Ronnie Mitchell capping off tremendous month with RBI-double in 1st. He’s got 6 2B, 4 3B, a HR and 23 RBI in July. #JetHawks— Jason Schwartz (@jasondschwartz) August 1, 2015
A LOOK AT THE ASTROS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM
Showing posts with label Ronnie Mitchell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ronnie Mitchell. Show all posts
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Tweet of the Day
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Happy Birthday - 6/21
Wishing a Very Happy Birthday to ...
RHP Saul Martinez (20)
Martinez was born June 21, 1995 in Nagua, Dominican Republic, and was signed by the Astros in May 2014. He is currently playing in the Dominican Summer League.
OF Ronnie Mitchell (24)
Mitchell was born June 21, 1991 in Southlake, Texas, and was drafted by Houston in the 38th round in 2013 out of Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas. He is currently playing for the High A Lancaster JetHawks team.
RHP Saul Martinez (20)
Martinez was born June 21, 1995 in Nagua, Dominican Republic, and was signed by the Astros in May 2014. He is currently playing in the Dominican Summer League.
OF Ronnie Mitchell (24)
Mitchell was born June 21, 1991 in Southlake, Texas, and was drafted by Houston in the 38th round in 2013 out of Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas. He is currently playing for the High A Lancaster JetHawks team.
Ronnie Mitchell - May 2015
Photo by Jayne Hansen
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Happy Birthday - 6/21
Happy Birthday to ~
OF Ronnie Mitchell (23)
Drafted by Houston in the 38th round in 2012, Mitchell is spending his second season in the system with the A-level Quad Cities team. In his first 39 games of the season, he is hitting .264/.340/.504 with four doubles and nine home runs.
One former Astro celebrates the day as well ~
RHP Gene Pentz (61)
Originally drafted by Detroit in the seventh round in 1971, Pentz came to Houston in a December 1975 trade. In 91 games pitched for the Astros from 1976 through 1978, Pentz was 8-5 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.437 WHIP.
OF Ronnie Mitchell (23)
Drafted by Houston in the 38th round in 2012, Mitchell is spending his second season in the system with the A-level Quad Cities team. In his first 39 games of the season, he is hitting .264/.340/.504 with four doubles and nine home runs.
One former Astro celebrates the day as well ~
RHP Gene Pentz (61)
Originally drafted by Detroit in the seventh round in 1971, Pentz came to Houston in a December 1975 trade. In 91 games pitched for the Astros from 1976 through 1978, Pentz was 8-5 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.437 WHIP.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Astros Minor League Recaps
Results for Friday, May 30, 2014
Oklahoma City 2, Omaha 1
W- Alex White (1-0)
L- Buddy Baumann (1-1)
OKC home runs: None.
The RedHawks avoided the sweep in dramatic fashion as they scored a pair in the 9th and executed the ol' walk-off squeeze play.
Mike Foltynewicz was just excellent in this one. He pitched 7.2 innings and allowed a run on 6 hits and struck out 10. Both of his double-digit strikeout outings this season have come against the Storm Chasers. Josh Zeid only faced one batter; he struck out Paulo Orlando to end the 8th. Alex White worked around a 2-out infield single to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1 in the inning.
Well, it took them the entire game, but better late than never. The RedHawks had a chance to take control earlier, but they left the bases loaded in the 7th and the 8th. 4 batters appeared in the 9th, and all 4 of them reached. Kiké Hernandez kicked off the rally by walking, and then he advanced to 2nd on a Gregorio Petit single. Hernandez would score the tying run as Matt Duffy reached on an error. Petit moved up to 3rd on the play. One batter later, Carlos Perez laid down an exquisite bunt and Petit made an "unreal" slide home for the winning run. The bunt was scored as a sacrifice and Perez received credit for the only OKC RBI. He was also the owner of the lone RedHawks extra-base hit when he doubled with 1 out in the 6th.
Memphis is in town for 4. In game 1, Jake Buchanan will face Zach Petrick. First pitch is at 7:05.
Corpus Christi 7, Northwest Arkansas 2
W- Mike Hauschild (1-0, 3-1 season)
L- J.C. Sulbaran (2-4)
CC home runs: Telvin Nash (3, solo in 6th)
The Hooks took the opener as they were able to get themselves out of the offensive rut that they were in during the last 2 games of the Arkansas series. The Naturals briefly tied the game at 2 after they scored a pair in the top of the 3rd, but Corpus ran off 5 unanswered to get the W.
Leo Heras put Corpus on the board first in the 2nd with an RBI triple. He would score on a Tyler Heineman groundout. Nolan Fontana led off the bottom of the 3rd with a ground-rule double and scored on a Jonathan Meyer fielder's choice to put the Hooks up for good. Telvin Nash finished a triple shy of the cycle (in 3 at-bats); he swatted a solo homer (3) in the 6th and scored twice. He was plunked in his final plate appearance of the evening, in the 8th inning. Before he was hit, Heineman led off the inning with a double and scored when Delino DeShields laid down a sac bunt and an error was committed on the play. Meyer brought Nash home with a pop-fly RBI single, and DeShields scored the final run of the night on another error that allowed Preston Tucker to reach, and loaded the bases. Tucker, who finished 2-5 with a double, was credited with an RBI on the play.
Mike Hauschild finally got his 1st win at the AA level after 2 really good starts and a decent one. He pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. In his AA debut, Tyson Perez fired 3 scoreless and allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Pat Urckfitz struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th to wrap it up.
In the middle game of this series, Luis Cruz and Jordan Jankowski will take on Sam Selman at 7:10.
Lancaster 9, Rancho Cucamonga 1
W- Josh Hader (5-0)
L- Geoff Brown (1-3)
Lancaster home runs: Roberto Peña (3, 2-run in 2nd)
Rancho got on the board in the 6th to make it a 2-1 game, but the JetHawks took off in the 7th with a touchdown to run away with the opener and their 7th straight victory. Also, Josh Hader continued his fine season.
Hader went 7.2 and the only ding on his line was a solo homer to James Baldwin, which constituted the entire Rancho offense. He allowed 3 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 9. J.D. Osborne retired all 4 Quakes hitters he faced, striking out 3 of them.
Before the JetHawks' assault in the 7th, their 2 runs came in the form of a Roberto Peña (3) 2-run homer in the 2nd. A couple of triples from Ruben Sosa and Jordan Scott signaled the beginning of the end for the Quakes. Tony Kemp then ripped an RBI double. Teoscar Hernandez walked, and then Carlos Correa hit a 2-run single. Rio Ruiz continued the assault with an RBI double, and after Peña went down for the 2nd out, Conrad Gregor drew a walk. Dan Gulbransen capped it off with a 2-run triple. Rio finished 3-4, while Correa was 2-5 with a steal (13). Sosa also had a double to go along with his triple, which served as the catalyst for the big inning, and Peña also ripped a double to go along with his blast.
Game 2 of the series has Mark Appel making his return to the Lancaster rotation. He'll take on the young phenom, Julio Urias, at 6:00 Pacific.
Quad Cities 7, Beloit 3
W- Edison Frias (2-3)
L- Lou Trivino (3-4)
QC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (7, grand slam in 1st)
The River Bandits swept the Snappers out of the Quad Cities as they raced out to a 7-0 lead after 4 innings, powered by Mitchell's slam in the 1st.
Chase McDonald opened the scoring in the 1st with an RBI single. Later on in the inning, Mitchell homered for the 4th straight game. The grand slam (7) extended his hitting streak and his RBI streak to 5 games. The last time he hit a grand slam was in Little League. Tyler White went 2-3 with a couple of doubles; one of them brought home Brian Holberton in the 3rd. Chan-Jong Moon added an RBI double in the 4th. Holberton and Jon Kemmer also had 2-hit nights.
Edison Frias went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and struck out 7. Chris Cotton allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 2. Tyler Brunnemann finished it off by retiring all 5 Snappers he faced, striking out 3 of them.
QC will now begin a 3-game series in Wisconsin; Evan Grills will start the opener against Zach Quintana at 6:35.
Three Stars: Position Players
3.
2.
1.
Three Stars: Pitchers
3.
2.
1.
