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Fayetteville Field Report: May 30th, 2024

May 30, 2024

PECK-TACULAR RHP Ethan Pecko put together a dominant month of May for the Woodpeckers. Pecko closed out the month on Tuesday night with four scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out six Augusta batters. He allowed only two earned runs over 21 innings

PECK-TACULAR

RHP Ethan Pecko put together a dominant month of May for the Woodpeckers. Pecko closed out the month on Tuesday night with four scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out six Augusta batters. He allowed only two earned runs over 21 innings in May, good enough for a 0.86 earned run average to go along with 25 strikeouts compared to just four walks. The former Astros sixth round pick also set a single-game career high in strikeouts last week in Salem as he fanned nine Red Sox batters over five innings. Pecko will be a top candidate for Carolina League Pitcher of the Month to be announced in the coming days.

A HISTORIC START IN THE ‘VILLE

It was about as good of a start as the Fayetteville Woodpeckers could have hoped for in the early stages of the 2024 season. Through the first 20 games, Fayetteville compiled a 13-7 record, the best start in franchise history, passing the previous mark set by the 2019 club that went 12-8. As it stands now, the Woodpeckers are right in the thick of a heated battle in the South Division for the First Half title. They enter this week’s home series against Augusta just four and a half games back of the first place Kannapolis Cannon Ballers.

CARRILLO THE CRUSHER

The Woodpeckers’ lineup got a powerful addition this offseason from an outside source. INF Oliver Carrillo was traded to the Houston Astros on February 13 for future considerations by the San Diego Padres.

Since arriving in Fayetteville, Carrillo has flexed that power throughout the 2024 season. He leads the club in home runs (6) and runs batted in (27). In addition, Carrillo has shown off his patience at the plate, leading the way with 25 walks on the year. The 22-year-old from Mexico also delivered one of the biggest swings of the Woodpeckers’ season so far: a walk-off two-run single to beat the Mudcats in a thrilling 12-11 win on May 8.

NO SWEAT NEZUH

2023 Astros 14th round pick RHP Jackson Nezuh has come into his own as his first full professional season rolls on. The former UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajun has a 5.40 ERA over 41.2 innings, but Nezuh has found his rhythm since the start of May. His opponents batting average this month is just .150, which is second lowest out of any qualifying Carolina League pitcher and he now ranks second across the entire circuit with 51 total strikeouts. Nezuh has gone five innings in three of his last four outings, including a scoreless relief appearance in which he fanned six batters on May 10 in a 6-0 shutout win over the Carolina Mudcats.

TWO-WAY SANTANDER

Woodpeckers first baseman and catcher Juan Santander has been called upon twice this season to pick up outs on the mound and has showcased some surprising pitching ability as Fayetteville newest two-way option. Santander tossed two scoreless innings on May 15th in Kannapolis during a lopsided 22-1 game, then was tasked with getting a save on May 25th at Salem with the Woodpeckers out of bullpen options during an 8-7 in the tenth inning. He retired three straight Salem batters to lock up the first save of his career and extend his stretch of 3.0 scoreless relief innings. Santander throws hard for a position player with a 91 mph fastball that profiles as a sinker, and locates well with 26 of his 42 total pitches going for strikes.