Miami Marlins Farm Report: Gulf Coast League Gets Underway

There was a lot of action percolating behind the scenes in the Miami Marlins system on Monday. On the field, the minor league was 3-2 in action.

Transactions

The Miami Marlins activated LHP Caleb Smith from the bereavement list, optioned RHP Merandy Gonzalez to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and sent 1B Garrett Cooper to the Jupiter Hammerheads on a rehab assignment. They also signed three RHP’s. 20th rounder Cam Baird, 29th rounder C.J. Carter, and free agent Jameson McGrane.

LF Braxton Lee and SS Peter Mooney rejoined the New Orleans Baby Cakes from Jacksonville.

LHP Sean Burnett and RHP Severino Gonzalez were released from their contracts by New Orleans.

Jacksonville sent RHP Jeff Brigham to the GCL Marlins on a rehab assignment.

SS Chris Diaz was sent to the Jumbo Shrimp to Jacksonville.

The Jupiter Hammerheads activated 2B Riley Mahan from the seven-day DL.

The Batavia Muckdogs assigned C Jared Barnes to the GCL Marlins.

The GCL Marlins placed RHP’s Matt Given, Chevis Hoover, Miguel De Los Santos, and Evan Estes on the DL, as well as C Luis Arcaya.

GCL were also assigned LHP Martin Anderson, RHP Tanner Andrews, RHP Cam Baird, RHP Jameson McGrane, RHP Casson Sherrod, C Keegan Fish, OF Connor Grant, OF Milton Smith, RHP Javier Garcia, RHP C.J. Carter, OF Harrison DiNicola, SS Gunnar Schubert, OF Davis Bradshaw, and 3B Andrew Turner.

Triple-A Pacific Coast League

New Orleans Baby Cakes 7, Sacramento RiverCats 4

With 2,193 in the house at Shrine on Airline, the Baby Cakes (34-36) topped the RiverCats (33-38) by a 7-4 final.

Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 6.16) started for New Orleans, and earned his first triple-A win of the season. He whiffed three in five innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk. He posted a 43 GameScore, getting 45-of-71 pitches in the strike zone. Jose Quijada pitched two perfect innings, striking out three for his first save of the year.

The RiverCats outhit the Cakes, 12-to-9, but New Orleans put them where it counted. Austin Nola led the way, with two doubles and three RBI. Eric Campbell collected a pair of singles.

New Orleans spotted the Cats a two-run first inning lead. In the fourth, they scored three runs on an Campbell double. The fifth inning would see them notch three more, on Scott Van Slyke‘s sixth round-tripper of the season.

Sacramento got two back in the sixth to make it 6-4, Baby Cakes. New Orleans scored their last run in the bottom of the frame, when Ben Meyer crossed the plate on a Jose Valdez balk.

Advanced-A Florida State League

Jupiter Hammerheads 0, Florida Fire Frogs 7

With 418 in the house at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, the visiting Fire Frogs (29-35) defeated the Hammerheads (39-28) by a 7-0 final.

Jeremy Walker put up an 80 GameScore for the Atlanta Braves affiliate, striking out four batters and allowing one walk and five singles over eight shutout innings. Counterpart Jorge Guzman (0-3, 2.44) whiffed nine in 5 2/3 innings, surrendering four earned runs on seven hits and a walk. Guzman earned a 43 GameScore and got 59-of-91 pitches in the zone.

The Hammerheads were outhit 10-to-5. Garrett Cooper led the Sharks by going two-for-two from the plate. Brian Miller, Joe Dunand, and Eric Gutierrez collected Jupiter’s other singles.

Reilly Hovis pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out two, and Lukas Schiraldi whiffed two in a perfect ninth.

Short-Season-A New York-Penn League

Batavia Muckdogs 9, West Virginia Black Bears 6

The Muckdogs (2-2) kept the Black Bears (0-4) winless in the Batavia home opener, with 835 present at Dwyer Stadium.

RJ Peace (1-0, 5.40) earned the win, earning a 49 GameScore over five innings of work. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and zero walks. He also struck out five batters, and got 47-of-79 over the plate. Doug Domnarski struck out four in two innings, and Chad Martin struck out two in a scoreless ninth for his first save.

Both teams finished with nine hits. Michael Donadio led three Muckdogs with two hits, with a single and a homer for three RBI. Jerar Encarnacion hit a single and a double for two RBI, and Ricardo Cespedes had a single and a triple for one.

Batavia scored three runs in each of the first two innings, interrupted by a pair from the Bears in the top of the second. In the first, they scored on an Encarnacion RBI-single, an Albert Guaimaro RBI-double, and a Donadio RBI-single. They scored in the second on a Demetrius Sims RBI-single, a Cespedes RBI-triple, and an Encarnacion RBI-double.

The Bears and the Dogs traded a pair of runs each in the fifth inning. The Muckdogs’ were on a Donadio two-run homer. Gerardo Nunez crossed the plate for Batavia in the seventh on a Nick Valaika throwing error.

Rookie Leagues

Dominican Summer League

DSL Marlins 2, DSL Red Sox1 5

Meanwhile, this morning in the Dominican Republic, the Baby Fish dropped a 5-2 contest to the Baby Sox.

Jandel Paulino hit a single and a double with a walk and an RBI to lead the Marlins. Brhayan Campos walked and scored twice, and Julio Machado reached base three times, with a double, two walks, and an RBI.

Zaquiel Puentes (0-2, 7.94) was tagged for the loss, allowing three runs in two innings. Delvis Alegre allowed two homers in four innings of relief. Yeuris Jimenez tossed two scoreless innings, hitting a batter but not giving up a hit or a walk.

The Red Sox scored in each of the first three innings to take a 4-0 lead into the top of the fourth. Campos scored on Paulino’s single into right to get the Marlins on the board.

The Sox tacked another run on the Marlins in the sixth. The only thing the Marlins could muster was a ninth inning bases loaded walk by Machado.

Gulf Coast League

GCL Marlins 6, GCL Nationals 3

On GCL’s opening day, the GCL Nationals hosted the GCL Marlins at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

More from Marlins Prospects

Jeff Brigham (1-0, 0.00) was automatic in his rehab start, striking out five in five innings and allowing only two hits. He kept the ball on the ground well, with five groundouts versus only two in the air. Martin Anderson whiffed five in three innings, allowing all three runs. Jameson McGrane earned a save, striking out two in a perfect ninth.

Daniel Paulino, Walner Espinal, and Connor Grant each collected two hits for the game, mostly singles. One of Paulino’s hits was a double. The Marlins outhit the Nats, 7-to-6.

The Marlins got on the board first, when Paulino crossed the plate on a throwing error in the first inning. The score remained until the fifth. That’s when Espinal, Omar Lebron, and Ronal Reynoso each scored on a pair of throwing errors. The Nationals were charged with a total of five for the game, versus just one for the Marlins.

Jorge Caballero added an RBI-groundout in the seventh, and Lebron drew a bases loaded walk in the ninth.

Later

10:30AM – The DSL Braves host the DSL Marlins.

Noon – The GCL Marlins host the GCL Mets.

1:00PM – The Baby Cakes will close out their series against Sacramento. Pablo Lopez (1-1, 3.27) will start opposite Casey Kelly (6-5, 4.77).

6:30PM – The Fire Frogs will host Ethan Clark (0-1, 3.86) and the rest of the Hammerheads.

7:05PM – The Muckdogs will host the Black Bears in game two of their three-game set.

Next: John Norwood, Miami Marlins Prospect

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