by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor
May 15, 2023
LAS VEGAS AVIATORS (AAA)
Record: 19-20
Team OPS: .857 / Team ERA: 5.84
Outfielder Conner Capel has been hot since his demotion to Las Vegas on May 3. The 25-year-old has gone 11 for 30 while boasting an on-base percentage of .441 since joining the Aviators. Catcher Yohel Pozo, who was signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, has been hitting the ball hard since returning from the injured list on April 19. The 25-year-old backstop has gone 15 for 48 with 3 home runs and 3 doubles while sporting a slugging percentage of .563. Third baseman Jonah Bride got off to a bit of a slow start, compiling a slash line of .189/.326/.392 in 21 April games in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but he’s slashed a much-improved .333/.415/.556 in his first 11 games in May. Outfielder Trenton Brooks, who was signed as a minor league free agent in the offseason, has been one of the team’s hottest hitters all season, and he’s only gotten hotter. The 27-year-old posted a .980 OPS in 22 games in April but has put up an even more impressive OPS of 1.193 in 9 games in May, and his .610 slugging percentage is tops among all A’s minor leaguers with at least 100 at-bats this season. Meanwhile, on the mound, LHP Hogan Harris, who issued 14 walks in 11 1/3 innings while compiling a 7.15 ERA in April has posted an ERA of 0.90 over his first pair of starts in May and issued just a single walk in his most recent start last week. And since shifting to the bullpen, RHP Colin Peluse has thrown 7 scoreless innings in relief during the month of May for Las Vegas.
MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS (AA)
Record: 19-14
Team OPS: .825 / Team ERA: 5.23
Outfielder Chase Calabuig has been the RockHounds’ hottest hitter of late. Now in his fourth season in Midland, Calabuig only saw occasional action in April, putting up a slash line of .275/.315/.490 in 12 games during the month, but the 27-year-old is slashing an impressive .440/.533/.800 in 7 games in May. Shortstop Darell Hernaiz has been nearly as good lately. The 21-year-old infielder has put up a .425/.452/.700 slash line in 10 games in May, and his .356 batting average is best among all A’s minor leaguers with at least 100 at-bats this season. Outfielder Denzel Clarke has compiled an OPS of 1.112 since returning from the injured list on April 24, but he’s posted an OPS of just .726 in May. Outfielder Lazaro Armenteros has been hitting the ball hard since joining Midland on May 2. The 23-year-old has gone 5 for 18 with 6 walks, a triple, a pair of home runs and 11 RBIs in 6 games with the RockHounds. Meanwhile, infielder Logan Davidson has gone 11 for 32 and hammered 4 home runs in 8 games in May. The team’s most consistent hitter thus far has been third baseman Brett Harris, whose .445 on-base percentage is best among all A’s minor leaguers with at least 100 at-bats this season. On the mound, RHP Ryan Cusick has failed to allow a run in 10 innings in May, despite issuing 8 walks. And RHP Grant Holman has looked solid since his arrival in Midland on May 9. The 22-year-old Cal alum has allowed just a single run while striking out 7 in 4 innings of relief for the RockHounds.
LANSING LUGNUTS (A+)
Record: 15-17
Team OPS: .659 / Team ERA: 5.03
Since Lazarito left for Midland, there haven’t been a whole lot of hot hitters in the Lansing lineup of late. Last year’s top draft pick, catcher Daniel Susac, clearly tops the list. After putting up an OPS of .732 in April, the 22-year-old is slashing a robust .342/.444/.526 in 11 games in May. There have been a few more impressive performances on the mound for the Lugnuts. 24-year-old RHP Blake Beers has allowed just 3 runs and struck out 12 in 12 innings of work over his most recent pair of starts and was just named the Midwest League’s Pitcher of the Week. His fellow 24-year-old RHP, Mitch Myers, has posted an ERA of 2.61 over his last pair of starts for Lansing. 24-year-old Dominican RHP Jorge Juan has been nearly unhittable out of the bullpen of late, notching 12 strikeouts over 5 scoreless innings in May. Meanwhile, 24-year-old LHP Jack Owen has thrown 5 1/3 scoreless frames in relief this month for the Lugnuts.
STOCKTON PORTS (A)
Record: 8-25
Team OPS: .641 / Team ERA: 5.86
Outfielder Henry Bolte has been the Ports’ most productive hitter of late. After going 2 for 20 in April, the 19-year-old former 2nd-round draft pick is slashing an impressive .351/.489/.595 in 11 games in May. 22-year-old infielder Brennan Milone is boasting an on-base percentage of .468 in 10 games this month, while 21-year-old third baseman T.J. Schofield-Sam has boosted his OPS from a measly .597 in 18 games in April to a healthy .925 in 9 games in May. One of the team’s most consistent hitters has been last year’s 3rd-round pick, 22-year-old outfielder Colby Thomas, who’s slashing .282/.391/.462 in 11 games this month. On the mound, 22-year-old LHP James Gonzalez has posted a 2.45 ERA while striking out 13 in 11 innings of work over his most recent pair of starts for the Ports. Meanwhile, 23-year-old RHP Jake Pfennigs has notched 11 strikeouts while throwing 7 scoreless innings for Stockton this month.
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