D-backs Farm Rumblings Week 8: What does a guy need to do to get a promotion?

Unhittable – Kane County right-hander Jon Duplantier has simply been one of the best pitchers in Minor League Baseball this season.

The former third-round pick of the D-backs pitched two more gems last week. Wednesday against Burlington, Duplantier went six shutout innings, allowing just three hits in a 3-0 road win. He followed that up with another strong performance Monday, allowing just one hit in six shutout innings with six strikeouts in a 3-2 win over Cedar Rapids.

Duplantier is now 5-0 with a 0.50 ERA in 54.1 innings of work. Opposing hitters are batting just .139 against him and he’s posted a microscopic 0.66 WHIP. The former Rice Owl has allowed three earned runs all season — all three coming in a 7-6 loss to South Bend on May 2.

He could be poised for a promotion to Visalia or Jackson and we’re sure the hitters in the Midwest League are rooting for it happen sooner rather than later.

#Dbacks No. 8 prospect Jon Duplantier extends streak without allowing an earned run to 29 innings for Kane County: https://t.co/mMQfZswfwT pic.twitter.com/J5Eox4OD5M

— MiLB.com (@MiLB) May 30, 2017

Brito’s back! – Outfielder Socrates Brito returned to the field after a stint on the 60-day DL with a dislocated finger. The 24-year-old started slowly, going 1-for-12 in his first four games, but broke out against Sacramento Sunday and Monday, going 6-for-10 with a double and a triple.

CYCLE WATCH: #Dbacks No. 6 prospect Socrates Brito needs a HR in extra innings for @Aces. Watch LIVE: https://t.co/hzMBHoWy4d pic.twitter.com/FdUYTQSw0q

— MiLB.com (@MiLB) May 28, 2017

No Laffey matter – Veteran left-hander Aaron Laffey, picked up about two weeks ago as a free agent following a stint with the independent Somerset Patriots, has been very effective in a starting role for Reno. In two starts last week, Laffey pitched a total of 13 innings while allowing just one earned run.

Clarke should have more ‘k’s in the spelling – Jackson right-hander Taylor Clarke — a third-round pick in 2015 out of College of Charleston — set a career-high with 12 strikeouts in a 4-2 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Saturday night. The amazing part about it was Clarke only pitched 5.1 innings, so 12 of the 16 outs he recorded were signified by a ‘K’ on the scorecard.

After Clarke left the game in the sixth, relievers Joey Krehbiel and Gabriel Moya picked up the slack, fanning eight more Jacksonville hitters over the next 3.2 frames.

Taylor Clarke was ⚡️ electric ⚡️ for @jacksongenerals
5.1 IP
2 H
1 R
3 BB
Career-high 12 K's#DBacks No. 5 prospect: https://t.co/dUgyt9Q9AU pic.twitter.com/l2gfXv6lGt

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 28, 2017

Almonte dealing – Right-hander Jose Almonte is in a groove for Single-A Visalia. The 21-year-old got the ball for two starts last week and pitched well in both games. Monday, Almonte threw seven shutout innings, striking out 10 in a 2-0 win over Rancho Cucamonga. Five days later, he fanned 11 and gave up only five hits, but didn’t get any run support in a 4-0 loss at Lake Elsinore.

Almonte has 39 strikeouts and just six walks over his last four starts — a stretch in which he’s gone 3-1. He’s second in the California League with 68 strikeouts, one less than A.J. Puk of Stockton.

Best outing of the year by Jose Almonte (@VisaliaRawhide) last night:

7 IP – 3 H – 0 R – 1 BB – 10 K – [W] pic.twitter.com/sQIjaObhQD

— Jeff Bajenaru (@jeffbajenaru) May 23, 2017

Standings

Team	Week	Season	Notes
	5-3	32-20	1st place in Pacific Northern Division; 1/2 game ahead of Tacoma
	3-4	27-23	3rd place in North Division, 2.5 games behind Tennessee
	3-5	24-28	3rd place in North Division; 6 games behind Modesto
	3-5	27-22	2nd place in Western Division; 1 game behind Cedar Rapids

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