Oklahoma City 2, Omaha 1
W- Alex White (1-0)
L- Buddy Baumann (1-1)
OKC home runs: None.
The RedHawks avoided the sweep in dramatic fashion as they scored a pair in the 9th and executed the ol' walk-off squeeze play.
Mike Foltynewicz was just excellent in this one. He pitched 7.2 innings and allowed a run on 6 hits and struck out 10. Both of his double-digit strikeout outings this season have come against the Storm Chasers. Josh Zeid only faced one batter; he struck out Paulo Orlando to end the 8th. Alex White worked around a 2-out infield single to throw a scoreless 9th, striking out 1 in the inning.
Well, it took them the entire game, but better late than never. The RedHawks had a chance to take control earlier, but they left the bases loaded in the 7th and the 8th. 4 batters appeared in the 9th, and all 4 of them reached. Kiké Hernandez kicked off the rally by walking, and then he advanced to 2nd on a Gregorio Petit single. Hernandez would score the tying run as Matt Duffy reached on an error. Petit moved up to 3rd on the play. One batter later, Carlos Perez laid down an exquisite bunt and Petit made an "unreal" slide home for the winning run. The bunt was scored as a sacrifice and Perez received credit for the only OKC RBI. He was also the owner of the lone RedHawks extra-base hit when he doubled with 1 out in the 6th.
Memphis is in town for 4. In game 1, Jake Buchanan will face Zach Petrick. First pitch is at 7:05.
Corpus Christi 7, Northwest Arkansas 2
W- Mike Hauschild (1-0, 3-1 season)
L- J.C. Sulbaran (2-4)
CC home runs: Telvin Nash (3, solo in 6th)
The Hooks took the opener as they were able to get themselves out of the offensive rut that they were in during the last 2 games of the Arkansas series. The Naturals briefly tied the game at 2 after they scored a pair in the top of the 3rd, but Corpus ran off 5 unanswered to get the W.
Leo Heras put Corpus on the board first in the 2nd with an RBI triple. He would score on a Tyler Heineman groundout. Nolan Fontana led off the bottom of the 3rd with a ground-rule double and scored on a Jonathan Meyer fielder's choice to put the Hooks up for good. Telvin Nash finished a triple shy of the cycle (in 3 at-bats); he swatted a solo homer (3) in the 6th and scored twice. He was plunked in his final plate appearance of the evening, in the 8th inning. Before he was hit, Heineman led off the inning with a double and scored when Delino DeShields laid down a sac bunt and an error was committed on the play. Meyer brought Nash home with a pop-fly RBI single, and DeShields scored the final run of the night on another error that allowed Preston Tucker to reach, and loaded the bases. Tucker, who finished 2-5 with a double, was credited with an RBI on the play.
Mike Hauschild finally got his 1st win at the AA level after 2 really good starts and a decent one. He pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. In his AA debut, Tyson Perez fired 3 scoreless and allowed 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 2. Pat Urckfitz struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 9th to wrap it up.
In the middle game of this series, Luis Cruz and Jordan Jankowski will take on Sam Selman at 7:10.
Lancaster 9, Rancho Cucamonga 1
W- Josh Hader (5-0)
L- Geoff Brown (1-3)
Lancaster home runs: Roberto Peña (3, 2-run in 2nd)
Rancho got on the board in the 6th to make it a 2-1 game, but the JetHawks took off in the 7th with a touchdown to run away with the opener and their 7th straight victory. Also, Josh Hader continued his fine season.
Hader went 7.2 and the only ding on his line was a solo homer to James Baldwin, which constituted the entire Rancho offense. He allowed 3 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 9. J.D. Osborne retired all 4 Quakes hitters he faced, striking out 3 of them.
Before the JetHawks' assault in the 7th, their 2 runs came in the form of a Roberto Peña (3) 2-run homer in the 2nd. A couple of triples from Ruben Sosa and Jordan Scott signaled the beginning of the end for the Quakes. Tony Kemp then ripped an RBI double. Teoscar Hernandez walked, and then Carlos Correa hit a 2-run single. Rio Ruiz continued the assault with an RBI double, and after Peña went down for the 2nd out, Conrad Gregor drew a walk. Dan Gulbransen capped it off with a 2-run triple. Rio finished 3-4, while Correa was 2-5 with a steal (13). Sosa also had a double to go along with his triple, which served as the catalyst for the big inning, and Peña also ripped a double to go along with his blast.
Game 2 of the series has Mark Appel making his return to the Lancaster rotation. He'll take on the young phenom, Julio Urias, at 6:00 Pacific.
Quad Cities 7, Beloit 3
W- Edison Frias (2-3)
L- Lou Trivino (3-4)
QC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (7, grand slam in 1st)
The River Bandits swept the Snappers out of the Quad Cities as they raced out to a 7-0 lead after 4 innings, powered by Mitchell's slam in the 1st.
Chase McDonald opened the scoring in the 1st with an RBI single. Later on in the inning, Mitchell homered for the 4th straight game. The grand slam (7) extended his hitting streak and his RBI streak to 5 games. The last time he hit a grand slam was in Little League. Tyler White went 2-3 with a couple of doubles; one of them brought home Brian Holberton in the 3rd. Chan-Jong Moon added an RBI double in the 4th. Holberton and Jon Kemmer also had 2-hit nights.
Edison Frias went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits and struck out 7. Chris Cotton allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 2. Tyler Brunnemann finished it off by retiring all 5 Snappers he faced, striking out 3 of them.
QC will now begin a 3-game series in Wisconsin; Evan Grills will start the opener against Zach Quintana at 6:35.
Three Stars: Position Players
3.
Roberto Peña, C, Lancaster
2-4, 2B, 2-R HR (3)
2.
Ronnie Mitchell, RF, Quad Cities
1-2, Grand Slam (7); 4th straight game with a home run
1.
Telvin Nash, 1B, Corpus Christi
3-3, solo HR (3), 2 R
Three Stars: Pitchers
3.
Tyson Perez, RHP, Corpus Christi
3 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K; AA debut
2.
Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Oklahoma City
7.2 IP, 6 H, ER, 10 K
1.
Josh Hader, LHP, Lancaster
W (5-0), 7.2 IP, 4 H (solo HR), ER, BB, 9 K
Re-Post of July 2013 Interview with Astros OF Ronnie Mitchell
I will be hard at work this weekend transcribing my notes, uploading video and labeling photos from my trip to Lancaster last weekend. In the meantime, you might enjoy reading this interview I posted last July with OF Ronnie Mitchell. Why now? Well, Ronnie has now hit home runs in four straight games for Quad Cities, culminating in last night's grand slam. I figure he's probably piquing the interest of a few other minor league fans much as he did mine last summer. Enjoy!
ORIGINALLY POSTED 7/17/13
One of the players in the 2013 draft class that piqued my interest early on was 38th rounder Ronnie Mitchell, a lefty-hitting outfielder out of Dallas Baptist. His good start, displaying power, speed and range, had me thinking that the Astros might have gotten a steal in the 38th round, sentiments that are echoed by Tri-City Manager Ed Romero, "You see it the same way I see it. I love him. He's very athletic. He's got a lot of tools. He can play all three outfields. He has a plus arm. He's a good defender, runs well. He's got power. Right now, there's a couple things he needs to work on with his swing. He tends to get a little too long at times, but that's very correctable. He's a great kid. Works hard and plays hard. I really like Mitchell."
I talked to Mitchell earlier this month and this is what he had to say (edited for brevity and clarity) ~
On his draft experience: "Obviously, it was a long one for me, being the 38th round pick, had to wait until the last day. Waiting around all day with my family was pretty emotional, but once I got picked, I was just very relieved and happy to get a chance to play professional baseball. [Did he know that the Astros were interested?] I talked to the scout that had interest in me, Jim Stevenson, probably a few weeks before the draft, and there were some other teams I was talking to a couple days before the draft. Jim just asked me if I wanted to play professional baseball and I told him 'yes,' and they drafted me late and I was grateful.
On his college experience: "It was a long journey for me. I went to three different colleges. It's a long story. My freshman year, I went to the University of Nevada-Reno, and ended up transferring. In between those schools, I had foot surgery and transferred to a junior college in Oklahoma, battled through some more injuries and ended up back at Dallas Baptist [where I] continued to battle injuries and tried to stay on the field. In my senior year I was just so grateful that I was able to stay on the field the entire season. I didn't miss a game and eventually got drafted by the Astros.
