Hernandez, Jones deliver in AFL finale

October 25th, 2019

Eight Angels prospects are playing for the Mesa Solar Sox in the 2019 Arizona Fall League: Outfielder Jo Adell (No. 1, MLB No. 5), outfielder Brandon Marsh (No. 2), second baseman Jahmai Jones (No. 6), right-hander Aaron Hernandez (No. 14), right-hander Nathan Bates, right-hander Isaac Mattson, catcher Franklin Torres and right-hander Austin Warren.

Here’s a day-by-day look at how Los Angeles' AFL contingent is faring:

Oct. 25: Mesa 3, Scottsdale 0
Aaron Hernandez didn’t have quite his no-hit stuff like his last outing, yet he still turned out a scoreless start in Mesa’s 2019 finale to end his campaign on a high note. The 22-year-old righty, who threw five hitless innings on Sunday, struck out a season-best six batters while allowing five hits and a walk in four scoreless innings. The stellar performance moved Hernandez’s fall ERA to 3.38 over six outings.

Jahmai Jones left Arizona with a bang, blasting his second homer -- a three-run go-ahead drive -- in the fourth inning, the only runs scored in the game by either side. Brandon Marsh entered the game in left field after Greg Deichmann was ejected, but he didn’t record an at-bat. However, the Angels’ No. 2 prospect led the Solar Sox on the season with a .328 average in 19 games. Jo Adell's final batting average was .302 after going 0-for-3, and Franklin Torres went 0-for-2 to end his AFL stint with a .118 average.

Oct. 24: Salt River 0, Mesa 0 Top prospect Jo Adell entered Mesa’s game in the third inning, replacing Derek Hill in center field after Hill had been hit by a pitch in the top of the frame. He went on to reach base twice in the contest, going 1-for-3 with his eighth Fall League double. Brandon Marsh, the Angels’ No. 2 prospect, went 1-for-4 as the Solar Sox’s DH. He’s batting .328 (.909 OPS) in the Fall League, with 22 hits in 18 games, while Adell’s average sits at .281 (.819 OPS) after Thursday’s contest. He’s racked up 27 hits, including 11 extra-base hits, in 23 games.

Oct. 23: Mesa 2, Surprise 0
Jo Adell set the tone for the Mesa lineup during its victory Wednesday, opening the game with a rocket double to left-center field before coming around to score on a wild pitch. The Angels’ No. 1 prospect finished with a three-hit evening, notching singles in the fifth and seventh to raise his fall average to .280. Two of those hits came against southpaws, as the 20-year-old collected his eighth hit in 18 at-bats against left-handers during the Fall League.

Jahmai Jones singled in his first at-bat en route to finishing the contest 1-for-3. As he upped his average with Mesa to .300, Jones has now collected a hit in six of his past seven outings. After entering the night without a hit during the Fall League, Franklin Torres promptly socked base hits in each of his first two at-bats. By lacing an opposite-field single in the third and ripping a liner to left-center in the fifth, Torres got off the schneid in a loud manner. Adell, Jones and Torres accounted for six of the Solar Sox’s nine hits. Austin Warren was the first man out of the ‘pen for the Mesa and made quick work of the three Surprise batters that he squared off with. His 1-2-3 frame gave him six consecutive scoreless appearances, although Wednesday’s outing marked his first outing without a strikeout. He has compiled 15 strikeouts through 11 2/3 innings in the Fall League.

Oct. 22: Scheduled off day for all Arizona Fall League teams.

Oct. 21: Mesa 4, Surprise 0
Angels top prospect Jo Adell’s four-game hitting streak came to an end on Monday as he went 0-for-4 with a strikeout from atop Mesa’s lineup. Brandon Marsh, the Angels’ No. 2 prospect, fared slightly better, going 1-for-4, and Jahmai Jones picked up his fifth Fall League double in a 1-for-4 performance. Marsh, with his .333 average, is having the best fall of the group, though Jones (.298) and Adell (.258) also are enjoying strong campaigns.

