2020 Envisioning: The Lugnuts' Next Infield
In Part I - check it out here - we examined which of the Blue Jays' current Top 30 prospects might play in Lansing in 2020, the 25th season of Lugnuts baseball.Let's get more specific.Let's talk catchers and infielders.*
In Part I - check it out here - we examined which of the Blue Jays' current Top 30 prospects might play in Lansing in 2020, the 25th season of Lugnuts baseball.
Let's get more specific.
Let's talk catchers and infielders.
*
The Nuts' 2019 catchers comprised Alejandro Kirk, who likely begins 2020 in Double-A New Hampshire; Gabriel Moreno and Ryan Gold, who likely move up to A-Advanced Dunedin; 2017 second-rounder Hagen Danner, who hit 12 homers in 80 games; and Jesus Lopez, who played in three games at the very end of the year. With that in mind...
- It would be unsurprising to see Danner, age 21 next year, back for a second go-round in Lansing, whether at catcher or at first base (a position he began to play increasingly as the year went on). The more surprising event: If Danner, a two-way pitching/hitting threat in high school, converted back to pitching.
- Lopez was acquired via trade with Oakland in March 2019 for Kendrys Morales with the intention of moving him to catcher. He's a wild card, having played in the Midwest League in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the first three of those years with Beloit. Could he play in the Midwest League for a fifth straight season? Has _anyone _played in the Midwest League for five straight seasons? (The highlight of Lopez playing with the Lugnuts was the forming of an all-Nicaraguan battery with Randy Pondler, clearly special to both of them.)
The two Blue Jays selected two pertinent catchers in the 2019 draft:
The top catching pick was Philip Clarke, nicknamed "The Hitman," taken in the ninth round from national champion Vanderbilt (sorry, Michigan!) and signed for $500,000. He opened red hot with Vancouver, was named a Northwest League All-Star, and then finished the year hitting .257 with 21 walks and 22 strikeouts in 37 games. If he's a Lugnut next year - which feels probable but isn't 100% certain, since 2018 fifth-rounder Chris Bec jumped from 2018 Vancouver to 2019 Dunedin - he's hitting in the middle of the order.
The last catching pick taken by Toronto in June was 38th-rounder Ryan Sloniger, a Penn State product from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Sloniger came out of high school as the No. 28 catcher in the country and the second-ranked catcher in the Keystone State (read this profile of him for more). He inked with the Blue Jays as a senior sign, opened his pro career with Bluefield, moved to Vancouver six days later, came back to Bluefield in July and crushed it: nine homers, a .327 batting average and a 1.031 OPS in 30 games. He finished the year with Vancouver, which would seem to suggest he comes to Lansing next year.
Coincidentally, both Clarke and Sloniger bat from the left side.
The primary catcher in Vancouver was
Bluefield's two other catchers were
*
The potential 2020 Lugnuts infield feels
crowded. If healthy, SS
But what about, in no particular order...
*
Tough decisions will have to be made, which is a good thing: Competition, you would hope, brings out the most in these players, leading the Lugnuts to have the best of all possible infields starting next year, with depth ready when promotions come.
Here's a big statement, but defensible considering the potential presences of Groshans, Hiraldo, Jimenez, Clarke, Morris, Morris, Horwitz, and onward: The infield is going to provide the backbone of the 2020 Lansing Lugnuts offense.
*
Up next...
