Baseball never stops and neither does Phillies Nation. It’s another weekly edition of the Phillies off-season league rundown featuring updates on players from around the globe. Read ahead for all the info with activity through Saturday.
Venezuelan Winter League-
Aaron Altherr, image- Jay Floyd
Aaron Altherr is done with his time in Venezuela. The righty batting outfielder hit .286 with four home runs, 27 RBI and a stolen base in 31 games for Zulia. The 23-year-old played in two games with the big league Phillies this year. In 127 minor league games in 2014, the Phillies’ 9th round pick in 2009 posted a .237 average with 14 HR, 59 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
In 31 games with Zulia, shortstop Freddy Galvis is batting .254 with seven doubles, a triple, a homer and eight RBI. In 43 big league contests this year, the 25-year-old switch-hitter batted .176 with four home runs and 12 RBI.
Elvis Araujo sports a 2-0 record with a 0.66 ERA in 11 relief outings for Zulia. The 23-year-old left-hander posted a 2-1 record with 11 saves, a 3.42 ERA and a 9.00 K/9 mark in 43 combined games with Class A Advanced Carolina and Double-A Akron this year.
Righty pitcher Ethan Martin returned from a back injury and pitched twice in the past week for La Guaira, allowing three earned runs while striking out four and walking four in four innings of work. The 25-year-old was acquired from the Dodgers in the 2012 Shane Victorino trade. Martin appeared in two games with the Phillies this year, allowing two earned runs in four innings.
Also for La Guaira, righty Mike Nesseth has allowed seven earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old posted a 2-7 record with a save and a 5.60 ERA in 42 combined outings at Double- Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year. The six-foot-five 210-pound Nesseth was the Phils’ 17th round pick in 2010.
In 21 games, infielder Cesar Hernandez is batting .317 with five doubles, 12 RBI and three stolen bases. Hot of late, Hernandez is batting .379 with eight runs scored in his last seven games. In 66 games with the Phillies this year, the 24-year-old switch-hitter batted .237 with a homer, four RBI and a stolen base.
Catcher Gabriel Lino is batting .317 with five doubles, four RBI in 16 games for Lara. The 21-year-old, who was acquired from Baltimore in the 2012 Jim Thome trade, played in 90 combined games with Class A Lakewood and Class A Advanced Clearwater this year, posting a combined .215 average with five home runs and 34 RBI.
In nine appearances with Lara, lefty hurler Cesar Jimenez has a 2-4 record with a 3.56 ERA while striking out 29 and walking eight in 30 1/3 innings of work in 12 appearances. The 30-year-old posted a 1.69 ERA in 16 big league games with the Phillies this year.
Infielder Andres Blanco is batting .367 with five doubles, a triple, eight RBI and a stolen base in eight games for Magallanes. The 30-year-old batted .277 with a homer and three RBI in 25 games with the big league club in 2014.
With Aragua, righty Manny Martinez has pitched three scoreless innings in four appearances. Combined with Class A short-season Williamsport and Class A Lakewood this year, the 22-year-old posted a 1-4 record with a 5.01 ERA while striking out 34 and walking 17 in 32 1/3 innings over 26 contests.
Corner infielder/backstop Willians Astudillo is 1-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in one game for Anzoategui after making his season debut this past week. The 23-year-old was the catalyst for the Class A Lakewood team, where he finished second in the South Atlantic League with a .333 average.
Dominican Winter League-
Third baseman Maikel Franco is 5-for-34 (.147 avg) in his last nine games with the Gigantes. Through 24 games, the 22-year-old sports a .242 batting average with six home runs and 23 RBI. This year in 133 contests with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the righty hitting Franco posted a .257 batting average with 16 home runs and 78 RBI, then made his major league debut in September and tallied a .179 average with two doubles and five RBI in 16 games.
Right-handed reliever Hector Neris has made 13 scoreless appearances for the Toros while striking out six and walking four in 10 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old appeared in one game with the Phils this year, earning a win in his big league debut.
With the Aguilas, righty pitcher Nefi Ogando tossed a scoreless appearance in his DR League season debut this weekend. Earlier this off-season in the Arizona Fall League, the 25-year-old sported a 1-0 record with three saves and a 3.07 ERA while striking out 15 and walking four in 14 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Luis Garcia also made his DR season debut this weekend, allowing an unearned run in an innings of work for the Estrellas. In 13 big league games this year, the 27-year-old posted a 6.43 ERA while striking out 12 and walking 13 in 14 innings.
Australian Baseball League-
Outfielder Dylan Cozens has a .204 batting average with five doubles, three home runs, six RBI and two steals in four tried through 15 contests with Melbourne. This year, with Class A Lakewood, the 20-year-old sported a .248 average with 16 home runs and 62 RBI in 132 games. The six-foot-six 235-pounder was the Phillies’ 2nd round draft selection in 2012.
Catcher Chace Numata is batting .271 with four doubles and five RBI in 16 games, also with Melbourne. Numata missed much of the 2014 season after undergoing surgery to repair a broken hamate bone prior to the season. The 22-year-old was the Phillies’ 14th round draft pick in 2010.
Outfielder Brian Pointer has a .207 average with three doubles, two triples, a homer and five RBI in 15 games with Perth after going 0-for-12 this weekend. In 123 games for Class A Advanced Clearwater this year, Pointer posted a .246 average with 15 homers, 53 RBI and 16 steals. The 22-year-old lefty batter was the Phils’ 28th round pick in 2010.
Third baseman Mitch Walding is batting .218 with a home run and 15 RBI in 14 games with Canberra. Walding sported a .237 average with seven home runs and 55 RBI in 108 games for Class A Lakewood this year. The 22-year-old was the Phillies’ 5th round draft choice in 2011.
Mexican Winter League-
Victor Arano has a 5.84 ERA and no decisions while striking out nine and walking two over 12 1/3 innings in 10 appearances for Obregon. The 19-year-old right-hander was acquired was the player to be named later in the Roberto Hernandez to the Dodgers trade this year. In 22 games with Class A Great Lakes this year, Arano tallied a 4-7 record with three saves and a 4.08 ERA and an 8.69 K/9 mark.
Puerto Rico/Roberto Clemente League-
Righty pitcher Yacksel Rios has a 0-1 record after allowing two earned runs in three innings of work for Santurce. The 21-year-old posted a 6-2 record with one save and a 3.69 ERA in 33 games (13 starts) for Lakewood this year. Rios was the Phillies’ 12th round draft pick in 2011.
In 14 games for Mayaguez, Jesmuel Valentin is batting .273 with a double and two RBI. The 20-year-old infielder posted a .273/.341/.412 slash line in 120 minor league games this year.
Catcher Rene Garcia has a .286 average with a home run and five RBI in eight games with Carolina. The 24-year-old righty hitter was signed by the Phillies recently as a minor league free agent.
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