AFL, Hawaii Baseball: Jays Prospects Update

The Scottsdale Scorpions lost for the second day in a row this afternoon to the Peoria Saguaros, this time by a score of 5-4. LF Ryan Patterson and SS Sergio Santos were in the starting lineup.

LF, Ryan Patterson

The outfielder was trusted into the leadoff spot of the lineup for the afternoon game and responded by drawing a walk, hitting a single that scored a run, but struck out two times.

Patterson walked on seven pitches in the eighth inning and hit an RBI single to left field in the ninth to make it a one-run game.

The right-handed batter has been pulling the ball in the last two games, something he will have to change in the six-week event to become a more complete hitter.

SS, Sergio Santos
After playing third base for two innings yesterday, Sergio Santos was back at shortstop for this game. He singled to left field on a sharp grounder in his second at bat, but failed to put the ball in safe territory in his last two plate appearances.

He was involved in only two plays on defense, both groundballs.

Two players from the Blue Jays organization have yet to see any action in the AFL, reliever Jamie Vermilyea and starter Ricky Romero.

The Scorpions will play against the Phoenix Desert Dogs tomorrow night at 10:05 EST.

In Hawaii, catcher Brian Jeroloman and third baseman Anthony Hatch are making the most of their opportunity with the West Oahu CaneFires, a team that ranks last of the four teams involved with a 2-6 record.

Jeroloman, a 6th round pick of last year’s Amateur Draft, is an on-base machine (.421 OBP, 85 walks with Dunedin in 2007) that has probably the better arm strength and defensive ability of all catchers in the Jays farm system. His University of Florida pitching coach, Ross Jones, once said of him that “he's got the best feel, catch and throw skills and game awareness of any catcher I've been around."

True to his offensive reputation, the 22-year-old already has three walks in four games in winter baseball with this batting line to go with it: .267/.389/.600, two doubles, one home run, seven RBI and four strike outs. He recorded a six-RBI game on October 2nd that included two doubles and a homer. He currently leads the league in SLG%.

For his part, Anthony Hatch is a legitimate prospect at the hot corner that was drafted in the 13th round of the 2005 Amateur Draft out of Nicholls State University and bats from the left side of the plate.

After registering an OPS at or over .839 at each stop in the Jays development system, he posted a .723 OPS in 2007 with the Dunedin Blue Jays, though his fifteen homers and 24 doubles were a career best.

He has been one of the best hitter in the Hawaii Winter League (2nd in average and OBP) with this offensive production: .364/.429/.455, two doubles, five RBI, three walks and four strikeouts in twenty-two at bats.