D-backs Farm Report: Several Arizona prospects earn recognition

Reno Aces (Triple-A Pacific Coast League)

Week: 1-5/26-37 Overall, 4th place in Northern Division

Reno’s lone win this week came in a 5-1 victory over the Fresno Grizzlies on Tuesday. They were swept in four straight games by the Las Vegas 51s, who currently have the fourth-best record in the Pacific Coast League, to wrap up the week.

Career day goes for naught:

Reno Aces shortstop Danny Worth went 5-for-5 to become just the 11th player in team history to record a five-hit game Saturday, but it was all for naught as the 51s rode a five-run seventh inning to a 10-5 win. The loss dropped the Aces to a then-season low ten games below .500.

Power at the plate, not behind the plate:

Former catcher prospect Peter O’Brien is continuing to develop well as an outfield prospect, as the former Yankees farmhand wrapped up the week with a pair of strong games at the plate. He went 2-for-5 on Saturday, then followed it up by hitting a three-run home run in Reno’s loss Sunday. O’Brien is hitting .317 with 13 home runs and 51 RBI in 59 games at the Triple-A level in 2015.

Mobile BayBears (Double-A Southern League)

Week: 1-6/30-33 Overall, 3rd place in South Division

Following a promising 5-2 week that saw them go two games above the .500 mark, the BayBears took just one game over their last seven games. Their lone win came with a 4-3 win over Biloxi Wednesday, with Jackson taking four in a row to wrap up the week. Jackson looks for the five-game sweep Monday.

Future stars shine bright:

Four Mobile BayBears have been selected to the Southern League All-Star Game, the team announced Wednesday.
Outfielder Socrates Brito, infielder Brandon Drury and right-handed pitchers Aaron Blair and Adam Miller were selected for the game, which takes place in Montgomery, Alabama on June 23.

A familiar face:

Diamondbacks left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin is in Mobile to continue his rehab after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2014.

He made his first BayBears appearance Sunday, giving up two runs on six hits while throwing 76 pitches in 4.2 innings of Mobile’s 8-6 loss.

Visalia Rawhide (Single-A California League)

Week: 3-4/40-23 Overall, 1st place in North Division

Despite a below-average week by their standards, the Rawhide stand strong with the best record in the California League at 40-23 this season, holding a four-game lead over the next-closest team, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

Visalia postseason-bound:

Visalia clinched the North Division’s First Half title Sunday after then-second-place Modesto fell to Bakersfield. It is the team’s first First Half title since 1990, guaranteeing the team their third straight playoff berth and a first-round bye straight into the division finals.

I’m a star, you’re a star, we’re All-Stars:

Rawhide had four players named as California League All-Stars this week who will travel for the California-Carolina League All-Star Game in Rancho Cucamonga on June 23. Right-handers Zack Godley, John Omahen, Nick Sarianides and first baseman Daniel Palka will all represent Visalia in the game.

Kane County Cougars (Single-A Midwest League)

Week: 2-4/31-32 Overall, 4th place in Western Division

Kane County also fell below .500 after a subpar week in the Midwest League, going 2-4 in six games. The Cougars wrapped up a three-game sweep against Dayton Monday, then took one of three games against Fort Wayne before dropping two games against Lake County to wrap up the week.

Kane County, Margaritaville?

The Cougars will have a special promotion Saturday night during their special Jimmy Buffet night on June 20, including the Jesse White Tumblers and a Jimmy Buffet-themed fireworks show.

Time flies in Single-A ball:

The Cougars announced their 25-year anniversary team Wednesday, including several MLB stars. The roster goes as follows:

Starting pitchers – Josh Beckett, Dallas Braden, A.J. Burnett, Ryan Dempster, Dontrelle Willis

Relief pitchers – Antonio Alfonseca, Andrew Bailey, Santiago Casilla, Huston Street

Catcher – Charles Johnson, Gregg Zaun

First base – Ross Gload, Adrian Gonzalez

Second base – Luis Castillo, Jemile Weeks

Shortstop – Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria

Third base – Jeff Baisley, Miguel Cabrera

Outfield – Nelson Cruz, Andre Ethier, Mark Kotsay, Scott Podsednik

Designated hitter – Kevin Millar

Coaches – Lynn Jones (manager), Matt Winters (hitting coach), Brian Peterson (pitching coach)