*A light day today as the Midwest, South Atlantic, New York-Penn and Northwest Leagues all had a scheduled day off on Tuesday. And much like the Arizona League (AZL) on Monday, the entire Dominican Summer League schedule on Tuesday was rained out* 

National League – Top Hitter of the Day

• Jonathan Willems, 2B – Rookie Greenville Reds (CIN) – Appy League
  • 4-5, HR (3), 3B, 2B, 3R, 3RBi 
  • The 2015 free agent signee out of Curacao is the fifth player from HiA down through the Dominican Summer League to hit for the cycle this season. Against Kingsport last night, Willems started things off with a two-out solo home run in the top of the first, then grounded into a double play in the 3rd. The 5’11”- 180 lb. righty laced a triple to right field in the fifth, scoring recent number one draft pick Jonathan India from first. Willems singled in the 7th, which scored 2018 – 4th rounder Mike Siani, then Willems capped off his cycle with a double to left field in the eighth. But it was the Mets who came out victorious, as Kingsport second baseman Yoel Romero (who you’ll see below) launched a solo, walk-off home run over the left field wall to steal a 13-12 victory. Willems joins Freddvil Chavez (DSL Rays2), Jesus Valdez (DSL Dodgers Guerrero), and (HiA San Jose) teammates Jalen Miller and Gio Brusa as members of the 2018 UTR Cycle Club. We’ve also seen several near-miss cycles this season. Three players have fallen a single short: (Bobby Dalbec – HiA Salem; Heriberto Hernandez – DSL Rangers2; and Kyle McPherson – SS Salem-Keizer), three others went homer-less in their quest to complete a cycle: (Andres Melendez – DSL Brewers; Cody Thomas – HiA Rancho Cucamonga; and Jimmy Kerrigan – HiA Fort Myers) and just yesterday, teammates Vinny Esposito and today’s A.L. THOD both fell a triple shy of completing the cycle in a 15-6 rout of (fellow) GCL Tigers East. 

American League – Top Hitter of the Day

• Wenceel Perez, SS – GCL Tigers West (DET) – Gulf Coast League
  • 5-7, 2 HR (1,2), 2B, 4R, 4RBi, K
  • Despite each falling a triple short of the cycle, for today’s A.L. THOD Perez and teammate Esposito, things came up in eight’s yesterday. The Tigers West short stop and left fielder collected eight of West’s 16 hits, scored eight of their 15 runs and were responsible for eight of Tigers West’s 13 RBi’s. 

Notes on the Rays Qsar and Kansas City’s Eaton…

National League: 

• Cristian Pache, CF – HiA Florida FireFrogs (ATL) – Florida State League
  • 2-5, HR (7), 3B, R, 2RBi, K
• Greg Cullen, 2B – Rookie Danville Braves (ATL) – Appy League
  • 3-5, 3B, 2B, 3R
• Andres Gimenez, SS – HiA St. Lucie Mets (NYM) – Florida State League
  • 3-5, 3B, 2B, R, 2RBi
• Guillermo Granadillo, LF – Rookie Kingsport (NYM) – Appy League
  • 3-3, 2R, 2RBi, 2BB, SB (6)
• Luis Santana, 2B – Rookie Kingsport (NYM) – Appy League
  • 3-5, HR (2), R, 3RBi, K
• Jarred Kelenic, CF – Rookie Kingsport (NYM) – Appy League
  • 2-4, HR (1), 2R, 4RBi, BB, K
• Yoel Romero, 3B – Rookie Kingsport (NYM) – Appy League
  • 3-4, HR (2), 2B, 3R, 2RBi, BB
• D.J. Stewart, 3B – GCL Phillies West (PHI) – Gulf Coast League
  • 2-4, 2 2B, 2R, 3RBi, 2K
• D.J. Wilson, CF – HiA Myrtle Beach Pelicans (CHC) – Carolina League
  • 3-4, 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB
• Kevonte Mitchell, LF – HiA Myrtle Beach Pelicans (CHC) – Carolina League
  • 1-2, HR (4), 3R, RBi, 2BB
• David Fry, DH – Rookie Helena Brewers (MIL) – Pioneer League
  • 2-5, 2 HR (3,4), 2R, 4RBi, K
• Pablo Abreu, CF – Rookie Helena Brewers (MIL) – Pioneer League
  • 2-3, HR (2), 2R, 2RBi, BB
• Bligh Madris, LF – HiA Bradenton Marauders (PIT) – Florida State League
  • 3-5, HR (7), 2B, 2R, 4RBi
• Albert Baur, 1B – HiA Bradenton Marauders (PIT) – Florida State League
  • 1-4, HR (10), R, 3RBi, BB
• Rylan Bannon, DH – HiA Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (LAD) – Cal League
  • 3-4, 3B, 2B, 2R, RBi, BB
• Kelvin Beltre, 3B – HiA San Jose Giants (SF) – Cal League
  • 1-2, HR (1), 2R, 2RBi, 2BB, K

