Week 15 Atlanta Braves Farm Report: Folty and Gausman each make pivotal starts

A weekly run down of the Atlanta Braves minor league organization, it’s Week 15 down on the Farm.

The Atlanta Braves 2019 playoff hopes are dependent on two factors at the moment: a) reinforcements at the trade deadline and b) restoration of starting pitchers Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman.

The latter of those two factors received some promise this past week, as Folty and Gausman each made two strong starts.

(54-39) GWINNETT STRIPERS

The first half of the week included two scheduled off days for the Stripers, followed by the IL vs. PCL 2019 All-Star Game, in which outfielder Travis Demeritte represented the Atlanta Braves farm system.

Demeritte belted 37 homers in the Home Run Derby on Tuesday than batted 6th in the interleague matchup on Wednesday.

Stripers reliever Matt Rowen also represented the team on Tuesday night:

• Demeritte: 0-for-1, R, BB, K
• Rowen: IP, 2 H, K, HR

Despite three days of no games, Gwinnett’s offense kept rolling, scoring 8.5 runs per game, thanks to a 27-run affair on Thursday versus Charlotte.

The winning record puts the Stripers just 1 1/2 GB from Durham in the South Division.

Overall, Gwinnett finished Week 15 with 10 homers and 18 XBHs, including Thursday’s shootout where they produced 18 hits (3 HR, 5 XBHs).

Individually, pretty much the entire Gwinnett lineup had a good week. But Adam Duvall, Alex Jackson, and Rafael Ortega stood out the most.

Duvall finished with 2 homers, 2 doubles, and 3 RBI, including a 3-for-4 Friday night. Here’s an absolute rope he hit on Sunday (those baseballs are so not normal!):

Jackson only played three games in Week 15, but he slugged 3 home runs and knocked in 10 runs, while also batting .428. The prospect catcher had a crazy Thursday night, going 4-for-5 with 2 homers and a double, finishing with 6 RBI.

Ortega was 8-for-16 with 2 homers and 3 doubles, finishing the week with 4 RBI.

Rehabbing Ender Inciarte is still struggling to get things going. Inciarte went 3-for-15 (.200 BA) with an RBI. Although, he did throw out at a runner attempting to score on Saturday, throwing a bullet from centerfield.

Speaking of Atlanta Braves players, pitcher Mike Foltynewicz started Saturday’s game, going 5 innings and striking out 4 and walking one. He allowed 4 runs from 9 hits in his 90-pitch outing (56 strikes)

Kyle Wright‘s quality-start on Friday was the best starting pitching performance of the week. Wright finished with a solid line, but allowed 2 homers.

6.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

The top Gwinnett reliever was Corbin Clouse. On Saturday he came in the game and struck out 5 while pitching 2 scoreless innings and picked up the hold.

Patrick Weigel labored through a nice outing on Sunday, tossing 5 innings of 5-hit ball and punching out 5. Weigel allowed 3 runs (including a home run) and walked 3, in Gwinnett’s win.

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(9-14) MISSISSIPPI BRAVES 

The M-Braves scuffled a bit in Week 15, going 2-4 and scoring just a smidge over 3 runs per game (3.1), while allowing over 3.5 per contest (3.6). Mississippi is now 4.5 GB from 1st place, last in the South Division.

Once again, the starting rotation had success, pitching to a 3.19 ERA in 28.2 total innings pitched (8.61 K/9, 2.87 BB/9). The top dogs on the staff led the way this past week in Kyle Muller and Ian Anderson.

Muller started on Tuesday, striking out 5 and allowing 3 runs on his way to another quality start. He gave up 6 hits and walked  2 batters.

Anderson pitched Game 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader, striking out 6 in a strong 6-inning start. The Southern League strikeout leader allowed just 2 runs from 5 hits, while walking just one.

Reliever Jason Hursh perhaps had the best appearance by an M-Braves reliever, working a clean two innings on Tuesday and striking out two to preserve a 7-4 win over Biloxi.

Some good news for the Atlanta Braves: Starter Kevin Gausman went 6 innings on Thursday and allowed just 3 hits (3 strikeouts). Gausman threw 91 pitches (75 strikes) and generated 10 outs on the ground as he faced 22 batters. He also picked up a base-hit at the plate.

As you see by their scoring for the week, Mississippi’s offense wasn’t too great.

Drew Waters led with a .473 average (9-for-19), as he hit 2 doubles and plated 3 runs in Week 15. Christian Pache struggled, going 3-for-13 (.230 BA) with a double.

First baseman Ryan Casteel brought the power, belting 2 homers and hitting. 250 with 5 RBI. Casteel also had a triple this past week.

After a tough season so far, Greyson Jenista may be heating up. Jenista finished with a home run again (he hit one in Week 14) and 2 doubles, though batting just .214 (3-for-14). Yep, all 3 of his hits were XBHs.

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