Who’s hot
CRAIG GENTRY (AAA Athletics) scored 6 runs on 9 hits (including 3 doubles and 1 home run) with 2 RBI and 2 stolen bases to raise his batting average from .214 to .246. Gentry was hitting .409 (18 of 44) in his past 10 games through Friday with 3 home runs and 5 RBI.
RYNE STANEK (AA Rays) earned a victory Thursday against Chattanooga (AA Twins) in which he allowed 4 earned runs on 7 hits with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts in 5 innings.
Who’s not
MATT REYNOLDS (AAA Mets) saw his batting average drop to .272 after scoring 2 runs on 1 hit in his past 5 games.
CHRIS OLIVER (A Phillies) suffered a loss June 20 against Mobile (AA Diamondbacks) and Friday at Mississippi (AA). In 11 1/3 combined innings, Oliver allowed 7 earned runs on 10 hits with 0 walks and 14 strikeouts.
News and notes
Two players with Arkansas ties were on opposite ends of the third perfect game in New York-Penn League history Wednesday night as the Batavia (N.Y.) Muckdogs (short-A Marlins) beat the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (short-A Indians) 1-0. First baseman Eric Fisher (Arkansas Razorbacks) went 1 for 3 for Batavia, while Jacksonville’s D’Vone McClure was 0 for 3 with 1 strikeout for Mahoning Valley.
Pitcher Barrett Astin (AA Reds) was promoted to Pensacola, Fla., from high-A Daytona, Fla., on Thursday to add depth to the starting rotation. “We have had four starters [for] the past two series, so he’s going to be our fifth guy right now,” said Maryjane Gardner, Pensacola’s media relations manager. Astin went 4-3 with a 2.29 ERA in 16 appearances, including 11 starts, for Daytona. He posted 61 strikeouts walked 18 and has not allowed a home run this season.
Former Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Trey Killian won his professional debut Friday night for the Grand Junction (Colo.) Rockies (rookie Rockies), while former UALR pitcher Sam Thoele earned his first professional save. Killian went 5 innings, allowing 4 hits with no walks and 4 strikeouts in a 2-0 victory over the Idaho Falls Chukars (rookie Royals). Thoele struck out one and worked around a two-out triple in the ninth for the save.
Four players with Arkansas ties represented their teams in various league All-Star games this past week. First baseman Dominic Ficociello (high-A Tigers) went 1 for 2 with 1 walk but was on the losing end as the South All-Stars defeated the North All-Stars 6-0 June 20 in the Florida State League All-Star Game in St. Lucie, Fla. Pitcher D.J. Baxendale (AA Twins) retired the side in order on five pitches in his only inning for the North All-Stars on Tuesday, while third baseman Zack Cox (AA Marlins) went 1 for 3 but committed both errors for the South All-Stars in a 9-0 loss in the Southern League All-Star Game in Montgomery, Ala. Hunter Wood (A Rays) did not pitch for the East All-Stars, who defeated the West All-Stars 5-0 Tuesday at the Midwest League All-Star Game in Peoria, Ill.
Pitcher Blake Parker (AAA Cubs) has re-signed with the team after being waived once he was designated for assignment May 5 and cleared waivers. Cubs radio broadcaster Randy Wehofer said Parker will continue to undergo rehabilitation for a sore right triceps muscle, which put him on the disabled list April 19. “He was hurt when this all started and word was he did re-sign with the Cubs after the release as they worked all of that out ahead of time,” Wehofer said. “He hasn’t come back here at all and they don’t share medical updates with us for a lot of reasons.”
Around the horn
Second baseman Skyler Stromsmoe (AAA Giants) was placed on the seven-day disabled list June 21 with an undisclosed injury. It’s his second stint on the disabled list this month. He was placed there June 4, a few days after being reassigned to Sacramento from the Giants’ spring training facility, where he had been undergoing rehabilitation. … Pitcher Andy Ferguson (AAA Royals) rejoined the Omaha (Neb.) Storm Chasers on Friday, a week after being assigned to the Royals’ spring training facility in Surprise, Ariz. … Pitcher Zac Treece was traded to the River City Rascals (independent) by the Lake Erie Crushers (independent) on Friday for a player to be named. … Shortstop Austin Pfeiffer (UALR) went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI on Tuesday in a 12-10 victory for the Aberdeen (Md.) IronBirds (short-A Orioles) over the Vermont Lake Monsters (short-A Athletics).
