Record on the Season: 31-32
The past few recaps have been pessimistic at best and borderline bleak. It is my pleasure to inform you that there are zero negatives in this week’s edition. The Naturals looked completely underwhelmed by the competition as they bullied the Springdale Cardinals in all six of their games. The squad managed 14 runs twice on the week, never scoring less than four runs in any outing. The pitching staff showed out as well, giving up only 21 runs on the week. Only one game managed to make it extremely interesting courtesy of a 6-5 final score.
The Naturals now own a seven-game winning streak and have climbed back within a game of .500. With all of the ups and downs that have occurred within the last few weeks, this squad is almost completely healthy and firing on all cylinders. Gavin Cross is back and continuing to hit the way he was before his short injury stint. Javier Vaz is experiencing a power surge that could potentially garner great returns if continued. Rodolfo Durán played himself right into a promotion to AAA. Tyson Guerrero threw a scoreless start with zero walks and three strikeouts. Cruz Noriega threw a couple of great outings. Jacob Wallace and Beck Way both made two hitless appearances. It was a very productive week for many names that fans should be looking for during the remainder of the season.
Pitcher of the Week
Cruz Noriega has quietly put up some quality numbers in the 2024 season. The 26-year-old threw 5.0 innings over two outings this week, giving up only two hits and one walk. He allowed zero runs to score and allowed an opponent average of just .118. Noriega had a team-best .60 WHIP on the week, with only three total runners finding their way on base. It was a stellar week for the pitcher, eluding to an underlying ability to contain bats and limit base runners. If this continues, there is a strong case for Noriega to move up the organization and threaten for a spot in a Royals pen that may be looking for pen arms when rosters expand later this year.
Hitter of the Week
Three home runs in one week is typically an honor reserved for power-hitting corner infielders and outfielders. This week, ultra-utlity man Javier Vaz decided he’s a power hitter too with three bombs and two doubles over 24 at-bats. Vaz typically hangs his hat on an elite on-base tool and great defensive versatility. Recently, however, he has begun to showcase some power that would render him a very dangerous asset for the Royals in the near future. This week he moved his home run total from just one (1) to four. His slash this week was nothing short of elite with a whopping .333/.385/.792. The Vanderbilt alum drove in seven runs and scored eight, single-handedly dismembering opposing pitching. He struck out more than he walked (2 BB/3 K) for the first time in a while but we can’t fault him much for swinging the bat a little extra at the moment.
At 23 years old, Javier Vaz is young enough to wait and see if this power trend can continue into a developable tool. He’s been one of the biggest surprises by the Royals out of the draft in the last few years. The scouts saw incredible bat-to-ball skills and endless untapped athleticism that could see him move all around the field. After a slow start, Vaz will try to continue this showcase and push for the AAA roster alongside a few other prospects leading the squad in Springdale.
Other Notables
Tyson Guererro managed 6.0 innings of scoreless ball. He allowed four hits but walked zero in pursuit of three strikeouts.
Beck Way continues to remain the best pen option for the Naturals. He pitched two hitless outings this week, good for 2.0 innings with one walk and strikeout.
Gavin Cross slashed .368/.368/.684 in his return from injury. He was limited to only four games but still managed two home runs and seven hits.
Luca Tresh bashed two doubles and a home run with a slash of .313/.450/.625. Tresh seemingly took note of Rodolfo Durán’s promotion and decided it was time to put the organization on watch.
What’s Next
The Naturals bring their seven-game win streak back home to face the Tulsa Drillers in six games. The Drillers have particularly been a thorn in the Naturals’ side this season. Coming off of the first six-game series sweep in franchise history, the boys in Springdale look to turn that narrative around. The Royals AA affiliate will look to take the series with the team just above them in the standings. More importantly, they look to bring themselves back above .500.