Any dirt on his former college teammate and fellow Astro Austin "Catfish" Elkins?: "He's a pretty up front guy. I'm sure you know everything about him. [Remembering] He cannot run sprints. That's something I remember even at DBU, we'd try to do conditioning and after 2 or 3 sprints, he's crying to the coach that he can't go anymore. [Laughs] You could say he's a great athlete, very explosive and powerful, but that guy cannot run sprints to save his life."
What has been the biggest surprise for him about playing pro ball so far?: "Obviously just the mental and physical grind every day. Showing up early six or seven hours before the game, working on fundamentals, getting early work in. You have to really focus in and take care of your body to be able to keep up that level of play, so many great guys playing professional baseball at this level."
What has he accomplished so far?: "There's no real sense of accomplishment yet. Like you said, it's early. I'm just showing up every day, trying to be as consistent as I can, level-headed. I just approach every day just giving it my all, playing with energy. Just whatever happens, happens."
What will he need to do to get to the next level as a player?: "Just overall consistency in every aspect - fielding, working on the fundamentals of throwing, catching. Obviously just getting a consistent approach, especially two-strike approach is a big thing at this level, transitioning from aluminum to wood bats, you really have to focus in. I would think that would be the biggest thing, just two-strike approach and fighting off pitches and that kind of thing."
What does he bring to the game?: "Honestly, I don't think about it that much. I just show up and try to play as hard as I can. I guess a consistent energy on a daily basis. I do my best to bring confidence and swagger to encourage my teammates. I just try to have as much fun as I can on the field, hopefully just try to uplift people through my play and off the field."
What would he do if he couldn't play baseball?: "I'd probably be a clothing designer, whether it be sports apparel or formal wear. I like drawing and sketches and that kind of stuff. Even throughout my baseball career, however long I play, I'll do that on the side. That's something that most people don't know about me. I've been blessed with artistic ability and I like to draw and sketch free-hand. Whatever I visualize in my mind, I do a pretty decent job of being able to transfer it to paper."
Who on the team makes him laugh?: "Zach Morton. He's a clown. He just doesn't stop either. A couple of games I got mad at him because I was trying to visualize and focus on my at bat and he's cracking jokes [in the dugout] and I ended up losing focus for a second. I've got to tell him to ease up during the game, but he is hilarious."
The last question I asked Ed Romero was if there was anyone on the team who had surprised him. Mitchell's name came up again, "Mitchell has been a big surprise for me. I think he's much better than a 38th rounder. We did a very good job scouting him. I want to congratulate our scout in that area. He did an outstanding job with Mitchell."
On a personal level, I really enjoyed talking to Ronnie. He's soft-spoken and thoughtful with a sly sense of humor. But one last question cemented him as one of my new favorites to watch. I did not realize that he spent much of his childhood in Port Arthur and has a special fondness for the Astros, "I remember going to Astros games as a kid, and I was just enamored with the [idea that I would] be able to hopefully one day get a chance to play professional baseball. It's great that I was able to get picked up by a team that I was so familiar with, growing up 70 or 80 miles from the ballpark. It's just a great opportunity for me. I'm just enjoying every minute of it."
Thanks for your time, Ronnie, and the best of luck as the season continues.
ORIGINALLY POSTED 7/17/13
One of the players in the 2013 draft class that piqued my interest early on was 38th rounder Ronnie Mitchell, a lefty-hitting outfielder out of Dallas Baptist. His good start, displaying power, speed and range, had me thinking that the Astros might have gotten a steal in the 38th round, sentiments that are echoed by Tri-City Manager Ed Romero, "You see it the same way I see it. I love him. He's very athletic. He's got a lot of tools. He can play all three outfields. He has a plus arm. He's a good defender, runs well. He's got power. Right now, there's a couple things he needs to work on with his swing. He tends to get a little too long at times, but that's very correctable. He's a great kid. Works hard and plays hard. I really like Mitchell."
Ronnie Mitchell - July 2013
Photo by Jayne Hansen
I talked to Mitchell earlier this month and this is what he had to say (edited for brevity and clarity) ~
On his draft experience: "Obviously, it was a long one for me, being the 38th round pick, had to wait until the last day. Waiting around all day with my family was pretty emotional, but once I got picked, I was just very relieved and happy to get a chance to play professional baseball. [Did he know that the Astros were interested?] I talked to the scout that had interest in me, Jim Stevenson, probably a few weeks before the draft, and there were some other teams I was talking to a couple days before the draft. Jim just asked me if I wanted to play professional baseball and I told him 'yes,' and they drafted me late and I was grateful.
On his college experience: "It was a long journey for me. I went to three different colleges. It's a long story. My freshman year, I went to the University of Nevada-Reno, and ended up transferring. In between those schools, I had foot surgery and transferred to a junior college in Oklahoma, battled through some more injuries and ended up back at Dallas Baptist [where I] continued to battle injuries and tried to stay on the field. In my senior year I was just so grateful that I was able to stay on the field the entire season. I didn't miss a game and eventually got drafted by the Astros.
Any dirt on his former college teammate and fellow Astro Austin "Catfish" Elkins?: "He's a pretty up front guy. I'm sure you know everything about him. [Remembering] He cannot run sprints. That's something I remember even at DBU, we'd try to do conditioning and after 2 or 3 sprints, he's crying to the coach that he can't go anymore. [Laughs] You could say he's a great athlete, very explosive and powerful, but that guy cannot run sprints to save his life."
What has been the biggest surprise for him about playing pro ball so far?: "Obviously just the mental and physical grind every day. Showing up early six or seven hours before the game, working on fundamentals, getting early work in. You have to really focus in and take care of your body to be able to keep up that level of play, so many great guys playing professional baseball at this level."
What has he accomplished so far?: "There's no real sense of accomplishment yet. Like you said, it's early. I'm just showing up every day, trying to be as consistent as I can, level-headed. I just approach every day just giving it my all, playing with energy. Just whatever happens, happens."
What will he need to do to get to the next level as a player?: "Just overall consistency in every aspect - fielding, working on the fundamentals of throwing, catching. Obviously just getting a consistent approach, especially two-strike approach is a big thing at this level, transitioning from aluminum to wood bats, you really have to focus in. I would think that would be the biggest thing, just two-strike approach and fighting off pitches and that kind of thing."
What does he bring to the game?: "Honestly, I don't think about it that much. I just show up and try to play as hard as I can. I guess a consistent energy on a daily basis. I do my best to bring confidence and swagger to encourage my teammates. I just try to have as much fun as I can on the field, hopefully just try to uplift people through my play and off the field."
What would he do if he couldn't play baseball?: "I'd probably be a clothing designer, whether it be sports apparel or formal wear. I like drawing and sketches and that kind of stuff. Even throughout my baseball career, however long I play, I'll do that on the side. That's something that most people don't know about me. I've been blessed with artistic ability and I like to draw and sketch free-hand. Whatever I visualize in my mind, I do a pretty decent job of being able to transfer it to paper."
Who on the team makes him laugh?: "Zach Morton. He's a clown. He just doesn't stop either. A couple of games I got mad at him because I was trying to visualize and focus on my at bat and he's cracking jokes [in the dugout] and I ended up losing focus for a second. I've got to tell him to ease up during the game, but he is hilarious."
>>>>>>><<<<<<<
The last question I asked Ed Romero was if there was anyone on the team who had surprised him. Mitchell's name came up again, "Mitchell has been a big surprise for me. I think he's much better than a 38th rounder. We did a very good job scouting him. I want to congratulate our scout in that area. He did an outstanding job with Mitchell."
On a personal level, I really enjoyed talking to Ronnie. He's soft-spoken and thoughtful with a sly sense of humor. But one last question cemented him as one of my new favorites to watch. I did not realize that he spent much of his childhood in Port Arthur and has a special fondness for the Astros, "I remember going to Astros games as a kid, and I was just enamored with the [idea that I would] be able to hopefully one day get a chance to play professional baseball. It's great that I was able to get picked up by a team that I was so familiar with, growing up 70 or 80 miles from the ballpark. It's just a great opportunity for me. I'm just enjoying every minute of it."