Homestand Alert: July 4-6 vs. Fort Wayne
LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts, High-A affiliate of the Athletics, welcome in the Fort Wayne TinCaps for a special three-game series this week beginning on Independence Day at Jackson® Field™. - 7:05 p.m., Friday, 4th of July: Vintage Baseball / Independence Day / LAFCU Fireworks. Gates open at 4:45
Lugnuts draw 10,527 in 4th of July loss to TinCaps
LANSING, Mich. – The Fort Wayne TinCaps (9-4, 40-38) jumped out to an early lead and doubled up the Lansing Lugnuts (5-8, 41-38), 6-3, in front of a Friday night Independence Day crowd of 10,527 at Jackson® Field™ – the largest single game crowd of the season in High-A and
Mendez, TinCaps two-hit Lugs
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Miguel Mendez struck out nine batters in six scoreless innings, and the Fort Wayne TinCaps (8-4, 39-38) silenced the Lansing Lugnuts (5-6, 41-36), 2-0, on a sold-out Thursday night at Parkview Field. The Lugnuts were held two hits – a Jonny Butler double in the second
Nuts overwhelm TinCaps, 8-2
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Jared Dickey smoked a pair of doubles, Casey Yamauchi and Tommy White collected three hits apiece, and the Lansing Lugnuts (5-6, 41-36) used a five-run sixth inning to cruise past the Fort Wayne TinCaps (7-4, 38-38), 8-2, on Wednesday night at Parkview Field. The Nuts and
Koenig, Fort Wayne take opener, 7-2
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – In a special all-Copa match-up, las Manzanas Luchadoras de Fort Wayne (7-3, 38-37) pinned the Lansing Locos (4-6, 40-36), 7-2, on Tuesday night at Parkview Field. Fort Wayne starter Ian Koenig allowed only two hits in 6 1/3 innings – a Rodney Green, Jr. single and
Schofield-Sam promoted to Midland, Montero returns
The Lansing Lugnuts (4-5, 40-35) announced the following roster changes, in conjunction with the Athletics: - First baseman T.J. Schofield-Sam promoted to Double-A Midland - First baseman Darlyn Montero completes rehab assignment and reinstated from the 7-day Injured List The updated Lansing roster now has 29 active players. Schofield-Sam, 24,
Tommy White, Gage Jump to play in All-Star Futures Game
NEW YORK, NY – Lansing Lugnuts third baseman Tommy White and Opening Day starter Gage Jump will represent the Athletics’ organization at the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, with the rosters announced this morning on MLB Network. The 26th Futures Game will be played at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 12,
Six-run 7th swings Nuts into series split
LANSING, Mich. – Three huge swings in the bottom of the seventh – a Ryan Lasko leadoff home run, T.J. Schofield-Sam three-run double and Tommy White two-run blast – propelled the Lansing Lugnuts (4-5, 40-35) to a 6-1 win over the Dayton Dragons (4-5, 25-49) on a sweltering Sunday afternoon
Dickey dinger dooms Dayton, 4-3
LANSING, Mich. – In the bottom of the eighth inning, Jared Dickey lifted a dramatic two-out, go-ahead two-run homer over the 23-foot right field wall, carrying the Lansing Lugnuts (3-5, 39-35) past the Dayton Dragons (4-4, 25-48), 4-3, in front of a Saturday night crowd of 6,614 at Jackson® Field™.
Dragons drum Lugs, 19-4
LANSING, Mich. – Victor Acosta and Leo Balcazar homered amid a 19-hit attack, and the Dayton Dragons (4-3, 25-47) scalded the Lansing Lugnuts (2-5, 38-35), 19-4, on Friday night at Jackson® Field™. The Dragons have collected 56 hits and scored 48 runs in winning three of the first four games
Six-run 1st boosts Nuts to 9-7 win
LANSING, Mich. – Jared Dickey homered in a six-run first inning, and the Lansing Lugnuts (2-4, 38-34) held off the Dayton Dragons (3-3, 24-47), 9-7, on Thursday night at Jackson® Field™. The Nuts halted Dayton’s three-game winning streak, capturing their first win after two straight losses in the six-game series.
