Hitter of the Day:
Ryan O’Hearn, 1B, Kansas City Royals (Surprise Saguaros) 2-4, 2B. O’Hearn is a big, strong kid with a plethora of raw power and a ton of swing and miss. He held his own after a promotion to Double-A, hitting 15 bombs in 466 plate appearances. O’Hearn’s profile presents a lot of risk because of his position and the strikeouts, but keep an eye on him.
Pitcher of the Day:
Marcos Molina, RHP, New York Mets (Scottsdale Scorpions) 3 IP, 2 H, 0 RA, 1 BB, 0 SO. Molina is still working back from an injury, so his AFL season is more about reps than anything else at this point. Before he got Tommy John surgery Molina was in the mid-90s with an effective slider and a solid change. Molina commands his arsenal well.
Best of the Rest:
Trey Ball, LHP, Boston Red Sox (Surprise Saguaros) 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO. Despite his athleticism Ball hasn’t developed consistent command to this point and his secondaries have not progressed.
Ian Happ, 2B/OF, Chicago Cubs (Mesa Solar Sox) 1-4, BB, SO. Happ has some skills at the plate, but it comes with swing-and-miss tendencies and a defensive future that seems destined for a utility role.
Fight Another Day:
Arizona Weather – Uncharacteristic rain wiped out Peoria vs. Salt River. Better luck next time.
Anthony Alford, OF, Toronto Blue Jays (Mesa Solar Sox) 0-4, 2 SO. Quick twitch, burner on the basepaths, covers a ton of ground in center, and there’s some power in there. If he can put it together … man.
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