Triple-A International League: Durham Bulls 6, Lehigh Valley Ironpigs (PHI) 4

The bottom of the lineup stepped up as the Bulls came away with a win against the Ironpigs. Matt Torra got the start and had a tough outing, allowing 4 runs on 9 hits in 4.2 innings, striking out 1 and walking 1 as well while posting a 5-5 groundout to flyout ratio. But the Bulls bullpen was outstanding, with Frank De Los Santos allowing a lone hit in 2.1 innings and Bryan Augenstein and Dane De La Rosa tossing a perfect inning each. In terms of the offense, Cole Figueroa went 3 for 4 with a double and 3 RBI and out the nine-hole, Leslie Anderson went 3 for 4 with a double and 2 runs scored to raise his average to .317 on the year, Jesus Feliciano went 2 for 4 with an RBI from the 8th spot, and Sam Fuld had a nice rehab game, going 2 for 5 with a double. The Bulls went 6 for 16 with runners in scoring position in the game.

High-A Florida State League: Charlotte Stone Crabs 3, Daytona Cubs 1

Eliazer Suero has struggled through an extremely tough season in 2012, managing just a 7.57 ERA entering Wednesday. But he finally twirled a gem. Suero had easily his best outing of the season in this game, going 5.2 innings allowing 1 run on 2 hits, striking out 2 while walking 1. A Taylor Davis homer was the only major blemish for Suero. The bullpen in relief of Suero was great, tossing 3.1 shutout innings, 2.1 by Jim Patterson and the final inning by Chris Rearick. On offense, Steven Tinoco had a 2-run homer, Kevin Kiermaier went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI, and Robby Price went 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored.

Low-A Midwest League: Bowling Green Hot Rods 5, Kane County Cougars (KCR) 0

Jake Floethe and the Hot Rods bullpen 2-hit the Cougars getting their offense from a pair of home runs. Floethe improved to 9-1 on the season, going 5 innings allowing just 1 hit, although he did strike out just 1 while walking 3. His groundout to flyout ratio was 7-4. Jason McEachern was up next and he tossed 3 scoreless frames, allowing 1 more hit and striking out 4 while walking 1. Stayton Thomas tossed a perfect 9th for the Hot Rods. On offense, Jeff Malm and Alejandro Segovia each went 2 for 3 with a home run, with Malm’s being a 2-run shot, and Drew Vettleson also went 2 for 4 with 2 stolen bases and an RBI.

Short Season-A New York-Penn League: Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 7, Hudson Valley Renegades 3

Renegades pitchers had a tough night as the Renegades were the only Rays affiliate to lose on Wednesday. Matthew Spann went 4 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits, striking out 1 and walking 1 as well while posting a 4-3 groundout to flyout ratio. Brandon Henderson was up next and pitched well, allowing 1 run on a hit and a walk in 3 innings, striking out 3 and posting a 2-0 groundout to flyout ratio. But Dylan Floro struggled to put this game out of reach, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 3 hits in 2 innings, striking out 3 while walking 1. Tommy Coyle did have a nice day at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a 2-run homer to raise his batting average to .298 on the season, and Leonardo Reginatto kept his hot streak going with a 1 for 3 night with the 1 being an RBI double.

Great to see Kirsch get his career off to a nice start. (Credit: Hyzdu Headquarters)

Advanced Rookie Appalachian League: Princeton Rays 6, Bluefield Blue Jays 5

Both teams’ starters got roughed up in this one, but superior bullpen work by the P-Rays proved to be the difference. Princeton roughed up Blue Jays top prospect Daniel Norris, tagging him for 5 runs on 7 hits in 4 innings, but Eli Echarry and the defense let it up as Echarry allowed 5 runs, just 2 earned, on 5 hits in 4 innings, striking out 4 while walking 1. The game came down to a battle of the bullpens. The Bluefield bullpen was very good, allowing just 1 run in 5 innings. But the P-Rays bullpen was even better, not allowing a single run in relief of Echarry and that was the difference in this one. Chris Kirsch, the Rays’ 14th round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, made his professional debut and pitched well, tossing 2 shutout innings allowing 2 hits and a walk while striking out 2. Nick Sawyer followed with 2 hitless innings, striking out 3 while walking 1, before Zach Butler slammed the door in the 9th with a perfect inning with 2 strikeouts. On offense, Reid Redman went 1 for 4 with a 2-run homer, a walk, and a stolen base, Alvin Toles went 2 for 5 with a double, an RBI, and 2 runs scored, and Omar Narvaez went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.

