Mesa Solar Sox update: Bote leads AFL

Now that we’re officially in the offseason, Cubs fans are allowed to care about the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League. Friday means it’s time for our weekly update on the Boys of Fall.

The Solar Sox are 4-5 on the season as I write this, just one game behind the Scottsdale Scorpions in the East Division.

The biggest news out of Mesa comes from second baseman David Bote, who was named AFL Player of the Week for the first week of the season. Bote lead the league in home runs, batting average and on-base percentage after the first week of the season. Since then, Bote has been passed in average and OBP, but he still boasts an impressive .483 average with a .559 on-base percentage. His four home runs still lead the league, as do his 27 total bases.

Ian Rice has also been hitting down in the desert. He only has 17 plate appearances in four games, but he’s 4 for 12 with three doubles and five walks. That’s a .333/.529/.583 slash line if you’re curious.

Jason Vosler continues to struggle in the AFL, however. The big corner outfielder is hitting just .160 in 25 at-bats. He has connected for his first home run and has walked four times.

Outfielder Charcer Burks has started his AFL season, playing two games this past week. Burks is 2 for 9 with a double and two RBI.

The Cubs top prospect down in the AFL continues to impress. Pitcher Adbert Alzolay has been pitching in relief in Arizona and has made three appearances of two innings each. In those six innings, he’s allowed no runs, no hits and he’s struck out seven. The only baserunner he’s allowed has come on a single walk.

Alec Mills’ second start in the AFL went much better than the first. Mills pitched four innings on Monday and allowed one run on four hits. Mills struck out one and did not walk anyone. He still got the loss though. Combined with his bad start on Opening Day, Mills is 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA. He does have four strikeouts and only one walk in seven innings, however.

Jake Stinnett’s second relief appearance also went better than his first. He pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief on Tuesday, allowing two hits and two walks and striking out three. Stinnett has pitched 4.1 innings so far in the AFL and has a 4.15 ERA.

Finally, Pedro Araujo pitched one more scoreless inning of relief on Wednesday, allowing one hit but walking no one and striking out one. Araujo has made three appearances in the AFL, has thrown three innings and has allowed one run for an ERA of 3.00. He’s struck out four and has not walked anyone.