 5.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 4 BB, 6 SO

Season (AA): 3.47 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, .171 Avg – 13 G, 13 GS, 59.2 IP, 37 H, 29 R, 23 ER, 2 HR, 29 BB, 74 SO

Swiney had one of his best games at High-A, with a shutout start.  Swiney has definitely had ups and down this season, but when he’s up, he can be very, very good.

System Risers

Vaun Brown

This Week (High-A): .273/.292/.636 – 6-22, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 1 BB, 4 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (Low-A): .346/.427/.636 – 79-229, 14 2B, 5 3B, 14 HR, 25 BB, 67 SO, 23-3 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .351/.412/.649 – 26-74, 4 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 6 BB, 22 SO, 9-9 SB-SBA

Other than the power, this was a bit of a down week for Brown.  However, this down week is worth noting int he context that nearly every other top Eugene hitter was hitting close to .100 (or less), and Brown still was effective, just down a little.

Grant McCray

This Week (Low-A): .304/.400/.565 – 7-23, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 6 SO, 0-2 SB-SBA

Season (Low-A): .277/.366/.513 – 88-318, 17 2B, 8 3B, 14 HR, 41 BB, 107 SO, 22-30 SB-SBA

Brown had one of the best weeks of any hitter in the system, except on the basepaths.  McCray still is one of the better hitters and pretty lonely in the Low-A lineup.

Casey Schmitt

This Week (High-A): .053/.100/.105 – 1-19, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 BB, 6 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .269/.354/.473 – 76-283, 11 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 32 BB, 75 SO, 1-3 SB-SBA

One of the worst lines in Eugene in a rough week for nearly everyone, but Schmitt’s performance nearly completely stopped.  Hopefully, everyone bounced back after this week.

Sean Hjelle

This Week (AAA): 9.64 ERA, 2.57 WHIP – 4.2 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 2 SO

Season (AAA): 5.17 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .289 Avg – 14 G, 14 GS, 62.2 IP, 73 H, 39 R, 36 ER, 8 HR, 21 BB, 50 SO

Since his latest trip to the big leagues, Hjelle has been off, and this was one of his worst games in terms of giving up hits.

Ryan Murphy

This Week (AA): DID NOT PLAY – Injury

Season (High-A): 2.90 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, .180 Avg – 7 G, 7 GS, 31.0 IP, 20 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 12 BB, 47 SO

Season (AA): 9.35 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, .265 Avg – 2 G, 2 GS, 8.2 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 HR, 10 BB, 7 SO

Murphy’s back began acting up again, so he missed his last start.  Word is that he might be back to the diamond soon.