Double-A Southern League: Huntsville Stars (MIL) 3, Montgomery Biscuits 0

After flashing dominance in major league spring training, Enny Romero‘s regular season experience in Double-A has not been nearly as good. In his last four starts entering Monday, he walked more batters than he struck out each time. Against the Stars, though, Romero finally made some needed progress. Romero went 6 innings allowing no runs on 4 hits, striking out 6 while walking 3 and managing a 6-2 groundout to flyout ratio. Romero continues to impress with his electric mid-90′s fastball, sharp curveball, and even a changeup that shows promise, but he has to find a way to throw more strikes and hopefully this is the start of that. Unfortunately in this game, the bullpen could not keep up Romero’s strong performance with Marquis Fleming and Matt Nevarez allowing 3 runs in the 8th, and the offense got nothing at all, managing just 5 hits as Andy Moye tossed shutout ball over the first 8 innings for Huntsville. Shawn O’Malley did go 2 for 3 with a triple for the Biscuits in the loss.

Low-A Midwest League: West Michigan Whitecaps (DET) 7, Bowling Green Hot Rods 6 (11 innings)

This one was crazy, going back and forth time after time, but it finished in about the worst possible way for the Hot Rods as they blew a 1-run lead in the 9th before falling in walk-off fashion in the 11th inning. Joey Rickard left off the game for the Hot Rods with a home run, but West Michigan got a 2-run homer by Lance Durham in the 4th to give them a 2-1 lead. The Hot Rods were able to take a 4-2 lead in the 6th on a pair of huge errors and a Leonardo Reginatto sac fly, but Ames faltered in the bottom of the inning, allowing a Jeff Holm RBI single and another 2-run homer to Durham to make it 5-4 Whitecaps. Ames had his worst start of the year, going 5.1 innings allowing 5 runs on 10 hits, striking out 3 while walking none. His command was off and he allowed a ton of flyballs, and Durham especially made him pay. However, Ames has been so good this year that his ERA still stands at just 2.13. After solid relief work from Nick Sawyer and Matt Ramsey, the score was still 5-4 West Michigan after 7 innings, and the Hot Rods found a way to change that, with another error setting up a game-tying RBI single by Patrick Leonard. Then in the 9th, Andrew Toles delivered a go-ahead RBI triple to make it 6-5 Bowling Green. But a huge error by Tyler Goeddel allowed the tying run to cross against Jordan Harrison in the 9th and then Durham was up to his tricks one more time in the 11th, drilling a walk-off double to send the Whitecaps to a 7-6 win. Durham went 3 for 6 with the two homers, the double, and 5 RBI as he was the one player the Hot Rods just could not get out. Andrew Toles did go 2 for 6 with his triple, an RBI, and a run scored, Joey Rickard went 1 for 3 with the leadoff homer, 3 walks, and 2 runs scored, and Goeddel and Leonard both had a hit, a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI in the loss for the Hot Rods.

Double-A Southern League: Montgomery Biscuits 2, Pensacola Blue Wahoos (CIN) 1

Jake Thompson was due. After a rousing 2013 debut (6 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K), Thompson got destroyed in his subsequent two starts, allowing 7 runs each. He only allowed 2 unearned runs in his fourth start, but got his pitch count up and only lasted 4 innings. After beginning the season with what had appeared to be a breakthrough performance, Thompson needed to find a way to flash that same type of ability again. It wasn’t quite pristine, but Thompson did just that for the Biscuits to lead them to victory over the Blue Wahoos. Thompson went 6 innings allowing no runs on 2 hits, striking out 3 while walking 4 but managing an incredible 11-2 groundout to flyout ratio. Thompson’s command has been a major question for him the past couple of years, but he has begun to make progress in that regard and get back on the path to the major leagues. Hopefully this time Thompson can build on his 6 shutout innings in his coming starts.

Behind Thompson, C.J. Riefenhauser worked 2 shutout innings allowing 2 hits while striking out 1 and getting 3 more outs on the ground. Riefenhauser’s ERA on the season now stands at a minuscule 0.48 in 18.2 IP to go along with a 15-3 strikeout to walk ratio.Riefenhauser seems to have found his niche out of the bullpen and we’ll have to see whether he could become a bullpen option for the Rays over the next couple of years.

