by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor
It’s time to catch up on some of the latest news and notes from around the A’s minor league system…
But first…if you haven’t already, be sure to check out our latest A’s Farm podcast featuring an inside look at this year’s Stockton Ports with Stockton skipper Webster Garrison, outfielder Austin Beck and pitchers Brady Feigl and Hogan Harris. You can hear it right here – A’s Cast.
–LAS VEGAS AVIATORS–
-After striking out the side in order in his previous outing on Wednesday, LHP A.J. Puk allowed 2 runs in 1.1 innings of relief in his last appearance for Las Vegas on Saturday. And overall, Puk has given up 6 runs, 5 earned, on 6 hits, including a pair of home runs, while walking 3 and striking out 13 over 9.1 innings in 7 relief outings at Triple-A.
-RHP Jharel Cotton allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in 1.2 innings in his last outing on Thursday. And he’s now given up 14 runs, 13 earned, in 10.1 innings of work for Las Vegas.
-RHP Paul Blackburn threw 7 scoreless innings in his last start on Friday, and he’s now allowed just 3 runs in 20 innings over his last 3 starts for Las Vegas.
-RHP Daniel Mengden has given up 7 runs in 8 innings over his first 2 starts since returning to Las Vegas.
-After struggling mightily over his first couple of months at Triple-A, RHP Parker Dunshee has settled down a bit lately. He allowed just 2 runs over 6 innings in his last start on Thursday, and he’s now given up just 5 earned runs while striking out 15 in 15.2 innings over his last 3 outings for Las Vegas.
-RHP Brian Howard was hit hard over his first 3 starts at Triple-A. The 6-foot-9 righty gave up 20 runs, 19 earned, on 25 hits, including 4 home runs, in in first 9.2 frames for the Aviators.
-A’s catcher Josh Phegley went 0 for 3 with a walk in his first rehab game with Las Vegas on Sunday.
-After tweaking his ankle a few days earlier, shortstop Jorge Mateo was placed on the injured list last Monday. Mateo had gone 2 for 16 over his last 4 games before landing on the IL.
-Infielder Trace Loehr was promoted from the Ports to take Mateo’s place on the roster, and he’s made the most of the opportunity, going 3 for 11 with a home run and a double over his first 4 games for the Aviators.
-Infielder Franklin Barreto hit a game-winning home run in the 8th inning on Saturday but, overall, he’s gone 3 for 24 in his first 7 games since returning to Las Vegas.
-First baseman Seth Brown hit his 32nd home run of the season on Saturday and then slugged two more in Monday’s match to give him a total of 34, which is the most among A’s minor leaguers and the most in the Pacific Coast League.
–MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS–
-RHP James Kaprielian allowed just 1 hit and 1 walk while throwing 4 scoreless frames in his last outing on Saturday, and he now has an ERA of 2.57 with 12 strikeouts over 14 innings of work for Midland.
-RHP Grant Holmes struck out 9 over 5 scoreless frames in his last start on Friday, and he’s now notched 63 strikeouts in 67.1 innings this season.
-RHP Daulton Jefferies has allowed 3 earned runs and recorded 15 strikeouts over his last 15 innings for the RockHounds.
-LHP Tyler Alexander, who struggled in a starting role for Las Vegas this season, putting up a 6.72 ERA for the Aviators, was sent down to Midland at the start of the month. He’s since made 2 relief appearances for the RockHounds, allowing just 1 hit while walking 2 and striking out 4 over 3.2 scoreless frames for Midland.
-RHP Wandisson Charles was promoted to Midland at the end of July, and the 6-foot-6 righty has given up 2 runs on 3 hits while walking 4 and striking out 6 in 3.2 innings over 3 relief appearances for the RockHounds.
-Relievers Seth Martinez and Jesus Zambrano have both been solid for Midland since being promoted from the Ports, with Martinez putting up a 1.45 ERA in 10 relief appearances and Zambrano posting a 1.46 ERA over 22 relief appearances for the RockHounds.
–Edwin Diaz has been hitting well since taking over at shortstop for Kevin Merrell, who was dealt to Kansas City. The 23-year-old infielder has been the light-hitting team’s best hitter in August, slashing .263/.364/.447 for the month.
