by Ty Eriksen
With 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) The lone Belgian in the minors is hitting .292, 0 HR, 2 RBI’s over 28 games in the Dominican Summer League.
Czech Republic
Jan Rehacek (GCL Twins) Waiting to make his first appearance in his second season in the GCL.
Matej Hejma (GCL Twins) A three-hit outing on the 29th has earned him some more starts in the outfield. Matej’s average now stands at .250, with 4 runs scored and 2 RBI.
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) Lack of consistent at-bats seems to be impacting his performance. Has struck out in eight of his 19 at-bats.
Germany
Kai Gronauer (Port St. Lucie Mets) Settling in nicely with his new team in Port St. Lucie: hitting .357, 1, 5 in eight games.
Donald Lutz (Billings Mustangs) Had a four-RBI game over the weekend. Hitting .250, 2, 7.
Max Kepler-Rozycki (GCL Twins) Best showing of the week was a 3-5 game where he came up a HR short of the cycle. After 10 games, Max is hitting .225, 0, 5.
Jennell Hudson (GCL Red Sox) Injured and on rehab assignment, hopes to be back sometime this summer.
Italy
Alex Liddi (West Tenn Diamond Jaxx Played in his 80th game of the season on Monday, swinging at a .274 pace with some good extra-base power: 19 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR.
Alessandro Maestri (Tennessee Smokies) Three appearances over the last week, allowing 1 hit in 2.2 innings pitched. Has a 6.07 ERA across two stops in the minors this summer.
Luca Martone (GCL Astros) Grabbed his first career hit and RBI in his second start, hoping to make an impression and grab more starts.
Luca Panerati (Dayton Dragons) On DL to start the year.
Andrea Lucati (GCL Astros) Makes a roster change, moving down to the Gulf Coast League in hopes of getting more time: picked up the win after throwing a shutout inning in relief.
Andrea Pizziconi (AZL Diamondbacks): One long relief appearance was all Andrea made over the week, a 3-inning job that saw him surrender a single hit: a solo home run.
Lithuania
Dovydas Neverauskas (GCL Pirates) Had one good and one bad trip to the mound this past week. Allowed 4 runs in getting just two outs on the last day of the month, then threw a scoreless inning on Saturday. Will need to bring down his WHIP to earn more opportunities.
Netherlands
Gregory Halman (Tacoma Rainiers) One word continues to describe Halman: Power. Went yard four times over the week, including a 2HR game at home against Portland. Has a .958 OPS this season.
Rick van den Hurk (New Orleans Zephyrs) Has a somewhat cloudy ERA at 5.96, but has shown his readiness to jump to the Marlins when needed. Two starts over the week resulted in one loss, 9 ER in 11 IP.
Loek van Mil (New Britain Rock Cats) A good performance out of the pen was followed by a rough one. In 2.1 IP this past week, Loek allowed 5 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks.
Mike Bolsenbroek (Lakewood BlueClaws) Put up two scoreless relief appearances this last week, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks with 3 K’s.
Mariekson Gregorius (Dayton Dragons) Hitting .265, 4, 28 in 74 games for the Class A Dragons.
Kalian Sams (Clinton LumberKings) His average has risen thanks to a decent last ten games, putting him at .191, 14, 42 in 62 games.
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) Hitless since his 3-hit show last week, going 0-11 with two walks and six punchouts. Hitting .094 in 10 games but still getting regular time.
Jeroen de Haas (AZL Mariners) Was moved to the pen after his first start of the season, and has done well in a relief role: 4 IP over the last week, giving up 3 hits and punching out 7.
Swen Huijer (GCL Red Sox) Two more decent outings from the pen delivered Swen his first W of the year: went 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K during his week of action.
Rien Vernooij (GCL Mets) Last week saw him raise his average to .286 over 6 games in the Gulf Coast League.
Björn Hato (DSL Mets) A weeklong slump has Hato at .242 after a great start to the DSL.
Ruben Rijkhof (DSL Braves) Hitless in two games so far in the rookie Dominican League.
Kevin Weijgertse (DSL Mets) Batting .115 (6-52) in the Dominican, starting to see more time at First Base.
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 (Beloit Snappers) Was sent from Fort Meyers to Elizabethtown after just 14 trips to the mound out of the pen. After just two appearances and four innings in the Appalachian League, he was once again moved, this time bumping up to the Beloit Snappers of the Midwest League. Got his first appearance on Monday, giving up a run on two hits and two walks.
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) Appears to have moved into the Storm’s starting rotation, making his second start in the California League. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as well as his last start: 2 IP, 7H, 9 R, 2 HR.
Deoin Galvan (DSL Braves) Used primarily as a late-inning defensive replacement, still only with 12 AB’s in 12 games, picking up 2 hits and 2 walks to 5 K’s and 3 caught stealing.
Roberto Machado (DSL Braves) A single game to his credit, with one walk.
Victor Velazquez (DSL Braves) One hit over 11 AB’s in just 4 games this season.
