This series will contain weekly recaps of the performances of each minor league affiliate. Here is the latest installment after the sixth week of the minor league season.
Charlotte Knights (16-24)
Weekly Record: 3-2
The Knights took on the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp this week, and with the rain-out on Sunday, secured a series win against their divisional opponent. The Knights currently reside in fifth place and 11.5 games back in the Triple-A East Southeast Division.
The Charlotte offense was absolutely on fire against Jacksonville pitchers, having multiple players have multi-home run games. Knights bats grilled up the Jumbo Shrimp to a .292/.372/.679 slash line, a 1.050 OPS with 40 runs, 49 hits in 168 at bats, 12 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs, 40 RBI, 20 walks to 52 strikeouts, three stolen bases, and were caught stealing twice. Complete season totals for the Knights offense can be found here.
Knights pitching fared better after a tough prior week, concluding the shortened series with a 4.20 team ERA, 1.51 WHIP, .273 Batting Average Against, 21 earned runs to 25 runs allowed, 48 hits to 45 innings pitched, 20 walks to 48 strikeouts, five hit batters, and six home runs allowed. To see Charlotte’s complete pitching totals for the season, click here.
Hot Player of the Week
Tim Beckham: For the second consecutive week, Tim Beckham put on a show for the Knights. The infielder demolished Jacksonville pitching to the tune of a .526/.524/1.526 slash line for a 2.050 OPS, six home runs, one doubles, 10 runs scored, nine RBI, one walk to two strikeouts, and had 10 hits in 19 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Mikie Mahtook, Jake Burger, Gavin Sheets, and Marco Hernandez
Birmingham Barons (23-18)
Weekly Record: 1-5
The struggles for the Barons continued this week, dropping five of six to the Mississippi Braves. The Barons won the opener, but proceeded to dropfive in a row, the last two in heartbreaking fashion. Birmingham is now tied with Chattanooga atop the Double-A South North division.
Baron hitters struggled against one of better pitching staffs in the Double-A South. Birmingham scuffled in the series to a .238/.325/.307 slash line, 632 OPS, 21 runs, 48 hits in 202 at bats, eight doubles, no triples, two home runs, 20 RBI, 22 walks to 70 strikeouts, seven stolen bases, and were caught stealing once. Complete season totals for the Barons offense can be found here.
Birmingham pitching improved from last weeks performance, but have work to be done to recapture the early season success. Braves batters hit Baron pitching to the tune of a 4.89 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, .231 Batting Average Against, 27 earned runs to 27 runs allowed, 42 hits to 49.2 innings pitched, 17 walks to 62 strikeouts, four hit batters, and allowed five home runs. Birmingham’s full season pitching totals can be found here.
Hot Player of the Week
Jason Bilous: Jason Bilous had another strong start for the Barons this week. In his lone start, Bilous went five innings, allowed no hits, no runs, didn’t walk or hit any batters, and struck out nine.
Honorable Mentions: Felix Paulino, Andrew Perez, and John Parke
Winston-Salem Dash (20-22)
Weekly Record: 3-3
In what was a relatively a tightly played series, the Dash took on the Greensboro Grasshoppers and worked a series split. The big news for the Dash and White Sox prospect hounds was Yolequi Cespedes making his full season affiliate debut. The Dash are in fifth place in the High-A East South Division and sit eight games back of first place.
Once again, the bats for the Dash were halted by strong Grasshopper pitching. Winston-Salem bats struggled to a .180/.272/.290 slash line, 562 OPS, 16 runs scored, 33 hits in 183 at bats, four doubles, two triples, four home runs, 14 RBI, 20 walks to 53 strikeouts, three stolen bases, and were caught stealing twice. Full season totals for the Winston-Salem offense can be found here.
Winston-Salem pitching had another weeks worth of strong performances against Greensboro. Dash hurlers finished up the series with a team ERA of 3.50, 1.11 WHIP, .222 Batting Average Against, 21 earned runs to 23 runs allowed, 45 hits to 54 innings pitched, 15 walks to 48 strikeouts, hit two batters, and allowed nine home runs. Full season totals for the Dash pitching staff are located here.
Hot Player of the Week
Lenyn Sosa: Lenyn Sosa’s bat has been heating up this month, and this series he made his presence felt. In six games, the infielder hit .409/.435/.500 slash line for a 935 OPS, no home runs, two doubles, no runs scored, three RBI, one walk to four strikeouts, and had nine hits in 22 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Evan Skoug, Tyler Osik, Johan Dominguez, and Isaiah Carranza
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (11-30)
Weekly Record: 4-2
Kannapolis’ hot play kept going into their series with the Down East Wood Ducks. The Cannon Ballers secured their first series win under their new moniker, taking four of six games and keeping their hot June going. Kannapolis is still currently in last place in the Low-A East Central division and 14.5 games back of first place Carolina.
Once again, Cannon Baller hitters saw lots of positive and promising results in this series with the Wood Ducks. Kannapolis concluded the series with a .273/.350/.490 triple slash, an 840 OPS, 31 runs, 54 hits in 198 at-bats, 10 doubles, no triples, 10 home runs, 28 RBI, 16 walks to 61 strikeouts, three stolen bases, and were caught stealing once. Complete batting stats for the Cannon Ballers can be found here.
Kannapolis pitchers faced some struggles against Wood Duck hitters, but ultimately prevailed more often than not. The Ballers staff wrapped the series with a team ERA of 4.88, 1.35 WHIP, .254 Batting Average Against, 26 earned runs to 34 runs allowed, 48 hits to 48 innings pitched, 17 walks to 58 strikeouts, four hit batters, and allowed four home runs. To see Kannapolis’ team pitching stats for the year, click here.
Hot Player of the Week
Bryan Ramos: Bryan Ramos keeps building upon his surging June and making opposing pitchers pay. The 19 year old wrecked Wood Duck pitchers to a .333/.385/.917 slash line, a 1.301 OPS, four home runs, two doubles, six runs scored, five RBI, no walks to two strikeouts, and had 8 hits in 24 at bats.
Honorable Mentions: Luis Mieses, Harvin Mendoza, Bailey Horn, and Ty Madrigal
Photo credit: Michael Guariglia/FutureSox
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