Marlins Minor League Recap 5/21/18

Every week we will give a brief recap of each of the past week’s action for each Marlins farm affiliate, focusing on the top prospects (per MLB Pipeline) and whoever else may be making an impact or turning heads.

Beginning this season, Pipeline makes it easy for you to monitor the recent performances of those top prospects.

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All stats updated through May 20.

Triple-A: New Orleans Baby Cakes (@cakesbaseball)

Record last week: 3-3

Season record: 22-21

Notables:

A glimmer of hope for the Marlins this season is their new found pitching depth in the upper levels of the minor leagues. The Baby Cakes have two main categories of pitchers: ones who have shuttled between the bigs and the minors (Trevor Richards, Jacob Turner, Dillon Peters, etc.) and prospects on the cusp of MLB debuts (Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen, Ben Meyer).

Leading the team stat-wise is Zac Gallen. The 22-year old UNC product has been terrific; through 48 innings, he has a 2.25 ERA and 1.29 WHIP despite hitter-friendly conditions in the Pacific Coast League. Gallen has posted a 7.35 K/9 rate and been a model of consistency on the mound, going at least five innings in each of his starts.

Trevor Richards, everyone’s favorite underdog, has done extremely well since being being sent down to New Orleans. In four starts, he has tossed 26 ¹⁄₃ innings, given up only 6 runs (though he has given up 3 homers), while striking out 24 and walking only three. If you give up home runs, at least don’t walk someone ahead in the lineup, I suppose.

Outfielder Austin Dean continued his hot hitting, and is on a five-game hitting streak, including a four hit game. He has reached base safely in 36 of 41 total games between Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Eric Campbell has continued to pace the way for the Cakes offense while manning the hot corner. Over 34 games he leads the team in batting average (.361) and RBI (23).

Double-A: Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (@jaxshrimp)

Record last week: 3-4

Season record: 17-26

Notables:

After losing their last three, the Shrimp now have the worst record in the Southern League. Offense continues to be the biggest problem for this club. To put it in perspective, Brian Schales leads the team in batting average at .264 and in OPS at .792. Not very impressive for your leading producer.

Marlins top prospect Monte Harrison has struck out 68 times in just 163 at-bats, so he is clearly not yet ready for a promotion. Isan Diaz and John Norwood have each fanned 43 times this season so far. See a pattern?

Single-A (Advanced): Jupiter Hammerheads (@GoHammerheads)

Record last week: 4-2

Season record: 27-15

Notables:

Offense—Jacksonville’s weakness—is Jupiter’s strength.

Joe Dunand leads the Hammerheads in home runs (5) and RBI (32) to pace the Hammerheads.

Brian Miller continues to rake and has hit .353 with a .903 OPS and five stolen bases over his last 10 games. Miller is currently ranked 10th in the Marlins system by MLB Pipeline, and his stock should only continue to rise.

The Marlins third-ranked prospect, Jorge Guzman, threw 5 innings of one run ball on Monday, and gave up 2 runs in 3 ²⁄₃ innings on Sunday. Not bad results, but he walked 9 batters over those 8 ²⁄₃ innings, which has been his bugaboo so far.

Finally recovered from a shoulder injury, Jordan Yamamoto technically had his 2018 debut postponed due to rain. Acquired from the Brewers in the Christian Yelich trade, the Hawaiian right-hander only pitched into the second inning Sunday afternoon before the rest of the game was washed away (and all stats stricken from the record).

Single-A: Greensboro Grasshoppers (@GSOHoppers)

Record last week: 2-3

Season record: 18-21

Notables:

Leading the pitching staff so far this season have been Brady Puckett and Ryan Lillie. Puckett has terrific numbers, with an ERA of 1.99, a WHIP of 1.11 and four walks compared to 48 strikeouts in 49 ²⁄₃ innings. Having such advanced command at the Single-A level is definitely noteworthy, but only one walk over his past six starts? Amazing.

Lillie, the Marlins fifth-round pick last year, has come out of UC Riverside to impress in a similar manner as his mound mate Puckett. This season, Lillie sports an ERA of 2.88, a WHIP of 1.06 with only 6 walks and 43 strikeouts in 40 ²⁄₃ innings.

Some credit definitely has to go to Mark DeFelice, the Hoppers pitching coach and former Milwaukee Brewer. He has to be proud with the development of these young arms.

Thomas Jones has come down to Earth over the last 10 games, but still holds promise having flashed a great deal of power earlier this season.