Series Preview: Peoria Chiefs vs. Beloit Snappers pt. II

PEORIA, Ill. -- The Peoria Chiefs will continue their second 12-game homestand of the season as the Beloit Snappers come to town for the first time since 2019. This is a series that pits two evenly-matched teams against each other. Here is what you need to know heading into the second series against Beloit.

Last Series vs. Beloit

Peoria managed to split their last series vs. Beloit in the month of May. Two of the three series wins came on the May 29 doubleheader, where the Chiefs pounded out 28 total hits and 19 runs.

Who to watch for: Beloit

Troy Johnston:

In 12 games for the Snappers this season, Johnston has gotten off to a hot start in his first exposure to the High-A level. He has posted a slash line of .262/.380/.643 with four homers and 13 runs batted in. As of late, it seems Johnston cannot be stopped, hitting three home runs in his last four games. It will be interesting to keep an eye on Johnston this series to see if his hot start continues or hits a wall.

Griffin Conine:

The son of former Marlins outfield Jeff Conine, Griffin Conine has proven himself as a power bat for Beloit this season with nine home runs and 26 runs batted in. He also has a knack for getting on base with a .368 on-base percentage and a 15.1 percent walk rate.

Zach McCambley:

A 3rd round pick by the Marlins in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, McCambley has been a bright spot on Beloit’s pitching staff this year. The Marlins’ 23rd ranked prospect leads their staff with 49 strikeouts and has walked a team-low four batters this season. If there was a pitcher to watch for Beloit this series, it would be McCambley.

Chiefs last series:

Peoria managed to secure a split against first-place Quad Cities in their last series. For the Chiefs, it was all about timely plate appearances. They took Wednesday’s game off a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch from Zade Richardson in the bottom of the eight inning. Three timely hits from Matt Chamberlain, Jhon Torres, and Malcom Nunez in the seventh inning carried Peoria to a 4-3 win on Thursday. Offense was key in Friday’s 6-5 win as the Chiefs scored in five different innings.

Who to watch for: Peoria

Leandro Cedeno:

After a slow start to the season, Cedeno has turned his fortunes around as of late. He is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak dating back to June 3 and has homered in his last two games. If Cedeno can continue his hot streak, it would mark a remarkable turnaround from his early season struggles.

Tyler Reichenborn:

Reichenborn has hit safely in seven out of his last ten games played, acting as a spark plug for the Chiefs offense as of late. He is also riding a nine-game on-base streak. If Reichenborn continues to get on base, it will be a huge asset going forward

Jack Ralston:

Ralston has pitched well for the Chiefs this season, posting a 2.70 ERA in seven total starts. His last start against Beloit saw him give up no runs on two hits while striking out nine batters in six innings pitched. It will be interesting to see Ralston pitch against Beloit a second time to see whether his success continues or if they figure him out the second time around.

Chandler Redmond:

Redmond killed Beloit’s pitching the last time around, hitting two home runs with nine runs batted in en route to High-A Central Player of the Week honors. After cooling off as of late, look for Redmond to try to get back on track against Beloit.