Oct. 20: Mesa 8, Peoria 2
Aaron Hernandez put forth his best start of the fall as he twirled five no-hit innings for Mesa. Hernandez, who threw 37 of his 63 pitches for strikes, retired the first eight batters he faced before issuing a walk. The walk was the lone blemish as Hernandez retired the next seven batters he faced before departing the game. The no-hit bid came to an end in the following frame. Isaac Mattson pushed his AFL strikeout total to 12 as he struck out the side in the seventh inning. Mattson, who did yield one hit, threw 11 of his 17 pitches for strikes and has pitched to a 1.69 ERA. Austin Warren picked up the save for Mesa as he cruised through the final 1 1/3 innings. Warren struck out the lone batter he faced in the eighth and then promptly retired the side in order in the ninth.

It was a rare hitless night for Brandon Marsh, who is raking at a .339 clip in Arizona. However, just because Marsh went 0-for-5, it doesn’t mean he failed to contribute. The AFL MVP candidate drove home the game’s first run with a broken-bat groundout in the first inning and later showed off some defensive prowess with a nice catch up against the wall in center field. Jahmai Jones went 0-for-3 with a trio of strikeouts, but he also drew a walk and scored a run.

Oct. 19: Mesa 5, Peoria 1
Angels top prospect Jo Adell hammered a 2-0 pitch from Forrest Whitley well over the fence in left-center field to put Mesa on the board in the third inning. He later added an RBI single to finish 2-for-4 with two RBIs from the leadoff spot. Adell’s homer was his third in the Fall League, and he’s now hit in four straight for the Solar Sox after Saturday’s multihit effort. Overall, the 20-year-old outfielder has slashed .271/.361/.447 with 23 hits (9 XBH) and 14 runs scored in 20 games. Franklin Torres struck out in his only at-bat and is now 0-for-12 with eight strikeouts in the AFL.

Oct. 18: Scottsdale 4, Mesa 0
Jo Adell laced a single back up the middle in his final at-bat to finish 1-for-4 for Mesa. He’s hit safely in eight of his past 10 games, though only two (and none of the last eight) have been multihit efforts. Overall, the 20-year-old has produced a .259/.355/.407 line with eight extra-base hits and 13 runs scored in 19 games. Franklin Torres struck out in all three of his at-bats and is now 0-for-11 with seven strikeouts in four games with the Solar Sox.

Oct. 17: Scheduled day off for all Arizona Fall League teams.

Oct 16: Scottsdale 3, Mesa 0
Brandon Marsh and Jahmai Jones were the entire offense for Mesa on Wednesday. The duo combined for all three of the club’s hits, while Marsh also drew a walk, his seventh of the fall. Marsh knocked a single in the fourth, and nearly had another hit in the ninth, but was called out on a close play at first. Jones turned what appeared to have been an ordinary single into a double with excellent hustle in the third. That same hustle stifled Mesa’s scoring opportunity, as Jones was thrown out on the next pitch attempting to swipe third base. Jones collected his second straight multihit performance, raising his average to .325. Marsh (.370) and Jones are pacing Mesa’s batting average leaders through the club’s first 21 games.

Oct. 15: Glendale 4, Mesa 3
Top prospect Jo Adell didn’t look very comfortable at the plate on Tuesday in Glendale. The Angels’ top prospect struck out three times, though he picked up an opposite-field single in the fifth inning. Fellow outfielder Brandon Marsh wasn’t able to continue his power output after his two-homer game on Monday, but his one single in five at-bats allowed him to extend his hitting streak to eight games. It turned out to be Jahmai Jones who provided the Angels (and Mesa) with his first Fall League homer, a solo shot to left in the fifth. He also drove in a run with a single in the second inning to get Mesa on the board. He’s now hit in nine of his 11 games and has brought his average up to .297.

Aaron Hernandez pitched into the fourth as Mesa’s starter on Tuesday. He got roughed up early, giving up a double to White Sox outfielder Blake Rutherford and a triple to Reds infielder Jonathan India as part of a two-run first. Back-to-back doubles in the third led to a third run. Hernandez allowed five hits and three runs total over 3 1/3 innings. He walked none and struck out four. Isaac Mattson relieved Hernandez and stranded a runner at second in the fourth, but he gave up a solo homer to the Dodgers’ Jeren Kendall in the fifth. Nathan Bates was next in the parade of Angels right-handers. Bates continues to chip away at an inflated ERA caused by one ugly outing (five earned runs in 2/3 of an inning on Sept. 22), and with his two scoreless frames on Tuesday, he’s now allowed just one earned run in his other 7 2/3 innings outside of the one rough appearance. Finally, it was Austin Warren’s turn and he was unhittable, striking out the side to give him 14 K’s over 9 1/3 innings.

