TWitM: Alexander slams while some arms shine

Tyson Guerrero was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week

This Week in the Minors is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”

This Week in the Minors: Tuesday, July 30 to Sunday, August 4

AAA Omaha Storm Chasers (18-15, 4.5 GB, International League West, 1st half Division Champs)

The Storm Chasers went 3-3 on the week, falling to 4.5 games back in the second half. They’re already guaranteed a playoff spot after finishing the first half in first place. Lefty Noah Cameron had an impressive debut for Omaha. In his first career Triple-A start, Cameron went 6.2 innings, working around seven hits. He allowed just one earned run without a walk and struck out ten. Cameron missed some time earlier this season due to injury but has been sharp ever since returning. It’s unlikely he will make a big league debut this season, but he’s a name to watch into 2025.

Reliever Carlos Hernandez was perfect across two appearances last week. He didn’t allow a base runner while striking out five. The Royals signed Dinelson Lamet to a minor-league contract back on July 19. He made one start for Omaha last week and looked impressive. Lamet pitched five scoreless innings. He allowed just one hit, and one walk, and struck out five in the process. Lamet generated a ton of spin on his fastball and slider, and he could be a bullpen name to watch sooner rather than later if those results continue.

A duo of familiar names led the way for the Omaha offense this week. CJ Alexander led the team with five RBI on the back of two home runs. One of those homers was a grand slam on Sunday. The other, Nick Loftin led the Chasers with six hits. He slashed .500/.538/.500 on the week. All six hits went for singles, but he didn’t strike out all week. Outfielder Tyler Gentry continued his second-half resurgence. He finished the week slashing .263/.333/.474 with a double and a home run.

AA Northwest Arkansas Naturals (17-15, 2.5 GB, Texas League North)

The Naturals went 4-2 on the week as they continue to inch their way closer to a playoff spot. They’re now 2.5 games back as we head into the final full month of the season. Shortstop Tyler Tolbert remained red hot, leading the Naturals with eight hits. He stole two bags and hit a home run. Javier Vaz hit an inside-the-park home run last week. He slashed .333/.429/.556 with a team-high seven RBI. He walked three times without a strikeout.

Outfielder River Town appeared in three games, leading Northwest Arkansas with a 1.055 OPS. He had a triple and a walk on the week without a strikeout. Catcher Carter Jensen continues to find some success after moving up a level last month. In nine games, he’s slugging .469 with two home runs. He’s posted a 12.8% walk rate for the Naturals but has struggled with strikeouts. Jensen’s strikeout rate at Double-A is currently 28.2%. At nearly 4.5 years below the average age for the level, an adjustment period is to be expected for Jensen.

Lefty Tyson Guerrero was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week. He made two starts for the Naturals last week. Over 13 IP, Guerrero allowed three hits and three walks while striking out 11. He didn’t allow a run to score. Steven Zobac didn’t allow an earned run in his start and struck out six. Reliever Eric Cerantola made perhaps his last career Double-A appearance last week. Cerantola was promoted to Triple-A Omaha on Monday. He posted a 2.78 ERA with the Naturals alongside a 12.5 SO/9.

A+ Quad Cities River Bandits (17-19, 6.5 GB, Midwest League West)

Another 3-3 week for Quad Cities came on the back of some unheralded offensive contributors. Justin Johnson was drafted by the Royals out of Wake Forest last summer. The 10th-round pick signed for $57,400 and hasn’t found too much lasting success in his professional career so far. Over the last two weeks, however, Johnson has been on fire. In that span, he’s slashed .442/.489/.605 with four doubles and a home run. Dustin Dickerson was an eighth-round pick last year in a similar mold. He had a strong week last week as well, hitting .308 with four RBI.

Shervyen Newton had seven hits on the week, including a home run. Trevor Werner continues to get back on track at the plate as well. He slashed .333/.462/.524 last week with a double and home run. Werner started to heat up just before the All-Star Break and it’s carried over into the second half. Since the week prior to the break (July 9), he’s slashed .290/.389/.461 with five doubles and two home runs. That’s a strong 21-game stretch for Werner after he struggled for most of the season’s first half.

Lefty Frank Mozzicato led the Bandits with six strikeouts in his lone start on the week. He allowed two runs to score in six innings of work but walked just one batter. Ryan Ramsey continues to churn out good outings under the radar. He made one start last week, going five scoreless. He allowed just two hits and struck out five. Also under the radar, starter Ethan Bosacker allowed just one earned run over six full innings of work in his start last week. In four starts since a mid-season promotion to Quad Cities, Bosacker owns a 1.69 ERA. He’s thrown 70% strikes and walked just four batters in 21.1 innings of work.

A Columbia Fireflies (18-16, 2.0 GB, Carolina League South)

In a 3-3 week, a duo of starters stood out from the rest for Columbia. Emmanuel Reyes made two starts on the week. Between the two, he went 11.0 IP and allowed just one run to score. Reyes allowed two walks and two hits on the week while striking out nine. Reyes turned 20 back in May, and he’s been dominant ever since. Since May 1, Reyes has made 15 appearances — good for 72.1 IP. His strikeout-to-walk totals (53:24) aren’t especially impressive in that span, but he’s pitched to a 2.49 ERA while holding opponents to a .200 average.

Hiro Wyatt made his second appearance for Columbia, and it was impressive. Wyatt struck out six, working around two hits and a walk, en route to five scoreless innings.

The offense in Columbia was a bit quiet on the week, but Derlin Figueroa found some success. Figueroa led the Fireflies with six hits. He had one home run and five walks on the week. Outfielder Erick Torres had five hits and eight walks. He finished the week slashing .238/.448/.429. Third baseman Brennon McNair has found a power surge of late. He slugged .714 last week behind two home runs. He has three home runs in his last ten games. Catcher Blake Mitchell had a down week. He appeared in five games but notched just two hits on the week.

In his last 13 games (since the All-Star Break), Mitchell has hit just .195 with a .212 BABIP and one home run. However in that span, his strikeout rate is 14.5% alongside a 21.8% walk rate. Those strikeout rate improvements have been happening for a long time for Mitchell. Since May 15, he owns a 24.4% strikeout rate. Over the last two calendar months, that number is 22.8%.