Minor Happenings: Z-Mac continues to impress

Zach McAllister (Photo: MiLB)

"Minor Happenings" is a weekly column which recaps the important developments and news in the Indians farm system. While most of the information in this report is from my own research and through interviews I have conducted with organizational personnel, some information in this report is collected and summarized from the various news outlets that cover each team.

A shorter version of Minor Happenings this week due to some other things going on, and I plan to have a much bigger update next week. I will be on the road this weekend visiting both Triple-A Columbus as well as one of short season Single-A Mahoning Valley or Double-A Akron. It will be my first chance to see any of those three affiliates all season because of my health issue I have been dealing with, so I am pumped to get out and finally see those teams!

Onto the Happenings...

IPI Minor League Player of the Week
(for games from June 16th through June 22nd)

Zach McAllister (Right-handed Pitcher – Columbus)
1-0, 0.82 ERA, 2 G, 11.0 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 9 K, .108 BAA

Zach McAllister

If you want to point to one pitcher in a very talented Triple-A Columbus rotation that has been the most consistent all year, that would be right-hander Zach McAllister. In 13 starts this year he has compiled an 8-2 record with a 2.82 ERA, and in 83.0 innings has allowed 69 hits, 19 walks, and has 64 strikeouts.

You want proof to show McAllister’s consistency? How about that in 10 of his 13 starts he has gone at least six innings, and two of the starts he did not was the result of a minor injury earlier this month which limited him. In 9 of his 13 starts he has allowed two runs or less, and in 12 of his 13 starts he has allowed no more than four runs. His only bad start was back on June 5th when he went just five innings and allowed seven runs on 12 hits and two walks, but he clearly was not himself and was shut down for a week and a half. Since coming back on June 16th he looks as strong as ever as in 11.0 innings he has allowed just one run and four hits.

The interesting thing is McAllister’s best pitch - his cut-fastball - has been absent his last two outings, yet he has pitched well. He has relied on his pitch to contact approach with his heavy sinker and been forced to use his slider and other pitches to be effective and has been. With his confidence gaining in his entire repertoire to go along with an ability to eat innings, he is an immediate big league option for the rotation in Cleveland and likely will see time there at some point this season.

McAllister, 23, has had a nice rebound season after a tough year last season where in 27 starts at Triple-A in the Indians and Yankees organizations he combined to go 9-12 with a 5.29 ERA. To think the Indians got him for outfielder Austin Kearns last August is amazing, and has the potential to be one of those lopsided deals of Indians recent history along the lines of Asdrubal Cabrera for Eduardo Perez and Shin-Soo Choo for Ben Broussard.

Honorable Mentions:

Ezequiel Carrera (OF – COL): .387 (12-31), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 7 K, 3 SB, .876 OPS
Shelley Duncan (OF – COL): .333 (8-24), 5 R, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 6 BB, 5 K, .925 OPS
Kyle Bellows (3B – AKR): .375 (6-16), 4 R, 2 2B, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 5 BB, 2 K, 1.024 OPS
Tim Fedroff (OF – AKR): .333 (8-24), 4 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 6 K, .990 OPS
Tyler Cannon (INF – KIN): .538 (7-13), 5 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K, 1.077 OPS
Jesus Aguilar (1B – LC): .353 (6-17), 1 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 4 K, 1.036 OPS
Elvis Araujo (LHP – AZL): 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 6 K, .118 BAA
Cody Allen (RHP – MV): 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 5.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 7 K, .056 BAA
Cole Cook (RHP – LC): 0-1, 1.29 ERA, 1 G, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K, .200 BAA
Drew Pomeranz (LHP – KIN): 0-0, 1.29 ERA, 1 G, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 7 K, .208 BAA

Previous Winners:

06/09 to 06/15 Scott Barnes (LHP – Columbus)
06/02 to 06/08: Beau Mills (1B - Akron)
05/26 to 06/01: Anthony Gallas (OF - Lake County)
05/19 to 05/25: Tim Fedroff (OF – Akron)
05/12 to 05/18: Steven Wright (RHP – Lake County)
05/05 to 05/11: Cord Phelps (INF – Columbus)
04/28 to 05/04: Chun Chen (C – Akron)
04/21 to 04/27: Chad Huffman (OF – Columbus)
04/14 to 04/20: Alex White (RHP – Columbus)
04/07 to 04/13: Drew Pomeranz (LHP – Kinston)

Directors Cuts

Here are some comments that Indians Farm Director Ross Atkins made this week on a few players in the Indians’ system:

Nick Johnson

On Nick Johnson: “Nick is obviously a very proven hitter. He has had a lot of Major League success when he has been healthy. I think the variable we are most excited about right now is he is healthy and he feels strong. I think right now it is just a matter of him having his full spring training, getting prepared, and seeing that caliber of competition and really just getting his clock and his timing where he it needs to be. He looks strong and looks healthy, and we are certainly excited about his track record and he is a nice depth option for us to have. Your hand and wrist is integral with your swing, but one we feel Dr. Graham has handled as well as anyone could possibly handle. I think we are past the health issue and now it is just a matter of getting him ready for the highest level of competition.

On Nick Hagadone: “It has been a little bit of a transition for him [to Triple-A]. But he still shows the stuff. I think that is one of the beautiful things about the minor leagues is that as you are challenged you make adjustments, and he has been challenged a little bit and he is making them. For him it is just fastball command. He has plenty of weapons with his fastball and slider and a developing changeup. His strikeouts are there, and he is throwing the ball over the plate at a much better clip as his walks are way down from a year ago. He is keeping the ball in the ballpark and all signs show that he is a Major League piece for us.”

