Who’s hot
AHARON EGGLESTON (independent) saw his batting average rise from .300 to .325 in his past 5 games. Eggleston went 4 for 8, including 2 doubles, with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI on July 2 in an 8-7 victory over the Bridgeport (Conn.) Bluefish. He then went 4 for 5 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI on Wednesday in a 5-4 victory against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
MARK REYES (High-A Giants) earned a victory Wednesday after losing his previous 2 starts. Reyes allowed 4 hits with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts in the San Jose Giants’ 2-0 victory over the Modesto Nuts (High-A Rockies).
Who’s not
BRIAN ANDERSON (AA Marlins) has fallen from .279 to .261 over the past 10 games, going 4 for 33 (.121) with 3 runs scored, 8 walks and 12 strikeouts in his past 10 games through Wednesday. JALEN BEEKS (AA Red Sox) was hit hard in an 8-1 loss to the Hartford Yard Goats (AA Rockies). Beeks allowed 6 earned runs on 8 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings. The loss dropped Beeks to 4-6 this season with a 3.79 ERA.
News and notes
First baseman Andy Wilkins (Arkansas Razorbacks) was called up to the Milwaukee Brewers from Class AAA Colorado Springs on Wednesday. The Brewers optioned pitcher Zach Davies to Colorado Springs in what essentially is a paper move. Davies, who pitched into the seventh inning of the Brewers’ 5-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, isn’t set to pitch again until after the All-Star break so the Brewers called Wilkins up for Wednesday’s series finale against the Nationals to round out their bench. Wilkins went 0 for 1 Wednesday as a pinch hitter in the Brewers’ 7-6 loss.
“We’ve been playing down a position player, so this allows us to get back to square for a little while,” Brewers General Manager David Stearns said in an email to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
Wilkins played first base and right field for the Sky Sox, hitting .238 with 11 home runs and 50 RBI in 76 games. June was his best month, when he posted a .372 on-base percentage and an .826 OPS.
“I didn’t see anything coming,” Wilkins said. “I was kind of shocked about it, but I’m happy for it.”
It is Wilkins’ second stint in the major leagues. He appeared in 17 games with the Chicago White Sox in 2014. He has 122 minor-league home runs, including a 30-home run season at Class AAA Charlotte in 2014.
“For the better part of two months, we’ve been with just four guys on the bench,” Brewers Manager Craig Counsell said. “Anytime you can get a full complement of bench players — you don’t know when you’re going to need or when it’s going to be helpful, but there’s times when it could be helpful.”
Pitcher Ryne Stanek (Razorbacks), who along with former Razorback Andrew Benintendi will be on the U.S. team in today’s Futures Game in San Diego, was promoted to the Class AAA Durham (N.C.) Bulls from Class AA Montgomery, Ala., on Monday. Stanek made his debut for the Bulls on Tuesday, but did not factor in the decision as Durham lost to the Syracuse Chiefs (AAA Nationals) 6-4. He allowed 1 walk and had 4 strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Stanek won his last appearance for Montgomery on July 1 in a 4-2 victory over the Mobile BayBears (AA Diamondbacks). He allowed 1 walk with 3 strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.
Around the horn
Outfielder Collin Radack (Hendrix) was placed on the disabled list by the Palm Beach Cardinals (High-A Cardinals) on July 1 with an undisclosed injury. He last played for the Cardinals on June 30 in a 2-0 loss to the Fort Myers Miracle (High-A Twins). Radack is batting .176 (6 for 34) in 9 games for Palm Beach after being sent down from Class AA Springfield, Mo., on June 16. … Pitcher Ashur Tolliver (Sylvan Hills) was placed on the temporarily inactive list by the Norfolk Tides (AAA Orioles) so he could attend the birth of his son Maverick Drake Tolliver, who was born Thursday weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces. … Pitcher Barrett Astin (Razorbacks/Forrest City) earned a victory Wednesday, which was his first since June 2, in the Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ (AA Reds) 10-4 victory over the Mobile