D-backs Farm Report: Bourgeois, Freeman on fire in Reno
Apr 25, 2016, 8:52 AM | Updated: 4:32 pm
It was a tough week for all four minor league affiliates of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Reno Aces, Mobile BayBears, Visalia Rawhide and Kane County Cougars all had losing marks and combined for an 11-17 record.
As we do every Monday, here’s a closer look at what’s happening in the D-backs’ farm system.
Reno Aces (Triple-A)
Last week: 2-5; Overall: 7-10, 3rd place in Pacific Coast League Pacific Northern Division
Swinging hot bats: Hitting wasn’t the problem for the Aces, as they batted .313 as a team and scored nearly five runs per game for the week.
Especially hot was outfielder Jason Bourgeois, who hit .526 (10-for-19) on the week with six runs scored and three RBI. The veteran is hitting .419 for the season, which would be good enough to lead the PCL, but he doesn’t have enough at-bats to qualify.
Mike Freeman does. The outfielder hit .519 (14-for-27) in seven games, adding six runs scored. Freeman is currently third in the PCL with a .391 batting average and comes into this week riding a 13-game hitting streak.
Just your standard multi-hit game for @MikeBFree5. 2-for-2 (8th multi-hit game) and has his avg. up to .403 (25-for-62). #VideoGameNumbers
— Reno Aces (@Aces) April 24, 2016
Back in Reno: Right-hander Archie Bradley returned to Triple-A after a spot start for the D-backs in San Francisco last Monday. Saturday, the former first-round pick scattered six hits and allowed one run over six innings while striking out six in a 5-3 win over the Fresno Grizzlies that snapped a five-game losing streak.
@Aces Archie Bradley goes 6 picks up 5-3 win over Fresno. Phil Nevin and Brett Hays share thoughts with ump pic.twitter.com/LMfCMmlK9i
— John Byrne (@byrnephoto) April 24, 2016
Mobile BayBears (Double-A)
Last week: 3-4; Overall: 7-10, 3rd place in Southern League South Division
Go-Go Guerrero: Outfielder Gabriel Guerrero drove in seven more runs last week. He had four in an 11-6 win over Jacksonville Monday. He added three more in an 11-4 rout of Jacksonville on Thursday. With 13 RBI on the season, Guerrero ranks fourth in the Southern League. Interestingly enough, all of Guerrero’s RBI have come in three games.
Lopez inconsistent: Right-hander Yoan Lopez, the Diamondbacks’ eighth-best prospect according to MLB.com, had an up-and-down week for the BayBears. Tuesday, Lopez pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just five hits while striking out four in earning his second win of the year. Sunday, Lopez struggled mightily, throwing 62 pitches in the first inning. He was tagged for four runs (three earned), allowed four hits and walked three and was saddled with the loss.
Stites taking care of business: Right-handed reliever Matt Stites has been lights-out so far in 2016. Stites pitched five scoreless innings in relief last week and has yet to allow a run in eight relief appearances. Of the 34 batters he’s faced in 2016, only four have reached base.
Visalia Rawhide (High-A)
Last week: 3-4; Overall: 11-6, 1st place in California League North Division
Batting practice: It was a rough week for Rawhide hurlers; they posted a 6.02 staff ERA and allowed 48 runs in seven games. Lefty reliever Zac Curtis, who had been spectacular early on, really got touched up. Curtis allowed seven runs (five earned) in just 1.1 innings of work for a 33.83 ERA on the week. Right-hander Miller Diaz lasted just 3.1 innings over two starts on the week, allowing 10 earned runs and 13 hits as his season ERA ballooned to 11.68.
Huang debuts: Wei-Chieh Huang, a 22-year-old Taiwanese right-hander who is the D-backs’ sixth-best prospect, made his 2016 debut Sunday against Rancho Cucamonga. Huang allowed three runs on four hits, including a solo shot to Quakes first baseman Paul Hoenecke in the fourth inning. He didn’t get a decision in Visalia’s 4-3 win. Huang went 7-3 with a 2.00 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 15 outings (12 starts) with Kane County last season.
Kane County Cougars (Low-A)
Last week: 3-4; Overall: 10-7, 2nd place in Midwest League Western Division
Home run drought is over: Outfielder Jason Morozowski connected on a solo home run off of Beloit’s Dustin Driver in the second inning last Wednesday — the first Kane County HR of the season! It came in the 13th game of the season in a 5-2 win. Third baseman Joe Munoz added a solo blast in the fifth. Morozowski also homered Sunday in a 3-1 loss to Quad Cities. In fact, Morozowski has only seven hits this season and two are homers.
Hard-luck loss: Lefty Cody Reed, a second-round pick in 2014 and the 15th-best prospect in the organization, suffered a tough loss Sunday. Reed allowed just three hits and one earned run in 5.1 innings while fanning 11, but took the ‘L’ in his 2016 debut.
#Dbacks #15 prospect Cody Reed fans eight in a row, finishes with 11 Ks in @KCCougars debut. https://t.co/YY1cUZkJfb pic.twitter.com/Lu07IkBygY
— MiLB.com (@MiLB) April 25, 2016
Cody Reed, not 20 until 6/7, already with 101 pro innings with a 123-33 K-BB ratio and an ERA under 3.00. Not too shabby. @KCCougars #Dbacks
— Paul Johnson (@ByPaulJohnson) April 24, 2016
Solis humming: Jency Solis, a right-handed reliever, got off to a rocky start this season, but pitched well in five innings out of the bullpen last week. Solis allowed just two hits and struck out eight in outings against Beloit on Monday and Quad Cities Thursday.
Cougars are debuting our lime green alternate jerseys today! pic.twitter.com/V6VtOQoaO4
— Kane County Cougars (@KCCougars) April 23, 2016
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