On Scott Barnes: “I think with Scott Barnes he has absolutely each step of the way shown us he belongs in that rotation and belongs in consideration for being a Major League starter with his competitiveness and his stuff. Similar to Nick the biggest separator will be commanding his fastball where if he can do that on just an average level his slider and changeup are good enough where he could be an average Major League starter. The challenge with Scott is that his stuff is so good it will be how long can we see that through before we just want to get him to the Major Leagues to contribute on some level because he has an above average fastball and has ridiculous left-handed splits and a very good strikeout slider and a great feel for a changeup. He is a Major League weapon, and we are hopeful that we can help him become an average Major League starter which is a very hard thing to develop and accomplish but he keeps making progress towards that.”

J-Rod goes back to Pirates

Josh Rodriguez

Earlier this week the Indians traded infielder Josh Rodriguez to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a cash deal. This was a deal simply to give him a better opportunity with another team, something we see a lot in the minors when a team does not have a spot anymore for a player but want to help them latch onto another team and a better situation.

With Lonnie Chisenhall at third base, Jason Kipnis at second base, Jason Donald at shortstop, and Luis Valbuena in a utility role there simply was no room on the crowded Triple-A Columbus roster for Rodriguez. The Indians tried him out in the outfield and the results were mixed, and with some roster space needing to be made to get other players active he was the one who the Indians decided had to go.

Rodriguez, 26, was taken in the Rule 5 Draft last December by the Pirates, but was returned to the Indians a few weeks into the season. In his return to the Indians organization he struggled with some minor injuries and at the plate hitting just .193 with 2 HR, 5 RBI, and a .586 OPS in 18 games. The Pirates have assigned him to their Triple-A Indianapolis affiliate.

The Chiz feels good

Lonnie Chisenhall

Triple-A Columbus third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall returned to the lineup on Wednesday after a nine day absence because of a concussion that he sustained when he banged his head sliding into third base on June 9th. He returned with a bang as he went 4-for-6 with a triple, homer, and 6 RBI on Wednesday night. In 62 games he is hitting .257 with 6 HR, 38 RBI, and a .762 OPS.

At the time of the injury Chisenhall was in a bad slump where his numbers took a serious nosedive after being very solid all season. The injury may prove to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed him to shut things down playing-wise for a little bit and work on ironing out his swing. While he was on the disabled list he worked on his swing in the batting cages and feels confident his smooth stroke is back. He has been much quicker and shorter to the ball in his first two games back, and if he truly has ironed out his issues then he could be in for a big second half.

Not a demotion for Stowell

Bryce Stowell

Some may have been surprised to see right-handed pitcher Bryce Stowell come out of the bullpen and pitch for short season Single-A Mahoning Valley this week. He had recently been assigned to Low-A Lake County, and it appeared on the surface to be a demotion, but it really was just an opportunity for him to continue to pitch while Lake County and High-A Kinston were off for their All Star breaks.

With Lake County off for four days, the Indians wanted Stowell to continue to get ready work. He is still kind of going through a spring training since he was shut down so long this spring, and since he was not ready to go up to Double-A Akron the only option was Mahoning Valley. With Kinston back in action on Thursday, Lake County back in action tonight, and Mahoning Valley going out on the road after their game on Thursday, I would expect that he is reassigned to Lake County or Kinston this weekend and then if all goes well is in Akron shortly thereafter.

Putnam is okay

Zach Putnam

Triple-A Columbus right-handed pitcher Zach Putnam has been battling through some shoulder tightness the past week. He has not pitched in a game since June 17th, but is supposedly available to pitch this weekend after he has been given the all clear to pitch. In 23 appearances out of the bullpen he is 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA, and in 36.0 innings has allowed 30 hits, 10 walks, and has 31 strikeouts.

Putnam, who turns 24 on July 3rd, is one of the Indians’ immediate bullpen options stocked away at Columbus. He continues to pitch very well this season and when the Indians are ready to come calling should be one of the first options added from Columbus. He is not on the 40-man roster, but there are several moves which can be made to clear space on it for him and get him to Cleveland if needed. There is a very good chance he could be up with the big league club at some point this season, the only question is when.

Smith’s memorable debut

Jordan Smith

Short season Single-A Mahoning Valley kicked off their season last Friday, and with that so have the careers of several players taken in the 2011 Draft. The Indians 9th round pick third baseman Jordan Smith signed earlier in the week and was then assigned to Mahoning Valley where he made his pro debut on Wednesday night going 2-for-5 with a walk and 2 RBI. The biggest at bat was his bases loaded walk in the 11th inning where the Scrappers came away with a walkoff win on a walk.

Smith, who turns 21 on July 5th, is an interesting bat with some good power potential and a patient approach. He also played outfield in college, but for now it appears the Indians will focus on developing him at third base while he is with Mahoning Valley. A decision about his future position may not come until Instructional League in the fall, but all signs point to him staying at third base and being developed there.

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).

Posted in: Bryce Stowell,Jordan Smith,Josh Rodriguez,Lonnie Chisenhall,Nick Hagadone,Nick Johnson,Scott Barnes,Zach McAllister,Zach Putnam