by Ty Eriksen
The first half of the minor league season has come to a close, and Single A is under way, with some moves from higher up impacting the European players in America. Read on to catch up:
Belgium
Thomas De Wolf (DSL Mets) Got some time off but still put forward a good week, picking up a 4 game hitting streak to raise his average to .280, with 11 RBI and 13 R.
Czech Republic
Jan Rehacek (GCL Twins) Waiting to make his first appearance in his second season in the GCL.
Matej Hejma (GCL Twins) Appeared in three games, going hitless over eight at-bats with one RBI and two runs.
Stepan Havlicek (Rays organization) Signed with TB earlier this year, and will spend this summer in camps in the US and Australia. Look to see him start his professional career next summer after completing school back in the Czech Republic.
France
Frederic Hanvi (GCL Twins) Picked up his first hit and RBI over the weekend in his third start.
Germany
Kai Gronauer (Port St. Lucie Mets) After leading his team to a first-half championship to secure a playoff spot, the Mets told Kai to pack his things: he was about to make a 6 hour journey south to the Advanced-A squad. The pride of Solingen has made the most his promotion in his first week, hitting .467 with 1 HR, and 4 RBI, providing an offensive spark and setting the team on a 3 game winning streak.
Donald Lutz (Billings Mustangs) Finished his first week in Billings with a 3-5, 2B performance: hitting .321 with 2 HR, and 4 RBI, while second on his team in total bases.
Max Kepler-Rozycki (GCL Twins) Completed his first week of pro-ball hitting .200 (4-20), 0 HR, 3 RBI over 5 games.
Jennell Hudson (GCL Red Sox) Injured and on rehab assignment, hopes to be back sometime this summer.
Italy
Alex Liddi (West Tenn Diamond Jaxx) Hitting .277 with 6 HR and 52 RBI in Double A for the Mariners farm team.
Alessandro Maestri (Tennessee Smokies) The RHP had a rough week, giving up 6 ER in 3.1 IP, but doesn’t detract from his so-far successful season, going 2-3 with 2 saves and 3 holds in a team-leading 28 relief appearances.
Luca Martone (GCL Astros) One start and one late-inning entry for the switch-hitting second baseman, hitless in 3 AB’s to start what hopes to be a long career.
Luca Panerati (Dayton Dragons) On DL to start the year.
Andrea Lucati (Greenville Astros) Two appearances out of the pen over the week: 1 ER in 3 innings from the mound.
Andrea Pizziconi (AZL Diamondbacks): New on the list, Pizziconi signed with the D-Backs organization, and has made 3 relief appearances in his first week of short-season A ball: 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 K’s while holding opponents to a .240 average.
Lithuania
Dovydas Neverauskas (GCL Pirates) Two trips to the mound out of the bullpen in his first season. 3.38 ERA with 4 K and 2 BB in 5.1 IP. Scattered four hits in three innings of long relief over the weekend.
Netherlands
Gregory Halman (Tacoma Rainiers) Continues to display his power in Tacoma, dropping three more bombs over the week, including a 2-3, HR, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI game against Salt Lake; hitting .231 with 14 HR and 33 RBI’s.
Rick van den Hurk (New Orleans Zephyrs) A loss to Iowa, after a ND when pulled early in a loss to Oklahoma City, puts the righty at 4-4 with a 6.75 ERA in 14 starts, as well as 2 appearances in The Show with the Marlins (1.1 IP, 1 BB, 1K).
Loek van Mil (New Britain Rock Cats) Hit a slight bump in the road, nearly picking up his first loss on the 22nd when he gave up three in two thirds of an inning, but corrected ship over the last two appearances: 3.52 ERA with 10 K in 11.1 IP.
Mike Bolsenbroek (Lakewood BlueClaws) The 6’8” righty has played sparingly out of the bullpen thus far, posting a 5.40 ERA in 5 IP.
Mariekson Gregorius (Dayton Dragons) His longest season of his career may be the reason for a slow down in production for the shortstop, as he tries to continue the success he’s had so far in Dayton: .271, 4, 27 in 67 games.
Kalian Sams (Clinton LumberKings) The free-swinger is on a seven game hitting streak, which has raised Sams’ average to .193
Tom Stuifbergen (Beloit Snappers) The MWL All-Star continues to sit on the DL, hoping to return in the next week: 4-0, 1.47 ERA, 36 K, 36.2 IP.
Daan Cornelissen (GCL Pirates) Broke out at the plate on Monday, tallying his first three professional hits. Hitting .143 in 6 games.
Jeroen de Haas (AZL Mariners) Made his first start of the season: 4 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 K in taking the loss.
Swen Huijer (GCL Red Sox) Huijer picked up an L out of the pen, giving up 2 HR and 2 BB in his second appearance.
Rien Vernooij (GCL Mets) Hitting .167 with 1 RBI as the everyday third baseman for the GCL Mets.
Björn Hato (DSL Mets) Hitting .333 (8-24) with 11 BB in 11 games, showing he has quite a nack for finding his way on base.
Ruben Rijkhof (DSL Braves) Hitless in two games so far in the rookie Dominican League.
Kevin Weijgertse (DSL Mets) Batting .051 (4 for 39) in the Dominican.
Sidney Ponson (Long Island Ducks) Placed on inactive list by the Ducks after confiding in his manager that he wasn’t enjoying the game like he had in the past, a move likely ending the Dutchman’s long professional career.
Russia
Andrei Lobanov (Elizabethton Twins) One of the Twins Top 50 prospects, the LHP moved over to the Twins Appalachian League affiliate, punching out three and giving up one hit in his first appearance. Presumably a move to get the young lefty more innings, given his strong performance out of the pen for Ft. Myers.
Spain
Alejandro Sanchez (GCL Braves) Took the field for his first professional season on Monday, going 0-3 with 2 K.
Eric Gonzalez (Lake Elsinore Storm) Made waves in his first start of the season after beginning in the bullpen: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 5 K.
Deoin Galvan (DSL Braves) Used primarily as a late-inning defensive replacement, Deoin got his second start in the OF over the past week, going 1-3.
Roberto Machado (DSL Braves) A single game to his credit, with one walk.
Victor Velazquez (DSL Braves) The catcher made his fourth start of the month over the weekend.
