Future Colorado Rockies: Asheville Tourists July 3 Update

Asheville Tourists logo [Image via Twitter/@GoTourists]The Colorado Rockies’ class A affiliate in the South Atlantic League continues to be the classic (and awesomely-logoed) Asheville Tourists.

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In a time when the Colorado Rockies have made some changes in half of their minor league affiliates (Boise, New Britain, and Albuquerque) and have some relatively new affiliates elsewhere (Grand Junction), the one consistent piece down on the farm has been in Asheville. The Asheville Tourists have been with the Rockies since 1994 — the very first year they had a Class A team.

And after spending more than 20 seasons in the South Atlantic League, the Rox and Tourists have had some success; the club won the South Atlantic League title in 2014. I know, minor league titles don’t matter a ton, but it does teach prospects how to win and lets them play in games that matter, and that’s kind of an audition for the real thing, no?

Let’s go over some good Tourists stuff:

The last week (5-2): The Tourists opened up the second half of their season this week with a 5-2 record, after they hosted the South Atlantic League All Star Game on Tuesday, June 23 at McCormick Field. Back in business after the break, though, the club took four of five games in Kannapolis against the Intimidators (I used to live near Kannapolis, and had season tickets to the club — Go I’s!) and are now facing the Charleston River Dogs back in Asheville.

The Tourists are now 37-40 overall, after going 32-38 in the first half in the Southern division of the South Atlantic League. The best team in the league, interestingly, is the Hickory Crawdads — 48-27 overall, including a 28-13 home record at LP Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina. (I’m a North Carolinian, man. The South Atlantic League, these are my TEAMS!)

Trending up (Blake Shouse): Shouse, the Rockies’ fifth round pick in 2013 out of Middle Georgia College, has allowed just two runs over his last ten games, spanning 17.1 innings. He’s struck out 17 in that time frame, and only allowed 11 hits, though he has walked ten more. Take away his most recent game (four walks in just two-thirds of an inning), and his last ten become even more dominant.

On the season, hitters are only batting .238 off the righty, who is being converted to a reliever after starting 14 games at Tri-City in the short-season Northwest League in 2014. With only 29 strikeouts in 43 innings this year — and a 1.30 WHIP that includes 18 walks in those 43 innings — Shouse has a little ways to go before becoming a dominant fireman. But, if the last ten games are any indication, he’s well on the way to figuring all that out.

Honorable mention in this category goes to catcher Dom Nunez, who has homered three times and is hitting .382 in his last ten games with four walks and 7 RBIs across 38 plate appearances.

Trending down (Robbie Perkins): The Australian 21-year-old catcher backing up Nunez, Perkins had been just 7-for-34 in his last ten games with 15 strikeouts and just three walks. He did go 2-for-4 in his most recent game against Charleston on June 30, but even with that, he’s slashing just .207/.250/.268 with a .518 OPS in 82 at-bats this season with the Tourists.

This is his first taste of full-season ball in the minor leagues, after playing in Grand Junction in 2013 and Tri-City in 2014, and he’s never hit: a career .189/.256/.277 slash line over 328 at-bats across three years is troubling. He’s a catcher, though, so they have some leeway at the plate depending on their ability calling games, though obviously a .189 career minor league average may be too much leeway.

Either way, the Australian has time to develop and considering some of the success stories coming out of Australia recently in professional baseball, there’s no reason to think he’s over matched or out of his comfort zone.

One to watch (Forrest Wall): The Rockies’ supplemental first-round draft pick in 2014, Wall is slashing .258/.342/.426 with a .768 OPS as a 19-year-old second baseman in Asheville. He had a monster year in Grand Junction in 2014 — his first taste of pro ball — and considering he jumped a level (Boise) this season, Wall has proven he’s doing well enough and is probably ahead of the Rockies’ development clock thus far in his career.

Wall has some interesting pop for a second baseman, too; seven doubles, eight (!) triples, and six home runs to go along with 16 stolen bases and 29 walks show his development and strategy at the plate is far ahead of what the Rockies probably expected from the Florida product literally 13 months removed from playing high school baseball.

Quick hits: The Tourists play a five-game (!) series against the Greenville Drive next week. I respect the travel issues in minor league baseball generally, and in the South Atlantic League specifically, but five is… damn. … Tourists’ OF Omar Carrizales is second in the SAL in hitting, slashing .328/.368/.462 in 195 ABs. He’s behind only Rome Braves’ shortstop Ozhaino Albies for the league batting title as of now. … Zach Jemiola is the ace of the Tourists’ staff, registering a 6-3 record and a 3.16 ERA/1.13 WHIP over his first 62.2 innings this year in 10 starts, including a complete game shut out. … Helmis Rodriguez is also throwing very well for the Tourists, currently sitting at 6-3 as well, with a 3.05 ERA/1.32 WHIP in 15 starts.

Socials:
TheAshevilleTourists.com
@GoTourists
FB.com/AshevilleTourists

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