Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

Aaron Parker continued the two home runs by a catcher trend with two big flies on Thursday. It wasn't enough for New Hampshire though. Buffalo and Vancouver also lost. Jake Cook led Dunedin to victory and the DSL Jays started their playoff round robin with a win.

Lehigh Valley 7 Buffalo 5

New Hampshire 3 Erie 6

Vancouver 7 Eugene 10

Dunedin 7 Clearwater 4

DSL Tampa 5 DSL Blue Jays 11

Three Stars

Third Star - Aldo Gaxiola

Second Star - Aaron Parker

First Star - Jake Cook

Boxes

NOTES

John Klein made his third start for Buffalo and in all of them he has given up two runs. In this case it was two runs in three innings. Devereaux Harrison followed and LHV scored three off him.

The Bisons tried to get back in the game and they outhit LHV 13-11 but they could never catch up. Buffalo did not get a walk in the game, but they issued six. Peyton Williams hit a solo home run, his second in AAA. Jay Harry is back in town and he had three hits. Sean Keys singled and doubled. Nick Goodwin and Carlos Mendoza also had two hits each.

Aaron Parker hit a two run home run in the first inning but Danny Thompson Jr had a rough start and couldn't hold the lead. Thompson walked four and gave up four hits in 3.1 innings. He was charged with four runs. On the positive side he struck out six.

Parker went deep again in the fifth and with the two home runs he drove in all three NH runs. Tucker Toman also had two hits, a single and a double. Parker now has 16 home runs, double his 2025 total with a couple of weeks left in the season. He might be selling out for power though, his K rate has jumped from 20% last year to over 30% this year.

Three Vancouver pitchers were hammered by Eugene for ten runs and 15 hits. Connor O'Halloran started and was responsible for four of the runs. The C's hitters had seven hits, Bryce Chance had two while Jean Joseph hit a three run home run.

Dunedin Jays had the bats going racking up 14 hits. Jake Cook had a big game going 4-5 with a home run. Aldo Gaxiola also homered and singled. Owen Carapelotti picked up three more hits after his double dinger day on Wednesday. Giaconino Lasaracina, playing first base, had just one hit.

Carson Messina started and did have some trouble. In 2.2 innings, and 68 pitches, the Phillies had four hits and Messina walked two. He did strike out six.

The DSL Jays won the first game of their playoff round robin. Darwin Nunez had three hits and the top third of the order had six hits between them. Prospect Gabriel Porras had two hits.

Posted by Gerry on Friday, August 21 2026 @ 07:00 AM EDT.

Parker and the Cook | 15 comments | Create New Account

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Glevin - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 08:43 AM EDT (#483166) #

Jake Cook OPS by month
May: .607
June:.670
July: .823
August:.807

What's also interesting is that he is seemingly going for more power now. He's slugging .469 in August with 2/4 HRs on the season and 2/3 3Bs happening this month. I would love to see him moved up to Vancouver because his age means they should be more aggressive and also because Bullard plays a lot of CF in Dunedin and nobody in Vancouver blocking Cook from playing there.

Mike Green - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 09:10 AM EDT (#483167) #

Cook's major problem is not power but contact ability. He's extremely fast, and a threat on the bases. He just turned 23 and is in low A ball. He had an excellent July, and struck out only 16 times in 89 PAs, without hitting for power. In August, he has hit for more power but he has struck out 17 times in 56 PAs. That's a significant step backwards in the most important issue for him to work on. I agree though that he should be promoted to Vancouver.

Gerry - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 09:26 AM EDT (#483168) #

Remember Cook was a pitcher for most of his college career. He really only hit regularly in his last college season so he is very inexperienced.

85bluejay - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 10:01 AM EDT (#483169) #

According to the boxscore, Vladdy had 3 Ab for Dunedin which is a good sign regarding his concussion - he's likely to be activated soon.

Mike Green - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 10:23 AM EDT (#483170) #

Thanks, Gerry. That is a good reason to not push him too hard, and all the more reason to focus on making good solid contact rather than adding power. With his speed and defensive potential, he doesn't need to develop his power until his mid 20s.

greenfrog - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 12:38 PM EDT (#483172) #

BA has a note on old friend Angel Bastardo. The Blue Jays almost hit the motherlode in the Rule 5 draft two years in a row…

“Bastardo was selected in the Rule 5 draft in December 2024 while he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He missed the entire 2025 season and didn’t make the Blue Jays out of spring training, so he was returned to the Red Sox at the end of March. With Triple-A Worcester, he has a 4.17 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 64 strikeouts and 23 walks, but that line is deceiving as he’s dramatically improved since the beginning of July.

“In 25 innings through the end of June, Bastardo allowed 15 earned runs, walked 20 and struck out 34. In 19.2 innings from July 1st to August 12th, Bastardo allowed 5 earned runs, walked only one and struck out 29. He also didn’t walk a single batter in 12 straight appearances during that stretch and dominated the strike zone with his fastball, slider and changeup. All three are effective, but his changeup is the best of the bunch and a plus offering with premium bat-missing ability. It has 8-10 mph of separation from his high-90s fastball and looks exactly like it until late when it falls off the table. He has supreme confidence in the pitch and will throw it in any count, to hitters from either side of the plate.

“If the Red Sox need a pitcher with the upside to profile in a middle-inning role this year, Bastardo is more equipped than some of the other depth options they’ve tried out as of late.”

Gerry - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 02:09 PM EDT (#483175) #

The DSL Jays move to 2-0 in their playoffs with a 7-2 win over the DSL Cubs today.

GabrielSyme - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 04:03 PM EDT (#483176) #

Elaineiker Coronado must be injured - he's their best player and hasn't been in either playoff game.

The two hitters I find interesting on the team are Gabriel Porras and Samuel Orellana. They both were low-dollar signees this year, and hit for good averages with more walks than strikeouts. Porras plays short and Orellana has gotten a few starts at catcher (including the first playoff game), but mostly plays 1B and the outfield corners.

Gerry - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 04:50 PM EDT (#483178) #

Coronado is on the IL.

The Jays have signed 26 year old OF Rhylan Thomas, formerly a Mariner.

TamRa - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 05:13 PM EDT (#483179) #

That Thomas signing was first mentioned over a month ago but he never played anywhere. Something unusual going on there.

hypobole - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 05:22 PM EDT (#483181) #

Rhylan signed over 2 months ago. Sent to the complex.

hypobole - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 08:07 PM EDT (#483184) #

Sean Keys with 2 HR's.

Gerry - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 08:16 PM EDT (#483185) #

Johnny King might be trying something different. He only struck out three in five innings but he used an efficient 71 pitches and only gave up one run.

Glevin - Friday, August 21 2026 @ 10:08 PM EDT (#483190) #

Austin Smith another HR. On fire since moving to Vancouver. What's so odd is that his whole approach seems to have changed. Last year, 12.1 BB and K%. In Dunedin this year, 15.5 BB% and 18 K%. In Vancouver, 4.5% for both! He's also hit more HRs in 66 PAs than he did in previous 300+. Maybe it's SSS but he's an interesting guy right now.

Gerry - Saturday, August 22 2026 @ 07:03 AM EDT (#483194) #

Big game for Jake Casey, two HR, three hits total and seven RBI.

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