Arizona Fall League Mesa Solar Sox update: Week 4

It’s Monday, which means it is time once again to check in on the Cubs’ Boys of Autumn who are playing for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.

The Mesa Solar Sox, the AFL team that the Cubs share with the Angels, Athletics, Indians and Tigers, were 2-2 over the past week. Their overall record is 10-9, two games behind the first place Salt River Rafters in the East Division.

Here’s an update on the seven Cubs players on the Solar Sox roster.

Hitters:

Miguel Amaya: The Cubs’ top prospect in the Arizona Fall League only played one game for the Solar Sox over the past week because he was also the starting catcher for the East in the Fall Stars Game. Amaya went 1 for 5 with a sacrifice fly and a run scored in Wednesday’s 12-10 loss in 10 innings to Surprise.

In the Fall Stars Game, Amaya was 0 for 2. MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis named Amaya as having the best defensive tools among the Fall Stars in a piece written before the game. Amaya threw a runner out trying to steal in Wednesday’s game.

In nine games for Mesa this fall, Amaya is hitting .303/.385/.364 with four runs scored and seven RBI.

Zack Short: Short played three games this past week, all at shortstop. He was 2 for 11 with three walks. He also stole his first base of the AFL season.

On the AFL campaign, Short is hitting .208/.345/.313 over 13 games.

Jared Young: Young snapped out of his AFL slump when he went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in Thursday’s 9-3 win over Salt River. He went 0 for 3 in his other game this past week.

It’s been a rough season for Young in the AFL. Over eight games, he’s hitting .214/.333/.250 with three RBI and one run scored.

Pitchers:

Scott Effross: Effross had one relief appearance this past week and it didn’t go well. He pitched the fifth inning in Wednesday’s loss to Surprise, Effross gave up a one-out single, an RBI double and another RBI single to give up two runs in his one inning of work. He did not strike anyone out. These were the first two runs he’s given up in the AFL this year.

Overall, Effross has pitched 5⅔ innings over five relief appearances. He sports a 3.18 ERA. Effross has struck out four and walked one.

Jordan Minch: Minch pitched 1⅓ innings in Wednesday’s 12-10 extra-inning loss, but he did not contribute to the loss. Minch entered the game with a man on second and two outs in the top of the sixth inning. He ended the threat with a weak ground ball to first. Minch gave up a leadoff double in the seventh, but then struck out the next three batters to end the threat and his outing.

Minch played in the Fall Stars Game, entering the game with two outs and nobody on in the third inning. He walked the first two batters he faced, but then ended the inning with a fly out.

For the AFL campaign, Minch has thrown seven innings in six games. He’s allowed two runs for a 2.57 ERA. He’s struck out 12 batters and walked just one. (Obviously the Fall Stars Game stats don’t count.)

Keegan Thompson: Thompson started Wednesday’s slugfest. While he didn’t have a great outing, it was better than his last one as he allowed two runs on three hits over four innings. One of the hits was a solo home run to the second batter he faced, Kyle Isbel of the Royals. Thompson walked three and struck out one.

On the year, Thompson has made four starts totaling 12⅔ innings. Thompson has an ERA of 7.11, thanks in part to three home runs. Thompson has struck out 15 and walked four.

Erich Uelmen: Uelmen didn’t make the Fall Stars Game, but he certainly could have been named to the team as he’s been good the entire campaign. Uelmen pitched just one game this past week, but he got the win in relief in Friday’s seven-inning 3-2 win over Salt River.

Uelmen pitched the top of the sixth inning and gave up a leadoff single to Twins farmhand Royce Lewis, but Lewis was immediately thrown out stealing. Uelmen then struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

In the AFL, Uelmen has pitched nine innings over five relief appearances. He’s allowed just one run and four hits for a 1.00 ERA. Uelmen has struck out nine and walked one.