BayBears (AA Diamondbacks). Astin had 3 strikeouts in 2 innings and did not give up a run, hit or walk. … Pitcher D.J. Baxendale (Razorbacks/ Jacksonville) earned his first victory for the Rochester Red Wings (AAA Twins) in relief July 1. Baxendale allowed 1 walk in 1 inning, but didn’t allow a hit or a run, as the Red Wings defeated the Syracuse Chiefs (AAA Nationals) 5-3. … Pitcher Dillon Drabble (Texarkana) earned his first professional victory July 2 as the Arizona Rookie League Royals (R Royals) defeated the AZL Padres 2-0. Drabble allowed 2 hits over 4 innings with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Andy Ferguson (ASU/Benton), who is with the team on a rehab assignment, started the game for the Royals and had 4 strikeouts over 2 innings. Ferguson was placed on the disabled list with a shoulder issue on April
5.…Pitcher Trey Killian (Razorbacks/ Mountain Home) lost for the first time since May 31 on Monday as the Asheville Tourists (A Rockies) lost 9-6 to the Lexington Legends (A Royals). Killian allowed 6 earned runs on 8 hits with 4 strikeouts in 4 innings. … Pitcher Colby Suggs, who is looking to bounce back from Tommy John surgery a year ago, is with the Miami Marlins’ rookie-league team in Jupiter, Fla., on a rehab assignment. He’s made 2 appearances for the GCL Marlins, but has not factored in the decision either time. Suggs has allowed 3 earned runs on 1 hit with 1 hit batter, 3 walks and 2 strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. … Pitcher James Teague (Razorbacks) earned his first professional victory and first save in his past 2 appearances for the GCL Orioles (R Orioles). The victory came July 1 as the Orioles beat the GCL Rays 7-5. Teague had 3 strikeouts in 2 innings, but didn’t allow a hit or a run. Teague allowed 1 hit with 2 strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings Tuesday to earn a save as the Orioles beat the GCL Red Sox 4-3. … Pitcher Daniel Wright (Arkansas State) earned a victory July 3 for the Louisville Bats (AAA Reds), his first since May 16 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (AAA Yankees). Wright allowed 1 earned run on 3 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts as the Bats beat the Gwinnett Braves (AAA Braves) 2-1.
Position players
PLAYER COLLEGE/HOME POS AFFILIATION, LOCATION AVG. G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Forrestt Allday UCA OF AA Angels, North Little Rock .250 22 74 6 17 2 0 0 6 4 Brian Anderson Arkansas IF AA Marlins, Jacksonville, Fla. .261 79 280 34 73 16 2 4 33 3 Andrew Benintendi Arkansas OF AA Red Sox, Portland, Maine. .309 79 304 57 94 26 10 7 60 14 Michael Bernal Arkansas SS R Giants, Scottsdale, Ariz. .265 10 34 3 9 4 1 1 9 0 Delta Cleary Jonesboro OF independent, Cent. Islip, N.Y. .286 41 154 14 44 6 1 0 12 12 Zack Cox Arkansas 3B independent, Wichita, Kan. .243 43 189 29 46 13 0 4 22 2 Jonathan Davis UCA/Camden OF High-A Blue Jays, Dunedin, Fla. .258 76 267 46 69 14 3 11 39 23 Clark Eagan Arkansas OF Short-A Pirates, Morgantown, W.Va. .226 8 31 3 7 5 0 0 5 0 Aharon Eggleston SAU OF independent, Somerset, N.J. .325 57 234 40 76 10 0 4 24 5 Brett Eibner# Arkansas CF AAA Royals, Omaha, Neb. .288 50 184 37 53 7 1 11 32 5 Nate Ferrell UCA SS independent, Alpine, Texas .271 41 140 30 38 6 0 4 24 2 Dominic Ficociello Arkansas 1B AA Tigers, Erie, Pa. .243 79 272 35 66 12 2 3 23 3 Zach George ASU/Paragould 1B Short-A Pirates, Morgantown, W.Va. .304 17 56 9 17 5 3 0 8 1 David Harris^ SAU OF High-A Blue Jays, Dunedin, Fla. .183 21 82 7 15 4 1 1 10 1 Matty Johnson Watson Chapel OF independent, Sioux City, Iowa .273 46 183 28 50 8 2 0 18 9 Stuart Levy Arkansas State C Short-A Orioles, Aberdeen, Md. .229 15 48 4 11 3 2 0 5 0 Collin Radack* Hendrix OF High-A Cardinals, Palm Beach, Fla. .250 57 168 12 42 4 0 0 15 5 Matt Reynolds Arkansas SS AAA Mets, Las Vegas .238 33 130 19 31 7 2 2 10 4 Ryan Scott UALR/NLR OF Short-A Red Sox, Lowell, Mass. .200 12 45 5 9 0 0 1 4 0 Tyler Spoon UA/Fort Smith C A Red Sox, Greenville, S.C. .258 18 66 7 17 1 0 2 8 1 Geraldo Valentin SAU IF independent, Joplin, Mo. .320 44 175 35 56 10 0 4 24 2 Bobby Wernes Arkansas 3B A Astros, Davenport, Iowa .196 59 189 17 37 8 1 0 10 3 Andy Wilkins# Arkansas 1B AAA Brewers, Colo. Springs .238 76 277 39 66 18 2 11 50 2