Position players
PLAYER;COLLEGE/HOME;POS;AFFILIATION, LOCATION;AVG.;G;AB;R;H;2B;3B;HR;RBI;SB
Forrestt Allday;Central Arkansas;OF;high-A Red Sox, Salem, Va.;.260;29;77;16;20;5;0;1;8;2
Brian Anderson;Arkansas;SS;high-A Marlins, Jupiter, Fla.;.235;69;255;26;60;13;1;5;32;0
Zack Cox;Arkansas;3B;AA Marlins, Jacksonville, Fla.;.308;62;195;33;60;13;0;3;11;0
Jonathan Davis;UCA/Camden;OF;high-A Blue Jays, Dunedin, Fla.;.349;29;106;26;37;11;1;2;17;8
Aharon Eggleston;SAU;OF;independent, Somerset, N.J.;.318;47;151;29;48;8;0;1;14;2
Brett Eibner;Arkansas;CF;AAA Royals, Omaha, Neb.;.269;41;160;22;43;6;0;8;33;3
Dominic Ficociello;Arkansas;1B;high-A Tigers, Lakeland, Fla.;.292;67;253;27;74;10;2;3;22;2
Eric Fisher;Arkansas;1B;short-A Marlins, Batavia, N.Y.;.182;6;22;1;4;0;0;0;2;0
Craig Gentry;UA/Fort Smith;OF;AAA Athletics, Nashville, Tenn.;.246;35;138;23;34;6;;2;6;8
Zach George;Arkansas State;1B;R Pirates, Brisol, Va.;.250;1;4;1;1;0;0;0;0;0
David Harris*;SAU;OF;high-A Blue Jays, Dunedin, Fla.;.211;27;109;10;23;6;0;2;9;3
Matty Johnson;Watson Chapel;OF;independent, Sioux City, Iowa;.215;32;130;26;28;3;4;0;8;13
Stuart Levy;Arkansas State;C;short-A Orioles, Aberdeen, Md.;.111;2;9;1;1;0;0;0;1;0
D’vone McClure;Jacksonville;RF;short-A Indians, Niles, Ohio;.214;4;14;4;3;2;0;0;3;0
Austin Pfeiffer;UALR;SS;short-A Orioles, Aberdeen, Md.;.133;3;15;2;2;0;0;0;3;0
Collin Radack*;Hendrix;OF;high-A Cardinals, Palm Beach, Fla.;.292;47;185;19;54;2;2;2;21;6
Matt Reynolds;Arkansas;SS;AAA Mets, Las Vegas;.272;70;276;49;75;21;2;4;42;9
Skyler Stromsmoe*;SAU;2B;AAA Giants, Sacramento, Calif.;.244;20;45;8;11;2;0;0;4;1
Logan Uxa;ASU;1B;high-A Orioles, Frederick, Md.;.273;25;77;6;21;7;2;2;9;0
Geraldo Valentin;SAU;OF;independent, Amarillo, Texas;.258;31;124;20;32;9;0;1;17;1
Doug Votolato;UCA;RF;short-A Rangers, Spokane, Wa.;.211;6;19;3;4;1;1;0;0;0
Andy Wilkins;Arkansas;1B;AAA Dodgers, Oklahoma City;.254;64;213;29;54;11;1;8;35;0
Pitchers
PLAYER;COLLEGE/HOME;AFFILIATION, LOCATION;W-L;ERA;G;GS;SV;IP;H;BB;SO
Brad Allen*;Arkansas State;high-A Blue Jays, Dunedin, Fla.;0-3;6.12;5;5;0;25.0;30;10;17
Barrett Astin;UA/Forrest City;AA Reds, Pensacola, Fla.;4-3;2.29;16;11;0;74.2;62;18;61
D.J. Baxendale;UA/Jacksonville;AA Twins, Chattanooga, Tenn.;3-1;3.31;11;10;0;54.1;55;20;50
Jalen Beeks;UA/Fayetteville;A Red Sox, Greenville, S.C.;6-4;4.35;13;13;0;72.1;78;12;48
Mike Bolsinger+;Arkansas;AAA Dodgers, Oklahoma City;2-0;1.42;4;4;0;19.0;12;6;28
