The Reds started out the week sending Devin Mesoraco and Jason Bourgeois down to Louisville on rehab assignments. Then Brandon Phillips (groin) and Billy Hamilton (hand) promptly suffered nagging day to day injuries. If that wasn’t enough, Zack Cozart appears to have suffered a knee injury that will most likely require a stay on the DL. Given the Reds health, there will likely be some roster moving coming later today. We’ll talk about a few players on the Bat’s roster that have a chance at getting a call up if they decide that neither Mesoraco or Bourgeois are not quite ready yet.
AAA Louisville Bats
Eugenio Suarez, .256/.348/.438/.786, appears to be a good bet to get called up to get some regular playing time at SS for the Reds if Zack Cozart does land on the DL. Josh Satin, .272/.364/.432/.796, would be good option to be called up for a RH bat off the bench and he can play 1B, 2B, and 3B. Steve Selsky, .305/.358/.430/.788, would also be a good RH PH option who can play LF, RF, and 1B.
Jumbo Diaz is back with the Bats as Jon Moscot and Nate Adcock were called up to the Reds. Ben Klimesh was sent down to Pensacola and Keyvious Sampson was called up from the Blue Wahoos. It will be interesting to see if Sampson joins the starting rotation and who he replaces there if he does, most likely guesses would be Donovan Hand and Layne Somsen.
AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Sean Buckley, .246/.315/.369/.684, comes off the DL for Pensacola. Seth Mejias-Brean, .263/.376/.346/.722, who was just beginning to finally find his stroke at AA was placed on the DL with right shoulder tendinitis.
There is good news here for our top prospects. Jesse Winker is hitting .333/.353/.606/.959 in June to raise his season totals to .247/.344/.366/.710. Good to see him starting to show some life at AA. Robert Stephenson is rounding into form as well. Over his last three starts he has lowered his ERA from 5.26 to 3.67. His number over that three game stretch are 3 GS 22 IP 7 H 2 ER 4 BB 25 SO.
High A Daytona Tortugas
C Joe Hudson, who is known for his good defense, is doing very well thus far with the bat .269/.367/.404/.771. OF Sebastian Elizalde is holding his own in the low offense FSL with a .261/.309/.401/.710. Elizalde drew 41 BB in 229 PA last year at Dayton, but since his promotion at mid-season last year has drawn just 36 BB in 510 PA at the A+ level between Bakersfield and Daytona.
Jackson Stephens, who had a 4.72 ERA over the last two seasons at Dayton, is having a decent year so far with 3.67 ERA over 11 GS. El’Hajj Muhammad appears to have taken over the closer role in Daytona as he now has 6 saves. Muhammad has a sparkling 2.70 ERA, but in 26.2 IP he has allowed 25 H and 19 BB to go with 21 SO.
Low A Dayton Dragons
OF Jonathan Reynoso, .288/.333/.407/.740, is off to a good start. Reynoso has 5 SB with 0 CS, but just 6 BB in 128 PA. 3B Gavin LaValley, .262/.338/.347/.684 is faring just a little better than the Midwest League average of .251/.321/.357/.677.
SP Seth Varner, 3.51 ERA is showing some great control as he has allowed just 5 BB in 59 IP. Oddly enough, Varner also leads the starting staff with a 9.2 SO/9 and a 10.2 H/9. Brian Hunter, 2.22 ERA is the closer with 5 saves and has 32 SO in 24.1 IP.
Rookie Billings Mustangs
The MLB draft concluded yesterday and the college players drafted there will for the most part stock the Mustangs roster, who begin play on 06/18.
Rookie AZL Reds
The high school players selected in the draft will mostly be found playing this season for the AZL Reds who start playing on 06/20.