#beloit snappers

C’s Chat – Kyle Weatherly

Kyle Weatherly was 1-1 with a 2.05 earned run average over four starts with Vancouver in 2017.

It may be spring training but pitch counts mean nothing to Kyle Weatherly as he puts in a complete-game effort on this edition of C’s Chat.

A native of Sasche, Texas, Weatherly was considered one of the top junior college prospects heading into the 2016 draft out of Grayson Community College. The…

Future of Beloit Snappers in doubt

After two months of service, the president of the Beloit Snappers, Mark Mascharka, has stepped down from the position, leaving the board of directors of the club with a challenge to guide the future of the club. The ballpark of the Snappers, Pohlman Field is in bad shape, even this bad that it needs to be addressed soon. This is known by both the city of Beloit as MiLB.

For now,  it looks like…

From the Field: Luis Barrera, of, Athletics

Luis Barrera has been in the Oakland system since 2013, though 2016 is the first season of affiliate ball. He started the season off at Low-A, and hit well: 321/.379/.421 with 2 HR.  He got promoted to Beloit, and in 70 at bats hit .286/.320/.443 with 1 HR.  He is pretty young, at 20. From what I can tell the biggest problem is his lack of power. For an outfielder he really should have a little…

Lots of PDC news

Because of my stay at the European Baseball Championship, I have missed quite some moves regarding several extensions of player development contracts.

Yesterday, September 11 was the deadline to extend player development contracts, so in the last couple of days there have been a lot of signings at the eleventh hour.

Five extensions have been signed.

The first one was between the Everett AquaSox…

Due to inclement weather and playing conditions, Wednesday’s scheduled game between the West Michigan Whitecaps and Beloit Snappers at Fifth Third Ballpark has been cancelled. Tickets for Wednesday’s game can be exchanged for any home game throughout the 2016 season at the Fifth Third Ballpark Box Office. Whitecaps pitcher Jordan Smith takes the mound against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to…

Jake Shull earns 3rd save as Whitecaps beat Snappers

The West Michigan Whitecaps scored three runs in the third and fourth innings to defeat the Beloit Snappers 6-3. In front of 1,870 fans Tuesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark, Jon Maciel (2-1) came on in relief for 3.2 scoreless innings, earning his second victory of the season. Jake Shull earned his third save, tossing a perfect ninth inning.  The Whitecaps once gain rise to an even 12-12. The…

Lost fly ball dooms Whitecaps

The West Michigan Whitecaps could not find the light in a 4-2 loss to the Beloit Snappers. A misplayed fly ball by Jose Azocar led to two runs crossing the plate in the top of the ninth. Whitecaps reliever Josh Laxer (0-1) took the loss.  

Josh Smoker

Matt Koch

Mickey White

Nick Collins

Ryan Howell

Steven Pallares

Michael Fagan

Jared King, LF, Binghamton Mets – 2013 5th rounder out of Kansas State.  Rough 2015 with the Mets AA affiliate, hitting .214/.262/.286 with 4 HR.

Josh Smoker, p, Binghamton Mets – Drafted in 2007 in the Compensation A portion of the draft.  Bounced between three levels in 2015, and would end the season in AA.  There he would carry a 3.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP while coming out of the pen.  He is 26, so he is very old to be a prospect…but pen arms are weird things. Could flame out and retire next season, or be in the majors.  Who knows.

Matt Koch, p, Mobile BayBears – 3rd round pick by the Mets in 2012 out of Louisville. Was ranked the Mets #24 prospects after both the 2013 and 2014 seasons.  Pitched in AA for 2015, and put up OK numbers:  4-8, 3.46 ERA with 95 hits, 55 K and 15 walks in 88.1 innings, mostly out of the pen.  Good for a 1.25 WHIP. In August 2015 was traded to Arizona.  He has a nice collection of pitches, and if deployed as a pen arm should find a place on a major league roster at some point next season.

Mikey White, ss, Beloit Snappers – 2nd round pick by the A’s in 2015 out of Alabama.  Hit well in the NYP league (.315 AVG, .400 OBP and .864 OPS), but struggled in Low-A (.200 AVG, .283 OBP and .545 OPS). No reason to think his low-A numbers are a concern, as he projects to be a regular big league infielder–the only question is if he will stick at short or move to second.  He is not fast and lacks power, but his steady bat and defense should get him to the majors at some point.

Nick Collins, c, Vermont River Monsters – 8th round pick by the A’s in 2015 out of Georgetown. In 117 at bats in the NYP league hit .256 with a .333 OBP and .658 OPS.  He is a good hitter, though lacks power and his defense is a concern.  Still, he has a good bat and if he continues to work on his catching ability could become an intriguing prospect.

Ryan Howell, 3b, Vermont River Monsters – 2015 15th round pick out of Nevada.  Has plus power…and that is about it.  NYP numbers were not great: .199 AVG, .278 OBP with a .615 OPS.

Steven Pallares, of, Vermont River Monsters – 2015 10th round pick out of San Diego State.  In the NYP hit .246/.363/.317. Not a lot of power, but is fast and can handle the bat.  You have to love that in 240 at bats he had more walks (40) than strikeouts (39).

Mike Fagan, LHP, Beloit Snappers – 2014 9th round pick out of Princeton.  Spent most of the season in Low-A, and was hit hard:  5.40 ERA, 1.54 WHIP with 40 hits and 43K/19BB in 38.1 IP.