ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

D-backs Farm Report: Jose Almonte cruising at Kane County

Aug 15, 2016, 7:21 AM | Updated: 11:25 am

Follow @Vincemarotta...

RenoAces

Reno Aces (Triple-A Pacific Coast League)

Week: 2-4 | Overall: 64-58, 3rd place in Pacific Northern Division — 6.5 games behind Tacoma

There’s a first time for everything: Right-hander Matt Koch, the D-backs’ 20th-best prospect according to MLB.com, notched his first Triple-A victory Sunday night. Koch pitched seven innings, allowing nine hits and three earned runs while fanning five in a 6-3 win in Nashville. The D-backs acquired Koch in the Addison Reed trade with the Mets last August.

O’Brien still struggling: There wasn’t a lot of offense to talk about at all last week for the Aces — they scored only 15 runs in six games and position players hit just .174. But Peter O’Brien’s struggles are past the slump category. For the week, the 26-year-old outfielder hit .048 (1-for-21) with seven strikeouts. In August, O’Brien is hitting .111 (5-for-45) with 18 Ks. But, there is a new t-shirt featuring his likeness in the team shop in Reno, so there’s that.


baybears

Mobile BayBears (Double-A Southern League)

Week: 1-4 | Overall: 25-23, 2nd place in South Division — 6.0 games behind Mississippi

Some notes: First baseman Kevin Cron had a two-run homer in a 7-5 loss to Montgomery Thursday night — it was his 20th home run of the season. It’s the second straight season Cron has 20+ homers. The former TCU star had 27 for Visalia in the California League last season…Reliever Matt Stites is still in a zone for the Bears. The 26-year-old now has 15 consecutive scoreless appearances, spanning 15 innings. In that span, he has lowered his ERA from 1.35 to 0.76 and has picked up 10 saves…


rawhide

Visalia Rawhide (High-A California League)

Week: 3-3 | Overall: 24-26, 2nd place in North Division — 3.5 games behind Bakersfield

Pollock’s progress: Recovering D-backs centerfielder A.J. Pollock spent the week with Visalia, and looked to be getting back to his All-Star form. Pollock hit .462 (6-for-13) with two home runs and four RBI. The D-backs still hope to get Pollock back to the Majors by Sept. 1.

Payamps deals again: Right-hander Joel Payamps had the Rawhide’s best pitching performance of the week. Payamps allowed three hits over seven innings, walked one and struck out eight in a 4-0 win over Bakersfield on Thursday night. Relievers Gabriel Moya and Cameron Gann finished off the shutout with two innings of perfect relief.

Another blanking: Thursday’s shutout wasn’t the only one of the week for the ‘Hide. Right-hander Justin Donatella hooked up with four relievers on a 6-hit blank job of Bakersfield on Tuesday night. Donatella didn’t fare as well in his second start of the week, giving up nine hits and six earned runs in just 3.1 innings of a 17-8 loss at Rancho Cucamonga Sunday.

Herum’s journey: Infielder Marty Herum continues to produce for Visalia. The undrafted free agent is hitting .313 in 2016. Here’s a nice feature on his path to pro ball from Today’s Knuckleball.


cougars

Kane County Cougars (Single-A Midwest League)

Week: 2-4 | Overall: 21-28, 7th place in Western Division, 13.0 games behind Clinton

Busting out of a slump: The Cougars mustered just two runs in the first three games of their series against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, but came around Sunday in a 5-1 win that broke an overall four-game losing streak. Fernery Ozuna and Francis Christy paced the attack for KC. Ozuna had three hits, while Christy drove in three runs.

Almonte cruising: Right-hander Jose Almonte, whom the D-backs acquired from the Red Sox in the Brad Ziegler deal, has been outstanding in his last two starts. The 20-year-old Dominican native allowed only four hits and one unearned run over 11 innings of work last week, striking out 16 and walking only four. He picked up both of the Cougars’ wins for the week and is now 2-3 with a 2.78 ERA over seven starts with Kane County.


hillsborohops

Hillsboro Hops (Short-season-A Northwest League)

Week: 3-4 | Overall: 10-7, 2nd place in South Division — 2.0 games behind Eugene

Morozowski coming around: Outfielder Jason Morozowski, a 13th-round draft pick in 2015, has played for four different D-backs affiliates this season, but he’s starting to feel at home in Hillsboro. For the week, Morozowski batted .333 (7-for-21) with two home runs and a team-high five RBI. In 20 games with the Hops, the 22-year-old is hitting .271 (19-for-70) and is slugging .514.

Grab your scorecard: The Hops have used a Northwest League-record 57 different players this season. Relief pitcher Dallas Newton became the 57th on Friday.


MissoulaOsprey

Missoula Osprey (Rookie Pioneer League)

Week: 2-4 | Overall: 6-7, tied for 3rd place in North Division — 3.0 games behind Billings

Chisholm staying hot: The D-backs may have found themselves quite a player in Jasrado Chisholm, whom they signed during the July 2015 international signing period. The 18-year-old shortstop has had quite the first season of pro ball in Missoula. Chisholm batted .318 (7-for-22) last week with two homers and five RBI. On the season, he’s hitting .297 and is second on the team with 30 RBI in 45 games. He’s moved into MLB.com’s list of Arizona’s top 30 prospects, too.


AZLDbacks

Arizona Rookie League Diamondbacks

Week: 2-3 | Overall: 8-6, 2nd place in East Division — 1.0 game behind Angels

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Diamondbacks

Lourdes Gurriel Jr....

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks keep good times rolling with 14-run inning, Opening Day rout of Rockies

What the Diamondbacks accomplished in the third inning against the Rockies on Thursday night was completely new for those in the ballpark. 

8 hours ago

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. flips his bat during Arizona Diamondbacks' 2024 Opening Day...

Arizona Sports

Diamondbacks score 14 runs in a single inning to beat Rockies on Opening Day

The Arizona Diamondbacks set franchise marks with 13 hits and 14 runs in the third inning of their 2024 Opening Day game against the Rockies.

11 hours ago

Blaze Alexander...

Alex Weiner

Blaze Alexander did all he could to make Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster

Diamondbacks infielder Blaze Alexander put together a spring that made it too difficult for the team to send him back to the minor leagues.

15 hours ago

Ketel Marte celebrates...

Tyler Drake

Ketel Marte to lead off Arizona Diamondbacks’ Opening Day lineup

The Arizona Diamondbacks' Opening Day lineup is set ahead of their matchup against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

18 hours ago

Jordan Montgomery throws a pitch...

Tyler Drake

Hall: Diamondbacks’ addition of Jordan Montgomery ‘made a lot of sense’

The Diamondbacks' addition of Jordan Montgomery puts a bow on a rotation that should be in the conversation for the top spot across MLB.

20 hours ago

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno...

Arizona Sports

Roundtable picks: One Diamondbacks young player to watch in 2024

Which Arizona Diamondbacks player should continue an upward trend in 2024? Gabriel Moreno, Brandon Pfaadt and Alek Thomas are possibilities.

20 hours ago

D-backs Farm Report: Jose Almonte cruising at Kane County