Oct. 14: Glendale 9, Mesa 5
Brandon Marsh certainly impacted the game with his bat, finishing 2-for-4 with a pair of homers. The Angels’ No. 2 prospect hit his first AFL homer in the sixth inning and then followed that up with another blast in the eighth. Marsh, who is batting .391 over 12 games, has been raking throughout the fall and is in the middle of a seven-game hitting streak that includes eight extra-base hits. More »

Jo Adell went 1-for-4 at the plate and is batting .264 through 17 games. Jahmai Jones, who is batting .273 in the AFL, has driven in a run in four straight games after his RBI double Monday. Jones got the scoring started for the Solar Sox in the second inning and ultimately finished 1-for-4 with a stolen base, his fifth.

Oct. 13: Scheduled day off for all Arizona Fall League teams.

Oct. 12: East 4, West 2
Here's how every player performed in the Fall Stars Game. More »

Oct. 11: Mesa 3, Salt River 2
Brandon Marsh hit his fifth Fall League double as part of a 1-for-3 showing for Mesa. He’s batting .444 during his six-game hitting streak and sports a .381 overall average through 11 games. Catcher Franklin Torres remains hitless this fall (0-for-8) after he went 0-for-3 on Friday.

Oct. 10: Mesa 9, Salt River 3
Brandon Marsh, the Angels’ No. 2 prospect, extended his hitting streak to five games with his second straight multihit performance. The 21-year-old outfielder started the scoring for Mesa with a two-run single in the first inning and later added another knock before finishing 2-for-4 with a walk and a pair of stolen bases. Overall, Marsh has posted a .385 average with four extra-base hits, eight RBIs and four steals in 10 games. Top prospect Jo Adell was held hitless for a second time in three games, going 0-for-3 from the leadoff spot, though he did reach base via a pair of walks. Nathan Bates struggled with his control on Thursday as he allowed two runs on two walks and one hit during an inning of relief. Austin Warren loaded the bases with one out but escaped the jam to close out Mesa’s 9-3 win over Salt River.

Oct. 9: Surprise 12, Mesa 10
Brandon Marsh led the offensive charge for the Solar Sox on Wednesday, going 3-for-6 with a triple, two doubles, three runs scored and one RBI. His second three-hit game in the AFL raised his fall average to .371, which is the best mark for Mesa. Jo Adell (MLB’s No. 5 overall prospect) had a 1-for-5 day, hitting a single and drawing a walk. Jahmai Jones went 1-for-5 and drove in a run for Mesa.

Oct. 8: Surprise 6, Mesa 1
Jo Adell, the Angels’ top prospect and No. 5 on the Top 100, went 0-for-2 with two walks for Mesa in Tuesday’s loss, while Isaac Mattson was the first man out of the bullpen for the Solar Sox. The 25-year-old right-hander went 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Oct. 7: Scheduled day off for all Arizona Fall League teams.

Oct. 6: Mesa 4, Peoria 2
Jo Adell’s AFL hit streak is up to eight games for Mesa after the Angels’ top prospect (MLB No. 5) went 1-for-4 with an RBI single Sunday. He’s also driven in at least one run in three straight games and four of his past five contests. Overall, the 20-year-old outfielder has produced a .293 average, with 16 hits, 12 runs scored and seven RBIs in 13 games for the Solar Sox. 

Aaron Hernandez retired the side in order in the first inning but couldn’t escape the second, as he departed the game in the middle of a two-out, bases-loaded jam after already giving up two runs in the frame. The 22-year-old right-hander owns a 5.68 ERA for Mesa following Sunday’s outing. Nathan Bates entered in relief of Hernandez and escaped the aforementioned jam, then returned to toss a 1-2-3 third inning. Austin Warren fired a perfect seventh inning, striking out a pair.

Oct. 5: Mesa 2, Mexicali 1
Brandon Marsh laced an RBI single to open the scoring for Mesa in the fourth, finishing 1-for-3. He has hit .345 over eight contests, a complete turnaround from his 1-for-21 performance during the AFL last season. Jahmai Jones went 0-for-2 to drop his batting average to .292 during the fall, but notched the go-ahead RBI for the Solar Sox with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Oct. 4: Scottsdale 6, Mesa 5
Top prospect Jo Adell (MLB No. 5) hit an RBI double and pushed across a run via a bases-loaded walk in a 1-for-4 performance for Mesa. The 20-year-old outfielder has hit safely in seven straight for the Solar Sox and owns a .296 average with seven RBIs in 12 games this fall. Jahmai Jones also picked up a hit and drove in a run and owns a .318 average after a 1-for-5 performance.

