2024 Delmarva Shorebirds

[733baseball]

2 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Ok. Cool.  What’s your opinion on Etzel’s speed and his defense in CF?

While we’re at it.  Bradfield’s defense in CF.   Thanks.

It's almost hard to judge Bradfield's defense, because he gets to balls that a lot of other guys wouldn't. Great jumps. I'll groan when a ball gets by him, but other players wouldn't have even come close.

Etzel is just high-solid all around.

[RZNJ]

Baseball America.  This weeks Hot Sheet.

9. Aron Estrada, 2B, Orioles

Team: Low-A Delmarva (Carolina)
Age: 19

Why He’s Here: .375/.464/.750 (9-for-24), 6 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 4 BB, 2 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Estrada isn’t a household name yet, but the Orioles infielder packs a sizable punch. The switch-hitter ran roughshod over Fayetteville during Delmarva’s road trip last week, slamming two home runs in the process. The 19-year-old’s 66 hits and 101 total bases each rank fourth in the Carolina League, and he also places among the circuit’s top 10 in batting average (.282) and home runs (7). He is the only teenaged minor leaguer with 10 or more doubles, five or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases. (JN)

 

18. Thomas Sosa, OF, Orioles 

Team: Low-A Delmarva (Carolina) 
Age: 19

Why He’s Here: .370/.414/.630 (10-for-27), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 BB, 8 SO, 3-for-5 SB

The Scoop: Earlier this year we pegged Sosa as a potential breakout candidate and he’s proven that a wise prediction as he’s hit .283/.361/.453 in June. Last week Sosa showed off his contact and power skills, collecting hits in all six games while hitting four extra-base hits. Sosa’s signature game of the week came on Friday when he went 3-for-5 with a home run, three runs and three RBIs. Sosa has a balance of approach, contact and power, and is part of the next wave of Orioles top prospects. (GP) 

[Frobby]

In a league where the average OPS is .663 and the average hitter is 20.3 years old, we have:

- 19 year old Aron Estrada at .780 OPS (1.006 in June)

- 19 year old Leandro Arias at .748 OPS (.827 in June)

- 19 year old Thomas Sosa at .742 OPS (.835 in June)

All under 19 years, 6 months.   All three have some serious work to do on defense, but their offense sure is coming around.

[RZNJ]

Keith Law from The Athletic caught a Shorebird game recently.

 

“Delmarva’s lineup included switch-hitting infielder Leandro Arias, who hit left-handed in all of his plate appearances in this particular game and showed a great swing with a big stride that produced hard contact when he met the ball out front more. The 19-year-old Orioles infield prospect has fast hands and might actually get the bat through the zone too quickly, but when he squared one up out in front of the plate he had his best bolt of the night, a line drive where the right fielder robbed him of a hit.

Delmarva outfielder Thomas Sosa is a giant of a 19-year-old, definitely bigger than his listed 160 pounds, and he doesn’t get cheated, swinging hard, early and often. He put the ball in play three times and all were well-hit, including a pair of line-drive singles. In a good example of how a one-game look might mislead you (and me), he’s struck out almost 29 percent of the time this year, but I saw just one swing-and-miss from him. He’s also a better runner than I expected, not fast, but not a slug, either.

Braylin Tavera signed with Baltimore for a then team-record $1.7 million bonus in January 2022, but he is not ready for full-season ball — add him to the pile of players who are suffering from the loss of short-season leagues. His pitch recognition was nonexistent in the look I got, and he hasn’t had a hit since the game before the one I saw, going 0-for-his-last-16 to drop his season line to .150/.255/.181. I’m not writing him off, since he’s 19 and shouldn’t be in Low A, but I have nothing positive to offer from my look.“

[maybenxtyr]

Another Shorebirds player that I think will start getting some attention is Aneudis Mordan. I don't think he will have the arm to stay at catcher, but he looks decent at 1B too.

 

He just turned 20 a few ago. He may not rise like SB but there's definitely something there with his bat.

[Frobby]

The Shorebirds have slid back a bit since my last update on June 23, going 11-18 since then to reach 36-60.  The team is averaging 3.84 runs per game through 96 games (11th/12), 3.45 in 29 games since my last  update.  The team OPS has slipped from .646 on June 23 to .630 now (11th).  On the pitching side, the ERA has gone from 4.40 to 4.24 (10th) and runs allowed per game from 5.31 down to 5.02 (12th).  The defense has been a little better in the recent period, improving from a .953 fielding percentage to .957, and from 1.07 unearned runs per game to 0.95 (0.66 since June 23).   