Rookie Gulf Coast League: GCL Rays 7, GCL Twins 6

The GCL Rays let a 4-0 lead slip away, but they were able to stay in the game with great bullpen work, and a 3-run 9th propelled them to a dramatic 7-6 win. Geisel De La Cruz continued to throw the ball well but fell apart in the 5th inning in this one, allowing 4 runs. He tossed 4.1 innings allowing 5 runs 7 hits, striking out 1 while walking 2 although he did post a 7-2 groundout to flyout ratio. He left his sinker up a few too many times and got hit pretty hard. But Stepan Havlicek followed him with 3.2 one-run innings, allowing 4 hits and striking out one while walking none, to keep the GCL Rays within striking distane in the 9th. And they were able to put together a rally. A couple of walks and a Bralin Jackson singled loaded the bases with 1 out in the 9th before Ben Kline continued his big season with a 2-run single to tie the game, and a fielder’s choice off the bat of Johnny Eierman gave the GCL Rays a 7-6 lead that Luke Goodgion held with a perfect 9th to deliver the win. Kline went 2 for 5 with 3 RBI in the game, actually watching his batting average go down from from .467 to .460 on the day, Bralin Jackson went 3 for 5 with 2 runs scored to raise his average to .326 on the year, and Kes Carter had a positive rehab game, going 1 for 3 with a double, 2 walks, an RBI, and 2 runs scored.

Heading to the Trop in an hour! Cant wait to sign and start my major league career! Thank you to all the people who have supported me! #Rays

— Richie Shaffer (@Rshaff8) July 13, 2012

Just officially became a Tampa Bay Ray! I could get used to wearin this! Haha twitter.com/Rshaff8/status…

— Richie Shaffer (@Rshaff8) July 13, 2012

Shaffer could not be more excited to join the Rays organization. (Credit: Shaffer's Twitter page)

Shaffer signed to a deal worth $1,712,500, slightly below the slot value assigned by major league baseball. It was a very exciting moment Shaffer and the Rays, and they’re all just as excited for the future. Shaffer features big-time present power to all fields to go along with great plate discipline. He’s a passionate player with great leadership qualities and the Rays can’t wait for him to work his way up through the minors and into the major leagues for both his abilities and his intangibles. Shaffer will start his professional career with the Short Season-A Hudson Valley Renegades.

The Rays also signed one other pick before the deadline, lefty Chris Kirsch out of Luckawanna Community College. Kirsch throws a fastball that reaches 94 MPH to go along with a curveball with sharp break at its best and a slider and a changeup that are still works in progress. Kirsch has a lot of work to do on his arsenal, including dealing with considerable control issues, but he has nice upside is a great get for the Rays in the 14th round.

With Shaffer and Kirsch now in the fold, the Rays signed 37 of their 40 selections, the highest percentage of picks they have ever signed. They found a nice mix of upside and safe picks and getting just about everyone in the organization despite some tough signs is a testament to the Rays’ front office and their draft plan that went so smoothly. For profiles of every Rays draft pick in 2012 including Shaffer and Kirch, please check our 2012 Rays Draft Profiles page here at RCG.

Now to some major league notes. First off, your Evan Longoria tweets of the day.

#Rays Evan Longoria: “I don’t believe my year is done…Nobody’s told me that; I haven’t told myself that.” #MLB

— JB Long (@JB_Long) July 13, 2012

#Rays Longoria also said he asked trainers today about returning as DH, as most pain is w/backhand grounders

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) July 13, 2012

It has to be very frustrating for Longoria to be on the DL for so long, and we know that he’s trying to do everything he can to help this team. We just have to hope that he will be back in August as is now the plan.

