Around the Farm: June 3

Nick Johnson

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday's performances by Indians prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday's game.

For those keeping count, this is my first ATF since the first night of the season back on Thursday April 7th. I’d like to thank Nino, Andrew, and Jim for keeping up with these while I have been out with my health issue and then recovering from it. All three will continue to do ATF, but I am going to start picking up some of the duties with it again.

Nick Johnson – 1B, Akron: 0-for-2, BB.
It is not often where you will see a player with such an ordinary and bland stat line like that in a game be the headliner on ATF, but this was Johnson’s first game that counts this season and he is on the big league radar. It remains to be seen how healthy he is from his left wrist surgery and how the Indians will ultimately mix him into the big league lineup if he is healthy and productive, but it is good to see him in action and another potential offensive reinforcement looming for the Indians.

LeVon Washington – OF, Lake County: 3-for-5, 3 R, K.
That’s more like it. Washington came into the game in a big funk offensively hitting just .202/.316/.238 with 26 strikeouts in 84 at bats, but at least for one night he showed his skills at the leadoff spot to be a tablesetter and score runs. A game like Friday’s can go a long way at injecting some confidence and life into his performance at the plate going forward. He even threw a runner out at home, which considering his arm strength issues is good to see.

• David Huff – SP, Columbus: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R/ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR. Huff’s second outing since his return from left elbow soreness and better. Working on adding a cutter.
• Carlton Smith – RP, Columbus: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R/ER, 1 BB, 0 K. After a perfect April where in 8 games he had a 0.00 ERA (11.2 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 14 K), in 11 appearances since he has a 7.30 ERA (12.1 IP, 14 H, 11 BB, 13 K). Water. Finding. Level.
• Nick Hagadone – RP, Columbus: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R/ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR. First rough patch of the season for the big lefty as in his last two outings he has combined for this line: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R/ER, 2 BB, 1 K and 2 HR.
• Lonnie Chisenhall – 3B, Columbus: 2-for-4, K. With Jack Hannahan sidelined with a sore hammy on Friday night, the Chisenhall watch begins and he responds with a multi-hit effort.
• Jerad Head – LF, Columbus: 0-for-4, K. Was hitting .349/.408/.558 as of May 26th, but in 7 games since is hitting .172/.235/.241 and now hitting .314/.375/.500 on season.
• Jared Goedert – 1B, Columbus: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, BB, K. Just 2-for-20 in his first six games back with Columbus, but Goedert bounces back with a two-hit night.
• Joe Gardner – SP, Akron: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 5 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 2 K. Gardner has a solid ERA of 3.93 on the season, but it is deceiving as he has not been very good battling command issues and averaging less than five innings a start and giving up too many walks (25 BB, 43.2 IP).
• Chun Chen – C, Akron: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 K. Hitting a solid .279 on the season, but that 11 walks to 51 strikeout ratio in 179 at bats is concerning.
• T.J. House – LHP, Kinston: 7.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R/ER, 1 BB, 4 K. It has been a tough year for House with consistency and command issues, but he went a career best 7.1 innings and hopefully a step in the right direction.
• Tyler Holt – OF, Kinston: 1-for-4, 3B, RBI, K. Holt is having a solid season, but for a right-handed hitter is really struggling against lefties hitting just .185/.279/.205 in 54 at bats.
• Doug Pickens – C, Kinston: 2-for-4, 2 2B, K. Hitting just .207 and slugging .228 coming into the game, this qualifies as an offensive explosion.
• Tyler Cannon – 2B, Kinston: 3-for-3, R, 2B, BB. A much needed night as coming into the game he was hitting .156/.255/.200 in first 15 games with Kinston after hitting .366/.456/.613 in 30 games for Lake County.
• Kyle Blair – SP, Lake County: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR. After a tough May where he went 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA in 5 starts (22.0 IP, 27 H, 16 BB, 25 K), he has bounced back the last two outings going 12.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R/ER, 3 BB, 13K.
• Juan Encarnacion – RP, Lake County: 0.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 0 K. Four batters faced, four baserunners, four runs. Now 13 walks in 10.0 innings. Extended bound.
• Giovanny Urshela – 3B, Lake County: 2-for-5, R, RBI, K. After a brutal May where he hit .170/.203/.241, Urshela is liking June so far where in three games he is 5-for-13 with 2 HR and 3 RBI.
• Jesus Aguilar – 1B, Lake County: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI. The mammoth sized first baseman shows off his pipes with a multi-homer game and first homer in four weeks (May 5th).
• Alex Lavisky – C, Lake County: 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI, 2K. Lavisky still impressing with the power with his 6th homer of the year, but now up to 53 strikeouts in 151 at bats.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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