Tag Archives: Jesse Winker

WINKER, DRURY SWINGING IT IN ‘ZONA

Surprise-SaguarosOF Jesse Winker (BAK ’14) tore a tendon in his right wrist in July while playing for AA Pensacola, but the Reds’ #2 organizational prospect is back at it with the Arizona Fall League’s Surprise Saguros. Winker went 2-for-3 Wednesday night with a homer and a double as he paced his club to an 8-2 victory over the Peoria Javelinas.

In 53 games with the Bakersfield Blaze this past season, Winker, a 2012 compensation pick, slashed .317/.426/.580 with 13 homers in 205 ABs.

In the same game, 1B Kyle Waldrop (BAK ’13, ’14) went 3-for-5 with 2 RBI and a run scored for Surprise. DH Hunter Renfroe (LE ’14) went 1-for-5 with an RBI batting behind Waldrop and before Winker.

Brandon Drury (VIS ’14), the Diamondbacks’ #6 prospect, launched a homer in a 6-3 win for the Salt River Rafters over the Scottsdale Scorpions. This game featured an especially strong mix of elite prospects as Salt River’s top three in the batting order went like this:

OF Byron Buxton – 2-for-5, 1 R
DH Brandon Drury – 1-for-5, HR, RBI
2B Trevor Story (MOD ’13, ’14) – 2-for-4, 2B, RBI

Beyond that trio, P Mark Appel (LAN ’14) went three innings as the starter for Salt River, OF Andrew Aplin (LAN ’12, ’13) went 1-for-5 with a run scored, also for the Rafters, and Daniel Carbonell (SJ ’14) walked as a pinch-hitter for Scottsdale.

 

BACK IN BUSINESS

CLThe second half of the California League season begins tonight with a full slate of games. Four-game series run through Sunday in five Cal League cities. There were a number of roster moves over the All-Star break and the AA Pensacola Wahoos got several of the players that led the Bakersfield Blaze to the first half North division title.

Jesse Winker, Marquez Smith, Kyle Waldrop, Seth Mejias-Brean, Carlos Gonzalez, Ben Lively and Ryan Wright all got the call to AA. In turn, Bakersfield welcomes Sean Buckley, Julio Morillo, Mikey O’Brien, Jeff Gelalich and Ismael Guillon to the roster. LHP Guillon is the Reds’ #9 prospect according to MLB.com.

Lake Elsinore saw OF Hunter Renfroe and closer Trevor Gott called up to AA San Antonio. Renfroe made his AA debut last night and went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Here are the matchups for the Thursday-Sunday four-game series that start tonight:

SAN JOSE @ VISALIA
BAKERSFIELD @ STOCKTON
HIGH DESERT @ MODESTO
INLAND EMPIRE @ RANCHO CUCAMONGA
LANCASTER @ LAKE ELSINORE

 

WINKER EDGES DRURY IN ALL-STAR HOMERUN DERBY

ASG HCBakersfield’s Jesse Winker won the Home Run Derby  portion of the skills contests in Wilmington, DE Monday as festivities got underway for the California/Carolina League All-Star Game. Winker hit five homers while Visalia’s Brandon Drury came in second with four.

The fan-friendly contest had a twist on the usual format as the participants took their swings from CF near the warning track, aiming to send balls into the crowd that gathered in the grandstand area between the dugouts. For it to count, the longball had to land in this area, nothing could be pulled.

Also taking place was a “Hitting Challenge” with participants from both leagues trying to hit various targets in a timed exercise with some mascots in the way. The California League squad won this competition, with Bakersfield OF Kyle Waldrop leading the way in points.

The All-Star Game itself is tonight at 7:05PM EDT/4:05PM PDT

BLAZE WRAP UP FIRST-HALF TITLE

BlazeThe Bakersfield Blaze outlasted the Quakes tonight, surviving a 9th-inning rally to win 8-7 in Rancho Cucamonga. The victory clinched the first-half title in the North division and a berth in the Division Series with the first two games at home. (The Cal League playoff procedures might be a tough read, but they make sense and are weighted toward the first-half winners). With a record of 41-23, the Blaze have opened up an eight-game lead on the Stockton Ports and Visalia Rawhide. The first half ends on Saturday, June 14th.

The Blaze have been led by ace Ben Lively (10-1, 2.28 ERA) who will start the California League/Carolina League All-Star Game on June 17th. The right-hander out of Central Florida has thrown 74 innings in the potent California League and allowed just 16 earned runs while walking 13 and striking out 86.

On the offensive side, the Blaze have two more all-stars, outfielders Kyle Waldrop and Jesse Winker. Waldrop is slashing .349/.401/.485 while Winker checks in at .311/.406/.544 with 10 homers and 41 RBI.

It’s been a great run for manager Pat Kelly and the Blaze in the first half as they have been up at the top of the North division behind these great individual performances as well as a solid team dynamic. The minor leagues are transient in nature, and surely some of these key players will be moving on before the season is out, but this club has come together and the results are impressive.

Stay tuned for the first-half winner in the South division. After tonight’s action, Lancaster holds a three-game lead on Lake  Elsinore, with everyone else eliminated.