Maddon says Jennings will hit 7-8-9 “for the foreseeable future.” Until he gets straightened out. Still #Rays lead off hitter, though.

— Rays GameDay (@RaysGameDay) July 13, 2012

Desmond Jennings has been struggling for a while and the Rays hope moving him farther down in the lineup will get him going. The Rays need all the offense they can get right now, and we saw in 2011 and early this season how good Jennings can be.

#Rays Niemann throwing off flat surface at 90 feet. Says he’ll be back in August but not sure if it will be mid- or late-August.

— RMooneyTrib (@RMooneyTrib) July 13, 2012

We have completely forgotten about Jeff Niemann after he broke a bone in his leg, but he is finally on his way back. Alex Cobb has a 4.92 ERA in 9 starts but his peripherals have been much better and it will be interesting to see what the Rays do when Niemann returns.

1st Round: Richie Shaffer, 3B
There was never a question over whether Shaffer was going to sign. The Rays have normally drafted high school players in the first round, and they sometimes come with signability concerns, but with a college pick like Shaffer out of Clemson, he’s definitely going to sign. The fact that he hasn’t yet is a testament to his character as he has let the Rays sign every player possible and basically give him as much money as they can that remains in their draft pool. Shaffer is reportedly close to signing, but I’m sure the Rays would prefer to delay it as much as possible to give them maximum flexibility in terms of signing their picks. The Rays can’t wait to get Shaffer’s power, plate discipline, and leadership in their organization, but they’re waiting in order to maximize the number of players they can sign from their 2012 draft crop.
Likelihood of Signing: 100%

14th Round: Chris Kirsch, LHP
Kirsch has already left two teams shaking their heads by turning down their bonus offers to head to junior college and then to head back to junior college. The Rays love his fastball-curveball combination and have to hope that he is finally going to sign. Kirsch has leverage once again. He is committed to VCU and he has shown that is more than willing to continue his education and put his career on hold. The Rays are going to see how much money it will take to sign him and they’ll give it shot, but whether it happens or not is a 50-50 proposition.
Likelihood of Signing: 50%

29th Round: Keaton Steele, RHP/1B
Steele was a very interesting case from the start, being a two-way player out of Iowa Western CC with potential both on the mound, where he has a sinker-slider repertoire, and at the plate, where he shows pretty good bat speed with some pop. Steele is, like Kirsch, a player committed to a four-year college, committing to the University of Missouri a few days after the draft. Steele always sounded like he would sign, but it will take some money to make that happen and we will have to see whether the Rays’ bonus pool allows them to do that.
Likelihood of Signing: 75% 

31st Round: Taylor Ward, C/OF
Ward was a bizarre selection by the Rays as he is a player who played mostly catcher in high school and has some nice arm strength, but who may stand out most of his speed. Quality catchers may have more overall value, especially in the late rounds, than outfielders, but Ward is not a proven catcher no matter how you shake it. If he really thinks he’s a catcher and wants to raise his value in that vein, he will head to college. Ward is committed to Fresno State. The whole situation is pretty crazy and I don’t think he’s going to sign.
Likelihood of Signing: 15%

36th Round: Brett McAfee, SS
The Rays drafted McAfee, a slick-fielding shortstop with some offensive potential, for the second straight year in 2012 and would love to sign him. But McAfee’s stock is at its lowest after he was injured for the second straight season in 2012, and it doesn’t make any sense for him to sign. If the Rays had money left over, they could take a shot at him (he was willing to sign for 5th round money in 2011), but it seems like they spent it on their 12th round selection, catcher Taylor Hawkins. The indications are that he will head back to Panola JC and try his luck again next year.
Likelihood of Signing: 5%

It seems like at the end of the day, the Rays will sign 38 of their 40 picks and come away with a draft haul that they’re happy with. They would love to sign everybody, but that isn’t always possible and they just have to take advantage of the opportunities they get.

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For scouting reports on the players above and all the Rays’ selections in the 2012 MLB Draft, please see 0ur 2012 Rays Draft Profiles page here at RCG.