Oct. 3: Scheduled day off for all Arizona Fall League teams

Oct. 2: Surprise 8, Mesa 7
Jo Adell had his immense potential on display during Mesa’s defeat to Surprise, clubbing his second home run of the AFL while coming just a triple shy of the cycle. His solo shot in the first-inning was a resounding blast well beyond the left-field fence, with his opposite-field double in the second nearly clearing the wall in right-center field. In addition to drawing a walk in the third, Adell laced a single to left in the fifth. His performance brought his Fall League average up to .300 over his first 11 games, with his OPS at .895.

Brandon Marsh is 4-for-9 over his past two games after his 1-for-5 night Thursday. Overall, the Angels’ No. 2 prospect is hitting .346 this fall. Isaac Mattson put together another strong outing and hasn’t allowed an earned run through four AFL appearances. Mattson did give up one unearned run and yielded three hits over 1 1/3 innings. Nathan Bates turned in a perfect frame out of relief, striking out one batter looking before retiring the side on a pair of groundouts. Aside from one shaky outing, Bates has held the competition scoreless in three of his four appearances with Mesa. Austin Warren made quick work of Surprise as he threw eight of his 10 pitches for strikes and struck out two in a scoreless frame.

Oct. 1: Mesa 4, Salt River 0
Jo Adell is clearly over his slump to begin the Fall League season, as he picked up a pair of hits and a walk as the leadoff hitter for Mesa on Tuesday. He’s raised his batting average for the fall to .267 thanks to a five-game hitting streak, a span during which he’s scored eight runs. The double was his fourth of the AFL campaign after hitting 27 in 76 games in the Minors this year. Franklin Torres finished 0-for-3 with a walk, batting ninth and serving as the Mesa catcher. He’s yet to collect a hit in the Fall League in eight plate appearances, but he has drawn three walks. He was also 2-for-3 in catching potential base-stealers on Tuesday.

Sept. 30: Scheduled day off for all Arizona Fall League teams.

Sept. 29: Mesa 7, Obregon 0
The Mesa Solar Sox racked up 14 hits on Sunday, and the Angels’ prospect trio of Jo Adell, Brandon Marsh and Jahmai Jones were responsible for eight of them. Adell, the Angels’ top prospect (MLB No. 5), was a catalyst from atop the lineup, going 3-for-5 with an RBI double and two runs scored and his first AFL stolen base. Marsh (Angels’ No. 2) doubled in his first two at-bats and added an RBI single in his next to finish 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and Jahmai Jones (No. 6) hit a double, scored two runs and picked up his fourth AFL stolen base as part of a 2-for-3 showing. With their multihit performances, Marsh and Jones improved their averages to .381 and .353, respectively.

Sept. 28: Salt River 10, Mesa 3
Jo Adell hit what appeared to be a leadoff homer, cranking a line drive deep to left-center field, but it bounced back into play and was ruled a double. Either way, the Angels’ top prospect came around to score, so his 415-foot drive was rewarded all the same. He was hitless in his other three at-bats, striking out twice. 

Aaron Hernandez's start got off on the wrong foot, with a leadoff triple, sac fly, walk and single allowed in his first four batters faced in a two-run first inning. However, that’s all the damage the 22-year-old righty would allow over three frames, and he struck out four batters on the night. Isaac Mattson entered in the fourth to pitch a perfect inning with two strikeouts on 15 pitches. Austin Warren allowed a run on a wild pitch, then an unearned run crossed on his watch due to a fielding error in his hitless seventh-inning relief appearance.

Sept. 27: Salt River 6, Mesa 1
After a four-hit performance, Jo Adell continued to show his solid approach. He broke up an early no-hit bid by leading off the fourth with a double, his first of the AFL season. The 2017 first-rounder also drew a walk in the sixth inning. One batter before that free pass was Jahmai Jones, who made the most of his one time on base. He walked vs. Rafters reliever Shane Baz, then stole second and third base before Adell could reach first. They were Jones’ first swiped bags of the Fall League.

