Toronto Blue Jays June Minor League Report: Lansing Lugnuts

The Lansing Lugnuts finished the first season with a losing record of 32-37, which placed them 6th in the Midwest League (Eastern Division). The Lugnuts started their second season on June 19th with a 10-4 loss and went onto finish the month with a 6-5 record. Overall the Lugnuts had a June record of 12-13.

Longest winning streak: The Lugnuts had two 3-game win streaks

Longest losing streak: The Lugnuts had a 4-game losing streak from June 5th to June 8th that saw them loss 2 home series to the Great Lakes Loons and South Bend Silver Hawks

Rotation

Shane Dawson (20) bounced between the starting rotation and the bullpen throughout May, but Dawson was a starter in June. He made 4 starts and finished 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA. He averaged a hit an inning and opponents hit .268 against him. Dawson had trouble keeping the ball on the ground with a 0.65 GO/AO ratio and 2 long balls. Overall, Dawson has 2-4, 3.15ERA record.

Chase Dejong (20) struggled mightily in the first two months of the season, but seems to be turning it around….even a little. Chase went 0-1 with a 3.66 ERA, while allowing 24 hits over 19.2IP. Dejong increased his K/9 and decreased his BB/9 but was not able to decrease his GO/AO ratio and opponents batting average. His June K/9 was 1.12 compared to 0.46 in May. His BB/9 decreased to 0.15 compared to a respectable 0.27 from May. Walks are not Chase’s issue it is the number of hits allowed and balls hit in the air. If he can clear that up he will see more success.

Jeremy Gabryszwski (21) must have been sad to see June end because he pitched great. He finished the month off  3-0, 2.48 ERA while pitching 29 IP. Gabryszwski averaged 5.2IP/start, which most likely has more to do with limiting his inning count than actual performance. Gabryszwski and Dejong must give the other team fits with their ability to limit the number of walks allowed. Gabryszwski averaged 0.10 BB/9 and 0.89 K/9 in June while holding opponents to a .268 average.

The Pen

Matt Dermody (24) had a rough June, which saw him moved to the bullpen. He was 0-3 with a 7.66 ERA over 4 starts and 2 relief appearances. In 4.1IP as a reliever Dermody was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and only allowed 4 hits. Dermody fell victim to the long ball. He allowed 3 HR in June compared to only one in May. Opponents hit .356 and collected 36 hits over 22.1 IP.

Brady Dragmire (21) pitched 15.1 innings in 8 June appearances. He got one win and held opponents to a .196 batting average  while maintaining an ERA of 0.59. Dragmire continues to demonstrate great command by striking out 9 and only walking one, but more importantly he kept the ball on the ground with 2.00 GO/AO ratio.

Roberto Espinosa (22) figured things out in June and posted a solid 0-0, 0.63 ERA while limiting opponents to a .163 batting average. Espinosa walked 5 batters and stuck out 15  over 14.1 innings (7 G).

Alonzo Gonzalez (22) is another RP that must have been very sad to see June come and go because he posted ERA’s of 7.62 and 9.00 in April and May. June saw Gonzalez post a 0-0, 1.74 ERA over 10.1IP (6G). It is tuff to determine if Gonzalez was just really unlucky in April and May or if he was just really lucky in June because his peripherals hadn’t changed much from month to month. In May opponents hit .295 compared to .292 in June. In May he had a GO/AO ratio of 1.38 compared to 1.25. In May he struck out 21 batters and walked 7 compared to 12 and 4 in June. His K/9 actually decreased. The major difference that I can see is his ability to limit the damage by not allowing any HR in June compared to 2 in May and 3 in April.

Adaric Kelly (21) struggled in his 13.1 IP (7G). He allowed 10 runs and opponents .289, but it was his inability to throw strikes that hurt him most. Kelly walked 7 batters over 11.2IP, which can explain his 0-1, 7.71 ERA record.

Scott Silverstein (24) has a really good record of 8-3 and 4 saves, but his Jekyll and Hyde routine had killed his ERA of 4.70. Silverstein’s stats in June are very similar to his stats in April. April saw Silverstein post a 2-1, 5.91 ERA in 9G, compared to 3-2, 5.91 ERA in June. What does July have in store for the Lugnuts?

