TWitM: Frank Schwindel still aflame

This is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: "Who had a good week?"

Today, we’ll cover results from Monday, August 14 through Sunday, August 20.

AAA Omaha Storm Chasers (62-66)

schedule | roster

Omaha is 13.5 games back with 14 games to play. They’re not eliminated yet, but the odds of a playoff push coming together are so slim they could slide through a crack in a hardwood floor.

First baseman Frank Schwindel is still mashing in the same vein as his Minors-leading performance we featured last week. Since then, he has hit three more home runs and two more doubles among 10 hits, with 11 RBI.

Paulo Orlando played in six of Omaha’s eight games, playing two times each in center field, right field, and at designated hitter. He hit in each game, totaling 10 hits including three doubles and a home run. Orlando missed games from May 12 to July 21 with a broken shin.

Most Storm Chasers players have not hit three triples all season, but shortstop Raul Mondesi tripled three times this week. He also hit two doubles and four singles, stole two bases, and made this play:

Hunter Dozier is on the 40-man roster, and advancing in recovery from his hand/wrist injury. In his first game back with Omaha on Tuesday, he struck out four times, and then twice in his first three at-bats the next night. After that, he cranked out six hits in 3+ games, including three dingers.

Righty Pedro Fernandez threw five shutout innings in his first Triple-A start, after up-and-down results in six relief appearances with the Chasers. Of the 33 (!) people who have pitched for Omaha this year, right-hander Jake Newberry is the youngest, at 22. Lefty Jake Kalish made his Triple-A debut on Sunday.

Former indy league pitcher Kevin Lenik continued to make whoever scouted him look smart, as he added another 5.1 shutout innings over two long relief appearances.

AA Northwest Arkansas Naturals (61-65)

schedule | roster

The Naturals’ bats were mostly quiet this week, with just one win for the team. However, they are playoff-bound because they won the first half in their division.

Right-handed reliever Yunior Marte has made it three weeks into August without giving up a run. He had been a bit rocky out of the Naturals bullpen after his June 30 callup, so this is a nice corner he seems to have turned.

A-Adv. Wilmington Blue Rocks (64-62)

schedule | roster

In the second-half standings, Wilmington is in last place and unlikely to advance to the playoffs.

22-year-old righty Jace Vines held Frederick (BAL) to one run on three hits in seven innings. It was part of a double-header, so seven innings was a complete game for Vines.

RHP Jacob Bodner has spent the entire season in the Blue Rocks pen, but was called upon to start on Sunday. He made it four innings, in which time he struck out eight batters and walked just one.

Low-A Lexington Legends (58-66)

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Left-handed pitcher Garrett Davila pitched six innings of one-hit, shutout baseball on Thursday. His Game Score of 72 that day was his third-best of the season. The next day, righty Ofreidy Gomez scattered seven hits over seven shutout innings in his third-best Game Score of the season as well.

Collin Snider is a right-hander out of Vanderbilt, and was a 12th-round draft pick this summer. He made his Lexington debut on Friday, giving up one earned run in one inning of relief.

Walkoff home runs are always fun, so here is one to almost dead center from outfielder Khalil Lee. This was one of two homers in just five games this week. Lee also hit five doubles.

Shortstop Angelo Castellano was a contact-making machine this week, with both a batting average and an on-base percentage of .522. He went 12-for-23 with two doubles and his 8th homer of the season. He did not walk, and struck out just three times. Overall in his first full professional season, Castellanos is hitting .243/.329/.343.

This year’s 4th-round draftee, CF Michael Gigliotti, was solid in his second week with Lexington. He hit his first two doubles as a Legend, along with eight singles. He also walked three times against five strikeouts.

Outfielder Vance Vizcaino also had 10 hits this week, plus four walks and three strikeouts. Vizcaino was drafted in the 11th round in 2016 out of Stetson University.

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Miscellany:

• Has Frank Schwindel made his case to be added to the 40-man roster and called up in September? Since July 15, Schwindel is slashing .405/.425/.739, with an OPS of 1.164.
• For the “kill the Win” crowd: Onelki Garcia was awarded a win for this outing on Wednesday: 5.2 IP | 12 H | 6 R | 6 ER | 1 BB | 4 K | 1 HR. Omaha won 11-8 in a 7-inning game.
• Kyle Zimmer’s arm is doing the thing it does again:

• Did you see any minor league games this week? Who did you see, and what did you think of them?