So, bottom line, the offensive downturn is the main reason the Shorebirds are 11-18 over the last 29 games.  Really, Aron Estrada has been the only player hitting well over that span, hitting .367/.422/.520 in 26 games.  Only three other players had an OPS over .600 in that stretch: Alfredo Velasquez .713, Thomas Sosa .659, Kevin Guerrero .619.   

On the pitching side there have been some very nice performances over the last 29 games: Blake Money 1.04 ERA over 26.0 innings, Nestor German 1.86 in 19.1, Riley Cooper 2.50 in 18.0, and Juan Rojas 2.70 in 23.1.    Money has 32 strikeouts vs. 4 walks in that span, German 22 K’s/3 BB.  You could make a good case to promote those two.  

 

[Hazmat]

I saw that UDFA Kenny Lenier made his debut last night.  He pitched 1 inning and, while he gave up 2 BB’s,had 3 Ks.  Is he our first drafted or undrafted player to debut this season?

[86this]

17 minutes ago, Hazmat said:

I saw that UDFA Kenny Lenier made his debut last night.  He pitched 1 inning and, while he gave up 2 BB’s,had 3 Ks.  Is he our first drafted or undrafted player to debut this season?

UDFA Turzenski pitched Tuesday 1.2IP, 1H, 0R, 2ks

UDFA Glassey pitched Wednesday 1IP, 0H, 0R, 1K

[Hazmat]

Is there a reason why the UDFA’s are getting started before the draftees?

[Frobby]

7 minutes ago, Hazmat said:

Is there a reason why the UDFA’s are getting started before the draftees?

I don’t know, but some of them signed quicker, I think.  Turzenski 7/18, Lenier 7/23, Glassey 7/26.   

[Frobby]

Another solid outing from Blake Money today, allowing only 2 unearned runs in 5 innings, on 4 hits, striking out 4.  He really pounded the strike zone, throwing 46 of 55 pitches for strikes.  On the year, he now boasts a 3.20 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 10.6 K/9, 5.1 K/BB in 81.2 IP.   It’s slightly surprising that he’s still in Delmarva.

[Tony-OH]

On 8/10/2024 at 1:57 PM, Hazmat said:

Is there a reason why the UDFA’s are getting started before the draftees?

They signed right away and are low ceiling guys that the team can get started up pretty quick and sent out there on a team that was in need of pitching reinforcements. Afterall, they had to let Cole Urman (catcher) pitch 5 innings a couple of weeks ago because they had ran out of real pitchers.

[86this]

Five 2024 Draft Picks in tonight's starting lineup for Delmarva.

 

[Frobby]

None of the newbies did much except Griff O’Ferrell, who had a single, a walk and an RBI ground out.  The grounder scored 8th rounder Colin Tuft, who had walked, stolen 2B and advanced to 3B on an errant pickoff throw.  So, nice manufactured run there.  

Starting pitcher Ty Weatherly, a 2023 UDFA, threw 4 shutout innings.  Weatherly missed more than two months this season but has been effective when he’s pitched, sporting a 2.10 ERA, 1.067 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9 in 30 IP.  He’ll be interesting to follow as the season winds down.
 

 

Edited August 14 by Frobby

[RZNJ]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

None of the newbies did much except Griff O’Ferrell, who had a single, a walk and an RBI ground out.  The grounder scored 8th rounder Colin Tuft, who had walked, stolen 2B and advanced to 3B on an errant pickoff throw.  So, nice manufactured run there.  

Starring pitcher Ty Weatherly, a 2023 UDFA, threw 4 shutout innings.  Weatherly missed more than two months this season but has been effective when he’s pitched, sporting a 2.10 ERA, 1.067 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9 in 30 IP.  He’ll be interesting to follow as the season winds down.
 

 

I watched a minute here and there.   I saw Anderson make a throw to third on a steal.  Left hand hitter, and a good pitch to throw on even though the runner had a great jump.   Maybe he didn’t have a good grip but it was a very weak one hop throw to the 3B.  It was so weak, the 3B had no problem at all handling the bounce.