Players of the Week
Player - OF Jose Pujols, Reading … The 22-year-old, who was recently promoted to the double-A level, posted a combined .435/.458/.870 slash line between Clearwater and Reading, going 10-for-23 with four doubles, two home runs and 11 RBI in six games. On August 5 at Bowie, he collected three hits, including a grand slam. Pujols is one of three Phillies minor league players with 20 or more home runs this season. A native of the Dominican Republic, he was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent on July 2, 2012.
Pitcher - RHP Mauricio Llovera, Clearwater … Llovera, 22, recorded his first professional double-digit strikeout performance, fanning 10 batters in 6.2 innings on July 31 vs Tampa. In that outing, he allowed just one hit to the 24 batters he faced, while surrendering two runs. The Venezuelan native has the fifth-most strikeouts (106) among all Phillies minor league pitchers in 2018. He was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent on December 14, 2014.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division… 70-43, 1st place… The IronPigs won six of their eight games last week. They took four of five at Buffalo before winning two of three against Syracuse. Lehigh Valley blanked Buffalo twice in their five-game set.
Top hitting performers - 1B Joey Meneses, the International League Batter of the Week for the third time this season, batted .400 (12-30) with one double, four home runs, 11 RBI, seven runs scored and a 1.288 OPS in eight games. He homered in three consecutive games from July 30-August 1… INF Danny Espinosa hit safely in all five of his games, going 7-for-19 (.368) with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI and five runs scored… SS Dean Anna batted .348 (8-23) with a double and three walks in six games. He had a 22-game hitting streak (.407, 35-86) from July 6-August 4, which remains the longest hitting streak in the International League this season.
Top pitching performers - RHP Tom Eshelman logged two quality starts, combining to post a 1.93 ERA (3 ER, 14.0 IP) with 10 strikeouts. He tossed a complete game (7.0 IP) in Game 1 of a doubleheader vs Syracuse on August 4… RHP Hector Neris made four scoreless relief appearances (3.2 IP) and allowed just one hit with five strikeouts… LHP Cole Irvin recorded his first professional shutout (7.0 IP) in Game 1 of a doubleheader on August 1 at Buffalo.
Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division… 52-60, 5th place… Reading dropped their first series against Trenton, losing two of three. They finished the week by taking two of three at Bowie.
Top hitting performers - OF Jose Pujols, the Phillies Minor League Player of the Week, hit safely in his first three games with Reading, going 6-for-12 (.500) with two home runs and seven RBI. He has homered in consecutive games… C Deivi Grullon doubled, homered twice, drove in four runs, walked twice and batted .313 (5-16) in five games… OF Adam Haseley went 7-for-22 (.318) over five games. He owns a .338/.436/.500 slash line in 23 games with Reading.
Top pitching performers - LHP Josh Tols retired all 10 batters he faced, striking out five of them in two relief appearances (3.1 IP). He also converted his only save opportunity… RHP Connor Seabold made one start in which he allowed one run with three strikeouts over 4.0 innings.
Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division… 27-16, 2nd place, 59-52 overall… Clearwater won two of three vs Tampa and at Bradenton. Additionally, the Threshers shut out Tampa on August 2 and Bradenton two days later.
Top hitting performers - OF Mickey Moniak collected four doubles and scored three runs, while batting .300 (6-20) over five contests. He has slugged 10 doubles, one triple, two home runs and owns an .897 OPS in his last 20 games (since 7/14)… INF Raul Rivas batted .385 (5-13) with two runs scored and two stolen bases in four games.
Top pitching performers - RHP Mauricio Llovera, the Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week, fanned a professional-best 10 batters over 6.2 innings in his lone start on July 31 vs Tampa. He allowed two runs on just one hit in his outing… LHP David Parkinson debuted with Clearwater on August 4, tossing 7.0 scoreless innings of relief, while allowing two hits and striking out seven hitters… RHP Ramon Rosso notched a quality start, scattering two hits and one walk over 6.0 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts… RHP Addison Russ converted all three of his save opportunities. He recorded six strikeouts and allowed one hit in three scoreless relief appearances (3.1 IP).
Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League Northern Division… 29-14, 1st place, 70-42 overall… The BlueClaws swept Delmarva in a three-game set on the road before splitting a four-game series against Lexington. Additionally, they shut out Lexington in Game 2 of a doubleheader on August 4, adding to their league-leading 21 shutout victories in 2018.
Top hitting performers - OF Matt Vierling had three doubles, one home run, four RBI, three walks and batted .368 (7-19) with a 1.143 OPS in six games… C Colby Fitch hit .364 (4-11) with two home runs, three RBI, three runs scored and two walks in three contests… OF Josh Stephen doubled twice, tripled, drove in three runs and posted a .368 on-base percentage over six games.
Top pitching performers - RHP Gustavo Armas tossed 7.0 scoreless innings with no walks and six strikeouts in his only start… RHP Luis Cedeno struck out eight batters and allowed one unearned run on one hit in two relief appearances (5.0 IP)… LHP Zach Warren made two relief appearances (2.0 IP), earning a save in one and a win in the other. All six outs he recorded were via strikeout. He owns the highest SO/9.0 IP ratio (14.58 - 74 SO, 45.2 IP) among qualifying relievers in the South Atlantic League this season.
Williamsport Crosscutters - New York-Penn League Pinckney Division… 21-28, 4th place… The Crosscutters dropped a three-game set at Mahoning Valley to begin the week, winning only their first game of that series. They went on to win four straight games, including a three-game sweep against West Virginia.
Top hitting performers - C Rafael Marchan posted a .389/.450/.611 slash line, going 7-for-18 with four doubles and three runs scored in five games… OF Danny Mayer batted .364 (4-11) with two doubles, one home run and two RBI over three contests… 3B Jake Holmes doubled, knocked in a run and hit .400 (4-10) in three games.
Top pitching performers - RHP James McArthur worked 5.1 scoreless innings, yielding three hits and recording eight strikeouts in his only start. He has posted a 0.77 ERA (2 ER, 23.1 IP) in six games (four starts) with Williamsport… LHP Manuel Silva struck out five batters and allowed one run in 5.2 innings during his lone start.
Gulf Coast League Phillies East - Gulf Coast League Northeast Division… 22-15, 1st place.
Top hitting performers - C Jack Conley slugged two home runs on August 2, the first home runs of his professional career. He also hit .357 (5-14) in five games… OF Luke Miller doubled, homered, drove in eight runs and batted .350 (7-20)… OF James Smith went 7-for-16 (.438) with a home run, three RBI and seven runs scored… OF Julio Francisco hit two doubles, scored seven runs and hit .381 (8-21).
Top pitching performers - RHP Victor Santos earned a win in his only start after tossing 6.0 scoreless innings with no walks and five strikeouts… RHP Brian Auerbach posted two scoreless relief outings (3.0 IP) and fanned five batters… RHP Mark Potter did not surrender a run in 4.2 innings of relief, allowing just one hit over two games.
Gulf Coast League Phillies West - Gulf Coast League Northwest Division… 19-18, 2nd place.
Top hitting performers - SS Luis Garcia batted .364 (4-11) with a double, home run and three RBI… C Abrahan Gutierrez tripled, drove in a run and walked over three games.
Top pitching performers - RHP Ben Brown tossed his first professional complete game (6.0 IP) in Game 1 of a doubleheader on July 30… RHP Jose Conopoima recorded four strikeouts in 5.0 scoreless innings during his one start.