American League: 

• Alejandro Juvier, 3B – HiA Frederick Keys (BAL) – Carolina League
  • 2-4, HR (1), R, 3RBi, K
• Bobby Dalbec, 3B – HiA Salem Sox (BOS) – Carolina League
  • 4-4, 2 HR (20,21), 2R, 5RBi
• Trenton Kemp, RF – HiA Salem Sox (BOS) – Carolina League
  • 2-3, 2 HR (6,7), 2R, 2RBi, BB, K
• Dom Thompson-Williams, CF – HiA Tampa Tarpons (NYY) – Florida State League
  • 2-4, HR (8), 2R, 3RBi, K
• Jordan Qsar, RF – Rookie Princeton Rays (TB) – Appy League
  • 2-3, HR (7), R, RBi, BB, K
  • It’s draft picks like Qsar that are the reason we do what we do here. The 25th round selection (2018) out of Pepperdine currently sits in the Appalachian League top five in several offensive statistical categories. His 28 hits ranks second, he’s fifth in runs scored (17), first in homers, first in RBi (21), first in total bases (55), ranks third in both SLG% (.743) and OPS (1.189). 
• Jonathan Aranda, 2B – Rookie Princeton Rays (TB) – Appy League
  • 2-3, HR (1), 2R, 2RBi, K
• Joseph Reyes, 1B – GCL Blue Jays (TOR) – Gulf Coast League
  • 2-4, HR (1), 2R, RBi, K
• Corey Zangari, DH – Rookie Great Falls Voyagers (CWS) – Pioneer League
  • 2-4, 2 HR (3,4), 2R, 3RBi, K
• Connor Smith, SS – AZL Indians1 (CLE) – Arizona League
  • 3-4, R, 3RBi, BB, 2 SB (3,4)
• Isaac Paredes, 2B – HiA Lakeland Flying Tigers (DET) – Florida State League
  • 2-4, HR (9), 2R, RBi, BB
• Jose Azocar, RF – HiA Lakeland Flying Tigers (DET) – Florida State League
  • 2-5, HR (1/2), R, 3RBi, K
• Vinny Esposito, LF – GCL Tigers West (DET) – Gulf Coast League
  • 3-4, HR (1), 2B, 4R, 4RBi, 2BB, K
• Nick Heath, RF – HiA Wilmington Blue Rocks (KC) – Carolina League
  • 2-4, HR (2), R, 2RBi, BB, 2K
• Freddy Fermin, C – Rookie Burlington Royals (KC) – Appy League
  • 3-4, HR (1), 2 2B, 2R, 3RBi
• Nathan Eaton, 2B – Rookie Idaho Falls Chukars (KC) – Pioneer League
  • 4-4, 3B, 3R, 3RBi, BB, SB (9)
  • Eaton is another late-round draft pick excelling in his first pro season. The Royals drafted Eaton in the 21st round in 2018 out of Virginia Military Institute (VMI), where he played two seasons, 2016 and 2018. In 2017 he wasn’t with the team, but in 2018, the 5’11”- 185 lb. catcher, yes catcher, set the VMI stolen base record with 36 steals in 52 games before being drafted and signing with the Royals for (what could be a bargain price of) $85K. Playing mostly third and some second base, Eaton currently leads the Pioneer League in triples (6), on-base percentage (.530), OPS (1.212) and is tied for the league lead in walks (17).
• Reed Rohlman, 1B – Rookie Idaho Falls Chukars (KC) – Pioneer League
  • 3-5, HR (3), 3B, 2R, 7RBi, K
• Michael Davis, SS – Rookie Elizabethton Twins (MIN) – Appy League
  • 2-5, HR (1), 3R, 3RBi, BB
• Ryan Jeffers, DH – Rookie Elizabethton Twins (MIN) – Appy League
  • 2-3, HR (1), 3R, 2RBi, BB
• Albee Weiss, LF – Rookie Elizabethton Twins (MIN) – Appy League
  • 2-5, 2 HR (2,3), 2R, 2RBi, 2K
• Hunter Lee, 2B – Rookie Elizabethton Twins (MIN) – Appy League
  • 4-5, HR (1), 2R, 2RBi, K
• Tyler Webb, LF – GCL Twins (MIN) – Gulf Coast League
  • 3-4, HR (1), 2R, RBi, BB, 2 SB (5,6)
• Nate Mondou, 3B – HiA Stockton Ports (OAK) – Cal League
  • 2-5, 2 HR (7,8), 2R, 5RBi
• Sandber Pimentel, 1B – HiA Stockton Ports (OAK) – Cal League
  • 1-3, HR (8), 3R, 2RBi, 2BB, K
• Collin Theroux, C – HiA Stockton Ports (OAK) – Cal League
  • 1-4, HR (8), 2R, 3RBi, B, 2K
• Jose Cardona, RF – AZL Rangers (TEX) – Arizona League
  • 3-5, 3B, 2 2B, 2R, 3RBi

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