Chavez Young was picked in the 39th round in 2016 and is providing great hitting from the top of the lineup in Bluefield. He hit .500 over the weekend to bump his average up to .325. New Hampshire and Lansing had 14 hits on Sunday, Bluefield had 12. Dunedin had only nine but that was enough for a win. Buffalo and Vancouver's hitters were off their game. Andy Ravel and Sean Reid-Foley were the best of Sunday's pitchers.

The second half is off and running with a nice 7-1 win. Aaron Sanchez was strong while the offense did its job.

Players have been promoted and a few made their debuts last night.

The Batters Box top 30 prospect list is not updated until after the end of the season but today I look at some potential comings and goings off the list. Buffalo and New Hampshire both had the day off for their respective all-star games. Jason Leblebijian represented the Jays in the AAA game, we went 0-4. The AA contingent were more successful. Each of Gunnar Heidt, Ryan McBroom and Danny Jansen had a hit. Jansen also walked. Conner Greene pitched two innings and picked up four strikeouts while allowing two hits. Dusty Isaacs struck out the side in the eighth. In the affiliate games that were played Bo Bichette, David Jacob and Ryan Noda hit home runs.

It was a perfect day on the farm. There were only two games played but you take them where you can get them.

The affiliates put four of six in the loss column Monday. Buffalo and New Hampshire are on their All-Star breaks.

The Futures game was played on Sunday featuring Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Vlad and Bo were the two youngest players in the game, most of the players are older and are playing on AAA or AA teams. Vlad and Bo could be asked back again next year. Vlad had two hits, the first was on a 99 mph fastball that he lined to left. The second was a grounder up the middle. Vlad also struck out and fouled out. Bo started on the bench and had two at-bats. In the first he hit a fly ball to right field. In the second he struck out facing former Jay, Jairo Labourt. Bo swung at two pitches that were off the plate away. We don't know if he was over eager, not seeing the pitcher well or was it his approach.

On the diamond the Jays affiliates went 1-5. The only win came in Dunedin, a walk off thanks to an error. At the top of the system the hitters are not hitting. In the lower levels the hitters are hitting but the pitchers are not going well.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette have been promoted to High A.

The Blue Jays end the first half by hosting the best team in the American League, the Houston Astros, for a four-game set.

Following on from my shortstop and catcher review last week some posters were asking about pitchers. Today we will look at how the top ranked pitchers in the organization have performed so far in 2017. Has it been a down year as some have suggested? On the field Jon Harris, one of those pitchers, threw seven shutout innings. Vlad Guerrero hit a home run. The Bluefield bats were humming and Logan Warmoth played a game. More details on Wednesdays games are at the bottom of this article.

There were plenty of fireworks as the affiliates posted a second straight 7-1 night on the farm. Only the Buffalo Bisons missed out on the party.

The affiliates won seven of eight on the eve of the fourth of July. Only New Hampshire did not hold up their end of the bargain.

It's off to the Evil Empire for the good guys.

It's your abbreviated, long weekend, minor league update. Enjoy the weather and don't pay much attention to the Jays or their farm teams. Not only are the Jays not winning, neither are the top two farm teams. In case you missed it as you enjoyed the weekend, Lane Thomas is no longer a Blue Jay. He was traded to St. Louis for international cap room. It might be a fair trade but it sets back the timetable to help the major league team by four years. The Jays traded a 21 year old for a 16 year old. The Jays replaced Thomas with Eduard Pinto who they picked up for Jason Grilli. Pinto is a year older than Thomas. Thomas has shown flashes of potential this year but probably not enough to have made the Jays top 30 list. However if he continues to improve he could get to the major leagues.

John Farrell. Rat Boy. All kinds of irritating persons. Let's make them cry.