Bryce Jarvis Takes Step Forward in Conversion to Starting Pitching

It was a tough day for three of the four Arizona Diamondbacks minor league affiliates, with only the Hillsboro Hops taking home a victory. But there is some interesting and noteworthy pitching news.

Triple-A Reno Aces 0, Sugar Land Space Cowboys 3

The Aces will be happy to get out of Sugar Land, having dropped all six games there this week. They were shutout for the second time in the series. This time they mustered just two hits, singles by veterans Michael Perez and Trey Mancini.

Drey Jameson had another rough outing. Coming into a scoreless tie in the seventh, he gave up a home run on the second pitch he threw. He walked two, both of which later scored, one on a throwing error by Perez on a pickoff attempt, and the other on a base hit.

Jameson has had a rough three outings, giving up nine runs, eight earned, while recording eight outs. He's walked five batters in this span and given up two homers.

Bryce Jarvis was the lone bright spot, throwing five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, and striking out three. He lowered his ERA with the Aces to 5.94

Jarvis had been converted to a reliever by the Diamondbacks in August of 2023. All but one of his 61 major league games has been in relief. Since he was optioned back to Reno, however, he's been getting stretched out into a starting role. The five innings and 76 pitches were the most he's thrown so far.

Eduardo Rodriguez on the injured list with a shoulder injury, and Ryne Nelson is back in the rotation. The D-backs starting pitching depth is thinned out, so this is an interesting development. If Jarvis continues to improve, he could be either a starting option if the need arises, or perhaps earn his way back to the majors taking over the long-man role.

Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles 1, Springfield Cardinals 6

Spencer Giesting did not pitch badly in this game, but received little support on either side of the ball. Things started off a little a rough when he gave up a two-run homer in the first. Scoreless innings in the second and third were followed by two unearned runs in the fourth due to a LuJames Groover error.

Giesting gave up one more in the fifth, ending his five innings of work with 5 five runs allowed but just three earned, on seven hits, one walk and three strikeouts. He still has an excellent 3.43 ERA.

The lone Sod Poodles run came on a solo homer in the fifth by Ivan Melendez. It was his fifth of the season. He is batting .194/.276/.448 in 76 plate appearances. He's walked six time and struck out 24 times, or 32%

High-A Hillsboro Hops 3, Tri-City Dust Devils 2

Down 2-1 in the eighth inning, the Hops took the lead and ultimately the game on Jansel Luis' two-run homer. It was his fourth of the year and the two RBI now give him 31 in 37 games.

The 20 year infielder is batting .295/.357/.411 for the season, and has a 9.5% walk rate compared to just a 17.3% strikeout rate. He has played 116 innings at third base, 98 at short, and 80 at second base.

Yordin Chalas fared somewhat better in his starting role in this game, lasting 3.1 innings and allowing one run. He walked four but struck out five.

Ricardo Yan continued his come back from a shoulder injury last year, throwing four scoreless innings, strikng out six in the process. The sidewinder allowed just one hit and a walk. In seven games, 26.2 innings, Yan has a 2.03 ERA and allowed 12 hits, 19 walks and struck out 24.

Single A Visalia Rawhide 1, Modesto Nuts 6

Yasel Soler drove in the only run for the Rawhide with an RBI double. Left-hander Grayson Hitt took the loss, allowing two runs, one earned in his three innings of relief. He walked three, struck out five and now has a 7.08 ERA.

Number two overall prospect Slade Caldwell, (according Arizona Diamondbacks On SI rankings) is facing his first real adversity in affiliated ball. After racing out to a .329 batting average and 1.058 OPS in his first 27 games, he's slumped for the last seven.

Hitless Sunday, he's batting 4-for-27, .148 with 13 strikeouts since May 10. He still has a very good .286 average with .931 OPS. Just 19 years old, his 32% strikeout rate is something that will need to improve as his batted ball luck continues to normalize. His batting average on balls in play, or BABIP, is .484, which is an unsustainable number.