Second Half Record: 8-10
The Naturals still need help to keep opponents from scoring runs as they split with the Frisco RoughRiders. It was a game-to-game series as neither team managed to win two games in a row. Consistency was certainly not a strength of either squad this week, but the pitching staff specifically couldn’t keep runs off the board. The pitching staff gave up seven or more points in games where the Naturals lost. There were three games where the winning team scored 10 runs, one for the Naturals and two for the RoughRiders. The offenses were more than capable of putting up some numbers, allowing for the team to remain competitive on the week.
Pitcher of the Week
In the lone great start of the week, Noah Cameron went 5.2 innings scoreless innings with a win. Cameron struck out nine in the start and walked only one. His five hits allowed brought his WHIP for the outing to 1.06. Cameron showed off his elite strikeout ability this week while managing to pair that with a fantastic outing. At times he has allowed a few too many runs while garnering his fantastic strikeout numbers. Between Luinder Avila and Cameron, there are two guys on the verge of breaking out for the AA team in Springdale.
Hitter of the Week
Javier Vaz struck out zero times this week over six games and 25 at-bats. He also slashed .320/.433/.560 for a team-best .993 OPS, by the way. Vaz started the season slow but turned the tables the last few weeks as he begins to peak now. He tallied four extra-base hits (3 2B, 1 HR), walked four times, and accumulated eight total hits. In these six games, we were able to see what Vaz’s ceiling is as a prospect. The contact and plate discipline may rival well-known zone hawks like Pratto and Pasquantino. His speed looks to put him in the 40 stolen base territory over a full season. If he can begin to piece together doubles with the occasional home run, he may shoot through the rest of the minors. Remember he can play second and all three positions in the outfield.
Other Notables
Josh Lester hit two home runs in his five games. Lester hit .300 with a .700 slugging percentage on the week.
Luinder Avila continues to dominate in another scoreless outing. He struck out 3 over 4.1 innings before exiting the game early due to back tightness.
Jacob Wallace looked to turn some heads with seven 7 Ks in 4.1 innings. He gave up just one hit, his only base runner in that span.
What’s Next
The Naturals have a break alongside the MLB All-Star Game before starting a short series with Tulsa. With only three games in the series, they will look to get back into shape before seeing a good Arkansas Travelers team the following week. These next two series will be home games for the Naturals as they look to take advantage of familiar surroundings.