6/30 High-A Minor League Report
Posted by Jeremy on July 2, 2009 under Minor League Ball today | 
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Sorry for getting this one out late. My son is out of school for the summer which limits my online time significantly. I have lit the candle, though and it is currently burning at both ends. This should keep me up later each night to try and get more work done after the family goes to bed.
We’ll see.
As for the High-A action, Thomas Neal and Angel Villalona each had three hits and drove in three runs for the San Jose Giants. Neal has hit the tar out of the ball this season, hitting .349 with 13 HR 49 RBI 22 doubles and 53 runs scored this season. June was a banner month for Neal as he hit .414 with 6 of his HR during that time. The 22 year old rightfielder has the most power in the Giants organization of any prospect not named Angel Villalona. His plate discipline is sound and he makes good contact at the plate, but I would really like to see what this guy can do at the AA ranks. The California League, as I have long maintained, is a very hitter friendly environment while the Eastern League (home of San Fran’s AA affiliate Connecticut) tends to favor pitching. Somehow I think the .349 average is flukish and that his numbers should more closely resemble last season’s .279 mark. Regardless that average, mixed with 25-30 HR power, should make him a highly intriguing prospect once his first year cards surface on the eBay market.
Angel Villalona has been hovering below the radar this season as many other San Jose Giants like Madison Bumgarner, Tim Alderson, Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, and the aforementioned Thomas Neal have all garnered more attention. Still, the 18 year old 1st Baseman has put up a solid showing at High-A ball, hitting .271 with 9 HR 39 RBI and 41 runs scored. Plate discipline and pitch recognition continues to be a sore spot for Angel as his 9 BB/66 K ratio vehemently testifies. He will never be a low strikeout guy, and chances are he won’t walk a ton either, but his ability to more closely match those numbers will speak volumes to just how high his ceiling will be. A full season at San Jose would best behoove Villalona developmentally as would some work in a winter league.
High-A Player of the Day Tyler Henson blasted two homers yesterday, driving in three runs. The Baltimore Orioles’ 3B prospect first popped up on my radar this past winter when he paced the Hawaiian Winter League in runs scored, doubles and bases on balls. Unfortunately, he also finished second in strikeouts and committed nine errors at the hot corner. Henson has tons of athleticism that he uses well on the basepaths and his 6-1 190 lb. frame indicates that he should be a 12-15 HR hitter at the major league level. This season with Frederick, Henson has struggled to make consistent contact at the plate, striking out 83 times while walking 23 times. This has contributed to his lackluster .246 batting average and anemic .310 OBP. He’s still driving the ball well to the gaps, hitting 19 doubles, and his 12 SB this season indicates that he is on track for his third consecutive 20 SB season. The O’s don’t have a whole lot of depth within their organization at 3B as Billy Rowell has moved to the other side of the diamond, Mike Costanzo is a perennial disappointment, and Tyler Kolodny is having a so-so season at Low-A Delmarva. There is ample opportunity for the 21 year old former SS prospect to make some moves up the organization’s depth chart if he can turn some of his exciting tools into more consistent skills.
High-A Player of the Day—TYLER HENSON
Other Notable Performances
Hitting:
- Julian Perez—2-5 2R RBI SB(5)
- P.J. Phillips—3-4 HR(6) RBI 2R
- Trayvon Robinson—1-3 HR(10) 2 RBI
- James Darnell—1-4 HR(9) 3 RBI
- Sawyer Carroll—2-4 3B 2R RBI
- Tyson Gillies—4-6 2R 3 SB(21)
- Carlos Peguero—3-4 2 HR(18) 5 RBI 3R
- Alex Liddi—3-5 2 2B 3R RBI SB(7)
- James McOwen—2-5 Hr(4) 2 RBI 2B 2R
- Brandon Barnes—2-4 Hr(8) 3 RBI 2R
- Jermaine Mitchell—3-4 2 2B 3B 3R RBI BB
- Thomas Neal—3-5 2 2B 3B 3 RBI 2R
- Angel Villalona—3-5 3 RBI R
- Brian Bocock—2-4 2B 3R 3 RBI BB
- Darren Ford—3-4 3R 3B
- Jason Kaase—3-5 2B R
- Ollie Linton—3-6 2 RBI
- Jesus Sucre—2-4 HR(2) 2 RBI 2B
- Michael Burgess—2-5 2B 3B RBI
- Seth Rooney—3-4 3 2B 2 RBI BB
- Brent Morel—4-5 HR(10 3 RBI 2R SB(17)
- Tyler Kuhn—4-4 2R 3B RBI
- Tyler Henson—2-4 2 HR(6) 3 RBI 2R
- Mike Moustakas—3-3 2B RBI BB
- Derrick Robinson—2-5 2B 2R
- Pedro Florimon Jr.—2-3 2 2B 2R RBI
- Tim Federowicz—2-5 HR(11) RBI 2R
- Yamiaco Navarro—3-5 HR(1) 3 RBI 2B
- Che Hsuan Lin—2-4 3B 3R 3 RBI BB
- Jason Place—2-5 2 2B R RBI
- Jordy Mercer—1-4 3B R 2 RBI
- Greg Burns—2-3 2 2B R RBI BB 2 SB(20)
- Matt Dominguez—1-4 HR(5) 3 RBI
Pitching:
- Ryan Morris—5 IP 3H ER 3 BB 7K
