Weekly Minor League Wrap Up, 7/2/12
GCL Phillies…2-8 record, 6th place, 8 GB of 1st place in the GCL North division-
Catcher Willians Astudillo has looked great for the GCL club, posting a .423 batting average with 3 doubles and 3 RBI in 7 games played. The Venezuela native was signed by the Phillies in 2008 at the age of 17.
Outfielder Dylan Cozens has posted a .286 average with 1 HR, 7 RBI and 2 SB in 8 games since making his pro debut. Cozens was drafted 77th overall by the Phillies this year.
Williamsport Crosscutters…7-7 record, 2 GB in the short-season Class A New York-Penn League’s Pinckney division-
Christopher Serritella, the Phillies’ 4th round draft pick this year, has been contributing quite well with the bat. The lefty hitting first baseman/designated hitter tallied a .280 average with 6 doubles, a homer and 9 RBI through the first 13 games of his pro career. Serritella is a 22-year-old lefty hitting Southern Illinois University product.
Third baseman Mitchell Walding sported a .383/.420/.532 line through 12 games with the Cutters, to open the season. The 19-year-old Walding was the Phillies’ 5th round draft selection in 2011 out of St. Mary’s High School in California.
Lakewood BlueClaws…6-5 record in 2nd half standings, 1.5 GB of 1st place Hickory in the Class A South Atlantic League’s North division-
First baseman Chris Duffy is batting .405 in 34 games with Lakewood this year. Duffy, who was the Phillies’ 26th round draft pick in 2010, has reached base via walk or hit in all 34 games with the ‘Claws this season. The 24-year-old lefty hitter is a graduate of the University of Central Florida.
Speedy 22-year-old OF Aaron Altherr has picked up his offensive production as of late, going 14-for-29 (.482 avg) over his past 8 games. Altherr, a 9th round draft pick from 2009, is batting .254 with 5 HR, 32 RBI and 20 SB overall in 74 games with Lakewood.
Lefty starting pitcher Ethan Stewart (4-6, 3.21 ERA) has proven to be extremely consistent for Lakewood this year. In two starts last week, Stewart went 1-0 without allowing run while striking out 6 batters in 12 innings. The 21-year-old was the Phils’ 47th round draft selection in 2010 out of New Mexico Jr. College.
Clearwater Threshers…5-6 record in 2nd half standings, 2 1/2 GB in Class A Advanced Florida State League’s North division-
Righty reliever Tyler Knigge has been dominant all season for the Threshers. A 12th round draft pick from 2010 out of Lewis-Clark State College, the 23-year-old Knigge has posted a 4-1 record with 7 saves and a 0.68 ERA. Opponents batted just .091 against Knigge in 9 June games.
Right-handed starter Brody Colvin, who spent some time in the Threshers’ bullpen earlier this season, seems to be back to the ways that got him recognized as a fast-rising prospect for the Phillies. In his most recent start on Thursday against Lakeland, the 21-year-old pitched 7 shut out innings while striking out 9 and walking none. Overall this year, the 7th round draft pick from 2009 has a 4-4 record with a 4.46 ERA.
Reading Phillies…46-35 record, 1st place in the Double-A Eastern League’s Eastern division-
The R-Phils, who will host the EL All-Star Game next week, have a big collection of players participating in the exhibition. In addition to the previously announced Sebastian Valle, Troy Hanzawa, Darin Ruf, Cesar Hernandez, Justin Friend and Julio Rodriguez, Leandro Castro made was named an All-Star to take the place of an injured player. Additionally, reliever Lisalberto Bonilla was added to the Eastern division roster to fill in for Rodriguez, who won’t be able to pitch in the game due to his participation on the MLB All-Star Futures Game.
Castro, a 23-year-old outfielder, was batting .307 with 5 HR and 39 RBI through 74 games this season. The righty hitting Dominican was signed by the Phillies in 2007 at the age of 17.
Bonilla, a 22-year-old righty who will also participate in the Futures Game, is 3-2 with 3 saves and a 1.66 ERA in 29 games at two levels this season.
In a non-All-Star note, right-handed hurler Kyle Simon, picked up by the Phillies on Saturday from Baltimore in the Jim Thome trade, made his Double-A debut on Sunday for Reading. The 21-year-old, a 4th round draft selection by the Orioles last year, went 3 innings in relief, allowing an unearned run while striking out 2 and walking none. Simon is expected to move down to Clearwater on Monday, as he was filling out the R-Phils’ roster while others had been moved up for Lehigh Valley’s double header on Sunday.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs…48-35 record, 1st place in the Triple-A International League’s North division-
Outfielder Domonic Brown has been out of action since June 14th with a right knee sprain. Brown, 24, was officially placed on the disabled list for the IronPigs last Wednesday. The lefty hitting Brown was having a strong month of June, prior to the injury, posting a .300 average with 3 HR and 5 RBI in 11 games.
With his victory on Thursday, Tyler Cloyd pushed his record at Triple-A to 8-1. Overall, in 16 starts with Reading and Lehigh Valley this season, the right-handed Cloyd has posted a 10-1 record with a 2.04 ERA while striking out 73 and walking 20 in 101 2/3 innings pitched. If the Phillies decide that Kyle Kendrick (1-4, 6.96 ERA in 6 June starts) has worn out his welcome in the starting rotation, Cloyd could be the top option to replace him. Cloyd, 25, was an 18th round draft pick by the Phillies in 2008.
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Jay Floyd is PhilliesNation’s minor league insider. You can read more from Jay by visiting his site, PhoulBallz.com.