Thanks for your time, Ronnie, and the best of luck as the season continues.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Astros Minor League Recaps
Results for Thursday, May 29, 2014
Omaha 4, Oklahoma City 3
W- Ryan Verdugo (1-1)
L- David Martinez (5-3)
S- Spencer Patton (10)
OKC home runs: None.
Close, but no cigar. The RedHawks got burned by a bases-clearing double from Mike Moustakas in the 3rd, and they have lost 3 straight since coming home.
Domingo Santana went 2-4 and led off the 2nd with a double. He'd come around to score OKC's first run of the evening on a Gregorio Petit single. After Jon Singleton doubled to lead off the 4th, Santana hit a single to drive him in. L.J. Hoes hit a sac fly in the 8th, which made it a 4-3 game at the time. Santana and Petit finished with 2 hits apiece.
David Martinez pitched 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits, walking 3, and striking out 5. Alex White struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 8th, and Jason Stoffel gave up a run on a sac fly, walked 3, and struck out 1 in the 9th.
OKC will look to avoid the sweep as Mike Foltynewicz, who struck out 12 the last time he faced the Storm Chasers, takes the hill. He'll take on John Lamb at 7:05.
Arkansas 4, Corpus Christi 0
W- Michael Roth (4-3)
L- David Rollins (0-1)
S- Michael Brady (1)
CC home runs: None.
The Hooks were shut out in the final 2 games of this series after taking the opener 6-2. Jio Mier and Preston Tucker had 2 hits apiece; Jio's double in the 9th was the only extra-base hit for Corpus. The two of them were stranded on 2nd and 3rd to end the game. René Garcia was 1-1 with 2 walks.
David Rollins went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Alex Sogard threw 3 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 3. Michael Dimock pitched the final 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 1.
The other Arkansas team is in Corpus for the weekend. Mike Hauschild will start the opener against J.C. Sulbaran at 7:10.
Lancaster 5, Lake Elsinore 3
W- Chris Devenski (2-5)
L- Colin Rea (5-3)
S- Jamaine Cotton (5)
Lancaster home runs: Jobduan Morales (1, 2 season; solo in 3rd)
The JetHawks took sole possession of 1st place in the California League South with their sweep of the Storm. After Lake Elsinore took a 2-1 lead after 3 innings, the JetHawks responded with 4 unanswered runs, which included a 3-run 6th.
Jobduan Morales put the JetHawks on the board with a solo homer in the 3rd, his 1st as a JetHawk and 2nd of the season. That would be their only run of the game until they took control in the 6th inning, when they got RBI singles from Rio Ruiz and Danry Vásquez, and Ruben Sosa scored when Carlos Perdomo scored on a force out. Conrad Gregor brought home the JetHawks' final run of the night with an RBI single in the 8th. Tony Kemp finished 2-5 with a run scored. Perdomo, despite going 0-3, scored twice and added a couple of stolen bases (8). Carlos Correa went 1-3 with a steal (12).
Chris Devenski went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 5. Matt Heidenreich allowed a hit over 2 scoreless, and Jamaine Cotton shook off a solo homer from Hunter Renfroe to close it out. He allowed one other hit in the 9th, but nothing came of it.
The JetHawks will now begin a 7-game homestand. First up is a 4-game set with Rancho Cucamonga. Josh Hader will start the opener; he'll face Chris Anderson at 6:30 Pacific.
Quad Cities 2, Beloit 1
W- Jandel Gustave (5-2)
L- Matt Stalcup (0-2)
QC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (6, 2-run in 7th)
That 2-run homer was all the offense for Quad Cities. Mitchell homered for the 3rd straight game, while Jack Mayfield, who also scored on the blast, finished 2-3 as he was the only player on either side to have a multi-hit game. They swiped 3 more bases without getting caught. Brett Phillips (9), James Ramsay (14), and Mayfield (2) were the thieves in this game.
Michael Feliz was just dominating. He threw 5 no-hit innings and walked 1 while striking out 8. Jandel Gustave was victimized by a sac fly in the 6th but allowed nothing else the rest of the way. That run was unearned, by the way. He went 4 innings and allowed both Beloit hits, walked 1, and struck out 4.
The River Bandits will look for the sweep tonight. Edison Frias will take on Lou Trivino at 7:00.
Three Stars: Position Players
3.
2.
1.
Three Stars: Pitchers
3.
1.
Omaha 4, Oklahoma City 3
W- Ryan Verdugo (1-1)
L- David Martinez (5-3)
S- Spencer Patton (10)
OKC home runs: None.
Close, but no cigar. The RedHawks got burned by a bases-clearing double from Mike Moustakas in the 3rd, and they have lost 3 straight since coming home.
Domingo Santana went 2-4 and led off the 2nd with a double. He'd come around to score OKC's first run of the evening on a Gregorio Petit single. After Jon Singleton doubled to lead off the 4th, Santana hit a single to drive him in. L.J. Hoes hit a sac fly in the 8th, which made it a 4-3 game at the time. Santana and Petit finished with 2 hits apiece.
David Martinez pitched 7 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits, walking 3, and striking out 5. Alex White struck out 1 in a 1-2-3 8th, and Jason Stoffel gave up a run on a sac fly, walked 3, and struck out 1 in the 9th.
OKC will look to avoid the sweep as Mike Foltynewicz, who struck out 12 the last time he faced the Storm Chasers, takes the hill. He'll take on John Lamb at 7:05.
Arkansas 4, Corpus Christi 0
W- Michael Roth (4-3)
L- David Rollins (0-1)
S- Michael Brady (1)
CC home runs: None.
The Hooks were shut out in the final 2 games of this series after taking the opener 6-2. Jio Mier and Preston Tucker had 2 hits apiece; Jio's double in the 9th was the only extra-base hit for Corpus. The two of them were stranded on 2nd and 3rd to end the game. René Garcia was 1-1 with 2 walks.
David Rollins went 4 innings and allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits, walked 2, and struck out 3. Alex Sogard threw 3 scoreless, allowing 2 hits, walking 1, and striking out 3. Michael Dimock pitched the final 2 innings and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 1.
The other Arkansas team is in Corpus for the weekend. Mike Hauschild will start the opener against J.C. Sulbaran at 7:10.
Lancaster 5, Lake Elsinore 3
W- Chris Devenski (2-5)
L- Colin Rea (5-3)
S- Jamaine Cotton (5)
Lancaster home runs: Jobduan Morales (1, 2 season; solo in 3rd)
The JetHawks took sole possession of 1st place in the California League South with their sweep of the Storm. After Lake Elsinore took a 2-1 lead after 3 innings, the JetHawks responded with 4 unanswered runs, which included a 3-run 6th.
Jobduan Morales put the JetHawks on the board with a solo homer in the 3rd, his 1st as a JetHawk and 2nd of the season. That would be their only run of the game until they took control in the 6th inning, when they got RBI singles from Rio Ruiz and Danry Vásquez, and Ruben Sosa scored when Carlos Perdomo scored on a force out. Conrad Gregor brought home the JetHawks' final run of the night with an RBI single in the 8th. Tony Kemp finished 2-5 with a run scored. Perdomo, despite going 0-3, scored twice and added a couple of stolen bases (8). Carlos Correa went 1-3 with a steal (12).
Chris Devenski went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits (solo homer), walked 1, and struck out 5. Matt Heidenreich allowed a hit over 2 scoreless, and Jamaine Cotton shook off a solo homer from Hunter Renfroe to close it out. He allowed one other hit in the 9th, but nothing came of it.
The JetHawks will now begin a 7-game homestand. First up is a 4-game set with Rancho Cucamonga. Josh Hader will start the opener; he'll face Chris Anderson at 6:30 Pacific.
Quad Cities 2, Beloit 1
W- Jandel Gustave (5-2)
L- Matt Stalcup (0-2)
QC home runs: Ronnie Mitchell (6, 2-run in 7th)
That 2-run homer was all the offense for Quad Cities. Mitchell homered for the 3rd straight game, while Jack Mayfield, who also scored on the blast, finished 2-3 as he was the only player on either side to have a multi-hit game. They swiped 3 more bases without getting caught. Brett Phillips (9), James Ramsay (14), and Mayfield (2) were the thieves in this game.
