by Jeffrey Pilch (@texasleaguers1) / A’s Farm Midland Contributor
The RockHounds started the 2019 season without any of the A’s top 10 prospects according to MLB Pipeline on their roster, but they do have eight players ranked in the top 30 on the squad.
Midland managed to finish the month of April with a record of 14-10 thanks to a strong pitching staff that posted the second-best ERA in the league, solid defense, and a lineup that ranked right in the middle of the pack in most offensive categories.
Let’s take a quick look at how some of the A’s top prospects at Midland (as ranked by MLB Pipeline) performed during the first month of the season…
Outfielder Greg Deichmann (# 11)
The A’s 2017 second-round pick has shown flashes of his potential but still hasn’t unleashed the type of power that the organization hopes he’ll eventually show. The 23-year-old has compiled just six extra-base hits, three doubles and three home runs, while slugging .337 through his first 27 games this season. He also leads the RockHounds in strikeouts with 35 in 104 at-bats through Saturday.
Pitcher Grant Holmes (#12)
One of the big questions for Midland coming into the season was whether or not Holmes, who missed most of last season with shoulder issues, could manage to stay healthy. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old was sidelined once again with a sore shoulder after his first three appearances, and he hasn’t thrown a pitch since April 17.
Outfielder Luis Barrera (#13)
Barrera got off to a hot start by slashing .302/.375/.605 over his first 12 games but was then sidelined for over two weeks with a sore shoulder before finally returning to action again on Saturday. After missing a little time, hopefully Barrera will be able to pick right up where he left off in April.
Shortstop Kevin Merrell (#17)
Merrell continues to work on refining his swing, but he may have started to figure things out with a good second half of April, during which he raised his batting average close to 100 points, from .133 to .228. The 23-year-old ended up finishing the month with a slash line of .228/.287/.342. Merrell needs to get on base in order to utilize his blazing speed, but through his first 556 minor league plate appearances, he’d walked just 33 times. And he’s gone just 1 for 15 vs. lefties so far this season, so some work may also be needed there.
Pitcher Parker Dunshee (#18)
Dunshee was fantastic in April with an ERA of 1.74 and a WHIP of 1.03 over five starts. The 24-year-old continues to throw four pitches for strikes and, as he told Brian Stultz of milb.com last week, “I feel pretty confident right now in all my pitches. I’m attacking the zone well.”
Pitcher Brian Howard (#21)
Howard was equally as impressive as Dunshee in the season’s first month. The 24-year-old compiled a 1.73 ERA over five April starts. Howard has had some command issues in a couple of his appearances but, like Dunshee, he can throw four pitches well, which allows him to wriggle out of jams even when his command of some pitches is less than perfect.
Catcher Jonah Heim (#29)
Acquired from the Rays for Joey Wendle in December of 2017, Heim has begun to blossom with the bat and slashed .298/.369/.439 in April. With his above-average defensive work behind the plate, Heim’s continued improvement at the plate make him a player to keep an eye on as the season unfolds.
Outfielder Dairon Blanco (#30)
After turning in a strong season in Stockton, the A’s had high hopes for the Cuban outfielder this year, and he hasn’t disappointed. The 26-year-old slashed .333/.395/.536 in April while primarily hitting in the leadoff spot for the Hounds. Though he doesn’t draw as many walks as one would ideally like from a leadoff hitter, Blanco does have the ability to put the bat on the ball and has shown a little pop by clubbing nine extra-base hits in April while also leading all A’s minor leaguers by swiping nine bases during the month.
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