OFFICIAL GAME INFORMATION Lake County Captains (11-12) at West Michigan Whitecaps (13-9) Sunday, May 30Th • 2:00 P.M
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High-A Affiliate OFFICIAL GAME INFORMATION Lake County Captains (11-12) at West Michigan Whitecaps (13-9) Sunday, May 30th • 2:00 p.m. • LMCU Ballpark • Broadcast: WJCU.org Game #24 • Road Game #18 • Season Series: 0-5, 13 Games Remaining RHP Mason Hickman (1-1, 1.98 ERA) vs. RHP Chance Kirby (1-1, 2.81 ERA) YESTERDAY: The Captains saw their losing streak climb to five games with a 17-5 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps. Spencer Torkelson, High-A Central League the Tigers’ #1 prospect and the #3 prospect in baseball according to MLB.com hit two three-run home runs in the game. The Captains led twice, 2-0 and 5-4, but West Michigan scored 13 unanswered runs starting in the sixth. East Division W L GB ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The 17 runs were the most the Captains have allowed this season and the Whitecaps’ seven runs in the seventh were the most Lake County has allowed in an inning this year. Yesterday marked the first time the Captains had allowed 17 runs in a game since West Michigan (Detroit) 13 9 -- June 11, 2017. The Captains’ ERA jumped 51 points, from 3.27 to 3.78. SKIDDING: The Captains have lost eight of their last nine games. Over those nine games, Lake County is last in the High-A Central League Dayton (Cincinnati) 13 10 0.5 (HAC) in batting average (.186), on-base percentage (.280), slugging percentage (.267) and OPS (.548). The Captains have been outscored by 37 runs (58-21) during that stretch. They enter today with the lowest run total in the league in 2021 (83). Great Lakes (Los Angeles - NL) 11 12 2.5 ONE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER: The Captains have lost three one-run games during their current five-game losing streak at West LAKE COUNTY (Cleveland) 11 12 2.5 Michigan. Lake County lost the series-opener on Tuesday, 4-3. The Captains then lost 1-0 on Wednesday and 2-1 on Friday. Lansing (Oakland) 11 12 2.5 BRENNAN BASHING: Captains OF Will Brennan is currently tied for the High-A Central League (HAC) lead in doubles (9). He is also fifth in on-base percentage (.407) and tied for fourth in hits (23). Fort Wayne (San Diego) 10 12 3.0 LIGHTS OUT: The Captains’ pitching staff enters today with the second-lowest ERA (3.78) in the High-A Central League (HAC). Logan Allen has the lowest ERA among qualified pitchers in the HAC at 0.83. West Division W L GB SWING AWAY: The Captains’ offense has walked just 82 times this season. That is the tied for the fewest in the High-A Central League. The Quad Cities (Kansas City) 15 7 -- Captains also have two of the 10 lowest BB% rates among qualified hitters in the High-A Central League – Brayan Rocchio (4.4% - 1st) and José Tena (6.3% - 9th). Beloit (Miami) 12 11 3.5 100: 2018 Captains RHP Eli Morgan became the 100th former Captain to reach the major leagues when he debuted for Cleveland on Friday. Wisconsin (Milwaukee) 12 11 3.5 Eight former Captains have made their major league debuts this year – OF Ka’ai Tom (2016), RHP Luis Oviedo (2018-19), LHP Sam Hentges (2016), RHP Louis Head (2012-13), RHP Nick Sandlin (2018), INF Ivan Castillo (2014), Jean Carlos Mejia (2018) and Morgan. South Bend (Chicago - NL) 10 12 5.0 The record for the most former Captains to debut in a single year is nine (2013 and 2016). Cedar Rapids (Minnesota) 9 14 6.5 DEFENSIVE FLEXIBILITY: The Captains’ have shuffled their infield defenders in 2021. Lake County has used four different first baseman, six different second baseman, six different third basemen and two different shortstops. Raynel Delgado, Brayan Rocchio and José Tena have Peoria (St. Louis) 9 14 6.5 each played three different infield positions. Victor Nova and Daniel Schneemann have played two different infield positions and left field. YOUNGSTERS: The Captains have five of the 10 youngest players in the High-A Central League – 1B Joe Naranjo (20), INF Aaron Bracho (20), INF José Tena (20), INF Brayan Rocchio (20) and OF George Valera (20). Naranjo, Bracho and Tena are the three youngest players in the league. Naranjo, who turned 20 on Tuesday, is the youngest player in all of High-A. Bracho (born 4/21/00) is the second youngest in all of High-A. The Captains have eight players who are age 21 or younger. Top Prospects th The Cleveland farm system enters 2021 as the 13 best farm system in HIGH-A: The 2021 season marks the Captains’ first as the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. Lake County had been Cleveland’s Low- baseball according to MLB.com. Below are current Captains and their A Affiliate for 17 seasons (2003-2019) and 18 years (2003-2020). ranking in Cleveland’s system, according to various publications. NEW