Michael Feliz was just dominating. He threw 5 no-hit innings and walked 1 while striking out 8. Jandel Gustave was victimized by a sac fly in the 6th but allowed nothing else the rest of the way. That run was unearned, by the way. He went 4 innings and allowed both Beloit hits, walked 1, and struck out 4.
The River Bandits will look for the sweep tonight. Edison Frias will take on Lou Trivino at 7:00.
Three Stars: Position Players
3.
Gregorio Petit, SS, Oklahoma City
2-3, RBI
2-3, RBI
2.
Domingo Santana, LF, Oklahoma City
2-4, 2B, RBI, R
1.
Ronnie Mitchell, LF, Quad Cities
Go-ahead 2-R HR (6) in 7th; 3rd straight game with a home run
Three Stars: Pitchers
3.
Alex Sogard, LHP, Corpus Christi
3 IP, 2 H, BB, 3 K
1.
Feliz avg 95 high 98 yesterday... then Gustave took over, avg 97 high 99... #heat
— Jeff Luhnow (@jluhnow) May 30, 2014
Michael Feliz, RHP, Quad Cities
5 IP, BB, 8 K
Jandel Gustave, RHP, Quad Cities
W (5-2), 4 IP, 2 H, unearned run, BB, 4 K
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Astros Minor League Recaps
Results for Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Power outages in the upper levels; the A clubs experienced no such thing, though.
Omaha 2, Oklahoma City 0
W- Casey Coleman (2-0)
L- Josh Zeid (2-2)
S- Spencer Patton (9)
OKC home runs: None.
Welp, the RedHawks were held to just 3 singles. L.J. Hoes had 2 of them, and Austin Wates had the other.
Rudy Owens had an excellent outing as he allowed just 4 hits and struck out 7 over 6.2 shutout innings. The Storm Chasers got to Josh Zeid for 1 in the 8th; he allowed 2 hits and walked 1. Omaha got 1 more in the 9th off Kevin Chapman; that run was unearned. Chapman allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 1.
Game 3 of this series has David Martinez taking on Ryan Verdugo. First pitch is at 7:05.
Arkansas 2, Corpus Christi 0
W- Orangel Arenas (5-1)
L- Brady Rodgers (1-7)
S- Cam Bedrosian (7)
CC home runs: None.
The Hooks bats were silenced in this one; they were also held to 3 singles. Delino DeShields, Joe Sclafani, and Chris Epps had 1 each. Sclafani has a nice little 5-game hitting streak going.
Brady Rodgers just can't seem to buy a break. He dropped his 6th straight decision despite pitching solidly. Rodgers got dinged by a solo homer from Zach Zaneski in the 5th. He allowed 2 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Travis Ballew went 2 innings and allowed a run on a single (the only hit he allowed), walked 2, and struck out 1. Andrew Robinson struck out 2 over 2 perfect innings.
David Rollins will get the start in the rubber game of this series; he'll face Michael Roth at 7:10.
Lancaster 6, Lake Elsinore 2
W- Kent Emanuel (2-1, 2-3 season)
L- Zach Eflin (5-3)
S- Lance McCullers (4)
Lancaster home runs: Carlos Correa (5, 3-run in 7th)
The JetHawks busted this one open with a 4-run 7th inning. 3 of those 4 came off a ball that Carlos Correa just absolutely devastated. Lancaster and Lake Elsinore are now tied at the top of the California League South.
Kent Emanuel cruised through 5 innings; he allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 4, and his outing only required 55 pitches. Lance McCullers pitched the final 4 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 6.
The top three of Tony Kemp, Ruben Sosa, and Correa just terrorized Lake Elsinore's pitchers; they had 8 of the JetHawks' 11 hits in this game. Kemp had 2, while Sosa and Correa had 3 each. 2012's #1 opened up the scoring with an RBI ground-rule double in the top of the 1st. Tony Kemp led off the 5th with a single, moved to 3rd on a Ruben Sosa single, and scored Lancaster's 2nd run on a passed ball. Before Correa's blast in the 7th, Ruben Sosa hit an RBI single; Jordan Scott noticed Hunter Renfroe lazily tossing a ball back into the infield and took advantage. One batter later, Correa crushed that poor, poor ball. In his Lancaster debut, Conrad Gregor went 2-4.
The JetHawks will look for the sweep as they send out Chris Devenski. He'll take on Colin Rea at 7:05 Pacific.
Quad Cities 9, Beloit 5
W- Pat Christensen (3-1)
L- Bobby Wahl (0-4)
QC home runs: Chase McDonald (2, 2-run in 5th), Ronnie Mitchell (5, solo in 7th)
Quad Cities got this series started off on the right foot as they went on a 6-3 run between the 4th-7th innings to take control. Their final 5 runs were unanswered.
The Bandits more than lived up to their name, as they swiped 8 bases without getting caught. 4 of those belonged to Chan-Jong Moon, who now has 23 on the season. Also joining in on Moon's spree were Brett Booth (1), Ronnie Mitchell (3), Jon Kemmer (2), and Thomas Lindauer (2).
Moon, who went 3-5 with a run scored, put QC on the board with an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st. The River Bandits would score 3 in the inning to answer Beloit's 2 in the top of the inning. Moon scored on Brett Phillips' single, and Phillips came home on a sac fly from Chase McDonald. Lindauer hit an RBI double in the 4th. After the Snappers scored 3 in the top of the 5th to take a 5-4 lead, the Bandits responded with 3 of their own to retake the lead. 2 of those 3 came on a 2-run homer from Chase McDonald (2), and the other was a sac fly from Mitchell. Phillips, who went 2-4 with a couple of runs scored, hit a sac fly in the 6th, and Mitchell capped off a 3-3 night by hitting a solo shot (5) in the 7th.
Chris Lee pitched 4.2 innings and allowed 5 runs (all on a pair of home runs by Jaycob Brugman) on 7 hits (Brugman hit a 2-run shot and a 3-run shot off him), walked 2, and struck out 6. Pat Christensen and Andrew Walter combined for 4.1 scoreless out of the bullpen to pick him up. Christensen threw 2.1 innings and gave up a hit, walked 3, and struck out 2. Walter went 2 innings and allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 2.
Michael Feliz will get the start in the middle game of this series; he'll face Junior Mendez at 7:00.
Three Stars: Position Players
3.
3-5, RBI, 4 SB (23)
2.
Ronnie Mitchell, LF, Quad Cities
3-3, solo HR (5), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (3)
1.
Three Stars: Pitchers
3.
Brady Rodgers, RHP, Corpus Christi
L (1-7), 5 IP, 3 H (solo HR), ER, BB, K
Kent Emanuel, LHP, Lancaster
W (2-1), 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 K
Lance McCullers, RHP, Lancaster
Save (4), 4 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 6 K
2. Excellent relief outings.
Andrew Robinson, RHP, Corpus Christi
2 IP, 2 K
Andrew Walter, RHP, Quad Cities
2 IP, H, BB, 2 K
Pat Christensen, RHP, Quad Cities
2.1 IP, H, 3 BB, 2 K
1.
Power outages in the upper levels; the A clubs experienced no such thing, though.
Omaha 2, Oklahoma City 0
W- Casey Coleman (2-0)
L- Josh Zeid (2-2)
S- Spencer Patton (9)
OKC home runs: None.
Welp, the RedHawks were held to just 3 singles. L.J. Hoes had 2 of them, and Austin Wates had the other.
Rudy Owens had an excellent outing as he allowed just 4 hits and struck out 7 over 6.2 shutout innings. The Storm Chasers got to Josh Zeid for 1 in the 8th; he allowed 2 hits and walked 1. Omaha got 1 more in the 9th off Kevin Chapman; that run was unearned. Chapman allowed a hit, walked 2, and struck out 1.
Game 3 of this series has David Martinez taking on Ryan Verdugo. First pitch is at 7:05.
Arkansas 2, Corpus Christi 0
W- Orangel Arenas (5-1)
L- Brady Rodgers (1-7)
S- Cam Bedrosian (7)
CC home runs: None.