Brandon Marsh finished 0-for-3 with a walk as Mesa’s left fielder. Nathan Bates pitched a hitless seventh inning for Mesa, striking out two and hitting a batter.

Sept. 26: Thursday's game between Surprise and Mesa was rained out and will not be made up.

Sept. 25: Mesa 15, Los Mochis 2
Jo Adell got off to a slow start in the Arizona Fall League, but Thursday’s game may have been just what he needed to break out of his slump. After starting the AFL mired in a 1-for-24 skid (.042), Adell went 4-for-5 with a homer and four runs scored. What’s more, the Angels’ No. 1 prospect wasted no time getting on track as he homered on the second pitch of the game and then added singles in each of his next three at-bats. Brandon Marsh went 0-for-3 at the plate, but drove in a pair of runs, one via groundout and one via a sacrifice fly.

Sept. 24: Mesa 8, Scottsdale 4
Jo Adell (No. 1, MLB No. 5) showcased his electric bat speed and plus wheels in the fourth inning when he laced a ball to straightaway right field and sped into third base after it was misplayed by Scottsdale’s right fielder. He scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly, but was held hitless on the night, going 0-for-5 from the leadoff spot. Jahmai Jones (No. 6) fared better from the bottom of the lineup, tallying an RBI double and also reaching once via a walk. The 21-year-old second baseman is back for his second straight AFL campaign after batting .321/.400/.500 in 19 games for Mesa in 2018.

Sept. 23: Scheduled day off for all Arizona Fall League teams.

Sept. 22: Mesa 7, Glendale 6
Jo Adell went 0-for-5 at the plate and is off to a rough start, batting just .053 in the AFL. Franklin Torres went 0-for-2 and reached base twice via a pair of walks.

Aaron Hernandez got the start for Mesa and tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings, but he did issue a pair of walks and allow a pair of hits. He struck out three batters and threw 24 of his 43 pitches for strikes. He was followed by Isaac Mattson, who allowed a pair of hits and no walks over 2 1/3 innings. He struck out four batters along the way. Nathan Bates wouldn’t fare as well, as the Georgia State product would issue three walks and allowed four hits while recording only two outs. That resulted in five earned runs allowed which put Glendale into the lead. Austin Warren got Bates out of that inning and then tossed two more, finishing 2 1/3 frames with one earned run to his name, allowing four hits and striking out three.

Sept. 21: Mesa 4, Peoria 1
A pair of Angels prospects contributed at the plate for Mesa in a 4-1 win over Peoria. Brandon Marsh, the club’s No. 2 prospect, upped his batting average to .455 (5-for-11) in three games with a single and showed off his his 60-grade run tool with his first stolen base of the Fall League season. The 2016 second-round selection also drew a walk. The Angels’ No. 6 prospect, Jahmai Jones, matched him with a single and a stolen base, and he also contributed a run.

Sept. 20: Peoria 5, Mesa 1
Jo Adell led off for Mesa but finished hitless, reaching base on a walk and striking out twice. Jahmai Jones started at second and went 1-for-2 with a walk.

Sept. 19: Salt River 4, Mesa 1
The Angels had three of their top six prospects in the lineup for Mesa on Thursday, with No. 1 prospect Jo Adell at the top of the order. Baseball’s No. 5 prospect took an 0-for-5 line with a pair of strikeouts, but No. 2 prospect Brandon Marsh, who started in left, picked up a pair of singles and a walk in a 2-for-4 night. No. 6 prospect Jahmai Jones, who slotted in as the DH, went 1-for-3 with a walk at the bottom of the lineup.

On the mound, Nathan Bates struck out the first two batters he faced and retired all four over a perfect 1 1/3 innings. Bates was followed out of the bullpen by Austin Warren who tossed two shutout innings with two hits and two strikeouts. Isaac Mattson then closed things out with a scoreless inning of his own, walking one and striking out two.

Sept. 18: Scottsdale 5, Mesa 4
No. 1 prospect Jo Adell (No. 4 in MLB) opened the AFL season in the leadoff spot for Mesa and went 1-for-5 with a single in the 5-4 loss. Across three levels in 2019, from Class A Advanced Inland Empire to Triple-A Salt Lake, Adell hit. 289 with an .834 OPS after his season was shortened due to ankle and hamstring injuries. No. 2 prospect Brandon Marsh started as Mesa’s DH and reached base three times, going 2-for-4 with a walk.