TWitM: Frank Schwindel at it again

‘This Week in the Minors’ 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, July 30 through Sunday, August 5.

AAA Omaha Storm Chasers (50-62)

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First baseman Frank Schwindel is on some streaks. He has doubled in six straight games, and that streak is part of a 13-game hit streak. During the hit streak, Schwindel is 23-for-58 with 10 doubles and five homers.

Kansas City lefty Eric Skoglund progressed to Omaha in his rehab assignment for a UCL strain, but his start ended in a new injury. Skoglund falls to the third base side on the follow through of his pitches, but a Las Vegas batter bunted to the first-base side of the mound. Skoglund went toward it, and crumpled after his foot or ankle gave out under him. He tried to get up after a moment and went back down to the ground.

Due to a scheduling quirk with an off-day and Skoglund’s rehab schedule, Jonathan Dziedzic’s turn in the rotation was missed. Instead of just sitting, Dziedzic came out of the bullpen for one game, tossing four hitless innings and earning his first career save.

AA Northwest Arkansas Naturals (53-60)

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Lefty Foster Griffin survived seven hits and two walks without allowing any runs in his seven-inning start this week. Griffin, who turned 23 last week, was a first-round pick back in 2014. Fellow lefty Emilio Ogando also allowed zero runs in his start, going six innings with two strikeouts, three walks, and four hits. Ogando will turn 25 next Monday.

KORT REPORT: right fielder Kort Peterson went on a tear this week, cranking out two homers, two triples, and three doubles as part of an 11-for-24 attack.

Two Naturals infielders had 9-hit weeks. First baseman Samir Duenez went 9-for-26 with two doubles and a homer. 2B/SS Jecksson Flores was 9-for-29 with a triple and a pair of doubles.

A-Adv. Wilmington Blue Rocks (57-55)

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The Blue Rocks have a 3.0 game lead in the Northern division of the Carolina League. They are 26-16 in the second half.

RHP Ofreidy Gomez pitched seven innings on Wednesday, with seven strikeouts, two walks, one run given up via solo homer. By Game Score, this was Gomez’s best start of the season, and the second time he made it that deep into a game.

Righty Nolan Watson, a first round draftee in 2015, did not allow an earned run in his six-inning start this week. He walked zero and struck out four, and allowed four hits.

Low-A Lexington Legends (60-50)

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Carlos Hernandez is a 21-year-old righty from Guayana, Venezuela. He has been featured here before, thanks in part to a stretch of three straight seven-inning starts with one or fewer runs allowed. His last two starts were not as good, but he bounced back with another seven-inning gem on Wednesday. He allowed one run on four hits (one a solo homer), and struck out six without walking anyone.

The next Legends game was started by Yefri Del Rosario, and he was also solid. Del Rosario, 18, pitched six shutout innings, allowing four hits and one walk. He struck out two, and threw just 86 pitches.

Righty Charlie Neuweiler struck out a career-high nine batters on Saturday. He went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks. First rounder Daniel Lynch struck out seven and walked two in five innings. An unearned run scored while he was pitching, but no earned runs. Fellow first round pick Jackson Kowar, who is being eased in via pitch counts after a long collegiate season, worked his way up to 53 and 67 pitches in his starts this week.