The Hooks bats were silenced in this one; they were also held to 3 singles. Delino DeShields, Joe Sclafani, and Chris Epps had 1 each. Sclafani has a nice little 5-game hitting streak going.
Brady Rodgers just can't seem to buy a break. He dropped his 6th straight decision despite pitching solidly. Rodgers got dinged by a solo homer from Zach Zaneski in the 5th. He allowed 2 other hits, walked 1, and struck out 1. Travis Ballew went 2 innings and allowed a run on a single (the only hit he allowed), walked 2, and struck out 1. Andrew Robinson struck out 2 over 2 perfect innings.
David Rollins will get the start in the rubber game of this series; he'll face Michael Roth at 7:10.
Lancaster 6, Lake Elsinore 2
W- Kent Emanuel (2-1, 2-3 season)
L- Zach Eflin (5-3)
S- Lance McCullers (4)
Lancaster home runs: Carlos Correa (5, 3-run in 7th)
The JetHawks busted this one open with a 4-run 7th inning. 3 of those 4 came off a ball that Carlos Correa just absolutely devastated. Lancaster and Lake Elsinore are now tied at the top of the California League South.
Kent Emanuel cruised through 5 innings; he allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 4, and his outing only required 55 pitches. Lance McCullers pitched the final 4 innings and allowed a run on 3 hits, walked 3, and struck out 6.
The top three of Tony Kemp, Ruben Sosa, and Correa just terrorized Lake Elsinore's pitchers; they had 8 of the JetHawks' 11 hits in this game. Kemp had 2, while Sosa and Correa had 3 each. 2012's #1 opened up the scoring with an RBI ground-rule double in the top of the 1st. Tony Kemp led off the 5th with a single, moved to 3rd on a Ruben Sosa single, and scored Lancaster's 2nd run on a passed ball. Before Correa's blast in the 7th, Ruben Sosa hit an RBI single; Jordan Scott noticed Hunter Renfroe lazily tossing a ball back into the infield and took advantage. One batter later, Correa crushed that poor, poor ball. In his Lancaster debut, Conrad Gregor went 2-4.
The JetHawks will look for the sweep as they send out Chris Devenski. He'll take on Colin Rea at 7:05 Pacific.
Quad Cities 9, Beloit 5
W- Pat Christensen (3-1)
L- Bobby Wahl (0-4)
QC home runs: Chase McDonald (2, 2-run in 5th), Ronnie Mitchell (5, solo in 7th)
Quad Cities got this series started off on the right foot as they went on a 6-3 run between the 4th-7th innings to take control. Their final 5 runs were unanswered.
The Bandits more than lived up to their name, as they swiped 8 bases without getting caught. 4 of those belonged to Chan-Jong Moon, who now has 23 on the season. Also joining in on Moon's spree were Brett Booth (1), Ronnie Mitchell (3), Jon Kemmer (2), and Thomas Lindauer (2).
Moon, who went 3-5 with a run scored, put QC on the board with an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st. The River Bandits would score 3 in the inning to answer Beloit's 2 in the top of the inning. Moon scored on Brett Phillips' single, and Phillips came home on a sac fly from Chase McDonald. Lindauer hit an RBI double in the 4th. After the Snappers scored 3 in the top of the 5th to take a 5-4 lead, the Bandits responded with 3 of their own to retake the lead. 2 of those 3 came on a 2-run homer from Chase McDonald (2), and the other was a sac fly from Mitchell. Phillips, who went 2-4 with a couple of runs scored, hit a sac fly in the 6th, and Mitchell capped off a 3-3 night by hitting a solo shot (5) in the 7th.
Chris Lee pitched 4.2 innings and allowed 5 runs (all on a pair of home runs by Jaycob Brugman) on 7 hits (Brugman hit a 2-run shot and a 3-run shot off him), walked 2, and struck out 6. Pat Christensen and Andrew Walter combined for 4.1 scoreless out of the bullpen to pick him up. Christensen threw 2.1 innings and gave up a hit, walked 3, and struck out 2. Walter went 2 innings and allowed a hit, walked 1, and struck out 2.
Michael Feliz will get the start in the middle game of this series; he'll face Junior Mendez at 7:00.
Three Stars: Position Players
3.
@cjmoon91 likes to help out at the ball park pic.twitter.com/me3JOsMSbC
— RGuill (@QCBanditPhotog) May 11, 2014
Chan-Jong Moon, SS/2B, Quad Cities3-5, RBI, 4 SB (23)
2.
Ronnie Mitchell, LF, Quad Cities
3-3, solo HR (5), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (3)
1.
Three Stars: Pitchers
3.
Brady Rodgers, RHP, Corpus Christi
L (1-7), 5 IP, 3 H (solo HR), ER, BB, K
Kent Emanuel, LHP, Lancaster
W (2-1), 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 K
Lance McCullers, RHP, Lancaster
Save (4), 4 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 BB, 6 K
2. Excellent relief outings.
Andrew Robinson, RHP, Corpus Christi
2 IP, 2 K
Andrew Walter, RHP, Quad Cities
2 IP, H, BB, 2 K
Pat Christensen, RHP, Quad Cities
2.1 IP, H, 3 BB, 2 K
1.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
An Interview with Tri-City OF Ronnie Mitchell
One of the players in the 2013 draft class that piqued my interest early on was 38th rounder Ronnie Mitchell, a lefty-hitting outfielder out of Dallas Baptist. His good start, displaying power, speed and range, had me thinking that the Astros might have gotten a steal in the 38th round, sentiments that are echoed by Tri-City Manager Ed Romero, "You see it the same way I see it. I love him. He's very athletic. He's got a lot of tools. He can play all three outfields. He has a plus arm. He's a good defender, runs well. He's got power. Right now, there's a couple things he needs to work on with his swing. He tends to get a little too long at times, but that's very correctable. He's a great kid. Works hard and plays hard. I really like Mitchell."
I talked to Mitchell earlier this month and this is what he had to say (edited for brevity and clarity) ~
On his draft experience: "Obviously, it was a long one for me, being the 38th round pick, had to wait until the last day. Waiting around all day with my family was pretty emotional, but once I got picked, I was just very relieved and happy to get a chance to play professional baseball. [Did he know that the Astros were interested?] I talked to the scout that had interest in me, Jim Stevenson, probably a few weeks before the draft, and there were some other teams I was talking to a couple days before the draft. Jim just asked me if I wanted to play professional baseball and I told him 'yes,' and they drafted me late and I was grateful.
On his college experience: "It was a long journey for me. I went to three different colleges. It's a long story. My freshman year, I went to the University of Nevada-Reno, and ended up transferring. In between those schools, I had foot surgery and transferred to a junior college in Oklahoma, battled through some more injuries and ended up back at Dallas Baptist [where I] continued to battle injuries and tried to stay on the field. In my senior year I was just so grateful that I was able to stay on the field the entire season. I didn't miss a game and eventually got drafted by the Astros.
Any dirt on his former college teammate and fellow Astro Austin "Catfish" Elkins?: "He's a pretty up front guy. I'm sure you know everything about him. [Remembering] He cannot run sprints. That's something I remember even at DBU, we'd try to do conditioning and after 2 or 3 sprints, he's crying to the coach that he can't go anymore. [Laughs] You could say he's a great athlete, very explosive and powerful, but that guy cannot run sprints to save his life."
What has been the biggest surprise for him about playing pro ball so far?: "Obviously just the mental and physical grind every day. Showing up early six or seven hours before the game, working on fundamentals, getting early work in. You have to really focus in and take care of your body to be able to keep up that level of play, so many great guys playing professional baseball at this level."
What has he accomplished so far?: "There's no real sense of accomplishment yet. Like you said, it's early. I'm just showing up every day, trying to be as consistent as I can, level-headed. I just approach every day just giving it my all, playing with energy. Just whatever happens, happens."
What will he need to do to get to the next level as a player?: "Just overall consistency in every aspect - fielding, working on the fundamentals of throwing, catching. Obviously just getting a consistent approach, especially two-strike approach is a big thing at this level, transitioning from aluminum to wood bats, you really have to focus in. I would think that would be the biggest thing, just two-strike approach and fighting off pitches and that kind of thing."