Derrick Bleeker*;Arkansas;A Orioles, Delmarva. Md.;1-2;6.53;10;0;2;20.2;26;0;18
Zach Cates;Conway;A Cubs, Myrtle Beach, Fla.;2-5;2.84;19;0;2;25.1;22;20;27
Trent Daniel;UA/Bryant;high-A Rockies, Modesto, Calif.;1-2;2.08;23;0;3;30.1;30;18;24
Torey Deshazier;Ark. Bap/Pine Bluff;A Royals, Lexington, Ky.;3-4;5.19;13;9;1;59.0;69;20;50
Andy Ferguson;ASU/Benton;AAA Royals, Omaha, Neb.;5-2;2.68;11;9;0;53.2;43;17;65
Keegan Ghidotti;OBU;short-A Orioles, Aberdeen, Md.;0-0;5.40;3;0;0;5.0;7;3;6
Michael Gunn;UA/Wilson;A Red Sox, Greenville, S.C.;0-1;4.00;10;0;1;18.0;15;12;18
Chase Huchingson;UCA/Fayetteville;AAA Mets, Las Vegas;2-2;4.13;28;0;0;32.2;27;19;36
Trey Killian;UA/Mtn. Home;R Rockies, Grand Junction, Colo.;1-0;0.00;1;1;0;5.0;4;0;4
Jacob Lee;ASU/Jonesboro;AA Indians, Akron, Ohio;4-3;3.89;20;0;0;34.2;38;12;30
Chris Oliver;Arkansas;A Phillies, Lakewood, Fla.;3-5;4.12;11;11;0;59.0;69;26;26
Blake Parker*;Ark./Fayetteville;AAA Cubs, Des Moines, Iowa;0-0;2.70;3;0;0;3.1;1;3;1
Mark Reyes;Jessieville;A Giants, Augusta, Ga.;2-3;1.60;12;12;0;73.1;64;10;42
Montreal Robertson;McGehee;high-A Tigers, Lakeland, Fla.;2-6;3.34;17;0;0;35.0;27;19;24
Nolan Sanburn*;Arkansas;AA White Sox, Birmingham, Ala.;0-2;4.91;15;1;2;22.0;20;14;22
Ryne Stanek;Arkansas;AA Rays, Montgomery, Ala.;7-3;2.58;14;14;0;80.1;59;30;56
Colby Suggs*;Arkansas;A Marlins, Greensboro, N.C.;0-0;0.00;5;0;1;5.1;3;1;6
Richie Tate;Marked Tree;high-A Braves, Zebulon, N.C.;1-0;6.75;5;0;0;5.1;8;7;5
Sam Thoele;UALR;R Rockies, Grand Junction, Colo.;0-0;9.00;3;0;1;3.0;3;2;5
Justin Thomas;SAU;high-A Nationals, Potomac, Va.;0-4;3.76;13;0;0;26.1;27;7;19
Jess Todd;Arkansas;AAA Red Sox, Pawtucket, Mass.;2-2;4.98;13;10;0;56.0;54;23;31
Ashur Tolliver;Sylvan Hills;AA Orioles, Bowie, Md.;1-0;2.61;19;0;1;31.0;30;16;33
Zac Treece;OBU;independent, O’Fallon, Mo.;0-3;8.47;13;1;0;17.0;20;5;18
Kevin Walsh;UAPB;R Phillies, Clearwater, Fla.;0-0;0.00;1;0;1;0.1;0;1;0
Hunter Wood;Rogers Heritage;A Rays, Bowling Green, Ky.;0-2;1.44;17;0;4;50.0;24;13;67
Daniel Wright;ASU;AA Reds, Pensacola, Fla.;3-6;5.47;14;14;0;74.0;82;21;71
Heath Wyatt;Searcy;AAA Cardinals, Memphis;1-2;2.17;24;1;2;37.1;22;13;30
NO STATISTICS COMPILED Andre Davis (UAPB), rookie Royals, Burlington, N.C.;Chandler Hawkins (ASU), rookie Cardinals, Johnson City, Tenn.
Through Thursday’s games
*on disabled list +recalled to Los Angeles Dodgers
To make additions or corrections to this list, please send an email to tpearce@arkansasonline.com