This series will contain weekly recaps of the performances of each minor league affiliate. Here is the latest installment after the twelfth week of the minor league season.
Charlotte Knights (28-49)
Weekly Record: 2-5
For the second time in the month, Charlotte took on the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The second meeting however did not go as well as the first, as the Knights dropped five of seven this time around. The Knights currently reside in seventh place and 23 games back in the Triple-A East Southeast Division.
The Charlotte offense took a step back this week against Jacksonville. Knights batters slashed .233/.292/.414, a 706 OPS with 23 runs scored, 50 hits in 215 at bats, eight doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 22 RBI, 15 walks to 59 strikeouts, one stolen base, and were caught stealing once. Complete season totals for the Knights offense can be found here.
Knights pitching improved upon their line from the previous week, but still left some to be desired. Jumbo Shrimp hitters knocked Charlotte pitchers around to the tune of a team ERA of 5.70, 1.38 WHIP, .254 Batting Average Against, 38 earned runs to 41 runs allowed, 60 hits to 60 innings pitched, 23 walks to 77 strikeouts, eight hit batters, and allowed six home runs. To see Charlotte’s complete pitching totals for the season, click here.
Hot Player of the Week
Jake Lamb: This kind of feels like cheating since he’s on a rehab assignment, but Jake Lamb was the hottest hitter for the Knights this past week. Lamb slashed .333/.440/.524 for a 964 OPS, scored two runs, hit one double, one home run, four RBI, had four walks (to four strikeouts), and had seven hits in 21 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Luis Robert (rehab assignment), Nate Nolan, Mikie Mahtook, Matt Reynolds, Bennett Sousa, and Jonathan Stiever
Birmingham Barons (39-32)
Weekly Record: 3-3
After a week apart, the Barons traveled to Rocket City to take on the Trash Pandas for a second time this month. After a sluggish start to the series where the Barons dropped the first three games, they were able to claw their way back and win the last three to work a series split. Birmingham resides in first place and are two games up in the Double-A South North Division.
The Baron hitters had one of the best performances in all of the Double-A South this past week against Rocket City. Birmingham batters slashed .312/.380/.537 for a 916 OPS, 33 runs scored, 64 hits in 205 at bats, nine doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, 31 RBI, 19 walks to 55 strikeouts, 13 stolen bases, and were caught stealing thrice. Complete season totals for the Barons offense can be found here.
Despite a .500 week record-wise, Birmingham pitching was outstanding. The Barons held Trash Panda batters in check, ending the series with a 3.56 team ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .195 Batting Average Against, 19 earned runs to 23 runs allowed, 34 hits to 48 innings pitched, 18 walks to 65 strikeouts, three hit batters, and allowed eight home runs. Birmingham’s full season pitching totals can be found here.
Hot Player of the Week
Xavier Fernandez: Xavier Fernandez was scorching hot this week. The 26 year old catcher wrapped the Rocket City series by batting .471/.524/1.000 slash line, a 1.524 OPS, four runs scored, three home runs, six RBI, walked twice (to four strikeouts), and had eight hits in 17 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Neslony, Joel Booker, Jameson Fisher, Caleb Freeman, Luis Ledo, Emilio Vargas, and Jason Bilous
Winston-Salem Dash (30-48)
Weekly Record: 1-5
The Dash traveled to Greensboro to take on the Grasshoppers, and things did not go well. The Dash were mostly pummeled during the series, losing five of six possible games. Winston-Salem is in last place in the High-A East South Division and 25 games out of first place.
The Winston-Salem batters had another week of respectable performance. The Dash lineup were able to hit Grasshopper pitchers to the tune of a .241/.336/.453 slash line, a 789 OPS, 29 runs scored, 49 hits in 203 at bats, seven doubles, no triples, 12 home runs, 29 RBI, 27 walks to 63 strikeouts, two stolen bases, and were caught stealing once. Full season totals for the Winston-Salem offense can be found here.
The struggles for the Dash pitching staff continue, and it got ugly this week. Greensboro beat down on Winston-Salem all week, leaving the Dash with a team ERA of 9.37, 1.92 WHIP, .313 Batting Average Against, 51 earned runs to 52 runs allowed, 65 hits to 49 innings pitched, 29 walks to 63 strikeouts, hit two batters, and allowed an astounding 21 home runs. Full season totals for the Dash pitching staff are located here.