What does he bring to the game?: "Honestly, I don't think about it that much. I just show up and try to play as hard as I can. I guess a consistent energy on a daily basis. I do my best to bring confidence and swagger to encourage my teammates. I just try to have as much fun as I can on the field, hopefully just try to uplift people through my play and off the field."
What would he do if he couldn't play baseball?: "I'd probably be a clothing designer, whether it be sports apparel or formal wear. I like drawing and sketches and that kind of stuff. Even throughout my baseball career, however long I play, I'll do that on the side. That's something that most people don't know about me. I've been blessed with artistic ability and I like to draw and sketch free-hand. Whatever I visualize in my mind, I do a pretty decent job of being able to transfer it to paper."
Who on the team makes him laugh?: "Zach Morton. He's a clown. He just doesn't stop either. A couple of games I got mad at him because I was trying to visualize and focus on my at bat and he's cracking jokes [in the dugout] and I ended up losing focus for a second. I've got to tell him to ease up during the game, but he is hilarious."
The last question I asked Ed Romero was if there was anyone on the team who had surprised him. Mitchell's name came up again, "Mitchell has been a big surprise for me. I think he's much better than a 38th rounder. We did a very good job scouting him. I want to congratulate our scout in that area. He did an outstanding job with Mitchell."
On a personal level, I really enjoyed talking to Ronnie. He's soft-spoken and thoughtful with a sly sense of humor. But one last question cemented him as one of my new favorites to watch. I did not realize that he spent much of his childhood in Port Arthur and has a special fondness for the Astros, "I remember going to Astros games as a kid, and I was just enamored with the [idea that I would] be able to hopefully one day get a chance to play professional baseball. It's great that I was able to get picked up by a team that I was so familiar with, growing up 70 or 80 miles from the ballpark. It's just a great opportunity for me. I'm just enjoying every minute of it."
Thanks for your time, Ronnie, and the best of luck as the season continues.
Ronnie Mitchell - July 2013
Photo by Jayne Hansen
I talked to Mitchell earlier this month and this is what he had to say (edited for brevity and clarity) ~
On his draft experience: "Obviously, it was a long one for me, being the 38th round pick, had to wait until the last day. Waiting around all day with my family was pretty emotional, but once I got picked, I was just very relieved and happy to get a chance to play professional baseball. [Did he know that the Astros were interested?] I talked to the scout that had interest in me, Jim Stevenson, probably a few weeks before the draft, and there were some other teams I was talking to a couple days before the draft. Jim just asked me if I wanted to play professional baseball and I told him 'yes,' and they drafted me late and I was grateful.
On his college experience: "It was a long journey for me. I went to three different colleges. It's a long story. My freshman year, I went to the University of Nevada-Reno, and ended up transferring. In between those schools, I had foot surgery and transferred to a junior college in Oklahoma, battled through some more injuries and ended up back at Dallas Baptist [where I] continued to battle injuries and tried to stay on the field. In my senior year I was just so grateful that I was able to stay on the field the entire season. I didn't miss a game and eventually got drafted by the Astros.
Any dirt on his former college teammate and fellow Astro Austin "Catfish" Elkins?: "He's a pretty up front guy. I'm sure you know everything about him. [Remembering] He cannot run sprints. That's something I remember even at DBU, we'd try to do conditioning and after 2 or 3 sprints, he's crying to the coach that he can't go anymore. [Laughs] You could say he's a great athlete, very explosive and powerful, but that guy cannot run sprints to save his life."
What has been the biggest surprise for him about playing pro ball so far?: "Obviously just the mental and physical grind every day. Showing up early six or seven hours before the game, working on fundamentals, getting early work in. You have to really focus in and take care of your body to be able to keep up that level of play, so many great guys playing professional baseball at this level."
What has he accomplished so far?: "There's no real sense of accomplishment yet. Like you said, it's early. I'm just showing up every day, trying to be as consistent as I can, level-headed. I just approach every day just giving it my all, playing with energy. Just whatever happens, happens."
What will he need to do to get to the next level as a player?: "Just overall consistency in every aspect - fielding, working on the fundamentals of throwing, catching. Obviously just getting a consistent approach, especially two-strike approach is a big thing at this level, transitioning from aluminum to wood bats, you really have to focus in. I would think that would be the biggest thing, just two-strike approach and fighting off pitches and that kind of thing."
What does he bring to the game?: "Honestly, I don't think about it that much. I just show up and try to play as hard as I can. I guess a consistent energy on a daily basis. I do my best to bring confidence and swagger to encourage my teammates. I just try to have as much fun as I can on the field, hopefully just try to uplift people through my play and off the field."
What would he do if he couldn't play baseball?: "I'd probably be a clothing designer, whether it be sports apparel or formal wear. I like drawing and sketches and that kind of stuff. Even throughout my baseball career, however long I play, I'll do that on the side. That's something that most people don't know about me. I've been blessed with artistic ability and I like to draw and sketch free-hand. Whatever I visualize in my mind, I do a pretty decent job of being able to transfer it to paper."
Who on the team makes him laugh?: "Zach Morton. He's a clown. He just doesn't stop either. A couple of games I got mad at him because I was trying to visualize and focus on my at bat and he's cracking jokes [in the dugout] and I ended up losing focus for a second. I've got to tell him to ease up during the game, but he is hilarious."
>>>>>>><<<<<<<
The last question I asked Ed Romero was if there was anyone on the team who had surprised him. Mitchell's name came up again, "Mitchell has been a big surprise for me. I think he's much better than a 38th rounder. We did a very good job scouting him. I want to congratulate our scout in that area. He did an outstanding job with Mitchell."
On a personal level, I really enjoyed talking to Ronnie. He's soft-spoken and thoughtful with a sly sense of humor. But one last question cemented him as one of my new favorites to watch. I did not realize that he spent much of his childhood in Port Arthur and has a special fondness for the Astros, "I remember going to Astros games as a kid, and I was just enamored with the [idea that I would] be able to hopefully one day get a chance to play professional baseball. It's great that I was able to get picked up by a team that I was so familiar with, growing up 70 or 80 miles from the ballpark. It's just a great opportunity for me. I'm just enjoying every minute of it."
Thanks for your time, Ronnie, and the best of luck as the season continues.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Astros Minor League Recaps
Thursday's Games
Nashville over Oklahoma City 5-2
Starter Asher Wojciechowski allowed four runs (three via the long ball) on five hits and four walks while striking out five in five and two-thirds innings. Eric Berger allowed the final run across in his one and a third innings and was followed by a scoreless frame from Kevin Chapman. The RedHawks only managed to scatter a few singles over the first seven innings and didn't get a run across until a Carlos Perez RBI single in the eighth and a Jimmy Paredes solo home run in the ninth. Brandon Laird was two-for-three with a double and Marwin Gonzalez went two-for-three as well. Jonathan Villar went two-for-four but struck out twice. And speaking of strikeouts, both Jon Singleton and George Springer were bupkes-for-four with three strikeouts each, so let's all just take a deep breath, have a little patience, temper our expectations and let them adjust to the AAA level before asking that they be promoted to Houston.
Springfield over Corpus Christi 6-5
Kyle Hallock worked around four free passes, allowing only one run on one hit in his AA debut, with that one run coming across on reliever Andrew Robinson's watch. Robinson pitched one and two-thirds scoreless and was followed by a scoreless inning from Jorge de Leon. Pat Urckfitz had a rare hiccup in his relief outing, allowing four runs on five hits while recording only two outs. The final run was charged to Carlos Quevedo. After the bullpen turned a 4-1 lead into a 6-4 deficit, the Hooks came back with one in the bottom of the ninth, but ultimately fell short. Jonathan Meyer went two-for-four with two doubles, a walk, an RBI and a run scored; Max Stassi was three-for-five; and Zach Johnson was two-for-five with a double, RBI and run. Michael Burgess hit a two-run home run in the sixth, his 11th of the season.
Rancho Cucamonga over Lancaster 12-6
Brady Rodgers (2.1IP 6H 4R HR), T.J. Geith (1.2IP 3H 2R 1BB 1SO) and Chris Devenski (2IP 4H 6R/5ER 2BB) all struggled in this one. Cameron Lamb (2IP 1H 2SO) was the only JetHawks pitcher to emerge unscathed. Andrew Aplin was three-for-three with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored; M.P. Cokinos was three-for-five with a double and a run; and Joe Sclafani drove in three runs via a two-run home run and a sac fly.
