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The good news: Teoscar Hernandez broke out yesterday with a grand slam and Nate Pearson was lights out in his limited innings in Vancouver. The bad news: Bo Bichette looks set for a spell in the bleachers and Conner Greene turned in another rough start.

Buffalo Bisons

Teoscar Hernandez had a big day. Hernandez hit a grand slam as part of a two-hit day. Michael Saunders and Roemon Fields also had two hits. The Bisons romped to a 10-4 victory.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

It was not pretty for Conner Greene. Twelve hits, ten earned runs, and five walks in four innings of work. At the plate, Anthony Alford had two hits and is hitting a very impressive .314. Given the truncated year due to injury, does Alford go to Arizona this Fall? Andres Sotillo and Tim Lopes both homered. The Fisher Cats lost 14-9.

Dunedin Blue Jays

The big news out of Dunedin yesterday is that Bo Bichette is injured. It sounds as though he rolled in ankle and left in a great deal of pain. Edward Olivares also made his High A debut and had a double, two walks, and two RBIs. Dunedin lost 11-7.

Lansing Lugnuts

Javier Hernandez had three hits and Yeltsin Gudino had two. Osman Gutierrez struck out nine in six innings of work, but was touched for four earned runs. The Lugnuts lost 7-0.

Vancouver Canadians

Nate Pearson pitched three no-hit innings, striking out six and walking one. Pearson, as noted by several Bauxites, looks to be a real find. There is a video floating around out there of one of his early starts in Vancouver and it sure is impressive. The curve ball looks a lot better than we were led to believe at draft time. The Canadians won 5-4.

Bluefield Blue Jays

Maximo Castillo pitched five innings of one-run baseball. He struck out eight on three hits and no walks. The bats put in some work. Kevin Smith and Yorman Rodriguez had three hits apiece. Freddy Rodriguez homered and Jesus Navarro added two hits of his own. The Bluefield squad won 12-8.

Three Stars

3. Nate Pearson

2. Maximo Castillo

1. Teoscar Hernandez

Box Scores

Hernandez Booms | 26 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
#2JBrumfield - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 11:33 AM EDT (#347014) #
A recap of Pearson's performance and some video can be found right here
Ducey - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 11:55 AM EDT (#347016) #
Maybe his 1st star selection increases the call in these parts for Hernandez to be promoted. I wouldn't agree.

He is now .128/.244/.282 with BUF. Small sample size, but the 18 strikeouts, including 12 in his last 5 games, is my concern.
SK in NJ - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 12:12 PM EDT (#347017) #
I wouldn't be too concerned about the K's unless it lingers on, and the sample size is just too small so far. Even at his minor league worst his K% was around 25%. It is sitting at 40% since he joined the Bisons. I wouldn't expect that to continue.

Still a very disappointing start for Hernandez. He's been awful even if it's only 45 plate appearances. Would have been nice for him to destroy AAA and give the fans some hope for next year. Granted there's still time for a hot streak, and he'll surely be up in September. How much he plays assuming Jose is still around is a another story.
whiterasta80 - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 12:17 PM EDT (#347018) #
I was amongst the people suggesting that Teoscar should go straight into the MLB lineup. As it turns out I was wrong. I still think that this is just an adjustment period to being traded but I agree that he should have to hit his way onto the roster before September at this point.
92-93 - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 12:28 PM EDT (#347021) #
Saunders is 18 for his last 45 in Buffalo with 7 doubles, a HR, 5 strikeouts and one walk. There was a DL stint in the middle of those ABs, but he's come back hitting the last 4 games. With Carrera around he's probably a better fit on the current roster than Aoki, and I bet he'd outhit Morales vs. RHP. I hope he keeps it up and that we'll see him soon if the team is still playing meaningful baseball games.
Marc Hulet - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 12:49 PM EDT (#347023) #
I wouldn't worry about Teoscar... it's not uncommon for a player to come to a new organization - after spending their entire career in another org - and press to impress. Athletes are people too.
uglyone - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 01:18 PM EDT (#347025) #
yeah I agree with that for sure. happens almost all the time. and his babip ain't helping either.
bpoz - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 02:14 PM EDT (#347028) #
Agreed about early struggles. T Hernandez, T Pannone and Samad T. early sTruggles.
aarne13 - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 03:37 PM EDT (#347033) #
Does anyone have any post-draft scouting/info on Maverik Buffo? He seems to be doing ok in the GCL.
uglyone - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 03:44 PM EDT (#347035) #
ach. shoulder issue for maese might be devestating news. that stinks.
Marc Hulet - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 03:50 PM EDT (#347036) #
Buffo was mostly 89-92 mph in college but reportedly can hump it up to 94... with a change and slider.

