Minor League Discussion & Boxes, 4-15-26

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Scheduled Games (Central Time):

Iowa at Columbus, 5:15 pm
Knoxville at Pensacola, 6:05 pm
South Bend vs. Beloit, 6:05 pm
Myrtle Beach vs. Kannapolis, 5:35 pm

Probable Starters:

Iowa: RHP Paul Campbell
Knoxville: RHP Yenrri Rojas
South Bend: RHP Kevin Valdez (3.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.82 FIP, 5 K, 2 BB)
Myrtle Beach: RHP Dominick Reid (9 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.97 FIP, 10 K, 1 BB)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Cole Mathis ding dong Johnson (#5)

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Dominick Reid’s pro scoreless streak was just snapped at 11.2 innings 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Cole Mathis with a 2-HR game:

 

[Bertz]

The best time for Cole Mathis to be in South Bend was late March.  The second best time is now.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Now a double for Mathis

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

What's Mathis' most likely position? Is he 1B only or is there corner OF potential?

Edited Thursday at 12:51 AM by Tangled Up in Plaid

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Hartshorn has struck out in consecutive games.

[Bertz]

13 minutes ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

What's Mathis' most likely position? Is he 1B only or is there corner OF potential?

So he got announced in the draft as a 3B, and he's played there a few times this year.

But probably 1B.  Maybe play enough 3B for a latter day Justin Turner type of deal.

[Bertz]

6 minutes ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Hartshorn has struck out in consecutive games.

Without recording a swing and miss in either game (through 8 innings tonight)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

I dont think you're gonna get to Chicago with a 40% K rate dude

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Mathis got a single in his last at bat so he went 4/5 and was a triple shy of the cycle. 1.331 OPS.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Owen Ayers HR (#4)

 

[Bertz]

Ethan Flanagan, my goodness

[Bertz]

Did South Bend forget to pay the gravity bill because how the hell does that swing send a ball out?

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Fun outings from Flanagan and Jerzembeck.

[craig]

Man, this Ayers hitting with power, I really love it! 

Matthis is a big dude.  His second HR when he got his arms extended, that was pretty long and deep.  He was not a HR hitter in college, and he's only been at Myrtle for 12 games this season, his first segment of baseball where he's been a big HR guy.  Personally I'm pretty OK with letting him thrive there for a little longer, build up some stats and reputation and trade value, build up his confidence, and kinda see whether he can sustain success with his current swing and current physique.  Psycho-babble for sure, but I think it's so helpful for a guy to sustain some success for a while, then to inevitably experience slump a bit at the same level, and then to try to figure out how to rediscover success at the same level.  Keep the environment the same for a while and practice working things through. I admit I'd also like to see him sustain some success but also reduce the K's.  There is plenty of work to do on his craft even if he just stays put at Myrtle for another month.  

[craig]

Do we have any info on Flanagan's fastball these days?  

[CaliforniaRaisin]

19 minutes ago, craig said:

Do we have any info on Flanagan's fastball these days?  

Was 89-92 at UCLA and last season at Myrtle Beach.

With him, it’s all about the changeup and the curve.

[craig]

Thanks, Cal.  I think even a little bump in fastball velo might help, though?  Or in spin or shape?  Change and curve can be your win pitches, obviously.  But helps to have a fastball that you're not scared to throw for strikes.  Change/curve work better as 2-strike chase pitches when you've somehow gotten to 2-strike counts.  

[CaliforniaRaisin]

4 minutes ago, craig said:

Thanks, Cal.  I think even a little bump in fastball velo might help, though?  Or in spin or shape?  Change and curve can be your win pitches, obviously.  But helps to have a fastball that you're not scared to throw for strikes.  Change/curve work better as 2-strike chase pitches when you've somehow gotten to 2-strike counts.  

The FB isn’t bad - it plays up due to good vertical movement.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Neither Rojas nor Cepeda played again tonight.

[Bertz]

Flanagan is a guy Greg Z flagged as working on velo over the offseason.  TBD how much it moved but considering damn near half the guys we've seen throw in front of Statcast are up 1-1.5 MPH in the early going I'm hopeful.

Edited Thursday at 03:01 AM by Bertz