Shrimp Report: April 6th-25th

After starting the campaign at a .625 clip, going 5-3 over the first week or so, the Jumbo Shrimp went and lost eight consecutive games. They reeled off two wins against the Birmingham Barons on Sunday and Monday before dropping a 3-2 heartbreaker on Tuesday. For more details on that, check out our daily Fish Farm Recap. Today we will take a deeper look inside a few selected players on the team formerly known as the Suns.

Hot

Unheralded third baseman David Vidal has started out on a relative tear, leading the Shrimp with a .368 OBP and a .324 average. He’s gone 23-for-71 this season thus far, with six doubles and six RBI. On the negative side, he has struck out 15 times and only drawn three walks. Vidal was selected in the eighth round of the 2010 draft by the Cincinnati Reds.

Omar Bencomo’s started four games for the Shrimp, and is 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA. For contrast, the rest of the team is 4-11 with a 3.70 ERA. Bencomo is looking ready for the next level after posting a 0.99 WHIP, a .224 opponents batting average, and 27 whiffs in 23.1 innings. Bencomo is 28-years-old and has been bouncing around the minor leagues for 10 years now after signing with the Tampa Bay Rays back in January, 2007.

Number five prospect Dillon Peters had gone 2-1 over three starts, with a 2.25 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 12 innings. Unfortunately, his final start was shortened due to a comebacker in the second inning of a 3-1 loss to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on April 17th. After getting looked at, it was determined that Peters will miss a significant portion of the season with a fractured thumb. Although this doesn’t impact Miami’s staff immediately, The Shrimp’s rotation was substantially downgraded as a result. Peters joined the Marlins organization after getting chosen in the 10th round of the 2014 draft.

Reliever James Buckelew started out the season allowing just one hit and striking out six over his first 9.1 innings spread over three games. This past Saturday, his perfect season was shattered when he was saddled with a loss against the Barons after giving up three hits and two walks over 2.1 innings. Still, his earned run average sits at an anemic 0.77, and opponents are batting just .100 against him. Buckelew was initially chosen in the 45th round of the 2010 draft by the Minnesota Twins, and has been with the Marlins since mid-2014.

Not

Speedster Yefri Perez has started this season hitting just seven-for-58, a .121 clip. He struck out 22 times in his first 58 at bats, and drew nine walks which raised his OBP to .239. More, however, is expected from Miami’s number 30 prospect, who went two-for-three, stole four bases, and scored five runs for the Marlins in a spot duty callup late last season. Perez joined the Marlins as a non-drafted free agent in 2008.

Center fielder Alex Glenn has gotten into 15 of Jacksonville’s first 19 contests, and before reaching base four times in last night’s game wasn’t doing so hot. He went eight-for-49 for a .163 average, along with 21 strikeouts in only 49 at bats. He was originally part of the Arizona Diamondbacks after getting picked in the 12th round of the 2012 draft. He joined Jacksonville on June 25th of last season.

Notables

Number 13 prospect Austin Dean has started six games for the Shrimp, going six-for-22 with a double, a triple, a homer, and five RBI. He’s been on the DL since April 15th. Dean has been with the Miami organization since getting picked in the fourth round of the 2012 draft.

Number 19 prospect Tayron Guerrero has appeared in five games for the Shrimp, totaling six whiffs in just 3.1 innings. On the downside, he’s also given up three earned runs on four hits and count ‘em SIX walks. He’s been between the Shrimp, the New Orleans Baby Cakes, and Aguilas del Zulia in the winter league since signing with the then-Jacksonville Suns in June of 2016.

Number 27 prospect right fielder John Norwood ranks second on the Shrimp with 24 total bases. He’s hit .258 (17-for-66) with a pair of round-trippers and five RBI, striking out 22 times in 66 at bats. Norwood was initially chosen in the 12th round of the 2011 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.