7/25/13 MiLB Players of the Day: Jonathan Schoop and Andre Rienzo

Player of the Day: INF Jonathan Schoop, Aberdeen (Short-Season/BAL) - 4-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 BB

Finishing up a rehab assignment before returning to Triple-A Norfolk, Aberdeen's Jonathan Schoop went out in style with a two-homer seven-RBI game to lead the IronBirds to a 14-4 victory Thursday.

The No.3 prospect in the Orioles organization, Schoop has been out since May 12 with a back injury. If he continues to hit like he has during his rehab assignment, he could be an asset late in the season for Baltimore in their attempt at a second consecutive playoff appearance.

Here is a link to the game story: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130725&content_id=54784232&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb


Pitcher of the Day: RHP Andre Rienzo, Charlotte (Triple-A/CHW) - 7 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 11 K

25-year old Andre Rienzo struck out a career-high 11 batters while throwing a no-hitter to lead the Charlotte Knights to a close 1-0 victory over Indianapolis in Game 1 of a doubleheader.

The Brazilian has pitched very well lately for the White Sox Triple-A affiliate, going 5-3 with a 1.64 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 66 innings over his last 10 starts.

Here is a link to the game story: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130726&content_id=54767738&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb

7/24/13 MiLB Players of the Day: Brian Fletcher and Aaron Brooks

Player of the Day: OF Brian Fletcher, Northwest Arkansas (Double-A/KC) - 5-6, 4 R, 3 HR, 5 RBI

Northwest Arkansas outfielder Brian Fletcher hit two home runs before Tuesday's game against Arkansas was suspended due to rain, then finished the game in the 11th inning with a two-run walk-off homer when play was resumed on Wednesday.

All in all the 24-year old had five hits and five runs batted in on the day and he now has 11 home runs in 194 at-bats for the Naturals.

Here is a link to the game story: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130724&content_id=54633030&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb


Pitcher of the Day: RHP Aaron Brooks, Northwest Arkansas (Double-A/KC) - 9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

Continuing with the Royals Double-A affiliate, Northwest Arkansas got a stellar performance from big right-hander Aaron Brooks in their regularly scheduled game on Wednesday. The 6'4" 220 lb. Brooks pitched a complete game shutout to lead the Naturals to a 7-0 win over Arkansas.

The 23-year old has split the season between Northwest Arkansas and Wilmington in the High-A Carolina League and has a 4.51 ERA with just 18 walks and 77 strikeouts in 113.2 innings between the two levels.

Here is a link to the game story: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130724&content_id=54676730&fext=.jsp&vkey=recap&sid=t1350

7/23/13 MiLB Players of the Day: Kole Calhoun and Zach Neal

Player of the Day: OF Kole Calhoun, Salt Lake (Triple-A/LAA) - 4-4, 3 R, 3 HR, 4 RBI

Salt Lake Bees outfielder Kole Calhoun homered in his first three at-bats and finished 4-4 to lead his team to a 5-4 victory over Fresno on Tuesday. All three home runs came off of Grizzlies starter Austin Fleet and Calhoun now has 12 home runs in 235 at-bats with the Bees.

A 25-year old drafted in 2010 out of Arizona State, Calhoun has played well in every stop during his rise through the Angels organization, even getting 23 at-bats with Los Angeles last season.

Here is a link to the game story: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130724&content_id=54519762&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb


Pitcher of the Day: RHP Zach Neal, Midland (Double-A/OAK) - 9 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Midland right-hander Zach Neal faced one batter over the minimum in pitching a complete game shutout against Frisco. Neal's perfect game bid was broken up in the 7th inning, but the 24-year old wasn't fazed and gave his team the stellar performance it needed to edge out a 1-0 victory.

Neal is playing his first season in the Athletics' organization and although he has had an up-and-down 2013, he has really turned it on his last three starts. In 21.1 innings Neal has given up just two earned runs while putting up an outstanding WHIP of 0.57.

Here is a link to the game story: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130724&content_id=54526442&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb

7/22/13 MiLB Players of the Day: Victor Roache and Angel Sanchez

Player of the Day: OF Victor Roache, Wisconsin (High-A/MIL) - 2-3, 2 R, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB

Although it came in a losing effort, Victor Roache had a night to remember on Monday when he hit a 3-run homer in the first inning and followed it up with a grand slam in the second. Dayton refused to give the slugger any good pitches to hit the rest of the game and it benefited them in securing a 10-9 victory.

One of the top prospects in the Brewers organization, Roache has some of the best power in the minor leagues and he has really turned it on in July with seven home runs in the month.

Here is a link to the game story: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130723&content_id=54421162&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb


Pitcher of the Day: RHP Angel Sanchez, Jupiter (High-A/MIA) - 6 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K

Jupiter Hammerheads righty Angel Sanchez was dominant through six innings before handing it off to the bullpen to finish off the no-hitter against Clearwater.

This was Sanchez's third start for the Hammerheads since being acquired from the Dodgers in the Ricky Nolasco trade, and the 6'3" starter has thrown very well with a 1.69 ERA in 16 innings.

