July’s Top-Performing Prospects: Laureano, Luzardo & Marks

by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor

With July just about to come to an end, we thought we’d take the opportunity to take a quick look at some of the A’s top-performing prospects over the past month. Lefty Jesus Luzardo has been more than living up to the hype for the RockHounds, while righty Wyatt Marks has been busy putting himself on the map in Beloit.

Outfielder Ramon Laureano has been returning to the form that once made him one of the Astros’ top prospects in Nashville, and Eli White, Mitchell Jordan and Sandber Pimentel all merit a mention for their impressive performances as well. All statistics are complete through games of Sunday, July 29…

 

–TOP JULY PERFORMERS–

 
OF Ramon Laureano – Nashville Sounds (AAA)
Laureano has been having perhaps the hottest July of any hitting prospect in the A’s system. He’s collected 8 home runs, 7 doubles and 5 stolen bases this month while batting .365 and compiling a gaudy .683 slugging percentage for the Sounds.

 
2B-SS Eli White – Midland RockHounds (AA)
White has done nothing but hit this season, and he’s been having his best month since taking over the leadoff spot in July. He’s notched 9 doubles this month while hitting .360. White has also drawn 20 walks in July while boasting an impressive .459 on-base percentage for the RockHounds.

 
1B Sandber Pimentel – Stockton Ports (A+)
When he’s hot, he’s hot, and Pimentel has been scorching for Stockton in July. He’s hit 9 home runs and drawn 15 walks this month while putting up a dangerous .612 slugging percentage for the Ports.

 
LHP Jesus Luzardo – Midland RockHounds (AA)
The A’s top ptching prospect has just kept getting better as the year has rolled on, and he’s been having his best month yet in July. The 20-year-old southpaw has allowed just 8 hits, 3 walks and 1 run while striking out 24 in 21 innings of work this month for the RockHounds.

 
RHP Wyatt Marks – Beloit Snappers (A)
Last year’s 13th-round draft pick for the A’s has really been clicking on all cylinders in July. Marks has allowed just 3 earned runs while striking out 36 over 31 innings for the Snappers this month, and his 127 strikeouts on the season are tops in the Midwest League.

 
RHP Mitchell Jordan – Beloit Snappers (A)
2016’s 10th-round draft pick for the A’s has really been rounding into form this year for the Snappers, and July has been his most impressive month this season. Jordan has allowed just 4 earned runs and struck out 25 over 29 frames this month, and his 2.26 ERA on the season is good for second best in the Midwest League.
 
Click here for updates on each affiliate’s playoff race and July’s minor league transactions…

 

–PLAYOFF RACES–

 
Nashville Sounds
Unlike most minor leagues, the Pacific Coast League doesn’t split its season into two halves. The Sounds are 51-55 this season and are currently in second place and 16.5 games back in their division, so their postseason prospects aren’t looking particularly promising at this point.

 
Midland RockHounds
The Rockounds are 46-60 on the season. They finished the first half in third place in their division with a 33-36 record. They are currently 13-24 and are in fourth place and nine games back in the second half. It’ll take a strong month of August if the RockHounds want to have any chance of notching another Texas League title.

 
Stockton Ports
The Ports are 62-46 on the season. They finished the first half in first place in their division with a 44-26 record, so they are already assured a place in the California League playoffs. The Ports are currently 18-20 and, believe it or not, are in first place in their division with a three-game lead in the second half.

 
Beloit Snappers
The Snappers are 53-50 on the season. They finished the first half tied for fifth place in their division with a 32-37 record. They are currently 21-13 and are in third place and just three games back in the second half. Improved pitching has fueled the Snappers’ performance in the second half, and a strong month of August could propel them into their first Midwest League playoff appearance in a while.

 
Vermont Lake Monsters
The Lake Monsters are currently 20-22 and are in fourth place and 3.5 games back in their division.

 
Arizona League A’s
The AZL A’s are currently 17-15 on the season. They finished the first half in fourth place in their division with a 15-12 record. They are currently 2-3 and are tied for fourth place and just one game back in the second half.

 

–JULY TRANSACTIONS—

 
Second baseman Trace Loehr was promoted from Beloit to Stockton on June 29.

Midland third baseman Mikey White was placed on the disabled list on June 30.

A’s RHP Liam Hendriks was sent to Nashville on July 2.

Beloit RHP Bryce Conley was placed on the disabled list on July 2.

Beloit outfielder Lazaro Armenteros returned from the disabled list on July 2.

Midland RHP Corey Walter returned from the disabled list on July 2.

RHP Trey Cochran-Gill was reassigned from Midland to Stockton on July 3.

Stockton shortstop Kevin Merrell was placed on the disabled list on July 3 with an elbow sprain.

RHP Kyle Finnegan was reassigned from Nashville to Midland on July 4.

Outfielder Chase Calabuig was promoted from the AZL A’s to Stockton on July 8.

Midland catcher Sean Murphy was placed on the disabled list on July 9 and was set to have hamate bone surgery and could miss the remainder of the season.

Catcher Jason Goldstein was promoted from Stockton to Midland on July 9.

Cather Jonah Heim was promoted from Stockton to Midland on July 10.

Catcher Santiago Chavez was reassigned from Midland to Stockton on July 10.

RHP Norge Ruiz was reassigned from Nashville to Midland on July 12.

RHP Kyle Friedrichs was reassigned from Midland to Stockton on July 12.

Stockton RHP Dustin Hurlbutt was placed on the disabled list on July 12.

A’s RHP Ryan Dull was sent to Nashville on July 14.

Nashville outfielder BJ Boyd was activated from the disabled list on July 14.

Second baseman Nate Mondou was promoted from Stockton to Midland on July 15.

Outfielder Luis Barrera was promoted from Stockton to Midland on July 15.

Infielder Edwin Diaz was reassigned from Midland to Stockton on July 15.

Outfielder Brett Siddall was reassigned from Midland to Stockton on July 15.

Nashville outfielder Jake Smolinski was placed on the disabled list on July 16.

RHP Ben Bracewell was reassigned from Nashville to Midland on July 17.

Beloit outfielder JaVon Shelby was released on July 19.

Nashville RHP Bobby Wahl was traded to the Mets on July 21.

Stockton third baseman Will Toffey was traded to the Mets on July 21.

Stockton outfielder Dairon Blanco was placed on the disabled list on July 21 and was set to have hamate bone surgery and could miss the remainder of the season.

Infielder Cobie Vance was promoted from the AZL A’s to Stockton on July 22.

Midland outfielder Tyler Marincov was placed on the disabled list on July 24.

Vermont outfielder Austin Piscotty retired on July 24.

Outfielder Boog Powell began his second rehab assignment with Nashville on July 24.

Outfielder Alonzo Jones was assigned to the AZL A’s on July 25.

Stockton outfielder Greg Deichmann returned from the disabled list on July 28.

Outfielder Nick Osborne was signed and sent to Vermont on July 28.

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