Rays prospects and minor leagues: McClanahan dominates Double A debut

Facing a new level of competition, Shane McClanahan continued to pitch well.

Shane McClanahan has made a good first impression throughout his career:

GCL Rays and pro debut: 1 IP, 0 R
Princeton debut: 3 IP, 0 R
Bowling Green debut: 5 IP, 0 R
Charlotte debut: 5 ¹⁄₃ IP, 0 R
Montgomery debut: 5 IP, 0 R

Triple-A Durham Bulls (66-51)

Durham’s offense rebounded in a 9-5 win over Indianapolis. After not having a baserunner through seven innings Thursday, the Bulls went to work quickly Friday, scoring seven runs in the second inning. Dalton Kelly started the scoring with an RBI single, and Kean Wong capped the inning with a three-run homer. Jose De Leon allowed three runs but struck out six in five innings — his longest outing this season.

1B Nate Lowe: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K (.942)
CF Emilio Bonifacio: 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 CS (.779)
2B Kean Wong: 1-for-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB (.881)
DH Rocky Gale: 4-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI (1.174)

LHP Jose Alvarado: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
RHP Jose De Leon: 5 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (3.65)

Durham’s site offers this recap.

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (30-17)

Shane McClanahan was sharp in his Montgomery debut, pitching Montgomery to a 6-1 win over Birmingham. The Barons were happy to see McClanahan depart after five innings and promptly scored their only run of the game in the sixth. The lefty struck out eight and gave up just two singles and a walk. Already leading 1-0 through five, the Biscuits added three in the sixth on Tristan Gray’s two-run homer and Josh Lowe’s RBI double.

3B Lucius Fox: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI (.705)
2B Vidal Brujan: 1-for-3, 1 RBI, 2 BB (.728)
SS Taylor Walls: 2-for-5, 1 R, 2 2B, 2 K (.739)
CF Josh Lowe: 1-for-4, 1 2B, 2 K (.739)
1B Tristan Gray: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K (.681)
LF Jim Haley: 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HBP (.688)

LHP Shane McClanahan: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K (0.00)

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (35-15)

Charlotte’s offense woke up just in time for a 6-4 win over Tampa. Through six innings, the Stone Crabs trailed 2-0 and had just two hits. They scored in the seventh on a wild pitch and went ahead with four runs in the eighth. Jermaine Palacios singled in two, a run scored on an error, and another scored on a wild pitch. Moises Gomez homered in the ninth. Drew Strotman allowed two runs — one earned — in 3 ²⁄₃ innings, and Justin Marsden was good in relief, throwing 3 ¹⁄₃ hitless frames.

SS Wander Franco: 0-for-4, 1 BB, 1 K (.852)
C Ronaldo Hernandez: 1-for-5, 2 K (.706)
RF Moises Gomez: 1-for-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 K (.685)
2B Connor Hollis: 0-for-1, 2 R, 3 BB (.655)
3B Jermaine Palacios: 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB (.509)

RHP Drew Strotman: 3 ²⁄₃ IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 3 K (2.70)
RHP Justin Marsden: 3 ¹⁄₃ IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (7.83)

Charlotte’s site offers this recap.

Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (28-19)

Bowling Green held on for a 5-3 win over West Michigan. The Hot Rods jumped out to a 4-0 lead through three innings. Jordan Qsar hit an RBI single in the first, and another run scored on a wild pitch. Ford Proctor’s single scored a run in the second, and Erik Ostberg drew a bases-loaded walk in the third. Alan Strong allowed three runs in 5 ²⁄₃ innings.

CF Ruben Cardenas: 0-for-3, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 CS (.813)
SS Ford Proctor: 3-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K (.781)
LF Jordan Qsar: 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB (.828)
3B Seaver Whalen: 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB (.681)
1B Erik Ostberg: 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB (.782)

RHP Alan Strong: 5 ²⁄₃ IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K (3.06)
RHP Nick Padilla: 2 ¹⁄₃ IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K (3.35)

Bowling Green’s site offers this recap.

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (31-21)

Hudson Valley rolled to a 9-1 win over Tri-City. The Renegades got off to a fast start with five runs in the second inning. Pedro Diaz started the scoring with a three-run homer, Garrett Hiott hit an RBI single, and the fifth run scored on an error. Hiott later added another RBI hit. Evan McKendry struck out six and allowed a run in five innings.

SS Nick Sogard: 0-for-2, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 K (.679)
DH Pedro Diaz: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 K (.547)

RHP Evan McKendry: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (1.48)

Rookie Princeton Rays (22-27)

Princeton slugged its way to a 12-5 win over Bluefield. Through four innings, the game was actually tied at three, but the Rays scored nine straight runs to take a commanding lead — five in the fifth and four in the ninth. Angelo Armenta’s solo homer started the fifth-inning rally, and Diego Infante was involved in both big innings, first with an RBI groundout in the fifth and then with a bases-clearing double in the ninth. Christian Fernandez allowed three runs in four innings.