7/21/13 College Summer Leagues Players of the Day: Jesse Puscheck and Chris Haddeland

Player of the Day: 3B Jesse Puscheck, Southern Ohio Copperheads (Great Lakes) - 5-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB

3B Jesse Puscheck powered the Copperheads to a dominant 8-0 victory over the Xenia Scouts with five hits including a 3-run homer that put the game away.

A rising junior from Canisius, Puscheck leads the Copperheads in batting average, hits, and runs batted in and is a big reason why the team is in first place in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

Here is a link to the game story: http://www.copperheadbaseball.com/news/index.html?article_id=64


Pitcher of the Day: RHP Chris Haddeland, Swift Current Indians (Western MBL) - 9 IP, 2 H , 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K

North of the border in the Western Major Baseball League, Chris Haddeland propelled the Swift Current Indians to a 3-0 victory over Yorkton with a complete game shutout. Haddeland gave up just two hits and a walk while striking out nine batters during the outing.

A rising junior at Linfield, Haddeland is playing his second summer with Swift Current and is 4-3 with a 2.11 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 55.1 innings.

7/21/13 MiLB Players of the Day: Tyler Massey and Chris Flexen

Player of the Day: OF Tyler Massey, Modesto Nuts (High-A) - 4-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB

Celebrating his 24th birthday on Sunday, Modesto outfielder Tyler Massey was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate including a go-ahead 3-run homer in the sixth inning to propel the Nuts to a 6-4 victory over Rancho Cucamonga.

With two runners on and Modesto down 4-3, Massey launched a 3-2 pitch from Quakes reliever Freddie Cabrera over the right field fence to give his team the lead for good.

Here is a link to the official game story: http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130722&content_id=54337714&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_t515&sid=t515


Pitcher of the Day: RHP Chris Flexen, Kingsport Mets (Rookie) - 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K

Coming off of a 7-inning complete game shutout in his last start, Kingsport righty Chris Flexen continued his dominance against Princeton Sunday, throwing seven more shutout innings with a career-high eleven strikeouts in the Mets 8-1 win.

The 19-year old Flexen was drafted by the Mets in the 14th-round out of high school in California in 2012 and New York was able to sign him away from a commitment to Arizona State. At 6'3" 215 lbs with an above-average fastball and solid secondary offerings, Flexen struggled in his first professional season but is starting to tap into his high potential in 2013.

Washington Nationals 2013 MLB Draft Signings

Bold = Signed

2nd Round: RHP Jake Johansen, Dallas Baptist - $820,000

3rd Round: 3B Drew Ward, Leedey HS (OK) - $850,000

4th Round: RHP Nic Pivetta, New Mexico JC - $364,300

5th Round: RHP Austin Voth, Washington - $272,800

6th Round: 3B Cody Gunter, Grayson County CC (TX) - $175,000

7th Round: 1B Jimmy Yezzo, Delaware - $160,100

8th Round: LHP David Napoli, Tulane - $15,000

9th Round: RHP Jake Joyce, Virginia Tech - $15,000

10th Round: SS Brennan Middleton, Tulane - $10,000

11th Round: RHP John Simms, Rice - $100,000

12th Round: RHP Andrew Cooper, Sierra JC (CA)

13th Round: RHP John Costa, Palm Beach State JC (FL)

14th Round: SS David Masters, Central Arizona JC

15th Round: OF Isaac Ballou, Marshall

16th Round: OF Willie Allen, Western Oklahoma State JC

17th Round: C Geoff Perrott, Rice

18th Round: LHP Cory Bafidis, Texas Wesleyan

19th Round: LHP Niko Spezial, Wake Forest

20th Round: OF Brenton Allen, UCLA

21st Round: LHP Justin Thomas, Southern Arkansas

22nd Round: SS Cody Dent, Florida

23rd Round: OF Garrett Gordon, Wabash Valley CC (IL)

24th Round: RHP Matt Derosier, Southwestern JC (CA)

25th Round: LHP Travis Ott, Shippensburg (PA)

26th Round: SS Garrett Hampson, Reno HS (NV)

27th Round: OF Bryce Harman, Bird HS (VA)

28th Round: LHP Joey Webb, Menlo (CA)

29th Round: RHP Mike Sylvestri, Florida Atlantic

30th Round: RHP Ryan Ullmann, Concordia (TX)

31st Round: SS Willie Medina, High Point

32nd Round: LHP Pat Boling, Georgia

33rd Round: RHP Andrew Dunlap, No School (TX)

34th Round: LHP Jake Walsh, Missouri

35th Round: RHP Lukas Schiraldi, Navarro JC (TX)

36th Round: SS Reid Humphreys, Northwest Rankin HS (MS)

37th Round: RHP Karsten Whitson, Florida

38th Round: SS Caleb Hamilton, Woodinville HS (WA)

39th Round: 2B Robbie, Tenerowicz, Campolindo HS (CA)

40th Round: RHP Shaun Anderson, American Heritage HS (FL)