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Lavastida heating up in Columbus | Guardians minors roundup for July 23

Guardians catching prospect Bryan Lavastida. (Ross D. Franklin – The Associated Press)
Guardians catching prospect Bryan Lavastida. (Ross D. Franklin – The Associated Press)
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Triple-A Columbus (3-2) at Louisville Bats (Reds)

Removed from the 40-man roster earlier this season, catcher Bryan Lavastida is working on making a case for the Guardians to potentially have to consider re-adding him this winter with the streak he’s on. This past week in Columbus, he went 6-for-18 with a double, homer and eight RBI with three strikeouts and three walks. His eighth-inning, three-run homer powered Columbus to a 7-3 win on July 22. He also had three hits and four RBI in the Clippers’ 11-6 win over the Bats on July 20. After a slow start, Lavastida is now hitting .272/.389/.389 and also has 10 steals.

Despite an 0-for-4 on July 22, Micah Pries homered twice in his five hits in the series vs. Louisville. He hit a solo homer in the 5-3 win on July 18 and in the July 20 win. Even though he didn’t have a huge week, Pries is still hitting .375/.453/.911 in July.

Brayan Rocchio served a three-game suspension this week for his role in the on-field brawl against the Nashville Sounds earlier this month, but had a hit in two games. George Valera also came back from his suspension homered this week as well.

After a few notably strong performances, Joey Cantillo had a rough one this past week, allowing eight runs in 2 2/3 innings with three walks and two strikeouts in his start at Louisville, in which Columbus lost, 16-1.

Peyton Battenfield made a rehab start in a 5-3 Clippers win on July 18, pitching 4 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on five hits. He could potentially be an option to fill the open rotation spot left vacant by Shane Bieber’s injury

The Clippers come home next week to host the Omaha Storm Chasers July 25-30.

Double-A Akron RubberDucks (3-3) vs. Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants)

Another week of performances continues to prove that Juan Brito belongs and might be a top-five prospect in the organization now. Brito has a hit in every game this series, with a homer and three hits total in the ‘Ducks’ 5-3 win on July 21. He added three more singles on July 22 in a 6-5 loss. Brito is hitting .315/.398/.483 at Double-A over 42 games.

Angel Martinez has finally showed signs of turning around his season-long slump with four hits in the final game of last week’s series and then homered July 21 in Akron’s 5-3 win, then hit another round tripper July 22 in the 6-5 loss. He’s got four hits and five RBI in the Richmond series.

Nothing seems to be able to slow down Johnathan Rodriguez, as he had a hit in every game of the Richmond series, with a two-homer, three-hit performance on July 22. He had nine RBI in the series and now has 18 homers and 55 RBI on the season.

On the pitching side of things, reliever Franco Aleman continues to make noise with his strikeout performances. Aleman struck out six in 2 2/3 innings over two outings with just a hit batter and a hit, topping out at 99 mph. He’s struck out 15 in 8 2/3 innings at Double-A Akron so far.

Doug Nikhazy managed to walk just one batter in five innings while fanning six in his start on July 21 in the ‘Ducks’ win. He also allowed just three hits and lowered his season ERA to 3.41

Akron needed every bit of Will Dion’s six shutout innings on July 19 in a 2-1 win. He gave up two hits and a walk, and struck out seven. He still flirts with 90 in most starts but continues to pitch very well in Double-A.

Petey Halpin had a big day to cap off the series on July 23 in the ‘Ducks’ 10-2 win. He homered for one of his three hits and made a great catch in left field. Jose Tena, who has picked things up recently, had two hits and a steal in the series finale win.

The RubberDucks head to Erie to face the SeaWolves (Tigers) July 25-30.

High-A Lake County Captains (4-2) at Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres)

Chase DeLauter had two hits, a double and an RBI in the Captains’ 8-5 win over Fort Wayne on July 18. However, he sprained his ankle sliding into a base and left that game in a walking boot and on crutches. Since then, he’s been able to get out of the walking boot and off crutches. He hasn’t played, but it appears the left foot DeLauter had a fracture in earlier this year avoided any further major injury.

Dayan Frias hit for some good power a week ago and kept it going this week against Fort Wayne. He has a six-game hitting streak and added three more doubles and seven RBI this series. Frias drove in three runs with a homer and a double despite Lake County losing 11-3 on July 19. He drove in three more runs in their 9-0 win later on July 21. Frias has pushed his OPS to .875 thanks to his .291/.429/.633 line in July.

It’s been a slow start to the season, but Jake Fox has shown a turnaround offensively lately. He added a homer in the Captains’ 8-5 win on July 18, collected three hits and an RBI on July 20, in their 11-2, win, then a hit and two walks in a 6-4 loss July 22. He doubled and stole a base in the Captains’ 2-1 win on July 23. The 2021 third-round pick’s recent stretch has his July lineup to .282/.354/.380, showing his on-base skills had had a year ago.

 

 

Steven Hajjar walked four in his start in the Captains’ 11-2 win, but only allowed one hit and struck out seven, picking up the win.

Fellow lefty Rodney Boone held the TinCaps to no runs over five innings with just two hits and two walks on July 21 to shut out Fort Wayne, 9-0. He’s allowed just two runs in 15 innings (three outings) this month.

Lake County hosts Beloit (Athletics) July 25-30 next week.

Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats (3-3) vs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Astros)

2020 first-round pick Carson Tucker had his most productive week as a pro, collecting five hits in his five games played in the series. He hit his first homer of 2023 and his second pro homer on July 18 in the Hillcats’ 5-4 loss, but drove in another run on two hits in a 7-6 win July 19. Tucker also singled twice and walked in Lynchburg’s 11-7 loss on July 22.

Shortstop Jose Devers only hit .250 for the week but homered in the Hillcts 7-6 win on July 19 and added his fourth of the year in the 11-7 loss on July 22.

Outfield prospect Wuilfedo Antunez’s second homer of the year helped Lynchburg to beat Fayetville, 4-0, on July 21 as he had six hits in the series middle three games.

Right-hander and 2022 draft pick Zach Jacobs tossed his second consecutive scoreless outing in the Hillcats’ July 22 11-7 loss. He allowed just two hits and struck out three in his four bulk relief innings in the loss. He tossed 3 1/3 shutout innings a week ago as well.

Austin Peterson recovered from allowing eight runs in his start last week to throw his second game this year where he shut out the opposing team for eight innings, allowing four hits and struck out four in the 4-0 shutout July 21.

Lynchburg heads to Salem (Red Sox) next week July 25-30.

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