Minor League Update: Gailen just falls short in championship quest
Blake Gailen (Glendale Community College, 2005) Tulsa Drillers: A magical season concluded for the 32-year-old former Vaqueros standout on Sunday.
Gailen’s Tulsa Drillers, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ double-A affiliate, lost, 1-0, to the visiting Midland Rockhounds on Sunday in the Texas League Championship finale.
The victory gave Midland a 3-2 series victory and a fourth straight Texas League crown.
Though the season ended with a defeat, Gailen enjoyed a big 2017 campaign after signing a free-agent contract with the Dodgers on June 29.
Gailen was assigned to Tulsa and arguably turned in his finest minor league season to date, hitting a career-best .300 with seven home runs, 35 runs batted in, 23 runs and a .371 on-base percentage.
Gailen played in four games during the Texas League Championship series and collected four hits in 13 at-bats with one run scored.
Jonah Jarrard (Glendale Community College, 2015) Ogden Raptors catcher: A short first season for the former Vaqueros standout ended Sept. 9 at the rookie league level.
Jarrard collected one hit in 14 at-bats over four games, but drove in three runs, scored twice and walked three times.
Jarrard’s best individual offensive effort came in his final effort of the season, as Ogden was defeated by Idaho Falls, 17-8.
In that contest, the 23-year-old finished with a double, two RBI and a run scored.
Jarrard, the younger brother of fellow GCC product Julian Jarrard, had a late start to the year after signing a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 9.
Jonah Jarrard was reassigned within the Dodgers’ minor league system that same day.
Alonzo Gonzalez (Glendale Community College, 2012) pitcher, Dunedin Blue Jays: After rising every year through the system since 2012, the former Vaqueros hurler took a step back in a bumpy 2017 campaign.
Gonzalez began the year at the Toronto Blue Jays’ double-A affiliate New Hampshire Fisher Cats after having been called up in 2016.
Unfortunately for Gonzalez, he struggled to a 1-4 record with a 7.49 earned-run average over 33 2/3 innings with 25 strikeouts and 23 walks.
Gonzalez was bumped down to class-A advanced Dunedin, where he started the 2016 campaign.
In familiar territory, the left-handed hurler returned to form with a 2-1 record with a 3.28 ERA over 24 2/3 innings with 16 strikeouts versus nine walks.
Gonzalez’ final effort in Florida State League play took place Sept. 2 when he pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and one walk in Dunedin’s 6-0 victory over Clearwater.
Jared Akins (Glendale Community College, 2016) Gulf Coast League Twins: A whirlwind year for the Fresno State product concluded on Sept. 1.
The 20-year-old left fielder batted .253 with three home runs, 16 runs batted in, 18 runs, five doubles and five stolen bases at the rookie-league level in 33 games and 99 at-bats.
Akins enjoyed a nice finish to his first pro season with a double-header on Sept. 1.
In the first contest, the Gulf Coast League Twins fell to the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, 5-4, despite a triple and three RBI from Akins.
In the second game of the double-header, the Twins walked away a 9-1 winner. In that contest, Akins singled and scored two runs.
