Weekly Wrap: August 18, 2017

To The DL

Phillies second pick in 2016 RHP Kevin Gowdy underwent Tommy John surger, as provided by his Instagram account. Gowdy has yet to pitch this season, and has thrown nine innings as a pro, dating back to last season.

Tough week for the Blue Jays pitching development department. RHP TJ Zeuch is back on the DL. He has made several trips to and from the DL this season fighting an undisclosed injury. Also, back on the DL is LHP Justin Maese. Maese too has frequented the DL and Weekly Wrap this season. According to Keegan Matheson, MLB Blue Jays associate reporter, Maese is bothered by a shoulder injury.

Brewers CF Lewis Brinson is out 4-6 weeks with a bad hamstring strain. Brinson has played parts of this season for the major-league club.

Cubs RHP Adbert Alzolay was placed on the DL. The 22-year-old in Double-A has thrown 31 innings in five starts accumulating 27 strikeouts to 12 walks. His DRA is 4.09.

Braves LHP Ricardo Sanchez is on the DL, after leaving his most recent game after 2/3 of an inning. I caught his start prior to that against Port St. Lucie. He used a sinker sitting 91-93, topping 95, 2-7 sliders with fair bite at 81-82 mph, 1-7 curveballs also with fair bite and solid depth at 76-81 mph, and changeups with mild bottom at 83-87 mph. All these pitches showed fringe-potential, with the changeup being a tick behind in consistency presently. The control is below average, with Sanchez showing a pattern of nibbling at the corners. He has a very deceptive pick off move, which explains why he leads the Florida State League with seven balks. Working a good tempo and locating at different quadrants, the 20-year-old has fifth-starter potential.

Tigers RHP Gerson Moreno was placed on the DL with a triceps strain. In 23 1/3 innings at Erie Double-A, he has struck out 31 batters while walking 13 in 102 batters faced. He is a power-relief pitcher with a solid slider and, you guessed it, well-below-average control.

Reds OF T.J. Friedl was placed on the DL with a thumb injury after an attempt on a play in the field.

Royals RHP Kyle Zimmer, though nothing official, was removed from his start after six pitches in his Triple-A start. He was reportedly 83-85 mph on his fastball. He has battled injuries plenty, as recent as earlier this season.

Mets RHP Justin Dunn, 2016 first-rounder, is battling shoulder tightness. Dunn will be the center of a player debate between Steve Givarz and me sometime soon. He is disabled-yet active. No timetable on his return.

Cardinals have two players on the “Disabled-yet-Active List” in SS Delvin Perez and C Zach Jackson. Perez is out after getting hit by a pitch on August 7^th. Jackson is out with a throwing arm injury. No timetable on their return.

Off the DL

Royals activated CF Bubba Starling from the Triple-A DL, despite receiving a longer timetable on his oblique.

Though never placed on the DL, Brewers first pick in 2017 2B Keston Hiura played the field for the first time this season, both collegiately and professionally. Nine innings, zero chances. Sometimes the ball finds you, and sometimes it doesn’t. Hiura was recently Ten Packed here with video.

Twins LHP Tyler Jay is on a GCL Rehab Assignment. He went one inning, striking out two. He is coming back from a left shoulder impingement.

Cardinals SS Edmundo Sosa is rehabbing with the GCL Cardinals, after breaking his left hamate.

Pirates OF Austin Meadows was activated from the DL, after straining his hamstring.

Dodgers LHP Devin Smeltzer and RHP Dustin May were activated from the DL.

Braves 2B Travis Demeritte was activated from the DL.

Up the Ladder

White Sox have promoted C Zack Collins and RF Eloy Jimenez to Double-A. Collins was Ten Packed twice this season, with a look from Victor Filoromo here and Greg Goldstein here. As for Jimenez, he is one of the more notable prospects, checking in at No. 8 on the midseason Top 50.

Athletics promoted 3B Sheldon Neuse to Double-A. The younger Goldstein covered him here, highlighting his strong arm and power for the corner position.

Mets promoted Patrick Mazeika to Double-A. Mazeika is a bat-first player, with the potential for a plus hit tool and gap power. On the Port St. Lucie team, he mainly caught, where his defense is fringy, with heavy, long legs that made it difficult for him to get to his knees for pitches in the dirt but an arm that improved from 2.1s to 2.0s due to quick exchanges and solid receiving skills. The arm on its own is below average. He hits more than enough at the catcher position and really at any other positions, but he will need to develop more power for first base.

MLB’s 2017 1-1 pick, Twins SS Royce Lewis, was promoted to Low-A, and made an instant impression. The 18-year-old went four for five with two runs, and a stolen base. Did it top his first pro game where he leadoff with a homer? You decide.

Astros promoted RHPs Franklin Perez and Forrest Whitley to Double-A. Perez is scouted here, and, as a 19-year-old, he has the floor of mid-rotation starter and ceiling of a front-end dude. Also, 19 years old, Whitley is equally sexy. Though lacking the 70 changeup and control, Whitley has the pieces of a front-end starter. To take one of their places was RHP Carson LaRue.

Astros also moved up 3B Wander Franco from the GCL to Low-A. He is the older brother to the newly signed Rays SS Wander Franco. Oh, and there is one other Wander Franco, a third baseman in the Royals system.

Phillies promoted CF Carlos Tocci to Triple-A, whom was Ten Packed earlier this season. Phillies also promoted their 2017 first-round pick CF Adam Haseley to Low-A from short-season. Now with two center field first rounders on the same squad, we will see what happens with Mickey Moniak, defensively.

Phillies SS Dalton Guthrie, their sixth-round pick of this year’s draft, finally began his pro action with the GCL Phillies. He went one for one with a solo shot and a walk.

Tigers promoted RHP Spencer Turnbull from High-A to Double-A. Turnbull, a 2014 draftee, has battled injuries since last season. He was shelled in his first Double-A start, going 4 1/3 innings with six earned runs, five walks and two strike outs.

Yankees promoted LHP James Reeves to Double-A. A low three-quarters lefty, Reeves can easily be peg as a lefty specialist. However, Reeves has a good slider and control that he can backfoot it to righties as well. Reeves is likely a reliever, simply with good control.

Angels promoted 2017 first-round CF Jordan Adell to short-season ball. Adell tore up the Arizona League in 31 games slashing .288/.351/.542 with six doubles, six doubles, and four home runs with five stolen bases.

Down the Chutes

Royals demoted 1B Ryan O’Hearn to Double-A. He simply got the boot, as part of a roster crunch.