SKIPPER: Greg DiCenzo was named the Captains’ manager before the eventually-canceled 2020 season. DiCenzo spent the previous FanGraphs Baseball America MLB.com 12 seasons as the head baseball coach at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. During his time at the helm, DiCenzo was twice #3 George Valera #6 George Valera #4 George Valera named Patriot League Coach of the Year (2008 and 2013). Prior to his time at Holy Cross, DiCenzo was the pitching coach and recruiting #4 Brayan Rocchio #8 Brayan Rocchio #7 Brayan Rocchio coordinator at Northeastern University for five seasons. He also served as a coach for the Falmouth Commodores in the Cape Cod Baseball #8 Aaron Bracho #11 Aaron Bracho #8 Aaron Bracho League and at his alma mater, St. Lawrence University. DiCenzo enters his second year and first season as a coach in Cleveland’s organization. #20 Tanner Burns #16 Tanner Burns #15 Tanner Burns #21 Logan Allen #21 Logan Allen #23 Logan Allen NOW IN THE DUGOUT: Grant Fink returns to Lake County in his first year as Captains Hitting Coach. Fink was a Captains infielder in 2014 #29 Hunter Gaddis #24 Jose Tena and 2015, and was the team’s starting third baseman in 2014 when the Captains reached the Midwest League Championship Series. The #30 Bryan Lavastida #27 Bryan Lavastida 2021 season is Fink’s fifth season coaching in the Cleveland organization. Former Captains outfielder Jordan Smith also returns to Lake #32 Jose Tena County in his second season as Bench Coach. Smith led the Captains with a .316 batting average in 2012 and led the Captains to a playoff #36 Raymond Burgos berth. Smith was the Captains Bench Coach in 2019 and is entering his third season coaching in Cleveland’s organization. 2020 DRAFT: The Captains have three players on their Opening Day roster who were selected by Cleveland in last year’s draft. RHP Tanner Burns (Competitive Balance Round A), LHP Logan Allen (2nd Round), and RHP Mason Hickman (5th Round). CURRENT SERIES SCHEDULE, RESULTS & PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS Date Opp. Time/Result Captains Starter2017 INTERNATIONAL CLASS: There were four CaptainsOpponent acquired Starter by Cleveland in the 2017 International free agent class, ledBroadcast by OF 5/25 at WM L, 4-3 Hunter Gaddis,George RHP Valera (1-2,. 4.80)According to Baseball America, ValeraChance was the Kirby, sixth overall RHP international(1-1, 2.81) prospect that year. Also now on the CaptainsWJCU.org from 5/26 at WM L (10), 1-0 Logan Allen, thatLHP class (2- 0,are 0.83) INF Aaron Bracho, INF Brayan RocchioBeau and Brieske, INF Jose RHPTena. (1Brach-1, 3.06)received the highest signing bonus of Cleveland’sWJCU.org 2017 international signees at $1.5 million. 5/27 at WM L, 6-2 Raymond Burgos, LHP (0-2, 5.59) Jesus Rodriguez, RHP (1-1, 4.70) WJCU.org 5/28 at WM L, 2-1 Tanner Burns,SWITCH RHP (0IT- UP:2, 4. Only08) 1/3 of Captains’ position playersKeider are true Montero, right-handed RHP hitters. (1- 3,The 8.10 Captains) have three (3) switch-hitters, sevenWJCU.org (7) left- 5/29 at WM L, 17-5 Matt Turner, LHPhanded (0 hitters-2, 3. 94and) five (5) right-handed hitters. RHP Chavez Fernander (1-1, 5.40) WJCU.org 5/30 at WM 2:00 p.m. Mason Hickman, RHP (1-1, 1.98) Chance Kirby, RHP (1-1, 2.81) WJCU.org CAPTAINS FAMILY TIES: Captains 1B Joe Naranjo has a close connection with former Captains SS Tyler Freeman. Naranjo, who is from Whittier, CA, grew up as close friends with Tyler’s younger brother Cody, an infielder who was drafted in the 4 th round by Texas in 2019. Classic Park 35300 Vine St. Eastlake, OH 44095 | 440-975-8085 | CaptainsBaseball.comNaranjo remains close | with @LCCaptains Tyler, Cody and the| Media Freeman Contact: family. Andrew Luftglass; [email protected] LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS GAME NOTES PAGE 2 TODAY’S CAPTAINS STARTING PITCHER 2021 Game -By-Game #41 MASON HICKMAN RHP Date Opp Dec IP H R ER HR SO BB Result Born (Age): December 23, 1998 (22) 5/9 at LAN L 3.2 5 3 3 2 6 1 L, 5-2 5/16 vs. FW ND 5.0 0 0 0 0 7 2 W, 3-0 Hometown: Hendersonville, TN School: Vanderbilt University 5/23 at GL W 5.0 2 0 0 0 7 2 W, 4-3 Total 1-1 13.2 7 3 3 2 20 5 HT: 6’6” │WT: 228 lbs │ Bats: R │Throws: R Acquired: 2020 Draft – 5th Round (154th overall) * Relief Appearance Pitch Selection: Fastball, Curveball, Slider, Changeup 2021 Statistics Team W L ERA G GS CG SHO IP H R ER HR HBP BB SO LC 1 1 1.98 3 3 0 0 13.2 7 3 3 2 0 5 20 Total 1 1 1.98 3 3 0 0 13.2 7 3 3 2 0 5 20 NCAA Statistics Year Team W L ERA G GS CG SHO IP SO BB WHIP 2018 VAN 8 2 5.21 16 13 0 1 74.1 66 30 1.36 2019 VAN 9 0 2.05 20 13 0 0 96.2 129 28 0.95 2020 VAN 2 0 0.48 3 3 0 0 18.2 26 3 0.59 Total NCAA 19 2 3.13 39 29 0 1 189.2 221 61 1.07 LAST TIME OUT: Hickman pitched five scoreless innings at Great Lakes last Sunday to earn his first professional win.