Atlanta Braves Minor League Hot Sheet: 5/10-5/16

This was a rough week  to be a Braves affiliate with no one posting a winning record for the week. Gwinnett went 3-4, Mississippi went 3-4, MB went 1-6, and Rome went 0-4 with two games that were interrupted by rain. At least the parent club has been playing well lately.

Who's Hot?

1. Mike Minor -  14IP 3H 0R 4BB 19K - Mike Minor continues to strike hitters out at a surprising rate and now he is getting a grasp on his control and command of the strike zone. I don't think anyone really expected him to pitch quite like he has this season but he is quickly justifying the Braves spending the 7th pick on him.
2. Mauro Gomez - 12-26 3 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 4 BB, 5K - Gomez isn't really a prospect but the hotlist doesn't really preclude anyone and he was pretty fantastic this week. I didn't think Gomez would adjust well to AA but he has actually raised his BB% and lowered his K% this season. He had a period of adjustment but he has been the second best hitter on the team in May. 
   
3. Cody Johnson - 6-21 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 6 BB, 7K -  Cody Johnson went on a bit of a power binge this week with 5 of his 6 hits going for extra bases. On the season he has 31 hits 15 of which have been XBH. His OPS is quickly climbing towards the .900 mark and is near 1.100 for the month of May.
4. Willie Cabrera 7-16 4 2B, RBI, BB, K - Cabrera didn't play as much as other guys this week but he made up for it by hitting everything that came his way and hitting it with authority. He is hitting .417 over his last 10 games with 7 doubles and a homer during that span. In a system lacking hitting talent Cabrera is making himself known.
   

Honorable Mention: Chris Resop, Mike Dunn, Stephen Marek, Gwinnett; Brett Butts, Donell Linares, Mississippi; JJ Hoover, Myrtle Beach; Myke Jones, Robinson Lopez, Rome

Who's Not?

1. Brett Oberholtzer -  11IP 19H 9R 3BB 6K - Brett Oberholtzer has found the going rough in his first taste of High A ball. He is currently sporting a 7.52 ERA which is in stark contrast to the 1.96 number he had posted in Rome before his promotion He is giving up the HR ball and not striking guys out. He is still generating a few ground balls but his just isn't fooling any hitters right now.
2. Myrtle Beach - after going 1-6 for the week the Pelicans are now 15 games out of 1st place in their division and sport a .297 winning pct. good for 4th worst in the minors. They rank last in the league in OPS and ERA and it isn't even close in either category. Hopefully a healthy Adam Milligan and super stud Julio Teheran can change their fortunes.
3. Richard Sullivan - 10IP 18H 14R 7BB 11K - Sullivan started the year off hot and I had him pegged as an early season breakout candidate but then the wheels feel off and he has been one of the worst pitchers in the organization over the last month. He is still doing what he does best: throwing a heavy sinker that generates lots of ground balls but too many are getting through or his command is wavering and he is letting too many guys get on base. Something has to give or he won't be around with his 6.25 ERA for very long.
   
4. Rome Offense- Rome actually has one of the two or three best pitching staffs in the Sally League (losing Teheran hurts that status) but their offense owns a combined .561 OPS. Advanced hitters like Cory Harrilchak haven't gotten going while the raw guys have been exposed more than they have produced (Bethancourt, Myke Jones etc). Rumors had Edward Salcedo arriving in Rome in mid to late May. Lets hope he shows up soon and provides a spark.

Dishonorable Mentions: Freddie Freeman, Matt Young, James Parr, Gwinnett; Thomas Palica, Mississippi; Cory Harrilchak, Brett DeVall, Rome