Hot Player of the Week
Alex Destino: Alex Destino was on another planet this week at the plate for Winston-Salem. Destino brought his boomstick to Greensboro, finishing the week with a .385/.429/.962 slash line, a 1.390 OPS, six runs scored, five home runs, 10 RBI, walked twice (to four strikeouts), and had 10 hits in 26 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Yoelqui Cespedes, Johan Dominguez, and Brian Glowicki
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (25-53)
Weekly Record: 2-4
Kannapolis squared up against the Salem Red Sox this week, with the Cannon Ballers coming up empty handed more often than they’d like. Kannapolis dropped four of six games to the Red Sox, and the Cannon Ballers are still in last place in the Low-A East Central Division and 21 games back of first place.
Kannapolis struggled at the plate this week against Salem pitchers. The Cannon Ballers scuffled to a .264/.304/.375 slash line, a 679 OPS, 27 runs scored, 55 hits in 208 at-bats, six doubles, four triples, three home runs, 22 RBI, 10 walks to 55 strikeouts, five stolen bases, and were caught stealing twice. Complete batting stats for the Cannon Ballers can be found here.
Kannapolis pitching suffered a setback in their match-up with the Red Sox. The Cannon Ballers were knocked around and concluded the series with a team ERA of 6.48, 1.51 WHIP, .300 Batting Average Against, 38 earned runs to 41 runs allowed, 66 hits to 55 innings pitched, 17 walks to 50 strikeouts, hit four batters, and allowed 11 home runs. To see Kannapolis’ team pitching stats for the year, click here.
Hot Player of the Week
Matthew Thompson: Matthew Thompson had a fantastic start this week for the Ballers. The 20 year old went six innings, allowed five hits, one run (one earned), walked none, struck out six, and finished with a 0.83 WHIP.
Honorable Mentions: Samil Polanco, Luis Mieses, Jesus Valles, and Jordan Mikel
ACL White Sox (6-16)
Weekly Record: 1-3
Another week, another sluggish record for the ACL White Sox. They dropped three of four games again (one was was suspended and will be made up August 10) and just cant seem to right the ship. The ACL White Sox sit in second to last place and are nine and a half games back of first place. Full standings of the ACL can be found here.
The ACL White Sox finished in the middle of the pack for offensive output this week. In total, the squad slashed .232/.332/.429 for a 760 OPS, scored 27 runs, 39 hits in 168 at bats, six doubles, no triples, nine home runs, 23 RBI, 21 walks to 64 strikeouts, six stolen bases, and were caught stealing once. Complete batting stats for the ACL White Sox can be found here.
The ACL White Sox pitching staff did not have the greatest week on the bump, although we did see some of the 2021 new additions making their first appearances. The staff concluded the week team ERA of 6.21, 1.76 WHIP, .307 Batting Average Against, 32 earned runs to 29 runs allowed, 51 hits to 42 innings pitched, 23 walks to 47 strikeouts, hit one batter, and allowed five home runs. Complete pitching stats for the ACL White Sox can be found here.
Hot Player of the Week
Misael Gonzalez: For the third week in a row, Misael Gonzalez reigns supreme on the ACL Sox. The 20 year old outfielder hit .368/.500/.737 for a 1.237 OPS, one double, two home runs, six RBI, scored five runs, had three walks to five strikeouts, stole two bases, and had seven hits in 19 ABs.
Honorable Mentions: Anderson Comas, Logan Glass, Wilber Sanchez, and Cristian Mena
DSL White Sox (8-7)
Weekly Record: 3-2
The DSL White Sox got back to their winning ways, securing three victories to two defeats this week. The DSL Sox are in third place and one and a half games back in the Dominican Summer League Baseball City Division.
The DSL White Sox still are struggling to find a rhythm at the plate. Concluding the third week of play, the DSL Sox hit .184/.327/.272 slash line, a 599 OPS, 17 runs scored, 23 hits in 125 at bats, two doubles, no triples, three home runs, 11 RBI, 25 walks to 46 strikeouts, 12 stolen bases, and were caught stealing four times. Complete batting stats for the DSL White Sox can be found here.
The DSL White Sox pitching staff once again had a solid performance throughout the week. The young staff concluded this week with a team ERA of 3.00, 1.61 WHIP, .259 Batting Average Against, 12 earned runs to 19 runs allowed, 36 hits to 36 innings pitched, 22 walks to 34 strikeouts, hit two batters, and allowed two home runs. Complete pitching stats for the DSL White Sox can be found here.
Hot Player of the Week
Guillermo Cuevas: Guillermo Cuevas had an excellent start this week for the DSL White Sox. In Cuevas’ start, the 22 year old lefty pitched six innings of two hit ball, did not allow any runs, walks, or hit batters, and struck out eight.
Honorable Mentions: Jorge Ferrer, Godwin Bennett, Alvaro Aguero, and Manuel Guariman
Photo credit: Anders Johanson/FutureSox
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