Peoria over Quad Cities 5-4
Jamaine Cotton took the loss as he allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks in three and two-thirds innings. Mitch Lambson (1.1IP 1H 2SO) and Colton Cain (3IP 2H 2SO) took it the rest of the way with scoreless outings. Carlos Correa was two-for-four. A solo home run from Roberto Pena, an RBI triple from Teoscar Hernandez and an RBI double from Terrell Joyce accounted for most of the scoring. Jesse Wierzbicki doubled as well.
Tri-City over Lowell 9-4
Evan Grills (5IP 4H 3R 1BB 2SO HR) and Kevin Comer (4IP 1H 1R 1BB 2SO) split the duties in this one. James Ramsay (3x5 HR 2RBI) got things started with a solo home run in the first. The 'Cats then added on a four-spot in the third with Tony Kemp making things happen on the base paths and RBI singles from Ramsay, Dan Gulbransen (3x5 RBI 3R) and Ronnie Mitchell (3x4 2B BB 3RBI SB). Two more came across in the fourth on a Ryan Dineen double and the final two came in the eighth on a Michael Martinez RBI single and a Mitchell RBI double. Conrad Gregor was two-for-three with two walks and three runs scored.
Greeneville over Kingsport 8-0
Jandel Gustave (6IP 3BB 7SO) and Sebastian Kessay (1IP 2SO) combined for seven no-hit innings. J.D. Osborne took the no-hitter two outs further before allowing one single in the eighth and one in the ninth. Greeneville got all the runs they needed in the first inning on a Juan Santana (1x4 2RBI) sac fly driving in Tanner Mathis, but the Astros went on to score another in the seventh on a Mathis sac fly before putting up a big six-run eighth inning. Edwin Gomez (2x5 2B R) and Alfredo Gonzalez (3x4 2B 2RBI 2R) both had good nights at the plate. Darwin Rivera hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot in the eighth.
GCL Yankees2 over GCL Astros 5-4
Agapito Barrios got the start and allowed two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out six, and was followed by a scoreless inning from Jorge Perez. Kevin Ferguson allowed one run on one hit in the seventh before giving way to a scoreless frame from Juan Santos. Erick Gonzalez was charged with a blown save and a loss as he gave up two runs on two hits in the ninth. Jason Martin went three-for-five with an RBI and scored two runs; Alex Gonzalez was two-for-five with a double, stolen base and run; Tyler White was one-for-three with a walk and two RBI; and Javaris Reynolds went two-for-four with two stolen bases and scored a run.
DSL Rays at DSL Astros - Results not posted
Player of the Day: Ronnie Mitchell not only had a great evening at the plate, he is having a terrific start to his professional career, hitting .357/.419/.607 with two doubles, a triple, a home run, and nine RBI over his first nine games.
Pitcher of the Day: Jandel Gustave gets the nod for his six no-hit innings. Astros Scouting Director Mike Elias reported that Gustave was hitting 99 on the radar gun.
Nashville over Oklahoma City 5-2
Starter Asher Wojciechowski allowed four runs (three via the long ball) on five hits and four walks while striking out five in five and two-thirds innings. Eric Berger allowed the final run across in his one and a third innings and was followed by a scoreless frame from Kevin Chapman. The RedHawks only managed to scatter a few singles over the first seven innings and didn't get a run across until a Carlos Perez RBI single in the eighth and a Jimmy Paredes solo home run in the ninth. Brandon Laird was two-for-three with a double and Marwin Gonzalez went two-for-three as well. Jonathan Villar went two-for-four but struck out twice. And speaking of strikeouts, both Jon Singleton and George Springer were bupkes-for-four with three strikeouts each, so let's all just take a deep breath, have a little patience, temper our expectations and let them adjust to the AAA level before asking that they be promoted to Houston.
Springfield over Corpus Christi 6-5
Kyle Hallock worked around four free passes, allowing only one run on one hit in his AA debut, with that one run coming across on reliever Andrew Robinson's watch. Robinson pitched one and two-thirds scoreless and was followed by a scoreless inning from Jorge de Leon. Pat Urckfitz had a rare hiccup in his relief outing, allowing four runs on five hits while recording only two outs. The final run was charged to Carlos Quevedo. After the bullpen turned a 4-1 lead into a 6-4 deficit, the Hooks came back with one in the bottom of the ninth, but ultimately fell short. Jonathan Meyer went two-for-four with two doubles, a walk, an RBI and a run scored; Max Stassi was three-for-five; and Zach Johnson was two-for-five with a double, RBI and run. Michael Burgess hit a two-run home run in the sixth, his 11th of the season.
Rancho Cucamonga over Lancaster 12-6
Brady Rodgers (2.1IP 6H 4R HR), T.J. Geith (1.2IP 3H 2R 1BB 1SO) and Chris Devenski (2IP 4H 6R/5ER 2BB) all struggled in this one. Cameron Lamb (2IP 1H 2SO) was the only JetHawks pitcher to emerge unscathed. Andrew Aplin was three-for-three with a walk, two RBI and two runs scored; M.P. Cokinos was three-for-five with a double and a run; and Joe Sclafani drove in three runs via a two-run home run and a sac fly.
Peoria over Quad Cities 5-4
Jamaine Cotton took the loss as he allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks in three and two-thirds innings. Mitch Lambson (1.1IP 1H 2SO) and Colton Cain (3IP 2H 2SO) took it the rest of the way with scoreless outings. Carlos Correa was two-for-four. A solo home run from Roberto Pena, an RBI triple from Teoscar Hernandez and an RBI double from Terrell Joyce accounted for most of the scoring. Jesse Wierzbicki doubled as well.
Tri-City over Lowell 9-4
Evan Grills (5IP 4H 3R 1BB 2SO HR) and Kevin Comer (4IP 1H 1R 1BB 2SO) split the duties in this one. James Ramsay (3x5 HR 2RBI) got things started with a solo home run in the first. The 'Cats then added on a four-spot in the third with Tony Kemp making things happen on the base paths and RBI singles from Ramsay, Dan Gulbransen (3x5 RBI 3R) and Ronnie Mitchell (3x4 2B BB 3RBI SB). Two more came across in the fourth on a Ryan Dineen double and the final two came in the eighth on a Michael Martinez RBI single and a Mitchell RBI double. Conrad Gregor was two-for-three with two walks and three runs scored.
Greeneville over Kingsport 8-0
Jandel Gustave (6IP 3BB 7SO) and Sebastian Kessay (1IP 2SO) combined for seven no-hit innings. J.D. Osborne took the no-hitter two outs further before allowing one single in the eighth and one in the ninth. Greeneville got all the runs they needed in the first inning on a Juan Santana (1x4 2RBI) sac fly driving in Tanner Mathis, but the Astros went on to score another in the seventh on a Mathis sac fly before putting up a big six-run eighth inning. Edwin Gomez (2x5 2B R) and Alfredo Gonzalez (3x4 2B 2RBI 2R) both had good nights at the plate. Darwin Rivera hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot in the eighth.
GCL Yankees2 over GCL Astros 5-4
Agapito Barrios got the start and allowed two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out six, and was followed by a scoreless inning from Jorge Perez. Kevin Ferguson allowed one run on one hit in the seventh before giving way to a scoreless frame from Juan Santos. Erick Gonzalez was charged with a blown save and a loss as he gave up two runs on two hits in the ninth. Jason Martin went three-for-five with an RBI and scored two runs; Alex Gonzalez was two-for-five with a double, stolen base and run; Tyler White was one-for-three with a walk and two RBI; and Javaris Reynolds went two-for-four with two stolen bases and scored a run.
DSL Rays at DSL Astros - Results not posted
Player of the Day: Ronnie Mitchell not only had a great evening at the plate, he is having a terrific start to his professional career, hitting .357/.419/.607 with two doubles, a triple, a home run, and nine RBI over his first nine games.
Pitcher of the Day: Jandel Gustave gets the nod for his six no-hit innings. Astros Scouting Director Mike Elias reported that Gustave was hitting 99 on the radar gun.
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