By Scott Barancik, Editor
Here are your minor-league highlights from April 3-9, the opening week of the 2017 season.
Jewish Baseball News Hitter of the Week
3B Mitchell Kranson (Twins/A), a 2016 draftee, started the season strong, going 4-for-9 (.444) with 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, a walk, and only one strikeout.
Jewish Baseball News Pitcher of the Week
P Dean Kremer (Dodgers/High-A), a 2016 draftee and dual Israeli-American citizen, rocked his first High-A start, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings on 2 hits, one walk, and 5 strikeouts.
Other highlights
LF Jake Thomas (Blue Jays/A) went 2-for-5 with a triple, 3 walks, an RBI, and a .625 on-base percentage.
C Ryan Lavarnway (Oakland/AAA) went 4-for-9 (.444) with 2 doubles and an RBI.
P Corey Baker (Cardinals/AA) ended 2 relief appearances with a 0.00 ERA and a save. Over 2 innings, he yielded 3 hits and no walks while striking out one.
P Richard Bleier (Orioles/AAA) struggled in his first relief appearance of 2017 but bounced back April 9 with a 3-inning gem, yielding only one hit and no walks while striking out 3.
P Joey Wagman (Athletics/High-A) pitched 3 nearly-perfect innings on April 7, yielding just one hit and walking none while striking out 3.
P Kenny Rosenberg (Rays/A), a 2016 draftee, pitched a perfect inning of relief in his Single-A debut, striking out 2. Playing on rookie-league teams last year, Rosenberg was 1-2 with a 2.54 ERA and 2 saves, holding opponents to just 1.02 hits or walks per inning and striking out 33 batters in 28.1 innings while walking only 6.
Transactions
- The Rockies released Maxx Tissenbaum. The 25-year-old catcher had been assigned to the Hartford Yard Goats (AA), whose new manager is Team Israel manager Jerry Weinstein.
Free agents
- Players actively seeking employment include former major leaguers Sam Fuld, Ryan Kalish, Nate Freiman, and Cody Decker; and minor leaguers Michael Fagan, Alec Grosser, Henry Hirsch, Raul Jacobson, and Kyle Ruchim.
Disabled list
- P Jon Moscot (Reds/AAA). Elbow.
- P Zack Weiss (Reds/AA). Elbow.
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