D-backs Farm Report: Kane County’s Emilio Vargas racks up 17 strikeouts
Aug 22, 2016, 7:54 AM | Updated: 11:18 am
Reno Aces (Triple-A Pacific Coast League)
Week: 5-2 | Overall: 69-60, 2nd place in Pacific Northern Division — 5.5 games behind Tacoma
Red-hot Reinheimer: Shortstop Jack Reinheimer led the Aces’ offensive attack last week, batting .481 (13-for-27) with three triples and five RBI. He had four multi-hit games, including three three-hit contests. Over his last ten games, Reinheimer is batting .421 (16-for-38).
2️⃣ on. 2️⃣ outs. 3️⃣ bases for @Reinheimer_08! Jack with the Absolute Dental Play of the Game! pic.twitter.com/oBJZ61Ruoo
— Reno Aces (@Aces) August 21, 2016
Knocking ’em in: While Reinheimer was setting the table, Kyle Jensen continued driving in runs. The veteran first baseman had eight RBI on the week, bringing his season total to 111, which leads the PCL. El Paso’s Hunter Renfroe is second in the league with 96.
The Aces may not have won but @TheKJensen42 set a new @Dbacks Triple-A RBI Record and has the Absolute Dental POG! pic.twitter.com/U8CSr7mdFb — Reno Aces (@Aces) August 22, 2016
Gotta be getting close: Right-hander Shelby Miller made two more starts for Reno last week, and pitched well in both. Last Monday, Miller scattered 10 hits in 7.1 innings, but only allowed two runs while striking out nine in a 3-2 win over Nashville. Miller then went 8.0 innings Saturday night, allowing three earned runs and one walk with six strikeouts in a 7-3 win over Sacramento. Miller is 5-1 with a respectable 3.52 ERA in seven starts for Reno. If you include his rehab stint in Visalia, the 25-year-old is 7-1 with a 2.95 ERA, 70 strikeouts and only 10 walks in nine minor-league appearances.
Since July 19 (Shelby Miller’s @Aces debut), he is 5th in pro ball in IP (46.0). His 51 K’s trail only @Dbacks Robbie Ray (52) in pro ball.
— Aces Communications (@RenoAces_PR) August 21, 2016
Mobile BayBears (Double-A Southern League)
Week: 3-3 | Overall: 28-26, 2nd place in South Division — 5.0 games behind Mississippi
Offensive explosion: The Bears’ bats came to life with three double-digit run games on the week. Mobile crushed Montgomery 13-3 Monday, Biloxi 10-3 Friday and again beat up on the Shuckers 11-6 Sunday. That’s the good news. The bad news is, in the other three games, the BayBears managed only four total runs. Third baseman Travis Denker led the charge by hitting .467 (7-for-15) with three home runs and eight RBI. Kevin Cron added two long balls to boost his team-leading total to 22.
Curtis pitching well: Many were surprised when lefty Zac Curtis had his contract selected by the Diamondbacks while he was pitching for Visalia in late April. The 24-year-old saw action in 21 big league games, but posted a 6.75 ERA which had him on his way back to the minors. Curtis worked in two games for the BayBears last week, allowing just one base runner and striking out seven of the ten batters he faced over three innings.
Visalia Rawhide (High-A California League)
Week: 4-3 | Overall: 28-29, 2nd place in North Division — 3.0 games behind Bakersfield
Stellar bullpen work: Visalia’s relief corps allowed only three earned runs — all by Cameron Gann — in 18.1 innings of work in seven games last week for a collective ERA of 1.84. Gabriel Moya notched two saves, while Gann and Nick Baker each got one.
Kane County Cougars (Single-A Midwest League)
Week: 3-4 | Overall: 24-32, 7th place in Western Division — 17.0 games behind Clinton
Setting the table: Luis Alejandro Basabe, whom the Diamondbacks acquired in the Brad Ziegler trade with Boston, has been moved into the leadoff spot for the Cougars, and he’s done an outstanding job. Basabe batted .417 (10-for-24) with six runs scored, two home runs and eight RBI. He also walked eight times. The 19-year-old is batting .351 in his last ten games.
Grab a seat: Twenty-year-old right-hander Emilio Vargas had a performance for the ages Saturday night against Quad Cities. Vargas allowed just two hits and one earned run while striking out 17 in a 4-2 win. The 17 strikeouts were a career-high, shattering his personal best of 10 in a rain-shortened 6-1 win over Beloit on Aug. 4.
The #KCCougars win 4-2! Emilio Vargas sets a career and team high with 17 strikeouts tonight for the win! — Kane County Cougars (@KCCougars) August 21, 2016
Hillsboro Hops (Short-A Northwest League)
Week: 4-3 | Overall: 14-10, 2nd place in South Division — 3.0 games behind Eugene
More Morozowski: Outfielder Jason Morozowski is on a tear. The 22-year-old outfielder batted .370 (10-for-27) with four home runs and 11 RBI in seven ball games for the Hops last week. The homers came in four straight games for Hillsboro. After starting the season in Kane County, Morozowski has settled in for the Hops, batting .299 in 27 games, with seven homers and 19 RBI while slugging .619.
“J-Mo” hit a solo HR in the top of the 1st at Salem-Keizer – that’s 4 straight games with an HR for him #AllHoppedUp pic.twitter.com/MB3VyoD2xu
— Hillsboro Hops (@HillsboroHops) August 20, 2016
Keep an eye on: Shortstop Mark Karaviotis, a 19th-round draft pick out of Oregon in June, has adjusted very well to pro ball. Karaviotis batted .444 (12-for-27) on the week, with four RBI and six walks. He had his first four-hit game Friday night in a 7-1 win over Salem-Keizer.
Dazzling Defense: Left-fielder Luis Veras turned in a gem that earned him #1 on Sportscenter’s Top Plays.
Watch: Luis Veras makes an incredible catch in the top of the 1st to get the 3rd out! #AllHoppedUp #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/GfJTCd3pFx — Hillsboro Hops (@HillsboroHops) August 21, 2016
Missoula Osprey (Rookie Pioneer League)
Week: 4-3 | Overall: 10-10, 3rd place in North Division — 1.0 game behind Billings and Great Falls
Big Game for De La Garza: Shortstop Paxton De La Garza, a 33rd-round pick out of Angelo State in June, had a huge game Sunday night in a 12-8 win over Billings, which was the fourth straight for Missoula. De La Garza went 2-for-5 with a run scored, a home run and six RBI. His home run was a grand slam in the second inning off of Billings’ Alfredo Mena that put the Osprey up 6-4. He would add a two-run single in the ninth. De La Garza is tearing up Pioneer League pitching, hitting .354 (17-for-48) with a home run and 12 RBI in just 13 games.
D-backs (Arizona Rookie League)
Week: 3-3 | Overall: 11-10, tied for 3rd place in East Division — 1.5 games behind Angels
Yerzy update: Andy Yerzy, the second-round pick in June and the D-backs’ top catching prospect, had a nice week in the Arizona Rookie League, driving in a team-high five runs. The first three came Wednesday night in a 7-1 win over the Royals in Surprise. The 18-year-old Canadian had a two-run home run, his first as a pro, in the eighth inning. Yerzy supplied all of the offense Sunday night in a 2-0 win over the Reds in Goodyear with a sac fly that scored Francis Martinez in the fourth inning and another sac fly to score Myles Babitt in the eight inning.
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