Top Diamondbacks Prospect Earns Promotion to High-A Hillsboro

The Arizona Diamondbacks have promoted Slade Caldwell from Class-A Visalia to High-A Hillsboro of the Northwest league. Caldwell recently took over the number one spot in our prospect rankings here at Arizona Diamondbacks On SI.

Still nine days aways from his 19th birthday, Caldwell will be the youngest position player in the Northwest league. He was hitting .294/.460/.454, .914 OPS for the Rawhide. That works out to a 161 wRC+, which is roughly 60% better than the league average.

He's displayed tremendous patience at the plate, drawing walks at a 20.4% clip. He's also struck out 28.7% of the time, but that number has been dropping. Since May 17 Caldwell's strikeout rate is only 20.8% while he's still maintained an 18% walk rate.

Minor League Roundup

Class-A Visalia Rawhide 2, Inland Empire 66'ers 1

Erick Reynoso pitched by far his best game of the year, tossing five scoreless innings while only walking one batter. He has a 3.41 ERA through 29.1 innings.

Jakey Josepha provided most of the offense with an RBI base hit in the seventh inning and then walkoff hit in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

Triple-A Reno Aces 6, OKC Comets 11

Dylan Ray was cruising through the first two innings, but two walks and a wild pitch were followed by a two-run double. It was a 27 pitch inning. That was followed by another high pitch count inning in which Ray gave up one more run. He needed 90 pitches to record 12 outs, giving up the three runs on were followed by an RBI double.

The Comets then beat up on Luke Albright and John Curtiss to the tune of eight runs over the next three innings. The offense tried to stay in it with 12 hits and six runs, but just couldn't keep up. Jake McCarthy, Jorge Barrosa, and Trey Mancini each had two hits nights and each knocked in a run. Blaze Alexander smoke a two-run double. Jordan Lawlar was 0-4 with a walk and a strikeout.

Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles 1, Tulsa Drillers 0

It took the number nine hitter in the lineup, Kevin Graham, to hit a solo homer in the eighth inning, breaking up a scoreless tie and ultimately provide the winning run.

Cesar Gomez threw four scoreless innings, giving up two hits and a walk, while striking out five. After Gerardo Gutierrez and Jhosmer Alvarez tossed two scoreless innings each, Hayden Durke locked it down by striking out two in the ninth for his second save since promotion to the Sod Poodles.

High-A Hillsboro Hops 8, Spokane Indians 9

A ninth inning meltdown ruined what should have been a nice series finale win for the Hops. The winning run scored on balk by Edgar Isea, but it was all put in motion by a loss of command by Sam Knowlton. The big right-hander had come into the game in the eighth and got a double play to shut down a rally. He had the Indians down to the final strike, but just couldn't close it out, as walks, hits, and wild pitches ensued.

Ryan Waldschmidt homered for the second straight game, a three-run shot. It was his eighth of the year, raising his OPS back up to .891. Cristofer Torin had three base hits, getting his average up to .291