Phillies Minor League Review (May 27 - June 2)
Players of the Week
Pitcher - LHP, Hoby Milner, Clearwater… One start… 1-0, 1.29 ERA (1 ER, 7.0 IP) 3 H, 7 SO… Milner has been on a roll of late, going eight-consecutive decisions without a loss… After giving up 8 ER in only 1.2 innings of work on 4/15 vs Dayton, Milner's ERA stood at 13.97 (15 ER, 9.2 IP) for the season. In eight starts since, he is 5-0, 2.06 ERA (11 ER, 48.0 IP), 47 SO, .238 OPP AVG (41-for-172)… The 22-year-old Milner was selected by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2012 draft out of the University of Texas and signed by Steve Cohen.
Player - OF, Leandro Castro, Lehigh Valley… Six games… Batted .417 (10-for-24), 5 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 BB, 1 SB… Castro has hit safely in 9-straight games to end the week. In those 9 G Castro is batting .417 (15-for-36), 8 R, 2 HR, 11 RBI… Castro had three multi-hit games this week, including a 3 H, HR performance 5/28 at Rochester…. Castro has bounced all over Dave Brundage's lineup, hitting in seven different spots in the Pigs order this season… A native of La Romana, DR, Castro was signed as an amateur free agent 3/7/07 by Will Tejada.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division…26-30, 3rd place… 2-5 for the week… Lehigh Valley's offense held up their end of the bargain this week, to the tune of a .304 batting average (69-for-227). The Pigs had double-digit hits in five of the seven games played; only winning two. Lehigh Valley finished the week with an 8.37 team ERA (53 ER, 57.0 IP)… The offensive charge was led by OF Leandro Castro who batted .417 (10-for-24), 2 HR, 2 2B, 8 RBI and finished the week riding a 9 G hitting streak. For his efforts Castro was honored as the Phillies Minor League Player of the Week. 1B Josh Fields batted .393 (11-for-28), HR, 2B, 5 RBI. Fields is riding a 12 G hitting streak at the time of print where he's batting .423 (22-52) with eight multi-hit games during the streak… Troy Hanzawa batted .435 (10-for-23). Hanzawa was promoted to AAA on 5/24; since his promotion he has hit .375 in 10 G. 3B Cody Asche added 7 H including a HR and 5 RBI… OF Jermaine Mitchell batted .333 (6-for-18), 8 R, HR, 2B… INF Pete Orr hit .304 (7-for-23), 5 R, 2B… RHP Zach Miner made one start, getting the win in 5.0 scoreless innings of 4 H ball… LHP Mauricio Robles earned a promotion to Lehigh Valley and proceeded to throw 3.0 scoreless innings in 2 G.
Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division…21-33, 6th place…2-5 for the week… The Fightins offense supplied the power this week; seven different players homered (Murphy, Henson, Mendonca, Rupp, Hewitt, Valle & Gillies). Reading leads the Eastern league with 53 team HR… New addition 3B Tommy Mendonca batted .600 (12-for-20), HR, 2 2B, 3B, 7 RBI. His week included a 5-for-5 performance at the plate in an 8-1 Reading win 6/2 vs Akron… Mendonca's 5 H were part of Reading's season-best 16 H… 1B Tyler Henson batted .370 (10-for-27), 4 2B, HR… OF Tyson Gillies batted .320 (8-for-25), 2 HR, 3B. Gillies tallied 3 H in Sunday's win, and his 2 HR came in a 7-5 loss to Akron on 5/31…SS Edgar Duran batted .304 (7-for-23), 2 2B… OF Anthony Hewitt is riding a six-game hitting streak, and is batting .327 since 5/13… RHP David Buchanan made two starts, going 1-1, 1.38 ERA (2 ER, 13.0 IP) with 7 SO… RHP Kyle Simon picked up his 1st SV since 4/22 in Reading's 6-5 win on 5/29 at Bowie... RHP Luis Garcia earned a promotion to Reading and made two scoreless appearances (1.1 IP, 3 SO)…
Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division…29-25, 2nd place… 5-0 for the week… The Threshers are winners of six-straight. With the offense firing on all cylinders early on, an extended winning streak was inevitable with some solid pitching. Clearwater pitchers returned the favor to their offense this week posting a 1.96 team ERA… Reigning Player of the Month OF Kelly Dugan capped a solid month by batting .500 (9-for-18), 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI and 5 BB for the week. Over his last 4 G Dugan is batting .600 (9-for-15), 3 HR, 8 RBI… OF Aaron Altherr hit .381 (8-for-21), 3 2b, 3B. Altherr's 18 doubles are good for 3rd in the FSL… 3B Maikel Franco added 3 more doubles to his FSL and Organizational lead of 21. Franco belted his 11th HR this season which now ties him for the Organizational lead with REA 1B, Jim Murphy… LHP Hoby Milner earned Player of the Week honors after a dazzling 7.0 inning performance where he allowed 3 H, 1 ER, 7 SO, 0 BB… RHP Mario Hollands made one start, going 7.0 innings allowing 2 ER… RHP Carlos Zambrano made two starts for the Threshers, 1-0, 0.00 ERA (10.1 IP) 7 H, 5 SO… The Threshers bullpen was excellent in relief. RHP Severino Gonzalez was good for 4.2 scoreless innings and has yet to allow an ER in 13.2 innings since joining the Threshers… RHP Ryan O'Sullivan made three appearances, going 1-0, SV, 0.00 ERA (4.0 IP). RHP Colton Murray picked up 1 SV over two appearances, throwing 3.0 perfect innings striking out 5. RHP Colby Shreve had 4 SO and didn't allow a hit in 2.1 scoreless innings.
Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League North Division…23-32, 6th place… 4-3 for the week… 3B Willie Carmona batted .455 (10-for-22), 4 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB… 3B Mitch Walding hit .381 (8-for-21), 4 2B, 6 BB… OF Carlos Tocci, the youngest player in the SAL at just 17-years-old, batted .333 (8-for-24), 3 2B. Tocci had his first career 3 H game 5/31 vs WV… 1B Art Charles had 4 2B and 7 BB… SS Roman Quinn is hitting .333 (29-for-87) since 5/9. Quinn has raised his average from .196 to .258 and has totaled 10 multi-hit games during that span… RHP Steven Inch made two appearances (4.0 IP), earning the SV in both games… RHP Jordan Guth earned a promotion to Clearwater for his stellar work out of the pen. In 2 G Guth went 5.0 innings, 0 ER, 4 SO and picked up 1 SV…. For the season he has a 1.21 ERA (3 ER, 22.1 IP) in relief… RHP Shane Watson made one start, going 5.0 innings, 2 ER, 5 SO… RHP Delvi Francisco picked up1 SV in 2 G going 3.0 innings, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 SO… LHP Yoel Mecias made two starts, going 1-0, 3.60 ERA (4 ER, 10.0 IP), 12 SO.