MVN - Most Valuable Network

Royals Minor League All-Stars: June Edition

Last month we made up an All-Star team for the Kansas City minor league organization. You can take a look back at the May version of this team here. Today, we are back with the end of June edition.

Keeping in mind, that this team is based on season long performance, not just the month of June, there will be a fair number of players who held their positions. However, with Mike Aviles and Kyle Davies both up in the majors, there are at least two spots up for grabs.

CATCHER - Jeffrey Howell, Wilmington: .262/.328/.378
Last month: Howell
Let’s get one thing straight, I don’t think Howell is all that great, but Brayan Pena has all of 49 at-bats, Matt Tupman is hitting .234 and none of the rookie league guys have enough games under their belts to qualify. If you had to ask the catcher (other than Pena) most likely to spend more than two weeks in the majors (ever), it would likely be Sean McCauley who is way down in Idaho Falls. Kind of tells you something, doesn’t it?

FIRST BASE - Kila Ka’aihue, NW Arkansas: .280/.432/.560
Last month: Ka’aihue
Eighteen homers, 55 walks and just 29 strikeouts. Let’s get this guy up to Omaha and find out if those numbers continue at a higher and less familiar level.

SECOND BASE - Marc Maddox, NW Arkansas: .276/.362/.341
Last month: Mike Aviles
Not eye-popping numbers, but better if you throw out a dismal April. If you don’t like Maddox, do not worry. 2008 2nd round pick, Johnny Giavotella is off to a fast start in Burlington and could easily claim this spot next time around.

SHORTSTOP - Chris McConnell, Wilmington: .285/.373/.387
Last month: Mike Moustakas
Moustakas is playing third base in Burlington now, but McConnell would have gotten the nod even without Moose’s position change. After a couple of years of pretty much flailing at the plate, McConnell has rapped out 23 doubles this season and has as many walks (35) as strikeouts.

THIRD BASE - Kurt Mertins, Wilmington: .297/.377/.438
Last month: Josh Johnson
Johnson and Mertins are on the same team and, more often than not, Mertins is the DH. However, Johnson is really not a third baseman, either, so I guess we can call this a fair call. Mertins has 24 extra base hits and 15 steals this season and that was enough for him to get the nod over a slumping Johnson, who saw his OBP fall from .506 at the end of May to .431 at the end of June. This could easily swing back the other way next month.

OUTFIELD - Joseph Dickerson, Wilmington: .312/.394/.472
Last month: Dickerson
Next to Ka’aihuie, this guy is probably have the best all around full season in the system. You absolutely have to love a kid who moves up a level and ups his numbers basically across the board. He did not steal a base in June (after nabbing 23 in 35 attempts in April/May), but has nine triples and five homers.

OUTFIELD - Shane Costa, Omaha: .304/.359/.492
Last month: Mitch Maier
Basically, Maier cooled off some and Costa just kept hitting exactly as he has hit all season. 19 doubles, 10 homers, 9 steasl and 24 walks versus just 36 strikeouts tell me there is nothing left for Costa to prove in AAA (particularly since those numbers are down from what he posted in two previous stints in Omaha.) Maybe he’s just a AAAA player, maybe he’s Matt Diaz or possibly he might even be Raul Ibanez. Will we ever find out?

OUTFIELD - Brian McFall, NW Arkansas: .245/.358/.470
Last month: Derrick Robinson
Maybe this final spot should have gone to Maier, but I am a big ‘OPS’ guy and McFall’s .828 mark is the third best amongst outfielders behind the two guys who made the team already. McFall’s good for nearly a strikeout per game, but is taking walks this year and 10 homers is still a decent number. Aside from Maier, Adrian Ortiz got a pretty long look for this spot, too.

PITCHER - Carlos Rosa, Omaha: 75IP, 2.16 ERA
Last month: Rosa
He spent much of June in the majors, but Rosa’s minor league numbers before and after remain outstanding. Rosa was not bad in Kansas City and likely will return once steady work is available for him.

PITCHER - Daniel Cortes, NW Arkansas: 59.1 IP, 3.64 ERA
Last month: Cortes
Cortes retains his spot based as much on reputation and potential as actual performance. Still, 63 strikeouts in 59 innings and an opponent average of just .234 looks awfully good.

PITCHER - Joe Augustine, Burlington: 67.2 IP, 1.86 ERA
Last month: Kyle Davies
Even without Davies being promoted to the majors, we would have found a spot for Augustine this month. Joe has held opponents to a .219 batting average and struck out 58 in his 67 innings of work. Right now, he is the best pitcher on a very good Burlington Bee staff.

PITCHER - Everett Teaford, Wilmington: 80.2 IP, 3.12 ERA
Last month: Blake Wood
Wood has had some struggles since being promoted to AA (6.33 ERA in 6 starts) and loses his spot to the steady Teaford, who has held opponents to a .221 batting average. Everett’s WHIP of 1.12 is even more impressive when you realize he is among the organizational leaders in innings pitched.

PITCHER - Danny Duffy, Burlington: 39.1 IP, 3.43 ERA
Last month: Edward Cegarra
With Cegarra not being as sharp in High A as he was in Low A, Duffy edges him out for this award based upon the 19 year old’s 51 strikeouts versus just 10 walks and an opponent average of just .214. You’ve got to love a left-hander who strikes guys out.

PITCHERS HONORABLE MENTION
We did not have this category last month, but until I get ambitious enough to open up more than five pitching spots we’ll have to go with this quick list of near All-Stars:
Devon Lowery, Omaha: 29.1 IP 1.84 ERA
Dusty Hughes, NW Arkansas: 52.2 IP 2.91 ERA
Chris Hayes, NW Arkansas: 36.1 IP 1.98 ERA
Chris Nicoll, NW Arkansas/Wilmington: 51 IP 3.00 ERA
Alex Caldera, Burlington: 94.2 IP 3.52 ERA

Well, there we are for the June team. Who will hold their spots come the end of July and who might suprise and jump into the picture? Is there a rookie or two that will crash the party? And, exactly how badly are you hoping that Mike Moustakas’ name reappears on this team at some point this season?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 1:12 pm and is filed under Minor Leagues, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.