Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers
Outfielder Mike Wilson has swung a big bat since rejoining the Rainiers after his stint with the Mariners. In seven games since being sent down, Wilson hit four home runs with six RBI, giving him eight homers and 20 RBI for the season with Tacoma. He entered the week
end batting .344 with a .417 on-base percentage, .689 slugging percentage and 1.106 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.
DH Johan Limonta led the Rainiers with a .340 average.
Outfielder Michael Saunders, also sent down in the past month, was batting .302/.431/.434/.865 with one homer, 11 RBI, 17 strikeouts and 11 walks in 53 at-bats.
The Rainiers were 32-36 and second in the Pacific Coast League Pacific North Division, eight games behind first-place Reno.
Class AA Jackson (Tenn.) Generals
Seven Generals, including five pitchers from a staff that leads the Southern League with a 3.67 team ERA, were named to the North Division squad for Tuesday’s league All-Star game.
Right-handers Andrew Carraway (4-0, 2.44), Jarrett Grube (4-1, 3.57 with a team-high 52 strikeouts), Kenn Kasparek (4-2, 3.45), Erasmo Ramirez (6-2, 3.89) and left-hander Bobby LaFromboise (2-2, 2.55 in 21 relief appearances) were chosen for the All-Star game. Kasparek won’t be able to pitch because of an elbow injury that’s expected to keep him out for much, if not all, of the season.
Also named all-stars were second baseman Kyle Seager and outfielder Jake Shaffer. Seager entered the weekend batting .315 and tied for the league lead with 21 doubles. Shaffer was batting .318 with nine home runs and 32 RBI.
The Generals were 37-29 and second in the North Division, 41/2 games behind first-place Tennessee.
Class A High Desert (Calif.) Mavericks
First baseman Dennis Raben entered the weekend atop the California League’s power rankings, leading the league with 17 home runs and 67 RBI. He’s batting .324/.374/.596/.970. Raben, who hit three home runs and drove in six runs last Sunday, was named the league’s player of the week.
Third baseman Vinnie Catricala was batting .364/.432/.595/.1.027. His average was fifth-highest in the league and his 52 RBI ranked sixth. He’d hit 14 home runs.
Third baseman Mario Martinez was batting .314/.352/.505/.857.
Left-handed pitcher James Gillheeney was 4-3, 5.51 and ranked sixth in the league with 72 strikeouts. Right-hander Chris Sorce is 5-4, 4.31 in 13 starts.
Catricala, Martinez and Sorce were chosen to the California League squad that will play Tuesday in the California vs. Carolina League All-Star Game at Modesto, Calif.
The Mavericks were 31-36 and second in the South Division, seven games behind first-place Rancho Cucamonga.
Class A Clinton (Iowa) LumberKings
Left-handed pitcher James Paxton, the Mariners’ fourth-round draft pick last year, continues to overwhelm Midwest League hitters. He’s 3-3 with a 2.70 ERA in nine starts and ranks seventh in the league with 73 strikeouts despite having started four fewer games than those ahead of him.
Paxton struck out 13 in 61/3 innings Thursday night in Clinton’s 5-1 victory at Quad Cities, including six straight strikeouts early in the game.
Right-hander Taijuan Walker, the Mariners’ first-round draft pick last year, is 2-2, 2.61 in eight starts and has struck out 45 in 38 innings.
The LumberKings entered the weekend 22-45 and last in the Western Division, 22 games behind first-place Burlington.
Note: This week’s minor league report does not include the Mariners’ short-season teams, who started their seasons late last week. Rookie-level Pulaski (Va.) and Peoria (Ariz.) will be part of this report beginning next Sunday. Reports on the Class A Everett AquaSox appear daily in The Herald sports section.
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