Something about the Bradenton Marauders brings out the best in Michael Fulmer. For the year, Fulmer has a 4.43 ERA but Sunday afternoon he threw seven shutout innings, permitted just three hits and fanned eight in the process. In three starts this season against Bradenton, Fulmer has yet to allow a run, a span covering 18 innings. He’s allowed just 10 hits against the Marauders and has 13 strikeouts and five walks.
A supplemental first-round pick in 2011, Fulmer appeared on his way to being one of the club’s top pitching prospects after a standout campaign for Savannah in 2012, when he had a 2.74 ERA with 101 Ks in 108 IP. But his 2013 season was done in by a torn meniscus and other assorted injuries.
Fulmer has had an up-and-down season in 2014. Sunday was the third time this season he’s pitched seven innings and allowed one earned run or fewer. His 77 Game Score against Bradenton was his best mark this year. But he’s also had outings of 37, 35 and 15 as he tries to rediscover his 2012 form.
To date, Fulmer has a solid 2.6 K/BB ratio but a troubling 1.540 WHIP. With a strong 2.86 BB/9, Fulmer has been done in by hits, as he carries a .343 BABIP. In 2012 he had a .284 BABIP and even last year with all of the injuries, Fulmer had a .245 mark on balls in play. Hopefully Sunday’s three-hit outing will be a harbinger of things to come.
Triple-A
After suffering his worst outing of the season in his previous start (3 IP, 6 R, 2 ER), Darin Gorski bounced back with a strong effort Sunday, as he allowed just 2 ER in 6 IP with 8 Ks. Since being promoted to Las Vegas, Gorski has 33 Ks in 34 IP and a 3.97 ERA. Top prospect Noah Syndergaard has a 5.35 ERA and the 51s have a 4.49 staff ERA.
Matt den Dekker did not hit much in his time in the majors but he’s pounding the ball with regular ABs in Triple-A. Since his demotion, den Dekker has a .378/.425/.784 line with 9 XBH in 40 PA. Wilmer Flores has an .859 OPS in four games since his return to Las Vegas.
Double-A
Before his promotion to Binghamton, Dilson Herrera hit safely in 10 of his previous 11 games and sported an .837 OPS. Double-A pitchers have fared no better against The Dilson, as he has a .366/.409/.512 line in 44 PA. As wonderful as his hitting has been, perhaps even more eyebrow-raising is his work in the field. Eight times in 10 games Herrera has played shortstop. In 26 chances at short, he’s made just one error
Steven Matz had a Double-A debut to forget (5.2 IP, 5 ER) but his second outing was something to remember. Saturday against the Altoona Curve, Matz threw six scoreless innings, walked just one batter and fanned nine. The nine strikeouts were a season-high.
Hi-A
A right knee strain knocked Philip Evans out of the lineup for St. Lucie and helped pave the way for a promotion for Gavin Cecchini. Evans, a product of Sandy Alderson’s first draft, received a $650,000 signing bonus as a 15th-round pick. He had been a disappointment up until this season, when he finally started hitting for a respectable average.
Evans returned on 6/28 but was used as the DH his first game back. On Sunday, he and Cecchini flip-flopped, with Evans playing short and Cecchini serving as the team’s designated hitter. Evans has a .669 OPS this year and Cecchini has a .250/.263/.306 line in 38 PA since his promotion. It will be interesting to see if the Mets keep a weak bat at DH in order to keep Cecchini in the Florida State League.
Lo-A
Robert Gsellman recorded his third consecutive victory with seven innings of shutout ball against Charleston. Earlier this month, the RiverDogs smacked him around for 10 H and 4 ER in 4.2 IP. Savannah has a well-earned reputation as a pitcher’s park but Gsellman has been doing just fine in road parks. This outing upped his record to 4-0 and lowered his ERA to 3.19 away from Grayson Stadium. For the year, Gsellman is 6-3 with a 2.49 ERA.
Akeel Morris picked up his fourth straight save as the Sand Gnats beat the Rome Braves Friday night. Morris pitched a scoreless ninth, the ninth consecutive game in which he has not allowed a run. Morris has 9.2 IP with 2 BB and 15 Ks in this stretch.
Short-Season
After taking the collar in his first game of the year for Kingsport, Brandon Brosher has ripped off hits in six straight games. Five of those six have been multi-hit games. For the year he has a 1.198 OPS with 4 HR in 33 PA. Last year in the Gulf Coast League, Brosher had 3 HR in 74 PA.
Wuilmer Becerra joins Brosher in making the trip from the GULF to the APPY and Becerra has also hit safely in six of the seven games he has played. While his overall line is not as impressive as Brosher’s, Becerra still makes people notice with three of his eight hits going for extra-bases, including a homer.
In a bit of a surprise, the Mets assigned recently-acquired Blake Taylor, the PTBNL in the Ike Davis deal, to the GULF. A second-round pick in 2013, Taylor spent last season in the same league. He had a very respectable 2.57 ERA in eight games, covering 21 IP. But his 13 Ks versus 9 BB left a little to be desired. Taylor made his debut this week, coming on in relief. He had 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB and 7 Ks.
Last year in the GULF, 3B Jhoan Urena posted a .727 OPS in his first year in the U.S. This year the Dominican native is playing for Brooklyn and is off to a strong start. After 70 PA, he’s sporting an .823 OPS. He’s shown both power and patience with two homers and eight walks. The 19-year-old Urena is riding a 10-game hitting streak.
I’m really rooting for Becerra to develop into a big time prospect. He’s still pretty young, and if he does develop, Alderson struck gold with the R.A. Dickey trade. Also glad to see Fulmer have a nice start, I always get nervous when young players have injuries, because we never know how long it may take for them to rehab, or continue to improve their skills.
I think we all had big hopes for Becerra but when he had a poor year last year, he kind of was forgotten. It’s a very interesting team they have in Kingsport this year.
I saw Akeel Morris pitch at the SAL All Star Game June 17th. He came in with 2 out in the 8th with the tieing run at third and proceeded to throw a very blockable wild pitch allowing the tieing run to score. He then gave up a triple on a well hit ball to RC. He stranded that runner . He pitched the ninth and maintained the tie, giving up a single and striking out 1.
His fast ball topped out at 97 mph (twice) and he threw nine other fastball with speeds of 95 and 96 that were unhittable. He also bottomed out at 78 mph and those were swung at and missed. It was a nice variance of speed. He was hardest hit on his 82 mph offerings which resulted in some deep outs to the outfield. He apparently needs to work on this pitch.
I was surprised that he was not moved up to A+ as he needs to be challenged more. I think he will be a quality bullpen arm in the majors. He was just as impressive as Edgin was when I saw Josh at this level. The Sand Gnats will be in town for the Fourth of July weekend and I am looking forward to seeing a game or two.