Welcome to the Braves Farm Report, where we will take a look at the Braves farm system and look at trends and players that seem interesting, and give first hand accounts of what we’re seeing down on the farm.
Please check out the OFR Farm Report Podcast this week for more discussion and insight regarding the Braves farm system.
Weekly Round-Up
COMPLEX LEAGUES:
The DSL Braves continue to struggle through their season, their record now 7-17 as they sit at the bottom of the North Division. Top international prospect Luis Guanipa had a tough week, not recording a hit and hitting hit by pitch 3 times. Overall however the 17-year-old is still having an excellent first pro season, hitting .286/.409/.481 with 3 homers and 15 stolen bases.
The FCL Braves got the benefit this week of a rehabbing Cody Milligan, who had been out of the Mississippi line-up since April 22. Milligan collected 3 hits in two games, including a home run. Outfielder Douglas Glod continues to get on base, this week getting 3 hits and 5 walks for a .471 OBP. In the last month’s worth of games Glod has been hitting .286/.452/.543. Rehabbing starter Darius Vines tossed a 4-inning, 2-hit outing and looks to be close to rejoining either the M-Braves or Stripers soon.
The Braves are 12-13 on the season, in third pace in the South Division and 6 games back of the FCL Pirates.
AUGUSTA:
The Greenjackets could only take two of six at home from the hard-hitting Myrtle Beach Pelicans, dropping them to 7-8 in the second half standings, but only a game out of the current four-way tie for first. After the four day All-Star break, Augusta will resume the season on the road at Fayetteville on Friday.
Right-hander Jorge Bautista continues to put up “staff ace” type appearances, this week 7 innings of 4-hit, 2-run work with 7 strikeouts and only 1 walk to pick up a win on Wednesday. It is the fourth consecutive quality start for Bautista. Righty Jared Johnson had the second best start of the week, going 4 innings in the blistering Sunday afternoon; he had a bought of control issues in the 2nd inning that saw him walk 2 batters but he escaped damage with two impressive strikeouts, and the only blemish was surrendering a solo homer in the 4th. The Pelicans would score six of lefty Adam Shoemaker however to take the win.
Right-hander Owen Murphy took a no-hitter into the fifth on Friday, but a single and two walks set the stage for a Pedro Ramirez grand slam. Murphy would rally to strike out the side but the damage was done and Augusta would go on to drop the game 4-5.
Myrtle Beach would get ahead early on Saturday against Seth Keller, making his first start since May 3, filling in for Spencer Schwellenbach who was representing the Braves organization in the Futures Game in Seattle. The sweltering early evening seemed to get to Keller, who only went two innings. The two teams would trade the lead back and forth until a decisive RBI double by catcher Nick Clarno in the 8th.
First baseman Justin Janas had 10 hits on the week to grab as share of the Carolina League lead in the category. Shortstop Ambioris Tavarez only had 4 hits on the week, but 2 were home runs, including a Sunday shot that hit the batter’s eye in centerfield.
ROME:
The R-Braves split a six-game series in Greenville, running their record to 7-8 for the second half, 5.5 games back of frontrunning Hickory. After the All-Star break they will host Jersey Shore for three games.
Shortstop Ignacio Alvarez had a huge week, going 9-for-24 in the series with 3 doubles and 2 home runs while also swiping a base. In the last month’s worth of games, Alvarez is hitting .337/.411/.500 while playing a dependable shortstop. Catcher Drake Baldwin is having a great start to July after slumping in June. Baldwin was 6-for-18 for the series and is now hitting .379/.471/.655 since the calendar flipped.
Right-hander Tyler Owens had the best start of the week, allowing only 3 hits in 5 scoreless innings on only 56 pitches.
MISSISSIPPI:
The Mississippi Braves returned home this week to face the Montgomery Biscuits but ran into numerous weather issues. Tuesday’s 4-0 victory was a rain-shortened six-inning affair, Thursday’s game was postponed but made up on Saturday as a doubleheader, then Sunday’s game was postponed after a storm hit just before gametime. The M-Braves will take a 6-5 second-half record to Chattanooga to start a shortened series after the break on Friday.