In terms of the run support, Mikie Mahtook had an RBI single in the 6th before Shawn O’Malley brought home a second run in the 7th on a groundout to give the Biscuits just enough to win. Robby Price and Mayo Acosta also went 2 for 4 for Montgomery. Thompson and Riefenhauser stole the show for the Biscuits in this one, and while the offense gave them little, their were more than willing to live up to the task.

Low-A Midwest League: Kane County Cougars (CHC) 5, Bowling Green Hot Rods 4

The Hot Rods entered the 9th inning down 4-1. Former Rays draft pick Pierce Johnson had shut them down for 6.2 innings, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 4 while walking 1 and managing an 11-2 groundout to flyout ratio, and Bowling Green had been equally feeble against the Kane County bullpen. But in the 9th everything changed. Luke Maile singled to begin the inning off Jeffry Antigua, and two batters later, Patrick Leonard added a single of his own. Marty Gantt‘s infield baseball loaded the bases and put the tying runs on base for the Hot Rods, And Leonardo Reginatto got 1 in on his single to make it 4-2 before Joey Rickard‘s scored two more, and suddenly the game was tied at 4. That was all Bowling Green would get, but Nick Sawyer tossed a hitless 9th and the game went into extra innings. However, the Hot Rods went down in order and then Lake County made quick work of Marcus Jensen, getting a Pin-Chieh Chen double, a sac bunt, and a Dan Vogelbach walk-off single as the Cougars won 5-4. It has been an outstanding comeback in the 9th, but it had been entirely for nought as the Hot Rods lost the following inning.

Blake Snell got the start for Bowling Green in this one and failed to complete 5 innings for the 4th time time in 5 starts. Snell went 3.1 innings allowing 3 unearned runs on 5 hits, striking out 5 while walking 3 and forcing a 4-0 groundout to flyout ratio. Snell’s ERA stands at 2.75, but he has just a 24-16 strikeout to walk ratio in 19.2 innings on the season and has to find a way to limit the walks a lot better than that. Following Snell was Jose Alberto Molina, not to be confused with the Rays catcher, and if Molina keeps pitching the way he did on Wednesday, the confusion will disappear before long. Molina went 3.2 innings allowing just 1 run on 2 hits, striking out 6 while walking none and forcing a 4-1 groundout to flyout ratio. On the season, Molina’s ERA is just 5.06, but his strikeout to walk ratio is 16-3 in 16 innings pitched. Then there was Sawyer, who went 2 no-hit innings striking out 2 while walking 1. Sawyer hasn’t allowed an earned run since his first appearance of the season, a stretch of 7 appearances and 13 IP, but he needs work figuring out where his mid-90′s fastball and sharp slider are going as his strikeout to walk ratio has been just 19-12 over that stretch, just under a walk an inning. Hot Rods fans got to see some electric performances on Wednesday, but what does overpowering batters mean if you can’t throw strikes?

On offense for the Hot Rods, Leonardo Reginatto went 2 for 4 with a stolen base and an RBI, keeping his clutch gene going with his big RBI single in the 9th. Reginatto was huge for Short Season-A Hudson Valley in the playoffs last season and Brazil in the World Baseball Classic, and he’s not much a prospect but tantalizes you by just coming up with hit after hit when it matters most. Marty Gantt also went 2 for 4 with a run scored, Luke Maile went 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored, and Rickard went 1 for 5 with a stolen base and his critical 2-run single. Tyler Goeddel also went 1 for 5 to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. There were certainly plenty of positives for Bowling Green in this one, but it had to be frustrating that they came all the way back only to lose an inning later.

Left Fielders

Marty Gantt, 22, was the Rays’ 7th round pick in 2012 and is an interesting story, overcoming an underdeveloped right hand to make it to the professional baseball ranks. In his pro debut, Gantt struggled, posting a .204/.291/.289 line with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 21  RBI, 6 of 10 stolen bases, and 52 strikeouts versus 29 walks in 63 games and 271 plate appearances. Gantt shows four solid tools, standing out most for his speed. Just 5’9″, 167, Gantt doesn’t have much speed, but he features a compact stroke with solid bat speed and a little gap power and he also is patient at the plate. He has some trouble with timing because moving parts in his swing (at least partially because of his hand) and needs work against breaking balls as well. That combination caused him to really struggle offensively in his pro debut. But he was great in the other facets of the game. Gantt has plus speed, and although he needs work reading pitchers on the basepaths, he’s a great baserunner and is starting to learn to bunt to get on base. Gantt’s speed stands out most, though, in the outfield. Gantt is a true centerfielder (Rickard, who we’ll see below, pushed him to left) with great range and a special ability to read flyballs. He even has an average arm despite being a natural righty throwing with his left hand. Gantt has the abilities and intangibles to end up as a Sam Fuld-esque fourth outfielder. Marty Gantt has some talent, and you can’t count him out after everything he has overcome so far.