Phil Kish (24) pitched 20.1 innings (10G) and posted a 2-1, 1.33 ERA. Kish has done a great job of keeping the ball on the ground (3.60 GO/AO) and not issuing many free passes (1 BB). Kish did allow one home run.

Outfield

D.J. Davis (19) makes me sad because I know he is capable of so much more. Davis hit 2 home runs while hitting .231/.268/.341, which by all accounts can be considered his best month. Davis hasn’t been able to solve the running game at this level going 3 for 5. He hasn’t shown much discipline at the plate either with 4 walks and 30 strikeouts. Too many times I looked at the box scores only to see Davis go 0 for 3 with 3 strikeouts. He did, however, manage to hit 2 doubles and a triple to go with his 2 home runs in June.

Chaz Frank (23) had a really bad month of May erased by a very good June.  Chaz warms my heart because, although old for Lansing, he has been able to get on-base at every level. He may not be hitting at every level, but he knows how to take a walk. He hit .296/.390/.352 in June and walked 10 times. Frank was 9 for 11 in stolen base attempts and legged out 2 doubles and a triple. I want to see more Frank.

Derrick Loveless (21) hit .216/.363/.351 in June. Loveless made the most of the hits as he hit no doubles, 2 triples, 2 HR, and 8 RBI. He showed great maturity at the plate by walking 17 times and striking 22 times during a rough month. He was 3 for 3 in stolen base attempts.

Infield

Justin Atkinson (20) dealt with some injury problems and only got into 6 games. He hit .278/.350/.333 with a 2 RBI, a walk and 2 strikeouts…oh and he managed to hit a double. Not bad for a guy who is playing out of position and was injured for most of the month.

Matt Dean (21) missed most of May with an injury, but remained healthy for all of June. He hit .287/.342/.386 with a HR, and 12 RBI. He struck out 27 times and walked 9. You can’t strike out that many times and only hit one long ball. Dean is still growing into his power so I’ll forgive his high strikeout total, since he did hit 7 doubles.

David Harris (22) played 8 games (mostly in the OF but he is listed at 2nd) for the Lugnuts and hit .323/.323/.548 with a HR and 5 RBI. He was unsuccessful in 3 steal attempts and didn’t draw a walk, but he did manage to strikeout 7 times. Harris showed off his speed by hitting 2 doubles and a triple in his 8 games.

Jason Leblebijian (23) had a rough month hitting .208/.250/.292 in 15 games. Jason hit 4 doubles and no home runs. He walked twice and struck out 7 times. This is Jason’s third season seeing time in Lansing, so he should be playing better.

Dawel Lugo (19) followed up a great month of May with a solid month of June (.270/.278/.315). Lugo did a great job of limiting his strikeouts (6) but needs to take a walk (1) once and while if he wants to take the next step.

Mitch Nay (20) had a excellent June after a sub-par May. Nay hit .317/.391/.439 with 8 walks and 16 strikeouts. I expected a lot more power out of Nay and Dean this year, so when Nay doesn’t hit a HR in 82 June at-bats I am disappointed. Nay did manage to hit 8 doubles and a triple, so there is extra base power in that bat.

Dickie Joe Thon (22) has been on fire since May.  He hit .318/.375/.459 with HR and 9 RBI in June. He also collected 5 doubles and 2 triples. I had all but written him off in 2012 when he struggled to hit .220 with Bluefield but he is showing me that 2013 was no fluke. My may issue with Thon is his inability to limit his strikeouts, as he struck out 21 times in June.

Catchers

Mike Reeves (23) took over the full-time catching duties when Santiago Nessy was promoted and he was demoted from the D-Jays. Reeves hit .240/.296/.280 in 7 games. He had one extra base hit and had a 2 walks to 5 strikeouts.

Daniel Klein (23) played 5 games for Lansing in June and hit .286/.267/.429.

Pitcher to watch: Lansing doesn’t have high profile pitchers like Aaron Sanchez (Bisons), or Daniel Norris (Fisher Cats), or even Kendall Graveman and Matt Boyd (D-Jays), but I would keep an eye on Chase Dejong. He has struggled with the Midwest but I am hopeful that he will have a good July.

Hitter to watch: Matt Dean without question is the guy to watch in July. The power is going to come and I hope it is in July. I also hope that once Dean starts to high the long ball that Mitch Nay follows his lead.