A 21 year old college hurler should be overpowering 17-19 year olds so his numbers don't really mean much until he hits Lansing. He appears to have excellent control but he's given up enough hits to suggest he probably struggles with his command within the strike zone.
PeterG - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 05:24 PM EDT (#347049) #
Ugly, do you have confirmation that Maese re-injured shoulder. If so, I must have missed it or are u speculating that the return to DL is again the shoulder.
uglyone - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 05:26 PM EDT (#347051) #
just a post on a other forum.
China fan - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 05:43 PM EDT (#347052) #
I agree with 92-93 on Saunders. He'll be worth a look at some point soon. He was excellent in the first half of last season, and I suspect he's still got something useful in the tank.
jerjapan - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 06:37 PM EDT (#347058) #
Box alum Tammy Rainey writes at BP Toronto that "VanC’s broadcaster Rob Fai told Jesse Goldberg-Strassler on Around the Nest that, having seen all the Jays’  top pitching prospects for most of the last decade, including Syndergaard – he’d rank Pearson #1".

She's also got DJ Davis as the hottest hitter in the minors:  "Since July 11: 31 GP, 95 AB, 35 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 14 BB, 21 K, and a .368/.450/.495/.945 slash line."

Is Davis a prospect again? 
uglyone - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 06:44 PM EDT (#347059) #
nah not for me yet. if he stays hot and then maybe gets moves up and hits a little at AA, then i'll pay attention again.
GabrielSyme - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 07:04 PM EDT (#347062) #
Davis' slash line is very nice over the past month, but pretty BABIP-driven. Like ugly, I think he needs to show continued production and good contact in AA before he's firmly back on the radar screen.
Gerry - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 07:14 PM EDT (#347063) #
Kevin Vicuna and David Jacob to Lansing. Travis Bergen to Vancouver.
scottt - Monday, August 14 2017 @ 11:11 PM EDT (#347066) #
Teoscar Hernandez should definitively be up in September. He needs to get familiar with the rest of the team and he would be a right field late inning defensive replacement.
lexomatic - Tuesday, August 15 2017 @ 08:39 AM EDT (#347081) #
I agree on Davis. I think he's the kinda guy, who if he doesn't take the next jump, will eventually work his way up for a cup of coffee as a speed and defense guy. I know he's fast, but I'm not sure if he's a particularly good baserunner/thief, or fielder. I always got the impression that he was an athlete, but without much baseball skill or IQ? And that's part of what takes him so long, is the adjustments to make use of his tools at the next level. That only goes so far. The positive is that he does seem to make adjustments; however slowly they may come. I kinda feel like his upside is a Cecil Espy type. He's probably a minor-league free agent at some point and doesn't make it up with the Jays. They have too many better, younger prospects.


jerjapan - Tuesday, August 15 2017 @ 12:53 PM EDT (#347099) #
Good news on Vicuna and Jacob, more promotions to come I hope.

Davis' recent run has gotten me interested in him again, prospect or not.  By all accounts, he drips athleticism, but I think your take on him is spot on Lexi.  I worry when a guy with that athleticism and speed is relegated to LF, it speaks to bad instincts / baseball IQ.  A more athletic Zeke Carerra as a ceiling?  He currently holds the Lugnuts record for Ks in a season with a whopping 167!  At least he's gotten his base running on the upswing ... 31 of 40 this year on SBs - he was 19 out of 39 in that dreadful 2014 in Lansing.  He's fast and hits the ball hard, so perhaps he's the type of guy that can continue to run high BABIPs?

Nice to see Brandon Grudzielanek off to a nice start with the Jays, continuing our trend towards middle infielders with big league pedigree.  I always loved his father as a player, and he seems to have a similar skill set.  Undrafted FAs are the longest of longshots, but I'm pulling for the kid.

PeterG - Tuesday, August 15 2017 @ 03:35 PM EDT (#347104) #
One potential prospect that has never been mentioned here because he was a low draft (35) and has never done much is Jared Carkuff. The reason I mention him now is that Jesse Goldberg-Strassler was talking about him on the past weekend and was saying that he had become a lights out closer in Lansing since he had developed a new pitch. These are the kind of insights I like to look for in evaluating players as one can easily be fooled by looking only at a stat line, particularly in the minors where players are often working on particular aspects of their game as opposed to just producing flat line results.
ISLAND BOY - Tuesday, August 15 2017 @ 05:34 PM EDT (#347112) #
Actually, Jerapan, Brandon is Mark Grudzielanek's nephew. I only know this because it came up on another thread. I, too, liked Mark as a player with the Expos.
jerjapan - Tuesday, August 15 2017 @ 05:48 PM EDT (#347114) #
I think Goldberg-Strassler is an insightful guy, thanks for sharing.  what's the new pitch? 



jerjapan - Tuesday, August 15 2017 @ 05:51 PM EDT (#347115) #
Thanks Island Boy, I guess I just assumed there weren't that many Grudzielaneks out there.  I do love me a scrappy overachiever, Mark was always a longshot if I recall correctly, and he had himself a nice career. 
ayjackson - Tuesday, August 15 2017 @ 09:39 PM EDT (#347123) #
Borucki lights out through 6 this evening on 69 pitches.

His 7th went ground ball single, infield single and throwing error, intentional walk, line drive single, line drive single, GIDP, K. 4 runs.

Bit unlucky but an otherwise promising start.
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