Minor League Notebook: Injuries and Playoff Races

In the midst of several playoff races, a handful of injuries popped up at multiple levels over the weekend.

For Triple-A Lehigh Valley, lefty batting outfielder Nick Williams was struck in the leg by a pitch in the first inning on Saturday and did not take the field in that contest after coming around to score in the frame.

As I reported on Twitter, Williams should return to action soon and a stint on the disabled list won’t be required, according to the 22-year-old, who sports a .265 average with 12 homers and 62 RBI in 118 games this season for the IronPigs.

Nick Williams says pitch hit him in awkward spot & “dead legged” him- Instant swelling. Thinks he should be good to go tomorrow. #PigsFly

— Jay Floyd (@PhoulBallz) August 28, 2016

The IronPigs appear to be in line for a Wild Card berth in the International League playoffs as they are four games behind division leading Scranton and 4 1/2 games ahead of third place Rochester with a week’s worth of action remaining on the schedule.

For Double-A Reading, center fielder Roman Quinn was placed on the disabled list with a concussion while Andrew Pullin is also out of action with an elbow strain.

The frequently injured Quinn, who missed time this season with an oblique strain and previously suffered a broken wrist as well as a ruptured Achiles tendon, was injured on Friday when a pick off throw at first base hit him in the batting helmet. In 76 games this season, the 23-year-old switch-hitter is batting .298 with six home runs, 23 RBI and 34 stolen bases.

Pullin, a lefty hitting outfielder, has been on fire since joining the Fightins in June. The 22-year-old has posted a .346 average with 10 homers and 32 RBI in 46 games with Reading.

The Fightins clinched an Eastern League playoff berth on Saturday, but the team is still battling it out with second place Trenton for the Eastern Division crown and home field advantage in the opening round.

For Class A Advanced Clearwater, right-handed starting pitcher Drew Anderson lasted just 30 pitches in the team’s victory on Sunday after injuring his leg on a throw to second base, according to Jim Peyton of PhuturePhillies.com. The severity of the issue is unclear at this time.

In 15 starts combined at two levels this season, the 22-year-old, who missed all of 2015 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, tallied a 3-4 record with a 2.70 ERA and a 10.02 K/9 mark.

The Threshers are 2 1/2 games behind first place Dunedin, for the second half division title, with a week left in the regular season in the Florida State League.

Class A Lakewood is three games ahead of second place Hagerstown for the second half title in the South Atlantic League’s Northern division with six games left. The BlueClaws, winners of nine of their last 10 contests, have been led of late by outfielder Mark Laird. The 23-year-old lefty batter has an 11-game hitting streak and is batting .348 with a home run and 19 RBI in 43 combined games at two levels this year.

For the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies, they are ahead of the second place Blue Jays in the Northwest division with four games left, including today.

This year’s first overall draft pick Mickey Moniak has cooled off recently, going 6-for-36 (.167 avg) in his last nine games. Overall, the 18-year-old center fielder has a .281 average with a home run and 28 RBI through his first 44 games as a pro.