SAL notes: Gonzalez growing stronger

His second time in the South Atlantic League is proving to be the charm for Delmarva's Brian Gonzalez. After struggling with his consistency during his first full season of professional baseball with the Shorebirds in 2015, the left-hander is making the most of his added maturity and experience, ranking fifth on the Class A circuit with a 2.79 ERA.

"Last year was a big learning curve for me, a big learning process that I took into the offseason knowing what I needed to improve upon in order to become more consistent," said the 20-year-old Gonzalez. "Going into Spring Training, I just wanted to show the Orioles that I had improved and was ready for the season so that I could continue working my way up the organization."

After posting a 4-9 record with a 5.71 ERA in 23 starts with Delmarva in 2015, Gonzalez has allowed more than three earned runs only once in his first 19 outings so far this season. The Orioles' No. 23 prospect has tossed six shutout innings on three occasions and split 12 decisions while suffering a couple of tough-luck losses. The southpaw has allowed 100 hits in 103 1/3 innings while striking out 83 batters.

Gonzalez's performance this year is what Baltimore brass envisioned when the Orioles made him their first pick of the 2014 Draft. The team lost its first two choices due to the free agent signings of Nelson Cruz and Ubaldo Jiminez prior to nabbing Gonzalez in the third round with the 90th overall selection. A member of three state championship teams at Archbishop McCarthy in Southwest Ranches, Florida, Gonzalez learned from former big league pitcher Alex Fernandez, who was an assistant coach on his high school team, as well as such notable alumni as big leaguers Alex Avila and Nick Castellanos.

"Going to the high school I went to, there was a lot of great talent there and a lot of guys getting drafted," Gonzalez said. "Hearing their stories was always exciting. When I signed with [the University of] Miami, that was a great feeling, but once I realized I might have the opportunity to play pro ball, my mind was set on that."

Gonzalez feels the tutelage of several former teammates who were drafted allowed him to enter the professional ranks with a solid understanding of the grind he would experience in pro ball. He got off to a solid start after signing with the Orioles, posting a 1.34 ERA in 33 2/3 innings between the Gulf Coast and New York-Penn leagues in 2014. Last season proved to be a different story, which concluded two weeks early after Gonzalez encountered the wear and tear a full season can unleash on a young hurler. He believes he learned from that experience by making numerous adjustments during the offseason as well as over the course of the current campaign.

"I think my preparation has been the biggest thing," Gonzalez said. "Last year I was just focusing on outcomes of games and trying to pitch to numbers. That was the wrong mind-set. This year I'm more focused on the in-between days of my starts with the bullpens and workouts as well as the mental side of the game. I spend a day or two going over what I did right and wrong in my last start and learn from it. I believe that taking all of that as serious as my games has really helped me improve in my starts."

At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Gonzalez has the frame to become a workhorse at higher levels. He has increased the velocity of his fastball to the 91-93 mph range this season while continuing to display a good feel for his changeup and solid depth on his curveball. His goal now is to continue to build on what he has accomplished in order to become as effective as possible every time he takes the mound.

"Every pitcher strives to be consistently good," Gonzalez said. "Right now I'm checking to make sure my mechanics are intact. It's getting to be that time of the season where it's taking a toll on your body and I want to make sure I'm 100 percent every time I go out there. I try to make sure everything is working smoothly so I can fill up the zone and attack hitters while finishing the season strong and healthy."

In brief

Hickory's hot: The hot weather has been brutal throughout the SAL, but no team has been hotter than Hickory. The Crawdads won six straight contests between July 17-23, including a three-game sweep at Delmarva to pull within 2 1/2 games of first-place Hagerstown in the Northern Division. Dillon Tate notched his first victory since June 9 after limiting the Shorebirds to one earned run and five hits over six shutout innings on July 21. Catcher Tyler Sanchez posted a nine-game hitting streak during which he was 14-for-31.

Augusta on fire: The GreenJackets have won eight of their last 10 contests to take a 3 1/2-game lead over second-place Rome in the Southern Division. Pitcher Michael Connolly has put together an impressive season since moving to the rotation in early May. The right-hander is 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts this year compared to an 0-1 mark with a 4.24 ERA in six relief outings. Right-hander Jake McCasland also has bolstered the starting staff since joining the rotation in mid-June. McCasland is 3-3 with a 1.76 ERA through seven starts after going 1-1 with three saves and a 1.48 ERA in 14 relief appearances.

Dullin in rhythm: Lexington's Brandon Dulin has become a force since rejoining the Legends' lineup June 24. The first baseman was riding an 11-game hitting streak through July 27 during which he was 18-for-47 (.383) with six multi-hit outings and seven RBIs. Dulin hit safely in his first three games of the season before going on the disabled list in April and then playing four games at Rookie-level Idaho Falls in June prior to returning to Lexington.