-Outfielder Greg Deichmann returned from the injured list last Wednesday and has gone 3 for 11 with a double and a walk in his first 3 games back in action for the RockHounds.
-LHP Cody Stull and infielder/outfielder Brallan Perez both landed on the injured list for Midland last week.
–STOCKTON PORTS–
-LHP Jesus Luzardo struck out 7 over 3 scoreless and hitless innings for Stockton on Saturday, throwing 43 pitches, 26 for strikes, with his fastball reaching as high as 97 mph in the outing. Martin Gallegos of mlb.com reports that Luzardo will make his next start for Las Vegas on Thursday.
-RHP Marco Estrada gave up 3 runs on 5 hits, including a pair of home runs, in just 2.2 innings of work in his last start for Stockton on Friday, and he’s now allowed 6 earned runs in 6.2 innings over 3 rehab appearances with the Ports.
-After getting off to an outstanding start over the first few months of the season, RHP Brady Feigl struggled to an 8.18 ERA in July. But he came back to strike out 7 over 6 scoreless frames in his last start for Stockton on Thursday.
-LHP Hogan Harris, who was drafted by the A’s in the 3rd round last year, never threw a pitch last season after experiencing a UCL strain and then undergoing PRP treatment. But he appears to be back on track now. After posting an ERA of 3.12 and striking out 36 in 26 innings for Vermont, he’s now put up an ERA of 3.46 while striking out 14 in his first 13 frames for Stockton.
-RHP Bryce Conley returned from the injured list and RHP Peter Bayer landed on the injured list for Stockton last week.
-First baseman Alfonso Rivas has been Stockton’s hottest hitter in August, putting up a .273/.395/.576 slash line for the month.
-Outfielder Lazaro Armenteros has gone 5 for 11 with 3 doubles over his last 3 games for the Ports.
–BELOIT SNAPPERS–
-After getting off a great start over the first couple months of the season, RHP Aiden McIntyre put up an unsightly ERA of 11.29 in July. But he’s now struck out 13 while failing to allow an earned run over his last 9.2 frames for the Snappers, and his 126 strikeouts are currently the most among A’s minor leaguers.
-After compiling an ERA of 9.96 in May, RHP Chase Cohen looks to be back on track. Last year’s 9th-round draft pick for the A’s has put up an ERA of 1.96 over 32 innings of work in July and August.
-After posting an ERA on 10.72 in June, RHP Reid Birlingmair appears to have righted the ship, and he’s now compiled an ERA of 2.96 in 45.2 innings over his last 8 starts for the Snappers.
-LHP Jhenderson Hurtado has been impressive since being promoted to the Snappers late last month. The 23-year-old Venezuelan southpaw has put up a 2.75 ERA while notching 27 strikeouts in 19.2 frames for the Snappers.
-20-year-old Venezuelan RHP Angello Infante has looked good as well, and he’s allowed just 1 run while striking out 7 over his last 8.2 innings for the Snappers.
-22-year-old outfielder Anthony Churlin, who was the A’s 16th-round draft pick out of high school back in 2016, has been Beloit’s best hitter in August, slashing .400/.447/.600 for the month.
–VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS–
-This year’s top draft pick for the A’s, shortstop Logan Davidson, got off to a slow start this season, batting .173 over his first 98 pro at-bats in June and July. But he’s now hitting .361 over his last 9 games for the Lake Monsters.
-This year’s 4th-round draft pick, catcher Kyle McCann, has also been heating up lately, and the 21-year-old has now hit 3 home runs over his last 8 games for Vermont.
-This year’s 11th-round draft pick, infielder Dustin Harris, has gotten off to a good start in the NY-Penn League after being promoted to Vermont earlier this month. The 20-year-old has gone 10 for 24 with 4 walks over his first 7 games for the Lake Monsters.
-This year’s 2nd-round draft pick, RHP Tyler Baum, has struck out 25 in 22 frames, while this year’s 9th-round pick, RHP Colin Peluse, has K’d 26 in 24 innings of work for the Lake Monsters.
-RHP Jose Mora leads the Lake Monsters with 8 saves in 8 opportunities. The 21-year-old Dominican righty has allowed just 6 hits while striking out 32 over 21.1 innings of relief…but he has issued 14 walks.
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