CF Nick Schnell: 2-for-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K (.879)
SS Jelfry Marte: 1-for-2, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 HBP (.477)
1B Jake Guenther: 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI (.897)
3B Angelo Armenta: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K (.689)

RHP Christian Fernandez: 4 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (5.92)

Rookie Gulf Coast League Rays (19-17)

The GCL Rays topped the GCL Braves, 6-3, in eight innings in Game 1 of their doubleheader. Daiwer Castellanos’ single helped tie the game at two in the fifth inning, and the go-ahead run scored in the eighth on his bunt. He then scored on an error on a Shane Sasaki infield single. Sandy Gaston allowed two runs in 3 ²⁄₃ innings, but Wikelman Ramirez struck out four in 3 ¹⁄₃ scoreless frames out of the bullpen.

They were shut out in Game 2, 4-0. The Rays had two hits. Wilfry Urena was charged with all four runs — three earned — in 3 ¹⁄₃ innings.

2B Grant Kay (1): 0-for-3, 2 K
CF Shane Sasaki (1): 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 K (.343)
2B Alberto Figuereo (2): 1-for-2, 1 2B (.722)

RHP Sandy Gaston (1): 3 ²⁄₃ IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K (4.37)
RHP Wilfry Urena (2): 3 ¹⁄₃ IP, 6 H, 4 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K (6.75)
RHP Wikelman Ramirez (1): 3 ¹⁄₃ IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (0.00)

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Saturday’s games (probables courtesy of milb.com)

Durham vs. Indianapolis 6:#5 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Alex McRae (6-6, 4.97)

Montgomery @ Birmingham 7:30 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
Kenny Rosenberg (11-2, 3.06) vs. Blake Battenfield (4-4, 4.70)

Charlotte @ Tampa 6:30 p.m. ET (radio stream)
Tommy Romero (9-4, 1.85) vs. Alexander Vizcaino (1-0, 1.50)

Bowling Green @ Great Lakes 7:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. TBA

Hudson Valley vs. Tri-City 6:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Edgardo Sandoval (0-2, 8.36)

Princeton @ Bluefield 6:30 p.m. ET (radio stream)
TBA vs. TBA

GCL Rays vs. GCL Braves 10 a.m.

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Indianapolis Indians (Pittsburgh)
57-59 (2nd in IL West)
Offense: 518 R (14th) .753 OPS (14th)
Pitching: 4.77 ERA (5th) 1.40 WHIP (5th)
Top-30 prospects: 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (1), RHP Mitch Keller (2), SS Cole Tucker (4), 2B Kevin Kramer (8), RHP Luis Escobar (10), 1B Will Craig (11), OF Jason Martin (20), RHP Dario Agrazal (21), RHP JT Brubaker (22)

Birmingham Barons (White Sox)
24-20 (3rd in SL North)
Offense: 436 R (6th) .683 OPS (5th)
Pitching: 4.12 ERA (9th) 1.37 WHIP (8th)
Top-30 prospects: OF Micker Aldofo (6), OF Blake Rutherford (8), OF Luis Gonzalez (9), 1B Gavin Sheets (14), SS Laz Rivera (16), RHP Alec Hansen (17), RHP Zack Burdi (18), OF Luis Basabe (23), RHP Codi Heuer (26), OF Joel Booker (27), RHP Tyler Johnson (29), LHP Kodi Medeiros (30)

Tampa Tarpons (Yankees)
24-24 (2nd in FSL North)
Offense: 442 R (6th) .655 OPS (9th)
Pitching: 3.67 ERA (10th) 1.30 WHIP (10th)
Top-30 prospects: OF Estevan Florial (1), RHP Luis Gil (4), RHP Clarke Schmidt (13), RHP Alexander Vizcaino (20), C Jason Lopez (21), RHP Frank German (23)

Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers)
29-18
Offense: 605 R (1st) .735 OPS (1st)
Pitching: 3.85 ERA (10th) 1.30 WHIP (9th)
Top-30 prospects: 3B Kody Hoese (6), 2B Michael Busch (11), RHP Zach Willeman (22), LHP Robinson Ortiz (23)

Tri-City ValleyCats (Houston)
22-31 (4th in NYPL Stedler)
Offense: 198 R (11th) .635 OPS (11th)
Pitching: 4.04 ERA (13th) 1.43 WHIP (14th)
Top-30 prospects: SS Luis Santana (17), OF Jordan Brewer (20), RHP Jayson Schroeder (19), RHP Manny Ramirez (28), C Korey Lee

Bluefield Blue Jays
25-24 (3rd in AL East)
Offense: 280 R (1st) .759 OPS (2nd)
Pitching: 4.63 ERA (7th) 1.44 WHIP (8th)
Top-30 prospects: IF Miguel Hiraldo (10), IF Leonardo Jimenez (21)

GCL Braves
13-22 (5th in GCL South)
Offense: 125 R (17th) .643 OPS (15th)
Pitching: 4.60 ERA (17th) 1.50 WHIP (16th)
Top-30 prospects: OF Michael Harris

Daily news and links

Baseball America completed its annual survey of minor league managers for the best tools in the minors.