Down on the Farm
Sterling Patick grinded to a Great “Lakes” start, pun intendd, Ferris was back, so was Elkins, Loons lost a tough one, & more.
Great Lakes Loons: Chaos, Power, and Dominant Pitching
It was another wild chapter in the growing rivalry between High-A Great Lakes and Dayton. The Loons carried a 2-0 lead into the ninth inning before the Dragons stormed back in the bottom of the 9th. A soft leadoff hit, an error, a balk, and eventually a walk-off bunt single flipped the scoreboard and sent the Loons to a heartbreaking and chaotic loss.
Despite the difficult ending, there was still plenty to like from the Loons, even from Nicolas Cruz, who was the pitcher that threw the 9th.
Zach Root Dominates
Left-hander Zach Root turned in a MASTERFUL start!
4 IP, 1H , 0R , 9 Ks, 2 BB
Root struck out each of the final five hitters he retired and showcased advanced sequencing throughout the outing. His ability to steal strikes with multiple off-speed offerings while pairing them with a 94-95 MPH fastball repeatedly put hitters in defensive counts.
The Dodgers love the Stuff+, no question, but also prioritize pitchability, and Root showed a unique combination of the two in his start last night.
Sterling Patick Escapes Trouble
Sterling Patick didn’t have his cleanest outing statistically, but it may have been one of his most impressive mentally.
4.1 I, 6 H, 0 R, 4 Ks, 2 BB
Patick worked around traffic and was poised beyond his years, executing a four-pitch mix, including changeups, sliders, and back-to-back curveballs with the bases loaded early in the game.
Those are “trust tree” outings, not because it was perfect, but because it wasn’t, and he found a way through it.
Emil Morales Breaks Out For 1st Time in HIGH A
Emil Morales officially announced his arrival at the High-A level with a monster performance:
2 HR
Grand Slam
6 RBI
The power has always been obvious, but Morales is showing the ability to be a complete hitter. He’s had some impressive at-bats, where he shortened up with two strikes and delivered key base hits. Like his two-out RBI single into center field last night.
That combination of power and situational hitting is exciting to see.
Other Great Lakes Standouts
Eduardo Guerrero collected three hits and raised his average to .314 with a .796 OPS.
Joseilyn Gonzalez bounced back with a scoreless inning and showed a firm fastball mixed with well-located breaking balls.
Alex Makarewich delivered another explosive relief appearance, striking out the side while flashing swing-and-miss stuff that, TBH, is about as explosive as any pitcher anywhere at any level. His command is still a work in progress, but his pure stuff is ridiculous.
Kole Myers has responded to being sent back down to High A Great Lakes by going 6-for-11 since returning from Tulsa.
Charles Davalan also continues to impress, spraying the ball to all fields with a line drive focus, and he’s VERY good at setting the tone offensively from the leadoff spot.
Josue De Paula Keeps Raking
Few 21-year-olds, if any, are producing like Josue De Paula right now. Especially at the AA level.
Current numbers:
.302 AVG
.414 OBP
.899 OPS
13 doubles
40 RBI
32 walks
De Paula added another multi-hit game on Monday and continues to prove why he’s ranked by many as the Dodgers #1 prospect.
Sean McLain Turns Season Around
After an extremely slow start, Sean McLain has picked things up and blasted a grand slam and now has hits in eight straight games.
Since April 18:
.289 AVG
Last 8 games:
12-for-29 (.413)
McLain’s defensive versatility and above-average shortstop skills make him very valuable if he can bring the hit tool along enough to match close enough. Exactly as Noah Miller has done.
Griffin Lockwood-Powell Continues Strong Season
“GLP” stayed hot, raising his season average to .297 with an .899 OPS. He’s hitting .304 this month and has gone 5-for-9 over his last few games.
Joe Vetrano and Zyhir Hope Deliver
Joe Vetrano launched his fifth home run of the season to dead center field, while Zyhir Hope had a multi-hit game on Monday, including his seventh double.
Hope’s in the process of finding the perfect balance between his power potential and the swing and miss that creeps into his game.
Kelvin Ramirez Locks Things Down
Reliever Kelvin Ramirez continued his excellent season with another scoreless outing on Monday and was SUPER impressive.
2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 K, 1 BB
Ramirez lowered his ERA to 2.01 and now has 25 strikeouts in 22.1 innings.
Oklahoma City Comets: Jackson Ferris Returns
Ferris returned from a hip impingement injury and threw two scoreless innings in his first outing back. What a sight for sore eyes!
2 IP, 1 H, 0 R. 2 Ks, 1 BB
Ferris struggled at times to get ahead in counts, throwing first-pitch strikes only 25% of the time, but he repeatedly climbed back into counts. Velo is still in the 92-93 range, so we’ll see if that bumps as he gets healthier.
Christian Romero Keeps Growing
Christian Romero continued his HEATER, giving AAA OKC another great start!
5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 6 Ks, 2 BB
Romero controlled counts effectively with a five-pitch mix and gave Oklahoma City valuable length to pair with his excellence in run prevention.
Veterans Contributing
Tyler Fitzgerald has bounced between organizations this season, but we all remember how good he was with the Giants in 2024, so it’s in there, no doubt. He collected two hits, drew a walk, and scored three runs on Sunday.
James Tibbs III snapped a lengthy home run drought while continuing his outstanding overall season:
.316 AVG
1.028 OPS
12 HR
Eliezer Alfonzo also, I’ll say it, quietly continued his strong season hitting .306 with another multi-hit effort. He’s hitting .306, not bad for the 26-year-old catching prospect
Meanwhile, Chuckie Robinson delivered the “Baseball is Awesome” moment of the day last night by taking Josh Hader deep to right field, his opposite field.
Kellon Lindsey Shows Elite Speed
Kellon Lindsey reminded everyone why scouts grade his speed as “80-grade” after recording a 3.87-second home-to-first time on a bunt single.
That is as elite a speed as it gets!
Chase Harlan Heating Up
Chase Harlan has found his power stroke to pair with how well he stays inside the ball and uses the entire field.
Since Sunday:
3 HR in last 9 AB
8 RBI in last 2 games
.331 AVG
.976 OPS
Joendry Vargas pushed his hitting streak to 10 games and is batting .414 during that stretch, and Easton Shelton blasted his California League-leading 10th home run and extended his hitting streak to 14 games. He was named the Cal League Player of the Week for his efforts.
During the streak:
.392 AVG
6 HR
19 RBI
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s Zach Root sequencing like a veteran, Emil Morales beginning to unlock his full offensive potential, or Kellon Lindsey showcasing game-changing speed, the organization continues developing players with high-end tools that are using the Minor League process to round out their games.