The starting pitching results were mixed this week as the two bullpen games went well but the three games started by regular starters did not. Hayden Deal tossed four scoreless innings on Tuesday while Domingo Gonzalez struck out five over two scoreless innings to lead off Saturday’s bullpen game in the second half of the doubleheader. Scott Blewitt gave up four earned runs over 4.2 innings on Wednesday, Luis De Avila allowed six runs over four innings on Friday, while Domingo Robles gave up four runs over five innings on Saturday.
The bullpen pitched exceptionally well this week as only Jake McSteen was scored upon during the week. Alec Barger, Ty Tice, Hayden Harris, and Nick Howard each had multiple scoreless outings while Victor Vodnik (1 IP, 0 R, 1 K) continued his great work as he now has a 0.68 ERA since May 3rd with a 0.95 WHIP. Daysbel Hernandez struck out four over two perfect innings and now has twelve scoreless outings for Mississippi with just four hits allowed in fourteen innings.
Mississippi’s offense only managed fourteen runs over five games with only Landon Stephens driving in as many as three runs for the M-Braves. Catcher Tyler Tolve was 4-for-7 with a double, two walks, a stolen base, and two RBI. Infielder Luke Waddell went 6-for-16 with a triple, two stolen bases, and two RBI, while Stephens was 3-for-10 with a double and three RBI.
GWINNETT:
The Gwinnett Stripers recovered from their disastrous road trip in Minnesota with a home series against Omaha in which the Stripers took the first three games of the series and four out of five overall. Gwinnett now returns to the road after the All-Star break with a three-game series in Memphis beginning on Friday.
Nolan Kingham led off the week on Tuesday with four innings of one-run baseball in a win, but Justus Sheffield (4.2 IP, 6 R) and Nick Margevicius (5.2 IP, 4 ER) followed that up with a couple of clunkers on Wednesday and Thursday although Gwinnett won both games due to their offense. Jared Shuster gave up just two runs over 4.2 innings on Friday but allowed seven hits and threw 97 pitches. Max Fried finished up the week on Sunday with a brief first rehab start in which he was on a hard 35-pitch count. Allan Winans got the bulk work behind him and performed well in giving up just one run in six innings while earning the win.
Joe Harvey, Beau Burrows, and Roel Ramirez each had two scoreless outings during the week while Grant Holmes did the same while earning two saves in his role as closer. Roddery Munoz returned to Gwinnett this week after spending some time in the FCL and gave up one run over four innings with three walks over two outings.
The Gwinnett offense this week by 1B-DH Jesus Aguilar, who hit a grand slam on Tuesday and finished the week by going 4-for-15 with a double, two home runs, and seven RBI (.267/.353/.533). Vaughn Grissom was 5-for-14 with two doubles and four walks (.357/.500/.500) while Braden Shewmake went just 4-for-21 but had a double, two home runs, three stolen bases, and four RBI (.190/.190/.524). Utilityman Luke Williams was 7-for-20 with a double, four stolen bases, and three RBI (.350/.409/.400).
POSITION PLAYER of the WEEK:
PITCHER of the WEEK:
Transaction Round-Up
- 7/3/2023: RHP Jeiki Beltran signed to a minor league contract; assigned to DSL Braves
- 7/7/2023: RH Sebastian Estiven signed to a minor league contract; assigned to DSL Braves
The Braves international scouts are still out there signing players now seven month after the start of this signing period.
- 7/4/2023: RH Roddery Munoz assigned to AAA Gwinnett from FCL Braves; C Dominic Miroglio placed on the developmental list for AAA Gwinnett
Muñoz had been working on something down in the FCL since June 10, shortly after being called up to the majors June 6. Miroglio was signed last week to fill in for injured catchers Joe Hudson and Hendrik Clementina. Hudson has since returned to action.
- 7/7/2023: OF Magneuris Sierra activated from the developmental list for AAA Gwinnett; OF Eli White placed on the 7-day injured list for AAA Gwinnett
White had had a tough time staying in the line-up. He was on the IL previously from June 8 through the 24th.
Your Moment of Zen
🚨 TRIPLE PLAY 🚨
5-4-3 easy as 1-2-3 outs around the horn from Daniel Robertson to Vaughn Grissom to Joe Dunand. pic.twitter.com/w3bzHv6DS5
— Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) July 9, 2023
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