With the 2014 All-Star game in the rearview mirror, Major League Baseball is gearing up for an exciting second half.
Down on the farm, the second half is in full swing, with several local products making big impressions.
Here’s an update on how they are fairing.
Aaron Cressley (Pitt-Bradford) — The 26th round pick of the San Diego Padres has had a very good overall start to his professional career.
Cressley, pitching in relief for the Class A short season Eugene Emeralds of the Northwest League, has a 0.55 ERA in 10 appearances. He didn’t give up his first professional earned run until his eighth game, which is the only earned run he has given up all season.
The walks are a little high — he has nine in 16 1/3 innings pitched, but all of the other numbers are terrific. He has struck out 11 and limited opponents to a .186 batting average after his most recent outing, three shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Vancouver Wednesday.
Also, if you see the Northwest League standings occasionally in The Era, Cressley is the reason why. Eugene currently sports a record of 14-19.
Seth Streich (Johnsonburg/Ohio University) — Streich, a sixth round pick of the Oakland A’s in 2012, continues to establish himself as a legitimate prospect in their system.
The 6-3 right-hander has a 9-5 record and 3.07 ERA in 19 starts this season, including a 2.59 ERA in his last ten starts for the Stockton Ports of the Class A Advanced California League.
On the season, he has pitched 102 2/3 innings, allowing 101 hits, with an impressive 104/20 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a .258 opponent batting average.
His numbers are even more impressive when you consider he is pitching in a league that is considered very hitter friendly, including this quote from fangraphs.com: “The California League is simply ridiculous, with an environment easy for hitters and hard for fielders.”
David Lyon (Cameron County/Kent State) — Lyon continues to put up solid power numbers while splitting time between catcher and DH for the Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the Texas Rangers organization.
His average is just .232, but he buoys that with 15 doubles, two triples and six home runs in just 190 at-bats.
His slugging percentage and OPS remain solid at .426 and .749 respectively.
Josh Kinney (Oswayo Valley) — The 35-year old Kinney continues his solid season at Class AAA Indianapolis, serving as organizational depth for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He boasts a 3.05 ERA in 41 1/3 innings pitched with a 40/23 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
If you want to see Kinney in action, Indianapolis will be in Rochester July 25-28 and Buffalo July 29-Aug.1.
Derek Smith (Pitt-Bradford) — Smith continues to make the most of limited opportunities.
He has registered just 58 at-bats, but has made the most of them, with a blistering .466 batting average. The former Pitt-Bradford standout has knocked in three runs with five doubles.
And in the Collegiate Summer Leagues …
Joe Chittester (Pitt-Bradford) — Chittester, playing for the New Market Rebels of the Virginia Valley League, was named a league all-star.
He boasts a .277 batting average, good for second on the club, to go along with four doubles. He has also walked (15) more times than he has struck out (14), showing off advanced plate discipline. ‘
Chris Kemp (Pitt-Bradford) — Kemp is hitting .329 for the Wellsville Nitros of the New York Collegiate Baseball League, good for second on the team.
He has three home runs in 59 at-bats to go along with 11 RBIs.
Sam Kysor (Port Allegany/South Carolina Upstate) — Kysor, a rising sophomore at USC-Upstate, is also playing in the New York Collegiate Summer League for the Olean Oilers.
In 96 at-bats, Kysor is hitting .240 with a pair of doubles, one home run and 11 RBIs.
Hank Morrison (Warren/Mercyhurst) — Morrison, a rising junior at Mercyhurst, ranks second in the New York Collegiate Summer League with 31 RBIs for the Hornell Dodgers.
Zach Bican (Pitt-Bradford) — Bican, a junior-to-be for the Panthers, has a 3.29 ERA in nine relief appearances for the Elmira Pioneers of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. In 13 2/3 innings, Bican has walked seven and struck out 12.
