Rays prospects and minor leagues: Lowe homers twice

On Saturday, the Dominican Summer League started its 2019 season, and the Rays will again field two teams. Alejandro Pie — the team’s top international signing last year — had a hit and walk in his pro debut for the DSL Rays1.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (32-23)

Durham’s offense scored early and often in its Game 1, 11-5 win over Columbus. The Clippers scored three in the top of the first off Jose De Leon, but the Bulls immediately answered with three of their own. Through 2 ¹⁄₂ innings, the game was tied at four, but a five-run Bulls third — capped by Kean Wong’s second RBI double of the game — gave them the lead for good. De Leon allowed four runs in three innings.

The offense wasn’t quite as productive in Game 2’s 4-0 loss. Durham had one hit. Austin Pruitt allowed all four runs in 5 ²⁄₃ innings.

CF Andrew Velazquez (1): 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 SB
SS Andrew Velazquez (2): 0-for-4, 2 K (.803)
2B Nick Solak (1): 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 K, 1 CS (.814)
DH Brendan McKay (1): 0-for-2, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 K (.815)
SS Jake Cronenworth (1): 4-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI (1.006)
LF Kean Wong (1): 2-for-5, 1 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI (.949)
3B Mike Brosseau (1): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K (1.041)
RF Jake Smolinski (1): 3-for-5, 1 R, 2 RBI (.775)

RHP Jose De Leon (1): 3 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
RHP Austin Pruitt (2): 5 ²⁄₃ IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K (5.47)
LHP Colin Poche (1): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (5.33)
RHP Andrew Kittredge (2): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (2.23)

Durham’s site offers this recap.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (32-22)

Montgomery’s offense was relentless in a 12-7 win over Birmingham. The Biscuits scored in seven of their nine at-bats and had four multi-run innings. Josh Lowe homered in the first and the fourth, and Brett Sullivan also went deep. Josh Fleming allowed three runs in six innings.

CF Josh Lowe: 2-for-6, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 K (.782)
DH Jesus Sanchez: 1-for-4, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K (.803)
SS Tristan Gray: 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 2B, 1 BB, 2 K (.702)
LF Brett Sullivan: 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB (.609)
RF Robbie Tenerowicz: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB (.727)
1B Kevin Padlo: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 SB (.699)

LHP Josh Fleming: 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (3.48)

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (29-26)

Charlotte crushed St. Lucie, 12-1. After the Mets scored in the second to cut their deficit to 2-1, the Stone Crabs scored 10 unanswered runs. Charlotte had six players with multi-hit games, and St. Lucie had six hits. Jim Haley and Garrett Whitley each drove in three runs. After Tobias Myers allowed a run in 2 ²⁄₃ innings, Stephen Woods Jr. pitched 4 ¹⁄₃ scoreless frames.

LF Moises Gomez: 2-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K (.728)
SS Taylor Walls: 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 K (.761)
C Ronaldo Hernandez: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 K, 1 HBP (.696)
CF Garrett Whitley: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB (.765)
RF Thomas Milone: 4-for-5, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI (.899)
DH Mac Seibert: 3-for-5, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 CS (.703)

RHP Tobias Myers: 2 ²⁄₃ IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (2.83)
RHP Stephen Woods Jr.: 4 ¹⁄₃ IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (3.10)

Charlotte’s site offers this recap.

Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (32-23)

Bowling Green’s game was suspended.

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Sunday’s games (probables courtesy of milb.com)

Durham vs. Columbus 5:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Adam Plutko (1-2, 5.56)

Montgomery vs. Tennessee 6:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Oscar De La Cruz (2-2, 3.62)

Charlotte vs. St. Lucie 12:30 p.m. ET (radio stream)
Tommy Romero (2-1, 2.27) vs. Luc Rennie (3-2, 4.35)

Bowling Green @ Lansing 1:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream) DOUBLEHEADER
TBA vs. Sean Wymer (2-4, 8.23)
TBA vs. TBA

Suspended game followed by a seven-inning game.

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Columbus Clippers (Cleveland)
32-22 (T-1st in IL West)
Offense: 289 R (4th) .825 OPS (5th)
Pitching: 4.63 ERA (4th) 1.33 WHIP (2nd)
Top-30 prospects: 1B Bobby Bradley (7), SS Yu Chang (11), OF Daniel Johnson (14), C Eric Haase (25), RHP Chih-Wei Hu, C Dioner Navarro

Tennessee Smokies (Cubs)
27-27 (4th in SL North)
Offense: 228 R (3rd) .687 OPS (4th)
Pitching: 4.21 ERA (10th) 1.30 WHIP (7th)
Top-30 prospects: SS Nico Hoerner (1), RHP Cory Abbott (8), LHP Justin Steele (9), RHP Oscar De La Cruz (21), RHP Thomas Hatch (22), 1B Jared Young (24), C Jhonny Pereda (26), RHP Keegan Thompson (29)

St. Lucie Mets
26-28 (5th in FSL South)
Offense: 213 R (4th) .670 OPS (8th)
Pitching: 3.61 ERA (7th) 1.32 WHIP (9th)
Top-30 prospects: OF Desmond Lindsay (11), RHP Jordan Humphreys (16), 2B Carlos Cortes (19), RHP Tony Dibrell (24), LHP Kevin Smith (30)

Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto)
24-29 (6th in MWL East)
Offense: 228 R (7th) .714 OPS (4th)
Pitching: 4.44 ERA (12th) 1.47 WHIP (13th)
Top-30 prospects: SS Jordan Groshans (5), OF Griffin Conine (15), C Gabriel Moreno (20), RHP Sean Wymer (26)

Daily news and links

Baseball America subscribers can read two new mock drafts: one is based on industry buzz, and the other is BA staffers acting as scouting directors.

The Athletic also had a mock draft for subscribers.