Padres offseason update: Javelinas clinch a spot in the AFL championship
By , John Horvath
Published November 15, 2017
The Peoria Javelinas, a team that includes prospects from five teams (Padres, Braves, Red Sox, Mariners, and Blue Jays), clinched the Arizona Fall League West Division on Tuesday and will play in the Arizona Fall League championship game. The game will be held on November 18 at 1:08 PM, and it will be shown live on MLB Network and live streamed on MLB.com.
Peoria slugged their way to the championship, leading the AFL in doubles, triples, home runs, slugging percentage, and OPS. With nine prospects receiving playing time at one point or another during the 5-week season, Padres prospectshave made their mark on this championship run:
- 1B Josh Naylor has his average up to .304 (24-79) with nine extra base hits and a .831 OPS. Naylor has appeared in 19 games at first base for the Javelinas.
- The hype around 2B/SS Luis Urias continues to build. All in all, he is hitting an even .300 (15-50) with a .439 OBP. His walk to strikeout ratio is 14:5. MLB prospect analyst Jim Callis called Urias "probably the best pure hitter in the minors"during a broadcast last week.
- SS Javier Guerra is 0 for his last 14, and his average is down to .238. After a strong start to AFL play, he has struggled with inconsistent playing time.
- RF Franmil Reyes is out for the rest of the AFL season with an injury he suffered on October 31. He is Rule V eligible if the Padres do not place him on the 40-man roster by Monday.
- RHP Walker Lockett had the best start of his AFL season last Thursday, striking out five in five innings of two-run ball. He gave up five hits and walked four.The 23-year-old will make his last start of the year on Wednesday night.
- LHP Jerry Keel gave up four runs, three hits, and two walks in 2/3 of an inning during Saturday's AFL "Military Appreciation Game." That outing bumped his ERA to 4.63 in AFL play, with nine strikeouts and seven walks.
- RHP David Bednar retired the side in order on Monday in his only outing of the week.
- RHP Andres Munoz generated a whole lot of buzz after his scoreless inning on Saturday. He struck out two in the frame and flashed a fastball that reached 102 MPH as well as a slider that looked nearly unhittable. Health-permitting, the 18-year-old has a chance to move fast up the Padres system.
- RHP TJ Weir did not throw an inning in this past week. Like Reyes, the 26-year-old is Rule V draft eligible if the Padres do not add him to the 40-man roster by Monday.
URL
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/padres-offseason-update-javelinas-clinch-a-spot-in-the-afl-championship