The Rays love Rickard’s talents, particularly his aptitude in centerfield. (Credit: Bruce Thorson-US PRESSWIRE)

Centerfielders

Joey Rickard, 21, was selected by the Rays two rounds after Gantt out of the 2012 NCAA Champion Arizona Wildcats. Rickard had a nice pro debut with the Renegades, posting a .279/.371/.372 line with 11 doubles, 2 homers, 14 RBI, 11 of 13 stolen bases, and 32 strikeouts against 16 walks in 47 games and 213 plate appearances. Rickard is a solid all-around player whose game is tied together by speed and character. Rickard features a compact swing with solid bat speed and makes a lot of contact. He does need some work on his patience, and he gets into trouble because he hits too many balls weakly in the air- especially when he can beat out a lot of balls on the ground between his speed and outstanding hustle. On the flip-side, Rickard does have gap power when he connects. Rickard uses his great speed to steal bases- he’s a 30-steal threat if he can hit enough to start in the big leagues- in addition to beating out groundballs, although he does need to learn to bunt more often to get on base. Where his speed serves him best, though, is in centerfield, where he downright glides with outstanding range. Rickard has work still to do at the plate, but he has a shot to be a 4-tool centerfielder, and you know the Rays would love to see his speed and hustle on their big league roster someday.

Right Field

Charles Epperson, 22, was an nondrafted free agent signing by the Rays back in June and saw the bulk of the Renegades’ starts in right field, posting a .194/.272/.282 line with 4 doubles, 1 triples, 1 homer, 9 RBI, 4 of 8 stolen bases, and 34 strikeouts against 8 walks in 32 games and 114 plate appearances. Epperson has a little talent, possessing solid raw power and good speed, but he’s severely limited by a long swing and a lack of patience at the plate. He does have good range and a nice arm in right field, although his throw are inaccurate. The Rays like Epperson’s work ethic, and if he wants to persist in his pro career, he’s going to need to put a lot of work in to utilize his power and speed tools in games.

Joel Caminero, who turned 23 on Wednesday, started 2012 at Low-A Bowling Green before being sent down to Hudson Valley when the New York-Penn League season began. Caminero struggled all season, managing a .226/.243/.300 line during his time with the Renegades with 10 doubles, 2 homers, 21 RBI, 6 of 10 steals, and just 4 walks against 53 strikeouts in 58 games and 224 plate appearances. Caminero actually has some raw tools, power and speed, but he can’t translate at all into games right now. He lacks patience at the plate with too long a swing, and he needs to work on his bunting and basestealing as well. Caminero is a solid defensive outfielder able to handle all three outfield positions. Caminero looks like an organizational player at this point, but the Rays hope he can make the strides at the plate that will allow his pro career to continue.

Deshun Dixon, who turned 21 in September, was the Rays’ 10th round pick in 2010, and had his season marred by a 50-game suspension for substance abuse. Dixon posted a .193/.284/.264 line with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer, 14 RBI, 5 of 6 stolen bases, and 48 strikeouts versus 17 walks in 38 games and 160 plate appearances. Dixon has some upside, featuring a plus tool in his arm strength and an above-average one in his speed and showing flashes of bat speed and power as well, but his pitch recognition skills are far from where they need to be and his patience could use work as well. Breaking balls completely befuddle him at this point. Dixon also gets into trouble as his swing gets too long as he sells out for power, and on the opposite edge of spectrum his bunting is horrific right now and that has to change. Dixon has some upside, but he’s extremely far from where he needs to be and his suspension only made things worse.

The Renegades’ outfielders weren’t exactly the flashiest group you’ll find, but especially Gantt and Rickard are a couple guys the Rays really like thanks to their combination of abilities and intangibles. We’ll continue next time with the most exciting part of the Renegades, their starting pitchers.

Check out our Minor League Affiliates Analysis page for our thoughts on the prospects of the GCL Rays and Princeton Rays, along with Parts 1 and 2 about the Renegades.