This series will contain weekly recaps of the performances of each minor league affiliate. Here is the first installment after the opening week of the minor league season.
Charlotte Knights (1-5)
Weekly Record: 1-5
The Knights faced some stiff competition in the opening week, dropping five of six to the Gwinnett Stripers. The Charlotte bats played to mixed results, finishing the opening series with a .227/.297/.408 slash line, a .705 OPS with 31 runs, 48 hits in 211 at bats, 14 doubles, zero triples, eight home runs, 28 RBI, 21 walks to 74 strikeouts, two stolen bases, and were not caught stealing.
The Knights pitching staff endured serious struggles versus Gwinnett. Charlotte pitching ended the week with a team ERA of 7.29, 2.00 WHIP, .288 batting average against, 58 runs allowed (47 earned) on 67 hits and 58 innings pitched, 49 walks to 68 strikeouts, two hit batters, and allowed 15 home runs.
Hot Player of the Week
Seby Zavala: Seby had a fantastic week at the dish, concluding the first series with a triple slash of .318/.375/.727 for a 1.102 OPS with two home runs, three doubles, no triples, five runs scored, seven RBI, two walks, 11 strikeouts, and seven hits in 22 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Gavin Sheets and Hunter Schryver
Birmingham Barons (5-1)
Weekly Record: 5-1
The Barons bats and pitching staff came out hot in the opening week, propelling the squad to take five of six games over the Biloxi Shuckers. The Barons bats torched Shucker pitching, ending the week with a .315/.412/.674 slash line, 1.086 OPS, 39 runs, 58 hits in 184 at bats, 11 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs, 36 RBI, 24 walks to 62 strikeouts, seven stolen bases, and were caught stealing twice.
I couldn’t possibly recap the week without mentioning the horrendous Thursday game for the Barons pitching staff. The Barons gave up 14 runs, 12 of which came in the sixth inning, while issuing an outrageous 16 walks on the night. Considering all of this, the Barons pitching staff ended the week with a team ERA of 3.96, 1.52 WHIP, .230 Batting Average Against, 25 runs allowed (22 earned) on 43 hits in 50 innings pitched, 33 walks to 54 strikeouts, one hit batter, and allowed five home runs.
Hot Player of the Week
Zack Granite: Granite may be not be a prospect, but that doesn’t discount what he was able to do this week at the plate. Granite absolutely annihilated Shucker pitching to the tune of a .450/.593/1.050 line with a 1.643 OPS, two home runs, two doubles, two triples, seven runs scored, three RBI, five walks to three strikeouts, one stolen base, one caught stealing, and had nine hits in 20 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Ofreidy Gomez and Romy Gonzalez
Winston-Salem Dash (2-4)
Weekly Record: 2-4
The Dash squared up against the Rome Braves, dropping four of six in the opening series. The Dash bats were hot and cold throughout the week, finishing with a .236/.349/.369 slash line, .718 OPS, 28 runs, 48 hits in 203 at bats, seven doubles, one triple, six home runs, 27 RBI, 35 walks to 65 strikeouts, six stolen bases, and were caught stealing twice.
The pitching staff for the Dash came on later in the series after a couple of rough nights. Ultimately, Winston-Salem finished the week with a team ERA of 4.75, 1.51 WHIP, .255 Batting Average Against, 29 earned runs to 34 runs allowed, 54 hits to 55 innings pitched, 29 walks to 64 strikeouts, no hit batters, and allowed three home runs.
Hot Player of the Week
Luis Curbelo: It may seem like Luis has been on the farm forever, but the 2016 6th round pick is just 23 years old and came out of the gates hot for Winston-Salem. In four games, the third baseman concluded the opening week batting .313/.389/.813 for a 1.201 OPS, two home runs, two doubles, no triples, three runs scored, seven RBI, two walks to six strikeouts, and five hits in 16 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Alex Destino and Johan Dominguez
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (0-6)
Weekly Record: 0-6
Defense has been the story thus far for the Cannon Ballers, as the team committed 13 errors over the course of six games while getting swept by the Down East Wood Ducks. The young bats hit Wood Ducks pitching to a .245/.333/.385 triple slash, .718 OPS, 20 runs, 51 hits in 208 at bats, 10 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 19 RBI, 23 walks to 81 strikeouts, three stolen bases, and were caught stealing twice.
On the pitching side, the Cannon Ballers were hit around a bit, ending the week with a team ERA of 5.33, 1.57 WHIP, .256 Batting Average Against, 32 earned runs to 40 runs allowed, 52 hits to 54 innings pitched, 33 walks to 69 strikeouts, two hit batters, and allowed three home runs.
Hot Player of the Week
Jose Rodriguez: Jose seems to be picking up where he left off in 2019, as he’s been a hitting machine for Kannapolis in the early going. Through the first six games, the shortstop batted .407/.429/.630 for a 1.058 OPS, no home runs, four doubles, one triple, three runs scored, one RBI, one walk to five strikeouts, one stolen base, one caught stealing, and had 11 hits in 27 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Chase Krogman and Bailey Horn
Photo credit: via Michael Guariglia/FutureSox
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