Minor League Update: Glendale Community College’s Gailen continues to impress
The following are updates on local baseball players at the minor league level.
Blake Gailen (Glendale Community College, 2005) Tulsa Drillers: Through 25 games, Gailen has been impressive with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ double-A affiliate.
Gailen signed a free agent deal with the Dodgers on June 26, was assigned to Tulsa and has been hitting ever since.
The left-fielder is batting .279 with four home runs, 17 runs batted in, 12 runs scored, five doubles and an on-base percentage of .333.
Gailen’s batting average is his best in the minor leagues since he played eight games with the Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays’ triple-A affiliate) in 2013 and batted .286.
Of course, Gailen put together some sensational efforts in independent baseball, including earlier this year with the Lancaster Barnstormers. Gailen batted .323 with eight homers, 39 runs, 30 RBI, 14 doubles and an on-base percentage of .408 in 54 games before signing with the Dodgers.
Maybe Gailen’s most memorable moment came Monday night.
The left-handed batter was the final of three hitters to smack consecutive solo home runs for the Drillers in a 12-1 thumping of the Springfield Cardinals in Oklahoma.
The blasts came in the fifth inning, which was fortuitous for one fan due to the team’s Mega Money Monday, where one lucky person wins a cash prize if a homer is hit in the fifth inning.
One round-tripper results in $1,000, while three homers translated into a rare $10,000 prize.
“I’ve played thousands and thousands of games and this is the first time I’ve seen that in a game,” Gailen told MILB.com’s Josh Jackson. “I’ve been a part of more no-hitters than I have back-to-back-to-back [homers].”
David Olmedo-Barrera (St. Francis High, 2012) Charlotte Stone Crabs outfielder: The progression of the St. Francis High product and Glendale native continues.
The outfielder is batting .238 through 93 games with the Charlotte Stone Crabs, the Tampa Bay Rays class-A advanced squad.
Olmedo-Barrera has hit five home runs, scored 37 runs, driven in 32 runs and added 12 doubles, three triples and a team-leading 17 stolen bases.
On Monday, Olmedo-Barrera finished three for three with one RBI and one run scored in Charlotte’s 6-1 victory over visiting St. Lucie. The Charlotte No. 5 hitter also batted two for four with a double, two runs and one RBI in Charlotte’s 7-1 triumph over Dunedin on July 27.
Earlier in July, Olmedo-Barrera turned in a couple of memorable efforts.
On July 8, Olmedo-Barrera finished two for four with a career-high four RBI in Charlotte’s 12-7 victory over the Florida Fire Frogs.
The following day, Olmedo-Barrers smacked the game-winning single in Charlotte’s 9-8 victory over Florida in the second game of a double-header.
Nik Turley (La Cañada resident) Rochester Red Wings pitcher: Though he endured a bumpy span in his brief time in the major leagues, Turley has responded with some strong outings in the minors with Rochester, the Minnesota Twins’ triple-A affiliate.
On July 18, the left-hander tossed 6 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits with 10 strikeouts in Rochester’s 3-1 victory over Charlotte.
Though Turley was tagged with a loss on July 24, having surrendered four runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings with three strikeouts, he bounced back with a better effort on July 29.
Then, Turley picked up a tough-luck defeat, allowing only one earned run on three hits in three innings in a 6-5 defeat at Toledo.
So far this season, Turley is 4-5 with a 2.17 earned-run average in 18 games and 11 starts with 109 strikeouts over 78 2/3 innings with an opponent’s batting average of .193.
Alonzo Gonzalez (Glendale Community College, 2012) Dunedin Blue Jays pitcher: Unfortunately for Gonzalez, he took a step back when he was assigned from double-a New Hampshire back to class advanced-a Dunedin, a Toronto Blue Jays team, on July 19.
Since the move, however, the Vaqueros product has answered back with authority.
The left-handed pitcher has posted a 2-0 record in five games and nine innings pitched, while having not allowed a run. He’s also struck out six, while having only walked two.
Gonzalez has shown an ability to be more than a situational lefty as he’s pitched multiple innings in three of his last four appearances.
In Dunedin’s 12-4 victory over Lakeland on July 24, Gonzalez picked up the victory, having tossed two scoreless innings while allowing two hits.
Four nights later, Gonzalez picked up a hold with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless work in which he fanned three and didn’t allow a hit in Dunedin’s 5-3 win over Charlotte.
Brandon Van Horn (St. Francis High, 2011) Augusta GreenJackets shortstop: The average is starting to pick up for the Golden Knights product at the San Francisco Giants’ class-a affiliate.
Van Horn is batting .262 this season through 82 games with 28 runs, 27 RBI, three home runs, 11 doubles and 11 stolen bases.
On July 16, Van Horn finished two for four with a double and RBI in Augusta’s wild 10-9 come-from-behind victory at Asheville.
In Van Horn’s last action on July 20, he finished one for four in a 7-3 loss to Delmarva.
After the game, Van Horn was placed on the seven-game disabled list and has yet to be activated.
Twitter: @campadresports