Dragons soar past Lugnuts, 9-4
LANSING, Mich. – Carlos Sanchez tagged a three-run homer and Jose Montero pitched into the seventh inning, helping the Dayton Dragons (3-2, 24-46) beat the Lansing Lugnuts (1-4, 37-34), 9-4, on Wednesday night at Jackson® Field™. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer went 4-for-4 with three singles, a double and a HBP for the
Locos hit three homers, lose slugfest to Dayton
LANSING, Mich. – CJ Rodriguez, Casey Yamauchi and Tommy White homered – an inside-the-park home run for Yamauchi – but it was not enough to overcome a 17-hit barrage from the Dayton Dragons (2-2, 23-46), who defeated the Lansing Locos (1-3, 37-33), 13-8, on Tuesday evening at Jackson® Field™. Coming
Nuts welcome prospect tandem Lin and Sha
The Lansing Lugnuts (1-2, 37-32) announced the following roster changes, in conjunction with the Athletics: - Pitcher Nathan Dettmer is transferred to Stockton (Single-A – California League), - Pitchers Wei-En Lin and Tzu-Chen Sha received from Stockton. The updated Lansing roster now has 28 active players. A native of Kueishan,
Nuts romp behind Quad Cities' quintet of errors
DAVENPORT, IA – Jake Garland went seven innings, Davis Diaz slugged his first professional home run, and the Lansing Lugnuts (1-2, 37-32) took advantage of five errors to roll the Quad Cities River Bandits (2-1, 41-28), 10-3, on Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park. The Lugnuts piled up 16 base
Avant excels, but Bandits best Lugs in 10
DAVENPORT, IA – Corey Avant set a professional high with seven strong innings, but the Quad Cities River Bandits (2-0, 41-27) scored three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to rally past the Lansing Lugnuts (0-2, 36-32), 4-3, on Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Avant, drafted in
Green homers, Lugs drop 2nd half opener
DAVENPORT, IA – Rodney Green, Jr. ended a homerless drought with a towering roundtripper toward the Mississippi River, but the Quad Cities River Bandits (1-0, 40-27) quieted the Lansing Lugnuts (0-1, 36-31) otherwise, 8-2, on Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The game marked the official start to the 66-game
Nuts close out first half, beat Bandits in 10
DAVENPORT, IA – Native Iowan Grant Judkins turned in a quality start before his Lansing Lugnuts (36-30) turned in a quality finish, outlasting the Quad Cities River Bandits (39-27), 5-4, in 10 innings to close out the first half of the Midwest League season on Thursday night at Modern Woodmen
Bandidos use doubles to double up Lugs
DAVENPORT, IA – Playing as their Copa identity, los Bandidos del Río de las Ciudades Cuádruples, the Quad Cities River Bandits (39-26) used a pair of late two-run doubles to top the Lansing Lugnuts (35-30), 8-4, on Wednesday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The win kept Quad Cities alive for
Dickey, Garland play spoiler in 3-0 win
DAVENPORT, IA – Jared Dickey drove in a pair of crucial runs against his former team, Jake Garland tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a combined four-hit shutout, and the Lansing Lugnuts (35-29) silenced the Quad Cities River Bandits (38-26), 3-0, on Tuesday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The result
MDARD Teams Up with Lansing Lugnuts, VFW National Home to Plant Native Garden at Jackson® Field™
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), Lansing Lugnuts, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home (VFWNH), in collaboration with the Eaton Conservation District, proudly celebrates the successful installation of a native garden at Jackson® Field™. Veterans participating in the Veteran Regenerative Agriculture Demonstration,
Whitecaps blast Lugnuts, 13-1
LANSING, Mich. – Luke Gold smashed a grand slam to cap an eight-run ninth inning, and the West Michigan Whitecaps (43-20) completed a dominant six-day stretch with a 13-1 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts (34-29) in front of a Father’s Day crowd of 7,379 on Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™.
Imperial Whitecaps march past Lugnuts, 3-2
LANSING, Mich. – In front of 7,896 on Star Wars Night, the West Michigan Whitecaps (42-20) quelled the Lansing Lugnuts (34-28), 3-2, on Saturday evening at Jackson® Field™. The Whitecaps clinched a series victory, winning their fourth of five games played in the six-game set. Lansing starter Nathan Dettmer scattered
'Caps score 13 in 3rd on Friday the 13th, clinch division title
LANSING, Mich. – In three hours and 13 minutes, the West Michigan Whitecaps (41-20) used a 13-run third inning to rout the Lansing Lugnuts (34-27), 20-6, on Friday the 13th at Jackson® Field™. The Whitecaps clinched the first half East Division title with the win. All nine Whitecaps collected at
McGonigle, 'Caps top Nuts, 7-1
LANSING, Mich. – Ben Malgeri homered for the second straight day, Kevin McGonigle went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a homer, and the West Michigan Whitecaps (40-20) coasted past the Lansing Lugnuts (34-26), 7-1, on Thursday night at Jackson® Field™. The Whitecaps’ magic number to clinch the East Division shrank