Atlanta Braves Arizona Fall League: Trey Harris Stars on Opening Week

The Arizona Fall League kicked off play on Wednesday, and in the five games that followed for the Scottsdale Scorpions the Braves prospects saw plenty of on-field action. This helped the Scorpions as they jumped out to a 3-0 start, but they dropped both weekend games to fall to 3-2.

Daysbel Hernandez

Weekly Stats: 2 G, 1 SV, 2.1 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 K

Daysbel Hernandez was the only Braves prospect to receive two outings on the mound, and in the first he made the most of his chance. Scottsdale took the lead in the ninth inning and came in to the bottom of the ninth leading 5-4 and Hernandez was brought on for a save opportunity. With a line out and two fly ball outs he was able to quickly get through the top of the order and close out the game for Scottsdale in their opener. Game two was not as pretty for Hernandez or the Scorpions, mostly due to the performance of Braves pitchers. With Connor Johnstone having allowed four runs in his start they were already responsible for the loss with the Scorpions trailing 7-2, and Hernandez did little to stop that. Hernandez allowed triples to the first two men he faced in the eighth and gave up two runs, then in the ninth he walked the bases loaded with one out before being pulled from the game. Two of those inherited runners scored and Hernandez was charged with four runs in his outing.

Connor Johnstone

Weekly Stats: 1 G, 1 GS, 0-1, 2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

As previously mentioned Connor Johnstone didn’t look that hot on the mound, putting Scottsdale in an early hole in his lone appearance. Johnstone allowed a two run home run in the top of the first inning to 2017 first overall pick Royce Lewis, then allowed a run scoring double that put the Scorpions down 3-0. Johnstone allowed three hits in the second inning, but only one run scored and he was rescued by a caught stealing to end the inning.

Bradley Roney

Weekly Stats: 1 G, 1-0, 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K

Bradley Roney looked exactly like he has in the past in his one appearance, as nobody could really touch him in his relief appearance. He came in to a one run game in the fifth with the bases loaded and one out and one out, and he quickly worked out of it with two easy ground balls but did allow one of his inherited runners to score. Roney hit a batter and walked another batter in the sixth, but he recorded two strikeouts and got a caught stealing to help out and get out of the inning. A typical Roney performance, lots of weak contact and swings-and-misses, but not a lot of control as only 16 of his 30 pitches were strikes. Roney ended up taking the win for the Scorpions as the moved to 2-0.

Brandon White

Weekly Stats: 1 G, 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Brandon White had a somewhat odd outing, but all in all a successful one as he threw two scoreless innings of relief. White’s first inning looked the strongest, as he record a strikeout and a couple of ground outs, but an error and a hit had him in some trouble that he was able to get out of. White got two quick outs on a ground out and a strike out in his second inning, but a single and a double had him in trouble before a wild pitch led to the runner getting thrown out trying to score.

Greyson Jenista

Weekly Stats: 3 G, 3-12, 1 2B, 6 K, .250/.250/.333

There was not a lot to speak of for Greyson Jenista this week. He looked good in his first two games on the week and collected three hits, but he also struck out twice in each of his games played and finished with six strikeouts in twelve plate appearances. He was, however, key in the first game for the Scorpions. A ninth inning base hit put him on base, and after he was lifted for a pinch runner a double brought in that runner to score and give the Scorpions a 5-4 lead. His best came in game two, when he had two hits and scored two runs as part of Scottsdale’s eight run, eighteen hit outburst in a win. His final 0-3 performance came on a day in which the Scorpions only had three total hits and were shut out.

Justin Dean

Weekly Stats: 2 G, 2-7, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 2 K, .286/.400/.286

Justin Dean played well for the Scorpions in his limited action, showing again why keeping him in Rome all season was maybe a little ridiculous. He drove in two runs on a hit and a sacrifice fly in his first game, also reaching base on a walk. His second RBI was a go ahead base hit in the sixth inning, though he was thrown out attempting to go to second on the throw to home. Dean did all he could in the final game of the week, reaching base twice and scoring both times. Dean played left field in both games.

Trey Harris

Weekly Stats: 3 G, 4-10, 1 HR, 1 BB, 3 RBI, 2 K, 1 CS, .400/.417/.700

Trey Harris has mashed at every level he’s played at so far, and if the early results are any indication this fall will be no different. Trey came to bat in the seventh inning with the Scorpions leading by a run, and he came through with some insurance by clobbering a ball over the fence in left center field for his second hit of the day. He finished 2-4 on the day although he did have a couple of strikeouts in his debut. Harris’s second appearance ended with an 0-4 as he was the only Scottsdale batter who didn’t have a hit in the game. He broke through again in game three, this time being the most productive player in the lineup in a loss. Harris singled in the first inning to score Justin Dean, then came around to score on a triple from Jacob Heyward that pulled the game to 3-2. Dean had another two out hit in the third inning to put two runners on base, but neither could score as the inning ended with a fly out. Harris drew a quick four pitch walk to lead off the sixth inning, then after advancing on a wild pitch he was picked off of second base by the catcher to end the inning. Harris drove in his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. Harris’s 1.117 OPS was the fifth highest in the league over the first week.

Garrison Schwartz

Weekly Stats: 1 G, 1-3, 1 K, .333/.333/.333

Garrison Schwartz was one of only three Scottsdale players to record a hit in the 1-0 loss to Glendale. With the game tied at 0-0 Schwartz had a base hit in the sixth inning, but he was stranded there as the next two batters struck out. He had an RBI chance in the eighth inning with the game still tied up, but he popped a ball up into right field and the inning ended with no damage.